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

After some pretty obvious frustration yesterday, I finished some projects. Some I just put away for another time and some I started because I knew I could finish them without loosing my mind.  This shirt pattern is from the super fantastic japanese book Happy Homemade Vol. 2.

There is a little keyhole detail in the back, but except for that it’s just a few pieces of fabric cinched together with a tie.  The tie works as the straps too and ties in a pretty bow in the back.  If I didn’t have to hem the entire tie  (and next time I’ll just cut two, sew them together and turn them out) it would have taken an hour start to finish. I don’t know if it fits yet, because little miss is at school, but it turned out so well I won’t even mind if it doesn’t.

I know for sure these shorts don’t fit, but they might in a few years. My son doesn’t care though. He wore them yesterday and today and the front is covered in breakfast, which is why I am only showing you the back. To make these you take a pattern for shorts cut the front and back pieces down the middle (slash and spread) so when you cut out your fabric you should have eight pieces total. Then sew the middle seams with the seam exposed and sew the side seams normally.  It’s kind of a cool detail, but I’m not sure how they’ll look out of the wash. I made them from a knit, so they shouldn’t unravel. If they come out ok I’ll make some more in the right size. someday. The pattern is “i” from Everyday Bottoms.

I started this digger almost a year ago (it’s nice to have a record of the things you make, but it’s not so nice to see just how long you can procrastinate) and it should be in the shop later today.  It’s funny how my tastes have changed in a year. I wanted to rip up all the patchwork and start again, but then it would have sat around another year I’m sure.  A lot of the scraps came from my first big sewing project (and my first big post). I think it’s time I cleaned out my scrap box and made a quilt. Or an army of patchwork diggers.

*My site was a little messed up this past week–if you couldn’t leave a comment or find a post I’m sorry. My genius of a husband fixed it all, so comment away.