Hello! I promise that I’ll eventually stop mentioning our recent trip to Disneyland but, it might take a bit. This was the longest and biggest vacation I’ve been on since moving out of my parent’s house after graduating from high school. Taking my son to a place where he kept mentioning, “This is a child’s best dream!” felt magical. My first experience with Disneyland was at fifteen, so seeing everything through the eyes of a six year old was a true joy. Ok, enough blubbering about my feelings here, time to talk about the handmade pieces that kept us clothed.
1. #SewFreeFall: Family Edition
Like me, my son is a big fan of twinning outfits. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that he’s an only child but, he LOVES when I make him clothes using the same fabric as mine (just check the #momandkentwinagain for proof) or that match his cousins. This time I couldn’t leave my husband out of the matching fun. I opted out of matching since I’m not likely to wear a Star Wars shirt outside of Disneyland and dressed in a themed outfit pulled from my wardrobe instead (details on my outfit in my last #SewFreeFall post here). With final fabric approval from my husband, I ordered a Star Wars print jersey (here) from Joann.
My husband’s tee is the free Sage Tee by Elbe Textiles. His measurements put him in a size G. However, after looking at finished measurements and comparing the pattern pieces to his favorite tee, I opted to size down to an E. The only other change being an additional 1/2″ of length added at the hem. He’s now worn the shirt twice and is satisfied with the overall fit. It’s a little wider in the sides than his personal preference. Just something I’ll keep in mind for adjustments the next go around.
For my son, I used the free Rowan Tee by Misusu Patterns. I sewed up a size 6-7yr and added 1/2″ to the length. I’ve sewn this pattern a couple of times before and it’s quickly becoming my go-to for quick and easy kid tees. In fact, I’m already planning a few long-sleeve versions for the winter months ahead.
2. Themed Pieces for the Trip
My son was the lucky one this time and got all the new pieces for our vacation. Getting in the spirit of Disney and Halloween, I decided to make him a couple of themed items.
Knight Hoodie
The Knight Hoodie by Charming Doodle has been around the online sewing world for about seven years now. This trip, and the fact that my son is in need of a new hoodie, was the perfect excuse to stitch one up. Here’s the truth: I couldn’t wait to surprise my son with this hoodie so I showed it to him immediately after school one day. He almost immediately teared up because he wished it was a Minecraft hoodie and there aren’t knights in Minecraft. Good news though! After trying it on, he remarked, “It’s so cozy!” and now happily dresses like a knight not in Minecraft.
I used a size 8 with no size modifications. I did slightly change the shape of the front hood to match up with the top of my zipper, giving it a bit more professional finish. The fabric is a black fleece sweat shirting that I purchased from Raspberry Creek Fabrics.
Zombie Prepster Pullover
This shirt has been months in the making. My son and I were visiting my friends at Suppose in Preston, ID when we spotted this Alexander Henry zombie print cotton. Over the last several months, we used these Crayola fabric markers to color random zombies throughout the fabric.
A week before leaving on vacation, I decided it would be the perfect opportunity to finally sew up this fabric. The Blank Slate Patterns Prepster Pullover turned out to be just the right fit. I’ve been making this pattern for my son since he was a toddler. There are a few instructions (inserting the sleeve for instance) that are missing from my printed paper version (can’t speak to the PDF version or updated printed versions) so be aware of that if you plan to make it. This version is a straight size 8 with no modifications.
3. Daily Outfits
Making clothes that fit into my daily life is my jam. Packing for this trip was only made difficult by the fact that I had plenty of good options. This, however, hasn’t always been the case for me. Two years ago, I went to Denver for four days and had to buy a pair of pants at Target the night before because I didn’t have enough without doing laundry for four days. It’s taken years to grow my handmade wardrobe to a point where I feel like most everything is useful and representative of my personality. Ok, here’s a quick overview of what I wore during the day.
I wore my Loominous Zadie Jumpsuit on our first full day in Disney. It was cool, easy to wear, and even got compliments from a couple of ladies who recognized the Anna Maria Horner fabric I’d used. One of them was wearing a top made from April Rhodes fabric so we momentarily bonded over our love of fabric. Sewing is pretty dang cool.
On our second day in Disneyland, my son requested that we wear our Mickey Halloween shirts. Paired with my favorite pair of Persephone Pants and a fanny pack, I definitely felt like a stereotypical tourist.
My son is wearing the Misusu Patterns Olli Shorts and Pants (free with code in Misusu Patterns Facebook Group) in both of the above photos. He has four pairs of shorts and three pairs of pants using this pattern so it’s a favorite around here. The large pockets turned out to be just the right size for carrying his autograph book and some small snacks.
4. Family Photo Outfits
Am I over the top for hiring a photographer to capture some family photos while in Disneyland? Maybe. However, we haven’t taken formal family photos since my son was three and I wanted to remember this trip. I also wanted a few photos that included all of us looking decent. The kind and talented Chelsea of Chelsea Frandsen Photography captured these and so many more for us. I’m going to treasure these photos and memories forever.
It took all my self-control to NOT sew anything new for these photos. When I couldn’t decide what to wear, I let my son choose his shirt and chose my outfit around it. This Oliver and S Sketchbook Shirt in pixelated cotton print is one of my son’s favorites. Picking up on the orange specks in the print, I decided to wear my Fringe Dress Pattern Jumpsuit Hack (details here).
We snapped these photos just before heading to Oogie Boogie’s Halloween Bash. My son changed into a costume in the bathroom and I continued to wear this jumpsuit. It worked a treat, except for the incident where the invisible zipper got stuck open in the bathroom. I almost had to leave the bathroom exposing the right side of my body. After about five minutes of troubleshooting, I got the zipper fixed and averted a wardrobe malfunction.
Well, there you have it. All the details of our handmade vacation wardrobes in one place. If you’ve made it this far, thanks for indulging me and reading!