Bubble Pocket Top and Spin Skirt

I had the pleasure of testing a pattern for the talented Heidi who is the brains behind the blog Elegance and Elephants.  She makes the most adorable clothes for her children,

and has decided to share her talent with the world by releasing original design patterns.

Heidi’s newest pattern up for release (afternoon on 7/3/13) is the Bubble Pocket Top and Spin Skirt.

The bubble pocket is a really fun detail Heidi has been adding to her designs.  This top/skirt combo does not disappoint.  Such cuteness for a little girl.  I had a great time sewing this up!  Had an even greater time seeing it on my lovely model.  Thanks T for letting me borrow your sweetie pie.

So, here’s my spin on the Bubble Pocket Top and Spin Skirt.

For fun I added a handmade fabric flower to the top.

The outfit in action.

If you have a moment, you should hop on over to Heidi’s site,  have a look around and get the scoop on this new pattern.

The handmade community is alive and well my friends!  It doesn’t matter what you make with your hands…..just create!  Hope you are enjoying your Monday.

T-shirt refashion (handsewn edition)

In the age of electric sewing machines, hand sewing seems like a thing of the past.  It is alive and well my friends.  Hence this project.  At least the first part of it anyway.

So, I needed a project for a three hour car ride to and from the airport.  And because children’s clothes use less fabric, I decided to make something for none other than Curly Cutie.  I am determined to use every piece of clothing given to me by my neighbor before she moved.  Remember the first t-shirt refashion I completed from said clothes?  Ha!  Actually Curly Cutie is wearing the shirt today.  She loves it.  On to our next subjects.

 

 

Armed with a pattern, these t-shirts, scissors, and pins I was ready to take this project on the road.  I decided to use the floral print and solid red t-shirts to make CC a dress.  I thought I would use the white shirt to add ruffles or something, but I nixed that.  I completed the project in well under the three hours.  There were some things I didn’t have to do since I used finished garments.  No hemming or finishing seams.

 

 

I removed the sleeves from original shirt.  Cut those down to size and reattached.  Left neckline alone.  Cut off bottom.  I sliced the floral print shirt right underneath v-neck and just used bottom portion.  There was only one problem.  When we got home and CC tried it on it was way to big.  She also made a request to have it sleeveless.  So much for ALL my hard work.  Lol.

 

 

That’s what I get for trying a new pattern and not sticking to what is tried and true.  Using a piece of nice fitting clothing as a pattern.  No need to fix a method that’s not even broken.  If CC would be able to wear this, I had to go back in and fix it.  It was kinda sad having to pick through those hand stitches.  Since I was at home, you already know I hopped on my machine to get the job done.  This in no way took away from my appreciation of hand stitching.  I learned that if I needed to do it, I could.  Being that I don’t have to right now, I won’t.  Lol.

We both really like the final product.

 

 

 

 

 

I’m not all that comfortable just yet with finishing knit armholes.  For this project I just used the hem of the original sleeve and added it to the tank part.  Turned out great.

 

 

And this is another way we are doing clothes for CC the easy (inexpensive) way.