Cowl Neck Spring Top

I've been thinking about making this top for a couple of months and was finally spurred on by the Spring Top Sewalong over at Made by Rae.  I didn't use a pattern -- just traced a sweater I usually feel good wearing.  I don't sew much for myself but as this is only three pieces and ummm, . . . six seams I felt fairly confident :). 

It took under a metre of a knit I had left over from another project.  The fabric was originally $10 for 3 metres so it's a pretty cheap top! 

I had a couple of problems though -- I wasn't sure what to do with the exposed seam on the inside of the collar so I just left it as it's usually going to be covered by the cowl.  Maybe a flat felled seam next time?  (Can you do that with a knit??)

There's also an exposed seam at the back of the cowl, which I just stitched down but it doesn't look all that professional either.

My other problem was the hem going all lettuce-y, which wasn't what I wanted.  I tried lengthening the stitch and that helped a bit but it's still not flat.  I didn't want the same thing on the sleeves so I left them unhemmed.  Not so great if I want to wear this as a more "dressy" top. 

All in all, I do like how this turned out and I think I will be comfortable wearing it so I will definitely try again with some nicer fabric.

Art not Craft e-book

I've never won a giveaway before last week when I won a copy of the e-book Art not Craft from Christie Burnett of Childhood 101.  She has some fantastic ideas on her blog and the book looks very inspirational.  I'll post more when I try out some of the activities with my girls.  Thanks Christie!

Fabric Easter Baskets

This year I actually got around to making fabric easter baskets for the girls.  They're quite big -- over 9 inches tall and 25 inches around -- so that they can fit all the eggs our Easter bunny hides for us.  The fabric is Heather Ross' Far Far Away II, which I have also used for this plastic bag caddy, this quilt, this skirt and this diaper clutch.  I've been trying not to hoard it but it's hard because it's so lovely!

I didn't use a pattern -- I just traced a child's plate for the bottom and cut a rectangle big enough to go around it for the sides.  I added quilt batting to the exterior before sewing it together and lined the baskets with quilting cotton.  The top band and handle on the one above is linen.  The handles on both baskets are interfaced with craft interfacing.  It's obviously not strong enough to keep the handles standing up so I actually should be calling them buckets rather than baskets :)

Oliver + S Ruffle Halter

I made this top using the free pattern from Oliver + S. It came together really quickly and looks fantastic. The designer is right -- the sewing method is very elegant. I can see myself making these in every colour (and pattern!) for the girls for summer. And maybe even lengthening it to make it a dress. 

I used a lightweight shirting in a pale yellow ordered from fabric.com.  I love how cutting the ruffles on the bias shows off the subtle grain of the fabric.  The back is slightly see-through but I don't think that matters, and the layers on the front provide enough coverage. 

Fabric Easter Eggs

I made these fabric eggs out of scraps using the free pattern from Retro Mama (I'm envious of how smooth hers are!).  Our easter bunny is going to hide these around the house along with the plastic and chocolate variety. 

Pillow

I am in love with this turqoise colour that I keep seeing everywhere.  I had a break between contracts for work so had 10 days at home alone to sew (!!)  I still didn't even get close to finishing my to-do list but did get quite a few things done that always get pushed back, including this pillow cover.  Pillow covers are so quick and easy and satisfying, I should make them more often.  Although this matches the lamp in the family room, my eldest daughter immediately claimed it as a the perfect pillow for her doll and later came to tell me in amazement that it matches her skirt.  The fabric is It's a Hoot by MoMo for Moda Fabrics.

Car tissue holder

I've been wanting to make this for almost a year -- since we got our new vehicle.  The console is too small for the box of kleenex so the box has been rattling around on the floor getting stepped on.  The fabic is leaflet by Jessica Jones.  It holds just enough kleenex for a long trip and fits over the car visor.  I meant for the pattern to go the other way but miscalculated. Happily, the leaves in the centre unexpectedly lined up, something which I'm sure I couldn't have done if I tried ;).

Oliver + S Sunday Brunch Jacket

I finally got around to making a sunday brunch jacket and was very pleased with myself . . . until I tried it on my girl. How do I not know by now that I need to add at least three inches to pretty much everything I make?? It's a size five and fit her well except for the length. I added a sort of cuff to the bottom and really don't like the way it turned out.

It's 21 wale cord lined with lightweight shirting (eek, sorry for the blurry picture!). I used some of the very helpful advice from Tilly and the Buttons, the only difficulty being that I had to take into account the yoke + body + the facing in the front (rather than just one the piece + the facing in the tutorial). It hurt my head too much to try to draft one piece for the lining so I ended up mirroring the outer jacket, with slight adjustments at the armhole. Luckily the shirting is extremely lightweight so the gathers in the lining + the gathers in the jacket are not too bulky.

I bought the buttons on my first trip to the fabric district in Montreal -- they were $9 for 4 (!!) -- and I love the way they look with the blue cord.  My daughter loves it, especially the "diamond" buttons so it really doesn't matter that I'm not entirely happy with way the bottom looks.

Pattern Review

I ordered my first pattern -- the Reversible Kimono Dress -- from ManiMina on Etsy this week. 

I had a couple of minor issues with this pattern: the first is that there are no measurements given for the sizes.  I'm making size 4 for my three-year-old because it's for her birthday and I would hate for it to be too small.  I'm just hoping it's not too big either.  Secondly, I'm glad it's not a complicated pattern because I'm not finding the pieces that easy to fit together (it's a PDF file that you print off and tape together).  Finally (and this if very minor) the sizes and pattern name are written outside of the pattern pieces; I am labelling it by hand because otherwise once the piece is cut out, I want to be able to remember what it is.

edited to add:

I finished the dress in time for the birthday and it turned out super cute. Unfortunately Miss Thing has never put it on.  I know better than to push her because then she'll never wear it but I really want to see her in it.  Judging by the past, six months from now she'll find it in her closet and it will be her new favourite (at least that's what I hope!).

2 + 2 skirt, take 2

I love this pattern!  and did you hear -- Oliver + S now has women's patterns!  I have a huge list of things that I want to make and now I think I need to add the Passport Dress & Jacket.  If the women's patterns are as well put together as the kids I can't wait to try them.

This skirt is for my 5 year old.  I usually don't make matchy-matchy stuff for my kids but I loved the first one so much and had the fabric so . . . it's a size 4 with some added length.  The fabric is more It's a Hoot, this time turquoise and the waistband is plaid from the same line.