tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31422312840202693752024-03-18T23:27:17.487-04:00daniKate designsdaniKate designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046299356528452896noreply@blogger.comBlogger177125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142231284020269375.post-89578457211624875792022-02-09T18:51:00.001-05:002022-02-09T18:52:36.990-05:00My New Sewing Room<p>DISCLAIMER: So, this post was supposed to go up in 2018.SO much has changed since then (and not just being in a pandemic). I decided to publish this anyways, because I wanted to get this blog going again. I have lots more to update, but please enjoy some pretty pictures from when I had a clean sewing room (in a house I no longer live in) <br /></p><p>I have been away from blogging for a long time, and I don't know that I can do it regularly, but I know I love having a place to store all my sewing memories, and a way to share the hobby I love with others, so I'm gonna keep this ol' page limping along :) I wanted to start by sharing my "new" sewing room.<br />
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We moved a year and a half ago into a home out in the country (we're about 20 minutes from a "real" town). The new house has a huge room upstairs with a half wall that overlooks the living room. It serves as both an entertainment room for the kids and my office/sewing room. Here's a fuller shot of the room.<br />
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One side has the entertainment center/couch, one side has my wall of fabric and machines, and my computer is in the middle. There's not much natural light like the rest of the house has, so I put in track lighting. It may not be the prettiest, but it's super functional. Right now the power cord hangs down from the ceiling, but my husband is going to wire it through the walls to a switch.<br />
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My favorite part is this side of the room, of course. I bought 3 wooden shelving units from Ikea. Two have glass doors and drawers in them. Together they are about 108" wide. I thought a whole wall of floor-to-celing fabric storage would be enough, but that wasn't the case. There is "overflow" over in the corner by the entertainment center, as well as along the half wall that overlooks the living room downstairs. (There may also, ahem, be some hidden in totes under my daughter's bed)<br />
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<br />daniKate designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046299356528452896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142231284020269375.post-49408481604978614262017-10-22T19:42:00.003-04:002022-02-09T18:50:14.541-05:00Sew What Do I Wear? blog tourIf you've popped over for the blog tour, welcome! If you're an old sewing friend and you're just checking to see if I'm still alive, thank you!!<br />
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I thought this "Sew What Do I Wear - Professional Edition" blog tour would be a great chance to breathe some life into this poor neglected blog of mine. Even better, it was a great excuse to finally make some clothes that have been on my to-do list for too long.<br />
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First up was a pair of <a href="http://www.patternsforpirates.com/product/sos-knit-pants/" target="_blank">SOS Knit Pants</a> by <a href="http://www.patternsforpirates.com/" target="_blank">Patterns for Pirates</a>. I made size XL in black ponte knit, with a 30" inseam. I did the pockets in the back and the pockets in the front. Even if my husband had been a more willing photographer, neither one of us has the skills to make details of black pants show up well, so you'll have to take my word that they look great. These pants feel like pajamas (glorious!) but are definitely sharp enough to wear to work and have the details that make them look store-bought. (And the pockets that make them useful!)<br />
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If you're on the fence about why you would ever want to make yourself a wardrobe staple like basic black work pants instead of buying them, you should know that there is nothing more comfortable than custom-made pants. Store-bought pants fits me close enough, and I always think that's good enough...until I make myself a pair. These are like wearing butter (if that could ever be comfortable).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the face I make when I think about wearing store bought pants.</td></tr>
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The striped shirt turned out a bit, um, loud? Clownish? Regardless, I'm going to wear it a ton. Because it's comfortable as can be. It's made out of an ITY knit, which means it feels kind of silky. I consider ITY a "dressy" kind of fabric, and I love it for work clothes because it's comfortable in warm weather (I live in the South) even though it's typically a polyester blend. It feels nice in the winter too :)<br />
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This is the <a href="http://www.patternsforpirates.com/product/relaxed-raglan/" target="_blank">Relaxed Raglan</a> with <a href="http://www.patternsforpirates.com/product/raglan-add-on-pack-2/" target="_blank">Add-Ons</a> from Patterns for Pirates. It was the original raglan pattern and is looser than the slim fit raglan. The ITY is drapey enough to show my waist on days when I am shapely, and the raglan is relaxed enough on days when I am not as pleasantly shaped :) My favorite part is the cowl.<br />
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The cuffs and cowl are made out of a rayon blend knit and they are ridiculously soft. Like, I want to snuggle my face in it all day soft. The cowl is the reason I will probably wear this shirt all the time, even if I didn't end up loving the print after all. At least, until I make a few more shirts with cowls and this one can come out of rotation.<br />
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Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to check out all the other awesome bloggers on the tour! <br />
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<span style="color: magenta;">October 23 –<a href="https://danikate-designs.blogspot.ca/2017/10/sew-what-do-i-wear-blog-tour.html"> daniKate Designs</a>, <a href="https://cropaway.blogspot.com/2017/10/sew-what-do-i-wear-professional-edition.html">Shalini’s blog</a>, <a href="https://mamoosehandmade.blogspot.com/2017/10/sew-what-do-i-wear-professional-edition.html">Ma Moose</a></span></div>
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<br />daniKate designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046299356528452896noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142231284020269375.post-19531717715670427312016-07-31T20:32:00.000-04:002016-07-31T20:32:05.356-04:00I'm Such a Trendsetter!It's going to seem like I'm jumping on the Pokemon Go bandwagon, but all the hubbub about the game has just reminded me that I never posted my makes from Danielle's Pokemon themed birthday party. Her birthday was in April, so I'm going to go ahead and take credit for making Pokemon huge again, k?<br />
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Danielle is getting older (she's 7 now!) and she didn't want "poofy" sleeves. She still likes some ruffles and adores a good twirl, but her birthday dress this year was a bit tamer than previous years (see b<a href="http://danikate-designs.blogspot.com/2013/04/birthday-dress-complete.html" target="_blank">irthday #4</a> and <a href="http://danikate-designs.blogspot.com/2014/05/happy-hello-kitty-birthday.html" target="_blank">birthday #5</a>). I made the <a href="http://candycastlepatterns.com/" target="_blank">Candy Castle</a><a href="http://candycastlepatterns.com/patterns/dresses/candy-castle-princess-dress.html" target="_blank">Princess dress pattern</a> with 3/4 sleeves. I used two different Pokemon prints and Danielle *perfectly* accessorized it with a Torchic inspired necklace (one of the activities we did at her party). She also did her own hair, and I think it looked cute :) (We did pictures after the party so it's a bit messy, don't judge) <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Torchic (<a href="http://pokemon.wikia.com/wiki/Torchic" target="_blank">Pokemon wikia</a>)</td></tr>
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The dress was an easy make and fit well. I bought a Babylock ruffler for my machine (I've had bad luck with the two generic rufflers I bought when I used a Janome), and it got a little fussy with me. I don't remember exactly what happened, but I had a very long strip of ruffle and had to go back and re-gather a few bits. Oh, and I had to squeeze the ruffle out of the piece of white with black polka dot fabric I had, so I may have cheated and gathered it a bit more and a bit less in some places. Besides that mess, everything went together really easily.<br />
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Little brother got a custom shirt in the party theme. I used the <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/sewing/clothing/macs-monster-t-shirt/112113" target="_blank">Mac's Monster Tee pattern</a> from <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/user/657201/pattern-store?_ct=fqjjuhd-ijehu&_ctp=112113,657201" target="_blank">Cole's Corner and Creations</a> and I LOVE how it turned out!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0btnUYy4QaROHRanF0WX8XwKe3n_r1N-QvazldPCxNLnPUsgQqalLxxeKKHhIkElDPWtE7c00PgRo1TkzXDShgzjYk-7Ul_lWcD4s_FnjLzoxLHDYlenTjifAST1NpXF-xpC9HsujZAI/s1600/_DSC0007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0btnUYy4QaROHRanF0WX8XwKe3n_r1N-QvazldPCxNLnPUsgQqalLxxeKKHhIkElDPWtE7c00PgRo1TkzXDShgzjYk-7Ul_lWcD4s_FnjLzoxLHDYlenTjifAST1NpXF-xpC9HsujZAI/s400/_DSC0007.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The non-Pokemon parts are plain black cotton lycra</td></tr>
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I've seen raglan shirts made for boys with a mix of woven and knits (the front of the shirt is made from woven and the rest from knit), but I didn't want a solid shirt panel. Plus I wanted to find a way to use both Pokemon prints. I made the shirt according to the pattern--the only changes I made were to use a woven fabric for the lower front panel, and to add a woven pocket (piece from another pattern). I don't sew for my boy enough and he was very happy with his new shirt.<br />
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Beside the clothes, I also "made" a cake (some poorly frosted cupcakes shaped like a Pokeball) and we played a few games. Girls seem to like activities more at their parties than boys do. It was a fun day and I loved seeing both my kids in mama-made.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipLZhPYLzl_FxAPCZ8mXCSQ3S1EeCJw3J_r85e2AY3gIeOluk4J7R1g-EGnNx0D0vV_VRUO64T17-f4hXqIRAmqpui9XIaD62546eOnlrYDsxMChM3CXT7Xos7-HS2RvbgIfVxiOIpoC8/s1600/_DSC0029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipLZhPYLzl_FxAPCZ8mXCSQ3S1EeCJw3J_r85e2AY3gIeOluk4J7R1g-EGnNx0D0vV_VRUO64T17-f4hXqIRAmqpui9XIaD62546eOnlrYDsxMChM3CXT7Xos7-HS2RvbgIfVxiOIpoC8/s320/_DSC0029.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite birthday picture is always the "cake face" one :)</td></tr>
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<br />daniKate designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046299356528452896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142231284020269375.post-64631687683628085132016-03-02T19:57:00.001-05:002016-03-02T19:59:30.153-05:00More MakesHere is another wrap up post of things I made and never blogged about!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFrAhRXHiMFYLNBWMRk7p8og9SFLXAr-Gmbwgv5SrMizOdz_m7roPjWc_sl3p9fIsimhMAOVjyjCmkm5L8BqJ4HFCXeQMIZdvLwqCIZ8-xSY3znm2P5HYOkaIA67-8QWH0Rwh95EruGG4/s1600/IMG_0103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFrAhRXHiMFYLNBWMRk7p8og9SFLXAr-Gmbwgv5SrMizOdz_m7roPjWc_sl3p9fIsimhMAOVjyjCmkm5L8BqJ4HFCXeQMIZdvLwqCIZ8-xSY3znm2P5HYOkaIA67-8QWH0Rwh95EruGG4/s320/IMG_0103.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I made this super cute shirt for Samuel about a year and a half ago. It's unfinished in this picture, but the main details are there. It's the <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/sewing/clothing/macs-monster-t-shirt/112113" target="_blank">Mac's Monster Tee pattern</a> from <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/user/657201/pattern-store" target="_blank">Cole's Corner and Creations</a>. The shirt has a curved yoke which is great for colorblocking but also leaves the perfect space for applique. I chose to do an Olaf face. It's not available in the pattern, but there are a lot of great choices. I currently have two (short sleeved versions) of these tees cut out for Samuel and his best friend for the summer.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWHMIKjUhrudXz2gL86dpdfi4cND5pTvADblHNfJAf43LrzwpMZIHJ2xK4DtBfhc0MkcCkdB1OSpN3pCCMto1GJf8jNQvKI6ugiRDeAWYCcgXQF49M77CTSi_8dlWVlMlnv1eudd5I5_U/s1600/IMG_0505+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWHMIKjUhrudXz2gL86dpdfi4cND5pTvADblHNfJAf43LrzwpMZIHJ2xK4DtBfhc0MkcCkdB1OSpN3pCCMto1GJf8jNQvKI6ugiRDeAWYCcgXQF49M77CTSi_8dlWVlMlnv1eudd5I5_U/s320/IMG_0505+%25282%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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This sweet doll is the <a href="http://embroitique.com/index.php?dispatch=products.view&product_id=1223" target="_blank">Doodley Doll Zoey</a> pattern from <a href="http://embroitique.com/" target="_blank">Embroitique</a>. I combined elements of <a href="http://embroitique.com/index.php?subcats=Y&type=extended&status=A&pshort=Y&pfull=Y&pname=Y&pkeywords=Y&search_performed=Y&q=doodley+face&match=all&x=0&y=0&dispatch=search.results" target="_blank">several faces</a> together to make the embroidery file for the face I wanted. I didn't read the directions very well and ended up sewing the hair right sides together and flipping it out, instead of sewing it with wrong sides together and raw edges, but I prefer my "mistake". I wanted to use a woven for the headband instead of felt, so I cut two pieces and stitched them together to get edges that wouldn't fray. I do love using fleece for dolls (I used it for her hair, shoes and collar)--it doesn't fray and I have lots of scraps from other projects. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYB_ID_VMzAKVm2lV-JF-NwogO1yLap6zY_1qyh4vRV75doIhF_PyFOIpNp9432rnO5xR9ryf2A2q102k0eSSNc_Ug51aCkoe7FOh5xLDluxkDIQqcSLx2JQbkDZBIYi5mDJSIKqfhmfY/s1600/IMG_0512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYB_ID_VMzAKVm2lV-JF-NwogO1yLap6zY_1qyh4vRV75doIhF_PyFOIpNp9432rnO5xR9ryf2A2q102k0eSSNc_Ug51aCkoe7FOh5xLDluxkDIQqcSLx2JQbkDZBIYi5mDJSIKqfhmfY/s200/IMG_0512.JPG" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVnczaQI79KNmnTg0B9H3EMiPZ4bXbFv2G6cDWro2qV8LgUtJAJHpMVryIiOUm6bpW1IIXP7lujIjU0qxjVV9JirnuWgBAscUFrA4eS8Mo_-NlIfDNsT2vjpjCWTQ9V0dtI2B8lw6Fa2U/s1600/IMG_0508.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVnczaQI79KNmnTg0B9H3EMiPZ4bXbFv2G6cDWro2qV8LgUtJAJHpMVryIiOUm6bpW1IIXP7lujIjU0qxjVV9JirnuWgBAscUFrA4eS8Mo_-NlIfDNsT2vjpjCWTQ9V0dtI2B8lw6Fa2U/s200/IMG_0508.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
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The jumper that matches is the <a href="http://www.tiedyedivapatterns.com/product/the-perfect-a-line-dress-for-girls-reversible-dress-pattern-2-6-years" target="_blank">Perfect A-Line Dress</a> (which is reversible) from <a href="http://www.tiedyedivapatterns.com/" target="_blank">Tie Dye Diva</a>. This was for a sweet friend whose mama picked out the fabrics. The doll is to match her little girl, who doesn't have a lot of options for dolls who look like her. I used remnants from the jumper to make the doll's outfit and was thrilled with how this turned out.<br />
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I mostly sew clothes, but the doll above was a nice change of pace. So was this cake I made for a co-worker whose name is Bob. We build data models and tools, so his nickname is "Bob the Builder". We bring in a cake for the birthday after us, so when I was responsible for his birthday, I knew I had to make a Bob the Builder cake! My mom took a cake decorating class way back when and passed down the basics to me. This is just a Wilton shaped pan, and I used the Wilton icing recipe along with some of the gel colors to make the black and bright orange-red. It was fun, but took <u>hours</u>. Next year I'm bringing in a traditional cake :)<br />
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Finally, here are my cuties in a more recent project--<a href="http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/sewing/clothing/the-night-before-pjs-sized-12-16/187638" target="_blank">the Night Before PJ Pants</a> from <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/user/657201/pattern-store" target="_blank">Cole's Corner and Creations</a>. They sew up super fast (there are no side seams) and miraculously fit both my slim girl and my big bootie boy. There are options for cuffs or ruffles, and several different lengths. This is definitely going to be a staple in my kids warddrobes!daniKate designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046299356528452896noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142231284020269375.post-19266510563397059452016-02-21T20:22:00.000-05:002016-02-21T20:22:52.399-05:00A Lot of Catch UpThere has been a lot of sewing that I haven't gotten around to blogging in the past couple years. I intend to try to blog in detail about some, but wanted to share some of the others briefly.<br />
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This was an outfit that I made my daugther for the 4th of July in...2014 (don't judge). I used denim for the shorts and lengthened them about 4 inches. They're super cute, just designed to be a little shorter than I prefer. They're the <a href="http://www.madeformermaids.com/product/lucy/" target="_blank">Lucy shorts</a> from <a href="http://www.madeformermaids.com/" target="_blank">Made from Mermaids</a> and I love how simple, yet cute, they are. The shirt was RTW and I embroidered it with the <a href="http://planetapplique.com/star-spangled-cutie/" target="_blank">Star Spangled Cutie design</a> from <a href="http://planetapplique.com/" target="_blank">Planet Applique</a>.<br />
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This pretty maxi dress is the <a href="http://www.madeformermaids.com/product/lily/" target="_blank">Lily Lace dress and romper</a> from <a href="http://www.madeformermaids.com/">Made for Mermaids</a>. I think the back is beautiful, but we don't really do open backs, so this went to a sweet little friend of ours. She's the same size as Danielle so her younger sister usually gets our handmade-me-downs. She was so excited to receive it :)<br />
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Here's my goofy girl with my goofy dad :) This is a pajama top I made by using the <a href="http://www.lovenotions.com/product/miss-mary-mack-tunic-12m-14" target="_blank">Miss Mary Mack Tunic</a> pattern from <a href="http://www.lovenotions.com/" target="_blank">Love Notions</a>. The ice cream fabric was from Hancock Fabrics "spot the bolt" table. It did not feel nice at all before I washed it, but it was so soft and comfortable afterwards. And it was a steal for less than $2/yard! It'll make it's appearance again in summer PJs.<br />
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This is the free <a href="http://www.climbingthewillow.com/2013/10/izzy-top-free-pattern-and-tutorial.html" target="_blank">Izzy top pattern </a>from Climbing the Willow. I didn't want my girl getting pinched on St. Patrick's Day, and she didn't have any green in her dresser, so mommy's fabric stash to the rescue! I lengthened the size 5 for my girl and it ended up way too big :( The white fabric has a subtle stripe in it and was really pretty in person. I don't think anyone else had trouble with the sizing, but I am hesitant to use this again (I normally get good results from following whatever measurements are given).<br />
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This top and skirt are so cute together, but D never wore them as an
outfit except for pictures. I realized, after taking way too many
pictures, that my neckband was wonky. I put the top in my mending pile
and there it sits, to this day! She wore the skirt a couple times, but
it didn't get worn as much because it was a bit of an orphan (ie, she
didn't have any tops to go with it). The top is a soft, buttery yellow
knit with white stripes and a woven polka dot collar. The skirt is a
quilting cotton with colorful mermaids on it. Both patterns are <a href="http://www.madeformermaids.com/" target="_blank">Made for Mermaids</a>: the <a href="http://www.madeformermaids.com/product/samantha/" target="_blank">Samantha suspender skirt</a> and the <a href="http://www.madeformermaids.com/product/charlotte/" target="_blank">Charlotte collar top</a>.<br />
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The skirt above did make an appearance when we went to see the mermaids at the aquarium! You can't see it in this picture, but it was too cute not to share. These are my sweet nieces (yes, they're twins) that came to visit. I made a mermaid applique for my nieces shirts using fabric and Heat & Bond. Danielle wore her mermaid skirt from above, and the girls wore some <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/sewing/clothing/katie-john-skirt-for-girls-12---16/116079" target="_blank">Katie John skirts</a> from <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/user/657201/pattern-store?_ct=fqjjuhd-ijehu&_ctp=116079,657201" target="_blank">Coles Corner and Creations</a> with mermaid fabric accent (I was pretty low on mermaid fabric and decided last minute to make outfits for the aquarium--there was some seriouspiecing going on and I might have stapled a hem that I forgot to sew...). We had a great visit and the mermaids were really cool to see! daniKate designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046299356528452896noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142231284020269375.post-6398168705245839412015-08-02T12:58:00.001-04:002015-08-02T12:58:23.537-04:00Rainbow Unicorn PartyIt's only been a couple months since the kids' birthdays, so I figure this is a good time to share about Danielle's party :)<br />
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I sewed Danielle a dress and tried to go with something with oomph, like I usually do for her birthday dresses. I used the Kenzie's Party Dress pattern from EYMM and did not enjoy making this dress! The math didn't work out right, and the dress looks a little limp without a pettiskirt underneath. But, my birthday girl loved it and is was very colorful and girlie.<br />
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The skirt is made from 12 flounces, which are sewn together into three tiers. The top tier has smaller flounces and the bottom two are the same size. I made this dress using fabric from my stash (because my stash is that ridiculous), except for the My Little Pony fabric which I bought for this dress.<br />
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The back is cut low and buttons, and there's a very large sash that makes a very large bow (shown looking tired because it's after the party!). I used some clear sparkly buttons, because sparkles go with rainbows and unicorns, right?<br />
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Speaking of, when Danielle mentioned that was the theme she wanted for her party, all I could think about was some cookies I saw on Pinterest labelled "unicorn poop". I instantly agreed with the theme, all because I wanted to make those cookies! And we did :)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiniOcg8Pmxgp6bHRHjjbu3vMcmjxMVOAl10-HEVpvNKIAjfCUTQfNFwTRPQAhllpYxrb6EpoVT1PREAUO5HWYWOE_QoNBzeJ515xWA87M3yQ22Knj23EjN2qnnEMMa8-4B1iCIVkUeu-4/s1600/Cookies.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiniOcg8Pmxgp6bHRHjjbu3vMcmjxMVOAl10-HEVpvNKIAjfCUTQfNFwTRPQAhllpYxrb6EpoVT1PREAUO5HWYWOE_QoNBzeJ515xWA87M3yQ22Knj23EjN2qnnEMMa8-4B1iCIVkUeu-4/s320/Cookies.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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I ended up using a sugar cookie mix (which made it soooo much easier), and the dough was kind of limp and sticky and hard to work with, so I ended up having to do my own thing for the swirls instead of following the directions I found. I love how they turned out and the kids loved being able to say the word "poop". We also made rainbow cupcakes (we being me and D--she was a lot of help with the cookies especially). That was cake batter split into separate bowls, then colored and put into cupcake liners one at a time.<br />
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Some fluffy white "cloud" frosting and silver sprinkles topped those off. Lest you think I'm one of those moms that goes overboard on my kids' birthdays, I promise, I am not! I try to balance making and buying things, and I try to get the most bang for my buck. I usually buy a character banner (that's $5), and then coordinate with solid color plasticware and plates and balloons from the dollar store. Add in a themed outfit which is way cheaper to make than buy, and we've got a party! Since Danielle picked a theme that wasn't character based, I did do something special for her banner:<br />
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A rainbow balloon arch! I learned to make balloon arches back in college for our military balls, so I used those long-ago skills, $4 dollars worth of balloons and 2 hours of my time (plus an hour of my husband's because he blew most of the balloons up with his air compressor in the garage) to make this. It was high impact and very inexpensive!<br />
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I think the most fun the kids had was with a "Pin the horn on the unicorn" game that I got for less than $2. Even little brother played:<br />
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Lots of fun without breaking the bank, and most importantly, my girl was over the moon.<br />
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daniKate designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046299356528452896noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142231284020269375.post-28296278926412119532015-06-26T19:31:00.002-04:002015-06-26T19:31:32.928-04:00Every blog needs some Jalie!I got some patterns in the mail today and my first thought was that I should post them on my blog. I thought that was pretty funny because I've only posted once this year (and, as a followup, I should add I did NOT end up sewing any items for the wardrobe contest--accountability, schmaccountability)<br />
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Here are my awesome new patterns:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_k9THYch3gJiHdvAtKwJtt9Z-rfv4ckfezaWDif36K8UDaocBY_LjL6uyFoTceCUGPS_Z4IbxG-fcv4_AJqUHblq2bN-Gs_TteRyTOTIqAwXT2cLYd_LzG5iTaAKVQm6XRnxXFsI99q8/s1600/FullSizeRender%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_k9THYch3gJiHdvAtKwJtt9Z-rfv4ckfezaWDif36K8UDaocBY_LjL6uyFoTceCUGPS_Z4IbxG-fcv4_AJqUHblq2bN-Gs_TteRyTOTIqAwXT2cLYd_LzG5iTaAKVQm6XRnxXFsI99q8/s320/FullSizeRender%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I used to think Jalie patterns were expensive (they certainly aren't as cheap as the $1-$2 you can pay during paper pattern sales) but they're actually priced less expensively than a number of independent lines, and the quality and size range is pretty amazing. I've yet to sew a Jalie pattern up, but I have a swimsuit cut out for myself (<a href="http://www.jalie.com/jalie3134-womens-racerback-swimsuit-pdf-pattern.html">Jalie 3134</a>) that I hope to work on this weekend, and I've read many an awesome review on <a href="http://sewing.patternreview.com/">Pattern Review</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.jalie.com/">Jalie</a> is known for their knit/activewear patterns and they just released <a href="http://www.jalie.com/jalie3464-lillie-gymnastics-leotards.html">this super cute leotard pattern</a> that I want to get if my girl starts gymnastics in the fall. How cool are those stripes that extend down the arms?<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilRIfAqv1Pf1lw1GYx7OaE7FLnmpCE0IudQ0PCkqKfWRxBDb2fEo7N4Z2582MD-9rPc-eGM3uWHzOpNjYkOWo1CABWM1U3vdoy786u7rCzCkxws-27-HZDVZefkcVgpnlke_TJCUVFkG8/s1600/jalie+leotard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilRIfAqv1Pf1lw1GYx7OaE7FLnmpCE0IudQ0PCkqKfWRxBDb2fEo7N4Z2582MD-9rPc-eGM3uWHzOpNjYkOWo1CABWM1U3vdoy786u7rCzCkxws-27-HZDVZefkcVgpnlke_TJCUVFkG8/s320/jalie+leotard.jpg" width="173" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo from Jalie's website</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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In the meantime I plan to sew up the two patterns on the left in my picture above. I started working out a couple months ago because I figure I ought to get started on losing my baby weight now that my "baby" is 48 months old (the months is supposed to sound better than years...ha!) I've been doing a Jillian Michaels workout video twice a week before work and running a couple miles outside on Saturday and Sunday. I've always worn baggy t-shirts and shorts for working out, but it's too hot to wear anything but a tank top and I think it would actually be more comfortable to run in something fitted. Plus Jillian has been kicking my booty and I need some clothes that won't shift around while I'm busy <strike>dying</strike> doing my workout.<br />
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<tr><td><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLI8p8pynUDLyvgWjm6wZoWh36L9ZYYwZT-QX8izm1a8Yr3hnLzWMpOsVD1O-aUJ6OXO1gd7YP9GCTltrUSegW4iWakogQFtj6nXTeQcIauOwp3fXPISvAGoJEWMcC9c9vcHmxGUdZYzM/s320/cora.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="242" /></td>
<td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHyb7wJup8-2sOQONoBi9nRgfjqA_nfGDJAZ5A0kpdvfAq6XnJjUieWxITG4MKPn7cd07Ru3G1LDm4PCFzcOOvQlqQ_GyR_hVO8AMycFq6gkAAsKBpBIdp4d9htag3e0ccUvQsuvwFWRw/s1600/annemarie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHyb7wJup8-2sOQONoBi9nRgfjqA_nfGDJAZ5A0kpdvfAq6XnJjUieWxITG4MKPn7cd07Ru3G1LDm4PCFzcOOvQlqQ_GyR_hVO8AMycFq6gkAAsKBpBIdp4d9htag3e0ccUvQsuvwFWRw/s320/annemarie.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" colspan="2">photos from Jalie's website</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The <a href="http://www.jalie.com/jalie3462-cora-running-tights.html?SID=bsf8nt6b689tjh2ta42kbbf802">Cora is a pattern</a> for pants or shorts and has some cool color blocking options. The <a href="http://www.jalie.com/jalie3463-anne-marie-tanks-dress.html?SID=bsf8nt6b689tjh2ta42kbbf802">Anne-Marie can be a top or dress</a>. I don't play tennis, so I'm interested in the fitted version of the tank (not shown above). The coolest thing is that the top has a pocket in the back--I run with my iPhone and I'm hoping that will be a great place to tuck it. The shorts/pants also have an optional pocket in the back.<br />
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Between work and family, I've been keeping pretty busy, but I'm hoping that I'll stick with blogging again. I hope I see you again soon!daniKate designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046299356528452896noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142231284020269375.post-60929110037434029752015-04-12T22:18:00.001-04:002015-04-12T22:18:09.908-04:00I might be crazy!<br />
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<a href="http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/ContestGallery.pl?ContestID=232" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank" title="Read more about this contest"><img alt="2015 Wardrobe Contest" border="0" src="http://images.patternreview.com/siteimages/contest/2015/wardrobe_ientered_200px.png" /> </a></div>
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It's been too long since I posted, as usual, but I have been sewing. I recently reorganized my sewing room (pictures to come in a future post) and decided, quite randomly, to enter a contest tonight. I only have 4 weeks to sew 9 items for myself, *gulp*. I figure if I post about it, though, then I will have some accountability.<br />
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Here is my plan:<br />
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daniKate designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046299356528452896noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142231284020269375.post-71863095874397581042014-10-11T09:02:00.001-04:002014-10-11T09:02:30.937-04:00Sewing for Samuel (aka Pattern for Pirates roundup)Fall is my favorite season, though it is short here in the south! I'm trying to make the most of it, as you might have noticed by the change in my blog's color scheme :) I still have pictures of summer clothes to post, which feels weird because it's fall, so I'm going to shove them all in the next two posts. First up is Samuel!<br />
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All of these patterns were tests for <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/user/3301275/pattern-store">Patterns for Pirates</a>. She started off by introducing a lot of boy patterns, many made from knits, and all great wardrobe staples with RTW details. (RTW = Ready To Wear, ie, stuff you'd find in the store). They have a great, modern fit (think longer and slim, vs short and boxy) which I love!<br />
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I was so excited about Judy's <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/sewing/clothing/buccaneer-bball-shorts/93590">Buccaneer Basketball Shorts pattern</a> that I bought a dozen different athletic fabrics (from fabric.com) to choose from. It came in handy when she also released a men's version! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy5cXI5PMZn5IypLqg6mx2Q09CQ3dqhyphenhyphen5f2e_SXsDaT8kVZ6oIQWoJQaqJbtQprebQdZaX5OJ6Jg4VA1hwx2lwTpw5jbBwFoM-Rqc2wm3VRDV2nCT2fYyGbT4-x_Tz1FZhR5A834jDr28/s1600/Side+View.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy5cXI5PMZn5IypLqg6mx2Q09CQ3dqhyphenhyphen5f2e_SXsDaT8kVZ6oIQWoJQaqJbtQprebQdZaX5OJ6Jg4VA1hwx2lwTpw5jbBwFoM-Rqc2wm3VRDV2nCT2fYyGbT4-x_Tz1FZhR5A834jDr28/s1600/Side+View.JPG" height="320" width="215" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVZ1mFVV708J0FW9GN6Xx7sXHFJP7uXJZdIchJSyUcii-t23JwndAxdf2wBbipyVwvnuCohb_iSi2iEJEP46eqACGYKBPn0krAHQtwHuk4Jle_yCcSbRee3ydlinOzoZJk_xKiY62RX9U/s1600/Front+View.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVZ1mFVV708J0FW9GN6Xx7sXHFJP7uXJZdIchJSyUcii-t23JwndAxdf2wBbipyVwvnuCohb_iSi2iEJEP46eqACGYKBPn0krAHQtwHuk4Jle_yCcSbRee3ydlinOzoZJk_xKiY62RX9U/s1600/Front+View.JPG" height="320" width="160" /></a></div>
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This is the <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/sewing/clothing/deep-sea-v-neck---knit-shirt/94158">Deep Sea V-Neck</a>, with short sleeves, no pocket, and a centered V neckline. There are loads of other options and the shirt is super cute (and Samuel does like it--I asked him not to smile so I could get a non-cheeser picture). In fact, now that I remember it has a long sleeve option, I'm going to have to try to make some of these up for cooler weather!<br />
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This pattern was released in sizes 1-4 for an edition of "I love PDF", a digital magazine. It's a tank with some cute side and shoulder panels that can be made in contrasting fabric. I used some athletic fabrics for a muscle shirt, and then used some cotton knits for the striped/animal version. My husband thought the animal knit I used was too girly, so Samuel never wore it, but it was one of my favorite makes of the summer. I thought it was pretty Ottobre-ish :)<br />
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These are the <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/sewing/clothing/swashbuckler-swim-trunks--board-shorts/103699">Swashbuckler Swim Trunks</a>. They were released a little later in the summer, after Samuel already had store-bought swim trunks, so I made some cute cotton shorts with the pattern.<br />
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This shirt is super cool, but you'd never know it by my version! I tested the classic crew neck version of the <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/sewing/clothing/wingman-shirt/96522">Wingman Shirt</a> so you need to go check out some of the listing photos so you can see how awesome this pattern is! My fabric choices ended up making the shirt look like pajamas, so Samuel wears it as such, but you can make great day-time tees with it as well. Oh, and super cute, winged shirts too!<br />
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You will see these patterns on my blog again, as there are so many options with each pattern--color-blocked swim trunks, button-tab sleeves, pockets... And did I mention I love the fit?! Plus, my sweet boy deserves more mama-made :)daniKate designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046299356528452896noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142231284020269375.post-79131281742395968242014-09-17T10:12:00.000-04:002014-09-17T10:12:09.115-04:00Fill Me Up, ButtercupI've been sewing a lot with knits this year. I made myself a dress earlier this year, and I've been sewing a lot for the kids. Today's share is a knit dress I made for Danielle earlier this summer. It's not the usual silhouette she wears--it's A-line and not twirly, but she loves it and insisted on wearing it after the photos.<br />
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This is the <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/sewing/clothing/buttercup-knit-dress-12--16/97639">Buttercup Dress</a> from <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/user/657201/pattern-store">Cole's Creations</a>. This was actually the first pattern Nicole collaborated on with her mom. Cole and her sisters learned to sew from their mom, and all 3 girls are pattern designers, so I think it's safe to say that this was a natural fit :) Since coming out with the Buttercup, they've put out another half-dozen or so patterns!<br />
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The dress has two bodice options--bias down the center front, or just around the neckline. The bias binding is knit, and the directions for how to attach it make it really easy to do. There are lots of options for embellishing this dress and I decided to add the same bias strip around the hem to add some interest. My knits are both from <a href="http://www.chezami.com/collections/fabric">Chez Ami</a> and they were awesome to work with. They're pretty beefy and just feel like quality, if that makes sense:)
Though I used "plain" knits, this dress would be super cute with an up-cycled knit as the center front panel. The panel design, and how narrow they are, make them a perfect fit for up-cycling (or for using super pricey knits).<br />
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There's still plenty of warm weather here in the South, so we'll get a few more wears out of this dress this year. I've switched my sewing to fall/colder-weather items, but I have a bunch of summer stuff to post on still. Maybe someone in Australia reads my blog and will appreciate it? :)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just because this makes me laugh :)</td></tr>
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daniKate designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046299356528452896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142231284020269375.post-19677226459980494112014-08-23T09:41:00.001-04:002014-08-23T09:41:32.580-04:003 months and Kindergarten!Wow, I cannot believe it's been over 3 months since I posted! It's not for lack of content--I have been sewing every week. It's just gotten busy busy around here. One reason is that my girl started Kindergarten!<br />
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I was flip-flopping on whether I should make her an outfit and finally decided the night before that I wanted to. I guess I work better with short deadlines.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My big girl on her first day of Kindergarten!</td></tr>
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I embroidered a white tee shirt for her and made a skirt to coordinate. The skirt was part of the <a href="http://modkidboutique.com/Addison.html">Addison dress pattern</a> by <a href="http://modkidboutique.com/">ModKid</a>. It was the first time I've used one of her patterns and I am in love. The pattern was so nice and and I love the design/presentation of the pattern. I purchased a few ModKid patterns (I've long admired the <a href="http://modkidboutique.com/Kyoko.html">Kyoko</a>) and am looking forward to making one up in it's entirety.<br />
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The <a href="http://www.hangtodryapplique.com/i-heart-grade/">embroidery design is from Hang to Dry Applique</a>. I bought it a couple years ago with the thought that I would use it when Danielle started school. I used some glitter fabric from Hobby Lobby (I found it by the felt) and I can NOT get enough of the sparkle! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7bd-OFBBp2ZbAqMzZ73Va8S9Z2BflipARMOZsWfyhsZPuboSJuLvGTlg43bmrlQoJedWap77doYgsqe34S8IYXjx9po8XW5YQ9ASi-V1gH3ITXRoaq8b_ifqRu8QWaqkNiGbY3daXFwU/s1600/Kindergarten+closeup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7bd-OFBBp2ZbAqMzZ73Va8S9Z2BflipARMOZsWfyhsZPuboSJuLvGTlg43bmrlQoJedWap77doYgsqe34S8IYXjx9po8XW5YQ9ASi-V1gH3ITXRoaq8b_ifqRu8QWaqkNiGbY3daXFwU/s1600/Kindergarten+closeup.JPG" height="302" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look how shiny it is!! </td></tr>
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I struggled to figure out what to pair with the pink and green because I'm not that bold with color and I hadn't realized at first that the "I" was applique and needed fabric too. Then I opened a drawer to get a new bobbin and my eye was caught by glitter sheets and I knew what to do:) 4 out of 4 of my last embroidery projects have involved glitter fabric and/or metallic thread--I think I'm addicted!<br />
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The skirt is a basic, two-layer skirt with tabs to pull up the front overskirt. I altered the construction slightly. Instead of gathering the over and underskirt and attaching them to a bodice, I sewed the tops together with the right side of the overskirt facing the wrong side of the underskirt. Then I flipped them right sides out and sewed a casing by stitching through both layers 3/4" from the top and leaving a space open to insert the elastic. The elastic was inserted into the casing between the two layers of the skirt and then the casing was sewn close. Easy peasy! The tabs have the buttons sewn right on them, so no buttonholes, perfect for a late-night project! Though I do love making buttonholes. :)<br />
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<br />daniKate designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046299356528452896noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142231284020269375.post-31438520242880006802014-05-10T20:52:00.002-04:002014-05-12T21:52:54.355-04:00Happy Hello Kitty BirthdayMy sweet girl turned 5 recently and I wanted to make her a special dress. For her birthday, I like to do something a bit "more"--more ruffly like last year's dress, or more twirly and more pink like this year's. :)<br />
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I chose the Peppermint Swirl dress from Candy Castle patterns, so I had Danielle pick the Hello Kitty fabric she wanted for the main print. She chose a sweet pink gingham Hello Kitty fabric and I used a sparkly pink to coordinate. I also used a tone-on-tone white and a hot pink fabric with white spots on it (that reminded me of the strawberries) to round out the flounces.<br />
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I didn't get the best pictures--I was sick that week and was rushing to get the dress done on top of the party preparations. That's okay though, birthdays are more important than blog pictures :)<br />
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I used a size 4 slim bodice with a size 5 length. It's slightly empire, with a sash between the bodice and the skirt. And oh that skirt! There are 16 flounces, each made of two pieces. I got excited to make her a dress with a 9 foot hem, thinking it would be super twirly. In the middle of hemming it, I wondered why it was taking so long...then I realized I had read the bias requirements too quickly--I used 9 YARDS, which meant the hem was 27 feet around!!<br />
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It makes for one <b>very</b> twirly dress! She loved it and it was over-the-top enough for a birthday :) The fit was good but the dress was a little longer than I expected. It hit an inch or two below her knees. That's probably a good thing though--when she gets to spinning, the dress lifts up quite a bit!<br />
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She loved her dress and so did a lot of the moms at the party. One of them said she was going to talk to me about a dress for her daughter's birthday. I think she will be scared off when I tell her what I would charge for a dress that takes 4+ hours to make and uses several yards of fabric! It was totally worth it to see my daughter shine on her special day though (cue cheesy/creepy photo effects):<br />
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And just because, here's one more picture of that pretty skirt:<br />
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<br />daniKate designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046299356528452896noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142231284020269375.post-67633672741609096602014-05-04T20:18:00.001-04:002014-05-04T20:18:48.012-04:00Ruffle Pop SkirtAs always, so much to share, so little time! I was asked this weekend how I found time to sew. I guess it comes at the expense of blogging :) It used to feel like an item wasn't really done until it was blogged about. Now, that's kind of lessened as I have other ways to share what I work on (the ladies at work are oh-so-patient with me!) But since this blog acts as a sort of journal for me, I'd like to do better and play catch up. For real life, as my now-5-year-old would say.<br />
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This is a little outfit I put together for one of Danielle's friends at school. She was having a Hello Kitty themed birthday party and I noticed the birthday girl and her sister often wear appliqued shirts, so I thought handmade would be appreciated.<br />
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I have been really wanting to make <a href="http://www.tiedyedivapatterns.com/">Tie Dye Diva's</a> <a href="http://www.tiedyedivapatterns.com/product/the-rufflepop-skirt-pattern-pdf-girls-2-to-8">Ruffle Pop skirt</a>, and when I found a hot pink coordinating print for that bright blue HK print, I knew it was a match. Some eyelet lace made it an even quicker sew. I didn't feel up to embroidering a shirt so I went with the suggestion of some online sewing "friends" and added a plain t-shirt to go with it. Danielle picked the pink and I like it.<br />
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To round it all out I made a headband. I used some ruffle elastic that I found while looking for inspiration for the<a href="http://danikate-designs.blogspot.com/2014/03/baby-gown.html"> baby gown I made</a> recently. (I wish I could have ordered it in time to use for that outfit). I ruffled a long strip of the blue fabric and used this <a href="http://www.ggdesignsembroidery.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=257">Kitty Feltie design</a> from <a href="http://www.ggdesignsembroidery.com/index.php">GGDesigns </a>to add a Hello Kitty-ish kitty to the middle.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipgRW41IRGfLqx19pE0s2VW__eWHHRepwBsscSp8efVRO2nKEHkCmI2gVSrAcOVY7c25dJ3-hd2DPqqroLFwKm9znQnnicB5h8-OlQ7kXz3m3t-mfgthMnaPzFaRtkayunbLBwDfhWRlA/s1600/SAM_1957.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipgRW41IRGfLqx19pE0s2VW__eWHHRepwBsscSp8efVRO2nKEHkCmI2gVSrAcOVY7c25dJ3-hd2DPqqroLFwKm9znQnnicB5h8-OlQ7kXz3m3t-mfgthMnaPzFaRtkayunbLBwDfhWRlA/s1600/SAM_1957.JPG" height="233" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The design comes with a no-mouth option, but I also left<br />the ear detail off as well.</td></tr>
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I glued the ruffle onto a felt circle, then sandwiched the seam of the headband (which was just the ruffle elastic with the ends sewn together) in between the base felt circle and another piece of felt. A little glue on the bow, and more hot glue to put HK in the middle, and I was done!daniKate designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046299356528452896noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142231284020269375.post-67742796425854860132014-04-13T10:38:00.001-04:002014-04-13T10:38:56.631-04:00Pink Knit DahliaI have so much to catch up on blogging about that I had a hard time picking one to start with!
Since I've loved sewing with knits lately, I decided to share this top I tested for <a href="http://goldenrippy.com/shop/">Golden Rippy</a>. It's called the Dahlia top and it's a quick and cute sew.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheQsnSoSqN1XZxVIquvYPKjp9cQYK4eNA3eb5dTeOwT-ciwQtU_PpOe2mI3JvWEAU12oTWfA2Jt5r5035QbJUdaA3TlQLengyufPQk2T3X4q3I9GA0rC-0umD1ROyhIUBHgVhCXsDXM8s/s1600/Front+fit.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheQsnSoSqN1XZxVIquvYPKjp9cQYK4eNA3eb5dTeOwT-ciwQtU_PpOe2mI3JvWEAU12oTWfA2Jt5r5035QbJUdaA3TlQLengyufPQk2T3X4q3I9GA0rC-0umD1ROyhIUBHgVhCXsDXM8s/s1600/Front+fit.JPG" height="400" width="196" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ignore the floppy flower, mkay?</td></tr>
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This pink heart knit material is one of the first knits I ever bought. I didn't know much about knits, so I randomly bought different kinds back when fabric.com still sold fabric for $1.95 a yard! I lucked out, because this knit is super soft and has great recovery. The edges curled which made it tricky to do the bands, but a little starch and patience and it all worked out. I got it about 4 years ago, thinking I would make shirts for my nieces, but they are a bit older than my Danielle and may have outgrown pink and hearts. My girlie 4 year old still loves both though :)<br />
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The top has cut-on sleeves, so it's just a front, a back, and some bands at the neck, arms and hips. I don't know if the designer shortened the neckband at all in the final version, but you can see in the picture above that it's a wee bit long. I love the length and the easy look of this top!<br />
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The flower is a cute touch.<br />
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I used felt for the base and just pinned it to the shirt--I don't think it will be a permanent addition for this version. You can find the pattern here: <a href="http://goldenrippy.com/product/dahlia-top/">Golden Rippy Dahlia Top</a>
daniKate designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046299356528452896noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142231284020269375.post-57065910675092291972014-04-06T10:03:00.002-04:002014-04-06T10:13:11.519-04:00Winter Street Dress Blog TourIf you've popped over here for the blog tour, hello! I usually sew for my kids, but I have made it a goal to sew for myself some this year. So when Deepika was looking for ladies to test a dress, I thought it would be the perfect motivation for me. This is the <a href="http://sewing.patternreview.com/Patterns/65379">Winter Street Dress</a>, designed by <a href="http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/search.pl?search=1&ProfileID=21">Deepika</a>, the found of <a href="http://sewing.patternreview.com/">PatternReview.com</a> and drafted by Maria Denmark.<br />
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I actually made two versions. My first try was in a
ponte knit, and while it's an appropriate fabric for the dress (see
<a href="http://www.detectivehoundstooth.com/pr-winter-street-dress/">Detective Houndstooth's gorgeous version using ponte</a>), it
didn't work for my figure. The structure of a stable knit highlighted my
curves in a very unflattering way. <br />
<br />
I wrote
Deepika, feeling very discouraged and thinking this silhouette just
would not work for me. She suggested that maybe it would work in a
drapier knit. There are inverted pleats that offer a little tummy
camouflage if needed, without extra fullness if you're slim. The skirt
has a tulip shape and the pattern is drafted for a C cup and an above
the knee hem. So, in theory, it should have worked for me. She didn't
pressure me to re-do it, but I decided to try again and I am so glad I
did!!<br />
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The neckline--the part that I need the most practice with when sewing with knits--has a wonderful method of construction which leads to a nice-looking, no gape neckband. Deepika includes a link to a video showing the method, or you can also read about it in her tip on Pattern Review: <a href="http://sewing.patternreview.com/review/review/801">Narrow Binding on necklines and armholes for knits</a><br />
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I did make some slight fit tweaks. The dress actually turned out pretty good in the size made by using the measurement chart (L top, blended to an XL waist, with an XL skirt), but since my first attempt was so horrible I thought I should use it as a muslin and learn a bit about fit in the process. I have an ample bum, so I increased the width of the back skirt by 3/4" (on the fold) in order to make deeper pleats in the back. In the ponte they looked like they were straining, but the increased depth of the pleat and the drapier knit make them behave much nicer. <br />
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I also made a swayback adjustment, though I imagine the bunching I get at often get in the small of my back is due to my bum curve and not necessarily a sway back. Deepika sent me <a href="http://buzzybeesworld.blogspot.com.au/2010/12/sway-back-alterations-my-analysis.html">this swayback alteration for knits</a> to check out. I traced the size I needed for the back and then marked a dot 1/2" up from the bottom on the center fold line. I used a ruler and drew a line from that dot over to the bottom corner of the outer edge. I did something similar for the skirt, removing a wedge that was a 1/2" deep in the center back, tapered to nothing on the outer edge. The result was great! I have some store bought knit dresses I like to wear with a belt, but they always bunch up--you can see this doesn't. The only issue I had was that I used the same pattern piece to cut out the front skirt and accidentally made a sway-front adjustment, oops!<br />
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So I have to wear the belt with this version, but the dress looks super cute without it--check out <a href="http://sewcraftychemist.blogspot.com/2014/04/blog-tour-pattern-reviews-winter-street.html">Sew Crafty Chemist's version</a>.<br />
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A few other adjustments I made--I added 1/2" (on the fold) to the back
bodice as a cheater broad back adjustment. I don't know if I actually needed this. <a href="http://trumbelinasews.blogspot.ca/2014/04/pattern-testing-winter-street-dress.html">Trumbelina's post on her dress</a> has great details and
illustrations on how to do one properly and is another super-cute, non-belted version. I also added 1/2" width to
both sides of the sleeves, as my arms often feel like sausages in RTW
clothes. I probably didn't need that extra room but it's so nice not to
have snug sleeves! I took a smidge off the sleeve cap to account for the extra length of the armscye from my width adjustment--the sleeve should fit in the armscye without gathers.<br />
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I also made 3/4 length sleeves by adding some length
to the cut line for the flounce. We're entering spring here in the South
but our office is air-conditioned, so these will be perfect. <br />
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I did not change the hem length and found in my first version that I would not need to change the hem length of the long-sleeves either. I did not change the bodice length either. I'm only 5' 2", so keep that in mind if you are not so short! It looks high in the front in the next picture, but it hangs straight in real life. <br />
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I do not love the side view quite so much, but that is not the fault of the pattern--this is actually the most flattering dress I've worn since having kids! My mummy-tummy combined with a once-petite, now-full hourglass shape can be difficult to dress in one-piece garments. I thought that I could only wear dresses that were super full on the bottom or were empire-waisted. This dress has a seam at the natural waist and the fullness is due to the inverted pleats, proving me wrong. I already plan to make another version of this dress!<br />
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Thank you, Deepika, for your help and encouragement in making this dress. And thank you for understanding that women want to feel nice in their clothes, even if they are not in perfect shape :)<br />
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Be sure to catch all the version of this great dress on the blog tour. Here's the whole schedule:<br />
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<a href="http://sewcraftychemist.blogspot.com/">Sew Crafty Chemist</a> 4/2/2014<br />
<a href="http://www.detectivehoundstooth.com/">Detective Houndstooth</a> 4/3/2014<br />
<a href="http://www.cleverthinking99.com/">How Good Is That?</a> 4/4/2014<br />
<a href="http://trumbelinasews.blogspot.ca/">Trumbelina Sews</a> 4/5/2014<br />
<a href="http://danikate-designs.blogspot.com/">danikate Designs</a> 4/6/2014<br />
<a href="http://sewingsaga.blogspot.com/">Sherril's Sewing Saga</a> 4/7/2014<br />
<a href="http://sharonsews.blogspot.com/">Sharon Sews</a> 4/8/2014<br />
<a href="http://stitchininmykitchen.blogspot.com/">Stitchin' in My Kitchen</a> 4/9/2014<br />
<a href="http://sewingforward.com/">sewing forward</a> 4/10/2014<br />
<a href="http://helloushandmades.blogspot.co.uk/">Hellou's Handmades</a> 4/11/2014<br />
<a href="http://www.craftedbycarrie.com/">Crafted By Carrie</a> 4/12/2014<br />
<a href="http://curveddarts.blogspot.com/">Greetings from Beyond the Basic Block</a> 4/13/2014<br />
<a href="http://www.janmade.blogspot.com/">JanMade</a> 4/14/2014<br />
<a href="http://www.juliabobbin.com/">Julia Bobbin</a> 4/15/2014 <br />
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**A note--My dress seems to be fuller in the front and fit differently from some of the other versions (and the line drawing). I did select the XL waist and XL skirt sizes based on my measurements and using the chart in the pattern. The tutorial has you use clear elastic at the waist seam to stabilize it. I don't believe I stretched the knit to make it look gathered, though that is possible. Rather, I think it's just the way my weight is distributed and the way the knit hangs. I assembled the back skirt the same as the front and you can see that looks a lot smoother. Regardless of the reason, I'm glad for the way the dress hangs in the front on me!daniKate designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046299356528452896noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142231284020269375.post-90343934190749388312014-04-05T16:10:00.001-04:002014-04-05T16:10:35.168-04:00Ready for Warmer Weather!I'm not going to lie--I felt like a total superstar when Laura from <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/EllieInspiredClothes">Ellie Inspired</a> asked if I wanted to be in her tester group for her spring pattern line. It was a no-brainer--I said "yes"! Sleep, schmeep. Who needs sleep when there are cute spring dresses to make?<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijlcPy6WHbxV0qVc0i4_A20h_YA9jL2xTDAuRI312HsCZlxv9lgkkJV39uqIqJRVbzoyYqWLY1RgbB5g-45StOFWhR9u9jldI1WVvcgMaP8jXXIeYhX3xk6eMqHOryf3GaN7-ZZqv2Lqk/s1600/blurred.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijlcPy6WHbxV0qVc0i4_A20h_YA9jL2xTDAuRI312HsCZlxv9lgkkJV39uqIqJRVbzoyYqWLY1RgbB5g-45StOFWhR9u9jldI1WVvcgMaP8jXXIeYhX3xk6eMqHOryf3GaN7-ZZqv2Lqk/s1600/blurred.jpg" height="320" width="292" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ellieinspired.com/index.php?id_product=89&controller=product">Garden Party Dress pattern by Ellie Inspired</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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See?! (Okay, pattern testing might be a problem, but it's not as big as my fabric buying issue so I'm going to overlook it for now...)
This is <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/sewing/clothing/garden-party-dress-sizes-1-12/91603">the Garden Party dress</a> that was just released last week. I made a bit of a boo-boo working on it late at night, but a sash saved the day and the pattern now includes a sash option :)
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmlOIg3YXKuhCXb57VXM5zr4B-LC1BCWvOhlzXIdmal0L8duaHCMLq2kMIeYYRz-BUNpmKhrlmGmVYS5NTDhGRJDlnPll9phmUWV7cZUvHyIcETkiuSYzfDr3T3zXeIcKP11LhQ3fmP0A/s1600/Mistake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmlOIg3YXKuhCXb57VXM5zr4B-LC1BCWvOhlzXIdmal0L8duaHCMLq2kMIeYYRz-BUNpmKhrlmGmVYS5NTDhGRJDlnPll9phmUWV7cZUvHyIcETkiuSYzfDr3T3zXeIcKP11LhQ3fmP0A/s1600/Mistake.jpg" height="141" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The photo on the left shows how I traced the wrong size for the <b>BACK</b> bodice piece.<br />
The photo on the right is where I tried to cut the extra off the <b>FRONT </b>bodice. Doh!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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When my bodice side seams didn't line up, I realized that I had traced the wrong width/length for the back bodice piece. Easy enough fix--I could just trim the extra bit off since those sides weren't sewn yet. Except that whole sewing at night thing meant that I cut the extra off the front bodice. Oops. I seamed some fabric to the front and then carefully cut the extra off the back, finishing the dress with no further mishaps.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDSUMN7-R6Zar-eb7w5iifoequ73LRkbK4zJ2I3tf48N1xVU7kS5zpn0z2hdCkOlS4K1g4oZnPr5UIMGJjCc4htyP-jRJnCPnLLhZ-P9ksPUO2paGa_5UADx-UIroBHavbq6SclGregzU/s1600/Boo+Boo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDSUMN7-R6Zar-eb7w5iifoequ73LRkbK4zJ2I3tf48N1xVU7kS5zpn0z2hdCkOlS4K1g4oZnPr5UIMGJjCc4htyP-jRJnCPnLLhZ-P9ksPUO2paGa_5UADx-UIroBHavbq6SclGregzU/s1600/Boo+Boo.JPG" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The boo boo seam is on the bottom left of the bodice</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The seam isn't super visible, but I think it definitely needs the sash to hide it. I love the Minnie Ta Dot fabric I used for the bodice, so the sash just gave me more to love :) I really do love this fabric combination, especially with the contrast band on the skirt. Speaking of the skirt, those pleats took quite a bit of time. But they are so sweet!<br />
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I really love how this dress turned out. It fit well and it's so modest and pretty. And those cap sleeves are awesome. I don't know if I've ever made cap sleeves before, but it was really neat how the lining and construction was done. I made this dress last weekend and ever since the weather has been really beautiful here (70 to 80 degrees). Coincidence? I think not... <br />
<br />daniKate designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046299356528452896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142231284020269375.post-56393110167232197942014-03-22T10:01:00.000-04:002014-03-22T10:01:24.319-04:00Baby GownOne of my co-workers was having his second baby this week, and I made a gift just in time--I got this gown to my friend on Tuesday and little Sadi was born on Wednesday!!<br />
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I found quite a few tutorials and pictures for onesie gowns online, but none of them were quite what I wanted so I ended up combining several ideas.<br />
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My biggest concern was keeping the stretch of the onesie--I don't make many clothes for bitty babies because I want the clothes to be as comfy as possible and to me, that means knits. I just prefer to have soft, stretchy, cotton fabrics against a baby's skin when they're still little. That problem was solved by attaching the skirt fabric to some stretchy elastic and sewing it on top of the onesie--the knit is the layer closest to the skin and the elastic ensures the tummy area won't be restricted or tight.<br />
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My secondary concern was appearances. I planned to monogram the onesie, but I thought the gown would still look too plain without something near the skirt/bodice seam. I saw some super cute versions that had ribbon sewn around the seam (the skirt wasn't overlapped on the bodice in those versions), but that eliminates the stretch (see concern #1). Solution: I made a cute little belt of sorts out of some ribbons and elastic.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFtA_81iIu1RtTBa7v-T63CFbndqih2eFyb55oD7mnw4RsMf_EjndR7dchOjFShfuBMHSWM8Bddxmg2YdtWwPEn19jw_CC2l-iqRR41rQLGRwoPwKo9uPAg8Wl3wesSPgxqctS0Y3gr9M/s1600/BowNoBow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFtA_81iIu1RtTBa7v-T63CFbndqih2eFyb55oD7mnw4RsMf_EjndR7dchOjFShfuBMHSWM8Bddxmg2YdtWwPEn19jw_CC2l-iqRR41rQLGRwoPwKo9uPAg8Wl3wesSPgxqctS0Y3gr9M/s1600/BowNoBow.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think the belt would also make a cute headband!</td></tr>
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The gown can be worn either way--I tried to stitch as neatly as possibly (while stretching elastic, no easy feat!) so that the belt is optional. I didn't want anything that would tie (safety concern) or be restrictive. I made some elastic ribbon by layering two kinds of ribbon on some elastic and sewing it to be the same length around as the onesie so it would stretch equally.The belt needed a little something more, so I made an organza flower. I am now totally addicted!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUIvaSYuCL9VHG8APWNTu3OFqjgDtDNVjyK28E2JwaqlvheY-pUlWllxlzlbWhjNgeJBT2SfuSfBPE0ApIcUTbTSNyE_8OXCXSj6gB9rLb-A5En66kagDbM2dF3QDgf4Gen9yt0NLyBws/s1600/SAM_1583.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUIvaSYuCL9VHG8APWNTu3OFqjgDtDNVjyK28E2JwaqlvheY-pUlWllxlzlbWhjNgeJBT2SfuSfBPE0ApIcUTbTSNyE_8OXCXSj6gB9rLb-A5En66kagDbM2dF3QDgf4Gen9yt0NLyBws/s1600/SAM_1583.JPG" height="258" width="320" /></a></div>
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These are just different sized circles, layered and sewn together with some pearls in the middle. I used primarily organza but then I read you can use any synthetic so I threw in some hot pink satin as well. You use a heat source (candle, lighter, etc) to melt the edges enough so that they are sealed and the circles curl up. Super easy, super fun! (I might have run out and bought a dozen colors of organza after making my first flower...)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKvdtDz99pSQBr3bLN1R5kkY9umAOFSz8prWjj9MV2sJQ0R2My_kQLwdgsU7Gn0rAty20PJS23ppuoZ4KbxM6y2vcCOoU3nPKk8zLJgi_GR5s0awofcvGl0BkuSaoNweXhAmHTNBDE5z0/s1600/Embroidery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKvdtDz99pSQBr3bLN1R5kkY9umAOFSz8prWjj9MV2sJQ0R2My_kQLwdgsU7Gn0rAty20PJS23ppuoZ4KbxM6y2vcCOoU3nPKk8zLJgi_GR5s0awofcvGl0BkuSaoNweXhAmHTNBDE5z0/s1600/Embroidery.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Font is the 2" size <a href="http://www.8clawsandapaw.com/monogram-1-embroidery-font.html">Monogram 1</a> from <a href="http://www.8clawsandapaw.com/">8Claws</a></td></tr>
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As you can see, I also added some embroidery to the onesie. I cut the onesie off and monogrammed the baby's initials before attaching the skirt. It was much easier to embroider that way, but a little trickier to determine the placement (this is why I like patterns and instructions--I'm not a big fan of trial and error--too much rework!)<br />
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I love the finished result, almost enough to want to have another baby to sew for! I will stick to sewing for friends--several of them have new babies or babies on the way ;)
daniKate designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046299356528452896noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142231284020269375.post-75896458405873609972014-02-07T20:00:00.000-05:002014-02-07T20:00:01.468-05:00The Pretty Paris DressSo I said no more princess dresses (for right now), and I mean that, but I need to be honest. This next dress is actually from a princess pattern. I just didn't have the right colors for a Tiana dress in my stash, and I wanted to see what the pattern would look like in "normal" fabrics.<br />
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I am absolutely in love with this pattern (it's the <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/176446714/tiana-dress-everyday-princess-pdf?ref=shop_home_active_1">Tiana Dress pattern</a> from <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/madeformermaids">Made for Mermaids</a>). It's a peasant style dress but the bodice is shaped, like a good peasant dress pattern should be (that means the front and back have different necklines and aren't just blocky). It has a sash which means a better fit for my slim girl. And the skirt, oh the skirt!<br />
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These pictures don't do it justice. There is an underskirt that hangs just the right amount below the overskirt. The overskirt is split in the front and back and the curve at the side seams is PERFECT. It is just such a pretty shape and is drafted to meet up so nicely. I love the way this dress is suited for using coordinating prints. (Oh, and it looks so beautiful as a Tiana dress that I went out right after making this to pick up the fabrics for another princess dress!)<br />
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I just think this is such a sweet, modest, pretty dress. It's simple enough to make (it is a peasant style), but it has some interesting details and it's just so pretty!! I need to go back and try some of my other "princess" patterns with non-princess fabrics now, to see how they turn out!
daniKate designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046299356528452896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142231284020269375.post-62934988318121819322014-02-05T20:00:00.000-05:002014-02-05T20:00:01.755-05:00Tangled Up in PrincessesOkay, this is the last princess, for now. This ended up being Danielle's Halloween costume that I never got decent pictures of before. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj51sTVxCZqtWlLhoZeNfCvtepjN04sOhwIDoHvnL_cgfvg3O85xZwl0DjP84NAzrt0gvStr6gTbuqOzpv3tVkH1LYPd6UwSqGI52EM1QNHdr1_U6tlKgA4nh9fxkbNLXdmqTXZQOcCbEs/s1600/SAM_1337.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj51sTVxCZqtWlLhoZeNfCvtepjN04sOhwIDoHvnL_cgfvg3O85xZwl0DjP84NAzrt0gvStr6gTbuqOzpv3tVkH1LYPd6UwSqGI52EM1QNHdr1_U6tlKgA4nh9fxkbNLXdmqTXZQOcCbEs/s1600/SAM_1337.JPG" height="640" width="292" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I LOVE this picture!!</td></tr>
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This is a pattern that I willingly *gasp* paid for! Me and Mimi took Danielle to see "Disney on Ice" back in October, and I decided about 2 days prior to the show that I should make her a dress to wear. I decided on <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/166199401/rapunzel-dress-everyday-princess-pdf?ref=shop_home_active_18">Rapunzel</a> from <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/madeformermaids">Made for Mermaids</a>. Then somehow I waited until the day of to start. Here's what it looked like just a few hours before the show:<br />
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I got the dress done in time--not because I'm super mom but because I have a super husband who corralled the kids and gave me a chance to sew without (many) interruptions. I'm so glad he helped, because it turned out great and the show was magical! Now I know why people spend oodles of money to go on Disney World vacations.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhukuL7YNYauGsWOb5V2saaX-8v4aBkRESgsWfX_4AmVJGPGLXqE3xKWSFqoJxziRHIlFhO0enEGc4E7D1SNXVgwzh6SdDkGONEqoLhuwHOTtAJzwEuj_Tdfkl_rJx94LNr14Mlxk7qhg8/s1600/me+and+my+girl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhukuL7YNYauGsWOb5V2saaX-8v4aBkRESgsWfX_4AmVJGPGLXqE3xKWSFqoJxziRHIlFhO0enEGc4E7D1SNXVgwzh6SdDkGONEqoLhuwHOTtAJzwEuj_Tdfkl_rJx94LNr14Mlxk7qhg8/s1600/me+and+my+girl.jpg" height="320" width="294" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and my best girl :)</td></tr>
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The pattern is a peasant style dress, with a bodice inset with "lace-up" ribbons, center front skirt panel, and ribbons on the sleeves. I added the 3/4 length sleeves using a pattern piece from <a href="http://danikate-designs.blogspot.com/2013/08/5berries-testing.html">this dress </a>I made. I don't normally embellish much, but I blinged this baby up with some iridescent lace on the neckline, hemline and at the bottom of the sleeves. I also added a purple trim around the skirt panel. Those extras took a lot of time, but were so worth it for my girl (especially since we ended up using it for Halloween too)!<br />
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We put a few flowers in her hair and accessorized with a stuffed Pascale from the ice show. Thank goodness that was what she picked out--it was definitely the best value at the gift stands! I have a long blonde wig from one of my old Halloween costumes, but it was a little too big for her. Besides, that would have been way too fussy. I'm loving these Everyday Princesses! <br />
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<br />daniKate designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046299356528452896noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142231284020269375.post-68786927122391040202014-02-04T20:00:00.000-05:002014-02-04T20:02:40.140-05:00The Cold Never Bothered Me AnywaysIf you haven't seen "Frozen", you definitely should watch it when it comes out on DVD. It was just beautiful, and the music was incredible (especially with Idina Menzel as the voice of Elsa, the Snow Queen). There is an amazing song in the movie where Elsa is building her ice castle, you can see a clip from the movie with the song here:<br />
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Isn't it incredible? I can see why Elsa was the standout of the movie for my daughter. Needless to say, I was so happy that Megan from <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/madeformermaids?ref=l2-shopheader-name">Made for Mermaids</a> got her <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/175651774/elsa-frozen-everyday-princess-pdf?ref=shop_home_active_19">Elsa pattern</a> out so quickly (following her <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/173348920/anna-frozen-everyday-princess-pdf?ref=related-4">Anna pattern</a> which I shared in the last post).<br />
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I used a sheer white fabric with silver snowflakes on it for the top bodice portion and the overlay and sleeves. Danielle thought it was itchy :( I finished the edges with my serger, so I think she was just being funny about the dress for some reason, but it went home with a dear little friend whose white blonde hair was perfect for Elsa!<br />
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The dress zippers in the back and has a two piece bodice, with a half-circle skirt and an optional overlay. The overlay panels are attached where the two bodice pieces meet, and to each other at the sides, but they are split in the front and back which makes for a nice motion.<br />
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Goofiness aside, my daughter LOVED this dress (I know, I say that about every dress, but seriously, Elsa is the big hit this winter). I picked up some pretty fabric to make another version for her and I will use a solid woven for the top bodice so that we won't have any comfort issues. This version was actually made using fabrics from my stash (including a turquoise sheer that is hard to see in the photos--it's on the bottom bodice pieces).<br />
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I was going to make myself the snow queen costume using <a href="http://www.simplicity.com/p-2231-costumes.aspx">Simplicity 5363</a> (it's the one on the bottom right) and even bought the fabric. But that was about 5 or 6 Halloweens ago and I think this dress was a much better use for the fabric. Plus, there is plenty of both the snowflake and turquoise sheers left to make a few more Elsas ;)<br />
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<br />daniKate designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046299356528452896noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142231284020269375.post-45118040354453249602014-01-28T08:09:00.000-05:002014-01-28T08:09:10.990-05:00"Frozen" dress -- AnnaI've been making quite a few princess dresses lately. They're a big hit with the 4-6 year old crowd I sew for, and they're just so darn cute. The patterns are from <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/madeformermaids">Made for Mermaids</a>, where Megan has designs from her "Everyday Princess" line. They're great because they look like Disney princesses but they are simplified enough to be comfortable, everyday wear for your little girl. <br />
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My daughter's first--and only, so far--movie theater experience was "Frozen", so she was pretty excited when I had a chance to make her a Princess Anna dress.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She was super excited about this one :)</td></tr>
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Although she's not the princess with "freezing powers" (as my daughter calls Elsa), she was still a big hit. The pattern includes the long sleeve peasant shirt that's worn under the zip-up, sleeveless dress. There's a pointed bodice and instructions for including the gold trim and the floral detail on the front. There's even a template included if you want to paint the bodice design.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeIAqbarRvKLH-BvYJtvqiGEsmoDkmomoDIxHV03040tWAk7gyT6jsE9NYBtT7dEgDjjl_D5dGpJIySHKOG4QJoBvKSTd_vvaN5GO41ajIj6xrMc7avLpf6uX5fOq6OwmZ48w-AjeXS8o/s1600/Back+View.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeIAqbarRvKLH-BvYJtvqiGEsmoDkmomoDIxHV03040tWAk7gyT6jsE9NYBtT7dEgDjjl_D5dGpJIySHKOG4QJoBvKSTd_vvaN5GO41ajIj6xrMc7avLpf6uX5fOq6OwmZ48w-AjeXS8o/s1600/Back+View.JPG" height="320" width="162" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't be afraid of zippers--the<br />instructions make it super easy!</td></tr>
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Danielle decided to have a growth spurt and not tell me, so this is the size 4 when she's actually a size 5 length now. As much as I measure my kids, you think I would have caught this beforehand!<br />
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I decided to take a couple of designs from <a href="http://www.emblibrary.com/EL/default.aspx">Embroidery Library</a> and work some Embird magic to cut and paste different bits together to make my own Anna design. I didn't feel comfortable purchasing from the site that offers "Mr. Mouse" and other knock-off designs. It was a lot of fun to put the embroidery together and I think it turned out really nice.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwsMcCVxoUiMv33J-LBQNHzWJR4DGzHlB9DLyQMz2qEDoHN7sFTzxid5t4y4lCOPM3z2fNI_KS9SWuQjTC13ZufMnkNnQr1FjSWeonCJgBfulp-uUrNjLWlx_ya8uYk3JBKaBD9sROemU/s1600/Bodice+Closeup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwsMcCVxoUiMv33J-LBQNHzWJR4DGzHlB9DLyQMz2qEDoHN7sFTzxid5t4y4lCOPM3z2fNI_KS9SWuQjTC13ZufMnkNnQr1FjSWeonCJgBfulp-uUrNjLWlx_ya8uYk3JBKaBD9sROemU/s1600/Bodice+Closeup.JPG" height="272" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The embroidery placement could have been a little lower though</td></tr>
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I was really pleased with this dress and bought some more fabric to make my daughter a dress in the right length. This version went to a dear friend of ours, and her older sister got the Elsa dress which I will share with you next time. (Maybe tomorrow--we're supposed to have snow here in the South which is funny because I am posting about a movie called "Frozen"!)<br />
<br />daniKate designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046299356528452896noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142231284020269375.post-23839838573105983952014-01-25T10:05:00.000-05:002014-01-28T07:41:59.714-05:00More Christmas GiftsBesides the laptop tote in my last post, I made a few other things for Christmas. My favorite was a personalized outfit for a little girl named Jada who loves Dora.<br />
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I used the <a href="http://www.tiedyedivapatterns.com/product/holiday-skirt-pattern-removable-underskirt-6-months-to-13-14-years">Sugarplum Skirt pattern</a> from <a href="http://www.tiedyedivapatterns.com/">Tie Dye Diva</a> and appliqued a long sleeve shirt to coordinate. The skirt has a flat front waistband and elastic in the back, along with a big (optional) bow in the front. I have to admit, I'm not a huge fan of most of the character fabric I've seen, but kids love it. This pattern offers the perfect solution--the end result is so pretty it doesn't matter what fabric you use!<br />
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For the shirt I used the <a href="http://lynniepinnie.com/shop/embroidery-designs/stitchy-applique-font-set-hand-stitched-look-in-3-sizes/prod_10460.html">Stitchy Applique Font</a> from <a href="http://lynniepinnie.com/shop/index.php">LynniePinnie</a>. I think it's a neat look and would like to use it again on some stuff for my kids.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I used a single piece of fabric and trimmed afterwards. <br />
It was a little tricky because the I put the letters so close together. </td></tr>
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I also made two doll dresses, but my photos were awful, so I only have pictures of one to share. This is the Carousel Girl dolly dress from <a href="http://www.ellieinspired.com/">Ellie Inspired</a> (who is no longer going to be selling doll patterns separately). It is beautiful, but was time-consuming to sew--the bottom ruffle was 6 feet long before it was ruffled! I used fabrics from the <a href="http://candycastlepatterns.com/patterns/dresses/bubblegum-swing-dress-add-on.html">Bubble Gum Swing Dress</a> <a href="http://danikate-designs.blogspot.com/2013/08/bubblegum-dress.html">I made Danielle</a> and it turned out so pretty.<br /><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPfOneYkzeFwcD_0dbxaaqiVJVS-cR8KUVE4ymMdR0Lf6d6qua_0kzwJOekH4pQ6qc8R99ZnxojVZB_ymJxTYzHZi-bWzhbUlu1vXA6Fl9w_70VfIVrc7styzgI4g9FAqIELaR-QPzBXE/s1600/Carousel+Girl.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPfOneYkzeFwcD_0dbxaaqiVJVS-cR8KUVE4ymMdR0Lf6d6qua_0kzwJOekH4pQ6qc8R99ZnxojVZB_ymJxTYzHZi-bWzhbUlu1vXA6Fl9w_70VfIVrc7styzgI4g9FAqIELaR-QPzBXE/s1600/Carousel+Girl.JPG" height="283" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is the back which has 4 rows of ruffles making a bustle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
I also made the Made for
Mermaids <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/171121882/rapunzel-dolly-dress-15-or-18-doll-pdf?ref=shop_home_active_5">Rapunzel dolly dress</a> which had velcro along the back to close
it and would be great for younger girls. It coordinates with the girl-sized version I made for Danielle for Halloween and which I finally got better pictures of to share.<br />
<br />
Finally, I used the <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/madeformermaids">Made for Mermaids</a> <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/163583695/cinderella-ball-gown-dress-everyday?ref=shop_home_active_2">Cinderella pattern</a> to make dress-up dresses for some special little girls. I have been making quite a few princess dresses, so I have lots more to say about Megan's great patterns, but I'll save them for another post :)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuw1rvz33YA9O2o04Y4TAA6gfmQjAnbQO1IzSXXSNxvudv_Zujglv_FEAuAhvlNKJ2qyIM-4wbRIKHhuuiHvX5yVNiqF_fY1oz-EhbCjlIEnspQuE4bcWxti5EPHOlk3YlMPGrLJfWb28/s1600/Cinderella.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuw1rvz33YA9O2o04Y4TAA6gfmQjAnbQO1IzSXXSNxvudv_Zujglv_FEAuAhvlNKJ2qyIM-4wbRIKHhuuiHvX5yVNiqF_fY1oz-EhbCjlIEnspQuE4bcWxti5EPHOlk3YlMPGrLJfWb28/s1600/Cinderella.JPG" height="320" width="209" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
That wraps up my Christmas sewing posts! Coming up I have lots of princess dresses to share, including the sisters from "Frozen" :)<br />
<br />
<br />daniKate designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046299356528452896noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142231284020269375.post-20162116757453714062014-01-09T17:44:00.004-05:002014-01-11T22:38:01.585-05:00Laptop ToteI guess it's past time to share my Christmas sewing! First up is a laptop tote I sewed for a special family. I used <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/83997321/laptop-bag-pdf-sewing-pattern-customize?ref=shop_home_active_10">this Laptop Bag pattern</a> from <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/aivilocharlotte?ref=l2-shopheader-name">Aivilo Charlotte</a> to make a custom-fit bag.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz7OOaoE4FGFlV3o7Zc6C9sIbG4acgv5j9w-ZwIZpwC37ou8fFl5kPwrOgFoiroDPc4MU837Mt2WWCADQyPCagTdAZO0kgHyq2uLqRIULzurMzEyOTGMRD5JCyXGgof3qql9WkiaNBPzc/s1600/Laptop+Tote.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz7OOaoE4FGFlV3o7Zc6C9sIbG4acgv5j9w-ZwIZpwC37ou8fFl5kPwrOgFoiroDPc4MU837Mt2WWCADQyPCagTdAZO0kgHyq2uLqRIULzurMzEyOTGMRD5JCyXGgof3qql9WkiaNBPzc/s1600/Laptop+Tote.JPG" height="242" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love the bow detail on the front</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
The bag is a basic tote, with a bow detail on the front and an elasticated pocket on the back. It's made to fit the laptop but there was enough ease to get it in and out easily.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS87jVTzEhoPPpEP0SMbNflwmtNWqUeNwmV7xBZG_cczwfHtj8NS7_zU6-L5z4lFwJ3Z3DzQ06JN3eCdV5t-hE1NDrgwt8S-fc0cazkqY53ed6eEV8zI8BaCwgfgdHdbspStmhNvaOPHo/s1600/Perfect+FIt.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS87jVTzEhoPPpEP0SMbNflwmtNWqUeNwmV7xBZG_cczwfHtj8NS7_zU6-L5z4lFwJ3Z3DzQ06JN3eCdV5t-hE1NDrgwt8S-fc0cazkqY53ed6eEV8zI8BaCwgfgdHdbspStmhNvaOPHo/s1600/Perfect+FIt.JPG" height="257" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
It was a pretty straightforward sew, but I made a few adjustments. First, I decided to use velcro instead of a covered button. I didn't have a big enough button that I liked and I thought the elastic loop would look too homemade. I have some magnetic snaps but didn't want to use them for a computer bag. (I had a sad incident back in the 90's where I erased the entire contents of a 3.5" floppy when I set it on my hard drive. Lesson learned--for life!). I stitched the Velcro close to the top and there is still plenty of room to fit the computer inside.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik7_s10PzgS4B2tkfaYVKbCElVncGw7QY4NYAyre_XqQJ4CMbFJ8l9cEF0M1NKfUKKZtI2IpKcuOVl4OGheucBJoQBwjL2OSmVpvpBMOgKYe8prQtht1PtT_wtLV-cQcKwfWD7JMLE4o8/s1600/Cord+Pocket.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik7_s10PzgS4B2tkfaYVKbCElVncGw7QY4NYAyre_XqQJ4CMbFJ8l9cEF0M1NKfUKKZtI2IpKcuOVl4OGheucBJoQBwjL2OSmVpvpBMOgKYe8prQtht1PtT_wtLV-cQcKwfWD7JMLE4o8/s1600/Cord+Pocket.JPG" height="236" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The back pocket was perfect for the cord</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
The measurements for the back pocket elastic pulled the sides of the bag in too much (which you can see in the pattern listing, so I made mine longer. The pocket still stays shut and the back keeps it's shape better.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjC5_8yuS0_ugmBFPnPIKktQ4FyrXnvxVO6ds2zswTY21g6J9bIiIaOUufmwnGTdetY1-N7RJmAu1v-v3ls4W_lguAovq4o76tjhFICKwQc85wrd_GI6XMrNmjncLzIaTY5txMOa8XWW4/s1600/Velcro.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjC5_8yuS0_ugmBFPnPIKktQ4FyrXnvxVO6ds2zswTY21g6J9bIiIaOUufmwnGTdetY1-N7RJmAu1v-v3ls4W_lguAovq4o76tjhFICKwQc85wrd_GI6XMrNmjncLzIaTY5txMOa8XWW4/s1600/Velcro.JPG" height="219" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here you can see the velcro a bit better, along with the fun lining</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
I used a fun print on the inside. I love it and wanted to use it for the outside, but you take a chance when you sew for others so I used the more conservative polka dots as the main fabric.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6st9LsbFMKH-0RI3LeqaGPGmXaZth6jHyQINeFodOktsh9QtMrZrmbJctMa9iHCQxS80L1msYQNtlvL7eakI5Z9l16YZYR38RIWsv2XYEixZEQKr3wm69OOCpwFuHnUEcFks5o0uvswA/s1600/Laptop+inside.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6st9LsbFMKH-0RI3LeqaGPGmXaZth6jHyQINeFodOktsh9QtMrZrmbJctMa9iHCQxS80L1msYQNtlvL7eakI5Z9l16YZYR38RIWsv2XYEixZEQKr3wm69OOCpwFuHnUEcFks5o0uvswA/s1600/Laptop+inside.JPG" height="245" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This picture shows the laptop in the bag (the first photo showed the <br />
bag empty). I was pleased with the nice,slim fit.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
I looked at a lot of different bags to find just the style I liked. I wanted something that was just meant to hold the laptop, would be easy to open and close, had room for the cord, wasn't bulky, and was cute. This fit the bill perfectly and the calculations to make a custom fit were clear and easy to follow. The instructions were a bit confusing to me, but maybe that's because I've been sewing mostly clothes lately. Overall I'm very pleased with the results. <br />
<br />daniKate designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046299356528452896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142231284020269375.post-67639397893065555482014-01-02T20:52:00.000-05:002014-01-02T20:52:27.748-05:00Year in Review and Looking AheadHello 2014 and hello everyone! It has been far too long since I popped in here. I have been busy working, spending time with my family, getting ready for Christmas, sewing (of course) and doing all those other life things that happen off the Internet. I wanted to do a quick year-in-review/goals for 2014 type of post, since I still have photos to take and edit of actual sewing projects:)<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="color: #351c75;">PATTERN SHOPS</span></h3>
I tried out patterns from a lot of different PDF designers this year, and I've definitely developed some favorites. I like designers who offer clothing with good drafting and proper construction, and details like measurement charts, fabric layouts and sewing tips are a plus.<br />
<br />
I shied away from panning designers in the past, because I don't want to
hurt anyone's business. After seeing how many new designers have sprung
up over the past year and the way that there are a lot of glowing
reviews from testers and new seamstresses who might not recognize (or
want to recognize) issues, I realized there is a bit of honest
perspective missing. So here is my list of designers who make or miss the mark.<br />
<b><span style="color: #38761d;"></span></b><br />
<b>Popolok Designs</b> - <span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: #38761d;"><b>PICK!</b></span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7MGDbgnwfbvnqWK1sANPrw3Ci075YtVPqbH3YpP_Rjpx8NIk6EF30Znt8SxnsSlHayCTVKI5c_prhlG3fpneppomja4w_fIrAc5V3vFqxWnRdVu-_niw63SFVKveshwWSdu1zC497Zls/s1600/CeCe+dress.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7MGDbgnwfbvnqWK1sANPrw3Ci075YtVPqbH3YpP_Rjpx8NIk6EF30Znt8SxnsSlHayCTVKI5c_prhlG3fpneppomja4w_fIrAc5V3vFqxWnRdVu-_niw63SFVKveshwWSdu1zC497Zls/s200/CeCe+dress.JPG" width="123" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTzWSfdAQxs-6YFTm9JE-cLkvurLciaYwqD9-7zgtCL5gLfIy5_3_uhNo-w1lSPmVUH7DpNJbsl_IssNb8wlm2MP0Rcwj44-6Nh4LNqGtDxXv2KCNWhbuWxNM6K-s1XKyLTm-y5WCCtxg/s1600/popolokNelia.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTzWSfdAQxs-6YFTm9JE-cLkvurLciaYwqD9-7zgtCL5gLfIy5_3_uhNo-w1lSPmVUH7DpNJbsl_IssNb8wlm2MP0Rcwj44-6Nh4LNqGtDxXv2KCNWhbuWxNM6K-s1XKyLTm-y5WCCtxg/s200/popolokNelia.JPG" width="112" />
</a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufQcjxH1LZFzizCOajz-9pNBQYWQY1Lx1y53oGHIPuS_HWoUfdDcufrGwuHvpvVofFF-69_uXYfvj_OVTP2lJrDZ4JDYR6gv0-BY_GQgZGoLqbrXlzjyanywUhMGbEhEQphHWV40PnBI/s1600/Lulu.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufQcjxH1LZFzizCOajz-9pNBQYWQY1Lx1y53oGHIPuS_HWoUfdDcufrGwuHvpvVofFF-69_uXYfvj_OVTP2lJrDZ4JDYR6gv0-BY_GQgZGoLqbrXlzjyanywUhMGbEhEQphHWV40PnBI/s200/Lulu.JPG" /></a>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Here is my version of the CeCe, the Nelia and the Lulu</span></div>
<br />
I still love Popolok Designs. I have not gotten around to sewing any of her patterns again (except the Nelia, more on that a different day), but I will. I love her drafting and that her patterns have interesting details and options. She's not afraid of buttons, zippers, facings, or any of those other things that some consider "hard" but I think are really just part of sewing. I can't wait to see what she has planned for the new year!<br />
<br />
<b>Tie Dye Diva</b> - <span style="background-color: #38761d;"><span style="color: white;"><b>PICK!</b></span></span> <br />
A new favorite! Jen shop offers fairly classic patterns, but I love them because I can trust the fit and construction. That was especially important when I made pants for Samuel's dedication at church. I used my husband's old uniform trousers to make them, and I only had enough material for one go. TDD's <a href="http://www.tiedyedivapatterns.com/product/snazzy-pants-pattern-boys-and-girls-pants-pattern-size-12-months-through-5-years">Snazzy Pants pattern</a> did not let me down! She's got some really cute patterns I can't wait to make in 2014.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJD0xRf_GitE9Z78rohQv6iytEaJebx1BCTb1fSj7v0grKmnWiBnl5qJKt6vbTmhBMz2DwsfLNChwBKlGZIqiY9JGtFqoBeMA-fvsYhkULN5qW2IsXHHZlx4cIkmXni06-9txE9mONNMM/s1600/TDDRufflePopSkirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJD0xRf_GitE9Z78rohQv6iytEaJebx1BCTb1fSj7v0grKmnWiBnl5qJKt6vbTmhBMz2DwsfLNChwBKlGZIqiY9JGtFqoBeMA-fvsYhkULN5qW2IsXHHZlx4cIkmXni06-9txE9mONNMM/s200/TDDRufflePopSkirt.jpg" width="200" /></a></td><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlFs13tpp3NfzWKIqGeJkrXnMpsAV7MTWZZW6ZAGipd43IFXi1D6gYOD7KwdX_8yJ-nq84XpSVo_a8GyIOgg1_DMv-KhO2_qwQ5qZ5m8MPKHXoGh1tOvYqEXFE8ADFjkUWVZa0NuAZKyA/s1600/TDDRuffledSunsuit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlFs13tpp3NfzWKIqGeJkrXnMpsAV7MTWZZW6ZAGipd43IFXi1D6gYOD7KwdX_8yJ-nq84XpSVo_a8GyIOgg1_DMv-KhO2_qwQ5qZ5m8MPKHXoGh1tOvYqEXFE8ADFjkUWVZa0NuAZKyA/s200/TDDRuffledSunsuit.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">(Photo from TDD)</td><td class="tr-caption">(Photo from TDD)</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><a href="http://www.tiedyedivapatterns.com/product/the-rufflepop-skirt-pattern-pdf-girls-2-to-8">Ruffle Pop Skirt Pattern</a></td>
<td class="tr-caption"><a href="http://www.tiedyedivapatterns.com/product/ruffled-baby-sunsuit-pattern-pdf-sewing-pattern-newborn-24-months">Ruffled Baby Sunsuit</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<b>PeekABoo Pattern Shop - <span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: #990000;">PAN</span></span></b><br />
I hate to include Amy's patterns here, because I love that she offers so many RTW styles. I tested several times for her and formed an opinion that makes me not want to pay money for her patterns. Sometimes the cycle seemed a bit rushed, like getting the patterns to the testers was more important than getting the pattern to fit right first. Some of the details made it clear that they were new to her, and yet she was drafting patterns that included them. Also, precedence seems to be given to people who can provide photos for listings and not those who will give honest feedback. All this adds up to a pan from me.<br />
<br />
<b>Schwin patterns - <span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: #990000;">PAN</span></span></b><br />
I made the Maggie Mae, dress version, for Danielle and loved the finished result, but not the process. I think there is a lot to be said for paper patterns, as much as they get sneered at. Though the instructions may be sparse, and a bit difficult for new seamstresses to follow, they are at least complete. I don't buy a pattern to figure out how wide or how many pleats to make myself. I have enough skill to cobble together my own patterns--I buy them so I don't waste precious sewing time trying to figure things out myself as I get a thrill from the end result, not the creative process. There are other patterns that are similar that offer better instructions--<a href="http://oliverands.com/oliver-and-s-patterns/OLV-OS016IC.html">the Oliver + S Ice Cream Dress</a>, for example. I am also looking forward to trying out this <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/127651167/new-colorblock-dress-pattern-and">Color Block pattern</a> by Heidi & Finn.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Whimsy Couture - <span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: #990000;">PAN</span></span></b><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgqeRnfR09vSCaH1eOhPhfLE-JzIyZNHhftDE-cnmKishG5i8x9X61BYi5gohsCUMxZj1ss5YOGtxdSbZ7b0mHKaBsyaFuRjXfQ24cnHyB87DZAY7R7Oje9bM6-6uCx9TurVYUEQZuMsA/s1600/bow.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgqeRnfR09vSCaH1eOhPhfLE-JzIyZNHhftDE-cnmKishG5i8x9X61BYi5gohsCUMxZj1ss5YOGtxdSbZ7b0mHKaBsyaFuRjXfQ24cnHyB87DZAY7R7Oje9bM6-6uCx9TurVYUEQZuMsA/s1600/bow.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">$7 to make a bow? Total waste of money!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I don't even know what to say. I spent $7 ON SALE for a pattern (the Bodacious Bow Peasant Dress) that came with 5 different files (five! to make a peasant dress!), and only one pattern piece--a hand-drawn armhole cutout. I can draft my own peasant dress (see <a href="http://indietutes.blogspot.com/2007/07/peasant-blouse.html">the indietutes tutorial here</a>)--I wanted a nice pattern and I didn't realize the bow was just tacked on, separately, not part of the construction of the dress. And the hand-drawn piece? It was sketchy. Like, lines not even smoothed out sketchy. The only salvageable part of the pattern was the bow--you can bet I will not be sending any more of my hard-earned money in this shop's direction, that's for sure.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="color: #351c75;"> </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="color: #351c75;">MY 2013 PROJECTS</span></h3>
<b>My New Blog Design - <span style="background-color: #38761d;"><span style="color: white;">PICK!</span></span></b><br />
This took a bit of time, as my graphic designs skills extend to Microsoft Office, Paint, and a smidge of Photoshop. I'm comfortable with computers, but not so good at creating my own designs. I'm pretty pleased with the way my header turned out, and I can swap out colors if/when I get around to it.<br />
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<b>BubbleGum Swing Dress- <span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: #38761d;">PICK!</span></span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjGB3ebG9mkEQPB809azlKPnEpuLB4vDggpzMY_uHx_Fjq2Ucn3LW1zLqK3EHwSz862na5-Xe_fAFmS9KxgE9aGNyFrbXOZZy9ldh2aQHYX4FKsvq_1dO4Ashy8EYXXeX6GUjjOMNbkJg/s1600/Love+it.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjGB3ebG9mkEQPB809azlKPnEpuLB4vDggpzMY_uHx_Fjq2Ucn3LW1zLqK3EHwSz862na5-Xe_fAFmS9KxgE9aGNyFrbXOZZy9ldh2aQHYX4FKsvq_1dO4Ashy8EYXXeX6GUjjOMNbkJg/s1600/Love+it.JPG" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Crqsb8cad-mzAWKnjPUQV1rspwzpLst7h5o-ftH64NuPXhOS-XpOQ6rF_5-0HHaM7-C_MCOkBfrkgZIknuPG8YaWnIHYriJ4bCky3-7P-0h2B54eMKpdLH3mtWiJaSsmQ0daeOGnZlE/s1600/BubbleGum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Crqsb8cad-mzAWKnjPUQV1rspwzpLst7h5o-ftH64NuPXhOS-XpOQ6rF_5-0HHaM7-C_MCOkBfrkgZIknuPG8YaWnIHYriJ4bCky3-7P-0h2B54eMKpdLH3mtWiJaSsmQ0daeOGnZlE/s320/BubbleGum.jpg" width="198" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.candycastlepatterns.com/"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.candycastlepatterns.com/">Candy Castle Patterns</a> has been knocking designs out of the park this year! Rebecca's Peppermint Swirl dress stands out as one of the prettiest and most unique dresses I've seen, and <a href="http://danikate-designs.blogspot.com/2013/08/bubblegum-dress.html">the BubbleGum Swing dress</a> that I made during a sew-a-long was one of my most favorite items ever. The options make it really versatile, and though it can be made in knits it is a dream for those who want to use cottons--there are so many options for using coordinating prints.<br />
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I don't have any real pans of the year, unless you count my failure to set (or meet) any real sewing goals, and my lack of consistency in blog posts. I did do a lot of pattern testing and some styles were outside my comfort zone. That being said, I don't think there was a single style I really disliked. Just some fabric/pattern combinations that didn't make it into my favorites. Moving on...<br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;">2014 GOALS</span></h3>
I was supposed to make a quilt for our queen sized bed. I haven't even washed the fabric yet! Beyond that, I didn't have any defined goals for this past year. I want to stay a bit more focused, so I'm taking the time to set some goals for this new year.<br />
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<b>1. Submit a project for <a href="http://hopefulthreads.blogspot.com/">Hopeful Threads</a> each quarter.</b><br />
Kristy was doing monthly projects, but has changed to doing them quarterly this year. That takes away any excuse I have about sewing something in time, so I commit to participating each quarter.<br />
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<b>2. Sew for myself.</b><br />
Have you seen the Mouse House cardigan? It's too cute, and shouldn't involve too much fit. I plan to lose weight this year, but a cardigan should still fit even if I do shed some pounds. I'd also like to sew myself at least 2 dresses and 2 other tops this year. Total: 5 garments for myself. I can do it!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiourppDdTNNIkWg2OTKTrAnWg8pDjajG521QN9feTimEjMFtk1yUR8ldXbUS4lcW4n34EH_gOp5MUwN2i7FrS8YG8p7sZAvwdPUboM4SxQ9dJHtwuw7kHIe1xs93pl3rBSkpKWkPMXjtQ/s1600/julia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiourppDdTNNIkWg2OTKTrAnWg8pDjajG521QN9feTimEjMFtk1yUR8ldXbUS4lcW4n34EH_gOp5MUwN2i7FrS8YG8p7sZAvwdPUboM4SxQ9dJHtwuw7kHIe1xs93pl3rBSkpKWkPMXjtQ/s320/julia.jpg" width="255" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/MouseHouseCreations?ref=l2-shopheader-name">MouseHouseCreations</a> Etsy Shop<br />
Pattern: <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/171458734/the-julia-womens-cardigan-sizes-xs-3xl?ref=related-7">Julia Women's Cardigan</a> (how cute is this?!)</td></tr>
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<b>3. Finish my UFOs (UnFinished Objects).</b><br />
I am not sure how many partially done sewing projects I have laying around, but I do know that it's time to finish them up. There are clothes that my kids have grown past the point of being able to wear (that I will finish and find a home for), Christmas presents that never got finished and mailed, toys that my nieces are going to be too old for soon--they all will get sewn! Okay, maybe not all of them, but a good bit of them. I feel motivated for 2014!<br />
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Whew! Are you tired of reading yet? I think that's a long enough list. I hope you all had a safe and happy holiday, and look forward to seeing what you create in this new year. What are you going to sew first?daniKate designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046299356528452896noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142231284020269375.post-11366309466277699672013-09-30T22:09:00.000-04:002013-09-30T22:50:18.338-04:00Twin Minnies (Twinnies?)My sister and her husband's family headed to Disney World recently and she asked me to make some Minnie Mouse themed dresses for her girls with fabric she supplied.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieqbedJLX7S7Ts-wjISS01bV4Zm-8OfvTi6M24ghWbcsh3tZ8Sh2KE3pjbBof0M4-oBQuXE6pjgeB1GlIFrkrUGiXvjEgmi2TbksnqQ9ZGW3EvdVjK5qQmxinGW68Vk8aDTzzP6nakeds/s1600/Minnie.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieqbedJLX7S7Ts-wjISS01bV4Zm-8OfvTi6M24ghWbcsh3tZ8Sh2KE3pjbBof0M4-oBQuXE6pjgeB1GlIFrkrUGiXvjEgmi2TbksnqQ9ZGW3EvdVjK5qQmxinGW68Vk8aDTzzP6nakeds/s320/Minnie.JPG" width="206" /></a></div>
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I used the <a href="http://www.tiedyedivapatterns.com/product/square-neck-float-top-and-dress-pattern-girls-dress-or-jumper">Fair & Square Dress pattern</a> by <a href="http://www.tiedyedivapatterns.com/">Tie Dye Diva</a> because I wanted the dresses to fit well and I needed a pattern for two fabrics. The red polka dot was some sort of synthetic blend and kind of yucky to work with, but I thought it looked pretty Minnie-esque. My sister also supplied some heat & bond and some yellow rick rack for embellishements.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkHJMVjLPdVZaR6Mac-kyNR0dLCkL2ht6AhGieNVjFIxINfI785eJo_xeOO9tsdy6WsAMlSmIYketaEOpnui0lwBY25Icnsl2xoj50RAP5gZMuagwcoUX5HsY4GDhaemdX5aIg4JSvTZ8/s1600/Details.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkHJMVjLPdVZaR6Mac-kyNR0dLCkL2ht6AhGieNVjFIxINfI785eJo_xeOO9tsdy6WsAMlSmIYketaEOpnui0lwBY25Icnsl2xoj50RAP5gZMuagwcoUX5HsY4GDhaemdX5aIg4JSvTZ8/s320/Details.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I'm not normally a rick rack girl, but I think it definitely suited the look and was very much needed to spruce up the dress a bit. For the applique, I found a silhouette with just the right proportions (and learned about Hidden Mickeys) <a href="http://www.hiddenmickeyguy.com/about">here.</a> I printed it out at the size I wanted, fused some Heat 'n' Bond to some plain black fabric, pinned the mouse head to the fabric, cut it out, ironed it to the dress and then zig-zagged around it with my sewing machine. This <a href="http://sewlikemymom.com/applique-tutorial/">blog post on Sew Like My Mom</a> does a great job of explaining how to do applique neatly.<br />
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I also added a little surprise in the package for the girls: <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMAgegDsyiYhmOm6MiAD1fgMBLaE8iTTuec8e8TBFEUuOwFGpZ4cqzIfk9eUldA1Sov7ldLgYJRuzlHPFHVdKBtQyWtiWanor5TQopAG_yaz2Mw1qJD5tLKrNi_sPk8ZBFdTI9eTl8T4I/s1600/Bracelets.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMAgegDsyiYhmOm6MiAD1fgMBLaE8iTTuec8e8TBFEUuOwFGpZ4cqzIfk9eUldA1Sov7ldLgYJRuzlHPFHVdKBtQyWtiWanor5TQopAG_yaz2Mw1qJD5tLKrNi_sPk8ZBFdTI9eTl8T4I/s320/Bracelets.JPG" width="290" /></a></div>
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I ordered these bracelets from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KinsleyRiverDesigns">Kinsley River Designs</a> (whom I discovered through a mutual friend). The <a href="http://danikate-designs.blogspot.com/2013/04/birthday-dress-complete.html">necklace Danielle wore with her birthday dress</a> was made by Alana as well and I've ordered several custom items that will show up on my blog with future outfits. She's super talented and is competitively priced and it is too easy to get addicted to what she makes!<br />
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Until my sister sends me pictures of the girls in their dress (hint, hint Shawna!), here's proof that I made two of these dresses (my twin body forms aren't nearly as cute as my nieces...)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXrMzT850mcWhOjLFzToEKq50wRDhUrHKI_J8eY3tv7GQh_ZTbl8ulG2cHZhxTUUldZgmfrpPCqLY4Ex5UDv-n0SvPOEWj6y4pjr-RGle_GjfOsjyyxc_RtPY7EMvYtNGR4c-KsaHyxpA/s1600/Twinnies.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXrMzT850mcWhOjLFzToEKq50wRDhUrHKI_J8eY3tv7GQh_ZTbl8ulG2cHZhxTUUldZgmfrpPCqLY4Ex5UDv-n0SvPOEWj6y4pjr-RGle_GjfOsjyyxc_RtPY7EMvYtNGR4c-KsaHyxpA/s320/Twinnies.JPG" width="215" /></a></div>
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daniKate designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046299356528452896noreply@blogger.com1