kcw spring 2014: outfit #3

April 10th, 2014

spring kcw: outfit #3 on elsie marley

For this outfit the inspiration pic doesn’t really look like it did much to inspire me. originally the plan was to do khaki jeans and a grid check shirt just like the very stylish lady is wearing, but then the grid print looked better on my youngest’s ensemble. So I switched out the grid print for a large scale gingham (or do you call it buffalo plaid? I don’t know).

spring kcw: outfit #3 on elsie marley

I love how the shirt turned out. It is, again, the Johnny B. Good pattern from Shwin Designs. I think it’s my new favorite pattern.

handmade gingham shirt on elsie marley

Both times I made it, I added a curved bit to the bottom. In the pattern the hem goes straight across, but regular button up (or handsome shirts as we call them) have that curve in the front and back. My first draft was not very successful, but this one I like. It’s even a little longer in the back. Hi-low hem for boys, hey it might be the new thing!

orange pants on elsie marley

Ok, so the pants were supposed to be khaki and I even had some super nice organic canvas in my stash. But ugh, khaki is so boring! And he has to wear khakis for his school uniform, so I knew he wouldn’t be very excited about them. Into the dye bath they went (and out went the organic-ness, I suppose). I mixed tangerine and tan RIT dye to come up with this burnt orange. I don’t know what I am doing dye-wise so they are a bit splotchy, but not as bad I thought it’d be. The trick was leaving the fabric in the dye bath for a whole week!

spring kcw: outfit #3 on elsie marley

I thought this tie from a few Easters ago would work with the outfit, but he looks like an extra on Anchorman! I’m going to use my KCW hours this weekend to sew up some ties for the boys that match my daughters dress. I don’t know how much Motif Madness fabric I have left–there might need to be some strategic piecing going on. But I can’t resist the matchy matchy!

spring kcw: outfit #3 on elsie marley

There you have it! Three outfits for KCW: one, two, and three (this one, silly). I did of course do my hour a day the last few weeks instead of this week (hey! I gots to run this KCW show too). But the point of KCW is to get behind your sewing machine and get your creative juices flowing. You know what? I kind of fell in love with sewing again.

5 Responses to kcw spring 2014: outfit #3

  1. Sarah Helene says:

    COOL, yet classic pants! Your dyed tangerine & tan turned into a burnt orange fabric for your son’s pants– FAB color! Worn with the black & white checked dress shirt is cool . . . & blue buttons adds a pop! PLUS the turquoise shoes complete a spring-inspired outfit that’s brighter than the khaki pants you contemplated sewing before dying the fabric. BRAVO! Your young son seems excited with his new stylish outfit! Sarah in Minneapolis

  2. Teri says:

    I love the buffalo plaid shirt! I think I’m going to have to make something similar for one of my boys :) And the orange pants are just perfect! I can’t believe you had to leave them in the dye bath for an entire week!

  3. mrs robinson says:

    Fun boy… love those moves! And those blue buttons on the gingham

  4. I Love the pants colour and he’s quite a model! he he.

  5. Erin Keith says:

    I love this outfit!! Did you use the skinny jeans pattern for this too?! You are one brave woman. A week in the dye bath?! I would think that they would start disintegrating or something by then. I’d have been all, “Sorry buddy. I know that they’re peach, but, peach is in you know…”