Sewing Modest Clothes for Kids

Ahhh, the circus decending on my blog from the skeptical OB appears to be letting up and I can get back to the real business of this blog.

I learned to sew a few years ago when I could not find decent clothes for my girls to wear; I could not believe how rampant the sexualization of young people had become and, even if the world thought (thinks) it is OK, it is not OK according to sacred scripture and to the Church and it was not OK by me! Aside from the moral justifications, there is the fact that women and girls are people- not objects identified only by the fact that we can give sexual pleasure to men...

So, I got out my grandmother's 1970 Singer Stylist and began trying to sew. I still refer to this machine as "The Beast" because it could sew through ANYTHING  and its motor was shot so there was absolutely no way to control the speed. For someone new to sewing, using it was somewhat frightening- it was loud, strong and impossible to control.

At first, I was terrible at sewing. I didn't know what "facings"were and so, at one point, I sewed them on the outside of a garment. I had a hard time figuring bias tape out and had no idea that different fabrics called for using different needles. I also did not know anything about "drape" or that certain fabrics are great for one thing but terrible for others. In short, the things I made- though made with love- were disasters! It was very frustrating.

Now, there are a good many tutorials online that are useful and very helpful.

As a result of my past failures, I have decided to pass on some advice to other moms who sew or are thinking about sewing for their children.

First off, for every- day wear, it is best to get the simplest patterns available. While it is tempting to take advantage of 99 cent pattern sales, I have found that, for the most part, these cheap and very cute patterns sit around and accumulate dust while other, more practical and easy- to- sew patterns are used. Remember, you are sewing an entire wardrobe- or most of the wardrobe- and may have more than one child for whom to sew. Pleats, tucks, ribbons, rick- rack and bows can be added to simple things to make them look more dressy and complex so you are not losing out by investing in patterns that are simple, practical and concise. Think EASY.

Buy patterns that are either multi- sized or buy the same pattern in different sizes for each child; that way you can easily sew the same pattern for different children at the same time. Cut all at once and sew all at once- become a one person assembly line. Sew the bodices at once, the sleeves in at once, etc. This will make things go much quicker.

Another advantage to buying multi- sized patterns is that you can get years of use out of one pattern- this will save time and money; time because you will know how to sew the pattern already and money because you won't have to get a new pattern as the child grows. This leads me to tracing. I buy nylon tracing paper at Jo- Ann (get it while it is on sale or when I have a coupon) in 20- yard increments that way I have plenty on hand at all times. It is sturdy and inexpensive when bought on sale. I trace the size I need thus preserving the pattern for future use. I store each traced size in sandwich bags for future use.

It is really wonderful to buy patterns printed on PAPER. While this may sound trivial, it really does save time and frustration. There is nothing like unfolding delicate tissue paper (and possibly having to iron it to get the kinks out), trying to find the pieces needed and then trying to fold it back up again (without killing it) for future use. This is really no fun and, at times, has caused me to procrastinate when it come to tracing. It is so easy to use paper patterns! Trust me!

When you are making clothes for kids, it is time consuming and so it is nice to be able to extend the wardrobe, so to speak, so that what you make will not get boring and can be made to seem as if you have made much more. Does this make sense? For example, I like to make dresses and aprons for my girls. The dress/ apron combos match and can be combined in many different combinations to make the outfit look new and exciting. I also make sure that everything I make matches so that everything can be combined. The same goes for blouses, vests and skirts (my kids are on a vest kick).

One thing to consider is that kids play. They play in trees and in the dirt and in the kitchen... So, things get dirty. This can be a problem when you make your own clothes and probably don't have three different outfits for each day of the week. Also, if you are like me or your kids are like mine, you don't/ can't use harsh laundry detergents to get out stains. So, in order to protect pretty dresses, I make aprons (smocks or "tool aprons for my boy) to go over them. Aprons are very quick and easy to make and so can be made in a jiffy. You can make five arpons for every one dress. Also, aprons can be made out of ugly or very cheap fabric because, after all, they serve a purpose and that purpose is to take a beating instead of the dress! Old fashion, maybe- but also very practical. Aprons are also good for older girls who are beginning to blossom; an apron or vest helps to retain modesty at a very awkward age.

I buy fabric when it is on sale and at no other time. I have found that, as the price of fabric increases, the quality tends to decrease... this makes me even less likely to pay full price for it. I go to the store with yardages in hand, that way I know what I need and get only that. This also ensures that I will not buy on impulse, which almost never ends well. I make sure I get buttons, zippers, thread, etc, as well because there is nothing much worse than nearly completing something only to find that I am lacking in the deal- closers, so to speak. I also like to have bias tape on hand as this is something that has held me back from finsishing things on several occasions. (You can make your own bias as well but I'll save that for a different post).

So, what patterns can I recommend? For every- day, practical, modest clothing, I recommend Candle on the Hill. Their garments are modest but don't look too Amish (not that there is anything wrong with Amish only I am not Amish). They are not complicated and easy to sew. The directions are concise and easy to understand and I can make up a nice dress in no time at all. Yet the garments are professional looking, neat and MODEST. Their patterns are printed on paper and are generously multi- sized. The company is owned by friendly Christian folk who are willing to answer questions via email. I have never had any reason to complain about their service- it is quick and friendly. I like all of their patterns but one pattern in particular I like is the culottes pattern; it is modest but still allows girls to run and play without being immodest. I highly recommend their patterns.

Friends Patterns is another option but I have found that the directions for sewing their clothes are very confusing and sewing the garments themselves can be frustrating. Also, they offer very few generously multi- sized patterns and sizing can be tricky. On the up- side, they print their patterns on paper and offer a sizable selection of modest clothing patterns.

If you can't sew but want reasonably priced, modest clothing, I recommend The King's Daughters- a company owned by the daughters of the Candle on the Hill folks. They offer a huge selection of ready- sewn, modest clothing at a very reasonable price; you can even send them your own fabric to use.

Sense and Sensibility Patterns offers patterns for beautiful period garments that are also printed on paper. While all of the children's patterns I bought have been modest, I have had to adapt the women's patterns at times to make them more modest. Most of their patterns are fairly easy to sew with some being more difficult than others. The difficulty level of individual patterns is usually described on the site, though. Some of these dresses, while not difficult to sew,  take longer to sew than other patterns and thus are not always practical. However, it is always good to have one or two "Church Dresses" or " Party Dresses" and these patterns are just the thing! There are always hints when it comes to making things more dressy and the descriptions provided that describe the dress of the time (Edwardian, Regency, etc) are very interesting and educational. I made my daughter's First Communion dress from a Sense and Sensibility pattern and it was easy to sew and looked lovely. These patterns are also generously multi- sized and the owner is available to answer questions via email. There is a "show and tell" section of the site that is delightful to look at and great for getting ideas. The owner also offers online classes for some of her dresses. One pattern I highly recommend is the "Pinafore and Pantalettes" because it provides modesty in the summer (when girls are climbing trees, etc.) and warmth in the winter.