Wednesday, July 30, 2014

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:










Saturday, July 26, 2014

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.
 




Sunday, July 20, 2014

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.