MOVING
I moved to http://sewpink.wordpress.com.
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South wall part one
More pictures of this lovely sewing room. Totally in awe. This is in my future.
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My "ironing center"
I look for beautiful sewing rooms all the time, but this is by the far the nicest I have ever seen. WOW! It is clean and white, and functional. Fantastic colors, and vibes in this room.
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Evaluating my stash
The Domestic Diva. A very interesting blog. She gives alot of useful tips on what to do with your stash. Makes note of an article Paralyzed by the Stash. It was fun reading, and scary at the same time. Makes you wonder why we are possessed to have a stash in the first place. Let me just say for the record, I have fun with my stash. I like to look at it, and I like to touch it, and I like to use it. And yes, I can sleep at night.
Read more...Happy Birthday!
Yes, it has really been a year, since my daughter was born. They say time flies the older you get, and believe me it is true. Anyways, I just wanted to share what a wonderful day we are having. My daughter did not sleep through night, and let me only have about 4 hours of sleep, but it was her day, so she was allowed to do whatever she wanted. I managed to get her birthday cake finished yesterday, after all the stresses of the week. I think it turned out nice. Not as good as Franks cakes, but this is the first time I have even attempted to decorate. Not bad. Of course, when you look at the cake from the front or the side, you can see how uneven it is. Oh well, why was so compelled to reveal that. So isn't that a cute cake stand? I have a yellow satin ribbon running through it. So southern. You can decorate the stand for any holiday or event. Just what I like.
So, we started off her birthday with spaghetti for lunch. She just loves this dish, as you can tell. She dives right into the food. That is why I dressed her in this red outfit, so I did not have to worry about any stains.
Next came cake and ice cream. Nicolas would not allow another minute to go by. He bugged me and bugged me, so we celebrated her birthday.
Omi gave her a very nice Britax car seat, which costs a fortune. Aunt Michele gave her three Naartjie outfits. They are gorgeous. I will post pictures of her as soon as I put them on. Grandma Joan gave her a beautiful sundress with matching bloomers and hat, and Grandma Carolyn gave her a beautiful dress with buttons going down the front. Of course, combine those with my two outfits and she has enough clothes for awhile. My next task is to take care of Nicolas, however I have some curtains waiting for me. Happy Birthday mein kleiner Schatz! Here are some more cute pictures.
When Yoga is just not your thing!
Most people will tell you to relax by doing Yoga. Oh, it teaches you to breathe and stretch, and you will feel so much better if you joined a class. Well I say to hell with a Yoga class, start sewing. Sewing is so relaxing for me, and most importantly so rewarding. Everytime I finish a project, I am so proud, and confident that I can finish anything I want to. If I envision a dream vacation, it would be to lock myself in the house for a week....no husband....no kids.....just me and my sewing machines....
Here is my latest creation. I bought the fabric at LauraLeeCreations. I also purchased a matching knit and a velour with diamonds. Originally, I was going to make something out of a lightweight knit, however the weather has been so cold. She has almost no winter clothes, and this new velour is so baby soft.The pattern I used is 2 and 3 from the Winter 2004 Ottobre magazine, Size 62. It was actually quite easy, but I had problems with the pockets. They were just too bulky, so I tried to put binding around them, and forget the lining. I did not like that either. At this point, I had spent two nights working on the pockets, so I was not happy. Last but not least, I dropped the pockets completely. The print is busy enough, that it did not need the pockets.
What I really like about the top is the length. It is just perfect for a crawler. I used a very fine corduroy for the binding, and it was very easy to sew in place using Teri's binding methods. I could not take the picture without the binding appearing sort of red in color. It is almost a perfect match. I didn't put a button in the front because I did not think the top needed it. Again, it would have been too busy for the print. The fit was perfect. I was sort of surprised that I have not seen more of these tops.
The leggings fit perfect. The pattern is such that the front and back pieces are one. Combined you have only two pattern pieces to sew together. Talk about an easy 15 minute pattern. Wonderful.
What to do when the year starts off like this!
2008! This year is starting off so very, very bad, that I am beginning to believe I need to raise a champagne glass and start all over again. I know they say that "when it rains it pours", but this is beginning to be too much.
January 2nd. Everyone is sick! My son and daughter and I all had the flu twice. We had to take my daughter to the hospital this week, where she tested positive for RSV.
January 8th: Steven Downs. A cousin, died of throat cancer or chemo, whichever was stronger in the end. He was 42 years old, had three children (11,9, and 4), and a beautiful wife. My husband left for Kentucky the moment he heard Steven was in the hospital with pneumonia. He arrived at the hospital at 6:00pm, and Steven died at 5:30am the following day. It was terribly painful for my husband. They were very close. It went downhill so fast. I cannot stop thinking about him and his family. So sad that something like this happens to such a nice guy. God rest his soul.
January 16th: My husband comes back two days after celebrating his birthday, and I get stuck with strept throat this week. Choking is a major phobia of mine, so waking up at 2am and barely being able to breathe because everything was so inflamed is no fun. I spend an entire day at the doctors, just so they send me home with Motrin. No good. The pain got worse, and I barely slept four hours. I could not eat or drink anything. I even went to a dentist because my jaw bone was inflamed. Thank goodness my doctor gave in and finally gave me some strong medicine to make this thing go away. The sad part was that I had to stop breastfeeding my daughter. The medicine could not be taken without weaning. I miss our closeness, and the ease with which it always brought a smile to her face. It was the best, simplest, and cost effective thing I ever did. Thank you Michele.
January 21st: Dusty our dog has developed a somewhat ugly mole on his rear leg, which needed to be looked at by our vet. Needless to say, I have been somewhat busy this month, however my husband finally got there today. They did a biopsy, because the mole has been growing so fast, which means it is most likely cancerous. They also did a routine blood and urine test, and he tested positive for diabetes. We have to put him on insulin right away. Dusty is 12. I know that he has been lonely ever since Chanty has died. I know his health has declined recently due to the onset of arthritis, however did we really need this bad news on top of everything else? He is still so alive and loves to play with the kids. One more summer, please.
Our daughter's birthday is this week, and I am frantically trying to get a few things finished for her. I have nothing, but I will be dammed if I don't give her the cutest birthday to make the end of this month one to remember more positively. She is worth celebrating. Our little Miss Dracula has finally gotten in all four front teeth. She smiles all the time, and she makes us smile all the time. Soon she will be walking, and then the fun will really begin. My son is having alot of fun with her as well. I guess things could be even worse, and I am so very grateful for what I have.
I keep going back and forth on whether or not to stay with Blogger or switch to Wordpress. Fickle, no not me. Just want the best, easiest and prettiest. Nothing wrong with that.
Speaking of fickle, I have changed my sewing room once again. Believe me, I really enjoyed my old sewing room. I got it to look just right. Most importantly, I got it to feel right. The room functioned perfectly, but it was just too hot. All the machines, plus the iron and my computer just raised the temperatures in that room too high during the summer months. I finally decided after needing a guest room, that I had to move my sewing room/office space to the only other free space in the house. Across from the dining room, seperated by the front door, was another room. It is accessible from the living room and the front door and the hallway to the bedrooms. It is visible throughout the whole house, and that is why I had to figure out a way to make it look special.
The first thing I did was make curtains. This enabled me to close off the room whenever it was impossible to clean up my mess. Secondly, I had to get rid of the pink, and choose a color that would match to the rest of the house. Then I had to find a way to incorporate the white furniture with my antiques. I finally found a beautiful picture in a BHG magazine that inspired me to make some major changes to my furniture. I asked Lance to make me new tops for my cabinets. We bought solid oak wood, added moulding, and stained everything to match the armoire and table. They looked great, and Lance did a great job. Here are the pictures:
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Speaking of fickle, I have changed my sewing room once again. Believe me, I really enjoyed my old sewing room. I got it to look just right. Most importantly, I got it to feel right. The room functioned perfectly, but it was just too hot. All the machines, plus the iron and my computer just raised the temperatures in that room too high during the summer months. I finally decided after needing a guest room, that I had to move my sewing room/office space to the only other free space in the house. Across from the dining room, seperated by the front door, was another room. It is accessible from the living room and the front door and the hallway to the bedrooms. It is visible throughout the whole house, and that is why I had to figure out a way to make it look special.
The first thing I did was make curtains. This enabled me to close off the room whenever it was impossible to clean up my mess. Secondly, I had to get rid of the pink, and choose a color that would match to the rest of the house. Then I had to find a way to incorporate the white furniture with my antiques. I finally found a beautiful picture in a BHG magazine that inspired me to make some major changes to my furniture. I asked Lance to make me new tops for my cabinets. We bought solid oak wood, added moulding, and stained everything to match the armoire and table. They looked great, and Lance did a great job. Here are the pictures:
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Just the way I like it....New Years Day, the kids are sleeping, and the Vienna Philharmonica Orchestra is playing Strauss. Now all I need is a Berliner or Krapfen and I would feel like I am home. One of these days, I will learn to make them. That will be fun. Oh goodness, no more sweets. My waistline is about to burst. I did my first set of 50 sit-ups tonight after the kids went to bed. I have to get my belly back in shape.
I hope 2008 brings lots of changes, happiness and good health to everyone! I for one am looking forward to a new year. We have lots of things planned for this year.........like going to Europe this Spring, buying a new car in the Fall, and putting Nicolas in PreSchool. Of course, I have lots of projects planned:
- Cleaning out the Garage (getting rid of lots of things no longer needed).
- Selling things on Ebay
- Making bedroom curtains for my sister.
- Redoing my Dining Room Chairs.
- Sewing a complete wardrobe for Olivia and Nicolas.
- Sewing for myself again.
- Cutting down on my stash.
I think it will be fun to experience Olivia's first year. She will be walking soon, and eating by herself. I am looking forward to seeing Nicolas and her play together and take baths. At the moment, Nicolas still has a size and speed advantage over her, but that will change once she can walk. It makes me smile to just think about those two together.
So back to my sewing. 
I wandered away from Ottobre for alittle while, and bought a new pattern from New Conceptions. It is a baby crossover T-Shirt. I was not too impressed with the one from Ottobre, however I may try it again with a different material. I made the first T-Shirt in a size 6-9 months, and it is huge. Now I am making another shirt in a size 0-3mos, and it looks like it is going to fit. It is very easy to put together. The binding was really easy. It took me about an hour, so if I do have a good fit, then I am sure I will be making alot of these shirts in the future. I would really like to make a dress as pictured below. I just love this owl knit too. No,no,no...first I am going to get rid of the stash I have.
So here is the shirt. I made it out of a thermal knit fabric I purchased several months ago. I thought it would look different, much lighter. Since it is not my ideal fabric choice, I decided to test the pattern with it, and then turn it into pj's for Olivia. Good timing, since the temperatures are at 38degrees right now (9:17pm). They are going to dip into the 20's tonight. Hard to believe in Florida the temperatures reaching such low levels. I cannot test the fit, since the little one is sleeping, but it comes close to the fit of several of her shirts. Yippee! I hope it fits. I like the opening much better then that of Ottobre. It sits lower. I also like the binding and how flat it lies. That is not the case with Ottobre pattern.
The new Ottobre is due to arrive in about 10 days. Yippee! I cannot wait to start sewing Spring things. Speaking of which, I have to make a birthday todo list for Olivia: 24 days and counting.
- Pajamas
- Birthday Dress
- Orange Velour Pants and Euro Knit T-Shirt
- Corduroy Jumper Ottobre
- Pink Quilted Coat
On another note, Daddy has been working with Nicolas on spelling his Name. Tonight he said NICLAS. We were very proud of him. At least he is trying.
Merry?? Christmas??
Christmas is just not what it used to be. All the running around trying to find gifts. Mega amounts of decorations. Getting the flu each year. Both kids sick. Up all night. Not having any money to spend. BAH HUMBUG!
This is the first Christmas where I remained uninterested in the Holiday season. Nothing seemed to go according to plan. I did not stick to my traditions. Ok, I did not sew anything for Christmas this year? Now that is the biggest clue that something is just wrong. I could not find the excitement this year. I did not even make an Adventskranz. Me! Once I found out that my wreath was gone, and that i had to drive all the way to Michaels to get a new one, I just could not find the energy to do it.
I have been driving alot. Daycare, Speech class, JoAnn's, Mall, Albertson's. Most of my days consist of driving to four or five places in one day. I hate it. I don't mind going to one place and getting most of my errands done, but having to drive all day long is wearing on me. Olivia does not get to her nap on time, then I have to pay for it by dinnertime. Nicolas stays in Daycare too long. Dusty does not get his walk. There never seems to be time for the important things lately.
And the House!!! It is always a wreck. I am so sick of it. I am so sick of cleaning, but I hate a dirty house. Or maybe I should say cluttered......Ahhhh, that is the key. Clutter. I think it is time to clean up and throw out. My new years resolution. DECLUTTER
Next year I intend to do things differently and start earlier. When everything goes wrong it is hard to keep a positive outlook. It is also harder when your no longer preparing a Christmas for just one person but suddenly for three. Lance is never very positive during this time because of his affiliation with retail. Then my 4-year old could only think about himself during this time. All the presents were his, and every walk through a department store led to a tantrum, because the endcaps were lined with toys that he could not have. My baby was just another reason that I never had any time to myself to think, decorate or do.
But there is always next year.................and by the time the kids really appreciate all the hard work that most mothers do for Christmas, we will have perfected this art. Right??? At least I always thought my mother did it perfect.
This is the first Christmas where I remained uninterested in the Holiday season. Nothing seemed to go according to plan. I did not stick to my traditions. Ok, I did not sew anything for Christmas this year? Now that is the biggest clue that something is just wrong. I could not find the excitement this year. I did not even make an Adventskranz. Me! Once I found out that my wreath was gone, and that i had to drive all the way to Michaels to get a new one, I just could not find the energy to do it.
I have been driving alot. Daycare, Speech class, JoAnn's, Mall, Albertson's. Most of my days consist of driving to four or five places in one day. I hate it. I don't mind going to one place and getting most of my errands done, but having to drive all day long is wearing on me. Olivia does not get to her nap on time, then I have to pay for it by dinnertime. Nicolas stays in Daycare too long. Dusty does not get his walk. There never seems to be time for the important things lately.
And the House!!! It is always a wreck. I am so sick of it. I am so sick of cleaning, but I hate a dirty house. Or maybe I should say cluttered......Ahhhh, that is the key. Clutter. I think it is time to clean up and throw out. My new years resolution. DECLUTTER
Next year I intend to do things differently and start earlier. When everything goes wrong it is hard to keep a positive outlook. It is also harder when your no longer preparing a Christmas for just one person but suddenly for three. Lance is never very positive during this time because of his affiliation with retail. Then my 4-year old could only think about himself during this time. All the presents were his, and every walk through a department store led to a tantrum, because the endcaps were lined with toys that he could not have. My baby was just another reason that I never had any time to myself to think, decorate or do.
But there is always next year.................and by the time the kids really appreciate all the hard work that most mothers do for Christmas, we will have perfected this art. Right??? At least I always thought my mother did it perfect.
Stumped or Slumped?
I cannot seem to get my sewing machine in second gear, let alone first. However, I did manage to finish this bodysuit from Ottobre. Olivia has so many clothes. My sister sends me clothes every three months, and she has not even worn some of them. I am always happy when she tells me that her daughter has no clothes that fit. Maybe then I will be able to sew something Olivia needs. I am not sure why I am complaining. I could start sewing some clothes for the springtime. She has barely grown, and I am sure if I sew something 1-2 sizes larger, the items will definitely fit. Plus, I got some wonderful fabrics today that will look great next summer. They are so soft and perfect for a little girl. Yippee!!!!!!! This is exactly what I was looking for.
So back to my pattern. I have been wanting to test the fit of this wraparound bodysuit (6/2007 #05 size 62), because I would like to alter the pattern to make dresses. Anyways, I was quite happy how the whole thing went together. Very easy, and as always, everything matched right up and the body was sewn in no time. The only problem I had was with the binding and the snaps. Personally, I like to fold over the binding and then handstitch it. It always looks clean and it lies flat. However, this is a knit, and my method is used on wovens. So I am going to have to practice until I get it to look perfect. Maybe next time I can use the coverstitch. Scary thought! Back that one up. Not ready yet. The snaps. I placed interfacing behind the snaps, however one tug, and the material was ripping. Sewing a piece of grosgrain or fabric to the back of the snap would probably help to avoid this problem, much more then my interfacing.
So back to my pattern. I have been wanting to test the fit of this wraparound bodysuit (6/2007 #05 size 62), because I would like to alter the pattern to make dresses. Anyways, I was quite happy how the whole thing went together. Very easy, and as always, everything matched right up and the body was sewn in no time. The only problem I had was with the binding and the snaps. Personally, I like to fold over the binding and then handstitch it. It always looks clean and it lies flat. However, this is a knit, and my method is used on wovens. So I am going to have to practice until I get it to look perfect. Maybe next time I can use the coverstitch. Scary thought! Back that one up. Not ready yet. The snaps. I placed interfacing behind the snaps, however one tug, and the material was ripping. Sewing a piece of grosgrain or fabric to the back of the snap would probably help to avoid this problem, much more then my interfacing. To do list:
White T-Shirt - Nicolas
Black corduroy pants with large cargo pockets - Nicolas
Pinafore Dress - Olivia
Wraparound Dress - Olivia
Crawling Pants - Olivia
Deck the Halls with lots of Sewing....FaLaLaLaLa.....
Ok, this is a copy of the Pottery Barn holiday dress. I love it, and it has given me alot of ideas.
I started with an Ottobre pattern #3 from the Summer 2005 issue. The pattern includes a yoke and a skirt, and the zipper closure is in the back. I measured what I needed for the pleats, and then I altered the pattern. I started by sewing the shoulder seams. Then I added the front skirt panel, and then the back skirt panels. The pattern includes sleeves and a neck/collar facing. I did not want the sleeves, so I had to change the facing. I copied the yoke pattern, and extended it about 2 inches. The PB dress yoke ends below the armpit, however the Ottobre yoke pattern ends within the armseye. I need to change that. The PB dress is tighter around the waist and therefore more fitted. The Ottobre dress appears to be more of an A-line dress. Normally, you would start by sewing the shoulder seams, and then attaching the lining. In this case, I had to add the skirt first and then the lining. Pulling the lining through the shoulder seam is easier without all the bulk of the skirt.
The other problem was the length. I need to add at least 1 inch if not two. Then I should lower the neckline. I think it would look nicer with a blouse. And last but not least, I hate putting in a zipper, so adding some width to the back yoke and skirt for either buttons and/or snaps sounds like another good idea. Here is a picture of the Monogram.
So now all I need to do is make a blouse, but Ottobre does not have one for infants. I will probably have to use one of my heirloom patterns.
Another Pinafore Dress
Another Ottobre Pinafore dress. This one is from Winter 2003 Issue. I decided to add two layers of ruffles to the bottom and a small grosgrain ribbon. The dress is adorable. It was a bit long, because she is starting to crawl, and the length is right below her knees. My little size 62. She eats so much, but she just will not grow. The fabric is from http://www.fabric.com/, and cost about $2.99 a yard, but I am not all too impressed with the quality. I guess you get what you pay for.
So this is what I am working on right now.
My sister showed me the clothing on the Pottery Barn website. They really have some beautiful garments. I love this outfit, and combined with a signature on the front of the outfit, I think this is gorgeous. I went to Joann's and bought some Velveteen right away. I also think it will look beautiful in red or black corduroy. I am taking a pattern from Ottobre, since I know it fits. I found a pattern with a bodice or front yoke piece and have altered the skirt to include two pleats on both the front and back skirt pieces. I cannot wait to see how it looks when I am finished. If I get it finished.
O. has not been feeling well. She ha
s a horrible cold. Yes again. I think this is the fifth one since she was born. Of course, everytime I pick up Nicolas from Prek, she is coming in contact with all of those germs. It is no wonder she is constantly sick. We missed our Picture day because of the cold, and N. had two black eyes (another story). Here she is posing in her new dress. She looked so cute. I hope that we will get out to see Santa and take some pictures. Not now, because she is so fussy and won't let anyone handle her. N. has two black eyes because he went running through the garage and hit his head on a piece of wood. Seriously, it hurt to look at him. He looked like a Star Trek character. Everyone thought he rubbed magic marker on top of his nose. We were all lined up to take pictures in his school the next day. What a shame! Oh well, they both gained two nice outfits, and I did not spend any money. However, I would have liked to have pictures. They are both having so much fun with each other. Maybe I can find someone else to sneak us in before the holidays. We will have to see.
s a horrible cold. Yes again. I think this is the fifth one since she was born. Of course, everytime I pick up Nicolas from Prek, she is coming in contact with all of those germs. It is no wonder she is constantly sick. We missed our Picture day because of the cold, and N. had two black eyes (another story). Here she is posing in her new dress. She looked so cute. I hope that we will get out to see Santa and take some pictures. Not now, because she is so fussy and won't let anyone handle her. N. has two black eyes because he went running through the garage and hit his head on a piece of wood. Seriously, it hurt to look at him. He looked like a Star Trek character. Everyone thought he rubbed magic marker on top of his nose. We were all lined up to take pictures in his school the next day. What a shame! Oh well, they both gained two nice outfits, and I did not spend any money. However, I would have liked to have pictures. They are both having so much fun with each other. Maybe I can find someone else to sneak us in before the holidays. We will have to see.Delicious!
Some people love shoes. Some people love purses. And some people love clothes. I love beautiful fabric. Cashmere, leather, boucle or a wonderful italian wool. Yummy! My stash proves my point. I have a hard time walking away from beautiful fabric. Oh that is another topic, so let me stop right here.
Lately, my obsession is with european or boutique fabrics especially for children. Unlike alot of the women that sew on the Ottobre group, I always notice the fabric before I notice the pattern details. I love these fabrics, and there is nothing similiar on this market. I search Ebay, and check out some of my favorite websites for any deal I can find. Ha! I wish. Not many deals to find out there. So I decided to splurge.
The new issue of Ottobre included alot of patterns that I had requested via email several months ago. I don't mean to pat myself on the back, because it is possible that they were aware of this trend before I said anything. Anyhow, I had requested a japanese-style crossover one piece outfit and dress. It was all there! They had also included alot more items for smaller babies (size 56). That is great. I had both of my children in that size for at least four weeks. It is not easy to find clothes for premie sizes. Yeah for Ottobre!!
So, here is my most recent project. It is scrumptious! I was so excited when the material arrived. I bought it through Banberry Place. Beautiful velvet. Lightweight, great quality and the colors were just gorgeous. The pattern was the Baby Pinafore Dress from the most recent issue of Ottobre 6/2007 in a size 62, which by the way fits. Thank goodness. My little princess just refuses to grow.
The material did not ravel, which was another sign that it was a better quality. It was easy to cut and easy to sew. I used a size 80 needle with polyester thread, and cut the pattern pieces using a rotary cutter with a seam allowance guide. My seam allowances are usually no more then 3/8". The pockets were alot easier then they look. I sewed a 1/4" seam allowance around the bottom to ease the pocket into shape. I also followed the instructions for the bow, and I think it turned out nicely. 
The only thing I did not care for, was when it was time to attach the skirt to the bodice, I was not satisfied with just serging the front seams. It just did not look professional to me. I folded the seam under 1/4" in case the front opened and became visible.
Otherwise, all the pieces went together nicely as usual, and I think this pattern could be used with a variety of different fabrics. I am sure this pattern will be a favorite of mine.
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Lately, my obsession is with european or boutique fabrics especially for children. Unlike alot of the women that sew on the Ottobre group, I always notice the fabric before I notice the pattern details. I love these fabrics, and there is nothing similiar on this market. I search Ebay, and check out some of my favorite websites for any deal I can find. Ha! I wish. Not many deals to find out there. So I decided to splurge.
The new issue of Ottobre included alot of patterns that I had requested via email several months ago. I don't mean to pat myself on the back, because it is possible that they were aware of this trend before I said anything. Anyhow, I had requested a japanese-style crossover one piece outfit and dress. It was all there! They had also included alot more items for smaller babies (size 56). That is great. I had both of my children in that size for at least four weeks. It is not easy to find clothes for premie sizes. Yeah for Ottobre!!
So, here is my most recent project. It is scrumptious! I was so excited when the material arrived. I bought it through Banberry Place. Beautiful velvet. Lightweight, great quality and the colors were just gorgeous. The pattern was the Baby Pinafore Dress from the most recent issue of Ottobre 6/2007 in a size 62, which by the way fits. Thank goodness. My little princess just refuses to grow.
The material did not ravel, which was another sign that it was a better quality. It was easy to cut and easy to sew. I used a size 80 needle with polyester thread, and cut the pattern pieces using a rotary cutter with a seam allowance guide. My seam allowances are usually no more then 3/8". The pockets were alot easier then they look. I sewed a 1/4" seam allowance around the bottom to ease the pocket into shape. I also followed the instructions for the bow, and I think it turned out nicely. 
The only thing I did not care for, was when it was time to attach the skirt to the bodice, I was not satisfied with just serging the front seams. It just did not look professional to me. I folded the seam under 1/4" in case the front opened and became visible.Otherwise, all the pieces went together nicely as usual, and I think this pattern could be used with a variety of different fabrics. I am sure this pattern will be a favorite of mine.
It's been awhile!
It's good to be back! I remember thinking before I left that I felt like I had an addiction....to my sewing machine that is. I guess I should make that plural. I just hate to leave them. I just cannot imagine relaxing without sewing. However, I got over it rather quickly. I had a good time at my sister's house in California. I spent alot of time walking, drinking Chai and shopping. It was fun. Lots of fun!
Believe it or not, when I got home I did not run straight to the sewing machine. I did what I always do and that was clean my house and move my furniture. Whenever I go to California, I always spend some time walking through model homes. Ooooh, I love doing that. I usually spend every weekend doing that, but with two kids getting in and out of the car, and the car seats, I soon got tired of it. Not to mention, that if the baby fell asleep, my son and mom got to enjoy everything while I kept the car cool. No fun! Nevertheless, I did get some ideas, and I could not wait to come home, move a few pieces of furniture, clean my windows, decorate for Halloween, and relax in my own living room with my family. Aaaah, it was good to be home!
So after the house was semi-clean, or should I say presentable, I began to think about my next project. I saw so many wonderful things in CA. My sister took me to alot of children's boutiques. I saw Baby Nay, Baby Lulu, lots of italian clothing, Gymboree, Macy, Nordstrom, etc., etc., etc.......
A few things caught my eye, like an outfit that my sister bought at Naartjie. It is a cute store. Very trendy, and european. What I really noticed was the way they sewed their outfits. It was as if someone threw all the sewing books out of the window. Look at the seams. They are not serged, or hidden. The ruffle at the bottom of the leg is sewn right on top of the leg with a coverstitch. The hem is left as is, and the side leg seam is also sewn on top. I have never seen anything like it, and the truth is that the outfit is adorable. 
So, I browsed through my Ottobre magazines, and I decided to make the Cross Front T-Shirt from Autumn 3/2004 and the leggings from Winter 2003. I made the Tee and the pants in a size 68, and they are much too big. I will have to use a size 62. I had shortened the pants 1.5 inches, and they are still too long. I have such a petite little sweetheart. The T-shirt looks like it will fit in a size 62 except the arms are too long. I decided to do the ruffle at the bottom of the hem a little different. I did not hem it, but I did hide the seam. It just felt better. The binding looks great, however it turned out to be too bulky for my taste. I am not sure whether the fabric is just too thick or whether I am doing something wrong. I will turn to the girls on the Ottobre group for some advice, and hopefully next time, it will look better. This was an easy pattern, and fun to sew. Now that I know what changes I will have to make to the pattern, I am sure I will sew this a few times.
WHITE
Have you ever noticed that you are attracted to one color all the time? Whenever I see a suit or dress in white, my head turns and I look. If a magazine or a blog or a Flickr site includes an outfit in white, I have to take a closer look. White is elegant. White is a wedding dress. White flowers. White dresses for a baptism. White is the start of summer. It is crisp, elegant and beautiful. I like the color white.
Well, the other day I was attracted to someone's Flickr photos because they were pictures of a little white Westie Puppy. I had two of them. One died last year, and one is still with us but turned 12 this year. So not only did she have the cutest pictures of a puppy posted on her site, but a few days later, I got another picture sent to me, and it was an adorable white dress. I fell in love with this garment. It was sooooooooo beautiful. I sent her email requesting that I copy it, and of course she said yes, and so I did.
The pattern I used is from the Ottobre Summer 3/2006 magazine. It is the #2 dress without the ruffles. I used a 100% cotton fabric, and cut the bottom of the dress out of another 100% cotton fabric. It is a size 62, and as soon as I put it on Olivia, i will try and take some more pictures.
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Small thoughts running through my mind.........
After searching everywhere for a good quality towel fabric or terry cloth, I thought about another solution. I went from Joann's straight into TJMaxx and bought a Ralph Lauren towel (huge bath size) for $7.99. Then I preceded to make Olivia a robe. The pattern comes from a company called Advance. I believe it is canadian. It is an older pattern ca. 1960ish, but the layette items for the baby are great. The patterns are all one piece. Slip, kimono, panty, dress, nightshirt, etc....I really like the pattern, and the robe turned out great. I used the scraps from the sundress to make the bias strips.
Stayed up way too long to make this. There is so little time every day to sew. I try to get 20 minutes in wherever I can, but it is really difficult. I always have a list of things to do every day. My blood pressure is telling me to slow down. It has been really high lately. I guess I will have no choice but to go to the doctor and take the medication. I am not looking forward to that. I just hope that once this heat goes away, and I can start walking again, things will get better.
On a more positive note, I have been looking at new forum/website called Etsy. It is a storefront for lots of people selling handmade goods. I found it through looking at Flickr pictures. There are some really talented people, who are happy just selling a few things because they feel they have something to offer. Lots of onesies, burp cloths, bibs, and childrens clothing. I think I have something to offer too. I really think if I could attract the right customer, I could sell my baby bubbles and boy rompers. Yes it does involve alot of work, and good material, but I would love to make a little cash, and do what I love to do. I cannot imagine anything sweeter. When it comes to boy things, there just is nothing out there that is special, colorful and still kool. The only problem is that you really have to think everything out carefully. You cannot just put something up for sale, and not have the fabric available to make it again for the customer. Of course, I do not want to pay retail prices for Swiss fabric. That would just wipe out the bottom line. So I have to do some research, and check out a few things. I got in touch with one of my coops and asked if they could help me out with Spechler Vogel material. I cannot even get most of the fabric where I live. It would have been easier in Shreveport, where I had a large quantity of heirloom fabrics at my fingertips. I do not want to invest any money into fabric unless I know this has a chance to suceed.
These are all just small thoughts running through my mind right now .......
In the meantime, I decided to build my inventory. I would like to make a few girl bubbles, especially while Olivia is still so young. I have a few boy bubbles and rompers, but nothing for the girl. If I can take a good picture of Olivia wearing the garment, then the item will most likely sell better. Once she gets to be a year or older, the bubbles may not look as good on her. I also thought about the seasons. Fall is approaching. Bubbles sell in the spring and summer. They are usually made out of 100% lightweight cotton. Boy Rompers made out of corduroy would be nice, or denim pants. I have so many ideas, and so little time.
These are all just small thoughts running through my mind right now .......
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Ottobre Sundress 2/2004
I love this dress. I have had this one planned for a long time. It is so much fun, and is just perfect for so many of the fabrics that I have bought. I would however, like to be bold and drop the inserts. The dress is so wide, and there is something too frilly about this pattern.
Well, size 62 almost fits her. It is too wide, and every once and awhile when she moves in the car seat, you can see the sides of the dress sticking out. Oh well, I could make it smaller, but I doubt that I will be making another one of these again this year.
This is a sample of the dress I made for Sophia. It was also a size 62. Of course, it has been passed down to Olivia, so I knew how well it fit before I made another one. 
Now I am actually looking forward to making a few heirloom patterns. I am trying to get ready for Sacramento. I want her to have at least seven dresses for the three weeks we will be gone. I also wanted to make some skirts for myself, since I cannot seem to drop these last ten pounds. Wow, breastfeeding does really work wonders. Now I just need to exercise and get rid of my tummy and other female fat zones.
My Turn!
Finally, the day has come when my son cannot wait to see what I sew next. After making numerous girl outfits, the time had come to make something for him. At least that is what he said to me. He even picked out a fabric. It really was not a big deal. I had it cut out and put together in two nights. It also gave me some opportunities to play around with my coverstitch. Not so easy to master. You really have to play with it. The yellow tshirt was for Max's birthday, but I am afraid that it is way too big. Oh well, better too big then too small.
The pants were #09 3/06 and the T-Shirt #16 2/04. The fabric for the pants came from Atlantis. Great material. I have ordered from them twice. 100% cotton, and really very comfortable to wear in this hot humid climate.
Sew much for that!
I recently posted some pictures of my sewing room on several Flickr sites. I get an email daily from someone that they really like the room. Well, I had a good time finally setting up my room just like I wanted it. I surrounded myself with all my fabric scraps, and everything seemed just perfect.......until summer hit.
I should have known that this room would get way too hot for my three machines, an iron, and a computer as well as a tv. I tried everything to cool it down. I had two fans running, and I turned my computer off. I kept the house at 73 degrees, without turning my baby into an icicle. Nothing worked. I was getting headaches almost every night trying to concentrate on whatever it was that I was sewing. The hotter it got outside, the more I did not want to enter my room. What ashame.
So.......I had to move. Normally, I love moving my furniture around. I love change. I like to interchange furniture between rooms, and give a room a new identity, but this was different. The room was finished and clean. It just was not working.
So my mind started working. The only room in the house left was the same one that I had started out in. When you enter our house, there is the dining room on the right, and another room (formal living room, as it is sometimes called) to the left, as you then enter the living room. Both rooms do not have doors, but they do have alot of light. The room to the left was set up originally as my sewing room, but I could not handle the mess that was always there, so I moved the room. It became our family room/childrens room. Yes, the toys were everywhere, so I guess it really did not make a difference what went into this room. I will say this, I would prefer this room to be a closed bedroom, but I don't want to put anymore money into this house. Chaos exists in my sewing room more often then I would like, and the fact that guests see this room right as they enter my house does not make me happy. Nor do I want to clean it every night. However, this was the only solution that was available, especially now that my ds needed a bedroom of her own.
Today we moved the furniture, and believe it or not, this may be the very best thing I have done since I have moved here. My (old) sewing room is now a guest bedroom with a desk and computer (my desktop). That works out great. I have never had anyone stay at my house that does not like to use my computer. The rest of the room will house our exercise equipment, so that me and Lance can work out while watching tv. Yippee!!!!!!!!! Of course, we will move it out to the garage when guests do stay with us. The new sewing room has alot of wall to wall cabinets that will house my fabric stash behind closed doors. This is better for the fabric. It also includes a couch for me to sit down while I do some handsewing. I took care of the door problem by making curtains that don't necessarily hide the mess, but takes your eye away from looking at the room. The room is so big, that both my dd and ds can sit and play in the room while I sew. This too is great! The guest bed came out of my dd's room, so now she will have more room to play, and I can put a table next to my rocking chair.
Funny how things just seem to fall into place. Although I have had no time to sew, in the end I hope this solution made everyone happy.
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