StuntSewing

The littlest Miss wore that cute dress down there exactly 2 times. Whenever I produce it for the days' attire I get the scrunched up nose and the puckered up lips and she tells me how she wants the underdress on top and how while she does like the teddy bear she does not like having a HUMAN on the front of her dress.

I'm working on some skirts. Hers is put together already. But she sees Graces in the cut out stage and declares it to be the cutest fabwic ever. UGH! I proceed to get out her skirt. Again the scrunched up nose makes an appearance. Slowly, ever so slowly she decides it's cute enough if only she can choose the fabric for the skirt. Fabric which is in Graces skirt and in no way shape or form coordinates with hers.

These outfits, these LAGUNA skirts with ANTONIA shirts. They are the last ones I will agonize, scrutinize over fabric choices on my own. I'm resigned I have to bring in the 4 year old on the decision making. But it doesn't end there. If the littlest Miss gets to make those types of big decisions there is no way the 6 and 8 year olds will let it slide.

I'm sure now that life will never be less complicated.

I've got nothin' but happiness. School is back in session and I;m running more than ever, but there's always room for a little more love and happiness.

This little one has cried all summer long. She would just burst out of the blue. "I don't want it to be your birthday, I don't want to go to school." This is her in her special 1st day of school dress at school, meeting her teacher.

Feliz really makes me happy!

I didn't photograph as I sewed on this one but did make 3 dresses for 3 very different girls and I want to share a couple of tips/tricks and what-have-you that will, hopefully, make your sewing experience one to write home about!

I want to talk a little about adding the elastic to the sash pieces and then inserting them. Take 3-4 inches of 1" elastic and stitch to the inside edge of your sash piece, now sew this elastic into the seams just like the instructions/sewing guide show you to do with the sash. In addition to making this a fabulous trick for dressing/undressing this also allows you to cinch up the sides making an even more perfect fit if you happen to have a twiggy girl.

Now the back elastic, the first FELIZ I made was for a twiggy 4 year old and I pulled the elastic tight but there's no way to test if it's tight enough until you're all put together. I didn't pull it all the stinking way, super tight and it wasn't right. Seam Ripper to the rescue. I got that elastic pulled about as tight as it would go and it changed the entire fit of the dress. For the record, I also have a more solidly built daughter and followed the same super cinched back elastic and it fits beautifully!

What else... you need the back facing pieces even if your not adding buttons because this is what is going to hold your back elastic in.

Oh yeah, if your not going to use the side facing pieces you'll want to add a little larger seam allowance to those overdress pieces. I usually add just enough for my serger to use up but when I didn't use the facing pieces and needed to 'finish' those edges it used up more seam allowance fabric than I had allotted.

Seriously, this dress brings a smile to my face every time one of my girls wears it and what makes me even more happy is that it make them smile and twirl about and THAT is what really matters at this house.

The cute little ruffled sleeve addition on Grace's is thanks to the Quiara sleeve pattern piece, just cut a little narrowly and gathered.

Pictures forthcoming, they are on a different computer :-)

-C

We interrupt regularly scheduled blog posts for this important announcement.

Corie has been completely absorbed in a new book

http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2008-08-03-breaking-dawn-sales_N.htm

She is almost done and will then be able to resume all of her standard duties. Please standby for some exciting news in the next few days.

Here are some pictures. I know I know, could I possibly be any slower in getting these uploaded? Please see my previous post about crippling my computer add to that, well this and that, and there's my excuse ;-)

i love it! 4 teeth missing.

pattern: farbenmix anotnia
fabric: kiwi stripe orange, girlie pink, and stash fabric

pattern: studioTANTRUM Zuma
fabric: trouser flower stretch twill, small flowers orange

farbenmix ribbon on pocket

breaking out in song

I did a lot of seam ripping on this pattern. Let me start off saying that I have the German copy of this pattern but the English sewing guide. AND I am an instruction follower. I know that a shirt pretty much goes together like a shirt, but I still go step by step with the instructions. Maybe I need more confidence, I dunno. I do know that I follow instructions ;-)

First the sewing guide mentions that it runs small. The pattern itself says that it is a snug fitting tee. I measured and found that I did NOT need to go up a size. This fits a lot like ZOE, I really like it!

If sewing the yoke version make sure you are placing the yoke with the correct sides on the front piece. They will not go all the way down the entire sleeve opening, try as you might ;-)

On the neck binding I folded it long sides together and then stitched it to the neck opening, I didn't get as much stretch in the binding as I would have like. In the end I had to take off the front piece (I had marked my tracing as 110/116 when it was really a 98/104) The little bit of extra fabric coupled with the neck binding not stitched together let there be just enough stretch that it fits nicely.

This is a great shirt and I'm glad I traced all 3 girls' sizes. I will definitely be making more of these :-)

First let me say the the binding went well, delightfully well! I used this cutting technique and although I didn't end up with one long strip of fabric, just the right size for ironing and sewing, I did end up with 2. Which, for this project was perfect, seeing that Zuma pants happen to have 2 legs and all. I guess I need to practice to see where I went wrong so that when it's a skirt and not pants I'll be all set.

This little do-dad, is [insert your own favorite word]! Can't live without it, no-sir-ee. It's a binding maker tool. I found this one at Hancock fabrics and it was under $5 so it's not going to set you back to much. I wasn't sure the width I'd need so I bought the 1" and the 1/2". The 1" is what I've used so far, I don't forsee much use for the smaller width for the type of sewing I do.

The pocket tripped me up a bit. I got the pocket put together, but didn't finish the top edge of it. I want to say that it's not in the instructions but that may or may not be correct. I've had some heat and bond that I've never used and felt like this was a great time to try it out - one finished edge, no un-picking! The other suggestion I have is to use a pencil and the pocket piece to mark on your pant leg your sewing line. I also added the ribbon to the pocket flap, but my package of grommets has gone missing. I know I've had little hands help find them a new location, so once they're found I'll add them to the pocket flap and report back :-)

-placing the pocket

-Can you see the sewing line?

-Stitching on the pocket flap

Other than that it went pretty smoothly... Sew the inside leg seams then the crotch seam. Decide which way you want to wrap it and how tightly you want it wrapped. I stay stitched the wrapped up waist to keep everything together and then added the waist band.

Done! I must say that I am in love with this twill! Although it's hot enough to have used a poplin I think I prefer the hang of the twill.

Yesterday I had a surprise visit, this is what came from that doorbell ringing;

The new Ottobre magazine plus some back issues.

FELIZ in ENGLISH yippee!

SOLANA in ENGLISH Yes, these are the same pants that we thought we would have about a year ago. Better late than never right ;-) We still have a small stock of this pattern in German that are discounted, if you don't mind translating.

some German FARBENMIX patterns.

What a lucky day! It was in fact dubbed by sewing day. It turned out to be a pattern day. TOMORROW or tonight after the play will be 'sewing day'. All pre-ordered patterns were collected by the post-man this morning. If you're nearby maybe you'll get yours tomorrow but for sure next week :-)

I've got some SwM to post but it'll have to wait just a smidge.

One of the fun things we did in Utah was spend time with our family. And when I say family, I mean fAm-o-lEE. Let's see; there's my mom and sis #3, we invaded their basement for the duration. Sister #2, her hub and 2 kids whom we swam and had sleep-overs a plenty. My Grandma, who so graciously had us to her house not once but 3 times. My Dad flew in from Oregon, sis #4 and hub drove up from Vegas and my Aunt, who is more like an older sister to me came in from Florida. We also got to see one of my Uncles and his son. This sounds like a family reunion, but it wasn't it was all at different times. I'm glad we were there long enough to see everyone in their comings and goings.

One visit was to my Grandparents house (the other Grandma), She used to run a drapery shop and has all kinds of remnants from the 70's and 80's. I was hoping to score some swatch books. As a young girl I remember going through all those book, literally shelves and shelves of them. My own girls will have the memory of bolts and bolts of fabrics, I guess. However, she's been pitching them and doesn't have any left. What I did score was some trims. The girls are into pink, yellow and purple for their rooms so I stuck with those, but I secretly wanted the 70's green and orange pom pom's too. Some lace to top it off and I left happy.

Jackson scored a huge bowling trophy of my Grandpa's, Olivia got a porcelin betty boop baby and Grace and Maiah left with plastic farm animals. My grandma lightened her load a smidge. I think everyone was happy.

Tracing Zuma is about as easy as pie. Really, if you are new to pattern tracing this is a good first trace. You'll feel all accomplished and stuff. A note about size selection. I think the sizing runs spot on, but I want to STRONGLY encourage you to measure your sewing subject and go off those measurements not the "size".

I'm making "capri" Zuma's. So I got out my handy dandy measuring tape and decided how long I wanted the pants to be. It turns out that I was able to follow the length for 2 sizes smaller. Oh, Lucky Day! I already have this pattern traced so I've marked the new capri length on the regular pant pattern and pinned it up. So I can keep using this same tracing for either pants or capri's.

Next, I'll cut out the fabric. A FABULOUS summer weight stretch twill. With a great small print, very lightweight, poplin for the binding. Have you discovered the small 28mm rotary cutter yet? For cutting patterns/fabric with tight curves this notion is "brill". I don't pin. I lay the fabric out, put the pattern on top and use tuna cans to hold everything in place. I've heard of some people using special pattern weights or even big nuts from the hardware store, but I have tuna on hand, so that's what I use.

Cut 2 fronts and 2 backs along with the waist band and pocket pieces, if desired, for regular Zuma's. If you're getting all fancy and want a pair of reversible pants cut 4 fronts and 4 backs.

Actual sewing - coming soon :-)