Bringing home the bloomers

Way back in the never never of last year, I had a lot of fun putting this outfit together for kids sewing series Vintage May. Sewing around a theme is fun and a theme involving cute yesteryear kiddie clothes, well that totally nails a whole bunch of fav sewing criteria in one. Today it's being shipped back home, along with it's tutorial to DIY a pair of vintage kids bloomers. Which reminds, the next season of Kids Clothing Week is July 15-21 and with no epic events looming on the other side, I will definitely be sewing! And in other news, Google reader has ceased to be and you can follow this blog via Bloglovin.     

To bust out this vintage remix I started with two modern patterns we know and love, the Oliver and S Sailboat pants and Made By Rae's Flashback Skinny Tee. I love a good boy in bloomers. Or a boy in good bloomers. Even if I was once a sceptic, now I'm converted...they're charming, swanky and add instant vintage. I used Oliver and S Sailboat shorts as a base, piped the top edge, added two buttons instead of four, then gathered the legs to add bloomer cuffs. I saw this fabric at a thrift store and got all excited thinking it could be something authentically vintage but deep down I know it's probably more like Spotlight, circa 2011.  

There was a time, when I had a particular fondness for poaching brand new men's shirts to re-fashion into boy's t-shirts, see here and here. It was totally justified, just the circle of life, supporting Etsy sellers etc etc. At some point it must have dawned that maybe was a DIY in there somewhere so I went searching for an easy, washable transfer method that didn't involve a screen print, messy solvents or the plastic-y feel of iron-on transfer paper. I discovered this stuff called Lesley Riley Artist Transfer Paper which is worthy of an eternal happy dance. Think high quality iron-on transfer paper, matte finish, washable* (more than once) and works on knits! I found the image by searching Etsy for 'digital download' and purchased this delightful 'gentleman with antlers' from here. For the shirt itself, I needed a good plain basic and made up a short sleeved flashback skinny tee, minus ribbing and cuffs and with edges left raw for some vintage edge...oh yeah! 

*transfer image did fade over time but I suspect largely due to being washed on a normal cycle with all the other riff raff and then blasted in the sun week in week out. I'd still use it again.

This little ensemble totally needed a fedora. I used this pattern, and went to town on an ugly candy stripe men's shirt. I didn't read the size guide properly until afterward, which says largest size will fit a three year old but it just fits this four year old boulder noggin. 

Add instant vintage with a bloomer cuff

Use this tutorial to 'bloomify' any pants pattern or even ready made shorts. Before we begin, give a thought to where you'd like them to sit. Bloomers look good at many lengths and it is personal preference but for boys I'd go for on, below the knee. I don't know what it is but I don't think I'll send my four year old boy to Kindy in thigh high bloomers. But girls, yes, they can rock this length. Once you've decided, mark the new length on the pattern pieces but cut across 1/2" high than this line (we'll be adding a 1" high cuff with a 1/2" seam). Since often the front and back of pant pieces are different widths, it's easier to get the dimensions for the 'bloomer cuff' once you've made the pants up as normal (leave the legs un-hemmed).

1. To find your cuff length, lay your pants flat with right side facing out on top of some paper. Probably the trickiest bit of the whole thing is choosing a length for your cuff. When I made the bloomer cuff for the Basic Pocket Pants from Sew Liberated, I made the length roughly 2" less than the width of the pants. But for the Sailboat pants, I had to re-draw the cuff three times starting with it 2 " then 1" and finally 3/4"  less than the pant width. When I finally realized that this pattern has quite a narrow leg to start with and made the cuff length finish just 3/4" less than pant width, the fit was good. Long story short, depending on your chosen pattern, your cuff length will probably measure anywhere from 1/2" less than the pant width to 2" less and this includes the 1/2 " seam allowance. If it looks too narrow for your child's leg, it probably is. Mark the edge of the pants and your cuff length (in the photo its 3/4 " less than pant width).

2. Measure 3" down from points you just marked at each end  Mark another dot.

3. Join the dots and you get your cuff. Mark one end as a fold and cut out. 

4. Cut your cuffs out on the fold. Opened out they will look like this.

5. Fold each cuff in half with right sides together with short ends are matching. Pin and sew a 1/2 " seam.

6. Press seams open.

7.  Sew two rows of gathering stitches along the bottom of each leg, 2/8" and 3/8" from the edge. No need to backstitch at the start and end; just leave the threads long.

8. Holding the thread ends, pull into gathers.

9. With wrong side of pants facing out, slip cuff (with right side facing in) over the end, lining up the raw edges. Match the cuff seam with the inner leg seam and pin in place.  

10. Adjusting the gathers evenly as you go, pin cuff to pants and sew a 1/2 " seam.

11. Still with pants turned inside out, press the cuff and seam away from the pants.

12. Trim seam allowance to 1/4 ".

13. Press opposite side of cuff down 1/2 " as shown.

14. Fold cuff down and over outside of pants, covering up the stitching.

15. Pin in place.

16. Topstitch closed with a 1/8" seam.

17. Press cuff flat. And it's all over pavlova.

At some point he realized this man had antlers.