Batgirrrl, Batgirl!

Batgirrrl, Batgirl!

Batgirrrl, Batgirl!

The Bug has been requesting a Batgirl Halloween costume for about three years. For two of those years, I was able to talk her out of it. This year I decided to go for it.

She specifically requested a "real" Batgirl which meant no tutu to soften things up.

 Her cape was made from one of daddy's old tee shirts. I cut off the front of the shirt, leaving the neck binding for her to slip over her head. None of the edges are finished since knit won't fray. This was a super easy way to make a cape.

 She had a lot of fun with this photo shoot--pretending to fly and fight crime is right up her alley.

 I used a leotard pattern from Mountain Ash that I've sewn up several times now. It's surprisingly a quick and easy sew if you are comfortable with knits. The pants are the Go To Leggings pattern--also a very very quick and easy sew.

 The fabric is a silvery knit that I ordered from Fabric.com. It didn't work for the project I intended it for but it works well for this application.

All of the accessories were made from felt. She requested a pink mask so I made the belt buckle bat pink too to help tie it in.

She loves it. I love that she loves it.
We are both excited for Trick or Treat!

~Lindsay

Christmas Dress

Did you think I forgot about this blog? Whew! Between secretive sewing (for Christmas gifts), general seasonal running to and fro and being sick I have been gone far too long.

The good news is, I have a bit of a stock pile of posts.

If you've been here any ammount of time you know, this is kind of how I roll. Feast or famine.

Well, feast your eyes on this. . .

The Bug's Christmas dress this year was a bubble dress. I used the pattern from Heidi and Finn and it couldn't have come together any easier. And I'm in love with the results. This may be the Easter dress as well. I like it that much.

I feel inclined to add, the headband is from Crazy 8 and it's a simple fabric rosette (that I totally could have made myself but sometimes you need to know when to say when). In these pictures it resembles a tea cup and saucer, which is kind of whimsical and fun but not really the look I was going for.  The tights are grey with silver sparkly stripes that we found at Target. They are "itchy", so be forewarned.  She tolerated them for the sake of fashion but I'm not sure they will be in frequent rotation around here.

The back closes with a simple tie.
I like the simplicity of it (no buttons or zippers? I'm in!) and it brings a bit of interest to the back of the dress.

The Bug loves it.  We've had such unseasonably warm weather this winter that I didn't really think about it being sleeveless until the 11th hour. 

So I thought a quick cape might be a good solution.
I had the perfect piece of purple wool in my stash of fabric from Grandma.

I used the Simple Simon Audrey cape tutorial. I think I should have made the smaller version. This one was a bit big on her.  And somehow my collar was too small. Still. . . it turned out super cute.

I think my favorite part is the vintage button.
It's so fancy.

Turns out, the Bug was not as enamoured with the cape as I was. She wouldn't wear it at all. She said it wasn't warm. She's probably right. I lined it with lining fabric so it was slick and cool inside. I should have used cotton or flannel for added warmth. Live and learn.

She did like it a tad bit better when she realized it spins. So there was at least that.

~Lindsay

Happy Halloween!

Literally not more than 24 hrs after posting about Dorothy I had two wonderfully artsy friends e-mail me edited yellow brick road photos!

So cool.

The Bug's eyes got so wide when she saw these.

She is fully convinced that she is Dorothy when she wears that dress, and no wonder.

I am always so amazed at my talented friends! 

Speaking of which. . . Little Red Riding Hood's momma, a photographer, took some photos in the woods and they are amazing.  Just like a vintage storybook.

Prepare for photo overload.

Aren't they just the cutest, sweetest things?

I hope these two get to trick or treat a bit tonight. They live out East and are currently without power.

I think Little Red and her sweet wolf of a big brother would still be cute in snow boots!

Thanks to Catherine, Ally and Staci for your awesomeness in sharing your amazing talent with me!

~Lindsay

A Dress and Cape for Little Red

This pretty little thing needed a Red Riding Hood cape for Halloween.

I told her momma I'd be happy to make her one, figuring I could just wing it, right?

But then I saw on facebook that Little Lizard King was working on a cape pattern.

And she asked me to test the pattern. Perfect!

Is it not perfectly adorable? I love how it just about touches the floor and the way the hood poufs out just a bit down around her neck.

She is just lovely.

And like every single LLK pdf pattern I've used (and I've used quite a few) the directions are clear and easy to follow. This cape is a quick sew and it would make a great project for a beginning seamstress.  Just imagine the possibilities for Halloween costumes and dress up bins! A simple change of the fabric and this could be a princess cape. . . leave off the hood and it could work for your little super hero. . . Dracula? . . . piece of cake!  You've got Trick or Treat in the bag this year!

Never one to leave well enough alone, I also made Little Red a dress.  This is another LLK pattern, the Elizabeth Claire dress this time. 

I think it is so cute and fun the way you can combine so many different fabrics.  And this dress kind of has a little bit of a vintage vibe while still remaining modern.

Just a quick picture of the dress inside out. . . In kids apparel I like to use French seams like this where ever possible. I just think it looks so much cleaner and it's got to feel better up against their skin.

I can't wait to see her in it.

I think these two are going to bring home big candy trick or treat night.

~Lindsay

The last Christmas gift post, I promise

Please welcome, The Super Cousins! Da dadada!

The Super hero capes were made from this tutorial, with a few adaptations.  Once I made the Bug's cape I knew they would need to be longer for her older cousins. Also, the neck seemed a little small so I made it a bit bigger too.  I used Velcro to fasten it around the neck so that they could easily come off and on and provide less of a choking hazard.  Each one is reversible and I made a matching reversible super hero face mask to go with it.

In hindsight, the Velcro is a bit itchy for delicate super hero neck skin so I'd probably rethink that.  And please, don't ever, ever ask me to work with satin again.  These capes wouldn't have the coolness factor with another fabric but it would have helped keep my temper much cooler.  Not a single thing I tried did much to help the slipping of the fabrics and beleive me I exhausted my Google search looking for something, anything, to make it easier. 

The Bug hated it when she opened it Christmas morning. But she sang another tune a week later when her cousins opened theirs.  They ran around the house playing heros and villans for nearly an hour and started referring to each other by their super hero names. Amazing. Adorable. Totally worth it.

The icing on the cake though, was my Brother-in-law's request for a cape of his own.  Supposedly, he wants to play super heros with his boys.  But he's also promised to wear it while drumming on the church worship team and with his band.  That promise alone will drive to work with the blasted satin one more time. 

~Lindsay