Super Hero Mask

Have you ever needed a last minute project? I don't typically sew on the fly, but this time I just had to make an exception. My kids were getting ready to go "trunk or treating" with their cousin. My son said to me, "Mom, I really wish you would make me a super hero mask." I sent my 16yo to JoAnn's to get some felt (it's super nice to have an extra driver in the family now). By the time she was home with the supplies, I had the pattern printed and cut out.  

The rest of the project was a simple matter of cutting out the felt and sewing the mask together. It was really, really easy to sew. And he had a mask in less than 15 minutes. As payment for making the mask for him, he agreed to be photographed. And I think he even had fun doing that!

The mask attached with a piece of elastic. There is an option in the pattern to make masks out of cardboard. I think this would be a great idea for a kid's craft project at a party. In fact I even tried to talk my son into that idea, but he really wanted a sewn mask. I love quick and easy sews that make boys happy!
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You can purchase this pattern at UpCraft Club. If you make a super hero mask, I'd love to see it!

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Summer of Sewing--Let's Talk About Laundry

OK. Here's my story about the laundry thing. I mean, seriously, who likes to do laundry anyway? In the middle of packing for an overnight camp out, I decided to sew this pair of shorts for my son. 

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The Domi Sweatpants by Sofilantjes, which I got from UpCraft Club, are so quick to sew. UpCraft Club has all the latest (affiliate link) PDF sewing patterns. Being a member of the club allows you to receive a free pattern every month plus discounts on other pattern purchases. There are 3 different levels of membership, so choose the one that best fits your current sewing needs. And anyway who doesn't like free patterns?!

Several weeks ago, I cut these shorts out. I like to cut out sewing projects in batches, that way when it's time to sew, I just choose a project and go with it. Since the shorts were already cut out, all I had to do was stitch them up. It took me 30 minutes tops--using just my sewing machine instead of my serger. I love the stretch stitch on my machine and since my serger was set up with white thread for another project, I just really didn't feel like switching it out. I really like the style of these shorts. The knit fabric that I used to make them is soft and comfy--a slate gray ponte knit. I sewed a size 12 for my guy. You can see the size 12 months that I also sewed for my niece with a different pocket style. I can't wait to make this pattern in pants length come fall. 

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Pattern features:

• unisex pattern is perfect for girls or boys 
• sizing ranges from 12 months through 14 year
• two pocket styles
• three pant lengths--shorts, 3/4 length, and pants--perfect for all seasons
• cuffs or folded hem options for 3/4 and pant lengths

Anyway, on to the laundry topic. I actually do have a system for laundry at my house. Everyone does their own! A very good friend told me about her system and I tweaked it just a bit to fit our current situation.

Summer of Sewing--Star Wars

This is my second year to participate in Crafting Con. Last year I participated in the Once Upon A Time theme and that was so much fun that I decided to participate again. This year the theme is Star Wars and well, that was a no-brainer since I have a guy in my house who is really into all things Star Wars.

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When I mentioned making him this reversible hoodie, he jumped right on board telling me what it should look like and what details he wanted. For the base of the hoodie I used the Henday Hoodie pattern from Gracious Threads. This is a slim fitting hoodie with excellent drafting. I love when I discover a designer that the drafting of their patterns fits my kids perfectly. And I know that no matter what pattern I use from that designer, the fit will always be the same. So far Gracious Threads is the second pattern design company that I have stumbled on whose drafting is spot on. Keep it up please!

Since this hoodie is a slim fit AND since I was making it reversible, I sized up. For my son that meant making the hoodie in a size 12. Sadly this is the largest size that this pattern goes up to. Luckily he will fit in this size for a little while longer.

One side of the hoodie is Han Solo and the other side is Chewbacca. Here are some photos of the jacket and you can hop on over to read the main post over on the Crafting Con blog, where i share lots of other spectacular details. So far he loves this sweatshirt. What other characters can I recreate for him? He is certainly into super heroes right now so I'm thinking the next one needs to be super hero related!

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Summer of Sewing--Domi Sweatpants

 Eeeeek! These shorts turned super adorable! From all the little details of the pockets to the size, these turned out absolutely cute as a wearable muslin. The fabric that I used is left over from another top-secret project, but it was the perfect weight for these shorts. JoAnn fabrics carries this slate gray ponte knit and it is a dream work with. With a coupon (or on sale) it is very reasonably priced too! Good quality knits are hard to find, but as the demand grows they are becoming more popular and easy to find.

(This post contains affiliate links. When you purchase through my affiliate links, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my site!)
I was actually looking for a pattern to sew for my son when I found this pattern on UpCraft Club (affiliate link). The Domi Sweatpants pattern by Sofilantjes is a unisex pattern suitable for knit fabric. Three lengths are included: full length, mid calf length, and shorts. The full length and calf length also include leg cuffs, which was what I was originally going to make and then decided on making shorts instead. The waistband (and optional leg cuffs) can be made from ribbing if desired. A faux drawstring may also be added. Two pocket styles are included--a round shallow pocket or a square deeper pocket. With so many options and sizes available, it is possible to use this one pattern year round for several years. The pattern includes size 12 month thru 14.

Let's talk about  my version. I sewed these shorts in size 12 months. According to her measurements she fits exactly into a 12 month. These are a close fitting short so knit fabric is definitely needed. I chose to make the cute little round pockets. This was the first time that I made pockets like these and I really like how they look. I think I may try this technique on a sweatshirt sometime.

I didn't have a dark colored ribbing and since I was going for a solid color, I made the waistband out of the same fabric as the shorts. Since my fabric does not have a large stretch or any Lycra, I added one inch elastic into the waistband to help hold them up.

I really love the length of these shorts. When I was making them I was afraid they would be super short, but they hit just above her knees. Perfect! (I received this pattern for free. I wasn't required to write a blog post about it, nor was I required to share about the pattern on social media. I only share with my readers those products and services that I love.)

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Duds for Dudes Blog Tour

My son has been asking for a satchel since he was 5. He's 11. It's high time I stopped putting off his request. While he didn't exactly receive a satchel, this is probably better than what he requested since he can use it and keep his hands free.

When this blog tour opportunity came up, I jumped on the chance for a few reasons:

1. I seldom sew for my son. Not that I don't want to. It's just challenging to make the time when there are so many other projects that need to be done.
2. Sewing for boys tends to be "boring" when compared to the ruffles and frills that can be made for girls.
3. It's very hard, like really, really challenging, to find fabric for boys that isn't baby-ish or "girly" looking. Usually I have just a few options: camo, denim, or flannel. See what I mean? Not exactly exciting. I mean how many pairs of camo pants does one guy need?

I've had the Two Pretty Poppets Little Freehand Pack in my pattern stash for a few months. I purchased it when it was first released and the sale price was just too good of a bargain to pass up. I knew I would sew it...eventually.

And then as I was browsing the Mabel Madison website, lo and behold, I found the PERFECT fabric: not too baby-ish, definitely not "girly" and the best thing--it isn't camo! (Nothing against camo, but enough is truly enough.) This was my first time sewing with Stenzo poplin, which is a truly wonderful and versatile woven fabric. I chose the Auto Parts in blue and a coordinating print called Pit Stop--also in blue.

The Little Freehand Pack pattern can be made as a fanny pack style of pouch that belts around the waist. Options include a backpack style and a cross-body style. The inside can be sewn as one large compartment or with a divider to make 2 smaller compartments for keeping little treasures in their own places. We opted for one large compartment for storing tools and equipment while playing on adventures around the house. I like that he used the belt part to clip on his walkie-talkie and flashlight pen.

Sewing for boys isn't boring. In fact it's quite enjoyable especially when you know that the recipient will be pleased with the finished product. AND that he will use it daily.

What are you planning to sew for the boys in your life?

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And don't forget to visit all of the blogs on this tour! Check in each day on the Mabel Madison blog for links to all the participating blogs.

A huge thank you to Mabel Madison for providing me with my choice of up to one yard of fabric for this tour! I chose a half yard each of the two different fabrics, which I linked in my above post. I wasn't required to leave a positive review, but I really do love the fabrics that I chose and I love my finished product that I made using them!

Swiss Army Shirt

So, my son has been asking for a muscle shirt for, well...for quite a while now. Every time we saw one in the store this summer, he begged me to buy it. Honestly I wasn't willing to plunk down my money when I knew that I could make him one. (This post contains affiliate links. Affiliate links are marked as such with an * following the link. If you follow these links and purchase from them, I receive a commission, which helps to support my sewing projects. Thanks! 

I haven't been testing as many sewing patterns lately, but when I saw that one of the options in the Swiss Army Shirt by Terra's Treasures* was a muscle shirt version, I knew I had to test it.