A gift for my birthday buddy

So my friend Jennifer, has a beautiful daughter who was born on my birthday las year. Since I love my birthday, I find it cool that I know so many people who share it: (Mr. Carlson, Geoff, Eve, Dollie, and that's just the people I know), I thought I'd make Eve a new outfit. And since she is growing like a weed, I gave it too her a bit early so she might be able to wear it. The full pattern review is below the picture of the dress. I'll see if I can get some action shots.



My pattern review (from pattern review)
Hat and Panties
Back of dress

Pattern Description: infant dress, hat and panties

Pattern Sizing: s, m, l & xl, I made the xl (sized for 18-24 months).

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes, but I lined the dress and the hat with a different fabric.

Were the instructions easy to follow? They we very easy to make. The pattern is listed as an "Easy Sew and Save." While it was easy, I expected this to be a quick project. It took me longer than expected, but was well worth the effort.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I love the hat and the dress. I think that there must be an easier way to construct the panties. If I make this again, I will do some experimenting to see what I can come up with.

Fabric Used: Outside: pale yellow with hot pink, green, and blue paisley. Inside: green and white small printed check. Trim: hot pink grossgrain ribbon

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made: I added pink ribbon to cover the side seams on the panties. I also lined the hat and the dress in a different fabric. I substituted the ribbon or the bias tape for the panty trim as well (which may have added to the difficulty in their construction.)

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I would make this again. It was a gift for a friends baby (who shares my birthday). It was an easy project with good results. I hope that it will be a quicker sew next time.

Conclusion I love this style of dress for baby girls. It looks so summery and comfortable. When I found this pattern on sale, I know that I had to buy it to make a gift for my friend's daughter/birthday buddy.

A learned a new craft...

A few weeks ago at my church, St. Andrew's Episcopal, we had a creativity weekend. As a part of that I attended a craft workshop centered around paper crafting. Not scrapbooking, but collage, image transfer, etc. Here's what I made.

That is the front cover of this:

My friend Jennifer taught us two wonderful techniques for image transfer. One involves gel medium which I used for most of the images. The other technique involves packing tape, which I used for the other images.

Here are some close-up pictures of the inside:

Since the dogs wanted to give David a Father's Day present, they signed the back.
Hope y'all enjoy.

The search is over...

I have been looking for years for a monogram font, and I have finally found one. I had some requirements, deco-esque, free, bordered, and this one was the one.

You can download it for free here by clicking the download link at the bottom of the page. He has some other cool fonts available as well. There is a whole set of monograms for under $30.

I do love free fonts. If you do too, check out dafont and font garden for some great ones.

Now, I just have to figure out what to do with my monogram. Too bad I don't have an embroidery machine.

This shirt was a little sew and sew...

I made this knit shirt the other night and thought I'd let y'all see it. I got the fabric at the Eastwood Hancock for about $1.60 and had some left over. you can read the review below, but the short story is that printed stripes never line up correctly, and my stitch length was too short on the hems. I still like it and will wear it on weekends. I'm enjoying getting to know my new serger.

Pattern: Simplicity 4076

Pattern Description: Three knit tops with different sleve lenghts, often reviewed here on pattern review. Twist top, faux wrap top, scoop neck with gathers.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes, but I shortened the sleeves of view c.

Were the instructions easy to follow? For the most part. I think that I will set the sleeves flat next time. Also, the directions for gathering the neck wasted the pattern piece, so I zig-zagged elastic to the front piece to created the gathers.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I like the versitility of the mix and match sleeve length. I might raise tthe neckline next time to make it a little more work friendly.

Fabric Used: Knit, 100% cotton,

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made: Shortened the sleeves and added one inch at the add mark one inch at the bottom. The neck gaps a bit, so next time I will rotate the back pattern piece to remove a bit at the top and shorten the neckband to accomodate that and the raising of the front neck line.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I will sew this again, perhaps even the same view.

Conclusion I made this to test out my new serger, and as a muslin for some other tops I want to make. It looks fine, but I will most likely just wear it arond the house and on weekends. I think the stitch length I used for the hems was a little too short. I hate that the stripes are a bit off on the back, but oh well.

WWII at 3368

Don't be fooled by the post title. There's no major conflict here.

David and I are keeping our friends', Colin and Annalisa's, year(ish) old Old English Sheepdog, Sadie Belle. Here's a video of her and her new friends reenactment of a classic WWII battle, the Brits (portrayed by Old English Sheepdog, Sadie, against the Germans, portrayed by German Shepherd, Chica). Black dog, Calvin plays all other parts. (No cameramen, i.e. David, were harmed in the production of this reenactment.)



Winni chose not to participate.

She was enjoying the new granite countertops...

And eating sticks.