KCW....Days 2, 3, 4....A Kokka Seersucker Flip!

I haven't had too much time to sew this week, even though it's one of my most inspirational sewing events...Kids Clothes Week.  What I made for the past several days is another version of my "flipped" Oliver + S Roller Skate tunic. 

I used some adorable Kokka seersucker from my shop.  I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it - it has teeny foxes and other indeterminate animals on it - Julia first said they were moles, then bunnies....well, here it is - you decide:

 

Here's the outfit...

 

My kid flipped out when she saw the shorts - not in a good way - and swore up and down that they were "brown" and that she wouldn't wear them.  She had to poll all her siblings and her father, then she believed me that they are not brown, but plum.  The shorts are made from the Oliver + S Bedtime Story pajamas pattern....I like using it for shorts because there's no side seam.  Julia quite likes the pockets on these, now that she believes that they are not brown.

 

 

I lined the tunic with a sheet I stole from my older kids....they never use the flat sheet, and this one was a nice light microfiber one - I bet it feels great on!

We just took a walk to the candy store down on Second Street - the "business corridor" in my neighborhood....she got a ton of compliments on her outfit while walking down the street....made me feel pretty good!

 

 

Kids Clothes Week - Summer Edition!

If you haven't heard, Kid's Clothes Week is having a summer edition!  They have a great new website that they're developing that is going to be AMAZING!  Their new website is www.kidsclothesweek.com - certainly worth a look when you get a chance.

I'm starting out really slowly this time.  For my first project, I made yet another gift bag...I swear I think we go to a birthday party or two every weekend.  I know my kid has a good time, so I merrily go along with her....to pool parties, reptile parties, amusement parks, gymnastics parties, and on and on and on...

 

This is it....this is all I've got and it's the end of day two, I believe.  During the week, I get really limited sewing time at the end of the day, cause, well, my kid expects me to pay attention to her.  So, I do.

This fabric is Anne Kelle's Girlfriend line - the most adorable princesses you can ever find!  Again, it's the Drawstring Bag from Little Things to Sew by Liesl Gibson.

I have another project - more exciting - cut out and ready to go.  Really, my goal is to get the other outfit done by the end of this week, and I'll be happy.   We'll see....

Flip This Pattern!!

My Flip is up!

Go to Frances Suzanne to see all the details and why the heck I made my kid this outfit!

Should I Cheer, Or Should I Play?

First, as bit of a prelude, watch the above video...

This flipped creation was designed by my three-and-a-half year old.  I told her I was going to be in a contest to "flip" a pattern - specifically, the Roller Skate Dress and Tunic by Oliver + S.  Since I already had two Roller Skate dresses in her closet (one well worn, and the other barely worn) I showed her the dresses, and asked her opinion as to what I could make it into.

She requested a cheerleader outfit.

Which brings us to the debate.  Julia says she wants to be a cheerleader.  Whenever she says that, to anyone in our house, we groan.  No offense meant to any past or future cheerleaders, but why would you want to cheer for someone doing a sport - wouldn't you rather do the sport yourself?  Yes, I have this philosophical debate quite often with my three-and-a-half year old....

So, I made her both - an outfit to CHEER, and an outfit to PLAY!

 

Here's the pieces:

For the "Flip" part, I embellished the top with some heavy duty applique work.  For anyone who doesn't happen to be a basketball fan, this is the logo of the Los Angeles Clippers basketball team. I removed the cap sleeve, added my daughter's favorite sleeve - the flutter sleeve.

 I changed the elastic casing to elasticize only the sides, and added ties.  For the shorts, I used the Oliver + S Sleepover Pajama bottom pattern piece.  I eliminated the waistband, and it turned out to hit my daughter exactly where she likes to wear her shorts; not too high on the waist.  For the skirt, I used the Oliver + S 2+2 pattern, and embellished the bottom with grosgrain ribbon.  The fabric for the top is Robert Kaufman Kona cotton - the skirt and shorts are a cotton twill.

Basketball button on the back, tattoo on the arm.....ready to Play....or Cheer!!

Thanks so much to Emily and Ashley of the famed duo of Frances Suzanne for inviting me to play along!  I seriously appreciate it - and, I had a ton of fun!!

Saturday Sewing

So I had a productive day today.

My older daughter and her fiance - yes, there's a wedding coming someday - are attending a birthday party for a little boy turning two.  For some reason, they requested I make a shirt, with a giraffe, that said "tee-hee-hee".  No clue why, but that's what they wanted.

So, since I'm a long-time fabric hoarder, I was able to put together this t-shirt:

I used the Flashback Skinny Tee from Made by Rae.  I used a really nice, soft cotton interlock, I'm sure left over from my boy-sewing days.  The brown rib is a knit I have in my shop.  I had a remnant of a spotty cotton for the background, and the yellow is another nice, soft yellow interlock that I have about 3 yards of for some reason....

Anyways, I found an appropriate giraffe clip art picture, and did some reasonably good applique work.  It's hardly perfect - imperfect stitching, and slightly wonky neckline, but it's made by a human, so it is what it is!  As Julia's pre-school teacher says, "don't have a fit, you get what you get". 

I spent some time with my kid after making the shirt and sending it off to the party, and while she napped, I made yet another drawstring bag from LTTS.  This is for sure my go-to kid party gift as long as I have time.  This one is for one of my daughter's classmates who is moving out of town, so I wanted to be sure to make time for him.  Once I make the trip to Target, this will contain some type of Lego guys.....This is Kokka fabric from my shop, with some leftover black linen from my stash.  Every time I make one of these bags, I think "this one is my favorite..." - well, this one is a close second to the one I made a couple of weeks ago from Anne Kelle Girlfriend Princess fabric....

 

This may be all my sewing for the weekend, as we have a birthday party and basketball practice Sunday, but I feel good about my projects for the weekend!

Announcement!

So, uh, I kind of forgot to mention.....I get to be part of this FUN event!!  Check it out!!!!

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Blog Silence...

So I haven't blogged in a little bit, but that doesn't mean that I haven't been sewing. I'm working on a fall jacket, made from Japanese canvas lined with Polar fleece. It's currently sitting as a UFO, but I'm excited to get it finished. I've just got to figure out a buttonhole solution on the heavy jacket...

 I tested a pattern for The Cottage Mama The Daphne Wrap Dress. The testing process was something I'd never been a part of on this level - she put a call out for testers, then invited you to a private Facebook group. She had four patterns that she was releasing, and a group assigned to each pattern. My assigned pattern was last, so I got to watch the process unfold. The three patterns seemed to go seamlessly (no pun intended) but when she got to the pattern I was working on, there were some glitches. I submitted my photo, and the designer wasn't happy - not with my work way the way the pattern turned out.  She didn't like the yoke length, (which hit at Julia' belly) and promptly re-did the yoke.

-

.Take two - went together really quickly, as I'd already sewed one!

Apparently, this was more like what the designer had in mind - a shorter yoke length.  The second time, I made a size 4 with the 5 length....much better than take 1!

Fabric for both dresses are from my shop....the top is Anne Kelle's Girlfriend line....absolutely ADORABLE princesses....some with blond hair, some with dark hair, glasses, etc.  I just LOVE Anne Kelle's designs!   The second dress is made with fabric from Moda - Boho by Urban Chiks.  The fabric has a great hand to it, consistent with all the Moda fabric I've used so far. 

I did applique on the yoke of both dresses, and, my kid likes them!  Apparently, they are comfortable to wear, which is half the battle with a 3 year old.

I also made a little gift bag from the Anne Kelle Girlfriend princesses....my standard gift for preschool birthday parties...from the Oliver + S Little Things to Sew....

I put some pink jewelry, a pink princess t-shirt, and some girly sunglasses.  The gift was very well received by the recipient!

My next project will be my entry into the Flip This Pattern competition over at the Frances Suzanne Blog - if you haven't read their blog, you should - it's the sewing adventures of sisters who sew for their niece....they are amazing sewists, and are running a very fun competition....I'm up in July, so the rest of June will be getting ready!  I've got something cool, and VERY unexpected in store!!!