A Mini-slanket for the kids

A week ago, a package arrived. It contained fleece fabrics I bought from an Etsy shop called Cottonholic. I bought the fabrics a month ago but the package got stuck in Aduanas (customs dept. of Spain).

Yesterday night, I was suffering from migraine but have decided to make mini-slankets for my kids. It was so easy that I needed only 15 minutes to cut and sew each mini-slanket. 

I bought the fabrics with a different project in mind but I badly needed these slankets as the kids have already outgrown their one piece footed fleece pyjamas.

The project is so easy to make you won't even need a template. Just take your child's body measurement or use their clothing as your basis for the measurement. Basically, you will just need to fold your fabric in half (crosswise), cut a hole in the middle for their head, and cut an A-line body and of course, don't forget the sleeves. You will be left with a T-shaped fabric. You will need to sew (straight stitch and serge or zigzag when needed) the sleeves and the body. I didn't have to hem nor serge my son's slanket as I used an anti-fray and anti-pill polar fleece for his slanket. Unfortunately, I didn't have any fleece which doesn't have any girly print. Fortunately, my son still doesn't have any preference for prints. When I let him wear the finished slanket, he was so contented with it. I'm sure that all he could think of at that moment was how warm, comfy and cozy the slanket felt. My Princess was so happy with her slanket as it was made out of a fleece fabric which has a pretty pile which makes it so soft and warm. I added some velcro to secure the slanket so they would stay covered, snuggly and warm all through the night. 

I used 1 yard of polar fleece for my son's slanket... -i know, the flower prints ^^)  but he likes it anyway
i'ts so soft and warm, too : )  

velcro for closures, it's like wearing pants, not a dress ; )

I used 1 yard and a half polar fleece

The kids slept so well last night. And that's what all that matters. 

my kids, before bedtime

I am still suffering from a bad migraine, though : (

Have a nice day everyone! Happy sewing, too.

ETSY Treasury for the European Street Team

Just recently I applied and got accepted in the European Street Team in Etsy. This team was created for all artists who sell in Etsy and are based in Europe. I have made a special treasury for the team:

I will soon be making another treasury featuring other members of the team. ; )

I do LOVE skirts!

I do love skirts! I love sewing skirts... dresses, too. I love to see my Princess in skirts and dresses. She loves them, too especially if they are twirly. Here are some of the skirts and dress I've sewn for my Princess.

This jumper dress was repurposed from my old but barely used knit dress.

This skirt is from my old but unused knit blouse. I used a polka-dotted organza fabric for the sash embellished with pearls studs.

This dress is made out of two parts: a refashioned t-shirt of my daughter which had some stains on the hem and scraps of black cotton fabric for a layered ruffled skirt. I used a black organza fabric for the sash and some scrap gingham fabric for the fabric flower.

I repurposed an old, unused and ill-fitting chiffon dress (mine) into a bubble skirt for my Princess. I used the remaining fabric to make a brooch to match.

This dress is made from a stained tshirt of my Princess, refashioned into a dress with ruffles  in the neckline. This was inspired by a creation of Sachiko in Tea Rose Home. You should check her blog! She's got so many fabulous creations!

A red skirt from scraps.

The butterfly skirt made from scraps and a stained shirt of my Princess.

A bubble skirt made from a japanese cotton fabric I was so inlove with! ; )

A cute skirt made from my old but unused capri pants.

A pillowcase-styled dress with ruffled neckline made froma japanese cotton fabric. 

A peasant tunic/dress.

Another dress ; )

A twirly tiered skirt ; )

A layered ruffled skirt with sash made out of an ill-fitting eyelet dress (mine).

Another pretty layered ruffled skirt.

Oliver + S' Ice Cream Dress. 

An old pair of jeans repurposed into a skirt.

An old but barely used pants repurposed into a jumper dress.

And a tiered and layered ruffled skirt made from a cotton corduroy fabric. 

As you can see, I love skirts and dresses... I love repurposing and refashioning, too. ; )

Have a Happy Sunday everyone!

Ciao!

Repurposed Pair of Pants to Jumper Dress Tutorial

It's 9 in the evening, the children are already in bed and it's so cold tonight (it was actually so cold the whole day). Starting tomorrow, Spain will be enjoying (or suffering?) from two weeks of snow, rain and cold (coooold) weather. 

I started the morning with one thing in mind: repurposing this pair of pants.

I also have this cotton corduroy fabric which I think will go very well with the pants.

This tutorial is for a jumper. My daughter wears a size 7-8T. I have decided to use the pants' upper part for the jumper, save the embroidered front for another project and use the back part for the straps.

The waist/hip is too wide for my daughter so I adjusted it to her size, not too tight nor too wide, I have decided to leave a growing room of 3 inches. You will have to decide how long or how short you want your skirt. I decided to have a 15 inches long skirt (including the pants part) so I needed:

CORDUROY FABRIC

Skirt 1: (2 pcs.) 10" x 22"

Skirt 2: (2 pcs.) 6" x 22"

Ruffles: (2 pcs.) 3" x 45"

PANTS

Straps: (2 pcs.) 3" x 20"+10" (I needed to cut a separate 10" which I will attach later on to the 20" piece since the pants were not long enough to have a 30" long piece)

So we have all these:

Get your ruffles piece, fold in half wrong sides together and sew a straight stitch:

  

Sew the short sides, too.

Do it to the other piece.

Set your stitch length to maximum (mine's 5.0) and sew a straight stitch and create lovely ruffles.

Now let's move on to the skirt. Attach the short sides of each corresponding piece. I decided to use a french hem since I was in the mood for a French hem ^^)

Hem your skirt pieces using your favorite hemming style.

So, now, you have this.

Attach both skirt pieces so later on, you can attach them to the upper part (pants) in just one sewing.

After changing my threads (color), I have attached the short piece for the strap to the long piece, like this. Attach them using your favorite style.

Now fold your strap piece in half, wrong sides together and sew a straight line. I am sure that there are other ways of doing this but this is how I do it. If you have an easier way to do it I'd be happy to know ; )

Open the strap rightt side up and sew on the ruffles. 

Fold it in half, wrong sides together, folding the part where you have sewn the ruffles with a basting stitch.

I fold under a small part of the other side (where no basting stitch was done) so the ruffles are sandwiched between the strap's fabric and I topstitched. You can choose to pin first then sew or just eyeball it and topstitch (like what I did) making sure you catch all layers.

So, now you'll have two straps:

Now, get your skirt, sew a straight stitch (maximum stitch length) and gather the skirt like this:

Arrange your upper part and your skirt together, right sides together and adjust your ruffled skirt's width to the upper part of the skirt's width. You can pin and secure it before sewing. I like to pin just in 4 parts (the sides and the center) so I can adjust the ruffles as I sew.

Sew a straight stitch then a zigzag or overlook (or serge) to reduce fraying. As you can see in the picture below, I now have the corduroy fabric outside and the pant's upper part inside but they are still in a right sides together position. I just flipped then over since I find it easier to adjust the ruffles this way plus I get to see if I am catching the ruffled fabric as I sew.

Flip your fabrics and now, you can topstitch (or not) whichever floats your boat. ^^)

Now you have this:

Now call your princess and check where you should attach your straps. Adjust as you go. Attach each strap at the back side:

Attach a button on the front side (inside) and make a buttonhole on each strap.

It's uncomfortable if the straps would keep on sliding from my daughter's shoulders so I cut 2 pieces of fabric (3" x 6.5"). I have sewn 1 side to one strap, following the topstitching to dissimulate that it was sewn on the strap,

Added a fabric button which I made from scratch so it would seem as if it's attached to the strap by a button.

I also added a button to the other side but did not sew it to the strap. I used some snaps so my princess can easily take it off without the fuss.

I changed the original button of the pants (before) and replaced it with the same fabric button.

Here's my princess enjoying her new jumper dress ; ) She just arrived from school when I asked her to try it on. ; )

She liked it so much! ^^)

And of course, I got my hug and my kiss! Happy princess, happy mami! ; )


I hope the tutorial is clear enough but if ever there are parts which aren't clearly explained, just send me an email or post a comment here. Please bear with me friends as this is my first tute posting. Thanks! ; )


Now, that I have posted my first tute I'm off to bed then to dreamland!


Buenas noches a todos!


Ciao!

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