[Sarvi]

AKA the saga of the weedlike child. Does this happen to anybody else? You get some time, or the sewing bug bites, and you trace off and make a bunch of stuff in size X. You wish you had this kid’s wardrobe. So many wonderful clothes, kiddo gets to wear each one only a few times, because BOOM — three months later, all that great size X stuff is cutting off circulation at the armpits and the former trousers are mid-shin. Now you’re wearing those same two pairs of sweatpants every day because that’s all that fits!

Hm, kind of reminds me of pregnancy, actually…

[beachmom]

All the time! I *thought* the little girls had a ton of long sleeved shirts but it turns out that a bunch were too small. We’ve been rotating the same 6 shirts between the 2 of them for the last few weeks. Every fall/winter this happens…summer is so much easier (for us!).

[cybele727]

All the time! I made the music box jumper in August for my daughter, and had to shorten it 3 inches because she is short and slow growing. What hit mid calf suddenly brushes below the knee. I know it has been 4 months, but when I say slow growing, she is just fitting into 2t pant length, and he is almost 3.

So now I am looking at my stash and wondering if I need to make a few more things!

[Robin]

This is crazy making. It drives me nuts when I make something that fits Sophie perfectly. I know this means it won’t fit for long. Makes for great photos though.

[Sarvi]

I know, Robin, that’s the worst part — it’s like she can either wear baggy clothes for months, or wear something that fits, but only only twice!

[Maggie]

I’m lucky to have two girls and a niece. Things that get out grown are passed along. That said, I am always sorry when a beloved item is outgrown.

I try to make the arms as long as is practical. If the dress gets short, it can be worn as a tunic too.

[Tamara]

It is the not enough clothes that fit scenario in our house at the moment. I looked in dd’s cupboard last night and found just 5 worthy items for this season! It is a truly desperate situation that has to be resolved very soon.

Both my children grow like weeds – must be the environment or something! My son I thought had plenty of t-shirts for this summer but alas no! and the shorts well if the 8’s had zippers they’d fit but they don’t so will have to make some more of those too.

I have to lengthen everything for my daughter and go up a size for my son this time but it may be the opposite next season who knows – there is no such thing as “staying put” their growth is always on the move!

[wendy]

Yep. I realized a couple of months back that after a more or less naked summer, nothing fit! If I hadn’t been so overwhelmed with other sewing at the time it would have been a great opportunity to make more or less a whole wardrobe. But I ended up buying the essentials. Now I’m peppering my daughter’s wardrobe with whimsy items, and it’s actually pretty fun. Giving up the ghost also means that I’m finally making myself some things, rather than scrambling to keep up with my weedling.

[Mama_Knowles]

It’s so sad when te kids out grow what I have sewn them. I make things that I just love on them next thing I know they don’t fit. Sweet pea is the only little girl in the family so no one to hand them down to. (Not that I would any way!) Right now I am making everything in a 3T so they will fit longer and last more than a second.

I did just make sevral tops for Sweet pea but for the next four weeks she can’t wear a one of them due to the cast on her arm, ggrrr. I thought too that this year I would have her set up nicely for the cold weather.

[cybele727]

Yesterday, I put on the Book Report. It is now a tunic that goes just past her bum! Good thing we have lots of leggings. Gigi is the last in line. I will have to lovingly put in a trunk with cedar and tissue her home grown wardrobe for some 20-30 years from now!

My heart cannot bear to consign handmade clothing for 50 cents where the new owner will have no respect for the loving hands that created one of these fabric sculptures!

[needlewoman]

Making clothes for children that the sewist doesn’t actually have easy access to can also result in the odd heart-twisting moment. The little Lisette I made recently, (green cord with pink trim that I posted to Flickr) has been welcomed by the recipient and her mother; however, I’ve been told that with only the one shoulder opening that I agonised about makes it rather difficult for the 5 year old to get into it. i.e. getting the arm into the armhole without the shoulder closure! You follow the pattern and believe that the designer has anticipated these kinds of problems, and rats, there is a problem I didn’t even think about. Needless to say, the next time I use the pattern I can easily make both shoulders able to be opened. But I’m sure you can appreciate my disappointment. Other times, things work out better. A couple of years ago, I made a front buttoned, waisted dress for the same child using the measurements supplied by her grandmother. After a lot of work, lengthening and adjusting, the first photo revealed the fact that the dress was too tight – buttons straining, shoulders not sitting properly etc. I was devastated! But …. a few months later, it was all fine. The child was going through one of those growth spurts commonly preceded by putting on weight, and looking rather tubby, and then eventually, gaining the inches that sorts everything out. What a relief!! I’ve just completed my first book report dress, and am hoping the recipient doesn’t have any real problems. All good learning experiences but initially challenging when you’ve put in the work. C’est la vie.

[Sarvi]

Alas, there is such a broad range of abilities and preferences and sizes — I prefer dresses that button down the back precisely because my daughter can NOT undo them, but at her school they want buttons down the front because they’re teaching independence. Happily, the gap between the designer’s choice and the wearer’s desire can be filled in by the sewist when you make it yourself. If your skills are up to it! Still trying to get my skills there.

[needlewoman]

I prefer back buttons too, Sarvi. Nice and easy to do, and there if are any slightly wonky bits, they don’t show up too badly. However, these patterns are hard to find; I don’t like doing zips – they scare me witless. Mercifully, it’s quite easy to adapt many zipped patterns to button closures, but the current trend for shoulder closures or ties can make life tricky for the long-distance sewist.

[Masha Richart]

My daughters are 12.5 months apart and could wear the same size if it weren’t for the fact that the 2-year-old is about six inches shorter than the 3-year-old. So I sew for the older girl, and they often either share those clothes, or they get passed down to DD2 in short order. It does mean that I rarely make anything new for DD2 (guilt guilt guilt). But #3 will be a boy, or so the ultrasound guy tells me, so I guess the buck will stop with DD2.

[Nicole]

Don’t feel guilty!

Liddy gets so excited when I make something for the Twins as she knows she will get it later.