summer sewing

You know you've got some kind of obsession when you are watching a basketball game and wonder about the sewing techniques used to make the uniforms. Yes, I will admit, I did it.

Actually... anytime I see something that catches my eye, I don't look at the tag to see how much it costs, or even look to see if they have the size I need... I pick it up, look at the fabric, examine the seams and make mental notes on how to recreate it at home... N.E.R.D. It's embarrassing. I am sure people think I am crazy. Ok, enough with the confession: Here are a few things I've made in the last week or so.

Let me just proclaim here how much I love elastic thread and shirring. From a cost-saving standpoint, it is the wonder thread! Above is a dress I made for Harper... She seriously may be able to wear this for 4 years... with the tie straps, and the shirred bodice, it will fit almost any size. I could probably wear it as a shirt! When it gets too short, throw it on with some leggings or shorts and you have an adorable boho-chic top! Actually, Grace could wear it like that right now. LOVE it.

Here are a couple of dresses I made for the girls to wear on vacay... Again, elastic thread, awesome. I just barely had enough 'designer' fabric left over from a project to make these dresses. I don't buy designer fabric, usually because it is so darn expensive... we are talking 12$-25$ per yard and sometimes more... Ummm, no, I don't think so.
Confession #2. I broke my own rule recently because my fav fabric store had all their fabrics 50% off... but that is literally the first time I've ever splurged like that. Now I have to try out a million patterns to make sure I have the perfect one before I dare cut into that fabric-gold!

(when I tell the girls I am going to take their picture, this is the reaction I get...silly poses.)

Here's one of the patterns I am trying out. Love the round yoke, and I think I like this pattern... but we'll see. Grace's is made from some vintage fabric and a lady's skirt... Harper's is 100% vintage fabric, baby. I love that.
Ok, so if you don't care anything about sewing, I just bored you to death... sorry about that! Off to cut some more patterns.

Thoughts about Motherhood....

G.K.Chesterton:

"How can it be a large career to tell other people's children about the Rule of Three, and a small career to tell one's own children about the universe? How can it be broad to be the same thing to everyone and narrow to be everything to someone? No, a woman's function is laborious, but because it is gigantic, not because it is minute" (What's Wrong with the World)

RETRO sheet refashion

I love colorful retro sheets. They make me smile, they make me swoon. I love them more than most other thrift store finds. There's just something about them, Ahhhhhh. Look at a few of the thousands of things you can make with them!!!

I like to call this dress LOVE. Because I love it.

Bottom button detail.

Love the pink and green floral dress too! There is a big vintage button closure at the back that is fabulous!

*the brown and pink parts of the dresses were sheets too. Love what you can do with them!!!

Easter dress possibility???

Here are our cute little dyed Easter eggs with real bunny grass growing inside! I love these. Chris kept them alive while we were in Florida! Thanks, Honey!

So...

do

you like

these dresses???

I haven't tried them on the girls yet, and I just have to spend a little time praying that Grace will actually put it on her body. I usually have to make up a snazzy name like 'cotton candy dress' or 'Sleeping Beauty dress' or something of the sort... and that warms her up to the idea.

Although, today I came to get her out of bed in a cute skirt of my own, and she looks at it and says with all the enthusiasm in the world: "Ooohhh MOM, I looooovvvvveeee that skirt... will you make me one JUST like it?? Can I see it twirl???" So, that made my day, and it is on my list to make her one.

Cush for the tush

If one is related to me and is learning to walk, one may need a little more cush for the ole tush. Poor little Harper is walking more and more each day, but when she falls, she falls hard on a little tiny butt. She's got bruises on her booty from falling on toys, rocks, and other various and sundry objects. So, what is a mom to do??? Make her some ruffly, cushy panties/shorts, of course!
Grace got a pair to because I couldn't resist a picture on the beach with the two little ruffly butts together!

Harper's first pair of 'cushy tushy' shorts

Grace's pair, a little longer, more like board shorts. She actually loves them! Yay.

Harper's 2nd pair of cushy tushy bloomers. So cute.

Ruffles in all the right places: Bathing Suit Refashion Tutorial

Drastic times call for drastic measures! I am leaving for Miami in a few days with my husband and sadly, all my bathing suit tops are now too big!!!! Breastfeeding 2 babies in 3 years has either a) made me forget how small I really was.... or b) really shrunk all the wrong places...if you know what I mean. :) So, I need all the help I can get.

I found a bathing suit at Target that ruffles in all the right places... and, seriously, it added at least a cup size, and honey, we all know I need it. So, I succumbed to the illusion of a bigger tatas and paid well over $30 for the darn bathing suit. Not to mention that it was the color of a freaking hard hat. Not good. But, hey I was willing to make a few sacrifices.

Then it came to me: I can do this myself! So here's what I did:

Old bathing suit top; not bad...but accentuated my boyish figure. Sad, sniff sniff.

Above: TA-DAAAA.... Oh, sorry, I mean, TA-TAAAAS!

Tutorial:

Materials: I used an old bathing suit top and a pair of old workout pants with holes and paint all over them. (made of spandex or lycra or something... I am not sure what they are made of, but it looked and felt like the same material the suit was made out of...)

Step 1: Cut the pant legs into strips, mine were about 3/4inch wide. I used about 12-14 ruffled strips. The fabric won't fray, so don't worry about that.

Step 2: Set your machine to the longest stitch length and highest tension, and ruffle each strip right up.
Step 3: Pin one ruffled strip at a time to the suit, and sew it on. Start at the bottom of the suit and work your way up.
That's it. Keep ruffling and sewing until the suit is covered. There ya go... instant boobs! Thank you very much! Turned out cute, huh???

*disclaimer: Haven't tried this in the water yet, so all those ruffles may very well water log me... but hey, sometimes you just have to put on your big girl panties and deal with it, ya know?

From Trash to Fash...

Refashion- Here are some of my latest trash to fash projects...! Like that phrase??? Trash to fash... HaHa

Trash: skirt with broken zipper and holes around the waistband

Fash: Adorable dress... reminds me of Anthropologie....love that store.

Trash: stretched out navy blue t-shirt

Fash: cute tunic style top with ruffle flowers size 12-18months. Adorable with leggings... I'll have to post a picture of Harper wearing it, when I get one... much cuter on, I think!

Trash: Circa 1999 old navy dress + torn bridal veil

Fash: embroidered blue tutu petti-skirt

Trash: boring thermal shirt

Fash: 3/4 length sleeve thermal ruffle dress

Trash: Size XXL short sleeve tee with a few stains

Fash: Little ruffle bottom spring dress with envelope style neckline