Easter Dresses Wrap-Up

I really can't believe that I am posting photos of my girls' Easter Dresses in May. May! Yikes. I am so sorry. I really don't know where the time goes. Or I do. It goes to ballet and highland dance lessons. Soccer.  Teaching Kindergarten two afternoons a week. Making dinner. Avoiding cleaning the house. Hugging three beautiful kids. Life is wonderful and busy. I just can't seem to blog about it. But I want to.

Nicey Jane Party Dress

Even though I was sewing buttons on Sunday morning before Mass, I managed to finish both girls' dresses just in time. For my youngest, I used the Party Dress free pattern and tutorial from the Cottage Home. I made this dress once before (the Easter Dress from last year that my daughter refused to wear and we now can't talk about), and it really is a fun pattern. This time I used 5 different fabrics for a less matchy, matchy look.

The Party Dress by Cottage Home

Overall, I think the dress turned out beautifully. I had to make the sash from two different fabrics (I wanted the two dresses to coordinate, but I only had a teeny bit left of the pink stripe). Next time, I won't make the bodice the way in the tutorial...I like the construction method of the Geranium Dress better. And I think I would make the skirt a wee bit less full. It is a heavy dress for a 2-year old.

Dress Stats:

Pattern: The Party Dress (Free Pattern/Tutorial) by the Cottage Home

Size: 2

Bodice Fabric: Unknown dot from a swap (I only had a FQ).

Sash Fabrics: Running Stitch, Lush by Patty Young, Love U by Deb Strain

Skirt Fabric: Picnic Bouquet, Nicey Jane by Heather Bailey

For Picky Pants' (she might have a new blog name), I made the ever popular Geranium Dress from Made by Rae. I've made this pattern a few times, so it went together nice and easy. Picky Pants wanted a red sash, but no bow, so I sewed some grosgrain ribbon where the two fabrics meet.

Nicey Jane Geranium Dress

And, this year, she actually wore her dress to church. She just didn't take her jacket off. And proceeded to take the dress off as soon as we got home. But she proudly announce, "I WORE it Mom." I really need to rethink sewing anything for her. Her little sister was much more agreeable. In fact, she wore it all day long and dripped chocolate all over it. All over it. Thank goodness for the washing machine.

Dress Stats:

Pattern: Geranium Dress by Made by Rae

Size: 5 (added a few inches to length)

Bodice Fabric: Running Stitch, Lush by Patty Young

Skirt Fabric:  Picnic Bouquet, Nicey Jane by Heather Bailey

And no, I don't have any pictures of them together. I haven't been able to bribe Picky Pants into wearing her dress again. And I really couldn't wait another month to blog about them.

Easter Dresses

With less than a week to go before Easter, I finally settled on fabric and patterns for my girls' Easter Dresses. My oldest (almost 7) is extremly picky about her clothes. I have made more than a few dresses for her that she has never worn. In fact, last year I made the girls beautiful co-ordinating Easter dresses, and Miss C refused to wear hers. I was so mad, I told her that if she didn't wear it, I would give it away. I was hoping she wouldn't call my bluff, but she did. She told me that she wanted to give it away. So I did. Now when she is really tired or hungy, she starts crying and asking for her dress back. Oops. Sometimes I really deserve a 'bad mommy' award.

But I'm still an optomist (sounds better than a fool), so I let her pick out some fabric for this year's dress. I've got my fingers crossed that she'll actually wear it. But even if she doesn't I won't give it away this year. My youngest daughter (almost 2) is much easier to please. Hopefully I'll actually get to take photos of them wearing them together.

Nicey Jane Easter Dresses

How about a quick give-away? I made an impulse buy at the grocery store the other day, the lastest issue of quilty magazine. As a full disclaimer - I've already read it - but I thought somebody else might like to read it too. It's in very good shape, I promise. And if you leave a comment, and tell me your favourite colour, I'll include a fat quarter or two with the magazine. I'll leave the give-away open until Wednesday, March 27, around lunch time. Thanks to everyone that entered, the give-away is now closed.

Leave a comment and I'll send you this magazine.

How about you? Are you sewing Easter Dresses this year?

Hello Friends!

I think I am going to try blogging again. I miss it. And I miss the thoughtful and encouraging support of the online quilting/sewing community. I'm not making any lofty goals this time around, I am just going to enjoy the process.

This is what I am working on right now:

Source: statigr.am via Barb on Pinterest

It's Made by Rae's new pattern, but of course, the bodice is too small, and I am all out of fabric.  Back to the drawing board.

What are you working on right now?

Handmade Christmas: Christmas Dresses

(Sorry that I'm still posting about Christmas. I'm pretty sure this is the last one. But don't hold me to it.)

I've never been much of a Christmas Dress kind of mom, but for some reason, this year I got the bug. I think it is because I now have two little girls, and the idea of matching dresses, made by mom, was more than I could pass up.

Miss Lily Christmas dress. Please ignore the bright green hanger.

My oldest daughter just started highland dancing, and is in love with all things plaid (Please note, I had nothing what-so-ever to do with this. I swear. Really!) When the new Fabricland 5 minutes from my house happened to have Christmas plaid 60% off before Christmas, I had it home before I could think to myself, "When are you going to have time to make these stinking dresses?" Somehow I found the time, and my oldest even wore hers for her school concert.

I purchased a PDF pattern here called the "Miss Lily" by The Homemade Dress. (Don't you just love downloadable patterns?) I picked it because it had sleeves, a cute bubble skirt, and it looked pretty easy.

Sisters!

Overall, I was pretty happy with the pattern. My oldest is pretty petite, so I got away with using the size 4 pattern (she's almost 5 and a half) and adding a few inches to the length. The sleeve and bodice pieces are extremely similar, and at one point I sewed a six-month sleeve to the 4-year bodice. Enter my friend the seem ripper.

Other than that, the pattern went together pretty well. The elastic neck and arms are very forgiving, so I didn't worry too much about being perfect. I also didn't match up the plaid, but I'm okay with that.

I finished off the dresses with black velvet ribbon because everything is fancier with velvet ribbon. I love having Fabricland 5 minutes from my house (it only opened this fall). I may not like most of their fabric, but they have a great selection of ribbon and notions.

I also made my son a tie with the same fabric. He wore it under duress to mass on Christmas Eve, but I didn't get a photo of the three kids together because sweet Miss S was already asleep and stayed home with Grandma. We still have our tree up (I'm waiting till Epiphany to take it down), so I'm still holding out for a group shot. The tie was quick and easy to make. I used this pattern/tutorial because it has a velcro closure. This is a necesity if you are putting the tie on by force. How is it that boys come hard-wired to hate dressing up? If you are looking for a good round-up of tie and bow tie tutorials, check out Erin's post.

A Christmas Tie.

I was pretty proud to have my kids wear Mama Made clothes for Christmas. Next year, I may go for more coordinated than matching, but we'll see.

What about you? Did you make holiday clothes for your kids?

Ice Cream Social

While I work away on my Colour Wheel Quilt (and I promise, I really am working on it), I decided to join the Ice Cream Social hosted by Amy and Kate. I've discovered that I like sewing things for my daughter because A. she looks really cute in homemade clothes, and B. I can actually get them finished.

She decided she wanted a mermaid dress, so I found some Heather Ross in my stash and ordered a bit more off off ebay.

I struggled a bit trying to find a good coordinating fabric for the yoke. First I thought I'd find a good Kona Solid. Unfortunately, I don't have a LQS that stocks it or a Kona Swatch Card, and even with help from the friendly sewing community on flickr, I decided not to take a chance.

Fortunately, I did find a great print at the local LQS that I think will be even nicer than a solid. I went with pink rather than orange or brown because I know my daughter will wear a pink dress. She may not, however, wear orange or brown. She likes her pink.

So the first set of instructions are now posted, so I need to get my pre-washing and pattern tracing done so I can catch up. I can't wait to see how this project goes...I can see that the Ice Cream Dress could make fabulous Christmas presents for all of the little girls in our extended family. Go check out the flickr pool...there are some very lovely dresses there.

Happy Sewing!

Heather Ross Studio Sale

I got my package from Heather Ross ages ago. I was so excited to get something from Heather herself I forgot to take pictures. Here's what she sent...I think some of the Munki shirts may get sent as presents to some of my friends who have had babies recently. There seems to be a ton of new babies in our world these days. And isn't that wonderful???
And some yummy fabrics for me! I'm so excited to have a wee bit of gnomes and mushrooms!

Ruffled...

We had a baby shower for my little niece on Saturday. I made her a cute outfit using this tutorial. I love the ruffle pants! All my husband said was, "Why don't you make clothes for our own kids?" Good question. And that is something I need to remedy...
Isn't our puppy the cutest? She wanted to be in the picture...