KCWC – Day Seven

I sewed something in a knit! And it’s not all wobbly! (Sorry about the lighting – the sun is totally AWOL here today.) It’s a no-frills version of Pattern’s by Figgy‘s Tee for Two (thanks, Erin!). A nice way to be introduced to the whole sewing-with-knits concept. Now I can let Caitlyn pick out all those iron-on sparkles and embellishments she finds at the fabric and craft stores and we can make her t-shirts. I’m even thinking about letting her experiment with tie-dye projects over the summer. She can dye the backs of old white t-shirts (fronts are going to …

KCWC – Days Five & Six

Oh, my. Even on the hanger, this looks big. No off-roading here, just excessive enlarging. It’s McCall’s 4817 and this is my fourth time around with it. Caitlyn’s been wearing a version of this dress since the spring of 2009, (I think). She’s wearing a yellow one in her school photo from her second year in preschool, she has a blue one, and a purple one (her favorite). The pattern pieces are cut at size 5 and I’ve dropped hems and repositioned shoulder straps on all the other versions. She’s two years bigger now, at least. But I don’t really …

KCWC – Days Three & Four

It’s not that I mind the laying out and cutting part of sewing, it’s just that sometimes it takes so darn long. Measure twice, cut once, so the saying goes; I’m more measure four or five times, obsess a bunch, then cut, and pray I’ve not forgotten to adjust consistently across all pieces. I tend to always add length (necessary in a family of tall people) and sometimes add a little width for Caitlyn (so that maybe the clothes I make for her this year will still fit next year) when cutting pattern pieces. Even though I don’t think I’ve …

KCWC – Day Two

For the first time I can recall, I really wanted one of my dad’s wooden trouser hangers, the kind that have two pieces of wood that press together to hold a pair of pants. And I’m officially jealous of anyone who has interesting textured walls or closet doors. Photographic difficulties aside, here’s the first completed project for KCWC: a “salad bowl” skirt. I love the row of radishes on the front: … and these peas on the back: The skirt is loosely based on McCall’s 5841 and the rainbow skirt I designed for Caitlyn in December. The vegetable theme had …

KCWC – Day One

I’m already hip-deep in fabric for elsie marley‘s Kids Clothes Week Challenge. I started tracing a pattern for one project, then realized I’d never held any piece of the pattern up to Caitlyn to see if if needed adjusting. I pulled out a project that’s been on the to-do list since last fall, then decided I need to check measurements on that one, too. This is what happens when I don’t do the prep work before she heads off to school on a Monday! Fortunately, I have a project that’s straightforward enough not to need a pattern or terribly precise …

Kids’ Clothes Week Challenge

One thing that is on my list of Things to Do with Caitlyn over Spring Break is to go through her closet. Time to set aside the things she has outgrown (all her pants, I think) and make a list of things she needs (shorts and t-shirts, probably). Someday, the sun will come out and it will get above 50 degrees and she’ll want to wear summery things without 15 layers underneath. Conveniently, I discovered that elsie marley is hosting the spring 2011 edition of Kids’ Clothes Week. I’ve got fabric on hand for a dress and at least 2 …