Loads and loads of School Bus Tees plus modifications.

So I will just apologize in advance for this one being a picture heavy, few word post. But that's what happens when I use this as my journal and have a huge backlog. 

The Oliver + S School bus t-shirt is by far my most used pattern, I have made well over 100 at this point. I added it up once a couple years back and I was at like 80... I don't have the patience to go back and count again, ha! So you will just have to trust me.

I paired the tee with the Sew a Little Seam Movie Night Pajama bottoms you can get for free with a code from their facebook group. It does come with a shirt, but I like what I like.

These are also the SALS pj's, they come with a shorts cut line.

My cool friend Courtney is setting up a shop to sell applique patterns, so I volunteered (read: begged) to try a couple out.

I gave this one to my nephew for his birthday, but it was reaaaaally hard.  I need to make one for Sam!

 As the next few photos will show, I clearly have a thing for this very specific colorblock.

Another one for the nephew.

A very long time ago I wrote a post for the O+S blog on how to do a faux sleeve.

Also one on how to add a hood.

And how to use it to make a tank top.

I also used it to make a swim top.  It is such a versatile pattern, I am certain there will be many more made in the coming months.

Two new outfits.

 Twinsies desperately need some solids in their lives, they love to pair all sorts of patterns and colors.  Typically they have leggings, a skirt, shirt and jacket basically a whole lot going on.  So cue in amazing weather here and it was time to add in some solids.

 

George is wearing a School bus t-shirt in a solid navy cotton lycra and a Sailboat skirt in a joanns bottom weight.  Both size 5.  I can't believe I haven't made this skirt more often, I love it so much on her.

Izzy has a color blocked School bus t-shirt in a cotton lycra and a Butterfly skirt in denim, again both size 5.

This season's Kids Clothes Week theme is capsule wardrobe, so I am for once embracing the theme.  I have a plan sketched out and plan to stick to it, though I can't guarantee there won't be a pretty dress thrown in, too, that wasn't already on the list.

First day.

I realized today the big kids start school tomorrow, Abby has her outfit chosen, but Jack didn't.  I haven't made him anything for a while because he still fits most of his handmades, but I figured the first day of school deserved something new.

I pulled out a couple twill colors and paired them with a couple of knit cuts and let him choose, he picked well.

The shirt is the Oliver and S School Bus T-shirt, my go-to, in a size 8 with a little bit of length added.

The pants are the After-school pants, also a size 8, but I added 2" to the length.  He is only 1/2" shy of the top height in the 8 and I want them to last a while.

I really love these pants, and so does he.

Triangles.

If you follow me on Instagram, you know I am a huge fan of Raspberry Creek Fabric. Diana is super sweet, and amazing to buy from.  Her fabrics are great prices and she ships suuuuper fast (and always refunds shipping overages!).  We were chatting recently and she asked if I would like to sew up some of her triangle strike offs from her in-house Club Fabrics.  I, of course, jumped at the chance.  Her club line is so, so good.  It is a great weight and washes up so nice.

So I decided to make Jack a color blocked School Bus T-shirt.  I cut the front of the shirt just under the arm pit and added seam allowance to the bottom of the shirt and cut section, sewed them together and then sewed the shirt like normal.  This is a size 8.

The olive, charcoal and white (below) solids are all also from Raspberry Creek.  Again, they are a great weight and I haven't had any pilling or fading even after washing a ton.  I mean, a ton.  I have been using the solids for months now and haven't had any problems.

For Sam, I used the Field Trip Raglan in a size 2T and added some HTV to the front.  As soon as I saw the triangles, I knew they just had to become a FTR.

Since I went the color blocking route on both these tees, I have enough left to make something else.  I am thinking maybe a pair of capri leggings for the twins...

A new tee for every day of the week.

This is what a whole week's worth of new shirts looks like.  I haven't made anything for Jack in what feels like forever, and then I go and over do it, ha! 

This is where it all started, I ran across a photo of a similar shirt on the internet, I think it may have been from Nordstrom. I immediately decided Jack needed it in his life, he didn't agree so much, but I am sure once it hangs in his closet a bit he will love it.  This kid usually takes a little to warm up to new things.

I drew the graphic in Photoshop then cut it from heat transfer vinyl with my silhouette.  I wasn't sure how much use I'd get from the SIL, but I am absolutely loving it.  

After designing the first one, I stayed up way too long past my bedtime designing a few more for him.

I used the same pattern for all of the shirts, the Oliver and S School Bus t-shirt in a size 8.

He wasn't thrilled with this one either, but the fabric is super soft, so I am sure he will end up loving it.

This was Abby's favorite, she asked for an identical one, though she currently has enough shirts in her closet so if it does happen it wont be for a while.

This one was his favorite, he even requested it after I made Ben a shirt just like it.  The kid has no idea who Ron Swanson is or why he is so funny, but he loves what the shirt has to say.

This one was a close second, and I don't blame him.  Not only do I love the print, but it is oh so soft, too.

Not a bad way to round out Kids Clothes Week.

Size test.

Do you ever get an idea that you just can't shake, and have to execute as soon as possible?  I do, too much.  Sam is growing out of his current t-shirts and doesn't currently have any shorts, so I decided to do a quick run through of these patterns before I cut a stack out. 

I haven't tried the Sunny Day Shorts before because honestly, I thought they were boring.   Yeah, maybe they are boring, but they are perfect for a beginner, fit just as I thought they would and were a great quick sew with lots of customization possibilities.  Plus, you can't beat a price tag of $0. 

I made these in a size 2t and kind of panicked that they would end up too big, but really, they are perfect.  I managed to get them from a weird sized scrap I held on to for a 'just in case' that I didn't ever think I would actually use, so it kind of is like they were free, ha! 

The t-shirt is my go-to Oliver and S School Bus T-shirt in a straight size 2t also.  Again, I thought I'd end up setting it aside for a while, but it fits just fine.  A little long, but that's how I want things to start- I can't keep up with growth spurts sometimes!

I added a heat transfer vinyl to the shirt I cut with my silhouette, so much faster than freezer paper, ha!

A stack of shirts.

Four of my sister-in-laws are currently pregnant, the one furthest along just had a baby shower this weekend as it's her first.  So of course I had to make my soon to be nephew something fun.  But then I got an amazing idea for a shirt and wanted to make it immediately for Sam.  So in all my procrastinator's glory, I made one for him then started on the baby's gifts.

The baby shower invitations had a picture of three mountains and words about the adventure just beginning.  So I designed a file in Photoshop and used the Silhouette Cameo (my fancy new Christmas gift) to cut some heat transfer vinyl.  I absolutely love the way it turned out, and that's why it had to be Sam's immediately. I was pretty excited that it came out just the way I wanted it being it was my first time designing anything and have only tried out the machine a few times before.

I put it on an Oliver and S Field Trip Raglan, size 18 months with added cuffs and hem band, made in a stretchy french terry.

Will buffalo plaid still be trendy in a year and a half?  Maybe not, but oh well.  I nearly kept this one for Sam, ha!

This is the Oliver and S School Bus T-shirt in size 18 months, again, nearly kept for Sam.  I need to quit making stuff to give away in sizes my kids are currently wearing.

Again with some HTV.  This one is size 12 months.

Again size 12 months.  The mom and dad are big Dave Matthews fans, so I knew this one had to be made.

This one is size 6 months in a super stretchy, super soft knit.

This is also a size 6 month.  I actually squeezed it out of a scrap from a shirt I made for Jack and apparently never blogged.  Whoops.  I have been much better at keeping up on flickr and instagram than here, which is kinda bad since I don't always add sizing notes in other places.

I also decided I couldn't ever be a sweat shop worker, 7 shirts in three days was too much for me, ha!

Halloween.

Confession, I still don't love sewing for Halloween.  I should, because my kids get so excited about it.  And the twins are still wearing their Elsa and Anna from last year, so I shouldn't mind putting a lot of effort in to something that will be well loved, but I just can't... 

This year the twins knew immediately what they wanted to be.  Georgia wanted to be a witch, then I suggested maybe Izzy should be a kitty (the witch's kitty).  It stuck and they never changed their minds.  I will be sad someday when they end up without coordinating costumes. 

For Georgia, we had borrowed a costume from Grandma but managed to misplace it, so I talked her in to using her recently made Fairy Tale dress with some cute tights.  

She wanted a green face 'cause that's what witches have' but with the stipulation that she 'was still a nice witch'.  

Elizabeth the kitty has an Oliver and S School Bus T-shirt in a size 4 with length added to the sleeves.  I used a RTW pair of leggings and a kitty kit from the Halloween aisle. 

They make an adorable pair, I think.

 Abby went easy on me and chose a Ninja Turtle, the mask from the kit was too small, so she used a scrap piece of knit to make the eye band.

The kids were on their way to a church activity and they requested no masks at the party, so Jack used one of his old costumes from a few years ago.  At the time we had to roll up his pants and safety pin them.  So glad I didn't cut them off like Ben suggested!

He really wanted to be a Lego man, so for our family party and his school parade that is what he went as.  He will do the skeleton for trick-or-treating as he can't see out of the head when it is dark outside, plus it would have been hard to go door to door in.

Dear Pinterest, thank you.  I saw this idea popping up early in October and decided to give it a go.  He is my only baby to love the pacifier for this long.  Iz took one until about 6 months, but none of the other kids did.  He depends on it, it's bad.  I try to keep it limited to nap/bed time, but sometimes if he is crazy bad in public I give in, it calms him immediately.

Anyways, I used the O+S  Field Trip Raglan, size 18 months, and the O+S Playtime leggings, size 18 months.  I found this rad french terry that has a bit of a sheen to it, I knew it would be perfect for looking like a wet suit.

I couldn't find a pair of black socks in or around his size, so while I was at the dollar store today picking up the black tape and yellow gloves for Jack I spied a pair of toddler sized mittens.  Perfect!  I just sewed the thumb hole shut and cut it off, it worked out great.

He didn't love when we strapped the 'tank' to him, which is why it is so low on him, but quickly stopped trying to take it off.

Happy Halloween!