Chinese outfit for my daughter

At her school, DD4 had a chinese day some time ago. And so I found myself trying to make quickly a chinese outfit for her.

This is the result, not perfect (I know where something is not right, but won't tell you where), but not too bad either.

Now I hope she will wear it again before it becomes too small.

Baby shoes

Julie who lives next door from me had a baby boy last Friday. We are all very excited about this new addition to their family and I made some little shoes from a pattern made by Amy Butler inher book "Little Stitches for little ones".

There are some other projects which are quite tempting. My only regret is that my own children are too old, and I think I didn't have enough time to make all the things I would have liked to make when they were baby girls.

But I'm still making some for the babies around me.

I followed the pattern in the book, done in a size 3 months in this case, but wasn't happy with the space left for the leg of the baby. I then changed the position of the velcro on the shoe, put it higher, and it works much better.

This photo with my hand is just to give you an idea of the size of the shoe. It needs to be roomy enough for the socks as well.

Now should I make another one for my young niece in France, in size 6 months...

DD4 new dress

You would think that having daughters I would get to sew them some clothes. But no, they are not interested any more. Not at 15, 13, 11...and then yes maybe, but really to please me, at 8. Finally.

I let DD4 choose her fabrics, and she picked one by the Japanese Lecien. She's got good taste or what. And if I bought it, I've got to use it.

I picked a raspberry pink for the fabric under. This dress is almost 2 dresses. The pattern is the same except one is longer than the other. Oh and I had to recalculate because they didn't go up to her size.

Then I zigzaged some leaves design on the front dress, and cut the holes to see the fabric of the second dress.

There is no button, zip, or other opening way to help put the dress on. And so it was good that I could try it all the way on my daughter, because when she put her arms up, it changed the width of her shoulders, and I had to make some adjustments.

The book I used is in french, " Les vetements de petite fille" by Cecile Vincent, and I loved the photos, the ideas, the colours. But I found that the explanations were a bit light, especially if you had never done anything like this. I used my own method in some parts. And there was no mention of the seam allowances, and where they should be.

It's a book to give you ideas, show you the way Cecile Vincent has done it, but you need to know how to make clothes to really be able to use it.

My daughter's new skirt

In the summer we had fun with my sister making a little skirt for her daughter. We did it all by hand, after buying some fabric on impulse.

I promised my daughter, number 4, that I would make her one, and now I have.

The problem is she wouldn't come in the garden to take a photo, so it is daughter number 3 who did. I am lucky it fitted her.

It is very simple as there are 2 only rectangles of fabric, and an elastic.

She is 6 and a half but quite tall, so I cut the fabric with seam allowances included:

- for the top 33"x9 1/2"

-for the lower portion 44"x11 1/4".

Sew the short sides together, right sides facing, 1/2" from the edge ot the fabric on the 2 rectangles of fabric. You now have 2 rings. Overcast side edges, as well as the bottom of the upper portion and top of your lower rectangle.

Put a gathering stitch (I can do that with my machine and a basting stitch) 1/2" from the top of the lower portion, gather until it is the same length as the top portion. Pin and sew right sides together.

Hem the bottom of the skirt by folding the fabric on itself twice, 1/4 " each time.

Fold the top of the skirt twice, making sure that it is wide enough to accomodate the elastic. Sew leaving a gap big enough to insert the elastic.

Use a safety pin to insert the elastic all the way around the top of the skirt. Attach the 2 ends securely and check on the child if possible.

Sew the elastic solidly to make a ring.

Close the seam at the waist.

Et voila.

Of course you will have to adapt to the child. Measure around the waist and the length between waist and knees, depending how long you want the skirt to be. Add enough for the seam allowances :

-1/2" at the bottom, 1/2" for the middle seam on the fabric at the bottom,

-1" for the elastic measuring 1/2", and 1/2" for the middle seam, for the fabric at the top.

You could also use different fabrics top and bottom.

But do use fabric you love and that the child loves, or your work will be in vain. Use good quality for the fabric as well as I don't know many children that sit still.