After the resounding sucess of last spring’s kids clothes week challenge there was a call to have another when the temperatures cooled off a bit and I am glad to oblige.  The challenge will stay the same:

For one hour each day the week of September 20-26 work on making clothes for kids.

I’m going to soup it up a bit with a giveaway or two and maybe even a tutorial (if my camera is fixed by then). Mostly, though, it should be just like last time with scads of people sewing like crazy for their kids. If you didn’t participate last time or are on the fence this time, imagine what it would be like to have 200 people cheering you on and well, that’s what it felt like in the spring.  Just by working a little each day for one week you could have a beautiful winter coat made or all the christmas pajamas done or finally made something from that cute fabric you have been saving. Doesn’t that sound awesome?

I think most of us focused on sewing (and all the pattern tracing, fabric cutting, pinning, hemming and ironing that go with it) in the spring, but I don’t see why knitting and crocheting can’t count–though they are much slower going, so you can’t really be sure you will have a finished product at the end of the week, but then again, maybe the sewers can’t either! Warmer clothes can be a little more involved, but really pants are just long shorts–and I know you can make shorts. There was a fine showing of fall fashions from the southern hemisphere last time, so no whining that fall clothes take too long.

O.k. enough of me talking, time to sign up! Leave your name in the comments if you want to play along this fall. Feel free to take a button for your blog (you don’t have to have a blog to participate of course) and spread the word.

kcwc buttons:

(copy and paste the code under the buttons)

<a href=”http://www.elsiemarley.com/kids-clothes-week-challenge-fall-2010.html”>
<img src=”http://d1yops4utenhgf.cloudfront.net/kcwc_fall_button5.jpg”>
</a>

<a href=”http://www.elsiemarley.com/kids-clothes-week-challenge-fall-2010.html”>
<img src=”http://d1yops4utenhgf.cloudfront.net/kcwc_fall_button2.jpg”>
</a>

<a href=”http://www.elsiemarley.com/kids-clothes-week-challenge-fall-2010.html”>
<img src=”http://d1yops4utenhgf.cloudfront.net/kcwc_fall_button3.jpg”>
</a>

<a href=”http://www.elsiemarley.com/kids-clothes-week-challenge-fall-2010.html”>
<img src=”http://d1yops4utenhgf.cloudfront.net/kcwc_fall_button4.jpg”>
</a>

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kids clothes week reference:

inspiration and tutorial posts

• fall/winter clothes
• coats and sweaters
• warm things for baby
• hats, mittens and scarves
• halloween costumes

frequently asked questions

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After kids clothes week ended, there were a bunch of you who asked if we could do it again in the fall. Well, now fall is quickly approaching and I’m wondering if you still want to do it.  And if so when?  If we do it soon, then it could be a back to school thing, but if we do it later–say in September–then the kids would be at school and we would actually have some time to sew for them!  Tell me what you think in the comments and we’ll make a decision soon.

Little Mr. freshly squeezed up there won’t be in school, but will kindly wear anything thing I make for him. Or buy: the awesome shirt he’s wearing was made by my friend Mo and you and your littles can have one too.

1. McCall’s vest 2332 and bow tie, 2. Day 1, 3. Tea towel pants, 4. Kids Clothes Challenge, 5. annabelle in ruffle top, 6. Baggy towel pants, 7. 90 minute shirt with pleats, 8. Princess & the Pea Sundress – 2, 9. Goldfish

I was a little unsure about kids clothes week when I first posted about it. There are enough tasks to get done everyday, I didn’t want to add to that list and make mothers out there crazy (or crazier).  But I thought maybe we could eek out a little bit of time each day and that wouldn’t be too much to ask.  Then blazzam! You took that little bit of time and ran with it. I am floored by the creativity and skill and perseverance of you all.

1. front, 2. Ice Cream Dress, 3. yellow pants . front, 4. kids clothes week challenge :: day 1, 5. sailboat pants – on alice, 6. WIP – polka dot dress, 7. kids’ clothes challenge – y’s shirt, 8. kcwc rainbow leggings, 9. Vintage Dress

There is inspiration in the flickr group to last all summer long.  I cut out twice as many patterns as I got to sew last week–and I’m sure I’m not the only one–so the group is sure to keep growing.  Looking at all that you’ve made makes me want to sew so much more! The list will never be completely crossed off and I’m ok with that. Thank you so much for doing this challenge with me.  I had a blast and my kids were pretty excited too. One of the participants (arg I can’t remember who) said her daughter told her it was like Christmas getting all these new clothes!

I will definitely be doing this again next year.  We could beef it up with prizes (most completed projects, most botched projects, most beautiful on a hanger, most beautiful on the actual child…) or we could just keep is as it is.  You guys made this challenge successful, so what do you think it should be like next year? Really, I want to know.

hey look! you made it to the last day of the kids clothes week challenge! One hour left to hem everything you spent all week making. It’s been amazing to see what everyone has made by just working a little bit everyday.  Some people worked on one garment all week and other people managed to sew up something new everyday.  I finished up these shorts today. The pattern was from Happy Homemade Vol. 2 and he’s wearing the shirt I copied from the book too.

I started these on Friday and I was lucky enough to spend that evening sewing with some of my friends. Friends who were nice enought to join in on the challenge and they made some of their first garments for their little ones.  Sitting around a dining room filled with sewing machines (and cake and wine) talking and laughing was wonderful. This challenge has been like that, only with 200 people around the table!  I am absolutely floored by the things you have sewn and the momentum you created by sewing everyday. A lot of people have asked me to keep the challenge going for a few weeks! And really there is no reason you should stop.

It has taken me all week to figure out I’m making clothes that are a size too big for all of my kids. So even though I got a lot done, most things won’t be worn until next summer. I guess I’ll have to do the week over for this year’s wardrobe, but I honestly don’t mind. I’ve learned a bunch of new things and sewing doesn’t feel like so much of a task any more. What about you? Did you have a good time? Did you cross everything off your list?

oh you didn’t think it was over did you?

The baby doesn’t really need clothes, but how can I not sew something cute for him. Plus it’s easier to make new pants than to go get the box of bigger clothes and go through it again.  The knee pad pants are from the illustrious Dana of dana made it. And the purple pants I made from sleeve of a sweatshirt. He had some purple leggings that I was squeezing his chubby legs in because they were too cute to give up. Finally I traced them and made these and there are some yellow ones in the works from the same pattern.

I bet you could squeeze in a couple hours of sewing this weekend to finish up some projects, then maybe take some pictures and put them up on flickr. Next week I’m going to show off some of the beautiful things that people have been making because wow! you guy are amazing!