Baby Peasant Blouse - Tie Dye Diva Pattern Review

I bought this pattern before my daughter was born and I had ever intention of sewing it before she was born but life got in the way...don't you hate it when that happens?!?

The pattern doesn't have a lot of pieces and if you've sewn a peasant blouse before then it's really a piece of cake to sew.  The instructions come with multiple options and to be honest it was a little confusing for me to have to flip back and forth and refer to the different directions.  I opted for the easiest way for me and that was making a casing for the neck and the sleeves and inserting the elastic.  For my next shirt I plan to try using bias tape for the casing.

Next time I think I'm going to make the hem out of a different fabric.  I love the idea of mixing prints or color blocking.

Overall this is a great pattern and definitely a staple for your pattern collection with it's various options and sizes!  I can't wait to sew another one in a print fabric, the options are endless.    

Baby Leggings Pattern Round Up

I just made a massive amount of leggings for the baby.  Things started out slow but once I got going she ended up with 5 new pairs of leggings.

Baby leggings are quick and easy to sew, especially when you cut and sew them all at once.  To decrease sewing time I recommend sewing with fabrics of like colors so you won't have to change your thread.  I switched my thread three times and it added 10-15 minutes to my sewing time (to be fair I was changing two machines, my serger and coverstitch).

Another great thing about baby leggings is that they don't require a lot of fabric.  You can make them using half a yard or a fat quarter.  In fact, I used the left over black fabric from my Plantain shirt to make a pair of leggings.

This post wouldn't be complete without a picture of the baby modeling her new leggings!  My little girl is mobile now, so she definitely needed leggings.  I can't tell you how satisfying it is to see your work worn and loved!

As promised in the post title, here are a few free tutorials/patterns that you can use to make your own baby leggings:

1. ToddAh
2. Make It and Love It
3. Spoonflower Blog
4. I Still Love You
5. Craftiness Is Not Optional

If you want to get fancy with your legging and try more styles, here are more great tutorials:

1. Lil Blue Boo - Hand Stamped Leggings
2. Make It and Love It - Ruffle Bum and Skirt Leggings
3. MADE - Ruched Leggings
4. See Kate Sew - Tutu Leggings
5. See Kate Sew - Baby Jeggings
6. Distractions - Ruffle Hem Leggings

Woodsie Baby Leggings

               

My little girl is rapidly outgrowing her legging so I decided to make her a few pairs that won't squeeze her like the store bought ones (I didn't photograph the other pair, sorry!).  I used an old pattern for the leggings and I added a little flair at the ends to make these legging look a little more girly.  I really love the fabric (bought at Girl Charlee's) but the colors are dark (grey-green and brown) and not very girly.

To make the bottom piece I just cut out a strip of fabric twice as long as the bottom width and 3 inches tall.  I used a gathering stitch and gathered the fabric evenly and used my serger to attach it to the leggings bottom before I sewed the side seam.  I believe I used a 5/8" seam allowance because the ruffle was a little too long for my liking.  After I attached the ruffle, I pinned and serged my sides together.  It was a quick and easy modification that makes these legging look a bit more feminine.

Simplicity 4243 - Pattern Review

Before I wrote this review I tried to find the pattern on the Simplicity website but I couldn't find it so I'm not sure if it has been discontinued.  I made this dress and changed the pattern a little when I made a dress for the Project Run and Play sew-a-long.

This pattern is easy and it can be made fairly quickly, I believe I spent between 2 and 3 hours on it from cut to finish and that includes the time I spent tracing the pattern on to Swedish tracing paper and making my alterations (adding a middle band).  The bias tape finish for the armholes and neck help speed up the sewing process and it make the inside look nice and clean.  I did have a problem with the size of the bottom band.  I'm not sure if it was a tracing error or a cutting error but it came out waaay to big for the rest of the dress so I used my serger to sew and finish the edges so that it would match up to the top part of the dress.  

The second time I used this pattern I made a top instead of a dress.  I finished the bottom using single fold bias tape instead of folding up the fabric because I wanted to preserve as much of the ombre fabric as possible.  I think my second time using this pattern the outcome was more polished but it still took 2-3 hours to complete from start to finish.

All in all this is a great pattern that includes a version for boys so it's perfect if you plan on buying it to make baby gifts or for your own children.

KCW Spring 2013 Day 5

Today I felt much better and I may have exceeded an hour but that was mainly due to me changing the thread and settings on my serger.  I cut out the pattern (M6495) for the muscle tees and cut out fabric for two tanks, although I'm not sure how I feel about the second fabric choice.  I used my serger for the shoulder seams and the side seams on one of the tanks.  I also realized that I don't own black rib knit for the neck bands...boo!  I guess I'll have to go buy some black rib knit this weekend.   

I managed to hem the geranium dress and I asked my husband to put in the snaps for me.  It turns out that the snap tape I bought was packaged incorrectly and it only included one side of the snap tape (face palm).

 

KCW Spring 2013 Day 4

You can find the pattern for this dress here.

I sewed the bodice for the dress on Wednesday and I gathered and attached the skirt today.  I still have to hem the dress and add in the snap tape, but that should be quick.  I really shouldn't have done any work today because I've been in pain throughout the day.

I really like the pattern and the assembly directions of this dress.  I did have a little problem when I was sewing the bodice to the skirt, I didn't catch the lining so I had to add a second row of stitches. 

I had planned to 3 projects made from knit but I haven't cut out the fabric or the patterns so I don't know if I'll get to complete all the projects I planned.  Even if I don't get to all the projects I had planned, this week has been great because I've been busting my stash!  I'm not sure why, but it's a great feeling to use supplies from my stash (I've had this fabric for a year or a little more...eek!).  :)   

KCW Spring 2013 Day 3

I started having contractions on Tuesday so I went to see my doctor.  He told me to get some rest and relax for the next two days and not to worry because it doesn't look like I will go into pre-term labor (I'm only 27 weeks).  I listened to him and stayed in bed so I only got a little prep work done Tuesday evening.

I spent 20 minutes on Tuesday night sewing the fronts to the back and pining the fur and lining together.  While pinning I noticed that the back pattern piece is slightly curved like a slight "w" instead of being straight.  I didn't like the curved look so I trimmed the back to make it straighter and less curved.

On Wednesday afternoon I felt a bit better and I spent a little time sewing up the vest (using my walking foot).  I still have to handstitch the turning opening shut but that can wait.  Later in the evening I felt up to making dinner so I snuck into my sewing room (while dinner was on the stove) and assembled the bodice for the baby geranium dress.  We will see how tomorrow goes...I started to feel a little strange after eating dinner so I've been resting since.

You can find the free pattern and tutorial for this vest here. 

The supplies I used for this project were left over from another fur vest that I made as a gift for a toddler, so I really made a two-fur here!  Ha ha ha...get it?  A two-fur...just a little play on words there.  I believe I only paid $7 for the lining and fur material at JoAnns, which isn't too bad for two fur vests.  :)  

Linked up here:

When Sewing Goes Wrong...

I typically read and re-read pattern instructions to make sure I am sewing properly (because I hate using my seam ripper!), but I got carried away and excited and I accidentally sewed shut the casing for the elastic...doh!

Although it doesn't look like it, I did try to steam this!  :(

I didn't want to unpick the seams because I had already used my serger and trimmed off the excess fabric so I decided it was time to try something I've been wanting to try for a while...sewing with elastic in the bobbin.  I was nervous but I figured that if I screwed up really bad then I could just make another baby dress (after all they don't require a lot of fabric).

I am very pleased with the result of the dress and I think the slight ruffle adds to the style of the dress, I just hope the neck isn't too big.

This dress was made using this pattern: Sweet Little Baby Dress by Leila and Ben

KCW Spring 2013 Day 1

I've watched others participate in Kids Clothes Week and now I'm joining in the fun!  This season KCW is from April 22nd-29th and the goal is to sew kids clothes for 1 hour each day.  My normal sewing time is around 15-30 minutes a day (my sewing room is next to the kitchen, so I can sew while I'm making dinner), so an hour is a long time for me.

When Meg from Elise Marley made the KCW week announcement I got started on making a list of things that have been sitting in my sewing queue.  Here is my list:

1. The Inside or Out Pocket Shorts by Fishstick Designs
2. Baby Geranium Dress by Rae
3. Little Fur Vest by Kate
4. McCall's M6493 or Muscle Tee by Made (I have to check the fit)
5. Newborn Rockin' Baby Gown
6. Basic Tee by Made

I got a head start on Friday by taping and cutting out half of the patterns.  On Saturday I cut the fabric for the  first three items.  If you look at my list you will notice that half of the patterns call for woven fabrics and the other half call for knits.  I am hoping to tackle the knits at the end of the week so I don't have to keep switching my serger thread!

My posts will be a little delayed because I'm posting in real time...we shall see how it goes but I might not be able to post my progress each day.  Are you participating in KCW?

She's Gone Country (PR&P Week 3 Challenge)

Since I'm on a roll and sewing up a storm I figured I'd challenge myself and sew something for PR&P's week 3 challenge.  The theme for week 3 is details so I decided to try making pintucks and design a dress for the baby.  I did have more than one "make it work" moment with this dress...originally it was going to be all seersucker and have pearl snaps.  I should have known that since seersucker is textured that the pintucks wouldn't really show but I learned the hard way.  I didn't want to re-cut a new dress, so I looked through my stash and found some scraps of chambray that I could use for the front bodice. I thought if I used the chambray and added pearl snaps that I could make a cute western dress, but I couldn't get the pearl snaps to stay when I tried to attach them.  Luckily I did have some regular snaps on hand to use...I sure wish the pearl ones would have worked!  I added a little eyelet ruffle to make flutter sleeves since I thought it looked so plain without the pearl snaps.

The dress was made using the Lucy Dress Pattern by Owly Baby.  This pattern was super easy and a snap to sew.  I really want to make some more of these little dresses, they look so darn cute!  Also, since this pattern includes instructions on how to make the dress reversible, the possibilities are endless!

The inspiration for my dress came from this blouse by Lauren Moffatt and this dress by Madchen (which is also by Lauren Moffatt):

                                                                              Source: laurenmoffatt.net via Ashley on Pinterest

 

                                                                         Source: anthropologie.com via Ashley on Pinterest

I liked the off center placket and the pintuck details with the snap closure.  The Lucy Dress pattern doesn't include pintucks in it's pattern so I took a short cut and added pintucks to my fabric before I cut it.  I got the idea from the new fabric collection, Rick Rack and Ribbons, by Robert Kaufman.  It all worked out just fine after I figured out that I needed to use a smaller twin needle and adjust the tension on my machine.  As for the snaps, I only put them at the top of the dress so the baby has room to move around (just in case she's not walking by the time she wears the dress).

p.s. - Bonus points if you know where the title of this post is from!
   

Diaper Cover Pattern Round Up

I made a diaper cover to match the little top/dress that I made for the baby.  I used a pattern that I already had and I found the pattern instructions extremely difficult!  The pattern required a lining fabric and an outer fabric and everything was going well until I got to the instructions on how to sew the top of the diaper cover together.  I read the directions and so did my husband and neither one of us understood what they were trying to explain.  Finally I decided I would *try* to sew it how I thought the instructions wanted me to and it turned out to be a horrible mess!!!  I ended up sewing it the way I thought would be easier.

I do like the way the diaper cover came out but I wanted to find a pattern without the lining so I searched and found a whole bunch of wonderful FREE diaper cover patterns and tutorials.  You can click on the name of the blog below to be taken to their tutorial:

1. Prudent Baby
2. Hustle Mama
3. Made
4. Sew Much Ado
5. See Kate Sew

I just might have to make one of each of these patterns, they are all so darn cute!!!

Easing back into sewing (M6309 pattern review)...and baby news

Back View (I forgot to re-distribute the gather after I sewed the size tag...oops!)

It's been a while since I sewed anything and I wanted a quick project to get me going again so I decided to try this cute little pattern.  It was so easy that I could have made this without a pattern but I was nervous making something for an infant so I bought the pattern.

                                                                             Source: mccallpattern.mccall.com via Ashley on Pinterest

If I had no distractions, I think I could finish this project in 2 hours max. I really can't wait to see how this is going to look on the baby!  I'm also working on a coordinating diaper cover but I'm not using the designs from this pattern.  My husband made a remark that he didn't really like the "bloomer" style.

Front View

BTW, did I mention we found out we're having a girl!!!!!