D319: complete - Junebug Dress

It's done!

I took an inch off the hem and turned it up 1" then 1.5". I'm thinking of adding a red ribbon near the hem too, but undecided... Still, pretty happy with it!

Pattern: Junebug dress by Jess at her blog Craftiness is Not Optional http://www.craftinessisnotoptional.com/category/junebug-dress 

Fabric: A walk in the dark woods by Zesti, via Spoonflower on poplin http://www.spoonflower.com/fabric/382063

D316-8: Pins finished, dress coming

I finally stuffed and closed the ball and pins. The bells inside are much more rattley than dingly, but it doesn't matter.  I intend them to be a "Congratulations on becoming a big brother" gift so won't send them off until the event confirms it! I'm not superstitious, but it feels jinxy to congratulate about babies before they're born.

Aren't they special? Getting them to stand will be as challenging as knocking them down!

And the dress! Buttons machine sewn on, sleeve elastic inserted and cased, skirt side seams done, and skirt attached! Only the hem is left to be figured out once I can check it against Bub's height. It seems like this has just popped up, but I've really nibbled at this over a few days.

I used a top stitched neat-finish style to finish the skirt seams.  I probably should've tried a French seam, but don't regret my choice.

 Hub and I both agree it looks huge, but I feel that way about a lot of her clothes. Also, this isn't stretchy like nearly everything else she wears, and it's a bit roomy with the gathering, so it'll be the biggest dress she's ever worn anyway! 

In other news, I still have my cold. It's as strong as ever, at a month old, and keeping me up although I think I have a bit more energy in this last fortnight. I'm beginning to thinking it's a sinus infection but I'm hesitant to see a doctor coz, well, I'm still breastfeeding. Everything other than a nasal flushing thing isn't something I can have. Blergh! Blergh everywhere! :)

D314&5: A little dress

I've begun this little dress for Bub.  I'm hoping it will be good for one of her birthday celebrations.

This will be the Junebug Dress by Craftiness is not Optional blogger (http://www.craftinessisnotoptional.com/category/junebug-dress).  I've pinned quite a few of her gems. They're just gorgeous.

See how that panel is going to go on the front bodice?  

The print is "A walk in the dark woods" by Zesti, at Spoonflower (http://www.spoonflower.com/fabric/382063), on poplin. This was the first print I favourited in Spoonflower and I love it's subtle Red Riding-hood story.  I'm surprised at how little red there is compared to my memory of it.  Nevertheless, red buttons are destined for the font panel.

Hub and I are still sick.  The cold is barely marginally better in the last few days.  I don't recall ever having a cold that's be this bad for this long.  Blergh. 

D268&288-91: Toddler pants completed!

Blogging is taking more and more of a backseat to making these days.  I'm not sure it's a bad thing but I will continue to at least photo-journal what I do, if only for myself.

There were a lot of days and steps for this and I kind of learned a lot doing this project.

I know I used a different fabric in the main pieces, and lining, so I think these turned out ok all things considered. I think it would fit better without the lining but I'm still learning how to work with stretch fabric on my regular machine.

I actually used the balance function on the machine!  This is the honeycomb stitch without the balance changed on the left, and then I turned it up after a few cm. 

The waist tie (above): I did not do a good job of this.  I'm not sure I would do this technique again. I just couldn't seem to get something so narrow through the feed without any stretching (which equals curling, even after pressing).  Maybe a walking foot?

The lining. I'd add a cm of length to this coz I wanted to cover the seam there with some hand sewing.  It wouldn't reach as it was.  Maybe a different kind of fabric would work better, but I'm not sure I'd be interested in substituting anything other than a flannel or stretch cotton for this cotton, which is kinds the same...

I'm still learning which stitches are best for what situation. Even though Bernina have helpfully provided a page describing all the practical stitches' uses, there seems to be so much overlap across them... I need a reference guide or something that shows the ideal situation for each stitch.

So when I say I 'kind of learned' stuff, I feel like I learned what not to do but I'm not too confident about what to really do instead. All the same, these I will be warm pants that will fit Bub, maybe in about two months (?) but certainly for a long time. :)

D284: Cutting Pants!

I'm still into cutting everything out at the moment, dreaming of sitting down and just zip zipping everything together.  Foolish girl... As if it'll be that quick!! Any hoo...

These are the pieces for the City Mouse Pants from Ottobre 4/2011.  Yes that is a rather crazy lining, but it wont be seen.  It has a similar stretch to the fleecy outer and I wanted a bit of a wind breaker in these.  Murphy's Cousin strikes again.

D63: Prettiest Batsignal Ever

Its been a lovely day of making today, even in the yet-again heat (which wasn't that bad in the end).

I managed to safely juggle baby and scissors today, finally finishing the cut for another 1:3 bag and a 1:5 wallet (which I hope was square). But while I had the mat out on the floor with everything else, I cut as much as I could so I could clear it away for a while.
I was able to reshape the brown floral fabric, but the blue stripe was too large to be able to work it square. Luckily the woman accidentally cut too much of that so the loss isn't huge.
I also cut out the blue floral for the Angel top and decided I'd make another with some fabrics I've yet to find a place for. I'm not sure how these appeal to me, but they really do.

Anyway, I found a blue linen in my dressmaking stash to line the floral. If I could figure out a decorative stitch on the machine I'd do that along the bottom and make it reversible.

I'm so pleased I got them done thus far today. They're really simple to sew: the clipping, snipping and pressing take just as much time. Very much hope they're comfortable for Bub.



What's remaining is ladder stitching the shoulder seams and attaching the press studs.
Hand stitching may seem a bit silly for a shoulder seam - I could've concealed the seam if I wanted, or done it by machine any old way. But with ladder stitching I can easily undo the joint and attach some ribbons or some other extension in its place as Bub grows.
The press studs are new for me and I'll be practising on the grey floral wallet.

In other news, we're off to my niece's 16th and my brother's somethingth. I hope to make some madeleines tomorrow but, just in case, I've also done a Donna Hay brownie cake tonight (they'll become brownies once cut tomorrow). The recipe says to take it out once 'set' and the skewer was clean so apparently it's ready. 'Set' is the word I'd choose too. Wish I'd had white chocolate to make the two-tone brownies again, but no one will know what could've been :)

What a productive Sunday!!