Rainbow madness and making boys' sewing patterns girly

Boys really get the short end of the stick when it comes to sewing, don't they? Not only are there 1940370247395 more patterns out there for girls compared to boys, I am going to show you how I took perfectly acceptable masculine patterns and made them *girly*!

I'm a mom of a little boy too, so if you've ever despaired of finding cute boy patterns, make sure you check out the BundleUp sale going on right now at Pattern Revolution (link to the sale in their blog post). They have some amazing patterns for boys in the sale (and yes, girls too)!

I was able to test one of the patterns in the sale, the Honor Roll Raglan Henley by Fishsticks Designs. Fishsticks has awesome patterns in both knits and wovens and I love that they now feature both nested AND un-nested sizing! Since I am usually printing some of the smallest sizes, this saves a ton of paper and makes it easy to cut out. This henley pattern is a quick and simple sew but the button detail really adds a little extra fun and makes it different from a typical raglan. Unfortunately my son is super picky and runs screaming (literally) at the thought of wearing anything with buttons, so who heroically stepped in for me? My sweet 2 year old, who will gladly wear anything, especially if it features rainbows.

You may notice that she is wearing rainbow shorts as well, and that is may or may not contrast magnificently with the rainbow shirt. When we were selecting her wardrobe choices, she very firmly informed me that "rainbow shirt goes with rainbow shorts" and that was that.

The shorts, incidentally, are also a Fishsticks design, the Sand and Sidewalk Boardwalk shorts (found here). Another pattern for boys that I so delightfully feminized! Instead of the double stitching the pattern calls for, I tried out one of those woefully underused stitches on my machine.

But, just so you don't think my poor son is underrepresented, I did make him a few pairs of these board shorts too! I love how the knee patches give you an opportunity to use several contrasting fabrics.

My kids have a great eclectic sense of style, don't they? :)

Aivilo Charlotte Treasure Hunt Skirt Review

I love skirts for any time of the year, but especially summer...they are so fun and breezy! I was excited to get to test the Aivilo Treasure Hunt skirt for both of those reasons, plus...did you see those ADORABLE bubble pockets! They are just perfect for hiding little treasures and keeping them safe.

Thanks to Rainbow Horse on Amazon Prime video, suddenly there has been a huge interest in all things rainbow and...well...horsey. Haha. I love how the skirt really highlights a center panel and I figured the treasured unicorn fabric would be perfect. The center front and back panels are only lightly gathered--you could probably put a cute applique or monogram there too!

If you've never tried an Aivilo Charlotte pattern before, what you are you waiting for?? I love both her bag and her children's patterns. They are easy to follow with clear pictures and the finishing techniques are top notch. The only exposed seams in this skirt are the side seams where the skirt panels are joined. The waist band and skirt band seams are completely finished. Not only does it look professional, but it is great for kids with sensitivity issues too. No *scratchy* finishes!

Sizes for the skirt are an amazing 6-12m to 14 years and a chart for sizing and fabric requirements is listed. There are no pattern pieces to print (yay!), only measurements. This makes it a quick and easy sew, too. Make sure you are following Aivilo Charlotte on Facebook to see more pictures and get the sale information!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

The Summer Surprise dress/tunic/top by Sofilantjes

I am super excited to show you a new pattern I've recently tested! It is the Summer Surprise dress/tunic/top by Sofilantjes. When Annemieke (the designer) posted pre-testing pics of this cute dress, I knew I had to apply! It has so much to love--super comfy knit, an adorable pleat in the front, and of course...the gorgeous bow in the back!

Just look at that bow! This pattern has tons of options. The sizes range from 6M to 6X/7Y plus there is a normal and a slim option. This is great if you have a tall, slim child and it makes it a lot easier to choose the proper size. I made my little skinny the 18M slim in the tunic length and the fit was fantastic. The pattern also gives metric measurements and it is available in English and Dutch. Sizing charts are given, plus finished measurements and fabric requirements for both normal and slim versions. I've gotten to the point where I prefer to measure my binding as I go, but if you prefer measurements, binding lengths are given as well. 

 If you're new to knits, don't be intimidated! It's sewing machine friendly too and it sews up super quick. You can use a wide variety of knits and it's upcycle friendly. This knit was from a ladies' t-shirt my mom gave me. It actually has some sentimental meaning--it came from my aunt who passed away before my daughter was born. I love that Diana can wear this shirt and can honor her great aunt, even if she'll never meet her in person.

I can definitely see this pattern becoming a summer staple. It looks fabulous as a top, a tunic, a dress...I could even see it shortened a little with a knit skirt...maybe that will be my next project!

The Summer Surprise debuts today (May 23rd) and you can see even more pics (plus a giveaway!) on Annemieke's blog here: http://www.sofilantjes.blogspot.nl/

It's going to be 30% off for the first 3 days, so don't miss out! You can check it out on Craftsy here or on Etsy here. 

Just one more pic of that gorgeous back! Don't you need this pattern in your life?!

 

Welcome to Rocket City Sews!

I'm Allie and I'd like to welcome you to Rocket City Sews! I'm just getting started but this is my space to share sewing pattern reviews, tutorials, and more! I love sewing with PDF patterns and I mostly make clothes for my kids, though I do branch out and make a few things here and there for myself and my husband. My kids are almost 4 and 2 and while I was crafty B.C. (before children), they inspire my creativity to whole new levels now!