Little Things To Sew: Explorer Vest

The March project for the Little Things To Sew-Along (LTTSA) at a little grey is either the Explorer Vest or the Red Riding Hood. I still do owe my older daughter a cape, and maybe I'll get it done if my machine cooperates, but I was determined to make the Explorer Vest for my little guy's 4th birthday!

My sewing machine has been misbehaving for most of 2012 it seems, and trips for repair seem to have it coming back even worse! I'll take it back in soon, but somehow it sews just fine on multiple layers of heavy fabric still. So, I took advantage of that and whipped up and Explorer Vest!

I was a bit nervous about the pocket bellows, but I really wanted them. There was nothing to be afraid of! It was so simple I felt silly for not trying it earlier!

I used a lightweight canvas for the outside and a fun construction truck print, Michael Miller Tot Town Dig It, for the inside. Kona solid for the bias tape around the armholes. The buttons are just decorative. I sewed Velcro squares on so it would be easier for my little guy to put on.

My little guy agreed to wear it only briefly, but I think it's really cute on him!

We made a deal that he'd wear it and sit for a photo if he could take a picture with my big camera. I love how the vest makes him look like a tiny photographer!

Head over to a little grey and see all the projects linked up from the sew along! 

Little Things to Sew: Bias Trimmed Apron

October's Little Things To Sew-Along project was the super-cute Bias Trimmed Apron! 

I found this cute cupcake-printed canvas and knew it was just perfect for my little M! She LOVES cupcakes and I used the same purple swiss dot fabric I used on her hooded cape (still need to post about it!) for the bias trim. My bias tape machine came in so handy! :) 

If you haven't picked up Liesl Gibson's Oliver + S Little Things To Sew book yet, do it now! Back in April when I first got my copy, the Bias Trimmed Apron was my project! Here it is. :)

Be sure to head over to the Little Things to Sew-Along link-up post at a little gray and see all the other cute aprons! November's project is the Puppet Theater! It's going to be my big Christmas surprise to my kiddos. :)

Little Things To Sew: Backpack - Cars version

The September Oliver + S Little Things to Sew-Along project was the adorable backpack! I was running late of course, and despite sketching out my idea in August and gathering supplies in early September, I didn't get around to actually sewing until the last week of September, and finally finished up this morning.

My little guy LOVES the movies Cars. I knew when I got Little Things to Sew I wanted to make him his own backpack to take to the library and to doctor's appointments, but one day mid-migraine I realized that Lightening McQueen is rather backpack shaped. :) So I was determined to take Liesl's cute pattern and give it a special spin for my obsessed little guy.

The pattern is basically the same, with just some added appliqués. I did have to lower the front pocket to accommodate the eyes. :) Most of the outer fabric is twill, but some of small appliqués are quilting cotton. The white zipper is his mouth which my girls think is alternately hilarious and creepy.

I ordered the strap adjusters from http://www.strapworks.com/ and went ahead with a few extras anticipating making more backpacks in the future. :)

Little Things to Sew: Bucket Hats

This one should have a subtitle… you can't make just one! Two complete, plans for at least 3 more in the near future! 

First I finished the green and blue star hat. It reverses to a solid light blue and has green topstitching. 

And my little guy had to have an orange hat of course! I embellished it with a motif from the same line as the orange star print, Riley Blake's All Star 2.

It reverses to a nice blue chambray/crossweave with a similar appliquéd motif.

I was brave and used orange topstitching! A medium orange for the blue side and a lighter orange in the bobbin for the reverse so it shows up a bit better on the print.

And because these little hats are just so fun to make, I picked up these two lovely fat quarters today! The folded up one is from Jenean Morrison's Silent Cinema line, but to me it looks just like airplane propellors and ties in nicely with the adorable paper airplanes and paper hats on the unfolded fat quarter. I didn't get the selvage end, but managed to hunt down that this cute-as-can be print is by Sarah Jane Studios. Plus I have fabric set aside for hats for my girls too!

Now what exactly got me making all these bucket hats? Well the Little Things To Sew-Along at a little gray, of course! Click over to the Bucket Hat Link Up to see all the hats created this month during the sew-along!

If you don't have Oliver + S Little Things To Sew yet, you can now test it out and get the bucket hat pattern for free! Take a peek at the Oliver + S blog regarding a recent AP article that included a link to the pattern. :)

Puppy Pips Family Reunion Sew-Along Dress

For the Oliver + S Family Reunion Dress Sew-Along, I used the adorable grey Sherbet Pips Puppy Dog Tails print by Aneela Hoey and with every stitch I took, I really do love this fabric more and more! I'm so happy I have some good sized scraps of it left!

I'm pleased to say the dress is a hit with my little Miss M too! :)

The red topstitching is one of my favorite things about this dress!

I'm so happy I decided to switch to red buttons instead of the brown buttons I'd originally chosen! It's hard to see in earlier photos, but the tiny buttons on the front tab are little hearts. :)

Last but not least, the 2 Family Reunion dresses together in action! :)

I've finished posting sew-along steps on Above All Fabric's blog, but there's still time left to finish up your dress and be eligible for the prize! Plus, you don't want to miss all the great inspiration in the  Family Reunion Sew-Along Flickr group!

Family Reunion Blouse - gathered neckline modification

Are you joining in the Oliver + S Family Reunion Dress Sew-Along?

Inspired by a purchased shirt with a similar neck facing, I wanted to try out a gathered neckline with the Family Reunion blouse pattern. I pulled a pretty, but random no-name print my stash to use as my test fabric.

I used the same Family Reunion pattern pieces, but omitted the button tab/center ruffle.

I didn't bother marking the pintucks, and only sewn from the notch about an 1 1/4" in. I included the pintucks solely as a quick way of making the body of the blouse fit the neck facing without having to fight the gathers.

Rather than pressing the pintucks towards the sleeves, I pressed them open, thinking this would better distribute the gathers.

Attach and turn the neck facing just as in the instructions.

Just below the bottom of the pintucks, but within the area that falls inside the area to be covered by the neck facing, sew a basting stitch. (You may want to stitch 2 lines of basting, with the 2nd below the neck facing, but I found the single basting stitch worked well.) Pin the neck facing in place, evenly spacing the gathers in the pintuck area. Edgestitch to attache the neck facing and remove the basting stitches from the inside of the garment.

This particular shirt should have been made a size 5 rather than a 6 for my girlie, but I think it still turned out pretty cute! :)

If you haven't joined the Family Reunion Dress Sew-Along, it's not too late! Pick up your supplies and start as soon as you can! :)

I'll be posting steps to help guide you along in following the already wonderful Oliver+S instructions every other day on Above All Fabric's blog! You can keep right up as I post the steps, or catch up later if you don't have all your supplies yet! As long as you submit a finished project image to the Family Reunion Sew-Along Flickr group

Introducing the Family Reunion Dress Sew-Along!

I wanted to show a few more photos of very latest project, the Oliver + S Family Reunion Dress and introduce the Family Reunion Dress Sew-Along on Above All Fabric's blog in June! (Grab this button and add it to your blog!) 

For my sample dress, I chose the cute pink floral from Riley Blake's Sugar & Spice line!  

I added a teeny bit of bias trim created from red w/ white polka dots fabric fabric from my stash around the button tab. This photo is a bit blurry, but I just love the pintuck details!

I love all the buttons down the back too!

So…start thinking! I will have a post up soon at Above All Fabric's blog with fabric inspiration to help you shop for supplies your Family Reunion Dress! :)

I'm planning to make another right along with everyone else, so I have to pick some more fabric too!

Lots of catching up! Quilts and little clothes and a fun meeting!

It's been a while since I've posted here, so that means I have lots of photos to share!

I have not 1, not 2, but 3 quilts in the almost-done stage right now!

Two are baby quilts for friends about to head off to sweet little newborns as soon as I put the finishing touches on. Here is one of the quilt tops before quilting-- it is now backed with light blue Minkee. I made up the pattern when I was inspired by the fabric. I'll do a little write-up on it when I get photos of the finished quilt!

Somehow I've managed not to get a great photo of the other baby quilt top, but I love it! Here's an early process photo. It's Basic Grey Sultry, and I'm using a Moda Bake Shop recipe. I'll post finished photos of it when it's done too!

And here's a quilt just for me! :) It's Kate Spain's Central Park line, which I absolutely adore! (And have plans for a 2nd quilt with too!) This is a Sudoku kit! (Bad photo though! See the 2nd photo for true colors.) The solid I used for the sashing and border is Moda Bella Basics Stone.

And here is the back, which I love just as much as the front! I used a set of little 2 1/2" Central Park precuts that Kate Spain sent me after winning a Christmas giveaway on her blog.

I joined in a Pincushion Swap hosted by Cara Quilts (also host of Talkin' Tuesdays on Twitter!). This is what my swap parter recieved! It's a modified version of my Moda Bake Shop Log Cabin Baby Block tutorial, made smaller and scrappy.

I finally bought the Oliver + S Little Things To Sew book! I don't know why I waited so long! So many cute projects in it! Within a week of receiving the book, my oldest had already chosen the bias-trimmed apron and fabric for it for her costume to wear to Career Day at school (she was dressing up as an artist). I think it's as cute as can be!

Now this cute little shirt was supposed to be my little guy's Christmas outfit, but I only got it cut out before Christmas, not sewn. Then it just sat neglected. I finally sewed it up, had a horrid time with my machine (which is overdue for service) cooperating on the buttonholes, and once I got the buttonholes done was so frustrated I set it aside again. Finally I sewed the buttons on a week or so ago. It's the Oliver + S Sketchbook Shirt in a fun Sweetwater Pure argyle print.

I just wish I'd made it a size 3 instead of a size 2 so it would fit him longer!

Here is my very latest project, the Oliver + S Family Reunion Dress! The fabric is from Riley Blake's Sugar & Spice line, isn't is cute? You will be seeing a lot more of this dress in the coming weeks! :) I will be hosting a Family Reunion Dress sew-along on Above All Fabric's blog in June! Stay tuned for more details!!!

A few weeks ago Liesl Gibson of Oliver + S had a book signing appearance at a not-too-terribly-far-away (and super cute!) shop, Fancy Tiger, so I had to go! Since the kiddies were dressed in their O+S favorites, Liesl kindly posed for a photo with us. 

Sweet Trish Preston runs a weekly feature on her Two Peas in a Pod Designs blog called Monday Morning Inspirations and in April she featured me! :) Hop on over to read my little interview. Trish is so nice, and so full inspiration herself! And this summer you will be able to watch her on PBS in a new show called It's Sew Easy!

And last but not least, here's a little sneak peek! I will have a new Moda Bake Shop recipe debuting on Wednesday! Here's a pic from the photo shoot. :)

Two finished Jump Rope Dresses & more fun!

The Sew-Mama-Sew Jump Rope Dress sew-along was so much fun! I finished a day or two late, but now my girlies each have a new dress!

I haven't gotten a perfect picture of the view A dress yet, but here's a peek. It really turned out so cute! The woven plaid is thin and so soft! I made the long sleeves but added a tab with a buttonhole inside the sleeve and a button on the outside at short-sleeve length so that the sleeves can be rolled up. This works well with the thin fabric but wouldn't with anything much thicker.

I really like how view B turned out as well!

Today I spent a little time working on a new tutorial for Moda Bake Shop! It's turning out really cute - I can't wait to share it with you all!

I read about fun contest I may try and join in on! Purse Week at Lemon Squeezy Home! I'm going to do a bit of thinking and see if I come up with something to try!