My Patterns
Toot Toot Shortalls for Charlie52 (Family) Projects in 2012: #15
Sadly, Charlie is about to outgrow this pattern. It’s definitely one of my very favorites for babies and toddlers, and outgrowing it means that my baby is approaching the end of his toddler-hood. Soon he’ll be a on to big boy things. For this summer, though, I’m going to enjoy how cute he looks in his Buttons & Buckles Shortalls!
These were originally cut out for Spring Quilt Market but time ran short, and they were set aside. I actually think my sweet friend, Michelle, cut them out during out marathon cut-out-everything-that-Bonnie-needs-to-sew-for-Market day! (I love that Michelle had a hand in these, especially since her little guy, Simeon, tends to be the recipient of Charlie’s outgrown, handmade clothes. It’s so, so nice to have a friend that appreciates receiving handmade hand-me-downs!)
Isn’t it exciting when you find the perfect buttons for an outfit? It actually makes me look forward to sewing buttonholes!
You only have two weeks left to sew for the Little Boys’ Shorts Sewing Project at Hopeful Threads. It’s so exciting to see all the shorts that are being added everyday! I hope to have some tips for sewing done-during-naptime knit shorts tomorrow. Be sure to check back in!
Adding a Back Pocket to Your Mud Puddle Splashers
Ready to add a back pocket to your Mud Puddle Splashers? Go print the pattern to get started: MPS Back Pocket. (Be sure not to select sizing options such as “Fit to Page”. However, you should check the box next to “Rotate and Center”.)
First, a little aside from the basic tutorial: When I’m sewing with a stripe or a plaid, I like to turn the fabric and cut the pockets on the bias for a little added interest. If you’d like to do that, first find the line on your sewing ruler that says 45. (My ruler is upside down in this picture so the “45” is backwards, but you get the idea.) Place that line on one of the straight lines of your fabric so that your ruler is now turned at a 45 degree angle.
Line the edge of your pattern up along the edge of your ruler, or if you’re not cutting on the bias, just place the pattern on your fabric. (The bottom half of the pattern will be the outside of your pocket, in case you want to center a design on the pocket.)
Trace the pattern.
Cut out your pocket.
Fold the pocket piece over, matching up the points. Pin. Sew around the two sides and bottom, leaving a 1 1/2″ opening in one side for turning. Trim the fabric at the corners and at the point.
Turn the pocket through the opening. Push out all the corners and the point neatly. (A clean chopstick works well for pushing out corners.) Tuck the edges of the opening in. Press well.
Topstitch the top edge of your pocket, once at 5/8″, then once 1/8″ to 1/4″ below the first line of stitching.
Center the pocket on the Back Body/Leg piece. If you’re only going to do one pocket, it is traditionally placed on the right-hand side. Pin the pocket 4 1/4″ below the waist for sizes 2T-4T, 4 1/2″ below the waist for sizes 5 to 6/7, and 4 3/4″ for size 8. The pocket is going to look like it’s really low. It’s fine, I promise!
Topstitch the pocket in place 1/8″ from the edge on the sides and bottom. Sew a second line of stitching 1/8″ to 1/4″ inside the first.
Follow the Mud Puddle Splashers instructions to complete your shorts.
See! That was easy, right? (If you’ve landed here and don’t know what the Mud Puddle Splashers are, just click over to this post right here: Mud Puddle Splashers Free PDF.)
Updated, Easier-to-Finish Faux Fly Instructions for the Mud Puddle Splashers
Sometimes after thinking things over, you just have to make a change! As I was working on the pocket tutorial for the Mud Puddle Splashers last night I was reflecting on the pattern itself and wondering if a little update might be in order. The pattern is going together really nicely, and I’m thrilled that everyone is enjoying it. Most people have been skipping the faux fly, though, and I love the look of the shorts with it. It occurred to me that the faux fly had a few steps that really aren’t necessary. Another thing that was bugging me is that when you topstitch the back rise on the smallest two sizes it takes away a bit of the diaper room. (Some kids in toddler sizes don’t need diaper room, but a lot, like my Charlie, still do!) So, this morning, I made a few modifications to the instructions to speed up the finishing of the faux fly, removing the topstitching of the back rise and shortening the topstitching of the front rise to just the section adjacent to the fly. Nothing major, but it’ll give the same finished look faster, and it’ll keep that little bit of extra bum room for diapered little ones.
No worries at all, if you’ve sewn according to the original instructions! My two little guys have a collection of shorts sewn that way, and we love them!
Just click on the picture below for the updated pdf. If you just want to print the pages with the changes, you’ll want pages 5 and 6. (Just reiterating here that the pattern itself has not changed, just the instructions for finishing the faux fly version.) The original MPS post has the updated link and the original link has been removed, so feel free to continue referring your friends straight there. Oh, and please spread the word about the updated, easier-to-finish faux fly!
As a weird aside, WordPress thinks that “faux” is not a word. I actually just went and Googled it because I was suddenly afraid that I was unknowingly using a word that isn’t really a word. According to Websters, it is in fact a word: faux, meaning “imitation, not genuine or real”. Whew! Okay, back to your regularly scheduled day. I’ll be back around lunch time with the back pocket addition to the Mud Puddle Splashers!
My Boys’ Shorts Month Contribution & A Little Something Extra
I was able to sneak in just enough sewing time this weekend to complete these four pairs of shorts for the Hopeful Threads July Boys’ Shorts Sewing project, plus one more pair for Charlie. I am donating four pairs of shorts sewn from my Mud Puddle Splashers pattern in honor of our four boys.
The Monkeys and Puppies are size 3T which is Charlie’s current size.
The Lizards and the Trains are size 6 which is Jamie’s current size.
I made all four pairs with all the optional extras that I included in the pattern, and I added one more thing . . . back pockets! Aren’t they cute? (My husband really likes me to put back pockets on the pants that I make for our boys. He thinks they really make them look finished.) This pocket is quick and easy, and tomorrow, I’ll have the pocket pattern along with a tutorial on how to add one to the shorts that you’re sewing!
How’s your sewing going? If you haven’t already downloaded it, be sure to check out this post for the free Mud Puddle Splashers pattern that I created just for this project: The Mud Puddle Splashers
Football Backpack for Jamie 52 (Family) Projects in 2012: #14
We have some traveling planned for the summer. Our Florida trip has been delayed for now, but that’s a story for another time. As I was saying, we have some traveling planned for late summer, and Jamie needed a new backpack. He asked for a football backpack, and it so happens that I had multiple pieces of leftover football fabric from various other projects hanging around my sewing studio. (In addition to being one of my 52 (Family) Projects, this is a stash-only project! That means bonus points, right?)
I love my new Playdate Bag pattern, but the backpack is really too small for Jamie at 5 1/2. So, I sized it up just a little, and I think it’s perfect now for that early school age group! If you have the pattern, it’s really easy to size it up. For Jamie, I added an inch to both the width and the height: 1/2″ on each side and 1/2″ on the top and bottom. To match the flap up to the new width, I added 1/2″ to the straight side of each outside curved piece and increased the back of the flap by 1″ in width. I left the length of the flap alone. I also added an inch to both the padded strap and the webbing strap. Here’s how the two backpacks look side by side:
Jamie’s new backpack conveniently matches the crayon roll that was my very first family project of the year.
That means that he doesn’t really need the crayon pocket on the inside, so I modified the inside pocket to hold two pencils and any other little things that he needs to take along, like headphones for his Leapster. Isn’t great how when you sew, you can tailor-make something perfect for it’s new owner?
I finished up a few more family projects this week that I’ll share with you next week. This weekend, I’ll be working on shorts for the Little Boys’ Shorts Project at Hopeful Threads along with a quick tutorial for how you can add another little “extra” to them. These are the fabrics that are in the line-up. Aren’t they fun?
Oh, I have to share a funny story from this morning before I go. Jamie pulled the madras shorts that are in my post from July 1st out of his drawer this morning, and as he was pulling them on I asked, “Do you like those shorts?” The response? “Yep! You let me splash in mud puddles in them!” Don’t forget that the Mud Puddle Splashers pattern is a free download this month to sew for charity and then for your own little ones!
Little Boys Shorts at Hopeful Threads and The Free Mud Puddle Splashers PDF Pattern
If you’ve hung around here for very long, you already know how much I love Kristy and the work that is done through her charity blog, Hopeful Threads. I was so excited a few months ago when she mentioned her plan to ask all of you to sew little boys’ shorts for the families who are supported by Children in Families in Cambodia! I am so blessed to live in a household full of boys, and I loved the idea of being able to give some handmade love to little guys on the other side of the world. I knew that I wanted to be involved in a special way, so I asked if I could design a shorts pattern specifically for this project. (To read more about July’s Little Boys Shorts Sewing project, please click over to Hopeful Threads, and then come back here for the pattern!)
I set out to design a simple shorts pattern with a few little extras. First an elastic waist, because that’s the easiest for little guys to handle all alone. (Charlie’s favorite phrase lately is, “No, Me!”)
Next, it simply had to have pockets! Have you ever known a little boy to not collect things throughout the day? My boys can’t stand pants without pockets. (These side seam pockets are really easy to sew, so don’t worry at all if you haven’t sewn pockets before!)
An optional folding cuffed hem adds more wearing time. All moms know that kids tend to grow up faster than they grow out. Those extra inches when coupled with the elastic waist mean that these shorts could maybe last a little boy for two seasons, instead of just one. (The pattern does include a traditional hem, too, and I’d recommend the traditional hem if you choose to sew the pattern with knit fabric.)
I added an optional faux fly just to give that perfect finishing touch.
A comfortable, easy fit has already made these a favorite with my own little boys.
Finally, the option to sew these with woven fabrics (cotton quilting fabrics, seersucker, lightweight denim, corduroy, twill) or with knit fabrics (cotton interlock or cotton jersey) means that anyone with a fabric stash will be able to grab something and start sewing!
You’re ready to start sewing, aren’t you? Can I just share a little story first? It’s a quick one about how the pattern got its name. As I was wrapping things up early last week and mulling over a name for this pattern, “mud puddles” kept coming to mind. That evening, I popped over to the Children in Families blog and read this blog post: The Beauty of Family. In that post, one of the similarities that Heather mentions in children growing up here in the US and those growing up in Cambodia is the simple things that they love to do, things like splashing in mud puddles. And, with that, the pattern name was finalized.
I finished up the pattern last week, had my amazing group of testers check it out for me, and prepared it to give it to you. One little question remained, though. Were these shorts really good for mud puddle splashing? I couldn’t really give you the pattern without checking, could I? With that in mind, after dinner last night I asked my youngest two boys if they wanted to go jump in a mud puddle. They, of course, were happy to oblige! It turns out that these shorts are perfect for mud puddle splashing!
Doesn’t that look like fun?! Okay, finally, the pattern download! I’m providing this pattern download free of charge. I just ask that you respect the spirit in which it’s given. If you download the pattern, please sew at least one pair of shorts to give to July’s Little Boys Shorts Sewing project at Hopeful Threads or to another charity of your choice. Once you’ve done that, please feel free to use the pattern to sew for your own children! (I do ask that you refrain from sewing this pattern for profit, and the pattern itself is copyrighted, of course.) This free pattern will only be available for download through the end of July. Just click the icon below. (Be sure to read through the pattern preparation instructions before printing!)
The Pajama Party PJs for Big Kids!
One last pattern release to wrap up my new pattern list: The Pajama Party PJs in Big Kid Sizes! You’ll be able to sew matching (or not) pajamas with this pattern for all of your children. Just like the smaller version, this pattern includes the full-size pattern and instructions for sewing both summer and winter PJs. In sizes 5 to 14, the top snaps or buttons, and the bottoms include side-seam pockets.
My cover samples are sewn with the plaid and argyle coordinates from Fox Trails by Doohikey Designs for Riley Blake. Older boys tend to be harder when it comes to fabric choices, but great collections like this one that include plaids, stripes, argyles, etc. make sewing for your preteens a breeze! Just skip the cute prints and pair up the coordinates instead!
I hope your little and big kids enjoy many silly bedtime stories, yummy midnight snacks and round after round of Go Fish in their Pajama Party PJs!
You can grab this pattern as a downloadable pdf pattern at The Fabric Fairy right now. All of my other patterns are there, too! The paper pattern and the pdf pattern will be available for purchase on my Patterns page by tomorrow morning.
Fishsticks Designs in the Riley Blake Booth
I’m pretty sure that I’m the last one out here still blogging about Spring Quilt Market! Apparently, I’m a slow blogger. (Really, I am a slow blogger! I’m blown away by people who blog daily, and those who blog more than once a day? I have no idea how they sleep!) I just loved sewing up these samples for the Riley Blake Designs booth, and I couldn’t not show them to you.
First up is the twin (well, opposite twin, really) to the Messenger Bag that is on the cover of my new Playdate Bag pattern. This Chevron fabric is so popular right now, and such a fun, modern fabric. Lining up those chevrons for the flap and the strap was a challenge, but it was definitely worth the end result!
Here’s the Pajama Party PJs as Christmas morning pajamas in Alpine Wonderland, and . . .
. . . comfy summer jammies in Seaside!
(Funny story about Seaside? I chatted with Jina at Riley Blake about doing these samples for them months ago. The fabric samples began to arrive a few weeks later, and I set them aside until I had time to focus on sewing them. When that time came, I pulled out the pile, washed and dried everything and started working. On a Friday morning, I realized that I was missing Seaside. I turned my whole sewing room upside down. Took everything out of every cabinet, re-stacked it all and put it all back in. When the fabric didn’t surface, I turned my sewing room over to Ray, hoping that a new set of eyes would help! A second complete search of my sewing room turned up nothing. I very reluctantly sent an email to Jina admitting to losing the fabric. (The fabric isn’t in stores yet, so I couldn’t just go out and buy more!) Then I spent the rest of the next day, peeking in every nook and cranny in my house, still hoping it would turn up. It wasn’t until Saturday evening that I noticed a response in my email box from Jina telling me that I wasn’t going to find Seaside because it had never shipped! Aaargh! and Yay! at the same time! Lesson learned: Next time, keep track of the fabric as it arrives so you don’t waste two whole days looking for something you never had!)
And, finally, my Everyday Camp Shirt pattern in Peak Hour. I love this shirt so much that I have to get some of this fabric to recreate it for Charlie! Isn’t it a perfect little boy top?
I feel like I can call my second Quilt Market appearance a success! It definitely has me even more excited to see what awaits my little business in the coming months!
New Spring/Summer 2012 Patterns are Now Available!
Just click the image to find the pattern!
Remember that you can find all of my paper and pdf patterns right here: Fishsticks Designs Sewing Patterns
Everybody Ready for a Pajama Party? Don’t forget your Pajama Party PJs!
I’m such a lover of cute PJs on my little ones! I need lots of options. (That’s why I offer so many options!) This one, though, is definitely going to be one of my personal favorites. There is just something so appealing about the classic look of a woven button-up PJ top and pants. I can’t wait for Christmas morning photos in PJs sewn from this pattern!
The Pajama Party PJ pattern includes both top and pants. Options are included for a short-sleeve, short pants warm-weather version and a long-sleeve, long pants version perfect for the colder months. The top can be fastened with buttons or snaps, and the elastic waist shorts feature side seam pockets. This Pajama Party PJ pattern covers sizes 12 months to 5T, but don’t fret at all if you need the bigger sizes! They’ll be along next week. I just have to get the cover photography done, and the cover back from the printer!
There are so many options with this pattern to mix and match your favorite woven quilting fabrics. The adorable fabrics featured here are all from the Riley Blake Puppy Park Collection which is due in stores later this month.
And that, my dears, wraps up my new pattern releases for Spring (okay, I’ll admit that it’s really Summer) 2012! All of the new patterns are due to be uploaded and ready for you to purchase at 8 p.m. central tonight, right here: Fishsticks Designs Patterns.
I thought I’d leave you with a few photos that I think show how incredibly well-behaved and easy-to-photograph my little ones have become thanks to all of their cover-modeling experience. I think they might both have a great future in modeling . . . or maybe I really just pray that they don’t grow up hating the sight of a camera!
Hey! There’s a bug back here!
Are we done yet?!
1, 2, 3, JUMP!
Samantha is always a great help behind the camera.
Occasionally, she has to step in front of the camera: Smile, Charlie! Like this!
Perfect!
