Art Show Line of Dresses

The Art Show Apron Dress Line $40

Knot Dresses w/o Apron $32

full length dresses

Our Addition: Joshua has arrived!!!

I ordered the announcement from Nounces... an Etsy business.. She is amazingly talented!

Nap and Play Instructions.. rough

These are my Nap and Play directions.. Let me know if they make sense...

1. Measure your pack and play and then add 1" to length and width.. This is the size of the top fabric, minky fabric, fleece, and oil cloth.

2. Calculate the unfinished perimeter of the mat .. 2(L+W).. This is the length needed for the ruffle.. I typically make my ruffles 2x, so the finished legth of the ruffle will be 1/2 that of the piece you started with..

3. Cut your fabric for the mat and ruffle.. For the ruffle, cut the fabric 6 inches in width by the length of the perimeter of your mat x 2 plus a few inches or so.. To save fabric I make strips 6 inches by the width of the fabric and cut enough strips to cover the length needed.. Then I sew the strips together, open up seam allowances and press them with an iron. Then press the ruffle inhalf lengthwise.

4. Ruffle your ruffle.. This can be done using a ruffler attachment or by hand.. By hand -sew two basting stitches 1/8" apart along the open side of the fabric (lengthwise).. pull to gather.
Hand pin gathered ruffle to the top fabric of the mat, open part of ruffle to match the outside of the perimeter of the fabric.. I typically start in one corner and then go all the way around. Once the ends meet you want to sew them together.. right side matching right side.. Baste the ruffle to the fabric using 1/2" seam allowance.

5. Baste stitch around the perimeter of the fleece and minky.. This will prevent to much stretching. Layer as follows... minky fabric with right side facing down, fleece, oil cloth, fleece.. Clip in place and baste stitch (1/2" seam allowance) around the perimeter securing all layers together.

6. Turn bottom layer up so that the minky dots are facing you. Place on top, the top layer which has the ruffle attached.. Right sides facing.. Stitch all the way around the perimeter (3/4" seam allowance) leaving a 5" opening at the bottom.. Pull mat through the opening to turn right side out. Topstitch mat 1/2" from ruffle around the entire perimeter securing the opening.

Suggestions:

Use a walking foot... fabric layers are very thick..

nesting, nesting, nesting

I finally made Joshua's coming home from the hospital outfit today... It is sooo soft. I made the outfit out of bamboo knit and the contrasting fabric is an Alexander Henry print.. The kimono has a pair of matching shorts.. I can't wait to put it on him!!!

Getting Ready for Yellow Daisy

Craziness surround me!!! I'm due in 2 weeks and 2 days! I'm still trying to get ready for the Yellow Daisy Festival in Stone Mountain, GA.... and..... I still need to get my samples sewn for my Spring/Summer 2010 Line..... and..... cut more for my seamstress for YDF... Wow! Too much to get done....

School has started. I now have two in school!!!! a first grader and a kindergartner.. It is amazing how quite is in the house in the am....

I really would like to make an autum peasant dress... I'm thinking, colors of fall in an Amy Butler print.... hmmmm.... just thinking.. I made one last year for Kaitlin just for Octoberfest in Helen, GA.. in Amy Butler's Kashmir.. I loved it!

patterns, patterns, patterns.....

I know it has been a while... I have been busy drafting patterns for Spring 2010 line.. I have two more patterns left to draft and then I need to scale the patterns for other sizes... I am very excited about the new line...

I am anticipating the launch of my fall line, "Spice" to be early August.. I'll post a few sneak peak photos....

The Nap Mat

Last night I made a nap mat for a friend of mine from high school.. We reconnected on facebook... Facebook is pretty amazing!! This nap mat is made with minky fabric and Sandi Henderson's designer fabric.. Inside the nap mat are two layers of fleece and a layer of oilcloth (waterproof). Instead of using baby blanket binding, I chose a coordinating fabric as a ruffle... I think it turned out really cute..