Catch up

O neglected blog.  Amidst two busy months at work and home, I have connected with my creative side when not completely exhausted :)

First, my Kids Clothes Week Challenge from way back at the end of September.  Yes, I was cutting and sewing this back then, although I didn't finish until early October.  I used fabric from my stash - very please with the color combination.  I have been waiting to use the gold fabric, which is an old old Joann's print, for a long time.  I did make a mistake which happens to me a lot these days when I sneak a few minutes of sewing here and there - cut out the fabric upside down.  Fortunately it is not noticeable!





And then there's Halloween... "Super AP" -- found red clothes, belt and favorite boots from AJ's wardrobe. Red felt mask with velcro closure and red felt arm cuff with 'laser' button. Red cotton bath towel made into a cape - perfect for being a super hero every night after the bath, too!




Now the Rose Bush. She was supposed to be an Apple Tree, but this is what happens when your Joann's is temporarily closed and you buy fleece online where they do not label the colors :) So, an improvisation. The pants, top and cape are based on Making Children's Clothes patterns, and the headband I just whipped up. I expect at least the headband, cape and possibly the dress to be worn throughout the winter.

Brown and Teal

Finishing up some summer projects here, well, actually, some early fall wardrobe items for the kiddos. I picked out these fabrics and didn't realize how much the kids outfits would coordinate. Brown and teal.


Another pair of Oliver + S Sandbox pants for AJ, size 3. These are in decor-weight Nigella by Amy Butler. I love the zigzags. I tend to make crazy pants for AJ :)


And a Playdate dress, also Oliver + S, for Coco. I started this dress before going back to work in July, and it sat waiting for sleeves and pockets. I literally had 30 minutes this past week before husband and kids got home, and finished it then. I was astonished. I 'messed up' as usual by rushing to finish. The hem facing is showing, but I decided I liked it better this way, as I like the way the contrasting fabric looks lining the bottom of the dress. I used two fabric designs from the Bryant Park line, and added some dark green buttons I got at a thrift store.

Coco rocked this outfit over the weekend and will wear the 18-24 month size for a while I think.

perpetual party

It seems that we are in perpetual party mode with all the birthday parties these days!  What a life to have all these special kiddos around. 



This weekend was the party for Miles, who looks like he could be AJ's little brother.  He has a crafty mom who has made him a puppet show stage and some puppets, and I wanted to do a puppet as well.  I wanted to make a gingerbread man for some reason... maybe because his mom is also into baking.  With some felt and some fancy ricrac, enter the gingerbread man. 

I made him a '1' shirt with a nice, oversized '1'. 


I made AJ two more pairs of Oliver+S Sandbox pants for the fall wardrobe... this pair is made from some Jessica Levitt Timber design, I just love the little 'helicopters' -- is that what they are called?  This remind me of fall so much and will be a nice transition from summer since they are lightweight.  He has taken to wearing 'day clothes' to bed and night and these pants work really well for that, too.  The other pair (yet to photograph) are in some Joel Dewberry decor fabric.  Very wild.  I like wild pants for little boys!

Late summer sewing

Well these first two are from earlier this summer.  Shorts were made for AJ, and they were 'short' shorts, so I added some more fabric, and I like them even better.  The skirt is the Bo Peep skirt from Anna Maria Horner's Seams To Me.  Still a little big for Coco but soon enough she'll be rocking it.



Bonnets aplenty

This bonnet is another Kingpod pattern -- a gift for Isabelle's first birthday.  I am working on a dress out of these two fabrics for Coco for the fall...



This bonnet is from a 1960's coat and bonnet pattern that my aunt made for my niece when she was little.  I made the bonnet for McKenna's 2nd birthday.  Her mom is a mountain bike racer, so I thought the bicycle fabric was perfect!

home decorating

 

I love adding new art to my home, especially when I can make it myself.  A few choice finds at Michael’s and Marshall’s one sale got me these two memory boxes for the knitted hats and socks/booties each of my children wore the day they were born.  They each have one hanging in their room.  My 15 month old loves pointing to the ‘hat’ and ‘shoes’.

 

 

And I am making an effort to get my paint bag out and hit the canvas!  I have a bunch of artist’s canvas laying around, and after admiring all the beautiful red rock landscapes here in Arizona, I decided to try recreating one.  here is a loose interpretation of Bell Rock in Sedona.  Acrylic.

 

And here is my father’s day present to my husband.  I took profile photographs of the kids, printed them out at high contrast on 8x12 paper, cut out the silhouettes, traced them onto canvas, and then painted them with acrylic.  This is about a 16 x 20 canvas. 

It feels good to make paintings and wall decorations!

Ready to Wear

So July was a bit of a crazy month.  I spent much of it getting ready to go back to work full time as a librarian, after being home for over a year full time taking care of my children.  I had my share of tears about the decision… 

So I had a marathon week of sewing, crafting, and wrapping up some project while the kids started school and I was home BY MYSELF for about a week before work started….  So to start, I had to finish up some projects for one of my best friend’s new baby boy.  I had made the sweater months ago, not knowing the gender.  I have always wanted to make this pattern.  The only issue is that it turned out on the small side, so probably a 0-3 rather than a 0-6 month fit. 

 

Rowan All Seasons Cotton Melange from WEBS

Ribbed Baby Jacket, Special Knits: 22 Gorgeous Handknits for Babies and Toddlers, by Debbie Bliss

Next, I made the little boy some ‘Melman’ pants using my own pattern (my son has some pants in this Michael Miller giraffe prints, and calls them Melman pants after the giraffe from Madagascar…) and a matching initial onesie.

 

 

Next I made two pairs of shorts for Coco, and it is a good thing because she has a skinny waist and these actually fit her there but have lots of room.

  

Oliver + S puppet show shorts, 18-24 month size

Dolce Lilly by Tanya Whelan fabric and some leftover (vintage-ish) light red stretchy cotton

 

 

And I whipped up another ring sling for a friend who is due with a girl in September!  She picked the brown fabric (Circles from TweetTweet by Moda), and I just love how it turned out.  I used the striped fabric (Bamboo from Timber by Jessica Levitt/Windham fabrics) to make her 2.5 year old son his own sling, and then a matching Kingpod bonnet from Amy Karol.  I have a goal to make every little girl I know in Flagstaff one of these as a present.  They make wonderful birthday gifts I think.  I am obsessed!

Smashing smocks

I am still sewing up a storm, and two of my latest creations are a twist on mother/daughter themed clothing...  for me I made the Smashing Smock from Anna Maria Horner's Seams to Me... this was a pretty easy and fun project, took me a few days to finish during naptimes and evenings.  I used fabric purchased on a whim because it was on sale on Sew Mama Sew and I liked the colors several months ago (Gabrielle in rust by Studio e Fabrics), and paired it with an equally loud crazy fabric (Dolce Lilly by Tanya Whelan) I bought from Pink Chalk Fabrics when making a friend's baby sling.  Orange, pink, green, purple: crazy.  Just the way I like it.

I think I need to do a little tweaking to this top, or wait until I stop breastfeeding :) in order for it to fit the way it is intended to, or I just need to keep working on my sewing skills.  Fitting clothes for adults is a lot harder than it is for little children!  I made this top in size medium, based on my measurements, but I think it would have been better a little looser on me.  But if I wear the top backwards (with the button opening in front) it fits pretty great.  And the v-neck opening is more flattering on me I think!  Not bad for the second real item of clothing I've made for myself.

Next, I added the Gabrielle fabric leftovers to the bottom of a knitted tank I made years ago for my son, which my daughter now wears, and is a little short.  Now it will be a funky dress, but probably not for another year since it seems to be more a 2T-3T size. (This photo is pre-hemming!)