So Flippin' Cute!

I'm sharing this post from 2013 when I participated in Flip This Pattern. After much delay, I am almost ready to publish the Pinafore Pattern- in time for summer!!

I was so excited to be invited to participate in "Flip This Pattern" by my super-talented friends Ashley and Emily. To be able to Flip a pattern as versatile and cute as the Elegance & Elephants Bubble Shorts was even better! In fact, I had already purchased the pattern the day it came out. I love that it has 2 options: classic or sailor style. I am a sucker for anything sailor, but for this Flip, I decided to make the classic style and add a favorite technique: smocking! I also made a matching pinafore to go with the bubble shorts. I am lucky to have a beautiful God-daughter to model for me. Ella is 5 months old and such a sweetie!

Just learning to sit up. I love the big bows on the sides of the pinafore.

  

 Here she is in the pinafore and shorts.

 The smocking on the top matches what's on the shorts.

Nice and cool for a hot day- can you see them under the tummy?

Now that you've seen the cutie pie shots, here are the details:

The classic bubble shorts, size 6-12 months. Fabric is cotton. I added width to the pockets to allow enough fullness for smocking and I added the Swiss eyelet to the cuffs to match the pinafore.

Here's the 3-D view! I like the contrast waistband lining.

 

 Just the pocket.

The pinafore is my own design (you may be seeing a pattern for this soon). It is open at the sides and has 2.buttons on the back yoke.

I added piping to the front and back yokes and around the neckline. It adds a pretty element.

The ties are a single layer with a narrow rolled hem.

...THE END!

Thank you Ashley & Emily for inviting me to "Flip This Pattern" and thanks to Heidi at Elegance & Elephants for such a darling pattern to work with!

"Practical Projects"

My Quilt Guild had a fun challenge in January. We were to put one or more fabrics we like into a bag. The bags were swapped and we each had to make a little something "practical" for our friend. My bag had all batiks in blues. I thought of the Spring Mug Rug at SF Stitch Co. It is appropriately titled, "Hurry Up, Spring!" I have wanted to make one for a long time and thought the blues would work well.

I got a real treat when I opened my bag. One of the most talented ladies in our Guild got my fabric and look what she made:

A complete kitchen ensemble! I can't believe how many things she made and the great co-ordinating fabrics she found! The 2 hotpads have pockets to slide your hand in. The hot mitt and pads have insulating batting. Isn't the kitchen towel pretty, too!? I had bought this fabric awhile ago because I loved it and always thought I'd make an apron. I have enough left to do that. These are so beautiful I feel like hanging them on the wall in my kitchen!

"Gray Challenge" part 3

You already saw what I made for the gray challenge, but I also wanted to show you some of the lovely things the other girls made.

 One lady made a matching set of boy and girl rompers. The boy's is smocked with cars and the little girl's with a pink geometric. They are adorable!

This American Girl Doll got a whole ensemble of gray dress with red trim, red coat and hat. The coat is also lined with the gray. The picture doesn't show just how cute this set is.

A very ambitious and talented friend made these 2 dresses. They both have a beautiful coral smocking/trim, but the color doesn't show up well in the pictures.

She hasn't quite finished the 2nd dress with center smocking, but it is coming along. She will also make a boy's matching romper for siblings that are 4, 2, and 4mos. old! What fun!

Can you believe this pretty dress (with matching bloomers, not shown) was made by a first-time smocker! The Collars, Etc. pattern was popular in this challenge.

Perfection! Chocolate bunnies on Easter dresses. I love how they are co-ordinating but not exactly the same.

The boys were well-represented by this cute summer jon jon with a smocked sailboat insert. I love how she put it off-center. I can picture this one for beach pictures, can't you?

This dress has a beautiful pale green underskirt and matching gray polka-dot pockets. They all go together so well!

This dress is a classic! The flower-smocked bib is removable and has a CC "Patty" underdress of gray fine corduroy. The dress was pretty all by itself but the bib adds color.

This sweet yoke dress would have gone well with the sibling set, above. It has the same pretty coral smocking. Don't you love the tucks and tiny buttons and the crisp white collar?

I was amazed at how everyone made such elegant creations from a simple gray striped fabric. I hope we do a fabric challenge again- it was a lot of fun!

The "Gray" Challenge, part 2

In my last post, I showed the little bunny Wee Care gown I made from the gray-striped challenge fabric. I managed to make one more outfit from it, too.

The pattern is Ruby Jean's Closet "Sugar Pie". It's one I've been wanting to try for awhile. I still need to add the buttons to the front panel. This was such a quick sew! I think it took longer to print the pattern and cut it out than it did to stitch it!
I scanned the girl from the fabric and digitized it into an embroidery design.

This was the first girl I did. Once I stitched her, I wasn't sure if the gray kimono showed up enough on the gray fabric, so I did another one in hot pink.

Ooops, forgot to trim the purple jump stitches. So, now the panel is reversible with one girl on each side.
I also made some panties, as this is more of a top than a dress. This is a pattern with so many options. You can make both pieces reversible for 4 different outfits in one!
I'll share what other people made for the "Gray Challenge" in my next post!

Wee Care Gowns and a Challenge

You may remember that I joined a Smocking Guild last fall. We are required to make 2 Wee Care Gowns per year to donate to preemies. I love babies, so this project is right up my alley! I started this white one in October, but haven't worked on it at all since.

It is a kimono sleeve daygown with a bit of smocking added to the center. I also embroidered a little baseball motif (from Oma's Place) on the bottom. The fabric is white Imperial batiste with red gingham bias binding.

I put the 3 mini designs together. I was trying to think of something that would appeal to the parents of a baby boy.

In November, the Guild started a challenge to make something from this gray/white striped fabric. Honestly, I planned about 20 different projects and actually started 3, but this is the only one I finished. I have one more in the works that I may also do. This project is due Thursday, so I had to get busy!

I used a tiny vintage trim that I had bought from Farmhouse Fabrics. I used the pattern from Gingersnap's Raglan Sleeve Daygowns Book. I made the smallest size. I stitched a bunny embroidery on the front and added the vertical stripes of trim. I initially gathered the sleeves to a cuff of the trim, but they just looked too tight, so I re-did them flat.

I adore this little bunny with a kite from Sew Beautiful's "Blue Ribbon Baby". I'm sure to use this one again and I liked that it was already small, but has nice details. The green on the kite matches the trim. Both of these little gowns close with buttons in the back. I am excited to have these done!!