KCWC - days 2-7!

welllllllllllll, i did manage to sew for an hour a day, but i don't have a lot to show for it. i went for quality over quantity and tried to focus on the details.

inspired by these gorgeous shorts, i set about making a girly pair.

lots of faffing around later et voila!



i used this tutorial on made, really good and i'll definitely be making some more, think i'll try the lined trousers next time with some old t-shirts for the lining.

things i've learned - sew pockets onto trouser panels before sewing the trousers together!

and i made harriet a matching pair.



i just traced an old pair of shorts to make a pattern, and i'm really pleased with how they turned out, i think i'll make some more adding a little bit into the bum and the rise and they'll be perfect!

i even made little name tags for them both, i just stamped onto cotton webbing using ink which once ironed will stand the up to the washing machine.





i still have lots of stuff i want to make so i think i'll continue my own personal kids clothes challenge for the next few weeks..... but first i need a week on a thai beach......

kcwc - day one from an iPad!

a rather dark picture of what I achieved on kcwc day one - two pairs of yellow gingham seersucker cut out and ready to sew - goodnight!

KCWC

not as prepared for KCWC as i'd hoped...

i had grand plans to have loads of things all cut out before the start of kcwc, and ready to sew together, resulting a very productive week.

as usual my actual output this week has fallen monumentally short of my rather optimistic predicted (hoped for) output. and i have nothing cut out, not even a list of things to make.

so here we go....

here's a little stack of some of my fabric i've pulled to work with



and i'd like to make knot shorts in yellow seersucker for S, and little shorts in yellow seersucker for H, a skirt with heart pockets in the chambray, and some sort of dress in the spot seersucker.

this funky japanese print is just calling out to be worn by cute little people!



this dress



in this strawberry print.



another dress for S and a peasant top or shorts for H in this pink gingham



and i really want to make some of these for both of them for when we will be in slightly cooler weather (wooohoo!) but i'm undecided on fabric.....

maybe this for one side...



so there we have it, a rather optimistic plan of action for kcwc! what are you planning on making?

vintage treats + KCWC

do the 80s count as vintage?!!!

my mum came to visit a few weeks ago, and brought with her a few sewing bits and bobs which she's had in her cupboard for yonks! (she's a bit of a hoarder!)

all packed up in this cool tin



filled with lace and broderie trims, some lace collars, cutout patches.....



i think some of them came from my aunt who used to be a designer, and then had her own boutique.



and these cool tapes, i remember playing with these when i was a kid, not sure what to do with them though - any ideas? especially the number one?



and she also brought these beauties



Burda magazines from 1986! two in german and one in english (at least the german should be easier to figure out than the japanese craft books!)



how cute are these two?..



nice specs!...



i actually quite like this one...



and these could be cute in some nice fabric...



kind of scary but cute too!..



i really like the boys all in one



and as it's KCWC in a few weeks I'll definitely be making use of some of these trims and patterns.... now i just need to find some leg warmers and velvet scrunchies to complete the looks!

KCWC - day six and seven and a roundup

as suspected the weekend didn't leave a lot of time for sewing on day six and seven of kcwc.

i did manage to finish one pair of bloomers...


and get three quarters of the way through another pair.....



and i started on a baby sunsuit using this tutorial, but then realised the only poppers I had were ones which you hand sew on and I didn't think they stand up to much wear and tear, so I'll need to get to the shops before I can finish those.

so my grand total for kcwc is as follows....

3.75 pairs of bloomers
2 skirts
2 dresses (finished off)

so not a monumental amount, and not as much as i would have liked, but i always have grand plans in my head - but with only a measley 24 hours in a day there's just never enough time! (n.b. when pre-bath meltdowns are in full swing believe me i am very thankful there are only 24 hours in a day!)

but the flickr group has provided so much inspiration, and i've pulled out so  much fabric - i think kcwc might just stretch out to another week.

i'd love to make some shorts like these, using this tutorial....

and a leah tunic from this sew along...... found through here...

and a top using this as inspiration....

the week after this will be my personal - "all those little sewing projects i keep putting off week challenge"

KCWC - day four and five

day four and five saw a lot of seam ripping!

but i did finish off this pillowcase dress made from some fabric i bought yonks ago in a spotlight sale. i think i might change the tie to a ribbon as it's a bit stiff as it is. and maybe add a corsage and a ribbon trim around the bottom....



the pattern is from "making children's clothes" by emma hardy. it's supposed to have a full lining, but with it be so hot here I thought a full lining was too much, so it has a half lining. i also altered the arm holes as the ones from the pattern are HUGE! again i think H will have to wait and grow for a while before it fits her.

i also knocked up these skirts. just selvedge to selvedge, with a contrast band.



not sure how much productivity day six and seven will yield - but i do have a huge pile of fabric and millions and squillions of ideas from the flickr group, so i might do KCFC - kid's clothes fortnight challenge (does that acronym make anyone else hungry!)

anyway a spot of laundry is beckoning....

KCWC - day one, two and three

days one two and three of kids clothes week have been fairly industrious - however it has revealed to me that I am a very slow sewer!

on day one I started on this pair of bloomers from lotta jansdotter's simple sewing for baby.

the seam ripper made an appearance when i sewed the bias binding on upside down.


on day two i finished the bloomers (will have to revisit at the end of the week as the elastic in the legs is a little snug!)



and then i pulled out the pieces for this dress, cut out nearly a year ago for S, now far too small for her, but H will grow into it. re-did the pocket friend and got as far as sewing the bias binding onto the armholes.



day three saw a trip to spotlight to pick up some more elastic, trims and i might just have purchased a little more fabric! on returning home day three saw the finish of the simple dress - and i love it! i can't wait for it to fit H.



i'm really pleased with it, yes there are a few puckery bits on the bias bits around the armholes and neck, but i can look past those! i added a special little name tag and instead of using a button and ribbon look, i sewed contrasting ribbon to the neckline for the closure.



and i'm so in love with the pocket friend - i think every pocket should have one!

kids clothes week

it's kids clothes week challenge (kcwc) over on elsie marley. a week where you dedicate one hour a day to sewing for your kid(s). this is my first time to participate and I'm quite looking forward to it.





i've made a few bits of clothing for S in my time, and they're nice, but looking at all the inspiration out there for kcwc i think i need to branch out a little in the embellishment and detail - so that's my challenge to myself this week...... and maybe practicing some french seams along the way.

i think monday morning is a little late in the day to be collecting inspiration - but hey-ho - as is life!

i might make H some of these bloomers (although I don't have any vintage hankies), and also a pair from  Lotta Jansdotter's Sewing for Baby

and not that she actually where's anything on her feet (it's ALWAYS hot here) i might whip up a pair of these booties.

maybe another one of these skirts from oliver and s

this looks like a pretty sweet little top

and this is just the cutest little dress

right now to start gathering fabrics and i might find a few unfinished projects along the way!!