breakfast in bed

It was a warm and sunny weekend, and we celebrated Father's Day yesterday. The tradition is a sleep-in, then breakfast in bed and a present. The present (a book voucher) is also fast becoming a tradition in itself because I am highly unimaginative when it comes to presents for men. Luckily, Tom likes mooching around the bookshop almost as much as I do.

Arlo had a friend to stay the night, so he helped make the cards and supervised the picking of parsley for the scrambled eggs. Such early mornings with small children are getting easier now it's spring.

In crafty news, I've been working on a design for recycled wool jackets for boys, similar to the wrap-cardigans I've made previously. Original designs for boys seem to be few and far-between, and i'm hoping that my next shop update includes a few.

Last week a friend gave me a bag full of his work shirts to 'upcycle' and one idea i had was to cut them into bias binding, and use them for jackets. Here I've recycled two men's wool jerseys and one shirt. There is also an interior button to fasten the other side...

I'm not entirely convinced that this design is 'just right' (I feel as though it needs to be less 'fussy' somehow), but it's a start. Any feedback would be much appreciated!

Comments

[Helen]

Melissa those look great. I love the green and black one. Sam would look great in that. I hope I am lucky to get one when you update your shop.

[mylittlehumble]

Hello, Im one of those 'lurkers out there' who has found the courage to comment. I think that you are just an amazingly talented lady who has inspired me to find my creativity again after so many years. We seem so similar yet differnt and that makes me feel ok with being me. Thankyou.

[suzy]

The wrap jackets look great to me - I love the buttons and the contrasting bias.

[M.Carmen]

Hola! Your jackets are lovely but if you feel they need something added...maybe you can try with pockets...one pocket like men shirts, or a Kangoroo pocket in the belly...Anyway I wish I would be small enough to fit in these cardigns :D

[Sally Anne]

They look really great Melissa..I love the bias binding.

[Sally]

You could make it less fussy by hiding the buttons - move the loops over a bit so they're under the top front piece? Raglan sleeves? The binding looks awesome - a great use for unwanted shirts.

[Jane]

Hi Melissa,
I think they look really good but if you wanted to simplify it a bit then you could pop in a couple of small press studs rather than the buttons. Love your blog, Cheers, Jane

[Jessicah]

We had a lovely father's day with my grandparents and uncle yesterday. Dad said he hadn't got hos father a gift- I replied that it was ok, because I hadn't got mine one either! (I'm making his favourite pudding tonight though.) I like the wee cardi's, great use for the old shirts. Mum is planning a quilt top out of them...an idea if you get sick of cutting them into such wee strips. I think the aforementioned pockets are a great idea, kids tend to pick up all sorts of things if I remember rightly?!

[Tamsin]

Hi Melissa,

The cardis look so cool. I bet Arlo will look great in it! Glad you had a nice Fathers day. We ended up going to Stephans bay and the kids played in the water. Such a good idea when they are heavy with the cold!(Not) Wasnt it beautiful though! Even Fern had a little play in the sand and then fell asleep in the shade. Bring on spring eh!

Love,

[caireen]

That's a nice idea to do something stylish for boys.. you're a much better clothes maker than I am, so don't know if these sugs are any good - velcro? for inside? a zip? a little collar or hood? cravatt,pipe and slippers for the man-at-home look ..I'm being silly now. The tray is such a cute idea.. really sweet (*^*) xxx

[Zelia]

Looks great to me :)

[laurel]

yes yes! more things for boys please!!! looking forward to the shop update! down with pumpkin patch and JK. to change tehhave you considered moving the top button up to the corner, or shifting the overlaying top angle down (so the button isn't in the armpit?) just thinking the that the corner/edge might catch a bit. i love the buttons, but i reckon bias ties would work just as well. oh yeah, and love that plaid... maybe some boyish shoes coming out of the same type of buttondown fabrics...???

is it wrong that i love to dress my baby up like a baby doll and spend so much time doing so that i myself dress like a slob?

[laurel]

oh yes, just saw the other comments. love the idea of any sweater with kangaroo pouch in the shirt fabrics. or pocket from the shirt just put on lower left. so many ideas.

[Kate]

Love the new cardi!

[greenolive]

I think its the wrap front that is making it look/feel a bit feminine for me. Perhaps just let the fronts overlap enough to fasten rather and wrap completely. But, having said that, they are very nice and good luck with them.

[Kim]

Those look great! Maybe a smaller inside closure, using a smaller button? I really like the positioning of the buttons on the front -- I think they add to the design. The double-breasted effect complements the work-shirt bias tape really well, too! Anyway, if I had a boy, I'd definitely buy a few of them!

[Kim]

Oh! And Happy Daddy's Day to your husband!

[heidi]

oh i love the design! and boys designs really are too few and far between!

[esther croak]

Melissa- They are great! There is something so great about dressing boys in handcrafted clothes- but it's so hard to think of designs that are just right for them. Anyway- Arlo can pull it off:) Here is an idea: I have been taking thrifted men's ties, cutting off the bottom portion, refinishing the tie so it is a boy's size, and then (and this is the cute part), using the leftover fabric to make elbow patches. Feel absolutely free to do the same!

[amisha]

what a lovely relaxing father's day. i think a book voucher would always be appreciated! :) and the boy sweater's are so so good melissa. they don't look too fussy to me... but you could always simplify them by keeping them in one color for the body i suppose? i really love the bias binding on these. xox

[lori]

Hi Melissa :o)
I love the boys cardies! You know what would be so perfect and would totally go with the look of the bias you used....oval shaped elbow patches.
would be TOO CUTE!
every time I see your cardies I want to pull my design out of my head I have been thinking about and make a pattern of it but there is still too much stuff here to do daily to do that. :o)
I need to replenish my handbag stock because of a great turnout at our local art festival....thats a good reason to be too busy to make the little design I have in my mind huh?
your friend,
Lori

[Tash]

*coughs*in-adult-sizes-please*cough* They are delightful, and if I was a boy of around 2 yrs old, I'd definitely want to be seen in one ;)

Love the breakfast-in-bed idea, though I always have a problem with crumbs - perhaps it's just me!

[Chara Michele]

Those look wonderful, I love the binding!

[Taimarie]

Oh! I love them! I am always dismayed at how hard it is to find (and make) funky clothes for boys. I just love them- the bias is great, and so are the buttons. I like the elbow patch idea though! And happy fathers day to Tom!

[madmommy]

Wow, I'm so glad someone is trying to make a good wrap for boys! Can't wait for the finished product, although from what I see already, I know I'll want to get one for my munchkin. What sizes will you sew? And I'm all for the elbow patch idea!