August Lil Pip Challenge - hosted by Ladybugs and Daisychains

So August is a little crazy for me - mainly with my 'real job'. Including two weekends working, and a trip to Sydney first week of September. Oh and my (cough cough) 20 year high school reunion at the end of the month.

So I was every so grateful to my bestie Amy from Ladybugs and Daisychains when she agreed to host. And this isn't an easy month - August is the month for making something for yourself. A skirt or dress. I'll let Amy inspire you with some ideas.

I'll be back next week to do the July round up. I've seen one amazing Strap Clutch finished and quite a few in progress on Instagram (mine included!).

If you want to know more about the previous 'challenges', here are the links:

• May Challenge annoucement
• May Lil Pip Challenge round up and June Challenge
• June Challenge - my creation of the Commuter Cowl
• June Lil Pip Challenge round up and July Challenge

Join us

If you join us, use the hashtag #lilpipchallenge in social media so we can follow you, join the Flickr group, use the blog button above and please link your blog post in the Linky Party below.

If you want to get prepared for future months (with fabric or pattern purchases) we will be making:

• September - Crayon Art Folio by Gingercake or your own version depending on your needs. Could be a notebook style cover or recipe book cover as a Christmas present. Or a car caddy. For my Lalaloopsy crazy girl, I was thinking something for her to carry them out and about in.

If you have any ideas for future challenges, let me know with a comment. The idea is to be doing something different so it doesn't have to just be sewing related.

Grab the button for your blog too - link in side bar >>>

Linky Party

I thought was better to open up the linky party to be continuous rather than a different one each month. So add your links here and make sure you check out the other blogs!

An InLinkz Link-up

 

Kids Clothing Week - Day 6



I'm thrilled with the outcome of this dress. Sometimes just the simplist of things work beautifully. I've had this cord in my stash for a couple of years. I bought it but thought it was too old for my little miss until now. I think the addition of the solid purple sleeves and the little bias trim is a lovely touch, don't you?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UI'm

Kids Clothing Week - Day 5

Yep another pair of Ananda pants - this time I made it in fleece with a little spotty knit roll top.

This boat neck tee I blogged here. And the Ananda pants I review here and already made some this week. 

 

And yes we may have been going a little crazy with the photos by this stage! I present my little ballerina!

And when I asked for a 'normal' photo - this is the response.  I like the others, don't you?



Kids Clothing Week - Day 4

Oh my beautiful boy. I don't know about others, but this little one loves it when I make things for him. He loves being involved in selecting the fabric, working together and more so modelling for me. I think he is often jealous by how much I make for his sister (often the tester of Lil Pip's first designs).

I thought I would make him a couple of pairs of summer pjs as he honestly has not stopped wearing the winter ones. He didn't like the fitted shorts as much as the long pants so I might make them a little wider next time.

 

Pattern: Alex and Anna Summer PJs by Peekaboo Pattern Shop

Review: Alex and Anna Winter PJs by Peekaboo Pattern Shop (same just with short sleeves and legs!)

 

 

A realistic photo when I asked him to pose!

Kids Clothing Week - Day 3

The theme of this years Kids Clothing Week is art. I knew that I just wasn't motivated (or cool, or can't be bothered or no time) to get the kids to create any art that would then be transformed into an item of clothing. I suppose I could just grab a tshirt and some fabric pens?

Anyway my interpretation of this theme was to let my two budding designers, draw what they wanted me to make.

I planned to make Master 7 two pairs of summer pajamas and this is what he drew. I will have one of them to share with you tomorrow.

See that pair on the right - think black and white strips with skull sleeves.

 

Miss 5 kinda went nuts when I asked her to design her own. I used the GORGEOUS little paper dolls that Rachael from ImagineGnats recently posted. I see now she has a boy version.

It is no surprises that Miss 5 included lots of pink and while I didn't really follow her designs, what I made was certainly inspired by what she drew. Thanks to Rachael, she was also entertained for an hour or so, colouring, cutting and sticking them all together. I love that she has all the different hair colours (including mummies red hair) and that they all have pretty pink smiles!

So this was my inspiration. I will be back tomorrow to share more of my creations.

Kids Clothing Week - Day 2

This twirly skirt by Lil Blue Boo was the very first knit/jersey pattern I ever made (Oh my goodness take a look at how little my baby looks in those photos - ahhhhh!). She has virtually worn those two skirts threadbare so it was time for a new one.

 

 

 

 

Day 2 - Twirl Skirt by Lil Blue Boo

 

It was almost impossible to get a photo of Miss 5 not mid spin in this skirt. So apologise for the slightly blurry photos! Not a bad thing really. She loves it!

 

I used the same knit for the waist band as I wanted it all to be the same fabric. It doesn't have as much stretch in it though. Fine for my skinny mini but I will have to be careful in the future.

 

You can't see from these photos but I also did top stitching down each of the panel joins as an extra feature. Look, it counts ok! (Yeah likely I'm the only one who will ever notice).

 

This knit is from Spotlight last year. I'm hoping it will soften up with another wash. It is quite stiff. 

Not weird ballet moves - just mid twirling!

Kids Clothing Week - Day 1

Kids Clothing Week seems to always come around at a time that is just not possible for me to be involved. I usually try to make at least one thing but the whole concept of 'sew for one hour a day for 7 days for your kids' is just lost on me with working 4 days a week, juggling basketball training, games, ballet or whatever else we have going on.

So this week I'm totally organised. Ok I may have cheated a little and made most (all!) of it ahead of time but I've at least tried, right?

Each day I will be sharing what I have created. All are basic, wardrobe staples as for me it was about maximising the number of clothes I could create (spending 30 minutes on some pjs or 3 hours on a dress???) and also I think Miss 5's wardrobe will explode if I make another dress (I did though). I'm also forward planning so some items are for now and some for spring/summer which (hopefully) will be here before we know it!

Day 1 - Ananda Pants by Chopstix Patterns

So day one, I share another pair of Ananda pants. I blogged a pattern review back in May here. I made two pairs for Miss 5 as she really loves the fit of these.

Showing off the roll over waist.

She choose this material herself from my stash. It is one I picked up from an op shop (thrift store) along with a bunch of other fabric for about $10 so these pants probably cost me about $1. Bargain! I made a dress last year for her with this as well, so I hope she doesn't try to wear them together as that would all be a bit too matchy matchy!

She does call them her 'dancy pants'!

Are you joining in with Kids Clothing Week? I can't wait to share all my creations with you.