Wow! December Always Flies By!

Seriously.  I never get caught up.  Right now I'm trying to remind myself that I set this whole week aside for cleaning up everything that I let slide during the month of December, but my patience is wearing thin.  We have gotten tons of laundry done in the past few days, but the house is still a wreck, so it's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

I had a few cool projects this month, so let's see if I get them all blogged right now.

OK, so this isn't exactly a sewing or even a craft project, but I did a search online for homemade teethers and came across a mention about peeling a carrot for babies who don't have teeth yet.  So we tried it out.  It was OK.  I think I loved it more than she did. She was just starting to grasp things well, so it was interesting to her, but not enough to keep it in her mouth long.  We've done it a few times since then too.  She's showing more interest, but not as much as the interest she shows in the teether she grabbed out of the bin at IKEA.  She goes for this thing every single time she sees it.  Santa put one in her stocking.

Then I also made her a teether. 

It's called a knot teether doll.  Pictured here are the two I made for Annalee and Preston.  I made one just like Annalee's for Carolina.  The black one with pink and green polka dots.  I made them using this tutorial.

Very easy and they were a complete hit.  Turns out Annalee likes to gnaw on washcloths & blankets.  The fabric used for hers is Joann's Soft and Cuddly line.  It's a medium pile.  Here it is on their website.

  

I got the flannel for the doll on the left at Joann's also.  I believe I bought it there over 5 years ago at a black Friday sale.  It was 96 cents a yard.  Those were the good ole days.  Snuggle flannel it's called.   

These dolls were more age appropriate than the ones I had planned to make.

They were much larger dolls.  Due to time constraints I decided to search some more for a better, easier, more age appropriate doll for the babies on the list.  I'm so glad I did, now.

For Kai, I continued finishing the doll I started for her.  Nana gave me the pattern, back when Kai was a baby.  It's McCall's CRAFTS 2445.   It's no longer in print. 

 I made three dolls.  Two like the one on the left, with straight legs and one with bent legs. (The one on the right)  I ran out of poly-fill, so I cut up a couple of old sheets into  confetti squares and used that as stuffing.  It worked great, but took a long time and made for some heavy doll parts. 

I finished and gave Kai the one on the right, with bent legs.  It's doll B in the pattern (top left on the pattern).  I didn't have time to make the bonnet or the wings. The hair I had to use was strands of curly synthetic hair.  There were no wigs at the craft stores we visited.  Guess I'll have to order those ahead of time from now on.

Here I am still working on sewing on the hair at 7AM Christmas morning.  I was exhausted from working and taking care of the baby as she woke often through the night. 

I still can't believe the kids didn't catch us in the act. 

They walked out, but I just told them we had to wrap presents, which we did and so did they.  They didn't wrap the presents they bought the day before, so I had them do that before seeing what Santa brought. 

So bad, I know.

Here's a picture of that doll, from afar, leaning up against the kitchen cabinets, behind our sweet Prince.

She's got curly blond hair.  (I'm terrible with sewing on this type of hair.)

She's also got a white satin ruffly and lacy top with white satin footed pants. 

Very cute, and loves it.  That's nice. She's already put make-up on it, in this photograph.

Christmas dresses.  Originally I made Kai this dress on the left, with the red ribbon trim.  But there wasn't enough ribbon to go around the bottom.  Kai didn't like that, neither did I.  So I made a few changes before making her little sister and big brother coordinating outfits.  To the left is a picture of this dress before I made the changes.   In the photo with Santa you can see the top of it and one sleeve.  You can't see that the bottom matches, with an added flounce of white crushed velvet at the bottom too.  So cute.  I wish I had another pic, but don't feel like taking one right now.  I used patterns for Kai and Carolina's dresses. 

I used this pattern, again, and basically the dress went from a dress A to a dress B.

I made my own pattern for Delsin's vest.

For Carolina's dress I used this pattern again. 

I made dress A this month, but with long sleeves again.  They turned out better, this time.  I made her matching booties with my own pattern. 

Then when I went to make Christmas pajamas I had to use the same fabric.  So for Kai I made a pillowcase dress with a mauve satin ribbon around the top.  It was more like a body pillow pillowcase because it was long enough to reach the ankle.  I think it is pretty.  Delsin's was a sleeveless footed pajama jumpsuit, but no bottoms in the feet.  He said he liked it that way. 

I didn't use a pattern I made my own for both of these pajamas.

I think that's all I did.  It's all I can think of at the moment.  I need to get some rest now.

I totally forgot that I made Carolina Jane's stocking.  Complete with the same Christmasy flannel lining that all the girl's stocking's have.  Boys have a different Christmasy flannel lining.  Of course I forgot to take a photo of that.  But then, you would see the flaws in it.  I could not believe how many times I had to or should have ripped out the seam in this simple stocking.  That's what happens when you are sewing instead of sleeping on Christmas night.  I made the pattern by tracing Delsin's stocking.  His is the best one I've made yet, since having kids.  I still think the dog's stockings are the best ones.  I may take pics of all the stockings, later.  Well, I can't actually.  The kids have lost mine and two other stockings since before Christmas.  I do remember them playing in the backyard since then, and pretending to be Santa by taking pillowcases full of toys back there.  I shutter to think that 3 of the stockings I've made are laying in mud or dog poo.  Ugh!  I don't even want to look today.

Her First Christmas Dress - What Was I Thinking?

This is another one of those things where I should have taken a before and after photo.  The red stretch velvet bodice of this dress was cut from one of my favorite shirts.  A shirt that I've had for a very very long time and it looked as great as the day I bought it.  I decided to make something for Carolina out of this dress in a pouty huff.  I was throwing a fit over having baby weight and looking for something comfortable to breastfeed in.  I snatched this shirt out of the drawer and tossed it onto the top of my scrap fabric heap.  I started imagining a dress.  Too bad it's too big for her this year.  It's the "newborn" sized dress in the McCalls M6103 pattern.  I added the sash and bow around the waist and made a matching head band.  It's really pretty.  Kai wants a matching dress.  Maybe I'll make hers to fit her next year too. 

Thanksgiving Outfits For The Girls

These were actually supposed to be fall outfits that they could have worn in October, but I'm just now getting them done.  In fact, I still need to make booties and a headband or hat for Carolina Jane's outfit, today.  I hope.  I'd love to make something for Delsin.  Oh!  A vest out of the crushed brown velvet, perhaps?    Wow!  I need to get moving.  Just a quick post. 

 I am so stinking terrible about taking before pictures!!! I really wish I wasn't.  The above dress was made from an old button up Maternity shirt from Old Navy.  I wore it when I was pregnant with all three of our children, but it only looked decently in style back in 2004.  Determined not to wear it again I knew the only way I could be sure was to get rid of it or make something new out of it.  Kai loves her new dress & pants outfit.  Here's some pattern information:  NEW LOOK 6664  (Can't find a link to it on their website.) The dress is item B, but without the bottom ruffle.  I was able to keep the bottom of the shirt hem in tact and the sides came together perfectly, so I kept that.  The pants are item E, except I shortened them.  For the flower appliques I used a cookie cutter that I keep in the kitchen.  I traced inside for one flower and I traced the outside of the cookie cutter for the other flower.  This makes them 2 different sizes and slightly different looking petals.  The whole outfit and fabric selections were inspired by Matilda Jane Clothing.  I really can't afford to buy her clothing for my girls, nor can I afford the expensive print fabric that she uses, but I can afford to buy small enough pieces to use for trim and appliques.  I think that helps to make outfits look more interesting on a budget. You can't see it, but there's a little applique of a brown beetle on her right shoulder.  I accidentally nicked the dress with my scissors & had to patch it up.  Oops. (giggle)

Carolina Jane's outfit was made using Butterick pattern 5001. 

Nana gave me this pattern.  She used it to make something for one or more of my sisters.

I made dress B, but with long sleeves instead of short sleeves.  Well, I must have done something wrong 'cause the sleeves were WAY too long.   So I measured and cut them off and hemmed and now they're 3/4 sleeves, by accident.  Should have just made the short sleeves I guess.  Oh well.

I didn't use any trim. 

It doesn't need it.

I did change the collar a little, taking out the pleat and adding her monogram. 

Fancy. (giggle)

I'm planning to make her some booties and a hat to match today.  If I get it done I'll post a picture and some pattern information on those things too.

I hope everyone is having a great Thanksgiving week.  Don't forget to count your blessings!

Christmas Attire

These are old outfits I made a while back.

Costumes!

I had fun making some costumes this year. 
First of all, Claire had taken a trip and spent some time in Amish country so she wanted an Amish costume.  I told her what I had in the way of fabric and she worked out the rest.
I made her a bonnet and an apron.  She loved her costume.

I didn't use a pattern for the apron. 

For the bonnet I used this craft project tutorial.  I just used fabric instead of paper, and hemmed the edges before I got started.

I almost didn't want to dress up for Halloween, this year. It was more that I was so busy with the baby and hadn't even had time to think up a costume. 
Day before Halloween came and we headed over to Walmart to let the kids pick something out.  The kids had already picked out some costumes when I saw a Red Riding Hood costume and had an idea.
"Hey!  How about Kai, you be Red Riding Hood & Delsin, you be the wolf...."

Daniel said, "I can be the lumber jack!"

"And I'll be Grandma!" I said.

But Delsin and Kai wanted to be their own things. (Wolverine and Cinderella)  So, we went ahead and bought their store bought costumes and drove around the city looking for a wolf mask for Daniel.  We decided to make him the wolf, me Red Ridding Hood, and Carolina Jane the basket of goodies.  We didn't find any wolf items within budget, so we came home.  I had a pattern for a lion costume I used with some grey fur fabric I had left over from the year we went as the three blind mice, and within 24 hours we had us a wolf costume, a Red Ridding Hood costume, and a Chocolate Eclair costume.

For the Wolf costume I used McCall's Costumes EASY TO SEW pattern.  MP349.

For the Red Riding Hood cape I used McCall's Costumes Medieval Magic 6775.  I can't find a link to the pattern information on their website, so I'm attaching a photo.

For Carolina Jane's Chocolate Eclair costume I only used a pattern for the hat.  McCall's M6103.  It was way too big, so I had to add a piece of elastic to the back before we rushed out the door.

I didn't use a pattern at all for the dress.  I just cut two long pieces of rectangle from some brown crushed velvet I had on hand.  I sewed the sides leaving an opening large enough to comfortably get her arms through.  Then I sewed the top on the left and right, leaving a hole large enough for her head to get through

comfortably.  Then I finished all the edges.  Easy as pie.    I put a long sleeve t -shirt on her with her booties I made from the same pattern as the hat.    I wore a dress that has my sister handed down to me, with a wig that's seen many a Halloween.  Daniel wore his wire framed glasses and his bathrobe to be the big bad wolf pretending to be Grandma.  It was so much fun.

Some projects I've been working on lately.....

In addition to baby wipes, soaker pads & blankets

I made Carolina Jane her first outfit, pictured above.

I was so happy it actually fit. First time I've made a first outfit that wasn't too big.

Not pictured is her matching booties (fit her better than any of our store bought ones :)

and her matching hat (pictured in the last photo).

I used McCall's M6103 for the gown, hat and booties. I left the sleeves long to cover her hands. The hat is too big, but we're just folding it up one time to make it fit better.

I made her some pants that are too big & I haven't taken a picture of. I used the same fabric to make her the above skirt & matching prefold diaper, soaker pads & baby wipes.

I didn't use a pattern for this.

This past week I put the finishing touches on the above outfits for the kids.
I was so excited to have a new dress ready for Carolina Jane's first Sunday at church.
I was even more excited when I was able to make matching attire for Delsin & Kai.
Carolina also got 2 matching diapers and then a diaper cover for additional diapers needed.
I made her dress from New Look 6576

I made the girl's hair bows using this tutorial. For Carolina I glued hers to a headband I made with a piece of ribbon and a piece of elastic.

Kai's dress was from a pattern G.G. gave me. It was a pattern she used to make dresses for my mama when she was a little girl. The pattern is a size 2 and I was disappointed in myself for missing my opportunity to make it when Kai was a size 2. (I had put it away till she was big enough and forgotten about it.) So I had to make a few adjustments & it turned out alright, but is a little too big up top, for her comfort. I also made her matching bloomers. She loves how the dress flares out when she twirls. She had fallen down and gotten pouty when I told her, "When you're feeling down, just twirl around!" She got up and twirled around, and gasped with excitement. The rest of the day she showed every body (whether they looked at her or not) how her dress twirls around.
Pattern: ADVANCE 8627

Delsin got a matching vest. I thought he looked handsome as all get out, but I'm not sure how he felt about it. He seemed pretty eager to get it off. Asking me if he had to keep it on at church & taking it off in the truck. I wish his cowboy boots hadn't been too muddy to wear, because the ostrich would have matched this polka dotted fabric so well. They were similar colors too. I didn't use a pattern for his vest. I just traced around a vest he already had in his closet.

The bassinet was an awesome find at a Goodwill for $7.49!
It's wicker and all I did was finish off a can of white spray paint we already had around the house. Then I used some white satin I had on hand to make her 2 sheets, bumper pad, & ruffles to go around the bassinet & stand. I'm so proud. Gosh, I just noticed, from the picture, I need to iron those things.
I didn't have to use a pattern. I basically just draped the fabric around and cut where needed, then hemmed it and sewed elastic all the way around one edge of each ruffle.



There she is in that cute little cap I made for her birthday.

Then yesterday morning I made her these pants from a halter top that mom had given me a while ago. It didn't fit me right, so rather than throw it away or give it to a thrift store I was so happy to be able to make her some really cute pants.
Today Kai asked me if I was going to make her wear them every day.
Cute.
I used a New Look pattern 6310 as a guide. This is the pattern I used to make her pants from earlier, but they were too big. So this time I made a smaller pattern than what came in the package.

Whew!

I just finished making a new batch of pocket diapers!

I'm very happy that these have been completed prior to the baby being born.

They've taken me weeks to complete.

Now I'm hoping to make a few more, but at least we have some to start with.

I thought I had more saved from Delsin and Kai, but I must have given all those away.

I'm so excited about these!

They are so tiny and cute!

Now Bring On The Baby Booty!

Coffee Koozie!

I learned how to crochet! Yay!

Thanks to my friends at Mountian Park Baptist Church.

Last night Julie Lewis hosted a Women's Ministry get together where she and some other experienced crocheters invited all the women to get together to crochet coffee koozies.

I had so much fun. Almost all of us were learning how to do it.

I tried my best to get it done in the time we were there, but I had to come home and finish it.

It doesn't look perfect by any means. (It barely stretches around the skinniest coffee mug I own) But it's cute and I couldn't wait to use it this morning. And besides. I'm just so happy that I've learned the basics beyond making a chain.

I have a renewed spirit in crocheting.

In fact, I can't wait to finish blogging and go do some crocheting.

In case anyone who reads my blog crochets and would like to make this koozie too here are the instructions I was given last night. If you have any questions I'll do my best to answer them or get the answer. I have no idea what to do by reading the instructions, but I might be able to remember what I actually did. Hopefully it matches up.

Supplies: 26 yds of cotton or sport weight yarn

E, F, or G crochet hook

Button(s)

Yarn needle

Chain until work measures approximately 11 inches and turn

Row 1: skip 1st chain and SC in each chain to the end. Chain 2, Turn your work.

Row 2: skip 1st SC, DC in each SC to the end. Chain 1, turn your work.

Rows 3 - 6: Repeat rows 1 & 2 twice.

Row 7: skip 1st DC, SC in each DC to the end.

Tie off and weave in the ends.

Attach button(s) to one end of work. Wrap around a coffee mug, button and enjoy!

Baby Wipes!

I made a batch of 10 flannel baby wipes last night.

Well, actually early this morning.

It's the first thing I've made for the new baby!

I'm very excited, and about to go make some more right now.

Momma got a new dress!

I finally made something with that cut of black jersey knit that I bought from Fabric World here in Stone Mountain a few years ago.

This fabric was unique in that it was/is a solid tube. Seamless.

So I put some elastic in the top, a hem around the bottom, secured a cut of ribbon to the front so I could tie it around the neck and secured a cut of ribbon to the back so I could wrap it around and tie it above my tummy. Voila! I have a new dress at 2:00 in the morning when I started it at 1:00.

Does this count as a sewing project?

I didn't actually sew the table cloth.

All I did was cut it to size and let the ends roll up the way they like to.

I may go back and actually put some kind of zig zag stitch on the ends to keep them from unravelling if it becomes a problem as I wash it repeatedly.

The napkin holder is no longer with us. I decided to retire it when I came in to the kitchen to find it in the floor in pieces yet a thrid time. All new broken spots mind you, but still broken again nonetheless. I figures I could have JB Welded the new brake, & it might have been fine, but it was starting to look sad with all the patch work. So I'm on the hunt for another napkin holder. One that can hold more than 3 of my homemade napkins too.

This super nice patio table came from our backyard neighbor. She's such a sweet neighbor. We really did luck out with having awesome neighbors in our neighborhood. That's one of our favorite things about living here. The table is iron. It's def. not going to rot away!

Our flannel calendar

So I've had a ton of flannel that I need to use up. I went crazy at a Joann's sale a few years back. I think I've mentioned it here before. Anyway, I decided after much googling to make a flannel board, but most of my flannel is printed, so it just seemed like more work than I cared to do. Then one day it came to me. As I was wishing the kids had more of an understanding of time passed. "I should make a flannel board calendar!"

It's a dark photo, but you get the idea. The kids love marking the days, when I keep us in the habit of doing it.

Here are a few more pictures of some of the month embroideries.

Edited to Add:

I didn't take pictures of all of the months, for some strange reason.  And just now I realized that my 18 month old has gotten my memory card out of the computer and we cannot find it! 

Baby Carriers!

I'm always wishing I had taken pictures of the carriers I make.
I sell them and give them away and almost never take any pictures anymore.
I really tried to this time, but I was out of batteries for the camera.
Next time!
This week I sold one that looks like this, but is the new Kai Tai style.

Old Placemat Converts to New Dish Towel

As I was folding clothes, day before yesterday, I came across this place mat that had stains on it. I decided that I needed to either throw it away right then, or make it something useful, right then. So I cut a square off around the embroidery, and found a square of fabric that didn't have a stain, approximately 12 x 12 inches. I hemmed the edges, and used a satin stitch to put the embroidery back in a corner. Now I have a new dish washing towel to match 3 place mats that I own. Which is fine because for now there are only 3 of us that eat breakfast and lunch at home on a daily basis. By the time the 4Th one comes along we'll have stained those other place mats to the point of converting those to matching dish towels too. ☺