The perfect pattern for Fix it Felix!
/Today we're continuing our series on using everyday PDF patterns and converting them into costumes. Trisha is using the Sisboom Ethan, a dress shirt pattern for boys, and modifying it to look like men's work shirt for her little man who wants to be Fix it Felix this Halloween. By the way, the Ethan pattern is one of the 26 patterns in the Sew Fab Bundle Sale this week. If you haven't heard, you can get 26 patterns for only $29.95! You can read all about that awesome deal HERE.
Click photo to purchase the Ethan pattern from Scientific Seamstress Etsy Shop
For Halloween this year my family decided they wanted to be characters from the Disney movie "Wreck it Ralph." My husband will be Ralph, my youngest daughter will be Vanellope, my oldest wants to be Princess Vanellope, I will be Sgt. Calhoun, and my son is going to be Fix it Felix Jr.
Now, I have to say when I first looked through the instructions I was scared to death. I've done lots of girls and women's clothes before, but not a lot of boys clothes. Just the basic t-shirts and pants. So when the pattern starts talking about a collar stand and plackets I began freaking out and wondered if I had gotten in way over my head on this pattern. Once I got the pattern pieces all put together, however, it seemed a bit less daunting. That and the fact that by making it short sleeve I got to skip all the parts about the sleeve plackets and cuffs. Maybe the next time I make this I'll attempt that, but for my first time I was happy to skip it!
Once I started sewing, however, it really wasn't bad at all. Carla's instructions were great, and I just took it one step at a time. I did learn what I collar stand is, which I had no clue before. (For those of you who are like me, it's that piece that is between the collar and the shirt that helps the collar stand up more) I'm glad that I did it. My husband just smiled politely at me when I kept showing him what each step looked like when I'd completed it. I have to say I was pretty proud of it.
I added a hat with a felt logo glued on, a name patch on the shirt that is simply fabric with the name painted on (no embroidery machine here), kid work gloves (which apparently are still too big for a 3 year old), and of course a tool belt with a golden hammer.
The hammer is a felt pattern from the book Big Little Felt Universe: Sew It, Stuff It, Squeeze It, Fun
that I had. I've never made a stuffed felt toy before, so it's not perfect, but it works. The tool belt was just a rectangle of felt I folded in half, with a hammer loop sewn in the side and snaps to close it.
This makes me excited to get going on all the rest of the costumes! I can just hope they all turn out this well.
To make the Felix costume I knew I had to make a button down work shirt. I took the Sis Boom Ethan and just modified it a touch. Instead of long sleeves, I changed it to short sleeves. This pattern is for a long sleeve shirt, so I just took a shirt I had that fit him well to figure out how short to cut the sleeves. Then instead of one pocket, I did two, and changed them to be rectangular instead of the regular dress shirt pocket shape.
Now, I have to say when I first looked through the instructions I was scared to death. I've done lots of girls and women's clothes before, but not a lot of boys clothes. Just the basic t-shirts and pants. So when the pattern starts talking about a collar stand and plackets I began freaking out and wondered if I had gotten in way over my head on this pattern. Once I got the pattern pieces all put together, however, it seemed a bit less daunting. That and the fact that by making it short sleeve I got to skip all the parts about the sleeve plackets and cuffs. Maybe the next time I make this I'll attempt that, but for my first time I was happy to skip it!
Once I started sewing, however, it really wasn't bad at all. Carla's instructions were great, and I just took it one step at a time. I did learn what I collar stand is, which I had no clue before. (For those of you who are like me, it's that piece that is between the collar and the shirt that helps the collar stand up more) I'm glad that I did it. My husband just smiled politely at me when I kept showing him what each step looked like when I'd completed it. I have to say I was pretty proud of it.
I added a hat with a felt logo glued on, a name patch on the shirt that is simply fabric with the name painted on (no embroidery machine here), kid work gloves (which apparently are still too big for a 3 year old), and of course a tool belt with a golden hammer.
The hammer is a felt pattern from the book Big Little Felt Universe: Sew It, Stuff It, Squeeze It, Fun
that I had. I've never made a stuffed felt toy before, so it's not perfect, but it works. The tool belt was just a rectangle of felt I folded in half, with a hammer loop sewn in the side and snaps to close it. This makes me excited to get going on all the rest of the costumes! I can just hope they all turn out this well.
