A sewing blog about building a functional, cohesive handmade wardrobe, one garment at a time.

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Birthday Gift

I am still frantically sewing flower girl and ring bearer get-ups (three of the former and two of the latter, with a self-imposed deadline of June 1 - eep!).  But a dear friend's baby girl turned 1 this weekend so I took a break to sew her a gift.  I thought about just buying clothes, but this particular friend is one of those people who truly appreciates sewing, and I really wanted to make something.


So I turned to my new standard baby girl gift - a sundress sewn from the Oliver+S Music Box pattern.  I did not lengthen the bodice this time, but I did gather the skirt again.  I really love how this looks.  I used the quilty FabricMart print that I used for older sister's circle skirt (and I still have more than a yard, so you'll be seeing it again).

I used piping for the first time.  I didn't bother to look up any tutorials, just winged it.  It worked out fine except I was left with a raw edge on either side of the bodice (maybe I was supposed to fold it over?) that I had to stitch over by hand with black thread to secure).  Teach me to try to figure it out on my own!


I did multiple rows of decorative topstitching at the hem in different colors, but the print sort of swallows them up.  I wish I had gone with my original plan of horizontal knife pleats at the hem.  Next time.



To top off the look, I made a quick headband out of fold over elastic with a bow out of the same fabric.



My friend loved it.  I can't wait to see it on the baby!

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Summer Togs

As is its wont, this year, spring in Tbilisi has been unable to make up its mind what kind of a season it would like to be.  We alternate between high winds, torrential downpours and unrelenting sun.  The summer preview has been helpful - we ate salads fresh from the garden most days last week AND I realized that the boy had almost no summer clothes.  This realization coincided neatly with the release of the new free Oliver+S pattern, the Sunny Day Shorts.

I had some awesome plaid patchwork fabric that I figured would elevate the shorts from the very basic without having to fuss with making pockets or anything like that.


Little man is 15 months old and needs a 24-month size in RTW to clear his cloth-diapered bottom.  In disposables, he could fit into an 18-month size.  I made the 2T in these shorts and the rise is perfect.  Coupled with elastic cut to his waist measurement (18"), these are the best-fitting shorts he owns.  No gap!



Not surprisingly, the pattern is clearly written and nicely drafted.  I know I will make him many more pairs!

I have also been making him some tshirts using Simplicity 5316.  Somehow the two I have made have ended up too short, even though I added length.  I haven't even finished the second one yet - I need to add a band to the bottom to make it more wearable.  The first one I made using cotton/lycra jersey.  


He mostly wears it under overalls, though he did rock it with denim shorts, sandals and black socks the other day.  This much maligned old-man look is pretty cute on babies, I have to say!


The neck on this pattern features snap tabs on each shoulder, however, I can get his head through without unsnapping them.  So for the second (too short, unblogged) top, I left off the snaps.  

I had plans for a whole wardrobe of these tees, but we are getting ready to move in a little over a month, and I am madly working on some wedding sewing that has to be completed by then.  I made up the shortfall with a quick trip to Target while at home for my mom's funeral ... and I was happier than ever that I sew.  Target has gotten significantly more expensive since I was last in the U.S.!

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Finished the blanket!

I finally sewed the dang blanket together.

 

And ...



I LOVE IT!



I have been carting it up and down the stairs because it is just as good a cuddle-up-on-the-couch blanket as it is a bed blanket. 


And I actually miss knitting it.  It was my eternal project. 


 Maybe this means I will make another?  Or perhaps I'll fulfill my husband's wishes and add another strip or two to make it king-sized. 


I'm not promising anything, but it is possible this is not my last Lizard Ridge

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Mom

A few days after my last blog post, my mother died.  She had cancer.  

I don't have any eloquent words about cancer and what it means or doesn't mean.  I only have faith that my mother is with God, looking out for her children and grandchildren as she did while she was on earth.

We miss her.