Time to Catch Up

I've been very busy sewing lately, I just haven't had the opportunity to sit down and talk about my work.  Look at what I have been up to:

The kiddos are home for Spring Break next week.  Though we have some things planned it's going to be a pretty mellow week.  So, check back to see what I have been up to and what I am working on and what else is happening.  Good times I tell you, good times! :)

Library Wednesday and Housekeeping

Today is Wednesday and I will get to that in a minute but first I wanted to tell you about my weekend.  I meant to write this post earlier but I didn't get around to it until now.

This past weekend Zachary performed with the All State Choir.  It was one of those moments where I was sure my heart was going to burst with pride seeing him up there on stage singing.  The beginning of this school year his goal was to audition and be selected for the Tri-County Choir.  He was going to 7 a.m. rehearsals at school to practice and working with his piano teacher (whom also teaches voice lessons) in preparation for the audition.  He was selected for Tri-County and the concert was a couple weeks ago, it was wonderful.  When he audition for All State choir, I did the usual "Mom" speech about how it was an "honor" to be selected to audition.  When he came out of the audition and told me how nervous he was and that he didn't do well, I did my best to let him know that we were proud of him no matter what the outcome was.  So, it was an absolute thrill when we learned he had been selected to perform as part of the All State choir. Over 1,200 kids auditioned for 120 spots.  It truly was an honor to be selected.  So, seeing Zachary up on stage this weekend singing with kids whom are considered the best and brightest musicians from our state was one of those moments I will never forget.  I can't take any credit, he did all the work and it paid off beautifully (you'll just have to trust me that it was).

Also, you will notice that I didn't post anything from last Wednesday.  That's because of Storm Saturn.  Schools were closed.  The government was closed.  Everyone had run out and bought their milk, toilet paper and eggs.  It was going to be a storm to talk about for ages.  And, was it ever:

So, on to this Wednesday.  This week's theme was "ABC's and 123's".

Oliver + S Book Report Dress

This is the second Book Report dress I have made, the first one is here.  This is one of those patterns that at first glance I didn't care for but it has really grown on me.  It's such a fun dress and looks so cute on.  A couple weeks ago when the new Oliver + S patterns for spring were released Liesl made mention to the fact that she isn't a "frilly" designer.  I think that's why I am drawn to the Oliver + S patterns (among other things).  They are clean, simple, classic and really look like things that are being sold in stores.  I am not a fan of the "boutique" style of sewing for children's clothes.  To me, "boutique" is too costumey.

The fabric I used is from Robert Kaufman's Celebrate Seuss line, Tossed Letters and a red twill.  I noted the first time I made this dress that I thought a heavier weight fabric for the bottom might be better.  I think I like better.  The twill just seems to give the dress the right "weight" it needs.  I think a corduroy or denim might be nice too.  Quilting cotton works, but I just like this a little better.

Since it was ABC's and 123's, Piper also needed something for show 'n tell as well.  So, last night I whipped up a Purple "P" for Piper. :)

My original plan was to embroider some cute flowers onto the "P" but I am just learning to embroider and starting at 5:00 last night was the wrong time to start.  So, the little bit that I had done got torn out and we had a plain, purple "P".  Piper approved and that's all that really matters in the end.

Here's Piper modeling her adorable dress, checking out the daffodils blooming and enjoying a nice spring day:

And, finally to close the world's longest post.  I learned recently from Zachary that FaceBook isn't "cool" anymore.  Apparently all the "kids" do their social networking on Instagram.  I had an Instagram account a while ago, I didn't use it, so I deleted it.  Now, I am back on Instagram.  You can find me there by searching for NotSewPlain (you will have to ask for permission but I will grant it, just want to know whose looking).  I will try to add a link to my account at the sidebar.

Library Wednesday

I love books as much (maybe a little more) as I love to sew.  Here's a quick side story related to my love of books but not related to today's post.  Book stores are like Disneyland to me, quite possibly the happiest place on earth.  I get a little giddy about going to a book store.  I, however, have one problem when I get there.  I get so overwhelmed by all the possibilities in a book store.  Do I want to read fiction or nonfiction?  Do I want adventure or mystery?  So, so many options.  I know I can't read them all, so I don't want to waste the time I have to read on a bad book.  What's the only way to find out if a book is bad?  You have to read the book to find out if it's a bad book.  So, I stand in book stores with thousands of options and worry that I might choose a bad book and waste the precious limited time I have to read. So, I often walk out of book stores empty handed and feeling a little sad.  Does anyone else have this problem or am I the only one?

Anyway back to today's topic.  I love books.  I particularly love children's books.  More than anything I LOVE Dr. Seuss, the man and his books.  If Dr. Seuss were still alive today, I would be his groupie.  Dr. Seuss himself never had children but he has changed the lives of millions of children simply by putting pen to paper.  Dr. Seuss's birthday is on Saturday and this weeks library theme was of course, Dr. Seuss.  With out a doubt, Piper was appropriately dressed for such a special occasion!  In, what else, but a Celebration of Seuss dress:

Oliver + S Ice Cream Dress

This dress makes me so happy, I can't even tell you!  I used the Oliver + S Ice Cream dress pattern to make the dress.  I think this is my third or fourth ice cream dress.  It's such a great pattern, really a blank slate to do a lot with.  The fabric is from Robert Kaufman's Celebrate Seuss line.  It did hurt a little to cut into the fabric, because I would rather hoard it than use it but I will just buy some more. 

I desperately tried to match the stripes on the side.  Not so easy with wonky stripes like these.  I was close:

Like some of the other dresses I have told you about that I have made, I used french seams on the inside so the entire dress is finished on the inside.  I love that!

Of course Piper needed cute accessories for her hair so I made a couple of hair ties, the pattern is free on the O+S website.

The best part about today and Piper's great dress was that Piper finally went to the front of the room for Show 'n Tell.  I always spend time making a pretty outfit and we always make sure Piper has an item to show for Show 'n Tell time during story time at the library but Piper never wants to go to the front of the room.  She's working through some shyness issues, so I never push her to do it but always ask if she'd like to and offer her bits of encouragement.  So, today was a big day.  She went to the front of the room and stood with Miss Judy.  She even ran back with a big smile on her face when it was all over.  She of course got big hugs and praises when she came back to me.  It was a huge step for her and I was so proud of her.  I even remembered to whip out my phone and grab some pictures of her big moment!

Our library story time isn't just a time when we go to the library and they read to the kiddos.  We sing and do calendar and a craft.  It's really a great program for the little ones.  We're very lucky to have such an active library with great staff so close to us.  Today's craft was a cute Cat in the Hat mask.  Here's Piper and her "besty" modeling their masks.

Aren't they a hoot?  I think I took a dozen pictures of the two of them and never once were they both looking in the same direction.  Crazy kiddos.  I love 'em both! :)

Here's one last shot of Piper modeling her fabulous (if I say so myself) dress on a beautiful, almost, spring day.

PJ Party

In addition to going to story time each wee, Piper and I go to a Music Together class each Monday. We've been going to to music since just after Piper's first birthday. Each semester Miss Katie holds a pajama party during class. What's better than singing and dancing in your PJ's?

Of course such an occasion needed a new pair of special PJ's:

Oliver + S Sleepover PJ's

Aren't they fun?  The PJ's included some of Piper's favorite things, fairies.  The fabric is a flannel with Tinkerbell fairies on it.  I started out just making the pants and had a blue long sleeved t-shirt that matched the piping that I added a Tinkerbell appliqué to.  Piper's critique was that I needed to make the top, so I did.

I added some cute blue piping to the contrast on the cuffs and yoke/placket on the top.  At first I wasn't going to add piping, then I was going to add white piping but I was afraid that wouldn't show up against the light blue of the main fabric so I ended up with the blue piping.  I like the blue, it's a nice pop of color.

I enjoyed making these PJ's, they were quick to come together.  What I most like is how soft the flannel is.  I have always disliked american PJ's because they are either scratchy polyester or so tight that you can barely wiggle your little ones chubby arms and legs into them.  I will definitely be making more of these, based on comfort factor alone.

Here we are at music class:

I tried to get Piper to model them while she was "sleeping", she's not the most convincing model :)

Her jammies sure do look comfy though, don't they?

I am Not Alone

In light of the recent revelations I shared about the state of my craft room, I thought this was very appropriate to share. Maybe I just need this sign to hang instead of cleaning. :)

Library Wednesday

It's everyone's favorite day of the week, Wednesday!  This week's library theme was Bears, this was the dress Piper wore:

Oliver + S Badminton Dress

This was the first time making the Badminton Dress and I really enjoyed it.  It's very quick to come together and has some very cute design elements.  Like the flutter sleeve (which, I am not entirely certain I did correctly but it works so we'll go with it):

And, bow in the front:

Sometimes I let Zachary help me make design decisions.  He chose the green ribbon.  I like it, nice pop of color.

I used Kokka Trefle Cotton Gauze Forest in Pink for the main fabric and a brown cotton for the accent.  The Kokka Cotton Gauze was a delight to work with.  This was my first time using cotton gauze but not my last.  What a beautifully soft fabric.  I am sure Piper was super comfy wearing this dress.  Kokka is a japanese imported fabric, so this was a bit more expensive than a quilting cotton but totally worth it.  Piper even napped in the dress and didn't look too disheveled when she woke up.  Sometimes the quilting cotton dresses don't make it through the day before they are terribly wrinkled, not the case here.  The double gauze is quite thin and this was not the ideal weight fabric for a chilly day but paired with a long sleeve top, tights and boots I think Piper didn't mind too much.  This will be a wonderful dress to wear when the weather is warm.

One note on the dress pattern.  By doing french seams on the inside, I have no unfinished seams.  The top is bound by a bias trim, the sides are done with french seams and the bottom is hemmed.  I love a neatly finished dress on the inside, not that anyone will see it but I know.  Many Oliver + S patterns work well with french seams and many have very nice finishes inside as well as out.  Yet another reason why I am an O+S junkie! :)

Here's my model with one of her little friends, each with the pink bear they brought to library.  There were a lot of pink bears today:

I tried to get Piper to take a nice photo but most of them ended up looking like this:

3 is not the most cooperative age for photo taking. 

Craft Room Confession

Recently I was asked how I keep so organized as to make things for Piper sort of "on demand" so she has a special outfit for a special day.  I wish I could say I was organized and had it all together but like most busy mom's I can't.  In fact, this is what my craft room looks like (sorry Mom):

I share a space in the basement with DH, you'll see his area in the back, neat and orderly.  Frequently I will go down to my work space with the intention of cleaning it up but it's easy to get side tracked.  This week, I finally caved and began working on cleaning it up so I can have more space to work.  I have to put this out there publicly so I stay motivated to finish.

Anyway, back to the original question.  Though this looks terribly unorganized (and it's a little embarrassing to show off, but I know my fellow crafters understand), I do have a system.  Once I have an idea for a project, I pull the fabric from one of the many stacks you see.  I pair the fabric w/ the pattern I intend to use and then it gets added to this stack:

This stack is ever changing and some projects get moved to the bottom but it's a little way to try to keep my creative ADD in check.  What you see on the stack above is two Badminton dresses, a pair of Sleep Over PJ's, two Ice Cream Dresses, a Birthday Party dress, a Lazy Days skirt, a Tea Party Sundress, two Fairy Tale dresses, a Tinkerbell blanket and a drawstring bag/playmat (for carrying Brave figurines).  As I finish one project, I go on to the next one in the stack.  At times a piece of fabric from somewhere in my work space will cry out to me and everything else halts until I make something of it.  Under normal circumstances though, this system works for me.

With any luck, in a week or two I will have my space all neat and organized again.  Crafting will happen at a quicker pace and I will have more to talk about here.  In the mean time, I am knee deep folding fabric and trying to have peace with getting rid of some scrap pieces that are just too small to work with.  I have been having fun folding all the fabric.  I had some stashed here there and every where.  Trying to get organized has given me an opportunity to get reacquainted with some fabrics that I had forgotten I had.  No doubt, the stack above is going to get exponentially larger as I work on getting things put back where they belong.

Do you have any good organizational tools, ideas or suggestions that might help me?  What about your work space, does it look like mine or are you organized?  

How's the saying go; "a cluttered desk is a sign of genius"?  If I get too terribly side tracked in my effort to organize, maybe I'll just get a sign that says that to hang in my work space. :)