A trio of Geraniums.

 

As George wore this dress today, I realized I never blogged it or the other two recent Geranium Dress makes.

I have been obsessing over print mixing, particularly floral and stripes.  I have made so many of these in the past, I thought it would be fun to mix things up a bit so I added a curve to the front bodice.

This is a size 4 with length.  The twins have been growing up and not out lately, it seems as though they have been in size 4 forever.

Again, mixing things up, I added a hem band and piping in between the skirt and band.

This one was just basic, but the first time I did gathering rather than the pleats.

I saw this tapestry at Target a year or so ago and decided it had to be mine.  I finally decided to cut in to it and don't regret it at all.  It is actually kind of nice, it must be some sort of poly blend because it doesn't wrinkle easily.

Woodland friends.

When I bought this fabric, I thought it would make an adorable Geranium Dress.  Rarely do I actually make what I intended when I bought the fabric, but this was an exception.  I made a size 4, these dresses seem to last forever so I figured I'd help it out a bit by adding some length.  Though, sadly, I don't know how long this one will last.  As I was sewing the bodice to the skirt I noticed these odd lines running through, turns out the fabric is pretty damaged in a few spots.  I am so annoyed, but I was far enough in and without any extra fabric, so I finished anyways.

I swear the buttons and the back bodice aren't wonky, I couldn't get her to stand still/stand without puffing out her chest.  There's finally a nip in the air this morning and she wasn't that interested in being outside.  I am so ready for fall!

Triangles.

It has been a while since I made a Geranium Dress and I was itching to sew one.  

I love this fabric, and have already made a Geranium tunic in this fabric before, but that one is long since outgrown so I figured it was time for another.

I made size 4T as these ones still fit, though they are getting faded and the purple one popped some stitches down the back from being worn so much.

I skipped the cutout this time as I find when it is washed and worn a ton it can start to rip there, or at least mine have.

I constructed it a little different this time, sewing the lining to the skirt first then turning the main bodice under and stitching it down.  It just makes it easier to get a nice stitching line there.

George was cracking me up with her faces tonight.

And I just kind of let her do her thing for a few minutes.

For the first little bit, I don't think she even realized I was still snapping.

But then she told me she was done, and I'll leave you with that.

A Washi.

I knocked out two more projects for Selfish Sewing Week, though technically one was finished up today, so after the "official" week, but I still gonna count it because I am a rebel.  And it kind of wasn't totally my fault.  You see, I broke my no night sewing rule Friday night because I had made a Washi muslin earlier in the day and was dying to cut in to my good fabric.  My machine started acting up and making a weird noise but I soldiered on anyways, well... That was a bad idea.  My machine totally jammed and Ben actually had to break the needle to get my dress out of the machine. So Saturday morning my machine went to the man with the magic fixing skills. 

My sewing closet was a sad, sorry sight so I ripped it apart to clean it as Ben took my machine to town.  The guy was super awesome and got it fixed within a few hours (how's that for service?!).  I couldn't sew, though, because between Sam and putting my closet back together there just wasn't any time.  So, today I finished. 

I have had this pattern for forever, as soon as it was released in paper form I bought it up, and it sat and sat.  Now that the baby is no longer in my belly I figured it was time to try it out, so I grabbed up some random fabric in my stash and researched.  I noticed a lot of gals with, ahem, bigger chests found they needed to lower the bodice.  I first made the bodice without lowering, but adding a FBA, and it was too high, so this was my second attempt.  For reference, I added 1 1/2".  I like the fit, but I am not sure I would wear this print as it isn't really my style, but it is a nearly finished shirt- maybe I should just finish and try it out!  

So here is my "real" one.  Side note, have y'all ever felt the Art Gallery prints?  They are amazeballs!  Seriously, such a great feel and a great drape for a quilting cotton.  The lady at my local shop said they are a Pima cotton and 600 thread count.  I used one of their prints for Iz's Library Dress and just loved it, so I knew it would work well for this top.

I added 2" to the length, though I forgot to add it to my front pattern piece when I traced it so I forgot to add it on this one, hence the band at the bottom of the top going side to side instead of up and down.  I think I want to add a bit more length next time to be able to wear it with leggings.

I did a FBA using the method in the Weekend Getaway since it worked so well and was so easy when I made it last.  I can not for the life of me get the darts to not point, it is really driving me crazy. I also had that problem on the muslin.

I felt like a rockstar when I steamed the shirring lines and they shrunk right up, definitely worth the half hour it took to figure out the setting for my machine.  

   

 I used the Tova sleeves as I have seen others do.   They barely needed to be eased in, but when I used a 1/2" SA I found that it restricted my movement too much and made the top pretty much unwearable.  I unpicked (including the serged seams, that was a beast) and used 1/4" instead.  It is still a little tight, but not unwearable.

I think I need me a good kid sewing fix, they are so much easier, ha!  No muslins (for the most part) and no weird body issues that need to be taken in to account.  Plus I have a few baby gifts to make, one for a shower this weekend and one for a birth I missed making for due to Sam being itty bitty and no sewing time.  But, I have caught the bug and will start adding myself to the rotation.

Geraniums by the pond.

Girlfriends need more dresses.  Poor things have nearly outgrown every single one in their closets, actually, every one.  After putting them in too short dresses for church for the second week in a row, I knew something had to be done.  

So I chose the Geranium dress because at this point I can nearly make it with my eyes closed.  Okay, not so much eyes closed, but I don't have to look at the instructions.  And really, what more can be said than what I have already said?  These are my eleventh and twelfth Geraniums, crazy.  

These chicks are getting harder and harder to photograph together.

Even in this gorgeous spot in the mountains next to a little pond.

But, to be fair, they had just been awoken from a short nap on the rhino ride to the pond.
(Yep, I took their new clothes camping so I could find a cool spot to get some good photos.  Too bad they didn't really want to cooperate.)

So, we decided to go on an adventure.

But still very little cooperation, mostly from Elizabeth.

Awww, who doesn't love hugs?

Georgia is obsessed with purple, I mean crazy obsessed.  So I knew she needed something purple in her closet.  She was so happy!

And even happier to find purple flowers to pick and put in her piggy tails.

A few purple snaps down the back.  I want to go back and add another snap to each of the dresses, but I was in a hurry as I was literally finishing the dresses a few minutes before heading out the door.

She is so much like Jack, when he was this age he refused to look at the camera too.  Any time it came out he would look away, I would put it down or hide it behind my back and he would look at me again.  Sigh.

They are both size 4T, so hopefully some growing room.  They are still wearing these ones, though they are getting quite short now and a little tight on Z's chest.

Elizabeth chose her fabric, I think she made a good choice!  I couldn't get any close ups, but there are little pink, red and blue hearts all over.  I only had one yard so I had to do some seriously creative cutting (I love non-directional prints!), I literally had only a few scraps left, but I did it!  I had these cut out for a little bit, so she was so excited when I brought them up to camp with us and showed her.  The big four went to the mountains with Grandpa and Grandma the night before, then Ben, Sam and I went up just for the day and brought the little girls back home with us while Abby + Jack are still up there for the long weekend.

They could definitely use a few more dresses, but I think I first need to get some pants made for Jack.  When I was packing for this trip I realized he had no pants that fit!  Oops!  Well, he had some that fit around, but not in length.  The cool weather sneaks up on me every single year, someday I will be prepared.

A gift for a baby.

This gift has been waiting to be made for a long time now, the baby shower was in March, but we were preparing to head to a beach house when I got the invite and were to be gone when the shower was held.  But, the gal's mom is so sweet and always gets my babies something I knew I would be making something for the baby no matter how long it took me.  And hey, her due date is in the next week or so, and the baby isn't here yet so I am calling it a win.  

I was originally going to do something definitely vintage (think Puppet Show) as that seems to be the mom's style, but getting up and down a million times gives me contractions, so I went with something quick and easy.  Being I have made it now nine times (!!!) I knew what steps came next and was able to keep the getting up and down to a minimum.

Oh, so what is this pattern (as if you haven't seen it a million times all over blogland)?  It's the Geranium dress that I was lucky enough to test way back when it came out.  I have never made one this little though, it's so cute and small!  Eeep!  If I was having a girl she would have a closet full of these.

I also threw in a few headbands.  The mom and I talked a little bit about headbands and she is not in to the giant bows on tiny babies (neither am I, really) so hopefully these aren't too big.




Snaps are for sure the way to go on little ones, heck, even toddlers!  ... Actually, Abby loves snaps too!  I used some purple ones from the stash.

Um, apparently I need to iron a little better before photographing/giving it away.

And I finally invested in some labels!   I have always used the size tags and my MIL bought me some labels a long, long time ago but I used all of them and had just been using ribbon which worked, but now I am totally legit;)

When we were thinking of names for the twins, Ben decided he wanted one of them to be called Georgia after a character on "Dead like me" and her nickname was peanut.  I had a hard time thinking of what I wanted on a tag and that is why it took me so long, but I am glad I finally took the plunge!  Now to find more time and energy to sew... ha!  

S'more Minnie.

Continuing on with the Disney themed outfits (first here, second here) next up are matching appliqued shirts and super twirly skirts.  

Again, the inspiration for these was from Pinterest.  I was SO psyched to find the same tossed Mickey head fabric as the inspiration skirts.

I used the super fast Flashback Skinny Tee for the shirts, sizes 5T and 12m.  I for reals love this pattern, like, so much.  Pretty sure it's my most used pattern.  So I have said all I really need to say about it before, but it is a super fantastic fit and a seriously quick sew.

The skirts were just self drafted from the girls' measurements.  The waistband is 1 1/2 times the waist measurement and the skirt is 2 times the waist measurement gathered to the waistband length.  I thought about making each tier more full than the one before, but I like the way these look.

One final installment for this adventure: Pirate themed.

Beards shirt.

I have been meaning to make this shirt for Ben, actually, but I made it for Jack today. 

My printer was being a whiney brat and didn't like my transfer paper this time (new printer from the last time I have made printed shirts), I think it might have been too hot for the paper because it sort of came off as it printed, so I had to print out three of these to get enough decent graphics to make one (that still isn't perfect).  Sigh.  I miss my old printer.

He refused to look at the camera because "I sorta like this shirt and sorta don't", thanks buddy.  Oh well, I like it.

I used the Flashback skinny tee and actually guessed at the size (5T) as he was in school while I made this, I guessed right though:)  The letters are kind of wonky because I cut them each individually, but that just adds to it's charm, right?

The shorts are Field trips from last year, still his favorite shorts, definitely need to add another pair or two for this summer.

Two geraniums.

These Geraniums have been in my head for a while.  I mean, a really, really long time, August.  So I finally got around to making them and am so happy I did!

They are both size 2T, tunic length with a bit of length since the girls are the height of 3T.  I probably should have made a 3T for Elizabeth for growing room, but they tend to fight over clothes (already, *sigh*) so it is best they are the same size because you never know who will want to wear which one on any given day.

The fabulous Justine uses a lot of hot pink for linings, something I absolutely love, so the linings are totally inspired by hers.  It makes me happy when I catch a glimpse of the pink.

The girls weren't super cooperative, so you get two back pictures.  One has a yellowish/mustardy set of buttons...

And pink for the others. 

As soon as Elizabeth saw the one she is wearing she started shouting "my triangle shirt!!", so I am pretty sure that is her staking her claim.  Makes a gal feel good when her hard work is appreciated;)

I have made this pattern enough that I didn't even glance at the instructions, which saves a ton of time, but I also forgot whether the pleats were supposed to go towards the center or away, so I did one of each, ha!  Though Georgie's pleats show up way more than Izzy's, I guess her fabric is too busy. 

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! 

 



Twin geraniums.

I saw this skirt in the Oliver + S flickr group and was immediately inspired to copy it.  I happened to hit up the local variety store that afternoon as I was in need of felt to finish a project for Jack's upcoming birthday party, so I picked up some chevrons to compliment her design.  As they were in the wash I started thinking that what the girls really need are tops, they have so many shorts and skirts!  So I settled on the Geranium tunic, but the thought of matching the chevrons on the bodice made me wince, so I chose to use a different print for the bodices. 

 



 

Not going to lie, I didn't like them at first.  I mean, I liked the two fabrics when I held them together before sewing, but as I finished them I was unsure...

But I think I have changed my mind now that I have seen them on the girls.  They are both size 2t, and that is too big for them, but I wanted them to last.  Their 18month Geraniums were getting a little tight on Elizabeth, but still a little big on George.  Maybe I should have made a 18m + 2t.  Oh well, too late now!

It was pretty much impossible to get a picture of them together, no matter how hard my sweet mother-in-law tried to help.  That is just how they are!  I used snaps for the back of both the tops, easier to dress them!

Yeah, it was pretty much impossible to get one of Iz too... ^^This is the best I could get.  It was tough to match the chevrons (there are three seams on each dress to match), I didn't get anywhere near perfect, but with all the gathered fabric it isn't super obvious, at least I hope not!

Georgia would sit nice and still, but wouldn't look at me, ha!

I really like the strawberry, but it kind of gets lost in all the fabric as she moves.

She kept smelling/kissing the flowers, I couldn't tell which, but she was saying "Mmmmm!".  Cute girlies!