Sewing/Crafts
New Family Photos! Plus A Little About Choosing the Outfits for Our Session
Woo-hoo! We got our family pictures back! And, I LOVE them! I’m so excited to have beautiful family photographs to display when we’re finally settled into our new home in Florida. Our photographer was Brandi of Brandi Thompson Photography, and she is simply amazing! She does such a great job of showing families actually interacting and enjoying each other. There’s so much life in her photography!
Before I go any further, you really have to click on the images to see the larger versions. The small photo size that my blog allows, simply does not do justice to how gorgeous this photography is!
Having professional photographs done is an investment, and I really wanted to do everything that I could to make sure that I would be thrilled with the pictures. Because there are so many of us, I knew that our clothes would really have to work well together. A few weeks before our session, I decided on three primary colors to use for our clothing, then I set out to make sure that everything coordinated nicely without looking matchy-matchy. I chose the colors red, white and blue, allowing multiple shades of blue so that we didn’t look overly patriotic. (Of course, we are very patriotic, so if it comes out that way, it’s really okay!) As I found fabrics that I liked for the clothing that I planned to sew or ran across clothing items that I thought might work for the rest of us, I threw it onto a design board. It really helped me to better visualize how it all worked together. Here’s what our final design board looked like:
(My top, tank and skirt and the girls’ dresses are all from Old Navy, as well as Sean’s red and white striped tee. Ray’s blue polo came from JCPenney. We found Allen’s red striped polo at Macy’s. The flowered fabrics are organic cotton from the Chick Chick collection by Nancy Mims for Robert Kaufman. The red plaid fabric is from the Stars & Stripes Collection from Deena Rutter for Riley Blake Designs, and the solid red fabric is Kona Cotton also from Robert Kaufman.)
I didn’t stop with the clothes, though. I wanted everything to work together, so I coordinated our shoes, too! (Is that going a bit overboard?)
(The three youngest boys wore Chuck Taylor Converse All-Stars in red and dazzling blue. Sean’s shoes are navy blue Toms. Ray’s denim Vans and Samantha’s blue Candie’s sandals came from Kohls. Morgan’s white sandals can be found at Target, and Katie’s at Payless Shoes.)
I think the end result was definitely worth putting in a little planning time! We’re going to be looking at these pictures for many years. What do you think?
You can find lots more pictures and the larger versions of these, too, over on Brandi’s Blog: The “F” Family – Fun Frisco Family Session. While you’re there, be sure to check out the rest of her incredible photography, as well!
Family Photo Sewing52 (Family) Projects in 2012: #16, 17 & 18
We took advantage of having all of our children and our granddaughter in this week and planned a family photo session yesterday with the amazing Brandi of Brandi Thompson Photography! After all the planning and sewing that led up to the session, I don’t know how I’m going to manage the couple of weeks that it’ll take to get our proofs back!
I used my Everyday Camp Shirt pattern for shirts for our two youngest boys. When I told Jamie that we were using the colors red, white and blue for pictures, he asked for plain red, with red buttons, and he was not about to be swayed. At least he was okay with me doing the topstitching in white! I actually love the look of a solid colored camp shirt with coordinating stitching. I added a second line of stitching on the sleeve and bottom hems for a little extra color.
For Charlie’s shirt, I chose this red plaid from the Stars & Stripes Collection from Deena Rutter for Riley Blake Designs, and . . .
. . . added airplane buttons for a little extra fun.
I spent more time on Katie’s outfit than I did on anything else. It’s a little sneak peek at a girls’ (yes, I said girls’!) pattern that I’m planning for the fall. Because it’s a new pattern, I had to sew up a few sample dresses to test out the design, sizing and construction. I’m really, really happy with how the final dress came out. (There will be a few other options with this pattern. You know that I won’t give you anything without choices, right? You’ll have to wait a little while to see the rest, though.)
Katie’s dress is organic cotton from the Chick Chick collection by Nancy Mims for Robert Kaufman. I found it last week, along with the plaid fabric for Charlie’s shirt, when I stopped in at The Quilt Asylum.
It’ll be a little bit, but I’ll be sure to share our photos as soon as they are ready!
Look What I Found!
I was on the hunt for fabric for a couple of projects yesterday, so I ran up to this quilt shop, just north and east of Dallas, in McKinney. It’s called The Quilt Asylum. Is that not the greatest name for a quilt shop?! I love that they always have a nice selection of the latest fabric releases, and the ladies who work there are so friendly and helpful!
I browsed around the store for a bit looking for exactly the right fabric, then I turned and walked back towards the front of the store to see what I missed the first time around. (Do you do that when you shop for fabric? Sometimes I have to look over the rows multiple times to actually see everything!) When I turned, I saw this lovely rack of sewing patterns, and something on that rack of sewing patterns caught my eye! (Do you see what I saw?)
I don’t think I actually sprinted across the store, and I’m sure that I didn’t squeal as if I had just seen my favorite movie star, but I really wanted to do both of those things! Right there, hanging on the rack among stars like Serendipity Studios, Sew Liberated and Indygo Junction, were two Fishsticks Designs patterns!
It was the first time that I walked into a shop and found my patterns for sale! How cool is that? (I do wholesale my patterns directly to a few quilt shops around the country, but the majority of my wholesale distribution is through United Notions. Because of that, I don’t actually know what shops carry my patterns.)
It was so much fun having a few minutes of feeling a little like a celebrity, introducing myself and showing off my designs! Today, though, it’s back to reality, and my every-growing to-do list. My whole family is coming in this weekend, and we have a family photo session scheduled for Monday evening. Today’s goals include getting shirts done for Charlie and Jamie and working on a dress for Katie (one that I hope will end up as a new pattern for the fall).
There are just six days left to download and sew the free Mud Puddle Splashers pattern for Hopeful Threads and Children in Families! The latest count is 130 pairs of shorts! Think we can add 70 more for 200 total by next Tuesday?
In addition to the free pattern and the joy of sewing for someone in need, there are some great giveaways this month, including this Playdate Backpack filled with goodies from me! Each pair of shorts that you sew and donate enters you to win. You can check out all the other prizes including patterns from Figgy’s and Muddy Max Designs over on the Hopeful Threads blog.
Naptime Knit Mud Puddle Splashers
There are still 12 days left to grab the free Mud Puddle Splashers pattern and sew a pair of shorts for the Hopeful Threads’ Little Boys’ Shorts Sewing Project! I thought I’d take advantage of naptime at my house yesterday to show you the quickest way to sew the MPS using knit fabrics.
First, knit fabrics are wider than woven fabrics, so you can save a little time by combining the pocket and the body/leg piece. (You can do this on woven fabrics, too, but keep in mind that it will increase the amount of fabric that you’ll need, especially if you need to match up a stripe or print.) Tape your pattern together and cut out the correct size. Print and cut a second pocket pattern. (It’s page 26 of the pdf.)
On the back on each pocket piece, measure in and draw a straight line 1″ in from the straight edge.
On both the front body/leg piece and the back body/leg piece, measure and make a mark 3″ below the waist on the straight side.
Place each pocket piece on the straight edge of a body/leg piece, overlapping so that the line you drew on the pocket is even with the straight side of the body/leg and the top of the overlap is at the 3″ marking. Tape the pockets in place.
Now you have two pattern pieces where before you had four.
Alright, we’re ready to get started on these shorts. It’s 1:00 here, and all is quiet as naptime has commenced.
Check to make sure the little ones are sleeping peacefully.
Cut out your shorts pieces. You’ll have two fronts cut in opposite directions and two backs cut in opposite directions.
We’re moving right along.
Except for the hem and the elastic channel, I’m using just my serger since these are knit shorts. You can use your sewing machine with a walking foot just as easily, though. The front and back rise are serged up now, and I’ve created my memory crease along the waist. A little spray starch will help when pressing cotton or cotton blend jerseys that like to roll. Sides are pinned together and ready to be serged.
Less than 30 minutes since we started!
That 90 degree angle where the bottom of the pocket connects to the side of the pants can be a little tricky if you’re using your serger. I serge both sides from the bottom up.
When I get to that angle, I simply pull the fabric slightly so that the angle sort of disappears. If you go slowly, you should be able to make that turn without a problem.
If a few of the loops end up off of the fabric, don’t worry, as long as both of the needle stitches are on the fabric. It’ll hold just fine and won’t be noticeable unless someone turns the shorts inside out and looks really closely. With a little practice, you’ll soon be turning that corner beautifully without even thinking about it.
1:42, even with taking a little time to snap a few pictures while I was working.
I’ve hemmed the legs and pinned the inseam. I hemmed these shorts by serging off 1/4″, then folding up 1″ and hemming using the triple-stretch stitch on my sewing machine. You can find a tutorial on how I do that right here: Hemming Knits.
Two minutes to two . . . not going to finish in under an hour, but I’m almost done.
Ready for the elastic.
Before I put the elastic in, though, I’m going to rotate the side around a bit and press those pockets in nicely.
Elastic and tag are in and the shorts are done!
And, I still have time to get a few other chores done, or, better yet, to enjoy an afternoon cup of coffee and a little mama-time on Pinterest!
Hey, there are still a dozen naptimes left in the month! Plenty of time to add to the ever-increasing pile of shorts for Children in Families in Cambodia! I heard that the number has already reached 100! Do you think we can double that number in 12 days?
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!)
