My latest project was a mistake. I ordered french terry to make a sweatshirt, thinking it was the same fabric I had seen in the store, but I was wrong. Ordering fabric online is hard.
Instead of soft and fluffy bamboo, it was structured cotton but with stretch – almost like ponte. It was never going to make a good sweatshirt.
The fabric is great, of course. It just wasn’t the one in my head. lol.
But it was exactly the right colour. And I had been looking for dusty rose ponte de roma for ages at Kid No. 4’s request, with no luck – it’s a bit late in the season and the spring fabrics are all coming out now.
The bow in the front is a big hit.
So I found a new project – the Heidi and Finn Cowl Neck Jumper Dress and Sweater. I have sewn this dress many times before, but in smaller sizes – three times in ponte for a structured look, and three times in ITY (interlock twist yarn) for really soft stretchy tops.
The size is just right – there is a little room to grow.
The cotton french terry worked out really well for the dress. It gives enough shape that the neckline looks good, but the cotton will be a bit cooler in spring and summer. I went with short sleeves because of the fabric.
I finished the hem with a double needle.
This time I made the dress in a size 12. The sizing is really close to a retail size 12. It fits really well, with just a little room to grow.
I don’t have a serger – I used the jersey stitch on my regular machine, and a double needle for the hem.
And yes, that means it’s my last kid in the largest size that this pattern offers. I’m a bit sad that it will need to be retired soon.
I made the short sleeved version since I think the fabric is more suited for spring more than winter.
Size: 12. Cost: Pattern: 0$. Fabric: About $30. Sewing Level: Confident beginner. Modifications: None Results: Great, as always. This is a reliable pattern and quick to sew.
Disclaimer: The pattern was generously provided by Heidi & Finn several years ago, in return for testing the pattern. As always, my opinions are my own.
When you haven’t been sewing for a while, it’s nice to start off with a nice easy project. Flannel pyjamas definitely fit the bill – or so I thought!
A photo of an Ottobre magazine pattern sheet.
The first challenge was finding a pattern. My youngest are tweens now and finding a pattern in that size range is tough. Most Big 4 patterns stop at size 12, and tend to be a little “young”, while women’s patterns often start too large, the fit is off for tweens, and the look can be a bit “old”. Ottobre Magazine to the rescue!
The Zen pyjama set from Ottobre Magazine.
The two great things about Ottobre magazine are 1) the size range (50-170) which covers tiny infants to about age 14-15, and 2) the styling. The styles are age appropriate and fun, but cool enough that my kids will actually wear the clothes.
Of course, you need to trace out each pattern piece from the cryptic pattern sheets onto tracing paper. You might want a cup of coffee before getting started!
Ottobre patterns come on double-sided sheets of paper – each about 60 cm by 100 cm. This issue comes with three of these. They include all the pattern pieces for all the garments in the issue, in multiple sizes. You trace out only the pieces you need.
The cut of the garments is always great, and the instructions are good, if brief. There are some tutorials online for plaquettes, cuffs, etc.
Once you get the hang of it though, it’s worth the effort! It’s also a good value, since you get 40 patterns in this issue. And even if one is a rectangular scarf, the others more than make it worthwhile. More recent editions have about 25 patterns.
So the next challenge was the flannel. I love sewing with flannel. The fabric sticks to itself, in the best way, making it unnecessary to pin much.
Of course, my kids suggested solids, but it seemed so boring.
Two types of flannel and some bamboo jersey.
Me: “Don’t you want a colour, or something fun?” Also me, but later: “Wait, this is a window pane and a wobbly stripe! &^%@#!”
Anyway, I got a perfect pattern match on the window panes and a close-to-perfect match on the stripe.
Window panes have been defeated!Cats have been conquered!
I made a couple of modifications. I lengthened the boxer short to a pant, and I added a really wide hem at the bottom – maybe 5 cm/2″. I really like this look, but it also lets me lengthen the pants when the kids grow.
It’s tough to see, but these pants have a super wide hem.
I remember how amazed I was when I learned that most men’s pyjamas come with pockets, so I was determined to add some. I just copied the pocket from Vogue V8964, which I’ve made previously and trimmed it down a little.
And I added ribbon to the back of the waistband so you can tell which way they go.
A ribbon in the waistband for sleepy pj wearers.
For the top though, they wanted bamboo jersey. This fabric has an incredibly soft hand – amazing to sleep in. But of course, it’s slinky.
I finished the neckline with fabric bands, and used a double needle to hem the sleeves and bottom.
This pattern also had some modifications. I made a short, cap sleeve. I also lowered the neckline by about 2.5 cm/1″. I found the neck was really high, and not great for pyjamas with this slinky fabric.
It’s a really good fit.
I have to say the sizing from Ottobre was perfect! And my kids love these pyjamas and insisted on wearing them immediately. I had to wait until clean laundry day to fish them out to photograph them.
Summary
Pattern: Zen t-shirt/pajama top (38) and Green check boxer shorts (37) from OTTOBRE design® kids WINTER 6/2011 which includes sizes 50-170 (EUR pattern sizing system). This issue includes a section on sleepwear.
Fabric: Ivory bamboo jersey, and two types of cotton flannel from Fabricville. The cat pattern was one of their in-house prints.
Size: 158 (about a kids’ 14).
Cost: Magazine $13.50. Fabric: About $70 ($35 per pair)
It’s a free pattern with no seam finishing – which is my least favourite sewing task.
The easiest pattern I’ve ever sewn: the Lazy Days Skirt by Oliver + S.
I don’t have many construction photos of this skirt because I made this years ago. This is actually the third kid to wear this skirt. Yay, for hand-me-downs!
The fabric is from l’Oiseau Fabrics. I used their jersey for the dresses and ribbing for trim. All are really high quality and perfectly suited for the pattern.
This is the size 3/4 in turquoise and purple.
The pattern combines two sizes in one, and this works great for my kids, since they can wear the dress for a long time. I didn’t make any alterations at all.
Various cotton spandex jersey prints in a sky theme.
Pattern: Little Girl’s Skater Dress by Kitschy Coo available in sizes 18m-8y. I chose the sleeveless view. There are also short sleeve and long sleeve versions.
Fabric: Starlight Jersey Knit in red and turquoise. Cloudy jersey knit in pink. Stretch ribbing in Aqua, purple and lime. All 95% cotton, 5% spandex. All from l’Oiseau Fabrics.
Size: 3/4, 5/6, 7/8.
Cost: Pattern: £7.20 Fabric: About $24/dress.
Sewing Level: Beginner.
Modifications: none.
Results: Great. Makes a cute, comfortable dress the kids love.
Little Girl Skater Dress sewing pattern by Kitschy Coo, as sewn by The Finished Garment
It’s been a really, really busy summer. I haven’t had much time to sew and even less to blog. And yet, I still managed to have a blogging backlog.
This is the Sugar n’ Spice Romper and Dress by Heidi & Finn, which I made earlier this summer. I wanted a nice quick project that would get my daughter something fun and comfortable to wear in hot weather, and this definitely fit the bill.
I really like the length of the dress.
I used ITY (Interlock twist yarn), a synthetic knit for the dress. The bright print was something I had left over for a dress for myself, and the pink was a remnant that just happened to match perfectly. Both are from one of the local chain stores.
The colours worked out really well. The pink was a remnant.
The pattern was really quick and easy to sew. My only complaint has to do with the fabric I chose. The ITY doesn’t have a lot of structure, so in the bodice it tends to curl a little. Next time, I’d use a fabric with a bit more structure (even cotton jersey) for the bodice, or make a bit more effort to make the outer layer of the crossover bodice a bit more snug.
The cross-over bodice could be a little more snug.
The dress has been a big hit and gets lots of wear. So I will count this one as a belatedly blogged success.
Summary
Pattern:Sugar n’ Spice Romper and Dress by Heidi & Finn available in sizes 12m-12y. Fabric: ITY. Size: 7. Cost: Pattern: $11. Fabric: About $10. Sewing Level: Beginner. Modifications: none. Results: Good, but next time I will make the outer layer of the crossover bodice a bit more snug, or use fabric with a bit more structure.
A couple of years ago I made bat costumes for my kids for Halloween. The kids loved them and wanted to wear them all the time, but they were maybe a little costume-y for regular wear.
So this year, I used the same pattern, the Red Riding Hood from the book Oliver + S Little Things to Sew, to make capes the kids could wear this fall.
Red Riding cape from the book Little Things to Sew, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
The small was lined in a purple and red floral print.
I made the capes in three sizes: small, medium and large. The pattern only comes in medium and large so I had to draft my own small.
The medium cape was lined with this fun turquoise print.
I didn’t make any changes to the pattern, and even hand finished the arm openings for a nicer finish.
The large size was lined with the very last of this pale purple print.
I used some wool suiting that I bought out of season ages ago and chose a different quilting cotton to line each one. These were also from my stash. I think my total stash busting for these was about 8 meters (about 9 yards). Even the buttons were lonely singles from my button jar.
Even the buttons came from my stash.
I think this button had no siblings, so a perfect project for it.
I love the large hoods in this pattern.
The kids love the capes, especially the big hoods, and they are really well suited for easily fall and late spring. My husband likes them too, though he thinks they look like little assassins from the video game Assassin’s Creed. So maybe they are still a little costume-y after all.
Spring has finally spring here in Montreal, so I thought I’d share my last winter sewing project before it’s embarrassingly late.
Here in Quebec, it isn’t unusual to see temperatures around -30°C (-22°F) in the winter, and then +30°C (86°F) in the summer. It takes two different wardrobes. So each year I box up all the kids’ winter clothes and bring out all the summer clothes and take an inventory. It seems that over the winter my kids have all gone up at least one size, and one thing everyone was missing was pyjamas.
One last pair of PJs before spring.
This fabric has been in my stash for ages. I’m really glad to get all that space back. Flannel takes up a lot of room.
I sewed little tags in the back to they know how to put them on.
Once again I used the Bedtime Story Pajamas sewing pattern by Oliver + S, for the bottoms, and store-bought t-shirts for the tops. I used flannel for the bottoms, which may sound a bit crazy if you live somewhere warmer. But here, it’s likely be chilly at night right into May. I finished these in March, and they’ve gotten tons of wear. This fabric was chosen by the kids and has sat for ages in my stash, so it was time.
They are getting so big!
I’m not sure how many times I’ve used this pattern anymore, but it’s a lot. So I was sooooo sad to see that it only goes up to size 8. I’m sewing size 7 now, so it looks like I’ll have to branch out pretty soon.
Fabric: Flannel Star Wars Angry Birds Flannel in Blue from Camelot Fabrics.
Sizes: 3, 5, 7 and 7.
Sewing Level: beginner, intermediate if not just the pants.
Modifications: None.
Results: Excellent! I’ve madethesemany times before. I would highly recommend this pattern.
Just to be clear: Angry Birds and Star Wars names and images are licensed to Camelot Cottons by Lucasfilm Ltd. and Rovio Entertainment Ltd. The pjs shown here are not official licensed products and are not available for sale. But you can always buy some fabric and make your own!
Nothing says Saint Patrick’s Day like a velociraptor! Amiright?
Velociraptor!
I wanted to make the kids something green and fun for today. I found some great lime jersey, and figured the Field Trip Raglan T-shirt by Oliver + S, which I’ve used before, would be a good match for the fabric.
Tyrannosaurus Rex!
Then I spotted these amazing dinosaur iron-on vinyl transfers on Etsy. They are pretty cool, and fuzzy! And so a very dinosaur-themed Saint Patrick’s Day came to be. So much fun!
Always joking around, these two.
So much dino.
Love these iron-on transfers!
Summary
Pattern:Field Trip Raglan T-shirt by Oliver + S available in sizes 6m-12. Fabric: Stenzo cotton-spandex jersey in Lime stars and lime solid from L’Oiseau Fabrics. Sizes: 2, 4, and 7 (not shown). Cost: Pattern: (gift). Fabric: About $10-20/shirt. Sewing Level: Beginner. Modifications: I added bands to the sleeves, and didn’t put pockets on the shirts. Results: Rawwwwr!
Someone recently asked me where to find sewing patterns for boys. Here is the list I put together. The person asking, sent me the question in French, so I thought I’d do a bilingual post for a change, and also include some links for French speakers.
On m’a récemment demandé où trouver des patrons couture (en français) pour les garçons. Ooof! pas facile. Voici ma petite liste. J’espère que vous la trouvez utile. Et oui, je présente le tout dans une article bilingue pour faire changement.
A list of great independent sewing pattern companies with patterns for boys.
Boys Sewing Patterns in English /
Patrons couture pour garçons en anglais
Oliver + S
Digital and paper patterns in English to US size 12 (EUR 146). Patrons numériques en anglais jusqu’à la taille 12 (EUR 146).
Blank Slate Patterns
Digital patterns in English to US size 8 (EUR 128). Patrons numériques en anglais jusqu’à la taille 8 (EUR 128).
Brindille & Twig
Digital patterns for knits in English to US size 5/6 (EUR 116). Patrons numériques pour tissus extensibles en anglais jusqu’à la taille 5/6 (EUR 116).
Made by Rae
Digital patterns in English to US size 14 (EUR 164). Patrons numériques en anglais jusqu’à la taille 14 (EUR 164).
Titchy Threads
Digital patterns in English to US size 12 (EUR 152). Patrons numériques en anglais jusqu’à la taille 12 (EUR 152).
Elegance & Elephants
Digital patterns in English only, to US size 12 (EUR 152). Patrons numériques en anglais jusqu’à la taille 12 (EUR 152).
Shwin Designs
Digital patterns in English to size 9 (EUR 134). Patrons numériques en anglais jusqu’à la taille 9 (EUR 134).
Burdastyle
Digital patterns in English to size EUR 152 (US 12), though you can also get the magazine, which contains mostly women’s patterns, in French and other languages. Patrons numériques en anglais jusqu’à la taille 12 (EUR 152), mais c’est possible de prendre la magazine, qui contient surtout des patrons femmes, en français.
Lou Bee Clothing
Digital patterns in English to size 12 (EUR 152). Patrons numériques en anglais jusqu’à la taille 12 (EUR 152).
Heidi & Finn
Digital patterns in English to size 12 (EUR 152). Patrons numériques en anglais jusqu’à la taille 12 (EUR 152).
Peekaboo Pattern Shop
Digital patterns in English to size 12 (EUR 152). Patrons numériques en anglais jusqu’à la taille 12 (EUR 152).
Ottobre Magazine
Pattern magazine in English, French and more and goes to size EUR 170 (US 16). Magazine de patrons disponible en français, anglais et autres, tailles jusqu’à EUR 170 (US 16).
Zonen 09
Digital and paper patterns in English, French and Dutch up to size EUR 134 (US 9). Patrons papier et numériques en anglais, français et néerlandais jusqu’à EUR 134 (US 9).
Citronille
Paper patterns in French and English to size 12 (EUR 152). Patrons papier en français et anglais, parfois jusqu’à la taille 12 (EUR 152).
Boys Sewing Patterns in French /
Patrons couture pour garçons en français
Ottobre Magazine
Pattern magazine in English, French and more and goes to size EUR 170 (US 16). Magazine de patrons disponible en français, anglais et autres, tailles jusqu’à EUR 170 (US 16).
Zonen 09
Digital and paper patterns in English, French and Dutch up to size EUR 134 (US 9). Patrons papier et numériques en anglais, français et néerlandais jusqu’à EUR 134 (US 9).
Citronille
Paper patterns in French and English to size 12 (EUR 152). Patrons papier en français et anglais, parfois jusqu’à la taille 12 (EUR 152).
Gasparine
Paper patterns in French only to size 12 (EUR 152). Patrons papier en français uniquement jusqu’à la taille 12 (EUR 152).
Filles à Maman
Digital patterns in English and French to size 14 (EUR 164) Patrons numériques en français et anglais jusqu’à la taille 14 (EUR 164).
Jalie
Paper and digital patterns in English and French to size 13 (EUR 158) Patrons paper et numériques en français et anglais jusqu’à la taille 13 (EUR 158).
If you need more ideas, there is a group on Flickr called Celebrate The Boy which does just that. It’s full of people’s amazing sewing creations and often the patterns used are mentioned so you can look them up.
Il existe aussi une groupe sur Flickr qui contient uniquement des créations couture pour garçons, ainsi c’est possible de suivre les liens pour savoir quel patron les gens ont utilisés.
Did I miss anything? Let me know in the comments.
Vous en connaissez d’autres? Laissez les infos dans les commentaires.
Une liste de patrons couture indépendants pour garçons.
It is cold and snowy here, but my blogging backlog means I get to bring you a couple of photos from the last sunny days of fall.
This is the free Retro Sweatpants Pattern by Elegance & Elephants, available in sizes 12m to 9. I made size 6. I used leftover fabric for this project bringing the total cost to 0$.
What our backyard looked like this fall. Right now we have a couple of feet of snow on the ground. Green grass – remember that! (sigh) Me either.
The pants are interlock, leftover from some shorts I made my husband, and the cuffs are jersey, leftover from another project. The interlock is very soft inside, so they are the go-to comfy pants for Kid No 2.
I skipped the drawstring since Kid No 2 doesn’t like anything fussy, and the pockets. That made this pattern super quick to sew. Free, easy, super soft – what’s not to like?
The pants are black, so they are a bit hard to photograph.
Project Summary
Pattern: Retro Sweatpants Pattern by Elegance & Elephants, available in sizes 12m to 9. I made size 6. Fabric: Sweatshirt fabric. Cost:Pattern: free. Fabric: $0 (leftover from other projects). Project Sewing Level: Beginner. Modifications: I skipped the pockets and drawstring. Results: Quick, easy sewing.
, to make capes the kids could wear this fall.
The Finished Garment 