Tag: Finished Object

Field Trip Tees for the Kids

I’m not sure how your October was, but mine was crazy! October is when work gets busy, homework piles us and then, Halloween! I managed to get a bit of sewing done for Kids Clothing Week (KCW). But did I get around to blogging it? Of course not.

The Field Trip Raglan T-shirt sewing pattern by Oliver + S, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
The Field Trip Raglan T-shirt sewing pattern by Oliver + S, as sewn by The Finished Garment.

I try to sew my kids what they need, so with the approach of crisp fall weather, some long-sleeved tees seemed like a great project. I used the Field Trip Raglan T-shirt pattern by Oliver + S, and sewed it up in sizes 2, 4, and 6.

This is a super fast project. The instructions are great and there are only a few pattern pieces. The only change I made was to add bands to the sleeves. Partly, this was because I like the look, and partly this was because my kids are on the tall skinny size and I wanted to be sure the shirts last through the winter. Next time, I might go up a size, at least for the three bigger kids.

The Field Trip Raglan T-shirt sewing pattern by Oliver + S, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
I added bands to the sleeves for a bit of extra length.

I used my regular sewing machine, as a I don’t have a serger, but this worked really well.

The Field Trip Raglan T-shirt sewing pattern by Oliver + S, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
Love those stripes.
The Field Trip Raglan T-shirt sewing pattern by Oliver + S, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
The polkadots are fun too
The Field Trip Raglan T-shirt sewing pattern by Oliver + S, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
Who doesn’t love rainbows?
The Field Trip Raglan T-shirt sewing pattern by Oliver + S, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
Love this colour combination.

The kids picked these fabrics themselves ages ago. Mostly I used cotton jersey from the Riley Blake collection, but the dark grey is from the Robert Kaufman Laguna collection. The Riley Blake colours are really bright, which I love, and the kids do too.

This pattern looks great colour blocked, especially with stripes. I’m seriously considering copying at least one of these tees using a grown-up pattern.

Jersey is usually about 60″ (150 cm) wide, so I found I had a lot of extra fabric left over. But that just meant that I had enough for a couple more cute projects that I’ll be blogging soon. Yay!

The Field Trip Raglan T-shirt sewing pattern by Oliver + S, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
This is the shirt in size 2.
The Field Trip Raglan T-shirt sewing pattern by Oliver + S, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
This is the size 4.
The Field Trip Raglan T-shirt sewing pattern by Oliver + S, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
This is also a size 6, but Kid No 1 is just a bit taller.
The Field Trip Raglan T-shirt sewing pattern by Oliver + S, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
This is the size 6.

I really, really love these shirts. Even though they were super quick and easy projects, I’m really happy with the results. It’s really hard to find t-shirts that are fun and bright but that aren’t pink with sparkles or covered with logos. I’ll definitely be making more.

This project was part of Kids Clothing Week and the Stashbusting Sew Along.

Summary

Pattern Review: Field Trip Raglan T-shirt by Oliver + S available in sizes 6m-12.
Fabric: 

  • Cotton Jersey in Heathered Knit Pepper from the Laguna collection by Robert Kaufman.
  • Cotton Jersey in small chevron in aqua, small chevron in rainbow, small dots in red, solid red, and 1/2″ stripes in red, all from the Riley Blake Knits collection.

Sizes: 2, 4, and 6.
Cost: Pattern: (gift). Fabric: About $10/shirt.
Sewing Level: Beginner.
Modifications: I added bands to the sleeves, and didn’t put pockets on all the shirts.
Results: Amazing. My kids love these shirts and wear them at least once a week.

The Field Trip Raglan T-shirt sewing pattern by Oliver + S, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
Peekaboo!

Forest Birds – A Wildwood Blog Hop

The air is crisp and the leaves are falling. So it’s the perfect time for a fall blog hop.

Fabric from the Wildwood collection, sewing by The Finished Garment.
Ready for the world.
Fabric from the Wildwood collection, sewing by The Finished Garment.
The whole look.

The Warp & Weft Sewing Society have all pitched in to showcase the latest fabric collection by Canadian surface designer Elizabeth Owen. The collection is called Wildwood, and it’s a really quite pretty. The inspiration for the collection was the wild woods of story books, so I was excited to see what would be in my Warp & Weft delivery.

I decided to start with the story of Hansel and Gretel for inspiration, and so I made an outfit for my own “Gretel”, Kid No 1.

Fabric from the Wildwood collection, sewing by The Finished Garment.
I really like this colour combo.

I made a simple panel skirt in Essex linen. The 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 à panneaux” (panel skirt) in size 120. Then I used the Wildwood print to make a matching blouse, McCall’s 6388, using some blue solid for contrast.

Fabric from the Wildwood collection, sewing by The Finished Garment.
I really like the buttons on the blouse.
Fabric from the Wildwood collection, sewing by The Finished Garment.
The skirt is a simple panel skirt, and linen has just the right weight.

And of course Gretel needs a bag to carry her breadcrumbs, so I added a small satchel, the “#7 Sac tube” (tube bag), also from Collection privée filles & garçons. The bag is made in linen and lined with the Wildwood print.

A simple bag from a Japanese pattern book, sewn by The Finished Garment
I love the simplicity of the bag.
A simple bag from a Japanese pattern book, sewn by The Finished Garment
Hey, what’s in here?
Bird ornaments, from Last Minute Patchwork Gifts, sewn by The Finished Garment
Look what I found!

That meant that only one thing was missing – birds! I couldn’t count on the local wildlife to pop in for my photo shoot, so I made three little birds using the pattern from Last-Minute Patchwork + Quilted Gifts, and the leftover scraps from the other pieces.

Bird ornaments, from Last Minute Patchwork Gifts, sewn by The Finished Garment
I like the blue bird best.
Bird ornaments, from Last Minute Patchwork Gifts, sewn by The Finished Garment
These are quite small, and the pattern is quick, but a little finicky.

Thanks for stopping by, and be sure to visit the other amazing sewists on our blog hop!

Warp & Weft Sewing Society
A Warp & Weft Sewing Society project

Warp & Weft Wildwood Blog Hop

September 26 – Carla from My 1/2 Dozen Daily
September 27 – Cynthia from Cynthiaf
September 28 – Lysa from Lysa Flower
September 29 – Cathy from Blueberry Patch
September 30 – Esmari from Warp & Weft
October 1 – Me!
October 2 – Heidi from Elegance & Elephants
October 3 – Sherri from Thread Riding Hood

Bird ornaments, from Last Minute Patchwork Gifts, sewn by The Finished Garment
So small!

Summary

Patterns:

  • Blouse: McCall’s 6388 available in sizes 2-8, but now out-of-print. I made the size 6.
  • Skirt and bag: 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 à panneaux” (panel skirt) in size 120, and the “#7 Sac tube” (tube bag).
  • Bird ornament: From Last-Minute Patchwork + Quilted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson.

Fabric: 

Sewing Level: Confident beginner.
Modifications: I shortened the skirt, by 2″.
Results: Great!

Summer Skirts

We’re just experiencing the last bit of summer here, so I’m taking the opportunity to show you one of my very last summer projects – two fun summer skirts.

The Sunday Brunch A-line Skirt sewing pattern by Oliver + S, as sewn by The Finished Garment
These skirts are super popular with my girls.

I used the Sunday Brunch A-line Skirt by Oliver + S, which I’ve used before, and quite like.

The Sunday Brunch A-line Skirt sewing pattern by Oliver + S, as sewn by The Finished Garment
Love this skirt!

It’s a very quick, easy pattern, and makes a nice, basic skirt. I made this in sizes 4 and 6. The only changes I made were to lengthen the size 4 by one inch, and the size 6 by two inches, and lower the kick pleat to match. I also added the pockets from the Oliver + S Sandbox Pants, to the back of the larger skirt.

The Sunday Brunch A-line Skirt sewing pattern by Oliver + S, as sewn by The Finished Garment
I lengthened both skirts
The Sunday Brunch A-line Skirt sewing pattern by Oliver + S, as sewn by The Finished Garment
After I lengthened it, the skirt is just right for looking for chipmunks.

I used stash fabric for both skirts, leftover from other projects. This pattern takes a little under 3/4 of a yard of fabric, per skirt, which is what I had.

The Sunday Brunch A-line Skirt sewing pattern by Oliver + S, as sewn by The Finished Garment
The print is really fun for summer. I’m glad I could get two garments out of the fabric I had.

It’s a great pattern if you have just a little bit of fabric left over. But unfortunately, it meant that pattern matching was out of the question. Since this fabric would have been wasted otherwise, and these skirts were meant for casual fun, that seemed fine, this time around. I settled for an absence of awkward print placement, but I had to trace out the pieces with chalk a couple times in the size 6, to get that right.

The Sunday Brunch A-line Skirt sewing pattern by Oliver + S, as sewn by The Finished Garment
This print is Bella Flower in Blue by Lotta Jansdotter. And I swear I ironed it right before this photo was taken.
The Sunday Brunch A-line Skirt sewing pattern by Oliver + S, as sewn by The Finished Garment
This print is Scoot Scoot in Blue from the Havana collection.
The Sunday Brunch A-line Skirt sewing pattern by Oliver + S, as sewn by The Finished Garment
Each skirt took less than 1 yard of fabric.

The skirts are a big hit and seem to get worn at least once a week, which is a lot with my sometimes finicky kids.

This project was part of the Sewcialist Scraptember Sew Along and the Stashbusting Sew Along Kid Challenge.

Summary

Pattern Review: Sunday Brunch A-line Skirt by Oliver + S available in sizes 6m-8.
Fabric: 

  • Bella Flower in Blue by Lotta Jansdotter for Windham Fabrics, courtesy Warp & Weft Exquisite Textiles.
  • Scoot Scoot in Blue from the Havana collection by Monaluna (organic).

Sizes: 4 and 6.
Cost: Pattern: 0$. Fabric: 0$ (all was leftover pieces from other projects).
Sewing Level: Beginner.
Modifications: I lengthened the skirt, by 1-2″, depending on the size, and lowered the kick pleat.
Results: Great. These were fast, are super comfortable, and are now in heavy rotation.

The Sunday Brunch A-line Skirt sewing pattern by Oliver + S, as sewn by The Finished Garment
These are still comfortable for playground fun.

Pattern Testing the Heidi & Finn Cowl Neck Dress

Have you seen the Cowl Neck Dress and Sweater by Heidi & Finn? It is super cute, and oh so trendy.

So I was very excited to be a pattern tester for the newest version of the pattern, which now includes a sweater, a short-sleeved version, and an expanded size range from 12m to 12Y.

Heidi & Finn Cowl Neck Sweater, sewn by The Finished Garment
The kids really like the tops and they are very comfortable.

And is it ever easy to sew! I finished about one project per nap. I love one-nap projects!

In the end, I made this pattern six times: three tops and three dresses, in three different sizes.

Heidi & Finn Cowl Neck Sweater, sewn by The Finished Garment
This is the size 2T.
Heidi & Finn Cowl Neck Sweater, sewn by The Finished Garment
This is the size 5T, in pink.
Heidi & Finn Cowl Neck Sweater, sewn by The Finished Garment
This is size 7Y.

This project calls for knit fabric, and obviously a sweater knit would be ideal, but sadly the choices were limited at my local fabric shops and I had no time to order online.

The smallest kids chose the fabric for the tops (ack! so cute to watch them choose fabrics) – a slinky rayon jersey. In that fabric, the tops have a retro 70s vibe.

The pattern changed slightly during testing, and now has a banded waist, but these tops were made before the change.

Heidi & Finn Cowl Neck Sweater, sewn by The Finished Garment
Such a cutie!
Heidi & Finn Cowl Neck Sweater, sewn by The Finished Garment
This is a rayon jersey and it has quite a bit of drape.
Heidi & Finn Cowl Neck Sweater, sewn by The Finished Garment
In this fabric, the top has a bit of a 70s vibe.
Heidi & Finn Cowl Neck Sweater, sewn by The Finished Garment
The size 5 was a bit large. Next time, I’ll go down a size.
Heidi & Finn Cowl Neck Sweater, sewn by The Finished Garment
The size 7Y is a much better fit.

For the dresses, I chose a ponte de roma that has a bit of a soft, sweater-knit texture. This fabric gave better results than the jersey. It’s a stable knit that is still very stretchy and has great recovery.

Heidi & Finn Cowl Neck Dress,, sewn by The Finished Garment
This is my favourite fabric for this pattern. It’s a ponte de roma, and has just the right amount of structure, without being stiff.

I only made two changes. First, I shortened the sleeves by 1-2″, depending on the fabric and dress size. Second, I attached the cowl neck first, before starting the sleeves. I find it easier to work this way, but it’s just my preference. See a discussion on sewing flat versus in the round, here.

Heidi & Finn Cowl Neck Dress, sewn by The Finished Garment
The dress is a huge hit.
Heidi & Finn Cowl Neck Dress, sewn by The Finished Garment
Especially the bow.
Heidi & Finn Cowl Neck Dress, sewn by The Finished Garment
This fabric is really the perfect weight for the dress.

I didn’t use a serger – I don’t have one. I just used my regular machine, which has a faux overlock stitch and I hemmed everything using a double needle. This worked very well.

Heidi & Finn Cowl Neck Dress, sewn by The Finished Garment
Ack! So grown up.
Heidi & Finn Cowl Neck Dress, sewn by The Finished Garment
I love the look of the dress.
Heidi & Finn Cowl Neck Dress, sewn by The Finished Garment
This dress is perfect for fall weather.

The results were great. These tops and dresses are cute, cute, cute and the kids love wearing them. Yay!

Summary

Pattern Review: Cowl Neck Dress and Sweater by Heidi & Finn, available in sizes 12m-12Y.
Fabric: Rayon jersey for the tops and ponte de roma for the dresses.

  • Dakota stretch rayon jersey knit Hearts in navy, pink and teal (medium-weight knit, 95% Rayon/5% Lycra, 4-way stretch, 25% vertical stretch and 50% stretch across the grain).
  • Ponte de roma in grey, (medium- to heavy-weight knit, 80% Polyester/15% Rayon/5% Lycra, 30% stretch across the grain), magenta, and dark teal – not shown – (medium-weight knit, 50% Polyester/45% Rayon/5% Lycra).

Sizes: 2T, 5T and 7Y.
Cost: Pattern: 0$. Fabric: About $12 per top and about $16 per dress.
Sewing Level: Confident beginner.
Modifications: I shortened the sleeves, by 1-2″, depending on the fabric and dress size.
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.

Heidi & Finn Cowl Neck Dress, sewn by The Finished Garment
Adorable!

Back to School Stashbusting

I have two kids in school this year and both needed new pencil cases. I had great success with the Perfect Zip Bag pattern by Elizabeth Hartman of Oh Fransson!, so I decided to use it again. Why mess with a good thing?

Perfect Zip Bag sewing pattern by Elizabeth Hartman of Oh Fransson!, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
This bag was made using the Seven Seas collection by Cloud 9.

The first bag was made using leftover scraps from the Seven Seas gym bag I made last year. Now it’s a matching set! Kid No 2 helped pick out exactly which creatures needed to show on the outside.

Perfect Zip Bag sewing pattern by Elizabeth Hartman of Oh Fransson!, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
This bag was made using leftover fabric from my latest pj sewing project.

The second bag was made with leftover fabric from my latest pyjama sewing project, and from a quilt I made ages ago. Kid No 1 picked all the fabrics. Even the interlining is from scraps from another project.

All scrapbusting, all the time!

This project was part of the Sewcialist Scraptember Sew Along and the Stashbusting Sew Along Kid Challenge.

Summary

Pattern Review: Perfect Zip Bag pattern by Elizabeth Hartman of Oh Fransson!
Fabric:

  • Laddies and Poppets, Sea Critters, and The Fleet in Grey from the Seven Seas collection by Michéle Brummer Everett for Cloud9 Fabrics, courtesy Warp & Weft Exquisite Textiles.
  • Rainbow in Purple, from the Angry Birds collection and licensed to David Textiles by Rovio Entertainment, LTD.
  • Ta Dot in Mustard, from Michael Miller fabrics.
  • Flannel scraps for the interlining.

Size: Large (View A), with inner pocket and wrist strap.
Cost: 0$
Sewing Level: Beginner.
Modifications: None.
Results: Great. I would strongly recommend this pattern and would make it again.

Just to be clear: The Angry Birds name is trademarked by Rovio Entertainment, LTD and used by the fabric manufacturer under licence. The bags shown here are not official licensed products and are not available for sale. But you can always buy some fabric and make your own!

Birthday Bears

There was a birthday at our house this summer, and it involved a teddy bear sleepover party.

I wanted to make something fun for all my kids, something that wasn’t too young for the biggest one or too old for the youngest. But I’ve had all four kids at home all summer so time has been limited.

I started with these cute tiny bears. I used the free pattern for Warren the Charity Bear by Shiny Happy World. It is a super easy pattern, and very squeezable.

Birthday bears by The Finished Garment.
These are just right for little hands.

I thought the original pattern looked a bit big, so I scaled the PDF down to 50 per cent. It’s just the right size to be snuggled by my littlest. Instead of buttons for eyes, I just embroidered the whole face and because of the small size, I embroidered the hearts as well.

It’s a bit tough to see, but each bear has slightly different coloured eyes, just like my kids.

Birthday bears by The Finished Garment.
I hand embroidered the faces.

I used some white minky fabric that was left over from an Easter bunny costume (never blogged) for the bears. It’s super soft and cuddly.

The bears were cute, but they took no time at all. So I decided to make them each a sleeping bags. There are couple of cute patterns around, but I ended up using The Three Bears’ Sleeping Bag by Flossie Teacakes.

The Three Bears' Sleeping Bag, sewn by The Finished Garment.
This print is Licorice Cats by Anne Kelle.

It’s an adorable pattern. I made the Daddy Bear size. It’s just right for a typical 12-inch baby doll, but mostly gets used for stuffed animals at out house.

The Three Bears' Sleeping Bag, sewn by The Finished Garment.
This print is Sunset from the Fly Away collection by Amy Schindler, and the binding is Kona cerise.

I used quilting cotton and batting left over from previous projects, but I matched the fabric in each sleeping bag to clothing that I’d made for each kid, so that they would know which one was theirs. With four sleeping bags, there was a lot of switching thread.

The Three Bears' Sleeping Bag, sewn by The Finished Garment.
Here I used Ladybugs by Anne Kelle and Kona in medium grey for the binding.

The pattern was good, but the fabric requirements were a bit off. If you want to make a large sleeping bag, you’ll need 1/3 yard for the sleeping bag lining, and 1/3 yard (possibly a mixture of assorted prints) for the outer fabric, as well as 1/3 yard for the batting.

I made three changes. I quilted the entire sleeping bag, I used double-layer bias tape for the binding, and I machine-stitched the binding in place. I think this last part will make them a bit tougher.

The Three Bears' Sleeping Bag, sewn by The Finished Garment.
The print here is Whales in bright by Anne Kelle, and Kona cottons for the pillow and binding.

I’ve seen some very cute versions with quilt blocks for the main front section, but I had to make four, so I stuck to simple single-fabric panels and straight-line quilting.

Unfortunately, I don’t have any action shots of these, but I can definitely say they see a lot of playtime. On any given day, I might find a single bear, a pair of dolls or an entire menagerie of sea creatures inside. And best of all, they are machine washable.

Birthday bears by The Finished Garment.
My first tiny bear. These took no time at all.

I love making toys for the kids. It is so much fun. I have to keep myself away from adorable doll and stuffed animal patterns. They are just way too tempting.

This project was part of the Sewcialist Scraptember Sew Along and the Stashbusting Sew Along Kid Challenge.

Summary

Pattern Review 1: The Three Bears’ Sleeping Bag by Flossie Teacakes.

Fabric: Assorted quilting cotton and batting scraps left over from other projects.

Cost: Fabric: 0$. Pattern 10$.

Sizes: Daddy Bear.

Sewing Level: Beginner.

Modifications: Quilted both layers, used double-layer binding and machine stitched the binding in place.

Results: Cute!

 

Pattern Review 2: Warren the Charity Bear by Shiny Happy World.

Fabric: Minky scraps left over from another project.

Cost: Free!

Sewing Level: Beginner.

Modifications: Scaled the pattern down to 50 per cent.

Results: Cute and super easy!

The Three Bears' Sleeping Bag, sewn by The Finished Garment.
Hey, what are you still doing up?

Shorts on the Line – The Scooter Edition

My kids always seem to grow like beanstalks over the summer. Inevitably, they grow out of their hot weather clothes sometime around July.

This year, the Shorts on the Line sew along arrived at just the right time to make something for the now much taller, Kid No 2.

The Oliver + S Sandbox Pants sewing pattern, as sewn by The Finished Garment. Fabric: Scoot Scoot in Blue from the Havana collection by Monaluna (organic).
I really love this print. So bright and fun!

For these shorts I used the Sandbox Pants by Oliver + S. It’s a really great pattern, that I’ve used a few times before.

Oliver and S Sandbox Pants
Oliver + S Sandbox Pants sewing pattern.

I didn’t make many modifications. I shortened the pants to shorts. I also left off the drawstring waist and used a simple elastic waist. I left off the buttons on the pockets as well. Kid No 2 is not a fan of either. Drawstrings and buttons are his kryptonite. They also take longer, so I’m not complaining!

The pattern calls for 1 3/4 yards for the pants, but I got these shorts out of 1 yard of fabric.

The Oliver + S Sandbox Pants sewing pattern, as sewn by The Finished Garment. Fabric: Scoot Scoot in Blue from the Havana collection by Monaluna (organic).
A nice basic short.

The print is Scoot Scoot in Blue from the Havana collection by Monaluna. It’s a really nice, smooth organic cotton. I love the print, but unfortunately it was printed slightly off grain, which made cutting and pattern matching a bit of a pain. I’ve used other prints from the collection, without any problem, so I guess I was just unlucky this time.

The Oliver + S Sandbox Pants sewing pattern, as sewn by The Finished Garment. Fabric: Scoot Scoot in Blue from the Havana collection by Monaluna (organic).
Check out the pattern matching with those pockets.

Kid No. 2 loves bright colours and fun, but age-appropriate prints. Unfortunately, most of the clothes in the stores for boys his age are in darker, and/or more serious colours – lots of  navy, grey and beige (yawn). One of the great things about sewing my kids’ clothes is being able to make them the things they really like.

The Oliver + S Sandbox Pants sewing pattern, as sewn by The Finished Garment. Fabric: Scoot Scoot in Blue from the Havana collection by Monaluna (organic).
The pants were a big hit.

This is also a stash-busting project for the Stashbusting Sewalong. I bought this fabric maybe a year ago, so I’m really happy to get it into regular rotation.

The Oliver + S Sandbox Pants sewing pattern, as sewn by The Finished Garment. Fabric: Scoot Scoot in Blue from the Havana collection by Monaluna (organic).
I got these out of 1 yard of fabric.

Summary

Pattern Review: Sandbox Pants as shorts by Oliver + S.

Fabric: Scoot Scoot in Blue from the Havana collection by Monaluna (organic).

Size: 6.

Cost:
Fabric: about $16. Pattern: $0, since I’d used it before.

Sewing Level: Advanced beginner.

Modifications: I shortened the pants to shorts, changed the waist from a drawstring to an elastic waist, and left off the buttons on the back pockets.

Results: Great. I’ve used this pattern a few times before and will definitely use it again.

The Oliver + S Sandbox Pants sewing pattern, as sewn by The Finished Garment. Fabric: Scoot Scoot in Blue from the Havana collection by Monaluna (organic).
This is a size 6, and is a bit big, but they’ll be worn again next summer.

Summer PJs

Last week was Kids Clothing Week (KWC), and what did I get done? Not much. I did plan a lot of projects though, so that counts right?

The one thing I did finish, was four sets of pyjamas. The spring PJs were a big hit with the kids, and they needed more so I just did the same thing again.

Bedtime Story Pajamas sewing pattern by Oliver + S, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
All the sizes!

The kids chose the fabrics – all Angry Birds prints. I used the Bedtime Story Pajamas sewing pattern by Oliver + S, for the bottoms, and appliquéd an angry bird from each print onto store-bought t-shirts for the tops.

Bedtime Story Pajamas sewing pattern by Oliver + S, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
Of all the prints my kids chose, this one is my favourite.

I’ve made these pyjama pants eleven (!) times before. Yikes, that is a big number. But they are definitely my go-to pyjama pattern for kids. Quick, easy and great results every time.

Bedtime Story Pajamas sewing pattern by Oliver + S, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
Ack! They are always cutest in the smallest size.

Summary

Pattern Review: Bedtime Story Pajamas by Oliver + S.

Fabric:

Fence in White, Stars in Blue, Rainbow in Pink and Rainbow in Purple, all from the Angry Birds collection and all licensed to David Textiles by Rovio Entertainment, LTD. I bought this at the local chain shop.
Sketch in Grey by Timeless Treasures for the waistbands and leg bindings.

Sizes: 18-24m, 4, 6.

Sewing Level: beginner, intermediate if not just the pants.

Modifications: None.

Results: Excellent! I’ve made these 11 times before. I would highly recommend this pattern.

Bedtime Story Pajamas sewing pattern by Oliver + S, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
Taking photos of tired kids at bedtime is sooooo difficult!

Just to be clear: The Angry Birds name is trademarked by Rovio Entertainment, LTD and used by the fabric manufacturer under licence. 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!

Girls in White Dresses Part II

A little while ago I showed you a white dress I made for Kid No 2. But of course Kids 1 and 3 also needed new dresses for summer.

Geranium Dress sewing pattern from Made by Rae, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
A perfect dress for summer.

In total I made three Geranium Dresses. I made them all assembly-line-style, so they are all the same, except for the fabric choices. It’s just so much faster that way!

Geranium Dress sewing pattern from Made by Rae, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
I made the size 2. I was worried it would be too large, but it was just right.
Geranium Dress sewing pattern from Made by Rae, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
I love this fabric. Such a pretty colour.
Geranium Dress sewing pattern from Made by Rae, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
I made the size 7, and it’s a little large, but hopefully that just means it will last longer. And yes, that’s Nemo photobombing.

I made one dress in size 2, and the other in size 7, and both were made with fabric from my stash.

Geranium Dress sewing pattern from Made by Rae, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
Yup, this one passes the twirl test.
Geranium Dress sewing pattern from Made by Rae, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
This one passes the jumping test.

The butterfly fabric was left over from some tops I made last summer. And the lilac has been in my stash for an embarrassing long time. So it’s great to get them turned into something wearable.

Geranium Dress sewing pattern from Made by Rae, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
I used white piping with this dress.

Since I’ve already sewn this pattern twice before, there’s not much to add. But it’s a great pattern, and I’m very happy with the finished dresses.

The fabric is Sunset from the Fly Away collection by Amy Schindler for Robert Kaufman.
The fabric is Sunset from the Fly Away collection by Amy Schindler for Robert Kaufman.
Geranium Dress sewing pattern from Made by Rae, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
This time, I used turquoise piping at the waist.
Geranium Dress sewing pattern from Made by Rae, as sewn by The Finished Garment.
I really like this pattern, and I’m so glad it comes in larger sizes now.

Summary

Pattern Review: Geranium Dress from Made by Rae.

Fabric: Sunset from the Fly Away collection by Amy Schindler for Robert Kaufman. FloraDots in Violet from the La Dee Da collection by Erin McMorries for Free Spirit Fabrics. The lining is white cotton batiste. The piping is made with Kona solids.

Sizes: 2 and 7. (Comes in sizes 0-5 or 6-12.)

Sewing Level: Beginner.

Modifications: I added piping.

Results: Great. This is the third and fourth time I’ve used this pattern and I would definitely recommend it.

Looking at bugs
Looking at bugs.

Girls in White Dresses

Warp & Weft Sewing Society
A Warp & Weft Sewing Society project

Nothing says summer like girls in white dresses.

So for the last day of school, and beginning of summer, everyone got a new white dress. Well, except Kid No 2, but he’s more of a summer shorts fan anyway.

This is the first of three dresses, and it’s made with the cutest print. Who doesn’t love ladybugs?

This is one of my favourite patterns – the Geranium Dress from Made by Rae. This is the second time I’ve used this pattern, this time in size 5.

The Geranium dress from Made by Rae, as sewn by The Finished Garment, A Warp & Weft Sewing Society project.
I made the faux cap sleeves from view B of the Geranium dress.

This time around, I made the dress with the view B faux cap sleeves, but with a gathered skirt. I made two changes. I added red piping at the waist, and I added in-seam pockets.

The Geranium dress from Made by Rae, as sewn by The Finished Garment, A Warp & Weft Sewing Society project.
I added red piping to the waistband for a bit of colour.

This dress was made for Kid No 3, and is a huge hit. She loves ladybugs and the colour red, and recently asked me why she doesn’t have “a dress that twirls”. The pockets are hidden in the gathers of the skirt, and she loves the “secret pockets” too.

The Geranium dress from Made by Rae, as sewn by The Finished Garment, A Warp & Weft Sewing Society project.
Aren’t white dresses adorable? (also a bit hard to photograph)
The Geranium dress from Made by Rae, as sewn by The Finished Garment, A Warp & Weft Sewing Society project.
Front detail of the Geranium dress.
The Geranium dress from Made by Rae, as sewn by The Finished Garment, A Warp & Weft Sewing Society project.
I used simple white buttons from my stash.
The Geranium dress from Made by Rae, as sewn by The Finished Garment, A Warp & Weft Sewing Society project.
The pockets practically disappear, but trust me, they’re there.
The Geranium dress from Made by Rae, as sewn by The Finished Garment, A Warp & Weft Sewing Society project.
The Geranium dress from Made by Rae, as sewn by The Finished Garment, A Warp & Weft Sewing Society project.

This was a lot of fun to sew. The pattern makes a really pretty dress that’s lined and nicely finished on the inside. But the sewing was quick and problem-free.

Warp & Weft Sewing Society

This is a Warp & Weft Sewing Society project. We are a group of talented sewists  and quilters creating beautiful projects inspired by the fabrics from Warp & Weft Exquisite Textiles.

The Geranium dress from Made by Rae, as sewn by The Finished Garment, A Warp & Weft Sewing Society project.
She wore this dress for two days after I made it.

Summary

Pattern Review: Geranium Dress from Made by Rae.

Fabric: Ladybug Dots from The Red Thread collection by Creative Thursdays for Andover Fabrics. Courtesy Warp & Weft Exquisite Textiles. The lining is white cotton batiste.

Size: 5. (Comes in sizes 0-5 or 6-12.)

Sewing Level: Beginner.

Modifications: None.

Results: Great. This is the second time I’ve used this pattern and I would definitely recommend it.

The Geranium dress from Made by Rae, as sewn by The Finished Garment, A Warp & Weft Sewing Society project.
And yes, she got a grass stain on it the very first day she wore it. Ooops! One of the hazards of white dresses, I suppose.