Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Easter outfits




I have been finished with Savannah's Easter outfit for some time now and I just finished Austin's Easter shirt. I hope to have slim pants for him to wear as well.

Savannah's was actually my entry into a contest which ends tonight. I wanted the skirt to be longer however I bought the store out of trim and they have yet to get more.

And Austin's was a men's shirt Aunt Mel got a second hand shop. I forgot to take a picture of it before I cut it up. This was actually my 2nd men's shirt that I made for Austin. This one came out better but still needs a little work. Mostly the sleeves are to long. I did the french seams and loved how that turned out.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Car seat toy holder


I wanted something safe to put on my 7 month old car seat to keep her toys from falling or more like her throwing them on the floor. We travel long distance at least once a month, sometimes without another adult. So using fabric and pipe insulation this is what I came up with.

Need:
Pipe insulation Measured to fit your car seat with
Fabric to match the length of your pipe and wide enough to go around (my pipe was 1.5 inches, I cut my fabric 5 inches and just cut off extra when done)
five strips 1inx 20
two strips 2in x 20
Velcro
take the 2-2inch strips and fold both long ends towards the middle, iron

Repeat last step, then sew both sides
add the Velcro to both sides, make sure 1 is on the outside and 1 is on the inside, so when then fold over they meet

Fold and iron your main fabric down the middle. this will help with placement of your loops
take your 1 in strips fold each long piece to the middle, iron then fold in half length wise


sew

now start attaching I measured 3 inches in from side for my first loop. Stitch several times to secure it, I am sure this will be tugged on a lot.Measure 3 inches from last loop to place the next loop. Repeat until all loops you have are attached

all loops attached

Fold long, curve one end and sew leaving the ends open
add your 2 inch strip with the Velcro to the curved end, Velcro side inside tube, overhanging a bit so it will be caught when you sew it closed. Turn right side


layer the last 2 inch loop, and Velcro and stitch

now you are going to stuff

All done!

Enough space for your little one to sit. I would only attach soft toys, so there was no chance of her getting hurt. I am sure you could even modify end the end straps to fit a infant car seat handle.

Show and Tell Green

Friday, March 26, 2010

lounge pants



Here is the dress from the other day. She looked so cute

When I was at target yesterday I was on the hunt for clearance items. I found a yellow strip jersey shirt. Which was great because I wanted to make baby tights I saw here. Then I new I wanted to do something with the arms but was not sure yet. I remembered seem some lounge pants at Made. There was no tutorial for these so I was on my own to figure it out, but it didn't seem to hard. So I checked her flicker photos (I knew I had to add fabric to the back but wasn't sure about the front) and found some that someone posted. I went to her blog and found these and that was it I knew I had to have a pair. They turned out so cute! I love them. I will have to do some in different sizes as she grows.

Since I used the arms. They were supper easy. When she got up this morning I had to make a few adjustments in the waist. But that took all of 2 mins.


i might make the ruffles wider across her butt next time. It is a light fabric so she wear these on cool nights this spring and summer.the tights, which came out great, I just have to make future ones higher rise, because we cloth diaper. She can only wear these ones with disposable diapers.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Summer clothes

With the warmer weather we have been having, I started to think that Savannah needed some appropriate clothes. So I rummaged through everyone's closets. The outfit she had in the last post I made from a pillowcase and the leg warmers were from the same sweater I used for Austin's vest. I even broke down and bought 2 patterns at Joann's that came with 3/4 different styles. This is what I have so far:


This was a night gown I wore when I was pregnant


This by far is my favorite on her. The pictures do not do it justice. Just wait until she wears it!

A black dress shirt pattern from Dana at Made (I'm kinda bummed, I tried a new type of seam and it is to small) I am not sure yet if I will take it apart or give it away. It isn't the best sewing so I might take it apart.



Valerie's old dress (size 4)Re-sized and added tulle idea from Nancy

I just had to put this in here. tutorial from Dana at Made again. I don't like the collar so I will be changing that this week (at some point).

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Sweater baby legs



I made Austin a sweater vest and had a good amount of it left over. So over at Samster Mommy she used the arm's of a sweater for leg warmers. So why not right? I did mine a little different I used the left over cuff of of the bottom of the sweater for the top part of the warmers.

Cut the 2 arms at fold leaving cuff on
Cut left over cuff from bottom of sweater same size as cuff on arm's cuff (fold in half cut on a fold)
Turn cuff and sleeve inside out
sew up side of each cuff and each sleeve
turn right side out
place sleeve into cuff right sides facing, edges together
zig zag stitch around
fold cuff up and all done!







Friday, March 19, 2010

Mei Tai


I was interested in trying a new type of baby carrier, so after searching I found the Mei Tai. I couldn't wait to give it a try. I changed it up added what I wanted and off I went. If your interested here is a tutorial for you.

This is just a guide line, what worked for me. If you make please make sure your baby is safe at all times! Use at your own risk

If you don't sew and would like one please contact me.


If you have any questions please ask and I will try to help you along. I would love to see yours.

Edit: a comment was left to use only bottom weight fabric for middle, which was done here, just not specified. You may also like to do the triple stitch box if you feel more comfortable.
all materials, cut and ready to go
Top end pleated 3 folds (excuse the string I never cut till the end)
Head support stitched and turned right side out


open top that was used to turn right side

4 straps stitched to middle body piece. bottom 2 at an angle, top 2 at top

Support straps, with knot
layering order, middle body

1st outer layer face up

head support


2nd outer fabric face down

support loop

Support loop cut in half

Support loops attached at beginning of padding

the straps I forgot to attached before I closed head support

Mei Tie directions

Straps:

2 of each fabric 10x60 top

2 of each fabric 10x40 bottom

2 batting 7x20

Body:

1 heavy fabric 23x19

2 of “fancy” fabric 23x19

Hood:

2 of “fancy” fabric 12x16

Straps loops: 1 1.5x8

Support straps: 2 2x18

Top strap:

Sew wrong sides together of straps, turn right side, insert batting pin 6 inch from top. Sew rectangle around batting to secure. Top stitch straps. I pinned 7inches and wish I had done 6 inches.

Repeat for next strap.

Bottom strap:

Sew wrong sides together turn right side out, top stitch

Pleat top of each strap

Body:

Pin each top strap .5 inch from edge

Pin each bottom strap at an angel over each corner

Sew a box with an x on each strap

Support straps: fold both edges to center then fold in half, sew down middle. Tie a knot at one end

Head support:

1 fabric face up place support straps 1 inch from end of head support fabric, place next fabric face down (so right sides are together).

(I forgot this to place strap before sewing and just added them at the end, I would have liked this look better)

Sew together leaving a opening for turning.

Turn and top stitch.

Putting body together:

I wanted the different sides to be showing (straps one fabric body another) so I placed the opposite fabric from the straps down firsts. If you want to have straps match the body then first lay down the fabric that matches the straps

Lay piece with straps down, next lay decorative fabric face up, head support next (this will be longer than the space between straps, it’s ok), last lay last decorative fabric face down. Pin

Sew in 4 sections starting at ¾ inch from each strap until ¾ in of next strap.

Turn using a the section not stitched at the straps

Top stitch.

(You will have to work at each corner and tuck you middle fabric in so it is not showing)

Strap loops:

Fold each long end to the center then fold in half, stitch, cut in half

I added mine right where the padding started in the center

I first stitched away from body then folded over so loop is going toward the body and stitched one last time