Surprises in Store

Been working on some secret sewing things again. This time the kids helped a lot!

Can't show you yet, but get excited for some serious cuteness.

Disco Costumes

The girls went to their first kindy disco last week, and the theme was "We can be Heroes". While they have a plethora of Cinderella type dresses (here and here) and fairy skirts (here), they were lacking in hero type costumes. 

So I showed the girls a range of generic super hero costume photos and asked who they wanted to go as. Sophie chose hers based on which costume was the shiniest. It was Wonder Woman. 

I did make some adjustments to the style, because it was for a five year old, but I kept all the classic elements and I feel that she is an excellent generic Wonder Woman.

The shirt was just $2.50 from Big W and I just cut the sleeves off. The skirt was some leftover stuff from the stash and some new tulle from Spotlight that worked out to be about $5. I had the yellow left over in the stash, which was fortunate. The headpiece is just pinned onto a headband that we already had, which made it really easy for her to wear it.

Rachel chose her costume on which one had the most blue. Her favourite colour. She is Captain America.

Again, I had to do some costume adjustments, to make it appropriate, but we were all happy with the results. Same deal for the shirt and skirt, so another costume that cost $7.50. Winning! I spray painted the star on, and the mask used to be butterfly shaped, but I sprayed that and cut it to shape too. I had the white and red material in the stash as well.

All in all, some successful costumes I think. The girls were really excited about their poses, can you tell?

Been Praying

It's been a busy last few weeks, and it's full of overwhelmingly big opportunity and the accompanying big decisions which a little bit make me regret being an adult. 

In the midst of it, I've been praying. 

Skirt Sewing

Sophie had a minor break down last week when she wanted to wear a skirt to kindy and found she had no kindy skirts this year. Usually, she gets her kindy clothes from ordinary clothes that have been worn too much, painted, stained etc, that I deem them to be kindy clothes. Alas, all her current skirts were still beautiful and clean. 

Given how easy skirts are to make, I promised to make her a couple. With pockets of course.

I had the material in my stash from a friend who kindly donated it to my sewing cause (I've actually sewn heaps with her material, but seem to have only blogged about it here and here, both skirts. And both times I used the yellow piping. Strange coincidences). Sophie picked it out, and thankfully the two prints were similar enough that I could use the left overs for pockets on the other. I put some of the final bits of yellow piping I got from Reverse Garbage around one set, but didn't bother with the other.

They are a little long on, but will last all year this way. I did suggest that one should be for kindy and the other not for kindy, just to make it last a little longer, and Sophie did comply. Here she is wearing it at swimming. I was taking the opportunity to photograph the skirt when Mia decided she should get in on the photo action.

Doona Cover Dress

I have been thinking for a while that I should make myself another dress. If you'll remember last year, I made leaps and bounds of progression with my sewing such that I successfully drafted and sewed myself a tailor made dress that fits to perfection. And has pockets. Suffice to say; I wear it a lot. 

So, when Steve was in Melbourne for work for a weekend, I decided I'd make a dress. I used an old doona cover that had been left here from when Sammie was renting with us. We didn't have a bed that would fit it, and I loved the bright print. Yay for recycling! 

I knew that the bodice would fit, but I wanted to try something new for the skirt part, so I attempted a circle skirt. I say attempted, because I wanted a semi circle skirt, and somehow the maths went wrong and I ended up with a full circle skirt. Not the end of the world, and certainly has more spin potential, but not quite what I was going for. 

I did buy some awesome spotty bias binding to finish the dress with, and given that I had everything else on hand, I think that's ok. $10 for a dress these days ain't bad!

Because the material had sat in the cupboard for umm... six or seven years now, there were a few holes, but I just used some of the bias tape and cut heart shapes to patch it. So pretty and you don't even notice they are there.

Here I am wearing it on it's first outing to church, the day after I made it. The girls were also in home made dresses, making me feel special, even if I didn't make them (thanks mum).

And here I am wearing it on date night with Steve. Thanks for being ok with your crazy wife and going out in public with her very unique dress.