Maybe I should be using my sewing machine features....

I got my sewing machine because it could do embroidery.  I used to have an embroidery machine, and before it finally died, got tons and tons of use out of it, between decorating my older children's clothes, making gifts, and doing items to sell.  I have a bunch of design cards, and my machine has a bunch of built in designs.  I've had this machine close to a year now, and I have only used embroidery to do a couple of monograms.

I need to work on that!

I started with a perfect pattern for some embroidery - the Ice Cream top from Oliver + S.  I used Kaffe Fasset shot cotton.  It's WONDERFUL fabric - very soft, easy to work with.  The lavender is actually created with light blue thread woven with pink thread.  It's totally cool.

I had this idea that I wanted the butterfly to go from one side to another.  I didn't want them to just be in a line, so I staggered them....I thought the idea was good initially, then when I was working on it, I thought it was bad....when I finally put the shirt together, I decided it was a good idea!

The top is a size 2T with 3T plus another inch length.  I did toy with the idea of making a dress, and embroidering butterflies along the bottom panel as well....but, each butterfly takes 10 minutes to embroider, and I got lazy.

Ice Cream at the beach!

I'm trying to plan for color continuity in my daughter's wardrobe.  I'm trying to be conscious of wardrobe planning, so that we get to a point where she can pick out her own clothes and have the chances of them actually matching be pretty good.  Thinking ahead to the fall, I've already bought a good amount of shoes in various colors, so I have a jumping off point for the wardrobe plan.  Expect to see a lot of purples and red in her future....

I made another pattern by Oliver + S- the Ice Cream top.  How amazing it is that a top can literally have two pattern pieces, yet look so together and not home-made at all.  I chose two fabrics that I recently purchased for my shop - Freespirit's designer Eleanor Grosch's Imperial Pheasant line.  I was immediately drawn to the colors in the line, and the simplicity of the patterns.

I intended to have the top be tunic-length but had a brain fart while cutting and cut the fabric short.  So, I just added a few inches of contrast at the bottom.  My plan for this top is to have it available for fall/winter with a long-sleeved top under it.  The sizing is generous - this is a 2T cut to the length of a 3T, plus the added length.

I'm getting better at the spot on the back where the top yoke attaches to the shirt.  In my other attempts at this top, I was less than pleased with this one spot and did a bit of tight zig-zag stitches to cover up that spot.  This time, I went slower and pinned better, and am very happy with the results.

Julia loves to play in the sand but really, really hates seaweed.  She's also not really ready for walking and splashing in the water....still a bit afraid of the waves.  But, growing up near the beach, she'll get used to it!