Vintage-y Goodness

I was incredibly lucky to get one of the coveted spots to test the Adelaide Vintage Romper for Peek-a-boo Patterns.  I have been wanting to make a romper for baby girl - and even attempted to draft my own... ummm let's just say that that attempt will result in a pair of fitted capris and the bodice of a different dress - yeah total disaster ;op
Back to Amy's delicious pattern of yummy vintage-y goodness.  Seriously I sewed this up and wanted to squeal in delight (I restrained myself as the kiddos were sleeping and I didn't want my husband to think  a wild pig had gotten into the basement ;op).  But it is simply darling!!!
I will admit that the name forced my hand in fabric selection.  I had some adorable blue and white polka dot fabric that would be perfect for this pattern - but I kept thinking VINTAGE.  And my eyes landed on a left over cut of Toile my mom had given me.  PERFECTION!  But what to go with it???  I went over to my stash and started trying to find a fun funky pop color, but they didn't seem to work right, I like at straight white - nope, I looked at black - too mature for my baby, then my eyes fell on a soft pink button up shirt.  Ahhhhhhh, just right.  I grabbed the shirt and started cutting without ever reading the label.  When I was doing the hand finishing I noticed that the fabric was a little tough to sew through compared to the cotton toile.  I ran upstairs to read the tag.... 100% SILK - ohhhhhh, well no wonder it was pretty and soft ;op  Sometimes I get a bit ahead of myself when I am excited.

This pattern is seriously gorgeous, and I feel like baby girl looks beautiful in it, and not like my little baby anymore (she will turn ONE on Saturday - shhhhhhh don't remind me!)

This is a fairly easy pattern to follow - and Amy does a great job instruction you through each step.  There is optional piping (which I left out), optional shirring (which I included), and perfect pockets - for those of you whose children know what to do with a pocket ;op  The bodice is fully lined and the collar is one of my favorite parts - throw in some pink buttons and how can you not swoon?

Ahhhh -chubby little legs and knees (that totally only works for a toddler/baby).  Head over to Amy's shop if you wan to make your own!
*Oh and that cute bow headband.... lets just say I mistook my cuff pieces for strap pieces, happy accident in this case ;o)

Hugs!

Guest Posting & Tellin' you how to Bust that Stash

Today you can find me over at Feather's Flights talking about my stash and how to get in the mind set of using more of yours!!!

Come on over to read all about it and don't miss any part of Heather's great Stash Busting Series!

And I think it is finally SPRING in this here neck of the woods!!!

PR&P has STILL taken over my house....

Yep, I am still cleaning up from the craziness of PR&P.  Today I finally sat down to organize this pile of patters that I altered or created for the different weeks of competition. (lets not talk about the fact that there is another pile in the basement ;op).  But I was able to go from THIS

to THIS

Definite improvement!!!  I did notice though that a few of my pattern pieces have gone missing - was it a munchkin, my toss happy hubby, or could it be in the pile in the basement... no matter what, it is my fault for not keeping track of them and putting them away sooner ;op

Have you been following along with the All Star season of PR&P, WOW.  Simply WOW!!!  I was planning on sewing along this season because the challenges are awesome, but I may have to settle with being inspired.
Here is a glimpse of Easter - inspired by Renior for the Art Inspiration of Week One:

*yep, that is the collegiate cool blazer on B - I'll share all their Easter looks in detail for the Spring Formal week!

Here's as far as I might get with chevrons.  Oh life ;o) (*I did get the rest cut out, but none of it sewn ;op)

I'm in a spring cleaning mode (well as much as you can be in with 3 little ones who undo ever step of progress you make).  But today I had a success... SUCCESS people!!!  I cleaned out my half of the closet AND my dresser.  I still need to weed through the spring/summer clothes that are in a bin, but I am most of the way there.  You see, I spent more than two years of my life pregnant - two years of 4 seasons back to back pregnant or recovering from c-sections, which equates to still looking pregnant.  I was facing a closet of pre-pregnancy clothing (most of which I have to admit will never again fit my new body), maternity clothing (which almost a year after giving birth to baby girl - I don't want to touch with a 10 foot poll), and some schlumpy stuff that kinda sorta fits my current body.  It is a little depressing getting rid of about 80% of your clothing in one fell swoop, but kinda exciting for all the new things I can upcycle into clothes for the kids.  And, I have to admit that even if there isn't much in there right now - it is much easier to look at a mostly empty closet than one brimming with all the things that just don't work anymore.
The silver lining is that in a week and a half I am going shopping with my girl friend for new (non-maternity) clothes - for the first time in over TWO years!  I am soooooooooooo stinkin excited!

Huge hugs to all - hope your spring is coming faster than ours!!!

Wonderings: or ramblings... take your pick

*HAHAHAH - I wrote this about 5 months ago, and yet it still holds so true today - it also goes to show how true, since it is only now getting posted ;op
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My brain is no longer connecting the dots.

Words are failing me - that is not strange unto itself, I mean I am a sleep deprived mama and all.  But I can't get my children's names straight.  I look at them and blatantly blank on which one they are... it isn't like I'm Michelle Dugger here with 20 names all starting with the same letter - I have three, and the twins don't even look the same ;op

I can't finish a project to save my life.  And for some reason, instead of doing the 20 minutes worth of work to finish project A, B, or C; I spend an hour thinking of and starting project D, E & F.

Someone needs to create a device that will zap me every time my brain begins its wandering into the ether... the land of 'what ifs' and 'how cools'.  A focuser, a distraction blocker (no, not the three little distractions, the internal main frame distractions).  I'd pay for that!

Happy Easter

I think this is a fairly realistic representation of life in my house.  Attempting to take a family picture is just a trial in torture - but outside of the picture, the kids really did have a great day and Nana got to shower them with gifts as she loves to do ;o)

Hope you all had a wonderful Easter weekend and built memories to last a lifetime!

Hugs from the Winter Clan.

Spring Forward into Spring Fever

So this past weekend we sprung forward and the weather around here decided to get with the program - mid 50's both Saturday and Sunday, WOHOOOO!!!  *Just so we all know, 60-70degrees is my cap for comfort on the heat end, once we go past 70 I will be dying of a heat stroke on a daily basis.

We took the kids to the park both days and it was glorious just getting out of the house and seeing them smile.  Ok, baby girl may not know WHAT do do with the outdoors, and like her mother - she is not a fan of the sun, but we still had a great time.

 ok - I know the hats are comical  they are a bit small - as they are their hats from last year, but 'whatever works' right!?!?!

 my Little Red (this was her Christmas present from Nana)

 The boys' version of 'golf'

PR&P was having a sew along with Jessica's Spring Fever pattern - I had every intention of entering my simplified design, but things like a broken leg left the pattern on my cutting table until Sunday.
I went with a top: cropped the bodice a bit, took the gather out of the flutter sleeve, used a single circle peplum layer to eliminate gathering, and used KNIT - have I mentioned before that I love making my kids things out of knit?  It isn't that it is easier to sew, but it gets so much wear because it is comfy.
I tried a new technique for binding the neck line, but I think for future ones I will used my old method - I essentially made a bias tape here and it just seems too bulky to me, and I didn't switch out to a twin needle so the stitching just isn't as clean as I like - but I was going fast.  I'm still debating if I want to add a red stripe of finishing at the bottom of the peplum or if I just like it raw.
All in all this top took me about an hour to put together, so needless to say I will be making more!!!  I will probably take about an inch out of the width if not more since it is knit and has stretch to make it more fitted at the waist.  If I can find a really soft cotton with a great drape, I will probably make one out of that too ;o)

 'look mama, I'm sitting all nicely...'

 'Kneeling isn't standing... right, mama'

'Here, I'll help you with the dishes...and maybe try to stand up...'

*I would love the back even more if the stripe hadn't shifted when I was cutting it... design fail ;op*

Coastal Cargos.... Keeping my boys COOL!

Here is the second pattern I was lucky enough to get to test in the past few weeks... the Coastal Cargo Pants from Melly Sews.  It is part of the amazing summer collection from Pattern Anthology.  The whole collection is one sale for the next two weeks, so get them now while the prices are AWESOME!

I love, love, love these pants.  They fit B so well and he just loved running all around in them (we're not going to talk about the fact he was running around barefoot outside in single digit weather ;op).  I started these pants during the final week of PR&P (yes, while I was still sewing the Gabba GA! look) - sickness and a series of unfortunate sewing events made it clear that I could not get everything done that week, and Melissa  graciously gave me an extension for my pants review deadline.  But I cut them under the deadline and decided to opt out of the optional welt pockets, cargo pockets, and front pockets.  HAHAHAHAH, so much for cargo pants ;op
But seriously the two things I LOVE about these pants are the in and out-seam bindings and the button tabs to shorten the length.  I also think the front zipper and waist band with belt loops are awesome (of course the elastic waist band allows me to still pull the pants on and off the boys for super easy diaper changes).

I went with a lightweight cotton something - that is what you get when you get when you take everyone else's cast offs, very little knowledge of what you are sewing with ;op

My only sadness is that I didn't do my tabs out of the same material as my contrasting bindings - all the sample pictures show it that way, I just didn't think about it when I was cutting.  I still love the pants though... and doing them without all the pockets makes them a little dressier.  I have plans for at least two more pairs - one is already cut and just waiting to be sewn, warmer weather on the horizon is kicking my butt in gear ;op

How can you not LOVE these pants!!!!

 (I did leave these a bit long, but the boys grow so fast and I want them to last through until fall)

*notice the photo bomber in the back - that bit of red may just be his collegiate cool red pants ;o)