Grandpa Cardigan and a Coupon Code for YOU

This is my version of the Darling Cardigan by Owly Baby, this month's LTTSA sponsor. It's not perfect, but I kind of love it. It's refashioned from one of Nick's old hoodies that was covered in holes. I somehow managed to cut out the pattern pieces while avoiding the holes and centering the plaid. Bonus. 

This was not my first time working with knit, but it was my first experience with ribbing. I'm a big fan, however I did seem to miscalculate the length of ribbing I needed around the neckline and front. That's why it's a little too stretched looking around the neck area.

But I'm glad to have the experience with ribbing and I know exactly how I would fix the problem next time. Plus it still looks pretty cute when it's on him. ("Mom, go away. I just woke up and I need to watch Barney." ...Yes, sometimes I let him watch Barney. Don't judge me.)

Also, here's a secret- The button placket is completely fake. I've only done button holes on my newer machine, which is still in the shop. I didn't feel like figuring it out on my other machine, so I just faked it. It's easy enough to pull over anyway. I left it at just 3 buttons because I think it looks much more grandpa-ish. Which suits his grumpy post-nap demeanor here just fine.

Next time I try an Owly Baby pattern, it will most certainly be this adorable City Jumper. Those pockets are killing me. And you know how I feel about piping.

Good news! Becky of Owly Baby is not only sharing her patterns as our giveaway prize this month, she's also offering all of my readers a coupon code. For 20% off purchases of individual patterns (not bundles), enter LTLGRAY20 from now until the end of November. Go!

KCWC Days 2 & 3

So remember how I said I was hoping to get both of these LBB hoodies done on Tuesday? Well that was dumb. Since I already had all the pieces cut out, I thought I might do each step to both at once. But then I realized I needed to use different color thread on each, so that was out. I also forgot about the extra time you need to spend spray starching the t shirt knit and doing extra careful pinning. But I was at least happy to get one done each night.

The Beatles are from his dad's old shirt that had a stain on the bottom. I really love the teal and gray with it. I made him the size 4, since that is what he has been wearing lately, and it fits well other than the sleeves being a little long and the hood being gimungous. Probably should have cut the size 3 hood. He was really excited to put it on when he saw it, which as you know, is the best thing ever when it happens.

This one also came out a little large in areas, but I still think it's super-cute with some pink leggings. It was an old Threadless shirt of mine. And yes, it had already been spit up on in that last picture.


I really love this pattern. I love that it is such a comfy wardrobe staple that I can make them year after year. (Last year's version here.)  I also love that it's made from old shirts and cut in a way that you don't have to hem it. It's an awesome one to try if you are nervous about sewing with knits. Check it out here, along with loads of other cute LBB patterns.


Tonight maybe a pair of pants, maybe a girly top, maybe a grandpa cardigan. Who knows, I'm leaving my plan and going rogue.

Just Beat It (some boy clothes)

That's Hendrix's favorite song. It has been for months. Sometimes we stray into other MJ territory, like Bad or Black or White, even Jam. But we always come back to Beat It. The other day it was disgustingly hot and he still insisted on wearing his jacket because he was dancing to Beat It; you know, like the red one in the video. He was dripping sweat. As my friend said, art is pain. 

I made those helicopter shorts from Dana's beloved pattern of course. (That tee is from my last round of boy clothes, you can check out here.)

This pair I refashioned from an old shirt of mine and lined up the pockets to be on the back. I love it when extra details can make themselves. 

I also freezer paper stenciled the little bike on this shirt. 

(*** Here is the image I used! I was too lazy to go upstairs to my printer, so I traced it right off the computer screen onto a square of freezer paper. Make sure you have the shiny side against the screen.)

I love a little boy in a muscle shirt. A grown man, not so much. I wonder when that threshold is officially crossed? I found 2-packs of these tanks at H&M and now I wish I had bought more. 

Do you wonder what he was looking at here? He peed himself right as I took this picture. Classic. 

3 Boy Shirts

So have you seen the little solid and striped tees Target has right now for $5? I bought a bunch and have been having a blast dressing them up, mostly with a stack of mine and Nick's old tees. Mucho-score-age. 

First up is the obligatory "big brother" shirt. We parents sure love to put things on our kid's clothes that they won't understand. And me, I like to abbreviate things to make them even harder to understand. I even thought about making it say "bro-ham" or "brosef" like Jack Black calls Will Ferrell in his little Anchorman cameo. But that would have just confused most everyone and made our parents and grandparents question our moral bearings and worldviews...Hendrix is just going to like it because it has "shark attacks" on it. 

The words are freezer paper stenciled, and the wave part is a graphic that I just painted real quick. Just lying, it was already on another shirt. Then I slapped on a couple sharks.

This shirt you might remember being modeled on game day. The thing is, sports team apparel for kids is WAY expensive. Much more than I would ever pay for an article of clothing that is going to get popsicle stains all over it, or maybe even puked on. I found a Reds shirt at a thrift store a long time ago and put the logo from it onto this shirt about 6 minutes before we walked out the door to head to the Reds game. (p.s. That day was their first loss of the season so far. We always seem to have that effect on them.) 

This last shirt didn't turn out exactly as planned. When Nick saw it he said it looked like something Randy Savage would wear. (?) Then he asked if I was a promotor of Chevron now. (Don't get him started on the system.) The technique is inspired by this shirt, which of course looks perfect and cute and easy to pull off...

But only the top green chevron part is curling up to achieve the desired effect. After some quick pondering, I figured out that this is because I should have sewn the other two chevron panels opposite side down. Knit t-shirt material always has a side that curls up on the edges you cut into... D-oh. 

Maybe it will still curl up the more times I wash it, who knows. It's still his favorite color and cute enough to play outside in. I'm just glad the poor kid got something made for him in the midst of all these dresses and pink things. Just two more days until we meet Elsie Morgan! Squeeeeee!!!!

A Dress a Week #6 (With Free Download!)

This week I made the Warhol Dress from MADE from a couple of old t-shirts. I really love this pattern, the tied yoke is adorable. And Dana's directions are always clear and easy to follow. I really feel like I learn a little something new about sewing clothes every time I follow one of her tutorials. 

Here's one more I made in the smaller size, just using the design from one of my husband's old shirts. 

I had no idea what I wanted to put on the front of that first dress until late last night when I should have been going to bed. That's the way it always happens. I came up with this little pigtails and lips combo and I liked it so much I wanted to share it with you!



So here you go:


girly stencil


I've never tried to make anything available for download on the blog before, so please give it a quick try and let me know if it works easily for you. I used the free site docstoc.com, which was really easy.

Please use it for whatever in the world you want, even making obscene amounts of money. Just please be kind enough to link back here to where you got it.





You could use it as an applique design like I did, or even try a little screen printing or freezer-paper stenciling. If you've never done the freezer paper thing, check out instructions here (a video) or here.

And if you've never done applique using fusible web like Heat 'n Bond, (that's what I use, I like that it comes in big rolls,) this explains the basics pretty well. The best thing you can do here is read the instructions on the Heat 'n Bond package. (Or Steam-a-Seam, or Wonder Under, or whatever you find at the fabric store.)


Here's a few more examples of how I used applique this week to make Hendrix's old newborn gowns more girly.  (These all use fabric scraps I got in swaps with Tara and Janee. Yippee!)

LBB Hoodie

So I bought this Lil Blue Boo hoodie pattern probably a year ago, and just got around to making one this weekend. It was so fun to make something new for H out of three old tshirts.

Of course I couldn't get him to hold still for pictures, but you get the idea. I didn't mean to lop quite so much off the octopus thingy's head (an old threadless shirt), but I still like the way it turned out. The only tricky part about the pattern was attaching the hood. I had to pick out part of the seam, but that was mostly because of my own lack of common sense. Easy fix. I love the colors, and he loves wearing it because it has a "pott-et." If there are two things this kid loves, it's pockets and brushing his teeth way too many times a day.