Toddler Undershirts

I did not like the choices the stores offer in undershirts for little girls.  I can find spaghetti strap camisoles very easily but I do not like them because a.) I am not a big fan of spaghetti straps in general and b.) when my step-daughter had those the straps were constantly falling off her shoulder.  I tried to find tank tops with wider straps but I couldn't find them small enough for my two-year old and what I did find were not just plain white; they were pink and purple or had pictures on them.  One day I was over at made-by-rae and I saw a pattern for tank tops for boys from Fishsticks and Fries (this post).  After much study in the use of knits I decided to give it a shot.  I altered the pattern slightly to be a little shorter, have a slight scoop neck, and have cap sleeves.  I also used 100% cotton interlock knit, which was nice because the edges don't curl and it is a little thicker so therefore much easier to work with.  I used a walking foot with my longest stitch length (my walking foot does not work with a zig-zag stitch).  It worked really well.

Here are the steps I took:
1. Right sides together, stitch the shoulders together.
2. Hem the sleeve ends by rolling the fabric under 1/4" and stitching down.  Since knits don't fray I did not roll over to cover the raw edges.  That helps keep down the bulk.
3. Attach elastic to the neck: sew upside-down on the right side, flip inside, topstitch to hold it down.  I used decorative elastic trip so it would be prettier.  The elastic was slightly shorter than the neck opening so I stretched it a little as I was sewing.  The Tank pattern has a great description of how to fit the neck edge on without having some areas too tight and others too loose.
4. Right sides together sew side seams together.  I started at the bottom and went upward toward the sleeve because it seemed easier.
5. Hem the bottom.  I turned the bottom inside approximately 1/2" and then did that again so the raw edges were hidden there.

It was really quick to put them together.  I bought 1 1/2 yards of 60" white interlock fabric (40% off coupon) and 3 yards of decorative elastic trim (20% off) from Fabric Depot here in Portland.  When all was said and done I got 7 undershirts, each costing approximately $1.50.

Butterick B4054

Another Butterick 4054:

Size 2; Quilting Cotton.  I used homemade brown bias tape for the collar.  I like the quilting cotton because it is a little heavier; good for a winter dress and holds up nicely to an active two-year-old.

Explorer Bags

Our family likes to go on hikes and the boys have a tendency to pick up random findings along the way. I have been thinking about making these bags for quite some time so I have had a lot of time to work out the details in my head. I was able to make them using remnants that I just had laying around. Each bag is lined with a lighter material on the inside to hide the seams and brighten up the insides so things can be spotted easily.

The bags are made up of rectangles of 3 different sizes. For the body of the bag cut 10"x7": 2 for the lining and 2 of the outer fabric. For the flap and the front pocket cut 10"x9": 2 of the outer fabric for the flap and 1 of another fabric for the pocket. For the sides and bottom cut a strip 2"x21": 1 for the lining and 1 of outer fabric. I used iron-on interfacing on all of the pieces to give the bag some stability. To attach the straps to the bag I used small pieces of the outer fabric (but I don't know the exact measurements).

Make the pocket first. Fold the piece in half longways so you have a piece that now measures 5"x9". Top stitch along the folded edge with about 1/4" seam allowance. Place on the front piece of outer body fabric. Position, stitch to form desired pockets. Trim the pocket fabric to be even with the outer body fabric. Raw edges will be eliminated in the bag assembly.

To assemble the bags start with sewing the front and back sections of the outer fabric to the side/bottom strip. Be sure to line up the top along the strip so the bag isn't offset. Do the same for the lining but leave a hole in the bottom of part of the lining to flip the bag and conceal the seams when the lining and bag are attached later.

Sew the flap pieces right side together on 3 of the sides (2 long edges and 1 short edge). I opted for curving the flap but it can be left square too. Flip the flap so the right sides are out. Press. Top stitch around the 3 sewn edges.

Sandwich all of the pieces together, right sides together, flap tucked in between the lining and the bag body. Line up the seams. Sew around the opening. Flip through the hole in the lining. Press the mouth of the bag and top stitch. Sew up the hole in the lining.

To attach the straps (I used 1" wide cotton belting, just shy of 2 yards long). The strap hardware I found, after much searching, at Mill End Fabrics in Portland for $0.29 a piece. Use a small piece of coordinating fabric to attach to the bag (I made a tube and folded in raw edges to I don't have stray strings). Thread the strap. I just looked at the strap on my diaper bag to figure it all out. I used a strap adjuster so the kids could use the bags for years to come. The same size strap fits all of my children (19 months to 8 years old).

Quilt & Guitar

Today was the first time in 7 weeks (since my baby girl was born) that I have been able to craft. It felt so good. This morning in an attempt to stop my 2-year old from playing with the Guitar Hero guitars I decided to make him his own guitar. It was really simple and used things I just had around the house. It took me about 20 minutes start to finish. The neck is made out of two pieces of cardboard taped together (front to back for support) with packing tape; the strings are made out of yarn; the body is made of heavy duty cardboard from an old scrapbooking notebook that I no longer needed. I used a popsicle stick to provide a little more support between the neck and body (that was done after this picture was taken so you can see the bend I fixed). Now it is totally sturdy and ready for a 2-year old to rock out on.

For my 2-year old I also made a quilt. It was meant for his Christmas present but that didn't happen and it got put off until a day when both kids were asleep at the same time for long enough for me to get my sewing machine out and set up. I can't wait for the day when I can have a place where I can leave my sewing machine set up all the time. the front is made out of woven cotton fabrics and the back is made of flannel that I found the day after Thanksgiving (that was the first time I shopped the sales and I just went to JoAnn). I used two layers of cotton batting on the inside so it should be nice and toasty. Overall, it was pretty easy with the only real challenge being the mitered corners. If you are making a quilt and want to miter the corners of the front or back, go here. The pictures are not the greatest but along with the instructions, it is the best I could find. Quite helpful. To quilt it together I stitched in the ditch so the pattern on the top wouldn't get too busy. I used a thread that went well with the flannel on back because that is where you would see it most.

Not the Only Crafter

Yes, I am still crafting but slowly (and all of my pictures are stuck on my broken camera). I am not the only crafter in the house. A while ago, like a year or so ago, my sister got a "Make a Racer" Kit for my son (who is now 6) and we put off doing it, mostly because I was afraid he would smear on all of the paint everywhere rather than take the time to think about what he wanted to paint. So, we were going through the craft box this summer and we came across this kit and decided to go for it. It was a lot of fun. He and his father mixed the plaster and poured it into the mould. Then they put in the casings for the wheels (so they actually roll when you are finished) and waited for a couple days to finish it. I helped him map out what colors he wanted, we mixed the paint to get the perfect colors, and he painted it (I just helped out with edges and touch ups). He loves his little car. I highly recommend this project for anyone with little boys. It is tons of fun! We still have the mould so I am wondering if I can find something for the wheels and wheel casings so we could make more. Here is the finished product: