Kids’ clothes are so small and quick, I don’t realise I’ve made so many until it’s time for a round-up post like this. This isn’t a post about awesome patterns or sewing skills, because most of these patterns are repeats on a theme, and the garments themselves are a serious case of done being better than perfect. But it IS a post about how great life is when you’re a kid!
These two. They’re the best. Where do I start?
I’m going to start with (a rather blurry) Butterick 6678, because I’ve made this dress seven times over the last 18 months. It’s a lovely simple dress to show off a nice fabric – this one’s part of my loot from Japan.
Note the fearless pattern matching and backwards gumboots. Look out, world.
This next one was a third birthday present, made out of an old silk skirt and a bit of trim from the deep stash.
Next, swimwear. My work colleague asked me to make a leotard for her little boy, and said I could keep the leftover fabric (and the pattern, Jalie 2912). Best. Fabric. Ever. I made the girls some swimmers.
It was my first try making swimmers, and I made the arms too loose and the legs a bit tight. I think the take-home message is to just sew the unstretched elastic to the unstretched fabric, rather than cutting the elastic to size and then trying to fit it to the openings.
But, perfectly wearable.
While we’re doing bright, I’ll show you some rainbow leggings, which may well have been the clothing hit of 2017. Fabric from Spotlight. Pattern from Love Notions. I had to hold myself back from going back to buy more fabric, because seriously, if I had a pair of these I’d never take them off.
Tell me you don’t want some too.
Gosh this next photo makes me laugh.
Not one, but two long-suffering dogs.
I’m going to sneak in a sewing fail here. I used the rest of this green merino to make a matching t-shirt and skirt, but the skirt was way too big. I’ve since found these handy reference charts for elastic waist measurements and skirt lengths. Both very useful for long-distance aunties.
Similarly, these giraffe pants were too small in the waist, though they can easily be fixed. Isn’t this terrific fabric!? Thank you, Made Marion. The pattern is Oliver & S sunny day shorts, with in-seam pockets added and extended into trousers.
Still good to ride a bike in.
Or, y’know, for sitting in a bucket.
Some stash-busting PJ pants, from the same pattern…
And, an assortment of t-shirts. Fabric from Fabric-a-brac and pattern from Peek-a-boo patterns. (Modelled with backwards gumboots, once again).
Now some winter wear. I saw a dinosaur hoodie somewhere, and had to copy it. These are adapted from this pattern. The spines are stuffed with a little bit of craft wadding.
Last but not least, winter coats. During a Fabric Hoarders sewing retreat the lovely Margaret was giving away the makings for two lined wool coats, that she’d started. The intended recipients had grown too big before she could finish them. I swooped in and finished them off for these two ragamuffins, and they couldn’t be more perfect. They’re a Burda pattern. Sensibly they have a zip front (and wind guard) as well as the toggles.
And that’s it! Well, nearly. Two more cute photos. The girls have already started “sewing”, enabled encouraged by their doting auntie.
sixty six stitches 