Things I Made but Never Posted

I never post ALL the things I make, but this year I was particularly bad at posting! I’m going to spend the next few weeks trying to catch up. In the mean time, here are some of the things I’ve made that I never got around to photographing and/or posting about:

Christmas Pajamas:

It’s become a tradition for me to make pajamas that we open and wear on Christmas Eve, and it’s a tradition I love! However, I almost never get around to making a post about these pajamas because the timing gets weird. A professional would have them sewn and photographed before December even hits the calendar but I am not a professional and I can’t take pictures of my kids wearing a thing, if they haven’t been given the thing yet! Anyway, these sets made of cotton velour turned out really cute and are still being worn regularly. I honestly can’t remember the patterns I used (sorry!) and I won’t link the fabric source because I won’t be buying from them again.

Matching Girl and Doll Outfits

Another unphotographed Christmas gift were these matching sets for the girls and the dolls they were given. Making tops and overalls for 2 girls plus their 2 dolls took a lot of time but all of the fabric was from SAS and was under $4/yd, so it was a pretty cost effective gift and it had a lot of bang for our buck, if you will. The girls were so excited as well as utterly confused at how I’d managed to get it so they could match their dolls! I used Simplicity 9661 for the pattern (which, yes, includes the doll patterns as well). I planned to make the dolls overalls but had to go with the jumper dresses because I ran out of fabric.

Velour Tracksuit for Ben (also Christmas)

I typically include Ben and I in our Christmas pajamas (how else am I supposed to justify the number of Hudson Pants I’ve sewn?). So when I was sewing everyone something in velour, I made him a velour track suit. He mostly wears it facetiously but he DOES wear it. I used the men’s Hudson Pants for his bottoms and McCalls 8054 for the hooded zipper jacket. The jacket pattern was a little tricky and I ended up having to hand tack the facing down, but I do like how it turned out.

The Banana Chair Covers That Almost Broke Me

A friend was getting rid of 6 of these banana chairs with arm rests and we snagged 2 of them. But the faux leather on them was peeling so badly that making covers for them became a top priority. Ben picked out the fabric, which was an upholstery fabric from Hobby Lobby, and I did the rest. I made a pattern and winged it. The sewing process looked like me sewing a seam and then taking it to the chair and checking it and repeating for every single pattern piece. I used a reinforced stitch to make the seams extra secure, but it did add more time to the project. I don’t know how long it actually took but it felt like it took a long, long time. And since other friends ended up with the remaining 4 chairs, I’ve had to field requests from them asking me to make covers for their banana chairs. It’s not a project I want to repeat and I don’t have the heart to tell them that what they probably perceive as a very generous offer most likely wouldn’t even cover the cost of the fabric (I don’t tell them that, but I do tell them no;). Even so, these custom covers turned out well and I know they are very well made and will last a long time (and are washable!).

Aprons for the Kiddos

I thought this free reversible art smock pattern from SpoonFlower was so cute, I decided to make 3 up for my kids (youngest not pictured). Previously the kids always needed help putting on and tying their aprons so my goal here was for them to be self sufficient and in that I totally failed. The straps of these are incredibly confusing and so the kids still need help putting these things on. I also sized down on these which isn’t usually an issue with my kids, but it was a bad call here. I should have sized up. Those two complaints aside, though, and this was a great pattern. It’s simple and enjoyable. Getting the straps sewn correctly with the reversible element took a bit of magic on par with the burrito method (you can think I’m lame but when that yolk turns out correctly, I’m always amazed!). It’s a pattern I’d happily make again (even if it means I have to help my kids get their aprons on:).

Something on Commission

When the live action Avatar hit Netflix this year, my post about my Giant Appa went a little crazy with page views (small potatoes, I’m sure, if compared to others, but pretty big for me!). I had lots of requests to make one and someone actually went through with ordering one. The best part was being able to fix the things I wished were different on the first version. For one, I darkened the arrow stripe. And for two, I added more stuffing! Three years later and our Appa is looking a little flatter (definitely not terrible, but not as fluffy as he once was). I’m hoping the extra fluff helps this guy keep his shape a little better. The project took the better part of July but I had a lot of fun doing it. And trying to figure out how to ship this giant thing was just icing on the cake (seriously. Vacuum packing is strangely satisfying).

And Always More Tee Shirts (pictured: The Tarifa Tee)

Tees! I’m always wanting more tees because I wear them every day. After my first Tarifa, I wanted more. I made the color blocked one at the top of the post from lightweight cotton spandex jersey from Surge Fabrics. This fabric wrinkles a bit, but for less than $10/yd it’s a fabric I’ll buy again. The color blocking looks great with the Tarifa’s design and that blue top was a favorite during the summer. The above black and white striped tee is also a Tarifa. This one is made from a heavier (10oz) cotton spandex jersey from Raspberry Creek Fabrics and black ribbing from my stash for the neckband. I’ve learned that 10oz is too heavy for my taste for t-shirt fabric. But even so, I wear this top a lot-it goes with so many things I own!