I have found time to sew recently!
I made skirts for my girls to wear to my brother's wedding reception. I used the Insa skirt pattern from the book "Sewing Clothes Kids Love" by Nancy Langdon & Sabine Pollehn.
I've really been excited about this book, which I got for my birthday almost a year ago. I was finally brave enough to try one of the patterns and it worked up very easily--even though the coral brocade was a bit murderous to work with.
I measured my girls and chose their size based on the measurement chart. I recommend this highly, Cutie Pie wears a 3T from the store, but I made the 18month size skirt for her and it fit perfectly. The only caveat I would give is that if your child is close to the top end of the measurement range, go ahead and make the next size up. Tamale Pie's skirt just barely fit.
I traced the patterns with a sharpie marker onto that clear vinyl stuff you get to put over tablecloths. It was easy to trace and worked great. I loved being able to see through my pattern as I placed it on the fabric. The only issue I had was that when I stacked my pattern pieces up, some of the sharpie transferred onto other plastic pieces. I layered tissue paper between the pieces before rolling them up to store until next time.
**You have to keep in mind when using the patterns from this book that seam allowances are not included. I didn't think I would like it, but it makes it so much easier to tell what size the pattern will fit and for matching directional prints **PERFECT** So I'm loving that now. Plus, I could make the seam allowance whatever width I wanted. Also, I could totally see myself using a quilting pencil to trace the edge of the pattern right onto the fabric so that I had a sewing line and my garment turned out perfectly. I found the directions in the book clear and the patterns easy to follow.
Modifications I made: I did trim the underskirt shorter by about 2 inches so that it wouldn't be longer than the tulle (which was my brilliant idea to add.)
Didn't they turn out great!!??
I'm excited to make more skirts with cotton. The Train to Crazy made this pattern with cotton and look how cute!!
I love her fabric choices. Definitely must follow this blog! She has a tutorial on making odd-sized sheets. I'm sew happy :) Also she obviously has a serger that works. **jealous**
I also helped my mom and sister-in-law, Cegan, assembly-line these vests for the boys. (this picture shows about half of the vests we made.)
Jimmy is exactly 10 years and 1 day younger than me, and he is probably my favorite brother. (shhh, don't tell Matt, he'll never work on my house again) I got to drive up with Jimmy to St. Louis on the morning of his wedding. We talked the whole way and it was so fun. I'm not telling on myself the brainless thing I did later that day. But it didn't matter because the whole day was glorious and peaceful and happy. I'm so glad for Jimmy and my new sister-in-law, Tahnee--who seems amazing and is obviously beautiful and smart and has a good sense of humor (or she couldn't like Jimmy.) They've started out right *smiley*
I also made a pointy-kitty for Tamalie Pie's friend for her birthday.
You can download the directions and pattern free at WeeWonderfuls.Com. It is a fun quick sew, although I add about a quarter inch seam allowance all around the pattern because the seams are so close! It is a little tricky, but still just a 4-hour sewing project.
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