Saturday, July 11, 2009

Update Part 3--Yes I've Been Sewing, Too!

As if I haven't had anything else to do, I have been doing a bit of sewing as well. My main project was to make a Cooper the dog costume for my teacher assistant's Vacation Bible School this year. Now you may be thinking of a costume similar to the ones that people make for halloween. NOPE this a full fledged dog costume complete with foam head!

This is what it is supposed to look like:
Now then, I will say it looks almost exactly like this. Although this pattern company is NUTS if they think that this pattern will fit (as cut and sewn according to directions) a man 6"2" and up to 225 lbs. NO WAY!!! It fits the person that will be wearing it perfectly and he is only 5'9"--my daughter's beau (standing at 6') was barely able to move in it! And the sleeves and legs were to short on him. But anyway, here are the pics of what my finished product looks like.




By the way, does anyone recognize the quilt that is behind Cooper's head? That is the beautiful batik quilt (y'all remember the "Ugly Quilt") I won! At the moment I have it over the windows in my temporary sewing room to try to keep some of the heat out of the room. The room is on the southwest side of the house and in South Mississippi that means that it is the hottest side of the house in the afternoons and evenings! With the extra insulation (otherwise known as batting) in it, I have been much cooler while sewing!

OK for the other things that I've been working on. Right before school got out one of the waitresses at our favorite Sunday breakfast spot (Denny's in Ocean Springs) asked me if I could make a skirt and blouse for her daughter for a performance she had coming up. I made a very classy looking black pencil skirt and a classic white blouse for her. I just wish I had the picture of her in it. She kept telling me that some of the others were going to look like trash compared to her because she was "gonna look gooooood." Now don't even ask me how you would put in the attitude that she had when it was said. But you can almost imagine her saying it with one of those snap your finger as it is waved across and then out to the right of you. Those of you that have teenagers or are younger than I am will know exactly what I'm talking about.

While we were in the store looking for fabric for the skirt and blouse she started looking at the pattern books. This is the pattern she chose.

She chose the view C dress for me to make for her. I knew when I started it that it would not fit her the way she was used to wearing things (you know, so tight that there is no ease in anything!) And of course I had to take several inches out of the bust area (because she doesn't want any extra room under the top band of the top). The "bow" that is on this dress is hideous. I thought that when I saw the pattern, but when she put it on it was even worse! She asked if she had to have it on there. Of course I told her -- "its your dress, so you can have it however you want it!" I still have to take several inches in length out of it (here again, youth--wants to show as much skin as possible). But I can show you what it currently looks like! It really is a cute dress. I even thought about making the view A top as a maternity top for my daughter (there really is THAT much extra fabric in the bottom of it).

I've also done a little bit of other sewing. That sewing would be for my granddaughter! My daughter, son and their Dad were going to go visit princess Kahli, so I figured I would just HAVE to make a few things to go in the box that I was filling with other things I knew she'd be needing. I made 4 onesies, bib/burp sets and 1 little sundress for her. I was going to use the Reversable A-Line that (I believe is CarlaC's) from You Can Make This. However, without having any measurements for Kahli and not having a clue as to what her actual size is, its hard to use that pattern--at least if you're trying to whip it up in a few hours before throwing it in a box to send. I did find this pattern--which is also an A-line. I wasn't going to spend the time doing all the appliques on that pattern for this particular dress, so I improvised.

This is the pattern I used and then machine embroidered the 3 Fishes design from Embroodles--Embroidery Doodles.


And this is what the finished product looked like. From what I understand, her Momma loves it. I guess that means I'll have to get my butt in gear and make a few more of them for her.

Of course, I guess you know that that wouldn't be the only thing that I would be making and sending to Gramma's Princess that I would be showing you. Here are the burps that I made to go along with the bibs. The bibs have the fabric on the bottom as the back of the bib. They have the same design embroidered on the front as they do on the front of the bibs. For extra absorbancy, there is a second layer of flannel in the middle of the pink flannel and "fashion" fabric. Enjoy! LOL
This last one shows the design on the pink flannel of the bib instead of on the burp. The back fabric of the bib and the "hem" of the burp are a blue background Winnie the Pooh and friends fabric.
These are the four onesies I made for Kahli.

The fudgecicles and creamcicles look almost good enough to eat--don't you think? The only problem I have with the onesies being for Kahli is that I'm afraid that they will no longer fit. She's getting so big so fast.



But, Hey! If they don't fit her, they can be saved for Kahli's up coming cousin! No I don't mean my new grandson due Oct. 5, I mean Kahli's Grammie Kathy is expecting their second grandbaby (a girl) on Oct. 2 from her son~ So I guess I'll be sewing for Allison and Kahli in North Carolina and Austin here! Its kind of funny that both Grammie Kathy and Gramma Shelly are both expecting their second grandchildren the same week!

2 comments:

Carlotta said...

Shelly you have been sewing up a storm over there, and I love them all!!! I am so jealous of your embroidery skills. I wish I had a machine. Been looking into it but haven't gotten one yet. I knew that quilt looked familiar. When you mentioned it I said, 'yeah, that's the one Barb gave you', as if you could hear me. I talk to the computer a lot. Anyway, your grandbaby is sure nuff lucky to have a Gramma like you.
~Tootles!

Barb said...

You have been one busy gal...reall busy...did I say busy? sheweeeeee you need to take a breather here and there. Love the dress and the embroidery....you and quilt fiesta should get together, she does amazing work too.