Phat Quarters Camellia Dress

Hey!



We had the opportunity to test the add on pack for the Camellia Dress by Phat Quarters. Ansley was thrilled to have a shirtdress and loves the sweet style. The add on pack features three quarter sleeves with banded or ruffles to finish, darling pockets, and a ruffle on the skirt. I sewed the size 8 based on her chest measurement. I love the darts to shape the waist and the collar. When I make another I will add lightweight interfacing in the collar so it keeps its shape a little better. Fabric is a sateen cotton bedsheet. I used the hemmed side edge for the bottom ruffle of the dress and saved myself a lot of pressing and hemming time. :)



The pattern has clear instructions with helpful text and photos. The pattern can be printed in layers and assembled by trimming the pages or overlapping them. It also has a cut chart for some of the rectangular pieces.



The dress came together well and has been worn often since I finished it in the fall. I meant to blog this months ago before the worst cold/flu season I can remember. Last week was the first week we have all been healthy at the same time since Thanksgiving (with the exception of the week between Christmas and New Years!). Some of my piano students have been sick the last two weeks and I really hope we don't get sick again! Anyway, I'll leave you with a bunch of pictures from our fun photo shoot in the fall leaves. Thanks for stopping by!

R2D2 Geranium Dress

Hey! Do you follow Project Run and Play? I've actually been following since the first season and have sewn along for many of the themes. This week's theme is Astronomical Proportions and Outer Space and Gemia took the theme where we'd love to go. So no time/motivation like the present to blog about Lisbon's R2D2 dress, right?



I used one of my favorite sewing patterns, the Made by Rae Geranium Dress. (not sponsored) I actually sewed this before her first trip to Disneyland when she was two and a half. (two and under is free at Disneyland! They also eat free at sit down restaurants which is pretty amazing!) I think a size four was the maximum size I could squeeze out of this remnant from Sweet and Charmed Fabric. (not sponsored) Our trip was incredibly rainy and I couldn't convince Lisbon to let me take any decent pictures.

This past October we went to Disneyworld for the first time and I finally got a few pics. Haha. I am so behind on blogging (and possibly life lol) but I think it's time to catch up on our Disney outfits and tips and tricks. Do you ever get behind? What do you do when catching up? Chronological? Whatever you feel like? Other?



(Lots of info about Ansley's dress here. It's nearly time to sew her another! I'm planning to use the Building Block Dress Book. My dress is blogged here).



Like all of our other Geranium dresses, we love the fit and shape of the cap sleeves and the fun pockets. I love how the hem fits nicely and the pleats are really sweet.











These pics are from Ansley's "Best Day Ever." I'll share the rest later! I also didn't know Lisbon's hair would curl in humidity and I love it.





Thanks for stopping by!

The Nina Blouse by Coffee and Thread Blog Tour

Hi Friends! I am happy to be a stop on The Coffee and Thread Nina Blouse Tour! Special thanks to Claudia for organizing and the behind the scenes details of a tour!



Use the discount code NINAPATTERNTOUR to receive 20% off in the Coffee and Thread shop, good through March 19th, 2018 midnight central daylight time.



I grabbed this opportunity to sew Lisbon a Star Wars Nina Blouse. She picked out the fabric and wanted gold star buttons to match her sister's. She typically wears lounge jammies or twirly dresses but she has asked me a few times to pack this blouse when we go to Disneyland after Star Wars Galaxy's Edge opens some time next year (or the year after). I sewed her a straight size 6 (she measures a size 5 chest and 4/5 height) in the hopes that she will choose to wear this more often as she grows even though it doesn't twirl.



Everything came together beautifully. I used french seams as before. I used a lot of wonder tape on the plackets and used fray check on the button holes. It almost took me as long to make the bias tape (I made it a little bit wider than the pattern calls for because I wanted to use some for my jeans) as it did to sew the buttons on as it did to assemble the pattern and cut and sew. I am really slow at sewing buttons. Anyway, I think they were worth it though because they are a nice touch.





I have supplies (purchased from a local store that is sadly going out of business) to sew an Alice in Wonderland inspired Nina Blouse for Ansley (blue with a white collar and black tie) but the girls were sick and then I was really sick for a week. I am very eager for warmer weather and returning health!

And just for fun we took coordinating pictures.































Thank you for stopping by! I'm looking forward to seeing many beautiful Nina Blouses this week!

(Linking to project run and play's astronomical proportions/space week because when we think "space" in this family, we immediately think "Star Wars." Or hum "The Imperial March" in Lisbon's case).

The Nina Blouse by Coffee and Thread Patterns

Hi! I'm excited to share my Nina Blouses by Olga of Coffee and Thread. I love the sweet style and the clean finishes!



The Nina Blouse has two sleeve lengths (cap or scalloped sleeves and long sleeves), a peter pan or scalloped collar, six pintucks, and optional bow or tie. It comes in sizes 12 months to 12 years. The pattern can be printed in layers with a home printer. The pattern pieces fit together beautifully (and have notches to help align everything) and the instructions contain diagrams and useful text and descriptions.



I tested the size 9 for Ansley. She measures between an 8 and 9 in the chest. I used this pretty green chambray from The Stash. During the testing process the outer shoulder seam was moved out a little from these pictures. The sleeves went in nicely without puckers, which always makes me happy. I chose to use french seams on this one because I was too lazy to rethread my serger. (it has black thread in it and I had a project planned needing black thread). I love the way the placket is finished! We used simple snaps (that didn't set very well so I might end up replacing them) because the avocado buttons she picked weren't a perfect color match and she wanted to use them for a different item (tbd).







The second blouse is also a size 9 (with the shoulder seam adjustment). Ansley lucked out that there was enough fabric left over from my pockets and her (unblogged triangle pencil pouch) for this blouse. This fabric is from Camelot Fabrics and has been in The Stash since right before Hancock Fabrics closed. She picked the scalloped collar and the cap sleeves. I love the way arm holes are bound on the cap sleeved versions. She also picked these star buttons when we were at Joann. I used leftover bias tape from my Bryce Cargos so this is extra matchy. Haha. I again used french seams.















Ansley's friend was over after her piano lessons and agreed to be in some pictures with Ansley since there is a very small window of light in the winter after school. I love that the blouse matches her shoes!



The Nina Blouse is on sale for $6.50 for a limited time! I need to sew Lisbon one and I'm thinking of sewing Ansley an Alice in Wonderland colored one for her Millionaire Club at school. I also can't stop thinking about the beautiful versions in the testing group!

Thanks for stopping by!!