I know it’s just starting for all of you, but Celebrate the Boy has been on the brain over here for a long time. For the last month I’ve dedicated a good portion of my sewing time to just making clothing for Elliot. I love how sewing for a child makes you spend time thinking about them. For one thing it’s made me realize how very little baby is left of him.
I always have more ambitious ideas of what I want to do than what actually gets executed, but still, it’s been fun for me to plan a whole new wardrobe for him. He’s quite tall and thin and most of the 3T clothes he wore last year are now too short or tight, so he definitely needs it.
So over the next few weeks I’ll show you what I’ve made for the little dude. Here’s one of the first projects, a pleated dress shirt that he calls his “zebra” shirt. It was meant to be a test-run of a pattern I drafted from his measurements, but I liked it enough that I threw on a quick collar and faux cuffs and embellished it with some green buttons and topstitching. I think it’s a keeper!
I made the pants from a pair of Mr Rae’s old ones (one of the best places to find good pants fabric for boys is men’s pants) and I’ll talk more about some of the details of that project on a subsequent post, but if you look carefully you’ll see that the pocket linings were made from the same fabric as the shirt. I love how the stripes peek out from the underside of those pockets.
It was so much fun to shoot him as a little adult. I gave him one of Mr Rae’s magazines and a pair of my glasses were thrown in for fun. He really got into looking at all the pictures. In the Economist. That’s my little nerd.
27 Responses to Elliot’s "Zebra" shirt
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about Rae
Hi! I'm Rae, Head Boss Lady of Made By Rae Enterprises. I love to sew. This blog is a showcase for my crafty stuff.
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Such a smart young man reading "The Economist". ;0)
Love it! So cute.
Does this mean the pattern will be coming out soon? I love the alternate dress shirt with pleats! Can't wait.
So studious!
So cute! I love the picture with the louis vuitton ad.
so cute! I just did a shoot with my 3 yr old wearing a pair of my glasses and reading too. Must be in the air
I was actually just in the middle of blogging it! (my glasses have no glass though, i broke a lens so I popped the other one out and declared it a prop)
I like the pleated shirt. it reminds me a lot of my fav shirt of my daughter's from The Childrens Place, except it's plaid and more fitted (since it's for a girl and has a tie in the back) and also has a ruffle on the bottom, and the back is longer than the front (so like, dress in the back, tunic in the front.)
If you do a tutorial or pattern or whatever I totally have to use it and make those adjustments, that shirt looks so good on her!
So cute! The shirt has some pretty cool details. (Oh, the kid's adorable, too, of course. [grin])
He is so cute with the glasses!
Perfect, casually elegant outfit! Love the shirt, love the trousers, love the photos!
Love this shirt! The pics are adorable!!!!
Okay, I think I want an outfit like that in my size too
That's not weird, right?
I was gonna say that I didn't think he wore glasses…but he looks SO cute in them! Love the outfit.
He is too cute! Also these recent posts made me realize our kids are parallel ages (4.5/18m). no wonder your tutes are always perfect for me!
Love it! He's such a doll! My son just turned 5 and let me tell you the baby was all gone the day after his birthday. I couldn't believe it!
The shirt is cute, but the pleats are a little feminine. Even with the more boy-ish print- It still looks like he is wearing a dress. Would love to see the pattern to use for my little girl though!
Rae, he reminds me so much of Luke! They would be pals if ever they were to meet, I'm sure of it.
If you're needing a place to send those too tight/ too small 3T clothes, the Yarbrough boys are just the right size! Luke's a little shrimp and still has plenty of room in his 3Ts.
Just a thought…
Ok. Ok. I've been following your blog for awhile. I love your aesthetic! I don't have a boy, yet, but I have a little 13 month girl. I have to confess that I love the background pictures of your blog… the blue kitchen wall, the modern clean house, the funky hotel in.. Singapore or wherever. BUT now I get pictures of an Eames chair and the Economist!!!! I love it I love it I love it. And the sewing is awesome too. What a cute little boys shirt! I work full-time so your blog satisfys my desire to have time and sewing skills.
SO CUTE! I love how you played with the stripes- he looks so stylish.
Funny coincidence – yesterday my 2yo son asked me to read Daddy's magazine to him, which was The Economist. I was lying on our bed reading to him and my 4 month old about Egyptian politics – never thought I'd do that!
Love the top (and might have to borrow the idea for the photoshoot sometime!).
I love how the green buttons POP
I love love love the green buttons on the sensible print, it really makes it perfect for a little boy! I badly need to make my toddler some spring trousers, but I've been struggling to find the perfect material – maybe it's time to visit the thrift store for some men's trousers!
You really amaze me, Rae! Drafting a shirt pattern that has interesting details isn't easy. Kudos…
What a sharp, stunning shirt. Love this!
Great photos – so cute!
I experience the same thing this morning. I was getting my 2.5 yr old ready for 'school', I got him all dressed and looked at him and was thinking, 'Ahhhh, he looks like a little boy, not a baby…' It's so fleeting! Love the shirt and the pants! Can't wait to see more on the pants.
Oh, I love the green details.
My kids like the pictures in The Economist, too.