Fun in the sun.

 

 Girlfriend "needed" a new swimsuit.  Okay, maybe not, but I really was itching to make one.  I bought this pattern last year intending to make one, but never got around to it. 

 

Her Uncle Jake who just got home from being away for 2 years gave her these glasses he bought while on his mission, he has a matching pair but blue.  "I am supposed to wear them to the lake with  him because we are best friends"  That is all she has talked about all day:)

It is the Coney Island Tankini, both top and bottom are size 7.  She was in between a 6 + 7, so it is a little big on her for now, but certainly still wearable.  I got my black and white dots from girlcharlee and the white from a local shop.  The white gave me quite a headache, it curled so much!  I think I need to invest in some spray starch. 

Because of my troubles with the curling, I did the bottom band a little different, instead of folding it like bias tape as instructed, I folded it in half  and serged it to the tank, then ironed and  zig zag stitched it flat. 



The tank is fully lined, so no itchy seams.  Since the pattern pieces didn't indicate to cut a main and a lining fabric and I didn't read the instructions through before cutting, I ended up cutting everything out in the b+w dots, I would have rather had the inside be white and save my precious pretty fabric for another top (for the twins maybe?), but alas, I will know for next time. (the pieces were named "liner", I just didn't realize I was meant to cut them out of a different fabric, blame it on a sleep deprived sewing day I suppose)

I also did the bottoms a little different, I used the Ottobre method for the waistband (sew the elastic to the wrong side of the fabric then turn it under and sew again) and actually cut off an inch from the top before sewing on the elastic as they went up past her belly button!  They are still a little long, but better. 

At the risk of tooting my own horn, I think it turned out pretty cute! Sure, if you look close up it has it's flaws, but I am counting on her to swim fast;)  She has requested another suit from this in my stash, but the twins actually need a new suit (one minimum) so they will have to come first.  We are taking a trip to Lake Powell in a few weeks and need to be prepared!

Gingham style, Roller Skate edition.

This is my ninth Roller Skate dress, but only the first time I have put the cute little ribbon on the front, can you believe that?  Huh!  I have added a belt, turned it in to a maxi dress, added trim, appliqued and even made it as is a few times;)  Well, I realized pretty soon why I haven't put it on (at least for the twins) as Elizabeth has been pulling it undone all day! Guess I should tie it then tack it down?  (Oh, and if you are interested in the other 8 dresses/tops click here)

 

 

I have been good at not buying fabric lately, but this one got me.  I went to the shop intending to buy strap adjusters for four messenger bags from Little Things to Sew, but they were out!  So I wandered over to the super soft, super inexpensive gingham when inspiration struck.   I remembered Nicole's cute b/w gingham Souvenir Top (doesn't it look fab on her?) and her b/w gingham pillows.  I turned around (because gingham is on the same aisle as the trims) and found turquoise bobbles and the exact same shade of turquoise ribbon.  It was fate, I just had to make a dress.  And as a testament to their great price on ginghams, the whole dress, trims included, cost just over $5- because I chose to line it with the main fabric.

 

 

 

 

This is a size 18m with just a little extra length.  My sweet little model was less than cooperative, but whaddya gonna do?

 

 



I still need to heat seal the ribbon.  Girlfriend reaaally liked to pull on the bow!

I found a turquoise button in my stash, perfect!  See?  Told you it was meant to be.

This was her yelling at me "no more cheese!" Okay Izzlebit, no more cheese. 

 

Big girl Geranium.

Does the fabulous Geranium dress need an introduction?  If you don't know what this dress is you just might live under a rock.  The amazing Rae contacted me to see if I was interested in testing the big kid sizes... YES!! Didn't even think twice about that one, after all the tops I have made for her sisters ( two here, one here, two more here ) Abby wanted one very badly, in fact I had even considered sizing it up myself, but waited knowing Rae would be releasing it in bigger sizes sometime.  Well, she got her wish and more because I made her two! 

 

 

This is size 7, tunic length. View A bodice minus sleeves and View B skirt.  The top is more fitted in the big kid sizes and I love it.  It looks more grown up, age appropriate. 

I had these two fabrics left over from way back when I made 4 skirts for a low key wedding reception... that apparently I never took a photo of.  So I knew I liked the two fabrics together and I had just enough of each fabric to put them together here.

This is View B size 7, no mods.  Abby chose the fabric, I think she made a great choice.  I have actually used this fabric for the twins ( here and here ), in fact used every scrap on those projects, but one time Abby went to the shop with me she saw it on the discount table and declared her love for it!  I bought a couple yards and waited until she needed another dress, and until the perfect pattern came along:)  So when I told her I was going to make her a dress she reminded me about this print.

 

 I thought the piping would help break the busy print up a little, and have been waiting to try out my new turquoise snaps!  I bought a load of different colors from Snap source on a recommendation from a few friends and have been going snap crazy lately!  It is so much faster than buttons, and she had requested snaps this time. 

 

So all this teasing and the pattern isn't out quite yet, but never fear my friends, I shall update with a link when this fabulous pattern is available! 

 



Birthday bubbles.

The twins turn two on Tuesday, but I decided to take the easy way out and just do cupcakes for them during our Father's Day dinner tonight.  I also decided that yes, I will make them new dresses for the occasion. 

 

I actually bought this pattern to make them dresses for Easter, but didn't end up having time then.  I bought the bubble dress almost immediately after seeing Tilly's by Nicole, gorgeous! I also followed her tutorial:)

 

 

Can I tell you how hard it is to take two nearly two year old's photos?? Very.   Both the dresses are 18 month.

I had nearly given up on the session when Izzy suddenly stopped and I snapped really quickly and ended up with a pretty cute one of her (this was literally the last photo I took).

Most of them were like this... Especially when I tried to get both of them together. 

 Though, this one was kinda cute, even if George is a little out of focus.

 

It is amazing the dresses were clean for the shoot, considering we had some cupcakes a few hours earlier- and they had worn them all day.  BTW, those cupcakes were yummy!

 

 



They had fun blowing out the candles, and Grandma was more than happy to re light them:)

A special dress.

So Miss Abigail is turning eight next month, in our church that is a special birthday as it is the age you can choose to be baptized.   She has chosen to, so that meant making a special dress for the occasion.  She went to her friend's baptisms last month and decided she wanted a "big poufy cupcake dress", I am not a fan of the mini wedding dress look, so I talked her in to something more conservative.  At first she didn't like the idea, but I told her to let me make the dress and then she could choose if she liked it or not.  Well, about half way through she declared her love for the dress, so this will be "the one". 

 

I used the Roller Skate pattern again, and actually made it at the same time as this one, I plan to take her out to a nice location in town for better pictures being it will be her annual photo session (I try to take each kid out around their birthday for nicer than normal pictures), but these will do for now. 

 

 

 

 

Grandpa happened to have his roadster out on the street so we took advantage:)   It was a little too late tonight so the pictures aren't as sharp and nicely lit as they could have been...

 

 



 

 

So the dress, it is white eyelet lined with a lightweight white cotton, size 6 with some length, though I wish I had added a little more. 

 

 



A better shot of the eyelet, it is really pretty in person.  So she is happy, I am happy- for once in my life I didn't procrastinate until the night before... on this one, at least.  I have two bubble dresses cut for the twins waiting to be sewn for Sunday- I decided to just jump in on our annual family Father's Day dinner and do cupcakes for their birthday that is on Tuesday. 

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Maxi dress.

I have been a bit quiet around here lately, but there has been sewing going on!  Wanna know a secret?   Rae's wildly popular geranium dress will be here soon in big girl sizes! I made two for Abby last week and just love them!!

 

 

Ben told Abby one time that he thought all girls should wear a full length dress to church, and well, that girl never forgets anything you say.  -- which works really well for her schooling, but as far as things we say, sometimes it comes back to bite us:) --   So she has asked me a few times if I would make her a long dress and finally inspiration struck!  The Oliver + S Roller Skate was the perfect dress for my plan! During my spring cleaning I found some bigger cuts that I had *ahem* forgotten about.  This one was two yards, and I picked it up on some super clearance for under $3/yd- not bad for Michael Miller (at least I am pretty sure that is what it was- too lazy to go look at the selvage:)

 

 



 

I was worried about it being too plain, so I added the pink band.  She is so in love with the dress! 

Not too bad on matching the stripes in the back!

I was trying to find my cool wooden button that I had in mind for this dress but couldn't, if I do then I plan to switch it out, but this will work just fine.

I did a 1 1/2" hem thinking I could let it down a little if she grows taller and it still fits around the chest... or just make it in to a shorter dress! 

This pretty little lady has a birthday next month!  So I am working on a birthday dress for her , I am excited about it.  And the twins turn two next week, I better get on their dresses too!

Maxi skirts and some spring cleaning.

I recently finished up some maxi skirts for my sister-in-law, all with trendy prints from girlcharlee because she is young and skinny and can get away with things like chevron and horizontal stripes.



 

 

This one is to hit just above her knee, in tiffany blue chevron. 

Mustard and ivory stripe, though in my opinion it is more orange than mustard in real life.  I had previously bought a couple yards and it was much more dull, a true mustard, and the same picture was up on the website when I ordered this one.  I wasn't thrilled when I got my shipment and posted a picture of the two side by side on their facebook page inquiring as to why they looked so different.  The ladies there were really nice and explained they had complaints it was too dull.  They then shared my picture on their page and it set off a debate as to which one was better.  Well, girlcharlee listened and brought back the original color while keeping the new brighter print also.  So if you order it, one is labeled original and one is labeled bright.  Next time I will choose original:)

And finally a black and white chevron.  I bought from the first batch of chevron print last year and was disappointed when it faded SO much on the first wash, so I was leery when she wanted to order the chevrons.   Let me tell you, they fixed the problem big time!  This has been washed my typical 3 times before sewing and there was no fading.  So much happier, in fact kind of wishing I had  ordered some too!

All three skirts are the same, the waistband is meant to be folded over, though it is up in the pictures, all have a slight a-line shape. 

Forever ago I ordered some comic board books to organize my fabrics.  Did I do anything with them?  Of course not.  Earlier in the week I took on the giant task of folding all my cotton/apparel fabrics on the boards.  Ben must have really liked the way it looked because when I ran out he was so nice and picked me up another set from the local comic book store (who knew we had one?!). 

Aaaah.  It makes pairing my fabrics so much easier, and I can finally shut the door all the way, ha!

George approved.

She even chose to eat her snack there.