yo gabba gabba's plex

 My nephew loves Yo Gabba Gabba!  I think it's pretty cool myself.  I thought I should make him a cool applique shirt with Plex.  I love how it turned out.  I think he did too!

just a few totes

I know that I am not reinventing a pattern or using too many creative juices when I make a tote bag and with a quick project like this, I prefer not too.

I even avoid adding pockets and too many details to a tote, so that I can get it done quickly and add the goodies inside.  I don't think one can have too many or that I could ever make too many!  If my kids ever get invited to girl birthday parties and I have time, I make a tote like this one and fill it up with coloring supplies.

My mom made my daughter a really cool tote with clear vinyl and fabric and filled it up with glitter glue, markers, coloring pads, etc. and that thing goes with Mallory every where.  So, I can't deny a little girl a chance to draw.

 I know boys draw too, but my boys are older and I don't want to send them to a party with a tote full of art supplies and be embarrassed.

 I love totes and versions of a tote, like this kidlet.  This one is going to be filled with baby bath supplies or baby books to give to a mom who just had a baby she named Benson. 

jams for a teenage boy

I know I could easily buy a pair of athletic shorts for my thirteen year old to wear to bed. And, I have in the past. But, I just wanted to see if I could make something that he would wear. Jams seemed to be the best bet since a.) he would be wearing them in the house and b.) he needed some and c.) i thought I had the perfect fabric for them.

I turned back to my past standard for pj fabric...old sheets.  I still have quite a few of these.  I used to shop for them at garage sales and flee markets.  I also inherited quite a few when my mother in law was down sizing a few years ago. 

I chose a simple adult pj pattern and used an adult small.  I can't believe I am sewing an adult size for this guy that used to be so little.  He went from a size 12 to a 16 without ever touching the 14.  As you know, pj bottoms sew up under an hour.  So, I was able to sew two pairs in a day.

End result - he really does wear them and like them.  It's been about three weeks since I made them for him and he switches back and forth between the two pairs.  So, ultimately I was able to find something that I can still sew for a teenage boy and he will actually wear or use.  Now, on to figuring out what I can make for him next with the same results.

new summer jams in the spring

Every time the weather turns a bit warmer, I break out my patterns for pjs for the kids.

I think I get excited to shed the flannel and move on to something a little more light and airy.

Baby doll jammies and night gowns for Mallory are my favorite.

  In the past I have made her at least one pair of baby dolls each Spring.  This year I made her a pair of baby dolls and a night gown out of some lovely yellow and purple sear sucker that was sent to me as a gift from a blogger over seas, Zia Koko, four years ago.  I think I was saving it for the perfect project. 

I used a simple See & Sew B5119 pattern that is for a night gown and a set of baby doll jams.  I didn't put the ruffle on the nightgown nor the bow.  Mallory is girlie, but not that girlie.  As for the other jams, I added a 2 inch piece of fabric to the bottom of the top since it runs a bit short.  Overall, these were simple and quick..perfect for beginner who wants to get a project done in a day.

easter dress

Keeping it simple, I used an older Lizzie McGuire Simplicity 3513 as the pattern to my daughter's Easter dress this year. I had purchased in several years ago when a big fabric store here was going out of business. In fact, I picked up a lot of patterns then, but in digging through my box of patterns I realize that most are size 1-4T which is too small for my daughter.

So, I guess I will have to save those for when I make gifts!

I bought this fabric at Hobby Lobby last Fall knowing I would use it for a dress for Mallory some time in the future. I love the new fabrics that they are carrying at Hobby Lobby. They are a fraction of all of the other lovely fabrics that they carry at the quilt shop. This pattern has a an elastic bias gathering in the front, bias in the arm holes and gathered fly away sleeves. It is still a bit big in the arm holes, but not too big. It has plenty of room for growing and when you sew something it's always good to get plenty of use out of it.

a few baby gifts

I have been sewing quite a bit lately - mostly small projects(pjs for the boys and the little girl, an Easter dress, baby gifts), but just haven't taken photos of the finished projects with the exception of these gifts for the babies.

With a double baby shower this week, I got to make a few gifts for a future little boy and a future little girl. As usual, I stuck with quick projects that I know well. Someday I will branch out, but until that day, I will be able to swiftly put together a package for a new baby.

The gift for the little girl was a one yard flannel blanket using purple and white striped flannel on one side and a flannel patchwork pattern of vibrant colors on the other.I used a piece of turquoise flannel to applique a heart on the purple and white side for a pop of color.

I just sewed the blanket right sides together leaving a 6 inch opening for turning it right side in. Then, zig zagged stitched all the way around the perimeter.The gift for the baby boy was a set of four bibs using two different rocket ship fabrics, flannel and terry cloth. I used the bib pattern found here at juicy bits blog. I use industrial snaps at the top instead of Velcro because I like the look of the big shiny round snaps on something so delicate!

layered skirt and bunnny applique just in time for easter

When I saw Dana's tutorial for a layered skirt, I was hoping I could get a few made for Mallory. So, I started with one that would match the bunny applique shirt I had just finished for her. I didn't quite have enough of the vintage floral sheet left, so I used pink chambray for the ruffles and the floral sheet for the straight pieces. It went together so quickly which means I need to get out my yellow and purple seersucker to make a few more.

an apron for her

When your daughter is constantly wearing her brothers' aprons (which they rarely wear), it is time to make one for her. It was probably time a long time ago, but better later than never. I made her this quick two sided apron as a Valentine's Day gift. I just traced one that I had bought for her brother Gage and used that as the pattern.

One side is a pink and yellow Moda fabric which I added a pink polka dot pocket to so that she can carry her whisk and spatula.

The other side is a vintage looking green fabric from Darlene Zimmerman that has animals on it. I added her initial "M" to that side.

She wore it that night and later asked, "Where did you buy this apron for me, mom?" I told her that I made it and she said, "You know how to make these?" I guess she forgets that I sew!

simple tote

It felt good to sew again. It was so cold up in my sewing room that I had to bring the machine down to the kitchen table. But, I was still able to make a simple tote in a few hours. I made it as a belated Christmas gift for a friend.
The dimensions I used were 15" wide X 17" high and the straps were each 24" long X 4" wide - folded in half and then in to itself making 1" side straps. I used the same method I used for the trinket keepers - hole in the bottom of the lining and pulling the outside fabric through. I added some stiff stabilizer to the back of the outside fabric, but not on lining or straps.The outside fabric is Paris Bebe and the lining is by Elisabeth Merrill for RJR Fabrics.
It made me want to sew more. I left the machine on the kitchen table. It won't help our family dinners, but it will help me sew!

a lil' cutie pouch for a sweet girl

Mallory wanted me to make her a lil' cutie pouch from Noodlehead's tutorial and she uses it quite a bit as a little purse to carry her change when we go out. So, we thought it would be the perfect gift for her friend when she got invited to her birthday party. We added a special soldered charm necklace for her and put it inside the pouch. Instead of a key ring, we added a large lobster claw on the side so that she can hook it on her belt loop when she takes it out with her.

a stash bag

Awhile ago I got a special bag in the mail from Dana at Made. It has become a perfect bag to carry in my purse where I can keep a treat or two just for me. Although, the fish on the front give it away and the kids know they can probably find some Swedish Fish in there. I thought that my friends might need some candy stash bags of their own. I made a few and this is the one I made for my friend Sara who has recently moved to Philly. I filled it with her favorites - dark chocolate. The pouch is just big enough to carry a few treats, but not too big that you might overload it (but, is that really a bad thing?). I followed the directions from Noodleheads's blog for the Lil Cutie Pouch and just beefed up the size a bit and eliminated the tab for the key ring. Oh, and I lined the outside fabric with fusible medium weight lining just to make sure it can hold all that chocolate and not collapse!

a few summer skirts

I have been in the mood to sew recently. Plus, I want to use up my fabric stash. I had a clear a space upstairs in order to do it, but for a few simple skirts, it was worth it.

First, she wanted a skirt with a blue jay on it (just a blue bird) and that was easy. I think I made it about the main part of the skirt 15" and then added a 4" band at the bottom to applique the blue jay on. The bird applique is from this pattern.


Next I made a few from Dana's Simple Skirt tutorial. I made both double layered. I love them both, but am especially fond of the red, white, and blue one with bias tape. Perfect for the 4th of July.