Elephants are coming!

I have to chuckle at myself...I look into my fabric closet and am overwhelmed by how much I have accumulated in a relatively short period of time. I think to myself that I will not buy any more fabric and try and make stuff from the ever-expanding stash. So, since I did just add a few more yards to the stash, I thought I should get sewing. I pulled out a pattern I was anxious to try out and decided that I was going to make two! One for each dd. That ought to get some fabric used up.....yeah, about an eighth of a yard. Doubt I could of found a project that required less fabric! HA! Oh well, my dd's have enjoyed them and I finished them up quick enough to spend some time outside with my kids!

Here is the first elephant. This is a Heather Bailey pattern.

It is a cute little stuffed animal (or pincushion). I used some of the Heather Bailey fabric that I had purchased to make these cute little guys.

I purchased the eyes for these guys from an etsy seller called 6060.

Well, all in all, I had fun making these and my girls love them!

I have been thinking a lot about my current wardrobe and the types of clothes that I like to wear. I really am mostly a knit kind of person for my tops and casual shorts, capris or pants/jeans for the bottoms. I wouldn't mind a casual skort to add to my wardrobe. I really like a lot of the clothes on Athleta. I have a hard time finding patterns that would fit these styles, so I keep thinking that I need start doing some pattern manipulation or drafting. Just thinking about it. Any of you ever used any pattern drafting software? Well, that is it for now!

Easy Shorts

These simple shorts are from BWOF. They are April 2009 - 140. They are just 4 pieces and an elastic waistband, not much to them. I added a stripe of velvet ribbon down the sides and at the back (for identifying front from back). I had these traced out in a size 110 (probably did that last summer) so that is the size I made. She would really fall into the 122 -128 sizing, but since I was making them out of knit instead of a woven, I figured they would work and they did!

They will be just a pair of play shorts. I made myself a pair too! I didn't put the stripe down the side on mine.

For mine, I was turning a old pattern of lounge pajama pants into a casual knit short pattern. I always have issues with the rise on pants, so I cut out 3 inches in the rise of the front and back pieces. It was a little too much. I can still wear them, but they fall lower than I want. I need to raise the front an inch and the back 2 inches. I will make those changes and try again in a black knit. Simple shorts for doing yard work or wearing to the beach, or working out in (on occasion I add that to my reportoire of things I do...). So, I received a package of more fabric and few patterns from Heather Bailey's line. Some more cute designer cotton coordinating fabrics and a couple of pincusion (stuffed animal) patterns and a bag (and wallet) pattern. Not sure what I feel like sewing next. I will have to surprise you!

She's ready for summer!

It must be nice to be young and look cute in just about anything!

Here are my promised pictures of my youngest dd in her new top! I paired it with a pair of white leggings that I made a while back from the newest Jalie legging pattern.

It is a nice top for summer! This pattern is ModKid - Ava (in case you forgot....).

We had the perfect day to wear this top today! And she is still in it, so it must be comfy too!!

Next up, I am sewing some quick and easy summer shorts in knit for me and my older dd!

Another ModKid

Here is the second top that I have been working on. It is hot off the presses and hasn't even been seen by my younger dd yet! I promise to get a picture of her in it though! This one went together very smoothly as I still had the instructions fresh in my head.

I used little ladybug buttons for decoration on the front of the dress. Funny thing, I think I actually like this top better than the first one. I liked the fabrics for the first one better, but for the total outcome of the design, I think these worked better. These fabrics were actually designed by ModKid pattern designer (Patty Young) and are in the Flora and Fauna line.

Well, I am done for tonight! I am pretty sure that I will be working on some easy knits next......my first sewing love!

ModKid Ava Top

I have been on a kick lately involving designer cotton coordinating fabrics. These particular fabrics in this blouse are from Jennifer Paganelli. The pattern for this top below is ModKid - Ava. This is the first ModKid pattern that I have tried and I am pretty impressed with the pattern instructions and the pattern design quality.

This is a cute little summer top. There is a little elastic waist skirt included in the pattern, but I think I will have my dd wear pink or black leggings/shorts or jeans with this top. It is pretty blousy, so with a blousy skirt...there is no form. I really like this top, though. It has cute little pintucks that run vertically in the bodice and then more in the underskirt layer of the top running horizontally (pretty hard to tell in these pictures....).

Here is a picture on the model. She just came in from running in the hose and was all wet and needed to change, so I got a quick photo as she changed clothes!

Here is the back side. It is elastic along the top backside. She is wearing another skirt under the striped layer (not a part of the top....). I am going to try and get her to wear it with something that looks better and get another photo.

I am currently working on one for my younger dd as well in completely different colors. Stay tuned!

A whole family!

So, I told you that I was going to have to make more of these, right?!? I ended up making one for each dd and a baby size kitty for the dd in the picture. That means I will probably have to made another smaller one for the other dd too..... To make the smaller one, I printed up the pdf file on the printer with 2 pages per printed page (the pattern falls onto 4 pages that you have to tape together originally). So I cut out this smaller kitty and taped together and thought it was still too big, so then I threw it on the copier and reduced it 75%. That got me to this pint size kitty. I think I am kittied out! My dd's had fun picking out the eyes, nose and mouths. Not my first choices, but hey, they aren't for me, are they!

Kitty Pillow

My older dd is going to a birthday party tonight and I picked up a gift card at the favorite 'tween fashion store at the mall, but I felt that something else needed to go along with the gift. Last time we were at this store (Justice...in case you were wondering), my dd really wanted a "sleep over" pillow. There was no way I am paying for a pillow I could whip up in no time.....so that got me thinking that a cute little pillow would go nice with the gift card. I did a little internet search for a pattern and found this! It is a free pdf download from Amy Butler's website. Too cute and totally fit the plan! These are the pics from her website:

So, I downloaded the pattern, printed it out and dug into my stash. About an hour later, I had this! Here is the front side of the kitty.....

And here is the backside...I added a little stitching with embroidery floss for some personalization. As you can see from the face, I changed a few things, but I think it is just as cute! :)

My younger dd was with me while making this, helping me out and asking when we were going to make one for her! Once my older dd saw it and found out I made it, she was asking for one too! It is a hit in our house!