Explorer Shorts

An often voiced complaint is that the number of female patterns and projects made easily outnumbers the number of male patterns.

Most of my recent blog posts have been projects for the girls. I struggle to find something that is different enough to warrant purchasing a new pattern for the little man. How many ways can you make pants? Shorts? Tops?

I am now actively trying to rectify this terrible imbalance. These pictures show his current favourite outfit - at 3 and a half he has decided the shirt and shorts go together. I wonder whether he matched them because he was given them at the same time or because they are both green.

The shorts were based on explorer shorts by hey there threads. The pattern is fantastic and he loves the pocket detailing. I have top stitched every seam I possibly could to make them more interesting.

The main fabric is a drill purchased from a 2nd hand shop and luckily (as he loves it so much) there is plenty more. The pocket fabric came from my mum's patchwork stash. 

The week 27th Jan - 2nd Feb is kids clothes week. I will be spending my time making clothes for the little man - rectifying the balance a little further :)

Mara and Rainbow Shorts

Here is an outfit I made for my Little Miss for Christmas. She decided just before Christmas (and luckily before I had started sewing for her) that her favorite colour was, once again, yellow. In the past twelve months it has been orange, red, yellow and pink. I had already earmarked the fabric I used for the shorts for her as rainbow would surely cover all bases.

For the top of this outfit I have made the Mara Blouse by compagnie m. I love the insert on this top it looks like it would be tricky and yet it was so easy!

I have used a yellow cotton lawn from Spotlight for the main part of the top and the insert is a white broderie anglais fabric I was lucky enough to find on the remnants table in Lincraft. This top was so cheap to make and yet so unique. With fabric purchased on sale the cost of the shirt matches or is less than the cheap imported t-shirts from department stores. The comparative cost does not factor in my time as sewing is my entertainment and relaxation. 

 I have included this photo as it was the clearest view of the sleeve option I used - it is called a butterfly sleeve. How cute is it?

The shorts I made using a pattern from an old Topkids magazine. (issue 51). Unfortunately this magazine and others like it are only available second hand (ebay anyone?).

I changed the orientation of the stripes to contrast the pockets. I also removed the pockets on the front and placed one on the back. And look! I almost matched one stripe :P

The Little Miss enjoys wearing these shorts as they are loose and she can move freely in them. 

This outfit is one of my favorites and I am not sure why. Maybe the colours or perhaps because I had such fun making everything. 

And here is one last look at the whole outfit...

Tween Seasons Coat

For Christmas I tried to sew the girls different patterns. 

The tween seasons coat and the Audrey were the only patterns I made twice. I did this for a couple of reasons. First, sewing two things the same can be dull (I realise this could just be me but why set myself up for failure?)  and second if I created two of everything you can guarantee that at least one item would be completely disliked by one child who would refuse to wear it. 

As it is, a few items I made for the Big Miss have had to be reassigned to the Little Miss one pending a remake in a larger size - in exactly the same fabric thank you! The other was an unloved piece blogged her which was always going to be risky as the Big Miss really prefers skinny fit stretchy tops to anything else. While she will wear woven for dresses, tops are unpredictable. This one was a fail. 

This is the tween seasons coat in size 8. Perfect fit for the Big Miss (Blue) but a bit big on the Little Miss (Green fairies).

Both girls thought they may wear them with leggings in winter (trench-coat dress perhaps?) but I just really enjoyed making these. They took me outside my comfort zone but supported me with great instructions.

This pattern made me;

- add a collar,

- sew buttonholes (I could have used snaps as I usually do but I was challenging myself here),

- cover my own buttons (they looked great but the button under the Big Miss' belt had the cover bit fall off hence the artistic belt placement),

- add patch pockets with flaps

and line the entire thing!

 

Can you see the little button on the Little Miss' sleeve? I even used buttons on the inside to provide my buttons with extra strength.

Although I am really not sure these will get worn I did learn a lot doing them and I did get to see them on once.

Sweet Allie dress

This is the Sweet Allie Dress by Lily Bird Studio. How could I resist? The sleeve detail and the cute collar look much harder than they were I think. The pieces went together without a hitch and it looks exactly as the pattern picture does. This is always a plus.

I bought the pattern first then took Big Miss shopping for fabric. Her instructions were to find two coordinating prints for a dress. I should have been more specific. She kept picking out cotton drill. After a few choices I showed her the areas she could pick from. This resulted in these two fabrics. They are exactly her colours at the moment. For a while she was all pink all the time but thankfully she has moved beyond that right now. 

This pattern has the back sewn in two pieces to include what is referred to as a hanging loop. I have no idea how that would work so i just called it a back tab. But can you see how I matched up that print? I am so proud of that. 

I did not do as well matching the fronts. There is a button placket down the center that does break up the pattern but I think I could have made that nicer if I had thought about it. 

 The side panels and the sleeve cuffs are both in the coordinating print.

The only issue with this dress...the size. I made a 7 and as you can see in the pictures it does fit but it is a little tighter than the Big Miss would like and a little shorter than the Big Man likes. Luckily there was a big Spotlight sale on after Christmas so I went back and bought more. Unfortunately there was not much of the side panel fabric left so I am not sure if I will have enough to make another bigger, longer one. So I am avoiding starting it because I am not ready to find out for sure.

But this pattern is a definite recommend! I will keep my eye out for other lilybirdstudio patterns for the kids.

Peek-a-Boo Audrey

Hi there and welcome to the new year blog.

Way back in November I mentioned how I was sewing for Christmas. Shortly thereafter I dropped off the blogosphere because as it was tricky finding time to sew when the kids weren't paying attention getting modelled or even decent photos was impossible and really every good post needs pictures. Right?

And so I return now that gifts have been received and I have taken some pictures.

I will start with the audrey cross over party dress from Peek-a-Boo patterns. (There are a few of these patterns used for Christmas gifts and even more patterns I did not get made in time - thank you black friday sales!)

This pattern is sized from 3months to 12 and also includes a pattern for an 18" doll. Perfect for a parent of two girls who may happen to have the appropriate sized doll as well.

The first version I made for the Little Miss in size 6 out of 1m of fabric!

Prior to purchasing the pattern I took the girls shopping and asked them to pick out something they liked. I bought 1 metre thinking of a skirt or a straight a line dress. After buying the fabric Little Miss selected I knew I had to use it. In order to fit this pattern onto my 1m I had to be a little creative and cut the skirt part off grain. I don't think it matters for this dress too much.

I made the binding for this dress using a fat quarter of a pink blender fabric. I have lined the bodice with a light pink cotton lawn - I mention this so you know the bodice is lined. I have not got internal pics. The Little Miss loves it!

The Big Miss had no chance of her fabric being used for this pattern. I made her a size 8 which the pattern says requires 1.5yards which is around 140cm. I found 1.5m of this purple fabric in the stash. I cut the bodice out and then used the remaining length of the fabric cut in half for the skirt. This may have resulted in a slightly longer than the pattern dress, but for the Big Miss extra length is needed.

                     

The binding for this dress was another fat quarter from the stash and I must admit that the Big Man of the house did not like the combo when initially shown. I ignored him. sometimes this works out well and this was one of those times as the Big Miss loves this dress. She has worn it at least 3 times since Christmas. 

If you look really closely in the photo of the back you can see that I have used a snap for the closure rather than the suggested button. This was because the Little Miss' dress had a slight mishap with the binding which resulted in the need for a loop button hole to be created for the closure. This may or may not have been completed yet...

But as you can see these dresses are perfect for the little girl who wants to party or for the girls who want to search for raspberries in the garden.

Be back soon with more!

The Norah Tunic

Recently Hayley the blogger responsible for Welcome to the Mouse House released her very first pattern, the Norah dress and Tunic pattern I loved the shape and the cute collar. How could I go wrong? Look at the photo montage! Collar, no collar, colour blocked, sleeves, no sleeves - endless possibilities I thought. 

So I caved. I bought it. And there began my tale of woe...

The day I bought this pattern was unlike others as Dear Partner was home. The Little Man seemed sick and all hands on deck to get others where they needed to be. I thought, I need something to look forward to. I will buy those patterns I was looking at..

Click, click. Bought 2. (other pattern to be discussed later - you may be able to guess why as you read on) 

Damn. Printer is not working. 

Aha! I know I will print them out at Officeworks when I pick up the Little Miss - No drama.

tick tock - The Little Man decides he is actually quite well and perks up after some food (finally!) and a restorative watching of the Wizard of OZ. 

Dear Partner decides to help by picking up the Little Miss himself. I asked him to print for me. No worries says he.

Upon his return I was presented with my patterns. Greedily I snatched them up, collected the cutting blade, ruler and tape required for PDF pattern assembly sat down at the table to start...

and realised....

HE HAD PRINTED THEM DOUBLE SIDED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OMG. Now anyone familiar with the Jigsaw PDF pattern model realises that this is certainly not ideal. However on close evaluation I decided that this pattern, The Norah was useable. Just so you know, it is possible to put the pieces of the tunic/dress pattern together while only missing one page that happens to fall on the mid-line of the pattern. Success! 

Let's not go into the collar pieces now though shall we? 

And so I present my Norah tunic in size 8. Sleeveless, Collarless, Embellishment-less - for now. [I have plans for at least a bow and a flower which I will attach to the top with snaps. Interchangeable and hopefully easier care - remove for washing.]

And then the back. Look at my button loop! Can you see the top stitching?

Wait, this is clearer. 

Of the three photos the last is the most accurate colour on my monitor. I am a terrible photographer and having to take pictures when children are not around as discussed here results in night time or at best dusk photos. Neither of which is ideal. 

But I think you get the idea.

This is a great pattern. I already have the next one cut out, a dress with collar maybe? I can barely wait for Christmas now. A huge photo shoot so I can get modelled shots of everything in daylight. So much to show..

See you next time

Top Secret Stitching in a house with three kids..

So I have found difficulty with keeping up with the blog again. Not the sewing part because I am sewing up a storm! But because of the nature of the sewing I have been working on. The Top Secret kind. You know for the big gift giving event in December. ssshhh!


It is very challenging to try and create gift items when potential recipients are around all the time...snooping...prying...looking...asking.

The real issue is that they know I like to make them new clothes/toys/accessories/whatever for Christmas. This year I foolishly told them it would be a "Handmade Christmas" - what was I thinking? The older two are aware that it is getting closer to the date.

Big Miss should be easy as she goes to school. So I can create things without her knowledge while she is there. Except that Little Miss reports on what she has seen. Little Miss also decides things she likes are for her. (An issue as they both wear basically the same size. Big Miss just needs length added to everything.) So everything I make is known and already claimed.

Little Miss goes to Kinder 3 times a week so there is some time without her. However upon her return she searches to see what I have done.

"What's this Mummy?" 

"Who is this for Mummy?" 

"Can I have a dress made out of that new material that is not well hidden Mummy?" 

Aaaaarrrrrggghhhh!!!!!!!!!

The Little Man is perfect. OBLIVIOUS to everything. Can sew things for him with him on the other side of the table and he will not even think about what I am doing....UNTIL....Dear Partner when asked what he thinks of a particularly tricky bit which looks a bit dodgy decides to call the Little Man over for a fitting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How do I do it better?

Last year I participated in a large number of swaps around this time, so I could say (and not always fibbing) that I was making things for a swap. That worked well. Not sure two years in a row would work. Also they are more aware now of parcel deliveries.

"Where are our swap parcels Mummy?"

Surely other people make things for their kids? How do they do it?

So sewing is an achievement. Pictures are an epic monumental feat!

Though I am participating in a Sew-a-long for a dress for me in November. Perhaps more pics? I cannot make any promises.