For my ten year old daughter, who doesn’t like fussy dresses but complimented me many times on these three.

The blue and the deep-red stripe were both from Gray’s General Store. The red organic jersey was bought on sale some time ago.

I sew most my knits with a slight zig-zag and a stretch needle. I have a serger, but I prefer to work on a sewing machine. These dresses sewed up rather quickly, given I use my mat and rotary cutter and am an old hand at sewing with knits.

All three dresses were based on a pattern by Chicken Hill, graded up for Phoenix’s tall, lanky frame. At first I thought I’d offer these to clients, but the waist tie requires a rather personalized placement, so I won’t be doing so at this time. However, if you’re sewing up some yourself and want any tips, shoot me a text or email! kelly AT hogaboom DOT org, 3605003287.

Note, April 2012: All current proceeds from my craft go to Project “Help Us Get To The ‘Life Is Good Unschooling Conference’!”; I have until May to raise the funds. Thank you to any and all who purchase, tweet, share, FB, email, or take a body shot in my honor.

I am a freak for tweed or any nubbly yarn-dyed warm, worn-in fabric. I can’t resist the textured goodness. When I spotted this fabric, I bought some and brought it home – and after a few days the project of a couple travelling suits for a toddler started forming in my noggin (here’s the velveteen version).

The set is fully-lined with an orange double-knit. This makes for a fairly warm garment set. It also makes for a smooth feel against tot’s skin. If you haven’t worn clean-finished or lined garments, go ahead and spoil yourself with the pleasure. All topstitching zig-zag, because that’s how I roll.

No, these aren’t ears on the hood of the jacket – they’re inspired by the frilled gills on salamanders and newts. You know how it is.

All four pockets – jacket and trouser-rear – are lined in a scarlet cotton sateen.

A back view – selvedge-edge lined back patch pockets, flare pantlegs:

And a little about the t-shirt:

This wonderfully lightweight softie was crafted using the the Tee for Two pattern from Patterns by Figgys, a favorite of mine. The entire inside of the shirt is finished smoothly with no seams, making for ultra-comfortable wear. The public face of the garment has distressed-seam detail and raw-edge hems. The knit was so delicate I used my own methods for completion. A little bit finicky, but worth it. No serging shortcuts here.

Neckline detail:

As always, you can read a bit more about construction via the Flickr tagset. I am always happy to answer detailed questions about how I construct my garments.

Materials used: 1 1/2 yards polyester tweed suiting, 1 1/2 yards polyester double-knit, 1/2 yard 100% rayon knit, 1/8 yard interfacing, three covered buttons, two kinds of thread, two kinds of elastic.

Size: 18 months
Set price: $150
100% return guarantee policy

Note, April 2012: All current proceeds from my craft go to Project “Help Us Get To The ‘Life Is Good Unschooling Conference’!”; I have until May to raise the funds. Thank you to any and all who purchase, tweet, share, FB, email, or take a body shot in my honor.

I loved this Anna Marie Horner Innocent Crush velveteen – shown here in “Loves Me Loves Me Not Golden” (the mustard colorway) and “Bubble Burst Sparkle” (the blue). It was as lovely to work with as it was to fondle. A bit light for a velveteen, my construction using an orange double-knit full lining makes for a fairly warm garment set (you can see the tweed travelling set here).

Yes, of course I can line up patterns on the front placket. SHEESH. I finished the jacket with simple patch pockets, lined in scarlet cotton velveteen. Zig-zag topstitch detail.

Here we see the trouser back pockets, also lined in scarlet cotton sateen. Practical? Who knows! They are way too cute! Here you also get a glimpse of the t-shirt, made in a super-super-soft rayon knit. More below!

… I just had to show you these tiny little flare hems. ADORABLENESS

OK, the shirt. This wonderfully lightweight softie was crafted using the the Tee for Two pattern from Patterns by Figgys, a favorite of mine. The entire inside of the shirt is finished smoothly with no seams, making for ultra-comfortable wear. The public face of the garment has distressed-seam detail and raw-edge hems. The knit was so delicate I used my own methods for completion. A little bit finicky, but worth it. No serging shortcuts here.

Neckline detail:

As always, you can read a bit more about construction via the Flickr tagset. I am always happy to answer detailed questions about how I construct my garments.

Materials used: 1 1/2 yards 100% cotton velveteen, 1 1/2 yards polyester double-knit, 1/2 yard 100% rayon knit, 1/8 yard interfacing, three covered buttons, two kinds of thread, two kinds of elastic.

Size: 18 months
Set price: $150
100% return guarantee policy

(Wool Coat Blue)

In my Flickr travels I recently ran across the Jude pattern from Shwin Designs – and had to make one for my son. The final product is all-wool, and water-, stain-, and odor-resistant. As tough as the little tree-climber who wears it.

Obviously I changed quite a bit about the pattern and added a few features. First, I graded to a size 8/10 (from a size 5). I designed and installed double-welt pockets with a flap and added a front facing. I bound all eleven buttonholes (including those on the sleeve strap).

The coat is made from a 100% melton wool, and I’m acquiring the products to lanolize it for waterproofing, durability, softness, and odor-and-stain resistance.

This coat is not available for sale, as my son is enjoying it too much – but I can make one a lot like it except with all the details YOUR little one will love (including a customizable crest!). You know I’m the coat and jacket mistress, baby!

As always, you can read a bit more about construction, or just look at adorable pictures of Nels, via the Flickr tagset. I wrote out a bit about how I made the coat, but I will answer any questions you may have!

Materials used: 1 yard 100% melton wool, 1/8 yard green corduroy, 1/8 yard green and ivory mini-houndstooth, 1/8 yard interfacing, blue cotton lawn scraps, 11 thrifted buttons, two kinds of thread.

Size: 8/10
Size: Not Available (Nels’ personal coat)
Price for custom, similar coat: ~$100
Contact me about sizes, materials, etc.

This hat was inspired by two things. First, the many suits at the thrift store, some well-made with satin labels handsewn inside, that languish on the racks priced at five or ten dollars. Second, my son, who is ADORABLE, and loves vintage. Vintage games, old-school styles, vintage comics. Someone get him a hoop and a stick!

(totes cute)

(side view)

Everything used to make the hat was thrifted or found: even the lining and the covered-button kit used to affix the top!

As always, you can read a bit more about construction, or just look at adorable pictures of Nels, via the Flickr tagset.

The hat, which I will mail gift-wrapped or in recycled packaging, includes a few fancy labels from the suits used to create it!

Materials used: various wool-blend suit pieces, interfacing, 1 covered button kit, a bleach bottle (rinsed and pressed), thread.

Size: 21″
Price: $30

Note, April 2012: All current proceeds from my craft go to Project “Help Us Get To The ‘Life Is Good Unschooling Conference’!”; I have until May to raise the funds. Thank you to any and all who purchase, tweet, share, FB, email, or take a body shot in my honor.

This set of five was inspired by reflections on our lovely greenery and the climate that makes it possible… and also inspired by a lovely, thick yarn-dyed cotton plaid on my shelf (I started referring to the fabric as a semi-flannel, which is not at all correct by the way).

First, a brief history in our family:

Lake Quinault (pictured above, with the kiddos a few years ago) is about an hour’s drive from where I sew, and one of the most beautiful locations I’ve visited (Ralph and I were baptized there about fourteen years ago). The loamy earth, rich soil, deep water, and beautiful sunsets leave an indelible impression. In my mind as well, as I designed and crafted, I wanted to showcase the fashions (once again) popular here in the Northwest: flannels, skinny jeans, knit caps, cotton layers.

On to the sewing! This set includes a 100% cotton vintage-cut flannel jacket (lightweight), a 100% cotton upcycled longsleeve sweater t-shirt, a striped short-sleeved t-shirt, a pair of skinny jeans in 100% cotton duck (for tree-climbing!), and a 100% wool hand-knit tri-cornered hat complete with handmade pom-poms. Please click on the individual items to learn more about how I made them. There’s a lot to know!

(Okay, two hats, but I’ll get to that in a minute!)

All garments are clean-finished with seamwork providing ultimate comfort; that is, there are no inner bulky seams except for some necessary detailwork on the pants fly and rise seam. This makes the garments ideal for a client with clothing sensitivity issues, but extra-special for anyone who wears them. Go look at your pair of jeans and tell me if this is what you see on the inside pockets, or for that matter, your fly?

No? Thought not.

No sergers, templates, factory-methods, or shortcuts were involved in the making of these items. Everything was stitched and pressed and cut by hand and stitched on a vintage Singer. The garments will last through more than one child and be worn again and again.

And finally: I had so much fun making pom-poms using Gwen’s kit, I made one extra hat (not included in collection price, below)! “Big Quinault Hat”, shown at left, is a child’s large/adult small. “Little Quinault Hat”, shown at right, is a child’s medium.

You can see more photos and read more about construction in the Flickr tagset, as always.

You can read more about the actual Lake Quinault here; better yet, look at some pictures – or best of all, come and visit!

Materials used: 1 yard 100% cotton yarn-dyed plaid, twelve thrifted vintage buttons, 1/2 yard interfacing, one 100% cotton sweater, 1 yard contrast stripe medium/heavy knit in blue and grey (from our local Gray’s General Store), 1 yard 100% cotton duck in deep loam colorway, one nickel snap, one metal zipper, self-bias from a nature print quilted cotton, 100% wool (Cascade 220) for hats, several yards homespun yarn along with cotton thread and Calm Under Tension’s pop pom kit, and various kinds and weights of thread.

Size: 8
Price (sale!): $220

Note, March 2012: All current proceeds from my craft go to Project “Help Us Get To The ‘Life Is Good Unschooling Conference’!”; I have until May to raise the funds. Thank you to any and all who purchase, tweet, share, FB, email, or gratuitously quote Anchorman in my honor.

You know how it is. Having a chocolate soda date. Good times!

This lovely shirt is modified from the “Henry” pattern, a pattern included in the book Sewing For Boys by Karen LePage and Shelly Figueroa. Super-soft cotton plaid in true deep blues and warm reds, compliment a deep-violet space-age high-quality quilting cotton.

The shirt features a lovely seam-free bias-cut yoke, roomy pockets at the hip, and a pearl-snap finished placket. The cut is semi-boxy ala 60s bowling shirts, with a generous collar and bias-cut undercollar. All seams are smooth on the inside, except for the construction seams running lengthwise, which were serged then topstitched-down for minimal bulk.

You can see more versions of the “Henry” pattern, by other stitchers, in their Flickr group. My version, though still retaining the loose fit, is a great deal slimmer-cut than the book’s original.

Hat, not for sale. It’s a very special hat made by Emily Moe just for my boy (a Christmas gift).

This item is on sale as it is a prototype. You can see more photos and read more about construction in the Flickr tagset.

Materials used: 1 yard soft cotton yarn-dyed plaid, 1 yard spacey quilting cotton, 1/4 yard interfacing, five pearl snaps, thread.

Time to completion of sewing (not including time gathering, shopping for, or organizing supplies): 4 hours.

Size: 8/10
Price (sale!): $30

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