Popover Sundress Remix for Project Run and Play

Guess what time it is?!  It's time for Project Run and Play!  This year, I'm sewing along with all the readers.  I'm enjoying the challenge.  It makes me view things differently and it gives me a deadline.  I seem to sew much better when there is a deadline.

The first week's task was to do an Oliver + S popover sundress remix.  I love remixes.  I really do.  I also love Oliver + S patterns so this was a fun week for me.  Part of my challenge was to make something that would transition to fall because Miss has a closet full of summer clothes and there isn't going to be much time left to wear it.

I made a top that can be layered over a long sleeve top or under a cardigan and a matching pair of shorts.  The shorts are also Oliver + S but I left off the pockets because my suede I sewed them with was too bulky to for the pockets and my coordinating fabric looked too garish.  I think they're still pretty cute, though.

The top is made from fabric in my stash.  I've had it for two years now and I decided this was as good a project as any to pull it out.

Now, onto the remix!  I love the top inset and the bias tape straps so I knew I wanted to keep those aspects of the pattern.  Unfortunately, tie straps aren't very good under cardigans.  I shortened the straps and instead of a tie closure, they now have eye hooks to hold them together.  The top still easily slips on and off like the original pattern.  Now, it can be layered under a cardigan or over a tee!  I shortened the pattern and straightened the sides.  Then I added a peplum.

I started with a full circle, but it was far too full.  It was almost another clown suit!  So, I eased in the fullness and found a happy medium.

On warmer days, it can be worn alone and with sandals.  In colder months, the outfit is easily layered over tights and paired with boots.  I just love the versatility of shorts for fall.  These shorts, even though orange, will be worn a lot this fall.  They match quite a bit in her closet.  They are paired with a short sleeved sweater here.

Broken Doll

Because I never have enough to do around the house, I was watching youtube makeup tutorials.  I followed a side link and another and another another (you know how it goes) and I went deep into the Youtube rabbit hole.  I ended up at a fantastic user's videostream and saw a brilliant tutorial on doll makeup.  Loepsi has great tutorials for everyday makeup as well as costume makeup.

Of course, Miss has practically flawless skin as it is and it's very fair so doing the "natural" side took more makeup than the doll side.  I used a lot of shading and brown eyeshadow!

During post processing, I did a lot of work on the doll side to make it appear even more flawless.  I played with the eye as well to give it a more unnatural look.  I photoshopped out the dark circles and "wrinkles" under her eyes.  I did no work on the natural side.  I left the pink around her eyes, the circles and did not adjust her eye at all.

We both had a lot of fun with this shoot.

Last year, I wanted her to be a victorian wind up doll for Halloween, but I couldn't wrap my brain around the pattern drafting.  It took me an eternity to get it worked out and then she decided she wanted to be Rapunzel.  So, Rapunzel she was!  I hope to get her to be a doll this year.  I'll see if she'll sit still long enough for me to do the makeup again and let me curl her hair.  I have a couple of months left to talk her into it.

Fall is my favorite season

Well, it's not actually fall yet, but the fall fashions are coming out.  I love fall fashion.  I love the layering, I love the textures, I love the colors.  I love everything about it.  Since spring and fall are so similar here I get extra wear out of a lot of the pieces too.

Here are a few of my favorites

Here is an example of how I like to layer.  Here we have a denim jacket layered over a yellow long sleeved tee.  A corduroy skirt and a pair of knee high socks and knee high boots.  I love corduroy in the fall.   All items are from Gymboree except the boots.

A big cardigan and a tunic worn over a pink pettiskirt.  This is an outfit that she put together on her own.  I think she has excellent taste!  Items are from H&M.

 

Here is a cute pleated top from Next and a pair of skinny Levis.  A simple outfit for early fall and cooler summer days.  I like that the sleeves rollup and are kept in place with button tabs.  She loves that it has bunnies.  It's great when we both win!

A cute fox sweater from crazy 8 and homemade shorts paired with knee high boots epitomizes all I love about fall.  This would be easy to layer with a long sleeved top and tights for cooler days later in the year.  I really adore orange.

Two similar spring outfits that easily transitions to fall.  Open knit sweaters and top from the gap paired with jeans.  It's also easy to throw on a cape or a jacket on the way out if it's too cool for just a sweater.

An Old Navy outfit that I'm so in love with that she will be wearing it more this fall.  I think it would be adorable with an orange sweater too.

Flip this pattern Tinny Dress

I know I've mentioned how much I love Flip this Pattern, right?  Well, I've sewn along again.  This time it was the Tinny Dress from straight grain.

I didn't' do anything terribly exciting with the pattern this time.  There are so many options with the pattern (three collars, two sleeve cuffs and three skirt options!) that I couldn't think of anything I'd actually change.  I did add a belt and side seam pockets, though.

I really enjoyed this pattern.  It sewed up quickly, but it doesn't skimp on detail at all.  It looks professional and the fit is spot on.  The instructions were clear and I love that the pattern came with a print key so that I could print just the pieces I wanted from the pattern.  Perfection!

The fabric I chose for this was Nordika by Jeni Baker and a coordinating print.  I've had my eye on this fabric for a while and I was just waiting for the right pattern to put it with.  Tinny seemed like a match made in heaven.

I used the beautiful tulip cuffs and the open collar.

I added a belt and tied a small bow on the side.

and I also added hidden side pockets in the same coordinating fabric.  Now Miss can carry her treasures with her.  Usually Littlest Pet Shop or coins she's found laying around.

As usual, you can click on any image and view them full size in my flickr account.

I missed my sewing machine

I just got back from a family tour from California all the way up to Alaska. I was gone two weeks and I am so happy to be back near my sewing machine. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the weddings and the baby snuggles, but I am so happy to be home again.

I came home to two packages of new fabrics too! Now to get started on the next pattern flip and see about doing the Project Run and Play sew along :D So many things to sew! A few snapshots from my vacation full of family, nieces, nephews, brothers, sisters, grandmas, grandpas, great grandpas, demolition, getting dirty, eating reindeer sausage, eating and visiting.

Vintage Dress Adventures

I worked with my first vintage pattern last weekend.  It was actually a pretty simple affair, but I did notice the instructions were very minimal.  It basically told me to sew it together and what order to do it in.  Luckily, I was familiar with basic construction so it wasn't a big deal.  It could have been worse, though.  I have another pattern that has no markings on it except for different sized holes.  I assume those are for marking darts and other things, but I'm still researching before I tackle it.

The dress I made is a size 2 toddler dress from what I believe is the mid 50's.  It's a very cute dress and I used vintage print for it as well.  The fabric is a reprint feedsack from Windham Fabrics.  I'd had the fabric in my stash for over a year.  It was so hard to cut into it, but I'm glad I did.

When I tried the finished dress on, my husband said he didn't like the collar.  I wasn't sure how I felt about it, so I pulled it off, bound the neck and the collar separately and added a couple snaps to the dress.  Now the collar is detachable!

The more I see it with the collar, the more I like it.  It helps balance the wide set puffy sleeves.  It's very cute without the collar too, though.

Here is a progress shot of the pattern and the layout on my beautiful, beautiful fabric.  I still can't believe I cut into it!  Butterick 8846

This dress really needs a petticoat.  The dress hangs like a wide sack without it.  Unfortunately, the petticoat I made for the Alice costume was much much too short at this point.  So, I cut off the top and sewed on an elastic band so she could continue wearing it.  The dress would benefit from a full crinoline, though.

Because working with a vintage pattern wasn't enough of a challenge for me *HA* I decided to make things even harder on myself and add piping.  I've never sewn with piping before...ever.  I didn't have any red piping so I decided to make some.  I also had no cording, but I remember reading online somewhere that ladies used to use yarn, so I raided my stash and found some nice kitchen cotton to use.  See, I told you I like to make things hard on myself!

The piping making process was really straightforward.  I cut strips of fabric on the bias, folded it over my yarn and used my zipper foot to sew right up next to the yarn.  Then you sandwich your piping in between your two pieces of fabric and sew them together, again using your piping foot.

I love the way the whole thing turned out.  I now want to pipe everything under the sun.  Piping on pillows?  Yes please!  Piping on skirts?  Of course!  Piping on t shirts?  Why not?  Piping is awesome!

So, since I loved the dress and the piping and the sun was gorgeous, Miss and I took a photo walk last night.  Here is her vintage dress...and her pig tails.

Clicking on the photos will take you to my flickr photostream.  There are more photos from the shoot there.

Princess and the Pea

Here is another flashback for you.  These were taken almost 2 years ago.  I was inspired by a lot of fairy tale themed shoots.  I can't remember if there was a particular photo that made me thing to do Princess and the Pea or not.  It was quite some time ago that I got the idea in my head.  I think the true turning point was a photo posted by a friend of mine.  She took some fabulous photos of her daughter dressed as Snow White.

I also had a vintage dress I had to photograph before it became too short.  I figured I'd kill two birds with one stone and do a fairy tale shoot and a vintage dress shoot.

I had to wait for a day with decent light and a convenient time.  I think I waited a month before I was able to get my shots in.  I found a vintage dress in the closet so that I could kill two birds with one stone: vintage dress photos and fairy tale photos.

She insisted on having Emma with her.  She and Emma were quite inseparable.  She is still very attached, but mostly at bed time.  Emma is rarely carted around anymore.

She was a very unhappy and sleepy princess.  Just like the real thing.