Finishing Up a Little Sewing

I have finished a few sewing projects that have been in the works for a while. I usually start three projects before finishing one, not a habit that I recommend!

First off is a dress that I made for Scooter. It is from an old pattern that I have used several times. The dress can be worn with or without the pinafore. Scooter just loves this puppy print fabric, and Angel Eyes asked if I could make her one like it. The pattern is a single size one, so I doubt I'll be able to pull that off.

The next project I completed was a baby quilt for little Thumper. I quilted it on my mom's very nice machine. Hers is a new model Cadillac and mine, which I was perfectly content with until I sewed on hers, is a 30 year old VW. It still gets me where I need to go, but the ride is not nearly as luxurious.

The pattern I used was called "Just Can't Cut it". I wish I had put more contrast into it. It's a little too monochromatic for my taste, but my daughter loves it, and that makes me happy. I ended up making it a lap quilt size so she could use it longer. I hope Thumper likes pink as much as the other girls do!

The last project was a little bonnet for Thumper. It matches her quilt and is still a little too big. It won't be long until it fits her nicely though, and it still manages to keep the wind off of her ears.

Isn't she a doll?

I Won!!!

I can't believe I won this awesome Miss Iris pattern from Samantha at The Handmade Dress.  Samantha has several really great patterns available in her shop.  My personal favorite is the Miss Madeline.  It is an adorable little apron dress.  I am so excited about making the Miss Iris for the girls.  They all really enjoy wearing skirts and dresses especially in the summertime, and with so many sizes in the pattern I ought to be able to make them each one!  Thanks again Samantha!  

Sundress and Summer Days

 I had a lot of fun making this cute little sun dress for Sweet Cheeks.  The pattern was a vintage one that I bought at a thrift shop.  The dotted swiss is fabric left over from a dress my mom made for me when I was in the seventh grade, we won't even mention how long ago

 that was!  The bloomers and lining are from a vintage sheet.

A friend found out my fondness for these old patterns and stopped by while I was out leaving me a box of vintage

 children's patterns, yipppeee!!!!  I can't wait to try several of them.  I love the pictures on the older ones so

 much I'd just like to frame the envelopes. 

Isn't that face adorable?   

What about this one?

During snippets of rain we improvise with bike rides on the porch, and bubbles are always fun no matter what the weather, unless your little sister keeps dumping them out and playing in the soap. 

Look at that girl go on that bike!

 The sun finally came out and we managed to get in a swim and a true bike ride.  Sweet Cheeks, who is a ham in every sense of the word, loves the water.  She tries desperately to get out of her mom's arms and swim.  She really thinks she can, and she just might be right.  I took her this afternoon and blew in her face to get her to hold her breath and ducked her, and she LOVED it!!!  She came up giggling, so I did it a couple of more times.  When I stopped she started blowing in my face to let me know she wanted to do it again.  The little 15 month old couldn't get enough.  The only thing was, she wanted everyone to watch and cheer.  She would come up with both fist in the air in a triumphant pose giggling and looking from face to face to make sure we were all being an attentive audience.  Ham!  Wish I had carried the video camera with me!

  We took an impromptu trip to town today and I caught a couple of cute shots of the girls without them knowing, and then another few with them hamming it up.  

Here is a sweet little dress I just finished for Scooter.  I hope it is long enough.  The last two I made for her got passed down to Sweet Cheeks because they were too short.  For some reason I think kids grow more in the spring and  summertime.

I've been working on a couple of vintage patterns lately.  I 'm not having the greatest luck with either of them.  One is a precious baby dress with a dress coat.  So far I'm only trying the dress.  I'll see how that goes before I try the coat.  The other is a relatively simple (or so I thought) pattern with a zipper and little gathered cap sleeves.

 I am also trying a little lap quilt from Amy Karol's Bend the Rules Sewing book.  I'm thinking of quilting each strip before putting it together rather than doing it all at once.