Ready to Get Back in the Groove!

It's been a busy summer, and between swim lessons, Vacation Bible School, and the summer reading program at our county library...plus dishing out meals like a fast-food diner and countless hours of Legos® and Play-doh®, watching movies and more (including an upper respiratory virus that the boys contracted and "shared" with me), I have had very little time to sew.  BUT...where there's a will, there's a way!

So...I have managed to make five pair of "pajama shorts" for the boys...

two "picnic dresses" for an 8-year-old friend who is part of our "extended family" and her 9-month-old sister...and a top from the scraps for Zola...

and four "picnic dresses" for all of my nieces (three from the owl print, and one in the pink/green prints)...

plus a pretty cute little "peasant dress" for Zola.

I love seeing the kids' faces when they get the new outfits.  Next up are things for fall...some "school spirit" shirts, some orange print for October, leggings repurposed from long-sleeved tees, and some Christmas outfits.  I know...summer is fading fast, and it's time to think about fall and the holidays.  They will be here before we can turn around!  Stay tuned for pictures...I'll keep them coming!

Well, Hellooooo, Kitty!

It's been a whirlwind marathon of sewing lately, as I tried to create several outfits for our great-nieces in Tennessee before the youngest (who just turned 1) outgrew my new set of measurements.  Somebody put a rock on her head and stop this growing!!!

I had bought enough grey chevron and Grey, Black and Yellow Suzani print to make Zola's Easter outfit AND something for the Tennessee nieces.  So I started with the pants.  I added a print border to the ruffled flounce hem.  For the dresses, I used the "Party Dress" pattern from TheCottageMama.com.  I used some leftover white polyester to line the bodice, but I did not have enough print to create the hem bands and sashes. So I ordered more Suzani fabric in the coordinating border print, and that turned out to be a "happy accident".  I think the border print really sets off the dresses!

I had just enough fabric pieces left to make a skirt for my cousin Harper and applique a piece of the print on a tee for her.  She will be adorable in this!

My cousin in her new outfit!

As I make my weekly circle of our local Walmart, I always pass by the "Clearance" fabric table.  I seem to be drawn there like a magnet!  But when I saw the Hello Kitty® yardage, I knew that this HAD to be one of my next projects!  Zola is obsessed with Hello Kitty®.  I spotted a bolt of pink leopard print next to the Hello Kitty® fabric, and I decided this would be perfect for "ruffle hem" pants.  So I bought all they had, which was probably four yards.  I also ended up ordering another yard of the Hello Kitty® fabric from Walmart.com.  I sew for three nieces and a little cousin, and I knew that they ALL needed something out of this fabric!  So four dresses/pants sets later, this is the result...well, three of them.  I made two sets with the pink sleeves on the dress and had not finished the last one when I took this picture.

Earlier in the spring, I ordered several yards of fabric that caught my fancy on Etsy, and I have now sewn every single piece of it.  Last on the stack was the frog print for these shorts for my nephews, and some Michael Miller prints for dresses for the "Rocky Top" girls!  Our church sold t-shirts that promote our children's program, and I purchased three green ones for Timothy, Zola and Nathan.  The boys got shorts to match from the Michael Miller "Scuba Doo" frog and fish print.  Zola got a ruffled pair from a remnant in my stash.  I thought they turned out really cute!

Then I turned my attention to another set of "Party Dresses" - this time in coordinating prints by Michael Miller from the "Feelin' Groovy" and "Lily Dot Sky" collections.  I added some solid blue from Walmart to trim the hems and make sashes.  This was also used for the lining.  

One of our nieces actually modeling her new dress!

I have reports from the mommas that all of the children LOVE these new outfits.  If/when I get pictures of the kiddos modeling them, I will share here.  Harper's mom texted me to say that she might never take off her Hello Kitty® outfit!  Now that's an endorsement!

I have had so much fun...and of course, I have stacks and stacks of fabric just waiting to be sewn.  I made a trip to the thrift store yesterday and picked up SEVERAL pieces of clothing that just beg to become darling outfits, so STAY TUNED! 

The Bat Crew!

Today, we celebrated May birthdays for two of the children...with presents also for the little guy, even though his birthday isn't for a few more months. But first, we went to church. When we picked up the kiddos, their mom had dressed them in their Batman® outfits. EVERYONE loved them! And I have to say, "The Bat Crew" did look pretty adorable!

These outfits were a lot of fun to create...and I got to use some of my thrift store scraps in the bargain.  I could have bought Batman® shirts, but where would the challenge/fun in that be?  BTW...after I finished Zola's little top, I noticed a tiny hole in the back.  So I cut out one of the Bat Signal ovals from a leftover scrap and appliqued it as a cover.  So she has a tiny Bat Signal on the back of her dress.  I love that quirky accent!  Sassy, just like her!

Bring On Easter!

Last fall, I bought this darling gray, black & yellow Suzani Floral Fabric from Hobby Lobby, and a grey/white chevron cotton from JoAnn...and these fabrics became the starting point for this year's Easter outfits.  Since I don't have a clue how the weather will be, I figured Zola can wear her little yellow knit jacket from LAST Easter if necessary.  The grey was also perfect for making accent pockets on the boys' tees...and I bought charcoal grey cargo shorts for them to wear underneath.  I cannot wait to see the kiddos in these outfits.  I'll try to get a good picture to share here.

The dress pattern is from The Cottage Mama...it's called the "Party Dress".  It has quite a bit of handwork with a lined bodice...but this is the second time I've used it for the Easter dress, and I've been pleased both times!  Next time, I think I'm going to try the alternate bodice (which finishes on the side seams instead of the shoulders - look at the pattern, and you'll understand).  The pants were made from a pattern I have altered that comes from a site called "Made".  Look for the tutorial for kids pants - basic pants.  I calculated the overall length, and subtracted for the ruffles.  My longest ruffle is 4", and the print ruffle is about 2.5".  Both were finished with a "serged hem", so if you are doing a stitched hem, allow extra fabric for this!

Yellow knit jacket with 2014 Easter Dress...
hoping it will be a warm day and no jacket will be needed!