Lumberjack Loungewear

It is the last week of Project Run and Play! My goal for this season was to sew along with each challenge, and I succeeded! Yay!

This week's challenge was to create something in my signature style. My sewing is quite random, and it is difficult to pinpoint any particular style. I just sew what I feel like sewing. Maybe with more time I'll figure out what my style is.

Naturally, I went to Pinterest for inspiration. It was my son's turn for an outfit again, so I looked for something that would be nice for him. My search yielded many results, but this shirt was my favorite.

First, I sketched the outfit. The shirt was the first part I drew, and before I had drawn the pants below it, my son saw the picture and shouted, "Pants! Pants!" He wanted to make sure the shirt had a pair of pants to go with it.

I didn't have a pattern for the shirt, so I drafted my own with a shirt that fits him well. I chose this fabric from my stash in the sewing closet, along with a dark green lightweight knit fabric. Fortunately I did not need to make a trip to the fabric store.

After I cut out the front and back pieces, I cut a small rectangle out of the green knit fabric for the pocket and sewed it down.

Then I cut 3/4 length sleeves out of the green knit, using his shirt to get the right size and shape.

Sewing time!

That collar was quite troublesome to sew. The knit fabric kept curling under as I was stretching it, and it did not spring back as well as I had hoped it would after being stretched. 

I finally figured out how to make the fabric behave, and ended up with a nicer collar than I thought it would be. The bright green thread I used was already in my thread selection, and I thought the color would suit the outfit well.

Pants time! Again, I didn't use a pattern. I just traced around an existing pair of pants, leaving enough room for the seam allowance and the elastic casing at the top.

I also added a cuff to the bottom of the pants, instead of folding the fabric over and hemming it. 

Finally, I was done! 

Here is a closeup of the top.

Here is the pocket.

I decided to topstitch the collar down to add stability. I did not have a double needle, so I stitched around the neckline twice. It took a lot of focus and slow sewing to keep the stitches lined up nicely.

I did the same thing around the bottom of the shirt, too. I'm glad I chose the bright green thread for this project. It almost matches one of the plaid stripes, but it is just a little brighter. I think it helps draw the eye to the detail stitching on this outfit.

My son is very happy with his new outfit. It is very soft and comfy; perfect for lounging...and looking like a lumberjack...at least in my opinion. :)

This has been such a fun season of Project Run and Play! I have seen so much creativity and sewing skill in the competition and sew-along group. I have felt so inspired by what everyone has made. 

Thanks so much Liz and Elizabeth, everyone helping out behind the scenes, all the sponsors, all the contestants, and all the sew-along participants for another great season! It has been a fun ride.

-Bridget :)