Star Wars Kids

I have a confession...I am secretly a huge Star Wars fan!  I know it's shocking news, but it's true.  Phew, now we can continue on with the post.  

In August I helped plan a bridal shower and I suggested a Star Wars theme.  Much to my delight, the soon-to-be bride and groom liked the idea!

I had a lot of fun looking for Star Wars print fabric.  I wasn't sure what patterns to use for the children's clothes, so after going back and forth with myself, I decided that a plain design would work the best for each outfit.

For Nik, I made a pair of simple shorts (pattern here) with the Star Wars fabric he picked out himself.  I love going fabric shopping with him because he is beginning to understand the whole sewing process and he loves looking at the fabric with me.  He now says, "Mommy sewing"...it's so cute to hear those words.

For Violet's outfit, I used the Piper dress pattern.  I seriously love this pattern.  It's an easy sew and it's very versatile.  I was too lazy to make my own bias tape so I just used plain bias tape from the store.

I had some trouble sewing the bias tape over the collar because it was bulky and it didn't lay smooth.  The problem wasn't horrible enough for me to sew it again.  Perhaps with a good pressing the bias tape will lay flatter.

I love both of these outfits, the fabric is so geeky and fun.  I foresee more like them in the future!!

Summer PJs - Free Sewing Patterns

I love this seahorse print!

A few weeks ago I went shopping for summer PJs for Nik and I was disappointed when I realized that the cheapest price for 3 pairs would be close to $60.  I thought that was a little much for PJs that will probably only fit this summer, so I decided to make some (not like a have a shortage of fabric in my stash).

I pulled out some knit fabric from my stash and used two Fishsticks Designs Patterns.  For the tank I used the Tank Pattern and for the shorts I used the Mud Puddle Splasher Shorts Pattern.  Both patterns are well written and easy to follow.  These patterns are great for beginners sewing with knits.

I'm really loving how these summer PJs turned out!  If you are looking for more PJ patterns, you can check out these by Fishsticks Designs.

On a side note, this tank pattern is so much easier to sew than the McCall's Pattern that I tried last year during Kid's Clothes Week Spring 2013 (here and here).      

Project of the Moment - Mud Puddle Splasher Shorts

Deja vu, right?  I know you are probably thinking you already saw these pants, however these aren't pants...they're shorts.  When I bought this fabric I ordered more than I needed for the pants I was making and I had just enough to make Nik a pair of shorts for next summer.  The pants that I made him over a year ago finally fit except they were too short so I added a little more fabric to the bottom and thanks to the print, you can barely tell!

Thank you Instagram for making my phone pictures look less like phone pictures.

These shorts were made from the Mud Puddle Splashers Short pattern by Fishsticks Designs You can't really see the cuffs or the faux fly on these shorts but they are there...trust me ;)

Nik really likes the material...in fact after I fixed the length of pants I let him have the pants and a few minutes later I heard him crying.  I went to see why he was crying and I found him sitting on the floor trying to put the pants on over the pants he was already wearing.  It makes me happy to see that he approves of my creations (I just hope it stays that way!).  

KCW Spring 2013 Day 2

Woo hoo!  I finished a pair of shorts!!  I did cheat a little by cutting out my fabric over the weekend, but that's not what counts, right?  ;)

This is the 4th time that I have used this pattern and I still love it!  You can check out my other creations here, here and here.  For these shorts I decided to leave off the cargo pockets and the back pockets, I thought the madras print had a lot going on already.

When I showed Nik his new shorts he grabbed my arm and lifted his leg so he could step into them...silly baby.  After I removed the shorts he was wearing so he could try on his new ones, he immediately stuck his hand inside his pocket.  Pockets are his newest discovery so he enjoys looking in my husband's pockets to see what he can find.  I still have a lot of fabric left over so I'll be making my husband a pair of matching shorts.

For day 2 I'm planning on making a little fur vest for the baby using Kate's pattern and tutorial.  I know it's not really spring/summer clothing, but I couldn't help myself!  :)

Project of the Moment - Like Father, Like Son

The Hubby's Shorts New Look 6951

I made the hubby a pair of shorts and I thought it would be cute to make a matching pair for the baby.  I used my handy dandy Fishsticks Designs pattern and made similar little shorts for Nik.  Originally the shorts were going to be a surprise for the husband because I thought he would be thrilled to have a real life mini-me, but the surprise was ruined when he walked in on me making them...face palm.  Since the surprise was ruined I asked him if I should make them identical and add a drawstring waist with elastic and he said no, so I stayed true to the original pattern.

I cut out the shorts in a size 3T and I hemmed them per the pattern instructions.  I figured you can't go wrong on the length of shorts so now I have my first completely finished pair of shorts/pants using this pattern.

Front View

Waist Band and Pockets

Back View

My label and size label...I can't tell you how much I love the size labels.

After I photographed my husband's short, I photographed these shorts while Nik was in his baby pool.   All of a sudden Nik started screaming and reaching toward the shorts.  My husband told me, "He knows that those are for him"  So I quickly finished taking pictures and handed over the shorts so he could have them with him in his pool.  I'm sure you can imagine what he did next...yup, he got them all wet.  :)

Project of the Moment - Fishsticks Designs Pants

I am pretty open about my love for Hawthorne Threads, there's just something about them...maybe it's their awesome website, wonderful blog/newsletter or their great customer service (no, they didn't pay me to say any of that...).  Anyway, a while back I received my email newsletter with their announcement of Riley Blake's Puppy Park Collection.  Often their newsletters include pictures of projects to give you inspiration, and in this newsletter edition they showed a pair of cute little guy pants made with the puppy park crosshatch print in black, the outside pockets and cargo pockets were made with puppy print and a contrasting trim (of bone print fabric).  I searched and searched to try and find the pattern to make the same exact pants for my little guy (because dogs fascinate him right now), but I couldn't find the pattern anywhere or even a picture of the same pants online so I contacted Hawthorne Threads.  They informed me they couldn't find the exact pattern either and they forwarded me the link for a similar pattern (but I wanted to make the exact same ones in Riley Blake's picture!  I can be a little neurotic when I see something I like, because I want to make the same exact thing (am I the only one like that?). 

After I received their email I decided to look a second time on Etsy to see if I might be able to find the pattern and I did!  I jumped up and down with joy and bought the pattern.  I only used 2 of the 3 fabric that were shown in the Riley Blake example.  In retrospect I should have ordered the bone print fabric to use for the trim and make the pockets "pop".  Since I made the trim the same as the main fabric, the edge of the pockets blends into the pants.  Oh well...next time I know 3 fabrics are better than 2.

Front Pocket

Front View of Pants

My label and new size label!

Back View

I rolled up the cuffs so you can see that the legs aren't super skinny.

Back Pocket

Elastic Waist View

Now let's talk about the inside or outside pocket pants pattern by Fishstick Designs...

I really liked the pattern and I thought it was easy to read and follow the instructions.  I used my newly acquired 1/4" patchwork foot a few times while sewing (for the sake of ease), you don't need to have that foot to sew this pattern.  From cutting to sewing, the pants came together fairly quick (even my husband noticed I finished in record time!).  I cut these out in a 3T and left the hem undone so I can hem then when Nik grow into them  (I'm trying to sew most of Nik clothes now so I can use the fabric stash I accumulated this last month...yes, it's a massive amount).  This pattern is very versatile, it can be used for boys and girls...and as the pattern says, the pockets can be cut for the inside or outside of the pants (this means there will be plenty more pants in the future!).