School Photo Dress

 
I have a stack of Oliver & S dresses to make.  This one is the School Photo Dress in a Denyse Schmidt floral.  I love the little details in this pattern: the kangaroo pockets, the sixties style collar, the full lining.  I opted to make view A with the view B sleeves and added the pompom trim to break up the print. 

This was my first time installing an invisible zipper.   With Liesl's guidance, it was easy peasy, and I love the clean look of it. 

This is such a sophisticated, yet sweet dress.  There's another one for B in the works.

Simply Lovely Casual Lady

 

I recently got to test a couple of new patterns by Go To Patterns.  I love Andrea's style, simple but so chic.  I was so excited to try out this recent pattern, called the Simply Lovely Dress.  It is now available for free through April to those who are on their newsletter email list, so hurry up and sign up! 

 

 

 I changed things up a little bit in this version.  The skirt is fuller, 30 inches, and has four rows of elastic instead of just the one called for in the pattern.  I used quilting cotton, but you can also make this in knit.

This one is the Casual Lady.  I made the top view in a beautiful charcoal ponte knit that I found as a remnant at JoAnn's.  The hand is dreamy, soft with just enough weight and drape. 

 

I can see myself making and wearing a whole lot more of both patterns, especially because they are h really quick sews and can be finished in a couple of hours. 

 

By the way, if you buy the Casual Lady Pattern, the proceeds will go towards funding and raising awareness for global sex trafficking victims.   You can find out more here.

An (Un)Birthday Flashback Tee

 
I made S's birthday shirt yesterday, except that her birthday was 2 months ago.  Actually I had no plans to make any kind of birthday t-shirt.  My friend had asked me to embroider a name on a similar shirt that she had made with appliqued butterflies on a number 3.  S saw me working on it, and I think that she thought it was hers because the name also began with an S.  Oh the disappointment and the tears when she found out that it was not meant for her.  The only way I could pry it out of her hands was to promise to make her a similar shirt, this one with her own name on it and a number 5.  instead of appliqued butterflies though, I went with an embroidered design.

The pattern is made by rae's flashback tee with a few modifications:  puffy three quarter lengthsleeves, and bands on the hem and the gathered sleeves. 

 
Ok, now back to regularly scheduled sewing, which might include a couple  of things for me.

2 Hoodie Dresses

Lately, I've been loving knits.  They are so easy and quick to sew up; I can finish a dress or shirt in usually just one or two sewing sessions.  The added benefit of sewing with knits is that I am reasonably sure that both S and B will wear the finished product on at least a weekly basis. 

 

I sewed up these Hoodie Dresses a few weeks ago and am now just getting around to blogging about them.  The pattern is the Hangout Hoodie by Pee-ka-boo Pattern Shop. 

 

Version number one was made using a JoAnn knit that I found in the red tag clearance area and at 50% off, I believe I paid about $3.00 a yard.  The print is even more bright and garish in real life; I tried to tone it down with the white sleeves, hood, and kangaroo pockets.   I think I mostly succeeded, right?

 

 Ok, on to B's version.  This is a Patty Young print that I found at Mill End a while ago.  I happened to have the perfectly coordinated pink polka-dots on hand from another project.  Can you tell they both really like the kangaroo pockets?

And just because, here is a close-up of B in her Hoodie dress.

Pink and Embroidered Skinny Jeans

I've finished up lots of projects, but haven't been blogging much.  It's just so much more fun to move on to the next thing rather than writing about a past one.  I'll try to do a better job, no promises though.

Here's one that I just completed today: a pair of skinny jeans in pink with flowery embroidery on the back pockets.

The pattern is by Peek-a-boo Pattern Shop in size 5.  The length and fit is perfect, but next time I think I will taper the legs for a skinnier look. 

The back pockets have machine embroidered flowers.

I love how professional they look.  I have a pair of sparkly blue cords for B in the works, and maybe another in stretch denim....