I knew that!

I sewed something!

After signing up for the Kids’ Clothing Week Challenge at Elsie Marley, I perused Meg’s flickr group to see what-all the others were working on. I felt myself deflating a bit, as some of the lists included more garments than I’ve ever sewn in my entire life. Not that I’ve been much of a apparel sewist, but I’ve been sewing since I was 9 years old. Maybe it’s the first-time mommy thing, but I just don’t know how and where they find enough hours in the day! I am amazed by their superior time-management, sewing, and parenting skills. And, more eye candy for us in the group photo pool, right?

I set out to tackle my one-item list (heh heh) on Monday, tracing and cutting out pattern pieces. Alice is a skinny 16-month-old, so I chose the 12-18 month size of the 2 + 2 top from Oliver + S. I’d say it went pretty smoothly. I sewed a little here and there for Days 2 and 3, then tried it on for fit on Thursday, Day 4. Rut-roh. Apparently Alice isn’t a tiny as I thought she was. Did I check the finished garment dimensions before starting? Um. Well. Nothing a smaller seam allowance on the sides and sleeves couldn’t solve.

The blouse is made from a very lightweight cotton, almost a gauze. Voile? Lawn? Didn’t read the description on the bolt at my local Jo-Ann. I just loved the colors for fall and figured I could pop long sleeve tee under or sweater over it for chillier temps. Dreary morning, so the pictures leave much to be desired.

Another challenge for photos? Baby girl’s still working on her molars, so we get a lot of teethe-y face around here.

I enjoyed sewing up my first Oliver and S pattern. The instructions are great, and there are discussion forums at the O + S site where you can get help from other sewists and from Liesl herself. And there is a huge body of work over at the Oliver + S flickr group for hints and inspiration. All of which didn’t stop me from making bonehead mistakes like sewing a sleeve on wrong side out. But all in all, the seam ripper didn’t get as much use as I thought it might.

I tried out some new techniques with this project, like attaching buttons with the sewing machine (who knew?) and a four-step buttonhole (not my choice; auto buttonhole chose not to work on my machine). As I stated earlier, I’m pretty rusty at garment sewing, but I’ll definitely be getting more practice at it soon. Baby clothes are a little like the doll quilts of clothes sewing. Faster to construct with less space and materials requirements. And oh-so-cute!

Thanks for hosting the challenge, Meg! I really needed the motivation.

Kids’ clothes week challenge

Meg over at Elsie Marley is hosting another KCWC!

The idea is that participants spend 1 hour each day sewing for a little person. I’ve been too long absent from the sewing machine. This supposed crafter has a pretty little 16-month-old daughter with nary a garment – even an accessory! – made by her mama. Shameful

I have a wonderful pattern from Liesl Gibson’s Oliver + S called 2 + 2 that includes tops and a skirt. I will sew at the very least a top, and perhaps even a skirt, should the momentum carry me through by the end of the week. My hope is that this will be a catalyst for me to begin making all the little pretties I imagined making for my Future Daughter for so many years. I’ve been unintentionally preparing for this week by organizing all  my fabric over the last month or so. No excuses!

Wish me luck! Here’s a photo of the little recipient to tide y’all over. Isn’t she a peach?