Hello Kitty Pants - It's All About the Details

There is nothing like a sewing challenge to get the creativity flowing. My regular readers may recall that I am still looking for the perfect woven fabric pants pattern. So, because I was already feeling a little creative from the Project Run and Play challenge, I decided to experiment with the knit pants pattern (affiliate link)I already owned, to see if I could make it work with woven fabric. I expected to spend an entire night studying the rules for negative ease and wearing ease and blah blah blah...

Yea, that wasn't very much fun, so I skipped it and did what I loved. I sewed. I made a muslin of the pants one size up and discovered that  it fit perfectly with very little adjustment! Talk about getting more from your pattern!

If you would like to try this at home I strongly recommend making a muslin first. Once you have it perfected, the muslin will become your new pattern. I usually make my muslins out of interfacing. It's cheap, easy to trace on, easy to mark, and easy to baste together for fittings. Then when your all done, you can just fold it up and put it in the pattern envelope.

While your working on the muslin, pay careful attention to the waistband. Next to the crotch seam, which feels the most stress, the waistband is the most important part of the pants. If you think about it children don't have many curves, so that one little strip of fabric has to be entirely responsible for holding the entire garment in place. If you don't use the adjustable waistband, make sure to custom fit the band to your child's body. I also used a total of 8 belt loops and made a belt out of some scrap satin for extra support.

For the detail (after all that's what this challenge is all about), I wanted to try my hand at appliqueing. The Hello Kitty face was cut off of a pair of pajama pants that didn't fit anyone in the house.

First, I machine stitched hello kitty to a piece of woven scrap fabric to stabilize the fleece, and then trimmed closely around the edge. I had to hand stitch the applique to the pants because the cuff barely fit around my free arm. The right way to go about it would have been to applique the pants before sewing them together, but I wasn't sure where I wanted it to go until the last second. I also went over the whiskers with stitches to make them stand out just a little bit more.

Since we are talking about details I would love to share some of the unseen details that you can add to just about everything you sew and make you works of art last a little bit longer.

• Tie all of your thread tails together before trimming them.
• Anchor your buttons by sewing a few stitches in the fabric before attaching the button.
• True up all of you woven fabrics before cutting. To do this first pre-wash your fabric then have some one help you pull on it until the grain is straight. You can pull out a single thread to make it easier to see the grain.

This pattern also includes instructions and pattern pieces for matching doll pants. Unfortunately the doll pants require a little more work to get them to fit using woven fabric. I will keep working on it for you and let you know when I have it perfect. In the mean time I will be posting about my knit version of these pants very soon, so keep a look out.

What are your favorite details, seen and unseen, to include in your sewing?

I used the Skinny Jeans Pattern from Peekaboo Patterns to make these pants. The fabric is sueded garbardine. and it feels like silk against your skin. It also has the perfect drape for a pair of dress pants. I love when fabrics look and feel much more expensive then they are!

Fourteen Pins Before 2014

Hello my name is Jennifer and I am a Pinterest addict. Not a day goes by where I don't pin something, but for all the pinning I do very few of the projects ever get completed. This year I plan to change that by joining the fourteen pins by 2014 challenge from Mama's got it together.

I am sure that I will find plenty of time to do all this between sewing my children's entire wardrobe from scratch, helping my sister with her new triplets, and possibly moving (the property I rent may be rezoned). But, just in case, I think I'll try to choose a few pins that go well with everything else that has to get done.

I haven't chosen all of my projects yet. I want to save a few for things I find later but here is what I have chosen so far.

1. Sprite and Gummy Bear Popsicles

2.Pinwheel Wreath  

3. Plastic Toy To Toothbrush Holder

4. No Sew Blanket

5.Princess and Panda Dolls

6. Felt Paper Dolls

7. Bleach Batik Shirt

8. Lego Star Wars T shirt

9. Doll Hamster Cage

10. To Be Announced 

11. To Be Announced 

12. To Be Announced 

13. To Be Announced 

14. To Be Announced 

If you want to cross a few of those Pinterest To Do's off your list this year, sign up for the challenge Mama's Got it Together

The Essential Guide to Choosing Your Sewing Patterns

Top Pattern Collection Tip: After finding and listing all of the patterns you will need, organize them by company to take advantage of discounts and sales. You can use the printable worksheets in this post to help you.

Attempting to sew a  year round wardrobe for 3 kids is a big undertaking. Not only does it require a substantial amount of time, but the money that you would normally be spending on clothes goes to patterns, fabric and notions leaving little room for error. Even with that in mind, the results of sewing an entire year round wardrobe can be rewarding beyond measure. 

 The first step to sewing a designer wardrobe  is to acquire a collection of  quality sewing patterns.

As with most things, careful planning can help you reach your goal. Today's post focuses on selecting the patterns you will need. These patterns are your building blocks. They are the structure of your wardrobe. Every thing that comes after is cosmetic. I've included two free printables (see download links below) that I created and use myself to help keep my projects organized. 

The Pattern Collection Building Worksheet can be used as a checklist for the basic patterns that you will need to sew a year round wardrobe for a girl. If you are sewing for a boy you can still use the printable. They're is plenty of room to add additional options.

The Sewing Pattern Wish List  printable can be used by anyone, even if you are not planning to sew your child's entire wardrobe. It is a pattern wishlist that can be organized by company. Print one sheet for each company. I keep them with my sewing patterns and when there's a sale on a particular company I pull out the corresponding wishlist and stock up. It's also great for taking advantage of the multi-purchase  discounts that many pattern companies offer. 

But with so many patterns out there how do you choose?

My pattern selection process starts with three basic questions.

What do you know?

Read as many reviews as you can about the pattern. Is there a common problem that a lot of people have? If there is do you know how to fix it? Are you familiar with the suggested fabrics and techniques?

What can this pattern teach me?

If the answer to any of the previous questions are a no, that doesn't mean that the pattern is not worth buying. Take a closer look at it. Is there something really unique about this pattern that you don't think you could do without instructions? I have included a section in the first printable called Learning Patterns. I reserve this space for the "statement" pieces of my children's wardrobe. These patterns include techniques that I want to learn and improve on. They also feature an interesting and unique design to add a little style and flair.

What else can I do with this pattern?

The majority of your patterns will be basic patterns. You will want to keep them as simple as possible so that you can alter them to create a few looks from the same pattern. My children will go through at least 10 pairs of pants each in a year. That's 30 pairs of pants that I need to be able to make out of 3 or 4 patterns. Dress patterns can also be used to make shirts and skirts and vice versa. The best patterns are the ones that come with variations. If you have a dress pattern with multiple sleeve options, you can then use those sleeves on any garment that you want.

Where do you start?

There are an infinite number of patterns available on the market. Sorting through them all and weighing their pros and cons can be overwhelming  The best thing to do is start with what you know. Choose two or three pattern company's that you are familiar with, either from sewing with them before or from reading lots of reviews. 

Buying the majority of your sewing patterns from just a handful of company's will make it easier to mix and match the design elements giving you infinite possibilities. 

It will also help you become familiar with the quirks and techniques that each company uses frequently and in turn your sewing projects will be completed much faster and easier.

Most likely, you will not be able to find everything you need from these few companies. I would never recommend buying a pattern that you don't absolutely love under any circumstances. You will be using these patterns over and over again for at least a year, possibly longer depending on the size options. After choosing as many patterns as possible from your main companies, venture out and find one or two more sources that you can use as a backup for when you can't find exactly what your looking for.

Here is a list of the company's I use. If you scroll down farther you will see exactly which pattern's I use from each company and why. I prefer independent pattern companies for the convenience,  more accurate sizing charts, and the number of reviews available.

My Top 3 Choices for Patterns

Peek a Boo Pattern Shop(affiliate link)

Go To Patterns(affiliate link)

Violet Fields Threads (mostly learning patterns)

My Back Ups

Etsy

Simplicity 

Simplicity has a huge selection but I recommend using a muslin because sizing their sizing charts tend to be off.

My Essential Patterns

Pants

Woven Fabric - Still looking Please leave suggestions in the comments

Knit (Stretch Jeans) - Peek a Boo Pattern Skinny Jeans (affiliate link)

Why: Bonus matching doll pants, easy to slim down or add more ease for other pants styles

Knit (Leggings) - Go To Leggings (affiliate link)

Why: The pattern includes lots of variations in length and details

Pajamas - Simplicity 3669

Why: Pajama pants are fairly easy to draft on your own, but I liked the tops available with this one. The pants are also very easy to adjust for size

Shorts - drafted from pants pattern

Tops

Woven Bodice - Violette Fields Threads, Josephine

Why: tailored collar, two sleeve options, also includes a dress option

Knit Bodice - Carousel Top(affiliate link)

Why: Received great reviews from others, easy to alter 

Sleeve Type Variations - Go To Signature Dress pattern (affiliate link)

Why: 7 sleeve options, Tons of other variations

Necklines - Elkie Dress from My Childhood Treasures shop on Etsy

Why: Turtle Neck

Dresses and Skirts

Knit Dress - Go To Signature Dress pattern(affiliate link)

Why: Tons of options, the possibilities are endless

Woven (lined dress) Go To Patterns Juliette(affiliate link)

Why: Includes a petticoat 

Woven (unlined dress) - Simplicity 3902

Why: This is possibly the most perfect pattern to ever come out of simplicity. The sizing is accurate, the princess seams are perfect and it is very easy to put together.

Knit Skirt - Self Drafted Pattern

Why: You can find tons of free tutorials with a simple Google search

Woven Skirt - The Lexi Skirt from Rubie Jeans Closet on Etsy

Why: Basic yet interesting design

Outerwear

Lined Jacket - Still looking, Please leave your sugestions in the comments

Unlined Jacket - Jalie 2795

Why: Every size from toddler to adult. You can use it year after year for every member of your family. If you are comfortable with pattern altering you can also remove the zipper to make a pull over hoodie. 

Winter Coat - Still Looking, Please leave your suggestions in the comments

Raincoat - Peekaboo Patterns Puddle Jumper Raincoat (affiliate link)

Why: The sizing is much more accurate than other raincoat patterns I've tried

Winter Coat - Still Looking, Please leave your suggestions in the comments

Hoodie - Go To Patterns, Hang Out Hoodie(affiliate link)

Why: Multiple sleeve options and a dress options

Cardigan - Peek a Boo Patterns V-Neck Cardigan(affiliate link)

Other

Basic Panty - Hipster or Biking from Monkeys Bug on Etsy

Why: Just a personal preference

Swimsuit - Peek a Boo Patterns Sun and Fun(affiliate link)

Why: Basic easy to alter, also great for ballet leotards

Bathrobe - Still looking, Please leave your suggestions in the comments

Backpack - Still looking, Please leave your suggestions in the comments

Handbag - Mother Huddle Little Bitty Bag
Why: This is a free pattern and it is better then any handbag pattern I have bought

Bolero - Simple Shrug Bolero from Jocole on Etsy

Why: The pattern needs a little bit of adjustments to make it perfect but it includes a bonus matching doll pattern.

Learning Patterns

Peek A Boo Patterns Jasmine - One shoulder dress (affiliate link)

Peekaboo Pattern Pier 49 - Convertible Pants (affiliate link)

Violette Fields Threads Chloe - Contour Gown

Violette Field Threads Vivienne - Layered Skirt with ruffles 

Violette Field Threads Whitney - Pleated Trousers and skirt

I am still looking for a pattern that teaches bound buttonholes. Please leave your suggestions in the comments.

A Sweater Refashion and a Sewing Milestone

Maybe it is more of a mom milestone than a sewing milestone, but when I gave her this sweater she hugged me. Doesn't seem like a big deal to you, then you must not have a daughter stuck in the awkward years right before the teens. They don't hug, they just scowl mostly.

She loves this sweater so much that she wears it everywhere. She refuses to take it off, much like the winter boots that she insists on wearing in the spring.

So why is this a milestone? It means that I am learning enough about my daughter to make her clothes that she loves. I have said it before, and I will say it again.

You can learn so much about your kids just by studying the clothes they like. It's a window into their personality.

Now back to the sweater. I started with a my own favorite sweater that had become an unfortunate victim of my bad laundry habits. (I just dump the hamper into the washer without looking)  It shrunk to the point where the stretch marks on my belly where exposed for all the world to see, but I couldn't bare to part with it.

After reading this tutorial from Girl Inspired I decided that this sweater still had a few years of being loved left in it. For the most part I followed the instructions with just a few adjustments for my daughters style preferences  She doesn't do ruffles or flowers.

I didn't make any changes to the hood because it had always been a little small on me. I also left the mini sleeve pocket in tact because it's awesome.

The sweater originally had raglan sleeves and I was bored with making them after the Mixed Fabric Raglan Tee so I changed them up. In retrospect, I probably should have stayed with the original design. Other than that I love the cardigan. Ashley loves the cardigan (and me). So the whole project is a success. 

Now all that is left to do is get her to stay still long enough to get pictures!

Last Years Easter Dress Finished Just In Time for This Year

Happy Easter!

I started this dress just over a year ago, when I was less confident with my sewing than I am now. You can see a little bit of puckering where the bodice and skirt meet. At that time I didn't even think about fitting beyond reading the measurement chart, before I started sewing. 

Right before last Easter I had her try on the almost finished dress for hemming, only to discover that she was swimming in it. Very frustrated I ended up tossing aside the dress and begrudgingly learning my lesson about fitting. The dress ended up being shuffled from location to location every time it got in my way. 

Then, the night before this Easter I was digging through my crafting supplies looking for fabric paint, and found it crumpled in the bottom of the bin. I decided that it was more appropriate for Easter that the South Western Pottery Dress, so I had Bella try it on. What do you know, it fit beautifully.

I spent the night hand basting, hemming, ironing and fighting a loosing battle to make the hem lay flat. I think it spent to much time crumpled. The dress also needed buttons, and of course I couldn't find the perfectly matching blue buttons that I had originally bought so I used yellow buttons that matched the overlay instead. Luckily I am not nearly as terrified of sewing buttons holes as I used to be.

When I first started planning this dress for last Easter, I fell in love with the overlay fabric while browsing a local fabric shop and purchased the duchess satin from  Fabric.com to go with it. The Simplicity pattern was already in my stash and the contrasting buttons (not shown) were from my stash as well.

I hope your family had a great Easter. We sure had fun visiting my mother (back, left) along with my niece and nephew (who's mother is still in the hospital, but doing better.)