Tag Archives: sewing

STEM Dresses

STEM Dresses

There seems to be a big push lately for STEM clothes for girls. And why not? Girls can like things other than princesses and butterflies! There have actually been a few kickstarter campaigns on the subject lately. (I’m bummed only one of these got funded.)

Mad Scientist Day Dress

In the past couple of months I’ve had the chance to create a couple of STEM themed dresses for Little Bit. One for Mad Scientist Day at school and the other for Pi Day — after all, this year’s Pi Day was pretty epic.

Pi Day Dress

Both of these dresses ended up being MODKID patterns and my geeky themed fabrics are from Spoonflower.

Pi Fabric From SpoonFlower Details

Mad Scientist Dress

Mad Scientist Pattern Details

Pattern
ModKid Riley
Fabrics

Pi Dress Pattern Details

Pattern
ModKid Melanie
Fabrics

Kangaroo Pocket Skirt

Using It’s Always Autumn Sweats to Skirt Refashion tutorial as my inspiration, my first refashion/upcycling project is complete.

Yesterday a long sleeve knit polo. Today the sleeves are a kangaroo pocket skirt. Kangaroo pocket lined with super soft minky-like Frozen fabric. #sewingforkids #kidsclothesweek #kcw #upcycling #imadeit

We started off with a very old long sleeve knit polo that belonged to Mr. Byte that had recently landed in the donate pile. I snagged it thinking the soft knit would be perfect for leggings for Little Bit. I managed to cut all the pattern pieces out of the sleeves so I still have the body of the shirt to use for another project — thinking Monkey bar shorts for when it gets warmer.

Since I wasn’t taking an existing pair of sweatpants to make this skirt out of, I pulled out the skirt pattern from the Go To Leggings Pattern and the Kangaroo pocket from the swim coverup in Sewing MODKID Style. Following the directions for the skirt and pocket, this came together pretty quickly.

The MODKID instructions call for lining the kangaroo pocket, so I had just enough of this super soft mink/minky-like Frozen fabric (left over from another project that is cut but not sewn) for the lining of the pocket. And how fun to be carrying Anna and Elsa around in your pocket.

Pattern Details

Pattern
Fabrics
  • JCrew longsleeve knit polo
  • Frozen minky-like fleece from JoAnns (left over scrap)
Notions
  • 1″ Wide Elastic
Alterations
Made a size 5 Go To Leggings Skirt with Size 4 elastic. Kangaroo pocket is the 2T-4T size from the swim coverup in Sewing MODKID Style. Patterns sewn as instructed for both.

Kid’s Clothes Week – Feb 2015

kid's clothes week

The next kid’s clothes week is Feb 2-8, 2015 and the optional theme is upcycled.

I have a handful of up cycling projects in the queue so this will be the time to start doing something with them.

Since I’m a slow sewer, I’ll be lucky to get through all this in the hour/day sewing challenge, but I have these projects on my to-do list:

  • Go To Leggings from an old pair of my sweatpants (these are already cut, just need to be sewn)
  • Oliver+s Sailboat skirt from a Pair of Chris’s old khakis
  • A sweater dress from an old sweater along these lines:

  • And I may try to squeeze in this Kangaroo Pocket Skirt Refashion with an old thick knit shirt.

London Dress — MODKID Sew Along

Modkid London Dress in Charley Harper for Birch Fabrics

I just did another Modkid Sew Along for the newly released London Dress PDF Pattern. I love the way the Modkid PDF patterns are assembled once printed. They really are easy and the gray shaded overlaping area leaving nothing to question as to how exactly to put the pieces together.

This pattern did prove to be more difficult for me. Many of the more experienced participants in the sew along used words like quick and easy to describe this pattern. I did have issues with assembly but overall was pleased with the results.

Em picked out this fabric last time we were at Finch. It was the end of the bolt so I took what was left which I think was about a yard and 12 or 13 inches. There was just enough fabric to attempt to pattern match the bodice and cut out the rest of the pattern pieces. I do have to say, I think I did a pretty good job matching the bodice.

pattern matching the bodice

Because I was using such a busy pattern, I wanted to use something more plain for the pockets, but the plain fabric seemed a bit too plain, so I decided to appliqué two of the characters on the pockets. Add in a little hand embroidery for the eyes and some of the smaller details (no I don’t do embroidery, but that’s what google is for).

Some appliqué and a touch of hand embroidery. #ishouldbesleeping #wip #wipwednesday #squirrel!

embroidery detail

To differentiate the pockets from the busy background, I added navy piping around the pockets. I also added the piping between the bodice and skirt since there was no way I was going to have the pattern match.

Overall, I’m thrilled with the results. I’m not sure this will be one of Em’s favorite dresses because it doesn’t have the twirl factor she prefers, but she didn’t shun it when I showed it to her which is huge.

London dress pattern by modkid

Pattern Details

Pattern
ModKid London
(Pattern Alterations – piping added to pockets and waistline)
Fabrics
  • Charlie Harper Feeding Station for Birch Organic
  • Tan Cotton/Linen (for bodice lining and outside of pockets) — from Mom’s stash
  • light teal quilting cotton (pocket lining) — from mom’s stash
Notions
  • Navy piping from Jo-Ann’s
  • Navy buttons
Sew Along Link
London Sew Along

Sheriff Callie Halloween Costume

Little miss decided early on that she wanted to be Sheriff Callie for halloween. My initial thought was to use the same skirt pattern as last year and make a vest, but then when the MODKID Avery Sew-Along was announced, inspiration struck and I decided this pattern could be used for her costume.

Sheriff Callie Dress -- MODKID Avery Sew-Along

For those asking who is the Sheriff Callie, she’s the main character on a relatively new show called Sheriff Callie’s Wild West on Disney Junior. She’s a kitty cat, that’s a sheriff, and has a bird and a cactus as her sidekicks.

The last couple of years, her costumes haven’t felt finished because a white tee was just thrown under the accessories I made. Using the Avery dress pattern meant the costume would have had a more finished look.

Fabric Iron and folded. Pattern printed out. I think I'm ready. #averysewalong #halloween #costumemaking #averysewalongday1

My initial plan was to make the top a solid color white with color blocking the blue at the bottom of the top as the jeans waistband in half hearted attempt that maybe the dress could be worn not as a costume. But she has enough clothes, so I figured I’d go all in and make the vest as part of the top. The pink piping “V”s were more of a challenge than I thought they’d be, but eventually we had a color blocked top.

Color blocking the bodice is finally complete. Now I can start day 2 of the #averysewalong! #behind #halloweensewing

I was already set on doing the double layer skirt like the modkid Julia pattern with the pink Chevrons under the cobalt blue chambray so that was added.

Just add belt, scarf, ears, and tail. Oh and hat and boots. #averysewalong #halloweensewing #sheriffcallie #halloween #gettingcrafty

The final touches were Sheriff Callie’s accessories including, belt, scarf, and hat. The belt was sewn up using some leather looking vinyl and quilting cottons for the belt buckle and appliqué. The Scarf is a large square that I tried using a rolled hem for (other than the corners, it looks really nice — I need to figure out the corners).”

Sheriff Callie's belt. It's not perfect, but good enough for a costume. #sheriffcallie #halloweensewing #halloween #costumemaking

I sewed this up in a size 4 and it’s a perfect fit for her. I decided against using any stretch fabric, so unfortunately this won’t last for dress up for long.

Sheriff Callie

sheriff callie and sparky - halloween 2014

Of course the dog needed to be involved as well. So what better costume than Sparky, Sheriff Callie’s trusty sidekick.

Pattern Details

Pattern
ModKid Avery
(Pattern Alterations – color blocking the top, squaring off the rounded collar, and adding the double skirt)
Fabrics (from top to bottom in picture above)
Notions
  • Pink piping from Jo-Ann’s
  • Mis-matched white buttons from the button stash
  • Dark colored button from button stash

Kids Clothes Week – Tinkerbell Sundress

Tinkerbell sundress cut in July is finally sewn. Oliver + S Popover Sundress (free pattern). #kcw #kidsclothesweek #gettingcrafty #oliverands

The pattern was assembled and the fabric cut for the last kids clothes week, but life got in the way and it never was finished so I decided to resurrect it for this week.

You’ll notice the fabric’s are the same that were used for my Happy Homemade Sew Along Hoodie. Hopefully the hoodie will help extend the life of the dress since we’re heading into fall.

I’m still a very slow sewer and this dress took me between 3 and 4 hours to sew. It’s a pretty quick sew (or should be and a lovely pattern.

Pattern Details

Pattern
Oliver + S Popover Sundress (free pattern)
Fabrics
  • Tinkerbell print – Jo-Ann Fabrics
  • Green with metallic print dots – Jo-Ann Fabrics