kcw fall 2013: day 3&4:: spiderman start

October 24, 2013October 25, 201311 Comments

got some photos early this morning of O in his work-in-progress spiderman costume…

so early i was surprised my camera focused at all!

this is how i typically work, when i’m doing sort of “off pattern” sewing for my kids: i sew late at night, but leave key parts unfinished. i try the clothes on them the next day to assess fit and note the adjustments i need to make. for this suit, the hood is not yet attached (i’m using the bimaa pattern, hacked quite a bit), and the leggings (go to leggings pattern) are a bit too long.

i’ll shorten the blue parts of the leggings and sleeves, sew and attach the hood, and i think it’ll fit great!

i color blocked the shoulders (somehow giving myself a difficult V seam to sew), and sides, piecing in the blue knit and ending up pretty pleased with the result. the blue fabric is heavier than the red, which actually turned out okay! the spider is a hand-drawn freezer paper stencil, and the webbing is also hand-drawn with a ruler and fabric marker. i googled spiderman tons of times as i figured out how to put it all together.

it was pretty labor intensive, actually. i still haven’t “webbed” the hood yet.

but you guys. he LOVES this costume. i was worried because the spider actually scared him when i first showed it to him, but when he tried this outfit on he WOULD NOT TAKE IT OFF. i tried reason, i tried bribes, i tried everything i could. but without the hood attached, the neckline was stretching out the longer he had it on, so finally i just had to take it off of him. poor guy. he really wanted to be spiderman all day.

it’s fun that he’s old enough to get excited about his costume this year. he’s SO pumped for me to finish it up so he can wear it nonstop…too bad Halloween is still a week away!

tomorrow i want to wrap this one up and see how far i can get on a tutu for Em’s costume. wish me luck!

kcw fall 2013: day 2:: skeleton suit

October 22, 2013October 22, 201316 Comments

here’s my KCW progress for today – and hey, you even get some modeled shots! spooky.

to start off Em’s skeleton fairy costume, i made a simple shirt and leggings combo out of black jersey knit with freezer paper stenciled bones (see Dana’s tutorial here – i use a foam brush and blot it on rather than brushing). as i mentioned in my last post, i’d recently gotten Em some skeleton pajamas but she wanted BLACK ones for her costume, hence the making.

i traced the pajamas, added a couple more vertebrae just to cover a bit more of the shirt, lengthened the femurs a bit so the joint hits at her knee, and added a split in the forearm bones, because i’m anal enough to need the costume to be slightly more anatomically correct than the pajamas.

ULNA AND RADIUS, YO!

i painted the bones first with white, then with two coats of glow fabric paint (affiliate link). it does really glow, but not as brightly as the pajamas. the freezer paper didn’t come off as cleanly as usual either – i think the glow paint sort of shellacked it on there. oh well.

the shirt is Rae’s flashback skinny tee in 4T. it’s unhemmed because a) i wanted her to try it on 2) i’m kinda lazy and D) i like the way the raw edges look.

the leggings were originally sunki leggings, but i long ago modified my pattern tracing to be just one piece rather than a front and back. i also added length and sewed them up like Go To Leggings (affiliate link), because the Go To waistband attachment method is totally genius and pro.

her batman mask was made by CINO and isn’t part of the costume. more on that later (i know i keep saying that!). i don’t want to spoil the entire costume reveal though, so you just get bits at a time (and with random accessories).

an unexpected sewing emergency (commission project deadline i thought was next week but got moved to NOW) popped up on me, so this is all i got done today, KCW-wise. we’ll see what tomorrow holds…

kcw fall 2013: day 1:: prep & plan

October 21, 2013October 21, 201319 Comments

fall kid’s clothes week started today!

i’ve participated in every KCW since spring 2011…some sessions more productively than others, but i always jump in the best i can. KCW is just too motivational, too inspirational, and too much fun to pass up. this time, i’m going to try something i’ve never really done, but something i’ve seen others do – i’m going to post in progress photos, and i’m going to work most of the week on a couple time-sensitive larger projects rather than churning out as many basics as i can.

this week, i’m sewing halloween costumes!

if i get them done early on, i’ll try to sew some much-needed wardrobe builders, but as long as i get these done, i’ll be happy. and actually, the prep on these costumes seems to be more work than the actual sewing will be.

O wants to be spiderman…

and Em wants to be a “skeleton fairy.”

i’m using tried-and-true patterns and hacking them where necessary. i’ll talk more about the patterns as i finish them, ‘kay? for now, i’m just freezer paper stenciling and fabric markering my little heart out.

my halloween costume making philosophy comes from early childhood – i don’t remember ever wearing a store-bought costume. my mom sewed them, we thrifted components, we used what we had, and i even sewed a basic one as i got older. i just don’t even think about buying one from Target. one of my earliest self-drafted sewing projects for Em was a Dorothy costume, and they’ve been either sewn (or borrowed) since. it’s just fun for me to make them, even if they could be much more easily (and cheaply) purchased.

that being said, Spiderman is gonna be a LOT of work! all that color blocking and webbing, phew! and yes, i totally could’ve gotten skeleton pajamas for Em’s costume – in fact, she HAS some. that was what sparked her idea to be a skeleton fairy, actually. but her pajamas are pink, and she wants her costume to be “spooky.” so there ya go.

anyone else sewing costumes this KCW? the timing is perfect!

magentaa bimaa (and a skirt)

October 19, 2013October 20, 201315 Comments

helllllloooooooooo!

rare saturday post for you today, because i, along with my pal Erin over at hungie gungie, am the last stop on what has been a pretty epic tour for the Bimaa Sweater Pattern by LouBeeClothing!

i chose to go pretty basic with my Bimaa – i noticed recently that almost every top, dress, legging, and shoe that Em owns has some sort of print on it, and while print mixing is “in” these days, i believe that only applies to two prints, not three or four, which she has often been known to combine. this kid needs more solids to go with all the print stuff.

when i went shopping (at fabric depot), i looked for the perfect solid, and found this magenta knit. it’s a blend of some sort, and i was so excited about the ideal weight to drape ratio that i didn’t check the bolt to give you any details about it (BAD BLOGGER). it sort of turned purplish if my iron was too hot, though, so it’s got more stuff mixed in there than your typical interlock, i’m guessing.

i love how Sarah’s patterns are basics with a twist – they’ve all got unexpected design elements that make them really stand out. plus, they’re just so darn COOL! i can’t wait to sew up some Hosh Pants (and see if I can persuade Em into wearing non-leggings-pants).

i chose to sew the cowl neck version of the Bimaa (there are also hood and a shawl collar options included in the pattern). i love a good cowl sweater though, and a mini cowl was just irresistible. the pattern goes from size 12 mo to size 6, there’s no hemming (i sewed the whole thing with my serger, and did the sleeve cuffs with the same method as the waistband), it’s a super fast and painless to sew, and turns out a very stylish little sweater, don’t you think?

this Bimaa is a size 4T, which is actually larger than i usually sew for her and didn’t match Em’s measurement on the chart, chest-wise, but i saw Jess’ version and knew our little gals were the same size, so i went with it. i will say though, i think this pattern is sized to fit pretty snugly. Em is at the bottom of the weight charts for her age and the 4T fits her great, but if your little one is normal/larger, might wanna size up from what you usually sew, at least in width.

for a normal-height skinny kid like mine, though, the slimmer sizing is refreshing – i usually sew 3T bodices for her but i actually prefer to sew closer to her commercial size, ya know? she’s 5 and a half and wears a 5 in store-bought clothes.

to go with the Bimaa, because she really loves choosing her own skirt/top combos these days and she’s been getting so much taller, i made her a swingset skirt by Oliver + S. i was so hooked on the pattern after making Sadie’s, and i thought the fuller silhouette would be the perfect way to show off the Bimaa. this swingset is also a 4T, and i think i added a bit of length for extra growing room.

the skirt fabric is Heather Ross’ Pink Cricket Clover from Briar Rose for Windham, which I got again at Fabric Depot (but you can find online here). i always love the base fabrics Heather chooses for her lines – the “quilting cotton” Briar Rose is light and soft and awesome for kid’s apparel…never mind her perfect designs. so sweet and playful.

it’s got an organza-type ribbon and is lined with a loosely woven cotton stripe in magenta/red as a fun surprise.

great little layering pieces for fall, winter, and maybe even spring if her growth spurt slows down!

you can get the Bimaa pattern right here and the swingset pattern right here. both are PDF only.

oh and don’t forget to head over to check out my buddy Erin’s Bimaa today too (TEASER: it’s got EARS!) and enter to win a copy of the pattern in her giveaway!

> > > :: < < <

thanks so much for having me on this fun fun tour, Sarah!

i was given the Bimaa Sweater Pattern for free as a participant in the blog tour, opinions are 100% mine.

my canadian tuxedo

October 17, 2013November 4, 201339 Comments

pretty exciting development in the world of women’s sewing – Liesl Gibson, creator of the fantastic children’s pattern brand Oliver + S (and my sewing mentor), recently announced the release of three new women’s patterns! i knew adult patterns were coming (she mentioned them at Quilt Market) but had no idea what they’d look like or whether they’d work with my pregnant belly. when i got an email from her with the patterns attached last week, i fell in love and rushed to the fabric store that same day.

chambray weekend getaway blouse

i plan to sew all three of the new patterns eventually, but first i decided to tackle the weekend getaway blouse.

chambray weekend getaway blouse

okay no, i’m lying.

i actually planned to sew the late lunch tunic, and bought this great chambray shirting from Mill End specifically for that pattern, buuuut then i flew down to visit Jess last weekend (more on that later) and she had already sewn up her version of the weekend getaway in the exact size i measured, so i got to try on her finished blouse to see how it fit (when is that possible in sewing? not often!).

between liking how hers looked on me and having her pattern pieces all taped and cut out, i went ahead and sewed it up with the fabric i’d brought along. lazy, or opportunistic? you be the judge.

chambray weekend getaway blouse

this blouse would typically be a quick sew, but it was pretty much my slowest – lots of chatting, not much sewing! so fun to sew with company, though. i got it most of the way made while i was there and finished it up once i got home, and i’m kind of in love with it! i feel like the fit is slimming and easy to wear, especially with my oxymoronic maternity skinny jeans (hence the canadian tuxedo post title).

i felt totally comfortable tackling this pattern, which looks and feels exactly like the Oliver + S patterns i adore. (Edit: it comes in sizes 0-16 and there’s also a 3/4 sleeved dress option!) there are cool details (exposed facing in the front, smart pockets, opportunity for contrast topstitching) and i feel like i could sew this pattern in a range of different fabrics and options and it wouldn’t look like i just made the same thing 3 times.

i love that it’s sized nicely too – none of that “this pattern says i’m a 16 but i usually wear a 6” funny business going on, which is a HUGE peeve of mine with commercial patterns.

i also appreciate that it’s loose fitting enough for me to sew with no adjustments for my 21 week belly – it definitely won’t last me the whole pregnancy, but i know it’ll fit afterwards.

Liesl’s goal with these new Liesl + Co. patterns is to give us interesting, wearable designs that are approachable and not too difficult to sew. she’s starting off with basics to help us all build confidence in sewing for ourselves, then she expects to add more of the “tricky tailoring stuff” with future patterns.

i’m totally on board with that plan.

***

i was sent the weekend getaway blouse + dress pattern at no cost, with no strings attached. all this gushing is of my own free will.

you can find fabric to create a similar look online at my sponsor Drygoods Design here and here!

my jeans are from when i was pregnant with O – similar here. my comfy moccasins are Minnetonka (affiliate link).