Skip to main content

Made by a Fabricista: Daddy & Me and Colorful Bibs, Too!

Hello all!  Summer is speeding by, isn't it?  We've sure had a crazy busy one so far.  Today I bring you a trio of garments, two that match and one that's louder than a marching band...

First up, Cheeks and Daddy J's matching tops!


These were made from this wonderfully soft and surprisingly not wrinkle prone (even though it's made of all natural fibers) candy red cotton/rayon/lycra jersey.  The description calls it semi-sheer, but I'd say it's definitely opaque enough for a top!


The pattern is the Jalie Nico raglan tee.  I found the sizing to be pretty on par with ready to wear.  Not surprising, since this has been my general experience with Jalie patterns.  I made a size 3 (G) for Cheeks, which I was afraid would end up too big but is just a bit relaxed instead.  Also, take a look at how Cheeks has grown into his pull on jeans!




When J first saw the pattern, his first question was "can you make it a v-neck instead?" and my response was a negatory.  He's a consummate crew-neck hater because ready to wear basic tees almost always strangle him.  For his 44" chest I made a size 16 (CC), but cut the neckline at the BB line, effectively making it one size larger.  For the neck binding I used size DD. The most gratifying part of these tops was probably hearing him say that the neck was actually comfortable for once.  THE POWER OF SEWING!




Nico comes with short sleeves or long and offers a straight or curved hemline.  I used the straight hem for Cheeks and the curved for J.  The difference is very subtle and I will probably not bother with the curved hem again in the future.  That all said, this is a great men's raglan pattern!



 In addition to these tops, I spotted this bright and cheery cotton/lycra twill on the site and just knew it would be absolutely perfect for little boy shorts, pants, jackets:  all sorts of things!  As you can see, I finally settled on overalls and I see many more of these in Cheeks' future.


I had originally planned to make J matching shorts or myself matching shortalls (or both!) but ran out of time because of...real estate.  We sold our house and are moving into a new one this very weekend!  Packing sure puts a damper on sewing time, doesn't it?


There also happens to be another very special event happening this weekend...




...Cheeks is turning TWO!  Happy Birthday to my sweet boy!  <3

My sweet boy who is starting to feel like this about the Mamarazzi...


But, back to overalls, or shortalls, as it were.  :)  This fabric is really great because it has just a touch of stretch.  It's great comfort-wise for all people, but especially for the running, squatting, reaching and stretching of toddlers.



The thing that's not so great is matching the stripes with so many pattern pieces!  Oops.  My first approach was to cut pieces purposely off kilter, such as the pockets, but I quickly became painfully aware that I was going to need to stripe match in certain areas or it was going to look pretty bad.  I didn't realize this until after I cut the front, and I miscalculated a bit for the back, but I think they turned out alright anyway.



On that note, a few close ups!  I used a triple stitch for all of the topstitching, which worked well everywhere but the curved part of the faux fly, which turned out a bit feathery in appearance.






This pattern is the Peek-A-Boo Patterns Okey Dokey Overalls (aff link). I had this pattern traced off in a 3T back in February, but didn't get around to sewing them until now.  Such is my sewing life!



Overall, I was pretty happy with the pattern; the end result is CUTE and I will use it again.  The only thing that was a little odd was the front pocket facing; it didn't seem to be drafted long enough as it didn't reach the top edge of the pocket per the photo instructions.  I also had a tough time figuring out how to navigate the outseam between where the facing is turned to the inside and the rest of the pant leg.


And then there was hardware...

A snap crotch is a definite must for those little ones still in diapers.  After I had Cheeks I used a manual snap setter for a while, and though it worked fairly well, I always felt like there was still a bit more frustration and room for error than I'd like.


When he was a few months old, I took the plunge and made the investment in a DK93 table press from KAMsnaps.com.  The ease of use is night and day:  inserting snaps with my press is effortless and always accurate.  For his shortalls, I used size 16 silver open-ring metal snaps (die used to insert these snaps here). I considered also using snaps for the hip closures, but thought they may not be beefy enough and instead went with more traditional bachelor buttons, also known as jean buttons.



Have you ever used bachelor buttons?  Because this was my first try and golly, none of them are straight.  I'm a bit afraid they'll pop off at any moment with my lackluster application.  Do you know any tricks to getting them hammered on nice and straight?


This was also my first time using these self-adjusting Dritz overall buckles.  I'm not sure I really like the "pull it through and let the ends hang" idea.  I may do some online hunting for a more traditional overall buckle and slide combination for next time.  Suggestions for where to look would be appreciated!


And there they are!  Two shirts and a fabulous pair of shortalls.


Thanks for reading!  Until our next sewing adventure...

Jess

Comments

  1. Great advise on adjusting the crew neckline. I will use that idea. You little boy looks so darned cute in this red T and overalls. Great job!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks for leaving a comment! All comments are reviewed before posting to help us eliminate spam. Your comment will be posted within 24 hours.

Popular Posts You Might Like

Made By A Fabricista: Effortless ITY

Clothing made from  ITY  (Interlock Twist Yarn) fabric is effortless, almost like wearing secret pajamas. It is silky and cool to the touch, with a beautiful drape and amazing stretch. ITY fabric is incredibly versatile, and some of the best dresses, skirts, and athletic wear I’ve owned are made from it. Thanks to Fabric Mart’s recent influx of unique ITY fabrics, I was inspired to add some additional ITY items to my wardrobe.  I found two beautiful ITY fabrics on the Fabric Mart site that stopped me in my tracks. The first fabric I loved was a funky off-white and multi-color flora and fauna print from a New York Designer. I ordered two yards of this print with a top in mind. Next, I saw a beautiful  ITY fabric panel  featuring off-white and blue floral print. I’m usually hesitant to buy fabric panels without a plan of how to use them, but I threw caution to the wind this time. I ordered 5 panels, hoping that would give me more than enough fabric to showcase the...

Made By A Fabricista: Matching Sets Are Always a Win for Me

I think I might have a problem.  I’m obsessed with a good matching set. Matching Sets can be considered as a coordinated chic look. A perfectly paired top and bottom that creates a seamless, stylish look with minimal effort. I think that’s exactly what I did.  Usually when I’m looking for fabric, I try to have something in mind of what I’m going to make with it. Well, I’m here to report that I totally forgot what pattern I was going to use for this beautiful fabric. I believe I had a dress in mind, but I couldn’t remember the pattern for the life of me.  The fabric I chose is called Indian red dandelion soft lavender flower poplin shirting .  I’ve used poplin from Fabric Mart several times and it’s always a win for me. I went through several different patterns for the top, until I landed on the Sara Top from Fibre Mood. I’ve had this top in my stash for so many years, and I thought it would be great for this fabric. This pattern is basically 2 rectangles with a chann...

Made By A Fabricista: Sewing Summery ITY

Hi sewing friends! I’m dropping in to share a few makes sewn with ITY fabrics and inspire you to try out this slinky, cool-to-the-touch fabric for hot weather if you haven’t yet, or to recommend some patterns that work fabulously if you already love it. This is by far my favorite knit to wear in summer. Since it moves easily there’s lots of airflow, and it just skims the body. More often than not, it has a four-way stretch that doesn’t grow when worn, so it works great for loads of styles.  ITY stands for Interlock Twist Yarn and the knit gives it some wonderful drape and stretch. There are lots of different weights and even some differing textures. Because it’s so fluid, the fabric really resists most wrinkling. I’ve sewn three different weights and prints here to show off just what ITY can do!  This white floral is a lighter weight and features a slightly crepe-textured finish, and I think that combined with the large and spread-out floral makes it quite elegant and eye-cat...