Monday, December 8, 2014

Esty Shop Round-up

I am always on the lookout for new designers that make patterns for tween sizes and most of these I find through blogs. But, I have noticed that there are a few pattern designers that have stores on etsy.com.

I am a big fan of etsy and buy most of my gifts from there. I love how it is all small independent businesses. So, I thought it would be great to go on etsy and do a search for children’s sewing patterns. Here are my favorites of what I found:

Sally actually found this shop, Blaverry and sent me the link.  We both really liked her style but most of the clothes are for girls.  But this jacket could be easily made for a boy with the right fabric choices.

Girls & Boys reversible jacket


 Livi Stitches Patterns is a pdf. pattern vendor that has a lot of ruffly cuteness that is more geared for younger girls.  But, she does carry some patterns that are both sized and designed so that a tween could enjoy them. For example, here is a cute basic skirt with color blocking opportunities.

Lucy Skirt


OK, this one only goes to size 10, which is not a tween pattern. But the dress is so beautiful, I had to share it. Maybe one of our readers can get some use out of it. It is by My Childhood Treasures.

Colorblock dress



Felicity Patterns have modern style patterns for both boys and girls. The sizes run up to size 12, so a smaller tween can fit these.  I like this shirt as an alternative to T-shirt for a boy but it is not so dressy as to make him feel constrained.

Kiernan shirt

The Scientific Seamstress has some tween patterns too!

Bowling shirt

There is an etsy shop called Fishsticks Designs and this designer not only has a lot of tween patterns, she has a lot of BOY tween patterns.  Many of them are great basics that you could use to make to fit your boy's unique or notso unique style.

Campshirt
For more of a modern, urban style, you may want to check out Heidi and Finn patterns.  Here is her Urban Unisex Hoodie pattern.

Heidi &Finn


What are your favorite etsy shops for patterns?


Monday, December 1, 2014

Dressing up a PJ pant

The first clothing item I ever sewed was in home-ec.  Of course I was part of a generation that did not call it Home Economics; we called it Life Skills.  In that class I learned some cooking skills, sewing, budgeting, and other miscellaneous things that everyone should learn before graduating high school.   Do high schools still have classes like that?

Well, my sewing project was a pair of PJ pants.  And it really is a great starting point for sewing clothes.  The fit does not need to be exact.  You have mostly straight lines, but do have to learn to navigate a couple gentle curves, and they are pretty practical.  And heck, if you screw them up, you wear them at night and no one will see them.

Recently my daughter wanted some "pull-on pants"  she did not want the hassle of a snap and zipper.  I was totally flabbergasted as I have working so hard to perfect my fly techniques so I can make real jeans for her and not have her wear clothes that look like mom made them.

So, I decided to break out an easy pattern and make PJ pants, done fancy.

tween PJ pant

I asked her if a pair of slacks would work and she was a bit dubious, but conceded.  I did not want her to look like she was actually wearing PJs to school.
I used some bottom weight fabric I picked up in the remanat bin.  It was just over a yard and I loved  the plaid.  I had actually hoped to make myself something out of this fabric, but oh well, she needed pants more than I do.


I dressed them up a bit by using studs on the pockets and ice blue top stitching.   Instead of making an elastic casing, as the pattern called for, I used wide pretty ice blue elastic that I zigzag stitched right on top of the fabric.  The technique I used is one I learned for making circle skirts on the blog MADE  This gave it a bit of a high-waisted look and I thought dressed them up more.  I think with other modifications,dressed up PJ pants could be equally good for a boy.


Abi was not exactly thrilled with the high waisted look.  But I promised her that with a long tunic, it would be just fine.  She has just grown accustomed to a mid rise pant and so her first assumption was that I made them wrong.


I did make them a little long though, I wanted there to be room for growth.  So many of her pants right now look like she is waiting for a flood, so I am glad that I added that length.  Hopefully she can wear these through the winter.


Have you ever dressed up PJ pants?