The talented women of Pattern Anthology have just released their fall line, The Alphabet Collection. I was honored when they asked me to take part in their blog tour. The coastal cargos I sewed for the spring pattern tour are still in heavy rotation around these parts, so I was excited to see what fall had in store. And it is pretty fantastic: four fall patterns, all designed for both girls and boys, and all a pleasure to sew.

Let’s start with the pants–the dancing pants! Actually they are the W pants pattern by Melissa Mora. These pants were a breeze to sew: the directions were clear, there were just enough details to keep it interesting, and I learned how to sew a zippered welt pocket! I used this lovely mocha chambray from Michel Levine that was sturdy enough for pants. The fabric definitely makes these pants a little dressy–for a night out dancing or the first day of school.

I chose the no-fly option, because honestly my son’s fly is usually down anyway :) Instead of leaving the front plain, I made a fake fly. To do this, I used the pattern for the yes-fly option.  Then I sewed up the front, tucked in the weird fly piece, and sewed a few lines of topstitching to make it look like a real fly. Volia!

I made quite a few more changes to the Study Hall pattern by Andrea Pannell. Sometimes you have a vision in your head and can’t stop thinking about it until it’s made. I wanted a simple, straight coat with a bright contrasting zipper. And really, I think it’s the bright blue zipper (from coats & clark) that makes this coat!

Ok, the changes: I lengthened the coat a bit and left out the ribbing on the bottom. I also curved the hem slightly where it meets the zipper. The ribbing on the cuffs is gone too and I added some simple contrasting cuffs in its place. I made the collar out of matching fabric and lined the whole coat with this butter soft aqua cotton from Organic Cotton Plus.

In between the layers I added flannel, so this coat will be nice and toasty on chilly fall mornings. Oh and I added an inside pocket too. Mostly I did it to practice welt pockets, which I had never done before (I made the jacket before the pants). Good thing I did too, because I somehow managed to make the pocket upside down!

This shirt was so much fun to make. The pattern is the Recess Raglan by See Kate Sew. Holy cow, is it crazy quick to sew! The fabric is from Girl Charlee, who along with Michel Levine, Organic Cotton Plus, and Coats&Clark, is a sponsor of this amazing collection. I have been a fan of Girl Charlee for a long time. They simply have great knits at great prices.

I am kind of crazy for this mint color on boys right now. But in the end, it was a little too much mint and I slapped a freezer paper stencil on it. Now my son always has a disguise.

I couldn’t leave my other kids out! So I whipped up another Raglan Recess tee for my youngest. The knits are again from Girl Charlee. I could not resist this anchor print. Paired with the stripes, he’s like a little french sailor in training.

adorable, right?

The last pattern in the Alphabet Collection is the BBC Vest by Shwin Designs. This pattern was so much fun to sew. I love it when a pattern is like a puzzle and looks likes gobble de gook until the last step. Then, suddenly, you have a beautiful finished garment. And this is a beautiful garment. The curved hem in front, the box pleats in back, the shawl collar, and the racerback all make this vest a stunner!

My daughter is way into accessorizing these day, so a vest is perfect for her. When I saw this ikat fabric at Michel Levine, I knew immediately it would become the vest. I like the grown up vibe of the ikat and the kid vibe of the polka dot-ness. Just right for my almost 8 year old, who wants to be a grown up, but is still very much a kid.

That’s it! Four patterns and so many possibilities! The Alphabet Collection will be on tour for another week. All of these patterns can go so many different ways. I can’t wait to see what everyone makes!

Join us along the Alphabet Collection blog tour to see just how versatile these patterns are. Bloggers will be sewing up all 4 pieces from the collection at girl. Inspired., Shwin & Shwin, Sew a Straight Line, elsie marley, Melly Sews, Happy Together, see kate sew, Elegance & Elephants, I Still Love You, kojo designs, Petit a Petit and Family, The Train to Crazy, Delia Creates and Craftiness is Not Optional

The patterns, fabric, and notions were provided to me for this post. I am also a Pattern Anthology affliate, so clicking the Alphabet Collection links will support me and my blog. Thank you! 

1. stars sweater 2. cardigan  3.  simple shirt 4.  linen cotton dress

We are already to the fifth day of kcwc! Don’t hang up your hat even though it’s Friday! Kids Clothes Week goes a full 7 days. I know weekends can be busy. Maybe you’ve pushed yourself too hard this week and are feeling a little burnt out, or missed a day this week, but don’t stop now when the end is in site! The point of this challenge is not to make beautiful kids clothes–though that does of course happen–it is to sit down in front of your sewing machine a little each day. And it is a big challenge! When the couch or the computer are calling, it can be very hard to ignore them. I know you have two good hours left in you this weekend. I, for one, have about an hour’s worth of threads to clip.

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the fabric: a shockingly nice jersey stripe I found at Joann’s

the pattern: Rae’s Flashback Skinny Tee! I have made a ton with this pattern for kcwc and I have more planned. I stole this idea from the lovely dress Heather made last kcwc. I wish I would have made the bodice shorter. And well, the arms are a little short, but I did size a 5T pattern up for my 7 year old before I realized Rae had put out a big kid sized Flashback Tee. Even will all that, I still like how it turned out–and she loves it!

the sewing: Nothing to it. Really you need to try this pattern!

Sometimes the idea is much more exciting than the actual outcome. But still matching, stripy pants and shorts are pretty cute

the pattern: same as these pants, letter o from Happy Homemade vol 2 in two sizes. This was totally the wrong pattern to use for the shorts, but the perfect one for the pants.  The idea I had for the shorts was something more like this, but then I got all wrapped up in saving the pockets from the original pants (see below). The front pockets were nice, slash pockets, but the back ones, I discovered later, were fake. It was a waste of time and energy and screwed up my plan.

the fabric: those pants up there. They were mine, but I felt like a fool every time I walked out of the house in them.

the sewing: I didn’t intend to get two garments out of one pair of pants. I was only going to make shorts and really to make the shorts I wanted to make–bloomers with a contrasting band–I shouldn’t have made the pants. Oh well. The little pants turned out super cute and the shorts are fine, I guess.

The flickr pool is bursting with amazing garments, many of them upcycled ones. Of all the discussions on flickr this week, my favorite has to be the one about all our mistakes and straight up sewing failures. Late at night, when I’m screwing up every possible way, it’s good to know I’m not alone!

1. pinafore made reversible 

2. top naii

3. raglan tee

4. stripe and color block top

Sometimes getting a good photo of the clothes is twice as hard as actually sewing the clothes. She loves the clothes–I think this outfit will be worn all summer long—but hates being in front of the camera. There were many, many crabby faces before I got this smile.

the pattern: This wide leg pants pattern comes from the Japanese sewing book Happy Homemade Vol. 2. It is pattern letter o. I’ve had a few questions about this book and Japanese sewing books in general, so I thought maybe I’d do a few reviews after kcwc wraps up.

the fabric: Aqua linen from Joann’s.

the sewing: I’ve made these pants so many times before I could sew them in my sleep. Actually, I made these exact pants in orange linen last summer for my daughter and she wore them at every opportunity. Who can blame her? Wearing linen pants feels so good in the summertime.

the pattern: tee for two pattern by figgy’s. I think this pattern might be out of print, but there is a version in the book Sewing for Boys.

the fabric: Nani Iro knit called Pocho. I would buy every bit of fabric Naomi Ito designs if I could. The knit fabric is just as lovely as her double gauze: super soft, a little waffle-y, and the print is perfect.

the sewing: The tee for two pattern calls for all your seams to be on the outside. I wanted a cleaner look, so I sewed everything with right sides facing. I always have trouble with hemming knits, but this time I used mother’s little helper: steam-a-seam. I kind of fell in love with the stuff. It’s double sided, fusible, a little bit stretchy, and only 1/4 inch wide.  Stretch knits and shifty fabrics can be tamed with this stuff. The arm hems turned out perfect because of it. Though, I did feel like I was cheating a bit.

Today’s picks from the flickr pool are brought to you by the amazing stripe and the crazy polka dot:

1. polky dots

2. kcwc spring day 4 

3. kcwc day 1 and 2

4. more stripey jersey jim jams

Welcome to the first day of the Kids Clothes Week Challenge! I am so happy you are sewing along with me and 550 others. If you are new here I want you to know that even though the challenge is to sew for one hour a day, each day, for a week, not everyone sticks exactly to the plan. There are some that work a little bit on one garment all week and others who try to finish a garment every day! It doesn’t matter how many successful garments come out of this week; all that matters is that you sewed, or cut fabric, or traced patterns a little bit every day.

I try to use the challenge to have something finished to show you each day. That means of course I’ve been sewing for a few weeks  (and I’m not nearly done).  Don’t think I’m some magically motivated blogger who just sews happily into the night. No, I was very much dragging my feet at the beginning, but slowly I started getting more excited about what I was sewing and then started to think up new things I could make. And in the end I cut out way more patterns than I could ever finish. That’s the beauty of kcwc: just a little bit each day and suddenly this creative energy comes out of nowhere.

Okay enough already, what about the skirt up there?

the pattern: ayasha skirt pattern by Figgys

the fabric: I used an old linen curtain from ikea that I dyed gray. I dyed it about a year ago meaning to use it to make a summer skirt for me, but I couldn’t resist making matching spring clothes for my kids (the boys got pants).  As I was finishing up the skirt, we put on our Sound of Music record just to make the curtain-clothes-making-ridiculousness complete.

the sewing: The pattern was the just right amount of challenge for me. There were pleats, pockets, a waistband, a button placket, and buttonholes–pretty involved for a little skirt! The instructions were clear and very concise, sometimes a little too concise. There were steps I had to read 8 or 10 times to understand exactly what I need to do, but now I know how to put on a button placket! Funny, the button placket is probably the most poorly sewn bit on the skirt, but it’s the bit I’m most proud of. Everything else turned out great. Miraculously, the buttonholes even came out perfect! I didn’t really change much, except I put a bit of purple in the pockets and used buttonhole elastic in the back. The skirt fits her just right and looks like it will until the fall (if she doesn’t grow too too much).

There are a few eager beavers the have some beautifully finished garments in the flickr pool already:

1. new dress for Mila

2. kcwc day one

3. linen shorts for Amelie

4. birdwing top

What are you doing on the computer anyway? Go sew!