Some time ago (back in January to be specific) I ran across this adorable set on my instagram feed. Thanks for the inspiration, @thefrillyfrog. I love swiss dot and I love sibling sets, so this pair called to me. There are however, elements of it that I’m not crazy about, making it a perfect candidate to replicate with my own spin. To create the bubble, I used Creations by Michie 115. She doesn’t sell any of her patterns “hard copy” anymore but you can find them on her Etsy shop in downloadable form. I piped the white cotton pique collar in the same green Cotton Swiss dot fabric I used…
-
-
More Heirloom Dabbling
What makes something an “heirloom” garment? When recently asked this, it took me a bit by surprise. I had to answer truthfully with, “Quite frankly, I’m not really sure.” My original thought was that it must be a heavily embellished garment made of a lightweight cotton fabric. Due to the vagueness of that response, I was hesitant to give it. So; what is an heirloom garment? In order to figure this out I turned (as all millennials do) to google, which quickly took me to wikipedia. According to my interpretation of the wikipedia definition….anything can be an heirloom garment. A child’s dress, bubble, johnny, anything. The key lies in using…
-
Children’s Corner Maggie: The Smocking Saga…
Have you ever had a project that almost made it into the burn pile…I mean trash can…multiple times? Well; this project was that for me. These sweet little teddy bears have a dark-side, people. Like all masterpieces, they required discipline, perseverance, and what I recently heard referred to as, “power words.” Feel free to use your imagination. Many power words have four, blunt letters. Lets start at the beginning, shall we? Robby’s outfit basically made itself. I found this adorable lace insertion at Textiles in Nashville. If you’d like some, give them a call, last time I went, they still had it. It’s a Children’s Corner Johnny that I modified…
-
Three Yards of Fabric…
What can you do with three yards of fabric? You can make three pair of Parker’s Pants, one Paulie, one Eleanor and a partridge in a pear tree! Seriously though; this is why I love fabric that is 60 inches wide. I ordered this fabric with the intention of making the Paulie and the Eleanor but quickly realized I had more than enough to whip up some Parker Pants. Admittedly; two of the pair are only a “size one” but you’ve got to agree, that was a nice little bonus. I also ordered three yards of this plaid and made two long sleeved Johnny shirts with it. It is only…
-
Tailgating Attire
Okay y’all. First thing’s first. I’m not technically an Auburn fan. However, I am 1000% a fan of Auburn tailgating. One of my sisters currently attends Auburn Veterinary School. Getting to visit her and also attend games is a blast. Luke and I had the pleasure of attending a game last year and I absolutely LOVE how family friendly, fun, and rich in tradition the atmosphere is there. So naturally; We can’t wait to visit their “favorite aunt” (she’s named herself that) for a football game this year. When in Rome, dress as the Romans…right? Our impending visit with my sister provides me with the perfect excuse to make the…
-
My Sewing Journey
Three and a half years ago my sewing journey began. Mainly because I was a pregnant runner who was too miserable to run. In desperate need of a hobby, sewing became my go-to form of entertainment and stress relief. After scouring the Internet, the pillowcase dress seemed like a good place to start. I was and still am incredibly proud of these first few dresses. They were made using a sewing machine that I did battle with every time I tried to sew. After sewing these dresses I moved on to minky. I kid you not…minky…and I’m still sewing…can you even believe that?! If you are considering learning to sew,…
-
Heirloom Dabbling-Christening Gown
I did not get started in sewing because I had wild aspirations of sewing intricate heirloom gowns for my little girl. I started sewing to make practical items that my child would use and love. I get a different kind of pure joy when I am able to create for my children; be it a dinner Maria declares “yummy,” a simple appliquéd shirt she drags around the front yard because she doesn’t want to let it out of her sight, or an intricately smocked dress I spent weeks on that she twirls around in happily. I love making for my kids and I love challenging myself. Heirloom sewing seemed like…
-
Inspirism…my new word
The majority of my sewing inspiration comes from my instagram feed. I often find myself looking at images of boutique brand outfits and trying to figure out what pattern they used to create them. Its a game to test my knowledge of patterns….I’m a sewing nerd…possibly just a nerd. So I’ve come up with a new term to describe my style of sewing: Inspirism. I look at dresses made by various companies or individuals, figure out the pattern they used, and improve on their design by using various techniques that I’ve learned or learn to make my dreams reality. Here is an example of outfit I’ve made using this technique.…
-
Coordinated Christmas
I want to sew outfits for everyone. All the time. Its a bit of a problem. I have to convince myself it is not entirely necessary (nor financially wise) to make every extended family member their own pajama pants, bishop dress, and matching bonnet. However; around Christmastime my self control dwindles. Christmas is an exception. Christmas is pretty. People should coordinate….making sure to conform to the image in my head….right? This year I have kept my sewing to one side of the family. I have even narrowed it down to children! Here’s what I came up with. I have a petite nine-year-old niece who delighted in choosing her own dress…
