Make an apple printed drawstring backpack with my tutorial over at Alpha Mom.
Dutch Girls
I’ve been making some back-to-school clothes for the girls this week. So I made my six-year-old a side-zip denim skirt and I made the four-year-old a pair of “mom jeans” (flat panel on the front and elastic in the back — can I get a pair?). I edged them both with some vintage and new embroidered ribbons. Can’t get enough of these. Perhaps it’s because they remind me of this dirndl from my childhood.
The bird ribbon is from Superbuzzy and you can order it here. The others are odds and ends from my stash.
Stitched Lamp Shade
I tried this last year to add some embellishment to a lamp shade, so I thought I’d quickly show you how I did it.
An easy project if you are brave enough to put a lamp shade in your sewing machine. You’ll need an inexpensive paper or plastic lined shade. I’d advise using a heavy-duty needle, long stitches on slow speed, with loose tension. Simply wind the thread that you want to show onto your bobbin and place the shade in your machine with the wrong side facing up, as shown below. Stitch around — and that’s all!
A Ruffle Wrap Skirt
Made this wrap skirt for myself after seeing this one by Louise Hedley at sohomode, whose work I also featured in last week’s Etsy Finds Friday. I made mine more of a pencil skirt with a straight wrap style, which ended up being a bit asymmetrical when worn. I wasn’t sure how I’d like it since the wrap style reminded me a bit of Pappagallo bags and whale print wrap skirts from 1984, but I really like how it turned out. Not to mention super easy and comfortable.
Vintage Sheet Outfit
My four-year-old “designed” this outfit, telling me what she wanted and choosing the fabrics. I drew it out for her and she made changes. I tried to talk her into making the pants from a different fabric, but she wanted flowers. I am kind of afraid of matching things, likely due to my fashion blunders in high school. Anyway, this outfit made me think that I could make an entire summer wardrobe from one vintage sheet. Depression-era sewing. I winged it on the top, but used the pattern pieces from Burda 9843 (view D) for the pants.
