Creating a Special Place Just for Kids.

Okay, today I am taking a break from sewing. I told you that we bought a new house, but we can't move in just yet.  The house has a lot of "bumps and bruises" from the last owner and we must fix them first.

I also want to create a special play area in the basement for my two granddaughters that live with us.  I want it to be a place that says, "This is your home too."

So the first thing that I did was to paint the basement concrete walls with white masonry paint. Let me tell you that concrete soaks up the paint, even though this paint has primer included in the paint.

But I sure love how fresh and clean it make the space look.

 

 

Next, I put down soft cushiony mat 2 x 2 squares in 4 different colors. I just placed them randomly. I even cut them out so they would fit close up to the wall.  My husband helped me. With the white walls and primary colored mats, the space now is beginning to feel welcoming.

 

Here is the first item that I added to the playroom, "Barbie's Dreamhouse."  I forgot that it was in the attic, and now that I have been packing I rediscovered it.  I went on the internet and found tons of links about how to construct your own Barbie Dream House furniture. I thought that might be a fun project for my granddaughters and I to do together.  I think we passed the furniture on to a friend of ours when she was young so she could play with it.

Deborah

 

2 Shirt Sundress

It all started with 2 Men's shirts that belonged to her Grandfather (Papa).

One was a very small blue, white, and yellow plaid, and the second was a light yellow oxford.

 

My inspiration was from Simplicity pattern 2265. When I spied this design, I could picture it a remake using men's shirt with the "gathered flower petals" on the front. So I cut and measured and created a similar design until 2:00 am in the morning because it was so much fun!

As you create the dress you keep thinking...

how can I creatively use the parts of the shirt?

If you click on the picture it will enlarge so you can see the details.

 

 

First, I have to thank my lucky stars that the side seams in the Men's shirt was matched, and that the shirt was cut on grain!!!!!  It made it easy to cut around the entire width of the shirt using the plaid as my cutting guide.  That piece was then gathered at the top to create the dress front and back. I just loved using that front button tab down the back and not making any buttonholes or sewing on a button to match.  YEAH!

 

The front and back bodice were cut from the sleeves of the plaid shirt. 

 

 THEN I had the idea to use the cuffs as the shoulder straps...... that made me smile :)

 

 

I utilized the placket in the sleeve when cutting the back bodice, which was a bit tricky to finish the edge on the other side.

I needed to add two button holes in this area.

 

I finished the bottom of the dress with a strip of fabric from the yellow oxford. Then I added all these buttons from my button box.  Before I throw one of my husband's shirt away, I always cut off the buttons and save them, so I had lots to choose from.

 

 

A funny story about those buttons is that I sewed most of them on at the car repair shop while I waited for my car to be repaired. One of the mechanics took my picture to show his wife that women really do know how to sew on buttons. 

 

He took a step by step sequence to show his wife

"How to Sew on a Button".

 

To finish the raw edges in the inside,  I buttoned on the button side of the shirt, and then turned under the edges of each side and hand stitched the edges shut. Originally, I was only going to have the empty buttonholes on this strip, but this finished the inside so it was smooth as E wears the sundress.

Papa likes to tease E that she's wearing his shirt, and she loves it even more because of that.
  I can't wait to make my next creation as this one was SO MUCH FUN!

Deborah
Here's your link back to Project Run and Play.  I hope you enjoyed seeing my sundress as much as I enjoyed creating it.
Please leave a "trail of your thoughts" as I so enjoy reading them.

 

 

Unisex Overalls

One promise to my granddaughter
  +                                boys week
 equals...             unisex overalls

That's how this math teacher solved the problem of what to make during the "boys week" challenge for Project Run and Play.

"I love dogs!"

In my last post, I mentioned that I promised my granddaughter that I would make something for her for the next challenge since the stripes and dots skirt turned out for her sister instead of her.  So after thinking about it for 2 days... I came up with the idea of overalls using Kwik Sew patterb 3948.  I found this cute dog material that could actually work for boys or girls. 

"You just had to add that rick rack stuff... didn't you!"

I did "girlie" it up with rick rack on the pockets. I embroidered a dog on the front pocket to personalize it for C. She wanted the dog to be "fluffy."










I use this trick to make my rounded edge pockets:


1. Cut out the desired pocket and a lightweight facing for the pocket.

2. Sew around the pocket using your desired seam allowance.

3. Cut a slit in the center of the pocket facing, and turn the pocket right side out. Trim, clip the seam allowance, and press with an iron.

4. Now the trick... use stitch witchery to seal the hole closed by applying heat.  Now the pocket is ready to be sewn on your garment.

"That's a great trick Deborah!"

Comfy, able to be worn by a girl or a boy, and cozy was the big idea behind the whole outfit.

"They are comfy!"

"I wish I had some red overalls like these! Do you think she will earn a blue ribbon?!"

 

 

Stripes and Dots Twirly Skirt

1. I totally made the skirt ... but I just adapted the knit shirt that I bought at Gymboree.
 I designed the skirt for my 3 year old granddaughter, but when I sewed it all together, it fit my 6 year old granddaughter.

I did learn how to blind stitch on my sewing machine as I was making the skirt.

 

 

2.  I made boot leggings out of the cut off sleeves from the knit shirt to wear with her red cowgirl boots.. (Which was kind of crazy.)

3.  My house is a disaster since we bought a new house this week, and I've got boxes, and ten million mortgage details that I had to deal with for the closing also. And my husband was understanding enough to let me sew in the middle of the mess.

4.  I like dots and stripes, but I had a watch out that I didn't go crazy and turn out little "Clown Outfits." I made the matching headband.
5. I bought the sweater at Gymboree too and fancied it up for the skirt... as it was marked down to  $2.99 and I couldn't resist.

 

 

6. So I then had to promise my 3 year old granddaughter that I will make the next challenge project for her. That will be interesting since it's the "boys" challenge.

This skirt isn't really my best 100% effort, but you are going to LOVE my Valentine creation, and what I am doing with 2 of my husband's dress shirts for that challenge.

I PROMISE.

Deborah
P.S. I've been promised a craft/sewing room/area in the new house. (My husband hopes it will contain my pins and thread bits to one room of the house.)

Woven-Ribbon Bodice Party Dress

Here's my first "sew along" entry to  Project Run and Play Season 6, the remix of the "The Party Dress."

The first week's challenge was a pattern remix of The Cottage Home Mama's Party Dress. Though we live in the cold Chicago area, I decided to think Spring and created an Easter Dress for C.

The first change that I made to the pattern was to shorten the front bodice yoke a bit and create a woven ribbon pattern at a 45 degree angle. (Can you tell that I teach teachers how to teach Math to their students?)

First, I drew 45 degree lines across the bodice using a purple marking pen that disappears after a certain amount of time. I used the grid on my cutting board to easily make those angled lines. These lines will help me line up the ribbons.    

 

I placed the longest ribbon across the full bodice from shoulder to bottom seam. Then, I continued until I filled the entire shoulder area, all in the same direction. Then I sewed across the shoulder seam to hold all the ribbons in place.

See how I began to weave the next set of ribbons across the first set. 

Do you remember doing this in school near Thanksgiving time to make placemats....I do.

Now we do it in Math to work on repeating patterns  :)

 

I did use a repeating pattern as I wove the ribbons.

 I thought it would be distracting to have a random pattern.

The pattern continued across the bodice.  I started to sew along both edges of one particular ribbon, the purple ribbon with the large white daisies.  I did that to prevent problems when this dress is cleaned at a later date and to stabilize the ribbon pattern.

It is getting easier to weave the ribbons and the process will begin to make you smile... 

I continued to sew down the edges of the purple flowered ribbon ONLY.

Look how easy it is to add ribbons at this point. The really hard part was at the beginning while establishing the angle and pattern.  Over..under...over..under..over...under..

This is how it looks from the back at this point.

 

Isn't it gorgeous!!!!

Don't you agree with me that a repeating pattern was a better choice than a random pattern?

When I began creating gathers, I learned to sew 2 rows of basting stitches. One row at 4/8 inch and the second row is at 6/8.  This creates small,l smooth, vertical gathers when you finally sew your seam at 5/8 inch.  I know there are easier ways, but I like the finished look.

 

On the back of the bodice, I shortened the button loops and added buttons without shanks.

Since there was no space for the button loops, I created my own shank with thread.

See how I placed a toothpick over the top of the button while sewing my stitches under and over.

When you remove the toothpick this will create an extra length of thread.

I came up from the underside of the bodice, but exited under the button. Then use your thread to circle around and around the extra thread "shank."

Lastly, knot the thread in the normal way, but under the button top.

This shows you how nicely the button loops lay down next to the fabric.

 

  I also did not add the sash.

No sash... but I added three fabric daisies, with handstitched bias tape stems and leaves.

 

Yep, that's it... almost.. as I made a matching headband.

 

C loves it.  She told me that she feels like a magical princess.

And what more joy can sewing bring to you than to create that special feeling for someone you love.

 

Here is a link back to Project Run and Play

Deborah

 

 

 

The Grinch Who Stole Christmas Outfit

"What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store.

What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”

The Grinch

While creating and sewing these comfy black corduroy overalls for my granddaughter, I tried to add
 

"a little bit more love."

 

I created these  overalls using Kwik Sew pattern K3948 and added a few design elements of my own. I had so much fun choosing just the right coordinating fabrics and notions to make

my ideas come alive. 

First, I began by prewashing the black corduroy as I wanted to eliminate any future color bleeding problems.

 The fun began as I changed the size of the pockets to highlight the Grinch holding his bag, and the town of Who dancing around the Christmas tree. My next post will be on the trick I use to obtain smooth rounded edges on my pockets.

 

Inside one of the diagonal pockets is the Grinch who peeps out to see if anyone is noticing him or not. The other diagonal pocket features Cindy Lou Who emerging from the opening. 

 

 

On the yoke of the overalls, I used covered buttons that had different "Centered Grinch faces."  I let Cailyn choose which ones she wanted me to use, because she thought two  of them were a bit "mean." The headband also uses one of the covered buttons on it too.

So this is my audition entry for the Project Run and Play competition.

 I hope you like it!!!!

"I'm glad he took our presents. You can't hurt Christmas, Mr. Mayor, because it isn't about the... the gifts or the contest or the fancy lights. That's what Cindy's been trying to tell everyone... and me. I don't need anything more for Christmas than this right here: my family."
Lou Lou Who

As I stitched and created this outfit, it was my way of nuturing and showing my love for my granddaughter. I would find myself smiling with  pure JOY as I thought of all the fun she would have in this outfit and how special it would make her feel.

 

 

 IS that what you feel as you create that special something for the family that you love? It sure is for me.

Deborah Devine