Black French Terry Hudson Pants

Over the winter I had my first go at the Hudson Pants pattern by True Bias. I used some black french terry from imagine gnats. It was a little shinier than I expected/wanted, but I figured I'd make them as a wearable muslin since I had never sewn it before.

I made size 6 with zero alterations, mostly on my serger.

Homemade Running Tights (Sewaholic Pacific Leggings)

Finally my two hobbies collide! I promise this isn't going to turn into a running blog. But I do love running, (and sewing), so I decided to try making a pair of Sewaholic Pacific Leggings. I really love the whole Vancouver pattern collection.


The fabric is tricot nylon/spandex blend from imagine gnats. I don't sew with knits all that often, and had never sewn with this kind of slippery swimsuit knit, but it went pretty well. I used her navy and peacock colors. It is "matte" but definitely a tiny bit shiny. But not at all see-through and perfectly thick enough for running tights, although it won't be warm enough for super cold days.

I sewed View B in a straight size 6, but shortened them one inch at the shorten line.

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.

Hopscotch Shirts

I made two more pieces from the oliver + s Hopscotch pattern, this time shirts, both upcycled from my old shirts. Neither were actually very old, they just had stains that I was able to work around when sizing them down for Louisa.

The stains on the turquoise one prevented me from using the factory hems so I cuffed it with the oliver + s city weekend interlock that I used for her dress. I cut the bottom cuff a little short and stretched it to fit the bottom of the shirt to give it a little bubble effect.

I was too lazy to change the thread on my serger for the purple version, so it's got pale pink seams, but it's just a play shirt after all.

I highly recommend this pattern! By my third time I barely even had to look at the directions, and since I was able to use the factory hems on this one for the sleeves and bottom, it took me less than two hours from start to finish.

Looking forward to making the skirt some time, too. Louisa will love the pockets.

I think Leo's trying to tell me he's due for the next shirt...

Hopscotch Dress

Another great pattern from oliver + s... the Hopscotch Knit Dress! It was my first project ever with knit fabric, and it actually went really quickly and easily. Love that there were only five pattern pieces to cut.

The fabric is oliver + s city weekend park ramble in pink (the same fabric that is on the pattern package--how creative of me!) I bought it (and the pattern) a whole year ago on sewmamasew.com. I made a size 4.

I used my serger for the whole thing, except the basting/gathering stitches and to hem the sleeves and bottom edge. The places where I had to use my regular machine were actually the most difficult. I think I will have to buy a walking foot if I want to do a lot more of these kinds of projects. This fabric was pretty stretchy though, so maybe that was part of the issue.

It looks a little bit like a nightgown, but it is super comfortable and Louisa actually wanted to wear it right away, and the next day, too. Pretty nice when that works out.

Knits are awesome! No buttons, zippers, fraying... plus, they stretch!