2020-May: My Little Pony and Colorful Rainbow Shirt, Shorts, Skorts

 This was a custom order. The shirt has custom 3/4 length sleeves, and an applique of Fluttershy.

Patterns: Fishsticks Designs Charlie Tee

Fishsticks Designs Mud Puddle Splashers

Fishsticks Designs Carnival Skort

2020-April: Galaxy/Planet Skirt

 I enjoyed using these horizontal panels, combined with other metallic fabrics, to make this skirt for E!

First, I made the panels bigger (the size the pattern required) by adding edge fabrics.

Top and bottom added

Then sides

Completed pieces!

Then I added the bottom band and the waist casing

I added elastic, and it's done!

She's also wearing the unicorn top I made her!

Pattern: Rachel Skirt by Ellie and Mac

2020-April: Quick Upcycled Skirt

 I made a simple skirt for C. out of a shirt I never wore. I cut off the shirt bottom and added elastic in a casing.

2019-May: Bonnet and skirt

For a school trip to a one-room schoolhouse

2019-March: Custom order

two shirts, shorts, skort, 5 pairs undies

2018-May: Pokemon skirt

Simple elastic-waist skirt from upcycled shirt, with patch pocket and applique

2018-April: Custom order

Two shirts, two shorts, two dresses, one skort

2015-Summer: Not much sewing

Starting in May, I didn't sew super-productively because we were preparing to move across the country!  A's sister came to live with us and help out.  Also, I was trying to sell off a lot of cloth diapers I didn't need anymore.  And I did a little side job of lettering the local coffee shop's menu board.

I did add two rows to E's layered skirt in June, so she could keep wearing it as she got taller!  She still wears it now, although the elastic just gave out for no reason so I have to put some new elastic in.  I think it was because I was using cheapie buttonhole elastic.

I sewed a small-sized AIO with a woven flower fabric for the outer . . . and I have zero pictures of it!  I gave it to a CD charity in July.

Anyway, we moved on August 2nd, and I was without my sewing machine for a little while after that.

I've got a few more projects to show you from before the big move, though!

2014-September: Layered Skirts

I wanted to make this skirt for E's friend's birthday, because I had a lot of fat quarters laying around and a pattern that used small strips.  I figured I'd make one for E., too!  E. picked out the fabric for the friend, and then more for herself.

The gift skirt

E's skirt

I will say that the skirt came out really cute, but it had a couple of flaws.

First, all the glitter on my glitter tulle came completely off after one wash!  Oops.  (Luckily it magically didn't get all over the rest of the laundry load.)

Then, over time E. would play with the tulle and rip it and just kind of destroy it till it was all ragged and I cut it off bit by bit.

Second, the layers or tiers on the skirt are sewn together just so so that the overlap on each row wrinkles up really badly and flips up, showing the inside and somewhat covering the row above.  It just looks messy.  Not sure how to fix this, because without the overlap it's just sort of patchwork stripes.  The overlapping layers do add to the cuteness!

Way later on, I added a couple rows to her skirt so she could keep wearing it, and she's still wearing it!  That will be a separate post. :)

An Introduction

Aside from the occasional wonky pair of curtains on the sewing machine I got for my wedding, I really wasn't into sewing until the very end of 2013.  What was my inspiration?  Why, my daughter, of course!

In 2012-2013, I had fun hand-painting clothing/trainers/undies for her and some friends . . . this led to my interest in MAKING cool clothes myself!  I also had cloth diapered her (and currently use cloth for my second, as well), so I eventually got curious about sewing my own training pants for her.

Through careful study of how some purchased trainers were constructed, internet research and ultimately buying some patterns, I experimented with making a couple pairs of training pants for her.  She learned pretty quickly after I sewed these, so I didn't have much sewing to do for a while -- until I learned some friends were pregnant!

Thus in 2014 I began sewing some cloth diapers for their future babies . . . and it was really fun and relaxing!  I learned my machine, got better and more efficient at it, and really loved the sense of accomplishment from the finished pieces.  I kept going, trying patterns and making all sorts of clothes for my girl!

(I should add that I got hooked on fabrics at this point . . . eh heh heh . . . all those amazing colors and prints!!  And soft, comfy knits!  Wheeee!)

So now here I am, sewing every chance I get and trying new things for both my first daughter and now my second little baby girl!  I keep picking up tips and tricks along the way -- I'm no expert, but I love learning and hope to steadily improve.  I have a background in Design, and I think I've finally found the perfect outlet for my skills: making all these amazingly cute sewn things with my own two hands!!

On this blog I want to document the projects I've made from the start (a backlog of sorts, including painted shirts), and keep going with future projects, too.  Sorry about any poor photo quality; I'm trying to get things up here quickly!

Thanks for reading!
Dorothy