I sew tents too!

I made a tee pee for our Harrison for his first birthday present.  I should say that Husband and I made a tee pee because I got a lot of help with the drafting of the pattern.  There are many tutorials on Pinterest but you have to take the measurements and then for it.  I used canvas painter's drop cloths from Canadian Tire as my fabric of choice.  I added a facing to the top of the tent and added grommets to add some stability to the top of the tent.  The grommets were then used as part of the rope tying at the top.  The grommets really seem to make it look snazzy.  The rope is cotton clothesline cord.  The doweling we used was hemlock, 1"5/8".  It was a tight squeeze for the doweling through the tubes at each of the four corners but it worked.  I would probably add a 1/2" to the width of those pieces if I was to make another.  I serged all the seams for strength and serged and then narrow hemmed the bottom and tee pee flaps.  The tee pee collapses easily for storage.

The most important thing is how much Harrison likes it!  He goes in and out and giggles.  He pretends to nap and just has a whole lot of fun with his new happy place.  The tee pee is large enough for an adult to sit inside it with him for story time.  So much fun!

Making shorties for the babies

I found a new pattern designer Vagabondstitch on Etsy.  Her baby clothes patterns are CUTE!  This is the baby bloomer pattern.  It goes together really quickly and looks super comfy.  I made Harrison several pairs for this summer and a few pairs of the baggy baby shorts as well.  I made a pair of the baby bloomers for one month old Claire yesterday in a Spoonflower print but I gave them to her without a picture.  Let me just tell ya, they were super cute for baby summer wearing.

Baby Girl...

Our son and our lovely daughter in law are expecting a baby girl in May.  We are so delighted and I started her wee wardrobe yesterday.  Some little pants but then I added a peplum to the Brindille and Twig basic tee in the 0-3 months size.  I put my rotary cutter there for scale.  This is a little tee shirt in the softest Art Gallery knit.  Pinkness!  I have to credit Husband for doing the circle math.  I made the peplum as a circle and had to figure out how big to make the inner circle to fit on the bottom of the t-shirt.  I did cut an inch off the bottom of the tee before adding the peplum.  And in perfect capsule wardrobe fashion.  The pink tee is mix and max with all three of the pants.  Woo hoo!

I also made soft mint green one as well.  The Art Gallery solids and the Amy Sinbaldi knit from her Paperie line is all from Hawthorne Threads.  The grey dot is a Riley Blake knit also from Hawthorne Threads.  The centre floral print is from Spoonflower.  To whine a bit, it is really tough to find lovely knits for baby clothes in Canada.  I can find the basics but not the good quality designer knits.

The hem on the circle peplum was a bit of a puzzle.  Then I decided to serge the edge first.  This allowed me to easily turn up the serged edge and press lightly before doing the twin needle hem with the woolly nylon thread in the bobbin.  And that she said is that.  Cannot wait to hug the little girly bundle.  She will be here before you know it.

And they fit!

And they fit!  I packed up all the clothes in a shoebox and mailed them off to our wee boy.  Here he is in the hoodie and a pair of the pants.  Perfect fit with room to grow into them.  Baby toes!
Harrison is almost 9 months old and he is wall walking up a storm.  Cute as stink!

Not quilting but sewing for baby

I have been sewing up a new wardrobe for the grand boy.  Spring break sewing to be sure.  I actually had to make a list.  Daughter has very specific requests.  Did I say diva?  Just a little bit.  Love you, Emily!  Anyway, it is always a bit of a gamble with sizes when the baby lives far away but I got busy and made pants, tees, a sweatshirt and a hoodie.  And I fell in love with a "new to me" technique for finishing the hems and waists.  Oh my goodness, I am all about the twin stretch needle with woolly nylon thread in the bobbin.  Why have I never done this before?????  It works like stink.  I am even going to do this on the neck ribbing next time for that extra little bit of professional finish.

Some fabric details.  The foxes are a Robert Kaufman knit but I think it is out of stock everywhere now.  The other prints are from Spoonflower. I get the organic knit.  It is a beautiful weight.  The black and white stripe if from a t-shirt that I bought for me but never wore.  The black hoodie and black pants is french terry with a grey light weight knit for the hood lining.  The sweatshirt is a light weight woven stripe from Overseas Fabric, my local awesome shop and they carry the twin stretch needle and tons of serger thread.  FYI.

And the patterns for the hoodie, sweatshirt and the tees are Brindille and Twig.  The pants are a combination of a number of patterns and my own messing around.  I used the baggy fit tee but then did the deer print and black and white stripe with the basic tee and we preferred the basic fit tee.

Sewing pants

This weekend was all about baby pants.  The little dude is growing fast and furious and is now 6 months old. He is a seriously cute.  And when his mommy says he needs new pants then Gramma has to get busy.  The 2 black prints are Robert Kaufman knits and the Adventure Awaits print is from Spponflower.  Nouveau Bohemian is the designer and it was printed on the organic cotton knit which is to die for.  Just saying.  

Then I made the sweatshirt which is a Brindille and Twig pattern.  The Canada Goose print is from Spoonflower as well and the same designer. Now here is the story.  I decided yesterday to be brave and change the thread on my serger from white to black since I was sewing black stuff.  Yesterday it worked perfectly.  I tied the thread to the thread.  Bing bang boom, I had black thread on the serger and then I changed it back.  No problem! Until today when I was serging the sweatshirt and I decided to switch to black thread again for the ribbing.  The thread broke and I had to re-thread the whole thing.  OMG.  I had the Youtube video.  I had husband holding the flashlight.  Cursing.  Thinking I needed to buy a new serger.  One for white thread and one for black.  But with husband's help, we got it done  I seriously cannot thread a needle, never mind a looper.  Serger threaded.  Sweatshirt done.  And black thread is still on the serger.  Blah!

A hoodie for the grandbaby

We are off to see a little someone for Thanksgiving!  He is going to love this new hoodie.  Brindile and Twig pattern.  This is the 3-6 month size and it is super easy to whip on the serger.  And folks, this is a free pattern when you sign up for the Brindile and Twig newsletter.  Gotta love that!

What I have been making

I have been getting to know my serger.  It is a ton of fun.  I have cranked out many pairs of baby super skinny harem pants, a Brindille and Twig pattern.

 And then I decided to try a hoodie.  Also a Brindille and Twig pattern that is free when you sign up for their newsletter.  Awesome!  But I did not want to cut into any "good" fabric before trying out the pattern so I went shopping in my husband's closet for t-shirts he rarely wears.  Bonus!  I found a red one that he has never worn and he assured me that he would not ever wear it so it met my scissors. This was a lot of fun to make.  I guarantee that the trickiest part was the little pocket on the front and even that was pretty straight forward.  This is tiny.  A 0-3 months hoodie just right for our little man.

And speaking of our little man.  He came to visit.  We had such a good time.  Lots of baby snuggles and now we are missing him, and his mummy and daddy too.

So this happened

My husband asked me what I had planned for this summer.  What was I going to look forward to and what was going to put a spring in my step?  I happened to mention that I thought I might like a serger.  I did a little research and then off I went to do a little up close and personal research.  And I bought one.  And once I got that sucker threaded, it is a whole lot of fun.

I made these little baby boy shorts in 5 minutes or less.  Oh my goodness.  So much fun.  This is a Brindille and Twig pattern.    And then I made these.  Options.  I tried out two different waist options.  These are a bit of a mash up in terms of the pattern as I did a rub off of a pair and faked them a bit but the wee beanie toque is Brindille and Twig.  So do I blame the purchase of the serger on my husband or on our grandbaby?  I wonder now how I have managed to live without one for so long.  It is just that much fun!

A Bonnet for a boy

Our daughter decided that our baby needed a bonnet.  Our son in law and my husband thought it was goofy because our baby is a boy.   Husband proclaimed that it is not the 1950s and we don't put boy babies in bonnets but our daughter was pretty determined.  She has been eyeing the bonnets made by Rain People but the one she wanted was sold out.  Gramma to the rescue. I thought this looked a lot like the Purl Soho bonnet pattern so I got busy.  I used a thrifted men's shirt in a striped oxford cloth to make the bonnet more manly.  It sewed up like a dream.  I lined the interior with a lovely light weight white cotton that I have had for who knows how long.  The brim is interfaced.  This is a great pattern.  I am going to pop this in the mail so our baby can enjoy his wee man bonnet when he is out and about in the sun.

Still waiting for grandbaby

While we are still waiting for our wee grandbaby, I made another pair of pants for the little guy.  This is another Brindille and Twig pattern , harem pants in the smallest size.  Super easy to put together and super cute.  Lots of diaper space in these little pants!

More grandbaby sewing

I took some time today to do a bit more grandbaby sewing.  Nothing glamorous but I needed to make some bassinet sheets and another change pad cover.  Done, and done!  We are only about a month away from meeting the little guy.  So much fun.

And more making

And then I churned out 4 pairs of newborn baby boy bloomers.  Oh my goodness, these are so darn fun.  Just a little something something to throw over a diaper for that well dressed baby look.  I found this free pattern at See Kate Sew.  

Making

I have been making a lot of little tiny things.  Baby leggings and hats among other things.  Brindle and Twig patterns.  Totally cute!

It's a boy!

We are going to be grandparents in July.  This is most exciting as it is our first and we found out the other day that our daughter is having a wee boy.  I have been waiting to start the sewing until we knew what to expect.  I wasted no time this weekend.  I made receiving blankets, bibs and baby bandanas.  SO MUCH FUN!   I used this tutorial for the bandanas.  And I noticed another tutorial at the Purl Bee.  I will try that one next.