Are you ready for Calling all Kids!?

Disclaimer: this post contains affiliate links.  And while I did get the pattern for free, all the opinions are completely my own.

Sorry I've been in hiding!!!

We recently had our third baby, Akira! I just adore her so much but man oh man has it been hard to juggle them all and blog.  There has been some sewing going on though!

And while I normally wouldn't think about signing up for a blog tour knowing all my time would be devoted to my newborn (she actually turns four weeks old today!), I just couldn't pass up this kick ass tour by one of my, for realz, favorite bloggers: Alida, called Calling All Kids!

I feel like her reputation for being rad superfantabulrad precedes her, but if you aren't familiar with her I suggest perusing her blog and checking her stuff out.  It's spot. on!

So- let's cut to the chase:  the challenge: create a gender neutral outfit for your kiddo.

Awesome. I am constantly taking the things Azy is interested in like Pokemon and Adventure Time, comic book characters to anime and making wearables for her inspired by them... she loves it all {plus the girly stuff like My Little Pony}

I decided to look to two of my favorite things: my bloggy life partner: Max-California and Philly indie rock bands. Being this is a sewing blog, a lot of you probably know about Vincent, Max's adorable little boy and muse.  But- I'll bet a lot of my readers do not know about Man Man.  Guys, Man Man is the BEST.  Want to know what they sound like?  Click on the song below!  Black Mission Goggles is my favorite but it's hard to pick one song when they are so bad ass!

Black Mission Goggles by Man Man on Grooveshark

Seriously, we listen to them aaaalllll the time in our house!  The girls love man man dance parties!  The last live show I went to was a concert in Rittenhouse Park the week before I had Azriella and the band? Man Man. Aw, yeah.

Let's check out what's going on here.

Photo credits:  (Top Right) www.youaintnopicasso.com (Bottom Right) Max-California

Doesn't she look like a chibi version of Honus Honus (aka Ryan Kattner) and yet she also looks like Vincent's twin?!  Well, I guess as close as a six year old girl can be!

For this look, I wanted it to look like an album cover with a bit of a cartoony feel to it.  And I chose all white because that's what Man Man typically performs in, complete with face paint.  Check out this video to get the idea of what they are like live. (if you're watching with impatient kiddos, the song starts at min 1.07)

video credit:

Arkhangemon

video credit:

Woodshop Networks

I used a self drafted t-shirt pattern.  I used fabric paint for the bodice front and back, and I used knit binding for the seams.  I made long {affiliate link} Hosh shorts and added black binding down the sides and made some welt pockets on the sides as well.

For those who are familiar with Vincent, doesn't this outfit remind you of him?!  One of the things that Max and I have in common is our love of pushing the fashion envelop and constantly making what our kids love.  I made the little beanie to make her look a little more like our fave little Aussie hipster and his adorable style.

We had the best photo shoot!!!  I forgot how much listening to music can inspire Azriella to pose like a boss! Well, it's mostly dancing so a lot of them came out like this:

Let's look at this shirt:

 It's the same shirt pattern as before but I colorblocked it and I made iron on transfers of the "MAN MAN" and confetti bits.  The confetti was comprised of trials and errors on figuring out these transfers.  I also made the neckline a V.

I love that she can go from goofball...

to badass from frame to frame.  I love this girl so much!

Well, that about does it!  Did you like the little mustache I made her?!  What about the outfit?!  I want to know what you think!  Also, I want to send out the biggest thanks to Alida for having me on her tour.  It was incredibly fun!  And hey!  There's also a Rafflecopter giveaway too!!!!  Click on the link to enter!

I think that about covers it!

I promise to blog some pics of Akira soon!  The weather just got awesome in Portland!  Yeay for better photoshoots!

I leave you with a few pics of Azriella, behind the 'stache!

Until next time!