handmade kid clothes swap

April 4, 2013April 10, 201338 Comments

a few months back, Robin of Nested in Stitches had a really great idea to bring together a bunch of sewing bloggers with similar taste and style for a handmade kid clothes swap extravaganza. i was lucky enough to be involved during the planning phase, and it was so, so fun to see it all unfold. we were inspired by our swap partner’s pinterest board to create an outfit for their kid, all in secret! you can read more about the swap here.

polka dot geranium tunic

i think a lot of us sewing mamas are pretty generous in our sewing – we sew for our kids, other people’s kids, baby gifts, wedding gifts, house stuff…but we don’t usually get too many handmades in return. i bet the reason we have blogs is that we DON’T know too many people in real life that are our age and do what we do. the internet brings all of us crazy late-night modern sewists together and it’s a cool thing to share our passion with others.

but sometimes it’s also nice to receive, and Robin’s swap is the best of both worlds – sewing for someone else in a really thoughtful way, and getting something in the mail from another mama that puts just as much love into her sewing as you do.

you know who drew my name? DELIA! oh i love Delia, she’s such a bighearted and kind person, a fact that was proven when i opened up the adorably wrapped package she sent. it was obvious she put an incredible amount of thought and love into what she made for Em, taking into account both her likes and my own tastes. she also filled gaps in Em’s wardrobe – i rarely make tunics and Em was in dire need of leggings, especially because these days she loves to layer all sorts of pieces together to make her own crazy looks.

swap outfits from delia

i’ll let Delia explain more about the TWO beautiful and perfect outfits she sewed for Em, but first i need to point something out. i think many of us swap participants were really nervous about sewing for our partner, thinking a fellow sewist would judge us more harshly on the straightness of our stitches or our finishing techniques, but when Em and i opened that box from Delia i noticed zero of the “imperfections” that she talks about below, and only saw the most beautiful chiffon Geranium tunic, the perfectly-fitting sparkly and striped leggings, the fantastic mustard linen top. Em got SO excited about the outfits too! really, just perfect…and it felt so special to see her sewing firsthand, with those pieces so caringly made just for my little gal. i nearly cried.

polka dot geranium tunic

anyway, here’s Delia talking about her inspiration and what she made, with a bunch of photos and my comments in italics. 😉

***

When Robin told me that I had Kristin, I was both excited and super nervous. I mean…this is Kristin of Skirt as Top! I knew whatever I made would have to be perfect. (and it was!!!)

So, I didn’t create perfection (yes you did) but I had a lot of fun perusing her awesome girls pinterest board and creating something for her cute adorable Em. It was SO hard to not repin a bunch of stuff from there. I didn’t want to tip her off you know. 😉

geranium tunic and leggings from delia

Using Made By Rae’s Geranium pattern, I sewed my first Geranium. I felt a little ambitious and decided to line it with white linen and add a white and silver polka dot chiffon overlay with chiffon flutter sleeves. I whipped up some glittery teal leggings to go with and threw in a sparkly zipper flower clip my friend Tori made for me a long time ago. It just matched so perfectly that I just couldn’t not, you know? (and Em LOVES it!!! she’s a huge fan of hair clips she can put in easily herself)

The whole ensemble was inspired by the many sheer or ballet style outfits she pinned along with the flutter sleeved tops she pinned. See here, here, and here for just a few examples. I made it inspired by the ballet look without looking like a tutu. (mission accomplished – she didn’t stop dancing/leaping through this whole photoshoot, as you can see)

I also tried to infuse what Kristin had said Em liked. She mentioned sparkle (check), twirl (even though it’s a tunic, it twirls, check), and polka dots (check).

Even though I felt like I had sewed something Em would love, I was super nervous that Kristin might not love it (poppycock!). So, I sewed some more.

I was heavily inspired by this pin here, and this color scheme here and ended up making my favorite piece yet. This tank has a slight high low rise hem, flutter-ish straps, a single covered button at the back and a faux “placket” of black buttons on the front all sewn in a yellow linen from Jo-Ann. (i love the linen and the fit is so nice too – Em wore it with grape-colored shorts for Easter dinner and it’s perfect for spring/summer)

I sewed more leggings using Go To Patterns Leggings pattern again which is a really great pattern. It takes out the sizing guess work and makes great fitting, professionally finished leggings every time.

In the end, the stripes on one of the leggings don’t line up and the buttons on the chiffon top are off center – ugh (didn’t even notice). But, it all fits her and she likes it, which is what was I was most worried about. I learned that sewing a tiny hem on chiffon is not so bad, and that I need more flutter sleeves for Natalie too because they are so fun and perfectly pretty!

I felt so honored to be a part of this sewing swap and that I got to have my dear friend Kristin as my secret sewing assignment.

Kristin sent me a few texts of Em twirling in her outfits when she got them and they MADE my day. She is the cutest Kristin! (aw thanks, Delia!!! you really nailed Em’s style but it’s all so perfectly YOU too…i wish i could give you a big huge hug!!)

***

isn’t it all so great? thank you SO MUCH Delia!

okay, so what did i make?

well. i was lucky enough to draw Danielle, one of my first sewing blog friends – i emailed her after i found her blog when she posted for No Big Dill two years ago because i noticed some similarities in our lives that could not be ignored. Danielle was kind enough to write back rather than think i was a crazy person and ignore me. we became fast friends, she encouraged me to start my blog and our friendship has only grown since (I even met her and her kids last summer, our little gals hit it off and Em still asks if she can play with Avery sometime…). i was thrilled to sew for both of her kids!

here’s a preview – click over to my sparkle for her cute little towheads rocking their outfits!

check out all of the swap participants for more bloggy fun! some really awesome stuff happened here – can’t wait to do it again sometime!

wool greenpoint cardigan

April 3, 2013April 3, 201325 Comments

one of the best (and hardest) things about sewing is being able to make all this stuff that i used to buy. and once i know how to make it, i CAN’T buy it anymore. take cardigans for instance. once Adrianna (of Crafterhours and Hey June Handmade fame) sent me her Greenpoint Cardigan to try out, and i found out how easy it is to make, i’ll likely never buy a cardigan again (except maybe in dire circumstances)!

for my first try at this adorable little pattern, i sewed it up with a couple of old felted wool sweaters and an old scarf. it’s got a bunch of cashmere in it and is soooo soft for Em to wear. i was very inspired by this Mini Boden sweater.

the wool worked, though i added a bit too much interfacing in the maroon band and it didn’t stretch as much as it needed to. i actually made this a couple months ago (again) but just remembered i needed to post it when Em recently chose it to wear layered over one of her crazy outfits she’s pulling together these days.

i made it in a size 4, which is a bit too big for her. but as a ballet coverup, the grandpa cardigan look works great.

she loves buttoning things.

and dancing. always dancing.

check out the Hey June Pattern Shop to grab your copy of the Greenpoint Cardigan pattern, and add something new to your “make not buy” list! 😉

oh and you’re gonna wanna come back tomorrow for a SUPER fun project i worked on! it involves me sending a couple outfits to Utah and receiving a couple amazing ones in return!! for now, you can read more here.

jackson pollock smock frock & japanese sewing books

March 25, 2013March 27, 201349 Comments

i’m starting off the week with a guest post and a sew along together!

first, the guest post. Cherie of You & Mie, a good friend (we’ve met in person – TWICE!) and an amazing blogger (see awesome tutorials), is putting on her first ever series! it’s aptly named the Japanese Sewing Book Series and if you follow along, her guests will walk you through the entire process of finding, deciphering, and sewing from Japanese pattern books from start to finish! she’s got an awesome lineup – i’m the obvious lightweight of this group, lemme tell ya.

anyway, my post on the basics of Japanese pattern books – where to buy them, how to determine sizing (including a conversion chart), and the general structure of the books – is up today! go check it out!

Cherie asked us all to sew a project as a companion piece to our posts, and i decided to sew the apron from Carefree Clothes for Girls by Junko Okawa- it’s the best intro to Japanese pattern books because it’s written in English (no excuses!). and because i also wanted to sew along with the “art inspired” theme for the first week of Project Run & Play All-Stars, i went ahead and splattered it with paint a la Jackson Pollock!

i sewed a size 4, which fits her now! last time i sewed from this book, i sized it down a bit and it was still too big. but now it’s perfect, which makes me want to sew even more of these. because if i ask her to jump and she does THIS, it makes me want to sew a million:

dance outside barefoot? sure!

anyway…so the Jackson Pollock part. i really love the the first theme for the first week of this season of Project Run & Play – “Inspired by Art,” and had a whole bunch of ideas swirling around my head. but since i knew i’d be sewing for Cherie’s series too, i quickly narrowed down my artist to Jackson Pollock and decided to splatter some Essex yarn dyed black linen with fabric paint. i didn’t do any practice runs, i just experimented as i splattered with hot pink, metallic gold, and a little white.

the method i found to work was to dilute the fabric paint a little with water, then sort of flick it up the side of a tilted custard cup onto the fabric with a brush. just dribbling didn’t work so well. i started in the center and splattered outward, so the top of the apron has just tiny dots of paint but the hemline is pretty covered (and stiff). i’m curious how it’s going to wash up…but i love the a-line shape on her and the stiffness only helps that. i topstitched it with metallic gold thread, which she didn’t hold still long enough to get a good photo of.

i also made her leggings! i fiiiiiinally put together my Go To Leggings pattern that i’ve heard so many good things about, and i loved it! of everything i sew for Em, what she really needs is basic leggings to fit her growing legs, and i’ve been meaning to make some for months now.

these are made out of really soft stretch lace from Mill End and are quite see through, so she’ll be wearing them with longer skirts/dresses in the future. she loves them though, so much so that i had to hide them from her until the photoshoot! i love how the waistband is sewn, so simple and fast but really pro-seeming, and i’m excited to make more now that the ONE PATTERN PIECE is all cut out and ready to go. sheesh, took me long enough!

we were over at the beach for my dad’s birthday weekend, and both kids just loved being there. we got some nice weather, stayed in a beautiful place, and had a lot of fun. the view was pretty amazing.

be sure to head over to You & Mie to check out my guest post – i’m so excited for the rest of the guests this week – i’m a big fan of each one of them and am ready to be rekindle my Japanese sewing romance that has laid dormant for a couple years.

and i’m soooo looking forward to what the PR&P All-Stars sew this week!! i have lots of friends in that group, and i know they’re revved up.

have a great week!

PS – Follow my blog with Bloglovin

deer for days geranium dress

March 14, 2013March 14, 201315 Comments

bringing home a post i did for StraightGrain’s weekly “Kids Clothes – Belgian Style” series. i kicked off the series a few weeks ago, and since my post, there have been three super fantastic guest posts you should check out – Suburbia Soup, Crafterhours, and Groovybaby…and mama! i’ve loved every one and can’t wait to see what the next guests have in store.

anyway, i just had to have this deer geranium dress living on my own blog – it still cracks me up every time i see it. Made by Rae Patterns is a sponsor now too, which i’m totally psyched out of my mind about, since i sew her patterns all the time and love them to bits! she’s a huge role model and i’m so happy to have her. welcome, Rae! 🙂

***

Hello StraightGrain readers! I’m especially excited that An invited me to be a guest in this series – why? Because I had actually made this dress a couple days before she even emailed me, inspired by An herself! I laughed out loud when I got her invitation to participate, it was so perfectly-timed. Talk about serendipity.

When I saw An’s deer dress, I thought it was pretty much genius. And then she made her cow dress and it was immediately elevated to “must make” status for me. I LOVED it.

Honestly, this type of pastoral/photographic print is in the section of the fabric store I tended to give a wide berth, assuming it was for hunters and people looking to make curtains for their cabins in the woods. Never in a million years would I have had the foresight to gravitate toward a print with deer all over it to make a dress for my little gal, but BEHOLD! An had me doing just that. It’s not the type of look you see in America too often, but I’m hoping we can change that because it’s fantastic.

I have the same philosophy as An where I think a loud print pairs best with a simple silhouette, so I used the Made by Rae Geranium Dress pattern, which is really well-written and versatile. I made it in a 3T with a 4T skirt – options are scoop neck, faux cap sleeve, pleated skirt. My daughter loves it.

As I browsed An’s Kid’s Clothes Belgian Style Pinterest board, I noticed a few trends in styling – colorful belts, rain boots, brightly colored tights, white backgrounds. I had no idea that Belgians had such a specific style, but it’s so inspirational to me – I love the playfulness and lighthearted attitude of the outfits, which have very classic silhouettes. I want to make more!

Living in a pretty gray and rainy place (Portland, Oregon, USA), people tend to layer up around here a lot, so it’s especially fun to add bright pops of color to the mix. I made the belt in golden shot cotton, left over from my daughter’s Sunshine Dress. It has sunshiny buttons, too.

I got my fabric locally, and the selvedge says “Sanctuary by Wade Butler for Wilmington Prints.”

To play with the forest-y theme even more, I lined it with a woodgrain print (Tina Givens for Free Spirit). I think kid’s clothes should have an element of fun to them, which is why I’m falling so hard for Belgian style.

Thanks so much for having me, An!

sugarplum fairy dress

March 11, 2013March 19, 201327 Comments

this dress is possibly Em’s favorite dress that i’ve ever made her.

really. if this thing is clean, and in her closet, and there’s an occasion, she’ll put it on. but i guess it’s totally reasonable of her, since i basically made every decision about it by answering the question “what would Em like most?”

pink? check. purple? check. polka dots? check. ribbon? check. twirl? mega check.

i actually made it for our early december trip to the nutcracker. if i remember correctly, a night before the performance i got a bee in my bonnet to make her a “sugar plum fairy dress” and i just dropped everything and went for it. the sugarplum fairy is her favorite character in the ballet, and what could be more perfect than see kate sew’s adorable sugarplum dress pattern, i ask you?! NOTHING.

seriously you guys, this thing is such a cute pattern to put together. i just loved it as i sewed, it’s super adorable and no-fuss (that means no closures – it ties at the shoulders with ribbon!). i love the flutter sleeves, i love the peter pan collar, i love the twirly skirt. i almost couldn’t stand how cute every little part of it was. i made it in a 4T which was actually a mistake on my part – i never sew 4T for her and i’m not sure what i was thinking, the bodice is way too big. i had to put a pleat at the collar and at the back neck to get it to fit, which bugs me but SHE DOES NOT CARE.

the pink bodice fabric is batiste, the purple collar and sleeves are shot cotton. the skirt is the best part – it’s nani iro double gauze.

i meant to make something for myself from it, but you know how it goes – it was perfect for this dress so i cut it. i got it on sale at bolt, and i found what might be the same colorway (but it’s hard to tell) online at the village haberdashery, and the blue/yellow version at miss matatabi and nido.

since the waist was a bit big, i handsewed a mini ball trim to the seam for fun (and functional!) cinching. adding those special details are the best parts of sewing, i think.

sugarplum fairy dress

this one might hold the record for longest period of time between making and blogging so far – made in early december, blogged in mid march. it’s not for lack of being loved and worn – sometimes the most loved garments are the hardest to blog since they’re so often in use! and this dress looks more springy than christmasy anyway, right? since i made it too big, it’s got plenty of growing room. WIN.

the sugarplum dress and top pattern by see kate sew runs sizes 3m – 6yrs and would be the perfect little Easter dress, right?

*rainbow streamer by sarah’s silks*

*kate gifted me the sugarplum pattern because she’s a sweetheart – check out all of her patterns here. this post contains affiliate links. none of those statements detract from the fact that i love this pattern to bits and, now that i’ve finally blogged it, am itching to make another*