here it is, my fifth and final planned project for the fall kids clothes week challenge. this tutu is a major component of Em’s halloween costume, angelina ballerina (that’s the best image on the least annoying site i could find). she was not into modeling for me after her nap today…

…so if you think she’s always happily willing to pose for my photos, trust me that is not the case. even for a pink angelina tutu!

the pattern is from “little things to sew.” i’ve now made 5 out of the 20 projects in that book (that’s the highest completion rate of any of my sewing books – definitely worth the money!). this one was especially user-friendly. i had made a tutu once before, and remember that cutting the many strips of tulle was an irritating nightmare. the method in LTTS has you fold over large pieces of tulle, gather, and sew onto a ribbon waistband that ties in the back. it was frustration-free and turned out great. i also love the suggestion of layering multiple colors of tulle. i started with burgundy at the bottom, then medium pink, then three pieces of light pink. it created a pretty, subtle ombré effect.

i also made a felt rose to clip to the waistband, just like angelina has.

to make the rose, i cut out a circle, then started cutting it in an imperfect spiral until i got to the center. i shaped it into a flower, hot glued it around the back to keep it in place, then glued on the leaves and a small circle with two slits to thread an alligator clip through. i’ve seen the circle flower method floating around the internet, and my mom used it to make some paper flowers recently, too. nice and easy.

i’m kind of glad she wasn’t in a modeling mood today, actually – it’ll leave a little more room for surprise when the rest of the costume is pulled together. 😉

not going to sign off on KCWC just yet, as i have a “bonus project” that may or may not come together before the end. we’ll see! happy final days of the challenge, everybody!

well, i had a pretty good streak going for a while there.  so close to a garment a day!  i had these sailboat pants completed on wednesday night except for sewing on the buttons.  i even brought the buttons up to my room with the thought of sewing them on before going to sleep.  that did not happen.  so i finished it yesterday (and started my fifth item) and i’m feeling good.

the pattern is the oliver + s sailboat pants (again), this time made in a really fantastic honey-colored corduroy i got at fabric depot.  it’s heavy duty stuff.  check this out:

i promise they’re clean!  🙂

the size is 12-18 months, but i cut 18-24 month length.  sailboats are meant to be a little short, but i didn’t want that for fall/winter.

i had fun with the details on this one, facing the front and side panels with joel dewberry woodgrain, adding a second row of topstitching to the hem of each pant leg, and using meg’s tutorial for a bunting tag.

i think they look pretty cute paired with his elbow patch sailboat top, too!  corduroy and elbow patches, how much more mini-professor can you get?

i have just ONE MORE item on my pre-planned list for KCWC – the dreaded tutu for Em’s halloween costume.  it’s actually in process and not that bad so far…famous last words, right?

my son’s wardrobe consists of something like 75% hand-me-downs from his boy cousins and sister, 15% gifts or new purchases, and 10% handmade by me.  the great thing about the hand-me-downs are that they’re in great shape, fashionable, and free.  the bad thing is they are slightly the wrong season, because his cousins are spring babies.

O is in need of pants, both regular and pajama.  i have major “sewer’s guilt” and struggle to buy anything but major sale items now since i can make it so much cheaper (i’m sure this is a common affliction!)  i should just spend all of KCWC sewing pants for the little guy, but that would get a bit repetitive.  here’s a start at least.

they’re the bottoms to the (out of print) oliver + s bedtime story pajamas.  i made them in 12-18 month size but 18-24 month length, because i’m sick and tired of how fast this kid grows out of stuff!

also, he always pulls socks off, so i figured longer pants might keep his toesies a little warmer.  i think i made them long enough…

but thanks to the hem bindings, they look cute cuffed too.

the polka dots are michael miller ta dot flannel (again), and the bindings are my happy garden for cloud9 fabrics.  i usually exercise more restraint on prints for boys, but thought it’d be fun to mix dots and stripes on these PJs.  the flannel is sooooo soft and cuddly, it makes me want to snuggle him even more than usual!

that’s two “bottoms” in a row…maybe a top next?  off i go!

this is what a little preparation + day off of work + both kids taking a 3 hour afternoon nap gives me…a great start to elsie marley’s fall kids clothes week challenge!  i learned something after participating in my first KCWC this spring – i do not want to be “wasting time” tracing and cutting patterns during the week.  i spent last week away from the sewing machine, but not away from my scissors.  i have everything cut and ready to sew, and in a couple instances (like the pleated pockets on this skirt) i got a couple of the finicky non-sewing steps out of the way so i wouldn’t get hung up.

the pattern is the oliver + s hopscotch skirt, made in a 3T.  the fabric is pencil tortoises from aneela hooey’s little apples.  i somehow missed her adorable sherbet pips line when it came out and am still kicking myself, but i jumped on this one!  so perfect for fall.  we’re eating a LOT of apples and have plenty of gray skies these days, so it couldn’t be more appropriate.  the buttons have little hearts drawn on them, which mimic the sketch-like design of the fabric.  kind of in love with those buttons.  they’re from bolt.

i finished the skirt JUST as i heard O waking up from his nap, and Em woke up a short time later to model for me before daddy got home.  talk about good timing.

i got even more fired up yesterday and cut out two more patterns (which brings me up to five).  my extra motivation boost came from a comment from jessica, who’s attempting to sew six items this week!  holy smokes!  we’ll see what happens on my end, but just in case i’m a speed sewing maniac, i’m prepared.

well…back to it!