Blog Moving!

Thank you so much to all who visit this blog.  I have started up a new blog that will allow me to post about more then just sewing!  I have transferred all of my old posts over there as well!

Please join me at A Mom's Diversions!

Princess Belle

We went to the New Hampshire Renaissance Faire in May.  Bethany wanted to wear a yellow dress.  Toward they end I realized that she looked like Princess Belle! 

I bought this pattern last year for a $1 at Joann Fabric on one of their sale weekends!  We used the gypsy pattern for the main dress but made it a size big so it was long enough and it would last longer. 

I was going to make the sash/belt from the the pink dress but I ran out of time.  I had made a simple toule underskirt to wear underneath that was too long.  When I shortened it I took the extra fabric and tied it around her waist to make a sash/belt!  I also let her take my lace parasol that a friend had given me!  

The biggest thing I learned while making her dress was that the fabric unravels like crazy!!!!!  All day it kept unraveling and picking up twigs and leaves!  I need to either serge the seems (not that I have a Serger), fold them under and sew them inside of themselves, or get some fray stopping stuff.  

Here are pictures from throughout the day!  

I am the one in green and white... not my favorite outfit but I did make it!

The dress flies well!

Heading to the Faire!

Picking flowers

Walking with Daddy!

Talking with a pirate!

She met the queen!

Checking out jewelry

Walking with Mommy (Me!)

This one is my favorite!

A Regancy Dress: Part 2

A while ago (just over 2 years) I posted that I was going to be making a Regency style dress.  Since then I have made three of them!!!!  Each had problems and one was a serious disaster!

To start I needed to make an under-bodice. It us like a full slip with a bodice attached to the top.  I will not post pictures of me in it as it is very see through!


The first dress was not bad... It was designed for my pregnancy for my son though so.... it had lots of room in the front!  I found a cute fabric that had flowers in my favorite fabric (purple!) to make the bodice.  I used off white muslin for the skirt. Also, the neckline was rather high but as I had hand stitched that part there was no way I was ripping it out! (My friend and sewing buddy made her own and I love it!)

The next dress was a complete disaster but beautiful!  It was made of a sheer fabric with a silky fabric underneath (such a pain!!!)  I had made it so that I could nurse my baby in it (he was just over a month old at the time I was wearing it!)  I did not have time put the clasps in the top part so I had my friends pin me into it.  I also had missed judged the side seam and had to wrap my friends scarf around my waist to hide it!

There is no picture of this one because it was that bad!

The third dress was blue with a print on the bodice.  It again was designed for nursing my little one but I made the skirt too full.  The sleeves where a problem this time... I did not like how they looked but when I pushed them up and I liked them much better! (Again my friend is in the picture and you can see that she altered her gown with a pretty ribbon!)

I have altered these dresses since and will be posting them soon!

Tool Tuesday - Scissors

I want to start posting more but with two little ones underfoot I am not always able to complete projects quickly.  So I decided to start posting "Tool Tuesday" when I don't have a project to share.

Scissors

I good pair of scissors is important as it can make a difference between a straight smooth line and a jagged one that does not line up when you need to sew.

These are my scissors.  The work well and the did not cost very much.  There is a big rule in the house that no one is to use them unless they are cutting fabric!  I have lost more then one pair of scissors to them being used on other things!

I found some funny things when looking at different types of scissors  The first one is something called Powered Scissors.  Not sure I would trust it to cut strait!

 

These have a laser on them and claim to help you cut strait.  Again I am not sure how they work as there where no reviews but that seems like a lot of technology for a pair of shears!

These are my dream shears.  They are beautiful, in a box, and gold!  I love that there is a separate pair for cutting thread.  I hate grabbing my big scissors to cut threads as I am sewing and I hate the thread cutter on my sewing machine.

Easter 2012

I decided to make my daughter a dress for Easter.  Then last minute I decided to also make a tie, vest, and pants for my son as well as a simple shrug for my daughter.  I found some tutorials online.  Some I used completely while other I used as a guideline.

Easter Baskets:  I love for the kids to get a new outfit with their Easter baskets every year.

  

Bethany outside and at church with her Bible.

Isaiah in his outfit that ended up being very shiny!

The kids in their outfits together!

Here are the links to the posts and tutorials that help me make their outfits!

• Boy's Vest - I used a safety pin instead of buttons I ran out of time
• Boy's Pants - I can finally put pants on Isaiah and they did not fall down!!!!
• Boy's Tie - I love this one!  I made mine with elastic.  It is so awesome!!!!!
• Girl's Party Dress - Daddy picked out the fabric for the main part of the dress and Bethany loved it!
• Shrug - I altered this to be Bethany's size

My Clutch

I had a special date night coming up with my husband and I wanted to make a clutch to go with my new dress!  I decided to try and make one with out a pattern!

First I picked up my supplies:  Green for the outside, purple lining, batting, fusible interfacing, and a fancy button.

Then I started to cut out the fabric. Tip #1  Measure!  Ooops... First I made it too long, then it ended up crooked in the end. (I still love it though.)

I had decided to make the outer part have pleats in it to add interest.  I started by pinning 3 pleats in the "middle" (I did not measure them again and so they are off center on mine.)  Tip #2 Sew pleats into place underneath... I kept having to fool with mine and make them sit still.... in the end that caused them to be in the wrong place.... They still look nice though!

 

Next, I cut out the lining to the same size as my green out fabric.  (Make sure you make it strait as this was where most of my measurements where off.)  Then I fused the lining to it and pinned the batting to that.

The next step was so hard I did not take detailed pictures during it.  I had to sew the lining to the outer (right sides together) but I also wanted a clean line on the part where I sewed up the sides.  After trial and error I finally got it correct. Here are a couple of me testing the length and folding process.

At this point a small "inspector" came along to check on the quality of my fabric!

Finally I sewed a hook and eye inside and put a pretty decorative button on the outside!  Here is the final product!!!!

                                 The pretty button!                                The hook and eye 

                                                                              (I wish I had done a different closure.)

 

                                         Open                                              Inside

 The back

Here is a picture of us after our date!

Ladybug Dress for Daughter Part 1

I am working on a dress for my daughter.  She loves green and ladybugs so I picked this fabric up for her a while ago. 

I had not gotten around to making anything out if it though.  So today I used some ideas I got from other clothes and had cut the pieces out (I did not use a pattern.)  I will sew it up tonight and see how it comes out!