Patchwork Dress

Thanks to a handy charm pack with pre-cut squares, I was able to finish this patchwork dress really quickly!

I kind of just made this up as a I went along, but next time would probably do a few things differently.  I'm not really happy with the way the dress joins at the bodice, and would probably have added an extra square there to give it a little more flair.  It looks pretty cute on my daughter though.

This fabrics are Moda fabrics from a charm pack called Summer in the City.  I really love the prints!  Here's a detail so you can see some close up.

More of these dresses are definitely in my future, and I'll probably list a few on Etsy as well.  In fact, Joann's was having a sale on Fat Quarters last week, so I stocked up.  Stay tuned for what comes next!

Start 'Em Young

I've been a crafty girl for as long as I can remember. Like many crafty women, I learned much of what I know about crafting from my mom. She taught me how to crochet, hook rugs, embroider, cross stitch and sew. I remember being a kid and looking through all her craft books dreaming up projects to make. She bought me a toy sewing machine, which I loved to sew with despite the fact that without a bobbin thread, none of the stitching ever stayed in. When I was a little older, she let me use her old Singer Sewing Machine to make myself clothes and bags. This was the same sewing machine she used to make me and my brothers matching outfits when we were kids. Now that I'm a mom, I am eager to sew clothes for my daughter with the same love and care my mom took in making things for me. I also can't wait until the day when I can teach my daughter all I know about crafting.




Which brings me to this:

I think she is going to be a natural! Since I work full time and the moments I get to share with my daughter are precious, I do most of my sewing when my daughter is napping or has gone to bed for the night. The other night I started some sewing while her dad was giving her a bath. When she came into the room and saw me sewing she wanted to sit there with me and see all that was happening. I think she would have stayed there all night if I hadn't made her go to bed. This morning she saw the machine again, and asked to "Dow." It makes my mommy heart proud, and I can't wait until the day when we can really share in these kinds of activities.



The project we were working on is actually a patchwork dress for her. It wasn't the project I ended to start after the last post, but I am definitely enjoying it. I promise to post pictures soon, and I definitely would love to finish the dress soon so she can wear it to the birthday party we are going to this weekend. If I'm not so wiped out after work the next few days, I think I'll be able to do it!

Hope everyone out there is having a fabulous week!

Dresses Galore!

I finished another one of these pillowcase dresses this week, and this one might be my favorite.  It was actually made as a birthday gift, but I've got some more fabric left so I have one to sell in my Etsy store.  I've had this fabric in my stash for a while now, so I was happy to put it to good use.

Here is a detail of the border, which is my favorite part.

 

I have one more of these dresses to make as a birthday gift, and then maybe I'll make another for my own DD.  I'm sure the last thing she needs is more clothes, but really I can't help myself!

I also have a new project in the works, and can't wait to blog about it, once I figure out all the sewing logistics!

Hope everyone out there is having a beautiful Saturday!

Summer is here!

I can't even tell you how excited I am that the weather is finally starting to warm up! While Southern California is known for it's great weather, we do have a fair amount of May Gray and June Gloom.  I love it when the clouds clear up and I can pull out all my cute dresses and skirts. My feet get excited to be in flip flops again! I also love my daughter's adorable warm weather wear. It is so much more fun to doll her up in sundresses than to bundle her up in her jackets and sweatshirts.

Inspired by the warm weather, I've become addicted to making these fun sundresses. I used the basic template for a pillowcase dress, but instead of using a pillowcase I started from scratch with new fabric. It's almost as easy, but I can say I'm not a huge fan of creating a rolled hem. Heat sealing the ribbon ends also creates a less than desirable scent.  Besides making these dresses for my own daughter, and for my Etsy shop, I've been making some for our summer birthday girls. I hope they like them!

And by the way, I know it's been a really long time since I last posted, but I still haven't finished the blanket from the last post.  All those stupid ends to sew in have deterred me from getting it done.  One of these days I'll get back to it, but I'm fairly certain I won't be making another Granny Square blanket any time soon!

Sneak Preview

Here's a sneak preview of a project I have been working on for my daugher:

It's the Lil Monkey Blanket from the Stitch and Bitch Happy Hooker book.  I've wanted to make this for the longest time, and have finally got around to it.  I'm just about done with the squares, but have one row left to go.  Then I'll work on the border and the monkey faces.  Since my daughter is a little older now, I decided to make the blanket bigger than the pattern called for.  I doubled the number of squares to make it longer, and am adding a row to the width.  I hope to have this finished by the end of the week, so stay tuned!

Since Halloween is just around the corner, I also did some work on Halloween Tutus and Hair accessories for my Etsy shop.

My little fashion model is cute, isn't she?  Not always the most co-operative model, but adorable nonetheless!

A New Start!

Hi all of you out there in the (blog) world!  It's been a while since I've blogged.  I used to be an avid knitter and crafter, and often blogged about my work, but once I became pregnant with my own little bug-a-boo, other activities began to occupy all my time.  First it was getting ready for the baby; shopping, shopping and more shopping, as well as some cleaning and decorating.  Then of course after she was here, I had no time to do anything other than feed her, change her, and play with her.  Going back to work was rough, but now that she is a year old, we have a schedule I've finally got some time back to myself.  Very little time, but time nonetheless.

So now I'm back to crafting, and love making cute little goodies for my little daughter.  I'm also starting to sell some of my own work on Etsy.  I hope you enjoy reading about my work here, and of course occasionally about my little Bug-A-Boo!  Please leave me a comment and let me know who is out there!

My Bug-A-Boo in a handmade Tutu and Headband