as of today, i’ve been blogging for four years. i’ve been “a blogger” for most of this kid’s life! kinda crazy.
i started the blog after resisting jumping into it for a while, but after Erin and Danielle both made me realize it would be way better than just posting photos on flickr, i finally went for it. blogging really has changed my life in a bunch of ways – i’ve met people around the world (and even here in town) that i never would have met, it’s pushed me to sew things i never would’ve sewn, i’ve felt encouragement and support and i’ve learned so much – it’s just been really cool.
my posting has been a bit more sporadic since kid #3 came on the scene – basically i realized sleep is really important (i’m getting better at limiting my obligations to others so i can sew/blog at my own pace), but i still love having this space, am proud of what i’ve built here, and excited to continue to share what i make because i love the give and take of it all. so hey! thanks for a great four years! let’s talk about some pants.
this little goofball is modeling a pair of trousers i actually made during kid’s clothes week. i don’t remember what happened to cause them to be dragged out for as long as they were, but it took me the whole week to sew them. i think i was working on something else at the time too, maybe? anyway, couldn’t let a KCW go by without participating in some way; KCW makes my world go round!
the theme for the last kid’s clothes week was “Upcycle,” and these pants are made from a pair of my husband’s old pants. i’ve been trying to make a dent in my upcycle pile; it’s too big and sometimes spills out onto my feet from its mound under my cutting table.
it’s getting trickier to cut kid pants from man pants in his size! cutting the legs was tricky and i and had to piece together the waistband. not sure how much longer i’ll be able to pull it off.
the waistband lining was a gift from Tara, and pocket bags are leftover chambray from this shirt. i wrote the size onto some twill tape; trying to get better about labeling my kid clothes with sizes because as C grows, sometimes i’m not sure when to pull out O’s outgrown stuff for him to wear!
if you happen to need a visual guide to sewing a welt pocket, i did a tutorial post for Oliver + S walking you through Liesl’s instructions step-by-step. you can find that here.
the pattern is the Oliver + S Art Museum Trousers in a size 3. these pants are sized pretty generously, especially in length, which I knew ahead of time. i wanted to make pants he’d grow into, and clearly that was achieved. the fly is faux but i added bar tacks at the base of the fly and on the side curve – it seems that those little bits of stitching details take boy pants into “legit” territory at first glance.
i do feel like i should’ve added more topstitching – namely at the front pockets and around the welts – but it’s fine without them too.
i also whipped up a new belt for him since the one i made for his first pair of SFSJs is too small now (as are the jeans themselves!). i lucked out and found more of the same webbing at Joann that i used before! it’s only like $2 a yard so keep your eyes open for it if you need to make the easiest belt ever. just a couple D rings and you’re all set.
i took these photos up on a weekend trip to the Puget Sound, because beach photos are the best.
now i’m gonna throw you for a loop and put up the month-old KCW button! it’s tradition!
(plus if i don’t get some green in this st. paddy’s day post, i’ll get pinched)
skirt as top 
Very legit pants. I agree that top stitching makes all the difference. I’m just wondering how long I can get away with the faux fly. Is there a point where a real “man” needs a real fly? 🙂 I hope not, I might just give up on pants at that point.
Congrats on the anniversary! Skirt as Top has always been one of my favorite reads.
thanks kristi! oh i don’t know about the “real fly.” 6? 7? 8? i still do faux for E but for boys it seems more important…ugh.
Happy blogaversary!
Oh I’m so happy you started blogging. You are so inspiring to me! Also I will probably never sew pants again because they are hard and I’m lazy. These are perfection. I love seeing the insides of the stuff you make.
I’m so happy that you started blogging! You are so inspiring to me. And I love seeing the insides of your clothes because they are perfection! Also pants are hard.
aw thanks danielle! it’s those pesky details that make pants hard, really “selling” them. with boy clothes in general there’s more pressure for them to look storebought, not homemade. kinda irksome, but a good challenge too.
I just adore pants like these on little boys! So cute. Great tip on the belt. My 6-yr old boy is pretty slender and thinks it’s soooo funny to see how many jumps it takes for his pants to fall down… I think a cute belt is in order!
HA! absolutely. they’re seriously the easiest, quickest belts. and when they outgrow them, you can reuse the hardware! i’ve sewn them with quilting cotton too…
happy blogiversary!! FOUR years, jeez, that’s no joke! and you have a TON to be proud of! i dig your new blog look! now on to the pants….i’m a huge fan of these trousers, they are just so pro. a lot of work but totally worth it, especially with another little boy to pass them along to. the belt is super cute too! happy st. patty’s day!!!
thanks gail! you’re right there with me, girl! and thanks for noticing the new look. 🙂
Congrats on 4 years! I thought it was longer!! I have been doing it all of Ava’s life too (one month after she was born in 2008 and I would have sworn you were around that year too!!). You are still a favorite of mine and I have loved watching you grow (and those babies too!). As for those pants…AWESOME! They look store bought. I wouldn’t have known you made them if I just saw him walking down the street:) that’s a win.
i think we found each other in my flickr days, which started for me in 2009. maybe that’s why? i’m so grateful to have a longtime bloggy buddy like you, too!!
4 years! Wahoo!! Those are some very fancy pants with those great pockets! That is a serious accomplishment for an upcycle. Nice work, as always!
thanks Melissa!! i went through a couple possible pairs of adult pants before i decided on these; it was a tight fit!
Happy blog birthday.
Love the pants. Love that tummy shot. Love reading Skirt As Top.
Whatever pace your blog rolls at is fine by me! (just so long as Film Petit doesn’t expire before I get my turn 😉)
thanks shelley! we’re seriously trying to jumpstart FP again…and definitely need to get you on board!
Those are some quality Art Museum Trousers! Love that you made these from grownup pants, they really have that “grown up pants” look, like mini-dad-trousers. I love seeing the insides of things too (why don’t I ever show the insides of my garments?). Happy blogiversary! I think I’m on six years, which is crazy and weird. I look back at my pre-kid posts with a sort of … embarassment? And nostalgia, like oh look, BABY INDER. How sweet and a little funny. That’s how it feels! LOL!
aw thanks, inder! i’d love more people to show their sewing guts, that’d be fun. wow, six years! you’re a trooper! it is pretty funny to look back on old posts, i remember feeling so awkward about what to write.
well how about that blogover! Very nice. I love it! A blogover for your blog bday! I sure am glad you started blogging! I’ve been blogging since Indigo was 14 months old – so almost 7 years this year! Crazy how the time flies!
The pants are great. An upcycle, too – and an awesome one at that!
thank you, ma’am! wanted something clean and simple, and the free themes finally caught up with my taste. 7 for you! longtimer.
Congrats on 4 years! I have every intention of getting back on my blog too… I miss it! Love the pants- funnily enough I have an almost identical pair in the works for O’s Easter outfit- to go with his vest. Good to know it runs big bc I was debating on the 3 or 4 size but I think I’m going to stick with 3 bc he’s a skinny dude, just tall.
yes! they run long too, i think you’ll be good. 🙂
oh man! they look so so adorable!! I love those details of the waistband and label. And I seriously need to try those pockets, gotta love a good pocket. 🙂 Love that you got talked into starting your blog – so glad we’re friends.
thanks so much, anna! i’m so glad we’re friends, too.
Kristin, you’re just pure awesomeness! Happy four years, and wow, those pants are seriously profesh. I’m also loving the clean, simple blog update — I’m all about clean and simple. Hope there will be many, many more years of blogging and amazing creations!
aw sanae, thank you. cheers to simplicity and many more years of blogging!
Wow! I’m glad I found your blog shortly after your blogiversary! I’m just starting this blogging journey. I have been teaching myself to sew and I have become totally hooked (which is not something I ever would have thought would happen to me)! I love the pants and love that they’re upcycled. Hittin’ follow!