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 $10-20/shirt. Sewing Level: Beginner. Modifications: I added bands to the sleeves, and didn’t put pockets on the shirts. Results: Rawwwwr!
It is cold and snowy here, but my blogging backlog means I get to bring you a couple of photos from the last sunny days of fall.
This is the free Retro Sweatpants Pattern by Elegance & Elephants, available in sizes 12m to 9. I made size 6. I used leftover fabric for this project bringing the total cost to 0$.
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: $0 (leftover from other projects). Project Sewing Level: Beginner. Modifications: I skipped the pockets and drawstring. Results: Quick, easy sewing.
This fall, when I made my kids t-shirts there was a lot of extra fabric. So I decided to take all the leftover fabric and make some matching hats for everyone and skirts for the girls.
These kids are always being silly!
I used the Slouch Beanie by Brindille & Twig. It’s a very simple, fast easy project, but the results are just sooooo cute! My kids look like little elves.
Ack! Just like an elf.
The hats are reversible, and they can be worn, as designed, like slouchy skater beanies. It’s great when mum is doing the styling. But my kids usually fold up the bottoms and wear them that way.
How I style their hats.How the kids style their hats.
The skirt pattern is from Collection privée filles & garçons by Atsuko Maruyama and Noriko Onoda (a French translation of the Japanese pattern book シンプル＆デサイン おんなの子服 おとこの子服 ). The book contains 27 patterns available in sizes 90-140 cm. I made the “#12 Jupe – legging” (skirt with leggings) in sizes 120, 110, and 90.
The red skirts are cute.
The pattern comes with attached capri leggings, which are adorable. But here in the land of Hoth, where tights are pretty much required for six months of the year, they seemed a bit impractical, so I left them out.
Both patterns were super quick projects and I made the hats in a day and the skirts in another.
Skirt: from Collection privée filles & garçons by Atsuko Maruyama and Noriko Onoda (a French translation of the Japanese pattern book シンプル＆デサイン おんなの子服 おとこの子服 ). The book contains 27 patterns available in sizes 90-140 cm. I made the “#12 Jupe – legging” (skirt with leggings) in sizes 120 (not shown), 110, and 90.
Fabric: Jersey. Cost: Hat pattern: 4.50$. Skirt: 0$ (used for another project). Fabric: $0 (leftover from other projects). Project Sewing Level: Beginner. Modifications: For the skirt, I did not include the leggings. Results: Fun, easy sewing.
In the after-holiday sales I picked up some really bright turquoise French terry. It was only 5$ per metre so I let each kid choose there own piece of clothing. Two chose mini-hudson pants, and two chose the Little Girls’ Skater Dress by Kitschy Coo.
This is the size 5/6.
I had been looking at the Skater Dress pattern for a while, but didn’t really have the right fabric. Ideally this would be made in jersey, but I thought the French terry be a little cozier. The dress ends up being great for our current cold weather, but still fun to wear and very comfortable. This French terry has a lot of stretch, which makes the dress very wearable, especially for kids. It’s like your favourite sweatshirt, but it’s a dress.
Unfortunately, it’s been too cold for outdoor photo sessions and the light hasn’t been great lately generally, so you’ll have to settle for less than ideal photos this time around.
This is the size 7/8.
I let the kids choose the colour of the contrast cuffs from my scrap bin. The cuffs are so bright, but they do really make the dress. With solid colours for the main part of the dress, they might be a bit plain, without that crazy pop of colour.
Kid No 1 chose hot pink cuffs.
The pattern is sized to fit over two years. They fit a bit large. My kids are both at the lower ends of their ranges, but definitely too big to go down a size. I double checked the measurements, and tried the size 5/6 on my normally size 7 kid to check. Next time I might take the dress in a little through the bodice for my skinny girls, especially if I use a heavier fabric again. In jersey, it would probably be fine.
Kid No 3 chose bright red cuffs.
This pattern is a really quick sew. I finished both dresses in an afternoon. The instructions were great and everything came together without any problems. I also have the women’s version of the skater dress, so I’m pretty excited to get to that soon.
The dress is on the big size, but is supposed to last two years.
Project Summary
Pattern Review:Little Girls’ Skater Dress by Kitschy Coo, available in sizes 18m-8Y (in 4 different sizes). Fabric: French terry, with jersey cuffs. Sizes: 5/6 and 7/8. Cost: Pattern: About 14$. Fabric: $5 per dress. Project Sewing Level: Beginner. Modifications: none. Results: Great. The kids love wearing these.
I have a great diaper bag. The only problem with it is that it is full of diapers. And crayons. And a couple of snacks. And hand sanitizer. And a baby sling.
But lately, with my youngest now two years old, I have begun to imagine a magical, mythical future where my bag has things like lipstick (I think I still have some somewhere), money (I wish I still had some) and empty space (I want some!).
Check out that pattern matching.
Do I decided to sew an anti-diaper bag. It will not be waterproof to keep the messes in. It will not be black so that I can ask my husband to carry it for me. It will not attach conveniently to my stroller. It will be small and pretty and not have room to carry a menagerie of toy animals.
Yes, there is another bird on the back. I promise the bag really isn’t crooked – it’s just a trick of the camera.
I used green fabric for the lining. I love that there is such a good contrast.The front pocket is also lined in green.
I would rate the pattern as intermediate to advanced. Nothing is particularly difficult, but it’s a very detailed pattern. This pattern uses 11 pattern pieces for the exterior, 7 for the lining, 15 of interfacing, plus hardware. There are 15 pages of really great instructions.
The pattern has an adjustable strap with real metal hardware.The zipper has a matching pull tab.
I also think that to do a really good job, you need a quarter-inch presser foot, a stitch-in-the-ditch foot and a good quilting ruler. These are all basic quilting tools, but not necessarily what an apparel sewist might have on hand. Everything needs to be done in a very precise manner to get good results, and these tools help a lot.
I used fabric from the Bungalow collection by Joel Dewberry. I love the colours – so vibrant! So hard to find thread to match. And the birds are really cute. Yes, I put a bird on it!
There is an inner pocket that you can customize for what you need to carry with you.
This is not a quick project, but the results are so, so great. I will definitely be making another (probably without birds).
Project Summary
Pattern Review:Two Zip Hipster by Dog Under My Desk. Fabric: Swallow Study in Lavender, Empress in Grassland, and Stripes in Lavender from the Bungalow collection by Joel Dewberry for Free Spirit, courtesy Warp & Weft (now closed). Finished size: 11” tall, 9” wide, 1.5” deep. Cost: Pattern: 12$. Project Sewing Level: Intermediate to advanced. Modifications: None. Results: Great.
I love the colours, but it did make it especially hard to match the thread and zippers.
I live on Hoth. It’s the only way to describe temperatures hovering around -38°C (-36°F). I really wish that were a typo.
Anyway, I saw the weather forecast last week and decided that my babies needed added warmth, so I got these hats and neck warmers sewn up.
Arctic Trapper Hat and matching neck warmer.
I actually cut these hats out ages ago, but then didn’t get around to them when it was cold, and then didn’t feel motivated when it was warm. It is no longer warm.
The hats are the Arctic Trapper Hat by See Kate Sew. They are two-layer hats with a hipster feel. I added ear flaps, and I used two layers of fleece to make them warmer. The inside is super soft and the outside has a bit of a berber texture. It’s the same fabric I used to make them mittens.
The hats really do fit quite large, so it’s probably good that I waited a year to sew them up (shuffles feet, avoids eye contact).
The hats fit quite large.
The hats turned out really well, but there are two things I might change. The ear flaps poke out a little, so I think I’ll get some buttons for them, like the real grown-up versions. And second, I think they might be better with a chin strap so that they stay flat against the ears to keep them warm. Of course, if I didn’t live in Hoth, they would be just great as is. In fact, I may make another set out of corduroy for fall when chin straps are unnecessary.
I added ear flaps, but I might want to add a chin strap.
The neck warmers were made without a pattern, but measure about 10″ by 10″. They also have two layers.
Since all my kids have the same sets, I sewed different coloured ribbons into the seams of the hats and neck warmers so the kids could tell them apart. They picked out the ribbons themselves.
I had these made up for the beginning of January, but it was just too cold and snowy for an outdoor photo shoot. So I had to wait until this week for a balmy -16°C (3°F). Brrrrrr. Where’s my tauntaun?
I used two layers of polar fleece, and sewed ribbons into te seams so the kids could tell them apart.
Pattern Review:Arctic Trapper Hats by See Kate Sew, available in sizes 12m-8 (in 4 different sizes). Fabric: Two layers of polar fleece. Sizes: 12/18m, 3/4, and 5/6. Cost: Pattern: 6$. Fabric: $0 (leftover from another project). Project Sewing Level: Beginner. Modifications: I added ear flaps. Results: Great. This was fast, and I love the hipster look.
So here are the pics I finally managed to wrangle this fall, just before the weather turned cold and snowy.
I used ponte de roma, which works really well with this pattern.
This is a really quick pattern to sew and the results are cute and trendy. This was my sixth time sewing this pattern, so for detailed information, please read my original review.
The dress is really comfortable and cozy for winter.
Ponte de roma in dark teal – (medium-weight knit, 50% Polyester/45% Rayon/5% Lycra).
Sizes: 2T. Cost: Pattern: 0$. Fabric: About $16. Sewing Level: Confident beginner. Modifications: None Results: Great. This was fast, and I love the trendy look.
Disclaimer: The pattern was generously provided by Heidi & Finn, in return for testing the pattern. As always, my opinions are my own.
Last week I showed you a table runner I made for my mother-in-law, and this week I have the one I made for my mother.
A table runner for spring.
Like the previous one, I used all fabrics from my stash, most left over from previous projects. The design is a simple window pane design with white sashing. I used freeform wavy lines for the quilting.
I used random wavy-line quilting.
The backing is a fabric I had purchased for another project online, but when it came it didn’t quite match the other fabrics, so I’m especially glad to have found it a home.
I’m happy this backing finally found a home.
It’s a nice simple quilt, but I’m quite happy about how the peach and emerald green look beside one another. Hopefully this will get lots of use.
This year, my only boxing day shopping took place at the fabric shop. I didn’t find much, but there was some gorgeous french terry in a neon turquoise for only 5$ a metre.
I wasn’t sure what to make so I let the kids decide and Kid No 2 and Kid No 4 chose pants. I didn’t have much in the way of knit pant patterns, especially not for fabric this thick, so I bought the Mini Hudson Pant pattern from True Bias.
These were a really quick project.
There is a Mini Hudson blog hop going on at the moment if you want to see more versions. I’m not part of it, but since everyone is posting their mini hudsons, and I just made these last week, I figured I’d hurry up and post mine too. You’ll have to excuse me for showing up to the party uninvited.
I made the size 7 and size 3.
This pattern makes a drawstring pant that works well with heavier fabric and is cut narrower near the ankle and wider at the hips. I used jersey scraps from two previous projects (coming soon to the blog) in black for my son and hot pink for my daughter. The pink and blue combo is a little bright, but if you can’t wear neon turquoise and hot pink when you are two, when can you?
The pants ended up a little big, but that’s a bonus in my book. The hipster styling isn’t quite as obvious for now, but it won’t be long before the kids grow up an inch or so.
I used french terry for the pants and jersey for the trim.
These are really quick to sew and pretty foolproof. The only modification I made was to leave off the drawstring. Kid No 2 doesn’t like fiddly closures, even when they are just decorative and Kid No 4, at two-years-old, doesn’t need the hazard factor. And the only thing I would change in the future would be to make the waistband a bit wider, but just because I like that look.
Once again, these went right into regular circulation and so I didn’t get quite as many photos of the larger pants as I would have liked. My smaller kid was quite happy to mug it up for the camera though.
Cotton spandex jersey in black and fuchsia by Stenzo.
Size: 3 and 7. Cost: Pattern: $8. Fabric: About $5 per pair of pants. Sewing Level: Beginner. Modifications: I left out the drawstring. Results: Cute and comfy.
I made the same dress, Simplicity 2063 from the Little Lisette collection by Liesl Gibson, twice over the holidays.
This dress is finished with bias tape at the arms.
This time I made the size 5, but otherwise, it’s pretty much the same dress as I made previously. Same super soft corduroy, same colourful piping, this time in red and grey.
I really like the red piping.
It’s a nice simple pattern that makes a really cute dress. This one was so popular that no one would sit still for a photo shoot.
These buttons were in a mystery button jar.
Summary
Pattern Review:Simplicity 2063 from the Little Lisette collection by Liesl Gibson, available in sizes 3-8, and now out of print. Fabric:
Corduroy, in Grey Squirrel by Stenzo.
Kona solid for the flat piping.
Size: 5. Cost: Pattern: $0 (used once already). Fabric: About $18. Sewing Level: Adventurous beginner. Modifications: None. Results: Really cute and very soft.
The Finished Garment 