Some Baby Sewing (not for me, for my cousin!) ;)

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Happy Monday Everyone! Hope the sun is shining wherever you may be. It definitely isn't here. :( But spring is on its way!

Several months ago, my cousin found out that she was having a baby boy, which was pretty exciting! Of course, my first thought was "I don't know what to make for boys! I don't think I have any boy patterns or boy fabric!" What would I do? What DID I do? :)

Well her shower was yesterday, so I can now share with you what I made, and I am so excited to do so!

First up are the lovely little baby hats I made using the Lullaby Line Hats and Scratch Mitts pattern by Peek-a-Boo!

Aren't they little cuties???? I seriously am in love with this pattern! It is so easy to follow and such a quick sew! It probably took me less than a half hour to make both of these from cut to finish! There are also three different hat style options: the two pictured here and a single knot version. You also get the pattern pieces and instructions for making scratch mitts! I have not made them yet but they look as quick and fun to sew as the hats! I used my serger to make these hats but the instructions are written for either regular machine or serger sewing. This is an excellent beginner project for anyone new to sewing or sewing with knits! They make excellent baby shower gifts! I heard many women awing over them yesterday. :)

By the way, I used knit fabric from Girl Charlee to make these hats! If you have never bought or seen their beautiful selection of knit fabrics, you are missing out!

The next thing I made was an Infinity Nursing Scarf!

I discovered infinity scarves back in December or November (sometime before Christmas) and fell in love with them! I made several as gifts, if you remember from this post. Well I have seen these nursing scarves all over pinterest and etsy and I just had to make one! It turned out perfect! See the cute little label I made to roll it up in?

As you can see, I used the same Girl Charlee fabric for the scarf as I did for one of the hats, so mommy and baby can be matchy matchy!

Next, I made some burp cloths using this tutorial. (There is a FREE pattern!!!)

Aren't they darling??? They are designed to accommodate your neck perfectly! I seriously love them! They are reversible, so you could use two different prints for two different looks. Or you could just use the same print on front and back, like me! I used flannel for both sides, unlike the pattern designer who used quilting cotton for the front, which would be fun too! For the owl cloth, I added a layer of fleece in the middle to make it more absorbent....you know for those really messy days! I got the idea from this blog. (Some great step-by-step pics here for you visual learners)

Last but definitely not least is the soft and cuddly blanket I made!

I LOVE this blanket! This was my own idea! No tutorial, so I just made up my own measurements and it turned out so beautifully! I used flannel for the top and cuddle fleece for the bottom, both of which I got at Jo-Ann's. It's actually a pretty big blanket. It is easily big enough to cover a crib mattress. I just love how soft and sweet it is! I hope my future little second cousin gets lots of snuggle time with it!

Well that is all! Here is a pic of all the gifts together, plus some store bought pj's my mom picked out, which I think are super cute!

Hope you enjoyed! Happy Sewing!

Peek-a-Boo Pattern Release: The Lullaby Line

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Attention! Attention please! I have an announcement to make! :) Today, Peek-a-Boo Patterns released the greatly anticipated Lullaby Line! This line includes six patterns, which you can purchase as a bundle (and save $10) or individually. Here is a peek of this adorable new line of patterns for newborns and toddlers.

 
Precious I know! My cousin is going to be having a baby boy around March and I am so excited this line has come out! Well hurry over to Peek-a-Boo Patterns today and get your hands on at least one, if not the whole bundle, of these newly released patterns! If you aren't convinced by these adorable pictures that Peek-a-Boo Patterns are amazing, then check out my blog posts here, here, here, here, and here that all feature some of my own creations using a Peek-a-Boo Pattern.

Happy Sewing!

Christmas Sewing Projects: Part Four

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For my fourth and final Christmas sewing project, I made the Winter PJ's by Peek-a-Boo Pattern for my little nieces. I have had this pattern for a while but this was my first time to use it and I LOVE it! Easy to follow and produces excellent results!

Super cute and cozy! I made a size 5 and 18 month. Both were great fits according to their momma! :) I used rib knit for the cuffs and a medium weight cotton jersey knit for the main body. I got both fabrics at Jo-Ann's in the Red Tag section when they were an additional 50% off. It was a pretty sweet deal and I just love the print!

These pj's are a quick sew and who doesn't love that???? I also love that I can sew all the seams with my serger, except for the top's hem, the topstitching of the collar, and the waistband. Because I couldn't fine my twin needle, I just used a stretch stitch on my sewing machine.

The instructions for this pattern are excellent and I highly recommend this pattern for beginners, as long as they are comfortable sewing with knits, which I know can be a challenge. Of course, I no longer fear knits thanks to my serger! :) The only part of the pattern that I did not follow involved attaching the collar. I used a 1/4 inch seam allowance to attach it rather than the 1/2 inch used throughout the pattern. I attempted the 1/2 inch initially but I could see it made the ribbing too narrow, so I changed to the 1/4 inch.

Another thing I LOVE about this pattern is that there is actually a front and back to the bottoms, unlike other pj patterns I have used. I think this makes for a better fit. Since I do not have clothing tags, I came up with the idea of using a small piece of ribbon to make it easy to tell the front from the back. I am sure this is not a novel idea, but I was pretty happy that I thought of it for this purpose. 

Please, ignore the long thread that was not clipped prior to taking this picture. :)

I highly recommend this pattern and I know I will use it over and over again, as the size goes all the way up to 8 years. And as my nieces love to run around in their pj's as long as they can! :)

Well that concludes my Christmas sewing project series.

Happy Sewing! 

Christmas Sewing Projects: Part Two

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Up next to share from my Christmas sewing is The Snow Day Fleece Hat and Mittens by Peek-a-Boo Patterns. I bought this pattern back in November, but last week was the first time I was able to sit down and make it. I only made the hat this time around, which made for a very quick sew. I used this adorable owl fleece (remember my owl craze??) to make these matching hats for my cousin's little girls.

They turned out pretty darn cute if I do say so myself. :) And the girls loved them!

As to my review of  the actual pattern, I think it is a must have! Super easy to follow with several different style and size options. Make the standard hat like I did or make it without the pompoms. For little ones that like to take their hats off or to keep those ears extra warm, make the ear flap version. With seven different size options, you can make one for all the kiddos. I made the XL (child) size for my cousin's oldest daughter and I could actually fit it on my head, so I think the XXL (tween) would be a perfect fit for me! :)

This pattern is also an excellent scrap buster, as it really takes a small amount of fleece. The longest continual piece you will need will be for the hat band. 

As I said above, I did not make the mittens, but I read through the directions and they were easy to follow. Pictures accompany the instructions for both the hat and the mittens, which are always an added bonus. This is a great pattern combo at a great price.

Make one and you will probably never buy a ready made hat again! Why do so when you can make your own with your kids' favorite print choices??? :) Go get The Snow Day Fleece Hat and Mittens today and see how fast you can whip out a new matching set for your little ones. I know they will be a hit! :)

Peek-A-Boo Surprise :)

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Hey Everyone! I have exciting news to share! Peek-a-Boo Patterns is having an AMAZING holiday sale! I went a little crazy with it myself (I bought five patterns or was that six??), as I am sure you will.
 Click here to visit Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop.                

Here is a cute video created by the lovely owner of Peek-a-Boo Patterns. It will give you a great preview of some of her amazing patterns before you head off to shop! I know it is hard to choose between all these lovely patterns, but don't worry! The more you buy the more you save! :) Happy Shopping Everyone! Also, this sale ends on Saturday, so make sure you don't miss out!
Click here to visit Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop.

   
                               

The Little Gentleman Tie and Bow Tie by Peek-a-Boo Patterns

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"It's the most wonderful time of the year!" I LOVE this time of year so very much for so many reasons! I love Thanksgiving! I love Christmas! I love New Years! I just LOVE the holidays. I love that we set aside a day to take a break from our busy lives to remember all the things we have to be thankful for, and there really are so many thing!. Thanksgiving really should be a year long celebration.

Christmas is my ultimate favorite holiday! Christmastime is truly magical, the season of hope. I have always felt this way since a child and I think it ultimately has to do with the fact that Christmas is the time to celebrate Christ's birth, a truly miraculous event and the greatest gift ever given to humankind.

For me, New Years is bittersweet. I always become reflective on New Years Eve as I say farewell to the past year and welcome in the new, reflecting on the past memories of the year and wondering what memories the new one holds.

With all that said, I am definitely in the holiday spirit! Ready to break out that Christmas music and decorate my apartment this weekend!

I am also ready to start working on those Christmas gifts!!! And speaking of which, I have to share a project I whipped up last Friday with one of my new Peek-a-Boo patterns. I sort of went on a pattern splurge last week! Haha but it was so worth it!!! Have you seen all the amazing new patterns that have been added over the past month????

Anyways, check out these adorable bow ties I made using the Little Gentleman Tie and Bow Tie pattern. Click here to view more details

Aren't these adorable??? (You'll recognize the fabric, as I used it for the small stripe on my Betty bag) I seriously LOVE this pattern! It results in perfect bows! And there are so many options to it. You can make the tie or bow ties in four different sizes. You can make a single bow tie (like mine) or you can make a stacked bow tie (which looks adorable!). You can use Velcro or snaps for the closure. I love the Velcro because it makes the neck width easily adjustable.

So cute!

This pattern is so easy to follow, with clear instructions and accompanying pictures. From cut to finish, these can easily be whipped up in an hour for newer sewers, and those expert sewers can probably whip them out in half that time. And these bow ties are excellent scrap buster projects!

They really are just perfect! And you might not be able to tell from the pics, but these bows are not floppy! They have great shape and structure! Interfacing is a wonder! I can't wait to make more of these and to try out the tie version of the pattern! I know some little gentlemen that need one of each! :)

Don't wait around! ;) Go get your Little Gentleman Tie and Bow Tie pattern today! :)

New Peek-a-Boo Patterns!!

Hurry over to Peek-a-Boo Patterns! The Comfy Cozy Robe and Slippers have been released! If you purchase them together, you save! Seriously, you can't have the robe without the slippers. ;)  And what a perfect Christmas gift! I bought my set! Can't wait to make some matching robes and slippers! I'll be sure to share pics when I do. :) Happy sewing everyone!

The Newsie Cap by Peek-a-Boo Patterns

So last week, Peek-a-Boo patterns started a new Friday tradition: Customer Appreciation Day! Every Friday, the lovely owner of this pattern shop will give away a free pattern to one lucky customer. In order to participate and have a chance at winning a free pattern, you must have made something in the past week using a Peek-a-Boo pattern. How fun is that! Last week, I wasn't able to participate, but this week I am! Yesterday, I made my first Peek-a-Boo Newsie Cap.

Isn't it adorable???? And talk about a fun, quick sew with a perfectly beautiful result!  This was my first time working with corduroy and I believe my first time sewing a real hat (at least I think). This pattern is great! It comes with several size options. I made the child size option, which I could almost fit on my head. So maybe the biggest size would be perfect for me??? ;) This hat is meant to be roomy and slouchy. If you are worried about sizing, don't be. The finished circumference of each size is given (and it is accurate), and there is also a formula for making a custom fit band. 

This pattern walks you through each step, with clear instructions and pictures. This hat is fully lined! You could use the same color for the lining or you could add a pop of color for a hidden surprise (like I did)!

Don't you love this lining fabric??? This fun apple print makes it the perfect little school girl hat! I have to tell you, I got both of these fabrics at Jo-Ann's one day when the red tag clearance was an additional 50% off. I think I got the apple print for like a $1 something a yard and the corduroy for $3 something.

I finished off the top of my hat with an adorable, large covered button.

Is that just perfect or what??? Even my husband was like "No way! That is so cute!" But don't tell anyone he said that. ;)

I am so pleased with this pattern! I can't wait to make more! This one is going to a special little six year old girl! I want to make some matching ones for my little nieces next. These really are just too adorable! If you haven't already, you used definitely get this pattern! :)

Ribbons and Bows

Here is another fun project that I completed about two weeks ago.

You might remember that I made these once before and shared them in this post. Several weeks ago, I realized Jo-Ann carries small rolls of grosgrain ribbon for $1. (The purple floral and chevron stripes were small rolls; the purple with teal polka-dots was a regular roll.) I was able to make three bows with the small rolls.

Also around that same time, I found some different shelf liner that was actually about half the thickness of regular shelf liner, yet it works just as good. No slipping at all!

I love making these bows and adding them to gifts! I loved hair bows when I was little, so seriously what little girl wouldn't love them. I mentioned this before, but I found this excellent tutorial here.
I definitely recommend making them! They would make a cute addition to any holiday outfit!

And speaking of holiday outfits! Today is Thursday and you know what that means?!?!?! It is Thrifty Thursday over at Peek-a-Boo patterns! Today's amazing deal is the Elaina Pintuck Party Dress!

Click here to view more details about this dress and its amazing features! Talk about adorable and perfect for Christmas! Grab this pattern up today for only $4 and make some matching no-slip hair bows! Your little lady/ladies will be the bell/bells of the ball! ;) Oh and to sweeten the deal, Peek-a-Boo patterns is also offering a bundle deal for those purchasing this dress along with her bolero pattern!!! Save even more and buy the two together! :)

Newly Updated Peek-a-Boo Pattern!!!

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Today, Peek-a-Boo Patterns released the newly updated Perfect Peasant Dress pattern, which goes up to size 12! Click here to view more details! Though I have many Peek-a-Boo patterns, I somehow missed this one!! It is adorable! I just purchased it! Be sure to check it out! I can't wait to make one!

Hannah's Third Birthday

If you remember, I started this blog about a year ago, and one of my first posts was about the Ariel dress I made for my niece Hannah's second birthday. I smile when I look back and remember how everything about sewing was still new if not foreign to me. :) I remember being so proud that I learned to gather, hem, and install an invisible zipper with that Ariel dress.

Here we are now, one year later and I have branched out some and learned a thing or two more about sewing. And since then, I have discovered pdf patters, my new addiction and my husband's new nightmare. ;) (Aw...he is a great sport!) So this year, I did not make the dress that my niece wore to her party. Instead, I spent my time making her gifts. I can't begin to say how pleased I am with how everything turned out and how well I managed my time. I am usually a procrastinator, but this time I had all of my gifts completed by last Thursday and her party was Saturday! Pretty good for me, since I am usually still finishing up some detail the day of..... :)

I wanted to share with you the gifts I made for my niece and give a shout out to one of my favorite pdf pattern makers, Peek-a-Boo Patterns!!!

Let's start with the gift I made using one of my newest favorite patterns by Peek-a-Book Patterns!

Sisters' Matching Pullovers!!!

These adorable matching pullovers were made using the Varsity Cowl Neck Pullover pattern, which you can purchase here. I had to make Hannah and her little sister matching " I love Grandma" pullovers! I am sure you can tell from the picture that I used fleece for this project, but this pullover can also be made using knit fabric. I seriously love!!!! this pattern! They turned out SO adorable. And quite honestly it was one of the easiest clothing projects I have made. The trickiest part of this pattern is the neckline where the two pieces of the collar overlap, but the pattern is very detailed and does an excellent job walking you through this step. There is NO hemming, which I loved! Seriously, I was able to cut everything out for both of these patterns and have them finished sewing in one afternoon sitting. I used my serger, which worked great. Obviously, I highly recommend this pattern and any pattern by Peek-a-Boo patterns! I have purchased so many of her great patterns, and Thrifty Thursday is a day to remember! Check out her blog to learn what Thrifty Thursday is all about!

Next is gift number two, the pink hair bows! 

Aren't they beautiful?

So beautiful, we need another angle, right?

This was my first attempt at real hair bows. Using this amazing tutorial from Make It & Love It, I was easily able to make these adorable clips. You will be amazed at how easy it is to make these very complicated looking bows. She also provides an excellent solution for keeping these bows from slipping from those baby-fine locks of hair. I made these little bows from start to finish in about two hours, but I am sure with practice, they could be made faster. Just watch out for that hot glue! My fingers were a little sore afterwards.

On to gift number three,  the beautiful Every Little Thing Dress. This pattern is by Shwin Designs and can be purchased here. Check out the little beauty I made using Michael Miller fabric.

Isn't it sweet?

 I just love the big bow in the center. This dress may look complicated but it is an excellent dress for confident beginners. The scariest part is making the button holes. I also made some cute little matching bow hair ties using this tutorial and free pattern!  Here is a close up of these beauties.

Okay on to gift number four. I must say I have saved this for last because it was probably my most time consuming project, mainly because I spent a lot of time searching for the perfect pattern, only to find it was right under my nose the whole time and FREE! My niece loves to play doctor/nurse, so this year my parents bought her a doctor's kit for her birthday. My mom and I were talking one day and I said something about how fun it would be to make her a nurse's outfit. Of course, my mom was all about that. I started doing some research and stumbled upon this blog post. I was so excited! I had never heard of Nurse Nancy, but apparently it is a Little Golden Book classic! Of course, I immediately looked on Amazon.com to see if there was anyway this book was available and it was!!! It was also very inexpensive! Only $3.59 and Prime shipping! I ordered it right away and set to work using ikat bag's free pattern for Nurse Nancy's hat. She didn't have a pattern for the apron, so I set out to find a pattern that looked like Nurse Nancy's apron. After lots of searching and no luck, I suddenly remembered that 5Berries had recently offered a free apron pattern and tutorial on their blog. I went to check it out here and thought, "With a few modifications, this could work!" And it did!!!!

A perfect match!

As you can tell, I left off the ruffles and added pockets and the blue and white medic symbol identical to Nurse Nancy's.

Back view

I also lengthened the neck straps and made them skinnier, because I wanted the apron to fit just like Nancy's. I attached the neck straps to the waist straps about an inch and a half past where the skirt of the apron ends. It worked perfectly! I cannot tell you how pleased I was with how this project turned out! I am still timid when it comes to branching out from a pattern. I like to be able to just follow everything step-by-step, but my brave endeavor paid off. I think my little Nurse Hannah will be adorable in her uniform. :)

And here is one final glimpse of the gifts just before getting wrapped.

All together!

Oh I almost forgot, after my new found bow making confidence, thanks to Make It & Love It's blog tutorial, I also made some other bow clips (displayed at the bottom right). For these, I used this tutorial from CKC's blog, another of my favorite children's pdf pattern makers.

Well that's all folks! Hope you enjoyed a little glimpse of my sewing endeavors from the past two weeks. Maybe you will be inspired to make something for the little girls in your lives. :)