Coveting this magazine

I was reading about several sewing books on Amazon ( Making Children's clothes and Sewing Clothes Kids Love) when I came across a review that mentioned the magazine Ottobre.  Check out the website:  http://www.ottobredesign.com/en/index.html.  They have a whole magazine dedicated to kids clothes that kids would not be embarrassed to wear.  (I know my kids are not at that age yet, but they will be shortly.)  Maybe this can be a birthday gift to myself for a year.  Then I'd have so many patterns, I'd never be done sewing.  
Happy browsing!

In Progress: a Mei Tai

I have recently discovered that it is so easy to carry J (10 mo, ~14 pounds) on my back.  I have a maya wrap, but it's difficult to get her on by myself.  A friend had a mei tai, which I very much admire.  I have been putting her in the bjorn on my back with the help of my husband to shovel feet and feet of snow this week, but I can't get her in or out by myself.  Thank goodness the fabric arrived from fabric.com before the 2 snow storms!

This is a combination of Brooke's mei tai http://stilllearninglife.blogspot.com/2008/01/diy-hood-to-headrest-mei-tai-tutorial.html and Beth's pocket mei tai  http://thosemartins.com/bmt/index.htm.  I'm making it reverseable, with the pocket on one side.  I might make the hood zip off - will have to see how comfortable the zipper teeth would be near baby's head.

J's baby quilt

Jovianne's Baby Quilt, 2009 Channuka

                                                                            Top of Quilt

Used blue line embroidery squares from my Great Aunt Jean.  They were mostly finished.  I tried my hand at the blue line embroidery to finish some french knots and some of the lettering.  It's not outstanding, but it's completed.

I already had the fabric with the hexagons and sage with embroidered flowers (an aborted duvet cover for our bed). Just bought the blue w/ green flowers @ JoAnn's for the back and edging.

At the direction of a friend, I finished the final edging seam by hand.  I don't really enjoy sewing by hand, but it does allow you to catch up on law and order. 

Overall, I think this turned out well.  Its a good combination of vintage, modern and femininity.




Both sides shown

Squares, up close

You can see the nested hexagon quilting I did by machine, using my new walking foot.  So much easier!!! I also embroidered her birth information on the bottom right square using the programmable stitches on my new machine.  Thanks for contributing to the new machine fund, everyone.

Recent Projects for the kids

Vehicle pajamas (Oliver and S Bedtime story pajamas pattern, 4T)

Aprons for friends' children (holiday gifts)

Modelling apron and chef's hat (http://www.youcanmakethis.com/info/featured-products/FREE-Child-and-Adult-Size-Chef-Hat.htm)

Bathrobe made with pre-washed waffle weave cotton (very difficult to sew - I don't recommend it!) from Burda 9828. The ties ended up being a bit low for him and the hood is too big, but he loves getting out of the bath to wear it now.

See? The hood is way too big.























Pants (Oliver and S pajama pattern with modified waistband to allow for buttonhole elastic.

They have a huge hem so I can let it out as he grows.)

Diapers for 8" doll (Request by G and only 3 only took about 30 minutes. Used tailor's chalk to mark inside of diaper, which turned into looking like something else. Keep scrolling down.)

Basically, I laid the doll on the fabric, then pulled up the fabric, like you would a diaper and cut a rectangle. Then I cut out the crotch area and zigzag or straight stitched the edges and added velcro tabs on the back and a velcro band across the front like cloth diaper covers. Now he can easily diaper the doll himself. Will be making clothes for the doll soon. (on 1" square cutting board)