Spring is officially here!

And I started Summer sewing!
As usual.. there's always this issue of.. why bother???? The girls have so many clothes. cute ones! dresses, etc... My boy also has a lot of clothes...
Actually, my oldest, being a tween and all, is really obsessed now days with the clothes she is willing to dress.. It's difficult to find those rare items in the store, that are priced reasonably and both of us approve of it. I guess most of my Summer sewing will be for her. And for me.. I also need some tops.
But I started with shorts for my 8 years old. She really is a tom boy. She loves wearing dresses, but if they are not VERY comfortable.. she'll never wear them again. same for pants! she refuses to wear Jeans, or any pants/shorts with buttons or zipper. So I was really pleased when she felt this very soft floral denim fabric and decided that yes, I can make her some shorts out of it..

The pattern is Oliver + S Sunny Days Shorts, and it is FREE! You can download it here... I have never used Oliver + S patterns before.. translated to Israeli money they are really expensive.. but I may just have to.. it really is a great pattern!
I did not add anything to this really basic shorts, knowing that for my eight years old any addition might just get in the way of, well... of messing around... I made size 8. It's slightly too big, but the elastics in the waist keep it all in place.

Then I continued with my tween. She chose a really weird fabric, Mottled (I hope I'm using the correct term, this is what google translate gave me). But I don't have much of it so I first made a try of a simple top using some other fabric. The pattern is Ottobre 01-2014-28. I made size 146 exactly as instructed. I finished the neck, sleeves and bottom end of the top with black bands of fabric.I kile this look. My girl loves it and gave me the OK to make the same top with that mottled fabric...

Also for my tween.. The school has some talent show every year, and this year was selected to represent her class. RESPECT, right??? She asked me to make a dress.. She never asks me make her dresses anymore!!! so I had to agree (even though I only had two days.. two work days... for that. I made her my beloved Maria dress, which I made so many times before. Still used size 10, but added seam allowances and added about on inch to the front. That was a mistake, it's too big... So next time I will have to make it narrower (just add seams to the sides do NOT add to the middle!), and make it longer next time. Still, my girl liked it a lot!

Next I plan two tops for myself and.. well.. I have to.. few summers dresses for my younger girls (yes, even though they don't need dresses..)
Bye

More of the Maria Dress

Sometimes I find these patterns.. where one is not enough. The Maria dress is such a dress.
I showed you before the first items I made out of this dress.. right here
But since then I made it again.. and again.. and again...
For both girls for Shavoot. My 7 years old dress if from the white lycra and lace I got two months ago. I think her dress is wroth the 45 NOS I paid for the fabric!!!

Them my sister, 10 years younger than me and I guess about 20 kg less... asked for a dress too. I was happy to make her. I used size 14 of the dress and expanded it just a bit. How pretty, right???

I guess it makes it more than just a great tween pattern, it's also a slim women pattern!
So I decided.. so what if I'm so fatter then I should be.. I also deserve a dress. It doesn't look so nice on me as it is on my sister.. but what the hell..

Will I ever be thin again?
Now, just so you don't think I'm making only dresses.. I actually make a lot of stuff... but most of them are not worth a mention, juts simple leggings and shorts for the kids, I don't really have the time lately to challenge myself with new patterns, with complicated projects. I know it'll get easier, in 1-2 years.. but at the moment between work and kids...
so I'll just show a little of what I've made recently.. From the floral pink Jersey fabric from two months ago. two Olivia dress to use as night gowns, and legging for my three years old. again - worth the money I paid for it.

And last for this post - the cakes and muffins I prepared for three years old for their birthday last week... I wanted to make more.. but I didn't have the time...

On another note.. many cities in Israel are under the non ending missile attacks.. I wish us all a quiet night, and hoping to have piece as soon as possible!

tween sewing - Maria dress

Its Independence day here... Spring... Time for dresses!
This one dress both my tween and myself approved.. which doesn't happen too often. Usually her favorite dresses are too short or too tight for my taste...
I refer to The Maria Dress
I tried it the first time for my 10.5 years old. size 10... a sightly see through fabric. I than repeated twice more with black and white variations. I plan another dress, white one, for Shavoot. The picture fail to show how pretty these dresses are, and how great they fit my girl!

Than my 7 years old wanted such a dress too. The first version I made for her was was size 7. It was too big.. too long... didn't like it... I gave it a friend of hers, who is one year older, and the dress is a perfect fit for her. I than used the same size 7 that I traced but left out the middle part and narrowed just a bit the top parts.. This is what I got..

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Pattern Review:
Amazing dress! so pretty... Two variations of the skirts... both my girls voted for the rectangle option as more "in".
The size goes up to 14, which means I have years more to enjoy the pattern, also a great bonus!
Can't tell about the instructions, since it is an easy pattern, really nothing complicated there.. Great success! Highly recommend!
Happy independence day!