Logan

My big boy is heading off to preschool on Wednesday, and his school provided a tote bag to all the kids. They had an orientation last week, and while the parents talked, the kids were supposed to be decorating their bags. Logan is never one to follow the crowd, so his bag was undecorated.

I thought his at least needed his name on it. I used fabrics from his last two Easter shirts. You can see the Thomas shirt here and the gingham here. The satin stitching for the applique edges was done on my vintage Singer Touch and Sew, which really has a far superior stitch for this sort of application. She makes a nice dense zig zag while still being very maneuverable around the curves.

Next up - pants! They are done, I just have to get pictures. I'm not thrilled with them, but Mitch likes them pretty well, and that is what matters.

Tie Onesies

Tie appliqué onesies - you can't get much cuter than that!!

Simplicity 3765 again...

I love how quickly baby clothes whip up!  They're little, no closures, no facings - so quick!

This is yet another version of Simplicity 3765, this time made of the scraps of Logan's hoodie.  I love fleece pants, especially cuffed fleece pants for babies.  They're so cozy.  I appliqued a strip of "road" onto a purchased onesie.  It seems with every baby I forget how much I really hate those cheap Gerber onesies.  They are so thin - such a pain to applique and even for summer babies, too thin to wear by themselves.

On the pants, I appliqued some of the vehicles on both back and front of the left leg.  Here's the back!

While I was at it, I did a quick tie onesie to go with the Wee Professor sweater and cords.

My Religion prof in college (despite being in his mid-30s) always sported the bow tie look, so every time I think "college professor" I think of him.  Obviously, my Wee Professor needed a bow tie to wear on those days he's not wearing his silk bubble.

Here is the tie up closer.  I love making tie onesies for little boys.  They're so fun.  You might get tired of looking at them...

A home for lost toys

I rearranged my kids room yesterday.  It was getting out of control.  Of course, I totally used it as an excuse to sew something that wasn't the dress.  I'm really not good at sticking to long projects.  I'll get it done, but I'm much better at quick and easy.  So, I took a very short break from the Myrtlewood to make the quickest bag ever to store all of the kids blocks in.  Of course, I had to have a little fun with it, so I appliquéd the word BLOCKS in felt on the front.

Fun, eh?  I used a piece of grey gingham that has been sitting in my stash forever.  I think it was given to me, since I can't imagine why I would buy a 3/4 yard piece of grey gingham...  The felt was half given to me and half scraps, so it was pretty much a free project.

Logan quickly figured out that bags are for dumping.

I think it makes a nice addition to this little corner of the room.

And in another move to worsen my sewing ADD, my first two issues of Ottobre came today!

For those who may be unaware, when you get a new subscription to Ottobre, you get a free back issue of your choice!  There were so many wonderful ones to choose from!!  I finally settled on 01/2009.  I've seen so many cute things from that issue, both on PR and on Beangirl's blog, I had to get it!  My first subscription issue 01/2010 came as well.  So many yummy things to sew!!

All dressed up...

Isn't E cute in his Sunday best??

Of course, I think he'd be pretty darn adorable no matter what he was wearing...  That is one cute little guy!

Congratulations, Beth and family!  Thanks for sending me the picture.

Simplicity 3765 - boy style

My friend Beth was blessed with a sweet little baby boy last week!  This is their fifth little angel, so they decided to wait to find out the gender of the baby.  Beth didn't want a shower - she has a lot of stuff already!  So, I waited until he came to sew for him.  I know she didn't really need anything, but I love the sew baby clothes, and she has been such a good friend to me, I wanted to do something.

I made another pair of cuffed fleece pants and appliquéd a long sleeve onesie with a tie appliqué.  I hope it keeps him snug and cozy (and stylish!).

Simplicity 3765

I made some sweet little baby pants last week, but they were a baby shower gift, so I couldn't show them to you until now!  I have really gotten a lot of mileage out of this pattern!  I made the little baby dress for Myra twice, both were in the pre-blog days - but here they are!

Without the front contrast band (which is basically just a facing that you turn to the outside and topstitch) this is a VERY simple dress.
The pants are my favorite part of this pattern.  They are a one-piece style, but with a slight flare at the hem.  Not so much to be girlie - just enough to give them a nice shape.
I used them to make the pants in this Cars themed baby ensemble.  For my friend Miya, who is expecting their first in a few weeks, I made two versions.  The first is in the small size in fleece for this sweet winter princess.

I added foldover cuffs to the bottom to keep out the cold breezes.  I also embellished a little onesie with a princess crown to match.
For the second pair, I used the next size up for some spring/summer wear.

I made them out of lighweight cotton, lengthened the leg and gathered it with clear elastic to form a ruffle.  This onesie got a purse applique.

I love all of the ways you can dress up this simple pair of pants!  This is likely to become my go-to baby shower gift.  I think it took less time and trouble to make these two sets than it would have to get my kids dressed, pack them into the car, drive to Target, fight them in the baby department, find something that I kinda like that everyone else has and drive back home after fighting my two kids into their carseats.  As a bonus, little Hana will be the only tot with these stylin' duds!

Ottobre 04/2004-35

Poor Logan hasn't had much representation in the sewing room of late, but he really needs some warm weather gear, so I started off with a couple of quick long sleeve tees to get his winter wardrobe going.

Pardon the yoghurt stains on the black tee.  He wore it before I could get a picture - before I even hemmed it,  in fact.

I think he likes it.  The applique design is based on an illustration from one of his favorite books, I Love Trucks.  I let him pick which truck to put on his shirt.  I think that this one will get a lot of wear.  I managed to stretch out the neckline while sewing it.  I've been having a lot of trouble with binding knits lately!  It recovered well during the day, though, so I think it will be fine.  I did think the neckline was a bit large, so I raised it on the green stripe shirt.

While I was working on these shirts, tragedy struck in my sewing room.  I hauled out all of my tracing materials to get this pattern ready.  As I unrolled my soil separator paper (which is what I use to trace patterns), I came to the end of the roll!  I knew it was coming soon, but I thought I had a few yards left.  Oh well - off to Lowe's to get some more - only to discover that Lowe's no longer carries it!!!  In fact, the isn't any available in this whole freaking town!!  Oh no!!  So, I'm going to have to order some off the internet, which means waiting for shipping during the Christmas season.  Which means I won't be able to trace off any patterns in the interim.  So, if there isn't much going on here, you know why...

Ottobre 03/2004-4

Thanks to my sainted friend Randi, I was finally able to sit in front of the sewing machine today. She took my kids for the morning. How great is that?!?

All this little jacket needed was the zipper. It's been waiting all week! It is a really basic sweatshirt style jacket made out of the softest, snuggliest fleece ever. I wish you could feel this stuff. I think they secretly skinned teddy bears. The original Ottobre design had some piping and other fancy details. I didn't do that, but I did add a couple of appliques.The front has a little robo-dog patch.
And on the back a circle of gears and robots. Logan has a mild obsession with gears lately. Must be a boy thing...
This is my first separating zipper and I am really proud of how well it lined up, which is why you are looking at this overexposed picture. It was a huge pain to shorten! I now have pliers in my sewing room.

Now if only I could get Logan to actually wear it! In his defense, it was in the high 70s today. Maybe he'll get to wear it next month.

Ducky Shirt

Here is my next to last birthday project. This is the top to match his Ducky Jammies. I used New Look 6641, but straightened out the side seams, since they form an A-line shape. Unisex pattern, my foot! This tee is actually repurposed from a XXL tee shirt that I bought at a yard sale for a quarter. I cut it out utilizing the old hems, so I didn't have to do any hemming and kept the old coverstitching. I also reused the ribbing from the neckband. Not bad, hey? There was enough material in the shirt to also cut out some shorts, so you'll see those soon. They're on Janome now.
I added a little ducky applique so that the jammies would match. I don't think it is too girlie, and I think Logan will like it.

The final piece

... to the kids July 4th outfits was Logan's appliqued tee. He LOVES helicopters, so I made him a helicopter applique to go on the grey tee I made.

For the tee, I used New Look 6641, which is a "unisex" PJ pattern. I put that in quotes because the shirt pattern is simply the top half of an a-line nightgown pattern, and has some flair to it. It's a bit girlie, although in grey with a patriotic helicopter on the front, I don't think anyone will mistake Logan for a girl. Next time I make it I will be straightening out the side seams. Other than that it is a great basic tee.
And here is Logan, modeling his 'copter shirt, while touring a real StatAir air ambulance! How cool is that! Mitch met the company owners one night while he was working in the ICU and mentioned how much Logan loves to see their chopper on the helipad, and they offered us a tour, so we headed out to Killeen yesterday for a personal guided tour of the helicopter. It was WAY cool! Logan didn't want to leave.

Father's Day fun!

We had some serious fun on Father's Day! And I got to sew for it. Double bonus. I found this cute onesie at Target and decided that it would be fun to get the kids in coordinating I love Daddy shirts.
Alas, no such option in the boys department, so I was on my own where Logan was concerned. I decided to try making it myself, with an appliqued heart and some iron-on letters.
I think it turned out pretty well! Pardon Myra's head in the picture...
Here is her whole outfit. The skirt was a bit of an afterthought. I made it VERY quickly Sunday morning so that she could wear her onesie to church. I should have done it earlier, but I just didn't think about it. This skirt was based somewhat roughly on the Oliver + S Lazy Days skirt, except without the ribbon. It ended up so cute and was so easy, I will most assuredly be making another, but at more leisure than before church on Sunday morning!! I'll take some pics for a tutorial next time - stay tuned.
Here is Logan's outfit. I admit, I cheated a bit and purchased the tee, but I made the jeans! The applique is from some scraps I had left over from a pair of PJs I made for Mitch. It was the first thing I ever sewed for Mitch. I'm not sure he noticed that...

Happy Father's Day!!

Baby stuff

I have gained a bit of notoriety here in these parts for slingmaking. I've been making slings for the mommies with new babies in my ward at church and for other friends. I just finished this batik and broadcloth one as a favor for a good friend whose sister is expecting.Since it is a gift, I also made a few burp cloths and an appliqued onesie to match.
I'm not going to talk about the ring sling, but if you want more info about making them, please see my prior post about them here. The onesie is my first reverse applique and I think it turned out pretty cute. She is having a boy so I wanted it to have some "tough guy" frayed edges. I also made some stripwork burp cloths. I left these edges unfinished as well, to coordinate with the onesie. This was my first dip into any sort of stripwork and it went well, although I don't think I'm ready for a full dive into quilting just yet.

In triplicate

Apparently, I am sewing in threes this week. First, three aprons, now three pairs of shorts. It all started with this sweet outfit. The shorts are a modified version of Simplicity 4203, but what I really wanted to make was a short pattern from a Burda WOF that my sister brought me back from Europe. It's in French, so I've been a little nervous about trying out the patterns, since my high school French is a wee rusty and never included technical sewing terms anyway. But I figured shorts aren't complicated, so I was going to go for it, but the pattern starts at a 4T. Not helpful when Myra is a 12 M. Still I loved the look of the contrast fabric tie, so I decided to do a half elastic waist with a fabric tie/drawstring in the front. Not a big alteration, but I think it makes a big difference in style! After I made the shorts, I decided that she needed an appliqued onesie to go with. This is just with the applique ironed on, pre-stitching. I have to say that I am inordinately pleased with how this outfit came out. So cute! I know it's just shorts, but I love it when something so simple turns out so well.
but Myra REALLY wanted to wear it!
So here she is modeling her new outfit.
I LOVE the way these fit!! The length is perfect for crawling. There is plenty of diaper space, and she is comfy. I also think that between the drawstring and the generous hem that I can let out as needed, I should get more than one summer out of these.
After I made Myra's, I wanted to make some more! They were so fun and went together so quickly. So, I decided to make a pair for Anna and Lily. I had tons of this fun patchwork fabric, and it is so trendy right now for kids. I hope that the girls like their shorts!

ETA: Anna and Lily were so cute today sporting their shorts at playgroup! I was glad to see that I estimated the length perfectly. The girls looked cool and comfy in them! They got lots of compliments from the other mommies.

Because patches are so NOT cool...

but everyone loves Elmo!!

Logan's favorite pair of jeans were on their way to the trash pile. He loves them and wears them all the time. They even still fit! The knees were sadly threadbare, and while I can recon my jeans into a skirt, that really isn't an option here. So, I took a little help from my friend Elmo, who now doubles as patches and knee pads.The appliques are felt, applied to the knee of the jeans in layers. Sewing was a bit tricky, since the jeans were already assembled. It might have been easier to just rip out the inseam and resew it, but just wiggling it around my free arm worked fine.

This is the most complicated applique that I have ever attempted, and the first time that I have used felt. Loving the felt! No need to satin stitch, just sew it on and no worries about unravelling. Sweet. Despite the multiple pieces and layers, this was a pretty fun and easy project, and a great way to save a pair of jeans!

Here's a little up close of the Elmo on the left. He looks happy to see you!

Help!

I finished another of these cute pant/appliqued onesie combos today.  They work up really quickly.  This time my little princess took a long nap, so I had time to make the jacket, too.  A suit for little Brody, complete with tie!  I'm still working with McCall's 3665, but I didn't do the curved front opening.  I thought it was a little girlie.  I also added ribbed cuffs to the pant, just for fun.

Here is the jacket and onesie, up close.  I am loving the little tie.  I know it's done a lot, but I still think it's pretty adorable.
So, now for the help.  I have no idea what closure I should use for the jacket, or if I should use any at all.  The pattern calls for ring snaps, which is fine.  The only problem is that every time I line them up to hammer them on, I am convinced that buttons would be the cuter option.  Or should I just leave it as it is???  I can't decide.  So, dear reader, if you would please help me in my moment of extreme indecision.  I know there are a few of you.  Leave me a comment.  Buttons?  Snaps?  Nothing at all?  What would you do?

Stuck.

I've been feeling a little creatively stymied lately. I can't tell you how long I've stared at this blank page trying to decide what to write about. It's also been a little crazy around here lately, so I haven't been sewing as much as I'd like. The blouse in my "My Current Project" sidebar box is still a pile of black stretch broadcloth. I did finish up the "Surprise" and I'll post about it once I've given it to it's intended recipient. Don't want to spoil the surprise... It's adorable, though. Stick around.

Anyway, despite my current state of crafter's block, I've been thinking a lot about applique. Logan has a book that we get from the library that he has memorized and LOVES, and it has gotten me thinking about making him some shirts with "I Love Trucks" appliques.As you can see, the illustrations are nice and simple, so I think they'd translate well to applique. The firetruck is his favorite. I think I'll be needing some red felt... And some free time. Sigh.

I also found some cute flowers that I think I'll translate into applique for Myra. Don't laugh - yes, this is a paper towel. But aren't the flowers fun? You have to take inspiration where you find it.On another crafty/family note, my brother and his wife are expecting their first baby, and just found out that it is a BOY! So, don't be too surprised to see a lot of cute boy stuff coming along. I'm excited about my first nephew!

Stars...

I usually sew clothing, and occasionally a baby carrier, but when we were getting ready for Myra's arrival, and moving she and Logan into the "big" room I realized that boring blue curtains were just not going to cut it for the little prince and wee princess. The curtains that came with the house were blue twill, obviously home sewn by a seamstress that is still learning, but they do keep out the sun, so I decided to just work with what I had. Since Logan's room had a bit of a dragon theme, and Myra's was all about princesses, I thought a castle would be a fun melding of the two, so that's where I started. I cut out big giant battlements from some sturdy twill and appliqued them onto the bottom two thirds of the curtain, then added stars and a moon to the upper two thirds. This was definitely the biggest applique job I've ever done and I did learn a few things. For the castles, I didn't interface at all, since the fabric was already so thick. That worked fine, and I think that the curtains have a nice drape as a result. The stars and moon were a thin broadcloth left over from another project. I attached them with stitch witchery. This was a bad plan. Should have used heat and bond or just interfaced them, but I didn't want any extra stiffness. Oh well, live and learn. They turned out really cute, and Logan loves them. When he looks up from his bed, he can always see the stars!
Don't they have a pretty "glow" with the sun behind them?
Another thing I learned is that my sewing machine is not a fan of Dual Duty thread. It kept skipping stitches and stripping the thread - even with a larger eye needle. Once I went and got some Gutermann, all was well.Sleep well!

New Look 6794

I love this pattern. I just love looking at that cute little girl on the front. Myra got this pattern and fabric (as well as some others still to be sewn) for Christmas from my mother. Every time I spot the envelope, I want to put down whatever I'm sewing and just make this outfit. I finally did!! I have to say that initially it was the cute little jacket (view C) that drew me to this pattern, but I am now so much more in love with the romper (view A) that I am already planning the next one I'm going to make. I honestly think it is the cutest thing ever to come from my sewing machine. I also love that there is so much you can do with it in terms of embellishment. The design itself is so simple that the sky is the limit! The pattern itself calls for rick rack and eyelet lace, as well as little bits of trim tacked on, but that bib just screamed “applique me!”, so I did. Anyway, here is my interpretation of view A, and a closeup of the bib applique. I am not entirely happy with how the eyelet came out around the bib. I didn't measure well, and so the binding shows. Ah well, live and learn. Next time it will be better. Otherwise, I love it!! The bib is lined, which is nice, and the pattern instructions call for machine stitching rather than hand stitching to close the opening for turning, which I approve of. I hate hand sewing. It is also interfaced both front and back, which I really like, since it gives it a nice uniform appearance. I did deviate from the pattern instructions in the little matter of the snap closure. Rather than using storebought snap tape, I sewed on bias rape to which I applied snaps. This worked really well and I got exactly the spacing and size of snaps I wanted, as well as being able to use whatever color of bias tape I wanted. Hot pink snap tape is hard to come by!
Of course, I couldn't stop with just the romper, I had to have that jacket!! Mom gave us the cutest girlie buttons 'n' bows fabric that was perfect for that frilly jacket, and which I used in the applique on the front of the romper. Matchy-matchy. Here is view C and a close-up of the pocket that I added. I'm not sure about that pocket. Leave me some comments, y'all, should I take it off? I'm not sure it really goes.
I have a few grumbles about this pattern. First of all, there is no interfacing. Yes, that's right, those buttonholes go through two layers of thin cotton, and that is all. What were they thinking?? If I make this again, I will definitely interface the self facings on the bodice front. The collar has piping, which stiffens it nicely, so that's OK. Grumble number two is that cute ruffly skirt, all trimmed with eyelet (note – None of the binding shows. I learned!). The pattern instructions tell you to make a narrow hem, stitch it down, then add the eyelet behind the hem, stitching along your initial stitching line. First of all, is that a recipe for failure, or what??? There is no way that I would be able to stitch exactly in the original stitching line without a few wiggles. Also, the hem is curved. Hello! No ease stitching?? Nope, not called for. D'oh! So, what I did was sew the eyelet on the right side, facing in at the hem stitching line, then use it to pull my hem around and press it to the back. I folded the raw edge under the eyelet binding on the wrong side and viola, the skirt is done – no swearing needed. One new technique that I learned from this pattern was applying piping. I had never done it before and was a little nervous. I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with anything that requires a zipper foot. This was no biggie. It turned out well, so I'm excited about new fun with piping now. I did use commercial piping, but I can see how easy it would be to make my own, and how fun!!
So, together - And on my little princess! Cute!!!