Little Girl Shirt

A few weeks ago, my littlest girl picked out this fabric from my stash and sweetly asked if I could make her a shirt.  I didn’t have the time at that moment, and it took several days of reminding me, but last night I was finally able to sit down and make the shirt.  She was asleep when I tackled the project so I wasn’t able to take measurements or try it on and I was worried it wouldn’t fit over her head.  I used an existing shirt of hers to draft the pattern from, making a few changes here and there.

The shirt is made out of a cotton print that has a texture similar to what many sun dresses are made out of.  The name of it is escaping me right now.  I lined the neck with a soft knit so that it would be comfortable on her skin.  I’ve found that comfort is the top priority in clothing according to my kids.

She has requested a matching shirt for her doll with all the same details so I’m counting this as a success.

Feathered Day Tripper Top

Another shot of my messy bedroom and another Day Tripper Top!  I went with the mid-length again, but this time I left off the bottom band so that it would fit more like a tunic.  In hindsight, I wish I would had cut the longer length so that I felt comfortable wearing it with leggings, but it does look cute with jeans as is so I can’t complain too much.

I think this might be a fun pattern to make in a size up from your usual size so that you have a roomy, more drapey feel.  Especially with a soft Hacci knit or something similar.

Giant Gold Tote

Let’s just acknowledge the mess in my room and then move on.

Okay, done.

I needed a large bag to take all my stuff (and kids’ stuff) to church in.  I’m madly in love with the fabulous leather tote by Madewell, but it is outside my budget, so I used the measurements to make a giant gold faux leather tote.  It used up the last of my gold pleather so you shall be saved from any future gold pleather posts.  At least for awhile.

My goal for this bag was to make it out of the materials I already had on hand.  Lining it was a little tricky because I didn’t have many pieces of material that were large enough and not a horrible match for the gold.  I ended up piecing together this pretty black and white floral to make it big enough.  This bag definitely isn’t perfect, but it is very useful and I’m happy enough with it.

Baby Gifts

One of my go-to baby gifts is a simple diapers and wipes clutch.  It’s perfect for throwing in your purse or car and is big enough to hold a few diapers, a small pack of wipes and hand sanitizer.  I used my gold and silver faux leather for this one because I was wanting a more modern look.

I lined the pouch with a floral cotton to give it some color.

 

I also included a pair of leather booties.  I’m getting better at making these little shoes, but it is tough to find the kind of leather that I want to use.  I bought this stuff from a shop on Etsy and the color is fabulous, but it is a little bit light in weight.  I left off the front fringe because I think it gives a cleaner look.

Easter Stuffies

I’ve been finding time to make stuff, but it’s been in little spurts and fits and then I forget to blog any of it.  I think a little catch-up is in order.  First off are several stuffies.  I try to make something for each of my kids’ Easter baskets every year.  Sometimes it is the basket, sometimes the bunny and sometimes it’s something else entirely.  This year they each got a little stuffie.  My youngest got a simple bunny in plaid flannel.  I sketched out a shape and then sewed it up.

My fourth child got a mermaid with purple yarn hair.  I was in too much of a hurry to sketch anything out properly so this one is a little wonky, but my little girl loves her to pieces so I’m willing to overlook her faults.  I tried a new technique for attaching the hair and I hand-painted the face.  I think with some work I could make a pretty cute mermaid.

My third child got an Easter wookie.  Nothing says Easter like wookies right?  I found my inspiration from some adorable stuffies on Pinterest.  I used felt and a little fleece for the details.

Next up was a Wampa because my other son is also in love with Star Wars.  I love this one.  He just makes me laugh.  Found the inspiration on Pinterest which linked to some Etsy shop if I remember right.  I kinda did my own take on it, leaving the arms unstuffed so they would be floppy.

Lastly, (I’ve got 5 kids in case you were counting.) is this adorable narwhal.  I think it’s my favorite.  It’s pink and has a flowered tummy!  Oh and the horn.  I searched the great wide Google to find a pattern and came up with a template on some obscure crafting board.  The directions were confusing, but I was able to figure it out enough to make this little guy.  My oldest was thoroughly pleased.

My Wildflower Top

I finished up the last of the four Just Add Jeans tops from Pattern Anthology.  This one is the Wildflower Top from Melly Sews.

I think this pattern was the trickiest of the four, though I think a beginner could still tackle it.  It’s only tricky because it offers quite a few variations based on your bust size and depending on what you pick you may have to alter the pattern.

It’s more intimidating than difficult.

When I saw this pattern I knew that I wanted to make it into a dress.  I just extended the bodice pieces until I had the length that I wanted.

I was certain that I wanted this to be a full-length, floor sweeping dress, but when I tried it on before hemming it… well, it looked like a nightie.  I chopped it off just below the knee and now it’s perfect.

I love sewing for myself!  I can make clothes that actually fit my body.  I can also find patterns and materials that are on trend without feeling like I am dressing the same as everyone else.  I like a little originality.  🙂

Sewing for kids is fun and takes less material, but then I always run the risk that they’ll hate the finished project and never wear it.

My Day Tripper Top

Another day, another Pattern Anthology top from the Just Add Jeans collection!  This one is the Day Tripper Top by Shwin & Shwin.  This is a great piece for customization, with several different length options, two sleeve lengths, optional tabs for the shoulders, and pockets.  I went with long sleeves and the mid length.  I cut out material for pockets but ultimately left them off because I was afraid it would add bulk.

It has an easy feel to it that makes it really comfortable to wear.  I think this top would look great with color blocking.  I’d also love to try a sweater knit.

The back has a high low hem which would be good paired with leggings.  If I were to go that route I’d use the longer length so my backside was covered.

My City Girl Frock

This is the second top I tackled in from the Just Add Jeans collection.  It’s called the City Girl Frock and it’s by See Kate Sew.

I chose to do the tunic length with a half sleeve (you can also do a shirt or dress) and then I panicked when I realized halfway through cutting that I did not have enough material for the cowl.  I briefly considered swapping in an all white fabric for the cowl, but the material I had was a different weight so I skipped it and hoped for the best.  I’m so glad I did.

The top ended up having such a beautiful ballet neckline.  It really is flattering and very comfortable to wear.  This pattern was also easy to sew and I used my serger to finish the seams even though it’s optional.

I’d like to make another and try out the cowl.  I could see it looking great in a stripe of some sort.  Then again, I love stripes.

My Parisian Top

I bought a collection of patterns called Just Add Jeans from Pattern Anthology.  There are four patterns designed for knit fabric and meant to be worn with jeans.  I tackled the Parisian Top by Go To Patterns first.

I love it.

The pattern was quick and easy to sew and the finished top was definitely true to size.  The fit is perfect.  I used a thicker knit called Ponte de Roma from Girl Charlee and it feels so soft and comfortable.

The Peter Pan collar is a scrap of chevron knit that I had leftover from other projects.  At first I was nervous about mixing the prints, but I think it gives it a more modern feel.

Little Moccs

I’ve been sewing up little pairs of baby shoes using the Lil’ Papoose Moccasin pattern by Peek-a-Boo Patterns.  It’s a darling pattern and it comes together so quickly and I’ve had lucky using it with a variety of materials.  These gold moccs were made with animal-friendly leather (read faux leather) and they turned out great.

The silver faux-leather I wanted was on back-order and I couldn’t wait any longer so I sewed up this pair using an old purse of mine.  The vinly is super soft and has a great feel.

This little red pair is made from an upcycled leather jacket in a beautiful ruby red.  It was my first time working with real leather and it was a little finicky.  I had to play with needle size, thread weight and stitch tension to find the right combination.  Definitely not as easy as working with the vinyl.  The leather was also a little on the thin side so I’m not sure how it will hold up.

I just purchased another piece of real leather, this time in a thicker weight and I’m eager to give it another goal.  I’d also love to give this pattern a little bit more of my own spin so that it’s not just a copy of someone else’s design.