KCW Part 2

You know what I love about Kids Clothes Week? Everyone approaches it differently. This is the first time I've ever made it past 2 garments in the whole week. And I made it pretty far past, because now I have 8 finished garments and there are still 3 days left. For me, I had to figure out a way to build momentum and not lose it. I am slowing down a bit, but I think I'll finish at least 2 more things.

I've kept some guiding principals all week, and I think that's what made it successful for me:

• Only using materials I already have. I love using up stash. Takes away the guilt when I go to buy more later.
• Only sewing patterns I've sewn before and already had traced. I know a lot of people love to use this week to try new things, but this has been a huge factor in my productiveness. I've modified some things to keep it interesting or sewn different views. I even drafted a quick tank pattern one night, but that was pretty mindless. Point is, it's the brain extension that really leads to burnout. (And too much tracing. That definitely leads to burnout.) Use your hands, not your brain or knees.

• Sewing things that are really needed. I've mostly sewn staple items for Elsie because she really doesn't have much for the coming warm weather. Filling needs motivates me. 

• Blogging and modeling just get in my way. Don't get me wrong, I am enjoying reading some of your blog posts and the clothes are always cuter on the kids. But Elsie is really into "NO!" when it comes to photo shoots, so they eat up a lot of time and stress. Plus the actual post writing on top of that. If I had tried blogging daily, I woulda been done on day two. Kaput. I love you guys for reading here, but this week has been for me and my family, not the blog, and that feels great!

• On the other hand, the social aspect of KCW is very fun and a great motivator. I like to be stroked as much and the next guy. I'm posting every garment to IG (alittlegressica) in real time and then to the Flickr group right from my phone. So glad they improved the flickr ap for iPhones by about 538%. I can take a little break and look at every new thing popping up there easily on my phone for insta-inspiration.

• Don't plan too far ahead. I think that's what killed me in the fall. I had all these things cut out and ready the week before, and then it didn't seem as exciting to sew them anymore. This time, I've left myself more freedom. I sew what I want!
• Finish things. I like to finish things. 

• Never waste time on pedestrian tasks like laundry folding or floor mopping. Do waste time going outside with your kids or taking the occasional power nap. 
• Coffee. Ungodly amounts of coffee.

You can click on the pictures to go to my Flickr and get more pattern information for each one. It's turning out to be a very Oliver & S week for me, which is great. I love to use the few patterns I have of theirs over and over. (Love or laziness?) 

I'll be back Monday to share several more KCW finishes and wrap it all up. What have been your secrets to success this week?

KCW: Liberty Ice Cream Blouse

Whenever I make big plans for Kids Clothes Week, it never works out that well. So this time I've decided to keep expectations very low and just sew what I can sew. Sounds like good clean fun to me. 

But the part that really kills me is trying to photograph and blog things. That NEVER happens in a timely fashion. So I'm getting rid of that pressure too and I'll probably just post one or two fuzzy instagram pics here. If I actually spent the time trying to get good pictures of projects, I would not have time to sew the next one. And this week is about sewing, because my kids really need some warm weather clothes! If you are horrible at following blogs (like I am), just keep up with me there- alittlegressica. And of course, we'll all be having a party in the KCW flickr group. 

I actually finished this Oliver & S Ice Cream blouse on Saturday because yesterday was our joint birthday party for Hendrix and Elsie. I can't believe I now have a 4 year old and a 2 year old!

I used my favorite print from Bloomsbury Gardens by Liberty LIfestyle. I got it at Sewn of course, and now I want to sew all her clothes in LL. It's just so soft and gorgeous for garments. My friend at the party told me she could tell I made it just because it looked like such quality fabric. And of course, this pattern is one of my favorites. This was my first time making the blouse view and it's very quick.

Do you like her matching mustache?

Color Blocked Kid Pants Tutorial

Just bringing home a tutorial I did for KCWC on Elsie Marley this fall. Enjoy!

Hey, I'm Jessica from A Little Gray, and I'm downright chuffed to be kicking off the pre-KCWC festivities. I love this event so much, but in the spring I didn't get to participate because I was competing in Project Run & Play. (Which is going on again right now, by the way. Lots of inspiration there.) But this time around, I am all in!

You should know that I love to sew boy clothes. I have a little girl too, but for some reason the boy sewing comes much more naturally to me. Color blocking has been a great trend for a while now, but it seems like girls have been having all the fun with blocked skirts and dresses. When I saw this new collection from Michael Kors, I knew my 3 year old needed to rock some color blocked pants.

This first pair is inspired directly by those Kors men's pants that are different colors on the front and back. Using Dana's fantastic kid pants pattern, I simply cut the front pattern piece from peacock blue corduroy and cut the back from navy. Not much to explain there, but it's something I never would have thought to do before. 

I also cut them a little skinnier (see below) and added back pockets with contrasting bright blue topstitching. I think back pockets are such a great way to make pants look much more polished and professional. I basically make mine like this tutorial. You can use an existing pair of pants to make a pocket pattern. 

I couldn't stop at just one pair of CB pants, (despite my husband's looks of great concern for my sanity) so I decided to try it with contrasting bottoms this time. They look pretty cool cuffed with some chucks.  The result is just like this pair, but pieced instead of painted. That's what I'm going to show you how to make today.

But first you can very easily make them fit slimmer if you prefer. I did this by marking a line on the bottom of each pattern piece, 1.25" in on the inseam side. Continue to draw the line up so that it's perpendicular to the other straight side of the pants. Then as you get closer to the crotch, ease the line into that curve. Make sure you measure the same amount in on both pieces, and your pants will line up without a hitch.

Now I've cut the new shape out of my pattern and I'm going to figure out where to cut again for color blocking. First, cut a piece of string to the length you want the main fabric of your pants to be before the contrast color starts. I wanted my contrast well below the knee and I cut my string to 11.5". However, my son is tall and I have to add a few inches onto the bottom of this pattern for him. So if your child fits the pattern as is, you might want to take 2-3" off of that length.

Use your string to start at the point of the crotch and measure down the inseam to mark the pattern at the end of the string. Of course, you want to keep it flush against that curve, which I wasn't able to photograph very well.

 

Use a ruler to draw a line at that mark all the way across the pattern, keeping it perpendicular to both sides. Cut the pattern on that line and repeat the same process with the string on the other piece. It's also helpful to write "front" and "back" on those bottom pieces now so you don't get them confused. 

Now cut all your pieces from the two fabrics, cutting two pieces on the reverse from each like normal. HOWEVER: be sure to add 3/8" for seam allowance to the bottom of the main pieces and top of the contrast pieces. In other words, on the edges where you cut the pattern apart. 

Sew all the contrast pieces onto the bottom of the corresponding main piece, using that consistent 3/8" seam allowance. Finish the seams and topstitch them down on the contrast side with matching thread.

Now you are ready to sew the pants together as usual. But when you sew the inseam, pin very carefully so that the contrast seams match up perfectly. Do the same when you sew the outside seams, hem as usual, and you are done!



If you like this look, you should also check out Blue-Eyed Freckle's tutorial for how to add a contrasting bottom to existing pants.



Thanks so much for having me Meg, I can't wait to see what pops up in the flickr group. Maybe I'll even get to see some color blocked pants? Happy KCWC sewing everyone!

KCWC Days 1&3

You may have been here last week when I talked a big game about getting a lot done for KCWC this year because my kids are in Florida for the whole week. As is turns out, there are so many more fun things to do besides sew when your kids are gone and you can do whatever you want. Who knew? Also, I have a job and playoff tickets and episodes of SYTYCD to catch up on. Priorities people. 

Even so, I've managed to make 2 items for Elsie in these first three days. For the rest of the week, I think I just need to continue down this path of following simple patterns I've made before. I also need to continue down the path of not caring if I miss a day. There is surely post-Reds-win beer to be had tonight, not more sewing. 

Pattern: O&S Class Picnic Blouse, size 18 mo

Fabric: AMH Loulouthi Framed in Shadow

Notes: A simple sew, just like the first time. Really had to squeeze in some fussiness when cutting this print though, and I love the effect. I promise the panel in the front is more centered than it looks here. 

Pattern: R is for Romper from the Sewing for Boys book, size 12 mo

Fabric: Old blue shirt and floral knit from Joann

Notes: I've used the Raglan pattern  from this book a lot, but it doesn't come in a size small enough for Elsie, so I modified this romper pattern to be a long sleeve tee. And I added the pocket, which is slightly crooked, but doesn't this side angle shot hide that well? I really love this funky knit I found in the clearance section. It's by April Johnston from PR a few seasons back. 

Wouldn't these look so much cuter on my little model? Despite all the grown-up basebally fun we are having, I miss my kids terribly. The couple in front of us at the game last night had the sweetest baby girl and I couldn't stop staring at her. It was all I could do to not ask them to let me hold her. That probably (definitely) would have been inappropriate, but I almost didn't care. Almost. 

KCWC: Guest Post and Planning

Today I'm guest posting at Elsie Marley with a simple tutorial on how to make Dana's kid pants pattern into color-blocked fashion statements. Find it right here.

I'm pretty excited to be a part of KCWC this year! If you don't know what that is, then you must be new here. And by "here" I don't mean ALG, I mean the whole sewing internet subculture thingy.

It's Kid's Clothing Week Challenge, and Meg from Elsie Marley puts it on every spring and fall. The idea is to spend at least an hour a day for a whole week sewing for your kids. Which is, in fact, a challenge. Even for someone like me who sews a little almost every day (maybe 5 out of 8, just to give a ratio that makes no sense and is not actually ratio), it's a marathon. There's also the photographing and blogging to attempt to keep up with. But you don't want to miss that part because there is SO much inspiration and such a feeling of community. It's pretty giant. But there is no blog required, just join the Flickr group. And don't forget to sign up for KCWC so there is a good count of the hoards of crazed sewing moms participating. Do that by leaving a comment on this post. Simple. Hurry though, because it starts next week!

In the spring during the last KCWC, I was competing in PR&P so I didn't get to join in. But last fall, I planned and cut almost all my garments the week before it actually began. That made the sewing part go much more successfully, and I'm hoping to get some serious cutting time in this week. I've already got my stack going and patterns assigned. I'm really trying to sew mostly for Elsie since Hendrix has been getting all the new handmades lately.

The one thing missing from the stack above is fabric for her new coat. I'm going with this pattern, which I've seen several cute versions of, but this one by straight grain clenched it for me.


Now I realize that is a really ambitious list for one week. I'm realistic that I won't get to all of it. But I'm also hopeful because I've had the stars aligned for me and my parents happen to be taking the kids to FL next week. Yes, both of the kids, all week. Besides KCWC-ing, I will also be working extra hours and going to the Reds playoffs games, (WOOOOHOO!) and possibly descending into a deep depression from missing my kids. Ok, probably not on that last one. I'll have to just sew my tushy off to distract myself.

KCWC Day 6

Yikes, I'm a little late wrapping last week up. I don't know where this week has gone. Mostly into pots of chili, pumpkin farms, hanging out with good friends, enjoying the Walking Dead premiere, keeping up with a scooting babe and delving once again into sewing hell. (I know, I said never again. They pay pretty well, what are you gonna do?)

I made this little Amelia top on Saturday, which ended up being my final KCWC garment. Sunday was just too perfect not to go to the farm... So I made something 5 out of the 7 days, which I'm really happy with. I usually sew at least a little every day, but trying to finish something every night really is a marathon. A fun one, nevertheless.

I really adore how this pattern turned out. I just need to find the right color onesie for Elsie to wear underneath. I added the piping detail around the neck and under the bodice, and used it instead of the fabric trim suggested around the bottom. I'm mostly just a huge fan of piping. It makes most everything better. But putting it one the corners of the neckline was pretty tricky. I'm pretty sure knowing how to bind a quilt helped me with that one.

The button is from my mom's vintage collection. I just love the pop of brick red, very fallish don't you think?

I'm entering into Celebrate Color this month. I hope to scrape together a couple more entries, but October is disappearing way too fast. How did that happen?? I still have to start Halloween costumes and make my LTTSA aprons- I still haven't got past the cutting!

Speaking of the sew-along, if you are waiting on your leader to get her crap together, just check out Jenny's post. She links to a great bias tape tutorial, and gives awesome tips for sewing with laminates. Love it. And don't forget, if you link up this month you might win a couple Mama Stellato patterns- including this Amelia top if you want. Yay for sew-along sponsors.

WARNING! Totally unnecessary and gratuitous kid/pumpkin pictures ahead...

KCWC Day 4

Last night I made pants. I realized I've made lots of pairs of shorts from Dana's pattern, but this is the first time I actually used it for pants. I made them from an old pair of cords I've been saving for this very purpose. The best part was that I managed to cut them so that I didn't have to hem, just used the original hem. It's a really wide hem, which I thought might look too girly, but I think it's super cute on him. 

I also added knee patches from this funky waffle knit. They turned out to be slightly too far to the inside, but they will do. I had meant to add pockets, but the pants were already put together before I remembered that. Whoops. Sometimes this KCWC can really rush you thru your vision for a garment. You know, it's probably exactly what it's like to be on Project Runway :)

I couldn't resist putting another Echino piece in for a tag. Now that I think about it, I probably should have used the rest of this particular square for those knee patches. See, late night sewing really lacks that kind of clarity. 

Speaking of Project Runway, I'm hoping to muster up a PR post tomorrow, since we are nearing the end of this very lackluster season. I just can't get too excited about any of the contestants, and a lot of the goings-ons this season have been slightly more ridiculous than usual. Plus if I wait a couple of days past watching an episode, I just don't have anything to say about it. Lately, I forget to even watch it right away, if that tells you anything. So sorry to that small percentage of you out there who look forward to those posts.... am I alone in my looking forward to this season being over already? Yeesh.

Nick got off very early from work tonight unexpectedly, so no Project KCWC here tonight. I'd like to get two more things done by Monday, but even if I don't, it's been very fun and I'm so happy with what I've done. Now, it's wine and movie time.