Samuel's Dedication Outfit

My baby boy got dedicated at church on Father's Day weekend. We would have liked to have him dedicated at a younger age, but circumstances didn't work out for that. (Long story, with the meat of it being that we wanted to find a new home church and get him dedicated after we were members).

I love how sweet he looked--just what I was going for

Samuel was a bit of a handful during the ceremony, wanting to talk and make noises and jump off the steps at the front of the church, but that's what you get with a 2 year old!

 

You can see that he was done before Pastor was

There was no dress code for the dedication, but we wanted to dress up and I couldn't pass up a chance to make a special outfit! I ended up sewing 3 pieces for him--a button-up shirt, a pair of basic, elastic-waist pants, and a little tone-on-tone tie. I skipped the vest I was going to sew after trying on the shirt and pants, because I thought a simpler outfit would be more appropriate for the occasion, and seemed more innocent. At least he looked the part.

He looks like he's being good, but my embarrassed
face shows the real story!

I made the shirt using the Sketchbook Shirt pattern from Oliver + S. This was the pattern I used to make his Mater shirt (still no modeled pics, sorry), and I used it because it was already traced, even though I wanted a much different fit since it was intended to be worn tucked in and under a vest. I took width out of both the front and back pieces (and thus the yoke and the collar), so that it fit slimmer through the body. In the interest of time, I extended the center fronts so I could just fold them over for the placket, instead of cutting and sewing the placket on separately. I miscalculated the amount to add and had to use interfacing, but I still saved time. I removed some of the ease in the sleeve cap as I think the pattern has too much for my tastes. And I lengthened and re-shaped the hem a bit. It ended up looking really cute and fit exactly the way I wanted it. And they say kids clothes don't require fit!

The tie was a super quick, super cute sew from a free tutorial I found online. I made it using a tone-on-tone white seersucker that had a gold thread running through it. I think it was subtle and classy :)

The pants were special: though they were basic, elastic-waisted pants, I sewed them from one of my husband's old uniforms. Because he was being a stinker I didn't get a very good picture of the outfit on him, but he looked like a little angel and people were surprised that I made the outfit (I always take that as a great compliment).

This was him saying
"No more pictures"
Seriously.

All that effort and I didn't buy white shoes! I have to admit, I thought the light-up Cars shoes fit his age and personality and were a cute touch.

Oh, and you can now follow my blog with Bloglovin.

SQUEAL! (Guest posting)

Palak at "Make it Handmade" has posted my "confession" over on her blog tonight, and I am smiling so big it hurts. This is my first guest post and I am just so flattered that she asked me, and that she made such nice comments about my projects. PLEASE, go and take a look at her blog--not just my post, but all her awesome tutorials and cute projects.

It is just such a nice feeling to know that there are people out there who read my blog, and appreciate the time I spend on it! (Even if I only get to post about once a week ;) ) I am so inspired by what others create and I love being part of the sewing/crafting community.

If you are someone who reads this blog regularly or maybe just visits every once in a while, or even if you have just stumbled over here for the first time--THANK YOU! 

♥Angie♥

Update

I have lots of irons in the fire right now, but wanted to post a quick update.

First, I'll be doing a guest post on Palak's blog next week. She's have a series on Sewing "Confessions" and I have been invited to share mine. She's got a great blog with tons of quick, clever projects, and a super helpful serger tutorial series, so head over and check it out!

Samuel's shirt is almost ready. I'll be able to add the buttons and buttonholes in plenty of time to wrap it for his birthday party, whoo hoo!

A yucky pictures is better than no
picture, right?

Also, I have a handful of items already cut out for the "Sewing to Rebuild" project. My awesome husband was gracious enough to let me defer his Father's Day present (I'm going to do some massive cleaning/organizing in the garage) so that I have more time to try to sew. I don't know if they are accepting items once the deadline is past, so I am trying to get as much done as I can and I definitely have way less time than I'd like. (That same husband is not quite awesome enough to let me quit my job so I can stay home and sew all day...). I bought a bunch of new fabric (I have a problem, I admit), and I plan to sew up some cute chevron skirts and shorts with part of my haul.

The top fabrics (folded neatly) were purchased in the hopes that I
could sew some items quickly enough to send to Oklahoma.
The bottom fabrics include Christmas chevrons and a knit
(on the right) that will be for family sewing

I bought some cute coordinates as well, to make up some new patterns I've acquired (that is another problem I have, especially since joining a FB group that promotes PDFs and I see cute patterns all the time now...)

The crabs and the blue coordinates were bought with my nieces in mind.
The anchors are going to be made into some Summer Sailor Shorts

And lastly, but certainly not least, I have a 4 piece outfit in mind to sew Samuel before next Sunday. I am going to have to dig deep into my bag of time management tricks because he is getting dedicated at church and I thought it would be great to make him a pair of pants, vest, button-up shirt and tie. Yeesh. I might just buy a shirt, skip the vest, and the tie and pants will be quick to sew. Does that count as time management?

Sewing to Rebuild

In response to the tornado that devastated Moore, Oklahoma, last week, a project called "Sewing to Rebuild" has been launched over at Pattern Revolution. The goal is to make handmade items (especially basics) in order to show support and to help people start to rebuild. You can read more about the project by checking out this post.

There are several pdf designers offering free patterns to be used, though you can use other patterns as well. They are asking for clothes for boys and girls (especially older children and boys), and there are also links to some bag patterns, as folks need those as well.

I am going to try to sew as many items as I can before the deadline (June 21). I do want to make Samuel a shirt for his birthday, but besides that I plan to focus my efforts on this awesome project.

Samuel loves Cars and I'm going  to use the fabric on the
right for the first shirt I make him

I've already cut out 2 pairs of Too Cute Ruched Shorts (I fit a 2T and a 4T out of the leftovers from Danielle's birthday dress!).

Source: Too Cute Ruched Shorts Pattern via ColesCreations on Craftsy

And I'm cutting out a High-Low Ruffled Skirt in a size 11/12, though I have to make a seam in the front because I totally messed up on my fabric estimate.

Source: Hi Low Ruffle Skirt Pattern via ColesCreations on Craftsy

I also want to make some of the free patterns that are offered--the cute tanks from Fishsticks Designs, and shorts from Designs by Moo.

Oh, and I'd like to make some Sassy Knit Peplum tops as well.

Source: Sassy Knit Peplum Tank Top sizes 8-16 via ColesCreations on Craftsy

I'm not trying to be a total advertisement for Cole's Corner and Creations, but I think her patterns are cute and modern and yet still basic enough to be sewn quickly. I also think that older girls will like them, and I really want to send clothes that kids would wear, and not just use up leftover and/or ugly fabric :)

A House Tour -- Sewing Style

Last post I realized I had been lacking variety in my photos lately. I don't have as much free time as I'd like, so I usually take my photos indoors, at night (gasp, I know!) I have tried to move around my house in order to shake it up a bit, and I realized I have actually given you a pretty good tour of the house over the past year or two. I thought it would be fun to compile some previous projects in order to give you a virtual house tour, sewing style.

Let's start at the front door, shall we?

Knit peplum top, pattern by Cole's Corner

Now, in case you are an Internet stalker and not the kind, sewing-sister-of-my-soul that I imagine, I'm going to jump around. Otherwise I might as well post the blueprints to my home and leave the door unlocked...

This is our couch. Samuel is nearly as big
as big as it. Just kidding. Sort of.

This mocha is an accent wall in my living room. I need to hang pictures, but if I do, I will lose my clutter-free background.

Raven's dress

Guests in our home our welcome to use our downstairs bath, which is equipped with monogrammed towels and a silhouette wall-hanging, neither of which I have pictures of IN the bathroom. Picture them to the left of the sink.

My MIL's dog Norman was kind enough to model his Thundershirt knockoff in the eat-in portion of our kitchen, so you can see the travertine tiles and golden walls. It's part of my Mediterranean-inspired kitchen, which features a ceramic sun plaque from Cyprus and some street-artist paintings from Portugal.

Here's a closeup of the business-side, though the towel resides in another state, with my sister.

Topsy Turvy towel, free tutorial at Embroidery Library

We also have yellow in the kids bedrooms (for now). I actually just painted Samuel's room blue and Danielle's room will be pink. Stereotypical colors, but my little girl insists that pink and purple are her favorite colors, and I am working with a car theme in the boy's room.

Summer PJs

This next backdrop has made quite a few appearances--it's my sewing room floor! The ball-headed pins I use are easy to find when I drop them (and it helps that I can hear them fall) and the location is pretty convenient for photo shoots.

Embroidered shirt

My sewing room has been rearranged since the last time I shared pictures. I will post some updates once I finish a few projects I have planned in there (sewing machine covers and a new valance.

Aw, this is a classic. The closet door in my daughter's bedroom. I actually don't have a single wall in my home that is white, so I try to squeeze in photoshoots in front of doors when I want a white background.

crocheted Owl Hat

Or, if it's still daylight, I can use the back porch. The composter likes to photobomb, though I was able to crop it out of this shot.

Peekaboo Ruffle dress, pattern by FairyTale Designs

Here's a glimpse of the backyard:

Ice Cream Dress (before I started blogging)
pattern by Oliver + S

And one of the front yard:

Too Cute Ruched Shorts, pattern by Cole's Corner

This is my favorite colored room--the master bedroom. Before you judge my husband for sleeping in a purple room, he got to have one room painted hunter green, *shudder*. It's actually more like a billiard green, as they don't really make hunter green anymore. Or peach accessories. Thank goodness! Although mint and emerald greens are big right now, so you never know. We don't take pictures in the green room.

Lulu Dress, pattern by Popolok Designs

This little cutie is modeling our front porch swing. Oh, and the shirt I made him. I have a bunch of button-ups planned for him, and he's becoming quite the cheeser, so I hope to post more of him soon.

Varsity Cowl

Here's another shot of the front porch/yard:

CeCe Dress, pattern by Popolok Designs

 And now we've made a full circle, back to our foyer.

Pirate outfits and embroidered shirt

That was a fun tour for me, I hope you enjoyed seeing my home and projects as well. Thanks for looking around!

Nelia Dress, Short Sleeve Version

If you happened over to my blog because you saw the ruffler tutorials on the Pattern Review blog--welcome! And thank you so much for taking a look around:) This is the latest dress I made for my daughter. It's the Nelia by Popolok Designs (who happens to be Alviana on Pattern Review!).

Alviana, as usual, has offered a ton of options with this great pattern. There are 3 lengths (top, knee-length dress and maxi), 3 collar options (Peter Pan, pussy bow and no collar) and 3 sleeve options (long, short and sleeveless). But Angie, you say, that's TWENTY SEVEN patterns in one, how can that be? I know, it's crazy! I made the short sleeve, knee-length dress with the pussy bow collar. (Obviously).

You know else is crazy? I just realized all my pictures tend to be vertical shots.  It makes sense, seeing as how I am used to taking the front, back and side shots of garments for Pattern Review. But it doesn't offer much variety for blog posts, does it? If I had more time, I'd love to stage some really cute, interesting photo shoots. Instead, I have to go to work, to make money for my family (and my fabric habit). But, I have not left you without options! Here is a non-vertical picture:

Okay, so I cropped this one differently just to make a point.

I've also been getting some better poses out of Danielle. Now that she's a little older, I don't have to just chase after her, snapping pictures as fast as I can and hoping that one of them turns out decent.

I wish I had thought to take pictures of some of the details of this dress. The finish on the front is really nicely done (not surprising, with a Popolok pattern), and the tie collar is really sweet and unique. I thought the fabric and the collar made for a slightly retro look which was fun. And lest you think it's a bit serious for a little girl, the skirt is pretty full and has some twirl factor.

We are still having some chilly mornings off and on, though, so this dress fills a gap in my daughter's wardrobe. But I definitely plan to make a sleeveless maxi for the summer and a long sleeve dress for the winter.

Pillowcase Romper

I have a backlog of projects to post about...how did that happen?

Maybe it's because modeling is sooo hard :)

I know it's no secret that I love pattern testing, but one of the things I love most about it is that the deadline really helps me focus my time in my sewing room. I've been pattern testing so much this year that I have been sewing at least one item a week (and I definitely haven't been blogging that regularly!) Here's my latest project, just finished last night:

I'll be honest. I did not think I was going to like this style. But this was my first opportunity to test for Fairytale Pattern Designs so I didn't want to turn it down. I LOVE the end result, so I'm so glad that I stepped out of my comfort zone! There are only 6 pages to tape together and the pattern is on sale for 30% off right now! AND it includes doll sizes!

This was a quick sew and I was really pleased with the fit. Granted, there's not a lot to fit with a pillowcase romper, but there was just the right amount ease in the body so it doesn't look poofy. And the length is really cute. I don't think I'd like this if it was full length pants, but I think the drafted length is just darling. And a contrast tie and leg band and the ruffles at the bottom add just the right amount of detail for this mama :)

Boy, she was on fire last night!

I think this is a great item to wear with our climate here in the south (it will transition well from hot and humid outside to air conditioning inside)--I hope I have time to make a few more for the summer!