LIl’ Long Johns

Pattern: Lil’ Long Johns by Peekaboo Pattern

Fabric: Doodles “Red Snowman” interlock – Joanns Fabric

I decided to go ahead and make some outfits for Santa pictures since I am a master procrastinator. Since I know me so well, I know I may not have gotten it done. I decided to go with the whole PJ look and made some Lil’ Long Johns from Peekaboo Pattern. These are a long john style pj with a faux butt flap. The pattern uses actual button holes and buttons and is super freaking cute.

I really like this Doodles fabric I used. While Doodles shrinks like crazy and is usually 100% cotton so it has ZERO recovery. It is so cute and soft. The kids love it and its cheap, which makes it a great option for little ones who will out grow the clothes quickly anyways. If you prewash this fabric at least twice that should take care of all the shrinkage issues.

The neckband, wrist bands, and ankle bands are all made from red knit ribbing that I can’t for the world of me remember where I bought it. But, rib knit always makes such nice bands.

I recently got a new Janome Skyline s9 when my old singer when kaput on me. It has been very amazing to sew with and I use the embroidery feature for the first time making these. I didn’t try to get too fancy and just added names on the butt flaps. So I got to experiment with different stabilizers and discovered using a topper does make for much nicer results when embroidering on knit. I also discovered why you should use stabilizer when making button holes. Luckily I didn’t cause any drastic malfunctions and it all turned out great. My old singer couldn’t do button holes for crap so this is kind of exciting to me.

The button hole placket may seem intimidating to a new sewer but it was really easy and peekaboo, as usual, gives very clear instructions. I used miss matched buttons because I had to dig through my stash to even find that many different white buttons. I kind of like how it looks though. It was fun to makes these because the littles were excited for them to get done and wanted to put them on right away. Peekaboo patterns is always an awesome fit. I can pick sizing based on age or measurements and it always works out.

Rainbow Bright and Twink

Pattern: Paige and mae petty skirt by Violet Field Threads and Simplicity 2788

Fabric: Kona Cotton, faux fur, nylon strap, and felt from joanns

I already posted about my cousins costume. These are the costumes I made for my two little ones. Rainbow Bright and Twink the sprite. I loved this cartoon when I was little so thought it would be super cool to do. However very few people new who rainbow bright was and the two year old thought she was wearing a rainbow dash dress….. oh well, I thought it was awesome.

My inspiration for these costumes actually came from a couple of places. One was a blog I read HERE from pinksuadeshoe. She did a mommy and me costume. I used her method for making the twink costume. The only issue I had was the clips I used didn’t attach to the faux fur that well. But, to recap so you don’t have to click the link if you don’t want to. Basically I used the simplicity 2788 pattern and made the pumpkin but with faux fur and omitted the stuffing. I then made the belt using nylon strapping and a kam snap so it would be removable. The antennas are made from piping, felt, hair clips, and hot glue. I used an old sheet I had sitting around for the lining fabric. Love doing a little upcycle to save some money!

For Rainbow Bright there were several examples I saw online that where super duper awesome and helped me come up with what I wanted to do. I made it from Kona Cotton. I used the Paige dress from Violet Field Threads. I made a few changes though. First I added piping to the sleeve flutters. Rainbow Bright has poofy white trim but I thought this looked better. I added the red contrast on the waist and shoulders as well as the hello on the bodice to mimic the jumper look of the actual character. The rainbow patch on the front I purchased on etsy and sewed on last. I also used the same white sheet that I used to make twink, to make a petty skirt to give the costume a little more poof. That was so simple to make but it is a lot of ruffling.

Twink is wearing a red onesie underneath and rainbow leggings. Rainbow Bright is wearing rainbow leggings on both her arms and legs. I chose this way so all the rainbow parts would match. Twink is just wearing red socks as she doesn’t really wear shoes yet, but for Rainbow Bright I purchased some red “cat and jack” high tops from Target that were perfect. Plus the target brand is so freaking affordable.

My favorite part of Halloween are all the cute costumes. They are one of my favorite things to sew. This was also Rainbow Brights first year to go trick or treating and that was a huge his too.

Thank you so much to my photographer at Beloved Images Photography for taking the super duper photos for me.

Pennywise the clown

Pattern: Matilda Tween by Violet Field Threads and Papa Bear Joggers by Patterns for Pirates

Fabric: costume satin and muslin

I don’t normally sew for extended family or really anyone other than immediate family because of cost, and more so, time limitations. But when my cousin called me and asked if I could make a Pennywise Clown costume for her son I was like yea sure. I love Stephen King. Since the new version of “IT” just came out in theaters I had been seeing a lot of cool costumes online.

I didn’t quite know where to start so I dove into my trove of patterns to see what I could come up with. I immediately went to violet field threads because they are just ruffle-licious and clowns, obviously have a lot of ruffles. I used the tween version of the Matilda dress for the base of the top. I did have to heavily modify it to fit the measurements I was given. I also needed to lengthen the sleeves in order to add the pleating. I added the ruffles on the sleeves, that isn’t part of the pattern. In addition I hand sewed the red and white trim to the sleeves and waist.

The pants I modified the Papa Bear  Joggers to fit the measurements and of course lengthened them to add pleating. My cousin’s son wanted it to be as close to the real character as I could manage. Overall I think I did pretty good, considering I hadn’t seen the movie yet and was going off pictures. I also added the ruffles to the ends of the legs, the Papa Bear Joggers on their own are more of a pajama pants.

I was thrilled that my cousin bought the clown shoes online and did the cool wig and makeup. I think it really brought the costume together. I’m told he was a real hit around the neighborhood. I wish I could have seen him in person.

The neck ruffle was made using a short tutorial I found online. Sorry I cant remember which one now. But it was super easy, I just used muslin and ribbon so he could tie it on. The puff ball on the front are made with red yarn and sewn on.

It’s fun when someone request a project that I am actually interested in and actually have the time to do. Last but not least, thank you to my cuz for giving me permission to use these pictures!

Wild Things Hot Water Bottle Cover

Pattern: Wild Things Hot Water Bottle Cover by Twig & Tale

Fabric: Upcycled Wool Blanket

This is a pattern for super awesome hot water bottle covers. When lisa at Twig & Tale announced this pattern I couldn’t wait to get it because I use hot water bottles all the time. They are perfect for when you are sick, achy, or just need to warm up the bed. Even better, lucky lucky me got picked to test this pattern, so I got it a little bit early.

I had bought this wool blanket from Goodwill. I was saving it because it was too warm, soft, and perfect. But, the colors was exactly what I needed to make this fox water bottle cover. Isn’t it perfect? I used fleece for the white and quilting cotton for the tummy, eyes, and nose. Those were both purchased at joanns.

The opening for the water bottle is on the back center. The bottom and top overlap slightly so it doesn’t show through. The pattern has an option for a button closure and different ways to finish the edges. But, I put cut the pieces along the edges of the blanket so I didn’t have to bother finishing them.

This pattern is so fast to make. I already have a few people in mind that I think will really enjoy one next winter.

Plus AWESOME BONUS…..it’s currently on sale until this Friday. Get it for $6.80 USD (normally $10). https://www.twigandtale.com/products/wild-things-hot-water-bottle-covers

 

Finlayson Sweater

Pattern: Finlayson Sweater by Thread Theory

Fabric: Forest Green Terry

I actually made this sweater several months ago but decided to share it because it was so well received. I made this one from an unknown green terry fabric. I purchased it as an online clearance. I wasn’t sure if hubs would like it but he wears it regularly so I guess it was a hit. His favorite part of this pattern is the collar. I actually love it too and love how it all comes together.

When I cut this pattern out and started sewing it I had to pin the neck band on a couple times in order to wrap my mind around how it attaches. But, once I “saw” it, it made so much sense.

I actually made two of these sweaters. One for hubs and one for my dad. I didn’t get a picture of my dad’s but it is a really awesome yellow. It is also made of a much thinner material without the same body and structure. It gave the sweater and interesting relaxed look.

But, back to this one. I sewed this entire think together with my serger except for the black cotton material I used for the back facing. This part was optional but I thought it made the finished item look a lot more professional.

I didn’t get a picture of the waist band, but, there is one there. The sleeves are also finished with bands. You could hem them instead but so much easier to just attach bands. This is a really good pattern if you want to make a super comfy gift for a guy in your life. If you want to check it out you can find it here.

Olive Star Jersey Dress

Pattern: Olive Star by Ottobre Design

Fabric: Blue and White knit

This is the first pattern I have made using a pattern from the Ottobre Design magazine. It is a fashion/sewing magazine based in Finland. I think its an awesome deal because it comes with at least 20 patterns that are seasonally appropriate. This pattern was from the 3/2014 issue which was a summer issue. I actually purchased this back issue because of some super cute shorts I saw. That’s for another post though.

I don’t even remember where I got this fabric from but it is a medium weight jersey knit. I’ve had it sitting around for a while and when I picked this pattern from the magazine I thought it would be really cute with this fabric. So, bonus, I didn’t buy more fabric lol. I hemmed the bottom edge by folding under and serging to create a faux band. The neck and arms I just finished with a serge.

This was really fast to sew. It is a little short on her so would also work with shorts or leggings underneath. One thing to note is that if you haven’t used a pattern from a sewing magazine before, be prepared for tracing. Careful tracing. The patterns all come on a couple sheets of paper. The sizes and patterns are all overlapped in different colors. I can be a little confusing but if you take your time it is pretty easy.

Here is one last photo from our little photo shoot. She decided she didn’t want to take anymore pictures but I thought her oh so serious face was oh so cute!

Barefoot Romper

Pattern: Barefoot Romper by Twig + Tale

Fabric: Sew Classic Linen look

The barefoot romper is a new pattern from t&t. It’s a unisex romper pattern that is perfect for boys or girls.It’s pretty awesome because it has a ton of options so you can customize it for the look you want. For example I wanted to make this one loose and relaxed so it would be comfortable for playing in the backyard and just generally running around. But, there are also options for different pocket styles, different straps, and leg lengths. Check it out here.

Like all patterns from t&t the instructions for this pattern were super easy to follow. She includes lots of pictures with her pattern instructions which is great and makes them easy to use for all different sewing levels. I made this romper out of a green linen blend from joanns. I used a couple buttons I had sitting around to attach the shoulder straps to the back.

You can see here the legs turned out a little long because I decided to make a 3T for Boo who is 2 and pretty consistently wears a 2T now. I figured I wanted it to fit comfortably all through the summer coming up so I went with a size larger.

I also hand sewed the button holes in the straps because my sewing machine REFUSES to make button holes. It isn’t really that hard to sew button holes but it does take a little practice. I’m still working on it.

I’m really happy with how this turned out. I bought this pattern as soon as it released but have been so busy with work and life I couldn’t make it right away. The linen blend is awesome because it’s light and easy to wear. I’m sure we will get lots of use out of this one!

 

Carousel Dress

Pattern: Carousel Dress by Oliver + S

Fabric: Sew Classic Linen look and quilting cotton

Oliver + S is an awesome place to get amazing patterns for kids. They have so many fun and practical options for everyday wear. The instructions are always easy to follow and the results always please. I have several different patterns from them. But, when I needed to make Auggie and Boo something to where to a memorial service I knew I wanted to use the Carousel dress.

I’m a little bit of a pattern hoarder so this particular pattern was in my stash that I hadn’t gotten around to sewing yet. I wasn’t disappointed.  This dress sews up super fast! This fit as usual was spot on. Normally with Oliver + S I just sew a size based on the age I’m sewing for. I find these patterns roomy enough that it works out well.

I was making these dresses right before we were going out of town so I dug through my fabric and found some Sew Classic Linen Look a like from Joann’s. I had  some in Deep Lake & Ivory colors. You can see the deep lake is the main body and the bottom and sleeve trip is the ivory. The pockets are from a bit of star spangle quilting cotton scrap I had left over from a previous project.

I liked how this pattern uses binding on the neck opening. Personally I like binding anyways. I just don’t always like attaching it. I didn’t take any pictures if the insides of the dresses but I finished the seams with french seams. It’s a little more time consuming but I’m glad I did because linen or linen like material unravels like crazy. The french seams really turned out secure even after being washed.

I would definitely recommend this pattern because it is so easy to sew and turns out great. It was roomy and comfortable. The sizing was great. I’m sure I will make it again.

The Cosette Dress

Pattern: Cossette Dress by Violette Field Threads

Fabric: White Kona Cotton

 

I saw this pattern online and thought it was so adorable, I couldn’t wait to make it for boo. This was my first pattern I attempted from Violette Field Thread (vft) and if you haven’t heard of them before you should check them out. They are all about poofy and twirly and girly.

I tend to use pdf patterns almost exclusively  because they are so easy to keep track of an take up very little space of course. This pattern was pretty typical to put together and fast to cut out since it didn’t really consist of that many pieces.

The part of this pattern that took the longest was the middle front panel and making the pleats. I sort of rushed through it so they weren’t exactly evenly spaced. I think it kind of adds some character though. The rest of it pretty much flew together. However, if your like me and sew in the middle of the night a lot, mistakes happen……

Somehow I mixed up two of the back pieces and ended up screwing up the length so I couldn’t make the tiers at the bottom they way it was supposed to have. In the end it worked out though, I altered on the fly and just added one tier.

Boo doesn’t really have that many dresses but she sure loves this one. Since I made it, it is one of the regular items she picks out to put on. So I think this summer there will be a lot more dresses in her wardrobe.