Prepping my nest

There's so much that has to be done when you move and about 98% of it I hate. I'm not a fan of packing, cleaning two houses, transferring all the utilities, and all the yuck stuff that everyone who's ever moved has to do. We've always rented but this time I actually get to paint! With color!! And it will be my choice and not because one of my little artists has colored our walls for us. Here are the mish mash inspiration pictures of things I like that I've pulled up.

I'm leaning towards this for my living room-

I want to make a coffee table like this, so cute. Or maybe a sofa table with a skinny cabinet door... ooh I just thought of that!

This for the little girls bedroom-

I like the green dresser in the corner.

This for the bigger girls bedroom-

I think I love this wall color for any of the kids rooms, I just can't decide which one.



Any tips? I have to pick up paint this week and I'm a loss. I have no idea what I want and what I'll be able to live with. I'm going to do a buttery yellow for the upper half of the kitchen walls and for our bedroom but that's all I've decided so far. I might be able to sew but I can't decorate to save my life!

Ta Da! Double layer skirt.

Wow was it ever nice today. Mary didn't actually wear this today but it was definitely skirt weather. The perfect time to whip up a few new skirts for the cute little girls crawling out of the wood work in your home. Okay so not everyone has a substantial girl population at their house like I do but this skirt is really easy to make and doesn't take very long so it would make a great gift as well. The best part about this pattern is it goes off of 2 body measurements so you can make it any size from preemie to adult. If you're the kind of adult that likes to wear girly looking little skirts anyway ;).

 

* Edited to add-  One of my super fabulous readers Kilty from Sewforum made this tutorial into a pdf document so it can be printed.  If you’d like to print it to have the instructions in hand while you’re making it you can save it from here.

Another reader Elizabeth from Sisters in Zion Recipes made an excel document that will calculate the fabric cuts for you based on your waist and length measurements.  Just change those two fields and you’re set. You can download that here.

Thanks a ton ladies, you rock! *

 

I made my skirt about a size 5 out of home dec fabric that was 60" wide. I'll list the measurements and yardage I used for Mary's skirt and tell you how to measure for any other size as well, it just takes a second to find another size and to figure how much fabric you need. It isn't a hard skirt at all so don't freak at my desperate attempt to explain the easy sizing and cutting.

 

Lets get started shall we? Here are the approximate materials you will need, you'll need more for larger sizes and less if you are doing a preemie size, obviously ;).

Under skirt fabric- 3/4 yard (1/2 yard for 60" fabric)
Top skirt fabric- 3/4 yard (1/2 yard for 60" fabric)
Waistband fabric and top skirt binding- 1/4 yard

3/8" elastic length of the real waist measurement

Matching thread
A rotary cutter and mat with a ruler are really handy but optional

To cut your pieces first you need to measure the waist size and the length you want your skirt to be. Measure your child's waist and add 5". This gives us the measurement for the waistband and how wide to cut the underskirt. For a full skirt you multiply the waist + 5" by 2. If you want a slightly less gathered skirt you multiply that by 1.75 or 1.5 but not less than that. You're also going to need to measure how long you want your skirt. There are several different ways you can do this but 2 that work best for me is to find a skirt you already like the length of and measure that from waist to bottom hem or measure your child from your child's waist to the desired length.

Waistband cut- 1 rectangle 4" by waist measurement + 5". Mary's waist is 20" so I cut a rectangle that was 4"x 25". Hint: Having two side seams makes gathering easier so you can fold this rectangle in half and cut it on the fold to get two pieces that are 4"x 12.5" so you have 2 side seems to match both skirts to for gathering.

Under skirt cut- 2 rectangles that are the length of the skirt measurement by the waistband measurement. From waist to knee Mary measured 13" so I cut two rectangles measuring 13" x 25". (Don't worry about the extra length from the waistband here, it will get used up with seams and elastic casing so cut the under skirt the length you want your skirt to be not the length you want just that part of the skirt to be. Does that make sense?)

Top skirt cut- 1 rectangle that's 4" shorter than the under skirt width wise (waist measurement doubled because the under skirt is in 2 pieces) and about 3" shorter length wise. My underskirt was 13" long and 50" wide total (double the waist measurement) so I cut one rectangle that was 10" x 46".

Top skirt binding- 2 strips of fabric 2"x 44" (2" x 60" if using home dec weight).

That really was the most painful part. Now to the fun part, construction! I used an average seam allowance and zig zagged after every seam I sewed.

First- Sew the waistband with the fabric facing right sides together at the side seams on both sides. Set aside.

Next sew the underskirt together with right sides facing each other at the side seams. Set aside.

Sew the 2 strips of top skirt binding, right sides together, on one side making a one long strip. Press the seam to one side then press the strip in half right sides facing out. Fold the outside edges in towards the center of the fold and press again.


Fold your binding in half at the center fold and press. Your raw edges should be on the inside when folded now.

Open the binding and place the raw edge of your upper skirt fabric on the inner binding fold. Fold the binding over the fabric and pin in place on the 2 ends and bottom edge of your upper skirt.

Sew your binding as close as you can to the outer edge on the outside making sure you catch the binding on the inside as well.

Your upper skirt should look like this now with your continuous binding sewn on.

Grab your outer skirt fabric and turn it right side out. Lay it on top of your upper skirt fabric with the outside edge of your upper skirt fabric extending about 7" from the underskirt side hem. Making sure the top edges line up fold the upper skirt around the underskirt and pin along the top edge.

Sew 2 gathering stitches along the top edge at about 1/4" and 1/2" through both layers of fabric at once. Set aside. (If you choose home decorator fabric I have a nifty trick for gathering that's a lot easier than this but it's not as easy to control so if you're interested just leave a comment and I'll show it later, it's 1 a.m. right now)


Grab your waistband and fold over the top edge about 1/4" and press.

Grab your skirt layers and pin the top edge of the skirt to the bottom edge (unfolded edge) of the waistband, right sides together, matching side seams and pull your threads to gather. Pin in place then sew. I always sew around the gathers twice for good measure. Press the seam up towards the waistband.

Fold the top edge (folded edge) of the waistband under another 1/2" to form the casing for your elastic. Pin and sew close to the edge and leave an opening for your elastic. Thread the elastic through and sew. Sew casing shut. Fold the bottom hem of the skirt about 1/2" and press, fold again by another 1/2" and sew in place.

Viola`! I'm sure there's something I'm leaving out so don't hesitate to let me know if something doesn't make sense or I left a step out. It's really late and I'm out of chocolate!

I want to make Mary a matching shirt and fabric flower to match so I'll post pictures when I'm done. If you make one I would love to see a picture or if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask. I'm not the fastest at responding but I always do eventually- dontlickthefloor@hotmail.com .

Happy sewing!!!

(Insert something witty here)

My project is done and I'm so happy with how it came out. Mary loves it, want a peek?
So I changed my mind on the fabric but this combo was just screaming to be made into this so I had to do it. If I were totally insane I might try to make 2 more for church tomorrow. I think I might be. I should do dishes and my bathroom is nuclear but who needs clean spoons anyway?

I can't promise to have the tutorial done today or even tomorrow, I'm loving on some cute kids that weren't so cute yesterday and need to get it all in while they're still lovable. It'll be up by Monday night though and it's a cute pattern if I do say so myself. Have a great Saturday!

The Anti-craft

She just learned how to crawl and is on the war path. Nothing is sacred around here anymore. I swear she can sense when there's something on the floor she's not supposed to have and she goes mach 50 to get it. She's a speedy one. I was enjoying my little raspberry blowing floor lump.

I'm working on the tutorial I promised, it's just taking a bit longer with Cody being gone and Kennedy turning into sea biscuit in my living room. Here's a peek...

A few fabrics from my stash, and not because of the economy. Anyone else tired of hearing that word every day? If I have to hear that word one more time I might burst so hence forth and forever it's banned from my blog and all conversation unless we're talking Costco sized packages. I'm just using what I have because I might have to pack my bags if Cody catches me buying more fabric and nothing coming out of it. Tell me I'm not the only one with a fabric problem.

This weekend I'll tell you how to make a really cute fun skirt so you won't have to pack your bags either. First I need to figure out how to make a baby run like they do for dogs... just kidding... but they do make harnesses her size I think, maybe a large poodle? Don't turn me in.

Edited To Answer: Katie said...
i love that quilt! did you make it - if so what is the name of the pattern?
April 14, 2009 11:14 AM

It's from Quilt Taffy. Two of the nicest people ever and I swear they don't pay me to advertise for them, although I could be bought with fabric. I'm just sayin' ;). It's called Vintage Baby Quilt kit and you can find it here. My favorite baby purchase so far! Everyone should make one. I'm working on a twin version right now with the exact same fabrics.

6 a.m. sugar rush- check!

The criminals in their Easter best- check!

Cute happy baby- check!

Small girls in small trees- check!

Big boys in big trees- check!

Candy basket recovery without braking a bone- check!

*Hope your Easter was a happy one*

My new house

For my birthday I bought a new house! I bought a fudge shop and my inner six year old couldn't be happier. I can't get enough of the silky lining, look at that color! It cracks me up that it plays "This old man" as she twirls- cheeky devil.

In real news we are moving in June and are actually buying a real house, but it's not as fun as a fudge shop with my own personal dancer. A dancer who by the way needs a tulle tutu, I'm not a fan of seeing her "cheeks". I think I'll give her one later today. All the antique roadshow fans just fainted.

I plan on doing a fun little girls sewing tutorial before the move so the 3 blog followers who jumped ship this morning are going to be sorry... yes sirree ;o). Just kidding (sort of) but it's going to be a fun one that anyone can do for any size so stay tuned. Have a great Tuesday!

Battle of the small appliances

And the award goes to.... drum roll please....

Bridget Baxter!

Bridget wins the award for appliance killer of the year, a title she's held for 9 consecutive years. Let's give her a big hand.

I definitely need Cody to come home right now. Tuesday won't come fast enough! I killed our microwave for craft reasons. I'm hanging my head in shame. What's worse is the project that killed the poor thing isn't anything worth blogging about and now my microwave is pulse-less. I'm also responsible for the crippling of our computer printer. Did you know a cheap HP won't print on fabric? I tried one too many times, yes I forced it more than once. I wouldn't recommend it. I dropped my cell phone while it was open and now it sounds muted. I'm really hard of hearing anyway so this should be fun. I accidentally let all the air out of all my stroller tires and can't find the bike pump. Well the one I didn't crack the top off of anyway. I dropped the glass pitcher thing to my blender and it smashed to smithereens. I really hope Cody doesn't see this post until after I break it to him gently.

Anyone have any tips on how to break a mini crock pot. I've been eying it and think I can do some serious damage... sheesh.

Celebrating the 5th anniversary of my 23rd year.

Yesterday I turned one year older (and wiser too). Turning 28 isn't anything huge and fantastic, no fireworks went off and I'm pretty sure under all this hair coloring I gained another grey hair. Since it was my birthday I thought I'd take you on a stroll down memory lane, back before the greys. My first Birthday. A choc-a-holic was born.

Me at 2. Chub and thigh rolls are cute when you're two. Kaci has my exact hair only lighter.

Ah kindergarten, the 80's were a rough time for all of us fashion wise. I'm the stylish one in the middle row on the far left with the side ponytail. I remember that outfit having a tie... See the little boy in the red and blue shirt in the very front, I had a crush on him. Cute kid, I think his name was Levi.

My senior picture. It cracks me up when I see a blog and their profile picture is their senior picture but now I can see why. I like this one so much better than mine now. And to think I thought I was fat back then. Teenage girls. Did I mention I'm going to have 4 teenage girls in a row soon. I know, I just shuddered too.

Thanks for strolling with me. Here's to another year in my twenties!