I did it, fist pump! KCW Fall 2014, tick!

So there is quite a lot of self back patting going on here at recently!

I decided I would produce something for Kids Clothing Week Fall 2014, and I actually did it on time and kind of within budget! (I did have to buy some lining fabric and notions). 

Obviously in this neck of the woods we're in Spring, but it is still a transitional season, so I'm hoping what I've made thus far will be useful in Autumn too.

KCW this time round has a theme - storybook, which is very cool, but also made me feel kind of ahhhh, how do I still make what I want and have it a bit themey!

Well little did I know this theme would actually be the making of this project!  

I have finally started making a list of all the things I want to make and some kinds of deadlines, so I don't completely jump here and there, and then totally miss out on a season or a birthday or the likes.
Anywho, on this list for zbl was a vest, to wear over a couple of layers to keep warm on the way to places in the morning but not to get her all sweaty by the time we get there.

Anyway, long winded explanation for the Huntsmaidan vest. (self styled for this photo shoot with these pants, and her best yellow gummies!)

Inspired by Snow White and the Huntsman (it's a long bow I know, but...)

Sew details:
Pattern: This is a mash up of the Reversible Zippy Hoodie and a bit of self drafting (the collar and the welted pockets)
Fabric: This vest is made with corduroy - yes sis, corduroy! with a lovely cotton lining. Both are from trusty Spotlight.
Other stuff: As I said above this is a mash up - the front and back pieces come from the  Reversible Zippy Hoodie that I have made before. I drafted the stand up collar based on these pieces and I think it works quite nicely. I also made welted pockets for the first time - whoop, whoop!  And look how pretty they turned out - I should admit here that I only photographed the one that was perfect and not the dodgy one with the slightly unmatching welt.

I used this tutorial from the lovely and exceedingly talented Poppy Kettle to learn how to do it, and they seemed to work out just as she described!  To make the pockets, I cut out a couple of rectangles of each fabric with the width for the welt and the facing and the facing being a bit longer so to give a deeper pocket.  Let's just say these pockets are a hit with zbl marching around the garden with her hands stuffed in them this afternoon.  I also found this great looking collection of tutorials on 10 different kinds of pockets which I will use for future projects.

The other thing I did was to pop some buttonhole elastic in the back and make a casing for it to sit in so it gathers at the back a bit.  I decided buttonhole elastic as I made it up as a 4T length, in the hope it might last for a while, but gave it some shape so it wasn't too boxy.  I popped a couple of buttons inside it and drew it up a bit, and these can be loosened off as she gets bigger.  The armholes are probably a bit too big right now, and if I was to make this again, I would reduce these slightly, but overall I am very happy with the result and the model thinks it is ok too!

Anywho, I am so pleased that I got something up for KCW, and even more pleased when I realised this goes for 7 days and not just 5, so I can whip up some slightly speedier, less thinking about things that she also needs, like summer pj's :-) Yay!

I also just realised while editing this post, that it has been a year since I started this blog.  I have in that time written 12 posts (shocking), collected no followers or comments (also shocking), but had a lot of fun doing it - and that is the main thing!

KCW .... a couple of weeks late

So I had fully intended on actually making zbl a couple of things during kid clothes week a couple of weeks ago, but life got away on me.  I had to make one of these for a friends birthday:

 A banana cake with with white chocolate and lemon icing using the icing from this cake as a base.

I have to say it was quite tasty, and the icing was lovely! And even better was that altho half the cake got left at my place, I managed to avoid most of it and while I was away at the craft sessions the cake eating fairy disposed of it for me - so kind :-)

I also had to do a bit of selfish sewing - I thought why not test out the the wiksten tank that everyone is talking about. This is what it turned out like:

Sew details :
Pattern: the wiksten tank
Fabrics: a pretty polyester that I picked from the sales table at Spotlight.  It was horrible to cut out and horrible to sew, but this was my muslin, so I know that I will make it from something with a bit more structure next time.
Other stuff: I cut out a large, based on measurements, but ended up taking the side seams in to probably a medium to remove some of the gap.  I think I'll still cut out a large next time, as the fit on the shoulders an neckline is good.  The armholes are not actually wonky as they look in the pic, it's just the dratted fabric again.

I also make this cake (no pic I'm sorry) which is delicious and definitely is on the list to make again - a great way to use up soft apples and I didn't bother with the glaze although I'm sure it would be delicious.

However I did make a couple of things for zbl last week, so here they are:

Sew details :
Pattern: the figgy's banyan tunic (this is the same pattern we used to make our t-shirts at the craft sessions.
Fabrics: the same cotton jersey that I used to make tl's pj pants. It was lovely to sew although the machine did have the odd conniption, but that could be because I managed to ding my jersey needle on a pin so it is probably not as sharp as it should be :-)
Other stuff: The pattern is super easy to cut out and use.  I have to admit I didn't actually follow the instructions very much as I'd made it a week before, the only difference being the lovely handkerchief points that I had to sew, cut and sew again cos I didn't really measure and didn't get my angles right - whoops!

zbl has already worn this out to lunch and the lovely hostess commented on how much she liked it, which was nice as all tl can see when she's wearing it is his pajamas - no imagination!  It was a tad tight, but she was wearing two layers under it since summer is here today, but probably gone tomorrow!  Regardless I think I'll make a 2T for the next one.

Sew details :
Pattern: This is the recess raglan that I bought as part of this bundle (yay! I'm actually using one :-))
Fabrics: This is a cotton knit that I got from (you guessed it) Spotlight.  It was much firmer than the one above and so was a dream to sew.  I should have used a ribbing for the neck, but all the ribbing I have didn't really go (might necessitate another trip?) so I just used the same fabric and make the neck piece much longer to allow more stretch over the noggin (she is in the 95th percentile for head, so this is important)
Other stuff:  This again was a very quick sew up, I made it in one of her naps.  I'm assuming the instructions are good as again I didn't really used them (naughty!)
She hasn't worn it yet, so I am hoping it fits over her head, it will certainly be wide enough and long enough.

And that is a wrap, next thing on the list is a dress I need to sew up that has been cut out since I was 6 months pregnant - whoops, and also some bubble shorts, cos summer is coming baby - which reminds me I must call the air con guys again.

It's Kid's Clothes Week this week

And I have signed up - more motivation to get some worth out of all these delicious patterns I keep buying online.

And would you believe it I've already made something for it - ok, so I cheated and made them last week but I'm counting them anyway! Apologies for this pic, I really need to pre-edit the pics, but they probably wouldn't get into the blog.

So/sew details:
Pattern: The big butt baby pants by Made by Rae
Fabric: Printed corduroy that I bought at Spotlight especially.
Other stuff: this pattern is very easy and quick to sew up, this little tute on how to remove the pucker is particularly helpful. I only had 1 inch elastic, so they are just a smidge short in the body.  I have since gone out and bought some 1/2 inch elastic for the next round.  The pattern goes up to a 2T, but I think it will be easily adaptable to bigger sizes if we're still in nappies after that.
I have to say they were very well received, zbl even squealed with delight when she saw them, probably as they are so bright and colourful.
This pattern will get a work out this summer to make some more light weight pants as well as shorts for the hotter days.