NewLook 6613 and Simplicity 2467

new summer dresses for my girls!
These dresses are easy!
In fact, Newlook 6613 is one of the first patterns I ever tried! and it was great from the first try!
I already made it several times for the my big girl and some of her friends.
I really like the shape of it and how easy it is... but I don't like the exposed back.
This time I wanted to add a bolero.. I looked for a sleeveless dress to make to match... and NL6613 seemed just the right thing!

I already posted a pattern review for this pattern right here!

The bolero I chose is from Simplicity 2467:


And here are the results...







Now for some conclusions and thoughts...
NEWLOOK 6613
1. I like the dress, simple as it is. It can be embalished, but I chose to only add piping (my first piping!!!!) as I thought it will look better this way.
2. For my almost 7 years old I made size 8, and made the elastics in the back in a smaller size. I made ths skirt longer, since she really likes long dresses. The fit is great!
3. for my 3.5 years old... well - here's a problem I have and I had to see it coming... In all of her fitted dresses lately... they are very snug on her! I know why! I made her size 3... I should have made 4. I made the elastics pretty tight... In my mind she's still a baby! I can't seem to get over that! After I cut the fabric (or before, when I trace the pattern) it just looks to big for her! I keep forgetting that my baby is getting bigger! But that's my problem... Not the pattern!

Simplicity 2467:
1. I made the bolero - twice. Size 6 for Lady H, size 3 for lady N. They were both big! wearable... but way too big!
2. I like the shape - and how easy it is. So easy... took me about an hour to sew!
3. I changed the design just a bit - instead of a button and a loop. I decided to add ribbons on both sides to make the bolero two sided!

4. I'll have to make it again, but in solid color, something to go with every sleevless outfit my girls have...



I also have a skirt pattern to share... But it'll have to wait, as I still don't have any pictures...

Bye for now!

My new turtles!

As soon as I saw the pattern, in melly&me blog, I knew I had to have it!

(picture from the Melly&me site)

I do not usually make stuffies, but every so often, there's one that I must make.
And I have some unresolved issues with turtles, aren't they cute? small, slow, wild animals, not 'cute' in the actual sense of the word, not colorful or furry,,, but very cute as a stuffed animal.
Here are some turtles I made in the past - birthday cakes..




Isn't it funny how our favorites suffed animals (and cakes, for that matter) are those 'simple', grey, animals? turtles, elephants, bears... not the colorfull ones, such as birds...

So here are my new turtles...




I put on the spots before sewing the shell, which is why the spots are not very nice... but the girls do not care. They both asked for two turtles, a boy and a girl... I will have to get to that...

The Pattern Review
Usually I find the instructions by Melly&me a bit lacking... only words, for me, since my English is not that good, it is sometimes hard to follow.
This pattern was a great surprise, it was followed with some drawings to explan very well how to attach the inner legs so that it will look very good, and I folloiwed it without a problem! (you can find similar instructions here)
This is an easy pattern, but really cute!
The turtle is small... kind of the size of a real turtle. I think I'll enlarge it and make larget turtles the next time I do it.

I'll make them and I think it is a great beginner's pattern!

My new bag - Simplicity 2396

As promised, I made a new bag for myself, and I LOVE it!

The pattern is really very simple, I guess I could draft it myself... But I like it better to buy patterns and use them :-)

Here is the pattern:

This time I decided it will be my perfect bag! I made sure it looked big enough, I placed two pockets inside and a zippered pocket outside, and I even added a cute little 'thing' (see in the picture below) on a loop inside the bag, making roon for me to "hang" my keys so they wouldn;t get lost inside the mess in the bag!

And it is perfect!

Look!

The pattern Review
I really didn't need the instructions for this bag! It is so easy!
So I can't even comment on how easy or difficult they are...
The bag is very roomy, I like that about it!
Changes from the original design:
I added a zippered pocket on the outside and two pockets on the inside. (not zippered, but next time I'll make them zippered also).

fabric used:
quilting cotton, I interfaced the outer fabric, all the pockets and the shoulder straps.

Will I make it again:
Yes, a friend already asked me for a bag, just like this one but a little smaller, and I plan to make another one for myself too.
I love it, did I mention that?

Coming up next... an unsuccssful swimming suit experience, and an I'm-not-sure skirt...
soon, I hope...

Mccall 5813 - shorts!

I really liked this pattern when I sew it. I have been looking for a while for good pants for myself in wovens, and this seemed just right.


I made my muslin. I decided on shorts, because it is much more usefull right now. It turned out great! I love it, so confortable. I plan on making a few more before the end of August, so I can take them all to our summer vacation!


To the pattern review
Not much to say, since I changed nothing (but the length, since I made shorts). I made size 12, and the fit is perfect. I since these are perfect summer shorts, and I plan to make nore. I think the long version will also look nice! I have the fabric for it, and I plan on making it pretty soon!
my best shorts for staying around the house of for water activities with the girls!

Coming up next... my new bag!

The Magic Skirts.. AKA Skorts!

I never knew these are called skorts... so at my home we refer to them as "Magic Skirts", skirts with shorts under them, and they are a big hit!
I used Emily by Mamu Design.

I made the Skort, I like this pattern for having so many options in it... not to mention it includes many sizes of doll size patterns... a great deal!
But, The English translation is not that good. Maybe it's me - I am not experienced enough, and I do not understand English well enough, to understand the instructions... That's pretty bad, because at the moment I have quiet a few patterns by this company that I really hesitate about buying... I wish they had photo toturials for each pattern, same as Farbenmix. This would help a LOT!
anyway - I already made two for my little one, and one for my bigger one... they both love it!
The two for my little one




I thought that was enough, but my 6.5 years old wanted one (or more) too... and I actually like these, because even at 6.5.. still it's usefull during playtime to have some shorts under the skirt...
So here's her version



Now for the actual pattern review...
I like the paper, it is thick, and the parts are well drawn.
As for the instructions... I already noted, it might be my poor English, but other then the skort, which is easy enough to understand, I found the other views confusing... I may give it another try one day though.
The pattern seems a bit on the big side to me. It's a skirt, so I don't mind... but I made both the girls a size too small (because I copied the pattern pieces last year, but didn't get to it until now) and just left seam allowances. and the skorts are big.
In the original pattern the ruffle part is only on the back side. I chose to make it also on the front... I like it better this way.
No other chances were made...
all in all - I like it, as for the other views, I need to cut the pieces and play with it until I understand...
The skort itself is very usefull for a child who plays on sand and dirt, so I see many more coming for my little one...

Coming up next - shorts for myself!

Summing up June 2010

I saw other bloggers do that, and I like the idea. Mostly I am following Katie from Kadiddlehopper. I will not expand on how much of what I sewed this month is from stash... I don't really want to think about that...
Anyhow - here's what I managed this month.
NewLook 6106 - two tops for me. here and here...
Pattern notes: great summer top, no fitting issues!
black simple skirt for myself - didn't document it yet..
tini for a friend.. right here
and for another friend - I did not document it...
Simplicity 2464 here it is.
Pattern notes: cute dress. Special because of the back view. Keep this one - it'll be in use!
Ronja for my dd
Pattern notes - not sure yet. The fit is great, the skirt panels are too long in my view. keep it to give it another chance...
Zoe for my dd,
Pattern notes - cute easy top (after adjustment). I will use it again..
Both can be seen right here.
two skorts for my little one, didn't post on that just yet... (very very soon)
all in all -
Four new patterns - That's good!
Ten items are plenty for me... So I did good, considering what a difficult month this was...
I only made two tops for me, I was supposed to make more 'me' stuff...
I did not master any 'new' technique...
Only one item is from 'stash fabric'... all others are from fabric that I bought last month (yes, I baught so much in May....).


My plans for the coing month...
1. Swiming suit for myself - that's a challenge, because I need bra cups and I'm trying to understand how to insert those...
2. Swiming suit for my niece.
3. new bag for myself
everything else will be a bonus... but I really hope to manage the Elodie for both my girls...

That's it for now :-)