B is for Boynton Book

When the theme "storybook" was announced for Kids Clothes Week I decided to look on the shelf and see what books Cupcake really likes to read.  One of her favorites is Blue Hat Green Hat by Sandra Boynton.  If you have not read this simple children's book, you are missing out.  (To get a general idea of what I'm talking about, go here.)  Most of the book goes something like this: "blue shirt, yellow shirt, green shirt, oops!"  And so I decided to "oops" and make her one shirt with all the colors.

For fabric, I used what I had.  The same red for all the other red projects (the first pair of pants I made and all the 4th of July skirts).  The lime green was used as lining in her St. Patrick's dress and as a second layer on her Bunny Dress.  I randomly received a whole bunch of fabric from my friend's mom which included the yellow with tiny ducks and the small blue gingham.  

I used the St. Patrick's bodice pattern as my starting point, adjusting it slightly and making a round neck instead of square.  The back is my usual loop and button closure, because I have yet to attempt button holes or zippers.  I made my own quilt of fabrics for the bottom, using strips of various widths.  (I've learned that I would not be entirely opposed to a small amount of quilting in the future, as long as things don't have to be super exact.)  The real challenge for this project was the sleeves.  I'd done flutter sleeves, and peasant tops have sleeves, but no proper sleeves.  I was nervous, but followed the first part of the tutorial here and made my own pattern.  And they turned out great!  They aren't too tight or too loose and now I won't be so scared to do them again in the future.

A is for Apron

My little Cupcake absolutely loves sheep, so it just made sense to dress her up as Little Bo Peep for Halloween.  I finished the last of it for Kids Clothes Week last week.

Hat tutorial here and I added extra lace around the brim.  I was worried that it was a waste of time because she never wanted to try it on, but she wore it the entire night of trick-or-treating!

I made the shirt months ago when I was making lots of peasant tops (basic tutorial here).

I tried to be practical with the skirt and made it a reversible circle skirt (found here).  The flip side is Christmas fabric!  Just need to find her a red sweater and her Christmas outfit is done.

Bloomers are the same basic pants pattern I use for everything (originally here).  I used the cutest white eyelet for both the pants and the apron.

And for the apron there is no tutorial because I made it up as I went along.  At first I made the elastic for around the back of the neck too long, and then I cut it and made it too short.  It worked for the night of trick-or-treating, but if I'm going to keep it for future use, I think I'll cut the elastic entirely and make it straps to tie. 

As a bonus, my friend Sherry made her a crinoline.  And Grandma had made her the cloak for her baby blessing two years ago, and it was perfect for keeping her warm without detracting from the outfit.

 

My KCW

Saturday - I got my game plan.  Picked patterns/tutorials and fabric for a birthday outfit, plus another pair of pajama pants (from an old receiving blanket).  Made my own bias tape, and a trial pair of bloomers (modifying the pattern I use for pajama pants). 

Monday - Created the pattern for the top.  Cut out all the pieces for shirt, bloomers and pj's.

Tuesday - Ironed in all the hems and casings.  Started making ruffles for the bloomers.

Wednesday - Worked on the shirt.

Thursday - Finished the shirt.  Finally got to try it on her, and was a little disappointed with the fit.  The bias tape is a bit overwhelming, and the shoulders are too narrow to properly show off the cap sleeves. Did a quick redraw of the pattern for next time.  Worked on the bloomers a bit and finished making the ruffles.

Friday - a busy evening, shopping for the birthday BBQ, so I didn't get as much time to work on stuff.  Got further on the bloomers - pinned the ruffles on.  Need to sew them on and put the elastic in the waistband.

Saturday - Outfit finished!  Time to show it off at our birthday party.

Sunday - rest and recovery from the party.

Monday - spent exactly an hour finishing the pajama pants.  After making so many they actually go pretty fast!

birthday dress for #3 turning 4

Birthday dress #2 for the year, for JE! I did a size 5 of the roller skate dress/tunic from Oliver + S - I am LOVING their patterns! This is the 3rd O+S pattern I've done just since Christmas - the nightgowns, and JK's Dr. Seuss dress (which was for her birthday), and now this. It's a fully lined dress so I've seen a couple of online sewing gurus make this into a reversible dress. I wasn't quite that ambitious this time - maybe next time I use this pattern. My learning curve on this one was the lining - I hadn't done anything like that before.

It's pink and white gingham with little white daisies all over it, and lined with solid pink. I had ordered the gingham from online a long time ago and it was just sitting there waiting for someone to pick it up. JE thought it was great because it's PINK! I was originally going to line it in white but I couldn't find white at the fabric store when I was getting a few things - I came across some pink and laid the gingham over it to see how it would show through, and it made the flowers stand out a lot more than if they were backed in white. So it worked out GREAT! The bow on the front is gold ribbon, and she has gold summer sandals to wear with it.

She loves to pose like she's dancing - she has her arms out in most pictures of I take of her these days.

KCW spring

At long last, the FIVE flannel nightgowns are DONE! Hooray! That was my accomplishment for the spring KCW - the last one of the five.

I sewed 4 of the 7 days. The other 3 - I had book group, I had to spend a late night doing various paperwork and bills items, and the 3rd was a really long day working on our yard and transplanting a bunch of things in the front flower bed. The yard is still all torn up with piles of dirt and rocks here and there, but it's going to look really good when it's done! But that's another post.

Anyway - I also spent over an hour at the fabric store getting the fabric for SM's birthday dress and the lining fabric for JE's birthday dress. That's all been washed and JE's pattern has been traced off. The other thing that needs to be done this week is finally taking care of the elastic in the waists of the Easter skirts Mindy made for us (and figuring out tops to go with them for next Sunday - time is getting away from me). So my sewing continues, and that's my April holiday project - birthdays! Two birthday dresses, and then in May, I'm going to do the USA skirts for Memorial Day to get them done. I'll need to think of something other holiday things to work on in June and July.

KCW Spring

My two shirts for KCW.  I didn't follow the theme, but I did get my holiday challenge done - an Easter peasant shirt with puffy blue sleeves.  I got the directions for the teal ruffle shirt here.  It took a long time - tearing, ironing, hemming, stitching, ruffling, pinning, sewing - times NINE.  I would consider doing a ruffle skirt in the future, but not with so many ruffles.  But it was something I wanted to do, so I'm glad I did it.  It'll be perfect for the summer.

Kids Clothes Week 2014 winter edition

Yeah, okay, so that sewing 1 hour per day totally did not happen here. A couple of days this week, I didn't even get into the sewing room at all. Sigh. I'll try again in the spring at the next go-around (I think this is supposed to be 4 times a year), and in the meantime, I'm shooting for 15 minutes a day. Maybe I can get that?

I did get JE's nightgown done tonight - hooray! I do have a contribution to the project list of KCW 2014! I totally nailed it on the length. It's right to the top of her feet, just where I wanted it. That surprised me. The buttons are uneven on the back - 2 are really close together with the 3rd one a distance away. Adam asked if I was going for some kind of asymmetrical look. No, I just messed up on spacing the buttonholes. I didn't put any ribbon on it, but I did a flower stitch on the neckline, wrists, and hem. I mixed in a bunch of hearts on the hem, so she has a little bit of the trademark. One heart for every letter in her name.

TA was very upset that she did not also have a new nightgown to wear to bed, so hers needs to be made pronto. I put the baby's on her to check the sizing - she can wear the 12-18 month size with it lengthened a bit (she's 2 1/2 but REALLY tiny - she apparently has the metabolism of a hummingbird because she eats more than any of our other girls). But I'm going to trace off the next size up on the pattern for her, because the armholes are more tight than I'd like. There wasn't much growing room in the smaller size.

pajama pants

While waiting to get the last of the measurements from Trina, I did my February project and made Cupcake's flannel pajama pants.  Same pattern as the first pair, but I added a quarter inch up each side and half an inch across the top.  Just that little bit made them perfectly baggy. 

 

And in case you were wondering, these totally count for Valentine's Day because they say "I love Mommy I love Daddy" all over them.  That, and pajama pants are cuddly.

KCW day 4

Cupcake's pants and skirts for Trina's two youngest: done, done and done.  Trina had originally requested just the two, but I've realized I've got enough fabric to make skirts for all five.  (They will all coordinate, but won't exactly match.)  And since I have a lot more time than she does, I might as well.  So I'll take pictures of them all complete, and then Trina will have to post them on her girls.

 

18 months old today, and she discovered she can reach the light switch.

KCW day 2/3

Even after spending all day at a friend's house, and having no husband around for a few days, I was able to put Cupcake to bed early (since she didn't nap well), and spend the rest of the night sewing away.  Red pants done!  Pictures will happen tomorrow.  The pattern actually worked pretty well, but I'll add a little height at the waist, chop some off at the ends (5 inches of hem is a bit excessive), and add just a little bit more room around the hips for more pajammy-type comfort.  When all said and done, pants are quick and easy, and I had fun making something new. 

I'm making skirts for Trina's youngest two (and possibly the rest of them, because I have plenty of this fabric) - and have everything prepped for assembly.  All six strips cut, pressed, with casings added and hemmed (I know that is a final step, but I find it way easier to do when it's flat, and not ruffled).  I'll likely finish them both tomorrow, and possibly start on Cupcake's flannel pajama pants.

kcw-2

Meh. You win some, you lose some. I did not, by any stretch of the imagination, sew for an hour today. It was one of those dreary, depressing winter days that sucks all motivation and momentum out of you. All you can do is exist. There's no proper living to it.

That said, I did get into the sewing room for a few minutes at least. SM was griping about being bored and dragging, and I told her I knew exactly how she felt. We need to combat it by creating something. So she and I talked about a headband she's working on from her embroidery kit that she got for Christmas. I got the sides stitched on the nightgown skirt. And I pulled a dress out of the mending pile and put the missing button back on it. I didn't make something from scratch, but there is another article of children's clothing back into circulation!

Better luck tomorrow.

KCW Day 1

Rough start to the day, with Cupcake being in meltdown mode all morning.  Naptime is precious time, but I used it to finish up a series of paintings for a commission.  With that out of the way now I can focus on sewing for the rest of the week.  The evening was busy, since my husband is going out of town for the next few days, but I did manage to get some sewing in.

First time working with a pattern (ever!) for Cupcake's pajama pants, and I actually enjoyed cutting things out.  (I really need to get myself a nice long ruler for drawing lines instead of trying to fold and iron things square.  It's amazing I don't have one.)  I've done the first three bits of stitching (front seat, back seat, and up the middle of the legs), and just need to do up the sides before trying them on her - no point in finishing them if they don't fit!  Glad I'm doing this with trial fabric first, before the precious flannel. 

I feel like I'm learning lots, and getting excited for future projects.  I'm on the hunt for the perfect dress pattern to go with the adorable green fabric I found for St. Patrick's Day!

kcw-1

Kid Clothes Week day 1: I had nightgown #2 already cut out and even started. But just barely. I was hoping to get some sewing in during JK's nap and she did take a really long one! But other things took priority, like her sisters and cooking dinner. Heh.

I got a good amount of sewing in after they went to bed, probably an hour and a half but I wasn't really keeping track. I got the bodice of the nightgown most of the way done - facing attached, topstitching done, and sleeves put on. Next step is to put in the buttonholes, sew the skirt together, and attach the bodice and skirt. I like my new machine for the buttonholes - I set a couple of things up on it, push a button, and it does the whole thing. My old machine is more old school. I have to change the stitch number for each side of the buttonhole.

This size is for JE and I tried it on SM and RG. I think I can get away with it on RG but SM definitely needs a bigger size. Another pattern to trace! And then of course RG told me that she doesn't want a nightgown at all - she likes the Hello Kitty one she got for Christmas. I don't know what I'll end up doing for her - I'll do her pajamas last to see what she ends up deciding on. I could do a top (like this pattern is supposed to be anyway) with pajama pants.