Monday, April 30, 2012

Pillowcase nightgown tutorial

They are so easy it’s embarrassing so I thought I would just write out what I did with some of my super fantastic hand drawn pictures instead of making you wait until I feel like making another pair, which might be until the weather gets a lot warmer.  A little lame but hey… here goes!

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They are basically a modified pillowcase dress made out of knit. Easy peasy. The two I made were about a girls size 10 so my directions are based on that. Tweak away for bigger or smaller sizes. I made mine with my serger and my machine but I have made them with just my machine before. Use a ball point needle and you’ll be fine since they don’t need to stretch.

First I cut out 2 pieces of fabric for the back and front. I used the width of my fabric for the width and measured from the chest to the knee for the length.   So each of my pieces were about 55” wide x 30” tall. I know that’s a ton of fabric width wise but that’s what makes it look good, especially for knit. For adult sizes I would keep the width the same just adjust the length.

Grab one piece for your front and measure from the top down, on the fold, 1 1/2”. Cut from that mark up to the outside edge corner like so. You only need to do this to the front piece. The back should be straight across the top.00pcdress1

Now you mark the armscye by measuring about 2 1/2” from the outside edge toward the center and 5” down from the top. You want to round the bottom corner so it’s more of a “J” shape than a rectangle and cut through all thicknesses for the front and back piece. 00pcdress6

*If you want to make ruffling easier you can sew gathered strips of 4” wide fabric to the bottom of the front and back pieces here and sew them together when you sew the sides up. That’s what I did but forgot and had to edit that in here.*

Now put the front piece on top of the back piece with right sides together and sew down the straight sides.00pcdress5

Fold the armscye edges under toward the inside 1/4” and then another 1/4” and sew along the outside edge.

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Fold the top neck edges down 1/4” and then another 1” and sew close to the edge for the front and back. Don’t sew the sides of that seam shut, this is the casing for the tie.

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For the neck tie cut a strip of fabric the width of your fabric (55”-60” long) by 4” wide. Fold in half right sides together and sew along the open edges rounding the corners as you go. Leave a space open in the middle for turning. Turn right side out and sew the opening shut.

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For the ruffle cut strips of fabric 4” wide and sew them together right sides together. The amount of strips you need will depend on how gathered you want it and how big you are making your jammies.

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Sew the ruffle on the bottom right sides together then topstitch to keep it laying nice and flat.  Thread the tie through the casing in the neck and tie in a big fat adorable bow.

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I’ll try to answer questions in the comments for all to see. Hope your Monday just got a bit better!

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

The trifecta of sweetness

Making baby gifts has to be one of my most favorite things ever. If I can’t make them for myself that is. There’s just something so gratifying in being able to play with baby stuff even if you don’t have a reason to have it around yourself. It’s almost like getting ready for a new baby again without the sleepless nights and stretch marks. Win win!

Since I’m not making anything for me baby related anytime in the near future I’m so glad I have a brand new niece to play with. Jake just doesn’t look good in pink and he’s already 30 lbs so it wouldn’t cover him anyway, sigh.

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Bubble gum pink swiss dot, floral flannel, and coral lace. I loved it so much I cut out two. There’s another baby girl I was going to give it to but I can’t let it go just yet. For now baby Kyla has one and since she lives too far away and I don’t get to snuggle her I get one to stare at until I’m ready to move on and gift it.

I’m getting itchy to sew more baby stuff so I hope I get some more nieces and nephews soon. Hurry up family!!!

Have a fantastic Tuesday!

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

The Outies

 

A fancy camera does not a photographer make. Photography takes knowledge, talent, and the patience of a saint. I’m fresh out of all of those.

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This is the best I have of our Easter dressy shots. All my pictures were out takes. All I asked for was to look at the camera and smile. I wasn’t naïve enough to think I could control their body movements or hand positions. If they stand close enough together and no one is pulling hair or rolling on the ground writhing in picture pain I call it a win.  All I care about are the faces. Please. Pretty pretty please.

 

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I begged. Sneezes don’t care. Jake and Jeremy don’t either. After 5 shots they expired and turned into pumpkins. And then there were 4-

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I bribed them.

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I threatened to sell them to the circus.

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I told them I would set them free with one smile, just one teeny weeny little smile.

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One of them, bet you can’t guess who, kept sneezing. At least I got three of them to kind of smile right.

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And I was left with this when I begged/pleaded/threatened/bribed head spinning in circles to get just one last good one.

I was going to take individual pictures to show off the dresses I made (the first, second, and fourth dress, mom made the third) but I didn’t have it in me.

Next year.

Next year I’m not letting them have their Easter baskets until I get one good picture! Might be weeks until they get to eat their peeps ;o).

Hope your pictures turned out better than mine!

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

A little snippet

 

Things are happening.

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Stripe, swiss, floral, and gingham things! Haven’t flexed the ol’ sewing muscle in too long. Not that my sewing break was intentional but that happens to the best of us.

Back to the machine I go!

Friday, February 3, 2012

Shabby Apple Winner!

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Today is the day my friends to see who gets to wear their very own Shabby Apple Boogie Woogie dress!  Mr. random number generator picked #42.

Erika W.Jan 30, 2012 07:18 PM

I like them on facebook and love this dress! Thanks for the chance to win!

For the rest of us who didn’t cross our fingers tight enough there’s still a 10% off coupon code everydaychaos10off to help ease the pain of defeat. Congrats Erika and thanks Shabby Apple for the awesome giveaway!

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