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22 posts categorized “Dress Your (School) Boy & Girl”

August 29, 2011

Thank You!

A great big THANK YOU! to all my fabulous guests for Dress Your (School) Girl! Here they all are in case you missed them!

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Guests:

Fiberosity, Brassy Apple, A Sewing Journal, At Second Street, Kojo Designs

Please stop by their blogs and subscribe if you don't already!

Other DY(S)G posts

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And don't forget all those great Guest Posts for Dress Your (School) Boy!

I'm always looking for guest posts so if you've got something you think I'd be interested in please let me know! Please contact me!

August 29, 2011 in Dress Your (School) Boy & Girl, Sewing , Sewing for Girls | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

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August 26, 2011

DY(S)G: Guest Tutorial- Tee to Skirt Refashion

Please welcome Megan from Brassy Apple! Megan is a very creative mama! You'll love her work so don't forget to stop on by and check out her blogs and store!
Dress your school girl
Get your "refashion" on with me today! Hi, I'm Megan from Brassy Apple and the I AM photo blog. I am also helping my 10 year old daugther develop her talents and passions with her new business – Brassy Blossom – Just a little "bud" creatively blossoming.
 
I love to Re-Fashion! It's simple, quick and you are re-using a piece you already have and/or already love! You can whip up this "TEE"zer skirt in no time! It's comfortable, original and eye catching! She will love it and so will her friends! Tshirt skirt 1 
Supplies:
1 t-shirt
scissors
measuring tape
sewing machine
elastic
nylon chiffon or tulle 
Tshirt before
Tshirt skirt 4
Step 1: Cut the t-shirt just under the sleeves. Determine the length you want the knit part of the skirt to be (from waist to just below bum) and add 1 inch for the casing. Measure and cut the t-shirt to that measurement. (My measurement was 10.5 inches) 
Tshirt cut
Step 2:  Cut your chiffon or tulle in long strips so you can gather it a bit. I like create this skirt with 2 layers of chiffon or tulle. (I cut mine to be 8" high by whatever length I had on hand). The great thing about chiffon and tulle is you can slightly overlap the materials or "snug" them up close together when 1 strip runs out to create a continuous look. 
Tshirt skirt 5
Step 3: Gather the fabric but running a basting stitch along the top of the strip. Do NOT back stitch at either end. Pull the thread from the underside of the fabric to gather or ruffle it. You can gather it a bit or a lot depending on the look you want how much material you are working with.
Step 4: Place the fabric 1" up from the bottom of the skirt piece. Pin into place all the way around. Using a straight or zig zag stitch sew the ruffled fabric to the skirt piece sewing over the stitching line creating from ruffling it.
Step 5: Fold the top edge of the skirt piece over 1" and pin to create a casing for the elastic to go through. Sew the casing leaving about a 2 – 3" opening. Thread your elastic through, sew the ends of the elastic together and then sew the opening closed. 
Tshirt casing
The skirt is done! It is meant to be worn with leggings underneath it. Just a fun pop of color in a lightweight, flouncy, girlie skirt!
If you sew one up, share a photo in the Brassy Apple flickr group! I'd love to see it! Stop by and say hello sometime or see all the other tutorials on have on my site or pick up one of my ready made designs or pattern in my shop!
Thanks Megan! What a fun skirt! 

Don't forget to add your photos to the Dress Your (School) Boy & Girl Flickr group. Any clothes you've made for school aged boys and girls!
Other Dress Your School Girl Posts
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August 26, 2011 in Dress Your (School) Boy & Girl, refashion, Sewing , Sewing for Girls | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBack (0)

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August 25, 2011

DY(S)G: Sewing for teen girls- Outfit #3, 4, 5

Dress your school girl
Continuting the Teen Outfit series. Don't forget to check out Outfit #1 and Outfit #2

Outfit #3: The western shirt

Teen outfit 3

Forever 21 shirt, Fabric, Pattern

Outfit #4
Teen outfit 4Forever 21, pattern, fabric

Outfit #5

Teen outfit 5
Hollister, lace, pattern

With all these options, sewing for teens looks fun!

August 25, 2011 in Dress Your (School) Boy & Girl, Sewing , Sewing for Girls | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

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DY(S)G: Guest Tutorial- Teach Your Girl to Sew a Headband

Please welcome Heather from Fiberosity! She is here to help you teach your girls to sew their own headband. How fun!

Dress your school girl
Hi! My name is Heather. I’ll warn you now, I love to laugh and have a sarcastic sense of humor, so if you read anything below that you find odd just laugh and nod. My sewing obsession began when I was about 4 and would happily grasp at scraps from my mother’s sewing. I’ve been collecting fabric (also called “sewing”) ever since. My first priority as a mother of three girls (Ellie, age 14, Izzy, age 12 and Alex, age 9) is to corrupt them with a love of making crafty messes. I’ve convinced my husband that they each need their own “power tool” (aka sewing machine… I talk in his language sometimes).

In the picture below, Alex is wearing another headband that she made at her sewing birthday party. It’s the same pattern as below, without the bow. 6073613566_dcc208b690 

I am a glutton for punishment.  Having taught to both small classes and large seminars since my youngest was born, I decided to quit my “day job” and teach sewing in the evenings so I could be home with my kids as they were growing up. I've hosted school holiday sewing parties at my house as well as taught 4-H sewing. This last summer I hosted small sewing camps in my home sewing studio. In short, I don’t mind having herds of children in my sewing space. 6073613278_4af9b29d0f

Children are so proud of their creations. Minor problems, imperfections, mistakes, questionable construction do not deter children. Children also listen and follow directions so much better than adults. They have no concept of what they cannot do. It's a wonderful experience to teach children how to sew. <insert sparkly hearts and unicorns>

But, I've learned a few things.

1. The projects need to be simple and quick. Children want the finished product. For first projects, chose one that is simple, with room for errors. Now is not the time to teach perfect sewing skills.  Sewing with me includes complimentary seam ripping, bobbin winding and machine threading. But only if you are under 5 ft. Everyone else *might* get a sad look from me as I hand them a seam ripper.

2. Safety is important. The biggest dangers in the sewing room are the iron and the rotary cutter. Lower the ironing table, if you can, and use a spray bottle with water instead of the steam setting on the iron. The steam setting scares children and then they jump and then the accidentally touch the iron, then they freak out and touch it more….not that I have seen this scenario. I avoid the rotary cutter until they are older, usually about 10, and then invest in a protective glove. There are also many different finger guards for machines. I do own the Pfaff system, which appealed to me the most. After having hundreds of children sewing with me, I have yet to have an issue with the needle. The iron, however, is a danger zone.

3. No matter if it is the ugliest fabric you have ever laid eyes on, they should chose their own fabric. This is my personal challenge. “Really? You want to use that?” (just keep smiling) Also, children love decorative stitches on the sewing machine and will use them whenever possible. Seriously. Whenever. Possible.

4. Younger children have a really hard time with seam allowances. I've found that around the age of 8 or 9, the dexterity is there to actually have a fairly accurate seam allowance. With younger children I will sit beside them and help them guide the fabric to avoid the 1” seam allowances.

5. They are short. Unless you have shorter tables, put the "gas pedal" on a stack of phone books or risers. If it's slipping, put a piece of no-slip sink liner under the pedal. I use the term of a "gas pedal" when teaching kids. I also tell them that they are in the driver's seat and they are in charge of how fast everything is going. If they get scared pull their feet and hands up and everything will stop. I also tell them that putting the presser foot down is like starting the car and you have to do that to step on the gas. This is mainly for my sanity because I have removed so many “bird nests” from the bobbin area. I still try and smile when I do it.  6073072917_b55c859b63 

Headbands are one of my favorite first projects. There are lots of options out there for patterns, but I prefer to base mine upon a pattern that an internet friend in the Seattle area, Snugbug, showed to me. I’ve made some changes to it over the years, but it’s a great basic pattern.  6073073467_f5856fda92 

Supply List:
1 fat quarter of fabric (more if doing another color in the bow as in the example below)
1/2" or 5/8" elastic 
Matching thread
Button for the center of the bow (optional)
Large safety pin
Sewing pins
Scissors (both sewing and paper)
Piece of paper
Marking pen (sharpie will even work)

6073613654_d7db4c3586
 Cutting

1 – 4"x16" strip

1 – 2.5"x10" strip

2 – trapezoids (4" top, 9" bottom, 7" height)

1 – 6" elastic

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I made a paper template for the trapezoid and let the child help me with the math. I mark all the pieces on the fabric with sharpie and let the child cut the pieces out with scissors.

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All seam allowances are 1/4”. I like to use the edge of the presser foot as a guide for most kid projects. Fold each strip in half, matching long edges, right sides together (or, as I call it when sewing with children, “pretty side kissing pretty side”). Sew along the one long side of both strips.

Notice the hand placement here: away from the needle and in control, achieved after many hours of practice (and lots of grey hair for me). I’m so proud, and ready to reward her with a small treat. There is room for uneven seam allowances in this pattern, so if the 1/4” turns into 3/8”, it’s okay.

As a side note, I love to use the larger head pins with kids. They are easier to handle and if they happen to drop on the floor (okay, not if, when they drop) I can spot them easier. A word of wisdom…if you happen to have only 5 butterfly head pins, hide them before hosting a bunch of elementary school girls for a sewing afternoon. Just saying… it avoids drama.  6073613868_5fde9e754e 

Using the safety pin method,  turn each tube right side out. I call this the “wiggly worm” technique.  If you have another favorite way to turn a tube, please feel free to free style during this step.

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Press each tube flat with the seam in the center of the tube. Perfection is not required.

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Put the two trapezoids pretty side kissing pretty side. Sew around the edge, leaving 3” unsewn at the bottom of the trapezoid for turning. Mark this with a pen so that a child knows when to start and stop. In this example we are using two different fabrics so that the headband is reversible.

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Sewing along a whole side and then turning and doing the next side is easier than pivoting for most children.

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Clip the corners, turn right side out and press. No need to close the opening or topstitch unless you really want to.

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Using the safety pin, thread the elastic through the small tube, pinning at both ends to secure the elastic.

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Place the elastic tube on top of the larger tube, matching edges and centering. The non-seam sides should be together.  Wrap the larger tube around the smaller tube and pin. Zig zag through all layers and the elastic. Zig zag again (and again if you wish). Clip threads before photographing. Repeat for the other end. Pull the headband tube out so that the zig zag is hidden in the seam allowance.

  6073614176_47380aa640

Lay the trapezoid down and accordion fold it; I used about 1” as the starting size. Matching the center of the folded trapezoid to the center of the headband without the elastic in it, pin. Sew through all layers, down the center. Sew a button on, if the child desires it (she didn’t).

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Comb hair. Put in headband. Smile!

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If your child has a smaller head, change the dimensions of the headband as follows:

Med:

4”x14” strip, 2.5”x9” strip, 5” elastic, 3.75”x8.5”x7”h trapezoid (18.5” headband unstretched)

Small:

4”x12” strip, 2.5”x8” strip, 4” elastic, 3.5”x8”x7”h trapezoid (15.5” headband unstretched)

Thanks Heather! What a great way to introduce sewing to girls!

Don't forget to check out the Flickr group and add your photos of things you've sewn for your school aged boys and girls!

Other Dress Your (School) Girl posts:

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August 25, 2011 in Dress Your (School) Boy & Girl, Sewing , Sewing for Girls | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0)

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August 24, 2011

DY(S)G: Sewing for teen girls- Outfit #2

Dress your school girl

A series of knock off inspired outfits for teens (or yourself!)

Outfit #2

Teen outfit 2
Source: Delia's Dress, Dress Pattern, Voile

What do you think?

Did you see Outfit #1?

August 24, 2011 in Dress Your (School) Boy & Girl, Reviews: Books, Patterns and Places, Sewing , Sewing for Girls, Sewing for women | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

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DY(S)G: Guest Tutorial- How to Sew Ottobre Patterns

Dress your school girl

Please welcome Melanie from A Sewing Journal! Melanie has a wonderful blog and is always sewing beautiful things for her girls. She's here to take the mystery out of Ottobre patterns!

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Hi there, I'm Melanie and I blog over at A Sewing Journal. I have three girls (this year all attending school) ranging in age from 4 years to 10. I like making clothes for them for fun, as a creative outlet. I love that they all still want mom to make them clothes, so I will enjoy it while I can. (Though, I have to admit, it's getting a little challenging to make clothes for my oldest.) 

ASJ 1
I love Ottobre Design sewing patterns. They are stylish and offer a large variety of styles and sizes in each issue. Each issue includes clothing patterns for babies to tweens so there is a lot of information packed in there. While you could say that Ottobre Design doesn't have a lot of instructions, I would argue that all of the important and necessary information is there for you. I think the patterns are great for advanced beginners and up, but also for what I'd call adventurous beginners. If you're not afraid to look something up in a book or online when you come across something that you are unfamiliar with, well, go for it! Also, there are patterns in each magazines that are more difficult and some that are easier. Start by choosing a pattern that uses techniques you are familiar with, or maybe that introduce you to one new thing instead of multiple new techniques. Follow along as I show you how to decipher (it's pretty easy, really) an Ottobre Design sewing pattern. 

Asj 2
This is the information page. So they don't have to repeat everything 40 times, most basic information is here. There are no cutting layouts, so this is where you read up on that and more. As with most European patterns, seam allowances are not included, but hem allowances are. Read this page before you get started. Asj collage 1

  1. Measure your child's height in centimeters.
  2. I like this part that reminds me how to determine the right size. I struggle with this all the time as my kids' measurements never seem to correlate nicely with the sizes listed on patterns and in books.
  3. When choosing your pattern, look for the little diagrams on the page, usually in the corner or along the side of the photos. These tell you the sizes for those clothing pieces.
  4. The diagram also gives you the pattern number. Asj collage 2
  1. This is the pattern instructions. That's it, it's all there. Short, clear and concise. Along the top, from left to right, you see a drawing of the clothing; drawings of the pattern pieces (see #2, too), instructions for the pattern pieces including how many to cut; which pattern sheet to use and the color of your numbers and lines (more on this in a bit); and your materials (listed in centimeters). There is a conversion chart in the magazine, but I prefer just to measure everything in centimeters when using Ottobre patterns otherwise I keep forgetting whether a number I wrote down was in inches or centimeters. Below that are the instructions for cutting and constructing.
  2. This is not the pattern I'm using, but I wanted to show you how a more complicated pattern has more information. For example, the parts shaded in grey are to be interfaced.
  3. Here are the instructions for the pattern pieces. We need pattern sheet C and our markings are in red. Asj collage 3
  1. Look, there's C, right on top! Take note that the reverse side of the sheets have different letters.
  2. This is pattern sheet C unfolded. Don't freak out! There's a system here, really. (I think this is when Ottobre loses a few people). Don't feel lost, this makes sense. Can you imagine how much paper they would have to use for each issue if they didn't overlap the pattern pieces? This really makes a lot of sense.
  3. Remember how we need pattern sheet C and the color red? When we look along the bottom of the pattern sheet we see a series of multicolored numbers. We need numbers 1, 2, 3 (the numbers of our pattern) in red. There are 1 and 2.
  4. We trace our finger straight up from the numbers on the bottom and find the corresponding numbers and lines on the sheet.  Asj collage 4
  1. I like to use low tack tape to secure my pattern and tracing paper. I usually use Swedish tracing paper or Kwik Trace paper to trace patterns. I just use a pencil and ruler for the straight lines. 
  2. With a bit of concentration the lines are easy to follow. I do not add seam allowances at this point as I feel with all those lines it's just too distracting for me. I add them on the fabric.
  3. Don't forget to check the key to see what the different lines mean. Ottobre does not use dashed lines and dots to indicate different sizes as you sometimes see on American patterns. All sizes use a solid line and the dashed lines indicate something else, like fold lines or grainlines.
  4. Be sure to label your pattern pieces with the piece number, size and pattern name and number. Asj collage 5
  1. The nice thing about Swedish tracing paper (and Kwik Trace paper) is you don't need pins or pattern weights. They make a friction (so to speak) with the fabric and don't move around on you.
  2. I add a half inch seam allowance (oops, I guess I don't do everything in centimeters!), just because I think it's easier than 3/8ths. You are free to make your seam allowance whatever works best for you. I usually use tailors chalk, but again, there are many different types of marking devices. Use what works best for you. (And remember, seam allowances are not included, but hem allowances are. It's always best to remind yourself of this).
  3. I like to cut my pieces out of the fabric with a rotary cutter. I'm just not very good with scissors. Asj finished skirt

This is as far as I'm taking you here. Putting together the garment just requires following the instructions, which are very clear. Let me know if you have any questions about Ottobre Design sewing patterns, I'd be happy to help!

If you'd like to see a review of the specific pattern I used, head over to my blog: A Sewing Journal. Here's a picture of the final product.

Find Ottobre Design Magazines here.

Thanks so much Melanie! I think we're all ready to dive into Ottobre now!

Don't forget to check out the Flickr group for Dress Your School Girl & Boy! 

Other DY(S)G posts

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August 24, 2011 in Dress Your (School) Boy & Girl, Sewing , Sewing for baby, Sewing for boys, Sewing for Girls, Tutorials | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)

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August 23, 2011

DY(S)G: Sewing for teen girls- Outfit #1

Sewing for teen girls could be fun. Very fun. I've put together a series of outfits that may work for your girl. Here is the first.

Outfit #1

Teen outfit 1

Source: Tank Pattern, Skirt Pattern, Chiffon (doesn't fray), Lace

I think I'd like this outfit myself please! What do you think?

August 23, 2011 in Dress Your (School) Boy & Girl, Sewing , Sewing for Girls, Sewing for women | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0)

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DY(S)G: Guest Tutorial- Girls’ Fabric Corsage

Dress your school girl
Please welcome Kirstin from Kojo Designs! You are probably familiar with Kirstin's blog she shares with her sister but if not, go take a look! It is full of great ideas!  IMG_5407-1 

Hey friends! I'm Kirstin, half of the sister team that blogs over at kojodesigns, and I'm so excited to be here today! I love (love love love) everything about Back to School. As a once-teacher, I love seeing racks of school supplies- what an exciting time of year! And even though my kiddos are still too little to be heading off to classrooms this fall, that doesn't mean that we can't get in on the Back to School fun, right? Bluepin 

This fabric flower corsage was inspired by the gorgeousness at EmersonMade, but scaled down to little girl size. I love it that it can add a little visual interest to a dress or lovely up a cardigan without having to permanently alter the garment. Ready to make one for the little girl in your life? You'll need: -long thin strips of fabric (monochromatic, or in a few different colors/patterns) -a circle of felt (this will be the backing) -a button (or a cluster of little pearls) for the center -a pin IMG_5397 

Cut your strips of fabric into 5" or 6" segments. IMG_5399 

Fold each small strip in half and stitch to the felt. IMG_5400 

Continue until you have a circle of fabric strips. IMG_5401 

Move in toward the center of the circle and repeat. IMG_5405 

Sew a button in the center. IMG_5406 

Hot glue an extra piece of felt (to cover all of your stitching) and a pin to the back of your corsage…

…and pin on a your little Back to Schooler (though, mine isn't quite old enough for school just yet)! Thanks again for having us, Andrea… and happy back to school friends! Come say hi anytime at kojodesigns! post signature

Thanks for the cute tutorial Kirstin! It will look great on a girl of any age!

Don't forget to check out the DY(S)G & B Flickr group! It already has some great outfits added. It has me excited to sew for older kids!

Check out the other Dress Your School Girl posts!

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August 23, 2011 in Dress Your (School) Boy & Girl, Sewing , Sewing for Girls, Tutorials | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

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August 22, 2011

DY(S)G: Sewing Patterns for Girls and Tweens

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At some point kids don't want to look homemade. They'd rather look fashionable or cool or maybe just not stand out. Here are some patterns for your girl that just might please even a picky dresser.

Sewing patterns for girls
from top right:

Burda 9542, Jalie 2908, Figgy's Tee for Two

Kwik Sew 3832, Burda 9545, New Look 6977 

Kwik Sew 3674, Molly Peasant, Burda 9516  

Do you have any patterns for girls you recommend? Leave them in the comments!

August 22, 2011 in Dress Your (School) Boy & Girl, roundup, Sewing , Sewing for Girls | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

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DY(S)G: Guest Tutorial- Nautical Dress

Dress your school girl
You're in for a real treat! Kalleen from At Second Street is here to kick off Dress Your (School) Girl Week! She's one talented mama and I know you are going to adore the tutorial she has for you today! Take some time to stop by her blog as well. It is packed with inspiration!
Hi I'm Kalleen from At Second Street and I am so excited to be part of the Dress Your School Girl Series.  Header3 copy-2 
I can't think of much I enjoy more than sewing and creating new outfits for my three darling girls. They love to be dressed up and treasure almost everything I make for them.  Jun 24, 2011-1 
I've been a little obsessed with all things nautical lately, so I made this little number to help my oldest sail through her school year.  IMG_1299
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I'll be showing you how I refashioned a men's shirt into this adorable neck tie top.  Aug 20, 2011 
I also have a tutorial for the gabardine flat front skirt. It can be recreated in any size with a variety of fabrics. 
Let's start with the shirt.  IMG_1141 
You'll need:
-a men's shirt with no front pockets and wide enough to cut smaller shirt and strips for neck tie. 
– a shirt to use as a pattern, pick one without a separate sleeve. 
– biased tape
-matching thread
Step 1: cut out shirt IMG_1082 
I turned my shirt inside out centered it over the buttons. Because the final shirt won't stretch like the t-shirt I added a couple inches to the sides as I cut it out.
Step 2: cut neck line IMG_1086
After cutting, I separated my front piece from the back, folded it in half and cut a lower neck line. 
Step 3: sew shoulders  IMG_1095 
Pin front and back right sides together at the shoulders. Sew and finish edges. 
Step 4: pin and sew biased tape around arm holes IMG_1100 
Because my fabric had some good stretch to it I was able to make my own biased tape with scraps of the shirt. If you use a traditional cotton shirt you will want to buy or make matching biased tape with another piece of fabric. 
Step 5: sew up the sides IMG_1112 
Pin, sew and finish the edges. 
Step 6: make neck tie IMG_1120 
Going back to my shirt, I cut 4 strips of fabric 1-3/4" wide. I cut them as long as the shirt would allow.  I sewed ends of the strips together to make two really long strips. Then I sewed the two long strips right sides together all the way around leaving a small gap, which I used to turn the tube right side out. Once turned, I ironed and topstitch the tie. 
Step 7: finish and fold under neck edges.  IMG_1125
I serged my neck edges and ironed them under. If you don't have a serger you may want to do a double fold. 
Step 8: pin a sew on tie.  IMG_1127 
Lining up the center of the tie and the center of the back, I pinned the tie around the neck.  Leave an opening in the front about 2" from the edge, so you'll have room to tie a knot. Stitch around the neck, overlapping the top stitch on tie.  
Step 9: top stitch opening in front.  IMG_1133 
Secure the folded neckline in the front by topstitching as close to the tie as possible. 
Step 10: Hem bottom and you are done.
Easy Flat Front Skirt IMG_1222 
You'll need:
– 1-2 yards fabric depending on size
– 1" elastic band
– matching thread
– four buttons
Step 1: cut skirt pieces IMG_1150 
The length and width of these pieces will depend on the size of your child. I will tell you how I did it based on the size of my child who has a 24" waist.
Here is what I cut for a 24" waist:
2 – 4"x 12" strips (12" is half of 24")
2 – 4" x 15" strips ( 12"+3" for room to stretch)
2- 13" x 24" (13" was how long I wanted the main skirt and 24" will give me a good gather)
1- 10" piece of elastic (12"-2")
Step 2: sew 4"X 12" and 4" x 15" strips together  IMG_1161 
 Match up the same sized strips and sew right sides together across the top. After sewing a seam across the  4"X 15" strips, you'll sew the elastic band onto one of the stripes just below the seam.
It will look like this. IMG_1155 
Sew it to only one of the pieces do not sew through both or you won't be able to turn it right side out.
Step 3: Press seams open.  IMG_1165 
These will be the front and back of your skirts waist band. The elastic piece will go in the back. Step 4: sew front and back panels together IMG_1176 
With panels still open pin front to back right sides together and sew up the sides. You will have a tube when you are done. Step 5: Topstitch waistband  IMG_1194 
Fold the waistband in half right sides out and topstitch the top and then over the waistband securing it in place. Step 6: Sew skirt sides and gather. IMG_1196 
grab your larger skirt pieces and sew the ends right sides together. Gather the top to the size of your waist band. Step 7: attach the skirt to the waistband.  IMG_1212 
pin and sew skirt to waistband matching up sides. Step 8: finishing details IMG_1216 
Topstitch gather to waistband and add buttons. Please let me know if you have any questions or if I left anything out. 
This is amazing Kalleen! Thanks so much for sharing this wonderful tutorial!
Don't forget to stop by the Flickr group for Dress Your (School) Boy & Girl! Add your photos and check out the other inspiring mamas!
Other Dress Your (School) Girl Posts:
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August 22, 2011 in Dress Your (School) Boy & Girl, Sewing , Sewing for Girls | Permalink | Comments (20) | TrackBack (0)

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August 21, 2011

Dress Your (School) Boy Wrap Up

Before Dress Your (School) Girl begins I wanted to put all the Dress Your (School) Boy posts in one place and say a great big THANK YOU to all the wonderful women who took time out of their busy August to write a guest post. You blew me away!

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Rock Star Guest Contributors:

Living With Punks, Kadiddlehopper, 21 Wale, Sew A Straight Line, The Boy Trifecta

Please subscribe to their blogs (or bookmark them) and send them some love!

August 21, 2011 in Dress Your (School) Boy & Girl, Sewing for boys | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

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August 19, 2011

DY(S)B: Boy Clothes Tutorial Roundup

Dress your school boy header
DY(S)B tutorials

Upcycled Boy Hat by I Am Momma, Boxer Brief by Sew a Straight Line

90 Minute Shirt by Made, Miniaturize a Men's Shirt by Lil Blue Boo

Boy Belt by The Mother Huddle, Ringer T by Crafterhours

Dy(s)b tutes
Oversized Hoodie by Boy Trifecta, Cargo Pockets by 21 Wale

Buckle Waistband by Sew a Straight Line, Personalized Emblem by Living With Punks

Do you have a favorite boy tutorial?

August 19, 2011 in Dress Your (School) Boy & Girl, roundup, Sewing , Sewing for boys, Tutorials | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

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DY(S)B: Guest Tutorial- Buckled Waistband

Please welcome Sabra from Sew a Straight Line! I'm so excited to have Sabra here sharing a tutorial. Take some time to check out her fantastic blog! Oh, and go congratulate her on her news!

Dress your school boy header

Hi, I’m Sabra from Sew a Straight Line.  May[5]
When Andrea told me about Dress Your (School) Boy, I knew I wanted in.  I love to sew for my boys.  I have three sons, and have never once felt like I had a lack of things to make for them.  They are constantly inspiring me and suggesting new ideas to me.  One thing I love about sewing for boys is the challenge of coming up with details that aren’t frilly, but still add interest and uniqueness to a project.  I think the trick with details and boys’, and men’s clothing is that form has to meet function.  No matter how superfluous the function is, if it can be justified utilitarianly, you can slap it on there.  Just look at cargo pants! My boys are skinny. No, *really* skinny. Like don’t even register on the charts, nurses-checking-to-make-sure-their-scales-still-work skinny. Skinny. Adjustable waistbands aren’t just a convenience, they’re a necessity around here. But plain elastic waistbands are boring, full-on fastening flies are a chore to sew in, and belts are not so easy for busy boys to manipulate. My solution:

Buckled waistband_thumb[4]

I’m going to show you how to take pretty much any basic pattern for simple pants and/or shorts and give them some masculine, functional flair.   You can even retro-fit existing pants with this update. As I said, you can add this to any pants or short pattern you want instead of a drawstring or elastic waistband.  You could even retro-fit a pair, if you unpick the waistband seems first.  So all you need to do the Adjustable Buckled Waistband is – a pair of bottoms with an unfinished waist – one-inch webbing (found in the notions of any fabric store, usually by elastic) – one-inch braided elastic – a center release buckle (found in notions of any fabric store)IMG_6116Begin by finishing the edge of the waistband.  Here I did a serged edge, then a 1/4 inch hem.  If you’re retro-fitting, the edges might already be finished for you.  IMG_6117_thumb[2] 
With the bottoms wrong-side-out, pin the waistband over about 1.5-2 inches all the way around.  IMG_6118_thumb[2] 
Flip the bottoms right-side-out.  Place the buckle in the center front and use as a guide to mark two parallel lines at either end of the buckle.  IMG_6120_thumb[2] Use the webbing to mark the top and bottom of those lines you just made.  IMG_6121_thumb[2] 
So now you have two “I”-like markings at either side of the front center seam.  IMG_6122_thumb[2] Unpin the waistband and pull the front center area out and away.  IMG_6123_thumb[2] 
Using those “I” markings as guides, sew in two buttonholes at either point.  IMG_6124_thumb[2] Fold the waistband back over, repin, and sew all the way around.  IMG_6125_thumb[2] Get your webbing.  Measure the bottom-wearer’s waist all the way around, then add about five to six inches.  Cut the webbing to those measurements.  Then cut that length of webbing in half. IMG_6127_thumb[2]Cut about four to five inches of braided elastic.  IMG_6128_thumb[2]Sew the webbing to the elastic, forming a fun little elastic bridge between the two webbing pieces.  IMG_6129_thumb[2] I like to do a crazy-thick zig-zag stitch at every raw edge.  IMG_6130_thumb[2]Thread the one open end of the webbing through the female side of the buckle.  IMG_6131_thumb[2]Fold over, fold raw edge under, and do a sweet little box-stitch design to finish that side.  IMG_6132_thumb[3]Thread the other end of the webbing through one buttonhole…  IMG_6133_thumb[3]And come out the other.  Use a safety pin to aid in drawing through the waistband.  IMG_6134_thumb[3]Now thread that open end of the webbing through the male side of the buckle. IMG_6135_thumb[3]Fold raw edge under twice, to hide, and do another box-stitch design on that side. IMG_6136_thumb[3]Buckle and… IMG_6137_thumb[3]GO! IMG_6141 Thanks to the adjustable webbing, pants stay on (and can fit the next kid down the line, if needed, too!).  The extra bit of elastic helps small hands to take on and off by themselves.  And the exposed buckle adds just a little bit more awesomeness to a basic pair of shorts keeping your kid looking good.IMG_6147Form and function, it’s a beautiful thing. IMG_6150_thumb[9]Adjustable Buckle Waistbands get the thumbs-up from the resident males around here.  IMG_6142 Now you go try them out! Thanks again, Andrea and Train to Crazy fans.  Feel free to stop by Sew a Straight Line for tons of  boy projects and other fun sewing stuff, too!  project boy

Thanks so much Sabra! This is fantastic!

Don't forget to add your photos to the Dress Your (School) Boy & Girl Flickr group!

Other DY(S)B posts

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August 19, 2011 in Dress Your (School) Boy & Girl, Sewing , Sewing for boys, Sewing for kids | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBack (0)

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August 18, 2011

DY(S)B: Sewing Patterns Books & Mags for Boys

Dress your school boy header

The sewing book market seems to be exploding at the seams at the moment. Unfortunately, there are barely any patterns for boys in any of them! It's a shame! There are, however, a few out there that are worth mentioning.

 Sewing Clothes Kids Love is very popular right now. I've written about it several times, as have many other bloggers. I have yet to see anyone blog about the boy patterns. There are pants, shirts and a jacket that work for boys. The photos in the book look very "cool" and I think boys up to size 12 would enjoy them. Definitely worth checking out. Especially if you also have a girl to sew for. 

 Sewing for Boys: 24 Projects to Create a Handmade Wardrobe is coming out is September. This is written by the designers of Patterns by Figgy and, according to Amazon, will have patterns up to size 7. I know nothing about this book but it looks promising!

Kansi_fi Ottobre Design magazine is a great source for boy patterns. I have a few of these magazines and the clothes look fresh and well designed. Lots of knit shirts, jeans and pants. Search through the Ottobre site and buy just the back issue you like, or subscribe and receive 4 issues a year. There are 40 patterns for boys and girls in each issue but usually only a few go up to size 170 cm.

Do you know of any others?

Yes those are Amazon affiliate links above. Feel free to buy wherever you'd like!

August 18, 2011 in Dress Your (School) Boy & Girl, I recommend, Sewing , Sewing for boys | Permalink | Comments (10) | TrackBack (0)

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DY(S)B: Guest Tutorial- Cargo Pocket

Please welcome Joy from 21 Wale! Joy knows all about sewing for school boys. Thanks for stopping by Joy!

Dress your school boy header 

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Hi! My name is Joy. I sew and then blog about it. Most of my time is spent raising my 5 kids (2 boys and 3 girls). But sewing clothes is my creative outlet of choice. Somehow folding laundry and returning library books don't satisfy that need to make things. 

My blog catalogs my personal challenge to make all of my own clothes and most of my kids'. But really, my kids grow too fast for me to keep up with them!
My boys are 9 and 10 now. They've had mom-made clothes for several years and still express exuberant appreciation for them, but now they are much more involved in the process. They help pick fabric, patterns, and details. And now that they're older, their opinions are much more realistic than they used to be!
One of my favorite things about sewing for boys is the DETAILS. With girls' clothes, fabric is often the highlight. But with the more subdued fabrics we tend to use for older boys, the fun details are key.
And what detail is both interesting and useful? The pocket, of course! I thought I'd show you one method to assemble the classic cargo pocket.
Cargo Pocket Tutorial
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Step 1: Make the pattern piece and cut out the fabric, adding seam allowances to each edge.
If you want to convert a patch pocket (in other words, a square) into a cargo pocket, just add extensions. My extensions are equal to my seam allowance of 5/8". In the photo you can see that I have added a seam allowance in addition to my pocket extensions.
It's easy to do a shaped or rounded pocket, too. Just cut a long strip (plus seam allowance on both long edges) for an extension and sew it around the edge of the pocket.
Step 2: Finish the edges.
This is optional. I suppose it's highly unlikely the pocket edges will fray to pieces sooner than the knees wear out. But you never know!
Step 3: Press under and stitch the pocket hem at the top.
Step 4: Press all the fold lines.
One set of pressed lines are outlines of the main pocket piece. The other lines will be at the seam allowance edges.
Step 5: Stitch the corners.
Pinch the corner, turn pocket inside out and stitch on the pre-pressed corner line, which is perpendicular to the edge. Before trimming, flip the pocket right side out to check. Repeat for the other corner.Step 6: Press the accordion folds of all 3 edges.
Push the pocket extensions in and press. The fold will be centered.
Step 7: Topstitch.
This is optional, depending on how you want your pocket to look. Do three separate lines of stitching, rather than one long one around the pocket. Otherwise, when you turn the corner, you'll catch the folds of fabric.
Step 8: Pin the pocket on the garment and stitch.
The stitching you're doing here is just like topstitching; I usually start at the top edge of one extension, and go around the pocket, slowing down to neaten the corners.
Probably the trickiest part of the cargo pocket is positioning the pocket extensions so that they are stitched directly under the pocket piece. It's easy for them to slide outward.
Step 9: Optional – Add a flap and velcro, snap, or button.
 Here's a small sampling of cargo pockets. There are so many options!

Thanks Joy! Great tutorial!

Don't forget to add your photos to the Dress Your (School) Boy & Girl Flickr group! We're all looking for inspiration!

Previous Dress Your (School) Boy posts:

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August 18, 2011 in Dress Your (School) Boy & Girl, Sewing , Sewing for boys | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)

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August 17, 2011

DY(S)B: Guest Post- Oversized Hoodie Pattern

Dress your school boy header
I'm excited to introduce our next guest blogger, Emily. You can find her over at The Boy Trifecta where it is all boy all the time. A great place for inspiration if you have boys! And don't forget to stop by and tell her HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

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Hi everyone! My name is Emily, and I blog about boy goodness over at The Boy Trifecta. I'm so excited to be sharing the Oversized Hoodie for Dress Your School Boy week!

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I've found that, while there are some great boys patterns, many of the end at size 6 or 7, leaving my extremely tall 9-year-old out of the handmade fun. I also find that sewing for him can get pricey, because his garments require so much fabric! Many hoodie patterns are fully lined, designed to help the home sewist enclose raw fabric edges. This pattern is designed to conserve fabric by lining only the hood, while still being large enough for a big kid. I think this pattern is a comfortable size 12. Also, this is a QUICK project. I can get through this hoodie in less than 90 minutes. Let's get started! Materials: Oversized Hoodie Pattern Pieces 1.75 yards knit fabric .5 yards rib knit Separating zipper (30 inches) Twill tape  (optional) Sewing machine Coordinating thread Zipper foot. *Note: You will notice that I sewed this entire project, except the zipper, on my serger. I did this because my regular machine is in the shop, so I didn't have another option. You can ABSOLUTELY sew this on a regular machine. I would suggest either a stretch stitch or a zig zag stitch for all seams, except the zipper. If you use a knit, you can leave the edges raw.

1. Cut your pattern pieces. I recommend printing all the pages, taping the pages together, and then cutting out the pattern pieces. The hoodie body is one pattern piece for both front and back. I suggest using the pattern piece to cut the hoodie back first, then trim out the neckline from the pattern piece and use the same piece for the front body pieces. Front and back necklines are marked on the pattern piece.

2. Cut your fabric. You should have one back body (use body piece and cut on fold), two front body pieces (use body piece, cut both pieces at once by laying pattern on fabric, wrong sides together), four hood pieces (cut two simultaneously by placing on fabric wrong sides together), and two sleeve pieces (use sleeve pattern pieces, cut on fold). Cut three pieces of rib knit. Two of the should be 9 inches wide by 6 inches tall, and the other should be 32 inches wide by 8 inches tall. Place them in a messy pile on your kitchen table. (I guess that last part is optional). 🙂

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3. Sew the shoulder seams, RST. 

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4. Sew in the sleeves, RST.  6 7

5. Sew up the side seams. Turn underneath the arm and sew the arm seam.

6. Place hood pieces RST, and sew around curved edge. Repeat with second set of hood pieces.  2 

7. Place one hood inside the other hood, RST. Stitch around the front edge of the hood. Turn right side out, press, and topstitch the front hood edge.  3

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8. Pin the hood to the neckline, RST. Start by matching the center hood seam with the center back of the neckline. Then match the front corners, and fit the rest of the hood to the neckline. Stitch in place.  12 

*Optional: Cover this seam at the back of the neck with twill tape. This is a common finishing method in unlined hoodies. 9. Grab your smaller piece of rib knit. Fold it in half, matching the short ends, and stitch up the side.  9 

10. Fold your knit tube into a cuff, with the seam on the inside. Place RST on the end of the sleeve. Match the seam on the cuff with the seam on the sleeve. Pin, and sew in place.  10 

11. Look! You made a cuff! Now go do it again on the other sleeve.  11

12. Now grab your last piece of rib knit. Fold it in half, matching the long edges. Pin RST to the bottom of the hoodie. Stitch in place.

13. You're almost done! Now grab your zipper. Unfortunately, I don't have photos of this part because I had to sew in the zipper at the machine shop where my machine is being repaired, but don't be scared! It is SO EASY! Just separate the zipper. Lay it face down on the front of the hoodies. Either hand baste it in place, or pin well. Stich it down. The just turn the zip right side up, turning the edge of the zipper tape and raw fabric edge under. Topstitch in place. Repeat with the other side. And you're done!  14 

Make your kid model their new fall hoodie in 90 degree heat. Riley actually really loves this hoodie, despite the look on his face. Andrea, thanks for having me!

Wow Emily! This is so impressive! Thank you SO much for this generous pattern! I'm sure there will be many boys modeling this in days to come!

Don't forget to join the Flickr group and check out the other Dress Your (School) Boy posts!

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August 17, 2011 in Dress Your (School) Boy & Girl, Sewing , Sewing for boys | Permalink | Comments (10) | TrackBack (0)

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August 16, 2011

DY(S)B: Sewing Patterns for Teen Boys (& Men too)

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If sewing for grade school aged boys is tough then sewing for teen boys is nearly impossible. For the brave, here are some patterns that are appropriate.

Sewing patterns teen boys
From top right:

New Look 6321, Mccalls 5538, Kwik Sew 3506

Burda 7381, Burda 7734, Jalie 2918

Kwik Sew 3815, Burda 8187

Have you sewn for a teen boy? What did you sew?? Any pattern recommendations? Talk to us!

Previous Dress Your (School) Boy posts:

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August 16, 2011 in Dress Your (School) Boy & Girl, roundup, Sewing , Sewing for boys, Sewing for men | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

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DY(S)B: Guest Post- Choosing Fabric

Please welcome Katie from Kadiddlehopper! Katie is a very talented seamstress who sews more than I can even fathom having the time to sew! She's quite amazing. Please stop by her blog and say hello! Thanks for being a guest here Katie!

Dress your school boy header

We so often bemoan the lack of boy appropriate fabric. Everything out there is frilly, girly and pink. There are a few boy oriented prints available, but they so often are shoot 'em up cartoons, expensive blue trains and copyrighted by Disney or Pixar. And that is when they aren't intended for the under 2 year old set. How to sew for your school age boy??

But let us not despair. Prints are fun, but for the school age boy particularly, they won't make up the bulk of his wardrobe. What we need for our big boys is hard wearing, rough and tough fabrics that will stand up to whatever they can dish out, but won't make them stand out (in a bad way) on the playground. Here are a few of my favorites.

Denim/Twill 

I am lumping these together because they really are basically the same thing. Twill refers to the way that the fabric is woven. Look down at the jeans you are wearing and you'll see a diagonal texture in the weave.  Denim is a twill woven fabric, generally made of cotton, sometimes blended with polyester or lycra, but there are other twill fabrics out there that are great for boy clothes. Denim is great for jeans, of course but you don't have to stop there! It also makes fun elastic waist shorts and jackets.

5295590616_ff11c13b92_zDenim Jeans 

Lighter weight denims can be made into study shirts. Overall, denim and twills are a bottom weight fabric, making them perfect for pants, shorts, jackets and backpacks. They are easy to find even at your local big box fabric store, and generally inexpensive, making them a real wardrobe workhorse.

3940948606_e6c2c35211_zPrinted Twill Backpack

Linen (and its cousins) 

Linen is a wonderful, breathable fabric that is a pleasure to sew. The down side of 100% linen is that it can be expensive and is a little bit on the delicate side. Fortunately, there are plenty of linen blends as well as "linen look" fabrics that are more hardy. These actually are even easier to find than their fancy cousins. Most big box fabric stores carry their own line of "linen look" fabrics.

6019506775_7da21632d7_zLinen-cotton blend shirt

Lots of them are floral prints, but there are plenty of nice basic solid and stripes perfect for our boys. For my boy, I generally save the real linen for dress pants, but linen looks and blends are great for everyday. They are comfortable to wear and really can be used for almost anything in the wardrobe – shirts, pants, shorts and even lightweight jackets.

4340399315_0c811880ea_zPolyester/Linen Look Pants

Knits

I know some of you are a little nervous about sewing with these, but for our tough guys, we don't want the hard to sew knits anyway. We're talking easy to sew cotton interlock and jersey. There are a lot of sources for excellent quality knits, but this is one place where the local JoAnn may not supply your need (although they do have a few reasonable quality basics and a nice selection of ribbing). 

4175790175_9b53d47e1e_zcotton jersey tees

There are several online vendors who consistently deliver quality products, but some experimenting to find out what you like best may be required. My favorites are Chez Ami and the Fabric Fairy.

Thrift store tee shirts are also a fun source of jersey. I like finding a creative way to integrate screen printing into a new garment.

IMG_3925cotton jersey shorts refashioned from garage sale tee

Corduroy

Boys and corduroy just seem to go together. Perfect for fall pants, vests and jackets, it just seems like the quintessential "Boy" fabric. Generally the finer wales are easier to locate as yardage in local stores. I love the look of larger wale cord, especially for boys pants and can sometimes find the wider wales online. For reference the larger the number, the smaller the wale. Generally the corduroy at your local stores is 21 wale. I've seen as large as 8 wale online. Wouldn't that be great for some cool wide leg skater style pants?? My favorite source for nice quality corduroys is actually my hubby's closet. Repurposing old corduroy pants and jackets is a great way to find some fun and interesting fabrics.

IMG_8211corduroy pants refashioned from Dad's

Flannel 

Although great for jammies, flannel is also wonderful for warm layering long sleeve shirts and for lining pants in cold weather. It also makes cozy jacket lining and coat inner lining.

5935863484_bce111e734_zcotton flannel PJs

Fleece

This easy to sew knit fabric is perfect for comfortable unlined jackets and coats. 

It also makes fun hats, gloves and even comfortable pants. It's easy to find, although quality is extremely variable. The polyester fleece that you find at Walmart and the big fabric stores is much more likely to pill and is not as insulating as higher quality fleeces. Look for the Polartec brand, or check that the bolt specifies a "No Pill" fleece and you'll be much happier with your product.

Prints and Patterns

I bemoaned earlier the sad lack of prints for boys, but I actually find that for the school age chap, simpler is better.

6033000887_c94365d8ab_zcotton shirtings, gingham and a bit of seersucker

Stripes, solids, checks and an occasional houndstooth will clothe your boy well. I would also mention that I have had much better luck getting my son to actually wear what I make when I let him in on the decision making process. Yep, take the boy shopping with you. Let him flip through your pattern magazines. Surf your favorite online fabric stores with him. You might be surprised at how much fun you'll both have!

Thanks Katie! Great information!

Don't forget to add your photos to the Flickr group for Dress Your (School) Boy & Girl!

Check out the previous Dress Your (School) Boy tutorials!

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August 16, 2011 in Dress Your (School) Boy & Girl, Sewing , Sewing for boys | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

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August 15, 2011

DY(S)B: Sewing Patterns for Boys

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Sewing for boys is hard. We all know it. Here are a few patterns that might make the cut.

Sewing patterns for boys
From top right:

Burda 9524, Burda 9526, Kitschy Coo Reversible Hoodie

Burda 9641, Figgy's Tee for Two, Burda 9527

Burda 9525, Jalie 2918, Kwik Sew 3773

Many people also rave about Ottobre patterns for boys. Their quarterly pattern magazines contain 40 patterns for boys and girls. Have you sewn Ottobre patterns? 

Do you have any patterns for boys to recommend? Leave them in the comments! 

Stay tuned for my pattern round up for older boys and teens!

Other Dress Your (School) Boy posts:

 

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August 15, 2011 in Dress Your (School) Boy & Girl, roundup, Sewing , Sewing for boys | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)

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DY(S)B: Guest Tutorial- Personalized Emblem Polo

Dress your school boy header
Please welcome Susan from Living With Punks! I love Susan's blog and I'm sure you do too. I'm honored to have Susan kick off the Dress Your (School) Boy week!

 
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I am super excited to be over here at Andrea’s today!  Oh, ya see, I’m so excited I forgot to introduce myself!  I’m Susan from Living with Punks.  I love to create. I love to take pictures.  And, I love to write…therefore, I blog!  When Andrea asked me to be a part of her Dress your (School) Boy Week, I immediately said YES!  My twin boys are almost 9 and it is getting harder and harder to sew for them…and have them actually like it!  So, I have to get creative and really keep my eye out for what’s ‘in’.  I know!  That means thumbing through the latest cool children’s clothing catalogs and DIY’ing what I can…

Personalized polos header_thumb I’ve seen these emblem polo’s everywhere and thought why not personalize them for the punks… and guess what?  They love them!  Don’t let the faces in the pictures fool ya…those are just their serious model faces they put on as soon as the lens goes to my eye. ;)  I’m serious…I think they missed their calling… Let’s get started personalized polos 001

Plain polo shirt

Thrifted T-Shirt or scraps

fusible interfacing

Coordinating thread  personalized polos 003 Begin by cutting a sufficient amount of fabric for each element, one circle and one letter.  Fuse the wrong side of the fabric to the raised side of the interfacing Picnik collage Use a household item (I used my pin cushion) to draw a nice circle. For the letter I just freehanded on the backside of the interfaced fabric.  Just remember to draw in reverse! personalized polos 006 Clip about a 1/4” cut around the entire circle every 1/2” or so.  This will give the emblem a rugged look once washed Picnik collage2 Arrange your letter on the emblem and pin in place.   Stitch in a contrasting thread.  Don’t worry about being perfect…the more rugged, the better, right? personalized polos 012 Place your emblem on the left side of the shirt and stitch in place.  I loaded my bobbin and needle thread in different colors and played around with the tension so you could see both colors when sewn.  Sew this first circle pretty straight and don’t let the stitches go over any of the small cuts previously made on the circle personalized polos 014 Your second pass around the circle, you can get all wonky to make it deliberately crooked.

Personalized polos 032_thumb
Now my boys have are that much more prepared for starting school!  Yay!  I think I’ll do some with numbers now!

Stop on by Living with Punks anytime!  I’d love to have ya  🙂
Thanks for having me over to play Andrea! 
No, thank YOU Susan! This is so fun!

Sewing for your school boy or girl? Join the Flickr group for Dress Your (School) Boy & Girl! Add your photos so we can all be inspired! Stop by tomorrow for more Dress Your (School) Boy!
Other DY(S)B posts:

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August 15, 2011 in Dress Your (School) Boy & Girl, Sewing , Sewing for boys | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBack (0)

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August 14, 2011

Dress Your (School) Boy

I am so excited to introduce this week's series!! It is time to get inspired to sew for your big boys! I know many of you love sewing for your toddlers and preschoolers but are a little hesitant to sew for older kids. This is your lucky week because some of my favorite bloggers will be here with tutorials. Good tutorials. Did I mention I'm excited?

Stop back tomorrow to see who is dropping in!

 

August 14, 2011 in Dress Your (School) Boy & Girl | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

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August 02, 2011

Coming Soon…

School is just around the corner here for many of our children. I'm excited to announce ….

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Coming August 14-20th. 

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Coming August 21st-27th.

Some of your favorite bloggers and hopefully some new favorites will be here to share tutorials and tips for sewing for your school aged kids!

I'll have a Flickr group so you can add photos of what you've sewn for your children. Get sewing! Do you have anything planned to sew for your school kids?

August 02, 2011 in Dress Your (School) Boy & Girl | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0)

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