Made by Rae Flashback Skinny Tee

Leo has been so obsessed with his first "car shirt" I had to make another one quick.

This time I used Made by Rae's new Flashback Skinny Tee pattern, and the brown retro cars interlock (from Print Knits Studio, discovered through the Piccoli Piselli KNITerview). The neckband and cuffs are made from a brown cotton rib knit from fabric.com.

The pattern was perfect and super quick. I made the 18-24 months size for Leo who is 20 months old. It fits him great. The instructions are clear and well-illustrated. I will make make more I am sure.

Only thing I did differently from her directions was to attach the cuffs and neckband with my serger, skipping my regular machine all together (like Liesl instructs in the oliver + s Hopscotch pattern). On the other seams I did as Rae recommended and first stitched with my machine.

I don't have a walking foot yet, but I found that a longer straight stitch worked better on this fabric than a zigzag, although I did use a zigzag stitch on the hem. I also used a ballpoint needle.

Thanks for another great pattern, Rae! (I've also made her Showoff Bag and Toddler Backpack.)

Mmm... bacon.

Sew Liberated Envelope Tee

Finally Leo got a shirt, too! And it has turned out to be very satisfying for me, because he has worn it every day since I made it. Luckily the cars hide the stains fairly well (sort of). Every morning he starts unzipping his pajamas and asking for his "cars!" I love it. And I need to make more ASAP to give my washing machine a break.

This is the Envelope Tee from Growing Up Sew Liberated. I made the 24 months size, which is the biggest of this particular pattern. I used my serger, but her instructions are for doing it without. And I added cuffs and a waistband.

The fabric is retro cars interlock from Print Knit Studio. I hadn't heard of that site until it was mentioned in Sascha's KNITerview, but the prices are very good and the fabric came right away. Plus he included swatches of almost every other print they carry which is very helpful.

This interlock is very high quality and easy to sew with. It is cozy for winter, but I don't think it will be too hot for spring if I make a short sleeves version.

The sleeves turned out way too long (I didn't take off enough to compensate for the cuffs when I cut the pattern) and so I ended up cutting them off and hemming the sleeves with a zigzag stitch (as you can see in the top picture). The waistband kept rolling up (I think because of the direction I serged it) so I ended up hemming the bottom too.

I made three more in size 0-6 months for three new little girls that were born to three different friends of mine this winter, babies Evelyn, Charlotte and Virginia.

I used a lightweight cotton pointelle rib knit in iris from fabric.com and some pieces of oliver + s city weekend for the trim (left over from Louisa's Hopscotch Dress.)



These shirts whip up very quickly and are very practical so they are perfect for gifts—and for playing.

Fancy Nancy Kid Pants Pajama Bottoms

When I found a silky Fancy Nancy remnant at Jo-Ann, I couldn't resist making something for my little Fancy Lou. Of course, this sort of fabric (although "not to be used for children's sleepwear," since it is not doused in flame-retardant chemicals) is best suited for around-the-house apparel. Pajama bottoms!

I made the ruffle out of a two-inch strip, twice as long as the cuff. I just serged off the bottom and gathered the top to match the cuff. I attached them with a quarter-inch seam allowance, which I also finished with the serger. Quick and easy.

I followed Dana's Kid Pants post and traced another pair of Louisa's pajamas that fit her well, but it turned out pretty wonky. I had little patience for perfecting the pattern after making a trial pair from an old pillow case.

So, there is a lot of bunching in the crotch and the waist band is a little fudged.

But oh well, they are silky, ruffled, have Fancy Nancy and Frenchy all over them and cost me about $3 so I'm calling them a win.