Monthly Archives: August 2012

Backyard Sundress in Voile

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Hey y’all!

(i looove pretending i have a southern accent even though i’m from up North.  If you know me, you know this much is true.)

Can you believe it’s the end of Summer?  I’m secretly high-fiving myself right now.  I am so excited for my kids to start preschool next week (G-man will be going a couple mornings a week this year along with his big sis)… It’s going to be a blast for them, and a nice break for me.  I’ll get to spend some one-on-one time with my little Coco-bean.  And of course, who doesn’t love the Fall?  Plus, I get to meet a new nephew in November!  Seriously, the Changs have some cute ‘lil babies, I can’t wait to get my hands on this one… So bring on the chill in the air, the soft sweaters, and the crunchy leaves!!!

But NOT before I sneak in one last backyard sundress, okay?

If you are a fabric hoarder like myself, you probably have some AMH  voile in your stash.  I’ve used a bit before (the square dance panel) as pockets for a bag and a skirt for E, but the yellow is a semi-recent purchase from Hawthorne Threads.  I’m so into this fabric, you have no idea.  It’s buttery-soft, lightweight, and easy to sew with.  After living in her pink dress for about 2 weeks straight, she was happy to switch to wearing this one for a couple of weeks.  Straight.  I consider this one a success because there is a hole in it now and i will have to mend it asap so she’ll get off my case already!

Like the last sundress I made, this one came together quickly.  The sleeve edges are left semi-raw: no hem, just zigzag stitched (i used gold thread) just along the edges.  I haven’t had to clip any threads, and the more I wash it the cuter it looks… and it does make it just that more casual which is perfect for a kid in the Summertime.

I love how this fabric just billows out when she rides her bike.  Oh, you’ve never seen a bad-boy tricycle like this before?  That’s for country kids who have gravel driveways and no sidewalks on their streets.  The tires are so hardcore…. She is a beast on this thing.  Best $50 I’ve ever spent.

Get a load of this….

Oh, no I didn’t.

OH YES I DID.

Say hello to my girls’ first (of many? not sure yet) matching outfits!

I might shave Ellery’s head soon so they can really look-alike.  As if!!!

I feel so bad that Grant isn’t a frequent face on this blog… he is the cutest/sweetest/cuddliest boy ever, but i just don’t sew much for him.  So, let me feel better by throwing his face out into cyberland… This picture is his quintessential Summer “look”: hand-me-down pj’s (thanks Jet!), a smile, and the evening sun fading away.

 I could eat that kid up.  This past weekend, he started calling me “Erin”.  “Erin, can I have some juice please?”, “Erin, Ellery’s not sharing!”….Really???

Anyway…

A tutorial for this dress has been lingering for weeks- we actually had a pretty awful and obscure computer virus attack our humble PC right after I made this dress.  And by attack, I mean our screen turned blue and it said “PREPARING TO CRASH” and then turned off…. so we my Mom tried everything under the sun to fix the darn thing, but it was just a huge mess.  I hate you Trojan Horse Patched-302397684asjdfhsjkafhweuifhe or whatever you’re called!!  Anyway, we caved and got a new computer.   And yes, I backed that baby up.  I shall post a tutorial as soon as I can get a few moments alone. :)

Then, maybe you can make one before the Summer is REALLY over.

-Erin

Two by Heather Ross

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So, I’ve been MIA for a while, and I don’t have much to show for it.  It was the end of June, on a dark and stormy night, when I sat down at my machine to start the Mendocino Sundress I’d been planning for weeks.  Just as I secured my fabric beneath the presser foot, the lights flickered and the power went out!  Our power was out for EIGHT days! When we were finally able to come back home, it was time to pack for California.  I took the kids by myself to visit my husband’s family for a 15 day trip.  I brought my knitting, but didn’t get to it much.  Maybe because I became a Words With Friends geek while I was out there?  This game is truly coming between me and my crafting!  Make me stop!  I’m neglecting my fellow bloggers! August now, and I finally got back to that dress, still pinned and waiting patiently in a cluttered corner of the house.  Here it is:

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Happy happy with the results!  I just knew this pretty lawn cotton would be worth the wait.  I also knew that getting some shirring practice in before attempting it on this expensive stuff was a smart move.

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I purchased the fabric at a local shop called Les Fabriques.  A 50% off Living Social coupon made it a sweet deal!  There was no other info on the bolt besides “lawn cotton”.  I was told it comes from their vendor in New York, which I jotted down, but can’t seem to locate now.

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It is so light weight and comfortable.  I definitely recommend buying the Gutterman elastic thread over the cheaper stuff, if you want to shirr something more special (Though practice with the cheaper stuff for sureshirr!). I probably went through 3 spools, but it was worth it.  Also, a busy pattern helps to hide wobbly rows :) .

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Check it out, I made pockets!  The pattern (which is a free download) includes pockets, but does not give much instruction.  You have to really have to think things through before you sew up your inside seams.  I can see how easy it would be to wind up wrong side fabric peeking out of your pockets.  Watch a video first.

Image That’s my 6 month bump there.  I probably haven’t mentioned yet that it’s a BOY!  I will have to get to work on some Big Butt Baby Pants!  I like this dress for maternity wear, but think it will fit just fine next spring when baby is on my hip instead.

Next up, is the “Trapeze Sundress” from Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross.  I wound up with this adorable frock after our dear friend, and domestic goddess, Grayson, sewed it up for herself, and then decided the results were undeniably pregnant.  I win!

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I just love this color and the big peonies!  Grayson is not sure where she picked up this fabric (Jo-ann, she thinks). It is a heavy weight cotton though, not something I find much at Jo Jos.  Might be able to update this info for you later.

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I also have this Heather Ross book, but haven’t tried much from it.  I’ve heard that the errata page is extensive.  Any thoughts out there?

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I have to thank my Gungie sister, Erin, for putting up with such an awkward model.  This is not my favorite part about sewing/blogging for myself!

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Big thank you to Grayson for passing this dress along to me!  We’d love to feature more of your work here!  This woman has mad skillz! Have a good weekend ya’ll! ~Caroline