Project Run & Play Week 4: Valentine Love for my Nieces

This week's focus at Project Run & Play is Valentine's Day!  I focused my efforts on sending some love to my two nieces who live thousands of miles away from us.

WARNING SPOILER ALERT
JULIA, M's birthday gift is below! :)

Little M will be one next month so this is her birthday gift.  I used a lovely hand screen painted vintage cotton for the top and matching shoes.  The blues will match her eyes beautifully!  The top is from Simplicity 2375 and the only change I made was to have the buttons on the outside in the back so I could use these sweet little German made vintage buttons!

arent' those buttons wicked cute!  sheesh, I hope those disappearing ink dots disappear!

I self drafted some capri pants in a soft light blue interlock using a pair of woven pants as a guide.  M wears cloth dipes like my kiddos and I wanted to make sure these would fit well so I made them have a higher rise than you tend to find in the stores.  I also added a heart patch pocket.   I wanted the heart to be seen while wearing the top so it's a bit lower than a pocket should be but she's going to look wicked cute in it either way!

The shoes are in the same cotton as the top and fully lined in a light blue cotton. Can you see the white on the flowers, it's like handpainted on there, special!  I used a waterproof slip proof outdoor fabric for the sole.  Oh, did I mention she lives in HAWAII!

My sister in law is a crazy fabulous photographer so I am looking forward to uber-cute photos of this outfit in action!

Now to get sewing for my sister's little girl.....I see a brightly colored twirly skirt in her future! 

Melissa

Project Run & Play Week 3: My Littlest Explorer

Sewing along with Project Run & Play is providing me the perfect opportunity to try out all the patterns I have been wanting to sew up.  Last year I purchased Sewing for Boys as I loved every project; the authors have put together a collection of patterns that you really want to sew and your sons (and daughters) really want to wear.  After completing my first project from this book, The Little Heartbreaker Pants as part of Jacob's Christmas outfit, I was so pleased with the challenge and outcome that I made a little resolution to sew at least one project from each of the six chapters.  Pumped about this!

Right, so this week is Boy's Week at P R&P and I used THREE projects from the book, fabric I already had in my stash, and went with the theme, My Littlest Explorer!

First is the long sleeve Raglan tee size 4/5. (love that it only takes a 1/2 yard to make)  I used an organic cotton 1x1 ribknit espresso/charcoal stripe. Jacob is only 2 1/2 but his chest measurement was 24" which was the 4/5 size, so the shirt is long enough to tuck in which is nice during the winter and he always pushes up his sleeves so I didn't need to worry they'd be long.  The fabric is nice and stretchy so this should last a few seasons....I hope!

Next I sewed up Pauley's Pullover, a satisfying quick sew.  Love this heavy organic cotton fleece in Royal blue and trimmed with olive green, again in size 4/5 due to chest measurements.  I shortened the sleeves and added the contrast cuff. It has a drawstring waist to keep the chill out.  So warm and cozy.

Finally, my fav, the Treasure Pocket pants!  I cut into a pair of brown Gap twill (?) pants that fit me poorly for the main body and used Ed Emberley's organic cotton Forest Friends as the trim, size 2/3.  They are a touch long right now so I made the hem fold over to show more of the forest friends.  Jacob wears cloth diapers and up until now I have been sewing Rae's Big Butt Baby Pants for him so now it's nice to have another pant option.  

Since it was about 4 degrees outside we just did a quickie shot in natural light of the whole outfit!

Love it!
Head on over to Project Run & Play to see all the great boy's week clothes and vote for your favorite designer on Friday.

Melissa

Sisterly Stripes Part II

Sweet Morgan offered to be the one to wait for her Stripes and Dots item until the end of the week and be patient with her Mama.  She chose a vest from Simplicity 2874 and picked out a great blue/purple and white dotty fabric to go with the vintage blue and white pin stripe cotton.  I lengthened it 2 1/2" with the contrast polka dot band, fully lined the vest in flannel and added flannel lined pockets.  She chose the ribbon tie and the white mini ric-rack for the pockets, cute.

They have worn their new clothes everyday since I finished them, love that!  

Oy! These gloomy day indoor pictures are rough.  

Hopefully this week will bring some winter sunshine for some outdoor pictures!

Melissa

Bagging it up with Hopeful Threads!

The January Project over at Hopeful Threads is all about helping provide a sense of personal ownership and security for the homeless in our community.  That is such a huge undertaking so the focus is on sewing bags for men, women and children in homeless shelters and filling them with simple gifts of necessity.  Check it out at Hopeful Threads for all the details!

The kids and I made these two drawstring backpacks for the project.  The tutorial is from here and since I was out of cording, the idea to do the fabric straps came from here. The bag fabric is a totally sweet yellow light canvas cotton with fun circus animals.  I had purchased a duvet cover and valence set a year ago at the Children's Drop and Shop and converted the cover into curtains for my son's room and we upcycled the valence into these preschooler sized backpacks!  The straps are a fun bright green John Deere fabric with barns, tractors and animals.  We hope they bring a smile to a little one.

Close up of the cuteness

Ready to Roll

Melissa

Project Run & Play Week 2: Sisterly Stripes

I'm kicking off this journal with the projects I am sewing up during these next few weeks with Project Run & Play.  Check out the series and vote for your favorites, the talent is lovely!  

Ok, so  I missed Week 1 but am having great fun with Week 2, Stripes & Dots.  Each of my girls chose a pattern they wanted me to make and we fished through my fabric stash for stripe-y and dotty fabrics.  There was success on the stripey but not the dotty so we visited a little local fabric shop, Loom n Shuttle, and each one chose a bit of dots for her outfit. I love watching them make there little selections, comparing colors and designs, too fun!

Sadie was up first.  She selected a tunic top with puff sleeves from Simplicity pattern 2874 and a sunny sweet yellow flower and stripe vintage cotton print from my stash.  We added some vintage pearly buttons and tassel trim to the pockets and she found a perfectly matching pin-point dotty fabric for the contrast band.  We were quite pleased with how it came out.

Lily chose a dress, with puff sleeves, from Simplicity pattern 2918.  We love puff sleeves around here!  She found the flower stripe vintage cotton print in the pink and blue colorway.  Lily seems to grow ridiculously fast so I sized it up in hopes of getting 6 months of church, school and play out of this dress!  We decided it definitely needed pockets and she decided it definitely needed some vintage trim.  Due to sizing up, it was a bit too nightgown-esque so I read a tutorial on shirring and added three 12" long rows to the back at her natural waistline.  I think I may add a few more rows.

We're pretty happy.

(don't mind the shadow on the left, little brother really wanted to be in the picture too!)

Next week is Boy Week and boy do I have plans!

Melissa