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Pillowcase dress

As a follow up to the skirt that Lucia never wears, I whipped her up a pillowcase dress (inspired by Molly's cuties).  Lucia wore it for the photo and then informed me that she does NOT like white straps and she will not be wearing this dress.

She's been sick, so I'll save my pride and attribute her disdain to post-illness grumpiness. She's getting over a bout of coxsackie which I appear to be contracting.  I was never this sick before having children.  I really can't stand it.  It makes me mad.  Is that normal?

See, I do sew sometimes....

I saw some cute pillows in the city made of vintage ticking and linen and littel buttons that I adored until I saw the price: $188!! For a pillow!  Determined to replicate it I pawed through my stash.

I realize this would have been more effective if I actually had a pillow form to put in my cover.  C'est la vie!

We are off for a week long vacation to the Jersey Shore!  Have a nice week!

Changing pad

My friend had a baby boy last week and I'm trying to whip up some homemade presents.  This is the first...a soft changing pad.  I used some of the fabric I got at Renegade and used a vintage knit polka dot on the inside.  I used some soft batting between the layers and did some simple quilting (just squares.)  It turned out super cute.  I kind of want to keep it!!

I think I'm going to embroider some onesies and make one of the diaper wipe cases to match.  Fun!

So about that Renegade Craft Fair...

So here are some of my goodies.  I had too much fun at the Reprot Depot booth.  They were selling pieces of fabric by the pound, which wound up being about $4 per yard.  I snagged up some Heather Ross prints and some cute space and cowboy fabric.  The very cute thermal is for my son and it is by ferdinand.  I love everything about it.  Can anything possibly be cuter than that squirrel playing a snare?  Only my son in it!!  And for myself a circle skirt pattern by Betsy Ross.  I need to tackle that soon.

And Mr. Pickles.  He lives in the car.  Lucia needed him oh so desperately at the fair and then dumped him like an old pickle that very day.  I think I like him the most.

Vintage sewing

I whipped out one of my vintage patterns to sew and picked this really simple skirt  for my daughter. 

When I finished she refused to pose for me!  Hopefully you can catch a glimpse:

See the big pouffy bow-tie on the back?  It is so cute.

For some reason she likes all her skirts to sit below her little pot-belly, so she wouldn't put it on straight for me.  You get the full twirly effect when it's straight.

This is Lucia desperately trying to escape my photo-taking.

I just used some fabric I had in my stash because I was fearful of the old pattern.  (It was cut and I wasn't sure if it would be hard to sew.)  Turns out it was super easy.  I want to sew another and this time make the bow ties and the waistband a contrasting color/fabric.  I'm thinking of ordering the Heather Ross bike fabric. Wouldn't that be perfect with the polka dot fabric for the ties?  It really is like an apron-skirt.  Cuter in real life than in these photos.

Strawberry bag

Well  here is another go at the summer bag! Much sturdier this time and very quick to sew the second time around.  I used some strawberry fabric I picked up at a church sale last  year and the lining was from a piece of fabric my Grandma had and I have been holding on to. Vintage rick-rack and a pink button finish it off.  It feels like a picnic bag!

Lucia is feeling better, thanks for all the nice wishes!

Summer bag

So I used this Amy Butler pattern to create a fun, little summer bag.  I knew I should use interfacing, but didn't and regret it...totally flopsy, mopsy!  So I think I will try again and give this one to Lucia to play with.  The poor girl has a terrible rash and fever.  The ped thinks Fifth disease but isn't sure.  It's sure to be a long weekend.

This and that

The garage  sale was a huge success!  I wanted to take pictures, but never got a minute all day.  I had so much stuff it looked like a flea market.  My neighbor did it with me and we are on a main road, so it was crazy.  I made over $900!!!!  I was going to get a new sewing machine, but all of your good advice about cleaning, and tension, and compressed air worked and the machine is working again.  So I am going to be responsible and put it into our landscape fund.

And just because the sewing machine was working again, I tried one of these:

A little skirt for Lucia from a thrifted pillowcase.  Of course she wouldn't let me measure her so it's a little too long.  I think it will be good for the beach though.  Question-how do you keep elastic laying flat inside the casing?  Should I use wider elastic?  It folds over  when she pulls it on and off and I think it is going to bug her.  I'm going to make another, so maybe I will try the kind that ties, but she can't tie yet so I prefer elastic.

And a little corner of my home to celebrate spring...

Purse organizer and much sadness

I hate searching the depths of my pocketbook for my cell phone everytime it rings or frantically trying to find my wallet under the snack traps and diaper wipes.  So I was quite pleased to find something to solve this daily annonyance....a clever purse organizer. 

It's the same idea as a crayon roll or knitting needle roll.  You just make pockets for items you keep in your purse: keys, wallet, sunglasses, pen, lip balm etc.

Then you roll it up and tuck it in your purse.

I'm happy to report that it actually works.  Everything has been quite organized as long as I remember to slip things back in their pockets.  I think this works best for shallow i.e. not very deep pocketbooks.  The tutorial is here at Crafster and I see that Cassie has made one too (photographed about a billion times better I might add!!)  And I've added it to Colorfool's Quick Crafts Flickr group.  Hmm, I'm very linky today, aren't I?

The sad news is that it killed my sewing machine.  Little bastard.  All the stitches skip now whenever I sew.  I've changed needles, re-threaded...I don't know what to do.  Anyone ever had this problem? Sniff.

And lastly, what is a trackback?  Should I accept them?  And where would I send them?

wipe holder

wipe holder
Originally uploaded by Bessilu.

Here is a quick craft for you!  (colorfoolcreates was looking!) Diaper wipe bag.  I only had a very small piece of this fabulous fabric.  I feel like I should have saved it for something better, but I shove wipes in my bag each and everyday!

The vintage button is purely decorative, it has velcro under the tab.  The button belonged on that stem! I found the pattern from this website.   She has lots of free baby patterns.

Backside. 

I AM GOING OUT TONIGHT!! GRANDMA IS BABYSITTING!  WOOHOO!!!