The Big Girl Skinny Tee

I was lucky enough to get to do a pattern test for Rae.  She is coming out with her skinny tee pattern for sizes 6-14.  I am sure it will be any day now.  My girl is definitely growing out of her 5's so I offered to make up a 6.  Now first let me say my daughter does NOT need any more clothes.  But um, see I have a bit of a problem.  I CAN'T STOP.  I have some patterns that I would like to try for myself so I am really trying hard to convince myself to stop with the kids clothes and at least work on some for myself.  Because not sewing is not really an option.

So I made two versions.  The first one is long sleeve. 

We don't really need long sleeves here in So Cal any more but I figured Rae wanted the sleeve length tested.  The fabric is some knit jersey that was only a few dollars for a yard from Joanne's.  I don't love the print but paired with the blue bands it is nice looking on her. 

Then Rae made a few modifications to the pattern.  This is version number two.  This was a girl's clearance XL T from Old Navy.  The pattern just fit.  It feels weird to cut up a t-shirt to make another but especially when they are so cheap to buy.  But again like I alluded to above.  I have an addiction. 

I left the sleeves a bit long because she really wanted the band of pink on the bottom of the sleeve.  It is a bit stretched out because I had to use a zig zag stitch to hem it because I BROKE my double needle.  ?? Please don't ask how that happened but I am bummed. 

 The back.  It fits perfectly along the back and I like that it is a bit long on her.

This is just showing off because I have never been able to match stripes like this before.  Yes, it is a beautiful thing.  I think the key to this was making a full size version of the pattern by taping the right and left sides of the pattern together so I didn't have to cut on the fold.  I thought this would be more work than it was worth.  It's not.  Its worth every second to get a perfect match at the side.

This pattern is flawless.  Great fit.  Great instructions.  Never fear the knit.  They are so forgiving and really easy.  I usually use a stretch needle and my stretch stitch and have pretty good success.

Well are you next?  Don't wait to get the pattern.  You will be addicted too.

Here is the link to the pattern for sizes up to 12mos - 5. 

-Clover

KCWC Spring 2012

I made a dress for myself just a couple weeks ago.  My daughter loved it and wanted one of her own.  I wasn't going to because there were so many other things I wanted to make for her but then I saw this

http://www.chasing-fireflies.com/sunset-dipped-dress/productinfo/38430/

all my plans changed. 

I essentially traced the front and back of a tank that fit her well and then lengthen it based on how the Mission Maxi pattern does.

Then I found this tutorial on how to make the asymmetrical hem.  I think that it could be higher in the front and longer in the back, But....

You know the measure twice cut once.  I did that.  Its still too short in the back and I think that I need to hem it still.  Arrggh.

Here is mine that I made.  It is the Mission Maxi dress.  Its the third time I have made it.

Here are the other two dresses I made this week. 

A simple dress with beautiful fabric.

You can never go wrong with a little Oliver&S,  Hopscotch Knit Dress.

I had lots more planned but a night in the emergency room with the two year old for stitches on the chin. A night up at Disneyland (so fun!) and pure exhaustion has kept it limited.  I do think I may have a bit more in me for Sunday night if I can really be efficient.  Or maybe not.

I hope your KCWC was all you had hoped.  Cheers to getting the laundry done.

Clover

This is the life.

I had wanted to make these "cloaks" since I saw them made up by Dana.  They seemed so fun to play in.  So I made them for Christmas presents and I love the way they turned out.  I contemplated whether to buy the new book for awhile and finally took the plunge.  Growing Up Sew Liberated.  I think I will probably make a few things from this book.  I have a pants pattern traced and the pattern cut so that might be the next project. 

The pattern was super easy to follow.  I made the bigger one first and there are a lot of little errors manipulating the satin fabic     But it ended up fine.  The smaller one was a bit easier since I had experience. 



 
I am never sure what my kids will actually play with when I get them stuff.  Especially my daughter. 

But they have flown around the house a few times already. 

Happy Make Believe! - Clover

She really did make me do it.



That is Made by Rae.  She came out with this pattern a couple months or so ago and I thought "Oooohhhh" But I knew S wouldn't really like it because it has "stuff" up around the neck and its 3/4 sleeves.  But I kept thinking about it, and thinking about it, and damn I kept thinking about it.  I started to think maybe I could entise her if I made it in flannel and I let her help me.  Ah Ha.  Surely she will love it.  So I bought the flannel and got busy.  I did cut it on the bias and didnt really measure her for the size I just cut the size 5 and hoped for the best I knew if anything it would be too big.

Well I tried it on her before I stitched up the elastic around the neck and hemmed it all.  Boy am I glad.  She was so excited to try it on after helping me sew on that ruffle.  Before it was even all the way on screaming ensued.  Pulling at the neck and general hatred.  Well really I wasn't suprised. So what am I to do??  I ended up adding four inches of elastic to the neck line and When she tried it on....Success. She liked it and wore it the rest of the day.  It is a bit challenging when we need a jacket on cause of those big sleeves but she looks fantastic in it and....she likes it, she really likes it.

Do blondes really have more fun?

Gotta love the bias cut swing. 

Can I officially call this sun flare??

Well, how about you.  What are your latest triumphs?



I have an "Innocent Crush" on Anna Maria Horner

As usual I have been sewing away.  Maybe a bit slower than normal.  We have all had cold after cold. Then Thanksgiving and of course Sophia turning five!  It has been a busy month and at night time when I usually hide away and sew I have been sitting like a blob on the sofa and then going to bed a bit earlier than normal.  Which in itself has been a good thing.  I think I am a lot nicer when I have the right amount of sleep.  Or at least way more tolerant of every ones craziness over here.


I really have been obsessing over Anna Maria Horner's fabrics.  Every collection that comes out I initially look and go ok thats nice.  But the more I look at it the more I start to fall in love with it.  She is brilliant.  Here colors are just perfect.  All of them.  So I started making some of her figure 8 scarves and I think they are just the perfect project to really show off some fabric.

This is the one I chose for myself to keep.  It is a little wide and long for me who is slightly more petite but it is really striking against a plain colored shirt and even though I usually dress very simply I love it and feel great when I wear it. 

This is the second one I made.  It is a gift for someone for Christmas .  These are more "my" colors but they are the recipients as well.  It is gorgeous.  I made a second of the one I am keeping to give to someone else and also have a fourth waiting to be finished that is another combo of colors.  It is a rather simple sew except the voile shifts a bit.  I think at some point I will have to invest in a walking foot.  For now I pin, pin, pin and go slow.  The hardest part of it is hand sewing the last seam with a blind stitch.  I am HORRIBLE at hand stitching but I am getting better with each scarf.

The next project was so much fun and again an easy sew.  I am really trying not to be intimidated by knits.  They really are very forgiving.   Especially in children's clothing. 

She was posing "nicely" so she could get back to watching her show.

The back.  I debated on the ruffly leg bottoms but I like it.

The leg doesn't sit weird like the picture.  They actually fit fantastically.



The pattern is from LilBlueBoo the Sienna Dress and it is so easy and has so many possibilities.  I am also obsessed with her blog.  I never took any art classes ever.  I never considered myself artistic.  I was the math and science kinda girl so I am learning all kinds of cool techniques that I would love to try.  I found this shirt at the thrift store quite awhile ago and I new the only way to get her to wear it was to add pink so I used some of this interlock I got at a great price when the local fabric boutique store went out of business.

Well there are a few more projects I completed but I think this is long enough.  Hopefully I can post some more soon. 

-Clover



photographs

I have been making a lot of gifts lately and by the time I have them all done I am so anxious to get them wrapped up and off to the recipient that I have been forgetting to take photos.  This bums me out because I like to keep pictures of the things I have made.  I just made my brother a whole slew of stuff for their baby to be and I didn't take one darn picture of it.  Oh well.  I will just have to wait until the babe is born and I see her wearing the stuff I made.

One of my best friends daughter turned two not long ago so I made her a couple skirts.  The theme for her party was dogs so when I saw this fabric in my stash I knew this would be the choice.  Isn't she cute! 

-Clover



The balance beam

I often feel like a preschooler on a balance beam.  Wobbling from side to side.  Slowly one foot in front of the other.  Mind racing about what's coming next while focusing on not falling.  Sometimes the beam is low with no real consequences of falling.  Sometimes it's high and the consequences are lifelong.

The balance of self vs others.  As a wife and mother I am constantly faced with the choice between self and others.  It is precarious, the balance, some days my soul aches for freedom of choice of time, sleep, quiet.  With it no where in sight.  Other days it is a steady walk across and the day ends with a gratitude and peace.  There is always more that could be or should be done but there is ALWAYS more. 

The great balance beam.  How high was your beam today?  Did you make it?  Did you fall off and get back up or where you a show stopper?