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).      

Selfish Sewing - My Plantain T-Shirt

This is a very late post (it kinda got stuck in my drafts, because I didn't have any pictures to post)

It seems I never make the deadline for online competitions, perhaps I should have made that my New Year's resolution...complete my sewing projects in time to enter the competitions!

This shirt is a free t-shirt pattern created by Deer & Doe.  They are a French company that makes lovely patterns, I simply adore their work!  When I saw this shirt pattern I knew I had to try it because it looked comfy and loose fitting around the middle.

My inspiration for this shirt actually came from a dress that I saw in a Victoria's Secret catalog.  I knew the dress wouldn't work for me (look at that neckline!) but I liked the color blocking so I copied the idea.

The Plantain pattern is easy to follow and well written, so even a beginner can have successful results.

Front View

The sleeves are a little long on me, so I need to shorten the length about an inch on my next Plantain.  I also think the heavy knit I selected makes the sleeve sag even more.

Sleeve

The neck wasn't bad sewing and I think I only had a small part in the band where I didn't stretch it enough.  The small gather is not noticeable enough to warrant re-sewing the neck bank (ain't nobody got time for that).

Better picture of neck band

I really love the cut of this shirt, it hides my postpartum middle without making me look frumpy.

Back View

I think my closet is calling for a few more Plantain shirts...perhaps with some more color blocking and/or pattern mixing.  ;)

Sewing with Knits - Surplice Dress

I am slowly but surely making progress with my Sewing with Knits Craftsy class.  I enrolled in this class over a year ago and I have been reviewing the class videos at a slow pace...but that's ok because students can view Craftsy videos at anytime and the class access never expires.

This is the second project I have completed from the class and I went out of class order because I really wanted to make this dress and use it for a nursing nightgown.  I had planned to make this dress out of a solid dark purple fabric but I changed my mind and decided to mix a solid and a print.

I bought the solid blue material from JoAnn's and I don't remember how long it's been in my stash.  The print was bought at Fabrix in San Francisco about two years ago...I still remember going fabric shopping with Nik and trying to push a stroller around the tiny fabric store.

This dress came together quickly and it was quick to sew up.  I am really loving my experience sewing with knits!  I'm kicking myself for not sewing with knits sooner.

Toddler Muscle Tanks - M6495 Pattern Review

*This post does contain affiliate links, but all opinions are my own.*

I started making these tanks, using M6495, during Kids Clothes Week but I didn't finish them until recently.  This was my first time that I sewed with knits when I could claim that I "knew what I was doing".  I have learned a lot in the last year about knits and I'm not scared of them.  In fact they are so quick and easy to sew!

I did have a little problem attaching the neck band to the tanks and it looked a little gathered in a few areas so I went back and stitched down the seam allowance using my coverstitch machine (this could also have been done on a regular machine with a walking foot), to help smooth and flatten the neck area.  My mistake with the neck band was that I didn't stretch it enough in certain areas.  I did notice that the neck area is a little big compared to store bought muscle tanks that Nik has in the same size.

The pattern calls for folding over the fabric for the arm hole area and stitching it down.  I thought it would be easy but it was a little difficult to get 5/8" of fabric to lay nicely when I folded it over.  Besides the arm holes, the rest of the pattern was super easy and quick to sew.  Next time, I pretty sure I could crank out a muscle tee in an hour (from cut to finish).  I also might try stitching the arm hole first and then sewing the side seam after...I saw this method used in some RTW clothes (the trick is to make sure everything is even and matches up).

The knits were bought from Girl Charlee Fabrics and you can learn more about sewing with knits here.

Sewing with Knits - Project 1 Completed

*I am a Craftsy affiliate and this post does contain affiliate links, but all opinions are my own.*

I've been incredibly slow about sewing up my first project.  I pushed it to the side because it wasn't a priority for me to finish, but I finally got tired of seeing the cut out fabric on my sewing table so I started working on the hoodie again.  I was amazed at how quickly and easily a hoodie can be sewn.  I feel confident saying this can be sewn in under an hour!  The most time consuming part for me was cutting out the fabric and that was mainly due to my huge baby bump.

The purpose of the Craftsy class is to teach you how to sew knits using a regular sewing machine.  I tried to sew this using only my sewing machine and my walking foot but I found that the zig-zag stitch on my machine made my needle hit the side of my walking foot attachment.  I tried to play with the setting but no matter how I changed it, my needle didn't clear the side of the foot (face palm).  Since this project is made using sweatshirt fleece, I figured I could get away with a straight stitch on my machine and then use my serger for the edges to reinforce the seam.  It all worked out pretty well but I am disappointed that I can't use the zig-zag stitch with my walking foot (mind you, it's not a no-name brand walking foot).  Oh well!  I guess the main reason I took this class was to get over my fear of knits and to start sewing with them and I've done that so what more could I ask for?

To finish off the cuffs and bottom I used my new coverstitch machine (that I got for a steal from a local vendor).  Now that I've finished this hoodie, I am excited to keep sewing up more projects from the class...however I might wait until after the baby is born because the rest of the projects are fitted garments.

For more information on the sewing with knits class, you can read my previous post here or visit the Craftsy website by clicking the picture below.

Happy Sewing!!!

KCW Spring 2013 Day 5

Today I felt much better and I may have exceeded an hour but that was mainly due to me changing the thread and settings on my serger.  I cut out the pattern (M6495) for the muscle tees and cut out fabric for two tanks, although I'm not sure how I feel about the second fabric choice.  I used my serger for the shoulder seams and the side seams on one of the tanks.  I also realized that I don't own black rib knit for the neck bands...boo!  I guess I'll have to go buy some black rib knit this weekend.   

I managed to hem the geranium dress and I asked my husband to put in the snaps for me.  It turns out that the snap tape I bought was packaged incorrectly and it only included one side of the snap tape (face palm).

 

Progress Report - Sewing with Knits Project 1

A while back I mentioned I signed up for an online sewing class through Craftsy to help me conquer my fear of knits.  I watched all the videos and bought the class materials but when it came time to start the projects I procrastinated because I was still nervous to try sewing with knits.  But now, with the new baby coming I thought I better learn how to sew with knits so I can start making onesies and baby leggings.

The first class project is a hooded sweater, designed for sweater knit fabric.  I found the perfect fabric at Girl Charlee Fabrics.  The knit fabric was so large that I had to lay it all out on the kitchen floor to pin and cut out my pieces.  It took a lot of effort to do all that work with my belly getting in the way...my back hated me after I was done!

I bought ball point pin...I accidentally stuck myself a few times and they hurt!

I'm looking forward to sewing this baby up (even though I won't be able to wear it for months)!

If you want more information about the Craftsy sewing with knits class, taught by Meg McElwee (from Sew Liberated), you can click the link or image below.

Sewing with Knits

They also have a class for those of you who want to sew fashion knits (I've added it to my Craftsy wishlist, it looks helpful for those with a serger): Sewing Fashion Knits: Beyond the Basics

I'm really loving the Craftsy class selections and I've created a wishlist of classes I want to take aside from the fashion knits class.  Also on my wishlist is their Tailoring Ready to Wear class and their Sewing the Perfect Fit class.  You can check out more of their class listings here: Craftsy