It's time for the Dustbowl again!

Yay, this Saturday is the Dustbowl Arts Market in Norman, Ok.  Last year was so much fun...I'm super excited to be part of this fair again!  If you are in the area, please come see me!

Here's a sneak peak of some of the little hair flower clips I'll have there! Hopefully I'll have some more pictures in the next few days, and then after the fair I have plans to restock my etsy store.  I have been VERY busy sewing this last month and have lots of new stuff!

Blessings, Jessica

Panasonic Iron Review

Sometimes I get e-mails from people wanting to know my opinions on sewing machines and serger brands.  Unfortunately I'm not a lot of help because all I've ever sewn on are Pfaffs, but like most people, I've been through my share of irons!  The expensive Rowenta I started out with didn't make it through the first two years of marriage.  For quite some time now I've been limping along with a little discount store iron a friend gave me when I needed one in a pinch.  I finally decided I needed something with a few more features (like getting hot for starters!).

So for everyone who wants an iron recommendations, I purchased this Panasonic iron two months ago, and LOVE it. It's pretty heavy, gets very hot with lots of steam, and has a fairly large detachable water tank.  It also has a retractable cord with built in storage on the base, and an auto-off.  The temperature dial seems really reliable and I haven't had any issues with it spitting water on any of the lower settings. I wasn't too sure about the detachable water tank, but it is actually so handy!  With a push of a button it comes off and I can fill it up in the sink and snap it right back on.  No more carrying little water containers back and forth, and no more dripping water all over trying to fill the iron up.  I leave my iron set up all the time, so the retractable cord isn't a big deal to me, but if I need to put it up, it'll be nice to not have the cord flopping all over.

The nicest thing about this iron though was that it was completely free with my Swagbucks earnings! You can find out more about Swagbucks HERE if you are interested!

Jessica

Fabric Acquisition and a Few Finished Projects

We went to Colorado last week and I got a picture of my grandson wearing the jacket I made. It fits! Well, it's actually somewhat big, but not too big that he can't wear it now and yet have growing room. When I asked him who made his jacket, he shouted, "Grammie made it!" He was excited and happy about the jacket, and that makes me happy. :-)


While we were in Colorado, Jessica and I took off one afternoon and went to Denver Fabrics. My, how that store has changed since I lived in Denver! We still managed to find some fabric (of course!). I bought two pieces for winter skirts, the plaid and a solid black--both wool blends. The white fabric is a sweater knit--perfect for the cardigan, bolero, or shrug patterns that I often see in the Ottobre magazines.


This fourth print is a lightweight poplin with a bold border print. I plan to use this for skirts for Ellen and Jessica. They both have green tops, and since they live in different houses they wouldn't have to be matchy-matchy (horrors!).


This last piece of fabric did not come from Denver Fabrics but was given to me by a dear friend in Denver who was cleaning out her stash and knows I love to sew. The fabric is baby corduroy in a soft pink---perfect for my little girl and two granddaughters. Not sure yet what I'll make.


Lastly, here is a sneak preview of what I stayed up sewing 'til the wee hours of the morning yesterday---I just couldn't stop because it was all coming together so nicely. In a few short weeks I am flying to Switzerland to visit my second-born daughter, her husband, and my new 3-month old grand baby. I can't wait to meet my newest granddaughter, and I just had to sew something for her! I'll post more about this sweet garment after I get pictures of the baby wearing it.


Happy Sewing,

My Honey and her Little Honey Dress

The dress is finished, the pictures are taken, and I've entered the dress in the Sewing For Children Contest at patternreview.com. Check out all the wonderful garments that other contestants have sewn, and if you are a PR member then place your vote after July 31st for the item you like best. Regardless of whether or not I win, this dress has truly been a delight to sew!



P.S. The fabric I used is called "Little Honey" which is why I call this the Little Honey Dress.

Little Honey Dress

The Little Honey Dress is finished! To save time, I've copied my review from Pattern Review here instead of writing another different post. In a day or so, I'll add pictures of Emily wearing the dress.

Pattern Description:
Oliver+S Jump Rope Dress Pattern

Shirtwaist dress features rounded collar and front placket detail. View A includes short sleeves with folded cuff and sleeve tab, slightly dropped waist, patch pockets, and self sash with belt loops. View B features long-sleeves with folded cuffs, A-line shaping, and gathered bias-trimmed patch pockets. I sewed view A.

Pattern Sizing:
Sizes 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 all in one envelope. Smaller sizes are also available. I made a size 5 and found the fit to be true to size.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
Inspired by a blouse on the cover of a recent Ottobre magazine, I decided to add a ruffle to the center front of the dress. Otherwise, my finished garment looks like the pattern.

Were the instructions easy to follow?
Excellent instructions! The front placket instructions in particular are very well-written and have clear illustrations. I've not had good success with this advanced type of placket, but by following the instructions my placket came out great. I'll refer to these instructions next time I sew this type of placket.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I love the front placket.
I love the dropped waist.
I love the many details in this pattern---the top stitching, the belt loops, the sleeve tabs, the pocket flaps, the sash, and the sweet little collar that rolls so nicely even without a separate collar stand.
I love the ruffle I added to the center front.
I love the way the found-in-my-stash purple buttons match the center of the flowers on the fabric.
I love the voile fabric I used. Lovely stuff, really, yummy, yummy voile from designer Anna Maria Horner.
I love the classic lines of this pattern.

Fabric Used:
Two coordinating prints of cotton voile from Anna Maria Horner. Did I mention how lovely this voile is?!!

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
Only 2 changes: I added a ruffle to the front of the dress, and I lined the skirt with white voile. There will be no searching for the always-lost slip with this dress...it has its own built-in slip.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Yes, and yes! My Emily wears a size 5, and the pattern goes up to a size 8. Yup, I'll be making it again!

Conclusion:
This is a sweet little pattern with a timeless, classic style.

I have enjoyed sewing this dress, and I can't wait to show you the pictures of Emily wearing it.

Elephants on Parade

We are leaving on vacation in two days, and my 3-year-old grandson did not have a jacket to take. So today I made him one. That sounds like I just sat down and made a jacket---false impression, there. This jacket gave me fits, mostly because of my own error. I thought the jacket would be quick and easy, but it seemed to take forever. I had to use my seam ripper all too often, and I broke 3 needles in the process. I really am slow when I sew. But finally, the jacket is finished and I think it's adorable. I can't wait to see it on Elliot.

The pattern: Ottobre 01/2005, design #26, Hooded Sweat Jacket

Size: 104 (US size 5 toddler)

Fabric: Sweatshirt fleece that Jessica bought from fabric.com. The hood is lined with a yummy-thick knit from Hancock's.


Wonder Tape is wonderful! I don't think the pocket edges would have turned out so nice and even without Wonder Tape.

I used the reverse side of my coverstitch for the hem. Yes, it is a bit curvy-crooked. :/

For fun, I added a bit of grosgrain ribbon to the hem---just a little embellishment I once saw on a ready-to-wear garment.


The hood has a piece of elastic at center front. Ottobre is great with these little details.

The sleeve backs have elbow patches. How cute is that? Not my original idea--part of the pattern. :)

Okay, were off to Colorado for a few days. I hope the jacket fits Elliot!

Little Honey Placket

Yesterday I started sewing the dress that I'm calling the "Little Honey Dress." The main fabric is called "little honey" and I hope it's going to be one honey of a dress for my little 5 year old honey. :) (Yes, I'm being goofy, but hey, that's okay, right?) The coordinating fabric is "village path" and both fabrics are cotton voile, made by Anna Maria Horner.


I love the ruffle on the Ottobre blouse, but instead of turning the blouse pattern into a dress, I decided to just add the ruffle to another pattern, the Jump Rope dress pattern by Oliver+S.

I didn't make much progress on the dress yesterday, but I started the placket. Because I've never sewn this type of placket ever before, I decided to take pictures of my progress in case it may be of help to somebody else. At first, I thought the placket would be confusing and complicated; but I followed the instructions step-by-step and it really wasn't difficult at all. So---here are the pictures:

Bodice Front: Placket placement; the bodice front is not cut open until after the placket pieces are sewn in place. This picture shows the markings that are to be placed at the center front of the bodices.


Ruffle Pieces: sewn, turned, pressed, gathered, and then basted to the center front. The ruffles were cut on the bias.


Placket Pieces: The ruffles are sandwiched between the bodice front and the placket pieces. The plackets pieces are sewn to the bodice and then the center front is cut opened.



I didn't have time to finish pressing and sewing everything in place, but this last picture gives you an idea of what the dress front will look like. I can't wait to get back to it!

More pictures at this Flickr set.