Dress Up Days / Oliver + S Popover Sun Dress

Last week when Piper and I were at The Material Girls Quilt Shop (my new favorite store) we picked up a few extra things.  We originally went for fabric to make the candy corn dress, but who can leave a fabric store with just the items you went to the store to purchase?

In my browsing, I came across the Dress Up Days line by Riley Blake.  I had admired this fabric online but it was so much cuter in person.  So, I had to have some.  In addition there was a doll panel to make a doll and 3 dresses.  So, we needed that too.

I made the doll last week.

She was a big hit.  I haven't made the dresses yet, but I'm working on it.  I was inspired by one of the dresses (top right on the panel) for the doll to make a dress for Piper that would be similar.  I came up with this:

Oliver + S Popover Dress

I do so love making this pattern.  It's easy, quick and the perfect dress for summer.  Of course since our summer is coming to a close shortly, I'm thinking the colors will translate to fall well and the dress will still look cute with a sweater or a shirt underneath.

Based on the inspiration dress, I added piping under the yoke:

Pockets:

And a hem band with piping:

I also made Piper's other doll a dress to match.  The Popover pattern comes with a doll size dress pattern , so why not.  I had been meaning to do so all summer anyway.  Dollie won't mind if it's winter and she's wearing a sundress.

I just need to get the Dress Up Days doll dressed finished and we'll have a complete set of cute dresses. I love this fabric.  The colors are fun.  Piper picked the purple version because she's a purple loving girl.  I can't wait to see what else I can make with it.

Spy Cam

Over the weekend, Piper graduated to a big girl bed.  It was time.  We had caught glimpses of her on the monitor hoisting her leg up over the top of her crib in attempts to escape.  So, we finally gave in to the fact that she is no longer a baby and is in fact a big girl.  This was the scene on Saturday after we removed the sides of her bed.

She was thrilled with her big girl bed and the freedom that came with it.  She has been testing the waters and seeing just how much freedom she has.  Thanks to the spy cam we are able to catch glimpses of her doing things like this:

Trying on a pair of bunny ears.

Singing while wearing bunny ears.

Looking for hidden goodies under her bed.

Going for a little stroll.

Yay for the spy cam so I can watch these little moments.  Each day she gets a little better with her bed.  She still hasn't discovered that when she wakes up she can just get up and come down stairs.  I guess for now it's nice that she calls for me, it means she still needs her Mommy.  :)

Our Resident Bunny

Meet our resident Bunny:

We noticed Bunny coming to visit our yard and eat the clover in our yard a few months ago.  Now, when DH mows the lawn he leaves a patch of clover un-mowed for the bunny to snack on. Sometimes we put out lettuce for Bunny.  Sometimes Piper tries to pet Bunny, something he's not too keen on.  If we see Bunny in the yard and we are coming up the driveway we stop to watch him and then proceed with extreme caution.  We enjoy having Bunny as a part of our wildlife family that resides in and around our house.  

Oliver + S Little Things to Sew Bear Carrier

Piper has had a "thing" recently for babies.  She has a few small ones that she carries around and one larger one.  She likes to push them in her grocery cart or wrap them all in a blanket to carry them.  So, yesterday it dawned on me that she needed an easy, hands free way to carry her babies (particularly the larger one) and I had the perfect solution.

Oliver + S: Little Things to Sew Bear Carrier

I've had the Little Things to Sew book for a while.  I have looked through it often, thinking of all the things I wanted to make.  I just haven't taken the time to do it.  There are really a lot of cute projects in this book and I plan to make more.

Yesterday while Piper was walking around the house trying to carry her plethora of dolls and stuffies it dawned on me, I needed to make the bear carrier for her.  So, after dinner we all migrated down stairs.  I started to cut out the pieces for the carrier while Piper helped DH and Zachary take a computer apart (a frequent occurrence in our house). 

I love our space in the basement.  We all end up there together, working on projects and enjoying each others company.

So, after the kiddos went to bed I went to work.  It took me about 2 hours start to finish.  I had promised Piper I would have a surprise for her in the morning.  One thing I have learned in life is if you promise a toddler something, you better come through.  So, I did.

It wasn't a hard project to make.  There are a lot of curves to sew and those aren't my favorite things to sew, straight lines are easier (obviously). On curves I always mark out my seam line and go slow, sometimes using the hand wheel, so I can get the curve sewn as neatly as possible.

The big reveal this morning was less than impressive.  Piper refuses to wear the carrier.  I thought she would be thrilled, but she's 2.  I did leave the straps about 6 inches too long so she has room to grow into it.  Maybe someday she'll come around to it. :-/

Oliver + S Ice Cream (Candy Corn) Dress

What do you do on a wet Sunday?  We were going to go to a neighborhood BBQ but it got cancelled.  So, since we had no other plans I tackled a project that had been on my mind for some time.

Oliver +S Ice Cream Dress

I bought this pattern a few months ago.  At first I wasn't sure what direction to head with it, then it struck me, a candy corn dress. I remember seeing different versions of candy corn dress online last fall. I probably pinned a few to Pinterest.

Last Sunday, DH and I were talking about making this dress.  He was looking at fabrics online with me and helping me work through the design process.  Then, Sunday evening I popped onto the Oliver + S forums to see what was new and some one had asked a question about doing just the thing DH and I had been discussing that morning.  It was fun to "discuss" design ideas and fabric selections with other women that have the same interests as me (our kiddos and sewing for them).  I was going to wait a bit to make the dress.  It might seem a little odd to wear a candy corn dress in August.  But, after all the talk about the project I held out as long as I could.

I wasn't sure what fabrics I wanted to use.  I had considered using Kona Cotton, but was afraid it would be too "much" for Piper.  I didn't want her to be swallowed by the colors of the dress.  After some discussion online about it, I decided a trip to the fabric store was necessary.  I recently found a new store I wanted to check out so Piper and I hopped in the car on Tuesday and headed to the Material Girls Quilt Boutique.  I could have spent all day in there, what a great shop and even better was the customer service.  After talking to Wendy at the store I decided to go with a subtle print.  The idea of candy corn is still very visible but I think it takes some of the harshness out of it.

Top stitching the yoke wasn't necessary but I think it adds to the dress.

I was nervous about doing such a high contrast top stitch.  Every mistake can easily be seen.  I know there are a few, but Piper is a girl on the move so they won't easily be detected when she's wearing the dress.

On the back I added a yellow button.  I considered doing a fabric covered button, but like this one too.

I also did contrast stitching between the yellow and orange layer.  It's kind of hard to see, so here is a close up.

Another great Oliver+S pattern.  I was able to put it together in an afternoon.  I already have ideas for other dresses using this pattern.  It's a great way to show of some favorite fabrics or fabrics with things your kiddo loves (dinosaurs, horses, etc.)  Sometimes those "juvenile" print fabrics don't work well on garments, but I think this dress lends itself to them.

The side seams are the only exposed seams on the inside of the dress.  So, it has a really nice finish from the inside and out.  I considered lining the middle tier so the entire dress would be lined and there would be no exposed seams but I wasn't that ambitious.

Can't wait for "official" fall to arrive so Piper can wear her candy corn dress!

I'm a Winner!

Several weeks ago, I made a couple skirts to be donated to foster care.  I blogged about the skirts here.  As part of the project, liZ and Elizabeth from Simple Simon and Co. were able to offer some prizes from their sponsors.  Last week the prize winners were announced and I was lucky enough to be a winner of a gift basket from Pick Your Plum. Obviously I was thrilled to win but I was even more excited when this box was left on my door step yesterday by the postman:

It was like Christmas morning when I opened the box.  Imagine my surprise when I opened the box and saw all of this:

I swear it was like they knew me!  Some (not all) of the things included were: washi tape, ribbon, cup cake wrappers, buttons, trim, thread, treat bags, tags, and more.  

What a pleasant surprise just for doing something nice for someone else! 

Surviving Summer

We did it!  We successfully made it through summer.  This was the scene at our house yesterday morning.

I would say it was a good summer.  We did some of this:

...and some of this:

...and a lot of this:

And we ended our summer with Zachary doing this:

Someone mentioned to me yesterday that he'll be in high school next year.  I got a little choked up about that.  Not about him being in high school but rather by how quickly it has happened.  The first day of school always brings with it a wave of emotions.  It's exciting to look toward the future, anything is possible on the first day of school.  It's also, so bittersweet to look at the past.  I remember his first day of kindergarten like it was yesterday.  I didn't cry the first day, I cried a week later when the parents were met at the door and not let into the class room.  I didn't cry yesterday when he got on the bus, but my eyes welled up later when I watched him walk up the driveway by himself.  Each new school year brings a new, larger step towards independence.  It won't be long until we're taking Zachary to college or Piper is starting kindergarten.  Until then, I hope we can continue to have fun summers full of memories. :)