[Sarvi]

A clever friend traced the line drawings from the back of a pattern to make coloring pages for her daughter to design her own dress — I’m thinking of doing the same. I have a few pieces of special fabric to go with some very pretty shoes I found for my daughter, and want to make a dress that doesn’t have to be practical, just beautiful. I thought it would be nice to ask her for some ideas and input so the dress is something she’s really excited to wear. One of the lucky silver linings to wearing a uniform is that she gets pretty excited about wearing anything else.

[with love Heidi]

I’ve photocopied the line drawings on the back to make colouring sheets. They are fantastic. I also put like 6 different ones on a page so that I (and my nieces and nephews) can design a “wardrobe”. provides a great afternoon of entertainment 🙂
I’m up to my second version of the penny pinafore today. I was very impressed with the overall fit from my changes. I made more changes yesterday including narrowing the front shoulder, removing length from the bust line and totally redrafting the sleeves/armholes to MY curves and measurements using a flexible ruler. Yes, I consider these minor changes 🙂 Off to see if my changes work!

[Sarvi]

That would keep me entertained for an afternoon, too, and I’m 42 🙂

[Masha Richart]

That is a genius idea! I am totally stealing it for my girls – the oldest one in particular would love to design a wardrobe.

[with love Heidi]

I also traced off the outline of the paper doll dress/cothing and colour photocopied the doll so I didn’t have to cut up the pattern cover. So I could make her a whole wardrobe of Oliver and S clothes in differnt “fabrics” 🙂
I’m up to cutting out my second musiln of the Penny Pinafore. I didn’t get much done yesterday as we had a great afternoon with some visitors.
Lego is the best kids toy, it kept everyone from 5 year old to the 14 year old (and the adults 🙂 entertained!

[Tamara]

I redid the elastic in one leg of the heather ross bodysuit. Now we can wear it again!

[with love Heidi]

Yay Tamara! Glad it’s back in action, it’s so cute!

[Tamara]

I had to make a last minute pencil case for my son! His one from last year has mysteriously disappeared. Good thing I have ample amounts of train fabric and long zips on hand.

Still working on completing the Angel tops and knickers – fingers crossed I get another chance in the sewing room today.

[mcholley1]

My sewing room has been moved to our detached upstairs to give the kids some room to spread out a bit. I’m finding it much harder to carve out sewing time. No more put dinner on…sew….stir dinner….sew….serve dinner. Now I have to sew in bigger blocks of time, i.e. once the kids are asleep. Oh the horror! My husband likes to call these our “first world problems.”

I did play in my newly moved, purged, and re-organized fabric stash today, though. No one needs any more cool weather things here. So, I’m dreaming of spring/summer clothes. I’m starting with a liberty fairytale dress as soon as my batiste lining shows up. While I wait I’m cutting out a knit Simplicity top for myself.

[Nicole]

I understand where you are coming from MC. My husband has offered me his office and he will move to the children’s office/my sewing room but then I will be shut away and probably get less chance to sew.

I actually sewed today, so excited about that. It is two weeks since I had my surgery but it knocked me for six.
I made a linen Bandana bib for Trixie and started a Field Trip tee for Matilda. It was a remnant of navy/white stripe knit and it is looking very cute. I have some brown velvet Field Trip cargoes cut, to pair with it.
Lush farm clothes.

[Tamara]

It certainly can be challenging running from one end of the house to the other. But if you plan it out it can be doable – i love my slow cooker for that purpose!

I had to help cut out a dolphin pattern with Imogen the other day. She sat there and stitched it together by hand minus instructions. With no power I have had no chance to sew but hope to grab one tomorrow.

[thejennigirl]

I’m doing what every crazy person does: I found out I’m one of 5 finalists in a nationwide sewing contest on Tuesday (had to submit 1-3 pictures of garment and a paragraph about said garment, and using a pattern from a provided selection) and so I promptly took my project almost completely apart and am obsessively and painstakingly putting it back together so it’s flawless, before I mail it in either tomorrow or Monday. I’m a bundle of nerves!

Clearly, I’m crazy. I have to be crazy. I have an easy 40+ hours in this dress, and I took a perfectly wonderful dress apart to resew…

• This reply was modified 9 years ago by thejennigirl.

[with love Heidi]

How exciting Jenni! Do we get to vote 🙂
I haven’t done much sewing at all in the last 2 weeks between, visitors, illness, camping and going back to work, but today is my first day off with nothing else to do. I can’t even do the shopping as my husband has the car 🙂 So I’m going to sew, probably for me!

[thejennigirl]

No, no voting. It has designated judges. Hence the small panic and dress deconstruction/reconstruction. But I sat down yesterday, and whirred at the machine, and I’m much happier. Fine tooth comb and all.

[with love Heidi]

I made myself a faux wrap top yesterday! I modified the penny pinafore and it worked beautifully 🙂
Todsy I’m trying to get shorts to fit, I hope I can find where to buy a long flexible curve ruler locally as I think it will make the process much easier 🙂