Hot Water Bottle Buddy

As if I knew the two Polar Vortices were coming, this winter I introduced the boys to the wonder that is hot water bottle under the covers. Yet, every bottle needs a cover. 

Introducing, the Hot Water Bottle Buddy:

Inspired by this doll Made by Joel,  I embroidered a "portrait" of their favorite buddy (Puppy is featured here) on cozy upcycled black wool and sewed the rest of the cover using even cozier upcycled cashmere with this free hot water bottle cover pattern. 

I photocopied the buddy, cut and pinned the copy onto the fabric, and back-stitched around the edges. The only down-side of the whole project is that now the boys discovered how fun it is to photocopy three-dimensional objects. 

2014 Bow Ties: Liberty

During a recent (and long over-due and fantastic and relatively warm) trip to New York, I bought the least amount possible -- 1/4 yard -- of Liberty Lawn (classic, Moss Kayoko, specifically) for the boys' new bow ties. Their dad's job requires boys and men to wear a suit and tie to visit the State Senate in the Illinois Capitol and, of course, one can't wear the tie one wore last year.

This year, I told myself, they will be Liberty.

 

 

Size "6" bow tie in Liberty Lawn, Moss Kayoko

One late night later they are. And they're lovely. 

I like my bow ties more Pee-wee than Bozo and with Liberty Lawn running at $1 an inch I aimed to use the least amount possible so that there might be some leftover. While my go-to tutorial seems to have disappeared, there are plenty out there to get you started. 

Here are my piece dimensions for a Liberty bow tie for a 6 year-old, which includes a tiny 1/4" seem allowance. Size up and down appropriately. 

• 2 Main fabric rectangles and 1 felt insert each: 9x2.5"
• wrap around the middle rectangle, which I fold over, sew into a tube, and press: 3.5 x 2.25" 

• 15x 0.75" finished neck strap is made like bias tape and in three pieces: 5x3" center in Liberty and two 6x3" pieces of corresponding, less expensive fabric at the edges. I used white linen from the stash. If you feel like splurging, make the whole thing 15x3" out of Liberty!

 

Pants!

Comfy London buses pants lined with jersey

Pants started me sewing for my kids. Autumn arrived and my summer baby needed pants that fit over his cloth-diapered bum. Pants made to do this were outrageously expensive, so I started sewing again.  Skills honed in middle school home ec class and help from the internet set me on my way.

Over those last 5+ years, I've made tons of pants and shorts for my boys. The elastic waist-band has encourages independence and has become a staple (the person who deisgned pants for 3 year-old with a snap & fly did not have kids).

I made these comfy London buses lined with jersey pants for day 1 of the Winter 2014 Kid's Clothes Week using Made By Rae's Parsley Pants pattern. This is a great pattern: the construction is easy, there's lots of detailing options, and it goes to size 10. 

Ready to sew pants, too?  Other pants patterns I like:

• Blank Slate's Clean Slate Pants pattern, for those skinny pants.  
• Dana Made It's Basic Pants, a free tutorial, size 2-3. 
• Rae has a free basic newborn pant pattern.