Good morning, friends! I started to make K yet another animal print top as per her request this past weekend, but I just couldn’t do it. Instead, I flipped through my favorite Japanese sewing book
And here’s my version:
You can see that I didn’t follow instructions to the letter. I knew that K wouldn’t even attempt to tie those multiple, kimono-inspired strands, so I just added two leather cords that could be tied or just left loose.
I’m deeply in love with this leather cord. I found the spool buried in a sales box at Anthropologie over the holidays and I snatched it up. The fact that it’s on a wooden spool excited me beyond a conventional level.
This raglan jacket is a super quick sew, or at least it was for me since I didn’t bother with all the topstitching or the extra ties. I cut out the fabric pieces Saturday evening, then started sewing Sunday morning, and I was done within a couple of hours. I just love this Essex yarn-dyed linen. It’s a cotton blend, I believe, and is such an accommodating yet stylish fabric.
K puckered her lips and said, “It looks weird, Mama.” I beg to disagree – with the neutral outfit she happened to be wearing already (chosen by herself! Be still my happy heart), I think it looks awesome.
Here’s the trick: add some funky, pop music in the background, and she’ll dance and sing away, forgetting that she thought the jacket was odd. And then, if you’re lucky, you get a big ole smile:
I went ice skating over the weekend! K’s classmate had a birthday party, and I was one of the only parents willing to go on the ice — a decision I questioned the whole time. The battered leather rental skates didn’t seem up to the task of supporting my feet, but they clung on. For a split second, I forgot to be scared and glided across the vast frozen expanse…then K nearly tripped me. If you’re in the Seattle area, I highly recommend the Lynnwood Ice Center. It’s huge, and I’m told by those in the know that it doesn’t get very crowded. K loved it so much she wants her own birthday party there, but since she’s turning 9 in the month of July, I feel the need to explore other options…
P.S. The tee is from this post and the suspender skirt from this one (wow, I made that one two years ago and she still fits in it!).
i. love. it.!!! i love her style and yours. i need help in that department. if i had her wardrobe i would be ok.
Thank you, Tameka! Style is such a personal thing — if I can help in any way, I’d be happy to 🙂
my problem is that i don’t know what looks good on me, i tend to gravitate to jeans and t-shirts, since they look ok on everyone, and i don’t like shopping because i don’t like trying on clothes.
I hear you, Tameka! It’s also tricking sewing clothes for myself, I find. Although I can exert more control over fabric choice and can theoretically alter patterns to fit me better, it’s a pretty involved process (for me, at least) so it does feel easier to default to jeans + tee! What I’ve found helpful is looking at outfits on Pinterest – since I’m not trying them on, I don’t feel the normal angst, but I get a sense of what I naturally gravitate toward. I also like perusing various blogs (sewing, fashion) and instagram feeds where folks post outfits – looking at real-life outfits gives me a better idea of how certain garments fit on non-twiggy body types. 🙂
I like the look of the linen and leather, but I can see her point. I don’t think my daughters would be able to keep one of those jackets on for the whole day. I should get some of that fabric at some point too. It looks fab, especially with the grey nd black outfit!
I love skating! We go every Sunday, but our icedance coach for the last 12 years recently left our skating club and I am rather heartbroken. I still skate though. So sad. My daughter finally started ice dance and she only skated wih him once before Christmas. We have been waiting for 8 years for this. Ah well… onward!
Ha, she immediately took the jacket off after the photo shoot, but I have a feeling she’ll actually like it down the line. And yes, the Essex yarn-dyed fabrics are wonderful!
I’m so impressed you’ve been ice dancing for so long! Do you have sparkly outfits or are you more subdued in your ice dancing garb? Good luck finding another coach, Max!
I love the jacket! I’ve been drooling over some leather cord lately. Trying to think of a reason to buy some 🙂
There’s something about leather cord that makes my heart go pitter patter. This one curls in a very attractive way that I especially adore :-).
Luuurve this jacket, good on you for resisting the temptation of doing what the kid wants rather than what the kid needs! I wonder if this style would work on DDs?
Haha, I’m frequently resisting my daughter’s requests, Lesley! I didn’t include the photos from the actual book, but they also styled it so that the jacket ties the same way mine does – maybe it doesn’t look as good crossed over. I like the casualness of tying it at the front and it’s quite easy to wear!
That fabric is gorgeous! What a fun jacket. I’m sure K will find the usefulness of having a neutral to pair with all her leopard print!
Good idea Em! I did briefly consider having her wear her leopard print dress for the photo shoot, but I loved her outfit so much, I made sure not to mention it ;-).
I think it looks awesome,too. And the outfit underneath looks so cozy and cute. Did you ever post about that outfit?
Thanks Greta! I’ll include links to the tee and the suspender skirt in the post – the skirt is from ages ago!
That is a fantastic outfit! I wish I had the style your little K has! And she poses fabulously for your photo shoots! You must have a ball together doing these.
Lucky mama, lucky kidlet!
K is such a natural model, isn’t she? It blows me away. I’ve had that chance to shoot a few other kids and I had assumed that all kids are like K, but I think it’s because K is so comfortable with me that she poses so delightfully. You should see her school pix! Quelle horreur! Thanks, Jenny!
As much as I love K’s style, I’m going to have to go with you on this one: her outfit is very “un-weird”; rather, it’s the epitome of stylish! Essex linen is such a great fabric choice for that jacket, and of course the leather ties are the perfect finishing touch:)
Bravo for being the sole brave mama to go skating! Glad to hear K loved it so much! Is the Ice Center indoor? If so, perhaps a July bday party is still possible, and even would even be considered a welcome break from the heat:)
Thanks Lucinda! I wasn’t the only mom on the ice, but I was the only one who skated the entire time. The ice center is, indeed, indoors! I didn’t even consider the getting out of heat factor – good thinking! Since we had such an unusually cool summer last year, maybe it’s going to be a scorcher this year with the way spring has already sprung. 🙂
PS I want that outfit in grown-ups size! Must make a jacket just like it!
🙂 If you follow the link to the adult jacket in the post, it’ll take you to a similar pattern – might be worth a try! The weather’s warming up enough for me to bust it out again!
Hi Sanae,
i really, really like to work with essex linen, i usually use it in my quilts but also made trousers for my kids out of it. The best is: it ages beautifully and even tolerates the dryer (on low). This particular color is my favourite. And the Robe-Pattern is so sweet and easy and K looks so grown-up: i want this for myself…
Marit
Thanks so much, Marit! I use Essex linen a lot and you’re right! It does age beautifully. It fades into that old world, French blue that I so love!
Ooh, I love it! I’d wear it in a heartbeat. I have sewn with that Essex linen before. It’s nice stuff. I do think it wrinkles more than regular linen, if you can believe that. Love her whole outfit!
That’s so interesting, Liza Jane! I tend to use the linen blend (it’s cheaper) so I find that it doesn’t wrinkle quite as much some of the 100% linen that I have which wrinkle the moment I look at them.