Pattern:   Cynthia Rowley Simplicity 8124 Fabric: Brushed Cotton Hobby Lobby Notions: 3/4" elastic Total Cost:  $14 Size: XS with mods Age: 13 Monkey Pants was insisting on a romper as part of her summer wardrobe. I wasn't getting to it fast enough so I suggested to her that this would be an easy and forgiving pattern for her to try to sew on her own as her first apparel project.  I helped her with the pattern by shortening the bodice a couple of inches and drew up some quick pockets pieces by tracing her hand. Ha ha ! Because how can this pattern not have pockets?! I once again ,   had to talk her into this fabric. We had passed it over many times at Hobby Lobby as crazy and psychedelic. But then I saw the light, I thought it would be perfect for this pattern. I love the way it came out. And then I wanted one too. Despite some rookie sewing mistakes like cutting two sleeves the same way, I thought she did a pretty good job.  So cute and comfy. The last shot

Pattern: Simplicity 1887 Fabric: "Apparel" fabric from Hobby Lobby (cotton) Notions: elastic Total Cost:   $6 including pattern ($1 dollar sale) Size:  8 (made slightly narrower) Age: 13 [Top: H&M; Cardigan: Banana Republic XS Petite; Shoes: Keds] This is one of the first fabrics we got when we decided we needed to make a bunch of summer clothes --shorts were the first priority. I think at one point, we decided it was going to be a top instead, but eventually came back to the shorts. And this was just the right pattern for this super fun, fresh summer fabric.  Monkey Pants , became even more obsessed after we found Emily Hallman on instagram and couldn't stop swooning over all the large gingham. Suddenly she fell in love with dresses, skirts, ruffles, and even big bows! I know!! I was like --what the heck is going on here? Who are you? Had I had more fabric, I would definitely cut the waistband and tie on the diagonal to take advantage of th

After discovering the Lekala patterns , I saved a few other styles I like for Monkey Pants and purchased this cute summer dress right away. I love the detailing on the bodice and I worked hard to convince Monkey Pants that she wanted a dress for summer. She is currently obsessed with rompers but wants nothing to do with dresses as they are just nonsense in her world of backyard shenanigans -you can't use them for swinging, riding a bike, jumping on the trampoline, she told me. Well, I promised her she'd love it because it would be sleeveless and cool for the summer heat, casual, and easy to wear. And it's been a success! Yay. Pattern:   Lekala Tunic Dress #42 30 Fabric: "Apparel" fabric from Hobby Lobby (cotton) Notions: buttons Total Cost:  $14 including pattern Size: Custom          Height 153cm          Bust 76cm          Underbust 66cm          Waist 62cm          Hip 83cm          Full Hip 84cm Age: 13 So for this pattern, I modifi

Pattern:  MCCalls 7726 Paperbag Shorts Fabric: Cotton Twill JoAnn Notions: Regular zipper Total Cost:  $8 Size: 6 Age: 13 The next items in the Summer Wardrobe are the paperbag shorts and bubble top. We initially bought this fabric for capri pants but Monkey Pants became obsessed with having a pair of paperbag shorts. These require a lot more fabric than regular shorts but they did turn out really cute. I had to go back and get extra fabric to make the sash. Definitely a little more time consuming than the Burda shorts -those really come together pretty fast. But this is a really cute look. I didn't want the fold to show the side seam so I thought I was being smart by cutting a seperate piece of fabric to make the fold but ended up sewing it to the bottom of the shorts like it had been all one piece anyway. No idea how I thought that was magically going to turn out better than just doing that in the first place.  I used pink for the top stitching to make it stand out a

After a very long hiatus from kids apparel sewing, I'm back in the thick of it making a summer wardrobe for this, now, teen girl. This would have been an excellent idea had I started in the spring but that's not how most of my projects get done. I stopped sewing for the kids mostly due to time. Driving them around to their activities took all of it! However, it's been difficult to find nice clothes for Monkey Pants pretty much after the age of nine. Nice clothes are no where to be found and fit is nearly impossible as she seems to be of elvish blood --short torso, wide shoulders. Because she's been in dance the last few years and attended a charter school last year, she's been either in school uniform or dance wear most of the time. But summer is definitely a time she needs, what I like to call "real clothes" and she was badly in need of shorts and cool, summer tops. The Shorts After making a thourogh review of all of our Ottobre magazin

Finally got around to making this little boy his own messenger bag. I made these for my kids a few years ago and sadly, as is regularly the case, the youngest didn't get one. He has humbly been asking if it would be possible for him to get his own, and at last his wish has been granted.  Then, I figured if I was going to make one, I should just make several. I don't know if two more constitutes several, but it does in my book.  Love the Riley Blake Utah themed fabric I utilized for the lining in the gray one. So cute. And last, a more girly inspired one with birds.  Outer fabrics are polyester outdoor fabric from JoAnn at $7/yd. These take about 1/2 yd to make. And I used pre-made double fold bias tape for the trim on all of these. It calls for two packages but I found that by using a different color on the the outer side panel pockets, you only need one package for the rest of the bag. Hardware was ordered online. I also made