Monkey Business

 

 

My latest set for Sewing to Rebuild has been taken over by monkeys!! LOL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next up (and last for the Sewing to Rebuild) will be another boy’s set.

 

 

After that I will be getting busy sewing for MY kids. LOL Colin has been complaining that it has been too long since I made him something. It will be a part of Hopeful Threads June sewing project.

I have some really cute knit that I have been thinking about making into PJs for Colin and a nightgown for Cailey. Colin also needs some new shorts! Then I think I will break out some patterns that I have been meaning to get to.

 

HAVE FUN SEWING!!! 😀

 

 

The Marvelous Romper Tutorial :)

It’s FINALLY done!! YAY!! 🙂 I am really loving the way this turned out. There might be one more thing that I would do to it but I’ll talk about that later. 😉

Here we go!

What you will need –

1 yard of main fabric (you probably will not use it all)

lace scraps

2 buttons

1 package bias tape

Shirt that fits your child well

Shorts that fit your child well

Optional – 1/4″ elastic

Step 1 – 

Place your child’s shirt on the fabric, folded side to folded side. Cut around WIDELY, leaving lots of space!! You will need about 3 extra inches.

Step 2-

If your fabric has a wrong side you will need to flip the bodice piece you just cut before laying it on the fabric. Now cut the back bodice piece.

This is what you should have. 🙂

Step 3 –

Place your child’s shorts on the fabric with the crotch pulled out all the way. Cut around it leaving a small space all around for seam allowance.

Step 4 –

Flip the leg you just cut and place it on the fabric. Cut the 2nd leg.

Step 5 –

Cut your lace to the length YOU would like it to be for the top of the blouse.

Step 6 –

Print and cut out the template for the Peter Pan collar from here – HonestlyWTF.com

Pin your main fabric and your lace together. Then pin the template. Cut it out. 🙂

I missed a picture of a step! So SORRY!! That’s what happens with a house full of kids… LOL

Anyway, you will need to cut your back bodice piece in half.  We have to have a way for the kiddo to get it off and on. 😉

Now you should have all of your pieces! Time to start putting them together! 😉

Step 7 –

Pin your leg from the bottom to the point. Sew the seam and press.  (If your fabric has a right side and a wrong side, make sure to pin and sew with right sides together.)

Do the same to the other leg.

Step 8 –

Remove the rotten cat from you fabric. SIGH…. Always, always, always…. LOL

Step 9 –

Turn one leg right side out. Slide it down into the other leg. Pin from the top to the crotch and sew the seam in one continuous set of stitches. (If that doesn’t make any sense check out the tutorial for the Romper and/or Skort. It has a better pic of this step.)

Turn them right side out and this is what you should have! 🙂

Step 10-

Pin one side of the back bodice to one side of the front bodice. If your fabric has a right and a wrong side, make sure to put right sides together.

Sew the seam and press.

Now do the other side.

Step 11 –

Pin the shoulders together and sew the seam. Press! (Always press the seams. Sometimes I might forget to say to…LOL)

Step 12 –

Pin some pleats into the top front of the bodice. Run a line of straight stitches to hold them in place. 😉

Step 13 –

Press over a bit on the sides of your lace. Make sure to line up the scallops on the bottom so your won’t have anything showing.

Sew a line of stitches down the sides.

Step 14 –

Fold over about a 1/2 inch from the top and press.

Step 15 –

Place your lace over the front of the bodice, positioning it to where you would like it to be. Very carefully cut out the neckline. If you have a rotary cutter I would definitely use that for this part. 😉

Step 16 –

Pin the lace and stitch it to the bodice.

Step 17 –

One thing that I should have done that I didn’t do here is finish the edges of the back bodice. You should do that… LOL Then pin 1 1/2 ”  of the edges to the inside and press. Leave the pins there for a sec.

Step 18 –

Pin your bias tape all along the top of the bodice. You can then remove the pins from the back bodice. Sew the bias tape to the neckline. 🙂 Press!

Step 19 –

Pin the bias tape around the armholes and sew it in place! Press!

As you can see, Bonnie was “helping”……

Step 20 –

Pin the back bodice from the bottom to about 1/2 way up. Sew the seam and press!

Step 21 –

Place your button at the very top of the back bodice. Placing in one the bias tape gives it a much more sturdy backing. Sew your button.

Step 22 –

Cut a piece of 1/4″  elastic. The measurement will depend on the size of your button. It will need to slip over the button and remain in place.

Next, sew the 2 ends of the elastic to the back bodice opposite the side with the button.

This is what it will look like when the loop is over the button.

Step 23 –

Now, turn your bodice inside out, slip it over the shorts and pin. I pinned some pleats in the bottom of the bodice along the lines of the top pleats. Sew your seam and press!!

Turn it right side out and pin the bias tape around the leg bottoms.  Sew it on and press!

You could certainly leave it here if you want to.

But if you want to keep going……….

Step 24 –

Now, take your collar pieces and pin them together. Sew very slowly and carefully along the scalloped side, leaving the straight side open.

Trim the seams and clip very carefully at the curves.

Turn right side out, making sure to poke all the little curves out and press.

Step 25 –

Pin your collar where you would like it to sit, wrapping the straight edge over and under the neckline. Sew it in place and press!

Step 26 –

Take your other button and sew it into the middle of the 2 collar pieces.

Oh!!! And if you like, you could always add elastic at the waist. To find out how check out this tutorial – Pajama Romper  I may be adding that element to this one… Not sure yet. I guess I will leave it up to c1. She’s the one that will be wearing it! 😉

 

This is what it might look like with the elastic waist.

 

 

 

 

 

Like always, let me know what you think. Was this easy to follow?

If you make it I would LOOOOOOVE to see it!!!

 

My Next Tutorial Will Be……

I have it all figured out. Sort of… 😉 I know what I WANT to make it just remains to be seen if I can actually DO it.

Let me give you an idea. 🙂

It starts with these 2 fabrics (that I got for $1 a piece in the remnants bin at Hancock’s!!!!) –

I want to try to merge these two looks-

The Sound of Music Collared Romper from ShopRuche.com

Morning at the Manor Top from ChicWish.com.  I found this on Pinterest and the link doesn’t seem to work for the blouse. Maybe it’s just sold out?

Anyway… I want to make this for c1. I think it would be awfully cute IF I can pull it off. LOL

If I have enough of the blue left over I want to make c2 some dressy shorts. Maybe… Not sure if they would look right or not. What do you think? Blue rayon(ish) shorts for a boy? Will it work???

I ordered a couple of patterns a few days ago and I wish they would hurry up and get here!!! I am anxious to start one of them!!

These are the two I ordered-

McCall’s 6362

I want to make view A in a bad, bad way. And then maybe mix the bodice from A with C. 🙂

Butterick’s 5046

I fell in love with this one. I want ALL the views! 😉

I reallllly need to make a trip to Hancock’s or Joann’s. I am in bad need of bias tape. I went through some of my patterns and it seems that every single one that I really want to make needs bias tape!  And I need to pick up some nice buttons. And a zipper foot. And….. LOL The list just keeps growing! 😉 OH!! And today is my cousin’s Birthday!!(Happy Birthday, Amy!!) and I want to make her some PJ pants. She really likes the owls that I made and I want to either find some owl fabric OR monkeys. OOH! I wonder if I can find sock monkeys??? That would be AWESOME!!! Don’t worry, it’s not a secret. 😉

Romper and/or Skort Tutorial

With this tutorial you can make the romper OR the skirt! 🙂 This is what’s been in my head since I bough that fabric at the beginning of the week. LOL Sure does feel good to have it done! And have it turn out the way I pictured it!!! 😉

You will need:

2 3/4 yards of fabric of your choice (woven, knits won’t hold pleats that easily)

1 package of wide single fold bias tape (or ribbon or whatever)

4″ of 1/4″ elastic

2 buttons

A pair of your child’s shorts to use as a guide.

Now get ready ’cause this is a long one with LOTS of pictures.

Measure your child’s chest and then shoulder to just below the hip. Measure from just below the hip to where you want the skirt part to fall -2″.  Measure the shoulder to where you want the bottom of the arm hole to be.

Fold your fabric and cut it the length you need the top to be. Then cut the width on the fold. (You will be cutting 1/2 of the width of the chest + 2″.

While still folded, cut out your arm hole.

While still folded, cut out your neckline in a square shape.

Open the bias tape and pin around the arm holes and neckline, skipping the tops of the straps.

Sew the bias tape around the arm holes and neckline.

After sewing the bias tape, press it. This helps to set the stitches.  And it’s easier to see if you missed a spot. If you DID miss a spot, take out my BFF, The Seam Ripper, and rip out those stitches and try again. 😉

With right sides together, pin up the side seam and sew. You could actually do this BEFORE the bias tape….. I’m always a little backwards. LOL

Pin over the tops of the straps and sew.

Press the tops of the straps.

Sew on your buttons.

Cut 2 pieces of 1/4″ elastic either 1 1/2 to 2″ in length depending on the size of your buttons.

Pin and sew your elastic in place.

Now, set this piece aside.  And grab your child’s shorts.

Place your child’s shorts on the fold. Cut around the shorts and DO NOT leave much room at the top or bottom for seams. You will be giving them a SMALL hem and will NOT be making an elastic casing. 😉

Flip your newly cut leg over and use it to cut the other leg. Make sure to flip if you have a right and wrong side or a particular pattern.

Turn the legs inside out. Pin from the bottom of the leg up to the beginning of the crotch and sew the seam. Do this to both legs.

Gratuitous cat picture.

Turn one leg right side out and stuff it down the other leg. Pin and sew. (If you need better instructions for this look at the Spider-man Pajamas Tutorial or the Knit Peasant Blouse and Gingham Capris Tutorial.)

Turn the shorts wrong side out and turn up less than 1/2 and inch. Press and pin. The sew your hem.

Turn your shorts right side out and measure them up against your top. If needed take a little tuck in the sides like I have done there. Just pin the tuck for right now.

Take your top and turn if wrong side out. Slip it over the shorts with right sides together (the top will be point down to the bottom of the shorts) matching seams and pin it. Then sew the top to the shorts.

Turn right side out and press!

Now you can stop here and you will have a romper!

If you want to change the romper into a skort-all (???) stay with me!

You will need 2 pieces of fabric 1 3/4 yards by however long you want the skirt part to be -2″.

We are going to start with the hem, which I apparently forgot to fix the pics for…. Anyway, to do the hem you are going to roll 1/2 ” and then roll again, pressing and pinning as you go.  Then sew the hems.

Now you are going to start folding, pressing and pinning all along the 1 3/4 yards. Fold, press, pin. Fold, press, pin. To both pieces. The size of the pleats is completely up to you and your personal preferences. Be sure to pin the bottoms of the pleats, too.

You will have 2 pieces that look like this.

Now you are going to need a waist band.

You are going to cut a strip 5″ in width and as long as the romper is around the waist +1″. Fold the strip in half and press. Then turn 1 edge under and press. It should look like the picture above when you are done.

Fold in half lengthwise, giving you a middle, and press.

Place your 2 pleated pieces right side together and pin one side. You may have some hang over and that is perfectly fine. Sew the hem on one side.

Cut off the excess.

Another gratuitous cat picture.

Match up the middle of the waistband with the seam. Open the waistband and pin on place with the folded edge on the outside.

Cut off the excess.

Sew the waistband in place. I sewed 2 rows to make sure I got all the pleats. 😉

With right sides together, pin and sew the other seam.

With right sides together, slip the skirt over the romper and pin the top of the waistband to the seam between the top and bottom of the romper.

Sew together.

Turn right side out and press.

Now, cut a rectangle 10″ wide by 15″ long.

Fold in half with wrong side out and sew and seam along the 15″. Open and press with the seam in the middle.

Turn 1/2″ in on both ends and press. Then sew a very tiny seam right at the edges.

Fold in the middle and press. Open and sew a gathering stitch right down the middle. I apparently forgot the pics to this part. If you need to know how to sew a gathering stitch, this is how I do it on my machine, I set my stitch length to the longest setting and then I set the distance between stitches to the longest setting. On my machine they are 4 and 9 respectively.

Now, cut a piece of fabric about 5″ long by 3″ wide.

Fold over both long edges to the middle and press.

Wrap it around the middle of the other piece making a bow! Now press and press and press the middle. Press again. One more time.

Pin it to the front of your skort-all!!  (I tried to sew it but it was too thick…. LOL)

ALLLLLLLL DONE!!!!!

Better pictures to come (in the morning).

I hope this has been easy to follow, if not just leave me a comment. If you try it out, let me know!! You can e-mail me at StacySewsandSchools (at) yahoo (dot) com. 🙂

 

Pajama Romper Tutorial

I have having a HECK of a time with the dang McCall’s M4769….. SIGH….. All I have left to do is add the lapel, button holes and buttons but I can’t figure out how they want me to add the lapel! I have pinned it several different ways and none of them work. Soooo, while I have been trying to work that out I decided to make some PJs for c1, but I didn’t want the same ol’, same ol’ PJs or nightgown. Soooo, I went with a romper! 🙂

 

 

Here’s a tutorial to go along with it!

 

I started with a piece of flannel about 35″ long by 43″ wide. You will also need a pack of extra wide, double fold bias tape in a coordinating color, ribbon and 5/8″ elastic.

 

Step 1- Find something to use as a guide for the arm hole cuts. I used one of c1’s nightgowns. Fold your rectangle into fourths with the selvage hanging over slightly (will be your seam allowance). Place your guide on the fabric as shown and cut your arm holes!

 

That is what it will look like. ^

 

 

Step 2- While still folded into fourths you will measure where the waist should be and where the legs should start. You will cut to make the legs ON THE FOLD.

 

This is what it will look like folded in half.

 

Step 3 – At this point you will want to sew around the raw edges of the arm holes and neck line. Flannel is THE WORST at fraying.

 

Step 4- Pin your side seam, right sides together and sew it up. Cut off the extra.

 

 

 

Step 5- Fold over about 1 1/2 from the top. You are making a casing for elastic so be sure to leave an opening!

Step 6- Measure the front of your child’s dress and cut the elastic.

Step 7- Safety pin each end and either hold tightly to both ends or pin one end to the outside. Insert the elastic into the casing.

Step 8- Pull the elastic slightly out of the end of the opening. Sew the elastic into the end of the opening

 

Step 9- Trim the elastic.

Do that to the back as well.

 

Here is what you should have so far.

 

Step 10- Open your bias tape and cut it in half so that you have two 1 1/2 yard pieces. Find the middle, open it up and pin it to the middle of your arm hole. Then sew it up. Do that to both sides leaving the excess hanging off, that will be your tires.

Step 11- Open the ends of the bias tape, fold over and then in half again. Sew up the ends. (I forgot to take a pic of that part.)

 

This is what you will have so far.

 

 

Step 12- Pin and sew up your inseam. Afterward I went back and reinforced the crotch.

 

Step 13- Sew the raw edges of the legs.

 

Step 14- Fold up  and pin the bottoms of each leg about 1 1/2 inches and sew an elastic casing. Make sure to leave an opening!

 

Step 15- Cut two lengths of elastic that will fit comfortably around your child’s calves. Safety pin each end and insert.

 

Step 16- Sew the ends of the elastic together.

 

Step 17 – Sew the casing opening closed. Do

Do that to both legs.

 

Now you can stop here if your child prefers loose garments. This is what you will have.

BUT if you would rather make it more fitting, stick around…. LOL

 

Step 18 – Measure where you need the waist to be and mark it. Start pinning your ribbon around the outside.

Step 19 – Sew the top and bottom of the ribbon making sure to leave an opening to insert elastic.

 

Step 20- Safety pin both ends of your elastic and insert through the ribbon.

 

Step 21- Sew the ends of the elastic together.

Step 22- Sew the opening closed.

 

Step 23- Tuck one end of the ribbon inside the opening, then fold over the end in and tuck it in, too.

 

Now you’re done!! 🙂

 

 

 

Wish me luck on figuring out McCall’s M4769!! I may end up just taking the collar off and finishing it up MY way. LOL