Abby's Ayashe.

Miss Abby starts third grade in less than a month.  What does that mean? Time for new school clothes, of course!   Ben has been working out of town this week, so I have been able to get extra sewing time in, and it seems to be the week of the Ayashe for me!  So instead of chilling on the couch after the kids went to bed, and instead of going to bed at a decent hour, I decided to blast quietly listen to The Killers and get my sew on. 



 

 

I made a size 8/9 as that is what she measured in.  I had planned to do the elastic in the hem of the sleeves and a tie at the shirt hem, but it came out too short.  Sigh, she may not get as much wear as I had hoped out of this, hopefully it will last until fall.  I wonder if I should shorten the sleeves some?  They seem to hit at an awkward spot. 

I picked up this Lisette lawn on closeout.  Score!  It is so soft and airy, she loves it.

So after being disappointed at the length, I decided to make another and add some length, then I decided why not make it a tunic?

I lengthened the 8/9 by 9 inches, slightly flaring the top out starting just under the arm and curving the hem a little.

I also pleated the places that were instructed to be gathered.  I thought it gave it kind of a fun, different look.  Also, rather than turning the sleeves under and hemming, I turned them to the outside and added some neon pink piping left over from the faux romper.  You might have noticed the front looks slightly different too, I loved Nicole's laced Ayashe and shamelessly copied complimented her idea (and Sarvi's ) though I only stitched the piping, not the extra decorative stitches.  I also added some width to the sleeve and pleated in the center like this one. 

I am not done stealing complimenting Nicole's designs, I have the skirt cut to go with the long sleeved blouse that was completely inspired by her again.  I just love my sewing pals and the amazing inspiration they provide!

Ayashe skirt.

Thinking back on my sewing, I rarely make the two pieces that are meant to go together as a set (at least, the patterns that have two pieces).  It was time to remedy that!  So after I finished the Ayashe blouse I decided to go with the cute little pleated skirt.  

 

I used some gray denim and black buttons that were a pain to sew on, and yes, they didn't end up perfectly spaced... I need to go back and fix that, but the outfit was so cute I just wanted her to wear it today;) And very rarely will she change her clothes mid day, what ever she starts with she ends with- unless it gets wet, then she will change.  Funny girl.

Yep, the shot cotton is really hard to get a true shot of.  It isn't quite this bright in real life. 

Like the blouse, I made a 2/3.  She measures in to the18m, but this way we can get extra wear due to the way they have you do the adjustable waist (no buttonhole elastic).  George doesn't even measure in to the skirt!  In fact, today, she is wearing her 6m sailboat pants- what?!  Totally works for me though, they have now been in rotation for 18 months!

I lined the pockets with a scrap of the shot cotton, don't you just love hidden details? 

Abby has begged for politely requested a skirt like this, and I have some Lisette lawn set aside for a top, I just can't decide between long sleeve and short.  We wont need a jacket here until October, and even then we can get away with a cardigan until December, then by February we are back to cardis.  Sounds nice, eh?  It is, aside from the 110f + in the summer... 

Ayashe blouse.

 

After making a crap load of skirts I wanted to make something "for me" before I moved on to my next project- custom order Disneyland outfits.  Eight pieces to be exact.  So, I chose the Figgy's Ayashe.  I have made this blouse once before and it gave me fits, but then Nicole did a super amazing, awesome sauce yoke tutorial and it was a piece of cake this time.  Well, aside from the collar edges, but I always struggle with those. 

 

 



I made a size 2/3 based on her measurements, it is a little big, but she just barely measured in to that size- which is maybe why it is so low in the front?  When I made Abby's I had to pop a few stitches in the front to get it over her head, but this one is as the pattern suggests. 

I used a yummy, soft but hard to photograph shot cotton and topstitched with gray thread.  I also went with the drawstring hem this time. 

I paired it with her Ottobre leggings (they have cute little bows at the ankle, but she didn't hold still long enough to catch them).  My choice was heavily influenced by Missy M's styling. 

I don't know what happened, perhaps I didn't properly read my lines, but I ended up with quite a bit of extra fabric while setting in the sleeves.  Rather than trying to recut my pieces I just did a little pleat.  The yoke lining and collar lining are both gray, I love the hint of it you catch as she moves. 

Next, I think I will make the Ayashe skirt in a gray denim then move on with my "must sew" list.   

For Stockton.

**if your name is Nicole and I am attending your baby shower this weekend, stop reading unless you don't want a surprise;) ... but I don't think you do (read this blog), so there!**

Ben's best friend from elementary school on is having his first child soon, and the baby shower is this weekend, so I thought I would whip up some fun, personalized shirts.  Funny story, they have been best friends for ages, and a couple years back Ben's uncle married Mark's mom, so now they are cousins too!

I went with the Figgy's "tee for two" again because it just seemed so boy.  I made two 12m size shirts, partly because that is the lowest the pattern goes and partly because everyone loves to give tiny clothes, so hopefully these will be needed. 

The dad is a huge Weezer fan, so much that he has flown to another city just to see them perform.  So naturally, the baby needed a Weezer shirt.  I followed the pattern and did it with the raw edges, more "rocker boy" right?

 

With this one I went with the raw edges on the inside for a slightly different look.   So, the baby is being named Stockton after John Stockton, very famous former Utah Jazz player, Ben suggested I make him a shirt with Stockton's number on it in the Jazz colors.  Well, Joann's is moving locations and is now pretty much cleared out of everything (and hasn't been getting anything new for months), so I couldn't do it in those colors, so I went with what I liked.  Ben's first and only comment?  It isn't the right green.  To which I replied, I didn't ask your opinion. So, Stockton may be getting another shirt in the "right green" after Joann re-opens. (buying online you don't always get the same color as you think you are buying, as in not quite the same tone/brightness, etc)  I put the number on the back to be more jersey like, and the kids both said "the number should have been bigger".  Pft. I can't win.  I used my twin needle for the sleeves and hem with a white and brown thread, I thought it would give a fun look. I think I have made this pattern quite enough for now... (6 times in 6 days!) It is time to make the girls their birthday outfits!!

Raw-edged raglan.

I am pretty sure I will be getting my money's worth and then some from my new purchase, the   Sewing for Boys  book.  I have made the pattern four times in two days (of course, I did have to buy the pdf of the tee for two for the twins size) and I have plans to make one for a baby shower I am attending at the end of the week.  I was going to make it today, but I decided to take a nap instead- ha!  But, I have finally regained my nights, so who knows, maybe I will make it later tonight!  The twins had been going to sleep between 11 and 1. Yeah, MISERABLE.  But a few weeks ago we finally had enough and forced them into a definite sleep schedule.  Before I wouldn't let them cry it out to go to bed and naps because I was worried about them feeding off each other and staying up even longer, but I finally had enough and am happy to report they will cry for about 5 minutes and then are down.  Hallelujah.  So now, they go down at eight thirty and if I have enough energy and planned ahead (as far as getting my supplies out of their room before they go down) then I am able to sew a bit at night!

So first I made this little blue number for Jack.  His favorite color has been blue for a looong time now, so he was super excited.  The shirt seriously only took about 40 minutes from tracing the pattern to sewing the last stitch.  I made the size 4/5 and it fits him great.  I made him try it on before I sewed on the neckband and he was so upset to have to take it off.  He put it on immediately and wore it all day (which is saying something for him... he spends 75% of his time in his underwear, 20% of his time in a shirt and underwear and 5% fully clothed.  No joke).

Ah, these are the kinds of faces I am getting from him lately.

I am loving the look of the raw edges, plus it is always a bonus when I don't have to hem anything!

Daddy is a huge gun fan.  About a year ago he was working on a guy's house who is an area rep for Glock.  Let's just say, that would be his dream job.  So he got to talk guns and the man was nice enough to send him home with some patches and stickers.  I asked him what I should applique Jack's next shirt with and he said the Glock logo.   I looked it up on the internet and got ready to try and draw it when he said why not just use this patch.  Sure, why not?  So I hoped Jack would like it (I made this one last night after he went to sleep)  He loved it.

This is him saying "Okay Mom, now I am done taking pictures, thanks". Such a polite child.

tees for two.

Last week I ordered "Sewing for Boys" , after making Abby's  Zephyr by Figgy's I just knew I would love their book.  I bought it sight unseen because the darn Barne's and Noble in our town has been out of stock on it for months.  But, that is probably a good thing because I would have bought it on the spot and spent a lot more there than I did on Amazon.  The only downside was having to wait for shipping, so when it arrived yesterday I flipped through it and started planning immediately.

Yesterday I made two  badmiton skorts for the twins, but big twin (aka thunder-thighs, aka Izzy) didn't fit in the shorts part of it.  They were meant to be part of their birthday outfits and I was bummed she wouldn't fit. Sigh.  So I needed an easy project, a no-brainer success project.  So I decided to make Jack the "Raw-edged Raglan" from the book. (that I haven't shot a picture of yet) Success. Love, love love! As does he, he was wanting to wear it before I was finished- luckily it only took about 40 minutes from drafting pattern to finished product.

The book says smaller sizes are included, but they aren't.  Just 2/3-6/7.  Then I was looking for inspiration on line and it dawned on me that it was the "tee for two" pattern!  And I remembered Justine "saying" (writing;) that the smaller size range (12m-6/7) was available as a pdf now. Score!! So I downloaded it and printed it off immediately.  So, the twins now also have tees for two!

Georgie in her tee. Though, it turned out looking a lot more boy than I expected.  (the "A" is really a dark purple, not blue like it looks in the picture) She will just have to wear a big bow.  Jack gets so angry when people say they are boy and girl twin, though I think usually people assume Izzy is the boy.  George's eyes look awesome with blue shirts, that is why I chose this, plus sewing during naptime = I use whatever isn't in their room/ my fabric cave. 

Izzy's tee.  So, a little background on the applique.  When you have twins inside you the ultrasound tech/ doctor tend to like to make sure they are keeping the babies seperate, ya know, make sure they aren't measuring the same baby twice.  So they refer to one as baby A and one as baby B.  So, that is why one shirt has the different fabric for A and the second has the B highlighted.  Though, my whole pregnancy the girls were switched, Izzy was A and George was B.  Delivery day came and during labor we literally watched George push her sister out of the way to get out first, so they switched! And the first hours of life in the NICU they were baby A and baby B, since I wasn't able to go down for about six hours they asked Ben which was which and so he got to choose (though I didn't care who got which name). P.S. He did tell me I could change them if I wanted.

So, I have to say, I seriously LOVE photoshop.  This^^ is most of what I captured.  But, one good picture of Elizabeth, and one good picture of Georgia later and I get this...

How did mom's of multiple kids get good pictures pre-digital camera??

So anyway, back to the pattern.  I highly recommed it!! (and the book)  I love the casual, raw edge look.  Plus, bonus, no hemming!! Jack's is a two-toned blue so it is more obvious it is a raglan, but I like theirs too.  The fit is spot on, directions are great and such a quick sew- I made three in one and a half nap-times!

Zephyr sundress.

I just finished up my first Figgy's Zephyr sundress  , and as with (nearly) all of my new patterns, I am totally in love!  It is hanging on the back of my sewing chair (that happens to be in my dining room, that also happens to be visible from the chair I am on in the front room) and I can't stop staring at it!  It is just so soft and feminine.  So, honestly, I don't think I realized there was a sundress option when I purchased the pattern, I bought it for the twins' originally and didn't know if I would even bother with it for Abby.  Then I saw the sundress.  So the first chance I had (after too many weeks of editing photos in my "free" ((aka sewing)) time) I sat down to make it.  And while I was on the fence about the romper for her, after seeing Millie's on flickr, I think I just may have to give it a whirl!  Aaaand, the twins probably wont fit in it this summer, boo!

Anyways, on to the dress!!

She was such a trooper, it was sooo windy this morning and she wasn't feeling well, so I spent about three minutes outside and snapped as fast as I could.  I made the size 6/7 and originally had it at the 8/9 length as I usually have to add length to all of my patterns since my kids are freakishly tall, but it hit mid calf and it looked too nightgown-ish (thanks for all the opinions on flickr! I really am glad I went with shorter). 

Apparently I don't read directions well, though I swear it said to put two button loops, the drawings on the package and Figgy's finished product only have one button on the sundress.  But I like it like this!

Ah, the straps.  This is one of the details that first caught my eye!  The pattern has an awesome trick for turning tubes and I will definitely be using that method for every fabric tube I have to turn!  I braided them pretty tight apparently, and had just barely length suggested for the straps. 

The bodice is made from quilting cotton and the dress is a lightweight cotton, nice and breezey.  Have you bought the pattern yet?? You definitely should!

Ayashe for the big girl.

I got my thirty minutes in today so I am a happy mama. I started the Figgy's Ayashe the Friday of the kids clothes week challenge, but wasn't able to get back to it until today.  Really, it was only about 30 minutes of sewing I had left but I had to stare at it on my ironing board for a week. Oh well.

Flickr is a bad influence on me... I saw this pattern popping up in my contacts and the ladies did such a beautiful job it convinced me I needed this pattern, ha! So I blame it on all of you... Okay, I admit, I have low self control lately on my pattern needing. 

So I went off memory for Abby's measurements because she hasn't grown in so long for sure she was still the same chest measurement, right? Nope! I had it all cut out and ran across my notebook with her current measurements... oops! So I made the 6/7 when I really should have made the 8/9.  I just went with 1/4 inch seams and called it good... and it fits fairly well, a little snug to get on, but once it is she is fine. 

I had a little trouble with the yoke facing and the collar, but she does have a sew a long for this pattern.  I read through it once and it kind of cleared up the yoke for me, but somehow I didn't end up with quite enough to turn under and encase the raw edges, but I had serged the yoke facing so i just stitched it as if it was turned under and it was just fine.

The collar is where I started today and I really should have refrenced the website, but I was trying to get the most out of what little I had left of naptime so I didn't.  I am positive I didn't attach it anywhere near correctly, but I went with what I had done with another pattern and called it good.  It looks like it should have been that way, only problem is I wasn't able to attach my size tag. Darn.  I may try and stitch the tag in the collar and try to hide the seam.  Maybe not.

She is at the pool, so no modeled shots, but I did make her try it on before I attached the sleeves to check the fit and it was a little on the shorter side (likely due to making the wrong size, and my kids have crazy long torsos so I usually lengthen patterns, but I didn't on this one for some reason) so I did a really narrow hem.  She loves it! Can't wait for her to try it on later! Too bad the twins aren't even close to the smallest size range yet...