Project Run and Play: Greenery

I really enjoy sewing along with the challenges for Project Run and Play.  It helps me to maybe sewing things that I wouldn't normally or learn more about sewing in general.  This week I discovered that I don't buy green fabric.  I don't have anything against green, I just don't buy it apparently.  Given that this week's challenge focused on green, I had to think about how I was going to get it without actually having to buy more fabric (I'm trying to be good, I promise).  I was very tempted to get out the green dye from my tie dye kits and try to make a gingham like pattern, but I didn't was the mess or hassle.  Then one day I was putting something away in my closet, when I saw a dress I made when I was first learning to sew that I don't wear (the sewing on it is a bit embarrassing).  It just happened to be green.

So the outfit I made is green in a couple ways, color obviously and it has been recycled a few times.  The green fabric started out as a sheet before I turned it into a dress and the tan fabric was a slipcover I made for a couch that didn't turn out well before I used it in the dress as lining.

The pattern is Zephyr from Figgy's.  I changed the straps to be able to tie at the shoulders.  I've made it a couple time and the button loops always give me problems coming out the seam.  If I make it again, I will have to remember to find a way to improve on it.

The bows are so cute!

"It's All About That Place": Aloha

A few weeks ago, the girls' school had Hawaiian Day, but only told the parents the afternoon before. I don't really buy/make the girls much in the way of tropical clothing.  So cue me sewing like a crazy person all night.  Since Project Run and Play's first week's theme is "It's All About That Place" I thought I would enter Laurel's dress. 

For her dress, I used the peasant dress from the Sweet Innocence pattern by My Treasured Heirloom using a random tropical floral fabric someone gifted me.  Laurel loves this pattern since it is "puffy" and twirly.  

As you can see, we definitely haven't entered Spring yet.  So tropical getaway sounds like a great idea to us.

The Cottage Mama: Party Dress

This last weekend we went to the park right after church and I realized that I didn't blog about the girls' Easter dresses, so I took a few pictures before having them change into play clothes.

I used The Party Dress pattern.  It is a free pattern by The Cottage Mama.  I love the look of this dress.  It is a very easy sew, though it is a bit of a fabric hog.

I love this picture of Eleanor.  I just wish I knew how to edit the hair out of her face.

4th of July Outfits!

See, I don't always use Ottobre Design.  For Fourth of July of weekend, I made my girls and niece some fun matching outfits useing the Sweetheart Halter by Peek-a-boo Patterns.

This is such an easy pattern.  All the pieces are rectangles.  I lengthened my girls' to be dresses and left the baby's as a tunic for ease of crawling.

I even tried making stars in the girls' hair.  Eleanor's is made from braids and Laurel's has twists.  I found the idea on Pinterest.

The tunic needed a diaper cover so I used #7 Tiny Toes Bikini Bottoms from issue 3/2016 of Ottobre Design.  I love the little bows so much.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Fourth of July!

Ottobre Design: #27 B 3/16 Retro Swimsuit

Eleanor has grown out of most of her summer clothes so I have been busy trying to fix that.  A few weeks ago I made her five pairs of shorts that I should share if I ever get around to photographing them.  

Yesterday, she had a water party at school so that meant she needed a swimsuit.  I started the weekend before, but had sizing issues so ended up making the final product all on Tuesday. 

I used Ottobre Design design 27 B from issue 3/16.  It has a cute little skirt and criss cross straps and the other version has ruffles along the top.

It was a fairly easy sew and will probably sew another one, especially since I have one all cut out and started that turned out to be way too big for her.  Eleanor is so hard to size since she is 118cm tall but her waist size puts her in the 92cm size.

Sew What Club: City Tee

Another month, another pattern tested for Sew What Club.  I have been hoping a top would show up soon and it did and it is a great one.  It is the City Tee and it has a bunch of options with three different sleeves and three ways to finish the neckline.

I made the cuffed sleeve with the neck tie.  This pattern is so fast and easy to make as well as comfy.  I really like how it turned out.

Here is a fun photo.  Laurel took a picture of Eleanor taking a picture of me. 

You do what you have to do to get pictures when pattern testing. Picture by Laurel. #sewwhatclub #citytee

A photo posted by Tonia Jeffery (@littleellalu) on Feb 22, 2016 at 4:46pm PST

Sew What Club: Taylor Dress

Sew What Club has another amazing pattern coming out.  It is the Taylor Dress, featuring a high-low hem with layers of tulle and the option for an overlay or a less fuss fitted pencil skirt dress.

Other than the layers of tulle, this a fairly simple dress to make and turns out fantastic.

The only change I made was shortening the tulle by 6 inches (I'm rather short) and shortening the main skirt a little, but left the lace length.  Now I want to make a version with more tulle and tea length.

Sew What Club: Butterfly Dress

I hope it doesn't feel like all I sew anymore is from Sew What Club.  It just happens to be what I either need to take pictures of (for testing) or what I want to blog about.  I used their free pattern (for signing up for the newsletter) Butterfly Dress for the girls' Picture Day dresses.  I love the bows!

It was a really fast sew.  I was able to get both sewn in one day.  The fabric for Laurel's is Castles and Carriages and feels amazing and so soft.

  The girls love them and they turned out so cute. 

I've decided that this dress works best with a large print.  Without the belt, Eleanor's looks like a hospital gown.  It is still cute though.

Eleanor decided to get a little goofy at the end.

Sew What Club: Trouville

Sew What Club just released another women's pattern; the Trouville cover up.  It can be used on the beach as a cover up or wear it to town or even in the Fall throw on a cardigan and you are ready to go.

The fit on this dress feels wonderful and comfortable.  Other than all of those buttons and button holes, it is a fairly quick sew.  It has front and back yolks and you can add fun trims to the front yolk to jazz it up.

Sewing in No Man's Land: Taking Notes Skirt

This first blog that I ever started following was Sewing in No Man's Land.  Her oldest daughter is just about the same age as Eleanor so finding her tutorials for the cutest outfits in the size I needed was perfect, plus her photography is just amazing.  When I saw that she was looking for pattern testers for her Taking Notes Skirt, I jumped at the opportunity.

 I tested both the girls' and women's.  The pattern is lovely and so quick and easy.  Eleanor's has a curved waistband, ties and is simply gathered.  Mine has the straight waistband and box pleats.  

The Taking Notes Skirt is available to everyone who signs up for her amazing new project, Sew What Club, which is a monthly subscription to amazing patterns at a great price.

Also, my blouse was made from Ottobre 5/2013 #8 Girly Touch with the sleeves from #12 Peplum Blouse.  I really like it and the fit is lovely.  The placket was a horror to figure out.

Project Run and Play May:Summer Chevrons Shirt

This month for Project Run and Play, everyone is working with Crafty Cupboard's Summer Chevrons Shirt.  

For my version, I used knit and left off the elastic waist, because shirts like that tend to get caught on her little belly.  Since it was for her and I wanted a few minutes quiet while she rummaged, I let Laurel pick the fabrics.  The kitty knit is from an inexpensive 3xl tank top that I got to make something for the girls.  

By the time I took these pictures, she had already worn it several times (and at the end of a full day field trip with kindergartners).  I probably should have ironed it, but it is a shirt for a child and who has time for that.  I also only got these few pictures, though a couple are from the field trip, because the battery on the camera died.  It has been a long day.

The changes I made was to curve the neckline and not include the waist elastic or the button closure.

Sewing Rabbit: Knot Dress/Julie's Dress Mash Up

This month, Project Run and Play's challenge is to make something with Sewing Rabbit's Knot Dress.  I used it to make the girls' Easter dresses with some sweet rosebud fabrics.

Both girls were made a size 4 bodice and then for the skirt I used both skirt lengths and had a layered look like Sewing Rabbit's Julie's Dress pattern.  Laurel's is the size 4 lengths and Eleanor's is size 5.

Eleanor's dress is white lined in the pink fabric and Laurel's is pink lined in the white.

They loved the dresses so much, they insisted on wearing them and their crowns to buy milk after photos.  Such silly girls!

The crowns were made using this darling tutorial.

Ottobre Design: #24 1/2015 Jeanie Skirt

Eleanor recently wore out her last pair of jeans (plus they might have been a tad short) and since she is allowed to wear jeans on Fridays at school, I decided I should probably make her a new pair.  I made myself a pair a little while back and had some leftover fabric.  Unfortunately, it wasn't quite enough for pants, but it was enough for a skirt.

I used #24 from the latest kids edition of Ottobre Design, 1/2015.  It was a rather fast sew and turned out so cute.  It has an elastic waist, faux fly, pockets with flaps that snap closed, and topstitching. 

 The only changes I made was to lengthen it a bit and use a fun pansy print for under the pocket flaps.