Geofabulous Girls Peasant Top

September 17, 2014 by Leave a Comment

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I am the world’s most impatient sewer.  It’s a problem of mine I’ve been working on for some time – there are just too many things I want to sew!  I love being able to sew for my daughter and what I love even more is being able to sew her a peasant top in about 30 minutes!!  The fabrics for this top are from Blend’s Geofabulous line – and the fabrics just happen to have every one of Sally’s favorite colors!!  I wish I had a brand new peasant top pattern you can just download for free – but 99 cent patterns at JoAnn Fabrics are the next best thing!  I picked this pattern up not loving it but thinking for 99 cents I can do something with it.  You wouldn’t know it from the picture but there is a pattern for a peasant top and peasant dress (the white clothing worn underneath the jumpers)!!  I followed the pattern, using different fabrics on the sleeves then on the main body, I added lace trim to the bottom and a fabric bow for some detail.  Super quick and easy!!!!!geofabulous_peasant_top_2

…and we do need a nice cool, breezy shirt as it is 110 degrees today!!!  I think I might sew one more of these while I have all the fabric and pattern pieces all over, I mean neatly folded on my cutting table 🙂
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Filed Under: Blend Fabrics, clothes, FEATURED, sewing

Blend Geofabulous Skirt & Shirt

September 16, 2014 by Leave a Comment

No matter how much fall baking or decorating I do it doesn’t change the fact that it’s still over 100 degrees here!  Everything in the stores is long pants, long sleeves and sweaters. I decided to make this fun girl’s outfit – perfect for a HOT September day.  The fabrics are from Blend’s Geofabulous fabric line.  The colors are amazing!

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The tiered skirt pattern is from the Sassy Skirts book, my go-to skirt book for girls.  Super quick & easy!
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The matching shirt needed a little embellishing.  I decided to try something beyond my standard quick appliqué shirt.  To make a ruffle for a shirt, cut a 3.5″ strip by 2 times the length of the neck from shoulder seam to shoulder seam.  Sew a rolled hem on both lengths of the ruffle.  Then hem the 2 ends.  Sew a gathering stitch down the center and gather.  Fit the ruffle around the neck, pinning as you go.  Then sew along the gathering stitch.  I had plans to add a flower, but I ran out of time.
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Super quick an easy – and better than getting in a hot car and driving to the store to look for a new skirt.  It’s 108 today!
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For some other fun projects using the Gefabulous line, check out these links!

Rail Fence Quilt by Sew Can She

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Gathered Pouch Pocket by Tie Die Diva
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Filed Under: Blend Fabrics, clothes, FEATURED, sewing

Men’s Shirt Re-Fashion

May 28, 2014 by Leave a Comment

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I found this pattern for making a girls skirt out of a men’s button front shirt in this book, Never Been Stitched.  The book is full of fun new sew or low sew projects.  Great for involving kids!

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Essentially you get a men’s shirt and cut it up, creating a skirt.  I bought a size XL shirt and it made a size 8 girls skirt.IMG_8390

Sally wasn’t too thrilled about the idea until I made this cute whale shirt to go along with it.  I used some of the left over fabric and used Heat n Bond EZ sheets that you run through the printer.  Click HERE for the whale pattern.
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I even used the existing front pocket from the shirt to be a high side pocket on the skirt.
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Filed Under: appliqué, clothes, remake, sewing, t-shirt, Therm O Web, thrifty, whale

The Maisie Dress

April 28, 2014 by 1 Comment

I am in love with this dress!  The fabrics are called Maisie from Anna Griffin.  They are so fun and whimsical!   This dress is the perfect dress to sew if you are like me and collect fabric in 1/4 or 1/2 yard increments.  I rarely go fabric shopping and purchase 3 yards of every fabric I love.

To make this dress you need a peasant dress bodice pattern – or make your own.  I like to wait until the patterns are $1 at JoAnn’s fabric then I go crazy!  Peasant dresses are perfect if you want a fast way to construct a dress – no buttons or zippers or lining – Yippee!  Follow the directions on the pattern for the bodice.  I used ones print for the bodice and a different print for the sleeves.

Here are the measurements for the skirt.  This is for a size 6-8 girls.

Collect 10 fabrics you want for the skirt.  Cut them 8.5″ x 20″ and sew them together like this:
(forgive the photo, it was about 11:30 at night in my mom’s kitchen!)

There will be 5 fabrics on the front and 5 on the back.  Sew with 1/4″ seams and then zig zagged each seam to prevent fraying – time consuming yes.  Sew the rectangles together to form a giant circle that will be the skirt.  Press seams to one direction.  Sew a gathering stitch along the top of the skirt piece and fit it into the bodice matching side seams.  Sew along gathering stitch, zig zag, then press.

 For the bottom ruffle, cut (4) 3 1/2″ x WOF strips.  Sew them together end to end, press the seams.  Sew a rolled hem on one of the edges.  I cheated and used my gathering foot – hoping I would not run out of ruffle – it worked!  This saved time because as I didn’t have to fit the ruffle into the skirt – I could use the ruffle like trim instead.  The ruffle foot is one of my favorites!  I had to make a little seam on the side where the 2 ends of the ruffle meet – but it blends in OK.  After the ruffle is sewn on, press the ruffle and top stitch.

Amanda

Filed Under: Blend Fabrics, clothes, sewing

Vintage Bunny Skirt Tutorial

March 28, 2014 by Leave a Comment

The bunnies keep multiplying!  I knew they would make a darling skirt (what’s next, throw pillows & tote bags??) This is a simple tutorial for a girls skirt size 6/7 that sews up in no time!  The tutorial is being featured over at the Therm o Web blog.  Click HERE to check it out!!

Amanda

Filed Under: clothes, easter, FEATURED, Heat n Bond, sewing, Therm O Web, tutorial, tutorials

Vintage Sheet Peasant Dress

May 21, 2013 by 8 Comments
I am participating in “The Easiest Sew-Along Ever” over at Windsor & Main.  This dress is my project.  It began with a big box of vintage sheets. 

 I narrowed it down to a pink set of sheets.  I bought these at a thrift store in Virginia when I was out there for spring break.  I love them!  The fabric is so soft.  I also had this pillow case with embroidered kitties on it.  The pillowcase had stains on it.  I decided to make a little apron for the dress using the kitties.
 
The apron is attached to the dress.  I also added some crochet lace to the hem of the dress.  The tie of the dress is made using a white sheet.  This dress is 100% upcycled!!!  I love it!
 
 


Amanda

Filed Under: clothes, projects, sewing

3 Minute T-Shirt

May 16, 2013 by 3 Comments

 I bought this skirt at Crazy 8.  We went to wear it only to find all we had that matched was a plain Navy Blue T-shirt.  With 5 minutes till preschool, I had to hurry.  Plugged in the iron, drew a strawberry on some Heat n Bond, ironed it to the shirt – quick stitching and done!  I think I clocked in at 3 minutes!!

I LOVE Heat n Bond!  If you haven’t used it – you MUST!  It makes applique so easy!  If you want to make one of these strawberry shirts, here is the pattern.

Amanda

Filed Under: clothes, Heat n Bond, sewing, t-shirt, Therm O Web

St. Patrick’s Day Peasant Dress

March 15, 2013 by 4 Comments

I stayed up till way past midnight sewing this little dress for Sally.  Being the pink and purple princess that she is, she has NOTHING to wear on St. Patrick’s Day!  I wanted to make something she could wear again – not a dress covered in shamrocks 🙂 …of course, that was my first instinct!

 I came up with this peasant dress.  I was pretty much making it up as I went.  It looks much cuter on than it did last night at midnight!  Sally was not thrilled with it and I had to bribe her to even try it on.  She turned up her nose at it big time.  Again, it’s not pink or purple or anything like Rapunzel would wear!

 I think it is sweet and it will keep her from getting pinched on Sunday!!

Amanda

Filed Under: clothes, sewing, St. Patrick's Day

Sleeping Beauty Dress

April 30, 2012 by 1 Comment
Sally got to wear her Sleeping Beauty Peasant dress today – she looked very Princess-y!  I can’t wait to get started on more princess-inspired dresses!!
Filed Under: clothes, sewing

Sleeping Beauty Peasant Dress

April 17, 2012 by Leave a Comment



I finished the Sleeping Beauty Peasant Dress. I love how it turned out. I used the Simplicity pattern and added a skirt puff, a little collar and a little lace on the bottom.

Filed Under: clothes, sewing