Jump Roping Her Way to 8 Years Old!

Camden is 8!!!  And just like that, Tiberius is 4!  They are a couple of weirdos, and I'm glad they've made it this far!  The ONE time Camden will be twice Tiberius's age, and I'm sure it'll be over all too soon. 

Partly because Camden's birthday was coming up and partly because she will next week attend a Spring Break Sewing Camp at my FAVORITE sewing hot spot, Modern Domestic, I knew I had to hop on the ball and whip something up for her.

The problem????

My sewing room really needed to get broken down.  I say it in the past tense, because it HAS, in fact, been taken apart.  I finished THREE outfits (yes!) and two minutes after I cut the last thread, I was shutting down machines, turning off the iron and packing it all away, prepping for the move back up north.

Months ago, I had actually traced a size 6 for the Jump Rope Dress by Oliver and S.  Or maybe not.  I I had known for months now that I needed to make this dress, using this fabric, which I purchased two years ago, I believe, from Mill End.  Honestly, that seems like a lifetime ago!  Anyway, I traced a 6 based on the chest measurement, which does fit Camden nicely, but it IS a bit snug to actually pull on over her shoulders/arms.  I hope it fits through the fall, at least... especially since I also lengthened it.

The pattern went together beautifully, just as it did the first time, back in 2015 (I don't know why it took me so long to make another??!).  I love how this dress fits, and while the top may seem complicated to put together, placket-wise, it isn't.  The pockets are also a lovely detail and are pretty stinkin' cute!

When your nose itches during a photo shoot!

And...so many photos!!!

 

A birthday dinner out for Matt, and I invited friends, aha!

A quick story time at Green Bean Books - the best place!

Making a birthday poster for dad

Bit of a tire fire or something in Portland

Made a project bag for Melinda of Yarnder Woman to give away!

Baby cousin Helen!

She made this in art class!!

School Photo Dress - Minus the "School" Part???

So studious, LOL

So.  It seemed like the Oliver and S School Photo Dress took me days to finish - which is TRUE - but which feels even LONGER.  It's cute, and I like it more, sewn up and seen in real life, as opposed to on the pattern envelope.  I can't remember what compelled me to finally buy the pattern at the time, but I think I DID get it on sale at Bolt, LOL.

Not the hole in her only pink leggings ;)

I'm THIS close to being 100% happy with the results.  Partly, this is due to MY sewing, and partly, it's due to the directions.  It's funny, because I should have made note when I read the review by Lightning McStitch on the Oliver and S site.  She mentioned the pattern didn't include directions to finish seams, but I forgot that as I sewed up the pattern, though I did half-heartedly read ahead in parts.  I should NOT have finished the shoulder seams but DID on the outer material....and the seams should have been finished BEFORE inserting the zipper - on both the lining and outer.  Argh.  Anyway, my own personal issue with my sewing is that the back looks puckered, and I feel like that didn't show up until the collar was added???  Though it clearly seems to do with the zipper, so, I'm not sure.  I'm sort of bummed about that.

Besides the puckering, there are some wrinkles, LOL

Mostly, the pattern directions were lovely, and the front pocket isn't tricky, though I wanted to make sure it looked nice, so, I tried to be careful - and may STILL have some puckering there, anyway.  And I will admit I was a bit confused on how to have a clean, serged finish on all parts.  Ah, well.  Also - love my bar tacks????  More like bar COLUMNS, aha!  But I am sticking with them.  Maybe they add character?

I'm not a fan at all of the ruffle collar, so, you can see I went with View A.  I also chose to go with View A on the sleeve finish/cuff, though I did not stitch in the ditch, as directed; I just did a normal edge stitch finish.  I did use a plain 'ole pink quilting cotton on the inside - something from my stash, and I barely had enough...whew!

Also, does anyone have any magical cure for sewing linings into zippers by hand - and then having the zipper NOT get caught on the thread....no matter how well it's done?!  I thought I was safe this time, but I was NOT, LOL.

I sewed the size 5 with fabric I purchased specifically for this pattern.  I think I bought the fabric at Mill End last year - though I could be wrong, and maybe it was Bolt.  And holla!!!   Hedgehogs??!!  Love them.

Overall, it's super cute, and it will fit Camden better in the spring.  I am just trying so hard to pump things out quickly when I get a chance to sew.

Next up is a green voile blouse - a Japanese pattern I hope I can figure out by myself!!!! - to match her Sunday Brunch outfit that I sewed LAST YEAR.  It barely still fits.

And....this is what the little guy did while I took pictures :)

Oliver and S Cargo Pants and a Modkid Tee!

It seems that, especially of late, I have a project almost finished...and still need that ONE detail.  In this case, it was a lack of a lovely knit to make the top for these pants - which is a pretty big detail ;)

I was so glad to find it during my crazy fabric-shopping weekend in Portland - at Mill End.  This is usually a store for me to find linings (I'm a fan of cotton-silk blends, if you must know!), but I did luck out this time with a knit, a lining and a fabric for a future coat for Camden. (Happily, I had a great time at the Bolt sale, also - and was helped in that because I had a couple of lovely gift certificates.)

As for the patterns themselves, I used the Oliver and S Field Trip Cargo Pants and the Not-So-Plain Tee from the Modkid book, Sewing Modkid Style.  For the pants, I used a chambray in eggplant (from Modern Domestic), and I girlied them up by topstitching with a Mettler variegated silk thread, which I thought was just perfect!  I also opted to use the decorative finish of two rows of top-stitching for each piece, as seen here:

The pattern itself was clearly written, and I did the size 4, which of course meant doing the regular hem and then blind-hemming again another almost three inches, which I can let out as she gets taller.

For this ensemble, I did not want to go the super-sporty look of the raglan tee, so, I opted to do the Modkid tee, and while I did do the cuff bands, I left the bottom hem raw - keepin' it real, people.  (Why am I too lazy/nervous to the use the cover stitch function on my serger????)  This is also another easy pattern, though I do put it together differently in that I don't like exposed seams at the neck, so, I sew together both shoulders before applying the neck piece in a circle.  I just serge the short ends of the neck band, then I fold and press in half and stretch it to fit the circle left by the head hole.  I do wish it was a bit snugger, as I feel it's a bit gappy, but it'll work ;)

Her "ghost" face, she says

Overall, a fun look, and it meant me finishing another pair of pants for her - whew!  I honestly have big plans to get a couple pairs of pants (another Olive and S pair...then maybe a Figgy's Banyan pair...?) more done in a size 4 - something to last while I don't have much time to sew after el bebe comes along.

Blowing her nose....

In her too-small-now Elena Nodel Silversage sweater

Also, today was a fun day in general for this little girl - she spent time at the park with her friends and had a fun Halloween night - used the same costume I'd made last year (surely, I can get a THIRD year outta this sucker, eh???), and she was an animal, racing from house to house, getting excited about the ghosts she might see ;)