KCW Day Six: The Greenpoint Cardigan

I'm so happy I was able to sew up some stuff for my boys during this KCW challenge. It's always a little more challenging to sew for boys but I think with the right fabrics and patterns, it gets easier. Also- Pinterest has been exploding with great boy clothes inspiration and that really got me motivated to make more stuff for my boys.

I really lucked out at the thrift store a couple of weeks ago. I found almost two yards worth of this beautiful blue knit fabric and since it was a medium weight, I felt it was perfect for the Greenpoint cardigan pattern by Hey June.

The trim is a houndstooth jersey knit from Girl Charlee fabrics. They don't seem to have the gray color available anymore but there's also black and brown too- great neutrals for pairing with other colors!

I think my biggest boy is quite adorbs in this cardi. I made the size 6 and it fits very well. The sleeves are a little long on him but he's a tiny thing and normally wears a size 5 even though he's 7 years old!

The only change I made to the pattern was that I used only three buttons on the lapel since I used larger than normal buttons. Four may have been too many for this kid to handle on his own. He can't even stand zippers!

This is another one of those super duper great unisex patterns that I adore so much! I'm going to make one for each of the kiddos- I just love cardis for layering! 

Yay- day six down and just one more to go! My next project is an awesome upcycle that is making me want to run back to the thrift store for more colorful knit sweaters! Stay tuned!

KCW Day Three: Foxy Upcycled Sweater

Okay- so today's post lacks a lot of photos because I have an uncooperative model but I did manage to sneak a few cell phone shots in during lunch so you can see how this darling upcycled sweater looks on a body. 

I used a thrifted Russell brand sweatshirt for the fox face and sleeves. The gray sweatshirt material was leftover thrifted fabric and the nose and eyes are simply black felt appliqued onto the front of the sweater. And the white fur on the ears? Also thrifted faux fur material! Yeah, I know- I hang out at the thrift store a lot but look what came of it!

My inspiration for the sweater came from this design found on my Pinterest board. I love large modern applique on children's clothes~ as seen on my previous KCW post as well!

What else is there to say? He's adorbs! I love this sweater and plan to make a few more upcycled animal sweaters for my other kiddos. Still plenty of faux fur left over and my daughter requested a panda sweater so why not? =)

I'm so happy to be keeping up with the winter KCW challenge. I thought winter wear would not be as fun to sew up as summer clothes but I was totally wrong! It's been a ton of fun and there's more to come tomorrow! I'm truly excited for day four's post because I made THREE pieces! Stay tuned!

Kids Clothes Week, Day One: Blizzard Fleece Puffer Vests!

I'm baa-acck! I've been on a very long blogging hiatus due to many factors but now my calendar has unexpectedly cleared up and I've returned to my sewing room to pump out some winter gear for my kids. The polar vortex ain't got nothin' on these soft, warm blizzard fleece puffer vests! 

I made one for each of my three kids but only two got photographed in time for this post. I cheated and got a head start on my KCW winter sewing but these three vests took me only a few stolen hours during a two-day period to make. 

First up, my baby's houndstooth vest. I "quilted" both the front and back on his so it's poofy but not so poofy that it makes his arms hang like the Michelin Man's- know what I mean? Plus- if it did that, he'd probably never wanna wear it and this cute vest would go to waste!

I love how the collar frames his face and keeps his neck warm. I'm wishing right now that I'd gotten better pictures of him but he hates being the focus of the camera now that he's nearly two years old. 

See what I mean? This big pout courtesy of a big "NO" from momma when he demanded to be behind the camera instead of in front of it. On the other hand....his big sister is still a fantastically willing and submissive model.

So of course, I had to girlify her puffer vest because the boy version I drafted up was meant for boys, not girls! I'd always wanted to make a ruffle collar top for K because I fancy how the ruffles can frame a face and make it even prettier. Right? Isn't that what ruffles do? That trend started way back when and if done right, can look downright adorbs!

I sure do love how her vest turned out and so does K. The lining and pockets are a snuggle flannel print that she and I both loved the instant we saw it and luckily, it went very well with the blizzard fleece polka dots! 

I didn't quilt the front side of her vest but did so to the back. Why? I don't know- designer's whim, I guess. I like how it turned out though and wouldn't change it at all now.

These blizzard fleece puffer vests were SO EASY to make- especially since I didn't need to sew on buttons, zippers or even velcro! These vests are meant to be layered over cute graphic shirts that peek out and tease you. I love how they turned out and that my kiddos all like wearing theirs. Of course, they get super steamed up wearing them indoors~ after all, they're meant to be worn outdoors to combat the effects of the polar vortex!

KCW Day 5: Banded Ringer Tank and Gingham Shorts

I'm so proud of myself! I completed an outfit for my oldest and he actually likes it! And it was just two simple pieces that are perfect for 90 degree days like today- actually, like this entire week here so far!

The shorts are my favorite! I hacked Made's Basic Kid Pant, the flat front version, and then cut them at the knee instead of using the whole pant leg. I added curved front pockets and a banded waist (similar to the bottom of the shirt) and voila- cute summer shorts for Boy #1. 

I love how the outfit doesn't look at all mommy-made and that it's comfortable for this boy of mine who plays hard from sun up until sun down.

The ringer tank I drafted myself using an old tee of his. It's made from a jersey knit and the trim is blue rib knit- both thrifted fabrics. It's such a nice soft shirt, I think I'm going to make myself a shirt too. It's also one of my favorite color combinations!

It might be a good thing that I don't sew for him as often as I do for my daughter. He's a horribly impatient model. I took one snap and he got up and asked if I was done. Boys, I tell ya!

See- he's trying to run away here.

And here, he's asking if he can go back to playing his video game INSIDE when it's so nice outside!

The impatient flamingo stance. Haha! Oh well, next time I will not disrupt him in the middle of his game and I will use a bribe to get his cooperation.

"PLEEEEAASE- are you done yet, mommy?!" 

Yeah, I guess so! KCW day five is complete! I have already begun on day six's project and it's another one for the girls. K is a much easier model to work with so no goofy pics tomorrow, I promise!

KCW Day Three: Harem Pants and Hoodie

For Kids Clothes Week day three, I knew it was time to do a boy outfit. I know I just made two of them last week for my baby but he's just so darn cute in everything, I had to make another set for him. 

This time around, I tried out Feather's Flights' newest pattern, the Harem pants. These seem to be coming back in fashion lately, for the kiddos at least! I'd never wear them myself but they really are stinkin' cute on the littles!

And whenever I make a pair of pants for him, I must also make a top to go with it! It's like hamburger and fries- you can't have one without the other- am I right? 

I made an oatmeal linen hoodie with a hood in a matching fabric to the pants. Then I sewed a band of fabric to the bottom of the hoodie that matches the pocket on the pants. 

The pants were so fast and easy to sew up! I'm going to make a pair tomorrow for my daughter using a different harem pant pattern just to see how different they are from this pattern. 

My little guy looks so freakin' adorable in these pants but I didn't get pictures of him today because we spent the entire afternoon until dinner time at the beach and he's all tuckered out. BUT- I promise I will photograph him tomorrow to show you all how absolutely cute he looks in his latest handmades! Harem pants were definitely meant for kiddos in diapers- all the space in there is perfect for toddlers on the go!  

All right- come back tomorrow to see this outfit on the model- I promise it's worth it! I may even have my daughter's pants done by then too so we'll have an MC Hammer photo shoot! Haha!

KCWC day three is complete- woohoo! I'm doing great so far- still keeping up the momentum! See yo back here for day four!

Woohoo! Got updated pictures with my little guy in his outfit! Enjoy!

A great summer outfit for a boy, isn't it?

The pants are made from an almost sheer woven cotton with a wildly cute animal print on it. I just fell in love with it and knew I needed to make something out of it for my boys!

I may need to tighten up the cuffs a bit. They ended up a little large for his surprisingly skinny ankles.

I reused the modern print linen again in this outfit! It matches the pants print so perfectly, I just couldn't help it!

Sewing for Boys: Preppy Cardigan and Wide-Legged Pants

I've been having a ton of fun creating some much-needed summer clothes for my youngest! This time around, I made a preppy, striped, short-sleeved cardigan and paired it with a wide-legged cuffed pant. I added the star knee patches just to make them "un-boring" and added a matching striped back pocket for a little interest back there as well.

I love mixing and matching fabrics, textures and patterns. I also love how all the little details like pockets, patches, and even button loops make the outfit so much more interesting. Again- sewing for boys should NOT be boring! It's really about using your imagination to create something fun. True, it is a bit more challenging to do that for boys because the girls have so much more accessories and frills to choose from, but with a little work and imagination, a boy can have some very cute handmades as well!

My favorite thing about the entire outfit are the button loops and matching mint-colored buttons!

And knee patches for boys are soooo essential, right? They are so much more rough and tumble than the girls and this is another opportunity to add color as well.

There's the matching back pocket! And I also love the back neckline on the cardi. So preppy- just the way I like to dress my boys sometimes!

The pants are made from the softest brushed denim ever. My daughter even liked the feel of them so it looks like I may need to make her a pair of shorts with the remaining fabric- even though it's blue!

We went out to a little hill just outside our front door to take pictures and he always rushes to this tree to play peek-a-boo. It's just about the only way I can get him to stay in one spot for some pictures.

Usually- he's just running away from me like this. But at least I know the clothes are comfortable enough to run around in- real fast too! Haha! 

Well, thanks for stopping by today! Hope you found some inspiration to sew for the little boy in your life! Please stop by again soon because I'm back to working on projects for an upcoming birthday party and they are turning out so gorgeous that I can't wait to share! Happy Friday all!

Little Surf Monster Hoodie and Shorts Set

I had so much fun making this set for my littlest guy! He was in desperate need of some more summer clothes because he gets filthy so fast that I find myself doing laundry more than once a week. And who likes planning their week around laundry anyway? Blah!

 Right now, he's still too small for his brother's toddler-sized hand-me-downs but he's also outgrown his infant-sized clothing- making him the perfect candidate for the latest handmades! Lucky guy, huh? 

This outfit came together because I wanted something fun, colorful, summer-y, and filled with his personality. And I've always had a thing for those cute spiked hoods for boys too so why not throw that in as well?

I truly enjoyed planning this set for him- who says boy clothes have to be boring? The challenge of creating something fun and colorful and boyish isn't as difficult as some people may think. In fact, I'm already onto the next fun boy outfit! But first, a little more about this one, yeah?

He melts my heart with that smile! 

His hoodie has a large front pocket -not that he ever uses it- but it adds a little color and detail to the front of the top. The hoodie is made from a very lightweight and soft sweater material in a gray heather. The v-neck, armholes and bottom hem are left unfinished- a total surfer dude thing, right? I wouldn't know for sure- I live smack dab in the middle of the Midwest so I'm loosely interpreting what I think is "surfer" style. It works for my Midwest surfer dude anyway. =)

The printed fabric (one of my favorite thrifting finds) is an oatmeal linen with a very modern turquoise and brown pattern. You'll definitely be seeing more of this fabric in use in the future!

And the shorts are a violet colored denim that adds the perfect punch of color without being too loud or too girly. 

I love how the color-blocked shorts turned out! You can't see the pockets very well but they look like little half moons and are super adorable! Again- he'll probably never use them but it's just a little detail that makes the shorts as cute as they are!

I love those monster spikes on the hood! He looks so freaking cute with the hood on but he's constantly trying to rip it off like it offends him! Haha! But just in case you want to know, I did stuff the spikes with some poly-fil fiber to help it keep it's shape. It doesn't weigh the hood down too much either and really helps the spikes to stand straight up when the hood is pulled up.

Can you spot the monster? He enjoys impromptu games of peek-a-boo, can ya tell? That's my monster and I love him in this outfit! 

More sewing for boys coming soon- I'm really enjoying it a ton more than I thought I would! Thanks for stopping by today and make sure to come back and see what else I'm making for my little monster. Can someone say cardigan?

Some More Scrappy Chicness: A Quilt + A Boy's Outfit!

I had so much fun last week sewing a scrappy dress for my daughter but I ended up using only half of that scrap pile so I got ambitious and decided to make a personal picnic quilt for her as well. My daughter loves picnicking. She asks to go even when there's three feet of snow outside, silly girl. 

Up until now, she'd been using her paper thin baby blanket as her picnic blanket so I decided she deserved something a little newer and cuter. I love quilts these days! The creative possibilities are limitless! I plan to make one for each of my boys to put on the foot of their beds one day... I promise I will, I really really will! 

I also used some muslin to create a doll for her. Made the pattern myself, I did, yep! She doesn't take to dolls easily (she's intimidated by their blank glassy-eyed stare) but I've found that she likes the soft dolls as long as they don't have "those shiny eyes" as she puts it. I created the doll to resemble her and she loves it!

The picnic quilt used up the rest of the larger pieces of scraps I had leftover from making her dress. It's a simple quilt made of 10" squares and bordered with 3" wide matching scraps. I didn't use batting between the layers but the backing is a minky pink fabric (which I forgot to photograph, darn!) so the quilt is lightweight but still heavy enough that it won't blow away in the wind. 

I only created the one outfit with a shawl (or cape, according to K) for the dolly and when it came to bedtime, my daughter asked where her doll's jammies were. Oops! I may need to surprise her with one tomorrow if I can manage to fit in some sewing time today! And then, of course, the dolly has no shoes, she pointed out. Well, I have yet to learn how to be a doll's personal cobbler but I'll try working on that one also.

You may find this funny, as I did, but I actually had to Photoshop the doll's face and body. Haha! I really did because K had been playing outside with her for about an hour before the photo shoot and she had gotten all kinds of outdoor "crumbs" stuck to it that I couldn't brush or pick off easily. So yeah- she appears strangely flawless here and now you know why. =)

Ahh, two of my darlings. =) I got to dress them up in almost-matching outfits finally! I normally only do that at Christmas but I managed to eek out one for the summer just because! No holiday needed! 

They were so cute here, I had to collage the frames to share the action with you all. 

And indeed, this is a scrappy outfit for a scrappy little guy! I used leftover striped mint/white fabric to make the suspenders, back pockets, and bow tie for my little guy's outfit.

The shorts are made of an oatmeal linen that I picked up during a small thrifting expedition on Sunday. The shirt is a leftover cream colored knit that I sewed together without finishing the hem or arm/neck holes. I wanted it to have a scrappy chic baby feel to them. The shirt is loose and comfortable and stretches nicely over his big belly (don't be fooled by the awesome angle of the photo above- he really does have a big belly!)

The shortalls were inspired by a vintage kid's pattern I'd seen at the thrift store. Instead of buying the pattern, I figured I could recreate it myself and I did! I made the shorts pattern by tracing a pattern I had already but increased the size by an inch all around because I wanted them to be wide-legged shorts with a back elastic.

He's so darling in these vintage-inspired suspender shortalls- I'm excited to make him another outfit that I'll be featuring later this week! I'm discovering that sewing for boys can be as fun as sewing for girls! =)

And he's so happy in the homemades, warms my heart and inspires me to make s'more! Happy sewing and crafting everyone!