'tender' sewing: a practice in patience

As previously mentioned, I'm still with-child, and it's obviously incredibly hot and humid this week. In turn I'm largely relegated to the indoors where my nesting tendencies have switched from cleaning/organizing to steamy times with the sewing machine (I mean 'steamy' quite literally- I have one hand on the machine and in the other I clutch my sweat rag).

My ultimate sewing dream is to become proficient at crafting and altering clothing. Whenever I work on a project of any sort I kind of see it as practice for fine-tuning the kinds of skills I'd need for creating durable, beautiful, wearable clothes. I've made plenty of clothing in the past (especially in a sewing class I took in high school) but I find that I'm usually a bit shy about the finished project. I hate when seams and the insides look so very 'homemade'. So in my sewing journey I try to remain patient, learn slowly, and mostly I try not to rush to finish the clothing in record time. My new philosophy is that if I'm rushing or I stop viewing the project with tender attention then it's time to leave it and come back to it later.

With all this in mind I undertook sewing my first pieces of clothing made from scratch in a long, long time. The kimono pajama pattern from Little Stitches for Little Ones is the whole reason I wanted that pattern book in the first place. I think the set is absolutely adorable, practical and comfortable. And now the Little Oyster has one for his/her very own! It's made even more special because the main fabric (the grayish blue) is actually one of Luke's old stained shirts that I was able to cut around and savage enough pieces to make both the top and the pants! That, contrasted beautifully with the green print used for the binding, and I am just in love. I can't help but gaze upon these little pj's with the very tenderness I now require of myself whilst sewing.

I loved them so much in fact that I immediately put together a second pair that I plan to give as a gift to another baby that soon will be on the scene.

Here you can see how the kimono top ties first on the inside.
And then once more on the outside. I think the little details like that are what endear me to these pj's. They're fully functional pieces of clothing that are also somewhat sentimental because they remind me of the hanbok clothing that is traditional in Korea.

My kindergarten students would wear the hanbok in vibrant colors for every big holiday.And even I got to try one on for fun at a thrift shop. Ahhh, beautiful clothing. For a beautiful baby. Who will be here sooner than we know.