Girls in White Dresses

You may have noticed, but I haven't blogged much in the past couple of months...for a very good reason. I'm expecting! Yippee! Baby number two (nicknamed "Flicker" by baby number one) is due in September and has left me rather nauseous for the past little while so crafting and blogging and folding laundry have had to take back burner. Seriously, who wants to spend the short time when you do feel well folding laundry?! Not me. Not that folding laundry was ever on my enjoyable list. Sewing and designing, totally different story, and now that my first trimester is coming to a close and the sea of morning sickness has ebbed it can make its way back to the top of the list!

When I first found out I was pregnant, I wanted a boy. A brother for Liam, I've got all the right toys and clothes, it's easy to come up with a room design that would fit them both since they will be sharing, and I'd even thought up a great baby announcement. Perfect. But then one night I got this idea for the cutest little girl dress. This dress:

I could hardly get to sleep I was so excited about it. The idea of having a little girl became suddenly very appealing. There's just something about the elegant simplicity of a crisp white dress. Pair them with "blue satin sashes" (or in this case blue poly-cotton blend) and I'm hooked.

The next morning in my excited energy I designed the pattern, but then had to set it aside until yesterday when I finally cut out the fabric and began sewing the dress. I finished this afternoon during naptime and I am very pleased especially with the capped sleeves, and you know I can never get enough of the pintuck!

Do you want to know the best part? It cost me NOTHING. Made completely from white fabric I had lying around from an old project and blue fabric and bits of lace and even a zipper all inherited from my Grandma. Even though she's gone now, I still feel very close to her when I sew especially when I'm following her Depression motto of "use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without."

Using only what I have on hand has become a goal of mine since my fabric stores are overflowing the two under-the-bed bins self-designated as the only fabric storage I should ever need. Need being the operative word. I blame dollar-a-yard-won't-be-there-tomorrow-Walmart-fabric.

Birthday Crown

This sweet little girl below is turning ONE this week. What an important birthday! To emphasize the importance of such a wonderful day I thought it was only fitting that this little princess ought to have a crown. Here's what I came up with, and guess what? I actually have the PATTERN done and posted below! No waiting this time!

I got the original idea from these darling crowns from this etsy store. Because my crown follows Rubyellen's so closely, I ask that you only use this pattern for personal use. Sorry, no selling.

One thing that I wish I could have done was to add darling decorative stitching to the bottom of my crown like Rubyellen does. Alas, the decorative stitches on my little Kenmore are limited.

Pattern:
Click on the thumbnail picture below to open up the pattern file. You will need Adobe Reader to see and print it. It's free, and you can download it here.

Supplies:

• 9x12 piece of light blue felt
• 9x12 piece of off-white felt
• Scrap piece of green felt
• 3 1/2" x 16" piece of flannel
• 8" piece of 3/4" elastic
• 2 small buttons
• Green embroidery floss (optional)

Instructions:

1.Cut rose center, petals, small flowers, and crown backs out of light blue felt. Cut crown front out of off-white felt and leaves out of green.

(*For the crown front and backs, I recommend cutting out an extra set of patterns pieces for both and taping them together along the fold line to make one complete crown pattern instead of a half. When you cut out the crown, you'll get a much crisper peak this way than if you fold the felt in half and use the half pattern piece. Why didn't I just make the whole crown pattern? good question. The whole crown length is longer than a sheet of paper and I wanted you to be able to print out your pieces all on one sheet.)

2. Roll the rose center starting at the small end and rolling toward the large end. Secure with a few stitches through the bottom.

3. Stitch along the straight edge of each petal and pull thread tight to gather. Secure thread.

4. Stitch petals to the rose center along the bottom starting with the three small petals. Overlap the edges of the petals as you go.

When you finish, you may want to fold over and out the edges of the large petals to give it a more realistic rose look. It kind of softens the whole rose.

5. Stitch along the straight edge of the leaves and pull the thread tight to gather. Secure thread.

I did the following to soften the bright green color of my felt and add a little detail, but it is totally optional. Looks great without it. I sewed along the edges of my leaves using a blanket stitch. I also sewed along the middle using a running stitch. That's all.

6. Stitch the leaves to the bottom of the rose.

7. Sew the rose to the center of the off-white crown front. Place one small flower on top of another below the other two crown peaks, rotating the top flower so that all six petals are showing. Secure to each other and the crown front by sewing a button through the centers.

8. Center and sew crown front to one blue crown back about 1/8" from the edge of the off-white crown front.

9. Sew remaining blue back to, well, the back. Again about 1/8" from the edge leave the short sides unsewn so that the elastic piece can be inserted in and sewn in place.

10. Fold the 3 1/2" x 16" flannel piece in half, right sides together. Sew along long edge about 1/4" from the edge. Turn inside out. Insert 8" piece of elastic inside securing at both ends.

11. Insert flannel covered elastic piece ends about 1/2" or so into the open short sides of the crown and sew in place to complete the crown. Be sure elastic is not twisted before you sew it in.