This and That

 I'm trying to let go of a lot of expectations of perfection and just do things that make me happy. 

 The sewing machine cover I had made before didn't make me happy so I modified it.

 I adore this fabric on the side but I'm never sure what I should do with it. So I put a bit of it in a place I can see more often!

My happy place! I cleaned it up for the photo but I think I should leave it this way!

 I also finally tried my hand at making my own bias tape binding. It wasn't as scary as I thought! I think I will make more of my own in the future. I used this helpful tutorial.

 

I used the tape on this bib made from a towel! This is the best bib ever! My kids can't reach around and pull it off of themselves! It rocks my world. Here is the link to that tutorial. 

Downton Jammies

So I bought this lovely fabric online, thinking the "castle" would be a smaller print. I was going to make a shirt out of it, but then I decided pants would be better with the bigger prints. I only had enough fabric to make capri jammie pants, but that's okay.

If you thought I couldn't be more nerdy, I just proved you wrong!

 

The Jane Austen Quilt

When one has a favorite author, it's only natural to make a quilt in their honor right?

Well, I saw this pattern in a craft book called "So Jane". I thought that for sure I could make this entirely from scraps in my fabric stash, and I did!

I've read Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion, Northanger Abbey, and Emma. Every one of them was so enjoyable. Jane Austen had a gift! I love her wit and the romance in her stories.

Refashioned "Hawaiian" Skirt

I love this skirt, especially the print on it. It's like a more subtle version of what I've seen of "Hawaiian" prints. I actually saw it first in an ad for Lauren Conrad clothes. I admired it then and didn't think I would be able to find it on sale! After a coupon I got it for $3. It was originally $60. It also originally looked like this:

 It was a little too short for my standards so I thought maybe I could remove the bodice part of it and turn it into a skirt!

 I experimented with an elastic gathering and I hated how it looked so I tried again with a band at the top with a zipper inserted on the side.

I love it!

Sewing a Gin Fizz Francoise

When Tilly at Tilly and the Buttons introduced the Francoise sewing contest I wanted to be apart of it but I wasn't sure what I would make. The pilgrim collar (I think that's what it's called) is something I've wanted to attempt for awhile. I went to my Pinterest boards to see what inspiration I could find and decided I had to make a copy of this Gin Fizz dress I have been pining for ever since I first discovered Pinterest three years ago. I thought it might work well will the Francoise pattern. I'm pretty happy about the results:

It turned out a bit different than the original but I'm okay with that. I still love the darker colors and these daisies were the most affordable for me. They were just from a daisy chain that one can purchase at most fabric stores in the ribbon aisle. I feel like I should put more daisies on the dress but the ones I did put on it took hours to sew on BY HAND. That's not my favorite way of sewing but it was a labor of love. And daisies are the happiest flower.

My inspiration:

The Gin Fizz Dress

(as I know it on Pinterest)

My re-enactment of the photo (warning- I am not a professional model):

It's fun to be silly though. I love this dress! I want to make twelve more in all sorts of colors with all sorts of collars.

Also, the original "Gin Fizz" dress, even on sale, is $220. I probably spent $25 on my version, and it is something I could wear to church, while the other one would probably be pushing it.

Teddy Bears

I think I could've been an elf in Santa's workshop....I love making these teddy bears! I got the pattern from the book, "One Yard Wonders."

Halloween!

Anna and Elsa dresses were finished in time for Halloween, much to my little ones' delight. I had to make the Anna dress from scratch. I saw plenty of Elsa dresses, but the few Anna dresses I saw did not look like the one I made, which pleased me. My daughter who had an Elsa dress that I had made already this summer told me off handedly that she was disappointed with its lack of sparkle. So I had to add something! I added the icy looking ric-rac and found adorable appliques of Anna and Elsa to add to the dresses. I took it in a bit and it looked great. I hope those who celebrated Halloween this year enjoyed it like we did!