Sewing Storm

I don't often accomplish all the sewing I set out to do - but for once I did accomplish my three sewing goals.  Here is a brief overview of each project:

Raglan T-Shirt
Laura at Titchy Threads/Craftstorming gave me the chance to pattern test this shirt and I really enjoyed sewing it.  The full pattern with additional features and options will be released early next year - I highly recommend that you keep an eye out for it!  The instructions were clear and I really appreciated the little details, suggestions, tips, and skills that she incorporated that took this from a simple T-shirt to a really well-made shirt.  I tested the size 8 for my smaller 9 year old and the fit was great.  I like that it has a slimmer cut to it - it's not too tight but also isn't sloppy looking.  I chose these fabrics because red is one of his favorite colors and his dad has a raglan shirt made with these same colors.

I made this also as part of Kids Clothes Week.  The theme is Storybook and I don't know that this shirt is really storybook inspired, but my son is an avid reader and I'm certain he'll read plenty of books wearing this shirt.  He also thought Benny from The Boxcar Children Series probably wore shirts like this!

Peppermint Swirl - a good start
I am making a Peppermint Swirl Dress (pattern from Candy Castle Patterns) for my daughter's 2nd birthday this week and my goal was to get all the flounces sewn together.  With my new serger it was a breeze, although you don't need a serger to do it.  I'd been planning to make just a skirt, but I've now decided to go ahead with the full dress version, so stay tuned!  I'll finish it up during Kid's Clothes Week this week.

New Boppy Cover 
I've had the same Boppy and cover since my first child's baby shower - over nine years ago.  I've wanted to buy a new one but could never bring myself to pay the money for one of the kind I like, and often I didn't love the fabric patterns that much anyway.  So, I decided to do my own DIY Boppy cover - creating my pattern from my old Boppy cover and a seam gauge - and I am so happy with the result.  It has a medallion print flannel on one side and pink minky dot fabric on the other - complete with zipper for easy removal for washing (or changing).  With minky fabric and flannels on sale at JoAnn's this week, I think I might even make another!  I've debated posting a Boppy cover tutorial with my pattern, and maybe I will.  There are quite a few out there in Pinterest/Google world, but in the meantime if anyone is curious about my pattern just use the contact form or leave a comment and I'm glad to share!

Thanks for stopping by.  I'd love it if you hit the Like button for my Facebook page.  Or do you have a comment to share?  Those are always fun, too!

This post is part of my participation in:
    

Cowl Neck Dress and Sweater from Heidi & Finn

I absolutely love the new Cowl Neck Dress and Sweater pattern from Heidi & Finn! Easy to cut and sew; adorable, cozy, warm, and practical for my daughter. What is not to love?!


I had the opportunity to be part of the testing team for this pattern and the results were great from the start.  The dress and top pictured in this post are from the original pattern run.  Changes made during testing include a slightly slimmer cut on the bodice, the option of a band at the bottom hem, shorter sleeve length in smaller sizes, and a larger cowl in larger sizes.  I used the optional ties in both the dress and top I sewed, which can be tied to the front or back.  The dress also looks great without the ties, or with a belt.  Butterfly appliques are an option included in the tutorial, and several other testers added adorable appliques of their own.  Your choice of knit fabric can be used for this dress ranging from a thinner knit to fleece.  The cowl
will take a different shape and hold depending on the fabric.  I could make these over and over again, and I'm sure I'll make several each year for my own daughters and as gifts!


Another bonus: the pattern does not require a lot of fabric (especially in smaller sizes).  I made both my versions out of a sweater weight knit - the dress is from the Doodles collection at JoAnn's and the purple top I made from a 1/2 yard remnant I purchased at a local specialty fabric shop.  It is buttery soft and warm, and the remnant only cost $4.00 (which is WAY less than I paid for the first two yards of that fabric I bought for myself a few months prior!).

I really appreciated the way the tutorial has you hem the sleeves and bottom (if you do not use the optional band at the bottom).  By finishing the edge of the fabric (with serger or zig-zag stitch - I used serger for one and faux serger for the other) and then hemming, you are able to avoid having the bulky hem that a double-folded knit edge often leaves.  It's little things like this, her method of measuring the cowl neck to make sure it fits correctly (it varies with types of fabric) and similar touches that make this a pattern that is satisfying to make and looks great when finished.

This is a great pattern for someone who is thinking about sewing her first knit pattern.  You do not need a serger, so if you don't have one, don't let that stop you from sewing this dress!  The tutorial includes directions for using a serger as well as doing it without.  The serger I was using fritzed out after the first dress, so for the top I used a stretch stitch and then the faux serger stitch on my Janome to finish the seams and it turned out just as nice inside and out.


Features:

• Easy to follow pattern, quick sew
• Slim cut body
• Option for long/short sleeves
• Super comfy large cowl neck
• Optional long ties sewn into each side can be tied in the front or the back for a different look. 
• Dress pulls right over the head for easy dressing.
• Optional sweater length, bottom band, long or short sleeves makes this a really versatile pattern
• Can be made in any type of stretch or knit fabric (interlock,jersey sweatshirt material or fleece etc.). 
• BONUS- butterfly applique patterns are included to embellish your dress
• No serger needed - instructions for both serger and sewing machine are included in tutorial

Treasure Island Inspired Hawthorn Zip-Up Jacket - Sew Many Books Sew Along

*Voting is open and I'd appreciate your vote - click the heart in the corner of the picture you'd like to vote for - that's it!  Click this link and scroll to the bottom to vote.

I am re-blogging this jacket today.   When I first made it and published my post about it, the inspiration behind it was not so relevant.  But now that Nap Time Creations is hosting the Sew Many Books series, giveaway, and sew along, it's time to bring it back so I can participate!  You can see my original post on this jacket here.

As I've mentioned before, I need to sew practical things.  A special occasion item surely pops up now and then, but I don't have time, money or need to sew things someone won't love and won't be able to wear or use often (and then passed down to younger siblings!).  Even when I make a Halloween costume, it needs to be something that can be worn over multiple years by multiple children.  So, a book inspired outfit from me is going to be practical and not very costume-y (although I love the sweet costumes others create from book characters).  Here I am presenting a bigger-kid version of a book-inspired look.

My oldest son was practically born a reader.  He would sit and listen to books for over an hour and learned to read quite early.  One of my his favorite books is Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson.  He has read a couple versions of it and we own both the Disney and Muppet Treasure Island movie versions.  I have sweet memories of sitting with him as he practiced his reading out loud as a five year old using the brown version shown in the picture above.  It also has not been uncommon to find a "black spot" left for a sibling or parent to find on his or her pillow at night.

So, when it came time to test the Hawthorn Zip-Up Sweatshirt by Titchy Threads for Willow & Co., I took inspiration from Treasure Island to create not only a practical jacket, but one that would be stylish and something my son would love.  The Treasure Island pirate theme was perfect!

The jacket really came together with the skull and cross-bone patch and the striped knit fabric that I used for the lining and pockets - a symbol and a fabric pattern you often see in pirate books and on pirate ships.  The Hawthorn pattern is fantastic, and I've been meaning to show pictures of the inside of the jacket as evidence of how well the pattern is written.  It was my first zipper ever and I was so happy with how the whole jacket came together (but you can read all those details at the previous post).

My son absolutely loves this jacket.  He has worn it many times, and it has been through the wash, on the bedroom floor, in the back of the van, etc on multiple occasions.  The pictures of the inside of the jacket not only show the great design of the pattern, but how well it has held up!

I also love the Hawthorn Zip-Up pattern, but I especially love how the inspiration from Treasure Island helps to create an age-appropriate, stylish, and still practical jacket that my son wears every chance he gets.  No black spots handed out for this one!

Please consider taking a minute to Like Sew Not Perfect on Facebook using the icon at the top of the right hand column.  Be sure to stop by and check out the Sew Many Books series at Nap-Time Creations.

Inspector Gadget Inspired Look - Project Run & Play 80's Cartoon Week

Season 10 of Project Run & Play is in full swing now.  This is my first time linking up a project, but not my first time following or voting for the actual contestants.  It's so much fun to see what the contestant design for each theme each week!

The theme for this first week:  1980's Cartoon-Inspired Look.  Specifically, not a costume; a look that uses an 80's cartoon character or theme as its spring board.  I loved the idea and had so many directions I thought about taking - Duck Tales, Mr. T, Inspector Gadget... the list goes on.  I finally settled on Inspector Gadget because my kids still watch that show, and I knew I was making these pants - which would be perfect in blue for Gadget's iconic blue pants.  I will say that my first inclination was to go with Mr. T - my boys love watching the A-Team and I had great ideas for an outfit using Mr. T's "I pity the fool" phrase - but I went with the Gadget route instead.  Imagine Gnats did an amazing job with the I Pity the Fool idea for a teen girl, though.  I love it!

Last week, I posted a review of the pants, but all along I had them in mind for this Gadget-inspired look.  The pants use the Pants with Adjustable Waistband pattern from Lily Bird Studio.  I love the versatility of the pants, the adjustable waistband, and the finished front with true zip fly and belt loops.  You can read more about how long they took to sew, the other features, and see more pictures at this post.  Lily Bird Studio is offering 15% purchases in her online shop now through Sept. 20 using the code SNPLBS10.  Be sure to check out her other patterns for pants, tops, and patterns!

Since practicality and versatility are essential in our home and my sewing budget (both for time and for money) is indeed limited, the outfit is finished with a grey cardigan and white dress shirt we already owned.  I would have loved to sew a grey Berkshire Blazer from Blank Slate Patterns, but the boys are already well-equipped in that department, so time, money and energy had to go into other things!

Be sure to check out the outfits submitted by the Project Run & Play contestants and vote for your favorites.  You can also check out the link-up outfits submitted by other play-at-homers (like me) here.

Please consider taking a moment to like Sew-Not-Perfect on Facebook using the link at the top of the right hand column.  I'd sew appreciate it!

Ava Dress & Pants with Adjustable Waistband from Lily Bird Studio

Versatile, practical pdf patterns are a necessity at my home.  I love the occasional pattern that is just-for-fun, but with so many kids, I benefit most from patterns that are practical and easy to adapt from kid to kid.  The Ava dress and Pants with Adjustable Waistband are two (of many) patterns from Lily Bird Studio that fit that bill.  I recently sewed both patterns for my kids.  You can read about the patterns here and see the pictures, then use the discount code a the bottom of this post to buy the patterns and make your own!

Ava Dress

The Ava Dress offers a sweet and classic A-line with pin-tucks at the neckline.  The pattern includes sizes newborn to 24 months and the option of making the dress reversible. A sweet line of buttons (or snaps, if you prefer) makes the back of the dress both adorable and easy to put on.  The pattern is an easy, straight-forward sew and would be a great project for a beginner, or a quick sew as a gift.  I also love how lovely this dress looks in all types of fabric from cotton to corduroy.

Pants with Adjustable Waistband

Lily Bird Studio's Pants with Adjustable Waistband have a relaxed, easy, comfortable fit.  My boys exclaimed how nice the pants felt and fit when they tried them on!  The pattern sizing ranges from 12 months to 5 years, but I love that with the adjustable waistband and adding a bit of length to the pant leg, I am able to have the pants fit both my big 5 year old and skinny 7 year old (see my post to come for Project Run & Play to see the pants in action on my older son).

The Pants with Adjustable Waistband took me about 4 1/2 hours to sew (not including assembling the pattern or cutting out fabric).  The directions were pretty clear and easy to follow.  I like that the pattern includes a contrast fabric for the inside waistband, top of the back pockets, and inside front faux pockets.  Although the front pockets are not full pockets, they would be easy to modify if you know how to make a full front pant pocket.  The hidden elastic in the waistband is identical to the adjustable elastic and buttons you find on many ready-to-wear pants with adjustable waistbands.   I also appreciate the front fly/zipper guard.  Yes, you do need to insert a zipper on these pants, but this was only my second zipper and it went pretty well.  The real zipper, stitching on the front fly, belt loops, and top stitching called for in the pattern make these pants look far more professional than just an elastic waistband or faux fly.

The only changes I made when sewing this pattern were to add about 1 1/2" to the length, so that I could use them for both boys.  I used a blind hem to hem the pant leg (the pattern calls for a regular straight stitch).  I also used a serger for most of the inside seams, while the pattern tutorial assumes you are not using a serger and gives instructions to zig-zag stitch to finish the internal seams. 

Cecilia at Lily Bird Studio is offering a 15% discount on patterns purchased from her website through Saturday, September 13, 2014.  Use code: SNPLBS15  Please note that this code is good on the website, but not in etsy shop.  Also, be sure to check out Lily Bird Studio on Facebook and the recent review of the beautiful Juliette's Dress at Pattern Revolution.  You can also enter the giveaway for a three-pack of patterns from Lily Bird Studios at Pattern Revolution that runs through September 13. 2014.