Baby Buntings

Sort of.  The new Ottobre magazine came and just flipping through it I was immediately drawn to this cute little baby coverall.  Sort of like a bunting but not as substantial.  I wanted to make it right away.  Problem is, I haven't had a sonogram to know if I am making girl clothes or boy clothes!  So I decided straight away that I was making both girl and boy.  I figured I could gift the one I don't use to someone!  Second problem was that I had no suitable boy fabric.  Shocking I know, considering the unbelievable amount of fabric that I own.  But it's true!  I wanted to use french terry and have plenty of girl options as I make the girls plenty of hoodies but my boy options were pretty much a solid color.  And those were black, aqua and chocolate brown.  I searched the internet high and low for a few days but didn't find anything! 

So I decided on the brown and then tried to find matching ribbing, which I had none!  Even JoAnn's didn't have any as the chocolate brown, which is actually a velour, was part of a line a few years ago and they discontinued the color and replaced it with something lighter.  While searching JoAnn's I came across some cute little iron on appliques of monkey's and my fate was sealed.  I came home with the appliques and then decided to use bright kelly green ribbing to match the appliques. 

I almost can't decide which one I would rather use!

The only thing I don't like about the pattern that I didn't realize until it was too late is that the hood isn't lined.  So there are serger seams down the middle of the hood which may be okay for bigger kids, but I just feel like the hoods should be lined.  Which I took care of in the second one!

I really like how the zipper is diagonal across the body of the suit!

My girls begged for me to put the monkey on the butt!

And so I have completed the first baby outfit for number 3!  And a spare! 

Farbenmix love

I purchased several Farbenmix patterns from a co-op in, ahem, January.  I am just now getting around to sewing them up! 

I bought the Laguna skirt which is similar to the Redondo, except it has a floaty layer.  When I purchased the pattern I didn't realize that my girls were already in the largest size!  So I figured I better get around to sewing one up or they would never be able to wear it....

So I spent hours (not really) picking out the perfect fabrics only to discover that I didn't have enough of one. Hours later I finally picked out the black with white stars. 

The great thing about this skirt is the fullness.  The twirliness.  The fluffiness.  All of which are redeeming qualities according to my girls.

I even made 10 yards of bias tape by hand to hem this dang thing.  And as soon as I was done I told hubby that I wanted one of those fancy bias tape machines they sell at JoAnn's.  Repeatedly burning your fingertips is no fun, even in the name of fashion.

I also worked on a Farbenmix Lore.  This pattern has shorts and a top but I bought the pattern only interested in sewing the top.  My girls are also about to outgrow this pattern as I made the largest size. 

I picked up this cute DC fabric from Girl Charlee and at the last minute I remembered I had some ruffly binding that I thought would look cute stuck up at the top. 

Now, I didn't make these to go together but little lady was not in a modeling mood so it's what I got. 

Super deluxe twirling capabilities.

Mama gets a new maternity dress!

Although I am not really showing yet and have only a minimal bump, I thought I would make myself a new dress for this summer.  I bought this pattern before I was even pregnant earlier this year.  And I cut it out about 2 months ago, but haven't felt up to much sewing the past few weeks.  So I locked myself in the sewing room Sunday and set to work!

The pattern is Kwik Sew 3758.  It's not a maternity pattern, but the top is a stretchy knit and the skirt is really full so I am thinking it will last me through the summer.  When it gets too cool to wear this dress I will be about 25 or 26 weeks.  In my past pregnancies I haven't gotten too big until around this time! 

The top is made out of some stretchy cotton/lycra from everyone's favorite fabric shop, Girl Charlee.  Ok ok, maybe it's just my favorite!  And the bottom is made from some sheer embroidered cotton from a line JoAnn's carried 2 summers ago.  I had to line the skirt with some plain white cotton in order to avoid indecent exposure!  This dress was very easy to put together!  Highly recommend! 

And for anyone who is interested, a 15 week bump shot.  Not much of a bump yet.....

This will be perfect for summer!! 

Nin's birthday shorts

Nin's birthday was yesterday!  My big girl turned 8!!  We bought most of her presents but I decided since I had been promising all summer to make her some shorts that one of her presents would be mama made shorts.  And you know what, we didn't even let her open any of her presents!!  Aren't we mean.....  She gets to open them at her party tomorrow.  Plus we let her open one last weekend, so don't feel too bad for her. 

The shorts I made last summer don't fit anymore and I had used the largest size range on that pattern so I had to find a new pattern.  Browsing the Farbenmix Flickr group I decided I wanted the Unella Blomma pattern.  It's a shirt and short pattern, but I mainly just wanted the shorts. I have a nearly identical shirt pattern in one of my Ottobre catalogs that I have made 3 or 4 times. 

A couple months ago I went out and bought lots of mama fabric.  Lots and lots.  Probably 8 or 10 different pieces.  I wanted to make myself some new skirts and capri pants.  But then I got pregnant and got all sick and tired.  So I thought it was pointless to sew pants for me since I won't be able to wear them in a few months.  Even if I wanted to sew, I was too sick and too tired to do it!

So the point is, I used some of this mama fabric to make Nin these shorts.  Now, I bought 3 yards to make myself some pants and these shorts took about 1 yard so maybe next summer I can make myself some shorts.  If I am being honest with you, that won't actually happen.  I don't wear shorts. 

Pattern:  Farbenmix Unella Blomma
Size 146/152- they do seem a bit big but I have to wait until tomorrow to try them on her!
Embroidery:  Tinimi- strawberry fairy

After I made KK the strawberry dress, poor little Nin was so disappointed because she loved the strawberry fairies.  So I felt like I should use them on something for her.  Plus, when you pay $16 for one embroidery design you kind of feel obligated to use it more than once...

The shorts have these tucks and pleats all over them.  Two on the waist front, 2 on the yoke in the back and one on each front pocket.  I don't know, are pleated shorts a thing of the past?  Or are they acceptable for 8 year olds?

Cute little tags that I ordered from a Night Owl's Menagerie co-op.

Ribbon detail on a back pocket.  I saw another pair of these shorts with ribbon on the back pocket and thought it was cool!

 A happy sun!

And since I was all tuckered out after making these shorts, I went to Target and bought a plain pink shirt to match! 

Here she is in the whole outfit.  I know the pictures are horrible but I had about a 2 minute window to take these!

Not too big, they fit perfect!

Birthday dress

I was commissioned to make a birthday dress for my niece who will be 3 next week!  And since she is getting a Bitty Baby as a present I also made a matching dolly dress! 

I wanted to use the fabrics leftover from KK's strawberry breakfast dress since I loved the fabric combo so much!  And I also wanted it to be twirly and ruffly.  All the things that my girls love!  So I found a bodice pattern that would work and then just kept adding tiers to make it long enough! 

Little Avie is a tiny thing so I have to use Ottobre pattterns in a size 80, which is about an 18mo.  But because she is about as tall as most 3 year olds I have to adjust the length.  Originally, the pattern had 2 tiers and then a tiny ruffle around the bottom which was about 1 in tall.  I didn't have enough to make the ruffle, so I just added a full tier instead.  Speaking of tiers, the original ones were supposed to  be about 2 3/4 in. tall, but I made mine 3.5 in tall. 

Pattern:  2/2005 Ottobre size 80 bodice

The thing I loved most about the dress were these cute little petal shaped ties!





I didn't have a pattern that would work for a dolly dress and I am kind of opposed to paying $6 for a pattern to make a dolly dress so I just kind of winged it.  I free handed the ties and then added a bodice piece to them.  I kept trying the paper pattern on KK's American Girl doll and cutting down where it needed, or adding too it when it was needed.  You should see the pattern I created!  I couldn't find scotch tape, so I had to use blue painter's tape so the pattern is a mess of tracing paper and blue tape!

This one got the bottom ruffle since I had enough fabric!

What a fun project!

Next up I have a pair of shorts that I made for Nin's birthday which is today!  I had them on the embroidery machine while I was sewing Avie's dress!  I am sure I looked like a mad woman switching back and forth between 3 machines every 4 seconds. 

Gardening

We are officially "in the squash"!  3 types this year.  It may be a bit overkill but we like squash.  Though sometimes I do feel like Bubba in Forrest Gump, trying to come up with 8 million ways to eat the same thing!

The squash above was picked over 2 days.  I won't be able to keep up with it if we pick this much every other day....  We have Black Beauty zucchini, Patty Pan (which is the little flying saucer shaped one) and a round zucchini, not sure of the name.  The round zucchini was supposed to be yellow summer squash.  At least that is what the envelope said!  When they first started growing I kept looking at them and wondering when they were going to turn yellow!  They should be a nice change up though! 

I am wondering if the round zucchini is this variety?  They look just like the ones growing in my garden!