Sewing Fun: Girls dress and tunic

Funny story...

In an attempt to knock something off of my Bucket List, I started teaching myself to sew at the first of the year.  I made a few skirts and bedroom decorations for the kids, all with great success. 

I was feeling pretty confident. 

So when Megan asked me to make her an Asian dress for her birthday this month,

I was up for the challenge.

With the help of a friendly Wal-Mart employee, I purchased all of the necessary supplies for the dress.

 I read the pattern instructions. 

Three times by myself,
twice with my husband, and
once over the phone with my mom. 

I thought, "This can't be as hard as it looks.  I just need to dive in and it'll all start to make sense once I'm doing it."

After two weeks of trying to make heads or tails of the confusing sewing language and terrible illustrations,

I gave up.

This is as finished as it's going to get!

When I bought my supplies, the employee said,

"Wow, I can't believe that you're taking this project on, having just learned how to sew."

She seemed impressed and I guess didn't realize that I was delusional.

I decided that I needed to work on something a little easier.

I used the Kwik & Easy 3768 pattern to create this tunic shirt for Megan as well as a longer dress version.  I'll be making the same things in Jordan's size later this week.

I made this in a size XL, which is too big for Megan.  I had a hard time deciding what to do with the straps since I don't have a little person that size to try it on.

The pattern calls for leaving it as a bow (shown above), but I don't much care for that idea.  As soon as Megan grows into the shirt, I'll adjust the straps and sew them to fit.

I did fix the straps with the dress that I made her today, this time in a size L. 

Clearly I haven't been devoting much time to my photography studies. 

I've been so busy with writing curriculum, reading books for review, sewing, school, cooking, cleaning, errands, making bead necklaces every half-hour for my daughters, giving Jackson piggy-back rides, ooh-ing and aah-ing at the various sounds that Jeff's mixer can make and trying to figure out where that smell is coming from!

Located offensive smell in the garage.  Funnily enough, before I found it Megan asked me what "noxious" meant.  She wasn't sure, but knew that it fit somehow in that situation.  An old and wet dish towel had been sitting by the door for who knows how long, getting smellier and smellier every day. 

I blame the kids.  Couldn't have been me.  No.

Maybe it was me.

Sewing fun: Striped Skirt

I made this skirt today WITHOUT A PATTERN OR INSTRUCTIONS!!! 

Also today, when I was making that wrist pincushion, I realized that I was out of polyfill stuffing.  Not willing to give up, I went in search of another means of fill:

Mr. Bear was more than happy to volunteer some of his stuffing!  Don't worry, though!  He will be re-stuffed just as soon as I can make a trip to Wal-Mart.  :)

Sewing fun: Wrist pincushion

Today I made a wrist pincushion!  I am happy to not have to go back-and-forth, relocating my other pincushion.  I didn't have any velcro, so I used elastic for the band.  This is my first time modifying a pattern, and I forgot to leave a slot to thread the elastic through.  Other than having to re-do that, it was a very simple project!!! 

FYI:  Velcro would have been much easier!  If you're going to give this a try, go with the velcro as the directions suggest.  :)

I found the instructions at The Long Thread.

Jordan graciously modeled for me.

Sewing fun: 3-tier skirts

One of my New Year's resolutions or Bucket List items or whatever you like to call them, is to teach myself how to sew.  I've always wanted to know how.

My first project was to make 3-tier skirts for the girls.  I got the pattern online.  I'm pleased with how they came out, except that I do think that the pattern called for too much material.  Around, not length-wise.

Here's Megan wearing her skirt:

I made Jordan's skirt a little bit shorter.  I wanted to see if the measurements would still work if I made the skirt shorter.  They didn't.  I guess you have to adjust EVERYTHING if you adjust ANYTHING!  It seems obvious to me now, but I guess this is the type of thing you run into when learning a new skill!  And she's 5, so she doesn't care a bit that her skirt flares out too much at the bottom! 

Here's the happy princess Jordan:

I enjoyed my little sewing project.  I wasn't sure if I would or not, but it is SO amazing to make something that STAYS done!!!  Love it!  I have been looking for more projects online, and it has opened up this whole different world to me!  I have been in awe of these women who make EVERYTHING so beautiful!