Homespun for Stephen

I'm still undecided if I really enjoy sewing for boys or not.  They outgrow their clothes so quickly, and get them dirty, or tear them in such a short amount of time.  But, they look SO cute, and they are so excited to get dressed up and get involved with the living history too- it's irresistible.  :) So maybe boys shirts and pants are not my most favorite thing in the world to sew (they do get finished faster than dresses...and I like short projects! I've gotten to a place now where I can sew 2 waistcoats in less than a day...I've made 6 so far) but even still, I think I'd like to keep sewing them. :)

Of course, Stephen (9) has outgrown his first shirt (a recycled shirt from VV) and it's not really period so he needed a new one.  The fabric I used was a very lightweight cotton homespun that I took from a size 3x dress and lining bought at the VV.  It's by far some of the breeziest material I've worked with, but I didn't have any problems with it and the sewing machine.  I actually hand-sewed a decent amount though because the cuffs and things were too small to fit on my sewing machine. :P The pattern I used was this one I believe...and I borrowed it from Bascha. The pattern is fine, though I think you could easily make it without a pattern, all it is is rectangles and squares.  The underarm gusset I made 3x4, and I made the shirt without a collar.  It's a little on the short side (I shortened it a good bit to start with), but I didn't have any more fabric so it has to work!

The buttons are ?? buttons I got for a crazy good price ( 50 for $1) (Bascha knows what they are called, but the name of them has escaped my memory.  They are period correct buttons though, and for me that's really all that matters :P), and I made the button holes the same as I did on my homespun dress.

him being goofy, but I really like the way the shirt looks so I'm keeping
the photo in here :P

the button(s)

The back.  Oh and forgive the camo shorts...(I was surprised they were dry actually, considering we were
having a water fight!)...and the van.

cuff and button

 

 

 

Isn't he just adorable? Xoxo, I love him! :D

Oh, and I've recently acquired a...a, well, UGLY fur coat. *lopsided grin*.  I know these first two pictures are not the best, but hey, it was an ugly coat so it deserved ugly pictures. :P  But who cares if the thing is ugly???  IT'S REAL BEAR SKIN!!! My mom and I were not sure at first...but after much investigation, she and Joshua claim it's real. :)  One of the nicest ladies on earth gave it to me.  She volunteers at Latta Plantation as well, and is like the grandma on the grounds:).  We all love her! She is really funny, and at the last WW2 reenactment, she was just dying to get rid of this coat, either by goodwill or by Latta (or by me :D) because she says she hates fur.  I'm thinking this will make several fur muffs or something else I haven't thought of yet.



Me, in said coat

I notice sometimes that other people have pictures of themselves and their things either at a reenactment, or
at some really pretty place, or in a pleasant backyard...not so in my case.  Yes, this is my driveway (the part you can see of it).  And if you are wondering if a tornado hit...none did, just 7 kids.  And yes, if you are wondering, yes it normally looks like this. :O  but in our defense, they were in the midst of a water balloon war. :D And I'm about to go join them!!!!!

Update: the effects of our water fight...a big balloon mess to take care of!

~Theresa