Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Rey and BB-8 Family Halloween Costumes

As we started talking about what the kids want to be for Halloween this year, I decided it was time I shared the fairly elaborate family Star Wars costume theme we pulled off last year.

Louisa (8) was Princess Leia, Leo (6) was Luke Skywalker, and Lottie (2) was BB-8. I was Rey, and AJ was Kylo Ren.

Double Gauze Sketchbook Shirt

Happy New Year! I am hoping to keep my sewing momentum going in the new year, and complete more projects, especially ones that are more likely to get a lot of wear. I have a tendency to sew special things, which can be very gratifying, but this year I'd like to sew a few more "everyday" pieces for everyone (even the husband!).

But first, to wrap up 2015 sewing, I have one more Oliver + S Sketchbook Shirt I made for Leo this fall. He wore this for school picture day, but unlike Louisa's Brooklyn Bridge dress, it was actually complete in time. :)

Fairy Tale Dress and Matching Bow Tie

As I mentioned before, the "big kids" were also dressed in Palos Verdes voile for Easter. I made Louisa an Oliver + S Fairy Tale Dress.

This was my first time at the pattern, and I really didn't find it too difficult, but I left off the collar and sleeves. I was trying to make it looks a little more modern/grown-up, but afterwards I really wished that I'd kept both. I thought about adding at least the collar towards the end, but decided it was too much trouble. Next time!

Another Oliver + S Sketchbook Shirt

 I made another Oliver + S Sketchbook Shirt for Leo. Size 4. I will probably invest in the larger pattern now that he has grown out of this one because I really like this shirt. The bottom is a bit wide (almost flared?), but it looks cute on him and I enjoy sewing it a lot.

This time I tackled the long sleeved cuffed version. It is very satisfying because it looks sew tricky but the instructions are very clear.

Fourth Birthday Sketchbook Shirt

Leo needed a special mommy-made garment for his birthday, too, of course. ;) He selected this Sarah Jane print from her Children at Play line (Making Paper Hats in Aqua) from my stash. 

I made it into an oliver + s Sketchbook Shirt. And thank goodness, because I bought that pattern three years ago in the 6 month - 4T size range... made it just under the wire.

Virginia Striped Little Boy's Tie

For Leo, on his daddy's graduation, I wanted to make a classic Virginia striped tie—a wardrobe staple for loyal Wahoos. Since blue and orange striped fabric was not to be found, I decided to make it myself (in a moment of over-ambition insanity).

I used the free Little Boy's Tie pattern from the Purl Bee.

Holiday Bow Tie

To match his big sister's snowflake Sunki dress, Leo got a bow tie for his Christmas outfit.

Since I was using a Figgy's pattern for Louisa, I decided to try the little boy bow tie tutorial from the Figgy's blog. It is a slightly bigger bow (verging on clownish?) than the one I made for him this summer, but it did keep it shape a little better.

The fabric again is Let it Snow in Eggnog Green from the Dear Mr. Claus collection by Cosmo Cricket with Kona Cotton in Holly for the neck band.

Max's Wolf Suit (Where the Wild Things Are)

And for my sweet little (not-so-wild) wild thing... Max's wolf suit!

Updated to add the above fab 5 pictures taken by the fab Cat Thrasher on Halloween Day when his buttons and whiskers were finished. :) 


Leo loves Where the Wild Things Are (and I love Maurice Sendak). We've never seen the movie but Leo has been practicing his "I'll eat you up!" and "Be still!" for weeks.

If you have never read more by him, I highly recommend the Nutshell Library (Pierre!) and Outside Over There.

I used the pattern by Jessica from Running with Scissors, available here. I made size 2, and enlarged the head for Leo's noggin, but it is a bit too short in the trunk. The pattern was easy and thorough (with links to videos for the tricky parts) and includes fox and bear (Ewok) variations.

Knit Sailboat Top

I still have lots of this retro car interlock, so I tried it out on an oliver + s Sailboat Top for Leo for the fall.

He still loves the fabric, even though this is his third shirt in it. And the details of this top make it unique anyway.

Echino Cars Toddler Backpack

Leo's backpack (or more accurately, toy train tote) gave me a chance to use Rae's Toddler Backpack pattern again, which has been updated to include lining and enlarging instructions since I made one last fall for Louisa.

For this one, I used Echino Mini Cars (from Echino Nico 2011) in green and brown (which I purchased while I was in New York a while back at Purl Soho). I interfaced with heavy weight pellon, and lined it with Michael Miller Lime Toot Toot from etsy. I'm not the first one to use the mini cars for a Rae Toddler Backpack, but it is a great fabric for boys, so no wonder.

I added two side pockets, one slip, one elasticized for a water bottle, just like last time. And I added an inside pocket and pencil slot, and a patch on the other side with his name and phone.

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.

First Birthday Shirt

My little Leo turned one a few weeks ago, and this is what he wore. The pattern is Kai's Shirt from Heather Ross's Weekend Sewing. The fabric is Laurie Wisbrun's Pooches & Pickups in "Small Trucks for Summer," which I bought from Hawthorne Threads.

The shirt is styled to fit big, so I knew that the 12 month size would work for Leo, even though he is a big boy. It will fit him for a while.

From what I read on Heather's Weekend Sewing flickr group, it seemed like a few people were having trouble with the collar pieces measuring up right. But I decided to do go ahead and follow the instructions and I actually had no trouble at all. As always when I join two curved pieces, I used lots and lots of pins.

I was making this just the day before his party when I realized I hadn't bought any buttons! Would you believe I found exactly five brown buttons that I have no recollection of buying in my button stash (which is 99% spare Banana Republic buttons from clothes I could no longer identify)? It was meant to be.

I was happy with it how it turned out, but next time I make him a shirt I will find a more fitted pattern. This one is good for a loose, casual look, but from straight on it looks a little boxy.

Happy First Birthday, Leo!

And next up for the blog, his coordinating party banner.

Leo's Sleeping Sack

Since Leo started sleeping going to bed in his crib a couple weeks ago, he has finally gotten to use the sleep sack I made for him earlier this fall—another project from Anna Maria Horner's Handmade Beginnings. The pattern calls for a patchwork front panel, but I just used the same Michael Miller cotton (Lagoon Ring Dot Turquoise) for the whole outside. The inside is another Michael Miller print flannel (Haul It Turquoise). I didn't have enough yardage to have the print going the right direction on the front inside panels, but I wasn't too worried about that.

The pattern is made to fit 6 weeks to 3 months, so I added several inches to the bottom and two to the sides so that it might fit my big boy all winter. He is 6 months, 19 pounds and 28 inches long now.

I made two other alterations to the pattern—continued the bias tape to cover the edge of the under panel as well (piece B) with a mitered corner at the point (she just says to zigzag stitch that edge), and I used six snaps instead of velcro. Unfortunately I didn't think to add interfacing to the snap locations before I joined the outer fabric and flannel, so we have to be a little bit gentle when we unsnap it. Also, I should have put the first snap all the way up at the point. Wish the snaps were not white, but that is all they had at the store.

Much cuter than the store-bought fleece sack Louisa wore!

Baby in the Hood Jacket

The pattern for Leo's little jacket came from Anna Maria Horner's Handmade Beginnings. Honestly, I would have been happy to use the exact fabrics used in her photograph, but I switched it up a little bit to make blue the main color. I also used all flannel, all from her Folksy Flannels collection. It is really high quality and the prints are adorable. I would like to make a lined version of Louisa's jacket with it actually.

My little four month old Leo is already 18 pounds, so I made him the 9-12 month size. Hopefully it will fit him in the spring too.

There were a lot of very curved seams, so lots of patient pinning was required (especially in attaching the sleeves). And it does take time to make a fully-lined jacket, because as other sewers have said, you are basically making two jackets. I like how the button placket worked out, and I enjoyed not having to finish seams (although all the top-stitching sort of makes up for time saved leaving seams raw).

I got the wooden buttons on etsy. A great place to shop for buttons, by the way. I love the variety.

I'll have to reschedule a proper photoshoot.

Ready to go play in the leaves!