I’m running a little bit late this morning (and there is sewing to do!) so just the deets on this one:

• idea: blatantly stolen from oeuf
• pattern: tee for two from patterns by figgy (the pattern is also in their new book)
• fabric: one felted cashmere sweater, the neckline and some scraps of another felted sweater
• skill level: easy peasy

When I was making this sweater a friend of mine (hi amanda!) was asking me about the mitten pockets but slipped and called them mockets. Now the top will always be known as the mocket sweater. I think it’s pretty catchy.

Here are todays pretties from the flickr pool:

1. lazy days skirt for fall
2. elbow patches
3. no-ruffle rosy pierrot tunic
4. fall basics

Someone commented that all these finished garments are making her look like a very slow sewer. I don’t want anyone to be discouraged this week. So I thought I’d tell her–and all of you–that I have been plugging away at a little coat all week and I am still nowhere near done. No plopping on the couch this evening (unless that is where you sew). Keep at it! Make yourself to sit down in front of your sewing machine and I promise you will have a finished garment by the end of the week.

These are the pants with the silly bunting tag I showed you last week. And look! they aren’t on backwards! The pattern is from Happy Homemade vol. 2 and it is by far my favorite pants pattern.  I’ve used it to make these pj pants, these crazy pants, these linen pants, and the exact same corduroy pants in gray (plus a few more I never blogged about). And now these blue beauties. The corduroy is a navy wide wale from joanns and it is so soft.

I found this beautiful brown wool at the thrift store and knew I could use the same pattern for some good, old man pants.Do you think I am addicted to this pattern? I am. I lined the pants with flannel using Dana’s tutorial, except my waistband was separate, so I had to fake my way through that. The pockets are pretty much like Dana’s too only more rounded and I pressed the top bit so the lining would show–sort of like faux piping.

The fake fly (faux fly?)  is one of my favorite things about the pattern and I gussied it up with two lines of topstitching. I also did flat felled seams along the crotch and down the sides, which you can kind of see in the picture below.  I put the pockets up way too high, so now my little boy has old man pants with a big, old man butt.

And just so you don’t think all my garment are perfect (trust me, they are far from it) here is a shot of the inside waistband. That’ll be yur Hot Mess. Part of KCWC is screwing up and soldiering on!

These people sewed on and look what amazing things they made! From the flickr pool today:

1. checked shirt
2. recycled hopscotch shirt
3. rust corduroy pants
4. denim jumper with ribbon embellishment 

happy day three of kcwc!

When I started KCWC my kids were much smaller and their clothes did only take an hour to make. Now it’s pockets and more pockets and buttonhole elastic and nice, sturdy seam finishes (i.e. lots more time for one stupid pair of pants). I made some baby clothes for a new(ish) baby and wow! you can just crank those teeny things out! The pants came from the sleeves of a felted cashmere sweater and they came together so quickly I did a bias bound seam finish along the crotch seam, because I felt like they couldn’t be done already.

I still had more of the hour left, so I made a hat to match. The pattern is from Martha Stewart. Originally, the hat is made from felt and the seams are zigzagged together so they lie flat. I made two hats with normal seams and then sewed them together: cashmere on one side, jersey on the other. I’ve made this hat many, many times. I like how the orange tag on this one make the hat look like a skate punk blue bird.

I finished both things in about 45 minutes, so I thought what they hell, I’ll make a ball with the scraps. Well, the ball took longer than both. The pattern is for a paper pieced, hand stitched pentagon ball. Hand stitching isn’t really my favorite thing, but when you do it with your best friends on a beautiful fall day and a hot cup of coffee it’s not all that bad.

The flickr group is really starting to fill up. One day and you guys are already on a roll! I already mentioned this on twitter, but one of my sponsors, Too Sweets, is offering my readers a 15% discount on her patterns (they are in pdf form, so you could use them today!) just enter KCWC15 when you check out. And while you are at it, check out my other lovely sponsors–many of whom sell very stylish children’s clothes patterns.

1. button fly skirt
2. fake fly pants
3. baby leg warmers
4. tunic or vest from scarf

Happy KCWC!

The first day of the kids clothes week challenge is finally here! Full disclosure: I had my sewing week a few weeks ago so I could have a garment to show you each day, but that was a little challenge to myself. Don’t feel the need to finish something everyday. One hour sewing, pattern making, or fabric cutting–it all counts. What’s important is that you do it every day. Blogging and laundry can wait a week.

It seems silly to be making a sleeveless top for a fall challenge, but I only had the littlest bit of this awesome stripey fabric (thanks, lil!) and I wanted so badly to make something for my daughter from it. The pattern is from Happy Homemade vol. 5, a japanese sewing book. I’ve raved about Happy Homemade vol. 2 in KCWCs past, so I thought I’d see what vol. 5 is all about. It is everything you would expect from a sequel: sort of like the original, but not as good. Still, this is an adorable top, that came together quickly and uses just a bit of fabric. So really the book isn’t without it’s merits.

edited: I get all my japanese sewing books off etsy, search for either of these titles there and you should find them.

Just because I’ve done a bunch of sewing already doesn’t mean I’m not up for more. The good sewing vibes the come out of KCWC are too good to pass up. We are 300 strong and counting this time around! If you haven’t already, go over to flickr and join the elsiemarley group so you can show off your fabric piles and patterns and finished garments. While you are there check out the eager beavers who have already posted some gorgeous pictures, like these guys:

1.  de-stash dress
2.  dog shirt
3.  tula pink tunic
4.  stripey pants

It’s time again for another edition of KCWC: kids clothes week challenge.  KCWC is a twice-annual event where I challenge you to commit to sew children’s clothes for an hour each day for 7 days. Fall is coming (at least in these parts) and my kids could use some cozy pants and sweaters–and pretty soon we’ll need hats and mittens too! All that sewing is a little overwhelming, but I am always amazed at how much I get done by putting in a bit of time every day.

If you have more questions about how KCWC works, you can jump over to the FAQ page. Then jump back here and leave a comment on this post telling me you are in! That’s all it takes. Then on the second week of October there will be hundreds (really, hundreds) of people cheering you on to make awesome clothes for your kids.

In the mean time, feel free to browse around the elsiemarley flickr group for inspiration–join the group so you can post pictures for this one–and look at my posts from older KCWCs! If you have a blog, you can copy and paste the button below (fancy, html code to come when tech support/husband returns).  So leave a comment and sign up! spread the word! sew like crazy!

kcwc fall 2011 buttons:

**********************************

**********************************