So I haven't finished with my orange shirt transformation. I started, but have to finish up. In the meantime, I made some shirts for Moo (which she needs to round up so I can take a picture) and I finally made a top to match the shorts I made Bear a month ago but she hasn't been able to wear because we disn't have a shirt to go with it. So here are the bad pics I snapped this morning, I will try to get better ones later.

The shorts (yes, I know they are Capri on her) were a basic shorts pattern I found online. I did do a cloth diaper adjustment.  I added cuffs after removing some (but not enough) of the hem. I switched the waistband to the contrast fabric, added a bow, and added back pockets in the yellow. I will find a link to the Web page where I found the shirt tutorial. I think it is my new favorite.

Project total:

Shorts-
Denim (regarding 9.99 a yd, bought 1/2 off used 1/2yd, maybe less) $2.50
Contrast - 1/4 yd remnant from stash - $1.12
Elastic - stash
Total: $ $3.32

Top-
1/2 yd fabric (bought 1/2 off 9.99/yd) $2.50
Buttons -stash, but Joann has six for $1

Outfit total: $5.82 (though stash remnant shouldn't count)

If you have no stash, it would still be under $8.

Another year, another update

Well, it has been more than a year...again. I am no longer preggo, in fact we just celebrated Baby Bear's first birthday (she was 2 weeks early, but I managed to waddle across the graduation stage without my water breaking).

Lately I have been hitting up the dollar rack at my favorite thrift store and doing some reconstructions. I figure I should at least post some of those and some of my mending I do for the Moo (who I can't believe is almost 11).

Today I took a pair of size 4/5 girls pants in a beautiful linen blend and made them fit my size 12 month Bear.

Before

They look about the same after, only smaller.  I will try and get an action shot next time she wears them. 

I didn't take pictures along the way, but here is a rundown of what I did. Size 4/5 is made for post diapers and we use cloth diapers (big bottom resulting) so I decided to leave the inseam area intact. I removed the side zipper (you can't see it, but it is there). Next I took off the waist band with a seam ripper. I wanted to still use it, so no hacking with scissors. Here is where I sewed the side seam shut where the zipper was. I grabbed a pattern I like for baby pants to adjust the top, but a pair of pants that fit would also work. I only ended up taking about half an inch from the top because of the diaper.  I did add a bit more dip to the front, which made the waist band not fit, but that was fixed a bit later when i dealt with the legs. I checked length (use pattern or etxisting pants) left room to hem them and cut across. I wanted these to be wide in the legs, as I like that look, so I barely took in the side seams, just enough to let the waistband fit.  You could easily take them in more. I may do so later, I haven't decided. There was elastic sewn into the back waistband, so I removed it. I added the waistband back on, leaving a gap to add new elastic all the way around. Now I measured some elastic to fither waist, put it in the band, closed it up, tacked the sides of the elastic to prevent rolling, and hemmed the bottom. Overall, the whole thing took about an hour, tops. Not bad for $1 baby pants.

Next time I will take in progress pictures. Speaking of next time, I have this shirt:

It is a girls small or extra small, but it is the type that is made to be wide and crop.  I love the white design on it, so I brought it home. My first thought was baby dress., but I was looking at the sleeve cuff and sleeve line and saw haremember pant for Bear (Harem pants only work for me if you are of diaper age). Now I am waffling back and forth. Dress or pants? When I decide, I will post picturtes. In progress ones too. Till then.

So, epic fail on previous tasks. Disappeared for a year. Between school, family and the fun that is life my free time has been extremely limited. Well, the good news is that now that I am in my last semester of college I only have to take 12 hours t o finish (sure beats last semester's 17 hours).  The bad news is, I am out of GI Bill, so broke college student is taken on additional meaning.

Let us now pair that with my huge surprise from last semester - I am pregnant! I am due 3 weeks after I graduate (and despite common theory, I don't think it would be funny if my water broke as I waddle across the stage. Just saying.)

Now to the part where this relates to this blog. Prego = nothing fits. I tend toward fitted attire normally. That doesn't fit with my week 22 body.  So broke and nothing fits. I have been working on a few fashions to get me by so far, but I think I need to get too it.  I also need to get on cloth diapers. I have only finished 1. So, this weekend I will try and add my baby sewing I have done and will try to start adding some maternity refashions.

Catchup

It has been awhile since I posted, so I have a definate fail on the weekly project posting.  I have been working on a few things here and there, but haven't had the time (aka motivation) to post.  I also have no clue where my camera has currently run off to.  I will try to find it this lovely weekend and maybe get a few pics of past items.  I also need to finish up some birthday presents (from birthdays back in June - see motivation issues).  I'm feeling a bit more like my crafty self lately so I'm going to try and work on some things, maybe go on a crafty spree to see if I can use up some of the stuff I have (which would make Hubby do the happy dance).

So, Goals:
1) Find Camera
2) Pics of some of what I've been up to
3) Weekly project post resumation (no clue if that is an actual word or a bastardization of the english language I so love)
4) Project self challange to use up supplies I have (maybe tie in with my weekly - any ideas/challanges from you out there?)
5) *Finish Birthday presents - seriously that is way past deadlines.  Jennifer, yours is almost done, I swear.  Valerie,  not so much so.  I have a major fear of messing that one up.  Of course, messed up and incomplete both mean she can't use it so I have better odds of the apron being usable if I just attempt to sew the darn thing.

Update

It dawned on me today that I haven't posted in some time.  I have been working on projects, November was just a crazy month.  Lots of tests right before Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving itself and this week was finals.  I have one more final and my semester is over.  The bad news is we have an ice storm heading this way. (I choose to see it as keeping me inside to craft, hope for the power to stay on) As I type this, my sewing/embroidery machine is chugging away on an awesome gear snowflake ornament for the tree that has yet to be put up.  That isn't my fault, I can't at this time get to my tree.  If I don't fix that problem by the end of the weekend, I'll have to get another tree (which I don't want to do, we've had that tree since the first year we were married back when we were up in Alaska so I'm rather fond of it).  My point is I will try to get pictures of some of my projects up this weekend.  I'm also starting to prepare to launch a business.  I'm working on my website now, so as soon as it is live, I'll post a link so you can give me feedback (which I could really use).  Hope everyone out there is having a good week and I'll get pics up soon!

Fixing kids clothes

I seem to be having computer issues today, so we'll see if I can get this post up.  Another lovely Halloween has pasted us, so I have costume pictures for you.  This year, Moo wanted to be Pikachu from Pokemon, so I used a dragon pattern (will try to remember to look up the pattern number later)  - mainly a jumpsuit and a hood - and  made my own pattern for the ears, tail and back patches.  Here's the finished result:

The tail got a bit of abuse the first time she wore it, so it didn't want to stay up.

I spent the weekend working on so repairs.  First up, Moo has a cardigan that she likes, it's a pretty teal sparkly one.  The only problem is she has a habit of sucking on the sleeve ends (no clue why, it's only on this sweater) so they are looking a bit rough.  She saw these buttons that she absolutely loved, so, a new cardigan was born.

  buttons $2.25 normally, bought for 1/2 off.
Ribbon $3.99 for 3 yards, bought for 1/2 off and used less than a yard. (total makeover was around $2)

Before - note the nasty ragged sleeve edges

After - ribbon added to case sleeve edges, buttons switched (I know, too easy)

The buttons

Being worn (the turtle knees on her pants are another repair)

I also bartered a repair for a jar of the single most awesome pickled okra ever.  A friend's little girl has a pair of jeans she likes but like my daughter, her legs grow but her waist doesn't.  Also like my daughter the knees get it.  I could have sworn I took a before pic, but I must have misfiled the pictures.  Here's the after

The Knee repairs, I bondex patched the holes and covered them with these owls - crochet of sparkly yarn. Pattern from here: http://lovethebluebird.blogspot.com/2012/02/crochet-owl-pattern.html

The full jeans - 3 inches added with jumbo cuffs

Cuff fabric

This is the cuff folded in case she needs less length

Flower tutorial

Here's the promised tutorial.  Keep in mind, this isn't meant to be a perfect flower, it's just the way I found to show kids to make a felt flower. These look good layered and the students I was working with used tulle with them in layers or on the side and it looked great.  So, here we go, I'll do my best to explain clearly, if you have any questions, leave me a comment.

First, cut a square of felt just a little bigger than you want the flower to be (I cut these out for the kids)

 

Fold the square in half

And in half again (so now you have a smaller square)

hold the square by the corner that is folded.  The top will have 4 loose layers of fabric.  This is where you will be cutting.

Cut the mountain into a hill (round the corners of all 4 layers)

When you unfold it, you should have a mostly circle shape

Now, for the petals.  It's hard to see, but cut from the edge of the circle towards the center (don't cut all the way to the center, about 2/3 of the way is good)  Make as many cuts as you want petals (I recommend 3 to 6)

Pick up the circle.  Fold down the petal pieces on either side of one.

Round the two points of the petal (don't worry about making it petal shaped, just have them round off the points)  Repeat all the way around with each petal.

And you have a flower.  How about a leaf?  With only two cuts.

 Take a square, fold it in half.  On the edge that has two free layers (not the fold side) round the corner.

 Cut number 2 will be on the same side.  Cut from about half way from the top to the top of the fold (where the scissors are covering).

 Unfold and you have a leaf (use a narrower square/rectangle if you want a narrower leaf)

Put them together with a gem in the center and you have a flower for a hair clip.

I hope this works out for you all out there.  Enjoy.