NIKKI-SHELL

Twin dresses for not really twins

DETAILS

Dress G3....

From 'Handmade for Children'

Made in Liberty 'Eloise Sand'.  I had just enough fabric in my stash to make 2 dresses.  They like to dress the same sometimes and are often mistaken for twins.  They will plan the night before 'Let's be twins tomorrow' and will ask for the same hairstyle.  I'm sure they'll grow out of it once they hit the teenage years! but for now i'm enjoying it.

I've been having a marathon sewing week. Many garments made and many more cut out ready to be sewn up. 

A dress for the naughty one

Check her out looking all cute and innocent.  Believe me it's all just a cover up, she's the naughtiest (and loudest) of the 3!

This here is my favourite spot to kiss..

A great little dress that's quick to sew.  Pattern L from the same book as yesterday-Happy Homemade vol 5.  I'm loving this book, there's plenty more i'll be making from it.

This is what i get when i ask for a smile.....

Apparently it's great for sitting in the dirt (as well as twirling)...

I used a remnant of Alexander Henry's 'Birdsong' and some vintage buttons from the stash.  I'm loving the stash busting happening around here right now!  I sorted it all last night and found fabrics i'd forgot i had (oh the shame), but at least i may be able to put some of those to good use now that my memory has been refreshed.

I spent the best part of the day sorting the girls wardrobes.  Mia and Heidi are pretty sorted for summer, just a few items needed.  Esme on the other hand seems to have been standing in some potting mix over winter, she's now bigger than Mia in every way but height and she's catching up fast in that department too. So she's in need of just about everything on the list.

Best get sewing!

Summer sewing

It's that time of year!  The sun is shining, the weather is sweet, makes me wanna move my dancin' feet.  Time to sew a summer wardrobe for each of my girls.  I've flicked through many a Burda Style mag and Japanese pattern book and of course the pattern stash and have come up with a few possibles.

Each girl needs the following:

• Summer dresses
• Skirts
• Shorts
• T-shirts
• Blouses
• Lightweight jacket
• Nightgown/Pj's
• Leggings
• Trousers
• Hat

Now they do already have some of these items in their wardrobe (a clear out is on the To-Do list for this afternoon), and Heidi is lucky enough (or not) to be the recipient of many a hand-me-down.  Yesterday i had a day of sewing in my Pj's and managed to make 4 summer dresses, fix a skirt from the mending pile and make these shorts for Mia.

I used pattern J from Happy Homemade vol 5.  A great book full of basics.

When i traced out the patten i kept thinking to myself "Surely these are too small", the pattern pieces are tiny!  But fit they do and Mia loves them.  I managed to get them cut out of a 40cm scrap of cotton/elastane from my stash but i did leave off the front pockets.  I also used up a half reel of cotton.  I do love a stash buster!

I'll be making each girl a pair or two of these in these fabrics.

Bone Bling simple skirt

When this fabric arrived at work i knew who would go mad over it.  Just half a metre, an elasticated waistband and trimmed in giant ricrac and she's a happy girl!

The 30 minute jacket

I came across this tutorial on Pinterest and thought i'd try it out with some knit fabric i've had in the stash for ages.  My fabric was about 150cm wide, much shorter than asked for in the tutorial but it seems to have worked fine, it's just a little shorter (but so am i!).

It's great for chilly nights and i'd like to give this a go in a jersey.

Holes and copper

DETAILS

• Pattern- Vintage McCall's 9229 (1968) borrowed from Bri at work. I made version C.
• Fabric- Black Holey Suede (poly) for the yoke and Copper Flow (spun rayon) for the lower part of the dress.  Both fabrics from Tessuti Fabrics and were already in my stash.
• Alterations- This is a maternity pattern and had large pleats in the side seams (for belly growth).  Since i am NOT preggers i left these out.  I also left off the neck and armhole facings because i was using a fabric with holes.  Instead i used a poly/cotton binding in black from my stash to bind the edges.

I made this dress in an evening.  The most time consuming part being adding the binding.  I put in a regular dress zip, my first in a while (i usually use invisible zips) and i was very impressed with the finished result.  I like it loose but think i may invest in a nice wide black belt to wear with it too.

Pattern review: Simplicity 4111-Built by Wendy

I've had this pattern in my stash for what seems like forever.  A dig through the stash to locate some vintage patterns for a friend (they are on their way Amelia) brought it to my attention again and i decided to buy some fabric the very next day to make it up.

I read a number of reviews, many of which mentioned the front being very low cut.  I took this into consideration when cutting out the pattern and added an inch.  I'm afraid to say i could have added another!  It's still low cut enough so that i either show off a fair bit of cleavage or must wear a singlet underneath.

Another thing i'd alter is the neckline at the shoulders, it's just that little bit too wide for my liking, i'm not a big fan of the visible bra strap look.

Otherwise this is a great little top, i like the elasticated bust (i don't find any bagging at the back like i've read in some reviews), and the length and the sleeves are perfect.  I made version B in a size 10 and it fits well, it's also great for covering up the excesses of winter (must exercise!).

I used 'Blue White Dossier' cotton fabric from Tessuti Fabrics and vintage buttons and elastic from my stash.  

So quick to sew too! I had it made up in a night with the trickiest part being the neck facing.  Highly recommended but take into account the alterations i made and consider making a muslin first.  I'll use this pattern again for sure.

The long overdue vest

This is one of those long overdue projects.  Long overdue because i've had the fabric in my stash since my first week of work at Tessuti (yes, that's well over 2 years ago).  Long overdue also because i made this vest months ago and along with many other finished projects i just never got around to photographing it..until now.

DETAILS

• This pattern from Burda Style (the same pattern i used here)
• Fabric: A raw silk for the outer and a cotton blend for the lining, both from Tessuti
• Buttons: from my stash
• Notes: I tapered the side seams to give a better fit under the arms.  I sewed buttons onto the inside as decoration.  

 

Old skirt gets a new life

While clearing out the shed last week i unearthed a box of clothes that had been there since our last move.  After sorting through them most of the clothes are headed for the op shop but i did find this skirt....which is too long and has a broken zip.  I think it may have been given to me by Amelia with the idea that i would turn it into something else.

It's such a pretty print.  It deserved to be worn instead of heading to the op shop so i chopped off the top, created a casing and thread through a length of elastic.

Et voilà! A new life for an old skirt all for the cost of a length of elastic.