Sewing Small Things

Wow!  I had almost forgotten how fast small dresses and pants and things sew up.  I've gotten used to taking 5-10 hours over the course of several days to sew a garment for myself and just plumb forgot that tiny clothes go so fast.
I went into a cutting frenzy and cut out about 10 things for Eden (my 4-year-old) because we are at the point where she has outgrown all her borrowed clothing.  We have been so blessed to have had hand-me-downs from a cousin for the last four years! Then, of course, the grandparents and great-grandparents want to buy clothing too, so we have had a great selection in the closet.
I decided I wouldn't ask my cousin for another tub of clothing and we'd just do it on our own from here on out.  It's been quite a task keeping track of someone else's things for four years anyway.

I have three things to share tonight and more to come.
First up, The Nelle from Brownie Goose paired with Ruffle Pants from Whimsy Couture.

Now, I have a couple of confessions.  Number one, I wasn't too keen on Nelle at first, even though she's been a pretty big hit with the sewing crowd.  I know the lovely designer, Amy Norris (her hubby and mine are/were both residents at University of Mississippi), and she makes amazing stuff, but Nelle just wasn't my cup of tea.  Then there was this sale at the Brownie Goose Etsy shop and you may or may not know, but it's hard for me to resist a sale.  And I'd heard soooooo much good stuff about this pattern that I just HAD to be in on it.

I think Nelle and Laura Gunn (fabric designer) get along pretty well, don't you?

Confession Number two.  I wouldn't recommend that you buy this pant pattern, but only because I have now turned into a pattern snob.  Unless she's changed it, the Whimsy Couture pants pattern has no difference in the crotch from front to back.  You are probably aware that your pants are more curved in the back than in the front.  Kids don't tend to have the same curves as adults, but I still think pants look better and fit better if the crotch curve in the front is shorter and shallower and the one in the back is longer and deeper.  This pattern does hold a special place in my heart because I used it for the first pair of ruffles I ever made.

Moving on.

I wanted Eden to have some COLOR in her wardrobe for Spring and Summer.  I ordered 5 half yards of various Kaffe Fassett prints and hoped that what I thought might blend as I saw it in swatches on my computer screen, would look good together in real life.  Well, they didn't all compliment each other exactly like I thought they would, but I made it work and got two dresses out of it.

I traced the bodice of a Matilda Jane size 4 knot dress we own and then just eyed the skirt.  The bodice is lined and the skirt is two layers with the hem finish a la Izzy and Ivy.  I use their banded hem ALL the time now.  I love it.  One strap is yellow and one is red, just for fun.  No twirl factor, but Eden loved the colors.  And it was perfect with the new shoes Grandma just bought her.  All around win!

The other two half yards went into this dress.

That's an unknown fabric on the bodice (the seller sent me an eighth of a yard of something as an extra happy and doggonit, I was determined to use it!), Paganelli on the first tier and Fassett for the second and third tiers.  I was silly and didn't bother to measure the length I wanted the dress to be before cutting the tiers. I thought "I have a tall girl, it'll be fine", but it's really quite long on her (almost ankle length) and even the bodice, which is borrowed from New Look 6974, is a little big.  I'm sure she'll wear it some this Summer, but it may get much more wear next year when she's taller and won't be tripping over it.  I do love pulling things out that we enjoyed the year before and finding they still fit, so it's alright with me that this is a bit on the big side.

That's all for now.  I'll try not to be so wordy next time.  More pictures, less typing.