Mara dress

Recently I'd found this lovely chambray-esque fabric at my local quilt shop.  It came in a few colours but I was drawn mostly to the blue.  I managed to squeeze two dresses out of it, and this was the first.  I LOVE this fabric. I can think of so many other things it would be perfect for but I think a whole wardrobe of clothes in this one fabric might be a bit much.

I really like the Compagnie M patterns and I'd wanted to make the Mara blouse/dress pattern for while.  I was a bit nervous about the round yoke and lining up the button loops but it all worked out well.  Making it a dress instead of a blouse needed a little bit of altering the pattern but the directions were very clear on how to do this.

Vintie overalls again

Wow, It has really snuck up on me how long I have been away from the blog but it's been a busy month.  Going back to work, an endless stream of colds and a teething two year old has meant I haven't had as much time for sewing and blogging lately.  I've also been sewing a bit for myself which always takes a bit longer to get the fit right.  Anyways I'm back.

I've blogged before about the short version of vintie overalls but a while ago I'd made a version of the long ones.  This time I left off the ruffle sleeves as I wanted it to be easier to layer in the cooler weather. I used some denim I'd had laying around for a while and they turned out very cute.  This is one of those outfits that as soon as it's washed she's wearing it again.

They went together easily.  There are a couple of ways to sew the underarm seam and I went with the laziest, just overlocking it and turning it under.  Next time I think I'll try another method to give it a nicer finish.  

Not much more to say really.  The pics are from my phone but sometimes the best ones are the impromptu phone shots rather than the ones I've got the camera out for.   The joys of photographing a toddler :)

The pattern was the vintie overalls from Tadah patterns.

Norah Dress

I finally got around to sewing up the Norah dress.  I love the style of this pattern and for some reason it has taken ages to get around to sewing it up.  So far I've made two but I can see more in Freya's future...

The first one I made was using this diagonal fabric (sorry I can't remember what it was called)  I'd already cut it out except for the back part when I realised I didn't have quite enough fabric.  I legged it to the fabric shop but unfortunately they had sold out except for two fat quarters.  Luckily I was able to cut out a shortened back piece and shortened the front piece by the same amount.  I figured that was a tunic/dress instead.  Luckily it looks really good I just haven't got any pictures of her wearing it yet.

The second one I made was out of this monkey print.  I'd bought a metre without any idea of what I was going to make but knew Freya needed something with sock monkeys on in her wardrobe.  The Norah seemed perfect to highlight the print without breaking it up.  The collar is from the same line and one of the monkeys is wearing a dress out of the same fabric.  I like this dress but if I'm honest I don't love it as much as I thought I would.

The pattern itself is well written and fairly straight forward to sew up quickly.  In both versions I've left off the ties but I think I may put some in the next one.  I actually like the idea of a dotty collar from the monkey dress on a plain black/navy blue dress...

Another Fawn Lilly

After loving my first version of this pattern so much I decided to quickly sew up another before I get distracted with some other project.  I'd had this blue fabric from "A day in the country" for an everyday skirt I had made for myself.  I'd always planned to use it for something for Freya and this was the perfect pattern, although I had to do some careful cutting to make sure I had enough...

This time I used a button tab instead of the crossover and just added piping on the yoke seam.  I used a plain blue fabric for the sleeves and I like how it turned out.  I find this version also fits over Freya's giant head a bit easier too.

The snaps I attached using my snapsetter tool and went on very easily.  I find whenever I can now I use snaps instead of buttons where possible.  It's just quicker and easier when dressing a wriggling two year old.  Anyways this dress turned out well, although my top-stitching wasn't quite as good on this version.

This was the only decent modelled picture I could get...

Hide and Seek Dress

I'm calling this my copycat dress.  I've seen some lovely versions in chambray sewn up on the Oliver and S Flickr group and I knew I had to make one too!  The fat quarter is one I bought at the Melbourne Quilt show earlier in the year (actually on the day Freya was having her epilepsy surgery, it was a great distraction!)  The blue is left over from the first Washi I'd made for myself.  I was originally planning to use it for a Family Reunion Dress but when I saw the two fabrics together I knew it was destined for a Hide and Seek Dress.

The pattern was pretty easy and came together very quickly.  I spent quite a bit of time trying to make sure the print lined up on the back and I think I did a passable job, although I've just noticed in these photos the front bodice has gone a bit crooked :(  The pattern has some lovely details but I decided to leave off the welt pockets on this version.  Freya hasn't quite discovered pockets yet and I was being a bit lazy that day.

This dress is a bit too big at the moment but I think it will be perfect in Spring when the weather starts to warm up a bit.  She seemed to like it though...

KCW Day 7

Today was a much more productive day, thank goodness.  I managed to fit in some sewing and did some chores so I'm calling that a win.  Today I did a few different things.  I finally managed to put the snaps on the dungarees and pinafore I'd made so I'll have some modeled pics soon. I also finally finished a dress I'd started a month ago.  I'd admired the Louisa dress by Compagnie M for a long time and had bought, printed and traced the pattern but I was a bit intimidated by the invisible zipper.  A few weeks ago I decided to just give it a shot and while it was a little wonky it turned out OK.

I seemed to have no end of trouble with this dress.  It took me a couple of attempts to get the piping evenly sewn in, the zipper took me a fair while to get right and I just couldn't get the sleeves set in nicely.  In the end I just needed to put it down and walk away for a while.  Today was finally the day I got back to it.  This time the sleeves sewed in nicely and the hems were all straight forward.

Perfecting the stare off into the distance pose.

I'd originally planned to use some light blue buttons to match the dots in the print but when it came to it the white ones just looked so much better.  It looks pretty cute on too, so much so I think I would sew it again.  I'm also quite proud of the print matching on this dress.  The front has lined up pretty well but my zipper issues meant the back is just ever so slightly off.  Freya seemed to like it though and was quite excited when she saw the zip.

Today I also embroidered another two shirts for my cousin and one for Little Miss.  No issues this time here either so all in all, a good day.

KCW 6, getting back on the wagon!

So things didn't exactly go to plan as usual the past couple of days.  I knew I wouldn't be able to sew/blog on Thursday but intended to on Wednesday. Unfortunately I had some schoolwork to do and just ran out of time and energy. 

Anyways when Little Miss went off to bed I got straight to sewing one of the tops I'd cut out on Tuesday.  I'd been eyeing off Imagine Gnats Roly-Poly pinafore for a while but figured I already had a crossover top pattern with the Heidi and Finn Sweet Pocket Pinafore.  When I saw it was on sale this week that was just the nudge I needed to buy it. 

It is a super fast sew! I just made it using one main fabric so I just had two simple pieces to cut out.  There's a nice, easy pleat detail on the front and then it's just a matter of sewing the pieces together, turning them the right way round and topstitching.  A great, easy sew that can really show off a great print.  I just need to add the snaps tomorrow and I can't wait to see how it looks.