Not only do I have quite a full knitting queue on Ravelry - plus plenty of requests from my boys for crocheted amigurumi - I now have enough sewing to keep me busy for quite some time. I visited the nearest Jo-Ann Fabrics (one of the smaller, less impressive ones) and then trekked a further five miles or so to the Hancock Fabrics in Durham - my first visit there. I don't think I've ever looked through a Kwik-Sew catalog, but I got quite a bit of craft-geek excitement out of it. Lots of simple, basic wardrobe items for kids, which is an aspect of Simplicity, McCalls, and all the rest that I've found lacking. I picked up several patterns, plus a few yards of a lightweight cotton multicolored stripe that was on clearance for $1 a yard.
As if that weren't enough, I got home to find a hefty package from Connecting Threads, full of clearance cottons to the tune of over 35 yards. These fabrics aren't destined - at least primarily - for quilts, but for outfits for my daughter and two boys, sons of a friend of mine. All three children are autistic, nonverbal and not potty-trained, which all has translated to some soul-searing poo-related episodes in the lives of their parents. A year or two back I started making jumpsuits for my daughter to at least prevent easy access to the onboard waste receptacle, and after moving down here last fall, I've made a few for the boys as well. I've been using a Simplicity pattern that they apparently don't have anymore (at least, it's not on their website), but it's almost identical to this one by McCall's. I've been fretting because the pattern only goes up to a size 6. I was able to tweak it enough to make it fit my 8-year-old without much difficulty, but I wasn't looking forward to further upsizing. Fortunately, I found a replacement that goes all the way up to size 12-14. It will make things a lot easier. I'd like to hope I never have to modify this one....
I have lots of ideas percolating in my head for expanding my repertoire to include similar outfits that don't look so pajama-like and hence could be worn in public. While it should be pretty easy to tweak the pattern to make cute little aviator's flight suits and so forth, that's pretty limiting. Today I bought this pattern for a girl's tank top and capris which I hope to convert to a one-piece, back-zip outfit; I'm also planning to try making what will basically be pants/capris/leggings with an attached undershirt that fastens in the back, to be worn under a shirt or top. If I work out the details to my satisfaction, I'm hoping to actually start selling them. But that will have to wait a while.
Meanwhile, I have 35 yards of fabric to wash and press. Tomorrow, sewing!
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