Some Tops for Jane

My girl is about to start kindergarten!  I can't believe it.  She is so ready.  And fortunately for me, she's coming to my school.  We are so excited to go to school together every day.  I might even have her in my art class, as long as she doesn't get the traveling art teacher.  Will she call me mom? Who knows.  The other kids slip up and call me mom all the time anyway, which always makes me giggle.  I decided to make her a few new tops for school.  I like to save larger scraps of fabric from my projects thinking I can make something for Jane.  It's about time I actually got around to it.  The two floral pattern tees are actually recycled from two of my old tees.  And the black and white fabric is a piece I saved specifically to make her something.  Now that I've made these cute tops and have worked out the fit, I need to see what other knit scraps I've saved and make her some more.  Kids clothes are much faster to sew than adult size things. And she's very appreciative at this age.

Pattern Description:  I used McCalls 6947, which is unfortunately out of print now.  I've had it in my pattern stash for a while.  I actually used it last year to make her a dress (the patch pocket variation), so I knew what the fit was like. It's a pattern with lots of options for dresses, tops, and even leggings, which I have not made.

Pattern Sizing:  The pattern is sized 2-5.  I used a size 5.  I made a size 5 last year, too, and it was big then. I figured the five would be a better fit now.  Jane is a pretty standard size 5 in rtw except she is long.  Long though the body. These three tops are still running a teensy bit big in width, but that's a good thing as she'll grow in to them.  I added a bit of length to the bodice from the get-go, maybe a half inch.

Fabric Used:  The two floral fabrics are recycled from two of my tees. Of course I didn't take any 'before' photos.  Do you remember when Uniqlo had the Liberty collection?  I bought three tees then and only ever liked one enough to wear it.   The fit was off on all three.  The fabric, however, was beautiful.  So I saved the two tees with the intention of using the fabric for something.  Jane got a glimpse of the one with the rainbow colors in it and was all about it.  Anything rainbow these days.  Both fabrics are a cotton/viscose blend.  The black and white fabric is a remnant from a rayon knit I bought at Joann's.  I'm pretty sure it was one of their Nicole Miller fabrics.  I wish they'd bring back the Nicole Miller stuff.  It was decent quality compared to the stuff I've seen there lately.

Alterations/Deviations:  I used the bodice and sleeve pieces from view A but the gathered portion is different on all three.  I used the pattern piece as a general guide but the fact that these were all made from smaller pieces of fabric dictated the length and width.  I made the rainbow floral one first.  I used the bottom of the top (it was a swingy tank top) for the gathered portion after I cut the bodice and sleeve.  I really wanted the sleeves on this one so I sacrificed a lot of length.  It ended up very cute, but short.  I added the navy lace trim to give it a bit more length and I think it's my favorite part.  Though she won't be able to wear it much longer before it's a belly shirt.  The pink floral top came from a tee (front was floral and back was that solid oatmeal color). No sleeves so I could get all the length.  I went a little longer on the length so it's more of a tunic.  Both of those don't have all the width due to fabric constraints, so not as much gathering.  The black and white version is the actual length and width of the pattern.  I did a regular tee shirt neck band on all three instead of a binding.

Likes/Dislikes:  I really like all of them and so does Jane.  Of course the rainbow one is her favorite, although she really likes the pink floral one, too.  No dislikes.  The black and white top is a super stretchy fabric, so I bet she can wear it for a couple of years.  All in all, it's a nice, useful pattern.  I actually am sewing her another variation right now from some recycled fabric and have a dress planned if I have time before school starts  She's starting to make requests.  Good thing she's fun to sew for!

A Dress, Some Curtains and a Birthday Eggstravangza

The title says it all!  I've done quite a bit for the girl here lately, so here it is all in one post.  First up is the dress.

Jane had picture day at school a month or so ago.  I decided to make her a dress for the occasion.  I'm so glad I sew.  The pattern is Burda envelope pattern 9362.  I've made a few Burda kids patterns now and I'm always pleased with the fit.  It seems pretty accurate.  I made a size 4, which is what Jane wears in rtw.  The shoulder fit and overall width is just right.  I made the dress, sans ruffle, but with the flutter sleeves.  I love those little flutter sleeves.

  

I used a swiss dot printed with flamingos (flamingoes?) that I found at Joann's.  I had the pink seersucker in the stash from years ago.  This dress is pretty simple but I went a little fancy with the finishing.  I lined the whole thing with white rayon challis I had.  The swiss dot definitely needed a lining.  I wanted to do a two layer skirt with the pink seersucker but was worried it would be too stiff for the gathering at the waist- hence the two piece skirt lining below.  

It's a very cute little pattern.  I plan on making the top version soon with some leftover rayon.  Jane seems pleased with it, too, though she refused to take any serious photos.  These are some of her modeling poses below.  She'll get lots of use out of this dress over the summer.

Next up is a set of curtains I sewed for Jane's room.  She has officially switched over to a big girl room :(  I tried to keep her in that toddler bed as long as I could.  But she's in her big girl bed and loving it.  I made her curtains and some bedding before she was born (see here and here).  The curtain fabric faded like crazy in the sun (we originally didn't have blinds up) so I figured it was time for some new ones.  Also, see birthday party eggstravaganza below-- we went a little nuts doing some home improvement stuff because we knew we'd have lots of guest over for her birthday party. I waffled over different color schemes for her room but ultimately we went with rainbow.  I mean, who doesn't love rainbows?  Jane loves her rainbow curtains and now I don't have to worry about anything matching, so it's a win-win.  I found this fabric on fabric.com and it's just perfect.  Hopefully it doesn't fade too bad.

The curtains are just a simple tab top.  We actually are planning on raising that curtain rod a couple of inches but haven't gotten around to it yet.  I didn't order quite enough fabric for the length we needed so I used a leftover piece of fabric from her baby bedding as a hem facing, which is my favorite part.  I know curtains are a boring sewing project but I like seeing other peoples home decor sewing, so there you go.

I couldn't figure out a good time of day to take a photo so it's little dark.  But for posterity, above is Jane's room somewhat clean right before her birthday party.  Hasn't looked like this since!

Jane's fourth birthday party was great fun.  She is obsessed with these crazy surprise egg videos on YouTube.  I'm not sure what the pull is, but she would watch them over and over again if I let her.  So we decided to have an EGGstravangza birthday party, complete with egg crafts, egg themed food and an egg hunt of course.  It also happened to be the weekend before Easter.

Somebody should have restricted me from Pinterest beforehand.  Pinterest gets full credit for the peep centerpiece and bunny cups.  So much work!  It's funny how a 'little get-together' can turn in to something so crazy.  I'm glad I snapped a pic of the spread before it was eaten up.  Jane helped with a lot of the prep.  She did some of the faces on the bunny cups (my favorite!) and helped set up the craft table and made examples.  It was fun having a helper.  We made an egg scratch board and little bunnies using plastic eggs and pipe cleaners.

I promise there were other kids there but didn't want to post pics without permission, so you just get Jane.  We also made those bunny bags for the egg hunt.  She had a ball.

This girl.  I can't believe she's four!  Everyone told me it goes by fast but I had no idea.  She is just so much fun, uncooperative camera faces and all.

A Ninja Turtle And A Bum Gallbladder

Well hello there!  Long time no see, er... you know what I mean.  I'm alive.  For the most part.  I didn't mean to disappear for so long because I very much enjoy interacting in this space.  But life has been interesting lately.  I actually have been sick.  My gallbladder!  Having a bum gallbladder has been pretty life altering.  I got really sick at the end of July and then missed the entire first month of school while being sick and having all sorts of inconclusive tests done.  Don't you love it when doctors tell you there is nothing wrong with you when there very obviously is? Twenty-two pound weight loss later,  I made an appointment with a surgeon and had my gallbladder out.  I have been recovering ever since (doing much better now).  It was no fun.  I also have completely changed my diet.  I'm eating very carefully and avoiding all sorts of things at the moment.  Which means I have learned to cook.  And I am cooking all the time.  All the time.  It doesn't leave much time for sewing, this making-dinner-from-scratch thing.  I miss it.  Anyway, I'm figuring out how to balance it all.  I recently sat down at my sewing machine after a three month long hiatus and I made this:

Who is this girl?  This is Jane.  She's definitely not Baby Jane anymore.  She has somehow morphed in to this tall, long-legged little girl who love ninja turtles.  She is such a nut.  She wanted to be a ninja turtle for Halloween.  The orange ninja turtle, to be specific.  I could have bought a costume this year but I'm so glad I didn't.  This is my Halloween tradition.  I wish I could explain how I made this little vest/hoodie thing but I made it up as I went along.  I used fleece again.  I think I've used fleece for all of her Halloween costumes so far.  Its so easy to sew a costume with.  Hides mistakes well.  I used the same McCalls hoodie pattern that I used last year for her dinosaur costume.  I had already cut the pattern but had another pattern piece where I could see the size differences.  I cut the longest length (a size 5, I think) and added a little bit of width to the body (which previously was a size 2).  I didn't change the shoulders at all since her dinosaur hoodie still seems to fit her.  I could have used a bit more width in the body but I think that's because of the shell on the back.

The order of construction is what I made up as I went along.  The shell mainly.  I cut two oval-ish shapes for the shell, stitching hexagon-ish shapes on the top piece.  I sewed darts at each 'corner' of the top shell piece to give it more shape.  I sewed the bottom oval to the back hoodie piece first.  I stitched it on as a big oval in the middle.  Then, I sewed the front pieces of the hoodie to the back.  Then I sewed the top of the turtle shell to the bottom shell, pinning the hoodie inside. I left a hole and flipped the whole thing inside out through the hole.  I probably didn't explain that very well but like I said, I was making it up as I went along.  There was a belt in there somewhere, too.  I was pumped it all worked, especially since I was so rusty on the sewing machine.  There is some seriously shoddy sewing on this costume, so don't look too closely.  I lined the whole thing with some thin knit in my stash and added the drawstring to the hoodie.

The shell is stuffed with polyfill.  It  kind reminds me of a backpack.  I should have made it a backpack! Ah well.  Jane was insistent on having me make the orange mask, but then refused to wear it on Halloween.  She wore the hoodie and carried the pizza slice.  The pizza was a last minute idea/addition.  

She has some great girly ninja poses, doesn't she?  She is so funny.  I can't tell you how entertaining it is to have a three year old.  I'm pretty sure she loved her costume and we had a blast trick or treating the the other night.

  

Hope everyone is doing well!  Life seems to be returning to normal but I'm probably going to be absent from this space for a while longer.  At least until I get the hang of this cooking thing.  Ugh, meal planning...  

Being Two (And A Half)

I decided to take Christmas card photos of Jane again this year.  Last year's are still some of my favorites.  So I set up a cute little vignette on the back porch and dressed Jane in her Christmas jumper I made last month.  And this is what I got.

Oh, two year olds (going on threenagers).  They are so wonderfully cooperative, aren't they??  I bribed with everything I had.  But no such luck.  If you could have been a fly on the wall while I was attempting my photo shoot.

Most of the photos are blurry like this.  Never stops moving.

I hope these photos make you laugh as hard as I did as I was going through them.  I took 248 photos trying to get a sweet one.  And I got one sweet one.  One.  So we put the sweet one on the front of our Christmas card this year and a bunch of the hilarious ones on the back.  She's a trip, y'all. And now a quick pattern review of the corduroy jumper I sewed (jumper in the American sense of the word!).  

Pattern Description:  A Burda envelope pattern, 9447.  Three sleeveless dresses with different trim options- bows and hem bands.  I made view C which has a really cute bubble shape with elastic in the hem and gathered patch pockets.  Jane loves the pockets, which you can't see very well in this fabric.  Every time she has worn it, she packs them full of little toys.

Pattern Sizing:  US sizes 2-7.  I made Jane a size 2 even though she is really wearing a 3T in rtw.  I think I probably could have made her a size 3 in this pattern although the shoulder fit is perfect.  It's the tiniest bit short on her but she's tall.

Fabric Used: A very lightweight printed corduroy from fabric.com.  The fabric is adorable and I bought one yard a few months ago with the intention of making Jane something for Christmas.  It was easy to sew.

Sweet, but still blurry!

Alterations/Deviations:  I omitted the zipper at the back and did a keyhole closure instead.  Way easier than putting in a zipper.  But her hair does get caught in the button.  Maybe I need a different button?

Likes/Dislikes:  I really love everything about it.  And Jane likes it, too, but just because of those pockets.  I spent some time sewing those pockets.  Probably more time sewing the pockets than the rest of the dress.  The elastic in the hem is what makes the dress so adorable.  She has worn it quite a few times since I made it already.  I sewed it all in one day right before her picture day at school.

Conclusion: Cute little dress for a preschooler.  I'm filing this pattern away for summer.  I can see making it again, for sure.

Merry Christmas!