Did you sew along last week?
I’ve had my copy of Happy Homemade: Sew Chic Kids (the English version of Happy Homemade, Vol.2) since Christmas, but despite the translation, I’ve been too chicken to try anything. The hoodie was number one on my list, and as with every new pattern I make, a thorough inspiration-seeking Flickr image search was performed. I discovered through some comments that the neck facing had tripped a few people up, so I emailed Shelley of Bartacks and Singletracks for some pointers. She kindly passed along all her helpful notes, and then a week or so later, Cherie and Meg announced they’d be hosting a Happy Homemade Kids sew-along with that very pattern. And so, no more excuses, here I am.
I actually sewed a little bit each day, right along with their schedule. It’s rare I sew that way, but I really enjoyed pacing myself.
I wasn’t sure I could sell Lila on this pattern, so I made the hoodie for the less opinionated of the two.
The fabric is from Dear Stella’s Sunburst Stripes collection. I really like these stripes – the range of colors is great, and basics like this are so useful. Mine came from LiMa Sews, where you can find four of the colors – I used Smoke.
Both Meg and Cherie added kangaroo pockets to their hoodies, and they obviously know what’s up, so I did the same.
I cut the pocket with the stripes going in the opposite direction, but it’s not very noticeable since they’re so thin. Please go ahead and notice it, though, because the whole thing came out a little plain in my opinion.
The hood didn’t end up being all that functional – it doesn’t come forward far enough to fit properly, and it pulls at the back of the parka when it’s up. Meg angled hers forward for more coverage, which I’d recommend if you want it to serve as an actual hood. I don’t so much mind a decorative hood, though – it looks pretty cute just hanging there.
I probably would’ve lined my hood had I used some other fabric, but I couldn’t come up with a good match for the stripes. Plus, I finally got my serger going (another Christmas gift that went too long unused), so at least the inside is properly finished.
The patterns in this book are made for kids aged 3-9, but the smallest size (2) fits Oscar, who’s an over-sized 19 month-old, relatively well – it’s definitely on the big side, but totally wearable.
I love the designs in this and other Japanese pattern books, but I have to say, I’m not a huge fan trying to make sense of sparse directions – I’m pretty sure Liesl has completely ruined me for sewing with Japanese patterns! And I’m still waiting for someone to explain to me why any pattern wouldn’t include seam allowances. So yeah, I’d have to be really motivated by a great design (of which there are many, admittedly) for this type of sewing to become a regular thing. Or maybe I’ll just join in on another sew-along – hopefully there are more to come!
Anyway, thanks to Cherie and Meg for walking me through my very first Japanese pattern! Check out the Happy Homemade Kids sew-along if you’re like me and don’t want to bumble through these cool patterns on your own – it was really helpful and fun to join in!
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