Halloween Costume

 Olivia fell in love with this costume in a magazine a while ago and decided this was the Halloween costume that she wanted.  Of course the whole thing costs $200, so I decided to make it. 

It took me a long time to find some fabrics that were similar to the ones in the magazine...and of course I can't make it exactly the same, so I'm improvising a bit.  But, I hid the orginal picture, so she may actually forget what she originally wanted!  We'll see how it comes out! (Wow, it looks really shiny in this picture...)

Polka Pants

The latest addition to Olivia's wardrobe:  Polka Dot Pants.  They're really cute.  Although I made a size 6 and didn't realize they'd be so short...so we added the ruffle on the bottom.  She really liked them!

I added this cute fabric to the pocket facings just to add a bit to them.  I also did a contrasting top stitch to make them look funky.  It's hard to see from the pictures, but there is a fake fly at the front (they're elastic waist).

Kinderquin

What is a Kinderquin you may ask? 
The more I watch Project Runway the more I think "wow, it would be so much easier to make clothes for Olivia if she was standing still in my dining room (where I sew) all the time..." OR "if I had my own $200 adjustable dressform".  Since the budget does not allow for a dressform, I had to resort to making my own.
Enter the Kinderquin.  According to my book (Making Clothes kids love...which has some very funky patterns, but great techniques) the writer came up with this term a combo of a German word Kinder (child) and the word manequin. 

So, yesterday we put Olivia in a tee shirt and tights and duct taped her up!  To get her out we had to cut the side and slide her out.  And then we had fun stuffing it with old fabric (some of which is peeking out of the sides, need more tape!) and some fiberfill we had laying around.  Once I finished it, I put on the dress I've been working on.

Awesome!! Although I'll still have to test her for length and final fitting, I can actually check to make sure things are straight and shoulders are right.  It's not as pretty or as fancy as a real dress form, but I should be able to just add some stuffing and make minor adjustments as she grows. 

It is sort of creepy though to see it naked...

Imke Jumper

I made this jumper out of a book my sister gave me for Christmas using some of the fabric from that endless donation bag.  Actually, the underdress fabric is from that bag, the top fabric I randomly got at the fabric store to make pants for Olivia and then realized that it was completely unsuitable for pants!  Turned out to be perfect for the dress.

She wore it to the mall today and was twirling around everywhere.  Somehow I didn't really get a good picture of it, but it's a very cute dress.  The top and bottom pieces are attached, so it's big piece.  I really have to find a good shirt to wear under it though!!

If only the tie were tied.  You can see the back gathering that has elastic under it so it's easy to get on and off with no zipper (yay!)  I let her wear it to school today, hope it survived!!

I haven't been slacking!

Despite the fact that I haven't posted on here in....well, a very long time...I've been sewing!  My mom delivered a bag full of cute prints to me and I've been making my way through it making a few things here and there.  I made Olivia this cute top out of some Liberty of London fabric.  She got a cute sundress with an apple print and I'm really trying to finish this long sundress for her to take to the beach this weekend.  I just have to hem it, but it's taking me forever to get to it!
I actually attempted to make a bathing suit...yes, a bathing suit.  Although it was going well, I just haven't found the time to finish it (probably doesn't help that I have two dresses to hem laying around so I keep going from one project to the other). 
I'm trying to figure out how I will survive the next two weeks without working on a project.  I'll be traveling and I can't pack my machine!  I guess I'll have to knit or something to pass the time!!

To be crafted...

Here are the three pieces of fabric I found on my trip to Mood.  I was planning on making a few dresses for myself and maybe one for Olivia, but I found that red print in the middle and I thought it would make a sweet little skirt for her.  I am going to be making this one without a pattern, so I better get it right! 

Mood is definitely not cheaper than the local JoAnn's!

The print on the left and the one on the right are to make myself some dresses.  The blue print on the right is a jersey knit, which I've never worked with before.  I'm not sure what style I'll be making with them yet, but I was only able to get 2 yards of each, so I'm a bit limited.

Brad was as overwhelmed as I was in Mood.  The store is so big and so many fabric rolls are just shoved on top of each other, you might have to lift 4 or 5 just to find what's at the bottom (which is usually really ugly...that's why it's on the bottom)

I could have spent hours in there, but alas, I was on a budget and I couldn't tempt myself anymore than I could afford!  I did browse the home decorating fabric floor and wanted to redo my entire house. They have the greatest prints there...When can I got back!

Dust on the machine

I had to put the sewing machine away for a little while so we could actually use our dining room table.  But, as soon as the table get a nice new cloth on it, I covered it with scrapbooking junk.  I have not scrapped in a LONG time.  How long?  Well, Luke is 3 and the last page I have for him is from his 1st birthday.  It's really sad.  I have boxes of pictures that need to be sorted, and trimmed and then actually put on pages in the book. 
I did manage to put a few pages together for our summer beach scrapbook.  I try and put in 3 to 4 pages for each summer we've gone down. 
I also made some really cute invites for our MOMS club's annual banquet.  Since we're a non profit, I wanted to make them super cheap and I lucked out at Michaels in the $1 section.  I found cute long blank cards with kind of a bamboo theme at the top.  I printed the invite info on cardstock and then glued it on.  They came out really nice and I was happy everyone got something in the mail rather than just their inbox!
I made a trip to Mood in NYC this weekend, so I'll be dusting off the old machine soon!  I was planning on waiting until the kids were in camp when I would actually have some time to myself, but that's a whole month away, so I might have to pencil in some time soon!

Birdy Skirt

Here is Olivia wearing that cute skirt I made her a few months ago.  I loved the way it turned out with the little ribbon at the bottom.  I could make it a bit shorter, but since the waist is a bit loose, she'll be able to wear it for a while!  Although it's a light flannel, and it was 85 million degrees today, she still seemed comfortable in it!

If only I could sew for Luke...because his choice in clothes these days is really sad! 

I've been working on a cute skirt for me...should be finished tomorrow, so i'll post a picture once it's done!  And I have a dress I forgot to post too.  Wow, I've been behind! (and busy sewing in my few minutes to myself a day!)

Model needed

Hubby was out of town this week, which means I was sewing like crazy at night.  I love to have a lot of time in a row to work on a project, and this one went fast.  BUT, I got all the way up to the zipper before I tried it on Olivia...and it's HUGE on her!  Oh no!  I have to take the straps out of the back and move them over, then pull in a few inches at the back and find some way to make it all look great!  I could just save it for her for when she's seven...but that's not going to happen.  So, tonight I have to pull out stitches and try and make it work!  Once again, things I know, but don't actually apply!

Drawer full of patterns

So, I've been working on a rather boring khaki skirt for myself lately...not even photo worthy in the process.  I had to fool with the pattern a bit because even though I am usually a off the rack 8 (if I keep running I can avoid my occasional slips up to 10) I can't seem to wear a size 8 pattern.  Skirts are way too tight around the waist and dresses are too tight around the bust (really a joke because I'm practically a size 6 up there). 
JoAnns was having a sale on their McCalls patterns, who would pass up a $13 pattern for just $.99!  So, I came home with 6 patterns today...hmmm now i have a drawer full of patterns.  I have probably tried 1/2 of them, some of them are patterns I hope to do in the future, but do I really need them?  Yes.
Luckily this pattern sale coincided with a fabric sale so I was able to line up my next two projects...another dress for Olivia and for myself.  Do we really need more dresses?  No (yes), but I just can't seem to bring myself to try and make pants.  I found a great pattern for pants, but I'm really afraid to try it out. 
So, I stick to the easy route and make more dresses!
Another note about JoAnn's, they always hire the oldest (and mostly very nice) ladies to man the cutting counter.  Which means I can never just get in and out of there.  They like to examine what I'm buying and tell me it was a good choice...and then if Luke is there, they like to talk to him (seriously, just cut already!)

Never enough dresses part II

Another sundress from the same pattern, but I am pretty proud of this one.  I added the ruffle myself.  I measured it out (in my typical fashion of just guessing) and tucked it in the front panel, and voila, I changed the pattern.  This one is for Ainsley.  I think I'll make one for Olivia too, but maybe add a ruffle to the bottom too.  As I sew more, I can really get a hang of how things are constructed and then maybe start getting creative on my own.  Of course it would probably really help me to take a class...

A girl can never have too many dresses

I can't stop making little dresses! I'm hoping to get a little better and than maybe I can start selling them on Etsy or something...I should figure out how to make money off of them!  For now, Olivia and my nieces are really making out well!  Here's the little sundress I sent out to Baby B for Easter.  Ainsley is getting one too, but it wasn't ready to send out with my Easter box!

I found this pattern for free, and it was not only easy, but it's nearly seamless!  The sides are french seamed (none of the ragged edges of fabric are exposed) and the straps completely cover the seams under the arms and across the chest.  Love it!  I am going to make a few changes though, make the top a bit wider and maybe add a ruffle?  I have to play with it, but it was so cute!

Strawberry skirt

I bought this fabric for Olivia about two years ago...it took me this long to do something with it!  Luckily this pattern is so easy I made this in my "free time" while Luke was at school.  Olivia is getting a bit jaded with all her new clothes.  I showed it to her and she said "Oh yeah, I already saw it"...I know she'll enjoy wearing it though! 

Finally finished

 I finally finished the blue dress (weeks ago, just didn't take a picture of it!)  I like the way it turned out...mostly.  I love the top, but the waist was a bit awkward.  I had to really work so that I didn't look like I had a prego belly.  For some reason the way the material laid against my body and the way it sucked against my bum wasn't very flattering!  Got it to fit well though!

Cap sleeve dress

I really need to finish my blue dress...but in the meantime... I have a baby shower to go to this weekend, so I needed to make a little dress to wear.  I'm really challenging myself to get this dress done in a week.  With the two kids and all the stuff we do, I really have to squeeze in the time to sew!  My son loves to play with my sewing machine, so I have to distract him with something else.  I thought this would be easy, but then I cut out the pattern...

I didn't realize how many pieces there would be!  And I'm having some trouble with the neck yolk.  The neck is a bit low and sort of comes over the very top of my shoulders and connects with the sleeves, but the yolk is really tight around my neck...so I'm working on the skirt until I can avoid the problem enough to figure it out.  I find a lot of problems with patterns.  A lot of times the sizing is off for me, or some of the pieces are wrong.  I should really find a chat board about this so I can figure out what other people have done!

Now tonight I should be able to hand hem the blue dress and finally get it done!

Gifts

Distracted once again from the blue dress...will it ever get done!  I decided to whip up a few little gifts for my nieces.  I had this fabric that I had bought to make myself a skirt...like 3 years ago, but I had never used it.  I love this pattern for the dress, it's easy, has cute little pockets, nice tucks at the top, and you line the arms and neck with a bias tape to give it a great finish.  I added the green fabric trim on the bottom to give it a little edge, and I think it came out really cute!

I have to add that this is the best zipper job I've done yet.  I was able to hide it really well compared to my zippers in the past!  Lucky for my niece!!

I had a bit of fabric left over from the cute top I made for my daughter, just enough for this cute little pull on skirt.  Perfect for my 2 year old niece who is potty training and dressing herself (unlike my 3 year old who can barely pull on pants...)

birdy skirt

I've been working on this dress for myself for the past few days, but I got stuck on the darts and the ribbon across the waist. I finally figured out the darts today, but the ribbon continues to be my crutch.  I can't figure out where to place it so it is flattering and not bunching up the back of the dress.

I was sidetracked when I saw the fabric I had bought the other day to make something for Olivia.  It's just so cute!So, I took it out and made her a skirt tonight.  Seriously, it was so easy, I made it in just 2 hours.  It's a nice little flannel I got for just $3.  I might go back and get more to make for my nieces.  It's super cute and they can wear it for spring because it's nice and light.  I'm adding a little ribbon at the bottom and maybe a pocket...I'm still deciding!

Olivia's Top

I made this top for Olivia with the same pattern as the pink dress.  It was easy, but I took a break from sewing which means I would sew for about 10 minutes a day...not getting far at all!
I picked out the blue fabric and Luke picked out the coordinating pink color.  It was pretty amazing how well he matched it (he's 3)! 
It has a cute little tie on the side.  (please excuse Olivia's appearance...I took this in the morning and she wasn't quite awake, or combed yet!)

Apron finished!

I finished the apron this weekend. It's really cute...of course I hardly ever wear aprons, but maybe I'll start wearing one now that I have this cute one!

On to my next project...a top for Olivia for summer!

Petal Apron

I found this great little pattern to make a six petal apron.  I was really interested in making this because it meant I could look at the quilting section of the fabric store.  I am so dissapointed in the fabric available at JoAnn fabric store (the only one really close to me).  The prints are really outdated for apparel.  However, they have super cute quilting fabrics (makes me want to make a quilt...but maybe another time!).  I was able to find these really cute pieces to put together.  The piece on the far right will be the tie and the trim at the bottom.  Should be an easy project, but there will be a lot of cutting since I have to cut out 6 petals, 6 petal tips, the waist tie, plus the lining.  I'm going to use some interfacing to stiffen it up a bit too since the fabric is super light.