Flashback Tee into Dress

Today on my sewing morning I whipped up a dress for Thea, and it was that quick.



I used Made by Rae's Flashback Tee pattern, but added lenth and some width to make it into a dress.




While Thea is four, I made a size 6 - and it still could have been bigger!  The dress originally had long sleeves but they were very tight so I chopped them off and added a nice stretchy ribbed band.  Next time I would definately add more width or get a material that stretches more.



I wanted to add some more detail so stitched on a heart.

This pattern has infinte possibilities, plus will take your kids from 12m to 14 years so it's a good one to have in your stash.

Thea's happy anyway :)



 

 

 

 Till next time, Melissa 

 

 

Recycling

I have been having a good sort out of my wardrobe.  A few things I have set aside thinking I could make something out of them for Thea - one of them was a black merino long sleeved top.

My goal was:
- make it in the two and a bit hours between kindy pickup and school pickup
- not do a lot of sewing/altering
- add some embellishment
- use what I have

The first thing I did was cut off the sleeves following the stitch line to the bodice.  This would be too big for Thea so I shaped it slightly and then sewed it up a little bit on the inside.  Instead if heming, I used bias tape to sew around the edge.



I didn't touch the neck or the hem.

Next it needed some defination around the waist so I grabbed some more bias tape (this time very wide) and stitched it onto the dress along the top and bottom, leaving a gap in the middle.

Lastly I threaded through some white ribbon and it was done!

(scuse the expression!)

 Thea has been wearing this to kindy and its a great warm layer for these cold winter days.

'Till next time, Melissa

Its Cullen's Turn

How many of you crafters are guilty like me? I have a son and a daughter and my daughter does way better out of my crafting than my son. Don't get me wrong - he doesn't get nothing. Over the years he has had many a project focused on him like a darth vadar cape, long shorts, pj pants, wallets, pouches, crochet beanies... to name a few. However, Macie definitely gets flooded with gifts of the sewing machine. Girls are more interesting to sew for perhaps - skirts, dresses, tops, dolls, dolls clothes..... jackets, pants, hair accessories.... 

Anyway, today it was Cullen's turn. I was excited, he was really excited.

My project was an upcycled merino jersey that belonged to my husband. It was a work one that could no longer be worn to work due to the bank changing names and the wee hole in the sleeve. It was still in really really good nick and given that my hubbie is a 2xl, plenty of fabric to play with. I also had some contrasting merino in a green and grey stripe that I had in my stash from a recent Martinborough fair. (If you are ever able to go to the fair, the off cut merino stalls are a great way to pick up a metre or so of great merino in plenty of colours for projects like this one for a very reasonable price).

I found a great burda pattern.. its pattern 9614, sorry poor pic but you get the idea.

 It has four options for knit fabrics. Short and long sleeve t shirts, a hoodied t shirt like one below and a no hood option. Great valued pattern - it comes in size 3-13! Only downside is, you have to trace your pattern pieces and make your own if you want the pattern to actually last up until size 13. I have the size 7 cut out now and will also do a size 5 for Macie next. 

 So here is my handsome red head modelling his new top. These are proud smiles!

 We quite like the wee pocket option on the front.

Great days sewing today on this rainy Sunday. Macie has her 2nd pair of PJ pants, and we have cut out her Belle dress ready for Sew Club this week. I look forward to sharing with you the trials and successes of sewing that. Looks darn fiddly. Here are the pj pants in any case - not fiddly at all ;)

Happy sewing this week! A xx

Piggy PJ's? Why not?!

Right now in our house we seem to be going through pj's like they are going out of fashion. Macie is growing really fast. She likes to be tucked in.... you know, pj top tucked firmly into pj bottoms and it stays that way all the night through. Kinda hard ask of current pj's. The tops don't stay tucked for long. The pants are getting a tad too short. Solution..?.. Mummy digs out some great flannel that Grandma had given her about 2 years ago. And guess what?! There was a choice of about 5 colours/designs. Macie chose piggy's and purple with stars (those cut out ready to sew).

It might be a good place to mention that my Mum is quilt mad and a little.. ok a lot... obsessed with pigs. She purchased about 2 metres of this flannette some time ago - perhaps for a quilt backing. Anyway, now about 70 cm of it has been used to clothe her granddaughter.

 Check out the look on her face! Good models are hard to come by at the mo! Wait til you see the last pic!!!

These pj pants were from a boys pattern for sweatpants. I have done the pattern to death. It has been mended twice with cellotape. I used it to make these shorts several summers ago for Cullen. This time I have made them full length - with a good sized hem so I can let it down for next winter.

I popped to TNT this avo as they were having a good sale and picked up two long sleeved cotton tops so to use as pj tops. Pretty sure this one will have plenty of 'tuck in ability'.

 The print on the pants is actually really sweet. Macie loves them. Fresh flannel is so warm and snug. We whipped these up in about 30 mins this evening waiting for Daddy to arrive home. Quick hem and they were on. Right now she is snuggled up in her bed wearing her piggy pj's. Love it! I love that sewing can be quick, easy and useful. I have even remembered to add my little orange tag. It goes on all the things I make (if I remember).

Here she is...look at that face!!!!!!!.... sick of mummy trying to get a shot in focus - help needed with the photography please RachaelBrownPhotography! Happy sewing everyone!

Russian Doll Dress with Corduroy

I have a gorgeous wee pattern called the to tie for dress by Olive-Ann Designs that my clever mum found in the States on a quilting visit several years ago. The great thing about these patterns is that it comes in loads of sizes (1-6 years) and sometimes with a matching dolls dress too. I made the wee dress for Macie for a family wedding several summers ago - it is reversible and super easy to sew. 

 I found this babuska doll corduroy at Spotlight last year and have been waiting for a project to grab me. I also had a piece of lightweight denim so decided to marry the two to make this dress for Macie. I have altered the pattern slightly so that we are not tie-ing up the straps as this was too bulky with corduroy. I have shortened the front straps and kept the back straps the same length as pattern and have popped on a strip of velcro to secure the straps.

 The dress is a size 4 - made to the size 5 length. A girlfriend of mine had recently used the pattern to make a dress for her daughter and found the pattern very roomy. This way, the girls have plenty of width to grow into plus a little hem to let down next winter.

 The denim I had was a little short for the length I needed so I have joined it with an unfinished seam on the back - I quite like the wee effect it gives to the dress. I also carefully cut out one of the babuska dolls to sneak onto the back of the dress. This particular dress is not reversible. I have added a facing front and back instead.

Macie ordered herself one of the crochet beanies too this week - colour choice now my personal fav!!! A gorgeous soft green with a light grey flower. Looking forward to making another this week for a friend too.

Have a super crafty week everyone! Am taking the above little princess of to the local library - hoping for a chance to sneak to the crafting section for a little old school inspiration - in a book! Have been enjoying a great look on pinterest this week too ;) oh to have the time to just create full time ;) A xx

Designed by me

Its quite satisfying to put together all your knowledge of sewing and come up with your very own creation.

A couple of weekends ago it was raining - not a bad thing for us crafters... kids were busy with Daddy in the garage, my room was transformed into a temporary sewing room/inspiration hot spot.

On a shopping visit to Greytown I had come across some off cut material that would make the perfect tunic dress for Macie. Several of last year's winter tops have been a wee bit paint splattered so a wee tunic or two would prolong their kindy life a wee bit.

I have a really cool singlet top that Grant had bought for Macie that is currently a bit too big to wear as a singlet but works well as a tunic. I used this as the start point for shape and sizing. By folding it half length wise I was able to trace a pattern piece for the bodice part of the tunic.I traced a pattern for the skirt part and added the length that I required. I was keen to have only side seams and no other finishing seams/edges/hem. I also wanted to have the bodice attached to the skirt part with a rough seam, that would later curl a bit after washing to add a feature. The material I cut off to create the neck became the pockets so there was not a lot of wastage from the material.

After making the pattern and cutting it all out, the whole dress took about ten minutes to sew. I made the whole front first and attached the pockets. Then I made the back and attached it to the front. Last of all Macie and I hand-sewed the buttons on.. this took a lot longer :)

I have plenty of the fabric left over to make new ones as she grows - super easy, loads of fun and the best thing was that it was quick. Oh and she has worn it every week since we made it and she loves it too. I have started to put the little orange tag on things that I make - in lieu of a wee label and I reckon it looks great on this top.

I was lucky enough to make another dress for Macie on the following rainy weekend - pictures to come! Happy sewing everyone. A x

I'm back on the wagon!

It's been a while since I have picked up a crochet hook, plugged in the ole machine or even looked at craft. Our summer has been a long warm one so we have been indulging in many an outside activity.. like reading books in the sun/shade!!!!  However, with daylight savings finishing my crafty switch has turned back on and we are away! Over the past week I have been enjoying my crochet. I have a longish project on the go - a baby blanket for a recent addition to the extended family (pics of this when finished) and in between squares I have been whipping up a few beanies for the little buttons I know. Here are two that I have done this week.

The one that looks blue is actually a really dark purple.. hoping the the wee blossom it is for likes purple ;) The brown one is to be worn atop my gorgeous nephews blonde locks.

Happy autumn crafting everyone - great to be back! A xx