Chomping at the Bit

Well here I am chomping at the bit and ready to start really breaking in my new sewing machine. I've been healing from surgery for the last 2 weeks and I think I'm finally about ready to sit in front of my machine and get to work for real! I've also got something else in the works that has me absolutely giddy with excitement. I can't give to many details at the moment as I haven't even started at it yet and I would like to know it's doable before I make any announcements. I'll tell you it's something that combines many of my crafting loves though.

I made a fantastic nursing shirt that I will be posting soon. I just haven't taken pics yet or else I would be posting it now. It's cute enough to wear as a normal shirt but completely modest and functional as a nursing shirt as well. I'll be making up a few more and there maybe a tutorial to follow.

In the meantime I'll just post this unrelated yet totally irresistible picture of Wolf on his first 4th of July.

Doesn't he look so happy to be hangin with daddy and excited for the fireworks? He stayed awake for the whole show and enjoyed every minute of it too. Not an ounce of fear with all those loud noises and bright lights. He just happily watched the first half of them until he decided he was hungry.

2nd and 5th Birthday Dresses

So it's time for the big reveal! Nova and Wren's birthday dresses. I made both of them from the same basic pattern (one I made).

I'll start with Nova's dress because I didn't really change anything from my original pattern. I've been hording this fabric for some time now. I gave Nova the choice between several of my prettiest fabrics and this is what she chose. Can't say I blame her! So 1yd of horded fabric down and a new dress later.....

.... and of course the dress in action. Since of course you know it is a super twirly dress!

Ok admittedly my timing is horrible. I can never catch a full twirl. I tend to catch the very end when the skirt is starting to twist around the other way and gets real close to the body.

She loves it, although for some reason it looks like she's trying to fight back a smile here. Just in time too as she has completely outgrown her 3rd birthday dress.

Did I mention the thing I love most about this pattern is that it can be worn for a very long time by just adjusting the button placement? Umm, yeah I love that! Anything that looks nice and my kids can wear for multiple years or I can switch between girls of different sizes is a huge bonus in my book!

For Wren's dress I made the skirt 2 layers and shortened the top layer up quite a bit to almost peplum in nature.

I only had a half yard of that fabric and I really wanted all of the wide eyelet edging along the bottom of the white fabric to show. It's hard to see it hear and the other pics I took didn't come out to great either since it was almost nap time. When I finished this dress she took it and carried it all through the house. She was so upset when I told her she couldn't wear it right then.

I think she's just as big a fan as I am of these shiny white glass buttons.

Do you make your kids special birthday outfits? If so do they like them? Have you ever used a pattern that lets them wear something for multiple sizes?