not quite

I saw this fantastic shirt in Domino magazine and ripped it out intending to try to make something like it with or without a pattern.  Finally yesterday I attempted it without an exact pattern, so I pulled out the most similar pattern I had - this Built By Wendy- that I tried a few times last summer.  The shirt I made is out of black and white striped shirting fabric.  I think this shirt has potential. I am trying to figure out how to make it what I want.  I wore it today and I think I like it enough to wear it, but I am always a bit self conscious wearing something I have made.  So, it might be back to the drawing board to see what else I can come up with. 

Here's what I did -

• widened the shirt half way to the bottom
• enlarged and lengthened the sleeves
• took out the back seam and cut it on the fold instead
• lowered the neckline - oh la la
• added elastic to the waistband

Here's what I want to change or am unsure about-

• more flow to the sleeves and maybe a bit longer - not quite as much as the one in the Domino mag photo though
• not sure I like the elastic in the bottom of the waistband.  don't want to be bunchy in the waist!

So please let me know of any ideas or suggestions you might have.   It might just be that I need to buy a pattern a bit more similar to the top, but I just get over excited that I can do it without and when I don't get the results I want, I get a bit (just a bit) frustrated!

more lounge pants

I. could. live. in. these. seriously.  But, I am sure my husband wouldn't be too thrilled. They probably aren't the most flattering, but they are the most comfortable.  And, in this stage of my mom life, comfort usually out weighs the flattering stuff!  I made them cropped like the last pair from an old stripey sheet and added the cuff to gussy them up.  

jams in action

If I had taken a photo of me everyday since I have made my lounge pants, I would be wearing them in every photo.  I have already laid out another sheet to cut up for a second pair since I have found these to be like the best pants ever. Perfect length, perfect fit.  

Here is Mallory in all her "just awake" glory - wrinkled and hair in a big stringy mess! The pjs are perfect and now I am thinking the extra effort was worth it.  I did find 2 more baby doll pj patterns that I will try out before I go back to this one, but I do love seeing her in them.  

new jams for both of us

I get excited when I see that my girl actually has a need for something I can sew.  She has only one pair of short style pjs and with it getting hotter and more humid, she needed some more.  I had a pattern for baby doll jams and thought those would be perfect.  These ones were a bit more intricate than I want for pjs.  It's a Simplicity Easy To Sew (9968), which it was if you followed the directions slowly, but I want to find something a bit more simple for the next ones. Still love them though. But, if you know of a simpler baby doll pattern let me know.  I made them out of a sheet I had used for another project.  I found the lace at the Goodwill and didn't have elastic cord for the back button, so cut up a pony tail holder. I love figuring out how much things cost me to make.  I am that cheap.  I think these were about $2 because I got the elastic for the waistband from another pair of pjs that got cut up.   Oh, and the applique is from Windham Fabric's paper dolls line.  I got the idea to use these as appliques from Dana at Made. 

When I finished her set, then I moved on to a pair of pj bottoms I had cut out of a sheet and was ready to sew around Christmas.  Since it's now summer and not winter when I had planned to make them, I cut 13 inches off the length and added a 4 inch band to the cuff- making them calf length (about 9 inches shorter).  These are the wide leg lounge pants from Amy Butler's In Stitches book.  Very comfortable.  

 

green produce

Or orange...or yellow...or red produce.  Whichever color you want to put in these reusable produce bags!  Check out these great reusable produce bags from The Sproutz Store.  I really don't like using the plastic bags for the produce because when I get home I tend to throw most of them away when I wash my food.  So, I am going to make these ones out of tulle and think it's a genius idea.   Photos from The Sproutz Store. 

just a few things

-Thanks for your kind words about the nautical banner.  It really was fun to make.  A few of you asked about where I get my applique patterns.  I draw a few myself, but if I can't come up with something cute, I rely on a few other sources - clip art, books with baby crafts/gifts like this one, and good ol' martha stewart.com where you can find these, these, these, to work with.  Oh, and here, here, here, and here as well!

-I have a really good friend who has been so generous with her awesome talent for bow making. She has made tons of bow for my daughter and for everyone at church.  Because of her, our girls look prettier.  She is moving in less than two weeks and we are all trying to scramble to learn the art of bow making with several hands on sessions at her house.  I think she is the pro, but with the pro gone we all have to step up and attempt.  Kristi, these are for you - my first generation bows as you would say.  I attempted last night and yes, they need a ton of work, but with practice, maybe I can make them 1/2 as well as you do.  One more thing - she won't take $ for her bows - just gives them all away. Amazing, that girl!

-We have been without my car for over a week because the transmission went out when my husband was driving it to Boy Scout camp for a meeting.  I was so glad that it wasn't me and the kids on the side of the freeway and so was he.  It makes me appreciate that second car.  I have had so many friends offer to get me food when they go to the grocery store and offer to take me there or anywhere else I want to go.  We are getting it fixed and still deciding if it is will be our lifetime car or if it is time for a change.  This is its second transmission in less than two years.  So, as we mull it over, I have spent more time at home which allows for more time to craft.  A nice break, but a bit hard when there are tons of end of the year school activities going on that I need to be at.   It has all been working out.  

ahoy little one

I got the chance to help out with my dear friend's baby shower.  She is having boy and my two friends who were putting on the shower wanted to decorate for the shower in the same style that the new mom is going to decorate the little babe's room in.  I was asked (maybe  I begged) to make a banner for the babe's room and since the room is going to have planes, trains, boats, and automobiles I was asked to make it with a nautical theme.  Oh, the joy.  I had seen one (although could not locate the catalog anywhere) in PB Kids and online at The Land of Nod.  This one had to be in blues and reds.  So, I made 9X9 squares and appliqued some nautical alphabet letters (did you know all the symbols represent letters?  I didn't) and some other cute nautical images.   I sewed each square to another plain white one right sides together, turned them right side out and top stitched all around.  Then, I added grommets to each corner of each square. Twelve squares later and some great boating rope, I had a long banner that we used for the shower and that she can take home to hang in her little boy's room.  You should have seen the beautiful paintings the hostess of the shower painted for our friend to hang in the room and  the presentation by the other hostess of all the tables, food, and goody bags.  Sometimes I think my friends need to be in business with all the talents they possess.  It's inspiring and awesome. Oh, and these photos were taken in my little girl's room and not the future baby's room!

And, since I was on a roll with the nautical theme, I made a appliqued onesie with a whale and a pair of pants to match. 

linen shirt to play outfit

The "before" shirt

Don't mind the stain on the shorts - I took this after she wore them!

I am still loving this shorts pattern - the waistband and the added buttons especially

Someone had said on their blog that they feel like the outfit they made out of curtains (or was it a tablecloth?) made them feel a little like Julie Andrews in "The Sound of Music." This outfit may be one of those. Although it was a women's linen shirt first and not curtains, but it did make for a nice play outfit. This shirt had plenty of fabric for almost the entire outfit. I just needed a bit to lengthen and for the front bodice. I actually had enough for the front bodice, but since it needed a band for length, I decided to use the same tan fabric on the bodice as the band so it didn't look too out of place. I used this pattern (Simplicity 5118) for the top (again) and the same shorts that I have been sewing up here and here (Butterick B4118). They are getting so quick to sew. And, thanks to a friend, I have had many clothes to work with for all this repurposing!

strawberry

That's what my husband keeps calling her.  I tried my hand at these shorts again and boy do they sew up quickly with a cute result.  I found two white vintage buttons in my collection and I love them on the front.  Once I made the shorts I had to add an applique to one of her white shirts (I have a hard time leaving those plain ol' white) so that's where the strawberry came in.  I showed the outfit to her yesterday morning and she started to put it on right away.  I was thrilled with that because the last few things I have made for her she has said, "too big." And, that's her version of - I don't want to wear it.  I didn't know two year olds could have strong opinions about clothes.  My boys didn't care until about 4.  There's one difference between boys and girls! 

playground shorts

It's getting hot around here and my daughter doesn't have too many pairs of shorts. I went to Target looking for some and even $5 was too much too pay. Now you know how cheap I am. So, I pulled out my patterns yesterday morning and found this one for shorts - Butterick B4118. They only took 1/2 yard (maybe less) and I used some of the left over linen from the skirt. These were simple. But, as usual, there are always some adjustments. They are so big even in size 2. I wish I would have tried them on her before I put the elastic in the back waistband. You sew it in to the side seams and I was too lazy to unpick the sides once I was done to re size them. So, I tried putting button holes in the front waist band and my sewing machine kept jamming up with the elastic from the back of the shorts hitting the feed dog. So in the end I just pleated the waist band over and hand sewed some buttons on the front and I really like how they turned out. I also made the leg hem shorter and instead of hand sewing the waist band down inside, I just stitched in the ditch along the seam. Now that I know how I want them, I am going to make a few more pairs because even with the adjustments they really do sew up fast. And, I figured it out and they cost about $2.00 to make plus I like them better than the little ones at Target!

more note cards

I've had to get new print cartridges because I have had so much fun printing these note cards.  If you are on my upcoming birthday list, sorry because you will probably get a set.   It's my sisters birthday on Thursday and she gets the set with the vintage boy and girl in the wagon.   I love that image.  My sister in law gets the owl and my friend in Australia will receive the monogram.  I get my digital scrapbook images from a lot of places, but here,  here, here and here are some of my favorites.  

Oh yeah and I am making some more of these.  

ruffled linen skirt

With summer approaching, it's time that I break out my skirts. And, one of my very favorite skirts is my turquoise ruffled linen skirt from Eddie Bauer. I love the flowing skirts since it gets pretty hot and humid here in Kentucky during the summer months. Have you seen the cute bright linen ones at Gap right now? I am hoping (fingers crossed) I can make a similar one. But, since I don't have the Gap skirt in my hands right now, I thought I would make one identical (or pretty darn close) to my Eddie Bauer skirt. I love how it turned out. Although, I might need to make it just a tad bit smaller. I took pictures in the process in case you wanted to make one of your own. You know this is easy, so make one and let me know how it turns out. These measurements fit me (just a little loosely) and I am an 8,10,12 in clothing. Isn't that funny how I can be all three. Let me explain by saying this skirt is identical in size to my Eddie Bauer skirt which is an 8, but it really could really be a size 10 or 12 because it is adjustable and because it is a little big.  I think I will make some more and take 2 inches off each layer and see how it fits, but in the mean time-

You will need:
*2 yards of light linen or very light weight fabric cut in to these measurements:
(2) 23" wide X 10 1/2" tall - waist and 1st tier
(2) 40" wide X 6" tall - 2nd tier
(2) 45" wide X 6" tall - 3rd tier
(2) 50" wide X 6" tall - 4th tier
(1) 60" wide X 1 1/2" tall - drawstring
(1) small square of light weight iron on interfacing
*1/2 inch elastic that measures around your waist plus 2 inches
*coordinating thread

All seams are 1/2 inch unless otherwise noted

1 - Cut fabric to measurements above.

2 - Sew all strips of fabric in to tubes. That means, sew the 2 - 23" X 10 1/2" pieces at each end, right sides together so that it ends up being one big tube. Then, continue doing that for the next 3 tiers (example: sew together the 40" X 6" piece on each end right sides together and so forth).

3 - They will look like this when you are done.  You will now have 4 tubes of fabric in graduating sizes.  If not using a serger, it is a good idea to cut the side seams down to 1/4" and zig zag stitch down the sides to prevent fraying. 

4 - Take the second tube (not the one for the waist, but the second one measuring 40" X 6") and make a long running stitch 1/4" down from the top.  Leave long threads on each end to pull so that  you can make a ruffle.  Pull the threads gently to ruffle and shorten to fit the waist band.

5 - Sew the 2nd tier (the ruffled one) to the bottom of the 1st tier (the waist band) right sides together at the bottom.   If not using a serger, zig zag the seam when done.  

6 - It will look like this.

7 - Now gather the 3rd tier by doing a long stitch at the top 1/4" down.  Pull this ruffle loosely to fit the width of the 2nd tier.  Attach the 3rd tier to the 2nd tier, right sides together.  Zig zag seam when finished.  It will look like this.

8 - Attach the 4th tier the same way and then your skirt will look like this.  

9 - Finish the hem at the bottom by ironing 1/2 inch over on the wrong side and then again up to the ironed line making a double folded hem that will be 1/4 inch when sewn.  Or if you have a serger, serge the bottom and then fold up 1/2 inch and sew close to the edge.  

10 - For the waist band, iron over 1 1/4"  and then 1/4" from the top to make a casing that will be 1".  If using a serger, serge the top edge and then iron over 1".  Find the center of the front of the skirt.  The front can be either side since the skirt is symmetrical.  Mine fell at 11 1/2".  Mark with a soluble marker 1/4" down from the ironed fold line.  Now, mark 1/2" to the right of that mark and 1/2" to the left of that mark.  These will be the tops of the button holes. 

11 - Iron the square piece of light weight interfacing over the dots you just marked.  You will still be able to see the marks in order to line up your button holes.

12 - Using an automatic button hole stitch, sew two button holes that will fit a 3/8" button. Carefully use a seam ripper to open up the button holes.

13 - Now sew the casing.  The button holes should fall centered on the front of the casing on the right side of the skirt.  Sew all the way around with an 1/8" seam leaving 1 1/2" open to run elastic through.

14 - Measure the 1/2" elastic around your waist plus 2" and cut.  The elastic will be more loose than snug so that it will stay up with the elastic, but you can use the drawstring to tighten the skirt around your waist.  Using a safety pin, run the elastic through the opening in the casing.

15 - Over lap the elastic 1" and sew together.  Sew up the opening in the casing.

16 - Now we need to make the drawstring.  Iron the 60" X 1 1/2" piece of linen in half.  Now, iron each edge to meet that ironed line in the middle.  Iron 1/4" on each end and sew each end and down the long side along the edge - about 1/8".  

17 - Put a safety pin through the end of the drawstring and run it through one button hole all the way around, coming out the end of the other button hole.  Tie knots in each end of the drawstring and you are DONE!!! 

18 - Now order more linen (or find some at your fabric store) in lots of colors and make more skirts!