My seven year old son doesn't get a whole lot of sewing love, so when I saw camo Ripstop available at Fabric Mart, I KNEW I had to make him a jacket! With my $50 budget and Fabric Mart's stellar prices, I still had room to add a few more fabrics to my basket, so I decided I'd also make him a pair of fleece pants, a dress shirt, and long sleeve knit top to go with it! And, since I had a few dollars left in my budget, I also picked up some Kylie and the Machine woven labels! These are super fun and I included them inside each garment!
For this project, I used the new Jalie Laurent t-shirt, hoodie, pullover pattern (I chose the pullover view). This is a quick and easy sewing project - one that's sure to be a great wardrobe builder! I selected a black and white striped rayon-lycra lightweight knit (Italian import, NY designer) - this one feels a bit like ITY and has a nice drape. I did make it a size too big though - I was more familiar with the fit of Jalie Nico, so I went up a size from my previous Nico, but since Laurent is a loose fit, that was unnecessary.
I thought it would be fun to have a dress shirt that could go over the striped top, or be worn standalone. For this, I used Oliver+S Buttoned-Up Button Down Shirt pattern - a fabulous shirt pattern with beautiful finishes and excellent instructions. I mostly stayed true to the pattern, omitting the cuff placket buttons and collar buttons.
This imported Japanese twill was just beautiful to sew and feels really soft! I'm kinda jealous - I want this shirt for me! One thing that's super important when sewing dress shirts, is having really accurate and even top stitching. I lengthened my stitch to 3.5 and used an edge stitch foot with guide. Most of the seams are 1/2", but the cuff placket uses a 1/4" seam - I happen to have a 1/4" foot in my arsenal, which made this seam really easy to sew.
Another thing you'll need for shirt sewing is interfacing. I use Palmer and Pletch interfacing, available at Fabric Mart. This product is woven from fabric and gives a professional finish to your garments. If you've only ever used Pellon interfacings, give this one a try next time - I think you'll fall in love! I also use SewKeysE Tapes for stabilizing my shoulder seams and necklines. Fabric Mart also carries these, and they are worth stocking up on!
Jalie Henri is my go-to for my son's sweatpants. I discovered that the fleece wouldn't work for the waistband and cuffs, so rather than using a different pattern, I used some ribbing from my scrap bin (also from Fabric Mart!).
I sewed these pants with both inseam pockets and a back patch pocket. The fleece is from an Italian import from a NY designer. It didn't have a ton of stretch, but it had enough for these pants, and I can see they will be nice and sturdy when he's playing in the woods in the colder months!
I dug through my Oliver+S pattern stash for the School Days Jacket - a pattern I'd made once before when my eldest was in preschool! It's such a fabulous pattern though, and one that I really should use a few more times before all my kids grow out of it!
Camo Ripstop Canvas (NY Designer) was perfect for this coat, and so easy to sew as well! I did find the instructions were overly generous with fabric requirements, so I still have some left - probably enough to make camo pants for him! I lined this one with navy blue flannel (NY Designer) - also another fabric I was a little bitter about using for my kids instead of me ;-).
Finally, I added these Kylie and the Machine "Ta-Da!" labels to all my garments! Fabric Mart has a great selection of them at the moment! These are a lovely weight and add some fun to any of your projects!
Fabric Mart also carries Wonder Tape, which is what I use to baste mine in. While I attached mine to the inside of my outfits, you could also attach them to an outer side seam if you chose. Tip: Before you begin sewing, I suggest making a note on your actual pattern instructions indicating when you will add your tags. It's no fun getting past the point of no return and realizing you forgot your labels!
Thanks for checking out my project today! This was a bit of a labor intensive project, but I love how it turned out! And my son is ecstatic!
Your son could be a fashion model in these wonderful garments! Beautiful work by you!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much!
DeleteYour son is a great model. He makes your projects look very professional. You are a very accomplished seamstress by the looks of these garments. So glad your son enjoys your efforts.
ReplyDeleteThanks! It certainly helps to use patterns with great directions for improving your skills! I have learned tons from Oliver+S patterns over the years!
DeleteWow and wow! Fantastic garments and your son is model perfect.
ReplyDeletethank you!
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