Some baby shoes

Baby shoes!! Baby shoes were kind of my first sewing project. Well, I made Xuxa a fleece jacket first but then she had two so it was time to find a new project. I always thought those little leather baby shoes were so cute and looked easy so I tried some cloth patterns...

This was my first successful pair made of flannel and fleece using this pattern. She wasn't walking much at all so the fleece bottoms (which have noooo grip at all) were okay for a bit.

And I tried out this "Kimono shoe" but I never got it quite right. These were tiny so I gave these to a friend to give to a friend with a new baybay....

Then I tried out some little mary janes with elastic! Adorable! Loooooove this picture. (Lucca's also wearing my first successful pair of harem pants!! I love the turquoise & off-white color combo!)

But the elastic was too stretchy and they fell off Lucca's feet since she is always crawling and rolling around the floor. Replaced the elastic with sturdier leather velcro straps. I LOVE how these turned out. 

Love love love. So adorable. Like little orthopedic baby shoes, but cuter. Here is Lucca  hanging out under my desk. She likes it under there. She can even see out the window if she stands up. Haha it's so cute.

Turned the cloth shoe pattern into moccasins by using leather, removing some seam allowances from the cloth version, and adding fringe pieces. This tutorial helped me turn the original cloth pattern into a fringed leather version.

Very exciting! But the blue leather was really white leather with blue dye on top, so the visible white underside makes them look pretty unfinished and cheap.

My crowning glory of moccasins: this gray pair. These are kind of Lucca's first real pair of shoes! Like meaning that she wears them all the damn time and Amber said she presses them to her foot like she knows they're supposed to go on there. And they are stupid cute. 

I tried to make a second, slightly larger pair for her but they need some tweaking. Looking forward to them. They are magenta! Coming soon.

Xuxa's new harness

I'm really excited about Xuxa's PENDLETON HARNESS!

She's blurry but you can see the harness... kinda... YAY!

We bought scraps at the Pendleton Woolen Mills outlet for a dollar and change per POUND! I stitched some of that on to some leather strips (from Oregon Leather Co, where you can also purchase scraps by the pound) and stole the hardware from a crappy Dollar Tree dog harness that was laying around.

First post! So exciting.

I wanted to start this blog to keep track of my ideas and feel like my projects have a beginning, middle, and end. I can keep track of ideas, changes to make to the pattern if I use it again, etc.

Basically the back story is... Ricky bought me a sewing machine for Christmas, I've been obsessed with sewing since. I started with baby shoes, then some little baby clothes because they use so little fabric and I have an adorable niece to sew for. Hurray!  Lately I've been getting really excited about sewing for myself.

I've been working my way through some free patterns to kind of "earn" (in my own mind) the right to purchase patterns that cost $$$. This post will include the 5 T-shirts that I have made for myself so far!!

I recently learned about the concept of a "wearable muslin." A muslin is basically a first draft to test for fit. A wearable muslin is just made out of a cheap material you don't love so that, if it fits, you can finish up and wear it and if it doesn't work, you can chuck it. These are all basically first drafts/wearable muslins!

T-shirt #1: German(?) pattern found on Pinterest 

My first project for me was this funky long-sleeve shirt with a drop shoulder. I found the free pattern link on Pinterest and I FELL IN LOVE. I went to Joann's to pick out fabric and didn't really like any of the options (SURPRISE) but it was my first draft, not my final draft. I can always make another!

The inspiration:

The sleeves are a little short, the bodice is a little long (rare!) and the bodice fit is a little loose in the bust. The ribbing at the neckline and cuffs is a little too stiff to play nice with the other materials but I liked this color combo the best.

The second version will probably be more like the original with charcoal, navy, royal/purpley blue, something like that. Or black. Also considering a stripey sailor version out of a red and white striped French terry that I just got! There will be more of these!!!

T-shirt #2: Maria Denmark  Kimono Tee

My first true T-shirt! I made this while Ricky's parents were visiting, finished it moments before we left for Lucca's first birthday party, and decided to wear it to the party!

Proof:

This fits more loosely than I would prefer so if I make another, I will use a smaller size in the bust/waist. The neckline is nice, more of a boatneck than most of the T-shirt patterns I see that have scoops! The fabric was $1.50 a yard from Girl Charlee so... that was great. I have it in three colors and I'm currently working on a wearable muslin (THE BEST) in the green version of these triangles!

T-shirt #3:  Skirt as Top  Scoop Top

After making T-shirt #2 out of some funky (but wearable, I think) burgundy triangle print, I decided to buy some cheapish neutral colors for future tees. I bought light gray, gray, and oatmeal (my favorites!!! but so boring!!) and made this T-shirt attempt out of my least favorite.

I love the color, but I could tell the material was going to be a PAIN in the arse cause it is SUPER stretchy and VERY thin. And it's rayon. So it was like lose-lose from the start. All hemming was pain in the arse but I learned a lot and used a double needle for the first time! And it's wrinkly as heck in this picture... Straight out of the dryer. Whoops!



T-shirt #4: Idyllwild Top/Dress from Itch to Stitch 

FULL DISCLOSURE: This pattern wasn't free, it cost exactly $1.

This pattern has a t-shirt or dress length, 2 neckline options, and like 4 sleeve lengths (sleeveless, cap, short, whatever). Obviously I made a T-shirt! It fits kinda boxy so I will make a narrower waist in any future versions. I love this oatmeal fabric. I just finally retired an old oatmeal scoop neck tee, so I think I was subconsciously replacing it.


T-shirt #5: Idyllwild-Scoop Tee FUSION!

This will be an evolving franken-pattern for my ideal t-shirt based on this accumulated knowledge.
Idyllewild t-shirt body with narrowed waist + Scoop Tee neckline + 1" additional length + neck neck binding technique = DIS SHIT. It's... okay!

Somehow the waist doesn't look narrower, the length isn't long enough, and the neck line still puckered but it looks okay on. The fabric is super weird cheap crap that does not get along with irons.

OH MAN. Time to wrap this post up. Jesus christ. T-shirts!