Kids Clothes Week Day 4

First Day 3, part 2.  After Peter went to bed, I finished repairing the pants I mentioned on Day 1.   From Ottobre 4/2010, Hilleri pants, size 86 (I think).  I fused all the front leg pieces together, added length,  and narrowed the legs by about an inch.

The good:

• Green pants are awesome!
• Yellow topstitching is also pretty fun.
• I successfully installed a fly zipper.
• Camouflage!

The do-better-next-time:

• Finish the seams the first time!
• When pants are going to be rolled up, make an extra effort to have an even hem.

 

And now for Day 4—another pair of pajamas!

Second verse, same as the first.  The topstitching is a little better (though it could still be better), the waist a little more snug and the fly a little better.  Plus it’s made out of his dad’s high school band t-shirt.

Kids Clothes Week Day 3

Or, “Rain, rain, come out to play.”  I finished the rain pants just in time for this afternoon’s rain.  No, it’s not actually raining in the pictures.  But it did later.

From Ottobre 6/2010 (again), the Kuperkeikka velour pants in size 92, with lengthened legs.

The good:

• They fit! See below for my caveat.
• I put a lining in them all by myself.  It may be a little feminine, but it was on my shelf and served the purpose of protecting the membrane on the blue while still breathing itself.

The do-better next time:

• I sized up one size because I intend these to be worn over other pants.  In retrospect, I think I should have gone up two sizes—one for overpants, one for non-knit (though with some stretch) used on a knit pattern.  Especially because:
• Serging the Gore-Tex was not a good idea.  It bunched and pulled strangely.  And I don’t know that Teflon feet or whatever exist for sergers.  Since the pants are fully lined (in my version), it’s unnecessary too.  I had to cut off the serged seams and try again.
• I should really pay more attention to my bobbin warning light when sewing on something you’re not supposed to poke extra holes in.

Kids Clothes Week Day 2

I have a really awful picture of the rain pants I worked on today, but both the picture and the current state of the project are so depressing that I decided to document it with this little man demonstrating why I might want some waterproof pants.

He loves pouring things.  And stirring things.  And dumping things.  I have plans for a water table like this, but for now we have a plastic tub in the backyard and some things from the kitchen.  And it’s awesome.  Much better than the kitchen floor, which is where such things were taking place (and still occasionally do).  But we always have to have a new pair of pants after a water session.  Which is okay, but I thought some protective pants would be a useful item in the arsenal.  Not to mention there’s a creek right behind our house, and we need to go see how the tadpoles are doing.  So I found an elastic-waist pants pattern in Ottobre, some GoreTex that I had earmarked for another purpose, and I hope we’ll have some rain pants soon.

But not tonight.  I think I may cast on for a baby boy hat (the baby girl hat is mostly finished—just needs a button) and veg out in front of the TV.  Hey, a hat is clothes!

Kids Clothes Week Un-sewing

Well, I got more than my hour in today thanks to a long nap from the little mister.  Unfortunately, my work was of the terribly un-photogenic kind—tracing patterns, and cutting out fabric.  Luckily, one of my projects includes fixing a pair of pants that I *already* have pictures of—how sneaky is that?

Here’s Peter on St. Patrick’s Day in his promised camouflage pants.  I broke a needle on my serger in the middle of working on them, and so left the seams unfinished.  Plus I cut the elastic for the waistband too long.  Thanks to the long nap today, I decided to fix those things.

So, seams are ripped, patterns are traced, fabric is cut, and systems are go for the next few days of Kids Clothes Week sewing.

What I’ve been up to

Hm, let’s see.  Last time I was around, I promised to share some knitting projects.  And then I promptly didn’t.  I have this problem where I want my blog to be some faithful chronicle of life and my fun stuff, and then I don’t update, so I forget everything.  So I think I’m just going to start with what I’ve been doing recently, before I forget.  If' I’m lucky, I’ll go back through and play catch up on some other stuff, including the knitting.  How’s that for a tease?

First up:  pajamas!

From Ottobre 6/2010, the Pitka Jussi long johns and the Villi Viikinki undershirt, both in size 86 (side note—why do some of the names in Ottobre seem to be translated [the same issue has Jumpin’ In coveralls], while others obviously aren’t?).  The hibiscus print was originally something I requested for myself in middle school, I think?  I’m sure my mom will be glad to see that it finally got turned into something.  The red is a t-shirt from the Goodwill pile, and the navy is cotton-lycra.  It works well instead of ribbing, I think.

The good:

• It fits!
• It has a little fly, which amuses me greatly.

The do-better next time:

• It would look better with more of the topstitching that’s suggested.  My topstitching was looking really, really awful, so I decided to forgo it.  Mom and I think it’s because I decided I could use a regular double needle instead of going to get a ballpoint one.  We’ll try that for the next pair.
• I think If I’m just going to use the lycra for the waistband (I didn’t put in any elastic), I’ll shorten it just a smidge.
• One of the cuffs on the shirt is inside out.  Not super noticeable, so I didn’t bother ripping it out and redoing it, but suboptimal.
• Sewing in the size labels really works better when I can see them.  I’ll have to get a picture of the pants label.
• The inner fly could be just a little taller (which I think is my fault).  Not that it matters one iota since he’s wearing a diaper, but still.

Luckily, my chance to improve will come soon!  It’s the Kid’s Clothes Week Challenge this week at elsie marley, and I’m signed up!  Stay tuned for the week’s exploits.