Buzzmills

Metallic Polka Dot Antalya Dress...

I'm not sure how long she is going to go along with the whole "First day of School" dress thing...but for now Violet is still on board.  Part of me thinks that it's because she just likes the first day of school/last day of school photo tradition and knows that a dress is the best way to do that...Whatever it is, I'm glad she's still on board, because it makes me smile to see her off to her first day of school in mama made...

I've been smitten with the Antalya dress for Willow & Co by Olga of Coffee + Thread ever since I saw Virginia's Antalya dress.  While Violet still lets me make her clothes she definitely has more opinions about what she will actually wear now than ever before.  Which, I totally get!  So, before sewing I always ask her about certain patterns and allow her to help in choosing the fabric.  She gets the final say, which gives her a chance to express her personal style, but also, hopefully means that she will wear it more!

She gave me the go ahead on the Antalya and then when I showed her this coral/silver metallic polka dot fabric I found on clearance at Joann she was in...

I love the style of this dress, the slight gathering at the side for a full(ish) skirt...

the side panels that allow you to play around with fabric mixing...

and the exposed zipper in the back all give you a chance to add some fun little details...

And, of course, I'm not likely to pass up the opportunity for a little piping...

It seemed to be the perfect dress for the first day of second grade!  In fact, she excitedly came up to me after school and told me that "so and so" had a dress on that looked "just like hers" (as in metallic polka dots) which made her happy.  And, there you go, I think that is the key...this pattern is different and fun and while cute, not too cutesy for older girls...and she got to pick her fabric, which also wasn't too cutesy...making it just perfect for a growing up girl...

But, why oh why does she have to look so grown up?! 

Oh and another ribbon headband to "accessorize" otherwise her hair is wild! 

Plus, when she wears these she looks so much like a portrait of my mom when she was about this age, which is sweet.

Thanks to Olga and other designers for continuing to make patterns that big kids like too so that their mamas can keep making for them!

Splash Swimsuit...

You know sometimes you have one of those crazy ideas.  Like, get something stuck in your head and you just can't shake it.  Like you think at the beginning of the summer, "I might make myself a bathing suit this year"...And then you think, pshaw, nonsense!  And just buy a few new ones instead...

And then you buy some fabric to make kiddo suits instead and mostly (except for two) skip that as well.  And then, you see something new come along on your instagram feed and you just can't stop thinking about it...

So, the day before the "unofficial" last day of summer you give in to the crazy idea and sew yourself a bathing suit!

Yup, that happened to me!  (And, YIKES!  I can not believe I'm posting pictures of myself in a bathing suit...hooray for getting back into shape!)

Once I saw a few pictures of the Splash Swimsuit I really just fell in love with it's style.  I loved that it didn't have a ton of bells and whistles, which made it a pretty quick sew, but that it had loads of style and detail...

I sewed up the size 8 which fits pretty perfectly everywhere.  I really love this suit, it feels so good on!  I will say though, sewing for yourself, eh not such a big deal...sewing a swimsuit for yourself...a different story...I kept worrying that I was going to have some sort of "wardrobe malfunction"!  But, no such thing occurred!  Phew!

As a fun little bonus...Henry and I now have matching suits!

We headed to the pool for the afternoon after I finished my suit and he excitedly came downstairs wearing his matching one!  I must admit I felt a little silly at first worried what people would think...but why?!  Just embrace it and have fun!

I can definitely see a couple more of these suits being made next summer...at the beginning!

Beachy Basics, Bucket Hats and Bathing Suits...

We are now entering our third week of school and September.  Our school routines have begun to settle in and the faint smells and breezes of fall are sneaking there way closer.  I'm excited for the season change, while I tend to be partial to Spring and Fall I really do appreciate, simply, the changing of the seasons.  But, while I look forward to fall it's hard not to already miss those carefree summer days! 

Only a month ago we were enjoying one of our most perfect weeks away at the beach.  Just the four of us.  This is our third year taking a week away to stay at the same little condo, just the four of us and every year it gets better and better.  The kids get older and more fun and easy going.  We get better and better at putting aside our phones and work and relaxing.  The four of us make lists of "I really want to does..." and we check items off that list, we walk on the beach, collect shells, go to bed late and wake up early, get sandy and sunned. 

It's a perfectly chill out vacation.  Some day we will take those more "adventurous" vacations, but for now we will save our adventures for the weekends.  We enjoy the comforts of familiarity in where we stay, where we eat, and where we visit while we are away.  It almost feels like our home away from home.  I've said it before, "at the beach we are our best selves" and it truly feels that way.

So, vacation... "only a month ago" but really it feels like ages ago now that school is in full swing. 

Just before we left I asked the kids what they really wanted if I were to make them something for our beach trip.  They both wanted new hats as their old ones had grown a bit snug.  Violet also requested a new skirt and/or shorts which were part of my mix and match Paneled Sunsuit post (the new city gym shorts and woven circle skirt) and Henry, new bathing suits...

The only thing I promised them was hats...because I love a kid in a hat and mama made hats are the best! 

But somehow, I managed to whip up the shorts and skirt for Violet

and two new bathing suits for Henry as well...

The bathing suits are simply fancy pants turned shorts using swimsuit material from Imagine Gnats.  I've done this before, last year's still fit, but they got so much wear that they were too worn.   Henry is still out on the more "typical" swim trunks, which I don't mind really, it gives me more fabric options this way...

Plus, whipping up a pair of fancy pants, especially when using foldover elastic for the waistband, is a breeze!

The longer "bike short" length is perfect for not allowing sand inside those shorts, which was part of the reason for Henry's new bathing suit request!

Of course, as I was taking these photos I realized I never shared my Cloud 9 swim shorts from last year when I was doing pattern testing...

Which still fit this year and are still well loved! (reverse side below...)

sadly though, Violet's Azur swimsuit does not fit her anymore and I never got very good pictures of her in it while I was testing...

But I digress...back to this year...Hats!

The Oliver + S bucket hats are one of my favorite things to make...seriously they never get old to me.  It does, however, always surprise me how much longer they take from start to finish to make.  In fact, I had hoped to make one for myself this year, but alas time was not on my side, perhaps next year.

Both kids chose their outer fabrics, Violet missing her sandpiper shorts, requested I use up what I had left of my sandpiper fabric for her hat...

And mini pompoms, because once you go mini pompoms you can't go back...

And Henry, lover of all things red, chose birds too (left from this shirt)!  These guys really know how to pick the perfect fabrics!

And for something new, piping...

I love the little pop of color along the edge and it gives it such a nice finish.

For the reverse side they each got the same linen stripe...

Their heads are actually at the very top end of the largest size for this pattern, boo...to make them a little bit larger I simply reduced the seam allowance to 1/4" hopefully this sizing lasts us for a little while!  I also added a little tie to each hat.  I did this "after the fact" last time and it works so well, especially at the beach with gusty winds!  This year, fortunately I thought of it at the get go and planned accordingly, by basting the ties onto the lining side before stitching the brim to the hat.

I mean, after all of that time spent on those adorable hats who wants to loose them to the sea due to an ocean gust!

There we are...a little reminder of summer and our summer "must have" mama mades!  It's nice to relive the memories...

Bring on autumn, I suppose...

Remix the Stitch, Ballard Top to Dress...

I am so excited to be a part of the Remix the Stitch blog tour today!  The lovely Kimberly of Straight Stitch Designs is celebrating her one year pattern making anniversary and to celebrate she asked a few of us if we wanted to help her celebrate!  Well, first, who doesn't like a reason to celebrate, right?  Second, she deserves to celebrate, in her first year she has been cranking out some amazing and stylish patterns for woman!

For my remix I chose the Ballard tunic and turned it into a dress...

It was a hard decision choosing which pattern, in the end the Ballard won because I was intrigued by the open back.  Next, how to remix?  I went through several options at first, but finally settled on turning it into a dress after cleaning up my fabric stash/sewing area and finding this amazing sweater knit...

I bought this fabric ages ago from Joann originally intending on making something for Violet, you know because of those sparkley flecks... But, it just feels so soft and lovely and has a beautiful drape to it as well.  So, against her wishes, I decided to use it for myself, but to make the flecks a bit more subtle I used the "wrong" side of the fabric where the flecks are just barely noticeable and and the color is much more heathered.  (I will say though that between the hazy, humid sun and this textured heather taking photos was a bit of a, ahem, challenge...)

I have to be honest, while I was excited to sew up the Ballard and knew I was going to like it, I had no idea just how much I was going to love it! 

I particularly love the sleeve length, and the sweet gathering at the neckline, both very flattering, feminine, but not in an over the top way.  Once my top was made I was hesitant to actually add the skirt because it was so lovely as a dressyish sweatshirt, but this is Remix the Stitch so add the skirt I did!

Originally, I wanted it to be more of a swishy/twirly/fullish skirt, but alas, after cutting out the pieces for my top I was left only with a small rectangle of fabric...The loose weave and stretch in this fabric is truly the only way I managed to eek a skirt out, thank goodness for that!

To begin, I shortened the pattern by quite a bit, Kimberly has a lengthen/shorten line in the pattern and directions on how to do that so this was easy.  I simply held the pattern up and shortened it to fall right around my hips, with seam allowances, etc that brought the bottom right around my waistline.  I then followed the pattern as instructed omitting the waistband/hemming options.  Instead of finishing the top as instructed I added the skirt. 

First, the skirt is simply a rectangle that fit me when I wrapped it around and sewn together with 3/8" seam allowance along each side because I had limited fabric and honestly that is all I could do with what I had.  Once the skirt was sewn I aligned right sides of skirt raw edge with the right side of top raw edge matched up side seams and front and back centers of each, pinned and sewed together with 1/4" seam allowance.  You may need to stretch your fabric slightly for the top and bottom to match up.  Next, sew a casing for the elastic waist.  Start at the back, stitch 3/8" away from your initial seam allowance around the entire skirt/top leaving about 2" open near the back.  Cut a piece of 1/4" elastic to comfortably wrap around your waist, feed it through your casing, overlap and stitch elastic ends together and stitch up casing opening.  Hem! (I wished that I had hand stitch my hem because of my material, oops!)

And there you have it!  A Ballard Dress!

I love that this dress is amazingly comfortable and that it's a sweater dress that can go either comfy casual with boots/tights or paired with heels is nice enough to be a "cocktail" sweater dress!

Especially with it's lovely open back!

Let me just say that the open back breeze I was getting was a godsend whilst taking pictures in 90 degrees in a sweater dress!

I am so pleased with my new dress, I can't wait to wear it this fall!

And perhaps make another with a fuller skirt...and top and...this pattern really quite versatile depending on your fabric choices, lengthening/shortening, etc!

Congratulations Kimberly and Straight Stitch Designs one year is certainly worth celebrating! 

To make it even more fun she's put together an amazing giveaway filled with so much good stuff (see below to enter)!  Plus Straight Stitch Designs is having a 50% off sale on all her patterns through the tour, which is an amazing deal.  Check out the rest of the tour dates and enter the Rafflecopter giveaway below!

Tuesday, September 8th: Meg Cookin' and Craftin' | Jennifer Ginger Peach Studio
Wednesday, September 9th: Ajaire Call Ajaire | Heidi Handmade Frenzy | Stacey Boy, Oh Boy, Oh Boy Crafts
Thursday, September 10th: Melissa Rebel & Malice | Annika Näh-Connection | Abby Sew Much Ado
Friday, September 11th: Katie It's Hard to Hear Up Here | Jane Buzzmills | Lisa Mabey She Made It
Saturday, September 12th: Elena Randomly Happy | Allie Indiesew | Jess If Only They Would Nap
Monday, September 14th: Jaime Made By Jaime | Lauren BASTE + GATHER | Sara Made by Sara
Tuesday, September 15th: Audrey Skirt Fixationy | Teri Fa Sew La | Hayley Welcome to the Mouse House
Wednesday, September 16th: Emi Just Add Fabric | Rachael Imagine Gnats | Teresa Dandelion Drift
Thursday, September 17th: Kaysie | KZJO'STUDIO Rita Conversas de Hermanas | Stephanie Swoodson Says
Friday, September 18th: Andreia In a Manner of Sewing | Nienke Pienkel | Abbey Sew Charleston

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I was given the Ballard top pattern in return for my participation in this blog tour, but all opinions are my own.

Double Gauze Charlie Tunic...

Three things in today's installment of blog "catch up"...

    1.  I told you that I would be making more sleeveless Charlie Tunics for Henry!

    2.  Double gauze is heaven!

    3.  Pandas!

Okay, now that we've gotten that all out there...

I've been holding on to this adorable panda double gauze (which I got from the Imagine Gnats shop) since last summer!  Why, oh why was I holding on to it for an entire year when Henry is in love with pandas?  (He and Call Ajaire's daughter are a good pair, except she got her panda shirt last summer!)

Well, it was one of those "on a whim" purchases, and I only bought a half yard and I kept looking at it wondering what oh what was I going to make with such a small amount of airy double gauze?  And then, thanks to the Great Pattern Hack, I had the perfect pattern!

Since I omitted the sleeves I was able to just squeak out the tunic from the half yard that I had.  It is the tiniest bit shorter than I'd like it to be (it'll probably be too short next summer, bummer!) but it works!

And thank goodness because these pandas are so tiny and adorable!

Of course, Henry wanted to wear it as soon as I finished it!  Of course, I took my camera with me when we headed out for the evening to take pictures, only to realize that the battery was at home, ahem, charging!  So, I used my cell phone...and then realized that, somehow in less than 15 minutes, he had lost a button (we never found it...)

Not really an issue though, because I had an extra button, and he wears this shirt All The Time!

I used neon orange bias tape to finish the sleeves and I love that little pop of color.  This time around I kept the back yoke the same as the main, but used a bit of double cloth cotton for the back for a little contrast...

I have to be honest, I am dreading the day when Henry decides wearing animal clothes is no longer cool, because he totally rocks them!   For now, I'm hanging on to the fact that he still jumps for joy for them!

And really, just thankful that these two both still appreciate mama mades!

Have a great day!