A New Serger!

I am so EXCITED!!!!

My hubby bought me this for Valentines day this year! I just have to wait till it comes, he order it off Internet. I have been wanting this like forever!

I have a dozen projects I am wanting to try. I know what I will be making first. I love this dress from Girl.Inspired. So beautiful! It will probably be Sweet Pea's Easter dress.


Have a very Happy Valentines Day!!!
Sharon

Toddler Kit, an American Girl

 Meet my little American girl! I just finished this new out fit for my Sweet pea. I was going for a Kit look from American Girl dolls. What you think? Pretty cute! The skirt and sweater aren't bad either. ;)

 This is how the sweater started out, just sitting in my closet all lonely. Now it is a beautiful sweater top for my little girl! Not unwanted any more.

 I made three pleats on both sides of the center front of the skirt. It has elastic in the back for a nice comfortable fit. That too and it will fit longer than by adding a zipper in the back.

 A cute little crochet hat with a big green bow to complete the outfit! (And yes Sweet pea still doesn't like hats. I had a hard time getting her to leave it on.)

                                 
 Here is our super model look, she is ready for the runway!

Happy Sewing!
Sharon

Summer Breeze Dress Tutorial

This dress was very similar to the Little black dress, it has a full back and only buttons on the back bodice though. I also made the bodice the shorter as well. Nice and breezy for hotter weather!

You'll need:

about 2 yards fabric

thread

some coordinating fabric

3  1/2" buttons

***Sew in a 3/8" seam allowance unless noted***

 Step 1; We are going to make the pattern first. Trace a shirt or dress top that fits your little girl. (in my case I used a dress the next size up). Be sure to add your seam allowance for sewing! On this dress I made the neck line come down a little bit further in the front. I thought it would be nicer for the warmer weather outside. For the bodice lenght measure down 2" from the bottom of the arm holes, do this for the back bodice as well.

 On the back bodice be sure to add a 1/2" to the center of the back bodice as well  as the 3/8 seam allowance, shown in the picture above.

 Now trace the front bodice so you have two patterns for the front. Take one bodice pattern and trace a angle cut.

 Cut this off. When you cut out this front pieces be sure to add the seam allowance to the place were the two patterns will be sewn together.

Step 2; now cut out 4 of the back bodice, 2 of main fabric and 2 for the lining fabric. Cut out 1 lining fabric for the front bodice and cut out 1 of the bigger bodice for the main fabric and two of the shoulder pieces, adding the 3/8" to where the fabric will be sewn together.

For the skirt. cut one front piece out. for the width doulble the measurement of the bodice bottom width. For the leanght, measure how long you want it to come down, add the top seam allownce (3/8") and them add the bottom hem to that (1 3/4"). For Sweet pea's I made it 17" long.

Repeat same for back two pieces of the skirt, doubleing the measurement of the back bodice.

Cut out the sash pieces, I made this thin for this dress, enough to add a little something but not so much that this wouldn't be a fun play dress. For the fronnt piece cut it same width as fornt bodice x 2". For the tie backs measure fron the side to the center back and them down to the dress. Cut this measurement by 2". Cut 2

Step 3; take the three pieces from the front bodice, pin on the shoulder pieces.  Sew and then press open.

top stitch right above the seam.

repeat step 3 and 4 on the little black dress.

step 4; Sew the back skirt pieces to the front skrt piece. Surge or zig zag the seams. Now pin the two back skirt pieces  together, marking the top 4". The top 4" of the back skirt will remain unsewn. (see picture above)

step 5; press under the bottom of the skirt a 1/4" and then under a 1 1/2" for the bottom hem. stitch.

Step 6; Making a continuous lap. Cut a piece of fabric 1 1/2"x 8" main fabric.

Sorry no pictures, it wouldn't let  me copy them :(

sew a line down both sides of the piece, a 1/4" seam allowance. Now open the piece to the skirt opening, making the skirt opening a straight line and pin the continuous lap matiching the ends even with the open skirt. sewing on the stitching lines of the continuous lap.
press the top of the continuous lap open. now press the top (unsewn sticth line) down at stitch line. now fold over, matching the folded pressed side of the continuous lap to the stitch line where the continuous lap is sewn to the skirt backing. (see picture below) press in place then stitch.

now fold the left side of the continuous lap to the inside back of the opening skirt, press then stitch in place. (see picture below)

follow steps #6 through #7 of the Little Black Dress tute

Be sure to match the edges of the open back of the skirt to the edges of the back bodice.

Step 8; take the middle piece of the sash and one of the ties and pin together, now pin the other tie onto the opposite side of the center sash. Sew both ties onto the sash.

Now take the sash and fold in half with right sides together, pining in place. Sew it together with a 1/4" seam allowance with leaving  a 2 1/2" opening on the center sash for turning. Turn & press. Hand stitch the opening closed

Take the sash and match the seams up to the side seams of the bodice, stitching in place. (see picture above)

                                    
Cut a rectangle 8"x2" piece of fabric, stitch around to close with leaving a small opening for turning. Trim the corners then turn and press. stitch opening closed.

Now take a thread and needle and run it through the center of the rectangle. gently pull the thread tight to gather it up. Wrap the thread around the center to make the bow. stitch in place.

Hand sew the bow onto the left side of the front bodice onto the sash.

Lastly, to mark where the button holes go, mark where you want the top and bottom buttons to go the measure the center between them and mark, making three button holes.

Place the side with the button holes on top to mark where the buttons will go, then sew them on.

That's it! This dress goes together pretty easily and quickly, let me know if you have any questions or problems.

Happy Sewing!!

Sharon

Vintage Dress

 I made Sweet pea this vintage dress that was inspired by this American Girl doll dress. (Sweet pea hasn't been feeling good so the top picture isn't a good one of her but the only picture of the whole dress.) There is pleats on the front of the skirt and then is gathered the rest of the way around.  
                                  
 I sewed a little bow on the front of the bodice between the collar and have a strip of white fabric going around the whole bodice.

 I am happy with the way this dress turned out but I am going to remake the pattern for the collor some. I want the front pleats to come down a bit furhter and the back of the collar to go a little further around the back.

 My princes was finally happy here! :) I am going to make the pattern for this dress and post it on here when I am done. I hope I can figure it out all right.(that is how to post the pattern, lol)
                                  
The back of the dress has white buttons, I just love buttons on a dress. This dress reminds me of my great grandmother. :)

One dress down four to go! I love the dresses from American Girl!

Happy Sewing!
Sharon

Sick in Bed

 This week we have all been sick in bed with the flu. :( The baby came down with it on Friday so we all haven't gotten much sleep. We even missed church today because three of us are still sick. :( I wasn't able to finish the projects I wanted to. I was going to finish a new dress for Sweet pea, I am almost done but not quite. It is inspired by this dress from American Girl. I am making a pattern for this one too, I am thinking about a sew along next month for it. I need to finish birthday invations for my two older sons' party.  I have to finish those up today. I needed to send them out two days ago!

 I did mange to make a sleeping bag for Pickacho (?) and a 100 button shirt my son's 100th day of school. I was going to sew them on but time got me and the buttons were hot glued on. (I know lazy)

 The boys made these really cute Valentines for all their friends. They are made from old broken crayons! I seen these on another blog but can't find were at now. (If it's yours thank you!) The boys had so much fun making these!
                         
 I bought the small silicon heart mold from Wilton. The boys peeled and broke the crayons up, then covered the bottom of the cups with the broken crayons. I baked them at 300 degrees for 10 minutes. I then let them cool completely before we removed them from the molds. That's all there is to it! Easy pesy!!

I hope everyone else had a great week!!
Sharon

A Slice of Summer

 It's cold and rainy outside so what a better way to brighten up the day than to sew up a watermelon dress for this summer! I found the fabric the other clearance down to a price I couldn't pass up. That night as I was sitting on the couch working on birthday party invitations I hit me that this would be a very cute summer dress!
                                 
I used a pattern similar to the black dress, this dress has a shorter bodice to keep Sweet pea cooler this summer.  I made a thinner sash to go around the bottom of the bodice and added a little bow to the front.

 I placed buttons down the bodice back. I love these shinny red buttons!

I am so ready for warmer weather and now so is Sweet pea. :)

Sharon

Inspiration!

I was looking over at Craftiness is not optional and seen this amazing dress!

                  
My first thought was "She did an outstanding job!" My second thought was Sweet pea has to have one!

The dress was taken from the American Girl doll dress for Kit. (I have been wanting to get Sweet pea the same doll since I found out I was having a girl)

So today I went out to the store and bought some fabric to make this dress. I have been thinking about how to make this pattern and am going to draw it up tomorow. (Right now I am making a summer dress pattern, tutorail will be on this coming Turesday) If it comes out the way I am hoping it does I will post a tutorial on it on the following Tuesday. :) I also bought more fabric to remake some of the other dresses from Kit. I post the outfits as I finish them, I am so excited about this up coming projects!!

****Update****
Jess over at Craftiness is not Optional is going to make a tutorial on this dress, I am so excited! Can't wait till then!!
Happy Sewing!!
Sharon