Making Plans...

Hi blog friends! I'm still here!

Lots been happenin! First, here's a look at Delilah for the first night in her big girl bed. She's growing up too fast for me....









Nausea and exhaustion from pregnancy have kept me from being creative lately. But I do have one thing to show you, and would like to share some plans for future projects.

First, here is a dress I just finished. This was actually the first dress I made from the Madison pattern by Bonnie Blue that I've made many of since. I think I made the 3t. It has been sitting in my sewing room without buttons for months. I finally sewed on buttons and sewed buttonholes. It's still a little big for Delilah though.











In other news, I did make a new Fall dress. But I can't show you! It was a test of a pattern from Oliver & S that hasn't been released yet. So I can't show it off until they do. All I can tell you is....I LOVE IT! I'll post when I get permission - I think they are released in August.


Now here is a cool fabric that will be featured in our new little one's nursery.








This cool robot fabric is from the I Heart line by Rashida Coleman-Hayes, from Timeless Treasures that I bought at Whipstitch Fabrics. I think it's way cool that the designer is another Atlanta local chick. It's pretty awesome that there are so many cool and talented peeps in our city in the fabric/sewing world.



Now, what to do with the fabric? I have some others too - I'm thinking some fabric storage boxes to put diapers in....perhaps a floor cushion, window treatment. I may even make some cribsheets. I just need some energy...and time.....


Thanks for stopping by!



Janimal

Seashore Sundress Oliver & S Preview!

Greetings! I have something so exciting to share today!

If you have been here before, you know I am a BIG FAN of Oliver and S sewing patterns for children. They are fantastic. Each season I wait with great anticipation the release of their new patterns. I can't wait to get my hands on their new Spring patterns. But guess what?! I got my hands on one EARLY! They sent me the Seashore Sundress pattern early to be a pattern tester!!!

So check it out - my sweet girl modelling her preview sundress!



(Yes, it's a little big. I sewed this and took this photograph in January when it was too cold to wear. Delilah is growing like a weed so I've been making her Spring and Summer wardrobe in sizes that are currently too big in the hopes they'll fit when the sun is shining!)

I have to make a matching hair accessory of some kind. Oh and just picture some sweet little sandals instead of those socks!

Delilah, if you like your new dress raise your hand!!!



Before the patterns are sent off for a final print, they have real life sewists follow the patterns and give feedback from our perspective about how the garments fit on our kids, how the instructions were to follow, etc. How thoughtful of O&S to do this?! This is the kind of quality control that just makes me love them even more! I was PSYCHED to test this pattern. I hope my feedback was helpful.
Honestly, the pattern was easy to follow and I love how it turned out. What great details -- There are little pockets at the ruffled hem for Delilah to store her treasures in!

Delilah wants you to know this would be a good outfit for a supermodel to sport down a runway. Scuse her while she struts it out.



(If you want Delilah to model for you, she says she doesn't get out of her crib for less than $10k)

The fabric is Go By Bike by Erin Morris for Free Spirit in violet. My sweet husband bought me two yards from Whipstitch Fabrics for Hannukah! I love it when he picks fabric for me to make D clothes with - it involves him to make it a family project. He's made some odd choices before, AHEM, so I directed him to Whipstitch knowing he would get some good help there. I was SO pleased!

Now check my daughter with her crazy hair and expression to match. She is a character.



For the pattern test, I also made a smaller sized sundress using City Weekend fabric, Oliver and S' own fabric line which they so kindly sent me with the pattern.



This dress went to a sweet little girl in our neighborhood. But I can't show you her picture because she's not my kid, and I don't think it's cool to post other people's kids on the internet. Just trust me, she's cute. The dress looks better on her than on this hanger on my door!

If you are going to sew for children, you simply MUST try Oliver and S patterns. MUST! Later skater,

Janimal

A HandMade Tie

Ever been to the Purl Soho website?!?! Purl Soho is a fabulous store in NYC, which has a lovely online shop and fabulous blog with tons of cool projects.

There is a great tutorial on their blog to make ties for both men and smaller ones for boys. Check it out HERE.

Here is my version of the men's tie.

That's voile fabric from the Innocent Crush line, by Anna Maria Horner. I just fell in love with that print when I saw it at Whipstitch Fabrics.

I like the fabric so much, I bought a few more yards so I could make Delilah a dress to match.

Forgive the knot. I did it myself, and I'm not experienced when it comes to tying men's ties!

Perhaps a tie is one of those things you should show off actually being WORN on a person! So I need to get this around my handsome husband's neck to really show it off.

I just think a little girl dress with a matching tie for Daddy will be SO cute. Perhaps an ensemble that needs to be ready for Father's Day? That gives me plenty of time. For my next version, I think I will widen the pattern a little and make a more traditional wider tie. It was mostly handstitching and that can be quite soothing to do while relaxing on the couch in front of the TV.

Now - full disclosure -- I saw the tutorial on the Purl Soho blog and have had it on my "to try" list for a while. I signed up for a class at Whipstitch Fabrics to make a tie, and lo and behold, we used the same pattern and instructions. So I had some great in real life instruction to make this tie. This was my first time taking a class at Whipstitch, if you are in the Atlanta area, you're in luck because the classes are nice and small with quality instruction. If you are out of the area, I think this particular tutorial from Purl Bee is really well written so still go for it!

Happy Stitching y'all!

Janimal

Viewfinder Dress & Icycle Eating!

Hello again!

Here to show you Delilah's newest dress. I have been sewing quite a bit lately. So much, that I am kind of itching to try a craft project that DOESN'T require sewing. I'm putting on my thinking cap for what to do, friends.

Since Ruby Star Rising (By Melody Miller) fabric arrived at my house I've been trying to think of what to make from it. I am pretty happy with the dress I made Delilah (seen here and here) and decided one more dress for her should be in the works. So here it is, the viewfinder dress!

(Perhaps one of these days I'll find a better place to take pictures other than hanging on the side of my house!)

If you could see this dress up close in person, you could read the funny things written on each viewfinder lens. Too cute.

I'm sorry there is no live model to wear this dress right now. It's too cold! Just two weeks ago little Delilah was bundled up like this:

....she's eating an icycle! It's not quite icycle weather right now. But it's too cold to wear a summery Popover Dress. (I think the expression on her face = hilarious)

Ahh, the Popover Dress by Oliver and S. You can download the FREE pattern and instructions HERE and see my tutorial pictures HERE. It's such a lovely simple dress pattern, that is suitable for beginners.

To coordinate with the viewfinder fabric, I had trouble figuring out what to use. I thought about some patterns, some pink cotton, but nothing looked quite right. I ended up using a natural colored cotton/rayon blend from fabric.com.

To get my hands on Ruby Star Rising, I made purchases of it from Whipstitch Fabrics, FabricWorm, and Purl Soho. It was sold by other stores too - I believe there is a list on Melody's site. I think most stores have placed reorders so soon you could have some of this fab fabric too. (And I think I need one more print and color. Greedy greedy!)

In the near future I hope to show you some progress on my camo dress, and am working on a new creative tutorial to share. So please stop back by sometime!

Thanks for visiting!

Janimal

Delilah's New Jacket AND Her Fabric Obsession

Delilah has a new fancy jacket and a love of fabric!

First, check out Delilah's new Sunday Brunch Jacket (pattern by Oliver and S)

The fabric is lovely and soft, Paisley Corduroy in Autumn Nest by Valori Wells (purchased from Whipstitch Fabrics). I just love it. I want to make a skirt or pants to match, but I think using the same fabric will just be too much. So I must find a nice solid that coordinates I think. Hmmmmm. Any suggestions?

It took me far too long to choose these wooden buttons! Do you guys agonize over buttons like I do?

This jacket was SO much easier to make than I thought it would be! Seriously, the instructions are so clear and the result so polished looking. I am dead chuffed! I just think it will look great on Delilah. I'll post pics of her wearing it when I can.

Now, I actually had another project in mind before starting the jacket, and got out a lovely piece of voile fabric (Paisley Jungle by Kaffe Fassett, purchased from Intown Quilters). I pressed it and prepared to lay out my pattern pieces to make Delilah a nice light tunic top for Spring.

Delilah had other ideas. She swiped it!

She did agree it would look cute on her.

Perhaps as a Sari?

Perhaps more stylish as a top?

She wore it as an OBI belt for a little while.

In the end, she just kept the fabric.

It found a new home in her room. At bedtime she might grab it and run around the room with it flowing behind her. Or we'll each take the corners and flap it up and down as she giggles. She says it's HER fabric, and I must say, I think the kid has taste.

So, my kid likes fabric. Just like her Momma! Although I think it would make a cute top for her, I really like that she decided to just claim some fabric for her own.

Thanks for stopping by!

(Progress on my camo dress is forthcoming!)

Later skater,

Janimal

P.S.

I am aware that pictures of my toddler aren't as charming to other people as they are to me. But hey, it's MY blog after all, and I want to show off her cuteness!

Ice Cream Dress Sewing

Happy New Year!

Cheers for 2011 being an excellent new year. I hope your dreams come true this year.

Delilah started off the new year wearing a new dress sewn especially for her. She so kindly agreed to model it for a photograph but these days THIS is how she likes to pose for the camera.

I'm pretty sure that's her father's influence.

You would think a dress that was made for her would fit properly - but clearly this one is a bit big.
That's actually on purpose. I made the 3T because I want dresses I make her now to fit her when it gets warm enough to wear them, say 4-5 months from now. I have made her some other garments lately too, also a little too big, but come Spring time she'll have a marvelous wardrobe.

Know what that dress was missing? Jewelry. Girl has to accessorize.

Notice the change in footwear. At 2 Delilah has particular ideas about her appearance and decided the silver dress shoes should be replaced by her rad new lace up sneakers. My kid has a sense of style already!

I think the home-made ensemble brought out Delilah's nurturing instincts.

Seeing Delilah taking care of her babydolls makes me think she would be an awesome big sister. Hmmmmmm......perhaps that could be my project for 2011!

Fabric is Bicycle in Gray by Michael Miller with coordinating prints Play Dot in Sea and Feeling Groovy in Charcoal, purchased from Whipstitch fabrics. The pattern is the Ice Cream Dress by my favorite childrens pattern designer, Oliver and S.

Happy New Year All!

Janimal

Top From Sew Liberated Book

Hello friends! I am working on a tutorial for you - just need to get my little template scanned and uploaded. In the meantime, let me show you a little something I just sewed up for Delilah and the pattern/book it came from!



My cooperative little model even struck a pose for me! Right before bedtime too!
(Fabric is by Kokka - and now I see the the LUCKY word upside down, but the PEACE word is right side up. I think perhaps I should have made the LUCKY word right side up instead - it seems more noticeable. Hmmm...the back is the same as the front, so perhaps I'll turn it around and see the placement there. It's still oriented that way but perhaps the PEACE will be more centered than LUCKY - ah well!)

This hippy little peasant top was SO fast to sew up. I finished it and couldn't wait to see how it fit Delilah so put it on right away. Next time she wears it probably won't be with her fleecy cupcake pajama bottoms.

The pattern is from this book: Sew Liberated by Meg McElwee.




(wow, bad flash from my camera on the book)

My fabulous husband bought me this book from Whipstitch Fabrics (he knows I love that store) for Hanukkah. What a good boy!

Ok, one more picture of her gorgeousness...



This top pattern actually is included in sizes for Mom AND daughter. Is it bad I am tempted to be all matchy matchy with my kid?!?! I really like the gathered detail on the arm. It was SO easy and fast to make. It gets me excited to try other patterns from the book - like the bags or the cover skirt.




Thanks for stopping by, and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Janimal

Edit: I made the Small, which was listed as size 2-3, with the description saying they fit large to be grown into. This was apparently an errata and the Medium is actually 2-3. So this wasn't a very big shirt. Next time I'll make the Medium!