Little Boy Short

Yesterday was our baby's birthday! So i figured here is the tutorial for his birthday shorts... and the other two pairs i have made! To see the original go here. Happy Birthday Eldie!!! We Love You!

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I made another pair of super cute Hayden shorts!!I love these shorts. Really love them. They are so simple to make and if you left out the pockets, they would be about 3 steps! Really easy. The pockets are a bit confusing at first, but once you figure them out they are a breeze {and super cute}. I love the Twill material! Really quality! He's darling!

Are you ready to make some super cute shorts? I know there seems like a million steps, but i wanted to make it SO understandable! It's really easy! Promise! You will need:

• about 3/4 yard main fabric for 3T
• fat quarter lining fabric
• 1 1/4 inch elastic
• (and normal sewing supplies)

1. Trace shorts-front, back, pockets {Or print out mine}
2. Cut out pieces. Set aside. {I like to keep them with their label on top-especially the short front and back. It can be confusing}
3. Take pocket pieces {all 6} separate one lining with two tops.

4. Iron top pieces over about 3/8 inch.
5. Place piece on top of lining and pin.
6. Edge stitch as close to the edge as you can {without missing the fabric, of course}
7. Trim Edges of shorts so the wlining and main fabrics match
8. Fold shorts so the “wrong” sides and facing {the two pure lining sides}
9. Pin and sew ½ from the bottom side {we are doing a French seam}
10. Now turn “inside out” {turn the opposite way} so that the two main fabric pieces on each pocket are facing each other. Iron and pin the bottom.  Sew 3/8" from the bottom {encasing seam allowance}{honestly, you don’t need to pin . Look at the bottom once you have turned it inside out. You see the ½ of fabric that is darker and about 3 times as thick. That is what you need to encase. Sew along this}

11. Set pockets aside.
12. Grab the front main pieces. Sew up the center of these pieces. Repeat for back pieces.
13. Press the seam to one side and stitch about ¼ inch from the center seam down the short piece.
14. Grab your pockets. This will be the hardest part of the tutorial. Take the front piece of the pocket and place it on the front of the short.
15. Now take the piece that is NOT touching the short and pin it. Sew about 3 inches.
16. Clip the top and bottom of the stitching pocket.

17. Flip around {creating a French seam} and sew about 3/8” in from the edge encasing the raw edges.
18. Now the next two steps are helper steps:
1. First, straighten up the front piece and pin your pockets in place This way they won’t move around when you are sewing the bottom pieces of your shorts.
2. Next, take your pockets and stitch a satin stitch at the top of the opening of the pocket and the bottom of the opening. This will keep the two pieces of the pocket together sturdily AND make it easier to sew with.
19. Now pin together the lower leg opening. Sew or Serge.

20. Next, match up the front and back sides of the shorts. Make sure to line up the back side of the pocket with the back. Sew down the two sides seams making sure to miss your pocket.
21. Check to make sure you didn’t accidently stitch the pocket. Serge Short.
22. Iron the seam allowance the opposite way of the pocket. Stitch ¼” from the seam.
23. Now to hem the short. Fold the fabric over 1/4" then again 1/2". Edge stitch along the INSIDE of the short. This guarantees you hit the inside and make a nice clean hem.
24. Now to the waistband. Fold the fabric over 1/2 inch. Then fold again 1 3/4". You might have to trim a little length of the top depending on how long your top piece was. You need you waistband to hit at the top of your pockets, so you sew them in as you sew the waistband.

25. Edge stitch along the inside of the waistband leaving approx 2" for the elastic.
26. Cut elastic to desired length (measure around child or pre-exisiting short). Stick a safety pin through the end of the elastic and thread through casing.
27. Overlap ends of elastic and zigzag together (zigzag has some give--making it better suited to elastic)
28. Sew casing shut.

29. No one wants their elastic to move around too much and if you look at most of your boy's professional shorts you will see a chainstitch running through the waistband. If you have a coverhem machine use that, but if not i will teach you how to make it LOOK like you did.
30. Grab your short. Change your stitch length to 5.0mm (the longest on my machine).
31. Using your foot as a guide, stitch 1/2 inch from the top of the short through the waistband. As you continue through the short, stretch the elastic and waistband fabric so there are no gathers. Go all the way around the short.
32. Repeat ever 1/2 inch until you have completed the waistband!
33. Cut your threads and TA-DA! You are done! Look at those awesome shorts you made! Put them on your babies and... as always... take WAY too many pictures!!



I really want to make a million more!!!

Tie Pattern Preview.

So i've been working hard (and playing hard) to get my tie pattern all put together. I just need to add my BOWTIE portion to the pattern and we will be  up and running.

In order to test the pattern, i sat down and in one nap time i whipped up two ties and a bowtie. Yes. It was awesome. See... here is proof:

I'm a messy sewer :o)

Don't worry, life hasn't been all work and no play. We've played ball;

while wearing his new shorts mommy made him :o)

Flown airplanes;

yes, this is what happens when i try to have a photoshoot :o)

Practiced cooking up a storm;

Made silly faces;

Played in the pool in a rain (and maybe thunder) storm;

And, of course, reminded me of how gosh-darn lucky i am to have such NEARLY perfect children;

Now off to the base (or base airport as hayden would call it)!

Birthday Outfit

I looooove sewing kid's clothes. Little boys' clothes are no exception! I haven't sewn any in a while and i forgot how cute and versatile sewing for boys can be. I just have so many ideas!!

So my beautiful little 11 month old turns 1 next month and i can hardly believe it. My husband and i decided to start a new tradition to make buying gifts easier and help us from getting out of hand. For each birthday you get:

Something you want,

Something you need, 

Something homemade, 

And something to read.

I read about it on a blog somewhere in a comment section and i thought it was a fabulous idea for keeping holidays in check. I am working on the "poem" for Christmas and Easter, but they are a bit away still!

So for my baby boy his something homemade is his new little outfit. I made the shorts and shirt. The tunic is the Charlie's tunic pattern by MadebyRae. It's such a darling pattern! The facings are made from Alexander Henry's "2d Zoo." It's one of my fabric fabrics of all time. I love the big buttons and just love the outfit all around. The shorts are a seersucker from Joann and they even have pockets. I am working on a tutorial for them, but i need to make another pair to work through the instructions.

Anyways, i LOVE the outfit. I can hardly believe my little Eldie is going to be 1 but i am so happy for him too!