Pants

My three-and-a-half year old decided to dress himself today.  He's never shown any interest in self-dressing before, so I haven't made him do it.  He had no problem with the shirt, but the pants...  

This afternoon, in his room by himself, he took every pair of pants he had out of the closet, made a pile in the living room and tried on each on very methodically.  Most were backwards at first, then the waist band scrunched up around his belly.  And then all at once, he got it.  He has hit a milestone:  learning to put on one's own pants.

I've been wanting to come up with a few designs for the store that I can reproduce in several sizes.  So far I've had no luck finding a template for pants.  By template I mean that I like to find a pattern I can use just for sizing, but alter it until its sufficiently different.  

So far, I've failed miserably.  The monologue in my head is decidedly negative.  Etsy sales are miserably slow and I don't have any "signature" items I offer consistently in the shop.  Everything is a unique item that I don't feel like making again.  I see other shops selling the cutest kids clothes - at least a few items a day - everyday and it really gets me that I haven't been able to do it myself.

But today, like my son, I hit a milestone.  Finally, a pair of pants I like that I don't mind reproducing.  I am finally confident that I can reliably and consistently reproduce a design that actually appeals to me.   Although I used a pattern for a template, it was altered to make a new size and slightly new style.  

Even better, I have corrected my sizing problem.  The first time I make something, I always shoot for a 2T because I can try it out on Liv.  Lately though everything I make has been turning out too big.   OK, I don't really measure my seam allowances and err on the side of too big so she can grow into things.  This time I "eye-balled" it and then decreased it to what I thought was too small *POOF*  it fits.

Also on the pants front, Liv learned to take off her own pants.  Something I really don't want her to do, but a milestone for her none the less.