My Ugly Vintage Pattern

Update You Can See My Plans For This Pattern Here
If you haven't heard yet (maybe you've been living under a rock) there is an ugly vintage pattern party going on over at Simple Simon. It seems to have taken the blogging world by storm. Almost every blog I click on seems to be proudly displaying the worst of the worst from their pattern collection on there home page. I don't know what it is about these patterns or why we get so attached to them, but it's good to know that I am not the only one. So for your viewing pleasure here is the ugliest pattern in my collection.

Two things scare me about this pattern.

1. It is from the 90's and it's vintage! OMG, when did the 90's become vintage. I feel so old.
2. Had my mother sewn me up something like that sweet little flowery number in the 90's I would have been head over heels with it. It probably would have been my favorite outfit and I would have tried to wear it every day.

That's some scary stuff there. Now, to participate in the challenge all you have to do is show off a photo of your pattern in the linky. You don't actually have to sew anything. However I feel the need to make something out of this. It's like an unspoken challenge.

I have no clue what it is going to be or how I am going to make it into something my children will actually wear...willingly, but I have a few basic idea's floating around in my head. I'll update you when I have more. I hope you will be joining the ugly vintage pattern party as well!

Could I Ask You For A Quick Favor

Do you remember a few days ago when I showed you the fairy costume that I made for my daughter's? Well the contest is open and she really needs your votes. She will be taking her first trip to New York City this September and would love to have an American girl gift card to take with her.

You can view all of the entries here. My daughters photos are number 131, 132, and 133. (132 is my favorite) 

You can vote by email or by comment.

Email: Send an email to nora.demington@gmail.com saying I would like to vote for #(fill in entry number here)

Comment: Write a comment on THIS blog post saying which number photo you would like to vote for

You can vote for more than one photo. Thank You so much to everyone. My daughter and I appreciate it. 

A Scoop Back With A Button Up Bow

This blog has been so great for getting me involved. First I got to participate in the Envelope Clutch Sew Along over at See Kate Sew, and now a sewing challenge. I made this dress for the Pattern Remix Challenge that is going on at Project Run and Play.

The original pattern is for the Spring Fever Dress from Melly Sews. It was such a great pattern to begin with so I only made a few changes. I wanted a scoop back with a bow to make the dress extra special for my niece but I needed some way to open and close it. That's how it became a buttoned bow. The biggest challenge on this dress was the fabric. I have heard plenty of stories about embroidered Chinese brocade, but until now I have never attempted to sew with it. It practically falls apart when you cut it, and then it changes shape as you sew. This fabric was a nightmare, but I am determined to master it, so look for more projects with this type of fabric in the future.

I made this dress in size 5 for my niece so that she would have something special to wear when she went to visit her mother, who she misses terribly, in the hospital. It is modeled on my daughter, who actually wears a size 6, because I didn't want to bother my sister while she is sick, to ask if it was okay to post pictures of her daughter.

Please Excuse the less than stellar photo quality. I am still learning

How to make the scoop back buttoned bow version of the Spring Fever Dress

First visit this post on Melly Sews and print the pattern. Follow her tutorial (available on the same page) for sewing the skirt. Set the skirt aside and then follow the next few steps to make the buttoned bow.

These directions are for a making a bow that fits into the scoop on the size 5 Spring Fever Dress by Melly Sews. It would probably work on a size 4 as well if you just hid a little more of the ends in the seam allowance. 

Fist cut 2 strips of Fabric 5 in. x 3.5in. and 2 strips 10 in x 3.5 in

Fold each of your smaller pieces in half long ways with right sides together and sew along the edge. Then turn your tube of fabric right sides together and press so that the seam is in the center back. Do this for both of the smaller pieces.

Now fold each tube in half with right sides together, the other way and sew the ends together. Again, turn the  it right side out and press with the seam in the center of the back.

Choose which piece you want to show when the dress is being worn and make a button hole on that side. This is not the type of garment that you would usually use a bound button hole on. I just did it because I wanted to practice the technique. Turns out it doesn't work so well through multiple layers of nightmare fabric. Feel free to use your machines button hole feature. On the other piece, sew your button. You may want to mark your fabric first so that your centers match better than mine. Can you tell that is the step I always forget?

Now take your larger strips of fabric and fold them in half with right sides together and sew the ends as shown in the picture below. Do this for both large strips of fabric.

Turn the fabric right side out and press so the seam goes down the center of the back on both pieces.

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Fold and position the raw edges of the bow the way that you want them and then slip them into the edge of the fabric with button. Top stitch in place. Do the same for the other bow side in the fabric with the button hole.

Now you have a finished button up bow. If you are planning to add it to a scoop back dress sew the back of the dress main fabric to lining with right sides together leaving an opening on each side of the scoop for the bow edges. Press your seam allowance under. Then slide the unfinished edges of the bow into the opening and top stitch around the entire scoop back. If you are planning to use this bow for a different project, you may need to press under the seam allowance and slip stitch the raw edges of the bow closed.

You could also change up the size a bit and make this into a belt or use it to close a handbag. The possibilities are endless. Have fun and don't forget to check out all of the other creations at Project Run and Play.

Making Doll Clothes From Children's Clothes Patterns And Turorials

Sewing doll clothes has been a hobby of mine ever since my daughter got her first American Girl Doll for Christmas. I just couldn't justify paying for the clothes on the website. They are overpriced for the quality and fabrics that they use. (Tip: If you don't sew check etsy for some reasonably priced handmade doll clothes that are better quality than the official American Girl doll clothes.) But once you start making your own it really is addicting. The doll develops her own personality and you can tailor her wardrobe to fit it.

There are plenty of patterns available on the market for doll clothing. One source is Liberty Jane. While they offer a huge selection, sometimes they don't have exactly what I am envisioning. Besides when you want to make a matching outfit for a girl and doll it is much easier to start with a bigger pattern and downsize it than it is to start with a doll pattern and adjust it to your child's size.

For those reasons I have been working on making doll clothes from children's patterns and tutorials. I just finished up this fairy costume for a photo contest. It was made using a tutorial for a toddler romper and fairy skirt.

I started by using this tutorial from the Little Pink Monster blog. I made the following changes to fit our doll.

• I used a 9 inch by 16 inch rectangle of knit fabric with a 40% stretch. Because I used fabric instead of a t-shirt I had to hem the bottom myself just before sewing up the back seam.
• I sewed 7 lines 1/2 inch apart with elastic thread to create the smocking. 
• I didn't notice any additional shrinking after the first time I sprayed it and went over it with an iron. If your trying to save time, once may be enough.
• For the straps I sewed a 1 inch wide tube of fabric and turned it, then I hand sewed them in place while the outfit was on the doll to be sure they were placed properly. I matched the stitching to the smocking lines in the back and covered the stitching with flowers from my stash in the front.
• For the skirt I cut a 16 by 7 inch rectangle and then created an elastic casing and inserted an 11 1/4 inch strip of elastic. I did not permanently attach it, so that it could be used with other doll clothes.
• I cut the petals very carefully while the doll was wearing the skirt.

I'll tell you a little more about this photo contest (and beg for votes) a little later. I also plan on showing you how to adjust a pdf printed pattern to fit an 18 inch American Girl Doll. So what do you think of our finished work?

Basic Sewing Skills Revisited

I've spent most of this week revisiting the basics. Apparently I have forgotten a few things.

I started off by making this envelope clutch for the See Kate Sew February Clutch along. The fabric I had originally planned to use won't be here until Monday, so I made this one out of scrap as a practice run, but it actually turned out to be a pretty nice evening bag. The button is not exactly centered so I'll have to remember mark it on the next one I make. There is also some issues with the lining. 

The lesson I learned is that I have gotten just a little bit cocky with my basic sewing skills. When my other fabric arrives  I will have to take my time and not skip any steps. Still it is a nice bag. Now all I have to do is get my husband to take me out on a date so I can actually use it.

Also this week my daughter, age 9 finished her second sewing project. She made some pillows for her dolls using a tutorial from With Glittering Eyes. We are going to make the whole bed eventually. 

I had a little trouble explaining the slip stitch to her, but in the end she figured it out. We will have two more pillows to practice on for this project.

So what basic sewing skills do you use the most? How about the least?