This updated photo of the picnic dress is great! The dress looks so much better on a smiling model than on the floor.

Pattern:

http://thecottagemama.com/2012/07/summer-picnic-dress-free-pdf-pattern/

Somehow the last one ended up going to live with another family. This second one went so fast! Again, using scraps and interfacing both sides. Bias tape for the top. Really fast, easy, fun, and looks great. I may dig through the scrap bin again. 4" triangles.

Pattern:

http://blog.chickabug.com/2010/11/free-fabric-bunting-pattern.html

Not made by me, but the little boy that made it is trying to run from the camera. He made it at school. This cutie has a balloon paper mache head and a paper towel tube body with the clothes taped to it. So cute!

 

I loved making this! These are all scraps from all those notepad holders I made. I love using up scraps. I also used up scraps of interfacing that had otherwise been sitting around wadded up in a ziploc. These triangles are about 4", just the right size.

Triangle Pattern Template:

http://blog.chickabug.com/2010/11/free-fabric-bunting-pattern.html

A dear friend is moving away. I was pleased with how this gift turned out, she really liked it. This bucket bag is fully reversible with red and white dots for contrast and interior. I also added a snap, I wish I had done that with a few of the other bags I've made from this pattern. 

Pattern: 

 http://www.sewmamasew.com/2011/01/free-pdf-pattern-from-the-bag-making-bible-bag-giveaway/

Wrong model right dress. This size 8 O+S Seashore Sundress is being modeled by an older sister who was hoping it would fit her. It almost fits, but these girls are used to a more tailored, mama-made fit. You can see her hands in the pockets. The fun part of this pattern are those hidden treasure pockets on each one.

Size 3 Oliver + S Tea Party Sundress. I think I've made a dozen of these in size 3 now. 

2 more dresses for trade. They are size 3 and size 4 of the the O+S Tea Party Sundress pattern. 

A rare sight. These two dresses are not going to stay at our house. I've worked out a barter with someone in exchange for a couple of dresses. I've learned over the years that I don't prefer to turn my crafts into anything lucrative. I certainly made many more mistakes on these than I do normally. The bottom hem picture shows the lovely stitches my machine is capable of. 

Saw this one on Pinterest! I modified the idea a bit. Some wonderful ladies I work with threw me a baby shower. I cut out a stack of flannel bibs and brought the blanks with me and a package of Crayola Fabric Markers and some file folders. The file folders were to keep under the bibs when the markers bled through the fabric. It was a fun shower game for those who were creative, those whom I didn't know where creative and those who just did something fun and quick and done. 

I brought them home, heat set the images with the iron, sewed them together and added a snap. I'm sure this is more bibs than I'll use, but it was such a fun way to spend time with some great ladies. This was also a cheap activity. The markers were $8, but I used a 1/2 off coupon. The 2 yards of flannel (for fronts and backs) was less than $6 and I had the file folders and snaps. I didn't take long to sew them up since they were already cut out and they are fairly small.

Eight more medium CT diapers. I still have a few cut out, but ran out of materials and time is running short too!

I LOVE this homemade playdough recipe. It feels just like the real thing only tons cheaper! 2.5 c flour, 1/2 c salt, 1 T alum, 3 T oil, 2.5 c water. I've tried a lot of different recipes and this is by far my favorite. We made 3 different colors. This makes enough in one batch to fill 5 of these dollar tree small containers. 

A mini diaper rainbow. There are 12 medium ChloeToes pocket diapers with suedecloth inner.

 Although it looks blue, it really has many tones of purples and blues. I dyed the yarn myself then knit it into this Vintage 5 Hour Baby Sweater Pattern. Turns out that it took me more than 5 hours. Since it was my second one in 2 weeks, it went quickly anyway. I used size 10.75 needles and a bulky yarn so I think the sizing is about 18 months.

These gorgeous sweaters are from the Tribute Baby Sweater Pattern in the Feb. issue of Piecework Magazine. I LOVE the pattern and how it turned out! Both of these sweaters will be gifts for sweet baby girls who are waiting to be born. They are a bit larger so they will fit at the right time. I've started one in a cream color for us- if I get it done in time. It seems that suddenly I have too many projects to finish in a very short time.

Size 8 Seashore Sundress and size 3 Tea Party Sundress. I don't often get to picture them together because they quickly get worn before the mate is finished.

Oliver + S Seashore Sundress Pattern size 8. I added a bit of interest with the ruffle insert at the bottom center. I still wish they would make the Tea Party Pattern in her size. Since they don't, I'll keep making these.

Oliver + S Tea Party Sundress Pattern in size 3. This one matches her big sister's in fabric, not pattern. 

I'm actually starting to run short on fabric here at home. I'm glad to use up some things that I've had sitting around for a long time. The yellow fabric is so thin and airy. The mermaid square in the center is flannel. I was going to give this one as a gift until I realized I cut it out with the selvage showing and then sewed one of the sides crooked. I was eager to finish and didn't iron like I should have. Tip: If I had actually used the iron on this one, I would not have messed up. Tip 2: Sometimes using the iron around a bunch of kids can be dangerous. It is worth waiting until a calm moment, mid-afternoon, when no one is hungry. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqwdNqMZ8Ro

I used two different seersucker fabrics for this. 40" and 30" squares each.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqwdNqMZ8Ro

This one is much smaller and both cotton wovens. I only had a bit of each of these fabrics on hand and I wanted to make it work, so I used the same idea but cut each of my squares 10" different from each other. One was 28" one was 18". Worked perfectly. Should be useful because it is so thin and light.

Youtube: Self-Binding Baby blanket

I LOVE Pinterest. Sometimes I find some real gems on there. Like this one. A self-binding baby blanket. This one is flannel on flannel. My first attempt, and I learned a lot about mitered corners by accident. It took me about a half hour. Definitely something I'll make more of. 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqwdNqMZ8Ro

This shawl is made from very thin superwash yarn. I loved working with it, but I doubled it all the way through. The pattern is called: Miss Potter. Worked up lovely, but I rarely reach for this when it is chilly.

The girls are in an art class each week. Last week they studied Alexander Calder. Using pipe cleaners and duckie cutouts I had left from something else, I was able to dabble in a bit of their fun.

I figured it was a good idea to get started on some medium diapers before we need them. I've cut out 30 in various colors. Here are the first 6. Red, pink, khaki green, purple, blue, and rainbow stripes. When my lighting issues get figured out, these will look much better.

A dear friend gave me some leftover flannel squares from her latest rag quilts. I was instantly compelled to make 45 flannel/ baby terry wipes from them. I love working with her perfectly cut squares! The whole project goes so quickly when things are cut well. 

I don't usually post things that are unfinished but this is a great exception. This yarn is spectacular to work with! This sock is finished, but I'm still working on its mate. I do hope to be able to have enough left over for baby sized socks to match- and enough time to finish them!

Yarn:

Abi Grasso on Etsy

TWH pattern covers, made in size large from sandwich pul. These are from my 'unfinished bin'. Sadly, I know we won't use these and probably no one else will either. They just aren't the style I prefer. 

This brown dotted doll dress was made from the pattern on the Carpatina website. We love these dolls at our house! It is really short on the doll. I'll try to update with a modeling shot when the doll is being more cooperative.

Pattern:

http://www.carpatina.com/freepattern.html

A quick stack of 28 flannel/flannel wipes. All scraps that I was happy to use up.