Bag It!

Back before Christmas, I mean like quite a while before Christmas, my sister Michelle and I decided that I should make us each a new purse.... with diaper bag function.  So... after months of looking and deciding what we wanted for shape/size/color/pattern/lining, we finally figured it out.  Here's what we ended up with...

We decided on the Emmaline Bag pattern by Emmaline Bags.  Such a great pattern  Isn't it such a cute shape?!

The pattern explains how to do a regular flat, patch pocket...

as well as a zipper pocket.  Great explanation, and looks so professional.  Magnetic snap closure.

We decided to add two bottle/sippy cup pockets, one on either end of the bag.  These have actually ended up being probably my favorite pockets in the bag.  I think I'll add at least one of these to every future bag I make.

And of course I had to add a cute little tag on the outside.  My sister's had the yellow lining.

Mine has a bright green.  LOVE!

crazy!

It's been so LONG since I've visited this little spot.  So here's a list of my excuses...

the kids finished the school year
we looked and looked and looked for a new house
we packed
we moved
we cleaned the rental house
we cleaned the new house
we unpacked (mostly)
I went to girl's camp

Hmm.  That doesn't look like very much, does it?  Anyway, it felt like a LOT.  And now, in a few days, we're off to Utah to visit family, with a quick stop in Farmington, NM for my Grandma's funeral. She was my last living Grandma.  Such a beautiful woman.  Strong.  Good cook.  Stickler for detail.  Loving.  Proud of her children and grandchildren.  Strange that she's gone.

Hope to do better with posting when we return in a couple of weeks... and you know, finish unpacking and decorating and arranging our lives in our new home.

Until then...

KCW: 5 & 6

No finished item to show for these last two days.

I bought the Oliver + S Jump Rope dress pattern a couple of years ago, planning on making it for Hazel.  It hasn't happened, until now.

I traced the pattern and cut out the fabric a couple of week ago, just waiting for this last week of kids sewing.  Maybe I should have spent the whole week working on this one dress?  But I really wanted more than one item to show for a week's worth of sewing.  So it's not finished.

I guess I forgot to take a picture of my progress after my first day of working on it.  But truthfully it wouldn't have looked much different than this one.

The first two steps you work on the placket and the collar.  I'm thinking the rest of the dress will come together a but quicker, and I'm sure the second one would go faster too, but, this is where we are at the end of this sewing week.  I'll be sure to post pictures when it's all finished.

All in all it was such a great week.  Can't wait to finish this dress.  Can't wait for the next KCW.

KCW 3 & 4

The next item on my list to sew, was some pants for Oscar.  It's starting to get really warm here so I probably should have done shorts, but I just LOVE this pattern for pants, so it had to be done.  Next time maybe I'll just shorten the pattern.

You might recall I made some, pretty much identical to these for Silas a few years ago.  The green was a little brighter, and the size was bigger.  I LOVED them.  Silas LOVED them.  I'm sure too that Oscar LOVES them.

This pattern is called the Nowhere Man Pants, by Shwin and Shwin.  I made a size 12-18 months size.  Oscar just turned 2, but the 2T seemed like it might be too big.  I'm afraid that these won't fit him too long, so I'll be making another pair soon.

Love the tag on the bum.  Cute pockets.

And an action shot...

KCW: Day 1 & 2

Last week was Kids Clothes Week... the idea is that you sew for (at least) one hour for 7 days, making children's clothes.  I gave it a go a couple of years ago and maybe made it for 3-4 days.  This year I completed 6 of the 7 days.  That's progress!

I'm always sure I'm going to be able to complete more than I do, but I'm happy with what I finished.


I started with this gray skirt for Hazel.  I had the measurements figured out, but hadn't cut the strips, so for the 1st day I only got this far.  Amazing how long it takes to cut, serge and piece the strips.

Day 2 I finished the skirt and got a little cutting out done for day 3.  Hazel LOVED the skirt, which always makes it so worth it.  As I was working on it she walked by repeatedly just to verify that this skirt was being made for her.  Pretty cute.

I used this tutorial for the skirt.  It was great!  I want to make a ton more of these, and since it's all off of measurements, it can easily be made in a larger/longer size too.  I'm thinking Sadie and Phebe need some cute tiered maxi skirts.  And me too.

From her expression you wouldn't guess that she was excited to be wearing and having pictures taken of this skirt... I think it was the sun in her eyes.