A Boho Chic Easter Dress

I knew I'd sew along to at least one of the Project Run and Play themes, but the question is, would Elena model for me? And that'll be a big fat NO. It was an almost - she had everything on and then in the 2 minutes it took me to run upstairs for different shoes, she ripped everything off and was done. I'd like to call her names, but that wouldn't be nice. So my feelings are hurt, but the good news is that the dress looks so completely adorable on her. I couldn't be happier about that part of it.

I used the Heidi & Finn Modern Color Block Dress Pattern and made only one modification - I added side seam pockets. Since I was using all one fabric, I didn't really need to cut the pieces separately but I did anyway to make it easy to add the lace in a nice straight line. I love this pattern because it is a nice simple shape, it's easy to sew, and it's fully lined. Elena loves this pattern because of the simple shape - meaning no ruffles or frills. Little girl is going tomboy on me - which is cool except for Easter. Sorry kiddo, you're wearing a dress.

The crochet lace was given to me by my mother and I have no idea how it came to her. She probably picked it off of a tablecloth or something if I know her. The fabrics were a prize I won ages ago - so long ago that I don't know how or from whom. I kept the selvege, but now I can't find it. (Such a bad blogger.) I remember that it said they were printed in Japan. I did an image search and I'm sorry to say, it can't find it anywhere.  Here's the inside, nice and clean (but a little wrinkled- oops).

I didn't put the lace on the upper back because I felt like it would be uncomfortable and would make it difficult to sew the opening which happens to be the trickiest part of this pattern by the way. I taped those 2 pattern pieces together and cut it as one piece. I chose a nice wooden button from my stash.

I thought Elena might faint at the sight of the headband I made up from some FOE and 3 store-bought flowers, but she actually likes it and put it on immediately. So maybe she will be a tomboy with floral headbands this summer. It looks especially good worn low, hippie style. 

Hopefully on Easter I'll be able to sneak a couple pictures of her in it and post them on Instagram. 

 

Cosplay - Twilight Sparkle

There is nothing quite like the Project Run & Play themes to get me creating outside my box. Elena is absolutely thrilled that I decided at the last minute to play along with the Cosplay challenge. She is a big fan of Twilight Sparkle from My Little Pony. I didn't even realize when I settled on this idea that we have not only the Equestria doll version, but a couple of pony versions too.

We had to do a really quick photo shoot under not great circumstances - no time, no light, early morning, only 5 hours of sleep for me... I was not hopeful. We did our best to have fun with it.

 Here are the characters in case you aren't familiar. The bright colors are fun, and the shapes are nice and simple. I was able to use bits and pieces from the stash and purchase nothing.

The t-shirt is a mash up of my 2 most used t-shirt patterns for children: GYCT Tinley Tee and the CINO Nessie. The top half is the Tinley and the chest down is the Nessie. I love the Tinley's gathered sleeve option and the Nessie's just enough hi/low hem and swing shape. This is now THE perfect tee in my opinion. The neck fringe is something I had been thinking about and then See Kate Sew happened to do a tutorial very recently. Great timing. I think it's really fun. Elena was sad that I didn't make a pink bow like Twilight Sparkle has but I think it's more versatile this way. The fabric is leftover scraps of Stenzo jersey from Mable Madison.

This skirt really cracks me up because it's a huge departure from my usual style. I find it amazing that I even had these fabrics around to play with. The skirt itself was a polyester knit top my mom bought at the thrift store and gave to me because it had a million seed beads in many strands forming an attached necklace. I cut off all the beads for a future use and threw the shirt in the stash thinking I'd probably never use it but that I'd keep it around for a while just in case. The ribbon and glitter embellished stretch mesh matched perfectly. I bought about a half yard piece from the thrift store for 50 cents not knowing what I'd ever do with it, but I knew Elena would love it.

For the skirt pattern I used a pattern piece from a dress, but modified it enough to not name it. I just needed an idea of the top curve for about a half circle skirt that would be about 10" across. I folded the edges of the netting under and sewed them down with a double needle to keep it stretchy. It is hemmed with the double needle as well. The waistband is a separate casing with 1/2" elastic. She loves it!

She was really not into the pictures today, but I was happy to get any at all. She mostly watched TV while I tried to get her to look up once in a while. You know how it is. Am I going to offer her marshmallows and such at 8 in the morning? I didn't resort to any bribes and we got out the door on time so it's all good. See you next week for the All The Glitters theme. Lucky girl is getting 2 glittery outfits.

PRP - Signature Style (with a Z thrown in for Sew All 26)

Time to kill two birds with one stone here. I have sewn along with Katy of No Big Dill since letter H, I think, so I wanted to finish that out, even if it's not the most creative use of Z. It's a cheat  because it doesn't even begin with Z but it has two Z's in the middle - the Izzy top!

This free pattern from Climbing the Willow is adorable, and popular, so I wanted to try it. I have a top myself that is the same cut (Simplicity 1620 if you want a mommy and me look), so I already knew I'd like it. I used some ancient rayon challis leftover from the early 90's along with some super soft peach gauze. It's definitely a little bit country, but I think that's me.

My signature style would have to incorporate recycling and de-stashing. Also, something feminine, but not pink or sparkly (though Elena does like that sort of thing). As much as I like contemporary style in magazines, and I even did purchase a pretty modern sofa recently, I am traditional to the core. I like antiques, real wood, gardens full of daisies and black-eyed Susans, casual country style. I know this because once a month when my subscription to Country Living Magazine arrives, I look at the pictures and I feel like everything is right in the world. Gorgeous gardens; homegrown, home-cooked food; modern country decorating (i.e. no pine furniture with heart cut-outs or doilies); and scenes of sweet children playing in the flowers. (That's Elena in our front garden last fall and it makes me melt.)

I also made a tiered denim skirt out of thrift store denim yardage- score! The underskirt makes me laugh every time I look at it because it is made from is the top piece of my neighbor's new bathroom curtains. Lol. She asked me to shorten her new curtains by cutting off the top and making a new rod pocket. For some reason, I didn't throw away the top piece. All I had to do was sew one seam up the back, feed elastic through the old rod pocket, and gather and sew some lace trim to the bottom. That was a 10 minute job, if that!

I wanted to keep the lace separate from the denim skirt so it would be versatile, because I am really, really practical. I can't help it. There is only so much time and so much money in the world and that's my signature style too.

And now a few pictures in action, on a windy day as spring is finally starting to arrive here.

L is for Lace Refashion

I am sewing along with Katy of No Big Dill and her Sew All 26 Series. The thing I like about this is that it helps me narrow down the choices. When given all the possibilities, I can get overwhelmed and not know how to decide. But when given a parameter, like it has to start with L, then I can make up my mind much easier. "L" was an easy one.

L is for Lace Refashion

I

My wonderful parents have been married for 51 years. My mom gave me her wedding dress a couple of years ago in hopes that I would make use of it. It wasn't doing anyone any good sitting in a box in the closet. I gingerly cut one row of lace off the bottom and put it away for a while. This week I really went at it, and removed all of the lace and the 5 rosettes.

I was so happy to make some very special t-shirts for my girls, but they were not happy to pose for me. Ugh. Really took the wind out of my sails. They like the shirts very well, just not the camera.

So Elena got a cream colored tee with a button placket in the back and a pleated peplum. It is made from a nice soft interlock and is very comfy. She's wearing it here with skinny jeans and boots, but I also see it with ruched leggings I already made from the same fabric for another outfit in September. An all-off white look for the holidays. I also sewed one of the rosettes to a clip and she would not wear it or even hold it. Geez. So not fun.

She would not take any pictures today.

  

Olivia is 15. A wonderful young lady in so many ways, but not in front of a camera. Her shirt is made from an olive green sweater knit from Joann's. Ridiculously soft. I basted the pieces together, she put it on, and then we had fun experimenting with how to add the lace to hers and how to cut the neckline. That part was fun. There was laughter and silliness. Some of the options were downright Puritan and others were quite Army chic. A thin band turned out to be the only option. She really likes it and will actually wear it, I think. I hope. At least to Nana's house once, please, and with a smile.

And since those pictures stink, I had to resort to these:



And even those aren't good. Oh well. I really tried, Mom. I hope you like what I've done with your dress so far.