Clothes – Page 3 – Sew Bittersweet Designs

An Easter Surprise for Anne

13 Comments / Clothes, Easter, Personal Post / By Melissa Dunworth

Last Monday I told Anne that we were going to go on a long car ride and pick something up the next day. On Tuesday afternoon I got her into the car, brought our tablet along with us for entertainment purposes and headed out for a 50 mile trek in rush hour traffic to pick up her “package”. We got to the airport with about 15 minutes to spare before the “package’s” plane landed. Anne saw the luggage carousels and assumed immediately her package was a bag of some sort, imagine her surprise when she saw my mom.

Nevermind…you don’t have to imagine it! I will just show you the look on her face!

Her surprise was her Nana! Best look of joy ever! We spent the week running wild! We went to the Seattle Pacific Science Center, we went out for her very first grown up tea, and we drove out to Bremerton to visit family. On Easter Sunday, she got all dolled up in the dress I made her and we had a wonderful dinner at home with my cousins and mom visiting. It was absolutely lovely!

The dress turned out so different than I intended. I bought the wrong sized pattern (3 sizes too big) so I had to change the bodice sizing. Then I decided I didn’t like the collar so I removed that from the pattern all together. I also decided I didn’t like the skirt or the way that was assembled and I changed that too. I guess you could say I have finally become comfortable enough with clothes to do my own thing! WOOHOO!

Here is a shot of Anne with the Easter Bunny. She LOVES the Easter bunny and so do I because I get a nice picture of her once a year without her screaming bloody murder like she does with Santa!

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday!!!

Week 15 Sewing Goals

8 Comments / Clothes, Easter, Goals / By Melissa Dunworth

I missed last week but I’m back for Week 15! My goal this week is very simple, make Anne’s Easter Dress. My mom is coming to visit and I want it done before she gets here so I have time to relax and visit with her.

I think I’m a touch crazy for making a tank dress but it is what Anne picked out and I’m pretty sure it is within my sewing skill set. I’ve not used a Butterick pattern before, I’m praying the instructions are clear.

While I was taking the above picture, Anne came in and said she made me a cake and would I take her picture, so here she is, in all her baking glory!

I hope everyone has a great week!!!

A Simple Vest for Anne – Pattern Review

10 Comments / Clothes, Pattern Review / By Melissa Dunworth

On Black Friday last year I went a bit spend happy on Etsy and bought a couple pdf patterns. I decided to buy Anne the Simple Vest pattern by Lily Bird Studio. I had never sewn with her patterns before but I had heard good things from several friends.

I sewed it up at the beginning of March using a remnant of fleece that I bought at JoAnns and a really cute purple and white chevron flannel for the lining.

My original intention was to put the welt pockets on it but after one horrible failed attempt I decided I didn’t want to waste anymore fabric and went with no pockets.

I found that the sizing for the pattern ran a bit small. Based on her measurements Anne would be a 4 according to the pattern, I am thinking that I should have made it a 5, and will definitely do that next time (I have plenty left of both fabrics to make a second one).

You can see that it is just exactly right for Anne at the moment.

It goes right to the end of her shirt, and I personally like her clothes to have a bit of room to grow. The nice thing is that the pattern has sizing from 12 months all the way to 8 years so I will be able to use this pattern for a couple more years.

Whatever size issues there might be, it really didn’t matter because that smile made it a win!

The next time I make this pattern I am going to find a reversible separating zipper so that I can have 2 vests for the price of one, I think that will be super fun for Anne.

Pattern Details: Simple Vest by Lily Bird Studio

Pattern Sewing Level: Advanced Beginner

Would I recommend this pattern: Yes

Materials – Blizzard Fleece from JoAnns, Separating Zipper

Special Skills: Installing a Zipper, Welt Pockets (I omitted those)

Model – my precious Anne

February Finish – Photo Heavy Post

16 Comments / A Lovely Year of Finishes, Clothes / By Melissa Dunworth

I finished my February goal and I increased my clothing sewing abilities! I am super excited about the hoodie I made Anne and the best part is…she is super excited about it too!I took Anne down by the water in downtown Olympia and we did a little photo shoot. She was shockingly cooperative, so naturally, being the super proud mommy that I am…I took as many pictures possible of her. She opted not to have ears and horns on the hoodie after seeing it in this state.

She got really into posing for me!

A view from the back.

Showing off the awesomeness that is her new hoodie!

Does it get much cuter than this?!?

Imaginary Balance Beam

This is the end of our shoot, I told her we could go ride bikes and she took off running!

Pattern Details: Modified Charlie Tee & Hoodie by Fishsticks Designs
(my modifications include removing all knit fabrics and using fleece only, also, I removed the bottom band to allow more freedom of movement.)

Pattern Sewing Level: Advanced Beginner

Would I recommend this pattern: Yes, a couple steps I had to re-read several times, but I got the whole hoodie together in one day!

Materials – Blizzard Fleece from JoAnns

Model – my precious Anne

There you have it! A completed February Finish – make sure you link up your finish here!

This was one of my goals for the Finish-A-Long Q1 with Katy from The Littlest Thistle. You can see my goals here.

February Goal Party – A Lovely Year of Finishes

6 Comments / A Lovely Year of Finishes, Clothes, Fiber of All Sorts / By Melissa Dunworth

Well here we are, month 2 of 2014. As always, the year just seems to be flying by! The picture below is the current state of my cutting table. By the end of the month I hope there will be a lovely finished giraffe hoodie for Anne. Complete with horns and ears (which I will be completely making up). The pattern I am following (and slightly modifying for my needs) is by Fishsticks Designs and I’m really excited to be using it.

There are a few rules to be eligible for prizes!

1. Link-up {on this post} the first 7-days of the month

and

2. Link-up in the last 7-days of the month.

Add your blog post or flickr photo (with appropriate descriptions) to the linky party below.

Please grab a button or link back to Shanna and I so other people can join in the fun!

**Please note, the linky party is the same here and over at Shanna, so there is no need to enter twice **

For those unsure of how to link up go check out our Q&A Page for A Lovely Year of Finishes – there are instructions on how to link up from a blog and from Flickr.

Grab a button from my sidebar and spread the LOVE!

Oh yeah and there are prizes this month (as always!), here is what our fantastic sponsors are offering.

February Prizes Include:

1. $15.00 Gift Certificate to Fat Quarter Shop

2, 3. TWO winners each getting to choose one pdf pattern
from Sew BitterSweet Designs ($10 value)