Reverse Applique Knee Patches Tutorial

 

 

Here is what I have been working on for so long…. A while ago my cousin (Sandra over at Rivas & Co.) commissioned me to make a t-shirt into short-alls and a pair of leggings with diamond shaped reverse appliqued knee patches with a matching bib. It took me FOREVER, or at least it felt that way!! I goofed SO many times on this…. I think I made 4 different sets!!! The first time my machine at the leggings. GRRRR!! The 2nd time I cut and/or sewed the patches in the wrong way. The print is a little crazy and the lines are not straight. I had to cut, pin and sew them JUUUST right. Then on the 3rd, I did every thing just right but when I went to cut the top layer over the patches, I cut the leggings instead!!! YILES!!!! Finally the 4th time was a charm! Good grief! LOL

So here is what I did.

 

 

The 2nd and 3rd attempts were made from this black t-shirt. The 4th attempt was from a different one. The 1st attempt was from some black jersey knit.

First I cut off the sleeves and collar. Then I cut the shoulders and sides. That left me with enough fabric to make 2 pairs of toddler leggings.

 

 

 

Then I cut the legs. These are for leggings so the legs are skinny and there is more room in the seat. 😉

When I cut them, I used the t-shirt hem for the leggings hems. 😉

 

 

Next, I cut the diamond shapes from 2 fabrics, 1 main and 1 for stabilizing.

 

 

 

Then I pinned and sewed the patches to the INSIDE of the leggings.

Next, I trimmed the excess from around the stitching. Be very careful here! THAT’S where I cut the hole in the leggings!!!

 

 

 

Now, I very carefully snipped the fabric from over the top of the patches and cut off the excess.

After that is done, you simply sew the leggings like you would any pair of pants. 🙂

 

 

 

This is the matching bib. 🙂 I hope she loves them!!!

 

If you would like a step by step tutorial for making the leggings, you can follow my tutorial for the T-shirt Tunic and Leggings.

If you feel that you would prefer a pattern, try SquigglyTwigs Designs Quick Pants (you might recognize the model over there), just be sure to cut the legs narrower. 🙂

 

My next few projects will probably be very hush-hush. 😉 I’ll be working on my Pay It Forward gifts for 2013! I can’t wait to get started!!

HAPPY SEWING!!!!!

 

Sunshine Day Tunic and Clam Diggers – Tutorial

 

 

Well, the name is Sunshine Day BUT the pictures for this were taken on the COLDEST day we have had since moving here!!!!! LOL There was no way I was going to make Cailey stand outside in 40 degrees…..

 

For some reason this outfit (or maybe just the striped fabric) reminds me of…….

 

 

Y’all remember that, right??? LOL I loved watching Brady Bunch reruns after school when I was a kid.

 

 

ANYWAY…. Here is the tutorial.

 

 

What I used – 

3/4 yard of the stripes (very silky and flowy)

1/4 yard of the gold cotton for the yoke at the top

1 yard of heavier, stretchier cotton for the clam diggers

1″ elastic

 

 

 

 

I had this idea… I was going to make the front and back yoke one piece…. with lining….. Yeah… I even cut a muslin (above).

It took me a bit to figure out the problem. LOL

One I realized that I wouldn’t be able to turn it right side out after sewing the lining, I resigned myself to 4 pieces instead of 2.

 

 

So, then I made a pattern piece after much measuring and figuring. LOL

 

 

 

 

Pin the lining pieces to the main pieces and sew all around, leaving the bottom open.

 

 

 

Clip the corners, turn right side out and press.

 

 

 

Cut the pieces for the bottom of the tunic. I cut the top of it about a 1/4″ wider than the bottom of the yoke.

Make it as long as you like, widening as you go and curving the bottom.

 

 

 

Pin the bottom of the yoke to the top of the bottom piece, with right sides together. Sew then press your seams.

 

 

 

 

Now, pin the front to the back, with right sides together. Sew the shoulder and the sides.

 

Next, fold up and press 1/2″ on the bottom. Then fold up and press 3/4″. Sew the hem.

 

 

 

Remove the cat from your work space.

 

 

 

Grab a pair of your child’s pants to use as a cutting guide for the clam diggers. Turn up the leg bottoms to your desired length.

 

 

 

 

If you have a right side/wrong side fabric, you will want to flip the pants guide over to cut the second leg.

 

 

 

Sew up the inseam from the bottom to the start of the crotch curve.

(If your child is very small, you will want to hem them first.)

 

 

 

Turn one leg right side out and slide it into the other leg. Pin and sew.

 

 

 

Now for the elastic casing. Fold over 1/4″ and press. Fold over again by just over 1″, press and sew the casing, making sure to leave a section open to insert the elastic.

 

 

 

Pin the ends of the elastic and insert into the opening.

Then pull both ends out and secure with zigzag stitches.

Sew the opening closed.

 

 

 

Fold up and press the bottom of the legs by 1/2″. Fold up and press another 1/2″ and sew the hem!

 

 

Turn right side out and press!

 

YOU ARE DONE!!!! 😀

 

 

As always, let me know if you have any questions. You can always use the Contact Me button at the top of the page.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial!

 

 

 

Pleats Be My Valentine Tutorial

 

 

Once again, there seems to be a couple of steps missing in my pictures. I have been getting caught up in it and forgetting to take the pictures! SORRY!! But I can still walk you through those steps. 😉

 

 

What I Used –

1 yard of red poly blend knit – very light

1 1/2 yards of pink knit – thicker

1 yard of red jumbo rickrack

 

Headband –

1 group of fake roses from the Dollar Tree

1 stretchy headband from the Dollar Tree (sold in a group of 3)

hot glue gun

 

 

I took a tank that fits Cailey well and used it as my cutting guide. I wanted the top to have a very high waist so I let the top hang WAY off of the folded fabric.

Be sure to cut all the pieces on the fold!

 

 

Cut 2 front bodice pieces and 2 back bodice pieces.  (This shows 1 of each.)

 

 

 

 

To cut the sleeves, place one of your bodice pieces on the folded fabric with the shoulder lined up with the fold. Then cut at a widening angle. This will create sleeves that get wider as it goes down the arm.

I cut them to hit just below the elbow, not quite 3/4 length.

 

 

The next part to cut is the part from the bodice down. I apparently forgot to take a picture of this part, but it’s very easy. You want it to be 2 times the total width of the waist and the length can be as long or as short as you like.  You just cut a large rectangle at those measurements.

 

 

To cut the leggings I used a pair of pants that fit Cailey well. I wanted them cut straight instead of flared, so I let the side of the pants hang off the fabric at the fold.  I cut them the same length as the pants, no seam allowance. Also, instead of cutting around and leaving a seam allowance, I cut right at the guide. This gives them a leggings fit instead of like a yoga pant.

 

For the pleats I cut 10 pieces of the red knit, 5″ wide and the length was the total width of the fabric from selvage to selvage.  Make sense? You are going to sew the pieces together at one end until you have 5 VERY long pieces to pleat.  😉

 

 

 

Now, on to the sewing!

 

 

 

Pin and sew the 2 front bodice pieces together at the areas outlined, making sure to leave the bottom open. Turn right side out and press.

Do the same to the back bodice pieces (shown).

 

 

 

Sew the front bodice piece to the back bodice piece at the areas that are outlined.

Turn right side out and press.

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s a little hint… Sew the jumbo rickrack on BEFORE you sew the sleeves together….. LOL

I didn’t decide to add the rickrack until the sleeves were already done….

Anyway, pin the rickrack to the bottom of the sleeve and sew on with a straight stitch.

THEN pin the edge of the sleeve and sew the seam. 😉

Open up the seam and press.

 

 

 

 

 

Turn the bodice inside out and then leaving the sleeve right side out, slide it into the arm hole. Pin and sew the seam.

 

 

 

 

 

Now, take one of your 5 LOOOOONG strips and start pleating. Fold, press, pin. Fold, press, pin…. FOREVER!!!! No, just kidding. It only FEEL like forever. 😉 LOL

 

 

 

To add the pleated strips to the bottom of the bodice you will pin the first set of pleats to the bottom of the fabric. Not the VERY bottom, though. Leave the the pleated strip hanging over the edge by 2 inches. Then sew across the top.

Keep adding the pleated strips until you reach the top, leaving each section hanging over the next by about 2 inches.

Depending on how long or short you want this part to be, you made need more or less of the pleated strips.

 

 

To add this part to the top of the bodice you will run a gathering stitch across the top (just under where you attached the last row of pleats). Then adjust the gathers to fit the bottom of the top bodice section.

Turn the top bodice inside out and slide it over the top of the pleated section. Pin in place where the bottom of the top of the bodice meets the top of the pleated section. Sew in place just below the line of gathers.

Now, turn the whole thing inside out and sew the side seam.

 

 

For the leggings I am going to refer you to the tunic and leggings tutorial I did about a month ago. The ONLY difference between the two sets are –

Before adding the rickrack to the bottom, turn under by 1 1/2″ and press. Then pin the rickrack to the front and sew on with a straight stitch. This hems and adds the rickrack at the same time.

The rest of it is the same! 🙂

 

 

 

For the headband, I just pulled 3 roses and 3 sets of leaves off of the Dollar Store roses. Then I slide the leaves over the bottom of the roses and hot glued everything straight onto the stretchy headband. 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

She’s holding the rest of the roses. LOL

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let me know what you think, please!!

If you have ANY questions at all just click the Contact Me button at the top of the page and send me an e-mail! 🙂