handmade (squirrel) Easter dresses

You may remember that instead of having the girls wear vintage this Easter I mentioned that I wanted to sew them dresses, and I am SO happy that I made the time with a little motivation from KCW - I love how these turned out!

I used a vintage pattern but made some alterations, like changing the zipper up for an open button closure in back, skipping the peter pan collar so they would read a little more modern, and using piping on the bodice instead of bias tape. Since vintage patterns only come in one size I was lucky that I had a size 4 which is right between LM and Lark's sizes. Having sewed vintage patterns before I knew they run a little big (at least on my girls) so I was pretty sure that I could make two size 4 dresses and it would fit them both. Luckily, I was right!      

I would have added length to LM's skirt, but I had just enough of this darling squirrel fabric to eek out both dresses. The purple chambray is from a Target shirt I found at the thrift store in the XXL section. I used almost every inch of that as well, including using the sleeve cuffs as one of the dress belts.

I received the organic cotton squirrel fabric c/o Sew Fine Fabric. Squirrels are totally the new Easter bunny, right? ;) But seriously, this fabric was such nice quality and sewed like a dream! I believe the main difference between your sewing project looking more professional versus homemade (I don't really want to put a negative spin on that word, but you know what I mean, right?) is all in the fabric choice and Jodi is 'obsessively selective' when it comes to stocking her shop with only the best. I have my eye on all of these fantastic prints 1/2/3/4/5 and am thinking about using one in particular for a baby boy quilt. And... I just now realized I have never sewed anything for a boy before, ha. That will be different!

The girl's and I almost can't wait for Easter now that they have these new dresses to wear - bring on the egg hunt!

See all of my KCW projects here.

kcw: gingham tank top with pocket

 

I decided to participate in Kids Clothes Week again. It's such a fun motivator for me to get back in the sewing room and make something! A quarterly challenge like this works well with my personality since I tend to be a binge sewer. Usually when I feel like sewing I'll spend a few days holed up in my craft room whipping up several projects in succession, then I feel like I scratched the itch and don't touch my sewing machine for weeks at a time. Do any of you do the same thing? :)

For my first project I made LM a tank top out of a dress I found at the thrift store. It can be a super cheap way to get fabric if you can find a print you like in good condition for a good price. I still have enough of this fabric left to make another shirt or possibly a skirt.

I just used a tank top she already had to draft up a pattern and then added a colorful pocket. It's a little big on her so I'm sure she'll be able to wear it next summer too.

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This tank fits right in with the black and white theme that was going on the last KCW I participated in, but the project I am working on now veers from that color scheme entirely. Can't wait to share more. Are any of you sewing this Spring? 

You can see my KCW profile and all of my projects here.

12/52 + 32 weeks

1 - LM chillaxing in her new suit and shades. The girls have been taking swim lessons for the first time the last couple of weeks and they are doing so well! Before they started both of them wouldn't go under the water without a lot of coaxing and now they are jumping off the diving board. It's so fun to watch your kids grow and gain confidence - such a rewarding part of being a parent!

2 - Lark feel asleep on the couch, so of course I took about a million pictures of her sweet, sleeping face. As one does.

3 - I think I'm starting to realize I actually have to give birth soon. Anyone else feel like they spend most of their pregnancy in denial? Ha ha. I really need to buckle down and practice my meditation and breathing because this baby is going to come out whether I am prepared or not, and I really want to feel like I am on my mental A-game for another natural birth.

And here's one more picture for you, just for fun :)

11/52 + 31 weeks

1 - LM has been on a My Little Pony drawing binge this week. Our house is littered with pages of her work as she has spent hours at the coffee table completely in the coloring zone. I don't mind this phase one bit, I love seeing her creativity. Her rendition of the Queen of the Changelings was especially impressive.

2 - An afternoon snack of orange smiles. This picture reminds me just how badly I need to take Lark in for her first haircut. More often than not she won't let me put her hair up which looks so cute, and when it's down it's just...well, not so cute, ha ha. The mullet needs to go.

3 - The girls spent an afternoon outside playing and collecting what flowers they could find that have bloomed so far this Spring. Each time they found one they would bring it in and place it on my belly.

Have a great weekend!

shop update: Easter pt. 2

Eyelet Lace Bonnet//Pink Flocked Bonnet

 White Apron Dress//Yellow Floral Dress

Blue Eyelet Pinafore//Pink Eyelet Pinafore

 Blue Sleeveless Dress//Sheer Bonnet

 Green Bonnet//Bunny Pocket Dress

Peach Button Dress//Pink Skirtall

 Pink Lace Up Dress//White Sheer Bonnet

 Blue Plaid Dress//White Pom Bonnet

 Rainbow Lace Dress//Blue Flower Wreath Dress

White Sheer Dress//Pink Bonnet

Novelty Print Romper//Cut Out Sleeve Dress

Yellow Scallop Bonnet//White Batiste Dress

Hello! Part 2 of my vintage Easter clothing update is now available in the shop. There are some really lovely dresses as well as some cute little bonnets that would make the holiday extra special for your little one. You can see it all here, thanks!

larkie lou turns three!

Lark turned three-years old earlier this month and we celebrated as a family with a simple breakfast birthday party before daddy had to go to work. She blew out her candles on a stack of pancakes that we all shared, and then opened her presents - a little shopping cart and a wooden cash register. This girl is obsessed with the grocery store area at any children's museum, so we knew this would be the perfect gift for her - yep, she loved it!

One of my sisters (thanks, Amy!) had given us that puppet theater/store front piece of play furniture (does it have a name? I'm not sure what to call it, ha) that Lark is pushing the cart next to in the picture above, so the night before we got it all set up as a little grocery store for her to go shopping. We already had all of the play food from the girl's play kitchen. Lark grabbed her doll and set her in the cart, found a little purse to keep her new play money and credit card in, and spent the good part of the day switching off being the shopper or the checker.

After I rang up all of her food once she said, "Thanks for checkering me out, mom!" I love this age.

And now, I present unto you the many faces of Lark...

This is what she does when confronted with a camera. We sure love this spunky little three-year old!

See her first birthday and second birthday. That hair was worth the wait! :)

10/52 + 30 weeks

This week I thought two pictures each of the girls said it better than one.

1 + 2 - LM playing pretend on her bed with some of her Littlest Pet Shop figurines she inherited from her cousin. I love listening in on her pretend play conversations, it is so entertaining.

3 + 4 - Lark is our little bookworm with her nose often found in a book. When she gets hurt or sad she will cry, "I want to read a book!" and run to her room. We snuggle on the 'comfy chair' together and I read her stories until she feels better. (This reminds me that when LM was her age she would cry, "I need a rest!" when she was hurt or sad and would get a blanket and lay down on the couch).

4 - The farther along I get the less I feel like taking pictures, ha. I know I will be glad to have them to look back on though. This little guy is starting to kick me hard enough to make me jump sometimes and he has been getting the hiccups almost every night. So far we have cleared out the room that will be his nursery so it is empty. I am looking forward to getting it ready for him over the next couple of months.