A Day's Work

I feel like I've crossed over.  In a matter of weeks I went from "golly gee, knitting and sewing are so gosh darn fun, I don't mind if I do" to "watch out!  I'm making every article of clothing for our whole family for the forseeable future.  I hope you're cool with that".

Alright, so it's not as dramatic as all that, but it's close.  After determining that my girls need new summer clothes STAT and our budget allows for just about NO clothes shopping I have this renewed purpose and zeal in homemaking.  And me?  I knid of hate all my clothes.  Like most mom's my body has changed and I'm not comfortable wearing things I wore even 4 years ago.  I'm so desperate to cultivate a new young, modest but modern mama style of my own and sewing has lent itself so magnificently (and cost effectively!) to just that.

I've found patterns online, copied charts and directions from library books, scoured thrift shops for cute vintage sheets and fabric and notions.  It's been goooood.  And today was a marked fruition of all that planning and hard work.

Behold.

::old news tank with brand new bloomers::

::pillowcase nightgown take 1::

::and 2::

::seashore sundresses::

::tanks and bloomers atop my new sewing book, 

oh and my warm happy acorn feet::

I know I know.  These are ALL for the girls.  Trust me, I'm a bit disappointed too.  Rest assurred I have many projects up my sleeves for myself (and one completed dress that I have yet to take a photo of!). Apparently I just need to get better at ordering the right amount of fabric and ALL the notions needed for a project at the onset.  Come next weekend I should be two skirts and one blouse richer!  But back to the girls...

I know you've seen the seashore sundresses before but now they're FINISHED! with BUTTONS! and BUTTONHOLES!!! Oh wait...and HEMS!!!  All this diligence and perseverance and meticulosity is really quite exciting for me.  Wait.  Is that obvious?

The new additions to the wardrobes are the pillowcase nightgowns.  this pattern is a bit of genius really.  A whole size 4T nightgown from a pillowcase.  The hem and side seams are already done for you if you cut it right.  I made both this morning while Ian was out with the girls.  I've discovered that making two of everything is kind of genius.  A. Because I have 2 girls and B. Because it really takes very little EXTRA time to make 2 of anything.  I just cute twice, sew twice and BOOM! 2!  Ainsley wore her new nightgown for nap and all afternoon despite me trying to convince her that they are summer nightgowns to be worn ONLY in crazy heat.  That girl sure loves her nightgowns!

After finishing Ainsley's knit tank the other day I decided the girls both needed some bloomers to go with their handmade tops.  These are baby bloomers from the amazing Weekend Sewing book I mentioned last post.  SO easy and cute to make.  I of course panicked about size and they are both a bit roomy, but I'd always rather things big than small!

Perhaps its all this little house on the prairie we've been watching, or the fact that I hate just about all of my clothes, or that the girls are just about growing our of ALL their things, but I'm in this, with both feet and tired strained hands and fingers.  And you know what?  It feels SO dang good.