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Blog Silence...

So I haven't blogged in a little bit, but that doesn't mean that I haven't been sewing. I'm working on a fall jacket, made from Japanese canvas lined with Polar fleece. It's currently sitting as a UFO, but I'm excited to get it finished. I've just got to figure out a buttonhole solution on the heavy jacket...

 I tested a pattern for The Cottage Mama The Daphne Wrap Dress. The testing process was something I'd never been a part of on this level - she put a call out for testers, then invited you to a private Facebook group. She had four patterns that she was releasing, and a group assigned to each pattern. My assigned pattern was last, so I got to watch the process unfold. The three patterns seemed to go seamlessly (no pun intended) but when she got to the pattern I was working on, there were some glitches. I submitted my photo, and the designer wasn't happy - not with my work way the way the pattern turned out.  She didn't like the yoke length, (which hit at Julia' belly) and promptly re-did the yoke.

-

.Take two - went together really quickly, as I'd already sewed one!

Apparently, this was more like what the designer had in mind - a shorter yoke length.  The second time, I made a size 4 with the 5 length....much better than take 1!

Fabric for both dresses are from my shop....the top is Anne Kelle's Girlfriend line....absolutely ADORABLE princesses....some with blond hair, some with dark hair, glasses, etc.  I just LOVE Anne Kelle's designs!   The second dress is made with fabric from Moda - Boho by Urban Chiks.  The fabric has a great hand to it, consistent with all the Moda fabric I've used so far. 

I did applique on the yoke of both dresses, and, my kid likes them!  Apparently, they are comfortable to wear, which is half the battle with a 3 year old.

I also made a little gift bag from the Anne Kelle Girlfriend princesses....my standard gift for preschool birthday parties...from the Oliver + S Little Things to Sew....

I put some pink jewelry, a pink princess t-shirt, and some girly sunglasses.  The gift was very well received by the recipient!

My next project will be my entry into the Flip This Pattern competition over at the Frances Suzanne Blog - if you haven't read their blog, you should - it's the sewing adventures of sisters who sew for their niece....they are amazing sewists, and are running a very fun competition....I'm up in July, so the rest of June will be getting ready!  I've got something cool, and VERY unexpected in store!!!

Summer Sewing - Seashore Sundress....

Say that ten times fast....

My plan was to skip summer sewing, and start on a fall wardrobe.  Julia really has probably enough clothes to last her for this summer.  She has tons of shorts, and a bunch of t-shirts and dresses. 

I decided to make her one last summer dress and use a size 4 pattern to gauge how much difference there is between a size 3 and a size 4 and decide what size I'd start sewing for the fall...which is, 4 months away, after all.

I used the Seashore Sundress pattern from Oliver + S.  I made a straight size 4 - no modifications.  I added bias piping, and I definitely was pleased with the effect, but it was a bit more work.

I used this fabric from Aneela Hoey's Posy - Ditsy Lily of the Valley - it's very understated, and I love the color...

The pattern is really cute - very girly.  Two little pockets in the front that my child was obsessed with....before the dress was on her for ten minutes, the pockets were filled with little seashells...

So, I think that looking ahead for fall sewing, I could still probably get away with a size 3 for several more months, but I think I'm going to start adding up to a 5 length.

Goofy kid!

Something completely different....

I'm a garment sewist - not a craft-sewist, or a bag-sewist.

But...

With Mother's Day approaching, and my mother living on the opposite coast from me, I decided I had better actually get started on her Mothers Day gift.

I never know what to get my mother for any holiday. 

So, I decided to try a pattern that I had never tried....

I used fabric that I absolutely love from Moda's Zen Chic - their Comma line.  I used the Comma Asterisks in black and white.  It is so cool.  At least I think so....

I used black denim, and about $50 worth of interfacing and fleece, or so it seemed.  I used a cheap-o McCall's pattern, and I must say it went together very well.  There's a magnetic snap closure, and a zipper pocket inside.

 

I love this bag.  I'd use it.  In fact, I'm going to tell my mother to send it back to me if she doesn't like it!

On another note, when you see people selling handmade bags on Etsy, and you think, "Oh, I can make that myself for cheaper...." - think again.  This bag cost quite a bit.  A zipper, magnet snap, D-rings, fleece, interfacing.  I don't even want to add it all up.....

KCW - Days 6 and 7 - The Skunk Dress

Really, you say, a skunk dress?

I did a pretty good job starting out this Kids Clothes Week - I made a blazer, two Skater Dresses...then, I stalled.  I did work 55 hours this week, so that's my excuse....

I had planned a couple of dresses to go with the screaming green blazer I made earlier this week, but lost my motivation.  Then, yesterday, while I was driving home from my second overtime day of work this week, I had a thought....

I wanted to use my applique skills and make a simple dress.....but what?  I searched sewing blogs, Pinterest, Flickr.....everything cute had been done - even over-done....elephants?  hedgehogs? bunnies?  puppies?  kitties?  All done.

Then, it occurred to me that the much aligned skunk needed a shout out.  Really, what a beautiful, albeit stinky, creature.  I love black and white, in fact, most of my wardrobe is black and white.  They have beautiful faces, beautiful fur.  But, yet, they can be stinky.  Well, kind of like my kid.

So, I picked some turquoise linen from my shop, and some scraps of black and white linen, and had at it.  I used the Kate's Dress pattern from Lily Bird Studio.  A simple A-line dress.  I didn't add any of the details, but was more than pleased with the result....

Ignore the dog slobber on the dress....when we were out for our walk, we met a huge slobber-dog and Julia just had to go give him a kiss....

As you can see, my applique is not perfect, but it's a skill that I haven't used in a while, so I'm pleased with the result....and, I'm going to practice more....

So, Kids Clothes Week is over for this season.  I consider it a success, even if I didn't get everything done I had planned!

KCW - Days 2 and 3....

When I saw a pattern designed by Amanda of Kitschy Coo, I knew it would work for my kid. 

Number one, it's a dress.  No pants for my kid.  No shorts for my kid.  All dresses, all the time.

Number two, you can make it sleeveless.

Number three, it twirls.

I made two dresses in two sewing sessions, Tuesday and Wednesday after work.  Tuesday I sewed the skirt to the bodices, and Wednesday, I attached all the ribbing.  Although I looked through the directions, and saw that there were very thoughtful instructions for sewing with knit, and attaching the ribbing, I totally ignored all that and didn't refer to the directions once.

I made a size 3/4.  Perfect fit.  I used a yard each of some Robert Kaufman knit I got on sale for about $5/yard.  So, two dresses that she likes for $10.  I used two different types of rib and determined that the dress looks better with a rib that has more spandex and is less cotton-y. 

Really, a couple of totally easy to put together, well fitting dresses.  I'll be making this one again too!

Kids Clothes Week - The Beginning....

So I kicked off my Kids Clothes Week yesterday.  But, the planning began a while ago....

Really, my kid doesn't need any clothes for summer.  But, what little girl doesn't need a green blazer?  Really?

I used a pattern from Blank Slate Patterns - the Basic Blazer.  It's a boy's pattern, but no reason that a girl can't wear it - I would!  The sizing goes from 18 months to 8 (how cute would a 18 month size blazer be?!) so the pattern is well worth it.  I never made a pattern from this site before, but after making this blazer, certainly would buy another....

The fabric is corduroy, made by Westminster/Free Spirit from my shop.  The color is really like the photo above - the color is a bit off in the modeled photos.  The chevron is Riley Blake, also from my shop.  This is a size 3T on my 3 year old...

I was really pleased with how this went together.  The instructions were great.  I tried to girly it up a bit and added a faux belt thing in the back, and the wrist strap thingys....

If/when I make this again, I would maybe put some interfacing in the front facing area and collar.  I didn't think about it at the time, but in the photos, the front looks a bit floppy for my liking.  The corduroy is very soft, so maybe if it was made in denim, or another stiffer fabric, it may lie better.  But, overall, I really, really liked the pattern.  It will definitely go in my pattern rotation....

This took maybe 3-4 hours total....not a bad start to Kids Clothes Week!