***

Hello vintage lovers!  It’s amazing what Kristin and Jess have put together here and I’m so honored to be a part of it!  I must have run through 50 ideas for what vintage-inspired creation I wanted to share with you before deciding on something – the possibilities are endless!  I decided to go through some old family photos to see if I could find some inspiration there and I saw a particular style pop up a few times in my mom’s childhood photos.

(Left photo: My mom, standing in front, with her two brothers and mother
Right photo: My mom, center, my grandmother, upper left and their neighbors)

(My mom, lower right, with her brothers and uncle)

I loved the simple and classic style of the jumpers my mom and her neighbor are wearing in these pictures.  So I created a suspender skirt for my daughter and I’ve got a tutorial so you can make one too!

(Did I mention this was from a year ago?  Check out these old pics of Yuki!!)

It’s got a bit of a school uniform vibe, but it’s still cute enough to be worn anywhere.  It’s a simple high waisted pleated skirt with a flat front and elastic in the back.  The buttons in the front are just for fun and completely optional.  The suspender straps are sewn in the front and adjustable in the back for longer wear.  You could easily use this technique to attach straps to any style skirt, pair of shorts or pants.  If you want to make the straps completely removable, you can follow the directions for the back of the skirt in the front, and then the skirt can be worn alone or with the suspenders.  So many options!

Ok, let’s get started.  You’ll need:

Fabric (about a yard, depending on the size)
Contrasting fabric for pockets (optional)
Buttons 2-4
1″ wide elastic and safety pin
Sewing essentials

*I used a 1/2 seam allowance, unless stated otherwise.

Measure your kid’s “waist.”  I say “waist” because it depends on where you want the skirt to sit.  My skirt is so high up it’s practically her chest measurement!  Your skirt pieces will be the “waist” measurement by the desired length of the skirt and you’ll need two.  So I cut 2 rectangles that were 18 x 12 inches.

You’ll also need 4 pocket pieces.  I just drew a pattern freehand in what I thought was a “pocket-like” shape.  Make sure to cut two and then flip the pattern over for the other two.

For the waistband, cut a long rectangle that is the “waist” measurement times 1.5, then add a few inches for good measure.  So I multiplied 18 x 1.5 = 27, plus a few inches – I probably cut mine at 32 inches (I always cut waaay more than I need then trim later).  The height is 4 inches.

For the suspenders, you’ll need to measure your child from the “waist,” up over the shoulder across the back (remember the straps will criss-cross in the back) and then add about 6 inches to this measurement.  The height is 3 inches and you’ll need 2.  So I had two strips that were 3 x 20.

I hope I haven’t lost you already!  Here are my cut pieces, note that the waistband and straps are folded up in this picture.

Working on the right side of one of your skirt pieces, we’ll make some pleats.  We basically want to get this piece of fabric to be half of the waist measurement, plus one inch.  So I need my 18 inch wide fabric down to 10 inches.  The size and amount of pleats will depend on the size of your skirt and how you want it to look.  Mark the center of the fabric and then two equidistant marks on either side of the center.

Fold the fabric on the marks toward the center and pin.

Add more pleats on either side, playing around with the size until your skirt piece the right size.  Press your pleats, pin, sew them down using a 1/4 inch seam allowance and press again.

Place your pocket pieces right sides together on your skirt front and back.  Sew down the straight edge of the pocket.

Press the pocket pieces open.  Lay the skirt pieces down right sides together lining up one side and pocket piece.  The back skirt piece will be much larger than the front still, so just do one side at a time.  Sew them together using a 1/2 inch seam allowance, then trim and finish the edges by serging or zig zag stitching.

Flip the skirt right side out and press.

Put the skirt aside while we prepare the suspenders.  Fold the strips in half lengthwise with right sides together and press.  Sew down the length of the strip and down one end.  This will give you one closed end, but leave the other open.  Trim the corner.

Turn the strip right side out using a pointy object to poke the corners out.  Press the strap flat and top stitch around 3 sides, leave one end open still.  Repeat with the other strap.

Now for the waistband.  You’ll want it to be the same measurement around as your skirt.  Lay your skirt down (the front and back will not line up, but that’s ok), and lay your waistband down folded in half (right sides together) with one side lined up and mark the other edge of the skirt.  Add 1/2 an inch to that and mark again.

Cut the extra fabric off, pin and sew along the line to create a loop.

Press the seam open and fold the bottom of the band to meet the top.  One edge of the loop should be raw and the other folded.  Press the fold.

Open up the waistband and pin one raw edge to the top of the skirt, lining up the seam with the one of the side seams of the skirt.  Sew the skirt and waistband together all the way around with a 1/2 inch seam allowance.  Make sure the pleats are laying nice and flat.

Flip the waistband up and press.  Fold the top of the waistband down towards the wrong side 1/2 inch.  When the waistband is folded down it should just barely cover the stitching at the bottom of the waistband.

Fold the waistband down and pin in place.  We’re going to make the casing for the back of the skirt first, so starting at one side seam top stitch along the back of the skirt just above the seam.  Make sure the inside of the waistband is being caught in your stitching.  Stop at the other side seam.

Cut a piece of elastic that is half of the “waist” measurement.  My waist measurement was 18, so I cut a piece of elastic 9 inches long.  I don’t add more for seam allowance because I like my elastic to have a bit of pull.

Using a safety pin, thread your elastic through the casing.  Before the end of the elastic is about to be pulled completely into the casing, sew up the waistband along the same line as the skirt’s side seam catching about a 1/2 inch of the elastic.  Continue pulling the elastic through until it’s about 1/2 an inch past the other side seam.  Top stitch the waist band vertically along the skirt side seam.

Flip your skirt inside out and slide your suspenders into the waistband by about 1/2 an inch.  Pin in place.

Carefully turn the skirt right-side out.  Top stitch just above the seam where the skirt meets the waistband.  Flip the suspenders up and top stitch along the front of the waistband just below the top.

Almost done!  Hand sew buttons into the back of the skirt catching only the inside of the waist band (not the elastic or the outside of the skirt).

Mark on the straps where you want the button holes to be.  I made a few on each strap so I could adjust the length of the suspenders.

Hem the bottom, sew buttons on the front if you want and you’re done!

I played around with two different lengths in these pictures.  High waisted and HIGHER waisted.

Maybe too high?

Thank you so much for letting me share this tutorial with you today!  If you have any questions or think a part needs some clarification, please let me know – I’d be happy to help!  If you’re interested in the pink top my daughter is wearing, stop by my blog for a little how-to on this remix of Oliver + S’s Jump Rope Dress.

If you make a suspender skirt using this tutorial, please add it to the you & mie flickr group!  I LOVE seeing your creations!

***

I’ll be back with some fun photos from Quilt Market later this week.  Seriously, it was SO. MUCH. FUN.  Can’t wait to share it with you

Knock if Off is a series hosted by the fabulous Heidi of Elegance & Elephants and is one of my favorites.  Knock offs are awesome – we all do it – see something at the store and think, “I can make that!”  That’s why so many of us sew in the first place!  The series is already going strong, and you can check out projects from the last 2 weeks here!

For my project, I recreated this Applique Colour Pop Top from Mini Boden.

It’s a perfect top for summer and really simple to make.  Plus you can customize it with whatever applique you want!  It doesn’t take much fabric and is great for showcasing scraps of cute fabric.  I actually think this is the perfect project to make from an old t-shirt if you have one laying around, and that makes the project even simpler!  Anyways, versatile top, simple to sew, and great for the upcoming summer months – makes a perfect top to knock off!

Fun right?  I’m going to show you how to make your own!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Fabric (I think anything light to medium weight is fine – linen, cotton, knits, etc. and amount will depend on what size you’re making, but for most kids, 1/2 yard will be plenty).
• Scraps of fabric for applique
• Strips of fabric for shoulder ties, or store bought bias tape if you’re looking to skip some steps
• Paper backed (double sided) fusible web (I use Pellon 805 Wonder-Under)

I’m still trying to work through my stash and not buy new fabric, so I dug through stash for all the solid cottons I could find.  Ended up using some leftover linen from this coat and a bunch of scraps from various projects.  The yellow fabric is actually polka dotted because I couldn’t find any solid yellow

To cut your main fabric, find a top that fits your kid well – a loose fit tunic is probably best.  Measure the width of the bottom.  Add one inch for seam allowance and that will be the width of your fabric.

For the length of the fabric, I used the same tunic to measure the general length.  The top of your fabric will be folded over twice to create a casing, so add that to your measurement and know that this will hit at the top of the chest (not shoulders).  Also remember to add about 1.5 inches for hemming the bottom.  You need two of these rectangles – one for the front and one for the back.

Fold one of the pieces in half lengthwise to cut out the armholes.  I just eyeballed this, but draw and cut a curve in the top corner (not on the fold).  The top inch and a half will become the casing, so this should be a straight line down before it curves.

When you open up your piece, it should look like this.

For simplicity sake, I decided to make the front and back of the shirt the exact same, so using the cut piece, trace the same curve on the 2nd rectangle.

You will also need to cut two strips of fabric on the bias for finishing your armholes.  I cut my strips at 1 inch by about 12 inches or so (and had a lot extra).  You’ll need your scraps of fabric for the applique.  I had 6 colors and 2 circles of each and my circles were about 2-2.5 inches, so I cut little rectangles that would fit two circles on them.  You’ll also need fabric for straps.  If you’re using pre-made bias tape, you can skip this step, otherwise, cut 2 strips of fabric that are 2 inches wide and 30ish inches long (does not need to be on the bias).  Again, mine ended up being longer than necessary, but you can always trim them later.

Now let’s get started with the applique!  Be sure to follow the directions for your particular fusible web.  Cut your fusible web into rectangles slightly smaller than your fabric scraps.  With the Pellon Wonder-Under, there is a papery side and a rough/web side.  The rough side will be ironed down to the wrong side of your fabric.  Repeat with all the fabric scraps.

You can easily draw on the papery surface of the fusible web, so sketch your shape out (or just start cutting if you’re feeling daring!)

Cut out your circles and play around with placement on your fabric.  Be sure to leave 1/2 an inch on either side for seam allowance, plus room to hem the bottom as well.

Once you’ve got it just the way you want it, carefully peel off the paper backing and adhere the circles to your main fabric with your iron.  Be sure to read the directions of your fusible web first!  Wonder-Under requires a damp cloth between the applique and the iron.  Once you’ve got all your circles fused on, top stitch around the edge of the circle with coordinating thread.  Take your time, rounded edges are always tricky – but if they aren’t perfect, no worries!  It just adds character!

Repeat with all the circles.

Fun!  Now we need to construct the top.  Lay the front and back pieces with right sides together and pin the side.  Sew up the side seams with a 1/2 inch seam allowance.  Finish the raw edges with a serger, zig zag stitch or pinking shears, if desired.

Press the seam open.  To finish the armholes, take your bias strips and press one edge in about 3/8 inch towards the wrong side.  Repeat with the other strip.

To finish the armholes (click on the picture below for a larger view):
1. Pin the bias tape along the edge of the armhole (right sides together).  Raw edges should be aligned (not the folded edge).
2. Sew along the edge of the armhole with a 1/4 inch seam allowance and then press the bias tape up.
3. Flip to the wrong side and fold the bias tape twice, once along the previously pressed crease and then again to encase the raw edge.  Pin and sew along the edge of the bias tape fold.
4. Trim an excess bias tape, press flat and you should have a beautifully finished armhole! Repeat with the other side.

Once you have your armholes finished, we can finish the front and back neckline.  Fold the front edge down about 3/4 inch towards the wrong side and press.  Fold down another 3/4 inch, press and pin.  Sew along the edge to create a casing (leave the two ends open).

Repeat with the back.  To create your ties, fold your strips lengthwise, wrong sides together and press.  Fold the two edges in towards the center fold (folding your strip into fourths) and press.  For the ends, unfold the strip and tuck the end in about half an inch.  Fold it back up so you’ve got a nice clean end.  Then top stitch around all open edges.  If you’re using pre-made bias tape, you can just skip right to the top stitching step.

I went ahead and eyeballed the tie length, but ended up shortening them after I put them in the top.  So, if you want to top stitch everything but the last few inches, you can finish that part after you’ve measured out the exact length that you want.

Using a safety pin, thread one tie through the casing on the front of the top, and the other tie through the back casing.  Tie them (and trim and finish edges if necessary).

Then hem the bottom to the desired length by folding and pressing the bottom edge twice towards the wrong side and stitching close to the folded edge.

Done!

Now you know how to make a simple and fun summer top!  And think of all the endless applique possibilities!

If you make a top using this tutorial, please add it to the you & mie flickr group!  I LOVE seeing your creations!

OR if you’ve made your own knock off project, be sure to add it to the Knock It Off Flickr Group.  And don’t miss out on the rest of the series over on Elegance and Elephants!

So before I go, I couldn’t not share how goofy my kid is, but for some strange reason during this photo shoot, Yuki decided to sing “Doe A Deer” from the Sound of Music at the top of her lungs on repeat.  Oh how I wish these photos captured sound . . .

I love her . . .

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

(Rachael was so kind as to gift this pattern to me, but all opinions are 100% my own)

The pattern range is size 6 mo-10!  That means it’ll basically last me forever!  I made it in size 2 which was the perfect fit her Yuki now, though if I had thought about it more, I probably shoulda made a 3 since this is meant to be an smock worn over clothes.  Oh well, guess that means I’ll have to make another one soon

The pinafore is fully reversible, and one of the best parts is begin able to mix and match and pair fabrics together.  I chose a bright reddish-orange to go with this cute raindrop fabric.  Somehow when I saw the fabric, it reminded me of painting.  The large pouch pocket is not part of the pattern, but something I added myself for Yuki to hold paintbrushes, chalk, pens or other art supplies in.

The pattern comes with in seam pockets, which I omitted for this version, but is definitely a great option if you’re making this as a tunic.

For the other side, I used a cream linen for the main fabric and some cute Japanese print that I got at Daiso (the Japanese equivalent to a dollar store) for the pocket and fabric covered buttons.  I love the little pleat in the middle and the sweet criss crossed back.

The pattern is labeled “beginner” and I definitely think that if you are just starting out, this is a great project for you.  It was very fast and simple to sew and the results are just so cute.  Even though I had always intended for this to be used as an apron/smock, I had a hard time letting Yuki get too messy in it!  :P

Unfortunately, I only got a few pictures of Yuki in the smock so far, but the fit is great and she loves having a special apron like mama!

And it kept her shirt clean while being stylish!  Score!

*Edit:  HEY!  More pics!  We did a little morning painting and got more shots of the Roly Poly Art Smock in action *

(Someone needs a hair cut!)

I know she’ll get a lot of use out of this and I look forward to whipping up a few more!  If you’re interested, you can buy the PDF pattern here.  And be sure to check out all the other stops on the Roly-Poly-Along blog tour.  It started yesterday and will continue for three weeks!  My current favorite is this adorable raindrop pinafore by Stephanie of The Crafty Kitty.  TOO CUTE!  And looking at the other bloggers joining the tour, I know there is bound to be a lot of other awesome and creative pinafores.  OH and many of them are giving away copies of the pattern too (like the link above), so be sure to check out details on the blogs for your chance to win!

Thanks Rachael for the awesome pattern!!

Happy sewing

I didn’t actually intend for them to be so boyish.  I did make a bright pink one first but the rest of the knit that I had laying around happened to be dark.  The pattern is the Flashback Skinny Tee by Made by Rae in size 3T.  My daughter is more like a 2T, but since I wanted it to fit a little looser and fit for a long time, I went a size up.  I would recommend doing the same if you want a less “skinny” fit.

The first one is a simple tee with contrasting arm cuffs and neckband.  This was the easiest one to make not only because I didn’t paint anything on it, but also because adding cuffs is way easier than hemming sleeves (in my opinion).  Rae has a tutorial for making a short sleeved FBST here.

The second tee is the robot tee!  Simple solid black knit with hemmed sleeves.  I just used the same fabric for finishing the neck.  For both this tee and the Stegosaurus tee, I just searched for simple images/silhouettes on google image to use as a stencil.

I printed them out at the size I wanted, cut it out to use as a stencil, traced it out on contact paper and cut the shapes out.  I know everyone talks so much about freezer paper stencils, but honestly, I have no idea what freezer paper is!  I really need to find out though, because contact paper does not work all that well.  It doesn’t stick to the fabric as well as I’d like, so it leads to wobbly lines and such, if you’re not careful.

Yuki’s favorite of the three is by far the “dinosaur shirt.”  Between this, the pink “dinosaur shirt” and the original (store bought) red “dinosaur shirt,” now she has three dino shirts!!  And I honestly think that I have to make 4 more because she wants to wear them EVERY DAY.  When we get dressed in the morning and give her some options for clothes she can wear, she keeps asking for “dinosaur shirt!”

This is honestly my favorite too.  It’s made from a super thin, soft and comfy knit.  The stegosaurus wraps around the side slightly and I just used a bunch of different fabric paints in blue, green, silver and white to give it the multicolored look that it has.  At the last minute, I decided to take a quilted paper towel and lay it over the painted area.  I pressed it down on the paint to pick up any excess and when I lifted it, it gave it this really cool textured look.  Like a real dinosaur!

So, no pics of Yuki in the shirts, but I can tell you the dinosaur shirt is getting really good wear.  The others are comfy too, but they aren’t getting as much love.  :(

BUT I LOVE THIS PATTERN.  So basic.  So quick.  So many ways you can mix it up.  As of now, I’ve used this pattern at least 6 times and that’s more than any other pattern I own.  It comes in two size ranges: 12-18 months-5T and for bigger kids, sizes 5/6-13/14!  If you don’t own this pattern yet, I think you should go get it now.

I didn’t actually finish all the projects that I had lined up for Yuki during KCW, but the rest are on hold for now.  I have two fun projects coming up for next week – one is for the Roly Poly Pinafore Pattern Tour (a pattern by Imagine Gnats) and the second is my post for Elegance and Elephants‘ fun series, Knock it Off (the series is already underway, so go check it out!)

AND ALSO . . . I’m trying to sew more for ME!  So if any of it comes out decent and I work up the courage to model them, you may get to see some of it  We’ll see!

(Oh hey!  Did you enter the Zakka Sewing Book and Fabric Giveaway yet?  There’s still time!  The giveaway is open until Friday, May 10th at 5pm PST.)

It’s Giveaway Day on Sew, Mama, Sew!  If you’re unfamiliar with Giveaway Day, you can read all about it here.  Basically, people aaaaall over sewing blogland are giving away TONS of free fabric, sewing patterns and supplies, handmade bags, clothes, accessories, items for babies and the home.  It’s really your lucky day!

I’m giving away this book, Zakka Sewing: 25 Japanese Projects for the Household (affiliate link), along with a few fabrics that I think would be great for Zakka sewing.

The book is full of cute sewing projects for home and life.

It has lots of basic sewing and embroidery directions as well as great instructions and diagrams for 25 fun and adorable projects.

I’m throwing in a bundle of fabric from my stash that is a great starter kit for Zakka sewing.

So there’s some linen/linen blend, chambray, wool, home decor/heavy weight fabric, and a little bit of my favorite double sided (polka dot/gingham) Japanese fabric.  Just enough to get you started on your Zakka sewing!  :)

So you want to win?

Giveaway details: {GIVEAWAY CLOSED}
- Giveaway will remain open until Friday, May 10th at 5pm PST
- Winners will be chosen at random and will be contacted by email
- Open to US residents only
- Void where prohibited

Here’s how to enter:
- Leave a comment on this post.  Any comment will do!

Additional entries:
PLEASE LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH
- Follow my blog (some people prefer email subscription, some have a favorite blog reader.  I use Bloglovin and really do love it) and leave a comment telling me you do so.
- Follow you & mie on Facebook and leave a comment telling me you do so.

(maximum number of entries is 3)

Good luck and thanks for entering!  Be sure to check out all the other great giveaways on the Sew, Mama, Sew blog!  You can enter as many as you want!

Sewing + Craft Supplies
Handmade Baby + Kid Items
Handmade for the Home
Handmade Bags
Handmade Accessories

*This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook or Bloglovin. We hereby release Facebook or Bloglovin of any liability. No purchase necessary.  Prizes will ship by May 15. you & mie takes no responsibility for packages lost by the postal service. Giveaway starts Monday, May 6th and ends Friday, May 10th at 5pm PST. Once the giveaway ends, winners will be chosen at random and contacted within 24 hours by e-mail. This post will be updated with winners’ names. Winners will need to respond within 48 hours to claim their prize or another winner will be chosen. Giveaway is void where prohibited.*