Fleur Blog Hop

Hello!!!! I've returned from an unscheduled blog break to tell you about the sweet doll I made.  Making a doll has been on my craft wish list for some time.   Right before Thanksgiving I saw that Lisa from the wonderful blog Big Little was asking for pattern testers to make a Fleur.  Even though it was right before I was going away for Thanksgiving and had lots of other stuff to do, I jumped at the chance.  I thought (and still do) that it was such a special looking doll and that it would get me to check this off my list.  I was thrilled to be selected to be a pattern tester.  

Little did I know that this was the kind of pattern I needed to make my first doll.  It is very detailed for every part of the doll making - clothes (where I was most confident), embroidery, sewing the actual doll, and hair (the rest of the doll process I was less confident initially).  I really had no idea how to make a doll and the details in the pattern really answered most of my questions. 

Because I wanted to start right away and had the materials needed to make the clothes and shoes,  I sewed them first.  It was so fun. I used some liberty lifestyle for the dress and and some other unknown quilting cotton for the bloomers.  I love the little bow on the bloomers.   I couldn't wait to make the doll after I made the clothes. 

Sewing the doll was easier than I thought it would be.  Lisa gives really good instructions for stuffing the doll too which is so important.  I was very nervous to do the embroidery for the face.  But again the instructions are great and I loved how it came out.  Making the hair was so much fun too.

This project did take some time but I truly enjoyed every step.  Something I really like about the doll making process is the variety of the steps and the different skills it uses.  I am definitely hooked on making dolls.

I actually made another doll since this one.  It was a different kind of pattern.  I made a cute doll but the instructions were for someone who I think knew how to make dolls.  And the one I made came out really well.  I don't think it would have come out that well,  if I hadn't sewn the Fleur doll first.  I do plan on making more Fleur's too.  She is just so special.

If you want to purchase this pattern be sure to go to the Big Little shop here.  If you purchase before December 20th, you will receive 15% off using the code Fleur15. 

There is also a very generous giveaway where another pattern tester is generously giving away a doll she made with the Fleur pattern to a deserving child.  To get the details and enter the giveaway you can go here.

Before I go I just need to mention how much my kids love this doll.  I am always finding her all over the house because the kids are always playing with her.  Here is Stella giving her a kiss. 

three finishes

Just a quick post to show some finished projects. Sorry about the grainy I-phone photos but that is the best I can do right now.  And if you follow me on IG you have seen all these photos already :)

I made this little fox from the kit by Alicia Paulson.  I love her patterns and everything she makes so much.  I actually have bought all the kits for the animals but this is only the second one I made.  I'll give it to Luke for his birthday on Thursday.  He loves foxes.

These mittens I finished Saturday.  I should put them on Ravelry but I am very behind with that. ( I have a cowl I finished weeks ago that I didn't list and haven't even taken a picture of it).  It is from this book.  I used the Martha Stewart extra soft wool blend yarn.  I made the size small and instead of pink button eyes (they weren't working for me) I did brown little x's.  And I used my clover pom pom maker to make a really big tail.  They look a little deformed in this picture the way Stella is wearing them but they really are cute.

And these PJ's were a lot of fun to make this weekend.  At the end of the summer Janice asked me what size my daughter was and then generously mailed me two sets of fabric all cut out to make two different Oliver and S patterns (her daughter grew before she could sew  them).  Tracing patterns and cutting fabric is not my favorite part of sewing.  It was so fun just to delve right in.  These are the bedtime story pajamas from Oliver and S in a size 4.  I don't know anything about the fabric except that it is soft, cozy, and beautiful.  Stella really loves them. She is normally a three so they are large which I think is great.  She can wear them at least two years.   I've always wanted to do pajamas for the kids and now I have for one of them :)  They were super easy to sew too.  Though I think the sleeves were so easy - I took me a couple minutes to figure it out.

Today I am starting on a school days coat for Luke.  I didn't think I was into sew alongs but I am glad I am doing it now.   I think today I would have done some cleaning or something else not as fun if not for this sew a long.  Hopefully I'll be back with some coat pictures soon. 

Halloween Costumes 2013

Last year when I saw these costumes I knew I really wanted to  copy them for this Halloween. But  Luke had no interest in being a sheep.  I even had a homemade costume in the basement that I wore in the third grade that could pass for a sheep (I thought I was a bunny back when I was 8) but I had given up on the idea.  About a month ago I got Luke to agree to try it on and he loved it.  He is so in the moment.  It was great.  His costume just needed a little mending, hemming, and a tail.  And then I could focus on Little Bo Peep.

I thought about looking at that patterns I had already and trying to figure it out.  But I knew I didn't really have the time or energy to that.  I purchased Simplicity 2571 which was for four different Halloween costumes including Little Bo Peep.  I actually think the picture on the cover of the pattern doesn't give justice to the pattern.  It is really cute.   I should have taken better pictures of what I sewed so you can see it better.  Did I mention I don't have much time or energy right now?  The little pants have ruffles all around them.  The apron came out a little a big but I thought it was cute like that making Stela look more little.  I love the hat and it was really easy make like the rest of the pattern.  The dress didn't take too long.  The zipper came out okay.  I have a little gap at the top but it is a Halloween costume so I didn't sweat it.  I bought an unfinished cane on ebay and painted it white.  By the time this picture had been taken after lots of running and walking in the rain the bow wasn't looking so good and fallen down a bit.

Stella and Luke love their costumes.  What is also nice about both of these costumes is that I can put warm clothes on underneath them.  Halloween night can be real chilly here in Maine.  We had the Harvest Day costume parade last weekend.  They will also get to wear them to school.   I love the costumes getting worn in daylight at other times so all that sewing isn't just for one dark night.

I am looking forward to seeing more handmade costumes.  Are you sewing for Halloween?

Giveaway

I don't usually post giveaway's on here but I really want to win this for me and Stella.  Check it out-

http://charlaanne.typepad.com/charlaanne/2014/09/doll-giveaway.html


I love her blog and everything she makes.  

Back to School Sewing

Well I finished my "back to school" sewing last Monday but have been so busy I haven't been able to write about it until now.  I am not sure if busy is the right word.  I'm not really that busy but we have had a bunch of changes in our schedule and I just don't feel like I have gotten into a routine with them yet.  As a result there hasn't been much sewing, knitting, or any crafting since then.  But here is the sewing I did prior to that which I really enjoyed.

  I looked at lunch boxes and didn't really see any I liked that much.  Then I saw this pattern on Pinterest and had to make it.  And I wanted my kids' bags to be white.  I feel like I am mom someone could easily make fun of "She made her kids white lunch bags".  But after 7 days of school my son's bag is still clean (My daughter hasn't used hers yet).  I used an embroidery pattern my friend gave me.  It has a bunch of images and Luke and Stella picked out the images they wanted.  I was hoping they would pick the sushi but I still love how it came out.

I had my heart set on making Stella a Melly and Me toadstool back pack since before she was born (that is when I bought the book the pattern was in).  She wanted nothing to do with it.  I decided to go with the Little Things to Sew backpack because I knew it would come out.  She was pretty picky on the fabric I used too.  She picked it out.  I loved that it was on sale. I did have a hard time sewing the side panels so they weren't puckered. I'm not sure what I was doing wrong but I had to keep going.

                                                    

This outfit was my favorite part of all this sewing.  I pinned this dress a while ago.  That was my inspiration.  I used  the picnic blouse pattern and loved everything about it.  I sewed a size 3, added some trim and trimmed pockets.  I hemmed it a little longer (maybe an inch?) than was directed because I wanted it to look a little more tunic like since she was going to wear it with leggings.

The leggings are the playtime leggings and I am very happy with them. I made a size 4.  They fit great.

 Both the gingham and knit I bought online (and already forgot where).  I was pretty happy with them.  It can be a gamble buying fabric online.

I just started a smock-along and my first smocking project.  I am so excited!  I will let you know how it goes.

One afternoon last week I was in the mood to try something new so I carved a stamp.   I used this tutorial.  I found it really relaxing and plan to carve more. 

Sailboat Top and Pants

This week I have spent a lot of time thinking about back to school sewing,  shopping online and waiting for fabrics and patterns to arrive in the mail.  While waiting for things to come in the mail I needed a sewing project.  I really should have sewed the sketchbook shirt I cut out for Luke last June.  But I decided to make Stella an outfit instead.  While looking at my patterns I realized the Oliver and S Sailboat Top and Skirt pattern only went up to 3T so that made my decision easier.

I love the skirt but thought pants might be more practical.  Her preschool is at a gymnastics center and they do gymnastics each time she goes.  I figured pants would be better if I was going to have her wear this to school.

I made a size 3 for both the top and pants.  I didn't do any changes from the pattern.  I added a little lace to the top where you top stitch.  For the pants I cut the elastic to what was recomened for a size four  because I thought sometimes pants and shorts are tight around Stella's middle.  But I'll have to take it in because it is a little too big.

The top fabric is Fig Tree Butterscotch and Roses. The lace and buttons are from my stash.  The courdoroy for the pants is also from my stash.  I've had for over five years.  Some fabric I can date to before I had kids.  Actually a lot of fabric I can date like that.

I am very excited about the first day of school outfit I have planned for Stella and the lunch bags I am making the kids.  I'm still not sure about the backpack I'll be making Stella.  They start school in a week and a few days so I think I am going to start needing to set the alarm super early to get all this done. 

And a few modeled pictures ....

Puppet Theater

I don't know where to begin writing about this item.  This has definitely been one of my favorite items in Little Things to Sew (probably tied with the penguin backpack).  I have thought about making it for a long time.  The challenge really motivated me (um.. at the last minute) to finally do it.  (Sorry about the wrinkly photos - I finished it yesterday and we have been keeping it rolled up when not in use)

I have always loved the look of the theater.  We also happen to be really into puppets in our house.  We have always been doing puppet shows and often making our own puppets.  We use to drape a quilt over a gate in our home and stand behind it to do  a show.   But it was time to take down that gate a few months ago.  So we really needed something like this. 

The pattern and instructions are wonderful. I thought sewing with canvas might be tricky but it wasn't for this.   I think we may have small doorways because it is really snuggled in there but it fits. 

Everything was from my stash except for the canvas.  Even though I have so much fabric I actually had a difficult time finding a fabric that I had enough of for the house that would look okay. Finding the other fabrics and the ribbon too was a little tough.  But I love how it all came together.

I wish the Little Things to Sew cover to cover challenge would go another year.  I still want to make everything in it.  I think the art smocks and aprons should be next once I have all the back to school stuff, halloween costumes, Luke's birthday items, and Christmas sewing completed.  So maybe I'll get to them in January.




I could write a few more paragraphs about how much I love this theater.  I think it is one of my favorite things I have sewn.  And my kids are so excited about it too.  I think I need to stop typing and go play with it right now. 

Rollerskate Dress

 

 Pattern:  Oliver + S Rollerskate Dress

Size:  3

Fabric: Japanese Kokka cotton linen blend bought at last summer's quilt show

lining: green polka dot quilting cotton

Trim: matches the fabric I can't remember where I bought it

Modifications: none

I bought this pattern last year I think.  I was on a modern fabric buying kick and I thought this pattern would be good for those fabrics.  Well those fabrics aren't my favorites right now.  But I really wanted to make this pattern along with all the other patterns I have bought and not tried yet.  I have so much fabric I wanted to use something from my stash.  So this is what I came up with.

I am pretty happy with it.

I cut it out yesterday and sewed it all today.  And I am slow.  This pattern is so easy and quick to make with great directions which I really need.  I really enjoyed making this.   I think I'll have to make this one next summer too.

My kids love it.  They love Little Red Riding Hood which is why I think they are so into this dress. While sewing my son kept coming in to tell me it "looks really good".  As you can see Stella thinks so too.  When it came time to try it on she insisted on wearing this hat she picked out at Target in the spring.   She cracks me up.  So here are too many pictures:

Birthday Party Dress - Kids Clothes Week Day 3-6

Pattern:  Oliver + S Birthday Party Dress

Size: 3

Fabric: Calico from a little sewing shop that has closed

Trim: Eyelet from the same shop

I love how this dress came out.  It has the least amount of mistakes I have made for a clothing item.  I am pretty proud.  

On day 2 I worked a long day and couldn't sew.  But Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday I sewed and sewed.  This took me way more than an hour a day.  I am slow.  Wednesday I had a hard time with sewing the facing.  I was confused with the plackets.  Our internet was out so I couldn't go on the forum.  I just couldn't figure it out despite the great instructions.  I didn't understand how the plackets were suppose to be looking when I sewed the facing on.  An hour later when the power came on I checked the forum and it had such clear pictures and redirection that I was able to do it. 

I finished the dress yesterday morning.  I was up early to sew today before going to the Maine Quilt Show.  I really wanted to make a doll outfit for Bitty.  I only had time to start but I think it will be pretty cute.  I will post later in the week about the outfit and the quilt show.  Until then here are two more pictures of the dress and my beautiful girl.

 

Catching Up (maybe Kids Clothes Week Day 1)

I lost interest in sewing clothes for my kids after finishing the vintage jacket.  I think it was a combination of heat, schedule changes, and interest in other projects.  In that time I started Luke's Christmas stocking, a pair of socks, a new quilt, and a granny square blanket for Stella.  Someday I'll finish the sweater  I have been making her for the past couple months.

I did start and finish this hexie pillow.  I used random scraps and 1 1/2 inch hexies.  This chair in my sunroom has needed a pillow for a while.  I have a lot of scraps cut to make more hexies so at some point I will do another hexie project.

This was a real quick project I did from a magazine called Your Homemade Home that I impulsively bought at Joann's last weekend.  We have some ugly hangers that really bother me.  So I did three and if they hold up I'll make some more.  It was enjoyable to have a quick finished project.

Here was another quick project from the same magazine (sorry about the lousy photo).  Stella has been really into her tea pot lately which makes me so happy and just melts my heart.  She usually places it on one of her quilts which is really cute but I thought I'd make this special for her tea parties after I saw it in the magazine. 

Like I said I had been in a sewing rut.  Thankfully Elizabeth suggested we sew this top together from
Girly Style Wardrobe.   I had so much fun sewing with her before that I agreed with excitement.  This is pattern A from the book.  The hardest part was tracing the pattern.   I actually realized after I had cut out the fabric and started sewing that I had made a mistake.  I cut the back bodice too short.  I didn't have enough fabric to cut a new one so I sewed a strip for the back using the fabric I used for the pockets.  I kind of like my mistake.  I am still not sure if I did the lining the way it is suppose to but it seams to work for me.

I sewed the 100cm which is the smallest size.  Stella is usually a 3T.  It is a little big on her but that is good because I would love for her to wear it next summer. The main fabric is a DS quilt fabric from Joanns and the other fabric is some essex linen that I won last summer.

The skirt she is wearing in the pictures is the 2+2 skirt I made last winter.  I was going to make her a matching skirt but I think I will just pair the top with this one.  I may even try her wearing this top over a long sleeve shirt in the fall.

I am hesitant to say I am doing Kids Clothes Week because I stink at sew-a-longs.   I'd like to try this time around.  I have a shirt all cut out for Luke.  If I can only find the first part of the sketch book shirt pattern I can make it. 

So here are more pictures of my girl modeling the top.  I have to say it is getting a little easier to get pictures of her.

 

 

 

Vintage Jacket

As you can see I was able to find some buttons for Stella's jacket and finish it.  I had it almost done two weeks ago but had to wait for some buttons to arrive from Germany.  Here is where I found them.  I am pretty happy with them though I wish the trim was silver instead of gold.

This is the first vintage pattern I have made.  It is Simplicity 6812 and is from 1966.  It is a size 3. I should have made it back in March so she could wear it a little more but I think I must have become busy with birthday stuff.  Then I realized it was a size 3 and I thought I better just go ahead and do it.  It is a little big so it is possible it could fit her next spring.  It should fit in the fall but I don't think it would be suitable for fall with the white collar.

The fabric is some cotton polyester blend seersucker I bought online.  I can't remember where.  I probably should have had the stripes going up and down but I thought the sideways looked more little girlish.  

I was nervous to make this because I read somewhere vintage pattern's  sewing instructions aren't as detailed as today's patterns.  And it wasn't detailed but it wasn't too bad.  But the view I made (view 3) seemed lacking in explanation.  So I didn't really follow a lot of the instructions and sort of winged it.  The area under the collar doesn't lay that nicely but otherwise it came out pretty decently.  I actually love it just because I love the stye and the collar with the trim. 

I have been buying other vintage patterns so I do hope to make some more. I seriously can't even look at them without buying them.  Even if I never make them I love just looking at the envelope.  This one is no different and you can see cover here. 

Button Help

                                                                                     

 I am making a little seersucker spring jacket from a vintage pattern for my girl.  I have been searching all day online for buttons for it.  I am trying to find large buttons for a coat that are vintageish looking.  I wanted a pearl-like shank button.  I can't find any large enough.  The pattern actually gives totally wrong information about what is needed for buttons but I am thinking something around 1 1/2 inches would look good.  Does anyone know where I can find some?  I may break down and look at some jackets in some second hand shops and cut them off but that could be costly for buttons.  I don't even know if this jacket will turn out.

I was going to start Luke's t-shirt before this jacket but my husband threw out the piece of ribbed knit fabric he found in the dryer.  He thought it was a scrap and trash.  I was a little annoyed at first but I think it is funny now.   I am lucky he doesn't throw out half of my craft stuff. 

Bubble Dress

I bought this pattern (Oliver and S Bubble dress) over a year ago and I am so happy to have finally made it.  I did version A which is the one with the scallops but you can hardly see them in the photos.  I took a lot of pictures since it is quite a challenge to take a picture of Miss Stella that isn't a blur from her running.  The pictures I took with my phone came out better than the ones I took with my camera.  But you can't really see the scallops.  They kind of blend in when she is wearing it too. 

I made a size 3 and it fits her pretty close to perfect.  I think there is enough room so that it will fit her until the fall.  The fabric is one I bought from a little sewing shop near me which sadly is closing at the end of the month.  It is a very light and sheerish cotton which is why I wanted to use it for a lined dress.   I just used some white quilting cotton I had for the lining. 

I am very happy with it.  I feel like I am starting to get better at picking fabrics I really like where before I may have been picking fabrics I really like for 5 minutes or a couples weeks.  Do you know what I mean?  It makes me much happier with my sewing. 

I do have to make something for my boy next (not counting a matching doll dress to this one).  He had to say what makes me a great mom at school for them to write on a certificate he gave me.  He said I was the greatest because I "makes clothes for us".  So I really have to do some boy sewing.  I bought some knit fabric for a t-shirt.  I hope to start soon. 

Christmas in May

I have spent a lot of time thinking about what kind of stockings to make for my little cuties.  I actually did make one for Luke after his first Christmas but it was awful.  I used modern fabric and a modern pattern and it just wasn't us.  When I first saw this stocking on Posie Gets Cozy (which I am sure you have seen because you already read her blog because it the most beautiful blog ever) my heart stopped.  I thought about it a lot and then last fall decided to make it.  I can't remember when I started working on it but I bought the pattern for the cross stitch part in the middle last fall.  I bought it here.  That part took me a very long time.  I haven't done much cross stitch.  I loved it though and want to do a lot more.  I bought the pattern for the letters from the same place.  The bunny is from Alicia Paulson's Embroidery Companion and I think it is the same one from her  Winter Woodland Sampler. 

I was pretty scared to cut the stocking shape out after I did all the cross stitch.  What if I made a mistake after all that time?  But it came out just how I wanted.  I will make a similar one for Luke but I may wait to start it until I finish a couple knitting projects that I would like completed for summer.

speaking of knitting....

I finished Luke's sweater vest last week just in time for the second half of spring and summer.  Ooops.  I started it back in January with the plan to finish it right away but then I took some classes to make somethings for myself and I put it aside.  I hope it still fits him in the fall.  It is looking a little short in this picture.  Girls can wear sweater vests too, right?   Details about the sweater are here. 

I guess I will start making some Spring/Summer clothes for Stella.  I have so many patterns I have never used so I think I will be opening one of them soon.  Maybe the Rollerskate dress?  I think that isn't suppose to use much fabric.

edited 1 hour later - I am going with Oliver and S's Bubble dress pattern.  Stella picked a very sheer fabric that I have one yard of.  It really needs a lining.  So Bubble dress it is. I have to make a bag for my niece too but I keep changing my mind how I want to make it.  I found a pattern I am excited about it.  Now I need to find some sweet owl fabric.