Prelude to KCWC

I (along with a bunch of really talented and inspired sewists) are participating in the upcoming Kids Clothes Week Challenge on the Elsie Marley blog.  Toward that end, I'm trying to finish up some sewing I've begun, but not totally completed.

Here is my last UFO - a Family Reunion dress from, of course, Oliver + S patterns.  It was another pattern I had purchased, but hadn't gotten to yet.  No reason why, because every time I see one in the O+S forums, I absolutely love it.

This is made from a Kokka medium weight cotton.  It has a really nice drape; not too lightweight, so Julia can wear it in the fall, with a yet-to-be-made lightweight jacket.  The piping is some Kaffe Fasset shot cotton that I had leftover from another project.  I made it in exactly a 3T, no modifications.  I'd say it fits pretty true to size as Julia will be 3 in about a month.

Julia got new sparkly shoes yesterday, so she was ready to walk across the street and model her new dress with the new shoes.

Yeah, not exactly my taste in shoes, but I've got to let her express herself!

I had Julia help sew the buttons down the back, so here's a picture to memorialize her first sewing project:

I absolutely love this pattern; as with the Playdate pattern, I find that it is a beautiful frame to a child's face; I wonder if that was what Liesl was thinking when she designed this pattern...

I'm also taking pictures to make calendars for Christmas gifts for the grandparents, so here's my artsy shot for the day:

 

Now, on to planning, shopping, and organizing for KCWC!!!

Fall Wardrobe....in 97 Degree Weather....

I long for fall.  Real fall, with leaves turning, and apple picking.

Instead, I get 90 degree days and walks on the beach.

I do know that the weather will turn here (at some point) and my kid will need more clothes.  So, I'm trying to plan outfits that go with shoes, and outfits that have coordinates.  A lot of Julia's clothes will be various shades of purple and teal this winter.

I started with actually the first Oliver + S pattern I ever sewed, the Sailboat top.  I made this in size 18-24 months just over a year ago, and I made this on in a 3T which is the largest size in the pattern.  I'm sure I'll be purchasing the larger size because I love the Sailboat top.  In fact, I'd like one for myself.  In fact, I'd like this exact top I sewed for Julia for myself.  I'd totally wear it.

I made this in a teal knit, 100% cotton, from Free Spirit/Westminster fabric.  The fabric is conveniently located in my shop, so I have to try some out.....it didn't shrink barely at all in the wash (when I pre-washed it) and the color stayed vibrant.  I used a woven for the facings, from Eleanor Grosch's, also from Free Spirit/Westminster.  The way this pattern is put together makes all the insides seem so, well, finished.   I opted to roll up the sleeves, bartacked one seam, and put a button on the cuff.  I thought it was kind of a cute look.

And, the skirt.....it's another Oliver + S pattern - the 2+2 skirt.  I've made the top a bunch of times, but never made the skirt.  Well, silly me for waiting!  It's freaking adorable.....for some reason I avoided pleats in the past, but after this, I'll be making a lot more.  The skirt has a flat front waistband, and an elasticized back.  It's got a really well put together side placket, and a button loop closure.  All really nice touches.

I tried on the outfit for fit, but since it was so hot out, I had a less than cooperative model.

The skirt really looks adorable on...

I'll definitely be using both of these patterns more....

An End-Of-Summer/Back-To-School Tea Party

So, continuing on with the "Make It While It Fits" challenge, I decided to make a Tea Party dress for my daughter for her first day back to preschool.  While I long for turtle neck jerseys, and wide wale corduroy pants with a blazer, it's not realistic around here as it's typically still really summer temperatures here for a very long time. 

Going along with the ideas in the Oliver + S forums with people giving their thoughts on how to get their children to actually wear the clothes they make, I decided to let Julia select the fabric.  Well, this is what she chose:

It's kinda screaming.  I won't lose her in a crowd.  It's definitely suited to her personality.  She immediately chose to wear it, and asked to go to the beach.  Success! 

I made a 4T, thinking that she could wear it for maybe this month, then I would put it away for the spring.  She's got room in it (she's still only 2) but the length works for right now just fine.

I love the pattern, but had a bit of a glitch when I was finishing the seam allowance between the bodice and the skirt, and my serger bit into the piping.  I really need to go un-pick it and re-do it, because there's a little spot that's making me crazy where the piping is uneven.

The fabric is a Robert Kaufman cotton, from Amy Schimler's Fly Away line.  It has a coordinating stripe, which I was originally going to use on the bodice, but that was really too much, even for me.  I used the stripe for the lining and the adorable hem facing.  The bodice is actually pink very soft corduroy that I know I made my older daughter some pants with probably when she was 6....and she's now 22.....

I added covered buttons with the lime green in the fabric.  I used to use covered buttons all the time - I should use them more, cause I really like the look.

So, quite the success - another pattern that I know now what to expect from....next time, I might actually trace out the size 3 and add a bit more length than the 4....

So, back to school and back to work.