Happy Halloween!

Powerpuff Girls Halloween Costumes

Blossom, commander and the leader 

Bubbles, she is the joy and the laughter 

Buttercup, she's the toughest fighter 

Powerpuffs save the day... 

Fighting crime, trying to save the world 

Here they come just in time, the Powerpuff Girls 

Fighting crime, trying to save the world 

Here they come just in time, the Powerpuff Girls
Powerpuff! 

Super Cute Hello Kitty Pyjamas

I found these Hello Kitty PJ's at the Salvos for $1 and thought about fixing them up for myself...but they could also make super cute summer pj's for the girls! 

Hmm...I wonder what I went with?!

No contest - the girls love them...and threw in some lovely fake yawns for me too! 

They spent the whole day in them and had a ball playing sleepovers!

The Gabby Dress

I decided to do a spot of sewing for me today!

I made The Gabby Dress from Tessuti  - with some fabric that has been sitting around my studio for a while!

I like it best cinched at the waist with a belt. 

It also looks lovely with a leaf that Clementine gave me today!

Power Puffs!

This is a little Halloween sneak peek!

The girls have chosen to be the POWERPUFF GIRLS this year!

They want to be Bubbles and Blossom on the big day.

I have sewn the dresses for them but the costumes are not yet complete....stay tuned on Halloween for the big reveal!

Girls Summer Sundress Tutorial

This is a super easy sundress tutorial!

You can easily steal a quick hour and have this done. 

Actually it would probably only take 20 minutes of child free time but I am guessing you don't have that right?! 

To make these two dresses for the girls I pulled apart my summer sundress I used for the adult tutorial HERE!

I just love this fabric!

The dress is light and great for summer - trips to the beach - playing in the backyard - and many other fun adventures!

The measurements used in this pattern will suit ages 3-5.

Materials

Light weight cotton fabric - cut out one rectangle measuring 21 inches by 24 inches (height)

Elastic Thread

Cotton / Polycotton Thread

Method

Sew the rectangle together at the centre back (or cut in half and sew at the side seams as below)

Overlock or ZigZag raw edges.

Sew the top and bottom edges. 

I used a 1/2 inch seam folded over twice for the top and a 1 inch seam folded over twice for the hem as you can see below.

Now it's time to add the shirring!

Wind your elastic thread onto your bobbin. I do this by hand but you can also use your machine to do it. Thread the upper machine with normal thread and insert your bobbin wound with elastic thread. 

Ensure you sew yours lines of shirring with the right side of the fabric up on the machine!

Now simply sew straight lines around the top of the dress. I used 5 lines of shirring 1/2 an inch apart. 

You can add more or less as you desire. 

For example, Clementine's has 4 with a larger gap in the middle.

Now if you like the dresses as is...you can finish them right there...

...or add straps!

I chose to add straps because the girls kept pulling them down and it was just easier for me!

For Clementine's dress I added 4 white ribbon straps sewn in position halfway between her neck and the edge of her shoulder on both the front and back of the dress as shown below:

For Amelie's dress she wanted the straps to look like a necklace so I stitched a V-Pattern on the centre front and then it ends as straight straps on the back! 

So you can get creative with the straps using ribbon and trims you have lying around or go and buy something special!

Great Work!

Now you have a lovely sundress all sewn up and ready for adventuring!

There's A New (op) Shop in Town

On Friday the new Rockdale Salvo Shop opened up here...I have cut down my op-shopping but went along and found these beauties. It's the first time I've gotten a vintage sheet in it's package so I was pretty excited!

Have you found any good thrifty finds lately?

Horsing Around

Today I cut into my special Heather Ross stash...for a lovely horsey top for Clementine!

I've also had The Lucy Top Pattern for ages...thanks Little Betty...and finally these two awesome things came together!

In making this top I had limited fabric and had to squeeze it in...then I accidentally cut some from the middle back...ARHH...so there is a slight rise at the centre back but it was not the disaster I originally feared!

I also wished I had larger buttons but I was working with what I had at home!

I love this fabric...and I love that a little bit of the selvedge shows - a happy accident from working with what I had!

'Neiiiiiiighhhhhh'

Berry Sweet

Amelie's Strawberry Dress

For this dress I decided to make a different version of the twirl dresses. I made the bodice 2 inches longer and kept the neckline round instead of square...because I forgot to square it off before I stitched it up! Whoops!

I also played around with the idea of a red ribbon as a trim...I added it then took it off later. 

I will leave it off but I do love some of the photos with it!

Some fun shots...

Amelie as a cupcake...

...and going down the rabbit hole!

I just love this photo of Amelie!