Spring Tops

I started to make several things this week to enter Rae's Spring Top Sewalong.  I found some great brown jersey knit at the thrift store, but it turns out it wasn't enough for a top for me from any pattern I had!  So, I ran to Joann's while the clearance items were still 50% off and bought some knit.  It's striped and I love stripes, but I had passed it over earlier because it's sheer-ish and not as "stable" as the knit I had used for the Renfrew.

Holy double hockey sticks (I think my mom reads this blog) was it horrible to work with!!  Lesson learned on working with more "stable" knits.  The fabric curled all over the place and stuck to itself (and everything else) like a suction cup.  I spent more time arranging the fabric for cutting and then pinning seams together than sewing.  I decided on a pattern from Tanya Whelan's book Love What You Sew.  There are several other patterns I'd like to try with better fabric.  The neckline gave me some fits and I ended up ripping out stitches and using some Lite SteamASteam2 (double sided fusing) to help secure the neckline and stitch it down.  It's just a quick and easy dolman sleeve type shirt (easy with better fabric).

I finished just before we needed to head out, so I grabbed Phil for some quick shots and then decided to enter the Renfrew, too.  (Even though it is too small, like, really too small...)  So, I did get two shirts done and entered and that's been on my to do list for years (kinda like the 10-15 pounds....).

The lovely orange band is on my wrist from our Earth Day activity today - protesting the possibility of cutting down Stadium Woods for an athletic facililty on Virginia Tech's campus.  A cause my kids can get behind.

Tomorrow KCSC begins!  (I am already behind!)

My first Renfrew and planning for Kids Clothes Sewing Week!

I have been reading blogs for so long and keeping mental lists of projects I want to try.  Although I think my heart is in quilting, I can't help being inspired by how I started sewing - with clothing.  So, over the last while or so I've started to think about sewing clothes for me and my kids.  I've always wanted to join in on Rae's Spring Top Week and Elsie's Kids Clothes Week Challenge (KCWC).

I first spotted the Renfrew by Tasia of Sewaholic a month back or so in the Sewing Women's Clothing flickr pool.  (LOVE going there!)  Shipping from Canada was more expensive than I expected, so after emailing Tasia, and finding US stockists, I found the pattern at a Fashionable Stitch. (Shipping was $2 and I got the pattern sent immediately!)

I was hoping to get one sewn for Rae's Spring Top Week.  This weekend I got some pattern tracing, cutting, and sewing done, and although it looks darling and came together well (I learned a few things... I always do), it's too small.  Yes, measuring is important - as is keeping your sewing supplies organized so you can find your tools - er, measuring tape.

I am really proud of it (even though I can't wear it in public)!  I've been wanting to sew with knits for about 2 years, now and I finally did it!  The fabric was from fabric.com - sale bin stuff for about $2/yard.  It's pretty stable, and not too stretchy.

Elsie Marley has been hosting a Fall and Spring Kids Clothes Week Challenge.  To sew every day for an hour for your kids - to work on the mental list of ideas you have - to get something done!  I've always loved watching what pops up during these weeks and now that I have some patterns and small successes back into the world of sewing clothes, I'm excited to participate this year.

I've got several Oliver + S patterns, Figgy's Tee for Two, and I think I have enough knit to make my 11 yo a small Renfrew.  By the way, I just figured out yesterday that Figgy made a Tee for Two for older kids - size 8-14!!  I just bought one on etsy as my kids are 9 and 11.  My pattern is the younger 12 month - size 6/7.  I'm really excited about the Tee for Two because I'm not so afraid of knits and t-shirt construction anymore and these should be really easy to whip up now that some of the learning curve is gone.