Ketchup.

I was going through my pictures from 2012 last night and realized I had a bunch of projects from the last two months I hadn't posted about, and since this is meant to be my "sewing journal" to take notes and remember details, I figure I should post about them.

 

So, in no particular order here they are:

 

 

 

A Classic Picnic turned dress.  This one was for our family pictures in November. 

I LOVED Nicole's picnic with buttons. Loved.  So I tried my hand at it... I promise the buttons don't look this wonky on her. 

I made it nice and long since she has a skinny chest I thought she would get lots of wear from this.  It is size 12m, and still quite big.  She wore this with some white tights and cute brown boots for pictures. Adorable.

This was Jack's outfit for pictures.  (Hat not included). Flashback tee and his very favorite Sandbox pants.  Also, Abby wore her mustard + ivory dress shown here and Izzy wore her Pierrot.  My family didn't get individuals (as I think I mentioned before, sorry if it's a repeat) but if I manage to ever get everyone ready again,  I will make sure to post all the outfits together.  I thought they all coordinated quite well with the group.

Then a pair of Sandbox for George.  I rounded the pockets to make it more "girly".  Aaand she got only a few wears out of them as she had a growth spurt right after they were made. Awesome.

They are made from a gray linen and supposed to go with her After school shirt (details here). 

Pockets lined with left overs from the shirt.

Then I went on a pj pant spree... sort of... I had 10 cut out, 6 were completed, 2 only need elastic and 2 need leg binding and elastic.  I am not good at that much repitition and set them aside for a bit.  There are 2 of these lady bug print pants, both in 12m.  I had just enough to make 2 in this size, so I figured why not.  P.S. the pattern is the Bedtime Story. 

The first ones were tiny twin, and these are on big twin.  There is a 5!! pound difference between them which affects their shirts, but not their pants oddly enough.  Also 12m.

Matching for Christmas + Jack's have double decker busses with "London" printed on them, a shoutout to his 1/4 British self:)  Abby was so excited they all matched and were triplets, ha!  I had flashback shirts all cut out too, but things got crazy and they weren't completed.

And this is how our pictures always look if I try to get everyone in.

Last but not least, 2 Field trip raglans.  I love this pattern.  I had 4 that I was making at the time and wasn't paying enough attention and put the neckband seam in the front middle instead of the back.  Oops.  12m, 18m length.  Made in a thermal I picked up from girlcharlee.

Fabrics also from girlcharlee.  This is her "chis" (cheese) face.  She can be such a ham. 

I don't normally keep a WIP pile, but I have the 4 above mentioned pj pants to complete, a jumprope view B cut, and I am about 3/4 of the way through a puppet show dress.  My serger is off to the doctor and it just makes me not want to sew! Though I think I will attempt french seams on the jumprope and wait for the machine to finish the puppet show since most of it has been serged already, keep up the same look on it.  Who knows though, I have also been meaning to size up the geranium for Abby, I guess I'll just see what happens!

S'more winter wear.

Last night I managed another 1 1/2 t-shirts before my serger needle snapped in half... and I realized I am out of needles. Grrr... So I shall only show the one I finished (and one from a while ago I never blogged). 

 

 

I used Cindy's knockoff Gymboree tee tutorial, but used the flashback tee for the yoke and hopscotch for the rest.  I used a black knit and a chevron knit from girlcharlee.  I bought it way back when she first had them printed and only had black and white, cream and white, and pink and black (which I also got a yard) now there are so many! Makes me want another yard or two in a different color.

 

 

Little Miss Sass. This is a size 6, btw.  She was mad I made her comb her hair and take a picture, so she refused to take off her pj pants. 

The next one I made for family pictures waaay back in November.  Sadly for me, since I take the pictures, we got a group shot of the whole extended family but by the time I tried to do my individual family pictures (after everyone else got their individuals) the twins would have none of it.  So, this crummy picture is all I have to show of the dress. 

(also a size 6) This is before it was too cold to take pictures outside:)... in my yucky backyard.  That is on the list first thing come spring!  The left sleeve looks a little shorter, but it isn't- I promise.  She LOVES this dress and wears it a lot, even to school which is a big deal being she normally refuses to wear dresses to school.   This knit is also from girlcharlee, and if I could pull off horizontal stripes I would have used it for me, ha! Mustard is pretty much my favorite color.

A winter picnic.

Abby has requested some more shirts, long sleeve in particular, though this one isn't.  I talked her in to the classic picnic top by telling her she could wear a long sleeve shirt under it.  I made a size 6 but lengthened it quite a bit and also only hemmed the sleeves an inch total rather than the 1 3/4" called for in the pattern.  I also used a lawn from Jo-ann that I picked up last spring, I only had one yard and managed to cut it in that! I was worried that I wouldn't be able to make it work, but since it isn't a directional print I just turned the front yoke slightly to make it work. 

 



And she loves it.  It is a really hard fabric to picture, plus it is nice and cloudy outside so ya know how the lighting goes. 

Inspired by Justine, I added white ric rac to the front and back yoke to break up the busy print.  I am pretty sure that is what took her feelings from like to love on this shirt.  I considered putting some at the hem too, but thought it might be too much.  I just want to pet the fabric, it is so soft.  Time to plan the next shirt for her, it is so much easier to sew when she is home to try things on as needed!  Though the two bigs are already fighting like crazy and we are only a few days in to Christmas break, oh dear!

A last minute Italian feast.



I recently ran across this pattern on etsy while searching for some fun, unique items to add to the new kitchen.  Seriously, the lasagna killed me with cuteness, and I just had to buy it.  I wasn't planning on making it before Christmas, but the twins napped right through church so I stayed home yesterday with them while the biggies went with Daddy.   So free time with no prying eyes, score. 

 

 



Looks delish, right?!  I would totally eat this:)

The pattern instructs you to sew most parts with your machine, but I wanted to watch some football... so I hand stitched all of it, which took probably waaaay longer, but that's okay.  Plus the artsy, uneven stitch look is growing on me.   I am considering adding more lettuce eventually, chances are I will never get around to it though, haha.

Bowtie pasta, sauce and two meatballs. Yummy!

These suckers are what took the longest! I was finished two noodles and was excited, thinking I was done, then I realized I needed another.  Oh well.  They are the reason I splurged on a pattern, right?

I love that they are all separate pieces, makes for more imaginative play!

So the feast went in a zip bag along with the ice cream sundae and veggies, time to get wrapping!  Of course I decided at the last minute to also make the kids pj's for Christmas Eve.  Yep, for tonight.  The big kids are off to find snow in the mountains with Daddy and twinsies are due for a nap, so my machine will be put to work! 

Geranium dress.

I recently got an e-mail from Rae asking if I would be interested in testing her new little girl pattern.  Um, heck yes!  I have tested for her before on the Pierrot and Flashback big kid size and it was so interesting and fun I just couldn't resist.  The twins have been needing a new dress or two for church, so this was the perfect excuse!  Plus, I like to put them in dresses during the week too, there is just something about a little girl in a dress. 

 

 

So first up I went with straight View B, aka mini washi.  I had this color saved for an Apple picking dress, even had the buttons for it, but I just thought this color would be perfect for the Geranium.  

 

I found it to be a quick sew, and spot on in the fit.  Izzy measured right in the 18m size so that is the size I picked for both (George will catch up eventually, that just means longer wear for her!) It has pleats in the front and back, and button closure, and there are side seam pockets- not that she will use them, my kids aren't interested in pockets.  I keep forgetting to get a back shot.  I LOVE this dress so much.  You can't tell in this photo, but I added 4 rows of white stitching on the hem to give it a little something extra. And it is a Michael Miller cotton, not sure of the name of the color... I tend not to pay attention...

Now on to the next dress.  I like to make a dress exactly as the pattern and instructions suggest, (especially when testing, heehee) and the next time around try and make it "mine".  I pretty much had this version in my head as soon as the last stitch was sewn on the first dress. 

It is a Lisette chambray, oh so soft! Again this is View B, but I left off the cut out at the neckline, eliminated the side pockets, opting instead for the patch ones (included in the pattern), added pompoms at the pockets and hem, and gathered instead of pleating.  Confession, it still doesn't have buttons in the back, I haven't found the "right ones" just yet.  Sounds like a good excuse to hit up the fabric store later today!

Georgia is getting quite the personality lately, she LOVES to have her hair done (wetted and brushed) and usually brings me this headband.  While they are still engaging in "twin talk" aka very few actual words, but they seem to know what each other mean, she babbles a lot on this phone.  Hilarious.

I will update the post later with the pattern link when Rae releases the pattern, but I thought I may as well blog it while the twins are behaving (for once!) since she has already put up the tester photos.  Go check them out, good stuff! And I highly recommend this pattern!!  If it is ever offered in bigger sizes Abby has demanded requested one too:) 



*Here is the link for the pattern*

A favorite repeated.

I made the exact same shirt for the twins nearly a year ago and it was pretty much my favorite thing I had ever (and have ever) made. ( I can't figure out how to put it on the blog so you'll just have to click the link:)  It is the Oliver + s 2+2 blouse and it has been cut out since *gasp* September.  So big twin may not get much wear out of it as it is a little tight on her arms now... and even though I lengthened it to 18m (12m everywhere else) she has had a growth spurt.  But not to worry, I have a spare.  Georgie is 5 (!!!!) pounds lighter and an inch shorter, so she will get good use out of it.  So last night I finally got around to it, and I am happy to say the only thing that bothers me is there is a little pucker on either side of the middle of the patch, but I may be able to take a few stitches out to fix that- it was just way too late last night to deal with it!  That is why I love making patterns more than once, my first was just full of mistakes, the second a little better and this one is near perfection (for my skills).

 

 



 

Elizabeth wiggled in between the cribs trying to escape the lens, but she can't resist playing a long with "if you're happy and you know it" especially the line "and your face will surely show it"  as she points to her cheeks and smiles.

After I pulled her out most of the pictures were like this- *if I don't look maybe she will leave me be!* Nope.  Just look at those curls!  She has hardly any hair on the top and sides, but the back is quite long and curly.  Ben's family is all curly, so I am hoping to get at least one with curls!

But then one decent one.  I really love this shirt so much, and will likely make one in each size until I run out of these prints.

Eat your veggies.

Back so soon? This set went together a bit quicker than the last.  Or maybe it was because I snuck in a little extra time early in the morning when I put on a movie for the kids... It had dogs, the twins loved it.  And Jack was totally oblivious to anything and everything I was doing, so I scored a free hour! Those are nice every once in a while. 

 

 

Again, these are from the book Big little felt universe.  When I rented it a few months back I made the eggplant, well Ben has this rule that if the felt food is left on the ground at the end of the night, he will just throw it away. He HATES the stuff.  I have lost broccoli, cauliflower (both ten individual pieces), a chocoalte bar, and the eggplant.  Yikes!  Naughty Daddy.  Anyway, so Jack was pretty sad he doesn't have an eggplant anymore (he doesn't realize Ben tossed it) and it was his first request when he realized what the book was. 

 



 

There is a white radish, radish, tomato, carrot and eggplant in the set.  I love this book because of the great details.

Like how you don't sew the bottom of the radish, and how she has you sew the veins in the leaves.

Or how you are instructed not to sew the leaves down on the tomato, looks just like the real thing.

And how you use two different greens for the white radish.

Just as I love the detail in garment sewing, I also love it in felt food. (pretty much all sewing, to be honest!) It just gives it that little extra touch.  I may be super slightly obsessed with making felt food...

The kitchen project.

Ah, it has been a while.  In the last little while we have painted every surface in our "new" home that is paintable (tables, shelves, chairs, cabinets, walls- nothing was safe!), new tile, new carpet, new walls... lots... and we finally moved in.  We have also dealt with being sick for pretty much the last month straight!  The before Thanksgiving the twins had the flu, the week of I had it, Jack and Abby had a cough just before that,  then about three days after we were all better the twins came down with rotavirus.  That stuff is awful!!  They are pretty much all better now, though still a little crabby, though they could be teething. Anyway, so not much sewing going on here! (though there was a little I will update later). And I am behind on my flickr and blog reading, so if you get some random comment from me a month later, don't worry;)

 

So a few weeks ago I went with a group to a few garage sales and saw this beauty.  Well, in this state not so beautiful, but it had great potential!!

 

I saw it even before I got out of the truck and was SO excited.  I asked the guy what he wanted for it, he said make an offer, so my MIL said $5... and he accepted!! I was totally willing to pay a lot more.  But that just meant I had more of a budget to fix it up. 

So a couple cans of spray paint, some varnish and few knobs later...

I am so in love! I was worried at first it was going to be too dark, but it really has grown on me.  I wanted gray in my house but didn't have anywhere that it would really work, so this became gray!

 

 

And while it was supposed to be for Christmas, the kids were so excited and started playing with it as a kitchen even before I painted it, so I put it in the front room and just let them have it.  See?  Jack has even already stocked it with their felt food.  And honestly, I can't even tell you which group loves it more, the bigs or the littles, they all play with it All.The.Time. 

 

Abby was so excited when she saw the knobs "they are just like a REAL kitchen, Mom!" I almost went with some novelty ones, but since this really is for me (haha) I went with what I wanted and she approved:)

I have plans to make removeable "burners" so it isn't strictly a kitchen.  They also play bakery with it and put the donuts in the top see through part, and I thought they might like to play ice cream shop... so...

This:

An ice cream sundae!  It is from the book Big Little Felt Universe.  Oh I can't say enough good about this book! I rented it from the library a few months back and fell in love!  And now that I had a kitchen, I had the perfect reason to order it, right?! Plus it was half off, so win-win.  The kids remembered it from the library and were SO excited to flip through it and begin putting in their requests.  This was Abby's first request.  Of course I told her "when I have time", she will be excited. 

I learned a lot with each new item I made.  I feel like it will be how I was with my sewing, I am a bit embaressed looking back at some of my first projects I sewed, and I can see all my mistakes in this sundae.  But I am trying to look at the positive, and someday when I get really good I will have to revisit the boat and bananas!:)

If you are interested in trying this pattern out, it happens to be offered on this website for free.  But really, just get the book, you wont be disappointed!!

I am only able to sew at night after the kiddos have gone to bed so that makes it difficult, this took me two nights.  I do really enjoy it though, it makes me feel productive while watching tv! :)  I have quite the list I want to make, but since I am cutting it close I am not sure how much will get done by Christmas.  I  bought a few Melissa and Doug sets at Michael's last week as they were half off (yay!!) so I wouldn't feel too pressured... because I am a procrastinator- just ask my curtains, ha!