Sewing for Kiddies

I'm on a sewing roll, and was inspired to participate in Debra's effort to make dresses to donate to a children's home in her area.

I trolled through my stash: gosh I've got lots of pink, how perfect is that?  I cut out a dress and this size 4 shorts set.  It really takes me back to sew kids' clothes.  I used to do this for my two when they were little.

The shorts are really quick to make, and I think I'm going to use my plaid shirt stash to make some unisex shorts.

Here's the pattern I used:  it meets my criteria of not having too many pieces.

I used an old Sewing With Nancy trick:  the pattern includes sizes 4-6, so I copied sizes 4 & 5 onto waxed paper, and cut out the size 6, so I have all three sizes.

All the pieces fit nicely into this re-purposed zippered bag.

I also bought this pattern.  The tiered top can use up some smaller pieces of yardage, and be lengthened into a dress.

Stitching Away

My university closes for the whole Thanksgiving week, so I've had some much-needed downtime to sit and do some sewing.  My daughter wanted a new apron.  I've made her half aprons for work (she's a restaurant cook) in the past, but this time she wanted a full apron.  I used a "heirloom" apron my son made in middle school (about 10 years ago).  I still wear it when I cook.  Allie wanted hers to be a little wider, so I allowed for a few more inches at the sides, and made it longer, but otherwise used Alex's apron as a pattern.

I cut the fun faux-1950s kitchen fabric and the lining at the same time with the rotary cutter.

I rotary cut long strips for the ties, pressed to the middle, and top-stitched.

Allie asked for a pen holder...

...a big pocket, and a loop.

Success!  Even Louie the cat is impressed.

Ridgid Heddle Weaving With Self-Striping Sock Yarns

I've had a craving to weave for awhile, so I warped my loom with some self-striping sock yarns and  pretty quickly had this lovely shawl.

I'd bought a battery-operated fringe twister, which I got to use for the first time.  It makes fast work of this neat finish.

I used some inexpensive Premier self-striping sock yarns, warping with just over one ball of the purple, and with a little of the pink and the sparkly yarn.  I find I get a beautiful result with these yarns, which produce a plaid-like fabric.  For the weft I randomly alternated the rest of the purple with some solid purple sock yarn.

The sparkly yarn had some slubs, which fit through the 12 dpi heddle with little tugging.  The yarn is a bit scratchy, so I think I'll use it more sparingly in the future.  This was a Tuesday Morning find.

I impressed myself so much with this project, I immediately warped the loom again, this time with blues and greys.  I figure I'll stockpile these shawls for gifts.

Here are some gratuitous pretty photos: the first, a fall scene taken at a rest stop when Michael and I returned from a weekend trip a couple of weeks ago.  That yellow tree called out to me.

Another beauty shot: this time of my cat Louie, who posed so nicely for me.