Details Dress Shirt

I am always in awe of stellar boys clothing since sewing for boys can definitely be a challenge. You have a lot more leeway with girls fashion, and boys clothing requires much more attention to detail.

Case in point- this little dress shirt I made for Ori. Lines have to be clean and seams have to be straight. Buttonholes have to be even and collars have to be aligned.

But that's kind of why I enjoy it- the finished project always looks so finished. 

This checked material was a 50/50 pillowcase- I love that it is more graphic than straight plaid. It was perfect for a dress shirt, but I did have to stretch it by using the gray chambray for the back and lining.

Fun boy fashions? Check out: 
Petit Ferris
Celebrate the Boy with Rae & Dana
Little Lebowski
elsiemarley's inspirations
verypurpleperson's amazing sarouels
delia's signature look

A Handsome Homecoming

For this weeks boy challenge I decided to make something appropriate for my little guy's return to school- new dress duds fit for picture day and his very own letterman jacket.

 

The jacket was made with sweatshirt fleece and it is set to become his new go to when running out the door. The dress shirt is made from a bed linen with faint yellow stripes, and the pants are a stretchy red suiting material that look perfect dressed up or down. I loved the vibrant red color for boys the cut is a comfortable skinny style- casual yet dressy.

The jacket is definitely the piece that stands out in this look. I knew I wanted to make it royal blue for Ori's future school's colors and settled on either red or yellow trim. Yellow just happened to be the trim I found while thrifting- I cut up and salvaged what I could from an old sport wind breaker and then backed it with ribbed knit. It took a great deal of fiddling to get just the right amount for the neck, cuffs and bottom hem.

Speaking of a great deal of effort- these smiles did not come easy. I realized during this little photo shoot at a nearby high school that Phia is a much more manageable model to work with. It took me about 15 minutes to figure out exactly what I could bribe Ori with. He turned down the already promised trip to red mango, and held firm with the agreement that I download "bad piggies" once we got home. And for that cheeky grin, I will conclude that was .99 cents well spent.

If you have a chance, check out project run and play and cast your vote!

A Very Useful Accessory

Here's my first kcwc project to be finished:
A reversible vest all fit for Ori. It was a simple little project that came together really quick- I love how motivating instant gratification always feels.
But, I had to use the power of persuasion to get Ori to like his vest. I might have told my train obsessed son that it is the same vest that a certain railway controller wears.
And for anyone who would like to put one together, here is a little walk through.

Part of Your Balanced Breakfast

This is definitely the most important meal of the day when Ori looks that excited before devouring it.Even though little man loves yogurt to start with, its always a treat to watch him "oh & ah" and dance around a bit when we dress it up with some fruit.
What gets your day started? Lately my day begins with coffee- a habit I am trying to get out of.

February

I seem to have missed two weeks- I might need to catch up on some of the highlights of February.

Ori turned four and mastered the iphone camera
Valentines meal made by Danny
Cookies enjoyed by Ori and friends

Room to Grow

I have been squeezing Ori into too-tight shirts- my boy hit a growth spurt and has been in need of new duds.
Based off the size of an old shirt, I made him this little pullover with a medium weight knit I found while thrifting.
I was so happy when I made my first successful placket, and have been looking for excuses to make more. It was a simple 1.5 hour project- most of the time was spent on the buttonholes.
Thankfully, he's a fan.

Right On Time

In the midst of holiday craziness I put together a little backpack made from striped denim, intended to house Ori's goods that he likes to lug around with him. He was genuinely excited when he opened up his gift, and I was just relieved that he loved it even though the train applique had no face.
And it was made just in time for Ori to take with him to the New York Botanical Garden's train show.
Ori and Danny met up with Uncle Chris to marvel at little replicas of NYC landmarks and trains scattered throughout a lush backdrop of living plants.
Needless to say, I think he enjoyed his outing- after seeing the pictures that Danny took I am considering taking Phia before it ends.
And if you have a minute to admire pictures of the show, might I suggest these and this and this.

Sticking to the Plan

Earlier this fall I had set out some goals and am very happy to say I have been fulfilling them.
And just for fun I used the magic of instagram to keep track of each enjoyed moment- especially the beautiful bike rides and improvised mustaches.

Good Grief!

So I am a little late with showing off this year's Halloween costumes...

After repeat viewings of "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" the kids agreed upon Charlie and Sally Brown. We made last minute goodie bags adorned with Snoopy and Woodstock and then tried to get Phia's hair as poofy as possible.
My mom pointed out that Phia might be a little more close in character with Frieda- the little girl with naturally curly hair who also has a cat she takes along everywhere, and I suppose I see an uncanny resemblance.

Library Jacket

No, I haven't forgotten about Ori- I just picked some time consuming projects for him that took way more time than anticipated.

I finished snipping strings on this little blazer as we were headed out the door for Ori's school.
The jacket was based off of one that was much too large for him, but altered to be a little more casual for day to day use, and the fabric was found in Joann's red tag section.

I am glad to have finished it, and in the process I got to enjoy some noteworthy podcasts. If you are looking for some mental stimulation while sewing, might I suggest this food centric interview with Michael Pollan, and this moving piece about Playing for Change. Happy Sewing!

Quiet Time

It's pretty quiet around my house right now. I am catching up on laundry while the kids blow bubbles on the porch; a stark contrast to our past week of outings in the city, tastings of NJ cuisine, and rainy movie nights. Now that our guests are back in California and the festivities of Easter are over, things feel a little more settled.
The kids are doing their best to embrace our old routines.

Released

Doesn't it feel amazing to escape captivity? We have been enjoying my favorite time of year with hikes, parks, hanami, wet rain boots, and even some street fair festivities.
Oh, spring- you are so thoroughly inspiring, and almost as awesome as funnel cake.

Styled with Ease

Guess who has new spring outerwear? For this he should be thanking Rae and Dana, who curated another fantastic month of boy centric projects, which after seeing, made me immediately want to make something for him. To join in the celebration I will be sharing my tutorial on little jackets, and how I embellish them for boys.

I really love stylish little boys, and I think that jackets are nice staples that can really elevate a little boys wardrobe. Most stores carry sizes too bulky for my little guy, so I like to tailor these jackets to fit my son by sizing it from a jacket that I know fits him, and going from there.

I find that little details like sharp collars, faux cuffs, and fun buttons can completely transform a jacket, and once I understood the basic construction of jackets, it was pretty easy to throw together.

These little jackets are pretty easy to make for a novice seamstress. I will show you how to make the basic pea coat, sized from a piece that you know already fits your child, and will also show you my alterations that make the miniature suiting look more tailored.

Sweet Expectations

On Saturday we threw a little bash for Ori. Everyone who I talked to about the party had the same big question: what kind of cake was I working on? Each time I answered, I felt a little guilty that instead of an elaborate Thomas cake, little guy would be blowing out candles perched on a simple carrot cake.

While I know that Ori would have been indescribably excited about a Thomas cake, I usually tend to steer away from character theme parties; this preference stems from memories of how awesome parties were when we were kids, and all we had was ice cream cake and balloons. I also think I might save myself some substantial grief in the long run if I hold back while the kids are still young. I can imagine the expectations being a little higher as they get older, and I don't know how wise it would be to set the bar too high now while they are just excited at the prospect of stuffing their faces with sweets. So for now Ori will just have to make due with sugar cookies, decorated with unspecified trains and conductor pin stripes.

Birthday Boy

My dearest little boy turned three yesterday. We celebrated in our pajamas, with chocolate cake & make shift tents.

As one would imagine for a three year old boy, he is fascinated by all cars, trains, planes, ect., and he studied his newest acquisition in awe over it's cool factor. Big thanks to Grandma Julie!
When it was time for cake, Daddy got to join us in singing over speaker phone. Little boy has made the past three years so, so special.

Let's Hibernate

Because winter feels endless with all of this snow, which makes exploring our new town a little challenging.

Because miso soup is so warming for lunch.
Because hand quilting leads to both pretty finishes and a warm lap during the process.
So, what do you say?

Moving Experience

It's official- we have moved into a new apartment. With big bright windows, hardwood floors, and much more space, our new place is undeniably nicer. But, I have to admit, I was really reluctant to move out of our tight duplex.

In general I am not a huge fan of packing or unpacking, but this time the move seemed a little more personal. It was the first time I have felt like a home was being made since we started our family, and even though we weren't living in the most glamorous accommodations, we were in good company; we were surrounded by great neighbors who became great friends. So, adjusting to the new place has been both exciting and sad- I just have to keep telling myself that even though we aren't borrowing cups of sugar anymore, my friends are only a 25 minute drive away. That very happy reminder has been very comforting, along with the package of Jojo's that Ori is so delicately enjoying in the above picture.

Quarantined

The kids and I have each taken a turn being sick this week. Like, really, pathetically sick. We haven't boarded ourselves in with a sign on the door, but that might as well have been the case since we did not leave the house (more than a quick ride to drop Danny off at the train station) since Saturday.

I think the worst part is how poorly prepared we were- the only thing that got us through one particularly sad day was the fact that the kids were allowed to watch Ponyo & Milo and Otis on repeat.

But being sick had some cuteness to it. Phia told anyone and everyone who called to check up on us that she had a "favor", and Ori now refers to tissues as "bless you"s. And really, now that we are on the mend, I can't complain- we did have a nice (albiet somewhat uncomfortable) time together, and Ori's voice is still adorable and scratchy.

The (Late) Halloween Post

This year Halloween was pretty low key. We had a last minute scramble to get costumes decided upon and made- I started Phia's at 11 AM on Sunday after finding some super cheap casa satin at Joann's.Ori took to dressing like his dad in miniature chef whites and checks. We made a few adjustments so that he could fit the part of Linguini from Ratatouille- thus the rat popping out of the toque and the red Converse.

While I had initially tried persuade Phia from the princess costume, I found myself void of any other clever costume ideas.
Upon seeing the mint green, glittery dress, she gleefully thanked me for her "fairy" dress. So, I guess we both win.