FO Christmas Sewing

Last year I actually got around to doing some sewing before christmas.  I made a couple of gifts as well something each for the kids.
First I made a dress for our baby niece in the UK.  I never know what to get wee babies for christmas so I thought clothes would always come in handy.  I have had the image of this wee dress in my head for ages (was originally going to make it for Miss M), and I was pleased to have the excuse to make it.  I used the Carla C A-Line dress pattern which is my "go to" pinafore pattern these days.  Made in a medium weight denim with red polka dot cotton lining, edged with ric-rac from Mum's stash and with a flower applique.  I was really pleased with the result but unfortunately didn't get any decent daylight photos before it headed off in the post.

For Mr A I finally got around to making up his monster truck t-shirt.  I must have had this material sitting in stash for about a year so I thought it was about time I got brave enough to cut into it (it wasn't cheap).  I used the t-shirt pattern (number 24) from ottobre 3/2011 and as it is such a slim fit pattern I made a straight size 110 instead of a smaller size with added length.  This went together really well and I was even pleased with how the binding went on.  Mr A loves it, yay!

Finally Miss M got a wee peasant dress/tunic.  This was a bit of an improvised pattern, a mix of a couple of different ones that I found online.  I made it as long as the small piece of the owl fabric I had allowed.  The only thing I'm not too happy with is that I think the neck elastic is a bit tight.  Yes I know this is really easy to fix, but I also know I will probably never get around to fixing it ;-)

FO A clothes catch-up

I think this is the final big catch up thread from last year (barring anything to do with christmas) and so here is a quick round up of all the sewing I did towards the end of last year for Mr A and Miss M and never got around to blogging about.
So in no particular order......

A dress for Miss M.  This actually turned out to be more of a tunic as it is shorter than I had anticipated, not sure if that was something I did or what the pattern intended.  I made this at one of my sewing workshops and used it to learn some new techniques like sewing in piping and putting in an invisible zip :-)  The end result isn't perfect on either count but I'm pleased with it none the less.  The fabric is some I bought in a destash and the zip I stole form Mum's stash.  The pattern is from ottobre 3/2011 and I made a size 86.  My only mods from pattern was to add piping down the front seams and not put the big bow on the front :-)

 And on the girl herself.

At the same workshop I whipped up a wee pair of shorts for Mr A.  He requested red and red they are, actually the leftovers from the infamous red jeans, and I am pleased to say in this instance he loves them.  These are the Aqua shorts pattern from ottobre 3/2008 made to a size 98 (but I did cut a whole lot of length off them so they were as requested by the wearer.  Unfortunately although he has worn them a lot I don't seem to have any photos and being red they are really hard to get decent pics of.  All the top stitching is in black and they actually look much nicer in the flesh.

When the autumn issue of ottobre (4/2012) arrived last year I fell in love with a wee tunic pattern in it and for once I actually got around to making it within weeks of the mag arriving.  It is a simple wee pattern but really effective.  Again the fabric is some I got cheap in a destash and the ribbing is from stash.  Made in a floral one way stretch knit to a size 86cm.

A quick wee pinafore for Miss M.  This is out of some cute printed denim I think I got from my Mum's stash and again is an ottobre pattern from 1/2009 "Babushka pinafore".  I omitted the applique and the frills on the shoulders.  Made to a size 86 cm again.  The buttons I used on this are vintage ones from my Mum's button box :-)

And finally for now some cords I had cut out forever that I finally got around to sewing up for Miss M. I bought this fabric ages ago and love it although I must admit I was a bit nervous it would be a bit much for trousers.  In the end I am really glad I went with it.  The pattern is an ottobre from 4/2008, again size 86.  I used some cute printed 'moo' cotton for the inside of the waistband.  They have elastic in the back of the waist, full zip fly and I omitted the pockets :-)

Phew!  Just the christmas sewing to go now (and the few bits I've been doing in the last week or so).

Some family outings

Yep you guessed it another catch up post of a few things we got up to in the closing stages of last year. Will restrict this mainly to pictures or we will be here all day.
Firstly during the last school holidays I packed the kids up and we went to spend a week with Gran and Grandad.  We all had a blast and here is some of what we got up to.

First ice cream in a cone

Yummy

Early morning fun

More early morning fun

Old skool gaming

Checking out the cars at Brayshaw Park

Taking a trip on the riverside railway

River Queen

Feeding the ducks

Marble board made by my grandad still going strong.

 A couple of months later we took the kidlets to a local Highland Gathering.  It was a fantastic morning out and the kids loved the highland dancing and the pipe bands.

Our highland warrior

Don't mess with these two.

First taste of Irn-Bru

Trying on some armour

 A trip to the local bike park.

And finally flowers picked fresh from the garden.

FO Birthday Outfits

Time to begin the big catch up of finished projects from the end of 2012.  I will start with a few birthday presents I made :-)

Firstly are two lovely wee peasant dresses for the sweetest twin girls who live next door to us.  I always find buying for them difficult and they loved getting the dresses which was nice.  I used the free Create Kids Couture Marilyn's Slim Fit Peasant Dress Pattern in a size 6.  All fabric used was from the depths of my stash.  A lovely quick and easy to follow pattern, been meaning to make a whole lot of these for Miss M but haven't as yet.

A couple of weeks later we hd the birthday party of a wee 4-yo princess.  I had grand plans to make a Dorothy dress up (from Wizard of Oz) but even though I made a size 4 it came out massive so it got shelved and I made this wee outfit instead.  Again fabric from stash and I did buy the t-shirt and just add the applique.  First time doing a flower and I was pleased with how it went although it still wasn't perfect.  The skirt I just did as a circle onto a yoga style waistband.  Super quick and easy and twirly as required :-)

It was really nice to be able to make some birthday gifts that were really appreciated, and use up some of my ridiculously huge stash all at the same time :-)