kcwc spring 2011 wrap up
May 19th, 2011
1. pink 2. kcwc day 3 3. mini boden knock off 4. gingham top 5. triangle shirt 6. 7. variation on MADE 8.tee for two dress 9. pear me top 10. pants 11. keyhole top 12. summer breeze back 13. summer kiss dress 14. sweet flower shorts 15. strip skirt 16. little dude jeans
The spring kids clothes week challenge has come and gone and what an awesome week it was! Look at all the amazing sewing you did in just a week! I tried to make a garment a day and got a little overwhelmed in the end. I should have stuck to the challenge and aimed for an hour a day. It’s that little nudge that makes me fall in love with sewing again–the manic sew until 2 in the morning is what burns me out :) But you, you listened to the challenge and quietly chugged along on that machine and turned out some stunning kids clothes. No princesses or googly eyed cartoon characters in sight. Instead you used beautiful colors and bold patterns and simple, stylish silhouettes. Do you hear that, giant kid clothes maker corporation? This is what mothers want their kids to wear!
may sponsors
1.from the red kitchen 2. ida pearle 3.melon dot kids 4.crafty mamas 5.Magpie patterns 6.Fishsticks Designs 7.Wild Stitches Design 8.Gingercake 9.From Somewhere in my Imagination 10.{Re-New} 11.Sew Many Patterns 12. that’s me silly, I just had to make it an even twelve
Every kcwc seems to top the last and this one was made even better by my May sponsors! I am proud to be able to show off all of these wonderful indie shops and blogs. And I would love it if you could visit one or two. It is you (and me) who need to support small, independent businesses, because this is our community. A virtual community, but a loving supportive community nonetheless. And after this week, we know first hand how much work goes into all the designing and drafting and sewing and making! We don’t need Mr. Giant Corporation, we have each other.
For all of you that participated, I have a little surprise. Tell me a little something you liked (or didn’t like) about kcwc this year, or something you made that you were particularly proud of, or how you flaked out completely after that first hour, or what you are already planning for fall, and you will be entered to win one of two prizes: the fantastic Charlie Tunic pattern by Rae and the fantabulous I Love Paris doll kit by Erika. I’ll announce the winner Friday May 20.Extended until Monday May 23 (5pm CST). Good Luck! And thank you so much for making another amazing KCWC!
Yah… hopefully the giant kids clothes maker cooperation will hear us! There was soooo many beautiful and really cool entries this time around. It inspired me and got my creative juices flowin’. Thanks Elsie for the challenge! I can’t wait for the next one…
It was the first time KCWC for me. I love to have participated!
As always, when there is a goal I try to just do it. Just take the time and finish things.. The week was awesome. I nearly managed to finish all my pieces (10!). I was only using fabrics and stuff I had stored, so now I ordered new fabrics (they arrived yesterday) and I’m sewing on another week! Starting this weekend I hope to finish some more pieces for my son’s and daughter’s wardrobe.
And maybe next time I’ll do something for myself. Perhaps another week sewing break and then one week sewing for mummy :)
I totally loved Kids Clothes Week. Thanks so much! I wasn’t able to do it on Saturday and Sunday, but I definitely made up for that lost time earlier in the week. Thanks so much for hosting this! Such a truly wonderful and worthwhile event to take part in.
Thank you so much for hosting KCWC. I loved the motivation that it provided to do a little something each day – even if that little something exhausted me.
I’ll be the first commenter that admits to totally flaking on KCWC. I loved it last fall, so I quickly signed up without even really looking at the dates. It didn’t even occur to me that we would be on vacation that week (in Paris no less – I must have that doll kit!) so I was a big fat liar and didn’t participate. But I love the flickr group – I think it’s the best one yet – and I’m getting tons of inspiration from it. Thank you so much for organizing this again, even for flakes like me.
I just started reading your blog the week before your KCWC, so I didn’t really plan on participating, but I did make ONE skirt over the weekend, the only time I had. I have so many things in my mind I’d like to sew, but need to find time, as with everything else, so I’ll have to have my own little KCWC. I’d like to quit my day job as an accountant so I can stay home with my little ones and do a little more sewing and crafting. Thanks for your blog, I look forward to reading it every week.
It was my first KCWC and I wasn’t at all prepared as I found it just before it started and only used things I could re-use or fabric I thrifted/was given during the week. I’d love to do the next one, but will now be looking out for fabrics and patterns to be more prepared for next time.
Until I signed up for it, I hadn’t sewn any clothes for my children and this was just the kick I needed – I have a little list of things to still get through.
Thanks so much for organising it.
I liked looking at all the picture in the pool and people also linking their post to the picture. Just wish I have more time to look at everything, there was just so much to look at.
After flaking completely last Fall, I approached KCWC Spring edition with a zip of manic energy. It was great motivation to use up my stash, to put to use the cute japanese patterns I spent so much time tracing a few months back, and to share the images on Flikr. I loved checking out other moms’ (and dads’?) creations every day. The part I liked best? I think it really upped my confidence. My kids are actually wearing the stuff this time around, too. Added bonus. Thanks again!
Thanks so much for hosting, Meg! It was my first KCWC and I was so excited to get going, I completely burned out after Day 3. Next time, I’ll try to pace myself a little better. I had a lot of fun and it was very motivating and inspiring, though!
I think I was exhausted before I even started, never a good thing! However I had a good week and am delighted to get so much done, really good to be so focused. It’s continued and I’ve made Leila and Ben’s sweet little dress today for my 6yr old! Thanks so much for organising, looking forward to the next one!
I would love it if KCWC was followed by a showcase of clothes you had liked/had most views from your flickr stream. Just one post may not do justice to all the pretty clothes that have been shown there. That would help us continue KCWC, even after it is done here.
Other than that, great challenge, great week, I could do a lot of basics ( simple tees and PJs) for my daughter, without burning myself out. So I will call it a success. I’m specifically proud of Coral Reef Dress that I had contributed to your flickr stream. Tutorial here: http://bloomsnbugs.blogspot.com/2011/05/coral-reef-dress-tutorial.html.
So looking fwd to the Fall event.
Thanks for organizing it.
PS: I also loved all the interviews preceding KCWC. Got to know many fabulous designers from that.
This was the first year that I was able to participate…and I it was just the motivation I needed. I love making things for my kids, and grateful they still want me to make things for them. I appreciate all the lovely pictures in the flickr pool, with so much inspiration for next time. Thank you for hosting.
I loved seeing all of the vibrant colors that so many chose to incorporate into their kids’ new outfits! Yea for summer and for bright hues that totally capture childhood! Thanks for the challenge!
I finally had a child with which I could participate in KCWC! It’s not easy, since she’s not a good napper, and things fell apart on Day 5, when we had several nights of no sleep and a possible growth spurt. :) Still, I’m glad to have completed what I did and I got many more ideas! Thanks for running the week!
This was my first KCWC and I loved it. Things totally got out of control because I had 9 kids in the house for the first two days, but it was worth it. I am really looking forward to the fall one, but am pretty glad that there is a big break in between. I need some time to recoop. Thanks so much for hosting this challenge and pushing us to do the things that have been sitting on the to do list for far too long. I learned a lot!
well, i learned that being 39 weeks pregnant and doing kcwc isn’t the easiest seeing as how i had to literally pick up my stomach and place it on my lap. but, having said that, i loved having a goal and got to start on a number of things: some bucket hats, a sundress, and some knitting for the kids too (you know, for when i couldn’t figure out how to sit at the machine anymore). thanks for doing the kcwc!
It was a first for me too and I’m already looking forward to next year’s. I loved best how I got through my super-modest list in a few days (ok, that included some sewing-until-2-am-burnout), and made my favourite treat, a baby-in-the-hood-jacket I am so pleased with. And my son, too, luckily!!
Thank you so much, Elsie, for helping us do all these amazing things – I loved looking through the group’s flickr photos at the end of each day!
I loved your Pinterest boards – a great way of collating tutorials, patterns and great inspiration clothes! Thanks for a great KCWC, looking forward to the next one.
This was so great! Also my first. My favorite part was seeing the pictures you posted each day. I am just missing two buttons on my baby’s ombliguito tunic and to finish some coordinating shorts and doll. I love sewing kids clothes! I SO LOVE that doll!
I bottomed out after day two, simply because I didn’t want to make my own bias tape, and the nearest fabric store with the right color was 45 minutes away. But the challenge did get me started again, even though I didn’t finish anything. I will be better prepared in the fall; all of the gorgeous inspiration in the flickr pool has me planning already!
My favorite part of kcwc was seeing all the amazing things everyone made. It was so inspiring and motivating! I am most proud of the flat front shorts I made, but they also totally wore me out, I should have started them earlier in the week. I am very much looking forward to fall!
I was so, so sure I was going to play this year, but guess what? I didn’t. FAIL! I did finish a pair of capris for my daughter and I made a mei tai, but that’s kids carrying, not kid clothing, so it doesn’t count. Next time? Maybe?
I am new to sewing and your kcwc gave me the little push I needed to finish my first non-sewing class, solo project. I finished up my “market skirt with gathered pockets” from Dana’s blog and I started turning a Pottery Barn sheet that I ruined into some “kid pants”, again one of Dana’s tutorials. Thanks for the fun idea of committing to an hour a day of sewing… tiring when running a household with two toddlers, but fun.
So many gorgoeus things….where to begin? ;-)