Sunday, February 19, 2012

Come on, summer!

We have had some gorgeous spring weather lately (on days when it isn't raining), and there's nothing that gets me in the mood to sew quite like the prospect of sewing cute summertime outfits for my girlies!  A new toy doesn't hurt either.  For my birthday, I got a new serger, and it is SO nice. 

I've decided that Jenna's summer uniform will be capri and bike-length leggings and tunic-length shirts and dresses.  They are cool and comfortable.    Here's the first set.


The leggings are from Otto 4/04 and the shirt is adapted from the basic t-shirt pattern from the same issue.  (I'm sure I could have found a pattern like this one in my pattern stash, but I already had the right size traced for the t-shirt, so I used it.)


Isn't the fabric pretty?


I made her several other pairs of leggings as well. 



Allie asked for a pair out of the denim-looking knit, so I made a pair for her too.  It has been quite a productive weekend for me!

How about you?  Are you thinking about spring and summer yet?

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Allie's Valentine's Shirt

I asked Allie if she wanted a shirt out of the conversation hearts fabric, and at first she said no, but after talking about it a little bit more, she said she doesn't want all of the different fabrics mixed up. . .like Jenna's.  No surprise there, so I pulled out my pile of Ottobre magazines and picked out a few examples of shirts that I thought she might like and that would avoid the previously-mentioned jammie-effect.

She picked out #31 from Otto 4/07 and picked out a deep pink interlock for the binding and belt. 

The belt is two layers of interlock joined with a rolled hem, which is the one stitch that my serger does not do well.  At any rate, I think it turned out really cute, and she loves the lettuce edge. 


Next up, a hooded, short-sleeve tunic for Allie out of red french terry.  We got one in a box from another sewing mama, and it is a really pretty burnt orange, but Allie has declared it "drab."  Good grief!  She does like the style though, so I'm going to make her one in a color she likes better.

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Valentine's Day is Coming!

It is almost Valentine's Day, and both of my girls will, of course, have parties at school.   What is a mama to do, but make sure they have shirts that fit the theme, right? 

I bought some super-cute conversation hearts knit.  It is white with small scattered conversation hearts. . .you know, like the candy.  What I have found out about fabric with a white background and smallish print is that  it often results in clothes that look like pajamas.  In an effort to avoid the dreaded jammy-effect, I asked for pattern suggestions over at sewingmamas, and someone suggested the Farbenmix Antonia.  I don't have this particular pattern, but I do think it is really cute, so I pulled out my Ottobre 4/04 magazine and traced a basic t-shirt pattern to use to copy the Antonia. 

This is for Jenna. 

I top-stitched my seams with the chain-stitch on my coverstitch machine.  I don't know why I forget about this stitch. . .I do really like the results.

I'm trying to perfect a technique for applying neckline binding using my coverstitch binder in the round, and although it isn't perfect, I'm getting close!

and from the back.  Like I said, it isn't perfect yet.


What do you think?  Does it look like a pajama shirt?

I don't think Allie will go for the uber-cute scrappy style, as she, in true-almost-tween-form, is too cool for it, so I need to come up with an idea for her.  Let me know if you have any ideas!