Buttons in the Urban Wild - PR&P Week One

Hello, everyone! I'm so excited to share my first submission for Project Run & Play!

Eliza requested blue, black, white, and gray, and the challenge called for buttons -- so I made sure to check off all boxes just in case this is the only week I'm here.

First, the trench. I knew from the beginning I'd be sewing a trench coat in this style at some point in the competition. I sewed one back in 2013 for Flip this Pattern, and Eliza wore the snot out of it. Why reinvent the wheel? Only I didn't keep my pattern pieces from that project, so I had to reinvent the wheel. 

It started with the Sunki Dress pattern by Figgy's. I omitted the zipper in the back and modified the front, rounded the neckline and changed the shoulders, and added a collar. I added facings to the front as well as belt loops and a tie. I kept my two favorite design elements: the side panel/pockets and the pleated sleeves. (Thanks to Cottage Mama for reminding me how to tie a bow.)

After a couple of muslin versions, I was ready for the real deal. The corduroy fabric jumped out at me as something Eliza would LOVE (Robert Kaufman) and the black was leftover from my bridesmaid's dress. All buttons, fabric, and trim came from Let's Sew in Evansville unless otherwise noted.

I do not like button holes, so I sewed the buttons on and put sew-on snaps on the back of the fabric to close it. It reduces the chance for error, and it's easier for Eliza to open and close. The neckline and facings are trimmed with bias tape.

Also, ever since I dropped my camera I can't get it to focus properly. C'est la vie.

The t-shirt is based on a shirt Eliza had a few years ago and adored. It was a 2T dress, and I kid you not - the child wore it until she was 5. My version is a little different than the original, but the angled neckline with buttons and gathered body are the same. I added trim for a pop of color and to tie it together with the coat and skirt. The buttons are so pretty. There's a thread chain loop to close - no button holes woohoo!

Finally, the skirt. I used the Ayashe pattern from Figgy's, which I've sewn before and adore. I lost the instructions for the pattern and had to wing it, but the only real design change I made was to add shorts underneath. But look! Button holes. Those suckers took me a full 1.5 hours.

While we're talking time, this whole ensemble took me 20+ hours to complete. Wanna know how I know? I watched all 10 episodes of The Vietnam War (AHmazing documentary). Each episode is about 2 hours.

The photo location was perfect. It's a pedestrian overpass by a high school near us. I promise I didn't ask people to come and graffiti in raspberry and turquoise spray paint, but it does coordinate nicely.

I knitted the hat while we were on vacation. It's the Barley Hat (a free pattern) by Tin Can Knits and the yarn is some soft chenille stuff from JoAnn. 

That's it! I'll leave you with a photo dump and a plea to please vote over at Project Run & Play!

Sew All 26: P is for Polka Dots and Peacocks

Katy (No Big Dill) has been hosting a fabulous series called "Sew All 26." Together she, some guests, and sew-alongers have been creating their way through the alphabet. Today I'm joining in for the letter P!

It started with the coat. I was itching to make a turquoise corduroy jacket in a pea coat style. I waffled between the Oliver + S Sunday Brunch Jacket and the Make it Perfect Uptown Girl jacket. Finally I settled on a pattern from my own collection: Simplicity 2629. It's a vintage reprint of a layette collection from the '40s. 

I sketched a gigantic peacock design and used upcycled fabric (also used here), scrap fabric, and lots of matching thread. (I'm a little fanatical in my applique technique.)

I added a ruffle to the front yoke seam, some piping to the collar, and used the buttons from the original upcycled shirt dress. It closes with little thread button loops.

The shirt is the Figgy's Patterns Ayashe Blouse. The polka dot fabric is pale pink -- some I picked up from the fabric store two blocks from our old home in Black Mountain. It was on clearance, and I bought all they had.

My practice version of the blouse was a size 2/3, and it was a tad big. Unfortunately the 18-month size I made this time was a little small. I had to make the neck hole bigger and use a thread loop and button to keep things closed.

I love the details on this shirt. The gathers at the shoulder, the mandarin collar, the elastic waist, and the gathers in the back. . . so sweet.

The skirt (also the Ayashe) is made from denim I had stashed to make Thurlows. (I've decided to make Thurlow shorts instead.) It's a medium-weight denim, and the buttons are some of my grandmother's vintage goodies. I was afraid they were over-the-top (says the girl who appliqued a life-size peacock on a coat), but I'm digging them now.

Sometimes I feel torn between bold colors and pastels. I'm attracted to both! And I fluctuate between loving hip, modern styles and classic, traditional ones. With this ensemble, I've worked it all in!

Stats

Patterns: Ayashe from Figgy's Patterns (blouse and skirt), Simplicity 2629 (jacket)

Fabric: corduroy (bought at Hancock Fabrics last year), polka dot quilting cotton (bought at Carolina Foam and Fabric last year), medium weight denim (bought from Fabric.com last year)

Size: 18 month (blouse), 2T (skirt), Large (jacket)

Modifications: lengthened jacket, added button loop closure to blouse

Thoughts: Figgy's patterns are true to size in my experience. I should've stuck with the 2/3 for the blouse. The skirt fits perfectly. The jacket is extremely wide in the shoulders but otherwise fits well.

The most important part is that she really, really likes it!

KCW Leftovers

I finished all the projects I'd planned for Kids Clothes Week with two exceptions: the Music Class Shirt and Skirt will wait until Spring (the salmon linen I'm using is suited for that season) and the Henry Shirt for Lee was a fail.

The collar tripped me up again. The whole stinkin' thing is finished except for the collar and snaps. Alas, I'm calling it quits. As much as I love this design, too many hours have been spent trying to make it work. Maybe it was me goofing up the seam allowances; maybe my brain just won't wrap around attaching a collar without a stand; I don't know. I ripped it and re-sewed it three times and the collar just wouldn't meet up with the placket. (You'll see what I mean in the third picture below.)

It was made from two of Ryan's old shirts -- one of which had a hole in it -- so at least it wasn't a heartbreaking loss of fabric.

My sister bought Eliza a precious little striped sweater dress from a resale shop. (It's Gymboree brand.) She needed a purple shirt to go underneath it, so I whipped up a Flashback Skinny Tee in a violet knit from my stash. (Her tights are Children's Place.)

I also sewed up another Bimaa Sweater and Sunki Leggings (the same denim, which brings the count up to 3 of the exact same pants). The cowl neck is from the same upcycled dress as my first version, and the orange knit is leftover from one of my Renfrews.

We went to Audubon State Park for these shots, and a woman passing by teased this smile out of her. Our new friend was smitten with Eliza. It was a gorgeous place for a hike.

All my plastic bins that held outstanding projects for KCW are empty! That feels good. It feels even better to know that Daniel and Lee are set for clothes this season. Eliza could use a few more things that I've already got planned.

I'm itching to finish a couple of things for myself, too -- finally getting around to my Thurlows is first on the list. They've been cut, interfaced, and ready to sew for six months now. It's amazing how that happens, isn't it?

Sunki FLIP -- VOTING Time!

**Voting for this month's Flip this Pattern series begins today! There were four awesome creations this month -- all outerwear! It only takes a second to hop over and choose your favorite.

Vote Here.**

When Emily and Ashley asked me to be a part of this series, I was humbled and thrilled. Flipping patterns is one of my favorite sewing activities, and there's been a ton of inspiration so far!

The Sunki tunic and leggings have such beautiful details. 

For months I ruminated, dreamed, and conceptualized.

Here's my FLIP!

 

I had three criteria for this flip:

a) it had to include my favorite Sunki details.

b) it had to be practical and have lots of wear potential.

c) it had to cost under $20 for the ensemble, minus shoes.

It took several practice muslins to get it how I wanted it, but the result is just as I'd imagined.

First, the elements I kept:

-the darling pleated sleeves

-the awesome side panels

-the simple a-line silhouette

Now for what I changed:

-re-drafted the neckline

-added a collar

-omitted the back seam and moved it around front to allow for a button/snap closure (2-year-old "No, I do it!" friendly, of course.)

-modified the envelope shoulder to a straight seam

-added self-made piping to the pocket seams, shoulder seam, and collar

-completely lined the inside, including a reinforced bias-bound panel at the placket

-added belt loops and tie belt to complete the trench coat look

-added cuffs to the sleeves

The leggings stayed exactly as is. However, I did cut two sizes larger to give her lots of ease and growing room. The fabric I used for the leggings was medium weight denim, so it had minimal stretch and wouldn't have been comfortable as tight leggings.

I also added a Flashback Skinny Tee (with a little more ease added) in the same fabric as the lining.

And what trench coat would be complete without a fedora? This one was made with the Elegance and Elephants Fedora Hat pattern (which I love!).

Nitty Gritty Details:

Fabric: lightweight denim, Robert Kaufman for handmade piping/bias trim (both bought at Let's Sew in Evansville, IN), upcycled twill for the fedora, and vintage curtain panel (fabric from M. Lowenstein and Sons) for the contrast/lining on the Sunki and lining for the fedora.

Thank you so much for letting me share this with you! It's been a blast creating it and being a part of this spectacular series.