A pair of pants that no one wants to wear, Round 2.

I don't know what it is with my girls.  Nin needed some pants so while waiting for baby #3 I got to work on a pair I had wanted to make for some time.  I picked out some cute unclipped corduroy and a matching print for the pockets and cut outs on the legs.  I ran them by her, she approved of my choices and the pattern.  I measured her cut out the corresponding size.  And that's where the trouble started. 

After I finished them, she put them on, and guess what?  They don't fit!  Again!  Maybe Ottobre pants in bigger sizes just aren't sized for my Nin.  The waist is so tight, they won't even close.  They are not too tight in the thigh and the length is good. 

So I go to KK.  Will you wear these if I hem them to your size?  Nope!

But come on!  Look at the perfect zipper!  It even matches!  How often do I have a matching zipper on hand?  She tells me they aren't skinny jeans.  And they look like Elvis pants.  Geesh!  How does she even know who Elvis is. 

Alright, maybe they do look a little like Elvis pants....

Ottobre Design 1/2012 #25 in size 146.

I give up.  No more mama made pants for my big girls. 

The perfect skirt

Remember the skirt I made for BTS?  It is loved!  Very loved in fact.  Loved so much it was fought over.  Since it was so easy I decided to make another.  Or 4. 

I took the first day of school off since the girls like to be "car riders" on the first day.  It's the little things!  I had several hours during the day to get a bunch of sewing done.  I started with 4 of these skirts!

I just picked 4 random fabrics and made them up in the same size and let the girls pick through them when they got home.

KK picked this one....  That's it.  It was the only fabric she liked...

 

Nin scooped this one right up!  She said she loved the hearts!

 

Pattern: 
Ottobre 4/2012 #30

Awww, what's the matter Nin?

 

The jeans no one will wear!

There has been a jeans pattern stuck in my head for awhile now so I finally traced the pattern and set to work making a pair from some nice stretch denim that I had intended to use for myself. 

They are super cool pants that have these awesome circle pockets on the back!  They also had cool circle knee patch thingy's on the front.  Notice in the picture above that there is a lack of cool knee patch thingy's.  These were for my Nin.  She needs pants.  She mostly refuses to wear pants, but that's a different story for a different day. 

Anyhow, Nin took one look at the picture and said, "you aren't putting those circle things on the knees are you?"  Me, "yes, why?"  She replied, "they look like giant knee boobies."  Note to self: Nin does not like giant knee boobies.  So they were left off.

Super cool back pockets, no?

I get the pants done, minus the hemming, and have her try them on so I can see how big of a hem I need.  Guess what?  They don't fit!  The dang waist is too small.  I made the same size I always make but they are at least an inch too small in the waist.  Can't even get them buttoned, too small. 

But after 4 hours working on these suckers, I wasn't about to give up.  I took them to KK and asked her to try them on.  She has a smaller waist but is taller than Nin.  They fit!!!  Hallelujah!!  But guess what?  She doesn't like them.  BTW- she doesn't like giant knee boobies either.  I guess my kids just aren't knee patch wearing kind of kids. 

They aren't skinny jeans, she complained.  That is all I want to wear this fall.  Seriously?  Yep, 5th graders wear skinny jeans.  Appearantly. 

So now these poor top- stitched, perfect zipper fly pants hang on a rack.

No love!!

Ottobre 1/2010 #37 in size 140.

Farbenmix love

I purchased several Farbenmix patterns from a co-op in, ahem, January.  I am just now getting around to sewing them up! 

I bought the Laguna skirt which is similar to the Redondo, except it has a floaty layer.  When I purchased the pattern I didn't realize that my girls were already in the largest size!  So I figured I better get around to sewing one up or they would never be able to wear it....

So I spent hours (not really) picking out the perfect fabrics only to discover that I didn't have enough of one. Hours later I finally picked out the black with white stars. 

The great thing about this skirt is the fullness.  The twirliness.  The fluffiness.  All of which are redeeming qualities according to my girls.

I even made 10 yards of bias tape by hand to hem this dang thing.  And as soon as I was done I told hubby that I wanted one of those fancy bias tape machines they sell at JoAnn's.  Repeatedly burning your fingertips is no fun, even in the name of fashion.

I also worked on a Farbenmix Lore.  This pattern has shorts and a top but I bought the pattern only interested in sewing the top.  My girls are also about to outgrow this pattern as I made the largest size. 

I picked up this cute DC fabric from Girl Charlee and at the last minute I remembered I had some ruffly binding that I thought would look cute stuck up at the top. 

Now, I didn't make these to go together but little lady was not in a modeling mood so it's what I got. 

Super deluxe twirling capabilities.

Strawberry breakfast feliz

My mom works for a local university and every year the President and his wife hold a breakfast for all employees.  It's called the Strawberry breakfast because it features a buffet of delicious strawberries and all the toppings you could imagine!  Whipped cream, powdered sugar and chocolate to name a few.  In addition, they have all the traditional breakfast foods. 

Last year my mom invited my 20 year old brother, but at the last minute he didn't want to get out of bed to go so she decided that she wasn't inviting him anymore!  So KK is next in line!  But I decided at last minute that she can't possibly go to a strawberry breakfast without a strawberry dress.  So I went shopping for the fabric and downloaded the embroidery files and set to work making this thing 2 days before she needed it!  Now, I didn't have a lot of time and I hade a million other things to do but I needed to make time for this!  I guess I spent about 7 hours on it over 2 days, including staying up until almost midnight one night! 

Hubby thought I was crazy and at points I was beginning to doubt myself, but I got it done!  I did have to leave off one of the embroideries since I just didn't have time, but I think the dress is spectacular!  I have made several Feliz's before but none with this much detail!

Pattern: Farbenmix Feliz
size: 140- the largest size, boo!
Embroidery- Tinimi

Front

The best part about this dress?  The ruffles!!!!  After one look at it, KK said, I love how it's so big and fluffy!  The ruffles started with 440 inches of material that was 3 in. wide.  That is 36 feet!  Good thing my serger ruffles!  Here is the back before putting it all together..

And the twirl factor is pretty awesome...

This girl twirled all day!

With my mom!

Here is Nin's party dress version!  She wore this for probably 3 years until it was so short it was inappropriate!  We passed it down to another little girl though.

A brown and pink version....

And a Christmas version...

Farbenmix Amelie

I recently purchased some new Farbenmix patterns and one of those was the Farbenmix Amelie.  It is so simple and can be "girlied" up in so many ways!  And you know my girls, pretty much anything with pink, sparkles, ruffles, frillies and glitter is great. 

Neither of them need any clothes at the time moment, so this tunic was for creative purposes only.  Meaning, it wasn't needed but I just wanted to make it so badly! 

Pattern: Farbenmix Amelie, size 140
Embroidery: Huups, this one in particular.

This sucker has 3 different embroidery sections

The hood

I had every intention of making matching gray capri leggings to go with it.  But, I ran out of the gray cotton lycra I used for the top.  So she just wore black leggings.  I promised I would make her some when I ordered gray cotton lycra next.  But let's face it, by the time I get anymore back in stock, she will have A) outgrown the top and B) forgot I promised to make her gray capri leggings.  ;)

More bottoms

I haven't had much of a chance to sew lately, but I did get around to making some various bottoms. 

The new Ottobre for kids is a big hit in our house.  Lots of older girl things! 

A jean skirt for KK.  This was supposed to have kind of a military feel.  But I couldn't find 1 inch grommets for the front closure so I used buttons.  It is very structured and not loosy goosy twirly like her sister wears! 

Pattern:  Ottobre 1/2012 #33  Size 140

Back

This was the only "action shot" I got!

Then I had to make Baby Chey Chey (the girls' cousin) a birthday gift.  he is 4 and loves dinosaurs so I wanted to make him a pair of shorts that matched the ones I made for Theo.  But of course I waited until the night before, so I had to make something a little less labor intensive....  And because I waited so long, I couldn't make a matching shirt, so I had to run out the morning of the party and buy one!  Why do I do this to myself!  If it wasn't for procrastination I wouldn't get anything done!

These are from the same Otto that Theo's shorts are from!

Pattern: Ottobre 3/2011 #22.  i think I made these in size 116, but they were kind of long so I made a really big hem.  I know bermuda's are supposed to be long, but these seemed excessive!  But I don't have boys so I don't know how they are wearing their shorts these days.

Double front pockets!

No pockets on the back!

Farbenmix Zucka

I recently bought a new Farbenmix pattern and made up a skirt for each of the girls. Farbenmix Zucka is a skirt pattern. The word zucka in German translates to sugar. Or so the pattern tells me. I mean I don't speak one word of German so I guess it could mean ugly and I wouldn't know! This pattern is very cool and offers lots of opportunities to add in ribbons and laces and trims and ric raks and tags, which is right up my alley. I really want to purchase an emroidery machine which would make these skirts even better!! But I digress... Both are in size 134, which makes it a tad longer on Nin than KK. KK back back pocket with tag, ribbon and random stitching little Farbenmix tag on the front bottom hem and the ruffle hem on the top layer Nin back back pocket with tag front pocket with ribbon and fancy schmancy stitiching tag on the front with up close of hem twirl! There are certainly lots of pieces in these skirts, but they are worth it!