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Summertime Pajamas

May 24, 2013 by 1 Comment

Quick post today! Wanted to share some cute pjs recently sewn up. This is a favorite pattern of ours Alex and Anna’s Winter PJ’s from Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop. (affiliate link). We made these up for O when the spring weather rolled in his pajamas were a big hit, little sister likes hers just as much!

Alex and Anna Winter Pajamas Peek a Boo pattern by Once Upon A Sewing Machine

M has spent the winter in hand-me-down pajamas. Which means she sports a lot of dinosaurs, puppies, and trucks.

Alex and Anna Winter Pajamas Peek a Boo pattern by Once Upon A Sewing Machine

I mean she had a few girly pajamas, but she probably was due a few more.

Alex and Anna Winter Pajamas Peek a Boo pattern by Once Upon A Sewing MachineOn the bright side she loves dinos and trucks too, so was not oppose to rocking big brothers PJs. Again this pattern sewed up nice and easy. With professional looking results.

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Filed Under: 30 minutes or less, DIY Sewing Projects

Summer Style Surfer Slacks

May 20, 2013 by 13 Comments

Boys Outfit, Varsity Cowl top and Surfer Slack

I was feeling really uninspired with my boy sewing.  I’ve known for a couple weeks that O was one solid dinner away from busting out of ALL of his shorts. But I’ve been left hemming and hawing. I cut out of pair of baggies using this free pattern. But haven’t gotten around to sewing them up. (I might be regretting my fabric choice, it’s curling like mad already)

I decided to break my boy sewing funk by going back to some favorite patterns and adjusting them for the warm weather. I pulled out a linen remnant I had picked up, and one of the vintage revival knits I had just got in the mail.

I altered the Surfer Slacks from See Kate Sew for the shorts and the Varsity Cowl Neck pattern from Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop for the top,which by chance was inspired by this See Kate Sew post. (affiliate links)

The Surfer Slacks- Summer Style

Surfer Slacks pattern by See Kate Sew

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Filed Under: DIY Sewing Projects, Sewing for Boys Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Reversible Relaxed Roller Skate Dress

May 17, 2013 by 5 Comments

Reversible Rollerskate Dress

This is looking to be a summer of dresses for M- they’re easy and she likes them. I had been tempted by all the reversible Roller Skate dresses popping up in the Oliver and S Flickr feed- and felt I had enough distance from my first dress and tunic that I was ready to sew it up again.

Oliver and S Pattern

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Filed Under: DIY Sewing Projects

What They Wore, and What They Didn’t

May 14, 2013 by 5 Comments

This summer the kids drawers will largely be filled by clothes made by mom and grandma. While I was sorting through fabric and deciding on patterns to fill the current holes I started thinking about what they would actually like- what is going to get worn.

Now I will disclaimer this post with my kids are 2 and 3. Their opinions are subject to change. And some of the things that didn’t get worn are more me than them. But just for fun here are the 5 things they wear the most and the 5 things they don’t.

It’s Getting Worn and Loved-

I’m linking the post when there is one, click to check out details and more pic.s if you like.

The Anywhere Dress this little striped dress became a fast favorite of mom and toddler alike. It also elicited the incredibly rare husband compliment.

Monster PJs- If they are in the drawer that’s what he’s wearing. Period.

Parasaurolophus shirt- I didn’t do a post on this but it is a repurposed shirt re-made using the free Basic Tee pattern from Dana.  I made a stack of them and then O and I searched the internet for images of his favorite dinos to freezer stencil onto his new shirts. He has 5 different dino shirts. He pretty much just wants to wear the Parasaurolophus shirt. Side note- quiz me I can name like 50 dinosaurs based primarily on silhouette. 

Rollerskate dress- I made this dress for Easter, but it’s comfortable and cotton so it gets worn. I made her up a reversible version this weekend, there will be a post later this week.

Raglan Tee- I made some tweaks based on the original tutorial and draft in this post, and used the remaining monster knit. The sleeves pull slightly farther out on the neck.

Raglan tee pattern

He likes this version best, and once he got over that it could be worn out of the house and not just for pjs- is pretty happy rocking it. I also applied the neckband using the raw edge method from Sewing for Boys Raw Edge Raglan (also a well worn shirt).

raglan sleeve pattern

So that’s the good stuff, time well spent right?

What about the blood, sweat, thread and swears that turned out to be less productive?

I’m Not Putting That on, Just NO

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Filed Under: Into the Sewing Cabinet

Bubble Pocket Shorts

May 12, 2013 by 3 Comments

Bring on the Sunshine!

The weather is starting to turn around here.  Although we are still getting some mighty chilly evenings the day times are warming to the 60′s and 70′s, they are talking 80s next week- we’ll see.

We have been on the lookout for easy to wear summer outfits for Ms M.  I have been collecting fabric since way before Easter, in hopes that summer would shine around at some point.

I really liked the look of the new bubble shorts from E & E Patterns.  I was intrigued by the two different styles.  I decided to begin with the elastic waist because it is easier to get a fidgety toddler in and out of.  I don’t think M would have much patience for all those buttons.

I like the way these shorts are constructed, and how the pocket is set in the seams.  I have a bit of an issue when placing pockets on either side of center.  Usually they are not exactly even.  By setting these in the seams and then adding the cuff, that problem is eliminated.

Bubble shorts an E & E pattern

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Filed Under: DIY Sewing Projects, Pattern Review, Sewing for Girls Tagged With: , , ,

Sew You Had A Boy: Pattern Review Surf’s Up Board Shorts

May 9, 2013 by 13 Comments

Rachel has been choosing the patterns that we are using for the pattern review as well as sewing them , mostly because the little bodies are easily accessible to her.  She has been crazy busy lately, with work and managing two toddlers.  So this month it is my turn to review the pattern. This post contains affiliate links, you can learn more here

Surfs Up Board ShortsIt was narrowed down to two patterns. The Long Board Shorts from Make it Perfect and the Surf’s Up Board Shorts from Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop.. While we both loved the Long Board Shorts, the pattern sizing goes 0-5, 6-10. Putting us right at the top range of the small pattern again. We’re keeping this pattern on the wish list for when he graduates to the “big” Long Board pattern.

We have both sewn with Peek-a-Boo patterns before, but this is the first time I have worked with board short fabric.  As it turns out, this fabric is not readily available locally so I  set out on an internet search.   Amy has listed several companies that you can order your fabric from.  I ordered several cuts from The Fabric Fairy.

I was very pleased with how quickly my order arrived. When it shipped they sent me an email saying that it shipped in one package which made shipping cost less than anticipated, AND refunded part of my shipping fee!  The fabric is soft and dries quickly. Needless to say I will be ordering fabric from them again.

Swim Shorts Pattern for Boys

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Filed Under: DIY Sewing Projects, Pattern Review, Sewing for Boys

Go To Shift Dress, an Upcycle

May 7, 2013 by 7 Comments

Going To The Closet

Earlier this spring I cleaned out my closet.  I had several soft rayon type dresses that I had worn forever and was sick of.  The fabric was soft and easily machine washed and well,  it was difficult to just part with such great fabric.  So off to the sewing room they went.  When looking for something to make I wanted a simple design to balance the fabric, I went into the files, looked for a favorite of ours Go To Patterns, and chose the Shift dress. (affiliate link-we’re supporting a pattern habit over here ;) )  I felt these soft rayons would work perfectly.  And since I was making it for Ms M, I know that machine wash is the word  of the day!

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Filed Under: DIY Sewing Projects, Sewing for Girls

Sew You Had a Boy with Sarah Jane Sews

May 2, 2013 by 4 Comments

We’re so happy to have Sarah of Sarah Jane Sews here today! Sarah shares beautiful projects and tutorials for the whole family over on her blog, and we encourage you to visit her site and make sure to say hi! Today she’s going to share a great t-shirt design complete with template so you can make one up too!

 

Hello, Once Upon a Sewing Machine Readers!  I’m Sarah of Sarah Jane Sews.  I have sewn on and off since high school, but it wasn’t until I had my first child — a boy — that I got into sewing fairly seriously.  A large percentage of my projects are for him, and most years I make him a birthday shirt.  Last year he even designed his own outfit!  His 8th birthday is next week, but he didn’t have any suggestions this time around.

We recently went on a trip to Boston, and one of O’s favorite things was a tour of the USS Constitution, so I used that as my inspiration.

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Filed Under: DIY Sewing Projects, Sewing for Boys, Tutorials

Sewing Up the Anywhere Dress

April 29, 2013 by 24 Comments

I have a new favorite in my pattern drawer, Go To Pattern’s Anywhere Dress.(affiliate link) I’ve made two of these little dresses so far, and I have a suspicion that there are many, many more in our future!

Anywhere Dress Go To Patterns

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Filed Under: DIY Sewing Projects, KCWC

The Casual Lady Knit Top: Take Two

April 27, 2013 by 5 Comments

Using Up Stash

casual lady pattern

I had a piece of light weight denim/lace knit that was an impulse purchase a year ago.  Originally, I was going to make something for Ms M and thought it was light and delicate enough for a little girl.  I do have something cut out for her, watch for that later, but I still had a rather large piece left.  Rachel and I joke because when she buys fabric she gets a yard of this and a yard of that, figuring she can whip up whatever she would like.  Since I am more used to getting fabric for large projects, I get 3 yards of this and 3 yards of that!  So you can imagine my stash!  Rachel’s knit top turned out so well that she suggested I try one for myself.  It has been  LONG time since I have sewn a garment for myself.  But with encouragement I decided to give it a whirl.

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Filed Under: DIY Sewing Projects
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