An upcycle and Fall Fun

I had this warm cozy sweater just hanging in my closet for a couple of years just sitting until Friday. That's when I thought to myself what a great dress this would make for Sweet pea for this fall and winter! So it then became...

A nice warm cozy sweater dress! I used the O+S Jump rope dress pattern. It was super easy too! All I did was changes the colloar and left the button placket off. I love this dress in a knit as much as I do in a cotton.  

It is a bit big still but it will fit all winter long. It is a 2T and she is still wearing a 18m. Well she can still wear a 12m in her waist, lol.

This dress is wonderful for fall, great for jumping in.

Even better in fours.

I though I would share some photos of the boys too. All the kids where getting along haveing fun. That doesn't happen very offten. ;)

And what a great bunch they are!

Mr.W had to pick himself a beautiful red leaf off the dogwood tree. It is so lovley this time of year.

Add two and much more fun!

I hope your weekend is as lovley as ours!

Sharon

A gift for Baby

Looking at this little dress makes me miss tiny babies in my home! It is size 0-3m, which now seems so tiny compared to Sweet pea's 18m size. A O+S bubble dress made out of flannel fabric, completely lined with the same fabric, I had on hand here at the house. Complete with a bit of piping around the waist line.

I am a sucker for piping!

I placed the label this time on the back bodice under the blue buttons and the size tag on the inside lining of the skirt so it won't scratch baby's skin. The little one is due this next month so I thought this fabric would be wonderfully warm for the cold first couple months of life. :)

Happy Sewing and have a great weekend!!

Sharon

Raggedy Ann Apron Tutorial

Here is as promised the tutorial for the Raggedy Ann apron! Now I did use a pattern for the dress and bloomers. I used the O+S Family Reunion dress but reworked a tad. I wanted a very nice dress that she could use after the dress up day and this pattern worked out nicely for that. Now onto the tutorial!

These measurements a for a toddler size 18-24 months but it should resize very easily though.

**Cut out the following**

*apron skirt, 12 1/2"x37"

*Arm straps, cut (2) 4"x18" (there will extra length for sizing later on)

*waist band, 3"x19"

*Ties, cut (2) 4"x25"

First angle cut the end of both ties, just the end though leave the end that will be attached to apron straight. 

Next make a rolled hem using a serger, if you don't have a serger you can make a narrow hem but be sure to add the seam allowance to the ties before cutting. Serge all the way around except for the end that will be attached to the skirt.

Now take the apron skirt and press a hem a 1/4" the whole way around. Press under again a 1/4" the whole way around. Now stitch in place. 

Onto the shoulder straps. Fold in half as to make a long narrow tub with the right sides of the fabric together. Stitch in place using a 3/8" seam allowance. Turn and press flat with the seam in the center back of strap. Now edge stitch both sides of the straps. Leave the leanght for now, we will cut them to size in a bit.

Take the waist band fabric and fold in half length ways and stitch using a 1/4" seam allowance. Turn and press with teh seam in the center back. NOw take both ends and fold the raw edges in about 1/2" and press.,**don't stitch yet!!**

Now run a gathering stitch across the top of the skirt 1 1/2"s down form the top edge of the skirt. Make a second gathering stitch 1/2" down for this.

Pin the center of the waist band to the center of the skirt. Now gather up skirt pinning in place as you go. work with the skirt until it is where you like the look of it.

Now onto the ties, taking the raw edge of one ties hand fold it up.

It should look something like this. Make sure that the serge edge of the ties are on the facing to the outside. Take this and place it under the waist band. Pin in place. Repeat with other tie.

This is what it should like after pinning inplace.

For the shoulder straps I placed the apron over her Raggedy Ann dress and found the center of the dress and matched it to the center of the apron. I then found where and how long I needed my straps. I then pinned the straps in place. Also make sure that the front starps are a bit angled for a better fit. 

Everything is now pinned in place. Edge stitch around the entire waist band, stitching over the straps and ties twice as to hold them in a bit better. By edge stitching the waist band it sews everything right into place. That's it, the apron is done!

This is my favorite part, letting my Sweet pea try on her new creation! and oh how I love ruffly, frilly, girly things too!

Great for twirling and bouncing in. :)

And a beautiful full bow in the back, gotta love this too. ;) Enjoy!

Happy Sewing

Sharon

Sweet Pea's Halloween Costume is......

Raggedy Ann!

She looks right at home in all of these Raggedy Ann dolls, all  are here but one of her Raggedy Ann dolls. (it's her favorite one and is only 12" tall but the problem is she never puts it back up, toddlers). Oh and plus here "baby" too. It was so easy to pick out her costume to make this year too! You see all these cute dolls where made by my mom. The one to the left my sister and I used to play with as little girls, oh how we loved that doll! So in honor of my great mom, a living doll! (don't you just find her cute mom?!?)

Sweet pea wasn't in the mood for pictures but I was able to get a few. The dress is the Family Reunion dress pattern for O+S. I added ruffles to the neck line and made it long sleeves with ruffles at the end for a reusable dress all winter long. The apron is my own pattern from a memory of watching  my mom make tons of these dolls growing up. (a tutorial to come!) I think she is still sewing these things in her sleep! And the bloomers are a simple pattern I just made much longer. Easy peasy!

My favorite part of this dress has to be the big bow on the back of her apron. I cut it wide and rolled Serge the raw edges to keep light a flowing! The apron sewn up very quickly too, about 40 minutes in all.

Boy, she loves too! I had to Chase her down twice today just to take her outfit off. She was telling "don't, don't" lol. If she's happy so am I. :)

I couldn't have a post on Raggedy Ann & Andy with out her reading her Raggedy Ann & Andy book. I love the way this dress looks on her by it's self too. I am thinking a 2nd birthday party too???

All in all it brings back wonderful memories!

Happy Sewing

Sharon

Can You Guess What Sweet pea will Be for Halloween?

After a lot of procrastination and then a bit of planing and then a tad side tracked I finally started Sweet pea's costume for this halloween. I am just happy it's not the day before!

 This is the first part of the costume, it is the O+S Family Reunion pattern with some changes made to the dress. The sleeves are long and I added ruffles to the yoke and sleeves. The fabric is from my mom from a few years ago so it is very special so the dress had to be special too. I wanted something she could use now and then after Halloween's too. I just hopes she likes it as much as I do!

 Any guesses on Sweet pea will be??

Sharon

Raining Day Fun

What do you do when it's raining outside? Have super fun lunch!

A rain cloud cheese sandwich and a umbrella apple. And Sweet pea? She loved it!

Well the apple any way. :) But She loved playing with her smiling sandwich though.

It was to rainy to play outside but it stopped in time for the football game.

Sweet pea's new cheer leading outfit, but it was so cold after the rain I had to put jeans onto her too. We were right in front of the mountains and that colder than cold wind was a blowing!

But that didn't stop Sweet pea from dancing for team! My son's team lost this playoff game but they gave it their all and I couldn't be prouder!

So what do love to do on a rainy day?

Sharon

Made My Week!

Remember this dress I tested the pattern for Ellie Inspired? Well she has Sweet pea over on her blog! I can't tell you how excited I was to see my Sweet pea and the smocked dress I made her on Laura's blog! This has made my week! You can go here to see the post.

And to add to this over the top excitement I seen Sweet pea and her dress over at Fairytale Frocks and Lollipops too! Ellie Inspired is their designer of the week. A very exciting week for us. :)  If you haven't seen Ellie Inspired patterns yet you should go check them out here. They are wonderfully written pattern that are easy to follow for any seamstress!

Happy Sewing!!

Sharon

A Cheerleader out!

I made this little outfit yesterday for Sweet pea for her 7yr old brother's playoff game. I only wish I had made it sooner for her because She loves it! I got the idea for this when at the first playoff game the cheerleaders didn't come. (1 1/2hr drive!) That and the cheer leaders outfits are purple and white which don't match the boys black and camo. I didn't make a real cheer leader top because it is the end of the season so I used the hopscotch top so I can use it for all of fall/winter for her.

I used the 2+2 skirt pattern for the bottom. The skirt is pleated but Sweet pea wore them last night and it got wet so it needs pressed. And if you look closely at the skirt you can see bits of cookie on it too,lol. I wasn't able to get any pictures yet of her wearing it because of the game got rained out before it even started. So the game should be tonight as long as the rain holds out this afternoon. (right now it is pouring!!)

I followed the directions for the skirt from start to finish. After that I made a 1" bias strip and added white ribbon to both top and bottom of the bias strip as I sewn it on. Pretty easy to do. Better luck tonight for the boys!

Happy Sewing!!

Sharon