Pre-Algebra, Houseblogs, and a little Cutting

After being on a sewing roll for over a month, I've come to a screeching halt.  We've had a bit of a schoolwork crisis with my oldest so I've been sharpening my math skills to see if we can nip the problem in the bud.  I've gone from not checking that homework is done to pouring over it and even making her go back and redo problems she got wrong in class.  I've not been K's favorite person lately and the review worksheets I printed off of a homeschool math site haven't helped with that.  Such is the life of a parent!  Fingers crossed, that this week from hell  in review has helped and that she makes at least a B on her test this morning. 

On a totally other subject, I've been spending my "free time" on the computer reading blogs written by people undertaking renovations to old homes.  I've always been a sucker for this subject and one of my favorite shows used to be If Walls Could Talk.  It used to air right before dinner time so we'd have it on while I fixed dinner.  The kids would stop whatever they were doing and sit and watch the whole show.  Occasionally, for kicks, I'll check out real estate listing of historic/older homes.  Earlier this week, I stumbled across this houseblog, which is an entertaining journal of a family's renovation of their ancestral home.   Several hours were spent this morning as I finished reading it. 

Luckily, I finished reading in time to get M to the bus stop and take a few pictures of B in the baby deer pinafore.

It's really short and wide.  Definitely a tunic.

In no particular order, I've cut out the following 3: 

 I tried to save myself time and instead of retracing the tulip pants in a larger size, I added a little width and length to the size 92 that was already traced.  Why do I have a feeling I'm going to regret that decision?

 As for those leggings...I don't know.  I think my fabric choice (brown rib knit) isn't going to work so well. 

I've also branched out into the realm of Japanese pattern books.  I had convinced my mom to order the one below a year, 2 years? ago.  It arrived, I said, "Meh." and it sat on the bookshelf until just recently when I decided M and B needed a couple of simple short sleeve dresses for church.   I've traced and cut out a muslin for when I get ready to sew again.

If you've made it this far into my ramblings (Thank You!), I have a question.  Do you sew like I do, in spurts and stops or are you, steady as you go, and consistently work on some kind of sewing?  If you fall into the latter category, how do you keep your motivation going? 

-Cindy



More Fall Clothes for B

Today is decidedly not fall-like but temps earlier this week were deliciously cool.  That led me to be be more inclined to sew cool weather clothes for the girls.  



Top was previously blogged here and the pants are OD 01/03 #15

I've had a yard of the acorn pinwale corduroy for quite a while now.  The girls have been growing so fast that I knew I needed to sew it up soon.  The pattern is a capri one so I had to add length to make them long enough to suit me. 

Turns out I didn't add quite enough and had to add a few inches before sewing the ruffles on.  I used a small bit of the blouse fabric to break up where I added extra length. 

I've used up almost all the scraps from the blouse.  Wednesday, I worked on this...

Ottobre Design 01/08 #3

It's tunic length on B so it'll need to be worn with jeans or leggings.  That particular corduroy print is left over from pants and a skirt, I made for M and B several years ago.  As with the scraps from the blouse, I barely had enough to eek out the pinafore.  I love the woodland animal print.  I have a light green fleece with those same creatures on it that is destined to become a Kitschy Coo reversible hoodie. 

The stump B is standing on in the first picture was in our neighbor's backyard.  They had 2 oak trees cut down and we got this...



Feels like Fall

 I kept waiting for a sunny day to get pictures of BK in her new outfit but the weather conspired against me.  This morning, I decided to go for it rain or no rain.  It helps that it's cool out (58 F) and she'll be wearing this outfit all day, not just for pictures. 

The top is Oliver + S 2+2 and the pants are Ottobre Design "Puolukkapuuro" Corduroy Pants.  I really took my time this go around and the top's construction is much better than my 2 previous attempts.  I think that the bubble gauze I used previously wasn't a very wise fabric choice.  A crisp cotton woven works much better!  I didn't make the front slit as deep as it is on the pattern.  I raised it about 1/2".  I did the full button back (tried to get a good picture but B kept running away).  The buttons I used were smaller than what's listed on the pattern by a little (3/8" rather than 1/2") as they were ones I salvaged off of an old shirt of my husband's. 

I love the top and can see making another one for miss M in the future.