Kirsten Kimonos in rayon

Three months postpartum, the most comfortable thing to wear is still my assortment of ribbed maternity tank tops.  So right before our beach trip I decided to round out the wardrobe with a couple of Maria Denmark's Kirsten Kimono tees (sign up for her newsletter to get the free pattern).  

Despite having sewn eight of these tees over the last two years (1, 2, 3), I had never actually sewn the pattern without modifications.  I always scoop out the neckline, and for my maternity Kimono tees I either lengthened or trapeze-d them.  This time I decided to sew the pattern with the neckline as drafted.  

As I had to retrace the pattern to do this, I decided to do a dartless t-shirt FBA using the instructions on Maria Denmark's website.  I used a medium as my starting size and added a 2.5" FBA (yikes), grading the hips out to XL. 

I sewed up two tees using some stashed rayon jersey.  I picked up the blue fabric off the $2.97 table at G Street Fabrics last spring.  I am pretty sure the tie-dye effect is the result of the dye running when I pre-washed the fabric, but I don't mind it.  That spot by the neckline is just water, which did not leave any marks after it dried.  I did not finish the neckline with a band this time.  Instead I just turned over and zigzagged the neckline.  I had read about people doing this before and was skeptical that it would work without stretching out, but it has actually held up just fine.

The black is a rayon/lycra remnant from Joann's; I think it was a little less than a yard. I finished that neckline with a raw-edge band.

These photos were taken on our vacation which, sadly, is now over.  It was a nice escape, and the whole family enjoyed the sand and the surf.  I'm suffering from a mild case of post-holiday blues now.  The girls asked me today why we can't just live at the beach.  Now I'm wondering the same thing.

I did not finish the hems (or even even out the bottoms very well) of these tees, as I plan to hem them once I get my new coverstitch machine out of its box :) There isn't much more to note about these projects, other than that I finally invested in clear elastic, which works much better for stabilizing the shoulder seams than the regular old 1/4" elastic I had been using.  I should have done that a long time ago!

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo

A few weeks ago I received a lovely package in the mail.

The package was from our sewing fairy godmother, a sweet lady who wanted to do something to help during our time of hardship, and it was filled to bursting with gorgeous clothing sewn from Oliver + S patterns.

Four perfect little bucket hats.

Reversible for fickle beachcombers.

Two adorable Puppet Show dresses.

With matching shorts.

A dapper Sketchbook set (which I somehow managed to leave out of the vacation suitcases).

And a fully lined Lullaby bodysuit in breezy seersucker,

Perfect stripe matching across the snaps.

And on the side seams.

There were even some lovely gifts for me - a beautiful pair of embroidery scissors with a handmade beaded fob, a handmade pincushion and a box of pins.

We are thoroughly spoiled!

Quilty Aspirations

I often drool over photos of gorgeous quilts online, though I myself have never been very good at putting fabrics together. I made this quilted table runner with matching napkins three years ago, but I drew all my fabrics from the same collection (Valori Wells Karavan), figuring that would be foolproof.

Then last week I read a great post at Stitched In Color where Rachel took her readers through her fabric selection process, step-by-step.  It was fascinating.  I realized that, while I very well just may not have a knack for pairing fabrics, I definitely do not spend enough time on it.

We are on vacation right now, and today the stars aligned.  Rachel announced a fabric mosaic contest, and I was stuck inside with a napping infant and a sick toddler while my girls were down on the beach with family.  I spent about 90 minutes making two mosaics.  The theme is "almost primary, as in primary colors."  I spent the bulk of my time on the second mosaic, and I really love how that one turned out.  So much so, that I am seriously considering trying to turn it into a quilt.

For the first one, I focused more on colors than on prints. I ended up with more of a rainbow effect than a primary colored one.  I like it, but looking at it compared to the second one now, it definitely looks a bit more krafty than I think I actually like.

This is the one I spent most of my time on.  I had it in my head that I should avoid using multiple color ways of the same print - and yet, as you can see, I did it twice! Turns out I really love the Alison Glass Handcrafted line - I could not leave out any of the pluses or the flying geese.  I particularly love the chartreuse pluses in the bottom left hand corner and the storm geese in the top center.

The contest is open through August 18, and winners will be chosen by popular vote! Go make your own mosaic or just check out the beautiful mosaics people have put together. And if you like mine, they are #24 and #25 in the linkup ;)

Late to the Mabel Party

I was on the fence about Colette's Mabel when it came out last year.  I liked the idea, but the modeled photos on the web site just weren't doing it for me.  Meg made a couple that I liked, at which time I added the pattern to my mental shopping list.  I didn't actually buy it until a couple of weeks ago when it was on sale for $10 at Fabric Mart.

I used a gray ponte with flocked back diamonds that I bought a year ago for $5/yard (also from Fabricmart - I seriously love that site).  I sewed the XL according to my current measurements.

It seemed to fit pretty well, but after a few hours' wear it had stretched out significantly.  Hate that.  The ponte felt like it had pretty good recovery so I figured the skirt was too big, size chart notwithstanding.  I took it apart and took in the waistband seams and the top of the skirt seams 5/8" inch for a total decrease of 2.5" around (basically the L size with an XL hip).  I tapered the seam to nothing about five inches down.  It fits better but still stretches out more than I'd like with wear.

  

As you can see, I photographed this skirt on a number of occasions.  I used my self-timer (reasonable), my husband (best quality photos but he stinks at looking critically at the clothes to make sure they aren't on crooked/have a flipped up hem/etc), my 5-year-old (use your imagination) and the old standby mirror shot.

As others have noted, the kick pleat does not behave well in knit fabric.  The ponte would not hold a press, so I edge-stitched the outer fold of the pleat.  It works but still is not perfect.



The skirt really doesn't need the pleat for purposes of wear but I like the idea of it, or something similar, to give the skirt a little flair.  I think I will definitely make another of these*, so I'll have to mull over what to do in back next time.

I did not notice until I uploaded these photos to the blog, that the skirt pulls in front, looking too small.  It doesn't feel too small at all, it feels comfy and snug, but maybe I will grade out the next one a little at the widest point of my hip.  Or maybe some of this baby weight will come off and I will have to resize :)

*Am I the only one who is always blogging that she will "definitely make another one" but then rarely does it?  I should go cut another Mabel right now to avoid making a liar of myself.

Tange-ring sling

Even though I have four kids and have owned twice as many carriers, I am a dilettante baby wearer.  I have always wanted to be one of those smiling moms you see in the photos, doing laundry or housework or running errands, all while a happy baby contentedly relaxes in the Ergo/Moby/mei tai/Beko/whatever.

But me wearing a baby never looks like that.  The baby is always beet red, screaming and flailing around, desperate to flip him or herself out of confinement.  My clothes are always bunched up somewhere, such that I am always flashing some belly flab, back flab, or more cleavage than I'd like.  And at least one bra strap is always showing.  It is not a pretty sight. 

When Niko was born I had a mei tai and a Beko (that needs a replacement buckle before I can put the baby in it).  I have tried wearing Niko in the mei tai a couple times and all of the above happened.  He hates it.   I was about to give up on baby wearing.  It was too stressful.

But then my husband's brother and his family came to visit.  During Niko's baptism, my sister-in-law popped my seven-month-old niece into a pretty blue sling. And that little baby sat contentedly on her mother's hip for the entire service.  It didn't hurt that both mother and baby are gorgeous. They could totally model ring slings.

In any case, I was intrigued, albeit skeptical that this would work for me.  As I happened to have an extra 2.5 yards of home dec sateen lying around (due to a Fabric.com order screw-up that at least wound up in my favor), I ordered some rings and got to work.

The fabric is the same that I used for an unblogged window seat cushion in our upstairs hallway.  My husband built the bench, which opens and stores linens, this past winter. The blue bookrack is a thrift store coup - $4!  I am considering painting it, maybe a medium or charcoal gray color.  Isn't this the cutest little nook?

Essentially, the sling is just a 2.5 yard long, 30" wide piece of fabric hemmed on both long sides and one short side, and then looped over both rings and sewn down on the other short side. I did some pleats on the looped-over part.

My rings are not quite big enough for the fabric. I am planning to take it apart and cut 4" or so off the width so that it will be easier to adjust through the rings. I also might take 10" or so inches off the length as it is quite long. It's not as elegant as the slings you buy online - it seems sling makers generally use fabric without a wrong side so that the tail looks like the rest of the sling. My fabric is a print so that doesn't work - but it was free and it was taking up room in my stash so I don't care.  Though the length does allow me to twist up the tail and use it as a cushion to support Niko's head, so maybe I'll leave it.

The most important bit of information to take away from this, though, is that it worked! He likes the sling!  And it wasn't just this photo session; I've worn him in the sling a few other times, for up to an hour at a stretch, and he did not cry!  I even think we kind of look like the smug ring sling models in these photos. 

Though, yes, my bra strap is showing.  I guess you can't win 'em all.

Spotty Sailboats

Papa came home from the hospital last Tuesday and everyone is very excited to have him home.  It is an adjustment for everyone - while in the hospital, he became accustomed to relative quiet and order, two things that are in short supply around these parts.  And we are having to learn a new way of interacting with him.  Thankfully, Gabriel's running-start-around-the-knees hugs haven't knocked him over. 

We have a long road ahead of us yet.  Next week, hopefully, he will start outpatient therapy.  We are incredibly lucky to have the gift of time for him to recover.  Thanks to the generosity of his friends and colleagues at work, we have received enough donated leave that we will not have to worry about rushing him back to work before he is ready.  Everyone has been very kind.

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I love the O+S Sailboat pattern.  It was the first O+S pattern I ever bought.  I have sewed the pants three times now, the top three times (once as a dress) and the skirt once.

Zoia requested these pants several months ago.  The fabric is a remnant-bin quilting cotton from Joann's.  it is a lighter weight than most quilting cottons, and I think it cost about $1.24, so I grabbed it.  The dots are navy on a turquoise background.

I sewed the pants, she tried them on, then put them in her drawer and completely refused to wear them.   Then one night last week she suddenly declared that she would wear the polka dot pants the next day.  I took advantage of her acquiescence and had her pose for some photos (good thing, too, as she has not worn them since).

One of the problems I found with these pants when I made them for my girls as babies is that they don't have much cloth diaper room.  And even without diapers, the rise is a little low in the back for my be-junked 4.5-year-old.

It was a good wardrobe day all around when I managed to talk her into pairing them with one of my favorite makes ever - a sweet little linen dress sewn about two years ago from a Japanese pattern book.  (Pattern #30 from Japanese book Boys and Girls Clothes #1848, in the 100 cm size).

Here it is right after completion.  She was 2 years and 8 months old.

Oh my.  Where did that time go?

She loved the dress when I made it.  She wore it all the time.  Last summer it mostly just sat in the drawer, and now I have to cajole her into putting it on.  I will be so sad when she completely outgrows it.

Niko's duds

I snuck in a little sewing time this week but have not finished anything, so I thought I'd take the opportunity to show Niko modeling some of the clothes and diapers I made for him while pregnant.

Fitted diapers - Darling Diapers Unlimited pattern, regular newborn size (he's between four and seven weeks in each of these photos).

He's a pretty happy baby a lot of the time.

Though he does get testy if I don't hold him when he wants to be held.  Which is a lot.  He does not like my mei tai carrier, but I just ordered rings to make a ring sling in hopes that he will like that better.

He developed a nasty case of eczema around 3 weeks old.  I stopped eating dairy products and within a month, his eczema had almost completely disappeared.  

Here he is wearing a fitted diaper with a Simplicity 5316 tshirt.  

Cute little legs wrapped in covers made using this pattern with my own addition of a second leg gusset, in nb/s size.

Smooshy little baby thighs.

He is a bit of a nervous baby, maybe because his siblings are always running around screaming.  His hands clench into little fists and fly up to the sides of his face.  He looks like this a lot.  Those fists are clenched so tightly that sometimes I can't even uncurl his fingers.

It's just been the two of us in my big king bed the last five weeks, and I feel as though we have really bonded, probably more than I had with any of the others by this age. It's a small silver lining in the cloud of my husband's stroke and subsequent hospitalization.

Cute little bottom in pocket diapers using this pattern.

He gets a little angry at times.

Bodysuit, two pairs of pants and a shirt from the Oliver+S Lullaby Layette pattern.   I sewed the 0-3 month size and my little model is 6 weeks old and about 10 pounds (and wearing a cloth diaper) in these photos.

That face.  He brings me so much joy.

Sweet little baby toes.

Happy baby waiting to see his papa, who is scheduled for discharge from the hospital on Tuesday.  We cannot wait to have him home.