[Sarvi]

Most annoyed that I couldn’t find a good piece of linen suitable for the Sandbox trousers — wound up cutting them from a sandy cotton … something, not sure what to call it. Not twill, but heavier weight, like that. Speck of stretch to it, I think, it’s a bit hard to tell.

Testing a bubble with extra-long bodice (hoping to sneak it past the heavy handed dress code at music camp — it’s supposed to be a blouse and skirt, not a dress, but they sometimes let the littles cheat), cut from scraps and a scarf of an unusual color that I suspect will be murder to photograph. It’s *just* this side of black, but a hint burgundy/coppery-ish.

[Tamara]

Ooh sounds rather strict! You could argue that there are such things as two piece dresses so you tried the opposite – a one piece blouse and skirt?

I managed to sew the little after school blouse during sleeptime, all the way up to the last cuff and the buttons. The cuff is now sewn but the buttons are pretending to be attached. Clever me sewed the label on the inside of the front and not the intended back. It was sewn on straight though (big thumbs up there!) I unpicked and reattached it to the back. We don’t want to wear shirts back to front now do we?

[rebecca]

I just finished cutting out Field Trip Raglan tee and Playtime leggings in organic wool jersey for pajamas (natural color). I live in San Francisco, so our “winter” is in the Summertime, when the fog rolls in nightly — it gets super cold and wet.

[Tamara]

I haven’t sewn at all yet today. I am tossing up what to do. We have an event next week and I need to make something special for the baby but what pattern? At the moment I am swaying between the garden party and the library dresses. I am not sure how the garden party goes in terms of fit on a baby of 6 months so I guess it means measuring and going from there. I actually have a library dress made but it has short sleeves and we need a long sleeved one for this event (it will be outside and rather chilly).

Fabric options at the moment are floral winter twill and corduroy – either blue or lilac to bring out her eyes and will also be better on the peek a boo bonnet I want to make to accompany the dress. Then there is the matter of a jacket! Which one and what style? It would have to be corduroy of course! Then it is a matter of smock or not smocked! I think were it to be the floral I probably won’t but the bonnet is a perfect pattern to embellish!

In the meantime I have pieces of Michael miller Eiffel tower staring at me, pleading to be used! It is kcw travelling theme after all!

If I just shut my eyes and make my way around the room I could probably come to a final decision sooner!

[KAREN]

Hello, Ladies!

Justsewit, I am hoping that you choose the fabrics that will allow you to do some smocking. Smocked bonnets on babies are just so precious and the time for smocked bonnets is so short. I can’t wait to see what you make.

EllenMCM and Katybellabug, I am anxious to see your Badminton skorts. I am going to be making one sometime soon. Is it sized close to ready-to-wear or should I size down? Katybellabug, there is a fox dress at the notonthehighstreet.com site that wouldn’t be too difficult to copy. It is a jumper worn over a t-shirt that has cute little paw pockets.

Sarvi, I do love what you ladies do with the O+S patterns to make school uniforms. I hope the little dress passes the strict dress code.

I have finally delivered the little Butterfly Skirt & Blouse ensemble that I made my friend’s little one. I made the skirt from a large floral and did an heirloom version of the blouse. I blogged about it here http://butterfliesandfaeries.blogspot.com/2015/06/olivers-butterfly-blouse-skirt.html . I will have to get help from my daughter on how to upload a picture to my Flickr account. I can’t remember how I did it before or my password, etc.

I have several Ice Cream outfits to share that I made earlier in the year. I hope to get to that soon!

Have a wonderful day!

• This reply was modified 8 years ago by Sarvi. Reason: Tidied typos for author
• This reply was modified 8 years ago by Todd Gibson.

[KAREN]

Sure do wish I could make corrections on my post! So many spelling, typo, and grammar errors! Ugh! I’m sorry!

[Sarvi]

Thanks, Karen! I only spotted one or two typos but I know it can be annoying to see them so I fixed them for you. 🙂

[KAREN]

Sarvi, you are an angel! Thank you!

[Sarvi]

I don’t think anybody else would have noticed, but I know it feels nice to have them tidied!

Well I wound up making two dresses that came out rather well, I thought. When she was 3, she had a size 3, when she was 4, she had a size 4, so now she’s 5 (and 6 in October!) I made size 5s. Nope!! All her growth has been tallifying and enskinnying. She needs a 4 with 5/6 length. On the bright side, I have two pretty dresses ready for fall, or next year, or whenever she fits into them. On the dark side I have to crank out two more dresses TODAY. I’m making a Fairy Tale and a Bubble since I know both of them well. Both bodices are done, and I’m starting in on the Fairy Tale skirt, but the skirt fabrics are so delicate I’m rather nervous about the zipper. In fact, I think I’ll post a thread asking for zipper help and see who’s around.

I peeked at your blog, what a pretty set! And I love the ribbon idea for hanging, must try to remember that for next time.

[KAREN]

Sarvi, thank you for stopping by. I try to remember to add the ribbon loops because children’s skirt/pants hangers are hard for me to find and I like to give a nice hanger with each article of clothing I give as a gift.

I can’tell believe that you are attempting to make two dresses in ONE day?! Wow! How are you faring? I am not the best at zippers and can’t help with application but have you thought about changing the back opening to a button closure? It would necessitate making a continuous bias placket in the skirt and adding a bit to the back bodice edges for the button placket.

[Tamara]

Sarvi how did you go? Did you get the two made in one day?

@KAREN some of us are known to attempt some crazy things with our sewing, but never in my time on this forum can I remember Sarvi doing anything of the sort!

Wouldn’t it be great if we could just slip our sewing into some portal to get it to the destination quicker, then Sarvi wouldn’t have to sew alone, we could help her along. She’d probably be bombarded with dresses that way and sigh with the relief!

[Sarvi]

I made and finished the size 4 bubble, adding length (about an inch each) to both the bodice and skirt, plus extra width to the skirt for extra pouf. I didn’t realize how much shorter a bubbly bubble is than a deflated one (without elastic) which is the way I usually make them. I don’t know if it’s just that I’m used to longer dresses on her or what but it looks rather Shirley Temple and definitely does not meet the dress code length requirement (must cover your knees when seated). It’s above the knee even when she’s standing. Since the 5 was too big I just assume the 4 would be right and I cut into the good stuff. I wanted to cry as of this morning. Then I sucked up and put in the zipper on the Fairy Tale. Here’s hoping the 4th time’s the charm!

I appreciate the encouraging words!

[Sarvi]

Oh, forgot to mention that yes, I did consider having the button closure instead, and in fact our very own Lotta has a tutorial for it, but unfortunately this occurred to me after I’d already cut my fabric, and I didn’t have enough to cut another back bodice. I even thought about Frankensteining an extra button panel or something on there but since I was using nice materials, I thought I’d try to keep it looking a bit nice so it could be handed on to a smaller music student.

[dubhels2003]

I am loving the words ‘tallifying’ and ‘enskinnying’, also apt in this household. I hope the bubble still gets wear, I like it sitting on the knee, reminds me of vintage sewing pattern pictures, though not right for the occasion I guess. Good luck with that zipSarvi.

My sister had been round tonight to sew a romper pattern for her friend’s daughter. I felt so comfortable helping and advising, it was lovely. It is the free pattern purl SoHo have just advertised on their mailing list. It is going to look lovely. I was itching to get on my machine though, it may have helped motivate me!

[Tamara]

I hope that zip behaved and came together sufficiently for you Sarvi!

Sounds like some lovely sister sewing going on. My own sister sews too and we have done this in the past but she lives five hours away from me now so we don’t get to do it anymore.

I’ve been all inspired to get the pleater out because I hopped onto the Frances suzanne blog! Those ladies are always full of inspiration. Anyway, they did another Tale from the bin featuring this lovely smocked dress with a plate I know very well, called Living Dolls from Australian smocking and embroidery. I made the romper when my first daughter was a baby and now I have been inspired to make Chloe a dress featuring this plate. But then, I found a smocked bonnet pattern! So I pleated some light pink corduroy and used that smocking plate on it! Today I hope to pleat the ivory corduroy to do the Living dolls plate and then I can decide which to make for Sunday’s event. They aren’t big these plates so they can be done in an evening and an afternoon almost.