Delilah's Pink & Green Comfiness!

Heya!

Check out what the most awesome toddler I have ever met is wearing in this pic:

Girl needed some green for St Patrick's Day!

In real life, this looks like SUCH a comfy outfit. It's a nice soft linen/rayon blend, Brussels by Robert Kaufman. I really love this fabric - soft, nice drape, washes well. The top is the Blossom Blouse pattern from the book Sew Liberated, and the pants are from the simple pants pattern from the book Little Girls, Big Style.

This was my 2nd go at the shirt. I added a little detail of a a pink embroidered teapot to the shirt, although it's kind of hard to see in these pictures. I used the same hot pink thread for topstitching for a little more detail. I'm rather pleased at how this outfit turned out. Comfy for Delilah to play in, and nice and cool for the warming weather.

Comfy is the right word.....

I think I'd like this in my size!

Delilah wasn't really in the mood for getting her picture taken. Check out this punim!

The pants pattern is nice and simple and I will be sewing up a bunch of pairs of simple pull on pants like these for D for the Summer. In the right fabric, they can be nice and light and cool, but protect her soft skin from the sun and bugs. The easy elastic waist is a good idea for a little one interesting in dressing herself, and easy for her to maneuver when she makes us proud on the potty!

((Did I ever imagine myself being proud over another human's potty habits?!? Oh how motherhood changes a person!))

Oliver and S is showing off their new Spring patterns on their blog. I was lucky enough to test one of the patterns for them a short time ago and am excited to show you the Seashore Sundress I was lucky to make for them. It's a lovely pattern for Spring and Summer. I'll show pictures very soon!

Take care all,

Janimal

Sailboat Top

I am continuing my love affair with Oliver and S patterns. I think I may just sew all of them!

My latest is the sailboat shirt. For Delilah (of course). It's a sweet simple top, with a topstitching detail at the yoke and hem, with buttons on the shoulders.





Delilah is sporting her comfy pink sweatpants. This top will definitely go better with some different pants or a skirt. But when I make something for her, I just want her to wear it, right away, NOW! So I pulled this over her head right away. Well, and I want to make a couple more of these for her for the Spring/Summer, and I had to make sure it fit before going off to cut up more fabric.

Ok - I have WAAAAAY too many pictures of her making this funny face.




This kid just loves to pull the funny face. I suppose we should stop laughing when she does it.




These action shot pics let me know she can move and play in the top -- success!



A girl's got to move and groove!

So I can now make some of these tops confident that Delilah can both look cute, AND be comfortable playing. Woohoo!

Although Delilah seems to like her new shirt, she didn't feel like her ensemble was complete. So she went indoors to accessorize.





The girl likes her jewelry! The fabric I used for this top is Frippery by Andover Fabrics.

And...in other Oliver & S news, Liesl, the talented designer behind Oliver and S, has designed some GROWNUP patterns! Sold under the brand "Lisette" for Simplicity. The O&S patterns have such tremendous instructions, and are SUCH a pleasure to sew with. That I could have patterns for myself with the same quality of design and instruction is just thrilling!

If you have any interest in women's clothing patterns with terrific instructions, these are for you. And I say that without even seeing them yet -- that's how confident I am after working with Oliver and S patterns.

Later this week I will post my tutorial for my quadruple stitched baby taggy blanket. So please stop back by!

Happy Stitching!

Janimal

Delilah's New Shopping Jacket

Delilah got a new jacket! This was SO much fun to sew.

It's a little big. But since she is 2, I can still make her wear it. HA!



Alas the size 2T is more like a 3 or 4! I even waaay shortened the sleeves. But she wore it anyway. I suppose she can wear it next year...


We've discovered a new place for photo-taking. The toy department at Target. She's always in a good mood there.



She's so cute I just could eat her up.


I really like the assymetrical back hem to the front. You know when you pick up a kid and their clothes ride up? That extra length on the back can hang out and still cover her tushy.

She's concentrating very hard on the dancing Mickey Mouse on display. Which was sold out. So we did not come home with an animatronic dancing mouse for $69.99. Score!

The pattern is Burda 9780. The outer shell is a soft cotton sateen I got on clearance from http://www.someartfabric.com/ and the lining is a pink interlock knit I purchased at Discover Sewing. (I bought my sewing machine from Discover.) I was a bit scared of working with a knit but it was totally cool.

I think this pattern looks more complicated than it really is. Honestly it was pretty simple, and I would recommend it for beginners. I found this pattern by browsing on http://www.patternreview.com/ (and if you are interested, my review of this jacket is posted on there too, HERE)

I know some people sew *a little* but are a bit intimidated by patterns. I was for a LONG time. But you know, now that I am working with patterns, they aren't so bad after all! I bought some at a sale recently for $.25 apiece. I may not ever make anything from them, but just reading them can be educational.

Now if i can just get over my intimidation with set-in sleeves.

Another one of these jackets is cut and ready to be sewn. (In dreamy soft City Weekend Interlock knit and some gorgeous toadstool fabric by Alexander Henry. Check us out soon in a Target near you!

Thanks for stopping by!

Janimal

P.S.
I always read about people making a muslin first. Basically making a pattern out of muslin or other cheap fabric before trying it with something you like. For me, I also am hesitant to cut into my pretty fabrics for a first time with a pattern. I have purchased some cheap fabrics for this purpose, but now I don't want to sew with them. My sewing time (and I bet yours too) is too short to work with fabrics I don't like. I was thrilled to find the nice cotton print for this jacket on clearance, because it was inexpensive like a muslin but still a wearable piece. I'll keep looking for good stuff on clearance, but I have decided to get over my hesitation to cut the good stuff. I want to sew with good fabric. If I mess it up, so be it. So anyone want my crappy clearance stuff?!! I have some yucky polyester for yooooou!!!

Changing The Hat

Hello Blogland! Today I am happy to show you how I customized a hat for my girly girl.

Recently, I found this hat at Kohls. Armed with my 30% off coupon, it was mine at a bargain price.





Although I wasn't a big fan of the black buckle detail, I liked the texture of the fabric, and I thought Delilah would look adorable in that shape hat -- if I fixed it up a bit.

Here's Delilah chilling out waiting for a real photographer to take her picture, sporting her transformed hat, now featuring a flower that matches her shirt. Eating Cheerios of course.




The best part - the flower is attached with Velcro, so her hat can be customized for other outfits!
The shirt and main hat fabric is Travel England in turquoise by Kokka, with a Michael Miller Graceful Vines print for the lining and contrast in the flower. Both purchased from the lovely people at Some Art Fabric. I made the pants too. Nice and soft pique knit. Next time I may make some for me!

(My tutorial to make this simple shirt is HERE)

Notice the hat has a center covered button detail? HA! That's not a button. Let me me show you how......

First, I made a fabric flower - you can see my tutorial on that here. Instead of a button for the center, I decided to make a covered fabric button for the center. Except I had no fabric covered button supplies. I improvised. You can too!


Supplies:
Fabric flower, cardboard cut into a circle, small piece of batting slightly larger than the cardboard circle, fabric square, and strong glue.





Glue the cardboard to the batting.






Wrap the fabric around the circle, using dabs of glue to hold in place on the back.








Let the center button dry before gluing to the center of the fabric circle.




The black buckle detail on the hat was easily picked off.
I sewed velcro the back of the flower, and to the hat, so this flower comes off to easily customize the hat for other outfits.



Thanks for stopping by. Your feedback is so lovely.

- Janimal

My Little Teapot Dress!

SO sorry to be gone so long! Life has just been busy and blogging hasn't been a priority, although I have still been creating and sewing and have lots to share!

Check out Delilah modelling her teapot dress!



Honestly, I thought about waiting until I could style D up in the dress and take her picture under natural light in the pretty outdoors. But I couldn't resist sharing this silly photo. I'm amused by Delilah's unimpressed facial expression. I like that she gave me a partial little teapot spout with her arm, and that her other arm seems to have magically disappeared altogether. OF COURSE she is enjoying a sippy of milk and some Cheerios because that's what she asks for constantly. I snapped a couple quick pictures, and put the camera down. So this picture also reminds me of the fun tickles and laughs we had as I chased her to take this dress off!

(Once it was off, Delilah grabbed the dress from my arms and happily yelled MY DRESS! followed by a HUGE giggle and that was an awesome moment as a Mom and a sewist.)

Here's the back view.
I had just sewn on the last button. And see below - you can still see the fabric marker line that I had drawn to make sure my buttons were straight.



This simple dress was the perfect choice for me to show off some fun fabric. This is Bermuda Metro Cafe by Robert Kaufman purchased at Whipstitch Fabrics on Etsy. Whipstitch is local to me but I still haven't made it into the shop. One of these days I will visit the shop and am afraid of the fabric buying frenzy that may ensue.

For Delilah I have figured out that I need to make up patterns in a 3T, but adjust the length. Which makes me a bit nervous as I am no pro at adjustments. I am thrilled that I seem to have gotten the length right on this dress.

For sure I will be making more little tank dresses for Delilah to show off some of my favorite fabrics. And my favorite little girl.

Sorry to have been away - I'll try to post more often but you know blogging just doesn't rank as high on my activities list as, say, sing Ring Around The Rosey a gazillion times with my hilarious child. I trust y'all understand!

A Yo Gabba Gabba Bag

Do you love Yo Gabba Gabba like Delilah loves Yo Gabba Gabba?!

Her crazy parents (us) have front row tickets to see Yo Gabba Gabba Live! when they come to Atlanta. We are excited!

We have to carry a lot of stuff with a toddler in tow, so I created us a special bag to take down to the show. May I present.....Delilah's DJ Lance BoomBox Bag!





Looks like Muno and Foofa managed to worm themself into the front pocket of the bag. For those of you not familiar with the show, a DJ named Lance has a big magic boombox. And in the boombox live odd little creatures. The boombox is opened and the characters play and dance.


Here is a pic of DJ Lance and the "real" boombox from the show:





This bag is based on the tote tutorial posted here on Sew Mama Sew. I made this bag a little bit wider than the tutorial to make it more boombox shaped. (This tutorial rocks. I have made so many of these bags)

I love this bag! The satin is shimmery and the bag is roomy. The colored pieces are felt that I lightly glued on then topstitched around each piece. Moms know, we have to bring a bag with us wherever we go with our kids anyway, so why not a fun bag that relates to the show! When I showed Delilah the bag she pointed to it and yelled "Yo Gabba!" which made me feel lovely.



Our plan is for my husband to dress up like DJ Lance for the show! Yep - seriously. Is he a great Daddy or what? I'm thinking about what I want to make for Delilah and I to wear. So far I think I will make her a dress modeled after the robot character on the show, but I'm not sure yet. There will be a photo op with the characters and I am ALL about the great photo op! It's a rare thing to get front row tickets to anything, so we are throwing ourselves all in for the experience. Costumes, photos, fun!

Still working on bringing you some new items and tuturials - two more ugly knit entries coming up. One I think is pretty cool and I am proud of - the other, well, I took an ugly sweater and made an ugly hat from it. Ah well.

Later skaters,

- Janimal