Gingham dress

Bea has almost already grown out of this pillowcase dress but I really love the style of it so I made her another in the hope that some more good weather might turn up before the end of the summer.

I made a few changes this time - I didn't line it, made the armholes a bit smaller and added pockets. I also changed the ties for a single bow.

I edged the pockets with this lovely floral fabric. Unfortunately I have no idea what it is as it was in a bundle of quilting squares.

This is such a great dress to make as I can pretty much get it done during one nap!

Lovely drawings

I love the work of illustrator Kelsey Garrity-Riley, recently discovered via Kickcan and Conkers.

Her characters and colour palette are lovely.

Practical sewing

Since the summer has begun (sort of) poor old Bea has been suffering with getting very sweaty in her car seat. Luckily I have found a solution.

I used an old baby towel (the square ones with the hood) to make a car seat liner. I just took some measurements from the seat, cut out the shape and bound the raw edges.

She certainly seems more comfortable and I can just whip it out and wash it when needed. Has to be the most practical thing I have sewn yet!

Bea's 'playing with pegs' top

I made this little top for Bea from a bit of curtain fabric, using McCalls 5353. The pattern is for a dress and bloomers but I made it as a top instead. Here she is modelling it whilst playing with a basket of pegs.

I love the red apple buttons, they go so nicely with the blue.

I also love the cross over back. Such an easy pattern but really lovely.

The girl's got style

Couldn't resist sharing this photo of Bea. It was taken at 6.30am which explains the pyjamas. The rest is inexplicable.

And please excuse all the mess in the background, she likes to play with everything she owns at once.

Daddy's hand-me-downs

Feeling inspired by a few shirt to dress refashions I've seen lately I dug an old shirt of my husbands out of the charity bag and managed to change it into a cute dress for Bea. As soon as I'd chopped it in half I wished I'd taken a before photo of the shirt, but I didn't.

I didn't draw out a pattern for this, I just took a few measurements from an existing dress and used the checked pattern of the shirt to help me cut straight. It was very simple and quick.

I used the front of the shirt as the back with its press stud fastenings to avoid adding buttons and used the shirts original hem to avoid hemming! I lined the bodice with a bit of one of my old shirts and hey presto! A free dress.

Sketchbook

Sketchbook magazine featured my work on their blog yesterday. Have a look here.

Pretty kitties

Here's my latest sewing creation. I used the same pattern I used for this dress and made the top and shorts version.

I absolutely love this kitty fabric, its so cute! And I love the red button too.

The shorts were really plain so I added pockets to the back with a little contrasting detail of the kitty fabric to tie it in to the top.

Shame it hasn't been warm enough here for shorts since I made them!

A bit of a hint

Just incase a certain husband needs any ideas about what to get his wife for a 3rd anniversary present he might want to preorder one of Alicia Paulson's beautiful sampler kits by 10th of May. Like all Alicia's work it is stunning and the colour palette is perfect.

Apparently leather is the traditional gift for a 3rd wedding anniversary but I'd be much happier with cotton and yarn to get stuck into my own sampler.

Thats the 10TH OF MAY. :)

Bea + mummys sewing = cute

Here are a few photos I managed to get of Bea in some of my creations over the easter break. She is a terrible model so its almost impossible to get her to pose!

This is her Snow White dress she wore for her cousin's princess birthday party.

She wore the blue striped dress for a family party but was so excited I couldn't get her to stand still for a photo.

And this is her 'funny face'.

Here she is feeding chickens in her new sundress. Please excuse the Peppa shoes.