August | 2011 | Jaded Optimist

This and that August 28, 2011

Filed under: Kids,Sewing — bonniep @ 9:45 pm

Those basic skirts I made for the girls…they each chose the border fabrics.

I made a fancy pocket for each. C’s has an appliqued cupcake, with pleated wrapper and corduroy frosting, plus a button cherry. Wish that part of it hadn’t come undone on the first wash!

(color is washed out from the light, it didn’t actually fade like that!)

M’s has embroidered and appliqued flowers, plus a lining that folds over to trim the edge.

Been a busy few weeks despite no swimming lessons, with lots of playdates to get reacquainted with school friends before school starts up, outings, school supply shopping, two company parties for G, and a cold that eventually made its way through the whole family. C and M have gotten their teacher assignments; the former starts this Wednesday and the latter next Wednesday. I will miss these little faces…

…although I am also looking forward to the house not turning into such a mess each week! (M post PB&J and chocolate chip cookie at the company picnic, C enjoying a shave ice at RiverFest.)

Sewing projects August 15, 2011

Filed under: Sewing — bonniep @ 11:16 pm

I have been sewing off and on and just to keep track…

These are matching Oliver + S Hopscotch knit dresses…

C’s has shrunk more than expected even though I prewashed the fabric several times (admittedly, the fabric came with a heavy shrinkage warning!) I made C’s a while ago and finished M’s before we left for Cleveland…a trip which did not in fact require any long sleeved dresses But summer in Seattle this year has! I have issues with photographing saturated reds and pinks; I would call the main color of this dress more of a very dark coral than pink—closer to M’s picture than C’s. Anyway, still experimenting with knits, the serger, and twin needling hems, but the girls are happy with these.

A while back I made M’s bitty baby a cookie print shirt. M caught sight of yardage of the fabric at the store, leaving us with this…

Fairly basic jumper with buttoned bodice and gathered skirt with patch pockets. From a japanese sewing book. As you can see, while this might not have been my choice, she was thrilled.

And a failure to share, my first attempt at sewing a bathing suit.

Not too bad, until you see the droopy bottom. I need to figure out how to sew the elastic on tighter, but even getting to this point caused so much grief that I have set the project aside for a bit. We are on a three week swim class hiatus now, and they take classes year round, so the opportunity will present itself again. I will say, M wanted to wear this anyway. Adapted from an Ottobre pattern (I made mine a lot simpler).

There are two skirts I haven’t photographed yet. I was fairly proud of them until one came slightly apart in the wash in a way that won’t be easy to fix. And I finished a blouse for C tonight but hope to show it in its outfit glory when the coordinating pants are done. As they are summer weight I ought to wrap them up soon, eh?