Shortie Nightgown & Bloomers Tour

Today I get to have a spot in the pattern tour hosted by Chelsea from GYCT Designs. I feel honoured to be part of an amazing group of talented ladies that will share with you all, their versions of Chelsea's pattern Shortie Nightgown and Bloomers. It offers the pattern for the bloomers, and the nightgown, and this has the sleeveless option, or the puffed sleeves option. 

I picked the sleeveless option, short top and bloomers. And, I even made a matching headband. According to my daughter's real size, I should have used the 18 month old pattern, but I wanted it to fit during this summer (and if I'm really lucky, next year too), so I made the size 2. It's a little baggy but I like the fact that it has room to grow. 

Ahahah... Let me just start by saying we had a family photoshoot for this. I prepared her, daddy took the photos and we convinced our little model we needed photos of her sockmonkey doll, the one she never leaves behind ever since I made it. And this was one of those when we got to get a huge amount of wonderful photos of her, she was happy, and smiling all the time. She jumped in her bed, played sleepy, hugged her monkey... just a great moment to remember later. And can I just say, how much I love to see her with the headband?!

Now about this pattern. 

I had no problems or so ever printing and assembling my pattern. Cutting the fabric was quick. I chose this blue flowers printed scrap I had in my stash for like 3 years or so. I also had the same in red, in which I made a dress for my niece but have never blogged about it, I have to, it's one of my faves ever. Anyway. for the collar panel and the bloomers I used scraps from an old white sheet (I have lots of these). And the greatest thing is that I was able to use the printed fabric scrap to the fullest. I used the round shapped pieces I cut off from the top to add to the shorts as side panels just because. And I cutted some (2 sizes) circles from another piece left from the scrap and added them, with a blanket stitsh to the collar. Ended up being one of my favourite things about the entire outfit. 

I didn't use the lining on the bottom piece of my top, so it saved me a little time, instead I used self made bias tape on the armholes for the finishing touch. I confess when I was sewing it and then finished, I would look at the armholes and find them too small... but then I tried it on G. and boy was I wrong?! I even mentioned that to Chelsea, but it was only in my eyes. I also didn't overflap the two top body pieces in the back when sewing them to the main body piece which made my top a tiny little bit more rommy than it was suppoused to. I didn't realise it was designed to be overflapped so it didn't need a button, and that was the only part of the instructions that got me confused, but I can tell you it has been changed in the pattern already. 

The instructions are clear and easy to follow, again I had no problems following them and was happy that I could put these two pieces together in an evening, after putting my daughter to sleep. In just a couple of hours it was done, and I do appreciate a quick project that turns out so satisfactory to me. I would probably just mention the lack of photos or a step to tell me when to attach the button(s) on the back. I bet most experienced sewist wouldn't have a problem with it, but maybe new begginers would like a note about it. 

I can tell my daughter loved it, and so did I. 

And that's not all... for this week (April 7-12th), Chelsea is giving a 20% off for this pattern, if you use the code "SHORTIE20". Or you can also enter the giveaway and try to get a free copy of this pattern. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

* I was offered this pattern for this review but the opinions are all my own. 

January Refashion Month with Amy from Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop

Again, I can't tell when I started following today's guest blog, she's well know, Amy from Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop. It was a long long time ago, that I know because I remember her daughter was still so little, and after that came the little brother and now there's another baby almost here. Isn't that exciting? I believe babies push us into getting creative and inspire us. Right? Amy has created her latest line of patterns inspired in her new baby and I can tell you if you haven't seen it yet, you should, every single pattern is a must have. I'm honoured to have her sharing her refashion with us today. 

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Hi I'm Amy from Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop and I'm so excited to be here today! You can shop my full pattern line at Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop and find lots of fun and free tutorials on the Blog. I absolutely love refashioning and giving old items a new life! Some of my favorite fabrics are cut-up thrift store tees. Last week I grabbed this fun sweater out of my sister's cast-off pile and downsized it for my mini me. You can find the tutorial for it today on my Blog.

Today I have a fun tutorial to share with you for the sweater headband I made with my leftover fabric. I used sweater fabric since that's what I had but this will work with any stretchy fabric.

Sweet and simple with just a bit of retro vibe :)

For my 4 year old I used a strip 12" long and 5" wide. If I had a bit more fabric I probably would've gone with 6" for the width. My fabric was super stretchy so I recommend wrapping the fabric around your child's head to make sure you get the right length. You'll also need one smaller piece for the "knot". With right sides together I sewed the long edges together for each piece to form a tube.

Then I sewed the short ends of the "knot" piece together to form a little loop.

Next slide the loop over the headband piece

Then tuck in the raw edges of the headband piece, slide one end inside the other and topstitch shut.
And that's it! Super quick and easy project perfect for using up scraps :)
Thanks for having me!

I swear it is the last one!

So, I guess I have used those two pieces to their fullest use. And I feel so proud of myself that I did so. I so loved the final result of all the pieces that came out of it. 

In my last post, I said I'd like to make a top for baby G. out of the scraps left from the white t-shirt but I wasn't sure if there were enough. I had to get a little creative but after all I made it. I tried to keep it simple and just cutted it straight, after all, it didn't turned out that weel, and one of the strips keeps falling down, but I guess it'll suit her much better, next year. 

So, justo to remind you... I have started with two pieces: a white t-shirt and a pink turtle neck shirt. 

First thing I made was the moto club meeting t-shirt refashion. Which I ended up giving to my sister. Then, I went for the handband, and then the skirt and the rest. And this last one of course. So, I got FIVE brand new pieces out of just two. Brilliant, isn't it?!

Still from the t-shirt scraps...

As G. fell asleep for her Sunday afternoon nap, I felt the urge to create. Really, just like two days before, when I had to jump out of bed and do something. Luckily for me, it was day this time. 

I didn't really know what to do, I just kept looking around. I have accumulated a few household shores to do but don't have the energy to go through any of them. 

I sat by my sewing machine and suddenly a light turned on. Near the machine, I still had the leftovers from the t-shirt refashion I made, and an idea started to gain shape in my mind. 

From the pink shirt I had a lot of fabric left, and as I was playing with it in my fingers, I decided what to do, in that same instant. Then cut and tah dah:

How I made it:
1. what I had left
2. the collar had girl written on it, which inspired mee
3. so, I folded it in half, and drew a circle line around it. From the neck line down.
4. cut it. later I basted too.
5. a new cute little skirt for my daughter.

It was going to be pretty much it. But then I still had so much fabric left... and did I mention I hate waste? So, I made a matching briefs. They were so simple to make.
5. fold the remaining fabric and scratched the briefs pattern, on the eye.
6. added an elastic band in the waist, basted the side edges, and added an elastic to each side (legs).
7. patched a heart shaped scrap to the back, just for fun... =D
8. as I felt like it wasn't yet enough, I also made a new headband to match. 

Now that I learned how to make these flowers it seems I want to make G. one matching all her clothes. 

I made a braided headband with the same fabric - again - and just glued the flower to it. I haven't done it yet, but I am planning a new t-shirt for her, using the white t-shirt leftovers. I have to check if there was enough left. Maybe I'll make them matching, and she's have the complete outfit. 

That's great that I made something for her. I love creating for my daughter. I haven't been making more clothes for her, because she has been given so many clothes that some she just won't even ever wear. 

Headbands from scraps

Last saturday, I have made something pretty and simple. And I used scraps left from the t-shirt refashion, which is the greatest thing.
It was my niece's birthday, and I had to rush to my sister's to help to prepare the princess party, but before that, I even got some time to make a cute headband for my G., and for that matter I tried a new way (for me at least!) of making fabric flowers. I used this tutorial  from Make it and Love it and it's so easy and quick. In a blink I had a new headband for my little princess.

It's great that I used the scraps, because I reall don't like any waste. I am a bit of a green person, I recycle every little thing, I donate, or something like that, and when I recycle something and there's some material left I always keep it, hoping I can use it properly later. 

Recently though, I've realised I've been keeping too much stuff and my house is louded, so, I guess, either I start making more stuff and give away to family and friends, or I start declutting soon and do throw a few things away.
Anyway, besides that first headband, later on I made another one.

And really got addicted to them.

Oh, and by the way... how rude am I? I didn't even introduce you, my new head model: Luna! I have saved her from a sad and lonely dark live in the garbage, after she was no longer needed by her previous owner.