Monday, July 21, 2014

KIDS CLOTHES WEEK Summer 2014 GET READY!


Today is the first day of Kids Clothes Week Summer 2014 and I am sewing along for the second time!  The last time I sewed along with KCW was over a year ago  and M still wears the dresses I made that week (though maybe more they are tunics as shes growing so fast!)

Kids Clothes Week is simply to sew one hour a day for the week for the kiddos in your life.  I will probably sew more - I have the time blocked out this week to be able to do this so some days I might be able to do more than an hour  I like the forward momentum this will kick my studio time back into gear - that next week one hour a day will seem like nothing.

I decided to keep it simple in regards to the patterns - the two patterns I used last time were so well written and resulted in such great garments that I am sticking to the known and using them over again in a larger size. The one thing I really struggled with last time was the fact that they were new patterns to me and so I was learning the construction from scratch on two garments at the same time.  This way I will try to focus on special details and maybe eek out another extra garment if I sewed assembly line style.

The patterns for this round:
The Ice Cream Dress from Oliver & S  is still my favorite pattern ever to sew.  I still have plans to redraft this shirt in my size, its that cute and fun to sew.  It has a very clever yoke construction that makes it all so nice and tidy on the inside, and with french seams it feels very fancy indeed.

The Geranium Dress from Made by Rae is such a classic pattern that its a perfect "blank slate" pattern to add special details to like needlework.  The side pockets in view A are especially useful to a preschooler, to hold dinosaurs, hair clips, and rocks.  

On Saturday (prep 30 minutes) I picked out the fabric I thought I might want to use. (Picture above) I have been working through the stash of fabric that I already have rather than buy anything new for the rest of the year so this was a challenge.  I picked out everything I loved that looked like it could work for a bodice or a skirt knowing that I am not afraid to mix and make do.

On Sunday (prep 3.5 hours)  I went through and traced one pattern, actually measured, cut, reconsidered, recut, adjusted patterns, redrafted a couple pieces and made the fabric work for my vision for each garment. 


The plan for the week (from left to right) is to sew:

Fabric:   Pink cotton voile with pale yellow cotton voile lining 
Pattern:  Ice Cream Dress (Blouse Version)
This is going to be the one we get to play with this round's theme of Kid's Art.  M requested hearts as her stamp and I am digging through all my stamps and might need to carve a couple out for her to stamp like crazy all over it.  I have black and white textile paint so in the spirit of using what you have, it will be black and while and hearts all over a very very pink blouse!  If I dont have time to make a stamp then we will use wine corks.  We have PLENTY of those around here.

Fabric:  Indigo overdyed polka dots fabric from A Verb for Keeping Warm and what is left of the Kaffe Fassett Shot Cottons Stripe
Pattern: Ice Cream Dress (Blouse Version)
Oh Kaffe.  This is my favorite fabric of all time, a yarn dyed shot cotton irregular stripe - just typing that makes me drool. The dress I made of it last round is still in major wardrobe rotation - its survived over a year of washer washings and dryer dryings and I wanted more than anything to make it again.  The polka dotted fabric, curiously, has become my second favorite fabric of all time.  Its a quilting cotton that Kristine overdyed with indigo but something about the synergy of the vat and the green print - the color is just perfect.  I originally intended to use the polka dot with the denim but in casually putting them on my ironing board realized they went together in the best weird way possible.  So there it is.  I am in LOVE already.

Fabric: Misc Shirtweight Denims
Pattern: Geranium Dress
I made a MAJOR error in guestimating the fabric needed for this so its different denims (left over from my own dressmaking) all together, similar weights.  In the spirit of not buying anything new right now I intend to make it work!  I mentioned earlier that this pattern is perfect for needlework and the bodice I am going to...SASHIKO.  Is that a verb?  I have been using it as a verb as I have gone SASHIKO CRAZY lately.   I will be sashiko stitching a hand drafted pattern that sampled on this very weight of denim is perfect. (I am crazy.) Will I get this done by the end of the week?  

Fabric: Dinosaurs made of Maps (?!?!)
Pattern: Geranium Dress
M found this fabric on her own one day at the fabric store.  Walking by the novelty cottons she screamed DINOSAURS!!!  Pointing to this bolt.  Made of maps.  Huh?  I continue to wonder what the textile designer was thinking but also think its too rad.  A twirly dress for M, with pockets to keep her tiny T Rex and Pteranadon and maybe a train or two.  Perfect.

2 comments:

  1. YAY! can't wait to see the results! i'm a sucker for those Kaffe stripes too and have several versions, but you've got some good ones i don't have. dots, stripes and dinosaurs will make for a most excellent wardrobe!

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    Replies
    1. :) Thanks Cal! Hoping to get it all done by the weekend - I need to find more Kaffe stripes this was the last of what I got at Verb and I cant find them anywhere anymore!

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