Swimming!
There’s something pretty amazing about watching any of your children work hard at something and then accomplish it successfully. Our older kids all know how to swim, but they learned over a period of years growing up in Florida where everyone has a pool and the beach is minutes away. Now that we live in Dallas, we just don’t spend much time near water, and with Jamie nearing school age, I really felt that he needed to know how to swim. A swim teacher who teaches in her private pool here in our neighborhood was highly recommended on our homeschool list, so we jumped right in. I’m so glad because Ms. Kathy has been simply amazing!
In the first two weeks of swim lessons, Jamie went from jumping out of the pool to run for a towel every time a drop of water hit his face to spending nearly his whole time in the pool yelling, “Mom, look at me hold my breath!”
And, watching Jamie really swim for the first time might have made me cry as much as watching him take his first step. What a blessing!
The Buttons & Buckles Overall and Shortall
I’m not really allowed to pick a favorite pattern, am I? Okay, I won’t because I do honestly love all of my patterns. This one, though, I think is an absolute baby boy necessity! I love little boys toddling around in overalls. They just look like . . . little boys! Charlie will definitely be wearing these overalls all winter, and since today’s high is still over 100 degrees here in Dallas, I suspect he’ll get plenty of wear out of the shortalls before it cools off, too.
The apples on our backyard tree were ripening while I was working on this pattern last month. Since it’s been so hot and so dry, they were teeny tiny making them perfect Charlie-size. I adore all the pictures that I snapped of him pulling off apples and eating them right off of the tree.
Of course, little girls do look adorable in overalls, too, and baby Katie shows them off beautifully!
The PDF version of the Buttons & Buckles Overall and Shortall is available on Etsy: Fishsticks Designs at Etsy, and the paper pattern is available in my main store: Buttons & Buckles Overall and Shortall.
Inside or Out Pocket Pants in Big Kids Sizes!
A friend called me a few days ago to check in on me. She said, “I haven’t seen you, and you haven’t blogged in weeks!” LOL! I am still here and plugging away! I have a new pattern — well, an old pattern in bigger sizes really — ready to release and I’ll have one more finished up and ready to go early next week. I’m also working on several other patterns that will feature a new fabric line from Michael Miller, and I’m wrapping up my Create Hope Designs pattern. Oh, and it is summer, and we’re trying to squeeze in a little fun in spite of the 100+ degree weather here in Dallas.
On to the Inside or Out Pocket Pants for your big kids! Just in time for back to school, I’ve finished up the Inside or Out Pockets Pants in sizes 5 to 12. Like the smaller sizes, this pattern includes multiple options for pockets on the front, back and sides.
You can buy the pdf version of the IOOP Big Kids in my Etsy store now: Fishsticks Designs at Etsy, and the paper copy of the pattern will be available in my main store on Monday: Fishsticks Designs.
I can’t promise that they’ll have your kids flying off to school like superheroes, but my boys seem to really be enjoying theirs!
The Cozy Wrap Bathrobe–Stitch Fall 2011
Finally, huh? The Stitch Fall 2011 Issue has been on the stands for weeks now, and I’m finally showing off the third project that I have in the magazine: The Cozy Wrap Bathrobe! (Things have been so busy here! More on that later, though.)
I love this robe! It’s designed to grow with your child, so there are just two sizes: toddler and child. It’s sewn with cotton french terry which is a knit, but it’s not very stretchy. Don’t be afraid at all if you don’t have much experience sewing knits! French terry is nice and absorbent without being too heavy, so it’s a perfect choice for wrapping up your little one fresh out of the bathtub. (In case you’re on the hunt for it, you can find that great owl french terry at The Fabric Fairy.)
I sewed up a fall robe for Jamie using the larger of the two sizes, and he’s happy to show it off to you!
You’ll have to pick up the magazine to find the instructions for this one. It’s available online at the Interweave Store (in paper or digital version) or you can find it at your favorite local fabric shop!
Create HOPE Designs
Have you heard about Create H.O.P.E. Designs? The wonderful designers over at Izzy & Ivy are organizing sewists, bloggers, shop owners and designers in an effort to help bring love and comfort to little ones in need on the other side of the world. Four times a year Izzy & Ivy will release a pattern specifically designed for Create H.O.P.E., and 100% of the funds received will go to a different orphan relief organization. How amazing is that?
But it gets better! Other designers are joining in, too! Several are hard at work right now. Each creating a pattern that will only be available at Create H.O.P.E. Designs. You’ll be able to contribute by visiting the website at www.createhopedesigns.com and simply purchasing a pattern. (There’s nothing to buy there yet, but keep watching!)
All of that is so exciting, but what I love most of all, is that the first orphanage chosen to benefit from Create H.O.P.E. is China Little Flower! I know many of my followers and customers know Serena from Notion Supply and the work that she does there well. I have prayed for these little ones and cried tears of joy and sorrow reading her stories.
You can go read even more on Izzy & Ivy’s blog: The Big Reveal. I’m am so honored to get to join with the other designers in creating a new pattern especially for Create H.O.P.E. Designs and China Little Flower. It’s going to be very tiny and very sweet, just like the little ones at China Little Flower who I wish I could snuggle up to and love on in person.
From Baby to Boy in a Flash
One more look at the baby curls . . . I waited as long as I could before taking Charlie for his first haircut. I know from experience that the first haircut changes a little guy’s appearance from baby to little boy in a flash. I brought along my camera to record the moment. I figured maybe if I was busy snapping pictures, I’d be too distracted to cry in public.
We went to this great kids’ haircut place called Sharkey’s where Charlie got to sit in a little blue car and watch cartoons. You’d think that would make a little boy really happy, wouldn’t you? Charlie was not impressed. This is what he looked like for most of his clipping session:
The “toons” would hold his interest for a minute or two before he was back to crying and trying to climb out of the chair.
We both survived, though, and I’m happy to say that in spite of Charlie’s tears, mama managed to keep it together. All finished!
Holding on to mama for dear life . . . “Don’t put me back in that thing again!”
We had a “Big Boy Charlie” photo session this morning. I totally think he looks absolutely adorable, but it’s hard to believe that the picture at the top of this post was taken two days before these.
Look! The tongue still works!
Little boys grow up so fast, don’t they? (Oh, and a little aside from the subject of this post: there’s a bit of a sneak peek of a pattern that I’m working on in these pictures. Still a few things to tweak, but I’m planning to have it ready for my testers next week!)
New Free Projects on the Stitch Website
The Fall 2011 Stitch Magazine is due to be on the shelves of your favorite fabric store on Tuesday, and I have several projects included! (You can actually purchase the downloadable digital version in the Interweave Store already.)
Two of my projects are free web extras this time which means you can go grab them right now and sew! Both are projects designed for your sewing room. The Embroidery Hoop Pockets above are a great way to show off a few favorite fabrics and keep your sewing notions close at hand. Below, The Pretty Pattern Weights look beautiful holding your patterns and fabric in place while you trace or cut.
I have one more pattern in the magazine. I’m hoping my copy will come tomorrow, and I’ll share more about it then. As always, if you sew something from one of my designs, I’d love to see it! You can share in my Flickr group here: FD Flickr Pool or on the Fishsticks Designs Facebook page: FD Facebook.
Born on the 4th of July
Happy Independence Day to my fellow Americans! We spent our 4th of July holiday welcoming our first granddaughter, Katherine “Katie” James. Katie arrived about a month early, so she’s tiny, but she’s doing well.
During naptime this afternoon, Gi-Gi, as we’ve decided I’ll be called (I’m way too young to be Grandma, aren’t I?), sewed up this quick lap-tee gown and hat in preemie size so that little bit would have something to wear for 4th of July newborn pictures!
One more picture just to make you say, “awwwww . . . ” Who doesn’t love newborn baby toes?
Fishsticks Designs Patterns are Now Available as PDFs!
I am so excited to finally announce that you can purchase Fishsticks Designs sewing patterns in downloadable pdf versions! You can find the new pdf versions on my newly stocked Etsy cart: Fishsticks Designs at Etsy.
In these pdfs, you’ll find the same full-size patterns that are in my paper patterns, just divided into easily pieced parts. You’ll also receive the same thorough, photographed instructions, except that the pdf versions have the instructions in full color!
In celebration of my pdf pattern debut, I’m offering a 35% discount on pdf patterns in my Etsy cart through midnight on Sunday. The discount code is “debut”. If you use the code, you have to promise to leave me feedback since I’m new at Etsy! (Oh, and in case you’re worried, I have no plans to discontinue my paper patterns! I actually have several new patterns in the works as I look forward to Fall Quilt Market in Houston!)
Project First Day
Susan Stewart of Susan Stewart Designs has organized an effort to provide handmade clothing for the children of Joplin, Missouri in time for their first day of school this fall. Susan lives near Joplin and wrote in her newsletter last month, “Thousands of people have lost everything. The summer will pass and the Red Cross will leave. And school will start, somehow, somewhere, because all those schools will not yet be re-built. Do you remember being excited about the start of the school year when you were young? I certainly do! And I always had a new dress for the first day of school. I loved those new first-day-of-school dresses; I think my Dad took a picture of me every year, and for years I remembered what I wore for the first day of each new grade. Now, what do we all do? We sew!” Susan went on to encourage her readers to sew for the children of Joplin, and “Project First Day” was born.
Susan is asking sewists from around the country to sew a dress for a little girl or a top for a little boy in Joplin to brighten their first day of school in August. Susan has also asked that every dress or top include a personal note to the child who receives it to let them know how special they are. The deadline to send your creations to Susan is August 1st, so you have about a month to sew and ship. If you’re not on Susan’s newsletter list and you’d like all the specifics and the shipping address, simply fill out the form that you’ll find on her website’s Contact Page, and she’ll get back to you with all the information that you need.
When I first heard of Susan’s plan, I felt an overwhelming urge to get involved. I emailed her, and we talked back and forth a bit. Many of you know that we have a house full of little boys, and, well, it’s harder to find sewing patterns for little boys than it is for little girls. To help make sure that there are plenty of fun tops for the little boys in Joplin on their first day of school in August, I’m offering the Charlie Tee pattern from my Charlie Tee & Hoodie as a free pdf download through August 1st!
I don’t mind at all if you’d like to use the pattern to sew for your loved ones. I just ask that if you download the pattern, you sew something for Project First Day. We’re doing this on the honor system.
To download the pdf file, just click the picture below:
There are four different ways to sew this tee, so you have a few options: The Basic Tee, The Ringer Tee and The Horizontal and Vertical Colorblocked Tees.
These tees are, of course, sewn with cotton knit or cotton blend knit fabrics. Younger boys would probably be thrilled with fun boyish prints, while older boys will likely prefer stripes or solids. If you’re new to sewing with knits, I highly recommend choosing interlocks over jerseys or ribbed knits because they’re simply easier to sew. For tips on the different types of knits and how to sew them all, check out my Knit Knowledge Series.
If you’d like to shop locally, I primarily purchase my solid interlocks at Joann Fabrics and Hancocks. Joann Fabrics has a nice cotton/poly interlock, and Hancocks carries 100% cotton interlock. You can use these interlocks for the necklines, too. If you prefer using ribbing for the neckline, Joann’s cotton/spandex ribbed knits will give you great results. Joann’s also stocks some really nice print interlocks, but they tend to be more feminine or babyish.
The best place to find print knits for boys is online. These are a few of my favorite shops: The Fabric Fairy, Nature’s Fabrics, A & A’s Fabric Attic, Girl Charlee and Print Knits Studio. (Those names are all clickable and take you directly to the websites.)
One last thing, I put together a quick tutorial for how to use a pdf pattern, in case there are a few of you who haven’t used one before. It’s really easy, I promise! PDF Sewing Pattern Tutorial
If you have any questions, please feel free to email me or leave a comment, and I’ll get back with you as soon as possible! Now go sew a tee . . . or a dress . . . and send it off to Joplin so that a little girl or boy will feel a little extra love on the first day of school this fall!
