Inspiration

I keep talking about how I've been sewing up a storm lately, after another hiatus due to sleepless toddler, but I don't think I've really summarized or shown much.

Pants.



I made ruffle pants for Little Miss e's upcoming 1-year birthday. The ruffle pants are soooooo cute, especially in the tiny sizes! I have been using the Sandi Henderson ruffle pants pattern. Her patterns are incredibly easy to follow and highly detailed and I LOVE them. I was so excited because I think I made this pair in less than an hour and a half. Since it was so simple, I decided to branch out and make a boy version that would be long shorts that have a roll-up-hem option. I stayed up late last night to do this, giddy with excitement. They are adorable.

Now, the sad part.

UNFORTUNATELY, the size 12-18 month does NOT go over my fairly-skinny, 20th-percentile 11-month-old little girl. sigh. I just had my bubble burst. I will either give the beautiful owl pair away or sell them, and now need to make a MUCH larger size for this tiny girl, or else just make a top for her or dress with bloomers. So much for that birthday gift. I'm actually a bit stumped here b/c the waistband comes out about 4 or 5 inches smaller than the elastic length recommended for the same pair of pants. I followed the instructions and did appropriate seaming. Grr. So, there's barely any gathering, and I think they *might* still fit on a skinny newborn, so I'd say they are more like long pants for a newborn and definitely not going to work as capri pants (or long boy shorts).

Dress.


A couple of weeks ago, I found this simple sundress tut for girls. I made this for Miss E and she LOVES it so much that she barely took it off for the first eight days. No joke. I think I spent about 4 hours on that one; a one-day off-and-on sewing project. Made one for the doll to match in about an hour! I will definitely repeat this one. (She has requested one, and soon.)

Blouse.

I bought Lila Tueller's peasant top pattern for me and made one, with alterations, and have started another. Not the same full details and all as the Sandi patterns, but easy enough that I was able to make myself a shirt for the first time ever!

Aprons.


I also used an excellent Sewing for Dummies (yes, I can be a dummy!) apron pattern and realized it was the easiest ever. I enhanced it with an elastic neck strap so it can go off and on easily with no help, and added a pair of ruffles to fancy it up. I added an oven mitt, too, and learned that was pretty easy, too. I whipped up two of the aprons at the same time, one as a gift for a friend and one for Miss E (long-promised in the cute cat and calico flowers fabric). Miss E's has a cute flounce instead of ruffles because we couldn't bear to cover up the cats.

So, that's where I am. Having fun, as I can, and loving these quick-yet-satisfying projects, even the baby pants, though I'm still growling on that, having just come out of giddiness over them. Hope you are having as much fun as me!