We've received an unusual amount of snow over the past few weeks. Venturing out driving has been treacherous due to white-out conditions, and some roads have even been closed. Usually around this time of year we are wringing our hands wondering if we'll get a white Christmas. Not this year.
So I'm taking advantage of being grounded and in between clearing snow, I've been sewing.
Here's what I've accomplished:
Three pairs of Bedtime Story Pajama's (Oliver + S pattern) I bought the fabric for $4/meter and while the fabric print isn't my first choice, the price tag was! They are all size 2.
The pocket doesn't look straight in the photo, but it is in real life. Photography and staging photos is not my strong point.
I couldn't find navy buttons in my stash but the yellow ones seem to work.
The brown bear fabric was $2.50/m but since there wasn't quite enough for the jammie top, I had to get some off white flannel and trimmed it with the brown.
Miss C. really enjoys playing dress-up. Many of her costumes are too small, so I thought I'd make up a bunch of new ones as a Christmas gift.
From Oliver + S book, Little Thing to Sew, I made a peacock coloured tutu. For the waistband tie, I found some silk dupioni in my stash and it worked perfectly in place of ribbon.
The air is so cold and dry right now giving the tutu a bad case of static cling. The tulle is flying off in all directions and the silk on the waistband isn't co-operating either.
I also made a matching hairband using scraps of tulle and peacock coloured feathers.
She also likes playing doctor/nurse. She spends so much time at the clinic with ear aches and chest infections that acting out someone in the medical field is a natural for her.
I used the Oliver + S pattern Secret Agent Trench Coat. The fabric is from a cotton table cloth that shrunk after several washings and no longer fits my harvest table.
I set up my embroidery machine to stitch out her title on the coat and on one of the patch pockets used felt for the red cross.
The pattern is double breasted but I didn't make it a single thinking she might wear this outdoors over a jacket.
When William and Kate got married, Miss C was spellbound. Her mom bought her a veil that's attached to a hairband and she wears it quite a lot. Therefore, the veil needs a bride outfit!
She likes to dress herself, so made the bride outfit that was easy to get on and off.
For the top I used a peasant style top that is a free download pattern
from here. I attached some lace down the front and fortuitously found some diamond looking buttons to add some bridal bling.
The skirt was based on the Lazy Days skirt pattern, only long, and with lace attached at the hemline.
Thinking about a maids outfit, maybe something Cinderella might have worn housecleaning, I found this remnant fabric: 2 meters for $3.50. Sold!!
Using the same peasant blouse pattern as above, I simply added long sleeves. For the skirt, I used the skirt portion from the
Tinny pattern, cutting it longer and adding a frill of satin fabric leftover from a flower girl dress I made for her mother's wedding.
The skirt will twirl which is what a maid likes to do whilst sweeping. At least, that's what I do when I sweep.
I felt the outfit needed a corset, you know, to tie it together. :)
Using some off white silk dupioni, I applied random stitches using decorative threads and then put in grommets. I could only find rat-tail cord in my stash to lace the corset but I plan to change that to something less slippery.
I'm glad I found a use for the stash of decorative threads I have but need to experiment more with dress-ups-corset making.
Last up, at least for now, is this hideous looking princess dress that's got a bad case of static cling like the tutu.
It's size 6 hanging limply on a size 2 dress form. It's big enough to fit over indoor or outdoor clothing.....maybe even a parka ...plus it's pink and sparkly to suit the taste for a 4 year old.
I could have done a better job sewing this, but my heart wasn't in to bubblegum pink satin - neither was spending time to get a decent photo!
Overall, dress-up items get well used and abused. They usually end up getting covered in dirt and sand from being worn outdoors as well as getting covered in food stains. So I never spend much money or effort making dress-up clothing.
Well, that's it for my sewing.
The cottage needs to be readied for the onslaught of Christmas guests, baking needs to get done, and most urgently, more snow has to get cleared.
Merry Christmas from my little corner of The Great White North
