A Book Report on Floral Fashion

You must know by now my undying love of this dress.  I daresay I like the pattern more than Camden does, as it isn't the first dress she ever reaches for.  I have sewn a few Book Report Dresses by Oliver and S - shown HERE and HERE.  It, like the Seashore Sundress, in my LAST post, is a relatively simple sew that you can turn into so much more.  I clearly don't get crazy with the pattern, but I think I love how there are different "blocks" of color, in a way.

The pattern goes together easily.  The only thing that may slow you down are the loops, and even putting those in isn't a chore.  I am sure it's fun for kids to have hidden pockets, too, though Camden never seems to make use of them.

I made a size 8, and I think I lengthened it, because this pattern makes it easy to do so.  And because it has so much positive ease, I do like to get extended wear out of it by making it longer.  

Anyhow, this puts me at dress number 5 for Camden's new school year!  Another is hot off the hand-stitching needle, so to speak, and I have plans for pants and a top AND a vintage pattern I have never sewn before.  After THAT, y'all???  Oh, jeez - so MUCH!!!

After the next dress blog post, though, I hope to be blogging about a finished cardigan, so, we'll see!

A few moments in the life of...

Writing comics

Helping dad sand

Even babies are welcome to their shack, lol

A Book Report Dress: The Perfect School Dress

Let's be honest, folks:  I could have written this post MONTHS ago, when I sewed the Book Report dress, but it sat in my sewing room alllll through the summer, as it was originally a bit big-looking on Camden.  I don't know if growing a whole inch helps, but it totally fits her great now, and she wore it to her one-day-a-week charter school a few weeks ago.  I will always love this pattern so much!  (On a side note, same with the Apple Picking Dress and Jump Rope Dress and Seashore Sundress....well, and the Class Picnic Set, aha!)

This is a pretty straight-forward sew, designed by Oliver and S.  The pockets are crazy easy to do, and it goes together relatively fast.  I think I lengthened the skirt portion - not sure if I did the same with the top or the sleeves, though one would THINK this is something I did, LOL.  You can see my first three versions HERE (which, on another note, I notice I did NOT include photos of the polka dot version in the post, which is why I'd maybe never originally published it - see the note at the top of the post.  I am so wack, and it turns out I had no real photos of it....just one sad photo I just now uploaded).

Because the dress is super roomy, I feel it fits great for a while, as it can always be paired with leggings, and this particular fabric was something I'd been holding onto, NEVER sure which project was worthy of it, aha!  I guess this was it ;)  And I chose the perfect buttons from my stash, but I'm not sure if you can see them super well in the photo below:

That's all she wrote, folks....days in the life of below!

LOLOL at ME!!!!

Her Little Honey gets a LOT of wear!

A Personal Favorite - The Book Report Dress!

***Below, I'm astonished I'd never published this post...and here it is, October 2016, and it is STILL not published!  What is going on???  Here we go again!
**Oh, wow!!!!  How had I NEVER published this post from last year?????  It's like a bonus 2016 post, aha!  Originally written in May ;)

One of my favorite patterns - the Book Report Dress by Oliver and S!  I think I love this pattern because there it's fun to find a great combination for the top and bottom pieces.  It's one of those patterns I look forward to re-sewing, though I've been so busy with the baby life, etc, that the last one I made Camden was September of 2013, I think....and the one before that, so long ago!

A month or so after we moved to Bend - September 2013!

The pattern itself is obviously great.  There are maybe eight pattern pieces, but gosh, SUCH an easy construction with SUCH fun results!  It's also a time to showcase any cute buttons you might have, depending on the yoke fabric you use.  I did use a printed yoke fabric this time, so, I ended up going super simple (the last two used balloon buttons), button-wise.  The pattern has pockets, also, which I know some children love, but strangely, Camden has actually never employed the use of.

I was awesome, once again, and stash-dove for some hippo fabric and polka dots.  The polka dots may be a bit overkill, but I was all "whatevs" and used it, anyway.

SOMEHOW (WAY LATE EDIT/November 16, 2017), I never really took photos of this dress and didn't notice!  Below is ONE awful photo, LOL!

That's it, folks!  This pattern is so great - for anything, really, but it's also a lovely first days of school outfit, and I vote y'all should take a crack at it, if you haven't.

And of course....random shots from this weekend!!

Nice.....

My Employer

Once upon a time, about 4 years ago, I began working for a wee little fetus named Camden...who then grew into this now 3.5 year old girl who thinks one can run away from polio (the things she says...).  This is THAT little girl:

I am pretty sure she is the best employer I could have, albeit frustrating at times (and what employer ISN'T, honestly???) and wacky at others.  I sometimes get to slack off (I truly appreciate those moments - you know, when the boss is busy dinking around, not paying attention, so, you get to do your own version of dinking around) - and I sometimes I have to put in overtime, though rarely.  We are such lucky parents, in that our little girl sleeps well at night (is that JINX #1????) and is a pretty funny, easy-going, happy-go-lucky child.  I can only WISH/HOPE/DREAM that child numero dos is the same in that way.  Pipe dreams, though...

All that to say THIS:  I knew when she was in utero that she was someone for whom I needed to create.  I am weak in so many areas in life, and an area in which I can give is, in fact, a bit of a material thing, so to speak.  I can sew and knit - not super fancy stuff, but clothing, nonetheless.  My goal was/is to provide for my child in this way.  I do not love to buy her clothing from stores.  I prefer for us to create for her at home a wardrobe that speaks to our tastes, as those could never truly be defined by another designer, so to speak.  She is able to help me here and there - sometimes playing so that I can sew, sometimes sleeping so I can knit, sometimes assisting me in picking out fabric for an ensemble...and sometimes standing right there, on the chair while I press the foot pedal at the sewing machine.  

I do always have that wish that I had more time to create for her - but to have that time would mean I didn't have her in my life, and as she is known for saying, "That would be nutso in the buttso."  Clearly.  She is a demanding boss, but definitely a highly rewarding boss at that  :)

This is my little girl in the first-ever dress I made for her, and her expression could be depicting her sadness at knowing I had a big eff-up with cutting into the FACING of the dress, rather than the SEAM for turning.  My bad.  It's a play outfit now.  Still fits her, these MANY moons later.

This is the latest sewn creation for my little girl - her Oliver and S Book Report Dress (her second one of these) - buttons by Tessa Ann.