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  The prints are really outdated for apparel.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. 

Pink Purse

More fabric I found in the home decorating aisle.  A perfect little bag for spring and summer.  I made this with the idea that we were going to Miami this summer, but we decided not to go...so I'll have to use it up here instead!  I really liked these patterns together, and I have a bit leftover to make a mini bag for my daughter!  I inserted a pocket inside, so this time I won't have a giant black hole of a purse...pockets seem to be hard for me, so I ignored the pattern and just did my own, which turned out even better!

The Longest Project

This dress took me forever.  The pattern said "very hard" which doesn't usually deter me, so I knew it would be some work, but seriously this dress took me about 4 months to complete.  It was also my first go at making button holes.  The fabric was gorgeous, a cotton sateen I got on my big trip to Mood in NYC.  I had to embroider the front and tuck the front.  It looks really cute on my daughter.  She'll wear it for Easter.I was pretty proud of myself for finishing it!

Purple cap sleeve dress

I found this fabric in the clearance section at $3 a yard, so this dress cost me about $7 to make including the pattern ($1 sale!) and the zipper.  Ignore the exposed zipper in the picture, you won't be able to see that once she's wearing it!  I am often sewing while my daughter is at school, so I don't have the luxury of having her try it on for me...which does result in sleeves off the shoulder sometimes!  I made this dress in two days, it was really easy and will be a great summer dress!

Butterfly tuck dress

I found this fabric in the home decorating section, but I loved the print so much I made it into a dress!

It resembles linen, but it's not as soft.  It reminds me of a Lily Pulitzer print.

The front has these cute little tucks in it, which made the dress so easy...only three pieces! 

Purple Poppy Dress

I made this dress for my daughter at Christmas time...I had so much fabric left over after I made mine, that I made her a matching one.  I even had some left over from both those dresses (apparently I didn't know how to read the amount of fabric I needed...good thing it was on sale!) I lined a purse with it!
She's worn it only a few times, but it's light enough she can wear it in the spring.  I really loved the print (obviously, since I used it a few times!)

Finding Time

With one kid home pretty much full time and another one home for 1/4 of the day, it's so hard to find time to sew.  I haven't been sewing for very long, but I've always loved to make things.  As a kid, I was always making clothes for my Barbies (though they weren't super fashionable...lots of tube dresses!), making jewelry (those huge button earrings I used to make in the late 80's were kind of scary), or attempting to make myself clothes. 
Up until recently I had never worn any of my homemade clothes out of the house, but recently I've been getting better (I usually make things for my daughter and let her take one for the team!).  I made a dress that I wore to a party a few months ago and around Christmas I finished a dress that I wore for Christmas. 
After those two successes, I find myself in a sewing streak.  I've completed sew (ha ha, couldn't help myself) many projects lately...I've been hiding my JoAnn's bills from my husband!
I don't just sew, I love to make just about anything I can replicate.  Barrettes for my daughter, scrapbooks (though I have seriously been lacking here lately), and lots of other crap that finds it's way around the house!
If I see it, I try and figure out how to make it.