stripey shirts and pants
March 18th, 2010
This year I am determined to cut into the ridiculous amount of fabric I have amassed in my basement. It’s not there just to look at, right? It’s there so I can make the clothes and quilts and toys that my family needs instead of buying all that crap. So this is probably going to be the first of many matching family ensembles.
I don’t know how all those bloggers out there take beautiful pictures of their kids while showing off the beautiful clothes they have on at the same time. This is the best photo I got and it was the last of about a hundred, and really it’s not that great. But you get the drift: one long sleeve shirt, one short sleeve, and one pair of leggings.
all made out of this geek chic fabric I found at the thrift store a loooong while back. It is so perfectly seventies: the stripes are brown and this sort of rainbow confetti, meshy stuff (my daughter calls them her sprinkles pants). It’s a knit that has sat on the shelves waiting for me to learn how to use my serger. And guess what? I learned how to use my serger! A gracious friend taught me how while we made the 90 minute shirt together.
She made the long sleeve version and I made the short sleeve, but hers was so cute I ran home and made the long sleeve one. Of course I didn’t read the directions, screwed it up and the sleeves are too long, but that drooly baby really couldn’t care less.
Now my daughter wants to know where daddy and mama’s matching shirts are. Sound of music here we come!
March 18th, 2010 at 9:41 am
Love it! You inspire me to use all the stuff I’ve got laying around here…and I can’t get those beautiful kid pictures, either (and I can’t imagine getting one of a teething baby), but your kids are adorable and your blog is REAL. That’s why I love it.
Make sure you share once you get the parent shirts done! :o)
March 18th, 2010 at 9:47 am
Those are so great! I love the confetti mixed into the gray. When the parent shirts are done you can call this the Edelweiss fabric. And your baby is getting so very big. It seems not long ago that you announced his birth, and here he is preparing for teeth and everything.
March 18th, 2010 at 9:48 am
i love the ensemble. very cool.
March 18th, 2010 at 9:48 am
seriously cute! shirts, pants and drooly baby!
March 18th, 2010 at 9:51 am
What a fabulous set
March 18th, 2010 at 10:10 am
no, no, there will be no matching parent shirts! that was sarcastic, sillies. besides there isn’t any fabric left (thank goodness).
March 18th, 2010 at 10:20 am
No, No, No! No perfectly composed kids in clothes photos, please. I love you just the way you are. And I love your kids matchy shirts and pants.
What kind of serger do you have? Just curious….
March 18th, 2010 at 10:26 am
I just love the 90 minute shirt, its almost time for me to start round two of construction short sleeves for spring! love it VonTrapp
March 18th, 2010 at 11:36 am
those are amazing!
March 18th, 2010 at 11:44 am
how awesome. you’ve probably mentioned it elsewhere, but what kind of serger do you use?
March 18th, 2010 at 12:09 pm
I’m in the same boat, I feel like I’ve been collecting fabric long enough (really not that long, but I have a lot) – now I just need to make stuff!! I love the shirts and leggings. My oldest loves leggings, did you use a pattern or just trace an existing pair? Cute cute!
March 18th, 2010 at 2:00 pm
Love the in inspiration. I think yours are adorable and I agree the kids look beautiful au naturale. The only shots I can get of the baby are either super far or of her drooly face right in the lens. LOL
I’m definitely going to be making some of these. I just happen to have an already traced envelope neck tunic from ottobre in the baby’s size and will just lop it off to shirt length maintaining the a-line shape.
March 18th, 2010 at 2:57 pm
Fabric is not just there to look at? I guess I ought to drag out the sewing machine, then. These 90 minute shirts look so sweet, but in my experience, other people’s 90 minutes equals about 3 days of hard labour around here. Plus I’m scared of knits.
March 18th, 2010 at 3:35 pm
i like this set and love your fabric!
…now i want some sewing lessons for these super great 90 minutes shirts
March 18th, 2010 at 3:40 pm
Extremely cute stuff!
March 18th, 2010 at 5:22 pm
Awww, those are the sweetest photos of your children!
That first one with the little one looking up at you is perfect! I love the last one where it looks like she’s dancing. Very cute ensemble.
March 18th, 2010 at 5:54 pm
totally dig that olive/rainbow fabric, and perfectly adorable kiddo-modeling too!
March 18th, 2010 at 6:50 pm
No, totally great pictures. And great job on those shirts and pants. Knits scare me.
March 18th, 2010 at 6:52 pm
Almost makes me want to run downstairs and fire up my serger to try to figure it out… almost. Love those pieces!
March 18th, 2010 at 11:35 pm
So the first 90 minute shirt took 3 1/2 hours, but the second set (I made another of the same, and then did a 5T-er with a newly made pattern) took combined only 3 hours. So i guess that really is 90 minutes! I just did all of the cutting together and all of the serging steps together. Helped a lot. Meg, glad to see that the fabric turned out! And i love the grey jersey :) AND the serger ISN’T scary – and YES, you can manage the re-thread.
March 19th, 2010 at 8:36 am
The photo is adorable. Who needs a perfect baby photo when your family is beautiful in any picture? Great outfits, too!
March 19th, 2010 at 9:28 am
Yes–I echo the serger question as to which you have. I do not have one myself, but feel like I should? Should I?
Whatever the case, those matching outfits rock it. I sometimes buy my son and husband sort-of matching shirts. They both of have these shirts from Charlie and Sarah:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=39014679
Love it when they wear them together–so, maybe you should reconsider the matching shirts for the whole family…
March 19th, 2010 at 9:40 am
I have a bernina serger (that my husband bought in a going out of business sale!) and I’ve only used it a few times so I don’t know much about it. I like it, but I’ve never used a serger before so I don’t have anything to compare it to. And whether you need one or not, I just don’t know. It’s the question everyone asks, but no one really answers.
March 19th, 2010 at 11:46 pm
Hey! those are fantastic! I love that fabric. You’re making me jealous w/ your thrift store score…I NEVER find good fabric at the thrift store, grr. I’m convinced those old ladies who work there are swiping it for themselves. And do I think you NEED a serger. I’m to the point now where when that fabric flies through in seconds I think to myself, how did I get by without this before? It allows me to make a baby dress in a nap, something I couldn’t do before without previous plotting/cutting.
March 20th, 2010 at 2:30 pm
that photograph is perfectly composed and tells the whole story…i love the baby looking right up as if to check on what mama is doing! stripey fabric is a hoot! i’m inspired to maybe save up my pennies for a serger and stop fighting my love of stretchy fabrics!
March 20th, 2010 at 3:40 pm
and that baby dress is cuuuute!
March 21st, 2010 at 5:21 am
Love them! I have gone a little crazy here with stretch fabric getting ready for our new baby – I wish I could really use my serger though as I don’t think I am getting it quite right…
March 22nd, 2010 at 6:06 pm
wow. Meg, what an awesome shot of your kids!! so very beautiful.
March 22nd, 2010 at 8:42 pm
I love the tees and leggings. I wish I could find the courage to sew but that’s one thing more I can’t do right now ;o)
March 24th, 2010 at 3:47 pm
oh no it’s too too cute!! ack!
April 12th, 2010 at 8:16 pm
okay, now i am totally addicted to making envelope shirts and onesies. thank you for the inspiration and the link.
such a clever design, and oh-so-fun to make (not to mention getting to avoid store-bought boys clothes with all that “stuff” on them.)