Lisette Travelers Dress

 Just when it seemed like Spring was in the air, we got a few inches of snow and the temperatures for the coming week are going to be way below normal, again.  So though I was thinking of Spring when I started working on this dress, it will definitely be sitting in the closet for a while.

 Ultimately, I'm happy with my final dress, but I don't love this pattern.  My usual problem with sewing with wovens and commercial patterns is that the sizing is tough.  Knits are so much more forgiving and jive better with my type B sewist personality.  

In an attempt to follow the rules, I took my measurements and cut a size 12.  Now I'll tell you that when I buy clothes in the store, I'm usually just about the smallest size you can get.  So, cutting a 12 seemed odd, but that's what my measurements dictated.  Well, my first dress came out gigantic!  It felt like a lab coat, which is kind of fun since I work in a lab.  Maybe I'll add the buttons and feel extra fancy at work.

This dress was my inspiration and I was pretty bummed that my first dress didn't work out.  And, the fabric wasn't cheap.  I might have to try to re-cut it and....make it work!

 I went back to my pattern and this time cut a size 6.  This is definitely the size I need, though I'll tell you there's no way my waist is 23 inches!

Though the size 6 did end up being the right size, I still had to make some adjustments.  The armholes and the neck were so teeny tiny and I ended up making them bigger.  In retrospect, I should have also used a bigger sleeve, so the dress is a tiny bit tight in the armpit region.

The other changes I made were to eliminate the lower pockets, make flap pockets for the top (used THIS tutorial), and I added a little button tab to the sleeves.

So, to summarize:

PATTERN: Simplicity 2246

FABRIC: lightweight cotton chambray

SIZE: 6 

RESULT: I'm happy with the dress, 

but probably won't make it again.

Sweater Knit Lady Skater

I'm finally getting around to sharing another dress made with my favorite pattern, the Lady Skater Dress.  This is my, wow, fifth dress from this pattern.  My others are here and here and here.

I wanted a comfy, sweatery (I made up a new word), warm, dress to wear in the winter.  This dress really fit the bill.  The fabric is a sweater knit from Joanns.  I made the skirt even less full than in my previous versions  and I'm happy with the result.  I had a little trouble in the back this time around.  It's a little looser than I intended, though I'm not sure why.  I still love it and wear it a lot. 

It's been a bit warmer here than is typical and is making me think about Spring.  So I started working on a new dress that's a little outside the box for me.  It's a commercial pattern and it's a woven!

 

 Hopefully I'll have dress to share soon!

Clementine Crate Doll Bed - TUTORIAL

This time of year, we eat a lot of clementines.  As a result, we end up with a lot of clementine crates.  I can't stand the thought of throwing them away, so they end up kind of piling up.  So, I decided to make a few into some play doll (or in our case stuffed animal) beds.  Neither of my kids really care for dolls, but they love to play school and sleepover with their stuffed animals.

This was a fun project to do with my son on a rainy day.  First we sanded some of the rough spots and tried to smooth out some spots with leftover glue from the labels.  Then we painted.  I used a primer/paint/sealer in one that we had from a previous project.

After a couple coats, the previous print is pretty well covered.

I cut some 3/4 inch thick foam to fit in the bottom and made a cover.

I cut the same shape as the foam, with a 1/2 inch seam allowance added.  For the back side, I cut 2 pieces a bit longer than 1/2 width so I could overlap them and have an opening, in case I needed to wash the cover.

For each of the shorter, back pieces, fold the long edge over 1/2 inch and topstitch.

With right sides together, pin the 2 back pieces to the front, overlapping.  Sew around all sides with a 1/2 inch seam allowance.

Turn to the right side, iron, and work the foam into place.

I added a little pillow and blanket.

The kids added the stuffed animals.

These came out so cute, I'm going to be pushing the clementines even more, just to get the crates!

Fleece EARwarmer - Tutorial and Pattern

 I started out on my earwarmer quest, inspired by the beautiful ones over at Delia Creates.  Sometimes, you don't quite need a hat.  An earwarmer is a fun way to add a pop of color and stay warm.

Using Delia's as my inspiration, I came up with a slightly different way of putting it together.  And, I made a downloadable pattern too.

Download pattern HERE.

All you need is some fleece and thread. 

Download and print the pattern.  Place the marked edge on the fold of the fabric and cut.  Be sure to pay attention to which way the fabric stretches the most, and lay your pattern down with the direction of stretch.  You'll need 2 pieces cut this way.

A note on sizing; the pattern is sized for my child-sized head and fits my 7 year old well.  Yes, I do have a very small head!  However, if you want make it bigger, all you have to do is slide the pattern over from the fold and cut it a bit larger.

You should have 2 pieces of fleece that look like this.

With right sides together, sew along the 2 long edges, leaving the shorter sides open.

Turn right side out.

Topstitch.

Match the shorter sides and sew with a 1/2 inch seam allowance.

Try it on and make sure the fit is good.

Sew the seams flat.

Add a pretty embelishment.  Done!

So easy, you can make one for every day of week.

What style will you make?