a shirt

 This is the Summer Blouse from Weekend Sewing.  I'm less pleased with this than I am with the Trapeze Sundress, but that's really my fault for choosing this pattern in the first place.  I should probably know by now that airy flowy loose tops make me look dumpy, no matter how good they look on everybody else.

 

Another problem is that--as with the Trapeze Sundress--the size small is too big for me.  As previously mentioned, there just isn't much of me on top. This shirt could easily accommodate a couple of fetuses along with my flat chested self (which is something I will certainly keep in mind when I need clothing to accommodate fetuses).

My pattern modifications:

• I added ties to make it fit a bit closer, but now I kind of regret it and I'm wondering if this is too nineties?? 
  
• I lengthened it
• I narrowed the sleeves
• I made little vents in the hem it the side seams (instead of hemming the entire thing straight around) to accommodate the parts of me that are not scrawny

This whole experience has me wondering if perhaps the problem is that my aesthetic is really dated?  Maybe I look normal in tunic style tops but I'm too stuck in 2003 to realize it?  Or maybe I spend so much damn time in tee shirts and sweaters that I expect everything to fit like a knit?  

Anyhoo. The fabric is a cotton lawn except for the placket and bias edging, which is the same fabric I used for the sundress.   I probably won't make this again (unless I have some kind of blouse related epiphany) but it's a great project for people who don't look like slobs in loose tops.

a sundress

This is the Trapeze Sundress from Weekend Sewing:

 I used fabric from Amy Butler's Daisy Chain.  I think it's called happy stripes.

Once again, the instructions were ridiculously easy to follow and this was a pleasure to sew.  The dress has two huge in-seam pockets, which it turns out are pretty simple to make.  I think the highlight of the dress is the topstitching on the stripes and bodice, which makes the whole affair look pretty polished.

I made it in the size small, which works out to be roughly an off the rack American size 6. This is way too big for me because my upper body is on the scrawny side (my lower body, not so much).  Here's what I did after the fact to make the dress more wearable for me:

• I made a belt to wear under my bust, empire style.  I topstitched the belt so it would match the shoulder straps, and then I used buttons to fasten it, which I think is more grown up than a sash that ties.

 

Yes, this is a crappy picture but you can see what I did with the belt.

• I inserted elastic into the back bodice in order to gather it.  This pulls a lot of the excess fabric to the back and makes the dress look more streamlined from the front, even when I don't wear the belt.
  

elastic gathering the back bodice

I have since altered the pattern to take about two inches off the bust measurements so I think the next version I make will fit a lot better.  I kind of wish I had used cheapo fabric for this first go-round, but I'm pleased enough with the results and I'll certainly wear it.

it turns out i really like to sleep

Until last week Joseph was waking up every two hours (EVERY TWO HOURS) to comfort nurse.  My husband was ready to leave us and start working on a deep sea trawler in order to get some rest, so instead of that we agreed to start night weaning.  And, after three nights and far less crying than I had anticipated, the kid now sleeps until about 6 am.  Which means I now sleep until about 6 am. And when I wake up, it is not to the dulcet tones of my husband cursing us all.

It turns out that eight hours of sleep makes you smart and beautiful.  I wake up cheerful (instead of ready to punch somebody in the face) and I don't have frightening circles under my eyes.  Even better, that fog of forgetfulness and mild dim-wittedness seems to have partially lifted (like, this morning it did not take all my mental powers to drive to Target).  I had thought it was motherhood that had made me old and stupid but maybe it was the crappy sleep situation.

I feel less guilty about this than I thought I would, mainly because Joseph also seems happier with a full night's sleep (but also because I now have fewer wrinkles).  I do not care that I have lost some natural parenting street cred.  I mean, in the grand scheme of things, the baby cried a bit for three nights.  I know for sure I've done worse to him.  Seriously.

more pants, and a quandry

More summer pants for Joseph.  They are navy blue linen, despite the fact that the weird light is making them look like a cheesy royal blue.  I want to make them look vaguely nautical (kind of like the adorable sailboat pants by Oliver & S), and I'm considering adding these brass buttons.  The problem is that I'm not sure that such a fancy-pants detail won't look silly, considering that he's going to be wearing them with stained t-shirts featuring dogs in hats, and that sort of thing.  Also considering that the buttons are ancient and probably contain lead and will almost certainly be pulled off and eaten.

Looks like I've decided against the buttons.  But I'll definitely add pockets.  In a world where "definitely" means "perhaps sometimes before he outgrows them."

the pea patch

Things are growing!!

Things are also being torn out of the ground by ants, birds, armadillos, raccoons, curious toddlers, idiot dogs and hell-bent squirrels.  The resistance is composed of a small army of ladybugs, lizards, frogs and yours truly.

Joseph and I go out to the garden every morning (dressed like a pair of stowaways in pajamas, nightgowns, sweatshirts, sun hats and robes) and look at what seeds have sprouted.  So far, peas and beans have been the most satisfying to watch because they grow so quickly.  We have one or two promising squash plants and the rest (tomatoes, peppers, carrots, greens, herbs, etc.) are chugging along.  This weekend watermelons, potatoes and a bunch of flowers get planted. 

I feel like mother nature incarnate.

why have I never thought of this?

These pants were made from the sleeves of a men's dress shirt.  I can't take credit for this--it was the idea of the woman who organizes the local Waldorf-inspired play group we go to.  She had been making adorable sundresses for her daughters from her husband's discarded shirts, and was able to turn the sleeves into matching pants/britches/bloomers.  She started to make these for her son, but they weren't going to be big enough, so now Joseph has new pants.

I haven't tried to make these myself (all I did on these was sew the waistband), but the general idea is that you detach the sleeves, put one sleeve inside the other (right sides together) and cut a crotch (use a pair of pants that fits your kid or just wing it).  The only seam you have to sew is the crotch seam.  Then you add an elastic waist, and you're done.  I'd say that a men's size medium shirt would make pants that fit a 2T or 3T, maybe even bigger.

On these pants the buttons are on the back of the leg, but you could do it the other way around..

a shirt

I'm insanely happy with this shirt.  I made it using the toddler shirt pattern in Weekend Sewing.  It was incredibly easy:  there are just eight pattern pieces:  two fronts, one back, two sleeves, two collars, and a pocket.  I've been scared off by similar patterns with way more pieces, so this was a pleasant surprise.  The only tricky bit was the buttonholes, but you could use snaps if buttonholes scare you (or just make some seriously ugly buttonholes, which is what I did).

The fabric is the pillowcase from the sheet set I bought to back this quilt.  This is useful thrift-store data:  a standard pillowcase provides more than enough fabric to make a toddler-sized shirt.

I used french seams on this shirt, which is what I usually do in order to finish seams, but it turns out that doing french seams on bitty little toddler sleeves is not for the faint of heart.  I do not see myself ever trying that again.

Like I've mentioned, the patterns, instructions, and diagrams in Weekend Sewing are very lucid and a pleasure to follow.  I have not yet cried, punched the wall, or torn up any pattern pieces while working on a Weekend Sewing project.  This is no faint praise.  The one (tiny) problem with this pattern is that either the collar pattern piece is too big or the diagram showing how to attach it is incorrect:  the diagram would appear to show the collar not extending onto the placket, but the collar is in fact large enough to extend more than halfway across the placket.  I don't know if I'm explaining that clearly, and in fact the problem might be mine, and not the book's.  Anyway, I just cut the collar down so it matched the diagrams, but you could also just sew it onto the placket.