Tam's Costume Done

 Several days ago Tam choose this pattern for his Renaissance costume for this year:Pattern McCalls 5214.  Now he does still fit in his outfit from last year, but I wanted to make something new.  I know...the French musketeers were a later century than the Renaissance, but oh well.  When asked what color he wanted, Tam said blue with a cross like the picture.

I picked up the broadcloth and trim from Joann's with a handful of coupons.  In total, I think it cost me about $30.


With the shirt, I cheated.  I started with a sleeveless white knit shirt from the store.  I added the white linen sleeves and collar.  The sleeves puff at the top and end with a button cuff and lace over the fingers.  The buttons were from my inherited stash.  I'm sure the lace won't hold up and will be come filthy dirty after a day at a fair worn by a boy, but oh well.  It sure looks nice.  The collar is separate and snaps to the collar of the knit shirt.  This lets me not have to make any closures in the shirt.  The collar is edged with lace from my inherited stash.  Again, I'm not holding my breath for how clean it will stay.

Overall, the shirt fits pretty well...I made it with the 3/4 size pattern.  The sleeves were a bit longed, but I shorten them to fit better.

The tunic was wicked easy to sew up.  I wasn't going to line it at first for sake of keeping it lightweight, but decided to at the last minute for ease of sewing.  The lining is a black, real light-weight peach cloth (I think).   I did get enough fabric for the sleeves, but decided not to sew them up.  They just seemed liked they would overwhelm little Tam.  Depending on how cold it gets by next month, I may make them yet and have them be attachable with snaps.

There is only a small "v" at the neck in the back for putting the tunic over the head and the pattern had it completely open at the sides.  I added ties to the sides to help keep this on a really moving nearly 4 year old.

The cross is just ironed on.  I liked silver better than the gold pictured on the pattern, hence the grey cross and silver trim.

The trim was the most costly, even with a coupon...just because it took so much..then I didn't use half of it for the sleeves.  The trim is lumping and braided, so I wasn't sure how to sew it on.  Thanks to the good old Internet for some helpful hints.  In the end, I used invisible clear thread and a broad zig-zag stitch to attach it.  It seems pretty stable for now.

Overall, I like it a lot.  And it should fit well into next year with its length.    Tam liked it too.

The hat was a bit of a last minute decision with a half yard of upholstery fabric remnant.  It is just a flat cap and I didn't have a bought pattern for it.  Luckily the Internet saved me again and I used an combo of a few easy tutorials to make the pattern: The Sempstress and The Renaissance Tailor .  The hat is rough, in that I didn't take time to line it or to finish the inside seem.  It fits Tam like a glove and is a bit big on Jude.  We'll see who ends up wearing it. 

Overall...I love the look and I hope it will hold up.
Here, My model was done :-)

PS.  He'll have black shorts  or pants underneath (shouldn't have to sew these) and boot coverings over his sneakers.

2012 Olympics!

Yeah! Yeah!  Yeah!

Go USA!

The 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony in London was tonight!

I am fascinated with watching our world's top athletes duke it out to determine who is number 1 in their event.  (Likewise, I am often just devistated when someone falls.)  Maybe I am just secreatly envience of all that good health and athletic talent that I lack.

Right now, I destincly remember the summer olympics four years ago in 2008.  I very much recall rolling around on the floor trying to get comfortable while I'm  six months pregnant with little Tamlin.  I remember laying on my side feeling him kick my from within while I wached Micheal Phelps win his plethero of gold medals.   I remember lounding on the couch feeling Tam turn sumersalts while the gymnists tumbled around on their mats.  

And now...Tam can do his own tumbling around on the living room floor.  He would also happily jump off the couch if I would let him. (He tells me that Daddy lets him jump...but I think this is highly doubtful).  We'll watch as much of the sports as we can and maybe have some races in the yard to play along.

The opening ceramony was BREATHTAKING and AWESOME and had lots of DRUMMERS!

I've told Brian that at the next summer games that are hosted by the US, we will be there!  It is so going on my bucket list.

We'll start saving our pennies now :-) 

Two words

Snot-tacular colds.

We all got it this week.

Latest Sewing Projects

 I got back on the ol' sewing wagon in the light of some upcoming birthdays. 

I tackled a ruffled tulle pettiskirt for my niece using a tutorial from Make it and Love it Blog.  I used tulle instead of chiffon since that is what I got at the last local fabric sale.  It turned out uber-cute...but, good golly, that was a TON OF GATHERING for all the ruffles.

After completing the skirt, I had to reset my brain and do some easy (and instantly gratifying) shirts.

I cut out stencils for a few bleached shirts and painted shirts.
Princess for my niece.  Dinosaurs and Monsters (or aliens) for our friend's Xander's birthday and for Tamlin.  I had hoped to do one for Jude, but couldn't find any 24 month white onesies!

Lastly, I whipped up  a superhero cape for Xander too.  It has the batman symbol on one side and Xmen on the reverse (X for Xander too!).  This cape went together pretty fast since it is like an oversize bib, with the exception that I choose to use gold lame, which is a slippery paid in the butt to sew.







Now what?  I've got a couple of bags to sew from recycled jeans for friends. 


And I started on Tamlin's renaissance costume.  I had a few patterns to choose from but couldn't decide, so Tamlin picked.

 We're doing a modification on the musketeer outfit here.  The tabard's sleeves will be removable (if I do them).  I am also cheating by not making a full peasant shirt from scratch to go underneath the tabard.  I'm using a T-shirt and adding the full sleeves and collar (maybe)...easier to wear and a heck of a ton easier to sew.  I'll let Tam decide if he wants the cross or a dragon on the front (or heaven forbid, a car).

 I'll see how it goes...

Jude fits into one of the costume's I made for Tam when he was small, but he might get a new hat.  If I can't figure out a pattern for a period hat, it may be a modern bucket-hat out of cool Renaissance-pattern fabric!

And then...
I've got my eye on making a fall corduroy jacket for Tamlin (I've got a cool leather jacket stashed away for Jude)

And then...

Perhaps, finally, a Victorian costume for me so that I fit in with Brian when he is caroling with the Dicken's Singers.  I picked up this easy pattern of Butterick (B5265)...
I just need to sew the cape and the muff, pairing it with one of my current skirts.

But I really want this one, though it might just drive me crazy to sew... (Simplicity 2172).  It's a popular pattern for steampunk so its a bugger to find at our JoAnn's when patterns are on sale.  I would use a current skirt of mine but pair it with the fabulous jacket and bustier.

Slip and Slide Fun

It has been hot here.

Okay, that is an understatement.
It has been cook-an-egg on the sidewalk, don't-leave-the-ac, to-hot-to-breathe  here for the past couple of weeks.  Our outdoor temperature soared up into the 104 region for at least one day and has been hanging out in the 90s the rest of the time.

To beat the heat, we've all been spending time in our little kiddy wading pools in the backyard or go to the local water playgrounds.

Then last weekend I struck a major score at a local yard sale with a brand-new-in-box Slip 'N' Slide.  I paid a whole $1.50 for the device, thinking that if the boys hated it I wouldn't be out too much money.  When I was small, we had a generic slip-n-slide...which meant we had a sheet of plastic with the hose sending water down it.  I loved it, even if it meant quite a bit of grass burn from sliding off the end of the thing.

I got the box home and hyped it up to Tam while Judo was napping.  Tam was excited and couldn't wait to put on a suit and try it out (like the kids on the box).

I inflated the thing and rigged it up.  There is the slide bit, a mini-tunnel that looks like a car wash, and then the splash wading pool.  All of it has water spraying over it all the time from the hose hook up.

At first, Tam just crawled down the thing and through the tunnel.  He was a bit fascinated with the spraying water and splashing in the pool...and didn't really get that he was supposed to "slide."
So, being the awesome mom that I am, I got on the ol' bathing suit and showed him how its done.

Who-Who!  That thing was awesome! I forgot how much fun sliding on your belly through water could be. (I completely ignored the warning that said not to be used by those under 3 or over 12 years of age).

Tam got the hang of it and was soon walking down half of the slide before hurling himself through the tunnel.  If he didn't have enough momentum to carry him through...I helped him out with a little push.


Oh the giggling that ensued!  Tam was having a blast and I was laughing like a fool.

What about Jude?

Jude did NOT like seeing his brother and his momma (as he perceived) falling down on their faces in water. He would be laughing one minute, but as soon as we slid, he would start his worried cry.

I had to reassure him that we were ok and that he should check out the contraption too.

Jude investigated the hose connection...



He investigated the tunnel from the outside, but never went through it on his own.  He liked it when Tam was inside and would pop up out at him.  Jude also had fun stomping in the splash pool at  the end of the slide...



And then he investigated the spraying water.  He liked these quite a bit as he waved his hands through them.  He would play with them and then throw himself across them in a belly flop and squeal with laughter.


Silly little man.

No, I didn't slip Jude down the slide on his own :-)

And Brian?
When he came home, Tam convinced him to get on his suit and try it out too.
Hey, a family that plays together is silly, right?

Tam thinks the contraption is awesome...He does call it a Slippy Slide (like a native Pittsburgher).  We even had our friends over with their kids to play with us and beat the heat.

 Totally worth $1.50.

We've been busy

But I promise to post some notes on the latest excursions soon...

Here's a preview...