Perfect Playtime Pants Pattern Review

Most of what I have blogged (or thought about blogging) this past little while has all been about marathon training.  There are things I've sewn but never got around to posting.  This is one of them.

A while back I was lucky to test the Perfect Playtime Pants pattern from Feather's Flights.  I loved the different options for length and that it's a unisex pattern.

Roomy and comfy

I grabbed some fabric from my stash to whip them a pair in the bloomer length.  These pants don't take long to sew and are a great instant gratification project.  There are pockets for the longer lengths and those are pretty cute.  I wanted the bloomers because Pink Blur was in serious need of some summer duds.

Matching top is modified from the Blank Tank pattern by Blank Slate Patterns

The pattern fit well and the instructions were thorough.  Pink Blur loves her new outfit and gets excited whenever I pull it out of the drawer.  It's perfect for the deathly warmer weather we've been having recently.  Now she's ready for BBQ season!

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Tutu Onesie

I used this onesie before and promised that the finished product would be shown.  Here it is!  I think this is one of the cutest little things for little girls I've seen in a long time.  To get started you'll need a ruler, marking tool (I used the wax tailor chalk), elastic thread, and 3 inch strips of sheer tricot (also called nylon chiffon, but I can't bring myself to do it.  It's the sewing teacher in me rearing its ugly head).  FYI, I buy my sheer tricot here.  They also have it in precut strips if you want to make a lot.

Start off by marking the onesie at 1/4" above the binding around the leg.  Mark both the front and back.

Make three more marks, each one another 1/4"-3/8" above the previous line.  I thought a simple 1/4" apart looked a bit too close together.

Gather the fabric strip down the middle.  I used my ruffle foot.  It would be really easy to just use a gathering stitch if you don't have a ruffle foot.  You don't need to gather it super tight.  This is one of those times when it's almost a "less is more" kind of situation.  It may have been about a 2:1 ratio.  I never checked.

Wind a bobbin with your elastic thread.  This will add stretch so your stitching doesn't break.  You could also use a stretch stitch and pull the onesie as you sew, but this is easier.  Start off sewing on the line closest to the neck and move the onesie to the left for each line after that.  It makes it easier.  Trust me.  Stitch the tricot on to the onesie, keeping the stitch on the fabric over the placement line and sewing on top of the gathering stitch.

IMPORTANT:  Make sure to stretch the onesie a little bit as you sew.  There will still be stretch if you don't, but it will pull in extra tight on her little backside.

Once you've done the first row, fold both tricot layers toward the neck.  As I started sewing I realized that the very easiest thing to do was simply use the last stitching line as a placement guide.  It worked perfectly to put the edge of the presser foot against the folded-back edge of my last row ofstitching.

Another thing I discovered as I continued sewing was that I did not need the fourth placement line.  It would certainly make the tutu more full, but I didn't care about that very much.  I thought it looked good with three and I stopped there.

The look of the tutu can be changed by using different fabric colors or different widths of tricot strips.  The animal print fabric was 3" wide, but I've also done it at 2" wide (see picture below).  I didn't think that was wide enough.  You can decide what you want to do on your own.

It's super cute for crawlers, walkers, or just a no-fuss and cool summer outfit.  Next time there's a baby shower for a girl I may just whip one of these up.  I always tend to have a little sheer tricot on hand.

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Freezer Paper "Silk Screen"

This technique is far from new but sometimes it's good to have a little reminder that it's possible.  I'm sure it would be a lot easier to do with a Cricut or a Silhouette or something.  I don't have one of those, so I use the good old freezer-paper-and-scissors method.  Printing like this is a great way to personalize shirts or other fabrics without a lot of cost.  The onesie I used in the pictures has an intended purpose.  It'll be super cute when it's done.  I'll make sure to post a tutorial for that when the time comes.

Before you begin make sure to pre-wash your fabric. The onesie I used shrunk quite a bit after its first washing.  I'm just glad I knew that before I started this project.

The supplies you need are pretty basic:
Item to be painted
Freezer paper
Your chosen design
Scissors or craft knife
Paint and something to apply it
Iron
Tweezers

I decided this little onesie needed a makeover and that it would include an animal print.  I wanted words and a graphic and thought the leopard paw was a good idea.  Play with the design on your computer to make sure it's what you want.  Be prepared to print and adjust your design once or twice.  Once it's printed you'll be able to see if the design needs to be bigger or smaller.

When your design is ready it's time to trace it on the freezer paper.  Place the shiny side of the freezer paper against the right side of the design.  Trace, trace, trace!  I've also put the freezer paper directly into the printer and done it that way.  It saves time but it does not allow for any mind-changing.  Tracing the design also allows you to use the original page as a reference page if you need one.

Now cut out the positive space (the stuff you want colored) from the design.  If you want it to show up on the shirt you need to cut it out of the freezer paper.  A craft knife will do a great job of only cutting out the area you intend to paint.  I don't have a craft knife (because they're sooo expensive, right? Sure.) so I just cut through the paper and then make sure to iron it back in place on the fabric.  You run the risk of having the paint seep through the cuts.  You can decide if the risk is worth it to you.

Once the cutting is complete it's time to iron it all on.  Set the iron to a high setting.  Place the design on the onesie with the shiny side of the freezer paper DOWN (against the fabric).  Gently press and iron the design until the paper sticks to the fabric.

Place something between the layers of fabric so the paint won't bleed through.  I used a storage lid because it looked like it fit well.  Apply the paint on the fabric.  I used a sponge brush, but makeup sponges from the grocery store also work well and are super cheap.  Don't be afraid of getting pant on the paper; you're just going to peel the paper off.  When you've covered the design as much as you want, set the fabric aside.  You don't want the paint to smear.

After about 10 minutes you can take the freezer paper off the fabric.  Do NOT wait until the paint is fully dry to take the freezer paper off.  Bits of freezer paper like to stick when the paint is dry.  It make those little pieces a bear to get off.  Using a pair of tweezer can make the removal process easier.  There's just something ultra-satisfying about peeling away the paper bits.  I don't know why--there just is.

Let dry for 24 hours before wearing or washing.  There you have it!  It's cheap, it's easy, and it's fun.  I even find the cutting mildly therapeutic.  Is that weird?