Red, White, and Blue Sketchbook Set for Prince C

Rainy days and our Sketchbook outfit pair for the perfect end of summer days. Prince C has been living in his newest sets for the past month so this mama had to sew more up! I have four more tops cut out and waiting on me as well. If you do not own this pattern yet and have boys I highly recommend it! It's been a staple in pattern collection from the begging of my Oliver and S days. One of the very first ones I purchased. You can say I have more than got my money's worth from this one! 

I did switch it up a tiny nit and added a second picket and both pockets with points on the bottom for a different look. I did cut the button placket and the pockets out and the bias as well. I am a sucker for this look. I did also make the collar in two pieces again as I love how nicely they lay and also made the hem with the bias strip as well. I think hemming goes more smoothly this method. 

Here is a closer look at the collar. This is such an easy mod to make so the pattern pieces are already there. 

With all the sets of these that I have made over the years I longer need to pull out the instructions and find it such a relaxing sew. maybe I can start sewing these in my sleep and get a head in my sewing. ;) That would be nice! 

Happy Sewing! 

Sharon 

Pinwheel Tunic Trimmed in Lace

I am back again today with a Pinwheel Tunic from Oliver and S patterns. My daughter requested a few only tops for school this year and the Pinwheel tunic is always a hit with her. I did make this one a wee bit different by using only one fabric for the whole tunic instead of the two and trimmed the flounce in a red lace. I think this would be very lovely with red leggings this autumn as well.   

Just as most the sewing I have done I did make this a size 8 so that it will have plenty of growing room well into next school year. I love ti when all her clothes fit for a long time. She is still wearing a few of her size 5 and 6 this school as well. That is what I love about Oliver and S is the amount of time that she gets for ware out of each garment. 

As always with Oliver and S patterns this was a joy to sew, very relaxing even. I have plans to sew a least two more sets of these on her size along with two more just tunics. I am not sure if you ladies are this way but when I sew a pattern that I thoroughly enjoy I just want to keep sewing them. So much a minimalist wardrobe for Sweet pea! So a warning to you if you have not sewn this pattern it that it is very habit forming as well as the the other O+S ones. ha! 

There is nothing more satisfying of this pattern than that of sewing the flounce onto the bodice portion. I love the no gathering but the point makes it look so professional. Without needing gathering this tunic went together very quickly too. It's a great pattern to sew when you need something in hurry! 

I did also modify the back and added a button loop. I used the button loop pattern piece from the Ice Cream dress as Sweet pea prefers this to the ties. She still just adores her buttons! This one is from Great grandma. 

I also love how this style looks great on the wee ones but also looks great on an older girl. It transitions form age very nicely, I see us using this pattern clear up till she out grows the size range. 

I am back to cutting out Prince C Sketchbook tops!

Happy Sewing, 

Sharon 

Class Picnic for the First Day of School

I am late posting this as school started this past Thursday but better late than never right?? I have been busy sewing away that I have not taken time to post the past few things I have sewn. (I am in the middle of Price C sewing love and enjoying every minute!) Sweet pea chose the Ruffled Class Picnic outfit for this special first day. She said she loves the top and shorts the same but I am very sure that the ruffles shorts is her favorite garment I made her this school year. 

Top and shorts are both a size 8, Sarah measures in between ad size 6 and 7 but I wanted for her to be able to wear this outfit for a while so I went with the 8. I had for gotten how much I love this pattern that I did make 3 tops. I still feel the need to make a few more, a girl cannot have too many of the Class Picnic tops right??!!

The short s are ala Beachmom from the Oliver and S group. Her shorts are what sold me on this pattern years ago. I used a chambray and a rolled hem on the ruffle. These really were pretty fast to sew to my surprise. I thought that with all the ruffles it would take a while. I also the added length the ruffle make as well. The top sewn up like a dream, I love how fast this whole pattern is to make, maybe as why I want to sew more tops up! 

More back to school sewing to come!

Sharon 

Air-mail Sketchbook Set

With school starting today for all the children I am sharing Prince C's first day of school outfit. Today marked the first day of homeschooling for him and he will start PreK on Monday, well Tuesday with the solar eclipse so we can all watch it as a family together.  The three youngest have been reading up on it and are excited to see the "show" on Monday. With this we start the new school year for Prince C! 

I am finally sewing him a size 4, the last size in this envelope! I started to sew this pattern for him long before her was born. It was one of the first patterns I purchased to sew for him. While the size 4 is roomy it was emotional to to cut and sew this size. 

Well after 50 some Sketchbook tops I can say I have learned a few tricks and no longer need to pull out the pattern's instructions any more. My favorite one is to use a bias to hem the bottom of the shirt. The bias makes it easier finish the hem and is also a great way to add fun fabric to the inside of any of shirts. I like the clean look it gives as well. The shorts are even quicker to sew with a 1/2 hour sewing time now. The Sketchbook shorts are his favorite ones to wear at the moment. He has four but I think we need to make just a few more. 

I really do use much fun fabric for his tops so I deiced this year to make him as many as I can. This was the first one in the Kinder-line for him. I have a Sarah Jane Firefly one cut and waiting as type, plus an Illinois College one in both long sleeve and short sleeve as well. I love the many looks for this pattern as it can be dressed up or down. 

Get  a good look at this face, he is not a baby anymore!! Very Princely though as he has always been. 

He is the most full of life child I have. he is rarely in a bad mood and everyone is a friend for life once he meets you. I know this school year will hold many new things for him. 

He is also my biggest ham too! (He just learned to make duck lips.)

"mmmwwwwaaaaa" Love Prince C!" 

Happy Sewing, 

Sharon 

Wee Wander Picnic Blouse and Shorts

I am back with more adventures in back to school sewing!! Today I am sharing a Class Picnic set from Oliver and S that I sewn the other day. It's from Sarah Jane's Wee Wander line paired with twill shorts.I think the line is perfect for back to school as she wanders to new places and learns new things! 

I made her a size 8, which is than what she wears, I am hoping for two years out of her outfits as previous years. Fingers crossed! I was able to cut the top out of one yard of fabric which happened with a careful pattern layout with no left over fabric. I made my daughter three of these so far but I can promise there will be more. The shorts was cut from a yard of Fabric Finders Twill. Even more amazing was I cut a pair of size 4 Sketchbook shorts from the very same one yard of twill! yes two pairs of shorts with one yard of fabric!! It took some fancy laying out but I made it work. 

I added lace trim the the front yoke. A friend gave me the tip of adding so her child and husband could tell the front from the back, clever idea. I did forget to add this to the first I sewn up. (More to come on that later this week!) I had mom brain going that day. Well, my husband and I were cleaning out the basement getting ready to finish up whole basement in a remodel. Which means an even better sewing studio! You know I am excited for that! 

My little Wee Wander is ready for her next big adventure, Second Grade!! 

Happy Sewing!!

Sharon 

Roses for Stella

I am back again this week!!! I have been on a sewing roll, which seems like has not been in forever. Sweet Pea will be one lovely dressed little girl this year. (Next up will be Prince C in all his wonderful mama made clothes.) Today I am sharing another Izzy and Ivy Stella dress. This one is so sweet and fun to make that I couldn't resist making two, well a third one is cut with a fourth on in the works as well. I love the classic little girl look of this style and the easy of sewing it. It was very relaxing to make. I can see why I want to make a few more. I did change the skirt up on this one though. I made the skirt in one panel and added a hem band to that. I also shorten the length as well. This pattern is a paper but I have herd it will become a PDF later on this year. 

I did make this one a size bigger than she measures to insure that it fits nicely for the entire school year. I am hoping well into next school year as well. I narrowed sown the sash waist band on this one to add lace and ribbon. My girly girl just loves the sash on this one! Plus it is her favorite colors and flower. We won the fabric for this dress in a sew along on Izzy and Ivy Facebook group. The sew along was a lot fun!! I will need to share the three dress I made then. Yep three. Somehow I just cannot sew one of an Izzy and Ivy pattern.  Also noticed the new hair cut and newly pierced ears?? My baby girl is defiantly grown so much this summer. 

The peasant style makes this an easy dress for Sweet pea to put on herself and she loves the comfy fit with the dressy look as well. 

See our new butterfly earrings?? She really surprised us in wanting to have them done. She is now ready to take her daddy our earring shopping. Typical girl. ha! 

Happy Back to school sewing ladies!

Sharon 

Birdie Birthday Party Dress

This Birthday Party dress (pattern from Oliver and S) was the first one sewn of the summer season. The fabric was sent from Great-grandma, making this a very special. It's hard to believe I have made this dress in a few years and she is now one size away from outgrowing this pattern altogether. I plan to sew many of these before that happens!  On this one I pleated the top but left the bottom alone for an easy to wear and wash dress for the hot season. 

Sweet Pea picked out a button that Great-grandma sent a few years ago to complete this dress. She loves the heart on the button tab and tells me so every time she wears it. This dress was made a few sizes bigger so it fits longer and can be layered over the winter months. I love being able to have many seasons out of a garment I make for my children. Over all this was a very pleasing pattern pattern to sew. I have a smocked one in the works, as long as I can sit still to smock it will be done! It is planned for our first day back to school dress. 

Here is to the last few weeks of summer break!! 

Happy Sewing!

Sharon 

A Quilt Made With Love

Earlier this year I made a quilt for my husband's wonderful cousin and her sweet husband. Both are very special people in our lives and we are so thankful to know both of them. This quilt is the largest one I have made to date, also the first one I didn't quilt myself but sent out to be quilted. It is a little larger than a queen size so perfect for curling up on the cold chilly nights to keep you cozy. 

I didn't use a pattern on this quilt but made it Jelly roll style off a design that I have seen on Facebook. I couldn't find the pattern but it didn't slow me down! I am very thrilled on how this one turned out. 

The binding I used a stripped, my favorite way to finish a quilt. This has to be my favorite quilt I have sewn, so much love went into this one, how could it not? When I finished this quilt our cousin's husband was very sick with cancer and now has left this world to be in a better place where he no longer hurts. I know many miss him dearly, as we do as well. This also made this the hardest quilt to finish as well. Lots of tears. Also as why I have not bogged about it until now but I did want to share as it is o the best quilt I have made. 

Here is the back side, the lady who quilted it did a lovely job that I could not be happier with. Both of them love their quilt and it is still with her. I have plans to pick quilting back up this fall as I have several started. Too many started that need finished! Well we shall see. 

Sharon 

An Emory for Sweet pea and Her Doll, Tutorial On How to Make the Doll Version

Last week we were over on Izzy and Ivy Designs blog with a guest tutorial on how to make a doll size Emory and how o add a button placket to the Girl size Emory.  Head on over to their blog to read more about these lovely dress!!

Izzy and Ivy Designs 

Until Next time, 

Happy Sewing!! 

Sharon 

Izzy and Ivy Stella Dress, The Queen of Hearts

Today was school registration day for the three youngest so Sweet pea was able to wear one of her new dresses over to school. (Prince C wore his smore Sketchbook shirt with navy shorts). She chose her favorite Stella, her Queen of hearts Alice in Wonderland version. I am nuts over the new versions of the Alice in Wonderland movies. It's many the costumes. I would love to try and sew many of the wardrobe up but settled for this dress for now. ;) 

The pattern is the Stella from Izzy and Ivy with a skirt mod I made to it after seeing all of Jessica's dress. The wonderful part about this pattern is that each fabric I had only one yard of it and made this with a few left over scraps to go into my Children's Library quilt blocks. (A year long sew along I am in, I will share that here soon as I catch up!!) The funny thing about this dress is that Sweet pea was not sold on the fabric choice until the dress was done. She sure has a mind of her now! 

We both love the fit of the Stella. She said it is very comfortable and pretty. I made two already and have plans for at least two more for this autumn to be made. One will be shirt with a few mods made to it. I will share a tutorial when I have it all made on how to! 

This dress even has a lovely sash for my girly girl. All the gold on both dress fabrics and hem band/sashing is metallic. Perfect for the Queen of Hearts. 

I still cannot believe that this little girl will be starting second grade here within the month. The years have flow by and I am sure they will not slow down any time soon. I will try to hold on to her a little more tightly and savor the time. 

You can find the Stella pattern over on the Izzy and Ivy Etsy shop here. I highly recommend all of her patterns! 

Happy Sewing!

Sharon