KCW Day Four

Boy sewing!  What?  For real!  Three boy shirts in ONE MONTH!

Two more Recess Raglans.  Both made from grown-up t-shirts.

The blue one somehow turned out a little smaller, but it'll be fine without an undershirt.  The kid and I are probably going to collaborate on a little freezer paper stenciling on this one since it's so plain.

I've mentioned my previous frustrations with this pattern - but the red one turned out just like I though a recess raglan should.  I don't know why this one was different than all the others, but it's just encouraging enough to give it one more shot - maybe short sleeves in the spring.

'Til then, I'm all raglanned out.

Linking up to KCW here.

Week 4

A portrait a week with the big camera.

(studying)

(resting)

Year to date can be seen here.

KCW Day Three

Yesterday I promised a break from neutrals - and break from them we did!

Another pair of Lovely Rita Skinnies.  I just love this pattern so much!  I've made them four times now.  Previously in red, in gray, and in dots!  Maybe it's time for a plain pair...

I've only ever made them by cutting up another perfectly good pair of pants - and this is no exception.  These were on clearance at Old Navy for, I think, about $7.  Can we take a break for a minute and talk about how crazy it makes me to hear about everyone out there buying thrift store and clearance clothes for only a dollar or two?  I know everything's more expensive up here, just the way it is...but c'mon!  I think I've finally accepted that I'm not going to be finding those kinds of prices and have moved on to the mindset of: would I pay this much for the garment I'm going to make from it?  And yes, I would pay $7 for these pants.

(This shirt was made during last KCW - still in heavy rotation!)

I wanted her to turn around so I could take a picture of the back.  Adventures in the art of direction taking.  We finally got there, though.

Also, for anyone following along for a while, you may notice the return of the cell-phone-as-prop.

I didn't even try to say no.  She did so good with Day One and Day Two that I figured I owed her a shoot her way.  It's the least I could do.

Linking up to KCW here.

KCW Day Two

As with day one, my garment completed yesterday for day two was also previously started.  I spent Tuesday's hour finishing up the hemming, button-holing, and button attaching.   There was A LOT of button-holing and attaching...

This is the second time I've done this remix of CINO's Junebug dress.  The first time was just over a year ago.  If you want to see a year's worth of baby hair growth, I recommend checking out that post.  Also: pre-glasses.  It's like a whole different kid.

I love those rows of buttons...and the clever little pocket.  She, of course, agrees with me about the buttons.  Pockets aren't really her thing, though - she likes to be able to show off her treasures, not hide them away.

The fabric is a pretty heavy linen that was passed down - actually with the same ticking and flannel I used for Day One.  And that ticking is what I used to line this dress as well.

I feel like I should probably have more to say about this dress than is coming to me right now.  I feel kind of like this:

Oh - just thought of something.  In case you're worried about this being the week of boring neutrals - I do have some snazzy new pants for Lisi Loo that I finished up today that I'll  be posting tomorrrow.  Definitely not neutral - although they are blue.  I can live with a theme of blue, though.  Blue is a much more colorful word than neutral, after all.

I'm linking up to KCW Winter 2014 here.

KCW Day One

It's that time again!  KCW (aka Kids Clothes Week)!  The objective is to spend an hour a day for the week sewing for your kids - and I usually go all gung ho and just sew my brains out for the week, but I think this week it probably will be only an hour or so each day.  And actually, this week will be a lot about finishing up previously started projects...like the two here today.  First...a new roller skate tunic:

I made my other during KCW last summer - this is just the plain and simple version though.

A sort of ticking stripe passed-down fabric on the outside, and a super cozy passed-down navy flannel for the lining.  And a couple little brown triangle buttons.  Girl's really into buttons lately.

Now, we live in New England.  I don't think it's even supposed to hit 20 degrees today, so short sleeves aren't totally practical for a winter wardrobe.  So I made what I'm calling a peplum cardigan.

I used the same ponte de roma that I made the bow out of for the Big Bow Swing Tee.  Self drafted pattern.

I like the two pieces but I'm not sure this combo is the best option for either.  I think the cardigan will look better with a simpler and slimmer tee underneath, and I have a more traditional cardigan cut and on my sewing table that I think will be better with this tunic.  

Lastly - since I'm always so quick to complain about taking pictures of this little lady, I would like to take a moment and apologize publicly to her.  I may take that apology back tomorrow, but for today - she was an ANGEL!  Walked right over to the wall - stood straight and still!  Always keeps me guessing, this one.

Linking up to KCW Winter 2014 here.

Week 3

A portrait a week with the big camera.

(it might be time for the real thing.  eek.)

(oh curly ponytail, how I treasure you)

Year to date can be seen here.

His & Hers Recess Raglans

I had intended to make this two posts, the first of which was to be published earlier this week.  But we've had snow days and two year molars and a few other hiccups to that plan, so, even though they are in no way matching, I'm putting them in one post for the sake of just-getting-it-done-already!

His & hers recess raglans:

We'll start with his...because he was so lovely to photograph, what with actual cooperation and all.

The striped fabric is a french terry from Girl Charlee - found here as of this typing, but looks like it's almost gone.  The bands are a ribbed knit I got at Joann ages ago.

He looks pretty miserable in these photos, but he's just a pretty serious kid a lot of the time.  Nothing a little kitty photo-bomb couldn't cure...

In stark (three year age) difference, I really thought, for a little while, that publishing pictures of her thrashing about red-faced on the floor was the only way I was going to get modeled shots of her shirt.  Then I made oatmeal, she "helped", and I took my shots.  Not ideal, but done.

I would have liked to make it long sleeved, but this was an upcycle (really a destruction) of a woman's shirt from Old Navy clearance and I just couldn't make it work with the amount of fabric I had.

I'm not in love with this shirt.  There's something that doesn't sit right with me about the way this pattern comes together for me - especially the necklines (I'm hoping his shrinks up a little once washed).  I don't think it's the pattern because I've seen plenty of lovely versions sewn by other people.  Maybe raglans just aren't "me." Who knows.  I  have two more cut out (for the boy!) to sew up during KCW next week.  Then I may retire the pattern.  What won't I retire?

Loving how cute this crazy kid makes my crazy (and decidedly not cute) 50's kitchen look.  

Thanks, love.

Week 2

A portrait a week of my babies with the big camera.

(freshly shorn)

(tough morning)

Whole collection (to be) can be seen here.

Bimaa Classic

It's another Bimaa...straight-up, as written this time.  I'm on a bit of a knit kick, lately.  Before my hiatus, I ordered a bunch of fabric online - I'm still working on mastering the online-knit-purchasing so that I actually buy what I think I'm buying - anyway, now I'm sewing my way through it.  I bought this sweater knit from Girl Charlee - I think this is the same.

I ordered it with the boy kid in mind, but the black stripes are just slightly sheer.  The girl kid always wears a tank/onesie under her shirts so she inherited the fabric instead.  'Cause she needed more shirts, right?  ha!  Who am I kidding...I'd be sewing for her regardless.  I just.can't.stop.myself!

Ta-da!

And a little of whatever this was...

In other news, I think my prepped pile for KCW is a little extreme.  I got a little carried away and it resulted in more cut pieces than I think it humanly possible to assemble in just one week - oops!  I guess we'll just have to see where the week takes us, won't we.

Big Bow Swing Tee

I know I promised no more swing tees this season...but I just couldn't help myself.  This fabric -- an oatmealy stretchy french-terry-knit fabric that is oh-so soft but no longer available from fabric.com where I ordered it from and where I would order 10 more yards of it from if it WAS still available -- well, it NEEDED a fool-proof fail-safe pattern or I wouldn't have been able to bear cutting into it.  So, you see, and I hope you forgive, a swing tee it had to be.

I also had this chevrony (I'm so specific this post) ponte de roma that I used to make a nice big bow for added interest.  I'm pretty sure I saw the idea on MADE a while ago but can't find any related posts there now.  I didn't follow any tutorial or reference any blog post when I made it, anyway.  Wing-it is my middle name. 

It ended up being the perfect color/texture/size to really compliment the top without being too distracting.  

As far as the fit goes, it's the exact same pattern I used for all the other swing tees, so no surprises there (kinda the point).  And Happy New Year to me - this was a rather fun shoot!

Full of dancing, singing...

and crazy faces:

Just couldn't help myself.

(Oh!  And you can find her brother's tee pee tee here.)