Allergies and Princess Dresses

I just got back from a Maggie's doctors appointment where our doctor gave me back Sadie's allergy results since they'd just come in and she was awesome enough to remember.  Sadie is allergic to dogs, cats and... wheat.  She said she's not so allergic that she can't ever have it, but that it would be a good idea to eliminate it as much as possible and that it is probable that it's making her feels sick (Sadie had said she thought eating bread hurt her stomach).  So... that's the latest allergy news, and it pretty much means that the kids in this house don't eat wheat or dairy.

In much happier news, Sadie's dress for the Daddy/Daughter dance is almost done.  I have a few finishing touches to add, but I snapped pictures of it when she tried it on for me today and I'm pretty excited with what we have so far.

Sadie helped design it (and I sewed it without a pattern) and she picked out almost all of the fabrics (I threw in some extra sparkly velvet at the end since she'd asked for "extra sparkle").  There were so many I felt a little ridiculous sewing it and I was seriously wondering how it would turn out.  There are two types of velvet (one sparkly, one crushed), shimmering gymnastics spandex, satin, sparkly crepe and lace.  Now that she's abruptly decided that purple was her favorite color in the entire world she's been a little sad about all the pink in her closet and so this is a purple extravaganza:

Ready for the ball! 

Daddy wasn't a fan of this one... but it showed the dress so perfectly! 

A little over two yard of fabric make the skirt super twirly.

The Nursing Dress Design: Take One

I spent a week trying to come up with a pattern for a nursing dress in my head, and then finally just set out sewing to see what I would come up with.  I'm going to try to wear the dress today, to see how it actually works in practice.  

The bodice comes up over the bust and then the shoulder straps come down over the shoulders (and over the bodice and cross to tie in the back around the waist.  It should be quite easy to nurse discreetly in this dress without fumbling with buttons or straps or snaps, or untying anything (not that I usually end up nursing much when we're out and about, I get tired of those things even when we're around the house).  

And after I decide whether or not I like it and whether or not it works I'll try to get better pictures of it.  These were taken in a rather dim room with my computer (which obviously doesn't have a flash):

The Flannel Sports Fabric: Another Project!

Before Patrick was born I bought a ridiculous amount of flannel during one of Joann's $2.99 flannel sales and made Patrick a flannel and minky blanket.  After the giant blanket was done I still had a large amount of flannel (and minky!) left, so I kept on sewing...

I started with these pillows (which I was extremely glad to have during those 9 nights that I spent in the hospital!  They made an uncomfortable time much more comfortable!).  This picture isn't the greatest, but it was the only picture I could find that showed all three of them:

I'm still working on the cold weather cover that matches this car seat (actually, it's upstairs with the elastic half threaded through it, so it's probably less than half an hour from being finished since I want to add a window...).  The car seat cover itself was pretty simple.  The head rest on the other hand... was definitely a struggle!  It took hours, but I actually managed to sew the cover to fit the headrest (without a pattern!).  Here's the finished result, with Patrick ready to go to Mass this morning:

I've nearly used all the flannel now.  I have a patchwork receiving blanket that I don't have photographed that I finished and a half finished little blanket that I want to use to make one of those blanket/stuffed animal loveys with... and then the fabric will nearly be used up!  I definitely feel like I got quite a bit out of it though!

The Purple Ruffle Dress

Sadie begged and begged that I would use the remainder of the two yards of ruffle fabric to make two mini ruffle dresses.  She was very specific with her request, asking that it be exactly like Mommy's (and honestly, I didn't feel like fighting that ruffle fabric into sleeves and figured that we have enough cute little church sweaters and shrugs to go along with them that I'd keep the dress structure simple).  

The girls dresses each took half an hour and cost roughly $4 to make.  I'm liking this ruffle fabric more and more!  And Sadie is pretty much in love her dress!

My New Sewing Project: A Little Bit of Grape:

Earlier this week I picked up a few yards of fabric that I needed for orders, and saw that the ruffle stretch fabrics were 50% off.  I've been longing to try sewing with the ruffle fabrics since I saw a tutorial a month or so ago, and so I decided to invest in two yards for around $12 and see how it went.  

I was delighted last night when I realized I had enough fabric to make a dress for myself, a dress for Sadie and a dress for Mae.  I decided to go simple for my dress, and in around an hour, I was done (this picture was taken before I added straps, since I wanted something simple I could wear with a shrug right away and I didn't feel like coming up with sleeves just yet).

As you can see, The Boy is still in place, and the contractions have actually slowed down now that I'm not sick.  He is looking like he's a... rather healthy... size.

I used my computer to get pictures, and wasn't particularly good at getting across the room quickly (nothing is quick these days), which is why he first two pictures are headless... and also because the resolutions not great and those were the only two shots that really showed the ruffle fabric.

Here's my latest sewing project (and it was pretty easy: two seams down the sides, a seam around the top, elastic and a tie... afterwards I added two straps and a little sparkly jewel bead where the straps come together in the front... and it was done):

Sewing Project: The Maternity Dress

I made this dress before we left California, but this picture, snapped by Nani, which arrived yesterday on a photo cd, was the first one that was good enough to share.

Basically I took a gigantic piece of fabric and left space for sleeves.  Then I started sewing.  Before I added the elastic I called Paul in and showed him.  He looked at me like I was crazy, so to add to the crazy I held it up to him, as if I were making a men's shirt.  It looked like it was about twice his size.  His expression changed to serious concern.

Then I went back to work and inserted the elastic and made a little lace belt to go along with it.  The entire project took about four hours, which meant I'd finished it in one night, so I could wear it to Church the next day.

The next day I spent a good hour debating whether or not it looked like pajamas.  Paul said no, but I still wasn't entirely sure he wasn't just humoring me.

However it's since become my favorite dress, since it's so comfy and perfect for pregnancy.  Now I just need to finish the sewing room so I can focus on sewing again!

This Week's Work Link Up Party - #1

I decided to do a weekly post, sharing the weeks projects and disasters (thankfully no major crafting disasters this week!) and I wanted to give anyone with a blog the chance to share what they've been working on as well, so I created a brand new Saturday, weekly link up party.  You're welcome to share whatever family friendly project you've been working on, from sewing and crafts to cooking, organizing and schooling (and whatever else you can think of!).  And if you're working on something for a shop, you're welcome to share that too, because I love helping out small businesses!  

This week's submissions will be open until next Friday night, so you have plenty of time to come up with a post!  Have fun!

This week my post will focus on Mae's upcoming birthday.  I have two and a half presents left to create before the fourth...  We're getting down to the wire!  He's what I've come up with so far:

Some Saints for the Shop:

Mae's Saint Catherine Doll, waiting for her veil to be finished:

Some play oven mitts for the baby obsessed with oven mitts:

Mae's Rapunzel Dress:

A Blanket for the Birthday Girl (half way finished, please pardon my sewing area mess!)

This might be my favorite dress ever.  I'm pretty proud of it.  I cut it out and created it without a pattern:

And the completed habit, complete with veil and mini cape.

And I'll spare you another round of the snoods I finished, but posted yesterday, because they should be in this section too!

So... what are you working on?  I can't wait to see what you've come up with this week!

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Snow White

My brain has been feeling a bit like mush these past few days.  Maybe it's all the political drama of the past few months, but my brain just whirred along without producing any coherent thoughts any time I thought of writing a post.  However, I have been sewing!

I finished a new dress for Sadie today and began working on Mae Bae's sleeves.  The sleeves on this dress take forever to make.  They a combination of satin, silk scraps I had leftover from snood making and organza ribbon and putting them together takes a lot of time!  

I was planning on giving Sadie this dress next week as a surprise.  However, she stood next to my elbow as I sewed it, repeatedly asking that I "fit it" on her to make sure the dimensions were correct.  The second it was done she was changing out of the dress she was wearing to put it on.

I opted for a little collar, since I didn't think either girl would tolerate the traditional big Snow White collar.  And this time I made the dresses with zippers instead of velcro for the back closures.

Pink with Black Polka Dots

These aren't the best pictures, since they were taken with my computer, but they show the dress that I just finished.  Sadie is a fan and would like one that matches.

Here are a couple different pictures that show it.  I was planning on wearing it with my belt... but apparently I've lost enough weight in the past week that it no longer fits.  There's one New Year's Resolution I've almost got finished (and one good part of keeping busy these past two weeks).

As you may have noticed from the other dresses I've sewn, I'm a big fan of polka dots.

The Green Dress

The dress that I've been working on was finished just before midnight last night (just in time to wear it to Mass this morning).  I managed to follow the pattern until it told me how to put on the zipper... then I just couldn't help myself as I caved in to my "I know a better way" impulse.  I'm counting this as basically following a pattern though.  It may be as close as I'm going to get!

The Christmas Dress

Here's the latest princess dress.  It's Sadie's main Christmas present from Paul and I.  Mae Bae's is halfway done and I'll be finishing it up in the coming days.

First, the fabric:

Satin sleeves:

Almost finished!

Major Dress Alterations and a Color Choice

I dug this dress out of my Dresses to be Altered pile last night and finally admitted to myself that as is, it was never going to fit again.

This picture explains why:

I've had this dress for 11 years, and it hasn't fit for at least four.  Last night I finally convinced myself that there was no harm in trying to alter it myself, into a brand new dress... after all, it was only going to sit around in the bottom of the closet otherwise.  So I began my plan.  I completed most of the front last night (I have to add two more sections in the back, the picture below is before I finished the front panels).

I'm going to add thick straps and bring the top up a bit higher than it was.  I might also try to do something about the color.  I've been thinking of trying out dyes for a while (this blog totally inspired me to want to give it a try) but I keep going back and forth on the colors.  I just don't want the pink to stand out as much as it is (see those slits?  I'm sewing in large pink triangles to make the skirt fuller.  The front looks great... but very, very bright.  Paul seemed amused when I showed him what I had so far).  

It fits wonderfully now.  I'm really hoping it doesn't look ridiculous when I'm done!  Oh well, either way I'm learning as I go!

What color do you think I should try for dye?  I've gone back and forth between green, purple, blue and red.  So yeah.  I have no idea what color I'm going to pick?

Mae Bae's Princess Dress

When I finished Mae Bae's dress today I asked her what she thought Mae Bae would think and she said her sister was going to be "So Happy!"  And Mae Bae was!  When I showed her the dress her whole face lit up.  She's still wearing it around the house and every time it's mentioned her little face breaks into a huge smile!  This one only took five hours (it was ten for Sadie's dress).  I'm getting better at this!

And like the other dress this one was made without a pattern!

The "Once Upon a Dream" Dress

I got to work as soon as the girls went to sleep last night and started sewing.  The top half of the dress was pretty much done, but the bottom hadn't been started yet.  A few minutes before Sadie woke up for her first nightly "Mommmmmmma!!!!" yell I finished sewing and laid the dress out for her to find in the morning:

 

I'm hoping the little flowers stay on!

I had my computer with me (trying to get a few emails out) last night and since Sadie was awake I showed her a picture of the dress before putting the computer away.  That proved to be a mistake because she lay there with her eyes wide open and a huge smile for quite some time.  When she woke up this morning she jumped up and sprinted into the living room and squealed in delight.  Here she is trying on the dress for the first time:

 

And the dancing and singing begins... 

 

Then she had to find her Sleeping Beauty doll.  And her Sleeping Beauty Barbie doll.  And her princess book... 

Not bad for a patternless attempt at sewing.  I did glance this tutorial, but as with recipes I tend to be better at looking at the pictures and not so great at reading, or following instructions.  I did rely on it heavily for the sleeves though.  I'd never sewed sleeves before! 

Now I just need to sew one for Mae Bae (and a saint costume for Mae Bae too!  and a veil to go with Sadie's Holy Baby Dress for All Saint's Day!).  We're looking at yellow for the Bae I think.  Or maybe baby blue!

I do think I'm starting to get faster at sewing.  This took about ten hours if you subtract the hand sewing time for something that I ended up going over with a machine (I was initially afraid to sew the pearls with the machine, and while I did go through three or four sewing machine needles while making this dress, the lace is much more secure than it was when I was sewing it on by hand!).

The Princess Dress Sewing Project

I was having a tough time getting a picture of the princess dress I am in the process of sewing Sadie. I was trying to show the satin neckline with the two delicate little flowers and the puffy sleeves I spent hours sewing last night, but Sadie was very busy singing "I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream...." while twirling around.

She did give the top back to me without fussing when I reminded her that it wasn't finished yet and that I still had more sewing to do.  I think I should be able to finish it tonight!  And hopefully I'll have pictures that do the dress justice tomorrow!  It's kind of hard to see it unfastened on top of another "princess dress."

The Latest Sewing Project: Sadie's Princess Dress- Night #1

A week or so ago we received this catalog in the mail. Sadie went through and showed me her favorite costumes. Then she came across this costume. It was love at first sight. She sat, staring at the picture, and protested if I suggested she look at some of the other dresses.

Since we aren't going to be in the market for an incredibly expensive, quickly outgrown costume anytime soon, I decided to begin sewing a princess dress for Sadie. If this one turns out I'll get some blue fabric next time it's on sale and make her a Cinderella dress eventually (she's a big Cinderella fan). I'm hoping to find a certain brocade that I'm very fond of on sale again!

I began work on the top half of the dress after I tucked the girls in tonight. It's going to have puffy light pink crepe sleeves, light pin crepe skirt poofs (for want of a better word... I'm really not sure what those round-ish things are called that are on the side of top of the skirts of most Cinderella dresses...) and a bright pink crepe skirt. Since I have quite a bit of each of those fabrics the only thing I don't have on hand is the velcro for the back.

I do see a lot of hand sewing in my future. The beaded lace is really very thick and I know there's no way my sewing machine could do anything other than make a huge mess out of it... So after I finish my blog posts for the night I'm going to start stitching.

Here's what I have so far (I didn't show the two back pieces which have also been cut out):

And a close up of the project so you can see the different fabrics...

Paul's pretty proud of the fact that he picked out the lace trim. It did seem like the perfect added touch!

The Holy Baby Dress

As many of you know Sadie has one request when asked what she wants for her birthday: a "Holy Baby" Dress. I've been planning on making one, but I was a little nervous how it would turn out.

I got to work on the Holy Baby Dress yesterday, partially out of fear that I would leave it to the last minute and then there would be some sort of disaster and it wouldn't be finished in time.

I had already done some work on the skirt (sewed 1 seam and gathered it), so that's where I was starting from yesterday.

I made the dress pattern up in my head as I was going along (which felt dangerous!), but I think it turned out alright! I kept comparing the size to a dress of hers that fits and is slightly big. I also put elastic in the neck, sleeve cuffs and waist so it should expand and fit for a while!

I started out by cutting out the white panel. I wanted the yellow satin cross to be set in it though, so I cut out several different sized squares and two straight lengths for the cross.

It turned out alright!

I reinforced it by giving it a backing (and then thought... "that would make a cute pillow!").

And then the body started to take shape.

I added two short straps between the two parts of the bodice when I began to worry about how big the neck hole was (I was avoiding zippers for this).

But once I realized that the neck was big enough for me to fit my giant head through I decided we were okay.

I added satin lining to the inside of the neck and put the elastic in.

Then late last night I sewed the skirt on (doubled over so that it added thickness). I made it so it should be around calf length. I was afraid if it was too long she'd catch it on everything!

Ta-Dah! I'm pretty happy with the final result. I hope she loves it.

Now I just need to make the habit. I'm making a white snood and then am going to sew the habit over it so that she can run around in it without it flying off.