Friday, January 11, 2008

Bits 'n' bobs


I've been meaning to make some PJ bottoms for Lee for a while now. It is impossible to keep him under a sheet at night, and most long-legged PJ bottoms are made of t-shirt material, and just too hot for these Queensland summer nights. So something in a very light crisp cotton was in order. I found the most ridiculously cheap fabric from Spotlight (AU$1.50 was spent on this fabric people - can't go wrong with that!) and added some Thomas the Tank Engine trim (a little bit of Thomas goes a long way when it comes to convincing a toddler it's time to put his jammies on!!).


And he wasn't content to just stand and pose for the camera - he wanted to 'work it baby'!!! Looks like I may have a male model wannabe on my hands....lucky he is really really ridiculously good-looking (although I will start to worry if he says he wants to go to the The Derek Zoolander Center For Children Who Can't Read Good And Wanna Learn To Do Other Stuff Good Too :P). Please excuse the weird messy stained drapey stuff framing his lovely pants. It is his art smock - and there was no way I was convincing him to take it off - much more fun having something to woosh when you're in the midst of some 'camera lovin''.

I just used a Simplicity pattern for kids pants, but if you don't have a pattern I have also found this tutorial on the Handy Home Projects blog, that is pretty good for explaining how to whip them up. My pattern used the same shape, but different method of construction (what I now call "the one leg inside-out inside the other leg" technique, as opposed to this tutorial's method of sewing up the crotch, then doing the leg seams). I think I might try this way next time, as it looks super-easy!

I have also made another apron, and resized my pattern even smaller - and it is STILL a bit too big. So I put the back ties on the side instead of on the back edge, so I can pull it tight, and it looks much better. So next apron will be a little smaller still.....one day soon I'll get it just right. I was really scraping the bottom of the barrel for materials here. I used the last of a vintage sheet that has so far gone into the lining of a clutch, some pants for Kate, and some yo-yo hair clips. I also used up the last of the store-bought bias binding that I had lying around - hence the reason that some of the tape is white, and some is pink. And I also added some orangey-pinky ribbon to try and tie it all together (Ahem...excuse the pun..). Not great, but it does do the job!



And that's it folks! Next post I may have something a little more exciting for you....well, it will be exciting for me anyway. I have some beans that I'm nearly ready to spill....nearly, but not yet....nuff said!

3 comments:

Dee said...

I think I need an apron, the number of my tops that end up stained!

Loving the pants and what looks like a Hammer dance hehe

Oooh I wonder what your beans are!

Unknown said...

The pj pants are great. I have that same same Thomas trim, it was bought as a bribe to keep my little man in the stroller while browsing Spotlight, and has ben sitting in my stash for ages. Now I know just what to use it for. Thanks for the inspiration.

Anonymous said...

The pants look fantastic, great idea with the Thomas Trim! What a bargain the fabric was!