Saturday, August 1, 2009

The Dresses That Wouldn't, And The Ending That Would...

Sew... Before we get to those Dresses that Wouldn't...

In an email conversation with my BFF Cerise a few days ago, she mentioned that she was going to make some floor pillows. I immediately had to ask what on earth floor pillows were. She told me how when she and her sister were growing up, they had these big floor pillows that they loved to lay on to read and to watch TV. She also mentioned how great they were for fort building! Well, this just got to me right away! I'm trying to redo my sewing room right now as it is (we're planning on putting a computer in there for the kids for Christmas this year), and hearing that, I immediately decided my sewing room MUST have a reading corner for my kids! Well, I wasn't really in a big hurry to start on it as we have to sale our couch in that room first. But then as I was getting ready to start cutting out the pattern for the dresses, a different fabric started screaming at me about how absolutely perfect it would be for a big pillow for the reading corner. Sew... I made it immediately! With Lexi's help stuffing it! Her and Demi have been sleeping with it and playing with it for the past 2 days! I've been cracking up to myself that I beat Cerise to starting her own project! :P Although she is really busy working on moving right now! She's lucky to find anytime to sew. Glad that's not me.. I've been so happy in a sewing frenzy lately!
After we finished the pillow, I sent Lexi back to bed and started on some dresses that I have been wanting to make for several months now. The pattern just intimidated me. The pattern, and the pictures of the finished product. But I sat down and looked through the pattern once more and decided I would at least give it a try. I cut out all my fabric pieces, and then discovered- I cut out shirts, NOT dresses! UGH! The pattern was for shirts and dresses and it just didn't warn you to skip down further for dresses. And I did not have enough fabric left to do dresses after I had already cut it. Well, I have to say, It took me about 7 hours total to make both the shirts and they are probably my favorite thing so far. They weren't really hard, but a LOT of sewing. I am very proud that I conquered that pattern!!!
Well.. Then I decided I just had to make some pants to go with them. This turned into an upcycling project. And... I took some inspiration from Cerise on this too. She had some shorts she added fabric to on the sides and they were just adorable. As I was trying to figure out what to make the girls to go with the shirts, her shorts really inspired me. I took an old pair of my pants, cut them up, then sewed them into strips, then added some of the fabrics that were in the shirts into the strips. Then cut out the pants and sewed them up. and I even added some ric-rac for the first time ever.

Here's what's left of my old pants.
Well, there wasn't enough fabric for pants, sew we ended up with shorts. But I have to say, I feel more proud of these shirts and pants that anything else I've sewn.

4 comments:

  1. First, that fabric you used for the pillow is AWESOME. It looks so comfy. I'm going to move my machine over to the new house...hopefully I can find the time...
    Second, LOVE the shirts and the shorts. They are so cute!! Of course it helps that you have such adorable models!!

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  2. Girl, it may have felt like pulling teeth trying to get your project to come out right, but you did! I think those are some of the cutest outfits yet. Way to go!
    If it helps, I am in the process of totally moving my sew room to another room and it is driving me crazy. In the middle of everything I am under a time crunch to get Brandon's quilt finished before he leaves for college.

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  3. I love those outfits! Too cute. And I couldn't help but notice the book Lexi is reading in the picture of the pillow. How are the girls liking the series? Let me know when you get close to needing the third and fourth books and I will get them for them.

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  4. i said i was proud of you for doing this pattern. too bad the post didn't show up. i love it and you did a great job.

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