UFO #1: First Summer Dress

This is a dress I started last summer for my then 2-year old daughter. I managed to get to step 3 when I got thoroughly confused by the directions and put away the project once the weather got cold. I pulled it out after finishing the two bags and after 5 minutes, voila! -- the directions suddenly made sense and I was able to quickly finish it. I had made it a little big for her, and it remains big for her, especially around the neck, but I figure that just means she can wear it next year too!

I'm not real fond of the style, at least not on her. She has a bit of a buddha belly. With the front seam at chest height and the ties that pull the dress tight about belly height, it looks a bit funny on her. I think she will be better suited to a dress with a defined waist. I'll have to give that a try sometime. This isn't a knock against the pattern, I thought it was a good pattern, its just not the right style for my daughter at this time.

Pattern Review: Simplicity S5118
It was a great pattern for a first dress. As mentioned I got confused early on, but since this is my first dress pattern, I think EVER, that may be more my fault than the pattern. I sewed the front pieces and cut the back pieces and then sewed those two together. Then the directions moved to the sleeves. I was thinking of attaching the sleeves to the dress, but the directions were actually about making the hem for the end of the sleeves. I couldn't understand how the hem worked with attaching the sleeves to the dress (it didn't, it was unrelated) but I got stuck on that... not being able to forsee the next step, and that is where I got stuck. But once I understood the directions, I was able to quickly finish the dress, even working with the lace around the edges of the neck and sleeves and the elastic in the neck without a problem.

My daughter complains the dress is itchy, which is a good point. I didn't choose soft lace, which I should have. This year she can wear a tank under the dress, which will help fit her better anyway and maybe next year she'll be less sensitive to the lace. This may even work as a nice peasant top when she gets older. Although I cut it out, I didn't attach the 'flounce' on the bottom (why is it not just called a 'ruffle'?) I had already finished the end of the dress and was not real interested in the frill anyway, so I skipped it.

Final review: Did I like the pattern? Yes. Would I sew it again? Maybe. If not, it would be because the dress is not the right look for my daughter and not the fault of the pattern. I do think I will be putting together a pair of the little shorts so she can wear something under it and still run and play. Unfortunately, I don't have enough of the same fabric, so that may be a little while.

Creativity abounds!

I am so thrilled that I am finally getting some craft things done. The first thing I worked on was these bags. I only planned to make one, but made a minor mistake by using what was supposed to be interior lining as the handles for the large bag. I had completed the handles and realized they were too short for the bag, so I made the correct handles for the large bag. This left me with an extra pair of handles, so I had no choice but to make another bag, right? Luckily the pattern came with a pattern for a smaller version of the same bag, which my pre-made handles fit perfectly. So I made two. The first bag has a pink moire interior, and as I found out, the interior pocket edges frayed too easily (one wash) so I tried a different approach for the second bag, and bought a blue moire interior which I liked better. Successful completion of this project has started me on several other projects, interrupted by a few quick projects for Easter (more on that). Stay tuned for a quick pattern review.

Pattern Review: Simplicity 8331
I have had this pattern forever. I bought some unique fabric online from an independent designer in Australia and new I wanted to make a bag. I decided to first make a bag out of another fabric in order to learn the pattern. I made pattern 'C' which is the dark blue and the green with blue flower bag in the photos. For my second smaller bag I used pattern 'D' which is the plaid bag. There is a smaller version pattern 'E' which I did not attempt.

Obviously I ran into one problem when I made the interior lining into handles instead of the handles. I could say it is confusing as both the handles and top interior lining are about the same width. (The interior of the bag suggests using 3 or so inches of the exterior fabric at the top of the interior lining, and then attaching the remainder of the interior lining. So you have two different fabrics in the lining, I suppose so at a glance with the closed bag you only see snatches of the interior fabric) but the patterns are clearly marked as 'handles' on the pattern. So, you have to actually READ the pattern peices?

The other issue I had was with the corners. After two bags and four corners, I still do not understand what they wanted, and I'm not sure it is any easier or stronger than just squaring the corners. But in the end, I got two nice looking sturdy bags.

Do I recommend this pattern? Yes. Would I make another bag with this pattern? Yes. But I won't use my precious Australian fabric on this pattern. I'll save that for another.