Modkid Gretchen With a Little Bit of Sparkle

Let's see..... Camden is almost 8 and a half years old, and I had this fabric BEFORE we moved from Vancouver TO Central Oregon.  This means I probably purchased this elephant fabric between six and seven years ago.  I believe I had a yard, maybe a yard and a half, and for the longest time, I had no idea how I could use it in a project.  I wanted to be sure the fabric was the star of the show and that it wasn't cut into tiny pattern pieces, etc.

Well, I met half that goal.  I decided to use the Gretchen dress by Modkid Patterns, which I have used and loved before.  For how cute it is, it is SUCH a simple pattern, and you can add in some extra bling with ribbon.  And this is where I likely messed up.  I could have kept the bodice front panel plain, surely, but I really felt I need something there, and of course, because I'm impatient and didn't want to wait to find a better ribbon, I went with something that is a bit too loud.  That purple is too dark, and I'm aware of that, ugh.  I did it, anyway.  I have no idea what is wrong with me sometimes.  Such is life, though, and a finished elephant dress is better than no dress, right???  And it just so happens that Camden is excited she was finally able to wear her shiny gold shoes I bought for school, aha.

You can see I have made the pattern here, and in that post, I also show off the tiny version Camden wore when we were married in October of 2012.  Funnily, one of those wedding photos was lying around in my sewing room yesterday while I was sewing the dress!

As I said, the pattern is super easy, and the pockets are such a great way to show off a fun fabric.  I have only ever done the short, elasticized sleeves, which is a great way to get away with using less fabric.  I was a bit lazy and wanted to use twill tape, instead of making side ties, and the twill tape doesn't totally match, but again, I wanted the dress done, so, there we have it.  If I had been thinking when I traced the pattern, I would have traced it longer, matching the size 10, but I was sort of worried about having enough elephant fabric.  And I was very happy to find the Essex-dyed metallic.  It is a pretty good match for the greens on the elephant fabric, and I knew Camden would be happy I chose something sparkly.

So, score!!  Dress number 2 is all done.  I have started the next, and I'd like to have at least one more done before Wednesday, so, we'll see how that goes!

And a few last pre-fall happenings....

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.....

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 :)

Camden....Ben and Mia??? A Lily Bird Studio Pattern!

A gorgeous Friday afternoon...and even better, as I finished a pair of pants for Camden - the Ben and Mia pants by Lily Bird Studio.  I'm not sure when, exactly, I purchased this pdf pattern, but when I realized I had next to no tracing paper left - and needed to sew SOMEthing, I found this in my files.

That fuzzy was invisible when I was taking photos, LOL

I will start out by saying that this is NOT my favorite colored purple - a jewel tone.  I have hopes to buy a better purple some day soon from Fabric.com, but it's what I had.  Secondly, I almost gave up hope when I had to tape together the pieces, as there is only ONE label for each pattern piece....so, out of the six pieces I cut out for each pants piece, only ONE section was labeled "pants front" and so on.  It didn't take TOO much brain power, but I do think there needs to be labels on each piece of paper or letter match-up points.

Sorry about the strap sloppiness, LOL

The pattern itself goes together easily, and the fit is okay.  I often find with Camden, pants have an awkward fit - she does have a flat bum, but they often seem to be wide across the front - well, or that, coupled with the fact that her belly sticks out a bit, so, pants ride lower.  This fact makes for awkward pictures, as it wrinkles funny, etc.  One might suggest I go to the effort of making a muslin or somesuch - but not in this lifetime will I make a muslin for a wee, cheap pair of pants, aha!  (This will not be the case when I make her jeans....)

Because I was in the zone of "let's get 'er done," I am glad I had buttons on hand for the button tabs - though I know (I promise I do!) that bigger buttons would look nicer on the tabs.  But hey - let's just say I was awesome for using something within my stash.

In keeping with the theme of not truly loving these pants, I left the flat piping wide, rather than bringing it in....and I left the piping on the back pockets, though I am NOT kidding myself that it looks good.  I know there is a trick for not putting it all the way up to the corner before attaching the lining and outer pocket piece together, but I didn't want to rip out and think on it.  We'll just say it gives the back a splash of color and be done with it.  Also, I will say the back pocket piece itself is rather large for a small person.

That is some insanely wide piping - oops

Overal, the pants are cute enough, and they work, which is great.  Am I in love with the pattern itself or the job I did?  Not really, but that's all right - moving on to bigger and better things, aha!  (Well, one can hope!)

Also, Matt is building a tiny chair for camden.  He is planing down the fiddle wood here.

Matt wants me to mention he has no good working bench, so, he has to slave away on his knees

Modkid Naomi - In Which We Again Pretend It's Summer!

THIS, my friends, is a quick sew, if you're feeling rebellious and want to leave out the pockets AND the bottom ruffle....which is what I did ;)

I did a version of Modkid Naomi two years ago, and while it was cute, I almost thought it was too busy.  I wish I hadn't added the pocket, as I think it's toooo large for the dress in a size 2T (3T, perhaps???), and the ruffle is okay at the bottom, but I wanted an overall simpler look - which shoot!!!  I LOVED that fabric, so, I feel I didn't do it justice, and that always stinks.  And even if I hadn't done that pocket in a garish yellow, it would still seem off to me, aha!  Anyway, my bad.

So, this time, I envisioned something quite simple in comparison.  The pattern itself is super easy to put together, though I did change up a few things.  When constructing the bodice front and back, I did NOT sew the skirt back and front separately to the bodice back and front.  Instead, I sewed the skirt in one loop (which means my one seam is at the back of the dress) and the bodice in one loop, as I have a great disdain for exposed seams at the underarms in this sort of design/sleeveless item.  This meant I had to add the elastic in a bit differently to the bodice back, which was fine, just slightly annoying, aha!

(Brief interlude....I totally ironed my interfacing to the RIGHT side of the bodice, which made me want to punch a table, but I was finally able to peel it off, and I made THAT side the inside of the bodice, LOL.)

I also clearly left off the pocket this time around - and I did a folded straight hem at the bottom, keeping it classy, aha!  My contrast fabrics didn't *quite* match the main fabric - oh, believe me, I know - but I went with it, anyway.  Also, I used shot cottons, which are a fave of mine - and which are a better match for this fabric, in my most humble of opinions - over quilting cotton.

Lastly, I did not shirr the back of the dress, liking the look without it.  (You can see the shirring above, on the version I made when Camden was 2.)

Something to keep in mind with this pattern is that the bodice stops at an odd point on a child with a belly, and it seems quite snug around the chest - this time around, I went wayyyyy up to a size 5, though Camden isn't exactly huge and isn't even 4 years old.  And I find it fits perfectly well, LOL.

Wait'll these ceramic buttons are in a million pieces....

This was her "real" smile, apparently

Camden super loves this dress, though she clearly will appreciate it more when the air is a bit warmer.

Lastly, in case you weren't sure of her name.....