-needle and thread!-

I have been wanting to link up to Needle and thREAD for awhile, so I am excited it is finally happening this week!

Homeschooling is done and preschool is over for the year.  So this week has been so obligation free!  I have been sewing almost every day!  I wanted to make some new nightgowns for my girls because that is what they like best to wear at night. I decided to use the Sienna Dress pattern by Lil Blue Boo for the nightgowns.  However, I still had a dress cut out from a year ago that I still had not finished!  Shameful!  So before I let myself cut out the nightgowns, I finished the dress.  I meant for this to be Juliana's preschool graduation dress last year.  Their class mascot was Clifford the Big Red Dog.  I wanted to use an iron on transfer and make her a Clifford dress.  However, I botched it.  Once that happened I had no motivation to finish.  

So, I cut out a new front piece and appliqued a "J" on instead, and I was done in an hour!  The dress has a bit of the homemade look, but Juliana has declared it "soft and snuggly". (Also, she is wearing her daddy's sandals for the photo shoot.  I told her to go get her shoes on and she comes out wearing these.  Silly girl.)

After the dress was finished I got to tackle the nightgowns!  I found these super sweet knits over at Girl Charlee.  She has great prices and a nice selection!  These were super easy and quick. I used steam and seam for the hem, and it definitely made the hemming turn out nice and neat.

Juli got rainbow hearts.

 Felicity got pink hearts.

As far as reading goes, I have been slowly been making my way through Charlotte Collins.  One of those Jane Austen sequel books.  Not amazing but a fun little read, and hey...it was free on the Kindle.  I also downloaded Cloudy Jewel onto my Kindle after reading about it on Elizabeth's blog! She definitely has a kind of L.M. Montgomery feel to me, and I think these are perfect no thinking summer books. ;0)

-little shorts!-

Summer is here!  Felicity finished preschool for the year, and Juliana finished kindergarten (homeschool style!).  It gets hot here during the summer.  My girls have lots of skirts and dresses, but Juliana especially needs some more play clothes.  I have been in love with this little shorts pattern by Oliver + S since they came out with it, so I was excited to have a reason to make them.  I love the fun retro look. I used chambray from Joann's for the main part of the shorts and an older yellow print I have had for a long time.  I really like yellow.  It is a good accent color that goes with lots of other colors.  It has been awhile since I made an Oliver + S pattern, and I realized as I was making it that their patterns really are set apart from a lot of other patterns.  There are just so many small details that really make for a nice garment.  

So, she is looking a little grumpy in this picture, but looking at it made me kind of sad.  She is growing up so fast.  Take a look at this picture from three years ago (almost exactly!).

This was the first Oliver + S pattern I ever made.  She looks so cute and chubby.

Felicity wanted in on the photo shoot, and how can you resist these two hugging like that. 

Here they are three years ago in their Easter dresses!  Felicity looks so funny and cute!

The best of friends.  Love them.

The winner of the Field Bag and Tote pattern is

#148 Megan said...

My favorite patterns are free ones that are online!

Congrats!  I will be sending you an e-mail, Megan!

-giveaway day!-

It is Sew Mama Sew giveaway day!  I am late getting to this party, but that seems to be how my life is going right now! ;0)

I am offering Amy Butler's Field Bag and Tote pattern!  I think this would be the perfect bag to take to beach!  Stuff it all in!  I will include some other fun goodies to go along with.

TO ENTER:

Must be a US resident.  

(Sorry, international folks but I can't ship international from home and the last time I went to the post office my two year old was running around screaming at the top of his lungs while I tried to juggle a newborn and make sure the other two weren't touching all the cards.  People were staring and...commenting.  It was definitely a lesson in humility and one I think I will wait on experiencing again soon. ;0) )

So, just leave me a comment telling me what your favorite current pattern is!

If you want a second entry, follow my blog or already be a follower and leave another comment!

Don't forget to leave your email address if it isn't connected to your account!

Giveaway will stay open until May 25th  5 PM PST!

Happy giveaway day!

-reversible apron skirts-

I finished these skirts last month for the girls, but I am just now getting a minute to write a post!  The baby is swinging in her swing, and fingers crossed that she stays calm for a minute! ;0)

These skirts are from a pattern called The Bavarian Milkmaid Reversible Apron Skirt.  This is a super easy little pattern, and I love the different looks you can give it.  I have made it several times, and it has always turned out super cute.

Here is the other side of Juliana's apron.  My goal with these skirts was to use up some of those random 1/2 yards and fat quarters that I had hanging around.  So they are pretty bright and crazy!

Felicity, however, refuses to change her apron to the orange side I made.  I have been informed she only likes pink!  Hmmm.

In order to get some decent pictures I had to promise them some time to make silly faces.  

"Look mom!  I am running!"

-destash!-

Not much sewing going on.  I need to figure out how to sew one handed!  However, I am doing some spring cleaning in the fabric/ pattern department!  Please check out my shop for more!

-a gift-

I am lucky enough to be a part of my local modern quilt guild.  I just have to say that I have been blessed to have met these ladies (and man!).  Everyone is always so cheerful and encouraging.  I love especially going to sew ins and sitting and chatting and sewing and eating and laughing.  It is such an awesome way to spend a Saturday!  I have learned so much from many of these ladies and not just about quilting...I have made some very dear friends. 

Well, they got together and made Samantha a scrappy string quilt!  There are some awesome fabrics in this quilt.  I love looking at each block and trying to guess who made which one.  Lynn (our current fearless leader) is a long arm quilter and quilted it in lovely girly style.

Pam is our applique guru, and she made this fabulous birdie label!  

Samantha took the quilt for a test run and being the baby quilt expert that she is has given it the baby stamp of approval!