Popover sundress

Day two of four for my KCWC.  A dress for Miss S. She looks happy enough but wasn't keen to pose.



Pattern:
Oliver + S popover sundress. Made before (twice!) in dolly version. S measured at Size 2 in the chest, but I did Size 3 with Size 4 length.



Fabric:
Same denim as yesterday's shorts, plus white piqué for the yoke (from Gardam's), red ricrac and the cutest purchased bias binding ever from No Chintz for the straps.



Sewing:
This dress is never as quick as I think it is going to be! Again it is a simple pattern, with little finishes (that take most of the time) that make the dress really cute. I think it took four hours including cutting and some kiddie interruptions.

As you can see, S has a terrible time keeping still (unless she is doing a puzzle) but she is a great prancer!

Kids Clothes 4 day Challenge!

So I'm late to join the current Kids Clothes Week Challenge hosted by Elsie Marley. I really need to clear some stash- to the point that my husband told me I should be doing this every week! 4 days is probably more realistic though.

I started with these shorts last night for Little Boy B.





Pattern:
'Aqua' shorts from Ottobre (3/2008). Previously used for Mr F here. I retraced in Size 92 (F's were 98 and are pretty big on B), but should not have bothered as there is negligible difference.

Fabric:
Lightweight denim from Spotlight. Previously used back here.

Sewing:
Straightforward but the navy top stitching (and all the changing of thread) took a bit of time. I am copying shop bought clothes a bit more now- so no pressed apart seam allowances, and a little extra non decorative top stitching to hold them flat.






Little Boy B was previously seen here- what a great baby he was! And now he is two and a ragamuffin! Could not keep his shorts clean in the time it took me to pick up the camera.



Three days to go- aiming for one easy item each night while the kids sleep!

Honey (and other) joys.

We are now in Kindy holidays which means four kids at home! Days are full of backyard time, kids battling each other for pens, puzzles and food, and me trying to distract them with music and baking. As well as the usual huge amounts of washing. And requests to go to Kindy!

Meanwhile I am slowly working through my fabric stash after abandoning two(!) nearly finished boy's jumpers from winter. I'm quite sad admitting to this and regret not just making one in full. But I'm loving sewing and fantasising about cute clothes for summer. So far I've a few items for Miss S done needing to be blogged, and I'm hoping to keep making some simple stuff every week.

Last summer's dresses- Part 2 (or the Three-way dress)

A couple of Three-way dresses from Ottobre 3/2009.  Cute, summery, easy pattern.  Made the 92cm (smallest) size for Miss S who was nearly 3 at the time.



This one was out of lovely Japanese seersucker from Be Be Bold- got it out of half a metre (helps that S is quite small), but alas, not enough for sleeves.




This one is in a cute elephant patchwork print poplin and Spotlight Spots and Stripes, with the frill sleeves.  I think of this as the Vicky Cristina Barcelona dress, as that was what I was watching on SBS when I made it (love that movie).  


And here is Miss S in it on her 3rd birthday, our wonderful big girl.  

Last summer's dresses- Part 1

Must blog about these while I still vaguely remember making them.  Miss S wore all of these a heap last summer, yet I seem to have next to nothing in the way of photos with her in them.

First up we have the Oliver + S Ice Cream Dress (which first appeared in this post ages ago).



This was worn through most of last year- in cooler months layered with a white long sleeve top and red tights.  A lovely pattern, beautiful inside and out (I did French seams).  The strawberry fabric was scrap left over from a dress of mine from Uni days.  Miss S loved it and it got heaps of compliments.  I will definitely be using this pattern again.

Next we have this Raggedy Ann print sundress made using this tutorial.



Very easy pattern and looks great on (much better than on the hanger).  The border print fabric was left over from a dress of my sister's- and I think I still have enough for another dress! Trim fabric is Spotlight Spots and Stripes.

Here is Miss S looking very grumpy in it.



I do remember the straps slipping off a bit- maybe need to tweak the placement next time.

Other dress details to come!

Recycled cashmere bunny

Finally I make something out of the considerable stash of old jumpers I have been saving.  I love the idea of making stuff out of old and otherwise unusable stuff, but I can't say my craft habit really means much for the environment- often it just means I hold onto stuff I may never use.  Anyway, this was an easy gift for my cousin's baby.  It ended up wonderfully soft and charmingly imperfect, I think!

Pattern from Martha here.

I used my Mum's favourite cashmere cardy that got eaten- machine washed and dried to be extra fluffy.
Plus a scrap of old Liberty for the inner ears.



Did a Dick Bruna inspired face, and had to add a tail.



Can I now get through my old jumper stash by making one of these for every baby that comes along?

The new one.

This is what has kept me so busy for the past twelve weeks!  Miss D here has been wonderful of course, as a fourth child in under five years must.    Some days I really feel on top of this parenting/running a household thing, others I can just manage the bare minimum to get by.  But how lucky we are- four beautiful little souls now in our home, getting in each other's way all the time, but then so happy to have one another.