Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Gifts for Emily


These gifts are not archery-related at all but I thought I'd share them here because they involve fabric and sewing (and I know you like both).

Jenna and Kate sewed these simple pillow case dresses for Emily's 18" doll. We used Cindy's pattern here. Believe it or not, I've never made a pillowcase dress. This was my first time. And while we're on the subject, here's a list of Popular Sewing Projects I've Never Made:
  • crayon roll
  • zippered pouch
  • simple tote bag
  • designer fabric key fob
  • quilt
  • patchwork pillow cover
  • shirred top
  • ruffled apron
  • coasters
  • girl's dress from men's shirt refashion (or anything-from-men's-shirt refashion, really)
Funny! 

Anyway, this is the dress Jenna made. 

She needed quite a bit of help, even with pins and stitching lines drawn with marker ink. Sewing is only 30% about actual machine-manipulation. The other 70% is visualizing how pieces fit together to get the outcome you want. Jenna was excellent at the first 30% but she still has a long way to go with the latter 70%. It's something that comes with age, which I have a lot of, so I helped her.

This is the dress from Kate. And by that, I mean Kate serged all the edges and chose the ribbon and I sewed the actual seams and hems. Kate only wanted to make a dress because she saw Jenna making one. Hurrah for positive peer pressure.

I, of course, copped out on handmade gifts. I did, however, give Emily fabric., because that's what every good mother does, right? These fabrics are  delightfully pre-printed to cut out to make a doll and clothes

which we started on this evening, finishing two legs and two arms. It's hard for a little girl to sew around those skinny doll feet and thumbs! Emily got her first lesson in seam ripping. She thought it was cool. 




These were wrapped with two sewing vouchers in her name:

Note the fine print. This is very important for preventing ridiculous attempts to engage Mom when she's busy (and being crabby) in her other domestic roles. Do your children do this, too? Throw common sense out the window and embrace bad timing when they're hungry and/or sleepy, I mean? 


12 comments:

  1. I LOVE those pre-printed fabrics. Where did you find them? The doll dresses turned out great. I'm in the middle of pillowcase dresses for my girls right now. :)

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    1. Erin, the links are in the post itself. Embedded in the sentences above each photo. I'm sneaky that way.

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  2. Cute panels. Love the doll one and wonder if any of my girls would enjoy that.

    And about that bullet list, yeah, that's one reason I love your blog, L. I always find things I have never seen before! But I do have to ask you about the last one: doesn't Kate's adorable little striped dress count? Perhaps you just forgot about it amongst all the pregnant piggies, 3-storey barbie townhomes, piped pieces of amazingness and and and... : )

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    1. Hey! Was just thinking of you and your girls today! No- Kate's dress was refashioned from my Old Navy maternity/nursing shirt. Was it a men's shirt? I dunno. I wore it, not her dad, though. Maybe it counts because maybe I've been wearing men's clothes! Because RTW women's clothes don't fit right!!!!!

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  3. I love how you've gotten your girls into sewing! Hopefully it's the beginning of a lifelong love of it! And I'm two up on you on your list. ;) But oh... the things you've made that I have not!!!

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  4. Love the voucher! How about a follow up on the bag auction? I'm dying to know what the totals were.

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  5. I don't get crayon rolls. Like, at all. I'm not sure whose kids would actually put crayons back in it, but not mine! Maybe other people's kids.

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  6. Thanks for the links on the preprinted panels - I didn't notice them until I saw your response to Erin's comment! Preprinted panels like that were some of my first-ever sewing projects!

    I've made three things from your list. Plus a non-ruffled apron. I prefer the stuff you make, though :)

    And thank you, thank you, thank you for all the archery tutorials! Life is a bit insane here this week and I haven't commented, but I truly appreciate it - and know how I'm going to spend the Lowe's gift card I've been saving...

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  7. Oh you are so funny. Your posts always makes me nod and smile in agreement. I hope I can be like you, so nurturing to your kids and such wisdom. I've problem letting go and it's really stressful for me at times. Love your blog, makes my day!

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  8. I love the fine print! I am totally going to use this with my daughter. She always ask to sew something when I am making dinner, canning, or worse, using the sewing machine!

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  9. What about those round ipod cases? Do those not count as a "zippered pouch?"

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  10. these are excellent gifts! Taking note (pinning) for my girl.

    Sometimes I can tell how tired my kids are by how much they talk - they talk more when they're tired - they're trying to keep themselves awake! And I think it's the same with mealtimes - they're distracting themselves from their hunger! But eeeesh - combine that with my hunger and exhaustion and it takes more patience than I have sometimes.

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