The Train To Crazy

Handmade Dress Up: DIY Mini Mouse Dress Up Costume Tutorial

Welcome to the Handmade Dress Up Series! You'll find a new tutorial for sewing, glueing or crafting a dress up costume every day. Please subscribe so you don't miss the other 27 bloggers and their wonderful tutorials! Like what you see? Support these guests by pinning their projects or stumbling the posts!

Welcome Mandy! Thanks for the Mini Mouse Costume Tutorial! 

Hi everyone!! I'm Mandy, from over at Sugar Bee Crafts:

  

Here's the whole gang on our recent vacation:

I enjoy all things crafty and have lots of DIY and tutorials on my blog.  I even have a link party on Tuesdays so I can see your craftiness - then I show off a bunch of you on Wednesdays.  You might know me from a couple of my posts (click picture to check them out!):

Handmade Dress-Up Series - - what a fun idea!  Do you have kids that want to wear their dress-ups ALL.DAY.LONG.  Don't we all?!?  So with my quick tutorial today, I wanted to show you how to make a "dress-up" outfit that's comfy too - more like an everyday outfit.  So here we go - Minnie Mouse outfit, gone casual - -

You know how cheap - er, "frugal" - I am, so souvenir shirts aren't even an option.  But we need something Disney, right?  I made the girls SUPER cute Minnie Mouse outfits.  I didn't take many tutorial pictures, because it's pretty basic.   First I made the pants - I couldn't decide if it would be hot or cold, so I went mid-way with capris.  I just used whatever pattern I had bought on sale for $1 at Joann's and used the red dot fabric..  Then I slightly gathered the black dot fabric and attached ruffles to the ends of the pants.
Then I got to thinking how I hope the girls even know who Minnie Mouse is (we're cable deprived so if it's not on PBS...) so I googled Minnie Mouse Images - - guess which one they zeroed in on??

That's right, the risque Minnie adult outfit, 2nd one in on the top row.  Of course.  I had thought about doing a shirt with a big appliqued head on it, but they saw that picture and vetoed the applique.  They wanted a belt and shirt like that outfit.  I wasn't sewing a shirt (are you with me - pants are so easy to whip up, but a shirt - intimidating!) but I thought we could do a belt.
So I made a belt by attaching two ruffles of black dot onto the sides of a strip of red dot, then sewed the strip all the way around the shirt to make a casing.  To make it look more fitted, like a belt, I threaded elastic through the opening, just like you would when you make an elastic waistband in pants.

The elastic gave it a little gather and some body - I think it turned out cute.

Then they needed a bow, like Minnie.  I covered headbands in black dot then made a big bow (like here, but 2 loops instead of 4) out of red dot and glued it on top.  It held on great!

The whole Minnie Mouse Outfit is really cute!  I wish I could have gotten a picture with both girls wearing theirs but one is at school and it's blog crunch time so I couldn't wait.

So, maybe $6-8 on fabric and then 2 shirts at $3.50 each.  Great deal - way better than a Disney Gift Shop.  And cuter, if you ask me.  Outfits in action:

Oh, and more recently I made these cute Minnie Mouse hairclips that I show off on my blog, if you want to check those out...

And other dress-up ideas on my blog (click the titles to take you to the posts):

The Upside-Down Man:

Ghost Pillowcase Dress:

Dress like a cow:

Hope to see you in my corner of the blog world, www.SugarBeeCrafts.com!!

Check out the other Handmade Dress Up tutorials!

Handmade Dress Up Series: DIY Modern Madeline Costume Tutorial

Welcome to the Handmade Dress Up Series! Please subscribe so you don't miss the other five weeks of tutorials! Like what you see? Please PIN it or Stumble it! Thanks!

Are you ready for this adorable Madeline costume tutorial??!

Hi. I am Elizabeth from the blog Simple Simon & Company where I blog with my sister-in-law, who happens to have the same name. We both love to sew, all things vintage--especially patterns, and love to see what we can make for $5 every Friday. We are currently busy sewing like crazy moms for Project Run & Play which has been a fun (but super busy) challenge! Come and see us sometime!

For my handmade dress-up, I decided to share one of my favorite projects. Every year, my kids' school does a "Dress-As-Your-Favorite-Storybook-Character" Day, which I love. I am a former teacher, so anything that gets kids more interested in great books is a good thing in my mind. My kids love this day. It is just as fun around here as Halloween, and as much planning goes into these outfits as our Halloween costumes! We have been Fancy Nancy, Pinkalicious, and Harry Potter multiple times (we have a real fan in our house). Here is my little Madeline from that day.

To make this handmade dress-up, I used a simple A-line dress pattern from Simplicity (that you have to look past the 80's fabric on the cover). It really is a great pattern and super versatile for many looks.

I added a simple peter pan collar. HERE is a pattern for one that I made and love. I did gather the sleeves to make them Madeline-puffy, and added a red knot sash under the collar.

For her headband I used felt circles that were layered and layered like THIS great tutorial.   

The Madeline series was one of my favorites as a child, and I love that my little girl loves Madeline as much as I do. It's fun to share childhood memories for another generation.

Thanks Andrea for having me! I have LOVED seeing all of the great dress-ups. They have all been amazing! And my to-do lists gets longer and longer and longer.....:) ~Elizabeth

Check out the other Handmade Dress Up tutorials!

Handmade Dress Up: DIY Fairy Wand Tutorial

Welcome to the Handmade Dress Up Series! Like what you see? Please PIN it or Stumble it! Thanks!

Welcome Chris! Thank you for the Fairy Wand Tutorial!

Hi there!

My name is Chris, and I am the lady behind Pickup Some Creativity. I write about my love for creating, and try to spend a little time each day making something.  I believe creating is a divinely instilled quality we're born with, we just have to find the medium that works best for us!  Today I'm sharing a tutorial for making a fairy wand...the perfect accessory for the little fairy princess in your life.

 
Inspired by a fun pretend play fairy princess kit my daughter received several years ago, I made a matching wand for my baby.  Here's the inspiration wand:

Ready to make your own?  Here's the how-to.

You'll need:

• Template, download it HERE.  
• Fabric scraps, two 5"x5" squares
• Sparkly fabric paint and spray paint of your color choice
• 1/2" ribbon, grosgrain or satin
• Matching thread
• 1/2" diameter dowel
• Cluster fluff type stuffing
• Fabric glue or hot glue gun
• Sewing tools; including scissors, seam ripper, pins or pattern weight, and sewing machine, and helpful to have...pinking shears, my new favorite tool.

Step one.  Paint.  My inspiration wand's star was shiny satin, but I needed to use materials on hand.  So, I painted gold colored fabric with sparkly fabric paint.  I think the result was almost better than the original.

I used a sponge to make sure the paint was very thin.

I spray painted the dowel my chosen color.  It took three coats to get the best coverage.  Let everything dry well.

Step two.  Cut out your star and streamers. 
Using the template provided and right sides of the fabric together, cut out your star.

You'll need six streamer ribbons, each about 14" long.  Make sure the ends are cut on a diagonal.

Step three.  Sew and stuff your star.  With right sides together, pin your star together, leaving an opening in the bottom for turning, your dowel, and the streamers.  (I almost forgot the streamers...and had to unturn, pick out, and add them!)

 

After you sew your star, you'll want to trim and grade your seams.  Easy peasy version, just pink the edges!

 

Boy, did I feel sheepish when I realized I'd forgotten the all-important streamers!  I had to pick out the seam, and then carefully pin the ribbons in place.  When you make yours, pin the streamers in the seam before you sew.  I'd pin the ribbons into the center of the star to keep them out of the rest of the seams. 

 

 

 

 The more you stuff, the better the star will look.

Step four.  Insert and glue the dowel into the star.  I used fabric glue for my star, but hot melt glue would work well too.

 

 

Project complete!  I'm so happy with how the wand turned out, and so is my daughter.

My blog includes several free tutorials,  free patterns, and I also have a small etsy shop.  I am tickled to be included in Andrea's Handmade Halloween series, and love her emphasis on wearable designs.

Check out the other Handmade Dress Up tutorials!

Handmade Dress Up: DIY Tinkerbell Costume Tutorial

Today we have a Tinkerbell costume tutorial from Wilflowers & Whimsy! You may also be interested in some of our other fun costume tutorials!

 

Peacock Tutu Tutorial

Butterfly Skirt Tutorial

Mermaid Costume Tutorial

Hi!  I'm April and I blog over at Wildflowers & Whimsy!  I am a SAHM, homeschooling mommy to three awesome kiddos.  I talk too much and too loud, drink too much coffee, forget things almost always.  I'm crazy about Audrey Hepburn, shoes...the higher the better, and anything with ruffles!  My blog is about everything from sewing to fashion to homeschooling to...well, pretty much whatever strikes my fancy at any given moment!  I love all wonderful friends I have made since starting my blog and would love for you to stop by and say hi!

I was super excited to participate in The Train to Crazy's Handmade Dress Up series! Dress up is something that is a part of daily life in our home. I love seeing what my kids put together! There's just something about seeing their creativity come out! And I love all the characters they come up with!

An obvious favorite for Sophie is Tinkerbell! Some of you might remember that I made her a Tink costume for Halloween last year, and it still gets quite a bit of use...sometimes even as pjs! So I thought it would be the perfect tutorial to share for the series. Here it is again in case you missed it.  

Here's the original.

 

What you'll need:

Knit/Cotton Fabric

Tulle

Elastic Thread

Fabric Marker

 

1) Cut out all the pieces

 

Bodice

(cut 1 from tulle and 1 from fabric)

12m/18m ~ 1 - 10" x 40"

2t/3t ~ 1- 11.5" x 41"

4t/5t ~ 1- 13" x 42"

 

Straps

1 ~ 2" x Width of Fabric

 

Bloomers

12m/18m ~ 1- 8.5" x 40"

2t/3t ~ 1- 9.5" x 41"

4t/5t ~ 1- 10.5" x 42"

 

Pixie Cut Tulle Strips

You will need approximately 60-80 strips. it just depends on how big the shorts are and how tightly you gather them. I suggest starting with about 60...you can always cut more. Only cut one of the short ends to a point

12m/18m ~ 11" x 6"

2t/3t ~ 12" x 6"

4t/5t ~ 13" x 6"

 

Seam allowance is 1/2" unless otherwise specified.

 

2) Assemble the bodice: With WRONG sides together, stitch tulle bodice to the cotton bodice along ONE of the long edges (this will be referred to as the top of the bodice from now on).

 

Press* the seam allowance toward the cotton side, and stitch the seam allowance down 1/4" from the original seam. Trim the seam allowance down close to the second line of stitching. Baste the tulle to the cotton on BOTH of the short sides.

 

Pin the short sides together; stitch. Trim the seam allowance down to 1/4"; finish the seam allowance. Press to one side. Baste the tulle to the cotton along the bottom edge.

 

* I usually press tulle on a polyester setting and have never had any trouble BUT it can melt so you may want to test first or use a pressing clothe or scrap of fabric over the tulle.

 

3) Make the bloomers: With RIGHT sides together, stitch the short sides of the shorts together; Trim the seam allowance down to 1/4"; finish the seam allowance. Press to one side.

 

Fix the seam so that it is the center back of the shorts. Then, from the bottom, measure up the seam 2"; mark it with a disappearing fabric marker. Then, measure 2.5" to either side of the seam and mark. Join the three points to form an arc and cut it out (you should be cutting both the front and back fabric).

 

With RIGHT sides facing stitch together with a 1/4" seam allowance; finish the seam; press towards the back.

 

Hem the bottom of the bloomer legs. I just did a rolled hem but a narrow hem would work well also.

 

4) Make the tulle skirt: You can do this one of two ways:

 

a) Set your stitch to the longest length, and lower your upper thread tension to 1. Stitch the tulle strips together along the top edges(the FLAT short edge) with a 1/4" seam allowance. Tie off the starting end and pull the bobbin thread at the other end to gather the tulle until the skirt is the same width as the shorts.

 

b) I use my gathering foot so that I can gather them and stitch them together at the same time. I just keep adding tulle strips until the skirt is the same width as the bloomers.

 

Either way, all you have to do is stitch across the top edge of each strip and when there is only about 1/2" left, overlap the next strip over the previous one.

 

5) Attach the skirt to the bloomers: With RIGHT sides together, baste the top edge of the skirt to the top edge of the bloomers with a 3/8" seam allowance. (you can just barely see the bloomers peeking out under the skirt...)

 

6) Put it together: With RIGHT sides together, match the center back seam of the bloomers to the center back seam of the bodice; stitch. Trim the seam allowance down to 1/4" and finish seam. Press the seam up toward the bodice and stitch the seam allowance down to the bodice 1/8 - 1/4" from the original seam.

 

Here's what it should look like.

 

7) Shir the bodice: Starting 1/2" from the top of the bodice, shir all the way around the bodice, and continue shirring rows 1/2" apart until you get to the bottom of the bodice. (If you need tips on shirring, you can check out this post)

 

8) Shir the bloomer legs: Run one row of shirring 1/2" from the bottom of each of the bloomer legs.

 

9) Make and attach straps: Fold and press the long edges to the center of the strap piece. Fold it in half again longways; press. Cut it in half so that you have two straps and edge stitch along the folded edges making sure to reinforce at the beginning and end of each stitch. Attach the straps to the front of the bodice on either side by stitching them in place at the first and second rows of shirring.

 

Done! Any questions?? Please ask them in the comments section so everyone can benefit.

 

Check out the other Handmade Dress Up tutorials!

Handmade Dress Up: DIY Potato Head Costume Tutorial

Welcome to the Handmade Dress Up Series! Like what you see? Support the guests by pinning their project or stumbling it!

 

Welcome Alison! Thank you for the Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head Costume Tutorial!

Hello friends!

 

 My name is Alison.  My blogging home is Oopsey Daisy.

I am thrilled to be here!  You see, I've been riding on the Train to Crazy for quite a while... Because I am the queen of oopsey daisies!  :) I like to sew, modpodge, craft,

decorate, photograph, hammer, paint, teach, and create.  Most of all, I love to

create things for the people I love. 

Fall is my favorite time of year, and I've been itching for Halloween for months!  In our house, we only watch one movie:  Toy Story.  So naturally, this year we are all dressing up as Toy Story characters!

 

And guess what?  

We're actually re-using the costumes we wore in February!  When my Little Man turned two, I threw him a Toy Story birthday party.  He dressed like Buzz Lightyear, and we asked all of our guests to dress like Toy Story characters, too!  

Mr. Oopsey Daisy and I dressed up like Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head!

 

 I sewed our costumes in 1 afternoon, and they were a piece of cake.  Are you ready to learn how to make your own?

Let's get started!

I did a few measurements on my husband including:

*Distance from shoulder to shoulder

* Waist circumference

*Distance from neck to knee

 

I purchased 2 1/3 yards of tan felt--that's 84 inches!  

Once I folded it in half lengthwise, I had my Mr. Potato Head!  He just needed a little trimming!  So I followed the measurements above to cut out an A-line shape. 

At the top of the fold, I found the center, and I cut out a 6-inch semi-circle to create the hole for the head. 

 

Next, I cut out Mr. Potato Head's eyes, nose, mustache, mouth, and ears from felt.  (I studied pictures of Mr. Potato Head while I did this.)  I pinned these on to the front of Mr. Potato Head.

 

Next, I sewed the facial features right on to the front. (Be sure to unfold the felt at this point.)

 

Then I pinned the right sides together.  But before sewing the sides together, I folded up the bottom edge by 1/2 inch.

 

I pressed the fold to create the casing for the elastic.  Here is a quick run-down...  

Once I had the elastic sewed in, I sewed up the sides.

I left the top 13 inches unsewn for the arm holes.  Just underneath the arm holes, I sewed in ears on each side.

In the back, I cut a 4-inch slit and sewed on Velcro to close it up.  This gives a little breathing room for slipping it on and off.

 

I think this Mr. Potato Head is pretty handsome!  :)

 

And here is my Mrs. Potato Head version!

So our family is all set for Halloween, and I can't wait!

 Andrea, this has been so much fun.  Thank you for having me!  I hope you'll come stop by Oopsey Daisy and say hello!

Check out the other Handmade Dress Up tutorials!

Handmade Dress Up: DIY Woodland Creature Masks Tutorial

Welcome to the Handmade Dress Up Series! Like what you see? Please PIN it or Stumble it! Thanks!

 Welcome Kin! Thank you for the Woodland Creature (bear, duck, rabbit, blue bird) Masks Tutorials!

Hi Train to Crazy Readers!  My name is Kim and I blog over at seven thirty three - - - a creative blog.  You'll find all sorts of crafty projects going on over there.  Currently I am working on my daughters 11th "Rock Star Glam" birthday party and will be sharing lots of party ideas and favors in the next coming weeks, so stop on by and sign up to follow so you don't miss out on the fun!.  

I would also love for you to check out some of my popular projects, such as my Sock Cupcakes Tutorial:

or my Weekly Menu Planner with Grocery List Free Printable:

Maybe you are planning a birthday party and need some great birthday ideas.  One of my recent parties was for my daughters 2nd birthday:

What 2 year old girl doesn't like Pinkalicious?!?  I have tons of free printables for this theme.

I also offer blog design for the Blogger platform, so if you are thinking of spiffying (that is a word you know... at least in my vocabulary!) up your blog, check out my portfolio!  I would love to work with you.

Today I am going to share with you how to make woodland creature masks!

Last year I hosted a  camping themed baby shower for my SIL and what camping trip isn't complete without an animal or two?  The little kids at the party filled these out perfectly!

This tutorial is showing you how to make a Bear Mask, but see the other pictures above for other creatures!  All were created with the same template with tweaks here and there.

MATERIALS NEEDED:

2 sheets of Felt (2 coordinating colors)

Elastic

Wonder Under or similar Fusible Web (optional)

First you will want to make a template on paper.  I just freehanded one, cut it out and measured it against my sons face to make sure it fit.  I also marked the eyes at the same time and cut those out.

Next you will want to iron your fusible web onto one of the pieces of felt (the interfacing will create a sturdier mask, but I only used it on two of my masks and didn't have a problem with the others)  Trace your mask template onto the paper of the fusible web, remove the paper backing and cut it out.  Now trace your mask again and cut out the second piece.

Iron the two pieces together. On the back of the mask (the part that will touch your childs face, trace the eyes - I did this BEFORE I ironed the pieces together and ended up having the marks transfer to my ironing board cover - OOPS!).

Cut out the inner ear pieces.  Sew them onto the mask with a zigzag stitch (you can do this BEFORE you iron the two pieces together if you don't want to see the stitch on the back of the mask).

Zigzap stitch the entire edge of your mask.  Cut out the eyes and zigzag stitch around them.  Measure the elastic against your childs head and sew it onto your mask (make sure it is nice and secure), and now you are done! 

FYI: I also attemped to add the elastic before sewing the edges, which is doable, but I didn't mind seeing the elastic on the back of the mask since it doesn't show when the child is wearing it.

I managed to break my bobbin holder half way through the masks so switched to handsewing... although it took longer it was still just as easy - so no machine required!

 For the duck and blue bird masks, I cut out a triangle for the beak and inserted it between the two pieces of the mask at the nose curve and just sewed around the edge of the mask as normal.

(Yes, that is me in the top right picture... Although I'm having second thoughts now that I see it up here!)

Happy Sewing!

Check out the other Handmade Dress Up tutorials!

Handmade Dress Up Series: DIY Belle Princess Dress Costume Tutorial

Welcome to the Handmade Dress Up Series! Dress up is such a fun, creative outlet for children (and adults!). Perhaps you're ready to try your hand at sewing a costume from a costume pattern or tutorial? 

You might also be interested in one of these!

Peacock Tutu Tutorial

Butterfly Skirt Tutorial

Mermaid Costume Tutorial

Hello and Happy Handmade Dress Up month, Train to Crazy readers!  We're Adrianna and Susan and we blog over at Crafterhours. 

 

We have 4 girls between the two of us and most of our sewing is for them, but we throw in a project for ourselves, our houses, and even our spouses from time to time too.  Come over and say hi sometime!  Just so we don't sound like we have multiple personality disorder, Adrianna will be writing this post.  Let's continue in first person prose, shall we?

Today I'm sharing a tutorial for our version of those oh so popular princess dresses.  My girls pretty much live in them all day, whether they're prancing about the house, eating, sleeping, or jumping in the mud puddle that always forms after our daily 4 pm rain.  After the first few stains, rips, and complaints of itchy polyester and sweaty stretch velvet, I figured enough money had been thrown down the drain and decided to make my own.  In the interest of making them as comfy and wearable as possible, I used soft and breathable cotton knit.

This tutorial is for the Belle dress, with the assumption that if you can make this one, you can make any of 'em.

 

 

Let's get started already!

You will need:

- Your trusty peasant dress pattern and directions (we reference this free peasant top tutorial a ton on our blog, but really any peasant dress pattern will do, and we know there are about a million of them.  I think the Sweet Dress pattern from Leila and Ben is a popular one if you don't want to do the guess work.)

- 2 yards of yellow lightweight knit fabric (jersey is a good option)

- 1 yard of a sheer yellow or white fabric with lots of drape (nothing stiff like tulle)

- lots of 1/4 inch elastic.  lots.

Step 1: Cut out your peasant dress pieces.  The pieces below are still folded in half, and obviously you will need 2 sleeves.  As you can see, I cropped the sleeve so it would just be a slight cap sleeve.  The bodice pieces should be cut just past the natural waist.  For the front bodice piece (pictured on the left), be sure to cut a lower neckline and a pointed center.

Step 2:  For the skirt, you'll need to cut a lot of rectangles.  Use at least 8.  The more you use, the fuller your skirt will be.  The length of the rectangle will be the length from the natural waist to the ankle plus 6 inches.  I used a width of 7 inches and I thought it worked pretty well.

 

Step 3: Cut all of your rectangles so they are tapered on the sides by about 2 inches and round out the bigger end, which will become your hem.

Step 4:  Estimate on your skirt panels where you want the swags to sit.  Mine are about 11 inches down. Measure across the skirt panel at that point.  Cut rectangles from your sheer fabric with a width of your skirt panel width plus 1 inch.  The length of the rectangle should be about 12 inches.  Fold your rectangle down (so your 12 inch side is now 6 inches).  Cut the bottom edges so they make a crescent.  That was painful.  Just look at the picture:

Step 5: With right sides together, sew the crescent closed and flip it right side out.  Press.

Step 6:  Pin each crescent to each skirt panel at the same height, making sure to scrunch up the swag on the sides.  Since your swag is slightly wider than the panel, it should gape a little bit in the middle as well.

Step 7: Sew all the panels together, catching the edges of the swags as you go.

Step 8: Sew your bodice and sleeves together using normal peasant top construction directions.

Step 9: Gather the top of the skirt to match the bottom of the bodice and sew them together.

Step 10: Finish the sleeves and neckline with elastic per peasant top directions.

Step 11: Cut 1/4 inch elastic to the length of the skirt panels minus 6 inches.  Pin the elastic to the waist seam on top of one of the skirt panel seams.

Step 12: Pin the other end of the elastic to the hem, again right over the skirt panel seam.

Step 13: Stretching the elastic taut, sew down the elastic, directly over the seam.  Once you've done that for each of the skirt panel seams, it'll bunch up and start really looking Belle-ish.

Step 14: Using the same sheer fabric as you did for the swags, form a circular tube of fabric.  First take a rectangle that is 5 inches x the measurement around the upper shoulders plus a couple inches.  Sew the rectangle right sides together down the long side so you have a long tube. Flip the tube right side out.  Fold the edges of one end to the wrong side and press.  Put the edges of the other side into that side and topstitch down, forming a circular tube.

Step 15: Tack one side of that tube down at the neckline of your dress, centered on the shoulder.  Find the opposite side of your tube and do the same thing on the other side.

Step 16: At the front and back, scrunch the tube up and sew down directly at the center of the bodice.

Step 17 (optional): I made a little rose by rolling up a tube of knit fabric and hand sewing it to the center front bodice.

And you're done!  That was pretty easy, and this is pretty much the hardest one, due to the skirt. 

Just change up the colors and a few of the embellishments and you've got Sleeping Beauty:

Or Snow White:

And don't forget that princes like to be comfy too.  (Tomboys dressed as Prince Phillip, that is)

Thanks so much for having us today, Andrea!  We can't wait to see the handmade dress ups that everyone else has in store!

Check out the other Handmade Dress Up tutorials!

Thank You!

A great big THANK YOU! to all my fabulous guests for Dress Your (School) Girl! Here they all are in case you missed them!

   

Guests:

Fiberosity, Brassy Apple, A Sewing Journal, At Second Street, Kojo Designs

Please stop by their blogs and subscribe if you don't already!

Other DY(S)G posts

  

And don't forget all those great Guest Posts for Dress Your (School) Boy!

I'm always looking for guest posts so if you've got something you think I'd be interested in please let me know! Please contact me!

DY(S)G: Guest Tutorial- Tee to Skirt Refashion

Please welcome Megan from Brassy Apple! Megan is a very creative mama! You'll love her work so don't forget to stop on by and check out her blogs and store!

Get your "refashion" on with me today! Hi, I'm Megan from Brassy Apple and the I AM photo blog. I am also helping my 10 year old daugther develop her talents and passions with her new business - Brassy Blossom - Just a little "bud" creatively blossoming.

 

I love to Re-Fashion! It's simple, quick and you are re-using a piece you already have and/or already love! You can whip up this "TEE"zer skirt in no time! It's comfortable, original and eye catching! She will love it and so will her friends!  

Supplies:

1 t-shirt

scissors

measuring tape

sewing machine

elastic

nylon chiffon or tulle 

Step 1: Cut the t-shirt just under the sleeves. Determine the length you want the knit part of the skirt to be (from waist to just below bum) and add 1 inch for the casing. Measure and cut the t-shirt to that measurement. (My measurement was 10.5 inches) 

Step 2:  Cut your chiffon or tulle in long strips so you can gather it a bit. I like create this skirt with 2 layers of chiffon or tulle. (I cut mine to be 8" high by whatever length I had on hand). The great thing about chiffon and tulle is you can slightly overlap the materials or "snug" them up close together when 1 strip runs out to create a continuous look. 

Step 3: Gather the fabric but running a basting stitch along the top of the strip. Do NOT back stitch at either end. Pull the thread from the underside of the fabric to gather or ruffle it. You can gather it a bit or a lot depending on the look you want how much material you are working with.

Step 4: Place the fabric 1" up from the bottom of the skirt piece. Pin into place all the way around. Using a straight or zig zag stitch sew the ruffled fabric to the skirt piece sewing over the stitching line creating from ruffling it.

Step 5: Fold the top edge of the skirt piece over 1" and pin to create a casing for the elastic to go through. Sew the casing leaving about a 2 - 3" opening. Thread your elastic through, sew the ends of the elastic together and then sew the opening closed. 

The skirt is done! It is meant to be worn with leggings underneath it. Just a fun pop of color in a lightweight, flouncy, girlie skirt!

If you sew one up, share a photo in the Brassy Apple flickr group! I'd love to see it! Stop by and say hello sometime or see all the other tutorials on have on my site or pick up one of my ready made designs or pattern in my shop!

Thanks Megan! What a fun skirt! 

Don't forget to add your photos to the Dress Your (School) Boy & Girl Flickr group. Any clothes you've made for school aged boys and girls!

Other Dress Your School Girl Posts

 

DY(S)G: Sewing for teen girls- Outfit #3, 4, 5

Continuting the Teen Outfit series. Don't forget to check out Outfit #1 and Outfit #2

Outfit #3: The western shirt

Forever 21 shirt, Fabric, Pattern

Outfit #4
Forever 21, pattern, fabric

Outfit #5

Hollister, lace, pattern

With all these options, sewing for teens looks fun!

DY(S)G: Guest Tutorial- Teach Your Girl to Sew a Headband

Please welcome Heather from Fiberosity! She is here to help you teach your girls to sew their own headband. How fun!

Hi! My name is Heather. I’ll warn you now, I love to laugh and have a sarcastic sense of humor, so if you read anything below that you find odd just laugh and nod. My sewing obsession began when I was about 4 and would happily grasp at scraps from my mother’s sewing. I’ve been collecting fabric (also called “sewing”) ever since. My first priority as a mother of three girls (Ellie, age 14, Izzy, age 12 and Alex, age 9) is to corrupt them with a love of making crafty messes. I’ve convinced my husband that they each need their own “power tool” (aka sewing machine… I talk in his language sometimes).

In the picture below, Alex is wearing another headband that she made at her sewing birthday party. It’s the same pattern as below, without the bow.  

I am a glutton for punishment.  Having taught to both small classes and large seminars since my youngest was born, I decided to quit my “day job” and teach sewing in the evenings so I could be home with my kids as they were growing up. I've hosted school holiday sewing parties at my house as well as taught 4-H sewing. This last summer I hosted small sewing camps in my home sewing studio. In short, I don’t mind having herds of children in my sewing space.

Children are so proud of their creations. Minor problems, imperfections, mistakes, questionable construction do not deter children. Children also listen and follow directions so much better than adults. They have no concept of what they cannot do. It's a wonderful experience to teach children how to sew. <insert sparkly hearts and unicorns>

But, I've learned a few things.

1. The projects need to be simple and quick. Children want the finished product. For first projects, chose one that is simple, with room for errors. Now is not the time to teach perfect sewing skills.  Sewing with me includes complimentary seam ripping, bobbin winding and machine threading. But only if you are under 5 ft. Everyone else *might* get a sad look from me as I hand them a seam ripper.

2. Safety is important. The biggest dangers in the sewing room are the iron and the rotary cutter. Lower the ironing table, if you can, and use a spray bottle with water instead of the steam setting on the iron. The steam setting scares children and then they jump and then the accidentally touch the iron, then they freak out and touch it more….not that I have seen this scenario. I avoid the rotary cutter until they are older, usually about 10, and then invest in a protective glove. There are also many different finger guards for machines. I do own the Pfaff system, which appealed to me the most. After having hundreds of children sewing with me, I have yet to have an issue with the needle. The iron, however, is a danger zone.

3. No matter if it is the ugliest fabric you have ever laid eyes on, they should chose their own fabric. This is my personal challenge. “Really? You want to use that?” (just keep smiling) Also, children love decorative stitches on the sewing machine and will use them whenever possible. Seriously. Whenever. Possible.

4. Younger children have a really hard time with seam allowances. I've found that around the age of 8 or 9, the dexterity is there to actually have a fairly accurate seam allowance. With younger children I will sit beside them and help them guide the fabric to avoid the 1” seam allowances.

5. They are short. Unless you have shorter tables, put the "gas pedal" on a stack of phone books or risers. If it's slipping, put a piece of no-slip sink liner under the pedal. I use the term of a "gas pedal" when teaching kids. I also tell them that they are in the driver's seat and they are in charge of how fast everything is going. If they get scared pull their feet and hands up and everything will stop. I also tell them that putting the presser foot down is like starting the car and you have to do that to step on the gas. This is mainly for my sanity because I have removed so many “bird nests” from the bobbin area. I still try and smile when I do it.   

Headbands are one of my favorite first projects. There are lots of options out there for patterns, but I prefer to base mine upon a pattern that an internet friend in the Seattle area, Snugbug, showed to me. I’ve made some changes to it over the years, but it’s a great basic pattern.   

Supply List:
1 fat quarter of fabric (more if doing another color in the bow as in the example below)
1/2" or 5/8" elastic 
Matching thread
Button for the center of the bow (optional)
Large safety pin
Sewing pins
Scissors (both sewing and paper)
Piece of paper
Marking pen (sharpie will even work)

 Cutting

1 - 4"x16" strip

1 - 2.5"x10" strip

2 - trapezoids (4" top, 9" bottom, 7" height)

1 - 6" elastic

I made a paper template for the trapezoid and let the child help me with the math. I mark all the pieces on the fabric with sharpie and let the child cut the pieces out with scissors.

All seam allowances are 1/4”. I like to use the edge of the presser foot as a guide for most kid projects. Fold each strip in half, matching long edges, right sides together (or, as I call it when sewing with children, “pretty side kissing pretty side”). Sew along the one long side of both strips.

Notice the hand placement here: away from the needle and in control, achieved after many hours of practice (and lots of grey hair for me). I’m so proud, and ready to reward her with a small treat. There is room for uneven seam allowances in this pattern, so if the 1/4” turns into 3/8”, it’s okay.

As a side note, I love to use the larger head pins with kids. They are easier to handle and if they happen to drop on the floor (okay, not if, when they drop) I can spot them easier. A word of wisdom…if you happen to have only 5 butterfly head pins, hide them before hosting a bunch of elementary school girls for a sewing afternoon. Just saying... it avoids drama.   

Using the safety pin method,  turn each tube right side out. I call this the “wiggly worm” technique.  If you have another favorite way to turn a tube, please feel free to free style during this step.

Press each tube flat with the seam in the center of the tube. Perfection is not required.

 

Put the two trapezoids pretty side kissing pretty side. Sew around the edge, leaving 3” unsewn at the bottom of the trapezoid for turning. Mark this with a pen so that a child knows when to start and stop. In this example we are using two different fabrics so that the headband is reversible.

Sewing along a whole side and then turning and doing the next side is easier than pivoting for most children.

Clip the corners, turn right side out and press. No need to close the opening or topstitch unless you really want to.

Using the safety pin, thread the elastic through the small tube, pinning at both ends to secure the elastic.

Place the elastic tube on top of the larger tube, matching edges and centering. The non-seam sides should be together.  Wrap the larger tube around the smaller tube and pin. Zig zag through all layers and the elastic. Zig zag again (and again if you wish). Clip threads before photographing. Repeat for the other end. Pull the headband tube out so that the zig zag is hidden in the seam allowance.

 

Lay the trapezoid down and accordion fold it; I used about 1” as the starting size. Matching the center of the folded trapezoid to the center of the headband without the elastic in it, pin. Sew through all layers, down the center. Sew a button on, if the child desires it (she didn’t).

 

Comb hair. Put in headband. Smile!

If your child has a smaller head, change the dimensions of the headband as follows:

Med:

4”x14” strip, 2.5”x9” strip, 5” elastic, 3.75”x8.5”x7”h trapezoid (18.5” headband unstretched)

Small:

4”x12” strip, 2.5”x8” strip, 4” elastic, 3.5”x8”x7”h trapezoid (15.5” headband unstretched)

Thanks Heather! What a great way to introduce sewing to girls!

Don't forget to check out the Flickr group and add your photos of things you've sewn for your school aged boys and girls!

Other Dress Your (School) Girl posts:

   

DY(S)G: Sewing for teen girls- Outfit #2

A series of knock off inspired outfits for teens (or yourself!)

Outfit #2

Source: Delia's Dress, Dress Pattern, Voile

What do you think?

Did you see Outfit #1?

DY(S)G: Guest Tutorial- How to Sew Ottobre Patterns

Please welcome Melanie from A Sewing Journal! Melanie has a wonderful blog and is always sewing beautiful things for her girls. She's here to take the mystery out of Ottobre patterns!

Hi there, I'm Melanie and I blog over at A Sewing Journal. I have three girls (this year all attending school) ranging in age from 4 years to 10. I like making clothes for them for fun, as a creative outlet. I love that they all still want mom to make them clothes, so I will enjoy it while I can. (Though, I have to admit, it's getting a little challenging to make clothes for my oldest.) 

I love Ottobre Design sewing patterns. They are stylish and offer a large variety of styles and sizes in each issue. Each issue includes clothing patterns for babies to tweens so there is a lot of information packed in there. While you could say that Ottobre Design doesn't have a lot of instructions, I would argue that all of the important and necessary information is there for you. I think the patterns are great for advanced beginners and up, but also for what I'd call adventurous beginners. If you're not afraid to look something up in a book or online when you come across something that you are unfamiliar with, well, go for it! Also, there are patterns in each magazines that are more difficult and some that are easier. Start by choosing a pattern that uses techniques you are familiar with, or maybe that introduce you to one new thing instead of multiple new techniques. Follow along as I show you how to decipher (it's pretty easy, really) an Ottobre Design sewing pattern. 

This is the information page. So they don't have to repeat everything 40 times, most basic information is here. There are no cutting layouts, so this is where you read up on that and more. As with most European patterns, seam allowances are not included, but hem allowances are. Read this page before you get started.

1. Measure your child's height in centimeters.
2. I like this part that reminds me how to determine the right size. I struggle with this all the time as my kids' measurements never seem to correlate nicely with the sizes listed on patterns and in books.
3. When choosing your pattern, look for the little diagrams on the page, usually in the corner or along the side of the photos. These tell you the sizes for those clothing pieces.
4. The diagram also gives you the pattern number.

1. This is the pattern instructions. That's it, it's all there. Short, clear and concise. Along the top, from left to right, you see a drawing of the clothing; drawings of the pattern pieces (see #2, too), instructions for the pattern pieces including how many to cut; which pattern sheet to use and the color of your numbers and lines (more on this in a bit); and your materials (listed in centimeters). There is a conversion chart in the magazine, but I prefer just to measure everything in centimeters when using Ottobre patterns otherwise I keep forgetting whether a number I wrote down was in inches or centimeters. Below that are the instructions for cutting and constructing.
2. This is not the pattern I'm using, but I wanted to show you how a more complicated pattern has more information. For example, the parts shaded in grey are to be interfaced.
3. Here are the instructions for the pattern pieces. We need pattern sheet C and our markings are in red.

1. Look, there's C, right on top! Take note that the reverse side of the sheets have different letters.
2. This is pattern sheet C unfolded. Don't freak out! There's a system here, really. (I think this is when Ottobre loses a few people). Don't feel lost, this makes sense. Can you imagine how much paper they would have to use for each issue if they didn't overlap the pattern pieces? This really makes a lot of sense.
3. Remember how we need pattern sheet C and the color red? When we look along the bottom of the pattern sheet we see a series of multicolored numbers. We need numbers 1, 2, 3 (the numbers of our pattern) in red. There are 1 and 2.
4. We trace our finger straight up from the numbers on the bottom and find the corresponding numbers and lines on the sheet. 

1. I like to use low tack tape to secure my pattern and tracing paper. I usually use Swedish tracing paper or Kwik Trace paper to trace patterns. I just use a pencil and ruler for the straight lines. 
2. With a bit of concentration the lines are easy to follow. I do not add seam allowances at this point as I feel with all those lines it's just too distracting for me. I add them on the fabric.
3. Don't forget to check the key to see what the different lines mean. Ottobre does not use dashed lines and dots to indicate different sizes as you sometimes see on American patterns. All sizes use a solid line and the dashed lines indicate something else, like fold lines or grainlines.
4. Be sure to label your pattern pieces with the piece number, size and pattern name and number.

1. The nice thing about Swedish tracing paper (and Kwik Trace paper) is you don't need pins or pattern weights. They make a friction (so to speak) with the fabric and don't move around on you.
2. I add a half inch seam allowance (oops, I guess I don't do everything in centimeters!), just because I think it's easier than 3/8ths. You are free to make your seam allowance whatever works best for you. I usually use tailors chalk, but again, there are many different types of marking devices. Use what works best for you. (And remember, seam allowances are not included, but hem allowances are. It's always best to remind yourself of this).
3. I like to cut my pieces out of the fabric with a rotary cutter. I'm just not very good with scissors.

This is as far as I'm taking you here. Putting together the garment just requires following the instructions, which are very clear. Let me know if you have any questions about Ottobre Design sewing patterns, I'd be happy to help!

If you'd like to see a review of the specific pattern I used, head over to my blog: A Sewing Journal. Here's a picture of the final product.

Find Ottobre Design Magazines here.

Thanks so much Melanie! I think we're all ready to dive into Ottobre now!

Don't forget to check out the Flickr group for Dress Your School Girl & Boy! 

Other DY(S)G posts

 

DY(S)G: Sewing for teen girls- Outfit #1

Sewing for teen girls could be fun. Very fun. I've put together a series of outfits that may work for your girl. Here is the first.

Outfit #1

Source: Tank Pattern, Skirt Pattern, Chiffon (doesn't fray), Lace

I think I'd like this outfit myself please! What do you think?

DY(S)G: Guest Tutorial- Girls' Fabric Corsage

Please welcome Kirstin from Kojo Designs! You are probably familiar with Kirstin's blog she shares with her sister but if not, go take a look! It is full of great ideas!   

Hey friends! I'm Kirstin, half of the sister team that blogs over at kojodesigns, and I'm so excited to be here today! I love (love love love) everything about Back to School. As a once-teacher, I love seeing racks of school supplies- what an exciting time of year! And even though my kiddos are still too little to be heading off to classrooms this fall, that doesn't mean that we can't get in on the Back to School fun, right?  

This fabric flower corsage was inspired by the gorgeousness at EmersonMade, but scaled down to little girl size. I love it that it can add a little visual interest to a dress or lovely up a cardigan without having to permanently alter the garment. Ready to make one for the little girl in your life? You'll need: -long thin strips of fabric (monochromatic, or in a few different colors/patterns) -a circle of felt (this will be the backing) -a button (or a cluster of little pearls) for the center -a pin  

Cut your strips of fabric into 5" or 6" segments.  

Fold each small strip in half and stitch to the felt.  

Continue until you have a circle of fabric strips.  

Move in toward the center of the circle and repeat.  

Sew a button in the center.  

Hot glue an extra piece of felt (to cover all of your stitching) and a pin to the back of your corsage...

...and pin on a your little Back to Schooler (though, mine isn't quite old enough for school just yet)! Thanks again for having us, Andrea... and happy back to school friends! Come say hi anytime at kojodesigns!

Thanks for the cute tutorial Kirstin! It will look great on a girl of any age!

Don't forget to check out the DY(S)G & B Flickr group! It already has some great outfits added. It has me excited to sew for older kids!

Check out the other Dress Your School Girl posts!

 

DY(S)G: Sewing Patterns for Girls and Tweens

At some point kids don't want to look homemade. They'd rather look fashionable or cool or maybe just not stand out. Here are some patterns for your girl that just might please even a picky dresser.

from top right:

Burda 9542, Jalie 2908, Figgy's Tee for Two

Kwik Sew 3832, Burda 9545, New Look 6977 

Kwik Sew 3674, Molly Peasant, Burda 9516  

Do you have any patterns for girls you recommend? Leave them in the comments!

DY(S)G: Guest Tutorial- Nautical Dress

You're in for a real treat! Kalleen from At Second Street is here to kick off Dress Your (School) Girl Week! She's one talented mama and I know you are going to adore the tutorial she has for you today! Take some time to stop by her blog as well. It is packed with inspiration!

Hi I'm Kalleen from At Second Street and I am so excited to be part of the Dress Your School Girl Series.   

I can't think of much I enjoy more than sewing and creating new outfits for my three darling girls. They love to be dressed up and treasure almost everything I make for them.   

I've been a little obsessed with all things nautical lately, so I made this little number to help my oldest sail through her school year. 

I'll be showing you how I refashioned a men's shirt into this adorable neck tie top.   

I also have a tutorial for the gabardine flat front skirt. It can be recreated in any size with a variety of fabrics. 

Let's start with the shirt.   

You'll need:

-a men's shirt with no front pockets and wide enough to cut smaller shirt and strips for neck tie. 

- a shirt to use as a pattern, pick one without a separate sleeve. 

- biased tape

-matching thread

Step 1: cut out shirt  

I turned my shirt inside out centered it over the buttons. Because the final shirt won't stretch like the t-shirt I added a couple inches to the sides as I cut it out.

Step 2: cut neck line

After cutting, I separated my front piece from the back, folded it in half and cut a lower neck line. 

Step 3: sew shoulders   

Pin front and back right sides together at the shoulders. Sew and finish edges. 

Step 4: pin and sew biased tape around arm holes  

Because my fabric had some good stretch to it I was able to make my own biased tape with scraps of the shirt. If you use a traditional cotton shirt you will want to buy or make matching biased tape with another piece of fabric. 

Step 5: sew up the sides  

Pin, sew and finish the edges. 

Step 6: make neck tie  

Going back to my shirt, I cut 4 strips of fabric 1-3/4" wide. I cut them as long as the shirt would allow.  I sewed ends of the strips together to make two really long strips. Then I sewed the two long strips right sides together all the way around leaving a small gap, which I used to turn the tube right side out. Once turned, I ironed and topstitch the tie. 

Step 7: finish and fold under neck edges. 

I serged my neck edges and ironed them under. If you don't have a serger you may want to do a double fold. 

Step 8: pin a sew on tie.   

Lining up the center of the tie and the center of the back, I pinned the tie around the neck.  Leave an opening in the front about 2" from the edge, so you'll have room to tie a knot. Stitch around the neck, overlapping the top stitch on tie.  

Step 9: top stitch opening in front.   

Secure the folded neckline in the front by topstitching as close to the tie as possible. 

Step 10: Hem bottom and you are done.

Easy Flat Front Skirt  

You'll need:

- 1-2 yards fabric depending on size

- 1" elastic band

- matching thread

- four buttons

Step 1: cut skirt pieces  

The length and width of these pieces will depend on the size of your child. I will tell you how I did it based on the size of my child who has a 24" waist.

Here is what I cut for a 24" waist:

2 - 4"x 12" strips (12" is half of 24")

2 - 4" x 15" strips ( 12"+3" for room to stretch)

2- 13" x 24" (13" was how long I wanted the main skirt and 24" will give me a good gather)

1- 10" piece of elastic (12"-2")

Step 2: sew 4"X 12" and 4" x 15" strips together   

 Match up the same sized strips and sew right sides together across the top. After sewing a seam across the  4"X 15" strips, you'll sew the elastic band onto one of the stripes just below the seam.

It will look like this.  

Sew it to only one of the pieces do not sew through both or you won't be able to turn it right side out.

Step 3: Press seams open.   

These will be the front and back of your skirts waist band. The elastic piece will go in the back. Step 4: sew front and back panels together  

With panels still open pin front to back right sides together and sew up the sides. You will have a tube when you are done. Step 5: Topstitch waistband   

Fold the waistband in half right sides out and topstitch the top and then over the waistband securing it in place. Step 6: Sew skirt sides and gather.  
grab your larger skirt pieces and sew the ends right sides together. Gather the top to the size of your waist band. Step 7: attach the skirt to the waistband.   

pin and sew skirt to waistband matching up sides. Step 8: finishing details  

Topstitch gather to waistband and add buttons. Please let me know if you have any questions or if I left anything out. 

This is amazing Kalleen! Thanks so much for sharing this wonderful tutorial!

Don't forget to stop by the Flickr group for Dress Your (School) Boy & Girl! Add your photos and check out the other inspiring mamas!

Other Dress Your (School) Girl Posts:

 

Circle Pocket Dress or Shirt

Welcome to The Train To Crazy! If you find this tutorial useful I hope you'll subscribe, follow me on twitter, facebook or Google+! Don't forget to check out Make It Wear It, the weekly blog party to showcase all those clothing items and accessories you've been making.

Hi everyone! I'm over at Celebrate The Madness today sharing my Circle Pocket Dress. Cute right?

It's a simple way to jazz up a favorite shirt or dress pattern. Or maybe the Go To Dress?

Make a few.

Go check out the Circle Pocket Dress tutorial!

Inspired by this shirt on etsy

Sewing Clothes Kids Love: Insa Skirt

I know I've mentioned before how much I love Sewing Clothes Kids Love: Sewing Patterns and Instructions for Boys' and Girls' Outfits. The Amazon reviews are quite amazing for a sewing book and I tend to agree with the glowing reviews. The patterns are have enough details and character to make them really stand out. I've posted a couple of the things I've made from the book. You might remember the Brooklyn Tank Top and Dortje Trousers. Each item I've made from this book has quickly become a favorite for it's owner. 

And this is the Insa Skirt

It's a double layered, elastic waist skirt with many suggested variations. I chose to do this one up "fancy" for my little fancy girl. The extra details take time but I think they really make the skirt special in a six year old's eyes.

The top layer has elastic to help create a fuller "pick up" look.

I think I'll make my elastic a bit longer next time so the gathering isn't quite as dramatic. Especially in light of how heavy that layer of fabric happens to be.

Pattern: Found in Sewing Clothes Kids Love: Sewing Patterns and Instructions for Boys' and Girls' Outfits

Fabric: Bottom layer and top band are gingham from JoAnn Fabric. The top skirt layer is a bottom weight from JoAnn.

You might remember the skirt from our lemon picking day. We juiced all those lemons by the way. Wow that took forever. A special thanks to my husband who did most of the work!

She proved that day that even though the skirt is fancy it is still great to play in!

The skirt is paired with the Brooklyn Tank.

Pattern troubles: I found the top layer of the skirt ended up being bigger than the bottom layer when I sewed them together. I'm not sure if that is because of me or a pattern issue. I made the skirt intentionally long for growth but it ended up being fairly narrow through the hips. Next time I'll make it a bit wider at the top.

Overall pattern rating?

 linking to Skip to my Lou

Reviewed: Lily Bird Cuffed Shorts

Well, I finally completed these Lily Bird shorts! Lily Bird gave me the pattern well over a month ago and I've been so excited to make them. Life is making me slow, friends!

How cute are these?? The Cuffed Shorts have a very girly fit. The fabric is fine corduroy from JoAnn Fabric. 

This pattern uses less than a yard of fabric and a 4" zipper. Budget yourself at least 4 hours to cut out and sew. They took me two weeks. Hopefully it won't take you so long!

I made a few changes to the pattern:

• I omitted the button tabs on the leg cuff because I got impatient
• Extended the waistband to make a button tab
• I didn't do all the top stitching suggested, for time sake
• I'm just realizing I also omitted the belt loops!

The pros:

I really love the styling of these pants. The zipper, the button tab on the legs (that I omitted!), the pockets. All very, very cute. I think they're be super cute with a contrasting band like these from Mama Gwen. Now THOSE are darling.

The Cons:

This pattern isn't for beginners, that's for sure. My poor seam ripper got a work out! I also had difficulty hiding the zipper pull. That's annoying but not the end of the world.

Things I'd do differently:

Make the leg band longer (making the finished band roomier). My girls don't have chubby legs but the band was tight and makes for a bit of a strange bunching.

 

The next Lily Bird pattern I'll be trying will be the Katrina dress. Such a cute summer dress.

And, because I couldn't help myself...

Yes, he turned six months yesterday. Poor fourth child doesn't have many photos of himself so I made a point of taking a good one. Scrumptious, if I do say so myself!

Have you found any cute summer shorts patterns?

Linking: Creative Itch, Sugar Bee Crafts, Making the World Cuter, Fireflies & Jelly Beans

Green!

(Make It Wear It is HERE)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

My oldest daughter wears uniforms to school but today is one of those special days where they don't have to wear uniforms. As long as they wear green. So today she is wearing green. Girly style.

I used an existing shirt and sewed a ruffled skirt on the bottom. I know the trend is to have a high elastic waist but I made it low. You know, so she can still wear it next year.

 It's a hit. 

My 4 year old got a classic monster shirt. More her style.

Are you wearing green?

Linking here 

More pants

We're enjoying more of our "laundry miracle" pants.

Pattern: Handmade Beginnings: 24 Sewing Projects to Welcome Baby

Fabric: main fabric is unknown from a discount fabric store. Anyone recognize this pattern? The upper octagonal print is from JoAnn Fabric.

Merry Christmas from me

Do you know how hard it is to photograph 4 kids when nobody can hold the baby and you want their clothes in the pic?

Yes, every item in the picture is me made, save the little red skirt in the middle.

On left:

Shirt & skirt designed by me. There is a lot of detail missing in the photo above. Shirt is a cotton interlock, skirt a cotton shirting. If you like this you can vote for it for Project Toddler Runway!

I'll get a better shirt detail soon...

Middle:

Shirt pattern from this Japanese pattern book. The fabric is linen. 

Right:

Shirt is, of course, the Somerset Hoodie. Check back tomorrow for a SUPER ONE DAY sale from Mama Stellato. Fabric is a cotton interlock. The fit is fabulous, highly recommend the pattern. Very quick and no serger required.

The skirt is corduroy with inset plaid pleats. Adorable. Pattern is mine. You can see it a little better here.

Baby:

I'm sure you recognize a 90 Minute shirt. It was the first time I've made one and, while I constructed it differently than the tutorial suggests, it was easy and took much less than 90 minutes. I like the contrast stitching so I did a little of my own on the bottom.

The pants are made from a cotton plaid shirting. My favorite part is the faux fly. He doesn't NEED it but it sure does add a little something to a pair of pants. There are pockets and cute cord knee patches as well. The pattern is mine.

So THERE! I completed Christmas outfits with weeks to spare! Now I'll let them take them off because long sleeves in nearly 90 degrees is uncomfortable.

A sneak peek

I've been sewing during stolen moments...

Just a bit of what I'm working on. Aren't they cute? Details to come.

Tutorial: The 60 Minute Dress

Warning: do not attempt this dress if you are a perfectionist OR are uncomfortable "winging it"

If you do dare, this is what you'll get

(shirt version)

(dress version)

I have some tips on how to make your adult version.

Measure your subject:

Cut rectangle of fabric by the width and length you measured.

Fold in half one way, then fold in half the other way so the very middle of the fabric is folded at a point.

Cut head hole by dividing head circumference by 4, then cut head hole as pictured. Smaller is better. You can always cut it larger if necessary.

Your fabric will now look like this:

Now here is the "winging it" part.

Start at edge and sew arm hole the turn a 90 degree angle and sew down to bottom. 

Can you believe it will now look like this?

Hints:

• make arm hole big enough
• the "armpit" of the shirt should be 1"-3" away from the body so the dress is a big without the belt. 
• slightly angle side seam back away from body. The more you angle the seam back toward side edge, the fuller the dress will be.
• The heavier the knit, the less "flowy" it will be. On an adult I'd recommend a lightweight knit!! Mine was too heavy. It also doesn't flatter my 5 week post baby body. 
• Try it on, fix if necessary! Too wide? take 3 minutes and make it less wide!

Finish neck, sleeve and bottom of shirt with rolled hem or however you want. Knit doesn't even "need" to be finished.

Finish the dress with a belt. I used a piece of knit a couple inches smaller than the waist. Sewed the ends together and finished edges with a rolled hem.

What do you think? Easy, but do you dare try? I'd love to see pictures if you make one!

The 60 Minute Dress

A dress in 60 minutes?? Can it be?? Why, yes, it can. 

The ultimate in comfort and pretty cute to boot.

So simple. I want one myself.

Urban Hoodie

A couple months ago Heidi & Finn sent me the Urban Unisex Hoodie pattern to review. Well, I finally had the chance to whip one up and I love it! 

This is size 6 mo. and was made from a pair of maternity sweats I never wanted to wear again in my life. It is fully lined with some green knit fabric. You might recognize it from this popular dress. The pattern is for knit fabric and has instructions for how to sew this with just a regular sewing machine. No need for a serger. I believe this took me about 2 hours to sew. Maybe a bit more or less. I'm thrilled with how it turned out!

I do have a confession: I haven't sewn on the buttons yet. I'm seriously considering sewing the buttons on the outside and doing velcro underneath instead of button holes. It is for a 6 month old, after all. Quicker is better.

Confession two: I didn't change a thing about the pattern. Not one thing. That's unusual for me, really. So, Now I'm trying to decide if I should go rouge and change up the buttons. What do you think?

UPDATE: Now that I've put this on my baby I believe the pattern runs a bit small so make a size up for your little guy or girl! The sleves are long enough (a bit too long?) but they are snug. Some people complain the body is too short as well (compared to the arms, definitely).

Little Cap Sew Along Day 2

I intended (or hoped) to make another cap last night because some of my pictures are sorely lacking for the sew along. I didn't do it though. I've declared this vacation week around here. We'll be swimming and reading and doing a bit of math and spelling but that's about it! 

This is the lovely (non) recipient of the hat I didn't make:

She is my adorable, hilarious niece. You know how some kids are just exploding with personality, even at a very young age? That's her! Here she is modeling a cap that clearly doesn't fit. That's okay because it only stayed on for about 3 seconds. Just long enough for me to snap one picture. 

She is modeling the altered size 0-6 month hat. Stop by tomorrow to find out how to alter your pattern for that size.

You might notice the hat matches the booties I showed off earlier.

 

You'll also want to stop by to see how to make sure your hat looks like this on top:  

Ready to finish up your cap? Day 2 instructions are HERE. 

I'm linking these finishes to a few other blogs this week. Go check them out. There are also more pictures of finished hats in the Day 2 instructions!

Little Cap Sew Along Day 1

The Little Cap Sew Along is finally here! This is such an easy project, it hardly needs a sew along, but it's fun to make things with others, isn't it? I'll also be showing you some pattern variations including size variations. So, are you ready to join in?

If you haven't bought your pattern yet, go to the Leila & Ben etsy shop and buy the pattern. Mention The Train To Crazy to get $2 refund until the end of September. It is a PDF pattern so it will be emailed to you and you can join us right away!

Now, head on over to Day 1 Instructions!

The little cap that started it all

I've made 5 Little Caps to date. This is the one that started it all.

I made it just like the example on the pattern. I love the little argyle.

She calls it "Maggie's hat" and she's been sad to be separated from it for the last month.

Our boxes are being delivered to our new house next week so I figure sometime in the next month or two we'll find it. And once again she'll have her Maggie's hat.

Want to make a Little Cap? Join the Sew Along coming up! Find the details by clicking the picture below!

Linking here 

School Clothes {pants & tank}

I recently bought a copy of Sewing Clothes Kids Love. When I opened the book I was overwhelmed by great color and design. I'm pretty sure the title is spot on as well.

These are my first projects.

The Dortje pants & the Brooklyn tank. 

Clearly the pants are long. I washed them and they shrunk up just enough that now they fit perfectly.

I followed the instructions pretty closely and the fit works well. I did eliminate the side seem allowances on the pants to accommodate my thin girl. The only thing I would do differently next time is make the tank longer. I added the ruffle on it because it was short. As a size 110-116 I assumed it would fit my 106 cm little girl. Guess not. The tank is great, just needs a bit of length. I'll definitely be making more. I really love the pants. They are a bit labor intensive when you add so many details but I think it is worth it in the end.

The book really encourages you to embellish and use ruffles, gathers, ribbons and appliques. These pants don't look much like any of the examples in the book, which is part of the beauty of the book. So many possibilities in each garment. 

I give the book two thumbs up. I especially love that the patterns go up to a size 11/12 and includes some unisex patterns. So, if you love sewing kid's clothes, grab yourself a copy of Sewing Clothes Kids Love.

Linked  

Go To Dress Pattern

Welcome to The Train To Crazy! If you find this tutorial useful I hope you'll subscribe, follow me on twitter, facebook or Google+! Don't forget to check out Make It Wear It, the weekly blog party to showcase all those clothing items and accessories you've been making.

After my obsession with this pattern passed, I set my sights on a another "go to" knit dress for my girls. When Kathy suggested I make a dress with long sleeves, I knew she was right. So, without further ado, I present, the Go To Dress.

The perfect dress for cool evenings and long winters. With long sleeves, a shoulder ruffle and an empire waist, how could you go wrong? What little girl wouldn't like a closet full of these? Comfortable and cute!

Perfect for adventures...

 
The possibilities are endless. 

Pair with some cute leggings or tights if you want, or not.

Make them subdued. Or wild.

Or just use what you have lying around. Mix up the fabrics with polka dots and stripes, add an applique or fun pockets, use an old t-shirt or sweater. Be creative.

Mostly just have fun with this Go To Dress!  Whip up a few for all the little girls in your life.

UPDATE: This pattern now comes in sizes 12 mo- 12 years but I can no longer offer it free. You'll find 3 lengths, 7 sleeve options, 4 pocket options and a hood! It is bigger and better and you can buy it at Go To Patterns!

 

Upcycling & Stash Busting

I was inspired by Realynn last week to make something with this little stained pink t-shirt that my girls had. I didn't follow her instructions because this fabric I used is too heavy for elastic thread. I sewed 1/4" elastic on instead. I love how it turned out.

I used the excess knit from the shirt to create some interest on top. You know, to cover the stains.

I love how the high waisted narrowness of it all looks. She complained slightly about not being able to run up the stairs but really, I'd rather she didn't run up them anyway.

I'm now thinking some gathered pockets might be cute. Oh well.

I've been sewing up a few other things as well. No real pictures yet except this. Blue seems to be the theme. 

Have you been using up your stash?

Don't forget to check out the upcoming Sew Along!

I'll be linking to some of these sites this week.

I did it again

This is the last one I'll share, promise. (And don't forget to check out the sew along that is coming up!! I'm very excited about it!) I have a lot of other things I've made this week to share with you but it has been so humid that my camera fogs up outside so I just have this to show you.

Another one of my favorite dresses. (Find similar pattern HERE)

The fabric is interlock that I found on clearance a while back for $1.50/yard. Not bad. I added two pockets, like the pattern suggests. The only deviation from the pattern is that I added elastic at the top of the pockets to make them stand out a bit from the dress. 

The leggings are from the LBB pattern I used before. I added the ruffle to the bottom. Not so sure about that. If I ever do it again I'll make the ruffles smaller. Also, I'll notice that the "matching" leggings are white and the dress is off white. Nice.

And, just in case you need the visual...

You can read about dress 1 and 2 to get more details. Which is your favorite?  

Pattern HERE

 

Daphne Dress Sew Along

UPDATE: You can now find the Daphne Dress pattern here

Is this not one of the cutest dresses you've ever seen?

This is "The Daphne Dress" and we'll be making it together in August because it is time for another sew along!!

<a href="http://www.thetraintocrazy.com/2010/07/daphne-dress-sew-along.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i874.photobucket.com/albums/ab308/thetraintocrazy/daphnebutton.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

This is the EASIEST sew along ever! The Daphne Dress comes precut with all you need (except your machine, thread and pins). 

This sew along is for you if:

• You own a sewing machine and really wish you could learn to sew for your little girl.
• You've been tempted to make a little girl's dress but are a bit scared of patterns.
• You'd love to sew but just don't have the time.
• You just plain love this dress (as I do).
• You would like someone to walk you through the steps and answer your questions along the way.
• You have a cute daughter/niece/granddaughter/neighbor that would look adorable in this dress.
• Want to make an all-season dress.
• You want to support mom run businesses.

Is that you??? If you order your Daphne Dress Kit by August 1st you'll get 10% off! Just mention The Train To Crazy at checkout and you'll get a 10% refund. What's more, if you order BEFORE July 21st you'll get free shipping plus the 10% off!! That's a great deal!

 

Kits Contains:

Precut designer fabric 

Simple instructions

Elastic

Safety pin

Everything you need to make a dress no one will believe is homemade.

Children's kits come in two sizes: 1-4 and 5-8 with instructions how to adjust for the different sizes within the kit.

Join me August 9-13th and you can get all your questions answered along the way!! Are you excited? I am!! Order your kit now! Grab the button for your blog if you'd like and get ready to make a dress together! Make sure you check out all of Oh So Sassy's dress kits. Maybe you'll find a dress even cuter than the Daphne Dress! She even has a skirt kit for you! The 10% discount applies to the entire site!!

So, are you going to join along??

Pattern Tip

****Join us for the Daphne Dress Sew Along August 9th-13th!*****

Have you found a basic pattern that you just love and want to make one in every color? That's how I feel about the pattern I used for the popular green striped dress. (By the way, thanks for all the great comments!)

The problem is, how boring would it be to make the same pattern over and over. Your wardrobe wouldn't be very fun. Here's my tip of the day: Go ahead and use that same great fitting pattern but just make some small variations. Embellish it or change a feature.

To change up this pattern I added this fun pocket and put on a heart. The girl adores hearts. I also omitted the elastic empire waist. 

Oh, and did I mention I am using up my stash? This pink piece of fabric wasn't quite large enough for the dress. No worries. I think this works just fine.

And with leggings to match, what more could a girl want?

These were super easy leggings. I used the LBB pattern. I finished the bottom with a rolled hem and added some elastic up the side on the bottom. Quick, easy, cute, comfy. 

And, in case you forgot what the green dress looked like...

Can you tell those are from the same pattern? What is your favorite way to embellish a pattern?

Linked HERE

Swimsuits: Trial & Error

After seeing so many inspiring swimsuits being made I decided to try my hand at making some myself. I didn't have a pattern, just used an old swimsuit as a basic size guide. 

I had two goals:

1. Make a swimsuit that fits

2. Make a swimsuit that is tug free. Are my girls the only ones that are constantly tugging on their swimsuits? We have this issue with underwear too so maybe underwear are next.

My first attempt was a failure. Well, it was too short so the baby got it. It fits her well. Did you know little girls don't really get much wider with age? The top part was a bit too big so I used a little elastic at the top. It turned out pretty good though I made the straps a bit too small. This one is fully lined. It gives the suit a bit of a sturdier, heftier feel.

The second attempt went well. I made little ruffles at the legs and added elastic to the straps to make ruffly straps. I'm not loving the way the front works though. It gaps a bit too much. It is fully lined, which I like.

The third attempt was from the same pattern but I cut the top of the front a bit differently and used the same swimsuit material to make a binding and straps. This one is not fully lined. This is my favorite swimsuit.

I succeeded at goal #1. I haven't seen any picking or tugging. I finally succeeded at goal #2 by my third attempt. Numbers 1 and 2 aren't bad but number 3 is pretty perfect. 

I love that they are all a bit different. Even though they are basically the same pattern they all have their own look.

The best part is that I bought this fabric at a local discount fabric store and I made all of these suits for $2 (for the fabric) + probably $1 for the little bit of elastic and thread I used. I'm not sure how much the lining fabric was but it probably adds another $3 because it was more expensive than the outer fabric, even though I used less. So, for about $2 each I have 3 pretty cute swimmers. Er, sand players.

 
Aahhh, look at that mess. 

UPDATE: I've answered your questions about how to make a swimsuit!

Unrelated: Do you have too much fabric? Are you ready to take the De-Stash Challenge?

Linking HERE

Clothing active girls {skorts}

When it comes to little girls and skirts, there is an 85% chance that their skirt isn't going to stay where it should. When climbing up slides and swinging on the monkey bars or doing somersaults in the yard, it's a guarantee that whatever is underneath will be making an appearance.

So, for those of us with little girls who beg for skirts and long to flip upside down, the answer is simple. It's a skort. There are a couple ways to go about making a skort. I was in the middle of creating a tutorial when I discovered one here. It is very similar to how I made mine so there is no point in rehashing all the details.

First you'll need to make a skirt. If you are starting out, I'd recommend a simple elastic waist skirt tutorial, but this will work with any skirt. Then you'll need to make a pair of shorts to go under. You can use a pattern or use a pair of existing shorts as a pattern. This pants tutorial will show you how.

The only changes in the skirt and shorts are that you don't have to account for an elastic casing so you'll actually use about an inch less fabric on top for both.

Perfect for blowing bubbles or doing cartwheels. Whatever. 

You can use knit or a cotton woven fabric for the shorts. 

 

I've used both but I prefer cotton knit for ease of wear.

Though, the little bloomer look of the woven cotton with a bit of shirring at the bottom is pretty cute.

Linking here

A floral Fathers' Day

We spent our Fathers' Day honoring the father that lives in our house. It started too early and ended too late but there was a lot of fun and food in the middle. The girls wanted to get their dad flowers for Fathers' Day so they made him some tissue flowers. They made me buy a vase so he can put them in his office. He's excited about that.

We got one photo of the girls and their dad before I backed up into the neighbor's bike rack on their car, rendering myself useless as a photographer. Thankfully this was about as good as we were going to get anyway. You can see he's wearing his special handprint shirt the girls made him.

The little two, or rather, the younger two are wearing matching dresses I made a while back. They are very simple, patternless dresses. I cut them slightly narrower at the top, cut out armholes, and made the back the same as the front. I have elastic in the top casing so it goes over the head easier considering the high neckline and lack of zipper. I simple sewed a piece of elastic just above the waistline to add shape.

Super simple, super comfy for Summer.

It started to rain so we came inside to complete the photo shoot.

Well, some of us came inside. Others of us chose to have a little fun.

The baby's dress is basically the same as the bigger dress. Except it is reversible. Reversible is good when you're dealing with messy eaters.

Look at those knees!! Yum!

Linked here

School Clothes {The Green Dress}

Another item for school came off the machine last weekend. I'm not sure I can keep this one put away until the Fall when school starts. 

She wore it around town (Boston) this weekend. With all the green flying around here right now for the basketball championship she fit right in. 

I used a tissue weight cotton knit so it is very light and comfortable. It definitely needs the leggings with it because of the weight. Pattern from this book.

The shape is so wonderful. Perfect for a picky girl who just likes to be comfortable.

I just can't decide. One pocket, or two? I only added one at this point but I'm considering putting on another. I do like the asymmetry of just one pocket. What do you think? Should I add another?   

Similar pattern HERE

Sewing for girls {school clothes}

Kindergarten is fast approaching. 
I'm starting to create Naomi's wardrobe for the fall. I started with a top from this Japanese pattern book.  I bought it at this Etsy shop last year and it is the first thing I've made from the book. Sewing from a Japanese pattern book isn't that difficult if you have experience sewing patterns, or even if you can figure things out by looking at pictures. This particular book has less detailed picture instructions than some others. I had to guess on a couple of the steps but considering I've sewn a shirt before I knew what to do. Pretty much. 

I think the top turned out very cute. I cut it a size 5/6. It is a tad big. Naomi has very narrow shoulders and is always complaining about shirts feeling "too big". She didn't complain about this one though, so that is good.

The fabric had such great texture that it lent itself well to a basic shirt like this.

It goes well with this skirt I made a few weeks ago, though I think it might be a bit boxy to go with this skirt. The skirt is already a bit big and will hopefully last through kindergarten. 

I think I prefer it paired with jeans. Love the gathering at the back.

Have you sewn much with Japanese pattern books? They really aren't that scary. I have a few suggestions to help you get started.

• Find all the pieces of the pattern and trace them onto freezer paper (you can find this in most grocery stores near the foil). Label the pieces with all markings. When you are ready to cut out your fabric, simply iron the freezer paper pieces onto your fabric and cut out. This is actually my preferred method for all patterns. As a bonus, you can iron the same pattern piece over and over if you need to. I've used the same freezer paper pattern to cut out 7 or 8 pairs of shorts and it still irons on well.
• Look over the pictures in the book that describe the steps to constructing your garment. Write out the steps for yourself in English, just loosely describing what to do. Even if it is just a few short words, this will help you later. You don't want to just start following the pictures and then realize at the end there wasn't a picture for a vital step. This way you can figure out any missing steps before you begin.
• Pattern sizes are done in cm. If you are familiar with European sizing you should be able to figure out your child's size. 

Now go have fun sewing from Japanese pattern books!

Linking HERE

Kid's clothes challenge week day 5

In spite of my lack of posting, I've done well with my kid's clothes challenge this week.

Day 1: These pants

Day 2: I cut out 2 pairs of pajama pants. Sewed them together incorrectly, cut off the seams (way too much of a hassle to remove the serged seams...) and then went to bed for the night.

Day 3: Finished the pajama pants!

Day 4: Made a darling little skirt/shorts combo. Tutorial to follow soon...

Day 5: I'm hoping to complete another little skirt/shorts combo and begin taking pics for the tutorial. Oh, and I have my Mom's Group all morning, rush to gymnastics, home for baby's nap, then off to the dance recital dress rehearsal, then dinner, then collapse on the couch out of pure exhaustion... Oh and I must get to the dry cleaners today as well.

At some point this week I completed these as well. They were started long ago...

 

Pant from this tutorial. I cropped them because they were getting too short, added the side slit and the button for detail.

Skirt using my A-Line skirt tutorial, plus the ruffle.

On a completely unrelated note, do any of you mac users have Aperture? I started using it for storing my photos and the color is absolutely perfect on Aperture and when I import it into my blog it looks awful. I'm sure brother Google will have some answers for me if you don't...

Kid's clothes challenge week

Elsie Marley's Kid's Clothes Challenge Week started yesterday. Her to do list this week is, shall we say, impressive. I'm going to participate but I'd just like to be able to make a few sets of pajamas.

Of course, none of my to do lists would be complete if I didn't do something not on the to do list before starting anything on the list.

So I made these.

Super simple. Just pants using this tutorial with a little ruffle added.

  

Ducklings!

We participated in the Duckling Parade in Boston today. Oh my goodness. What is cuter than a whole bunch of ducklings following the Make Way For Duckling path to the Public Gardens? Well, this is.

That's right, 3 of the cutest ducklings showing off their feathers. 

Or hugging sisters.

Or maybe this.

It was so much fun making the duckling costumes. The little one is made from a cotton knit. The top is smocked as well as the very bottom. The ruffled bum used as much fabric as the entire dress. It was worth it. So cute.

 

The costume on my oldest, with the other ruffle bum, is made from a costume fake suede. I used this tutorial for the romper. I added 4 layers of ruffles on the bum. She wore a tutu under the romper to add volume.

 

The costume on my middle daughter is what the girls call the "fancy duckling." The dress fabric is a costume satin. The ruffles are chiffon. The dress is loosely inspired by this tutorial. There are yards and yards of ruffles that circle the dress. The bottom has elastic to give it shape. She is also wearing a tutu under the dress to give it volume.

 So, how about those ducklings?

  

When pattern editors don't do their job

My girls needed shorts so they picked out some cute striped seersucker fabric at JoAnn's the other day. I debated about whether to make my own pattern or not but then decided to whipped up the shorts in Simplicity pattern 2711. Without thinking much I just followed the directions and sewed them together. Then I tried them on my daughter and noticed they looked weird. The stripes were all funky and it was a bit tight in the upper thighs and bell shaped in the lower thigh. The rise fit funny. I was about to toss the pattern in the garbage when I looked at the instructions. Sure enough, they instructed me to sew the rise up as the leg holes. It doesn't work so well that way. Pattern Review only has one review of someone sewing these shorts and they mentioned the pants were cut odd and the waist didn't fit well. I think I've solved the issue...

See what I mean? Awful. Thankfully I had bought enough fabric to still make two pairs of shorts sewn up the correct way. (The older girls both wanted the same shorts...)

Much better.

Now they fit well.

The only modification I made to these shorts was to lengthen them just an inch. With hot slides and swings, long shorts are a necessity.

Have you encountered patterns that tell you to sew them up incorrectly?     

The BEST girls' dress tutorials

Summer is nearly upon us. It is dress season. I don't know about your girls, but my girls absolutely love dresses. That's a good thing, because I love to make dresses

There are a TON of little girl's dress tutorials out there in blog land. I've taken the liberty of narrowing it down to just my favorite dozen. I hope you enjoy these as much as I do. Of course you will. They are cute, and free! And I really can't say enough about these. They all deserve you to click through and at least look at them! So much variety in style, color and design.

Ruffle Peasant Dress by TaDa Creations

Shirred Top or Dress by TaDa Creations

Sweet Shirred Summer Dress by Prudent Baby

Reversible Girl's Pinafore Dress by Stuff I Live For

Popover Sundress by Oliver & S

Last Minute Frock by Grosgrain Fabulous

J-Crew-y Ruffle Dress by KoJo Designs

Another Ruffly J-Crew-y Dress by KoJo Designs

Fairy Romper by Samster Mommy

"In The Garden" Shirred Twirly Dress by From An Igloo

Wrap Dress by Tiny Happy

Bubble Dress by Made By Lex

So what do you think of this list?

This list Works For Me. Do you have any favorite dress tutorials that I haven't included? I'd love to hear about them!

5 and sassy

My oldest daughter turned 5 last week. I think it is a requirement of 5 year old girls to have some sort of sassy edge to them. Of course, she isn't always sassy. Like the night a few days before her birthday when she cried because she didn't want to get older. 

But then there are days like this. Days when I'm trying to get a decent picture and this is the best I can get.

Wow. How old is she? 13? 

She is a girly girl. I'm not sure where she got it. I'm pretty sure nobody would ever say I'm a girly girl. Okay, I do wear the occasional pink sweater or shirt, but the point is that she is an individual. This is the birthday shirt she insisted on. The one I had in my shop wasn't "pretty enough" for her tastes. Then there are the matching pink pants with the pink ruffle down the side. I have to say that they were actually painful to make because they are so far from my style. But, she loves them so they are a success. They are definitely girly and pink! 

>

& Blue Cricket Designs

The kindergarten countdown

My baby will begin kindergarten this fall. Okay, my oldest baby, but she's still my baby. To the average person that is months and months away. To me, that is SO soon! There is so much to do! So many outfits to sew. I'm no LiEr so I have to start early. As a side note, did you notice she sewed 18 items of clothing and a backpack last week? Okay, someone get that lady a nap.

I'm thinking of making a few pieces really great (in my head) pieces. This is what I'm thinking so far.

This is from one of my Japanese sewing books. I just so happen to have some fabric that is nearly identical to the one in the photo. Lucky me!

And I'm going to attempt some pants as well. I have lots of different options for corduroy and bottom weights and denim. We'll just have to see what I come up with!

I've been collecting catalog photos of little items I love. I love this dress from Mini Boden. I'm thinking this fabric would look awesome as this dress. Of course, it will need to be lined. And I'm thinking a green or navy ribbon around the middle would be awesome. 

And these pieces caught my eye too. No fabric for inspiration yet though.

Of course, I have a bunch of other ideas and inspiration I'm tossing around in my head. I have a bunch of knit I want to do something with. 

I know a lot of you sew to be frugal. I wouldn't say that was my intention. I just love it. I'm not thinking I'll save money (because if you count the cost of my machines, really, who am I kidding?). And, my kids like wearing things I've made. Icing on the cake.  

So, let's start the countdown: 6 months, 0 items sewn.
  

When laundry piles up...

It's been one of those weeks. Between the girls being sick and me not feeling well, the house has suffered. Please don't stop by unannounced. I'll need at least 5 hours to prep. 

The girls were running a little low on underwear so, naturally, I avoided doing laundry by making them some. I love them. They are so cute. And super cute on. Don't you think?

It's probably obvious, but I don't put pictures of my actual children in their underwear online (because Google is forever). So you'll have to just check out penguin in his new skivies. I used a pattern in one of my Japanese sewing books. I love them, by the way. The Japanese books that is. They were intimidating at first but the good ones have such great photo instructions that you don't really miss much if you can't read Japanese. They aren't for beginners but if you know your way around a machine I say go for it. I finished the edges with fold over elastic. Super easy. Way easier than doing a load of laundry, drying it and folding it. Or maybe that's just me...

And while I was uploading this picture to my computer I discovered this one on the camera.

Her sisters nicknamed her "Cheese". I can see it.

P.S. My birthday is next week.

 

 
 

The Robot Dress: nearing completion

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The dress I'm making for the Clothing Sew Along is nearly complete. Well, Monday's lesson portion at least.

I found this fabric a few months back at JoAnn's and it just jumped out at me. My 3 year old loves robots. And what little girl doesn't? Okay, maybe just mine.

The pattern is See & Sew B5063. It is reminding me that patterns labeled as "Yes! It's easy" can often be confusing. I'm glad I've done a few patterns like this before because it doesn't explain the steps very well. It is giving me many things to explain in Monday's lesson! 

If you clicked through to the pattern, you'll notice I've mixed things up a bit.

Most obviously, I added sleeves. It's winter after all. I plan to post my sleeve pattern next week if all goes as planned. I know several of you asked for it. The next obvious change is that I used a different fabric for the bodice than the skirt. The bodice is a denim. I'm liking the denim/robot combo. I also top stitched the pleat in the skirt. An easy way to make the pleat stand out. More on that Monday.

I can't wait to hem it and pop in the zipper!   

For more sewing inspiration check out Sew & Tell!