Barbie Bake Shop Party

One of my friends is an amazing party planner. She always has the best ideas and puts a lot of thought into her party themes. This last week her daughter turned 6 and she wanted a Barbie Bake Shop party. It was so adorable. She wanted to make aprons for all the girls as their party favors. She has never sewn before so it was definitely an adventure.

I made up a quick pattern using a t-shirt for the top of apron and a basic square for the bottom.

Here are the instructions:

Cut the following pieces:

4 strips 44"x4"
1 square 9"x12"
1 bodice piece using a t-shirt

1. Fold over the edges of the bodice under the arms and along the top 1/4th inch and then another 1/4th inch. Press down and top stitch in place.

2. Fold over the sides and bottom of the square piece 1/4th inch and another 1/4th inch, press, and top stitch in place.

3. Take two of the strips and fold over the sides of the strips 1/4th inch press and another 1/4th inch and press. Then fold over the bottom of each strip 1/4th inch, press, and another 1/4th inch. Top stitch all the folds in place.

4. Using the two strips you just top stitched on, sew a gathering stitch along the raw edge. Gather making a ruffle on each strip. Place the ruffle along the top of the square piece with the wrong side of the ruffle against the right side of the square. Pin in place and sew together along the gathered stitch. Now layer the next ruffle under the top ruffle about 2 inches down so the top ruffle overlaps the bottom ruffle. Pin in place and sew along the gathered stitch.

5. With RST sew the bodice to the skirt piece with the ruffles on the top. Open and press.

6.  Using your other 2 44" strips fold in half with RST, press, and sew along the length and one of the ends. Do this to both strips. Sew both ends closed on the second strip, fold in half so both ends are touching and cut on the fold so you have two. Turn all the tubes right side out using a pencil or wooden spoon. Tuck in the open ends and sew the ends closed then press flat.

7. Using the longer of the tubes find the middle and pin it to the front of the apron along the top and skirt seam. Top stitch it in place.

8. Take the smaller tubes and pin one to each side of the bodice at the top. Top stitch in place.

Your done!

 

 

 Lisa made 8 all by herself. I was amazed at how quickly she caught on. I can see a lot of sewing in her future. Here are some pictures from the party.

bunting banner and ruffled Barbie cake, love the update to an old favorite

Barbie box for all the girls to take their pictures in.

A garage sale changing table spray painted pink

If you would like to see more party themes and decor check out her blog: Diary of a {Wannabe} Domestic Diva. So many great ideas, I was so excited to be a small part of it.

Plum Chevron Shift

I love the chevron prints that are out on the market these days. Many people may say they are "over" the chevron movement but I LOVE IT still. Especially this Moda Purple dots print. I wanted to make something for my daughter that would show offer the print. A simple design with classic lines.

I decided to go retro and make a simple shift with a little girly flair. Here is what you need for this dress:

-1 to 2 yards of fabric
-1 yard lining fabric (I used white cotton)
thread to match

Create your pattern by tracing a well fitted t-shirt. This pattern actually works best with a shirt that is the perfect size or maybe even one size too small. Trace the shirt outline on some packing paper or tissue paper. Then you are going to create a boat neckline. To do this widen your neckline to the shoulders so the shoulder is only about 1 1/2 inches wide. Extend the dress down to the desired length +1inch for hemline  (for a 4T it is about 22inches long.)  Cut the main fabric and the lining fabric on the fold line.

Next create your sleeves adding 2 inches to the top of the sleeve for the puffy effect.

Now you have all your pieces.

Sew the main fabric RST at the shoulders, and repeat with the lining fabric.

Open the main fabric up and press the seams (serge or zigzag for a finished look). Open the lining fabric up and press the seams. With RST pin the main fabric to the lining around the neckline.

 

Flip right side out, press, and top stitch around the neck. 

Now take your sleeves and fold the bottom over 1/4 inch. Press then fold again 1/4 inch. Sew this down to create your hem. Repeat with other sleeve.

Open the sleeve up and make a mark for your gathering stitch. Mind started at the curve of each side of the sleeve. Sew a gathering stitch along the top of the sleeve and gather it to make a puffy top. Then pin with RST to the main fabric with the lining fabric underneath. (RS sleeve-RS main fabric- WS lining fabric. Does that make sense?) Sew the sleeve to the dress.

Now with WST sew the lining pieces together so that the lining hangs free from the bodice of the dress. 

 
This next part is the tricky part. With RST sew the dress up the side seams all the way through the sleeve. Make sure not to sew the lining. 

And you are done! I think next time I will add some elastic to the bottom of the sleeves for an even more puffy sleeve look but I wanted something very simple.

 

Actually the first dress I made was too big for my little girl. She is between a 3T and 4T and I used a t-shirt that is a 4-6T. As I said in the beginning, use a very tight fitted shirt or one that fits perfectly. 

Happy Sewing! Let me know if you have any questions.    

If you are interested in the 5T version of this dress I am selling it in my Etsy shop Today!

ruffled burlap table runner

My sister came to visit me last week from Seattle for a whole week. Whenever she comes we always have lots of plans for crafts. This time she really wanted to learn how to sew. We started with something super basic, a table runner. I loved this tutorial by Sew Much Ado, and it was just as simple as she explained.

 

 This project is a great beginning project because all the lines are straight. We actually started with a straight middle section instead of ruffled just to get the sewing jitters out. My sister is a natural. She has sewn a little in her life but she finished the table runner in less than 30 min. Sometimes I think sewing is in our blood. My mother sewed for us when we were little girls, and her mother sewed for her when she was a child.

I don't know if any of you have a craft or skill that runs in your family but if you do you might know what I mean. Some things just come naturally to certain people. Sarah is a natural sewer.

Next I showed her how to make the ruffled version and she sewed the entire project by herself. I have to tell you though this is a project I wish I had a ruffle foot for. Maybe that is something I should invest in for future projects?

So if you want a beginning sewing project check out Sew Much Ado ruffled burlap table runner. It will give you the confidence you need to progress in your sewing adventures.

Red Blossom Dress

There are a few items on my To Make list that have been on there forever. Just never get around to them. One is a peek-a-boo ric rac dress. I originally wanted to make one for myself but in my 8 months preggers condition I don't really feel like sewing for myself. So I used some sweet yellow and red flower fabric I found on sale that has a country vintage feel. In order to make it modern I used large black ric rac.

For the pattern of this dress I started with the Black Bird tunic from Shwin&Shwin. This is just for the outline. I actually only used the back neckline piece for both the back and the front neck, and the tunic portion with an addition of sleeves and a lengthening piece. Here are my adjustments to create the peek-a-boo ric rac.

Start with your neck pieces cutting 1 in half which will be the back piece. Cut 2 of each piece (outside & lining). Then attach the front and back pieces at the shoulders.

Now we are going to attach the lining to the outside. With both pieces RST place the ric rac in between the two pieces. Pin at each ric rac curve and sew along the outside and inside edges leaving the ends open for flipping. Flip neck piece right side out and tuck under the ends. Sew the ends closed.

 

Now take your bodice top and fold over the neckline 1/4 inch and another 1/4 inch. Press and topstitch in place. Repeat with back tunic piece.

 

Create pleats in the front of the bodice. I made a center box pleat 1 inch wide and 2, 1/2 inch side pleats. On the back piece I measured the middle and pressed to create a line. Then I created two box pleats, 1 on each side of the line, 1 inch each. Top stitch the pleats in place.

Next I attached the neck piece to the tunic pieces at the ric rac. Pin in place at each ric rac curve.

Now I sewed my zipper to the back. I used a fashion zipper. I just sewed it in place and then cut down the back bodice under the zipper. I pressed the pieces flat and zigzag stitched them down to prevent fraying. I am sure there is a better way to do this but that is how I did it.

I made simple sleeves and finished the edges with bias tape that I made. You could also hem the edges but I like the look of the bias tape. Starting at the underarm begin pinning your sleeve in place, moving along the edge of the bodice and along neck piece down to the other underarm. This step can be tricky.

 Next I cut 2 pieces of fabric 5 inches wide and the same length as the bottom of the tunic. I hemmed the bottom of each piece by turning 1/2 inch and another 1/2 inch. Then with RST attach the hemmed piece to the bottom of the tunic with ric rac inbetween. Using a 1/4 inch seam sew the pieces together.

 

Before opening up the bottom cut the hemmed piece to the a-line of the tunic. This will make the inverted a-line. 

Finally with RST sew up the sides of the dress starting at the bottom and up through the sleeve. I find it easier to match up if you pin at the bottom and then at the underarm and finally at the end of the sleeve.

Turn the dress right side out and you are done. This was a "learning as I go" project so the directions and pictures might not be as descriptive as you need. If you have questions please let me know.

I love the shape and the open weave of the ric rac on the neckline. It is a fun and comfy dress that will transition well to fall with a pair of black leggings.