happy friday

I am in love with this dress. Isn't it beautiful? You should buy it so I won't be tempted.

Have a wonderful weekend! We will be taking the Little Miss to a birthday party and spending as much time outside as the sunshine allows. And, if I can get my act together I should have a shop update early next week.

Do you have any fun plans? What would you do if you were wearing this dress?

progress...and a break

I spent a lot of time last weekend crocheting granny squares and being uplifted while listening to my church's General Conference. I have to say I am becoming a bit addicted - I can no longer just relax without feeling like I need to be working a hook! But, I am going to have to force myself to take a break because I really think if I keep up this pace I am going to get a stress fracture in my right hand. It kills. I am quite pleased with my progress so far though. Maybe I'll just tuck in all those tails... then I promise I'll stop.

thanks mom

I wanted to write a Thank You post to my mom. She sews all of her granddaughters Easter dresses each year (so far there are three girls) and always does such a wonderful job. We provide her with fabric and decide on a pattern together and she does all the work - how lucky are we?! She loves to sew and I think it is so special that the Little Miss will have a collection of dresses saved up that her Gran made especially for her! We love this tradition!

happy easter

the skirt

I wasn't trying to tease you by not showing a picture of the finished skirt in the post below, I just didn't have one yet! So here it is in case you were curious. All I did was chop the top off of a dress, then added an elastic waistband and the pocket.

Hope you have a Happy Easter weekend!

tutorial: pleated pockets

I just added these cute little pleated pockets to a skirt I made for the Little Miss. They are pretty easy to make and here's how - I hope my instructions and pictures are clear!

By the way: I used a 5/8" seam allowance and if you use the pattern I provided below the pocket ends up being about 4 1/2" high and 4" wide.

step 1. Cut out pocket and pocket band (see pattern below). Baste stitch across pocket top and pull to gather. Fold over pocket band with wrong sides together about 1 inch (or 1/3 of the height) and iron.


step 2. Pin pocket band to pocket with right sides together with folded edge of pocket band on the bottom. Adjust your gathers so the edges match up.

step 3. Stitch across top, trim seam allowance to 1/4".

step 4. Open up and iron seam allowance toward pocket band.

step 5. Fold down pocket band to outside seam line and pin in place.

step 6. Stitch around all raw edges (not across the top).

step 7. Trim seam allowances to about 1 cm and cut top corners diagonally.

step 8. Turn pocket band to inside.

step 9. Iron pocket band flat and raw edges of the pocket to inside.

step 10. Slip stitch open edge of pocket band closed.

step 11. Pin pocket in the position you want it on your garment. (If you are making your garment from scratch do this before you sew it all together - it's a lot easier).


step 12. Stitch around sides and bottom close to edge. You're done!

Click on picture to enlarge and print.

tidbits

So far today has been off to a slow start, but I am hoping by the end I can look back and say it was productive because I have lots to do! Here are a few peeks into what we are up to around here... Hopefully by tomorrow I will have a tutorial finished for you!

p.s. I think the weather is playing an April Fool's joke on everyone - snow!? (okay, it's not that surprising for Utah but still...)