Running With Scissors

girls clothing

Peek-a-boo Swim Suit

4:00 AM

girls clothing

Ikat Toddler Dress from Blouse print disaster

2:07 AM

I made a cute little dress for Ellie.

But it was the remedy for a big project fail.

I really liked the colors in this ikat printed chiffon and made myself another simple blouse.

It's the 4th time I've used my little pattern, so I just sewed it up.

I tried on the finished blouse and to my horror realized the unfortunate placement of the print on my chest.

NOOOO!

When I cut it out I didn't think about the print becoming offensive in its placement.

Not only the dark dots, but the white "v" shapes were just in the wrong spot.

A friend saw the photo and called it "tribal boobs".

Another friend suggesting fixing it with a pocket, which would have maybe saved it, but at that point the blouse was already tainted and hacked up too make a toddler dress.

It was such a bummer to put it on and just realize I'd never be comfortable, always wondering if anyone noticed the ikat tribal boobs.

The bummer is I went back to Joann to buy more to remake the blouse and they were out of the fabric.

I had bought in on the clearance rack so I wasn't surprised, but I'd been really excited about the blouse and was going to make a camel colored skirt to go with it.

SO now it's a little dress for Ellie.

I just cut a simple neckline with little cap sleeves.

The lining was used to finish the neck and sleeve opening so I wouldn't have to hem them, as it would have been a pain with chiffon.

The construction to use the lining to finish the neck and arms is kind of like putting a vest together, sewing the neck and arms first then the shoulder and side seams last.

For the back closure I used navy satin ribbon as the thin chiffon couldn't support buttons very well.

Usually Ellie doesn't care what she wears, but she really liked this little dress and didn't want to take it off.

The only problem is the static made the lining ride up on her tights so it was just sheer chifffon from the waist down a few times.

I'm thinking in the summer with out tights it won't ride up as much.

Ellie loves candy.

So in the end I'm glad my disappointment turned into something I could still use even though I'd rather have had a blouse for myself. Next time I sew an ikat print I'll be more aware of where shapes are falling!

boys clothing

K.I.D.S guest post: Space Pants

9:29 AM

More Pajamas and curtains from a sheet

11:39 PM

I made some quick pajamas for my niece who's even taller than I am at 6' tall.

For some reason, there are never long pajamas (at least that I've seen).

She's taller but I'm bigger, so I couldn't throw them on to model them however.

I used Anna at Noodlehead's tutorial here.

It has a waistband with elastic and shirring on the back half.

Check out Anna wearing her cute ones from cotton voile.

They have a really cute fit for pajamas.

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The only other sewing I've done lately was to make new curtains for my kids room.

I used a white flat sheet that had striped texture. It was only $2 from the thrift store.

I used the wide decorative cuff that goes at the head of the bed for the bottom of the curtains.

Then just a simple valance to go across the top.

We're putting our house on the market to try to sell next week.

EEK.

So I've been packing up a bunch of things I won't need between now and our move, de-junking, organizing and deep cleaning.

It's been a drag, especially with my kids running around making messes in areas I'm not working on.

Selling our house hasn't even started and it's kind of stressing me out.

So here's my MLS photo of the drapes in the kids room.

I had to pack up half my fabric stash to make the sewing room presentable.

In the process of going through all my fabric there was a shocking mass I'd totally forgotten about.

So now I have a whole stack of inspiration from the forgotten fabric but need to keep cleaning/ organizing, etc.

But here's my question:
What are your methods to store your fabric?

I have the cubbies for smaller pieces 1 yard or less on the wall, but the folded stacks just don't work very well for me.

Like clothes, you only wear what you can see.

I only sew with what I can see and so much got lost in the piles.

So if you have any ideas on how to store fabric that's a few or more yards in size, I could use some tips!

boys clothing

Pajamas from Pillowcase

9:57 AM

about

Thanks and A Mom Memory

12:28 AM

Just a quick post:

First, thanks for all the support I've received on the baby bedtime bag pattern!

I really appreciate all those who have purchased it and hope to see some of your versions in the flickr group so I can check them out!

Next, I also enjoyed all the comments on RJ's sharpie t-shirt.

I'm glad I decided to document it really fast.

As I was reading your nice comments, it reminded me of something my mom did for me when I was little.

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Here's my dad's all time favorite picture of my mom.

I was number three and not born yet, looking at this now makes me realize RJ kind of looks like my oldest brother.

STORY:

So I don't know how old I was, but pretty little.

I drew my family on a paper, and at that time humans to me were circles with arms and legs coming out of the head.

NOTE: I grew up with a "fun" mom.

She'd jump on the trampoline, build snow slides in the front yard, freeze us an ice skating rink over the garden in the winter, and even check us out of school to go see girly movies like Swan Princess and Little Women.

So anyway, this occasion she was impressed with my drawing of our family and decided to put it on a sweatshirt.

Which made me think I was amazing.

baby Jess around age 2

I remember she was using black puff paint (late 80s) on a peach Hanes generic sweatshirt.

The sweatshirt was laying flat on a couch that had brown, blue, grayish huge flower things on it.
Hideous couch looking back. It was the kind of print as a kid I'd stare at and see all sorts of fish or monsters in what I assume were flowers.

Anyway, my memory is standing by her watching her study my drawing, then puff paint the heads with limbs on the sweatshirt for an exact replica in my mind.

I assume it made a lasting memory so young because I was obviously so proud at how clearly awesome I was.
My mom apparently LOVED my drawing of our family so much she was painting it on a sweatshirt!

For her it was mainly a work shirt, but I do remember her wearing it once in a while and again just thinking how great I was.
I was great, and my art was great.

I don't know what happened to that peach sweatshirt, but I wished I'd stolen it from her to have it now!

So pretty much I had an awesome mom and I wish I was more like her.

Hopefully remembering that piece of childhood will help me give my kids more opportunities to feel their creativity is....(and makes them) amazing!