Wednesday, February 22, 2012

My machine is back in business!

Guess what I got working again this weekend!  My embroidery machine!  A brand new machine and it sat on my desk for months because I couldn't figure out what was wrong with it.  All it was, was a tiny piece of thread stuck down in the bobbin case.  A tiny thread about 1/2 in. long giving me all that grief!!  So once it was back on track I made an owl dress to test out an applique.

1/10 lengthened

Monday, February 20, 2012

The tale of the polka dot shirt

There is a very cute tunic in the new Ottobre magazine that I wanted to make for the girls.  So I cut out one for Nin in polka dots and one for KK in cute flower fabric.  So Nin wants to wear hers the next day and this is the arguement that ensued.

KK:  why does Nin get the polka dot one?
Me:  Because I made it in her size and the flower one is your size.
KK:  But you always make her polka dot clothes.
Me:  Really?
KK:  It's not fair.  Sobbing, whining and crying.......

At this time KK stomps off and starts yanking clothes out of closets to prove her point.

KK:  See look at this Nin has way more polka dot clothes than I do.  You always make her more polka dot clothes.  It's no fair.
Me:  Geesh, you caught me.  That was my plan all along.  I discriminate against you and polka dot clothing. 

They will fight about anything! 

Pattern:  Ottobre Magazine 1/2012
#37 size 140

1/12 #37

1/12 #37

1/12 #37

The  unloved floral top!

1/12 #37

Look at those snaps! They match perfectly!!

1/12 #37

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Oh baby!

I don't know what it is about baby clothes!  They are so cute and tiny!  Kind of like babies!  Anyway, I finished up some baby items for no particular reason.  Some are for baby Avie but the other set just hangs on my garment rack. 

Avie got a tunic out of the new Ottobre magazine, 1/2012 #17, and some matching leggings from Otto 4/2004.

Photobucket

Isn't this fabric so sweet! As soon as I saw it, I snatched up 3 yards from Girl Charlee!

Photobucket

Photobucket

And then there is this little jumper! Swoon!

Jumper is Ottobre 6/2009 #4 and the t shirt underneath is 1/2011 #4. Both of these are about a size 3 mo. They are so tiny!

Photobucket

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Upcycles

I love upcycling!!  I frequent Goodwill looking for cool t shirts!  You can quit laughing at me now!  Here are some recent finds. 

Supergirl!

Photobucket

Back

Photobucket

Do you like candy?

Photobucket

Or how about Girl Scout cookies?

Photobucket

Friday, February 10, 2012

Pajama-rama

I have a confession.  I never make pj's for my girls.  Seems like a waste of time and fabric considering that they just wear them to bed.  I make them wear old t shirts.  Please don't turn me in!!  They seem to have a never ending supply of t shirts that they manage to collect from random places, like parades or Washburn University basketball games.  So that's what they wear..... 

For reasons that even I don't understand, I purchased a pj pattern from a co-op last summer.  I was pretty excited so I cut out 8 pairs of tank top/short pajamas.  I started sewing them assembly line style and didn't get them done before Stash Game last fall.  I can't complete them during Stash Game because I would barely get any points for them since they were already half sewn.  And by the time Stash Game was over, it was too cold to wear them to bed, so they sat for months and months and a few more months.  Even though it is still too cold to wear them, I wanted to get them finished before Stash Game this month and get them off my desk. 

So the last weekend of January, I set to work to finish them up.  I mean all they needed were hems and elastic in the waist, shouldn't be too hard!  But about an hour in I remembered why I never finished them.  Pay attention folks, this is important!  Sewing 8 pairs of pajamas in an assembly line is BORING!!!!  My sewing ADD was screaming at me to give them up until spring when they could actually wear them!  But I managed, barely, to get them all done.  And now they sit in drawers until it warms up.  Boo!! 

Here is what one set looks like. I mean if you see one set, you know what all 8 look like...

Photobucket

Photobucket

Then, I had another bright idea. Back in the beginning of January when I realized the extent of my fabric stash, I went on a cutting bender and cut out like a gagillion things. The girls had received some nightgowns for Christmas and they like wearing them so I cut 4 out. As long as I was torturing myself with the other pajamas, I may as well add 4 nightgowns to the mix, right?

So I dug them out of the pile and finished them. These weren't so bad because there were only 4 and I finished each one before I moved on to the next.

These were well received! They have been wearing them non stop!!

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

All of these pj's are from one pattern, Kwik Sew 3025. I can safely say that I probably won't be making any more pj's! At least for a long time!

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Theo Rama

I made Theo some new duds while he was visiting.  That way I could have him model.  Since I don't typically see him in the clothes I make him, I wanted to take some modeling shots.  Which is easier than it sounds.....  But more on that later.

I made him 2 pairs of pants out of corduroy.  Same pattern, Ottobre 4/2011 #9.  In size 86.  PS- I actually made 3 pairs of pants but I gave one away, and it was identical to the khaki cords. 

Photobucket

Photobucket

Lots of tags on these!

Photobucket

Helicopters!

Photobucket

More on the pocket in the back

Photobucket

An action shot?

Photobucket

Blue cords that were made to match a super cool new shirt! I even topstitched in lime green!

Photobucket

Photobucket

back pocket with a cool rocket tag!

Photobucket

Another action shot?

Photobucket

2 Ottobre shirts! Super fab watch fabric from Girl Charlee!

Photobucket

At this point modeling was getting harder and harder. I resorted to bribery. It went something like this:

Me- Theo please stand here so I can take your pretty picture.
Theo- No.
Me- Pretty pleaaaaasssseeee, you look so handsome.
Theo- No, dont want to.
Me- Pppppplllleeeeaaaasssseeee!
Theo- No, Kewwwy, don't want to.
Me- Please, I will give you a piece of candy!
Theo- Ok.

I win!

Photobucket

Photobucket

And that's all I got!

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Farbenmix Encinitas

I ordered a bunch of Farbenmix patterns in a co- op last summer.  I finally got them in January and set to work sewing one up for Addi Bo's birthday gift.  I chose the Encinitas which can be a super frilly, ruffly, twirly dress.  It can also be made plain, but what's the fun in that!  And since the birthday girl is very girly I chose pink!

3 1/2 yards of fabric later and I had this!

Photobucket

Photobucket

Upfront ruffles

Photobucket

Top view

Photobucket

And a little tag that peeks out of the ruffles when the dress moves

Photobucket

The dress is a peasant bodice attached to a double layer skirt. The upper skirt has 3 long tear drop shapes with 3 shorter upside down u's all sewn together alternating long, short, long, short, long short. It's what gives the dress the scalloped effect. The under layer is just 6 long tear drop pieces that also create a scallop shaped hem. Now, I don't technically know if I did this correctly. I mean, the pattern was in German, and I don't speak German. And I had a few pieces leftover. But from what I gather looking at other examples is that the leftover pieces are to create pockets if you want them. But I went without because I didn't think the dress needed them!