Pink Tutu's and my first go at pattern testing

This skirt appeals to all of my whimsy and flights of fancy, it is completely impractical for day to day wear and totally obnoxious, but that's kind of why I love it. I also thing it looks amazing glammed up with a leather jacket and pair of boots.

Rainbow Mrs Tumble PJs

Does anyone else out there love nothing more than getting home and throwing on a pair of PJs? I know I can't be the only one, and just how adorable are these, they bring me pure joy. Mr Fox does keep calling me Mrs Tumble when I wear them though!

Lil Space Critter

Following on from the adorable fox dress I made Miss Fox last week (if you missed it go check it out here) here is the second of the two dresses I made. I know the fox dress is super cute and all that but I actually think this one is my favourite, I mean that colour is just adorable and so perfect for this more autumnal weather that's finally coming our way.

An ombre array of baby headbands

Ok, so I know of all the sewing I have been doing these aren't exactly the most practical or useful things but they are pretty damn cute!

Will I actually put my baby in a headband? Am I that person? I don't know, but now I have the option to at least. I have a feeling that its just going to be more hassle than its worth to dress up a baby this much but I imagine they will go on for the odd posed photo ;)

These actually mark the last thing on my list of sewing projects for when baby arrives. I know we definitely didn't need these, but a baby in a headband is adorable and it was a really great use of some leftover jersey from some of my other more recent makes. Plus who can deny the value of a what would be free accessory? What is nice about them as well is that at least a couple of them are made out of fabrics which I used to make other outfits for her so they will even match.

I used a free online pattern from Coral & Co to make these. The pattern was a download but it was very minimal pages and included the pattern for both a thick and thin version as well as various sizes. Their website looks lovely and they have a fair few other free patterns, especially children's ones. There isn't much else to say about the pattern, it wasn't a difficult sew, but definitely a nice way to use up some leftover jersey you have, especially if you have already made a matching outfit and have some fabric spare.

Three of these fabrics are cotton jerseys and the plain pink one is a polyester jersey. The cotton ones have a lovely stiffness to them which helps to keep the bow in shape really well whereas the pink one is a little floppy and I feel might not be as practical on a little baby. Time will tell when I get to test it out practically.

Its lovely to have another use for those fabric scraps though. What is your favourite thing to do with fabric scraps? I'm terrible for not wanting to throw them away but also I really don't have the space to store them anymore. Its especially hard with having kids because every small piece could be a facing or a pocket lining for a tiny outfit! Argh! I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in this plight though. 

He's a star pocket shorts

But whats this you ask? That's right, boy sewing! I thought it about time I stopped neglecting the boy with all this girly sewing going on.

These shorts actually serve a very specific purpose, they are his new 'potty training pants'. We have just started with this joyful phase of toddlerhood and what we learnt is that he likes to take his whole bottoms off before using the potty; yep naked from the waist down! This is perfectly fine when you are at home but when you are out and about and in a hurry you don't want to have to be taking those pesky shoes off just to get his trousers off. Thankfully its summer and so I went on the hunt for the perfect shorts pattern to help us with this dilemma.

How adorable is this little man modelling his new shorts whilst running around an illuminarium! Not the best visual representation I know but have you ever tried to keep a 2 year old boy still! At least you can see the fit on him.

I was looking for something very specific when trying to find a pattern for his potty training shorts; a soft waistband for easy up and down action, no cuffs on the legs so they would go over his shoes whilst they are still on and preferably knee length. I was given a few suggestions but the pattern that came to my rescue was from Brindille and Twig and its their pockets shorts pattern. It fit my above criteria perfectly, looked really easy to make and also seemed to fit some fabric which I already had in my stash of leftovers. I also love the fact it comes with pockets, its such a cute little addition and adds a nice bit of detail to make them more interesting.

I've never made a pattern from this company before but not only is their website visually gorgeous they have so many basic jersey patterns for kids, there is definitely something for every occasion.

The pattern was a PDF download as you would expect these days, but it was so simple I only needed 5 pieces of paper. The construction was also simple enough and the pattern came with really helpful instructions that included very helpful images. In fact I don't think I actually read any of the text when constructing these shorts I just following the photos. That is my idea of a perfect pattern.

I made two versions as you can see; the blue pair are some leftover single jersey from myfabrics.com with blue rib for the waistband and some leftover black jersey for the pockets. The second pair are made using a more sturdy grey and black sweatshirt knit which I got from the Ottobre Etsy shop, some black ribbing for the waistband and the same black jersey for the pockets again. The pattern worked perfectly for both types of fabric but I definitely like the black and grey pair better. I think that's just because I love boy shorts in sweatshirt fabric, they are more like joggers and this fabric just handled really nicely and they have such a professional finish.

I made these shorts in a size 90cm (18-24 months) and they fit him perfectly, and I mean perfectly. I did sew the waistband a tiny it shorter as I know he has a little waist but otherwise its spot on. This was a little surprising as most of his stuff in this size is still a little big but I am not going to complain, its summer, they fit and he needs them for now not in 2 months time.

So all in all I love this pattern, I recommend it and this will definitely not be the last Brindille and Twig pattern I make for my little monkeys! They only question is which of their gorgeous patterns next, and will it be for a boy or a girl?

Baby dribble bibs (including pattern)

Can you ever have enough dribble bibs? There is a possibility I might have gone a bit overboard on the bibs here but personally the answer to this question is no, you definitely can't have too many of these things. I know from the experience of my own little dribbler these things are a must for pretty much any baby (unless you are lucky and manage to get a dribble free one, but I am not convinced they exist). Master Fox was known to go through at least 3 a day some days so unless you want a constant wash on the more the merrier.

The best thing about these though is that they have all been made out of fabric I already had, so not only are they amazing and super useful but they were also free!

But even better than that, I have included my pattern and the instructions for these bibs in this post. Aren't I good to you :)

See below for my instructions as well as the downloadable pattern.

A note about the pattern: I made this pattern by tracing from a shop bought bib left over from when Master Fox was little. I love this size and shape for a bib, but the ones from the shops come in so many different sizes you might find you prefer a different type. In which case, just fold the bib in half, draw around it and add a small seam allowance, it really is as easy as that.

Click here to download my DIY Fox Dibble Bib pattern

Make sure you print the document at 100% size so that you know your final bibs will fit your little ones.

Materials: main fabric, backing fabric, poppers/snaps

I used a variety of different fabrics for these bibs:
For the main fabric I used quilting cotton and knit/jersey (some cotton, some poly). Cottons are easier to sew but are more rigid. Knit/Jersey are harder to sew with but they are nice and soft on babys skin
For the backing I used either flannel or knit/jersey, you could also use toweling, minky, fleece or cotton.
For the poppers I used Kam snaps but you can also use sew in press studs or no sew studs. You could even use velcro if you preferred.

Bibs made from quilting cotton

Instructions:

1. Using the pattern above cut 1 piece main fabric and one piece backing fabric. Make sure to cut the pattern on the fold.
2. With wrong sides together pin the front and back pieces together and sew around the edge leaving a 2 inch gap along one edge to turn the bib the right way around.
3. Trim the seams as close to the stitching as possible
4. Turn the bib so the right sides are now on the outside through the hole you left in the step above
5. Make sure that the seam allowance for the gap you left for turning is folded to the inside of the bib, it helps to iron these seams so that they stay flat
6. Sew all the way around the outside of the bib making sure you catch the seams over the turning hole
7. Attach a snap to the ends of the bib according to your snap instructions. 
8. Admire your work :)

Bibs made from Knit/Jersey

So you see they really are that easy there is little point in buying any at all.

Floral Teddy Romper

Well spring has finally sprung and despite being pretty cold this week its nice to see the return of the sunshine today. All this lovely sun and finally seeing the flowers spring up has inspired me to make this gorgeous little cotton floral romper in a hope that my little summer baby will get a chance to wear it before the autumn finally sets in.

Isn't it just adorable <3

The fabric is some very thin swiss dot cotton lawn which I bought from ebay. Its a lovely lightweight fabric and will be perfect if we get any really hot and sweaty days this summer where we want to keep baby covered, but wearing something light and breathable.

Something odd has happened to me though since finding out I am having a girl, and that is a new like for floral fabric. Historically the mere hint of a flower on fabric had me looking in another direction but instead now I am looking a them with new eyes. I think it will still be a while before you see me in anything with flowers on, but it has certainly opened up a whole new world of opportunities for me!

The pattern is another Puperita, the Teddy Romper and as per usual the pattern is utter perfection. I was drawn to this pattern because of two things, the flutter sleeves and the popper fastenings. Mr Fox hates it when I make any kind of romper/dungarees as it makes the whole nappy changing thing an absolute mare. So this pattern keeps him happy and will allow for a nice easy nappy change. 

Everything about this pattern is just adorable, the sleeves, the cross neck, the gathered leg holes, I absolutely love it. It also has a version for boys. It can also be worn over a vest and tights for those slightly cooler days. 

Again, I wouldn't say this was a particularly fast sew as I took my time with it, and there are a lot of bound edge seams, but the time and attention to details really are what make handmade look really special.

Hope you all have a lovely weekend and enjoy mothers day.

Hand Built Ceramic Fruit Bowl

I'm coming at you with something a bit different this week, some pottery!

I posted a while ago about how I have been attending some hand building ceramic drop in classes over the last year with David Sampson. Due to family life and some personal things I sadly haven't been able to attend much the last 6 months or so. Its such a shame as I really enjoy the classes. Whilst sewing is so satisfying, its really nice to get your hands dirty and actually form something using just these and a few basic tools.

This is a bowl I was working on before I stopped attending. The idea was for it to be a replacement fruit bowl as ours is rather dull. Rather than using the coil technique like I did for the kitty pot This was made by rolling out a really big slab of clay and laying it over a bowl form to create the shape.

As you can see its not really a perfect bowl, its rather wonky and has wobbly edges but this was thankfully intentional. I think the idea was for it to look a bit more organic the finely produced.

One of the reasons I love going to these clay workshops is that I really do have no idea what I am doing, so everything that I make is a complete experiment. I don't really like the thought of going in knowing exactly what I want, its nice to sort of see it sort of shape in front of you, and see how the different techniques can cause such different effects.

The kitty pot I made was very smooth and sleek, and was very simply decorated with a bit of coloured slip, some oxide painted on and some clear glaze. With this bowl I wanted to go a step further.

On the bottom I rolled thin snakes of clay and adhered them on in a sort of spiral pattern. I then used a knife and cut away small sections to make the patterns you can see here. I really like pattern and ceramics, I don't really know why I just sort of like the rhythm of it. I really like the bottom of this bowl, I think I probably prefer it to the top so its a shame you don't really get to see this bit!

For the main part of the bowl I used a technique called sgraffito to create the pattern. First I painted the surface of the bowl with some coloured slip, starting with the brown. I actually had hoped this would come out more black than it did, but again I don't mind its all part of learning what different things do when fired. I then painted a strip of blue and a strip of white to add some more interest.

Using a small tool I then carved these circular patterns around the bowl working my way to the edge. I worked in rings using slightly different thicknesses and pattern each time to create a more interesting effect.

I really love the way the sgraffito turned out, and the dark colour really compliments it well. I think the bit on the blue section looks a bit too much like a sundial for my liking but not so much it bothers me.

Sadly I've not read great things about the chemicals in glazes and pregnancy so I wont be able to attend again for a while now, but I really hope once the family have settled down after the next arrival I will be able to go back as I really enjoy David's workshops. I did manage to get one more pot ready for a final firing, so hopefully I can pick that up in the next month or so as well, it will be exciting to see how that one turns out.

And then there was Wren: Version 2

Following on from that hideous version of wren I blogged about a couple of weeks ago I'm very happy to show of my second version of Wren which is a much much better fit. You may not have seen the other post as I purposefully made no reference to it on social media I think it was that bad!

Anyway, I had always planned on making two versions of this dress, when I was looking for the fabric for it I spied this lovely jersey here on Croft Mills website and it was a great fit for the pattern. I wanted something with a pattern but it needed to be something without a directional print as I'm not sure how that would transfer to the neck crossover sections. This ticks all those boxes and because I knew I would want to get some wear out of this one I thought it best to make a tester first.

 

I made a number of adjustments on this version. Not just in the sizing but also a couple on the pattern itself. I did a small back adjustment, a full bust adjustment (using the Myrtle sew along, thank you to the lovely ladies at Colette for getting back to me with this suggestion) and shortened the skirt. This one fits soooo much better now I'm really pleased I did them. How frustrating is it though that I can't even get away with sewing straight from the pattern even in the stretchiest of fabrics!!

So I also made a couple of adjustments to the pattern. The first was to cut the front wrap pieces on the fold so that they are actually doubled over. This meant that rather than having to sew a hem on the front neckline you have a nice smooth line, you just have to sew the two raw edges to the bodice piece and thats it. I also decided to add cuff bands instead of sewing a hem on the cuffs. I used the 3/4 sleeve which is in the additional sleeves download, but they are just a bit short, and I like something that clings to my arm a bit better. I nicked the cuff bands from the lady skater dress pattern but it would be really easy to draft your own just by measuring the width of your arm and adding a seam allowance. I'm really pleased with these two adjustments, I hated the twin needle sewing on my last version so it was nice to get rid of as much of that as possible. I don't think the neck alteration would work on the thicker ponte roma/interlock knit version as it might be too thick but it works well if using regular jersey. The only adjustment I would consider down the line would be to make the back neck a bit higher, it feels a little drafty for me but not too much to worry about.

 

I'm really chuffed with this version. The fit is brilliant, its really flattering, the fabric works really well and is comfortable to wear, it goes with all sorts and I can dress it up or down to suit the occasion. I am still having some slight issues with flashing depending on my undergarments but it is no where near as bad as the previous version. I have discovered that I can wear a vest top underneath if I am really worried and it doesn't look awkward at all. However, if anyone has any tips on how to prevent this happening tell me, tell me now!

I hope you like it. I really recommend this pattern, its it a breeze to sew once you have your twin needle sussed.

x

Puperita showcase: Pirate dungarees for little pugwash

How bloody cute is this kid, I could eat him! I know I'm biased, but hey he is pretty handsome you know you can't deny it.

Anyway, on with what we are here for; firstly, I know it's a bit odd that I'm coming to you on a Thursday this week but bear with me, there is good reason for it which I will explain in a minute, but in the meantime why don't you scroll through another adorable picture of Master Fox...

I was very pleased to be invited to join in on a showcase blog event to sing the praises of Annalisa Puperita who designs the most amazing children's sewing patterns which can be downloaded in PDF from her Etsy shop. If you have seen my previous baby makes you will know that I have sung her praises a couple of times before so was more than happy to take part in this event. There is a list of all the other bloggers taking part at the end of this post so make sure you go and have a look at some of the other amazing makes to get some inspiration and see some of the other patterns which are on offer. 

I chose to use the little birds dungarees pattern again as I loved his Christmas dungarees and they are really nice to sew in fashion or quilting cottons. I think of all the bloggers I might have been the only one to make something for a little boy so I'm pleased to be able to show off how nice handmade boys clothes can be too. Master Fox has been in his current size for a couple of months now so I have made them in the next size up so he gets more wear out of them. So excuse the fact they are looking a bit baggy in these pictures, they are not meant to be fitting well yet and the cuffs have been double rolled up! The other nice thing about this pattern is that it's not too difficult to get on and off for a nappy change. I definite must for little ones who wriggle enough as it is! 

I used some lovely blue Makower skull print cotton for the outer and some plain cheap black cotton on the inside. I love a pirate theme on little boys, it's so cute! The fabric was from Ebay of course but I think there are still a number of online retailers selling it. The pattern features three pockets, a lovely big roomy one on the front and two which are nicely placed on the bottom area. There are four buttons which fasten at the sides and on the shoulder straps and the thing I really like to do for this pattern is make my own fabric covered buttons to match the rest of the dungarees. I think they fit really well rather than having to match a store bought button. These dungarees are newborn -2 but she also designs patterns for older kids, and some of the patterns cover newborn - 6 years! That's a bargain of a pattern purchase right there.

One of he best things about these patterns though is the commitment to support that you get from Annalisa the designer. When you buy one of her patterns you get invited to her support Facebook group where herself and other makers have built an amazing group that not only offers help with patterns but also showcases other peoples makes which is a great source of inspiration. There are all sorts of people in this group  from seasoned sewers, private children's clothes sellers to people that have never sewn in their lives and just want to make something nice for themselves. This makes it a great little community. 

But not only this Annalisa is happy to answer questions from you either via Facebook or through Etsy messenger. She is always quick to respond and really helpful. You honestly could not ask for more from her.

So whether you are seasoned at sewing and fancy making kids clothes, or have never done it before but want to make something from scratch with confidence I seriously recommend you take a look at her patterns. The instructions are so clear with pictures and clear directions that anyone should be able to follow them. Take a look around the other bloggers posts below and you will no doubt find some serious inspiration and testemant to the fact that these patterns always have amazing results:

Emi ~ Just Add Fabric     Jaime ~ Made By Jaime     Janice ~ So-Cal Sewing Mom     

Soso ~Moineau & Petit Pois     Ula ~ Lulu & Celeste     Nuala ~ clootie dumplings

Pam ~ Threading My Way     Maria ~ Fairies, Bubbles & Co.     Shelly ~ Sew Shelly Sew

Chari ~ Take time to smell the rose     Helen ~ The DIY Fox     Karly ~ Paisley Roots

Sanae ~ Sanae Ishida     Candice ~ Candice Ayala     Melissa ~ Rebel & Malice

Janet ~ 7 Pine Design     Jenya ~ While she was sleeping

Grey Jersey Wren Mk1

What can I say about this dress other than Oooer hello Mrs! Its not leaving much to the imagination!

After all that structured fabric sewing I have been desperate to get onto sewing something stretchy. Colette recently (well 6 months ago) released their Wren jersey dress pattern which has a lovely wrap over style neckline. I have been really looking forward to having a go at this one, its jersey, its a low neck and wrapovers are supposedly perfect for the fuller bosom. I bought the pattern over Xmas and its been patiently sitting there waiting for me to get round to it ever since.

I plumped for trying a lighter jersey version with the gathered skirt (I might have lost a stone but those love handles are still a little large for something more bodycon at this point!) and used some very nice soft grey marl Jersey from Croft Mill. I think in the end this fabric was a little too lightweight for the project as it doesn't hold the shape particularly well but it does the job and is very comfortable to wear.

 

The pattern is very simple, not as simple as some jersey patterns given the wrap over, but still its very easy to make and I really like the instructions in Colette pattern books. It was a doddle to make this up with the overlocker, though I did have a few issues at first with my twin needle. I think the problem was I was trying to be clever and use the walking foot but it just fought me all the way. As a result my twin needle sewing on the wrap and back neck sections are really shocking, which is a shame as these are the most obvious bits. It did get a lot easier once I removed the walking foot though.

It's just that I can't quiet bring myself to wear this in public! I'm just super paranoid that if I lean forward or move about too much everything is going to be out on show! I think I need to go do some new bra shopping then give it a good wash and wear it for a day around the house to see what happens. Worse case scenario I can always sew some tacking stitches on the two wrap sections to hold them together a bit in the middle to save any embarrassing mishaps.

I did make this version up as a tester though, I have some nicer, sturdier fashion jersey which I bought for this pattern  which will hopefully hold the structure of this dress a bit better. I also plan on making a few alterations along the way to get a better fit and with any luck sort out those cleavage issues.

Houndstooth Lilou Dress

This is the last pattern from the Love at First Stitch book and the one which I was really keen to make as its the pattern in the book which I think most matches my personal clothing style. I opted for the pleased skirt version over the gathered one as I think that pleats flatter my shape a little better, at least in a more structured fabric. This dress is made with all my style points ticked: Cute little sleeveless dress with a fitted bodice, monochrome (everything has to be monochrome at the minute!) and a punky hounds tooth print. There is a massive error in this dress though. I'll talk about it later but I wonder if you can spot it in the meantime. The dress as a whole does make me very happy though.

The fabric is a gorgeous large hounds tooth print viscose which again I bought from Croft Mill. I realise it looks monochrome but its actually a very slight off white and dark purple weave but you might as well call it black and white, its about as damn near. You are probably wondering if I ever buy any fabric from anywhere else but here or eBay but the truth is Croft Mill just have this brilliant knack of finding fabrics which suit my taste. They have a nice mix of different types of dress fabric, so there is usually something for every occasion, they manage to find lots of interesting prints which you don't see the same in every fabric shop, and finally their prices aren't crazy. (You just made me go check out their newly stocked section and I'm already coveting a load more fabric from them and Ive got at least 4 in my sewing pile already!)

For the lining I used some cotton fabric from Makower with a cute scissor print on. Now this is a total copy from the book as Tilly's version also has a red version of this fabric as a lining, but the truth is I've had half a meter of this in my stash for forever and never had a project for such a small piece so it was fate really. The cotton does react differently to the viscose but it has helped the give the bodice a bit of structure which is better, whilst the skirt still flows beautifully because of the drape of the viscose.

I made a lot of alterations to this dress, and its still far from fitting well. I cut a size 3, did a 1.5 inch bust adjust and then added a small back adjust. The small back adjust made a huge difference to the fit there and I'm really glad I tried it. It will definitely be doing that again. However once it was sewn there was a lot of room in the waist still and there is far too much fabric in the back so I ended up re-sewing the side seams. So now I am thinking that for one bodice piece I really need to make all the following adjustments: full bust, small back, small waist and sway back! It's probably time I took my sister up on her very kind offer to help me and my mum make a body block.

There are a lot of things I really tried to do right with this dress, especially given the print, that just didn't work out. I made a muslin which seemed ok, but turned out not to be so great. I was so particular to cut with the print and pattern matching in mind, especially where the dress and bodice meet, but I made a glaring obvious mistake and sewed the pleats on the wrong side of the fabric. The front skirt is actually wrong side out (thank god for viscose!) but it means the print is reversed and that there was no way I could pattern match down the front. I actually don't think its that obvious to spot but its really annoyed me. On the plus side at least the print runs in a straight line so that I am very grateful for.

That being said I really like it and I figured that if I had bought this dress in a shop the fit wouldn't be great, the pattern wouldn't match and given how much I paid for the fabric its a bargain. I really do need to get this pattern matching thing sorted out though. The bottom line is that I really like the dress pattern so I will definitely be making it again, I just need to work a bit harder on getting it to fit perfectly. I am doing really well at getting closer to my pre-preg weight though so I think I will give it another month and then work on really getting this pattern to fit, as I can see me having a few versions of it as a wardrobe staple.

Did you manage to spot the mistake?

Calavera skull print baby romper

 I made another gorgeous version of the Jumpy baby romper again this week. I really do love this pattern so much. It's such a speedy sew and so easy to follow.

I used some gorgeous Calavera skull print cotton jersey which I bought from DaWanda, which is kind of like a German version of folksy/etsy. You can get so much lovely jersey in the EU, much more than in the UK and you don't need to pay any silly taxes to import it. Yay :) I use a plain grey jersey for the lining and cuffs. I can't quiet decide what sex this is for. The colours are very boyish but the skulls have a definite femine feel. I guess that makes it unisex! 

So you thinking 'oh another romper, wow' well the exciting thing about this romper is it marks the start of my new vision to make alternative and quirky children's clothing to sell. I do want to work on some more original ideas/pattern alterations but to start getting the shop up and running I need to get a few items made up to stick in it and make it visible in the real world! Exciting stuff right! 

I am being realistic about this project though and I'm not going to go bull in a china shop to get it open, I want to make sure the things I do sell are well made and thought out. So for the meantime this little baby outfit will get shut away until I have a few more items to launch. 

I've always loved the bright colours and characters in children's textiles, which is why I used to make the plush monsters . Hopefully this will give me satisfying new way to both utilise all those fun fabrics designed with kids in mind, and to come up with a few fun creations of my own! 

Hopefully I can make this work now I've said it out loud!! I hope you all wish me luck, I'll let you know as soon as I get a bit further with it, but in the meantime, back to some selfish sewing!! 

Blue Baby Moss Print Hoodie

Baby knitting is so awesome! Its so much easier to finish something when its this tiny, and i'll be honest i'm not brilliant at finishing my knitting projects. Admittedly, with a little baby it still takes a while, but at least its a finishable project. I mean it seems daft to put something this small on you hibernating knitting pile when a few extra evenings will see it finished.

This little hoodie is a pattern I got from Ravelry called Manda Ruth which can also be purchased from the designers website. I really like the all over moss print which adds a lovely bit of texture, and of course the cute little hood.

 

This is the first time I have ever knitted anything 'in the round' (its a cardi, so esentially not round but you get the point). Knitting in the round is where you knit the whole body, front and back, as one piece so there are no seams to be sewn. You then pick up the arms and knit them in the round on dpns so again no seams. This is not a very British way of sewing, and although the technique itself wasn't difficult I think I actually prefer to knit all the pieces and sew them together at the end. I'm not brilliant at picking up and knitting, but at least this project gave me some much needed practice. 

The pattern itself was very straight forward to follow and it knitted up really quick being an aran weight hoodie. I would definitely recommend this pattern, and I might make up another one for when hes a bit older.

I did make a couple of boo boos here and there, but nothing too noticeable I hope, and certainly not something which is going to bother me (or Master Fox).

 

I chose this really lovely blue Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran which I got from Love Knitting. It was meant to be a superman blue, as Mr Fox is a huge fan of blue, but it is ever so slightly off. The colour and feel of this wool is so gorgeous though, its so fresh and bright.

The sad thing about this pattern is that it has come up really small :(. Master Fox is a little boy and is still in 0-3 month clothes despite being 4 months now (how is he already 4 months old!?!). I chose to knit this in the 6 month size and as you can see from the picture below its a little on the snug side, especially the hood. So if you do decide to knit this double check your gauge and maybe knit the next next size up to be on the safe side. Its ok when the hood is down though, and we will get a few wears out of it as its the perfect cover up for these spring days.