Baby Gifts Modeled (Caution. . . Adorable babies ahead. . .)

Fair warning. . . 

You can't handle the cuteness. I'm dying over here.

 You've got to love it when a Momma loves her shower gifts so much that within a week she's given you photos of the outfits in action. . . and recruited helpers for the things that were too big.

Hello sweet little baby toes! I barely even see that bright skirt I'm so overwhelmed with the urge to kiss those toes. 

 And then there is this.
Heaven help us, does she not look like an angel?

This is exactly how I envisioned this dress in my head. I am so glad I got to see it on a model.

I really have no words for this one.

A big Awwwww. . . is all I can muster.

There is nothing sweeter than ruffles on a baby's bottom. . . Except maybe those curled up tootsies. . . Or that sweet sleepy face. . .

Thank you ladies so much for sharing your sweet girls with us! It is so gratifying to see something you've made actually in use and even more, to know it's appreciated.

~Lindsay

Gifts for baby. . .

Am I the only one who finds sewing/blogging hard in the summer? 

Maybe I'm just out in the garden more. I don't know.

But I'm definitely not as prolific in the summer months.

I did get in there enough to make a few sweet little gifts for a baby shower this past week.

Baby clothes are so fun to sew. They take so little time and fabric comparatively.

 Embellishing onesies is alway fun. This one I just topped off with a bit of ruffle trim around the collar.

I think it's just the right amount of understated sweetness to pair up with this bold little skirt.

And the skirt (complete with threads needing trimmed. . . sigh. . .) is a simple design with a sweet little ribbon hem.  I love this fabric. It's been in my stash for forever waiting for just the right project. I think this was it.

Instructions on how to complete a ribbon hem are at the end of the Oliver + S Lazy Days Skirt Pattern. It's a technique I've used more than once to avoid hemming a garment!

My personal favorite summer baby gift is also the least photogenic.

It's near impossible to get a good photo unless it is ON a child. 

But Heaven help us. . . believe me when I say this little ruffle bum romper is the pinnacle of adorableness. 

If you don't believe me, click HERE (but don't blame me if you faint from cuteness overload!).

You can get yourself a copy of the pattern by Little Lizard King, here.

I highly recommend it.

The last gift was inspired by this beautiful embroidered pillowcase that was in my stash of vintage goodness I received from my grandma.

I ALMOST made a traditional pillow case dress.

Maybe I should have since that tutorial is the one thing driving traffic to this blog.

But I didn't.

You know me, I can't ever do the same thing twice. 

So I made a peasant dress.

 I used a bit of vintage bias tape to make some fun little stripes. One on the waist and one on the skirt--to make up for the fact that I cut the skirt too short! Shh! Don't tell, I made a mistake! Ha!!

I really do live the bias tape though. It looks so perfect with the sunny yellow flowers.

This embroidery bewitched me.

I am a sucker for a scalloped crochet edge.

I wish you could feel the fabric through the computer. It's the softest time worn bit of lovely you will ever see or feel.

It simply begged to be made into a dainty baby gown.

Unfortunately, I didn't make it to this shower but I sent my gift ahead.  I'm told there were great oohs and aaaahs among the crowd.  That stuff always makes me uncomfortable. But what I really hope is that the Momma felt loved and blessed because that's what it's about for me and it's what keeps me sewing. . . even when the sun shines bright outside my sewing room window and my garden beckons.

More baby gifts to come! Another sweet girl due the end of this month will be receiving a package soon! Assuming I get my act together and finish one last thing!

~Lindsay

Christmas nightgown. . . err. . . dress. . .

I am hopeless.

Really. . . how many Christmas dresses does one girl need?

In my defense, however, this one started out with the intention of being a Christmas nightgown made of the scraps of Christmas fabric I had laying around.

As I worked on it, it became clear to me that this was way too cute to be slept in.

Plus, the quilters cotton is just too stiff to be comfortable for snoozing.

Or so I thought.

It didn't stop the Bug from falling asleep halfway through Christmas Eve service.

The pattern is the Little Lizard King's Elizabeth Claire dress with the long sleeve option.

I love the bell effect created with the elastic halfway down the sleeve.

The skirt is less full because I was working with small amounts of fabric.  I should have pieced more in because it did not meet the Bug's twirl requirement.

In my defense, I thought I was sewing a nightgown and it just morphed into a dress. Twirling is less important in a nightgown.

I hope you all had a very blessed Christmas.

I'll be playing catch up here this week, posting gifts that were made and couldn't be shared, plus the real Christmas Day dress. . . yes there is another one. . .

~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

Our little princess. . . well, maybe not this year

For MONTHS the Bug has been telling me she wanted to be Princess Ariel for Trick or Treat.

Which is great because she already has a Princess Ariel dress. . . no last minute costume making stress this year!! Woo hoo!!

Until last weekend, when she informed me she was going to be Dorothy.

Sigh. . .

And she knows me so well that she knows I will almost never turn down a sewing challenge.

Had I a clue about PhotoShop I would have made that road yellow.

You'll just have to use your imagination.

Perhaps a yellow brick wall will do??

I'm not sure what's up with the pose. I think maybe she's calling Glenda or something.

I used the Elizabeth Claire pattern from Little Lizard King as my starting point for the dress since it's a quick, easy sew.

I added the rectangular apron top and straps on my own.  I also added the bias cut band around the waist as a cute little accent.  Just 'cause I was getting cocky with my pattern ad libbing self.

This dress is super roomy and should be a good addition to the dress up bin for years to come.

It's nice, too, because we can add a long sleeved shirt underneath for warmth.

And please note the bias cut band around the hem. It's all in the little details.

I think she likes it.

Hopefully, she likes it enough to actually go door to door this year.

Time will tell if we get the shy Bug or the outgoing Bug Monday night.

And if you've been around a while, you might notice. . . Dorothy is actually a repeat costume for the Bug.

Aunt Michelle made her this supremely adorable dress when she was two.

Hello squishy baby cheeks!! I love you!

That year, she followed the yellow leaf road.

Too cute for words really. 

I love it. And I"m a tiny bit glad our little princess opted out of a princess dress this year because their was no way I was going to top Cinderella.

~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