Wild Shandiin.

For day two of Kids Clothes Week, I wasn't planning on sewing, but Grandpa invited the girls to go in the hot tub with him and it just happened to coincide with Sam's nap.  It was fate, I *had* to sew, ha!  Luckily I already had something cut out and could get right to it, and being I had just made this pattern for a friend I didn't even need to look at the instructions so it was super fast. 

I made the Shandiin Tunic in a size 4 with some extra length.  I could have gone down a size, apparently, or even two for Georgia (on the left).  It was hard to pick a size because there were only finished measurements, no body measurements, but how much ease?  Oh well, I guess with the extra length they can get extra long wear out of these, if George can keep the straps up.  But she is determined, because she loves it.

I hurried and got them ready as soon as they woke up, the big tree in our yard shades the front step for about an hour in the morning, they begged me to let them wear them even after we were done with the pictures (which was the plan) so I will call them a win.

Foxy playtime.

 So it's Kid's Clothes Week again, and the theme this time is Wild Things, which I can totally get behind.  I haven't sewn along with the theme (save the one time Ben made a suggestion).

I have seen this dress on pinterest quite a bit, and thought it would be fun to try and recreate.

I used the Oliver + S Playtime Dress, size 4.  Just like when I made this pattern last time I fully lined the bodice and left off the sleeves.

Ben doesn't think it looks like a fox, something about it needing black to make it look like it has ears or whatever.  Kind of like the first thing he said when he saw Sam's shirt was that my applique didn't have enough legs.  Always a critic, but I'll forgive him, even though now it doesn't look quite right to me.

This is her trying to make a fox sound, she cracks me up.

The white and the nose were sewn on, and the eyes are painted.

I was worried about the white being see through and also getting a nice curved shape, so I decided to cut two pieces for each side and sew them together.  I sketched out the basic shape I wanted, then added a half inch for a seam allowance.  Then, with wrong sides together I stitched the curve, turned it right side out and gave it a good steam, lined it up on my bodice and stitched one side at a time.  Again, not wanting to deal with getting the nose nice and neat with a single layer, I sewed two pieces together leaving an opening at the bottom.  In hindsight, the white was bigger than I really wanted it to be, but meh.

The girls have been loving their twirly dresses lately (let's be honest, what 3 year old little girl doesn't like a twirly dress?).  Instead of using the pattern piece for the skirt, I used the length of the pattern piece but the width of the fabric.  So, 88".

She was SO happy and couldn't stop spinning... until she fell.  Then she took a break.

I took her to this neat little abandoned barn down the hill from our house that I see photographers at quite a bit.  I drive past it all the time, but never got the appeal until today.  It has some real potential, even though it is a really small building.  Cool boarded up windows, broken signs, neat doors and a gorgeous tree right next to it.

So Ben did say that it looked slightly more like a fox when it was on the hanger, so I figured I'd add a shot of that, in case you are on his side.

And of course if I take pictures of one twin, the other will want her turn.  She was angry I wouldn't take her to the spot I took Iz, but when I told her I would take it in front of our purple door (her favorite color) she settled.

They are both claiming this dress as their own, hopefully there wont be too many fights...

Shandiin times two.

A few weeks ago, a friend pinned the Shandiin Tank and I commented that it was an easy sew and she could totally make it.  A little bit later, she asked if I would be willing and said of course!  She wanted something springy and coordinating for her girls, so I went through my stash and gave her a bunch of options.  

So she chose two she liked and left it up to me to decide if they should have contrasting fabrics for the bindings and back, and who would get which print.  I thought it would be fun, and in true coordinating fashion to make the contrasts out of the opposite main fabric.

I just love the back of these tops.  The one I made for Abby was only worn once other than pictures, sigh.  But I remembered not liking how low the arms were cut for her, so for the bigger one I sized down the top and added length since her oldest is tall and thin.

It's always fun to sew for others, at least I think so.

A pair of Popovers.

So, Easter outfits didn't get finished, but I am okay with it.  I completed George's dress, two pairs of Art Museum trousers (one for each boy), and nearly finished a Fairy Tale for Iz (still needs the sash and hand sewing).  I am easily distracted, though, and needed a quick and mindless project after having sick kids and deep cleaning a bunch of rooms in the house.  So when Rachel posted today about sewing for dolls I decided the girls needed popovers and matching doll dresses.  

The whole time I was making them, they were asking 'awe my dwesses finished yeeeeet mooooom?'  So I decided to give them the dresses before I made the doll ones, or before I told them about the doll dresses, just in case I don't get to them for a while.  

They pretty much love the dresses, George decided she *had* to have the bug one, and set about convincing Elizabeth she should like the striped one.  (It's hard to tell here, but there are diagonal stripes in peach and cream).

They loved the dresses, but not so much taking the pictures. 

It was a struggle to get them both to look at the camera.  

Let alone stand up straight at the same time.

Then Elizabeth decided we should recreate the pose from this post, it's the background on my phone and she loves looking at it.

So then Georgia reminded her that it was her head on Izzy's shoulder, to which Iz refused because it was 'her turn'.

This one cracks me up.  Side eyes.

So Iz decided to help Georgia look, but of course couldn't be bothered to look herself.

In the end, I settled for a semi blurry one.  Plus, it was time for Grandma day.

Okay, so deets on the pattern.  I used the Oliver + S Popover Sundress in a size 4 with the length of a 5.  It is still quite big on George in the chest, so I wanted to add length for extended wear.

When Grandma day was over, I took my camera there to snap a few more.  But, Elizabeth had just woken up after falling asleep in the car and wasn't really in to cooperating.  I told her she could have a creamy if I could change her shoes and take a picture really quickly.  Nope, she didn't want to change the shoes- that was fine.  And insisted on keeping the popsicle in the picture.  Meh, I didn't have high expectations.

In this picture you can see the stripes a little bit.  I used a chambray for the yoke and bias straps and added a bit of piping just to the front.

She has this tick when she is upset or anxious, she twists her hair.  It is better if I keep it in a pony tail or pig tails, we have had to undo knots when left down.

For Georgia's I used fabrics I have had for-ever!  A few years back I scored a bunch of Riley Blake + Michael Miller prints for under $3/yd and these were both from then.  I was waiting for the perfect project, it feels nice to finally use them.

When I showed them the dresses, George shouted 'just like my panda dolly dress!' She has been playing a lot with Abby's dolls, so (someday) when I finish her matching dress I am sure she will be so excited.

A bubble dress.

I have a plan for Easter sewing, a dress for each of the girls and a button down and pants for the boys.  It is an ambitious goal considering I am only just now starting, but as with years past I am not going to kill myself trying or be disappointed if I can't get it all done.  

I started with this yard of fabric, my whole plan revolves around it.  I picked the other two girls dress fabrics based on the colors in this dress.

I was going to wait on photographing the outfits until I had them all finished and could do them together, but I found this incredible spot this afternoon on a walking trail.  It happened to be one of the few spots accessible from the street (it is off a twisty narrow road), and pretty much the only spot that you can't see houses in the distance or power lines.

I can't believe it's been two years since I last made this pattern, the girls wore those to death, until they became indecently short.  So, I figured to knock out two birds with one stone, Easter sewing and the size 5 project.  This is, of course, the Oliver + S Bubble Dress in a size 4.  It is a really quick sew, and able to be made out of just one yard, well, one yard for the main and one for lining.

Georgie was so excited while I was sewing this dress, 'It's just for me?!' 'Do I have to share?' and Iz was so confused, 'but why is there only one?'.  Haha, I usually assembly line two for them, but I figure it probably isn't a great idea this time as their closets are quite full already and I want to make other patterns in the stash...

So, I plan to make Izzy a Fairy Tale, Jack and Sam a Sketchbook and Art Museum, aaaand Abby is my only question mark.  I am thinking a Garden Party, but we will see how she feels.

At the orchard.

These two can be so sweet it kills me dead.

Except all day long when they were fighting over who got the feather dress.  Then I winked at Abby and pointed to the purple one while asking her which was her favorite, so she answered purple and from then on it was Elizabeth's favorite.  Iz looks up to her big sis like crazy.

I had this crazy vision in my head after seeing a similar dress with a striped bodice and a floral skirt.  I was determined to make it work with only fabrics in my stash and late at night to boot.  So I thought through my patterns and decided on the Oliver + S Playtime Dress, modified to my 'needs'.  I wanted short sleeves and a curved front bodice, so I simply left off the sleeves and sketched out a curve on my pattern piece until I got a shape I liked.  I probably could have made the curve a little higher.  

I made a size 4T and lengthened the skirt.  I forgot that (in my opinion) this one runs a little long- which really isn't a bad thing.

Speaking of the skirt, it is a knit.  I really love the way it moves and hangs, she loves that it is so soft and twirly.  I used the full width of the fabric and made the seam run down the center back.

For the bodice I pieced together strips of cotton, I was crazy excited when I realized I had the exact green in my stash to match- what are the chances of that?  Last year I picked up a yard each of some random colors that caught my eye that I wouldn't normally buy, apparently it paid off! HA!

To keep it nice on their skin I fully lined the bodice, which also conveniently finished the sleeves at the same time. I did the same with the all stripe dress.

I love making the girls coordinate, so then I decided I needed a stripe dress, this time using bigger strips (because small strips were a pain!).  I alternated the direction of the stripes for kicks and giggles.  Plus, I thought it would be a fun look, though at the last minute I nearly kept them all horizontal.

With this one I kept the bodice as per the pattern.

Supposedly they will share these dresses, as George promised Iz she could 'wear da feaders next time Eez!'.  Don't think I believe it, but at least Elizabeth decided to like the purple one.  

Mini Hudson for school.

 This week is book week at school, in honor of Dr. Seuss's birthday.  In years past they have dressed up as a book character, but not this time.  This time it's things like wear a hat (two days, come on guys, be more creative), build a snowman treat in class, wear winter clothes (which is humorous being two weeks ago we were in the high 70's but we seem to have been hit by some cold weather which put us in the low 50's- still not winter), aaaand wear your jogging/exercising clothes.

Since other mini hudsons were calf length I threw her together a new pair on short notice (yesterday after school) so she could participate.  That, and I am not one to take all the kids to the store in a rainstorm.

I had this print in mind for some mini hudsons for a bit, though I was thinking calf length.  I like these, though, and so does she.  Again I made a size 10, but I added 1.5" to the length, I could have added more to make them last, apparently.  Good thing I added something!

I am sad they only go to a 10 because we will have to find another pattern to fill the void before she fits the women's sizes.

Ben says they are... very flamboyant.

That's okay, I kind of love them.  And better on her than me. I had planned to make them for the twins, but I think Abs will get more wear out of them, she loves these kind of pants and the fact they are 'trendy' now and she can get away with wearing them to school- even better in her eyes!

Side view for personal fit reference.

Same for the back.

Jack was super excited to wear his too.