Summer Time Fun Dress, free tutorial!

Isn't this a sweet dress for a toddler in the hot weather?!? I stumbled across this great tutorial over at Sweet Emmelie this past week. ( I can't even tell you how I found it, I love just to look through everyone's blogs at all the great things they are creating!)

This wasn't a photo shot as much as it was a chase, lol. Sweet pea has been on the go when we are outside now. Too much to do I guess. ;)

This was an easy tutorial to follow and the dress was sew (hehe) easy to make! I had the fabric here at the house so it only took me one evening of sewing after the little ones were in bed. If you would like to make one too you can find the tutorial over here

Happy Sewing!

Sharon

Sweet pea's 4th Of July Dress!

Here is Sweet pea's fourth of July dress for this year! I used my Wrap around dress tutorial, you can find it here. I used a Raddy Ann & Andy 4th fabric for her dress, even the sash "belt" is made from the strip from the top border of the fabric.

The only changes I made to this dress was I shorten the front wrap by 2" so that the belt would tie at hte side of her front instead of the back. I left the sash off the dress and made a long 2" belt and sewed it to the dress at both sides and just right before the belt ties into a bow at the side.

The belt goes the whole way around dress, I love the way it adds the little blue strips to red. (here is our new swing set for the kids my hubby put together too!)

We are now getting grass growing in our yard, we are all happy about this! Until this year we haven't been able to get any to grow due to the yard full of tress. (we had them cut down this past spring)

Don't you love it when you plan a dress and it comes out the way you plan it too, I know I do! And to think it was this time last year when I started to sew clothes for my little Sweet pea. I will have to post a picture of my first dress I sewn for her.

I have more of this fabric if anyone would like a dress like this one made up for them.

Happy Sewing!

Sharon

New Lower Prices In Etsy Shop!

                                                                         

I have lowered my prices in My Etsy shop for the summer! Come by and check out these Hot prices!

I will be adding some dresses for the 4th of July Later today too.

If you see something on my blog you like Email me and I can work you a special custom order just for you.

Sharon

A Bit of Oliver + S goodness

Last week when the computer was down I was still busy having a ball sewing! I made theirs Oliver + S music class outfit for Sweet pea. The shirt has pin tucking on it and there is even lined pockets on the skirt!

The skirt and shirt have great detail on them for being so small. I really love the pleats on the bottom of the skirt and there is a pleat on the sleeve.

Over all I love this pattern. It isn't hard to make but I will tell you making the pin tucking took a while, (I didn't have a fabric marker at the house, which would have made it much faster!) but really worth it. 

And here are my dress and bonus top from the sew along this past week. I thought if I was already making a dress I might as well make a blouse too. :)

This classic dress has buttons down the whole back and has this beautiful pin tucking on it too! The hem detail is very nice too.  The pattern explains how to make the pin tucking very well, a must pattern to buy! 

I really love the dress but I am head over heals for the top! I love the way it looks with Sweet pea's jeans. I am going to be making more of these tops for sure!

Happy Sewing and have a great weekend!!

Sharon

Summer Swing Top Sew along, Day 3

Good Morning! We will be finishing our tops up today, a very quick top to make. :) We will start by finishing up our arm holes.

1; Pin the lining fabric and the main fabric toghter around the whole arm hole. Baist both fabrics together sewing as close to the edge as you can.

2; Now take the 1/4" double folded bias tape and open up the bias tape on one folded edge.  Sew the right side of the opened side of the bias tape to the wrong side of the arm hole. (the inside of your top). Start at the bottom of the arm hole, place the bias tape right along the edge of the arm hole and stitch on following the fold line that is on the bias tape around the whole arm hole. When you come to the bottom of the arm hole where you started sew a bit longer than where the bais tape started. Cut of the rest of hte bias tape. Press the seam and bias tape up.

3; Now working on the right side of the swing top, fold the bias tape over the egde of the arm hole, bringing the bias tape from the inside to outside. (fold on this side of the bias tape should still be folded.) Stitch the edge of the bias tape around the entire arm hole.  (see picture below for final arm hole done)

Repeat with other arm hole.

4; Now edge stitch around the whole outer edge of the top starting at one side of the placket and a contnues line to the other side of the placket, but do not sew over the top of the placket.

5; Mark the spots for your button holes next. I placed 3 buttons on the back of mine. First measure down an inch from the top and mark this spot for your firt butoon hole. I then measured down 1  3/4" down and marked this spot for my next button hole and measured again 1 3/4" for my third button hole. If the size you are makeing is biger you will want to add one or 2 buttons more or if the size of the top is smaller you will want to place the buttons closer toghter.  ( I just marked the tops of mine because I have a button hole attachment for my sewing machine, this makes button hole so much easier!!)

Last, just add three small buttons to the front of your placket, and your done!

This top looks great with a pair of little ruffled bloomers under or even a pair of cuffed shorts! You can add a sleeves to this top for a top for fall with a pair of paints under them too. :)

happy Sewing!

Sharon

Summer Swing Top Sew along; Day 2

Good Afternoon ladies! I finally was able to get the photos on here, thank you so much Melissa! Sew here we go onto day 2. :)

1; Take one placket piece and pin the rick rack onto the right side of the placket. (The center of the rick rack will be where the 3/4" seam allowance is at.) Stitch the rick rack in place down the center of the rick rack.

2; Place both plackets together with the right sides facing, pin in place. Stitch together. I pinned the  the placket with the rick rack sew to it on top, that way when you stitch the two plackets together follow the stitch line that is already there. Clip the curve and then turn and press with an iron.

3; Pin the placket into place in the center front of the top. Trim off the extra part of the placket that goes up beyond the top.  Sew the placket onto the top by sewing close to the edge as you can.

4; Take the front of the top and two back pieces and pin along sides up to the bottom of the arm hole. Stitch, then press seams open. Repeat with the lining pieces.

5; Cut a 1" piece of light weight interfacing by the lenght of the back of the top. (the curved part) This is where the button holes will go later. Fuse it onto the main fabric following the package directions.

6;pin the main fabric onto the lining fabric at the neck line and around the entire bottom. The only part not being pinned is the arm holes and the shoulders. Stitch. Clip the curves and turn through the arm holes and press.

7; Now we are going to stitch the shoulders front to the shoulders back. Working on one side take the front and back shoulder pieces and open them up and pin together as shown below. Be sure to match up the center seam.

Stitch, then turn and press with iron. Repeat with other shoulder pieces. This is what we have now, tomorrow we will finish the arm holes up and add our buttons!

Happy Sewing!

Sharon

Can't upload photos!!

I have been trying to up load the photos for the 2nd day of the sew along but blogger won't upload them. What's going on?!? I can pull the photos up but when I click the last button to add them to the post they won't go on the post. Any advice??

Sharon

The Summer SwingTop Sew along; Day 1!

Welcome  to day 1 of Summer top sew along! Sorry that it is a day late but our computer broke and it took a while to get back online. I am sorry to say that after a bit of money that the computer is still not working yet but we bought a new one though. :) The kids will get the old one once it is fix.

This top can also be made reversable being lined!

To maket his top you will need between 1/2 yard to a 1 yard of fabric, depending opon the size you are making

 thread

rick rack, 

very small buttons

1/2" buttons

1/4" doulbe fold bias tape

 I wasn't able to get a pattern done due to the comptuer being broke but I will show you how to make your own pattern! It isn't hard at all I promise. :)

Step 1, take some tissue paper, I bought mine from the dollar store, and a tee shirt that fits your girl in hand. Trace the top of the shirt to the bottom of the arm holes being sure to add a 3/4" seam allowance to the pattern. (see picture below) I mesured from the center point out. This way when the pattern is cut out the pattern will be placed on the center fold of the fabric for a nice even top.

Now figure out how long you want the top by measureing your daughter's from the bottom of the arm hole to where you want the top to come down to. I wanted Sweet pea's 7" long. Measure down that measurement then add the 3/4" seam allowance to this.

I then measured straight across, mark this with a line. Then made a "swoop" by measuring from the center down an 1 1/2". Then draw a swoop line to the side bottom of your pattern.

 Step 2;First mark a 1 1/2" from the dge of the tissue paper with a straight line going down the side. (this will serve as the extra fabric for the button holes and buttons)  Retrace the front on tissue paper with the center mark of the front agaist the line you just drew but make the neck line go up, like in the picture below.

This is what it should look like now.

To make the pretty curved edge on the back bottom of the top take a small round plate and trace the rounded edge of the plate on the inside of the back top.

This is what we have now.

Step 3;

You will need to cut out one main fabric for the front and one lining fabric, (be sure to place the center of the front pattern on the center fold of the fabric!)

For the back cut 2 main fabric and 2 lining fabric out.

Step 4;Now to cut out the placket pieces, take some coordinating fabric and cut out 2 rectangles out 2"x4". (this will be longer than what you will need for the smaller sizes but it can be cut shorter later)

Take a small glass and trace the rounded edge on the bottom of the fabric pieces. Then cut out.

 We are done for day 1! Tomorrow we will start to sew the top togehter!! Let me know if there is any questions.

Sharon