By Brienne

Handmade Halloween

Sometimes (most times) when I talk about parenting, I stick my foot in my mouth. Like last spring when I was chatting, poolside with this gal. I was rolling my eyes about Disney and Frozen and just plain bragging about how clever we were for not letting our kids get sucked into all of that when my daughter began to recite the plot details for Frozen. Um, she had seen it. And the truth is, I had been wanting to see it too. So, we watched it together after that. And, ladies, I am not a fan. I'm just not. I mean, c'mon. We can do better. But that's a topic for another post, perhaps for another blog altogether. 

Of course, she wanted to be Elsa this year for Halloween and of course I agreed to make something that would resemble Elsa's snow diva outfit. It's shown here post school day and banana smearing incident (sorry) but you get the gist. 

She wanted all of the good glitz but I refused, knowing that it was going to be freezing (literally) on Halloween and thanks to the interwebs, I was able to show my girl Cheri's girl in a Frozen-ish costume that included some knit fabrics and my daughter agreed. 

I did buy one panel of Frozen Fabric Glitz for the cape but the rest was stuff that I could put in the wash. 

I badly wanted to make a circle skirt for the bottom of the dress but I didn't have enough fabric plus I think that the dress would have been too heavy. Instead, I used the Flashback Tee  patten as a base. For the top of the dress, I color-blocked the arms and bodice with a heavy double-knit that I had plus some Laguna knit from Imagine Gnats. For the bottom, I made an A line skirt that was 4" wider at the hem than at the waist.  I added a layer of stretch tulle over the top of the skirt. I stitched the cape crudely over the top of the whole works and had to take it off to attempt what was an unsuccessful attempt to treat a smashed banana stain on the dress. Boo. Then I had to re-attach it. Double boo. 

She loved it. And I swear that I purchased and used hairspray and bobby pins during the first part of the day on her braid. Although, I must admit - I put that braid in on Wednesday morning and my mom finally took it out today. Because that is how we roll. We are not hairspray girls. 

The little guy wanted to be a skunk, which I thought was awesome. I got his mask and tail from Hunting Faeries and I made him a Bimaa to match. 

We had a big party. It was a blast. 

How did it go for you?

Mushroom Printing: A Love Story

So, you know that saying that, "behind every good man is a great woman..." blah, blah, blah? Well, I'd like to think that I am an adequate mate and a whole-hearted mom. But really, this guy. He's the real brains of this operation. It was he who gently urged me, one step at a time, back to school, he who lead the home and rural deliveries of our two children and he who bought me a sewing machine that was way out of our price range a couple of years ago to help me to do what I loved. It is he who now sits reading Teach Your Own while the littles squirm through their bedtime Sparkle Stories. And he who skates into the kitchen to give me a thumbs up, meaning: "let's do this homeschool thing!" while I lazily slurp a glass of wine and browse cookbooks. 

It is he who has been the brawn behind some of my favorite sewn items. And when I say he has been the "brawn," I mean he designed and printed things like this piliated woodpecker tee and tote and this Valentines Day tee. 

But, you know, the guy works more than full time designing and building stuff and so, I can't always lean on him. And I wanted to start printing on fabric myself!!! It is my secret dream to get to print on fabric for real, like in large scale someday. So, in June, when he was exhausted after a big bike race and my daughter brought in the sweetest little mushroom from outside, the learning could wait no  longer.   

Armed with the new experience of having made a stamp for the very first time in Maya Made's class at Squam, I set to work sketching the the mushroom and transferring it to the stamp surface. Once you have the drawing complete, you just flip it over onto the stamp surface and then rub the back of the drawing with a pencil to transfer it - it's super slick and easy! I had never before seen this pink eraser type stampy stuff but it is great because you can easily cut away the excess so that the print doesn't show the carving lines around the drawing. 

Naturally, I made a Flashback Tee with Geranium-style flutter sleeves first. 

It was a little too much flutter for me and the stamp washed away in the wash even after heat setting:( 

So, next, I worked at trying to use fabric paint to stamp with but with the delicate little gills - it just wasn't working. The grooves were getting clogged with paint. So, I went for a freezer paper stencil and I'm totally in love! Another School Bus Tee for my boy . 

Plus a high low swing tee for her using more of this dreamy fabric that I used to make his pocket tee. Okay, gratuitous photos of the mushroom print, since I guess that you can't really tell the difference between the brown tee above and the grey one below... 

Don't you think that Mr. Moody should get a mushroom tee of his own? I just purchased the yarn to make him this epic sweater (the guy in the yarn shop told me that he's never actually seen one finished) so, perhaps if I'm able to accomplish that I'll have evened our scores? 

Photo by Brooklyn Tweed. Source

 

 

We Won! Plus a Humble How-To: Embroidered Kitty Tee

I still have quite a bit to share from Kids Clothes Week. Getting pictures of everything has been a bit challenging, being that we were so desperately in need of new clothes that they were being worn hot off of the machine AND my trusty photo backdrop (which, incidentally is also our camper) was dropped off at the repair shop to get ready for our camping trip. It's been gone for more than a week and I still step outside with garments and camera in hand, ready to use it and realize that there is nowhere outdoors in our weedy, jungled yard to safely snap a photo these days:) 

Anyway! Last week, in addition to sewing for KCW, I snuck a couple of entries into Papercut Patterns' Anima Pants Competition.  I actually made myself two pairs and one pair for my girl. The pattern only comes in adult sizes but I really thought that the pattern would lend itself well to kids too. 

I really love converting an adult pattern to kid size, like when I made a tiny super tote for STYLO. I didn't know how it would work out with clothing, but I am stoked. To get the pants pattern in my daughter's size, I did some kind of fuzzy math. I wanted to get a percentage so that I could reduce the size of the printed pattern. So... I measured my daughter's height and waist and then divided those numbers by my height and waist measurements. According to these measurements, she's about 60 percent of my size. I printed the pattern off at 60 percent and then proceeded as normal. It worked! And even though we didn't win the grand prize (so many FABULOUS entries!!) I was surprised and thrilled to be included as a "highly commended" competitor. 

To go with the little girl Anima Pants, I made this Flashback Skinny Tee and embroidered a kitty face on it - heavily inspired by Made by Rae's DARLING kitty-faced-baby set from last spring.  

Now, I hesitate to ever call anything a "tutorial" because I am such a novice myself. Just the same, embroidery can be tricky and in case knowing how I did this inspires you to make something yourself, I'll share what I remember about doing it:) 

First, I cut out small shapes using knit stay tape and fused them to the front of the tee to use as a map for the embroidery. This step is fussy but the embroidery will look way better of the shapes are already outlined. If you were embroidering on a light-colored fabric, you could just draw the shapes using a dissapearing ink pen. 

 I used the satin stitch on the eyes and nose. And a split stitch for the whiskers. 

I didn't fuse anything to the inside of the tee to cover the knots but they are holding up well to washing and not feeling scratchy to her either. After the tee was embroidered, I assembled it as usual. Have you embroidered on knits before? Any tips?

Joining Frontier Dreams readers today. 

Kids Clothes Week: Warm-Up Lap

I wish that I was a planner in a conventional way. Charts, graphs and homemaking lists inspire me. Recipes, parenting literature and dog-rearing websites are comforting to me. In the end, though, the best way that I progress is through experience. 

With Kids Clothes Week  beginnning on Monday, I have been trying to prepare by beginning a bit - just like I did last winter.

The artwork that I used for the equality tee and for the elephant is from Maya Made's book, Reinvention. Both are made using old clothing of my husband's and mine. I used the same neon pink paint, which I love. For the elephant tee, I monkeyed up the size a bit, cut out three different freezer paper stencils and then just eyeballed the placement on the tee. I wish that I had put them up a bit higher, because I would have liked to have hemmed it. Also, the paint looks decidedly red on the greenish background and it took many, many coats. In the future, I'll opt for a lighter color. See - learning! Listing... 

How are you getting ready for the summer KCW?

 

 

 

Her Spring Uniform

I wish you could hear what she sounded like. I know that we all feel like this. And I'm glad for it.

Is there any greater pleasure than the sound of your little one's voice at its most hopeful?  

I tore myself away from the machine for a moment today in order to capture these pants and my girl. And she wanted to walk for awhile. And I obliged. 

 We leapt over rushing rivers and considered the clouds. We spent almost an hour chatting with a neighbor and her dogs. I know that it's not unusual. I do. But it is the very best. And it bears repeating. 

There was coffee spilled. There was dirty work that no one wanted to do. I doubled my alotted caloric intake. And there was my bad attitude. My feeling like, I don't belong here (even though I've almost always been here).

But there was playing at the park too. Leaning on a dear friend. Chatting with a nine-year-old that ran up to tell me he remembered trick-or-treating at my house.  And a second neighbor stopping by to talk about vintage campers. 

The pants are Parsley's with pintucks and cargo pockets. The fabric is Garden Party Tango available online here. It's one of those prints that I would never have noticed, had I not been in the shop. I would never have chosen it from an online source. But I really love it. It has a great vintage vibe. And I have no worries about its being splattered with mud. 

The top is yet another Flashback (I can't help it) with a curved hem. The fabric is to die for and I got it from here. Of course it's gone now:(

I talked about the sweater that she's wearing here. And the hat here. 

How's the stitching going for you? Is it warm where you are? 

Sailor Suit

Hey there, Happy KCW! 

So, I have been sewing up a storm - but I can't share it just yet. It feels good to have a secret, it's true but I've missed the sharing that goes on here. Since I haven't been able to write about the sewings on, I've been loving the madness of instagram.

I'm a little bit burned out. And a little bit fevery about the spring that is starting to happen. So the name of the game  for me this time around during the KCW is to sew things that are speedy and simple. And I do believe that the intent of the KCW, after all, is just to give it a go a bit every day to make your littles some handmade goodies. Not to necessarily pump out the perfect outfit every day of the week... But it is fun to try! In the spirit of slowing down today, I whipped out a little sailor suit. 

First, a Flashback Tee hacked and scrapped. I made it raglan-style as usual, using an upcycled double knit for the arms (and salvaging the original sleeve hems - yay!). The stripes are from SR Harris in Brooklyn Center. 

Next, a quick pair of Parsley Pants with some cuffs added to make up for his having apparently outgrown the size that I had cut out...

I think that I'm going to give this pants pattern some love this week. I'm in love with the skinny leg pants but actually, the wide leg is really great for the kiddos too. These are in a sweet chambray and with the wide leg, they are nice and cool and roomy enough to fit swim trunks under. They pull on easy and can go over rain boots for a comfy fit. 

Oh, look at that blue sky! What a gift!!!!

Next up, a pair of Parsley's for her, I think. What are you stitching on this spring?

My Valentine: Heart Shirt and Color Blocked Pants

My kids are pretty fascinated with anatomy these days. And me too. When I was pregnant and in college for the late-to-bloom, I had the opportunity to take a course called something like "The Biology of Women." As part of that class I gave an oral presentation on birth and babies. The material was totally engaging to me (having given birth not long before and about to give birth again - my kids are 16 months apart). Anyway I'm excited that my kids are interested in systems and anatomy too now. There's so much to learn! 

We love this book. And this app actually... 

I love anatomical sketches. And I love to put them on clothing. I've patched the front leg panel of my husband's work pants with an iron-on tibia. I've added anatomical sketches of horses and human ribs to my kids' clothes before too. Usually the lion's share of the labor for these sketches falls on my husband and he's happy to oblige. I was way excited to make some heart-sketch clothes this month in honor of Valentine's Day and was floored when I saw his drawing - too cool. 

This, of course, is another Flashback Tee. I monkeyed with the sleeves to make it into a raglan top. I used the size 4 but added 3 inches to the length. You can't really tell but I also curved the hem in the front and back to give it sort of a baseball jersey look. 

I made another pair of Seraphic Pants from Figgy's new pattern lineup - super love. What a great shape and I adore the pocket detail. This time I traced a size 3 with a size 4 length. Both of the fabrics are heavier weight knits that I got from my all time favorite brick and mortar fabric shop. 

Unfortunately, the weather outside is still arctic. We are getting out to play but not so much to take pictures. I wish that you could see the greens - the shades are all a bit different. The "white" part of shirt is actually a very light minty green that accents the print on the shirt well I think. 

Meanwhile, all decorum has been lost. The cupboards are bare (no time for grocery shopping!) but I think that the kids are enjoying the independence that this week has afforded them. Yesterday I emerged from the sewing room to find them doing this - it's her mattress. They carried it into the living room and hid underneath the sheets. Eek. 
I'm trying to tackle some more pressing items on the list - another pair of leggings and a peplum top I hope with an exposed zipper. My son's health has derailed my progress temporarily (he's fine, just a virus but is needing some extra care) I still hope to bang out a couple more things by week's end. 

What's next on your list?

Dancy Duds

  I feel like these kind of garments are the ones that never quite make it into picture. Simple, not all that colorful and, in this case, snapped up by the wearer before they were even finished. 

I've been having a bit of sewer's block - a few things begun, nothing finished. Late last night, when the family was finally stowed, I picked a couple of the easiest things on my list: leggings plus a "warm sleever." But first, I printed this crown off and cut it out. I've been wanting to make some accessories for the littles this week but haven't gotten that idea off of the ground yet and this lovely little thing is tiding me over. 

I've been trying to figure out how to keep my daughter warm in dresses and tights, while respecting her autonomy and independence clothing-wise... This fabric was so soft and stretchy but heavier than a tights-weight. And I remembered that the Go-To Leggings pattern has an attached skirt option. 

The top is take two. This time, though, I used the Flasback Tee as a base and left the top short. I added two inches of swingy width (like in the high low top) to the side seam. I added an inch to the hem line of the under layer and I subracted  an inch from the mesh overlayer. I added two inches to the fold side of the pattern - this made for four inches of gathering space.  I used elastic thread in the bobbin to gather the neck pieces of the overlayer.

I had planned to add extra long cuffs to the sleeves like in this top and I was going to add stirrup cuffs to the pants too but my daughter grabbed the stuff right out of the sewing machine and put it on before the threads were clipped. I did not want to disturb the magic of that so I am letting it fly. The hems are all raw, my preferred look and especially for this fabric. I LOVE the layers and can see making a couple more of this combo. 

I actually made her a fleece pair of leggings to go over this pair but under the skirt. I think that she would comply with that idea - still having a skirt on but some warm pants too. The fleece was not stretchy enough though (oops) and they are way too tight. I'd like to try that again, adding some width to the legs this time.

I'm working on some clothes for my son now using oil pastel drawings that my husband made. I'm super excited about them. Sewing block banished for now I think... 

How's your week going?

How to Hack Your Flashback: Part II

Or... how to make your Flashback Tee into a Hi-Low top with some swing. It's has a modern shape and it layers well over dresses.

Ok, first trace your Flashback pattern onto the middle of the paper. We're going to add width so you'll need some space. Make a mark two inches away from the cut line on the side opposite the fold line on both the front and back pattern pieces. 

Now we're going to draw a diagonal line from the armpit to the mark that you made.  This will add some swing to your Flashback Tee. 
Repeat this step for both the front and the back pieces. 

Now lets add the curves for the hi-low effect. My favorite adult sewing pattern is Megan Nielsen's Briar. That top has a high curve in the front and a low curve in the back. For the Flashback hack, I wanted to mimic that shape.

For the back piece, draw a mark on the same side as the fold two inches below the existing bottom. This will be your center back and the middle of the low curve. 

I used my iron as a guide to trace a curved line. 
Make sure that the highest part of your curve terminates at the existing cut line. If it doesn't, the side seams won't match up and it will look sad. 

Now we're going to repeat this step on the front piece with the curve facing the opposite way - like a frown. 

For the front side, start at the side opposite the fold again and use your iron to trace a curved line that begins at the existing cut line (don't add a two inch drop here). Now, artistic preference is yours about the depth of the curve. For me, it depends on the purpose of the garment. I made one of these to go over Geranium dresses and tutus last fall and it was pretty short in the front. For those that are meant to be worn alone, though - I keep the curve modest. She's a tall three-year old and I used the 3T size without adding any length and was still able to hem it even with the curve and it worked fine. But do some figuring to find out if you'll need to add a half an inch or so to the overall length of the garment before you begin your alterations. 

Here is what the front looks like when it has been cut out. I used a thrifted women's turtleneck for this tee and ironed on an image that I found here.  The sewing is the same as in the original. I frequently leave the bottom, curved hem raw but if you choose to hem it as I did in this example and find it getting a bit wobbly, you could try using fusible hemming tape. 

And, drat! Sorry for the poor quality of the photos. My sewing space gets very little light:) Hope you get the basic idea though.

Other examples of this type of hack can be found here.  

 

Joining Frontier Dreams today for Keep Calm and Craft On. 

Tomorrow I'll draw a name for the hat giveaway. Please leave a comment over here if you'd like to be included!

How to Hack Your Flashback: Part I

 

The pattern that I have used more than any other pattern is Made by Rae's Flashback Tee. When I was first learning to sew (am still definitely learning) and to sew with knits, I tried this pattern. Because of the high quality and versatility of the pattern, I succeeded in hacking together a couple of t shirts for my son. And they went together so quickly that I didn't have to dwell in the discomfort that early sewing with knits can be. They allowed me to zip along, experimenting and practicing while creating something both totally practical and totally upcycleable. I was in love. 

I'm getting a bit braver now. But I still find myself returning to this pattern time and again, though now I tend to want to monkey with it a bit - just for fun. My latest experiment with the pattern was to make it into an empire-waist dress for my daughter. She prefers dresses to pants and I was scrambling to figure out how to make one that made sense within the confines of these freezing temperatures. 

This Spoonflower fabric by Hey Tangerine was nice and heavy. It seemed like a good fit for a winter dress. It used to be called interlock but it doesn't say that anymore - still it feels like an interlock and it sews up like that too. Totally cozy, totally easy to stitch on. 

 In terms of hacking the pattern: 

I used the bodice of a dress that I liked the fit of to estimate where the Flashback Tee pattern should be cut. I was making a size 2 and I ended up making the cuts on both the front and back pattern pieces about 2.5" below the armpits. See the black line on the pattern piece to the far left? 

I cut two skirt pieces on the fold that were each approximately twice as wide as the bodice piece is once it's unfolded. The bodice was aout 12" across, so I cut two skirt pieces out at 24" each. The skirt length was about 16". In retrospect, I wish that I'd have made it a bit longer.

I gathered each skirt piece and then attached them to the bodice BEFORE sewing up the side seams. I find that when you do this, you can make the gathering more even. 

I finished the dress just as I would a standard Flashback Tee, the only difference being that I made the neckband a half inch narrower than the pattern calls for because I wanted a daintier neckline. And I hemmed the sleeves instead of adding cuffs because I wanted another long-sleeve shirt to fit easily underneath the dress for warmth. Today she's wearing it with a high low top underneath and the fit is great!

Have you made other variations of this pattern? I'm hoping to do an A-line dress next with an exposed zipper...

Edited to add: Megan Nielsen has offered up an idea for easily gathering knit fabric by putting elastic thread on your bobbin. I think that her method would be the best way to gather your skirt pieces before adding them to the bodice in this case. Go check it out!

Thanks to Frontier Dreams for providing a space to share.

And don't forget to enter a comment to be entered in the giveaway from yesterday's post!!