Vintage May :: Playclothes for all!

May 23, 2013May 22, 2013 ~ hungie gungie ~ 34 Comments

:::This post is a part of the fabulous Vintage May series hosted by Craftiness is not Optional and Skirt as Top:::

We are so glad that Kristin and Jess invited us to participate in this year’s Vintage May series- and wow, what a line-up of talented ladies!

We’re not worthy! We’re not worthy!

If you are new here, Welcome! We are so happy you’re here.

Last year, we sewed along during Vintage May, using floral sheets from yesteryear- here and here. This year we got our Fraulein Maria on, repurposing bed linens into playclothes for our brood- that’s 6 kids altogether!

Okay, so we were a teensy bit excited for our FIRST GUEST POST! ::sister high-fives all around::

Some of our looks were designed around the unique beauty of vintage bedding, and some just have touches of them, as you’ll see below. Repurposing sheets and pillowcases is great since a lot of the work is already done for you in the form of seams and hems- just make sure to wash them up in some yummy-smelling detergent. You might find the aroma to be uniquely “vintage” as well. 😉

Though our photo shoot reflects some nap-time delirium and lingering (and still lingering…) pink-eye- don’t worry, it ended with a full-on Vintage May/Gangnam-Style dance party!

It only makes sense to start with the oldest… so here’s Jet!

Caroline: Thinking about vintage looks for the boys, I kept coming back to this child actor, who was in some of our other favorite childhood movies (Swiss Family Robinson, Pollyanna, and Toby Tyler). You know him right? He’s the same in all those movies- scrappy, mischevious, and somewhat annoying. But he’s so cute in the hats and knickers and suspenders! So for Jet, I worked up a pair of HG tour pants using a plaid pillowcase for the stripe. I decided to chop the pants below the knee to encourage summertime boyish mayhem. Get it? May–hem? I love a good sewing pun. The suspenders are simply made with 1″ elastic, and upcycled leather + buttons.

Erin: I fell in love with the details and colors of this pillowcase and knew right away that it needed to be a top for Ell. I utilized the entire thing. Normally, I’d leave the existing pillowcase hem for something like this, but I wanted to use the yellow in the flutter straps and the chest band, so I ended up cutting off a good chunk of the bottom. The back closes with a big vintage button and elastic loop. The shorts are E and E’s bubble pocket sailor shorts pattern in yarn-dyed Essex Linen. I love all the buttons! You can get a better glimpse of them up in that first picture.

Caroline: Avery’s look is also reminiscent of Pollyanna. If you need a fix, watch this. I loved her drop-waisted dresses and sailor ties. Avery’s modernized version (say if Pollyanna were to take up tennis) begins with a Flashback tee (minus the sleeves) on top and vintage pillowcase on the bottom. I simply cut the pillowcase in half and pleated it to match the circumference up top. Using the same pillowcase, I made bias tape and stitched it around the collar and arm holes.

ERIN: I love the idea of little boys in vests, but it’s not a look you really see anymore. So, I decided to try one out for Grant using Lindsay’s tutorial modifying it into a racerback… and I love it! I made it with Essex linen (same as Ell’s shorts), and the pockets are cut from the hem of a pillowcase. The inside is a pretty yellow floral sheet (the most masculine one I had). Grant’s pants are based on the Parsley pants pattern, but modified a bit to make them skinnier, and of course shorter. If we had a creek out back, you bet this boy would be wading it.

Erin: For Corinne, I definitely wanted to keep it easy! I love the idea of a one-piece outfit for babies, so I made some bloomers from a sweet pillowcase I had and then attached it to a basic tank onesie- I used 1/4″ elastic to gather the leg holes, and added 3 snaps at the crotch. I thought it’d be fun to add a faux peter pan collar since, they were and are all the rage, aren’t they? I appliqued some shiny gold fabric and added a sweet ivory ribbon rosebud in the center. It’s pretty, but so practical for summer days. (note to self: make more of these.)

Caroline: Wes is wearing faux-suspenders (grosgrain ribbon, d-rings, steam-a-seam) attached to a onesie, along with pillowcase lined pants (based on A.M.H’s Quick Change Trousers). His newsboy cap is from this free online pattern/video tutorial that I found for an adult, and eventually had success with scaling it down for a small head.

Do you remember this part in the Sound of Music?

Captain Von Trapp: “Do you mean to tell me that my children have been roaming about Salzburg dressed up in nothing but some old DRAPES?”

Fraulein Maria: “Mmm-hmmm. And having a MARVELOUS time!”

Duh!

Thank you all for stopping by! Come back tomorrow for a tutorial on Corinne’s pillowcase romper- it’s an easy one! 🙂

And if you know what’s good for you, check out today’s other Vintage May post by Jessica of Happy Together. Thanks again Kristin and Jess for letting us in on the fun!

So long, farewell….

Erin + Caroline

I made a hat

May 2, 2013April 29, 2013 ~ hungie gungie ~ 8 Comments

…for a stuffed monkey.

Not my intention.

While looking around blogland for Gatsby-inspired digs (can’t wait for this movie AND Vintage May!), I stumbled upon this random free pattern and instructional video for a “flat cap”. Thought I’d give it a try. But I wasn’t sure about how to get the right size for printing. What’s a dpi anyway?

Whatever I ended up with looked about right for a kid…okay maybe a baby, I’ve got one of those.

Wrong.

I knew it as I got halfway in. But I was having so much fun! It’s actually a great pattern!

My mother’s helper will love this for her AGDs!

Watch out for the food police! I love that my first rule is eat with utensils. That’s embarrasing.

We had some major laughs around here with each kid and husband trying this thing on!

Wes gives it

TWO SNAPS UP IN A ZIG ZAG FORMATION!

I’ll have another go at this soon, just increased it 30%, so wish me luck.

And, now I will EAT YOU MONKEY!

~Caroline

Pattern Testing :: Bubble Dress!

March 19, 2013June 21, 2013 ~ hungie gungie ~ 10 Comments

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of testing a new sewing pattern by An of StraightGrain.

The Bubble Dress!

An makes some really sweet clothing for her little girl, and has now put her skills towards creating this great little pattern for girls ages 1-6. It is for sale now, and you can buy it here. If you have never made a bubble-anything before (like me), give it a shot- it comes together pretty quickly and it’s fun to see the bubble take shape!

Anyway, without further ado…

Here’s Corinne enjoying her new frock:

I tested the 1 year size for my Coco-girl who is turning 1 next week. WHA?? Crazy. I mean, I just had her, didn’t I?

Anyway, it fits great… she’s lean, so this will fit her right on through the Summer I’m sure.

I’ve had this fabric (Jessica Levitt, Timber collection) since I first started sewing 3 years ago. I never was quite sure about what to use it for, but I’m so happy I finally cut into it. Pretty perfect for Spring! I’m not usually drawn to geometric prints, but i love the combo of geometric and organic shapes here. Such cute little bird’s nests they are!

Check out that bubble!

The peter pan collar is an option in this pattern, and is a fun way to use a contrasting fabric.

I figured if I was going to learn how to make a bubble skirt, I might as well learn to make a collar too. That was the hardest part for me, but it turned out just fine- i took those steps pretty slow, especially when attaching it between the outer bodice and the lining.

The back closes simply with a button and loop.

I used 1/8″ elastic, though you could use ribbon too. Anytime I can get out of making a buttonhole, I’m gonna take it! I think the elastic is nice for a squiggly toddler too. Easy on, easy off.

We had fun during this photo shoot. Her cuteness was bubbling all over the place. Sorry…but you knew the pun was coming…

Someone’s ready for Easter….

So, hop on over to An’s blog and look around… She’s from Belgium and is hosting a great series called Kid’s Clothes Belgian Style – Lots of awesome sewing happening over there!

Thanks for stopping by 🙂

-Erin

Geranium in Voile

February 22, 2013February 23, 2013 ~ hungie gungie ~ 15 Comments

I sewed up a Geranium tunic for Corinne last week and finally cut into some much-loved AMH little folks voile.

I love how my last Geranium turned out for Ellery, and I love how different this one is. This fabric is so nice and light, i thought it would make a nice breezy top. I’m happy that she can wear this now right on into the Springtime.

(Seriously, Spring. Get a move on it!)

So, I added long sleeves here – not an option in the pattern, but I figured it would just look super cute and couldn’t be too hard.

For the sleeves, I used a pattern piece that I already had handy- from the baby in the hood jacket (from this book) that I made a couple of years ago for Grant. I added an elastic casing at the cuffs. I did trim my sleeve pattern piece down a little bit along the sides, but I wish I had left it as wide it was- I think this shirt would be perfection if the sleeves were just a teensy bit roomier. But, it’s totally wearable, and I’m loving it on her, so no biggie. Next time, next time….

Here’s “Coco” (as she is affectionately known around here) and her bribery snack of choice: baby Mum Mum crackers.

Anyway, to attach the sleeves, I didn’t really have a plan of attack since I’ve never sewn sleeves to a lined bodice. But, I remembered Rae’s tutorial and video for adding sleeves to a Washi dress, so I followed that… I’m sure there are other ways to add sleeves to a lined bodice, but the girl knows what she’s talking about, so I let her guide me through it. And it went very well… even though it looks all kinds of crazy when you’re sewing it up! No really… check out that video to see what I mean.

That’s what I love about sewing- sometimes you just have to trust the instructions in front of you and forego your own thought processes.

I always learn something. Always.

I made the 12-18 month size for my almost 11 month old! 11 months already?? what??

Instead of using 3 buttons as the pattern suggests, I decided to use 2 here just because I liked how it looked. I’m really digging this pattern and have seen so many great variations in the flickr pool.

Action shot!

Corinne has been walking since just after her 9 month birthday, and I really feel like she’s in the mix with the other *big* kids because of that.. but it’s funny because she still looks like such a baby to me… I took her to an open-gym today with tons of other kids and she had no problem leaving my side to cruise around after balls, crawl through tunnels, and at one point even walking up to some random boy on a bike and planting the biggest slobbery open-mouthed kiss on his face.

He liked it.

C’mon, wouldn’t you?

-Erin

Two new additions

February 17, 2013February 17, 2013 ~ hungie gungie ~ 15 Comments

Hi everyone, I’m baaaacckk! After a long hiatus, I’m finally stepping out of the fog, and ready to introduce you to the little something that’s been keeping me so busy these past few months…

Isn’t it the most beautiful hallway that you’ve ever seen?! It is when you’ve been living in 800+ square feet for 6 years! We added 3 bedrooms and a basement to nearly double our living space and create a small roller-rink below. Slab basement for now = future cave for stinky teenagers (or home theater, mini gym, sewing studio ;)… endless possibilities). In progress photo:

Living in a tiny house, I learned a lot about organization and space management. I love getting rid of STUFF! It is like a giant *EXHALE*

However, even with my diligence to conquering clutter, I was losing the battle. Pei’s cookbook collection ~~was~~ is getting out of control, my sewing stash was bursting out of our closet, and Jet and Avery would NOT STOP GROWING!

Oh yeah, and there was this other little thing:

Meet Wes Charles Chang, born November 10, 2012!

I’m such a slacker, he’s already 3 months old. Best baby EVER! Don’t tell Jet and Avery I said that.

So, yeah, just to add to the chaos of living in our home during construction, we decided to bring a newborn into the mix. The only thing that kept me sane through the holidays was knowing that I would soon have a walk-in closet. And, a second bathroom! *high-fives with husband*

Slowly we’ve been moving into our new rooms, but we left a lot of the finishing work to ourselves (painting, plumbing, light fixtures, tiling). And, as most of you know, newborns and getting-sh*t-done don’t really mix! Looking forward to sharing many DIY reveals with you in the future!

While my sewing machine enjoyed a long winters nap, I did manage to squeak out a few holiday crafts…

Inspired by one that I pinned, this door mat looked so cool for about 2 weeks. I spray painted an old one with silver, taped off the triangle shapes, and painted them shades of green. I won’t show you what has become of it. Next year, I will leave it on the covered porch that no one uses.

I made these beaded icicles out of a necklace that my mother-in-law made me. She doesn’t read this blog, in case you are wondering.

I wish I could’ve captured how beautiful these looked on the tree with the lights sparkling through. My photography could not do them justice.

01-chritmas to jets b-day jan 2013 001

When Avery decided just days before Christmas that the one and only thing she wanted from Santa was a rocking horse, this one, donated by a friend, saved the day! But, since Avery was familiar with said friend’s rocking horse, I needed to give it a new look (on Christmas Eve mind you).

Ah, the lengths we go to in order to perpetuate a gigantic lie, I mean preserve the magic of childhood! Don’t worry, Avery doesn’t read this blog either.

I will leave you with a few more photos of our new favorite kid. Did I just say that? Ha! Kidding! Kind of.

Wes is wearing a beautiful hand-knit Baby Surprise Jacket (a Soulemama go to), made for him by dear friend, and often-mentioned-here, Grayson Butterfield. She also made him these:

This is the Picky Pants Pattern that Grayson and I love. Could you die?!

Obviously we are in mad love over here, both with Wes AND our new rooms. Its shaping up to be a fabulous 2013! Happy Year of the Snake!

~Caroline

more tour pants + Echino bib

January 22, 2013 ~ hungie gungie ~ 5 Comments

I wanted to show you guys the boy version of the Toddler Tour pants that I made.

These pants are going to a friend’s new(ish) baby, Chet in Vermont. I hope he digs them as much as I do!

I used a stretch tan corduroy for the main fabric and a bunch of random scraps to create the panels. I made these in a 9-12 month size, so he should be sporting these next Fall! Ahh… Autumn in Vermont. Could there be a better place to leaf peep? I think not.

These are lined with a random cotton print from my stash. For the tag, I used a little piece of ribbon that has vegetable plants on it. I have no idea what vegetable that is down there.

…Looks more like an herb to me…

I was happy to finally use up the Echino fabric that I’ve been sitting on for two years wondering what to do with. Kind of perfect for a little boy. And, it totally goes with my theme here… tour pants… bus bib… tour bus… get it?

So, I cut a basic bib shape (it’s backed with flannel), and finished the raw edges with bias tape that I made from the littlest bit of the Echino that I had left after cutting it up for this bib. And instead of my usual snap closure, I switched it up and used a cute brown button and elastic loop.

You know, keepin’ it fresh around here folks!

And there you have it. A sweet little homemade gift for a baby boy.

If you use my Tour pants tutorial, please let me know- I’d love to see some other versions. They are so fun to put together and personalize for whomever they are for!

Go make some.

PEACE.

-Erin

Toddler Tour Pants + tutorial

January 8, 2013January 17, 2013 ~ hungie gungie ~ 44 Comments

I’m probably dating myself with this post, but I’m sure some of you remember this hippie craze back in the late 90’s… patchwork pants!!

The idea for these came to me in a flash when one of my best friend’s from highschool, Jay and his wife, Maegen had a baby this Fall. I wanted to make their little guy a gift but didn’t feel inspired to make my usual set of baby bibs…so these were born. I thought it would be so fun to modernize these pants… by using some lighter fabrics (there was a lot of corduroy back in ’98!), in softer colors. I think they are perfectly appropriate for a hip little baby!

Maybe you knew a guy like Jay- A really nice/cool/funny guy, who liked Phish, the Dead, etc… went to school in Vermont, now has a super cool job working at Ben & Jerry’s- Bonaroo Buzz? Yeah, he pretty much invented it. I know…I’m jealous too. Jay still gets to jam out at shows from time to time too.

He used to wear pants like these back in the day, just… earthier. 😉

So really, Jay (if you are reading this), you are the inspiration for these. And your sweet little Chet will be recieving a boy version very soon!

Here’s my 9 month old Corinne hanging out in her new duds… munching on some raisins….

oh, and she walks now. no big deal. !!!!

“divided sky the wind blows high…..”

“Take me where the whispering breezes
Can lift me up and spin me around”

So.

Shall we make some pants?

First, you’ll want to make your patchwork panels. Cut your scraps to 4″ wide, and anywhere between 2″ and 4″ long. Sew them together to end up with 2 panels that are 4″ wide and as long as your pants pattern. Make sure you iron all the seams down. Set those panels aside when you’re done. These pants are a great way to showcase some of your favorite fabrics, and of course a great way to use up scraps.

Next, using your favorite pants pattern, cut your 2 front and 2 back pieces. I cut my pants from this thrifted linen skirt- i LOVE this fabric, and the weight of it… I’ve been dying to cut into it and it’s just perfect for these. (there’s a matching cropped jacket too that is waiting to be hacked up!)

I’m using the Quick-Change Trousers from Anna Maria Horner’s book, Handmade Beginnings (though i altered the pattern by not using the back panel piece, and just extending the back piece to make them regular pants.) Dana has a few pants tutorials- i like this one where she shows you how to draft your own pattern from a pair of well-fitting pants you already own.

You’ll want to cut 1″ off the side edge of your back pieces…

…and 1″ off the side of your front pieces.

(these will end up being more wide-leg than your original pattern… adding about 2 inches of “room” to each pant leg of your finished pants).

With right sides together, sew your back pieces (i always label the front and back pieces with tape since it can be hard to tell them apart!) together at the center seam.

Do the same for your front pieces….

Clip the curve…

Next, with right sides together, sew your patchwork panels to your back piece.

Should look something like this… oh, and press those center seams flat!

Okay, your back piece should now look like this!

Now, you can skip the next few steps and move right onto sewing your pants together, but I decided to line these for my baby since there are so many seams. Lining pants is actually super easy and keeps everything nice and soft on the inside.

I’m using this vintage pillowcase since it’s really soft and thin.

Using your new front and back pieces, lay them (folded) onto your (folded) lining fabric- easy to just use a pillowcase!

Trace the pattern with a marker.

Cut it out.

Sew the front pieces and back pieces the same way you did with your other pieces. Clip curves at center, and press the seams open.

Your pieces should look like this right about now:

Time to sew up your pants! With right sides together, pin your front piece to your back piece.

sew the sides first (i’m using a 5/8″ seam allowance).

Trim your edges

Next, sew the inside seam of your pants, starting at one leg… and ending at the other.

Voila! Pants! Almost….

Press your seams open

Now, put your lining pants together in the same way, sew the sides first… then the center….

Press your seams (on a low setting if you’re using a pillowcase with polyester like i am… i almost melted my center seam. whoops!)

Okay, so turn your outer pants right side out, and keep your lining pants inside out. Fit your lining pants into the outer pants.

There will be no exposed seams inide the pants… cozy. 🙂

Pin the top raw edges of your pants, and run that edge through a serger if you have it. If not, you can zig zag stitch.

Nice and neat!

Now, fold your top edge over about 3/4″. Using 2 pins, leave a 2″ space in the back of the pants to thread elastic.

Topstitch all the way along the folded edge (i’m using an edgestich foot- love it!) as close to the edge as possible. Then, Stitch along the serged edge to form the casing… just remember not to stitch where you have your 2 pins!

Measure your kiddo’s waist, add about an inch and cut. Coco’s measurement is 17″…

Slip a safety pin through one end, and thread the elastic (mine is 1/2″) on through your casing….

Once you get all the way around, bring the two ends together about an inch, and zig zag stitch to hold them together.

Pin a piece of folded ribbon into the opening at the back, and stitch then stitch it closed.

Now to hem! Fold your outer pants to the inside and press (I folded up 1 1/2″). (**you may need to trim up your bottom raw edges first before you fold them under to hem, sometimes they can get a little wonky after sewing the pants together….)

Then, fold your lining up the same amount and press.

It should look like this:

Sew around each leg hole… i sewed about 5/8″ from the edge.

And you’re done! Your kid is ready to go out on tour!

And play bongos!

With people she doesn’t know!

Or go bouncing around the room! (…or, the parking lot if she’s not so lucky).

(…Just don’t buy a veggie burrito from the kid in the brown Volvo- there’s like one bean, and the rest is just rice and you’ll be jipped out of $3…)

Yeah, I’ve been to a handful of these shows in my 33 years. (but not as many as my sis though! Caroline- STOP asking me to make you an adult version of these, okay? Just go put some Jerry on Pandora and make yourself some falafel if you really need to relive those days. That goes for you too Joanne T!! hahaha…)

I’m kidding… just put them on your little babe, and enjoy the sunset….

“inspiration, move me brightly…”

Anyone going out on Crib Tour 2013?

Coco is!

“Waiting for the time when I can finally say
That this has all been wonderful, but now I’m on my way”

-Erin

Superhero onesie tutorial

October 9, 2012October 9, 2012 ~ hungie gungie ~ 4 Comments

In my recent experience, I have found that capes make a perfect gift for girls and boys, whatever the age. You are never too old for superhero fantasy play! At least that’s what my husband would have me believe. He even made up his own hero called “The Nap-Master”, whose powers become stronger when he gets a few minutes of sleep. Nice, right?

Anyway, this project allows for the youngest in the family to become a caped crusader in his own right. And just in time for Halloween! As I whipped up this bad-boy (2 hours before it was due to be gifted!), I tried to take enough photos to pull it into a little tutorial for ya. Hopefully, there not too many gaps in the process!

First, gather your materials- a plain onesie (or tee-shirt), a 12 x 15 rectangle of cape fabric, and scraps for your applique design. and thread to match!

Fold, press, and pin 3 of the cape’s edges. Or, save time on this simple project by serging your edges and leaving them that way.

Finish your 3 sides with a 1/8″ edge stitch.

Next, machine gather the unfinished edge by sewing a straight stitch (do not back-stitch at the start or finish) set to the highest stitch length.

The fabric will gather when you pull on the top threads at each end. Gather until the length of your gathered edge measures the length of the back collar of your onesie.

At this point, I was running late and decided to quickly secure my gathered edge by folding it over and running a zigzag stitch along the edge. Then, I pinned the cape from shoulder seam to shoulder seam.

Secure the cape to the onesie with a zigzag stitch.

I snuck in a little ribbon tag for a signature look.

Now, on to the applique. I always use Steam-a-Seam 2, a double-sided fusible interfacing, to attach my designs. Iron paper to the wrong side of your fabric. Draw your design on the paper, but be careful if you are drawing a letter- you will need to draw it backwards, or draw it on the right side of the fabric! I had my husband draw me a superhero-y lightening bolt. My own version just did not look cool.

Cut out your design, remove paper, and iron to your onesie.

Finish the applique by using a small, tight zigzag stitch around the edge of your design. Practice your zigzagging on scrap fabric to get it just right. I thought this gold contrasting thread would really make it pop! And, that’s it! Super baby to the rescue!

*Disclaimer*

I am not responsible for atempted flying off furniture by caped babies or toddlers! However, if instead your child transforms into a fearless “Nap-Master”, I will gladly accept credit! Good luck with that one.

~ Caroline

School Daze and a Gift for Haze

September 27, 2012September 27, 2012 ~ hungie gungie ~ 4 Comments

Please excuse me while I take a moment to come to terms with the fact that I most assuredly deleted the one and only first-day-of-Kindergarten photo that I took of my first-born child. There was only one shot taken, candidly, because he was not in a paparazzi mood that day. It was adorable, and now it’s gone. I can’t believe I did that. I thought I’d already uploaded it, and just erased it from my memory card… for good.

*Exhale*

Okay, well, here’s Avery on her first day.

I’m a terrible mother.

Back to the blog…

Holy back-to-school, blog-on-the-backburner bloggers we are! I think after a month in, I have finally adapted to this elementary school schedule. 6:30 am used to be an ungodly hour for this night-owl gal! Fortunately Jet and Avery were not super early risers either. But I have to say, I am really thriving with all the morning clock watching, lunch box packing, and bus stop dashing! It’s forcing me to be more alert and organized. (Edit-I wrote this paragraph before the above stated disaster took place.) Of course with 5 more weeks of pregnancy to go, there is a bit of nesting going on, and conscious need for more sleep. So, yeah, not a whole lot of sewing going on these days. I can proudly say, however, that Jet is killin it in Kindergarten and Avery is perfectly pleased with preschool! And for 8 hours a week, I am worshiping my free time! Still, no sewing, but no shortage of ideas buzzing in my head, and half-finished projects lying around. I’m sure you all know how that is! You know you’re a crafter when corners of your house look like this:

Are those raw edges? Yup. Still figuring out if we can commit to yellow chevron cafe curtains.

Awe, how cute, a baby boy sweater just hanging out for months on the needles. (Also a random paintbrush chillin on some Marthas that I just can’t let go of.)

Oh and look, there’s an acorn wreath that I swear IS GONNA HAPPEN!

Anyhoo, while those projects might actually, one day, be blogged, for now, I will have to share a finished product from over a month ago…

I have made these slip-covers, or “cozies”, for Baby Bjorns before, but was psyched when my BFF from highschool, Kelly, registered for the type of Bjorn that I do not own. It gave me the chance to draft a pattern for Bjorn’s original style (mine is an “Active” Bjorn Carrier, which is bigger and slightly different shaped). I snatched it off the registry immediately and got to work on my design. Kelly’s daughter, Hazel Ellery (gotta love that name!), was born ahead of schedule, by 11 weeks or so, giving us all a good scare. She was so teeny and fragile then, but she’s packed on a quite a few by now and is probably close to taking her first Autumn Bjorn ride!

Here is my prototype (and no, that is not Hazel, it’s a doll!) :

I really wanted to see how an all-fleece construction would work. Even though my first pattern attempt was a little too small, the fleece was able to stretch to fit.

After I adjusted the pattern a bit, and found some adorable Hazel-colored fabric, I went for it, with fleece only on the inside for warmth.

Perfecto! I even had the opportunity to meet sweet baby Haze in her Boston NICU apartment last month! I just had to be there for that shower, and to encourage her mom and dad, who are such special friends of mine, to keep up their fierce parenting. Its been a long road, but she will be home soon! And she will also be a cutie-pie girlfriend for my future little man!

As for my Bjorn cozies, I still have romantic visions of an Etsy store full of them. One day people, one day.

~Caroline

Backyard Sundress in Voile

August 30, 2012September 1, 2012 ~ hungie gungie ~ 18 Comments

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

HUNGIE GUNGIE

–not your momma's goulash–

baby

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I made a hat

Pattern Testing :: Bubble Dress!

Geranium in Voile

Two new additions

more tour pants + Echino bib

Toddler Tour Pants + tutorial

Superhero onesie tutorial

School Daze and a Gift for Haze

Backyard Sundress in Voile