I was able to sneak downstairs yesterday and make these polka dot leggings for my daughter. Holy crap that serger is fast. Once I get going I get a little serger happy, weeeeeeee!  Of course then I make a mistake and those seams are a bear to rip out, so  I have to serger more to fix the problem and as my grandfather would say, “I cut it and I cut it and it’s still too short.”  All that is to say the waistband is a little janky.  The pattern is from the Nani Iro book that came out a few years ago.  Between the leg and the cuff of the pants the pattern also had a floobidiboo, but I couldn’t figure out the directions and it wasn’t all that fantastic, so I skipped it.

The top I made from this peasant top tutorial. I snagged some of that Heather Ross Far Far Away unicorn print when it was flying off the shelves (but oh! have you seen her new designs?).  And I’m so glad that I did because I’ve never worked with double gauze before and it is a whole helluva lot nicer than quilting cotton. It’s light and soft and hangs nicely–perfect for summer.  Thankfully the pants and the shirt are a hit even though they are not pink (thankfully).

If I were the kind of person who planned ahead even a little I would have had a week of posts with beautifully photographed clothes with finished hems that I had made for my children ready to go. Instead you get a hurried shot of this muscle shirt with a raw edge (I hate hemming!) on a rainy day before school. The shirt is made from the wildly popular 90 minute shirt tutorial by Dana.  Only I left off the sleeves and sewed ribbing around the armholes and blazzam! the 30 minute muscle shirt is born.  It turned out well, I think. He looks a little like he’s about to go out and race lawnmowers, but that might just be the camo pants.

1. pocketsmock, 2. Music Class Blouse, 3. kids clothes week: frog & toad pants, 4. Ezra in his new pants-in-progress

The flickr group is blowing up with all kinds of amazing clothes. Go check it out! Oh and in case you want to add to your already too long to sew list (like mine) Jennifer from JCasa handmade created a super cute and super quick sundress pattern that you can find here on sew mama sew. I bet you could make it in an hour!

Go!

The first day of the challenge is here! I did sneak down last night to start my first project and it looks like a lot of people have already finished some fantastic projects. But for the most part everything is just in piles. My hour to sew doesn’t come until evening, so until then I can just click around the over 200 blogs that are participating and see what you are making. Here is my list for the week.

for the girl

• 2 shorts
• 2 dresses (1 done, 1 started)
• 1 tank top
• leggings
• peasant top
  

for the boy

• 1 pair of shorts
• 1 pair of pants
• 1 short sleeve shirt
• 1 muscle shirt

for the baby

• 1 romper (started)
• 2 long sleeve shirts
• 2 pairs of pants

There is so much more I want to make, which is just ridiculous, but these are the things they actually need for summer. I don’t know if I can pull it off, but the point is just to start, right? What is on your list?

Inspiring handmade baby clothes:

1. modernbebe reversible bonnet, 2. For our little one on the way, 3. Robots, 4. Goodbye Drool Reversible Handkerchief, 5. denim rompers, 6. Bloomers, 7. baby top, 8. roze pruge, 9. finally something new for baby boy

I don’t think I have to say much about baby clothes to get you to make some. They are super tiny and super quick. And it’s even a little silly that we make bonnets and bloomers and booties because they grow out of them so fast.  But we do and even long after we’ve had our last baby we do.  Who could blame us?  They are so stinking cute.

fantastic tutorials for baby things:

1. baby bonnet from vintage hankie 2. kimono booties 3.  sweat pea pilot cap 4. baby boy onesie tutorial 5. fourth of july baby sun hat 6. baby jumper tutorial 8. heirloom bloomers 8. hanging sloth bib 9. sleep sack tutorial

inspiring girly details:

1. doily detail, 2. patchwork pocket, 3. Bunny Love Reversible Jumper, 4. all season skirt [ pocket detail ], 5. Reversible Kindergarten Pinafore, 6. cherry jumper, 7. The Reversible Teacup Shift Dress, 8. Ruffle Sleeve Top Detail, 9. Vintage Curtain Cami

My next little montage was going to be about baby clothes, but there were a couple comments about how boy’s clothes are kind of boring to sew and no clothes there for boys are any fun. I think this is a ridiculous stereotype about sewing for boys that needs to be dispelled. Most pants and skirts are just two pieces of fabric sewn together. So see, sewing for girls can be just as lame as sewing for boys can be. It’s the fabric you choose–a fine linen or a super tacky polyester, a bright print or a subdued solid–and the elements you choose to include in the design–a secret pocket, some piping, an embroidered design–that make the clothes interesting and fun to sew whether it’s for a boy or a girl. Just because I can slap a ruffle on it, doesn’t make it better.

inspiring boyish details:

1. Sailor shorts in the shop!, 2. Monkey Birthday Shirt, 3. Yoga pant for my son, 4. boy’s pants, 5. knee pads, 6. cuff and trim detail, 7. Detail of G’s Easter pants, 8. tigertophalf, 9. Kaarna pants, back pockets & topstitching

At first when I was learning to sew, it was just about making a pair of pants or a skirt and have them turn out, but now I try to think about the aesthetic of the clothes I want to make and the details that would work and the ones my kids would like.  One problem a lot of us have with store bought clothes is that they insist on putting monsters or princesses or licenced characters on flipping everything which then my kids see and of course want.  I tend to favor simpler clothing, but I don’t want it to be plain plain and I want my kids to like it. So if I add some rainbow piping (I love piping) or big red buttons or embroider a picture they drew then I’ve made something I like, and that I enjoyed making, and my kids like the clothes and wear them!

tutorials for garment details:

1. pleated pocket tutorial 2. knee pad pants 3. freehand embroidered T-shirts 4. flowered collar tutorial 5. how to insert piping 6. in seam pockets 7. how to make a pleated collar 8. how to sew even topstitching 9. add a ruffled shoulder strap

Okay, I will stop blathering on. I think it’s enough to say it’s the details that make the clothes (even if the clothes don’t make the man, or kid).  These are just a few tutorials out there for some elements you can add to any clothes you make. I think kids love pockets on their clothes and there are a million ways to do a pocket. If you know of any good tutorials for clothing details be sure to link to them in the comments! thanks!