Mummy's Little Ego Boost

She dragged one shirt off the laundry pile and the other off my pile of mat clothes I need a second box for. She carried them around all morning. The green one she wore for a while, but the pink one's her favorite. She flings it over her head and tries to wear it like a cape. And she carried it into the car like Linus, dragging it along the walkway as she went.

Not such a bad idea, I guess, to make her a dress out of my shirt. I should finish that some time. Way to boost Mummy's ego, Mary! Keep up the good work.

Mary's new dress

Just like Mummy?

This shirt shrunk on me! It did! So I'm trying out the instructions on Craftster for converting it into a dress for Mary. I was going to make a few original modifications, but in the end decided to go with the original instructions because for THIS particular shirt it will work better - there will be matching pants, too, if all goes well.

So far, I've cut it apart. Actually, I took the seam ripper to it all - collar, sleeves, shoulders, and sides. It's stalled at the moment, waiting for a good time to continue working on it. So far I've got the dress form cut and sewn back together. I need to do a rolled hem on the arms, hem up the front, and do the arm straps. Then it's on to the matching pants (capris really). I'll do a slightly different version with the next shirt. The deal with ladies shirts, at least size medium, is that you can't get any larger than a 3T.

In other news, I finally found a decent thrift store that sells things for thrift store prices. It's tiny and crowded, but Mary had fun exploring and playing with the toys and losing me periodically (eventually she figured out how to find me on her own) and Thomas sat nicely in his carseat at the front the entire time, entertaining the older ladies who ran the place. I mostly got books, but I also found green bias tape for 25 cents, a zipper for 25 cents, and another pillowcase and sheet to match the pillowcase I already have. It's a classic white with pink roses that everyone seems to have, from the 60s or 70s or some such. I had it as a kid and long since got rid of everything except, apparently, the one pillowcase. I've had that ear-marked as a pillowcase dress for Mary. Not sure what to do with the rest. Possibly a cheesy dress or skirt for myself! Also got a nice piece of Chinese brocade for 25 cents, and hoping there's enough for a skirt for Mary. If not, a throw pillow.

a shark tale

I swiped this idea off someone local on craigslist, and some etsy sellers have them as well. Of course I forgot to take a before picture, but it was simply a grey hoodie from Old Navy, size 12-18m.

The finished product:


I got a small amount of white fleece, and probably should have gone for the slightly more expensive version. This stuff was too fuzzy and stretchy. Anyway, I measured my hood (about 20 inches) and laid out my shark's teeth on the fabric. I made my markings on the fuzziest ("right") side as my plan was to have the flatter side show.

So fold your fleece in half and mark off your teeth for cutting:


Mine were two inches wide at the bottom, so 10 teeth total.


Here it is all cut. I didn't leave enough seem allowance on the bottom. You need at least a half inch, maybe and inch. You can always trim it later. You don't need much seam allowance for the teeth themselves.


I found I could sew really close to the edge of the fleece without screwing up. This picture shows all the teeth sewn together, and I've started turning the teeth inside out, to the side I want showing (I'm technically using the "wrong" side of the fleece to show, on purpose). Before you turn them inside out, trim the tips off (without getting the stitching!). I also used a pair of blunt scissors to get the tips fully pointed.

Next, pin your teeth to the inside of the hood, right close to the edge. This is where your seam allowance comes in handy. One side of my teeth had a decent amount, the other side not nearly enough. Oh well - next time. Put your pins through the hood first - easier to pull out as you sew.

Sew close to the edge of the hood.

This project was super easy. No "action shot" as the hoodie is too small for the girl and too big yet for the boy. You could try it with a single layer of fleece, but I don't think it would hold up well.

Pay It Forward

Inspired by Petchy's blog, I would like to Pay It Forward. Here is the pledge:

"I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog."

If you would like to take part, all you have to do is leave a comment to this post, stating you would like to Pay it Forward - then make the same promise on your own blog - or perhaps a web forum if you don't have a blog, or just a general promise. And then some time in the next year you will receive your gift. If you are sending to crafty recipients, encourage them to "pay it forward" as well.

Bloomin' Panties

If you really want to impress, you'll need some matching panties (okay, okay - bloomers!) for your pillowcase dress.

I thought this would be super hard, but it wasn't.

I took the simplest pair of her shorts I could find and folded them in half to trace a pattern. Unfortunately, I had no idea last year how big my kid would grow, and I'm pretty sure these won't fit. Plus they're knit material and meant to stretch. So I added a bunch of space all around.



Then I forgot about the extra space I'd need at the top when I folded over the elastic casing and added some... that's the scrap of paper pinned up there. Did I mention I'm using the flat sheet that matches that pillowcase? I am. I'm also using the hemmed edge of the sheet at the bottom of the panties/bloomers/shorts. Fold the sheet over so you have two layers, and place the long edge of your traced pattern on the folded edge of the sheet. This will be the side of the bloomers and you won't need a seam there. Remember to cut a seam allowance. I almost forgot this. I also traced around the pattern with one of the kid's discarded pencil crayons so I'd know where the seam allowance started when I took the paper off. Cut two of these pieces.

Then, open up your two pieces and lay them flat together. Looks like this:

Don't forget to pin them together.


Then, sew together the two curved sides. This is the rise of your bloomers. Despite what I thought was over-estimating my kid's size, I could have given them an even bigger rise. I'm not sure if this should be at the top or a bigger curved part. Anyone with more experience know the answer?

Now that you've got the rise together, open up your bloomers and re-lay them out so that they look like shorts, with the seam in the front and back. Pin together the legs...


Hold them flat like this...


And sew straight across. When you're done, you can turn your creation right side out to get a look at it:

Shorts! I've got a hemmed edge at the bottom already because I used the hemmed edge of the sheet. But turn them inside out again, because you're not done.

Now you've got to sew the elastic casing. Fold over the top rough edge of your shorts about a quarter inch and iron it flat. Then fold it over again an inch or so (or less if you're confident) and iron again. Or don't iron, but it's easier if you iron. Then, I figured feeding the elastic all the way through would be a pain in the ass, so I tucked it up in there like this:

All the way around. And pinned it there. I didn't cut it off and left the rest of the elastic to dangle while I sewed the casing shut. I had previously measured the kid's waist (about 20 inches I think?). So once the casing was sewn I fixed the end of the elastic inside and pulled my long end to the appropriate waist measurement. I cut it a bit long on purpose:

So I can let it out later. You could also use a button and the elastic with the holes in it to achieve and adjustable waist if you wanted to be really fancy. I just sewed the elastic in and tucked the excess in beside it. Clear as mud, right? More experienced (or brave) sewers could also sew the elastic right onto the fabric, but that scares me.

You *could* be done here and you'd just have a pair of shorts:

Because you used the hemmed edge of the the sheet for the bottoms of the legs:


But if you didn't use the hemmed edge of the sheet, or you want elastic legs like me, you can sew casings with elastics inside just like the waist and get proper panties ("bloomers").


And that's it! Here's the finished outfit (unless I decide to try a hat, too)


On the live model:


Question for more experienced sewers... I realize I probably made a bunch of rookie mistakes, or gave myself unnecessary work. But what could I have done differently to make the crotch more reinforced? And how can I improve the rise - make it taller, or deeper? Or both?

Pillowcase Dress - how I did it

There are instructions out there from more experienced sewers than I. I include the photos mainly for my own purposes, to show off to family that I DID do it all by myself, an maybe also to show other newbies that they can do it too.

First, compile your materials:

Okay, it's missing the elastic and the thread. But that's it - an old pillowcase and two straps that came from a pair of pants and matching skirt. I'll use those for shoulder straps and trim.

Then, measure your child from shoulder to knee, or wherever you want the dress to fall. Add an inch or so. Cut off the closed end of your pillowcase leaving your dress length left. I am not explaining this well. The open end of the pillowcase will be the bottom of your dress.

Cut arm holes from the cut end and fold over the neck line twice - once a quarter inch, then again a full inch or so. This hides the rough edge and forms a casing for the elastic.

I really did the arm holes way too big, but I mostly guessed and there is plenty of room to grow.

I'm missing some photos from the process, but I believe I fed through 6.5 inches of elastic in the casing and sewed down both ends. Then, I spent forever trying to figure out how to sew a casing on the arm holes. I could have used bias tape but I didn't have any, and ironing sucks so I wasn't going to make some. Eventually, I decided to try a rolled hem.

And I did it! Both sides.

Now, when your toddler wakes from her nap, give her some pencil crayons and flip your cardboard measuring board thingy over and let her have at it. You can use those pencil crayons later.


Don't forget her brother:


Now, most people use long ribbons and bows for the straps, but that seemed like it was just asking for a certain toddler to constantly pull the bows out and strip naked so I decided fixed straps were a better choice. I wanted to leave some excess in case I wanted to make them bigger later.


Then I noticed some worn holes at the hem, so I attached the rest of the brown straps all the way around the hem.


And I was done! Except then I tried it on the kid.

Obviously too big. So I shortened them up and created a loop at the front. They're still fastened with hidden safety pins and I might leave it that way - easier to let out some length later.

Et voila!

Not a helpful helper

Thomas was a good boy yesterday and mostly slept when I needed him to and did also spend some time sitting in his Bumbo helping me sew. Tonight... not so much. Instead, he decided I needed to either breastfeed him or pat him on the back for three straight hours. So where I could have finished the bloomers at 8:30, here it is 11:30 and I've just finished. Brat.

I spent about 45 minutes I think examining several pairs of Mary's shorts to figure out the construction and draw my own little (lame) pattern. Cutting took a while, too. Dull scissors combined with inexperience. This was earlier today, during "naptime" (Thomas didn't agree). I got as far as sewing the basics together. Then tonight, starting at TEN when he finally fell asleep, I sewed the casings for the elastic waist and legs and fed the elastic through.

They better fit! I'm very proud of my panties.

Will attempt to post photos of the whole process tomorrow, as well as the finished product on my model.

Panties

Okay, so they're not panties. Most people call them bloomers or diaper covers. Those matching butt covers that go under little girls' dresses. But I like to call them panties.

Anyway, after scouring the internet for a free pattern, I gave up. I'm attempting my own. Traced around a pair of shorts she already has, made it bigger, and I'll sew the casings I perfected on the pillowcase dress on the legs and waist and run elastic through those. I need something to completely cover cloth diaper bubble butt. We'll see how this goes. How many other things am I going to want to make with these ugly sheets if I end up wasting a bunch of fabric on prototypes?

Pillowcase Dress

See, if I'd started this blog when I first bought the machine, I wouldn't be making three posts at once.

I'll put up the pictures another time (just in this post - and then this line will disappear).

So I made the girl a pillowcase dress. I think it makes her look like Pebbles Flinstone, which isn't a bad thing when you're 19 months old. As linked above, I mostly followed Jen Leheny's instructions.

Except when I was finished, the arms were WAY too big. Granted, my dress doesn't not have tie straps - I wanted to fix them on - but the arms are so big I wouldn't even need straps. I could just attach the neck opening front to back and it would be fine, but then there wouldn't be room to grow. She could wear this thing for years to come. I could almost where it. I said almost. Instead, I've got the straps pinned for now. They look nice, I think, but the whole dress needs a few more doo-dads to make it extra cute. I've got some little red ribbons somewhere leftover from a Christmas project. Might put those on somehow.

Materials? 95% recycled. I used 13 inches of elastic. Everything else I already had, including the thread (not recycled, but I didn't have to buy it. The dress was an old pillowcase. The straps are from a pair of pants and a coordinating skirt that came with a strap to tie at the waist. The straps always got in the way of the carseat buckles and were a pain to tie, so off they came. Since it was so long, the straps are very short and I had a lot of leftovers. I used them to trim the bottom of the dress and cover up some worn holes I hadn't noticed before.

Final comment on the instructions - I could not for the life of my figure out how to fold and sew an arm casing. Instead, I managed to figure out a rolled hem on my sewing machine. How smart am I?

Big Plans

I always seem to come up with big big plans and never enough time to do them all. Kinda like filling your plate with more food than you can actually eat. I do usually try to eat all those extra mashed potatoes, though.

I have an unsaved list in Word and a bunch of bookmarks. My current interest is reconning - reconstructing old stuff to make it something new. The big fad among the parenting board I belong to is the pillowcase dress. A lot of people seem to miss the point of this dress and buy pretty new fabric, pretty new ribbon, etc. If you're going to do that you may as well make a proper dress - it's almost as easy. I'll have a separate post for my dress, but suffice it to say, I used the ugliest fabric I could find for my first real project.

But it wasn't my FIRST project. Brand new out of the box, once I figured out threading (easy!), I went about making some shit wipers... er... diaper wipes. My mom thinks my term is vulgar. My Grandma laughed. Anyway, I cut some (crooked) squares from an old torn sheet (the one that matches the aforementioned pillowcase), and a fake flannel blanket and sewed them together. And came to my first rookie mistake.

Always remember to put the presser foot down!

I cleared up the rat's nest that created, easy-peasy, and went almost all the way around. Then I turned it inside out (or rather, right side out) and tried to do my topstitch. I'm still having problems getting the corners to feed through the machine, and since diaper wipes are boring to make I gave up quickly.

Anyway, so that's what I've done so far - a pillowcase dress and shit wipers. I also have the fabric to add monster spikes and teeth to some hoodies for the kids. Here's the rest of my list, with links to the inspiration if applicable...

• Clothespin holder
  No inspiration project here. It seems simple enough, and I need something I can hang from the clothesline to keep the toddler from stealing my clothespins.
• Hem curtains
  I've got 4 panels to do. Last time I paid someone to do this they charged $15/panel. Half my machine paid for right here.
• Hem pants
  Got 3 pairs, normally $8/pair
• Diaper wipes
  Check!
• Pull-up diaper
  Must find the instructions I saw once. I consider this my most ambitious project.
• Dad’s shirt dress/pants
  I've seen two versions: at craftster and etsy
• Apron
  Too many inspiration examples to list them all, but there are some sexy apron crafters out there! I do really like this one, and might try a full length version of it.
• “mama belt”
  That's what I'm calling it anyway. It will be my own design, though I'm basing it on a shoulder heating pad my mom gave me and I started using on my back and belly when pregnant.
• Dad’s jeans overalls
  As cute as the dress: this blogger created them
• Dinosaur/monster/shark/devil/dog hoodie
  Seen a few examples, but Mary's becoming a pink monster and Thomas is going to be a shark.
• baby hats
  To practice following sewing patterns
• a rag doll
  because they're cute!
• a stuffed dog
  because we have 5, because I bought a pattern, and because the pattern looks like a Scottie dog and my Grandma loves them

So I Bought a Sewing Machine

My mom tried to teach me to sew. I took Home Ec for a few weeks in Junior High... 15 years ago. It never stuck, and I didn't have a machine anyway. But then I started watching HGTV and seeing all those neato projects. Then I realized that, living away from home, I had to shell out $8 every time I bought a pair of pants because my mom wasn't hemming them for me.

Then I had kids.

Do you have any idea how many neato projects there are for babies and toddlers? For girls? Every time I'd see a new one I'd think "I wish I could sew."

Fed up with that, I finally just did it last Thursday. I told me husband during the day that my Mother's Day present was a sewing machine (unknowingly stealing his thunder, he'd already bought me Sims 2), did some research, and bought what was in my price range... the bare bones Kenmore at Sears. I had some store credit and some money we were given for our anniversary. What's more - our Sears offers free lessons. On a night my husband doesn't work. Sign me up!

There she is. I'm thinking of calling her Suzy. Please also note my mom's old wicker sewing basket and the muse hanging from the ceiling panel. I found her while cleaning up that area to make space for Suzy.