Rosette Skirt for Elora
Yesterday was the first time that I sewed a garment without taking any measurements or following any directions. It was just a skirt, a really simple one, but that felt good.
With my leftover Rosette rayon fabric from The Confident Stitch, I sewed an easy-peasy, elastic waist skirt. I could have made it shorter, but I had the feeling that Elora would find the extra length charming, and she did!
She likes wearing it high on the waist, where it feels extra fancy. Soon we will be celebrating her swim diploma A achievement, and this will be just the outfit for the occasion.
The whole thing was done in so little time - I found it truly shocking. I mean as a quilter nothing turns out shorter than expected, haha. I am not used to that.
What a nice use of leftover yardage. I am so lucky to have a sweet little girl for whom I can sew!
Wouldn’t you know, she chose the apples? Actually she’s had her eye on that fabric since I brought it home last year. It is by Heather Ross from her Forestburgh collection. Isn’t it wonderful that a yard of fabric can be transformed to give us both so much pleasure? Yay for sewing!
Well, it’s finished! The eyelet madeira bodice is what I like most about the dress. It’s so sweet and so perfect for a wedding. Now, if only we can keep it clean for most of Aria’s wedding day, haha!
Hmm - - - I am not sure in which order to layer the chiffon: emerald over white or white over emerald. The one is more dramatic and the other creates a softer look, which contrasts less with the bodice. Will you weigh in?
Ok, pattern - check. Colors - check. Time to shop for fabric! The Chloe dress uses a lot of fabric, even with the tea length version. If you use tulle for the skirt, it involves two layers of tulle, a layer of netting and a layer of lining. Wow!
This summer Elora gets to be the flower girl in her big sister’s wedding! Today I have gathered up options from Violette Field Threads, a pattern company with quite an impressive collection of delightful girls’ dresses.
Springtime is the season for sewing little girl dresses. Time flies, and before long my girl won’t be little any more. At this point, when I get the itch to sew her a dress, I can poke around in my sewing room for yardage and come up with something that delights her every time. Gotta make the most of that!
When mild weather and spring flowers first shyly showed their faces, Elora and I caught spring fever. One afternoon she nosed through my fabric stash for favorite fabrics that might become new dresses, shirts or skirts. I got right in the spirit, dreaming along with her. Today I started on that strawberry dress.
When Elora caught sight of this fabric, she asked if I would sew her a skirt. I thought, perfect! The fabric is dark enough to avoid staining, strong enough (it’s a linen blend) for everyday play and exactly right for the fall weather to come. How serendipitous!
Happy Holidays! It seems that every year I sew something festive, whether gifts, kids clothes or decor for our home. It’s always a treat to sew with holiday fabrics. And, as you can see, something this Christmas-y puts everyone in a joyful mood!
June has finally brought warm weather to The Netherlands. After an unusually long and cool spring, we’re feeling the sun on our legs and looking for some water to splash around in. Time to welcome summer with a new sundress!
Thinking about sewing clothes for the very first time? Start with a free tutorial for sewing a skirt. It’s a quick, easy project, but still presents the opportunity to learn basic garment skills like elastic, gathering and hemming.
Well, that was quick! Here’s Elora in her new Playtime tunic. This weekend I had other plans, but when I realized that I already had a great pattern for this fabric on hand, I just went ahead and made it happen.
The Elona dress is finished! We have some deliciously autumnal photos to share with you, but first my report on the making.
Do you remember the swatch service offered by The Confident Stitch? Last month I received the autumn mailing and began thinking about a new dress for Elora. Now I’ve received the fabric and started cutting!
When it comes to sewing play clothes for my little girl, I don’t want to spend a lot of time fussing with fine details. I like something, like this simple jumper dress, that comes together quickly. Extra points if it shows off the fabric!
A vivid orange King’s Day Tunic for a spring outing. Also, how to rescue a garment project when you forget to prewash!
Ta da! A swingy, cheerful summer top from the Wiksten Baby + Child Smock pattern. This shape will look great with pants or with shorts. I think she’ll get lots of wear out of it! Psst - it was so much fun, I made two.
I used leftover yardage from making myself pajama pants last year to create a simple top for Elora. There’s lots to love about sewing for little girls. One is that tops don’t require that much fabric. This took only about a half yard.
When I was a teenager, my ex-boyfriend bought me a luxurious cashmere sweater. It’s funny that he was my ex-boyfriend, right? Well, never turn down cashmere! I wore and wore the thing until it had holes in it..
This time I paired two printed fabrics in a capsleeve version of the Geranium dress. I started with the Trixie Collage print by Heather Ross for Windham Fabrics. It’s so very, very adorable, isn’t it? And such a fun fabric…
Have you seen Heather Ross’ new collection for Windham Fabrics? It’s called Trixie, and as usual it’s super-sweet and absolutely perfect for little girls. Naturally, these fabrics had me dreaming of a little dress for Elora.
Finally the clouds have cleared and the sun is shining! I asked Rora if she would like to take a walk to the end of our driveway. With a joyful babble, she struck out eagerly down the lane.
This week is Elora Faye’s birthday week! We’ll get to celebrate her birthday along with Thanksgiving, and a more fitting combination I cannot imagine.
My toddler, Elora, has been wearing her first Maddie jumper on a weekly bases. The jumper style is ideal for potty-training and this fluctuating fall weather. It’s time to add to her closet…
Meow! Toddler Rora makes an adorable kitty cat, don’t you think? Well, she’s pretty adorable any which way, but this costume certainly worked out! Let me tell you a little about how I made it.
Oh, I can’t wait to show you this jumper… Ta da! It’s just what I was hoping for! The “Elizabeth Plum floral and jumper styling are nice for fall, but it’s cool enough to wear in our warm southern weather.
All the storm prep also has me brainstorming upcoming sewing projects. I recently ordered this Outback Wife fabric from Fabricworm, to make a fall jumper for Rora. I'm so glad I did! The fabric is just gorgeous!
What do you think? We love it! This ruffle sleeve top was easy to sew and is just as easy to wear. The top is basically a tube top, with an elasticized top band and elasticized sleeves…
This pinafore is a reversible top that's super fast to cut and sew. Instead of fitted details like closures and gathers, it's a loose fit and flat front design that really shows off cute prints.
Yesterday was the first time that I sewed a garment without taking any measurements or following any directions. It was just a skirt, a really simple one, but that felt good! With my leftover Rosette rayon fabric from The Confident Stitch, I sewed an easy-peasy, elastic waist skirt. I could have made it shorter, but I had the feeling that Elora would find the extra length charming, and she did!