In the grooooove.

Yesterday Madam watched me sew for another little girl with a pretty complete lack of enthusiasm. I mean, sure, she already *had* a new tutu, but still! Why was I making stuff for the other kid? I could be making stuff for her! She doesn’t even HAVE a crown like that! And what about that nightgown I promised? Huh? WHERE’S THE NIGHTGOWN?????

Yeah – it doesn’t match my pants. In the end, I thought something that was pink and would get worn was a better choice than something that was blue, orange, brown, and would sit at the bottom of her drawer. Plus, now with all that leftover I can make myself a skirt out of the other fabric.

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It is totally not what I was originally intending it to look like, but I kinda like it. It’s made out of thrift store sheets, and is super soft and flowy and comfy. She’s practically naked from the waist up -

Would you look at that tan? I swear, I use sunscreen on the kid.

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- which is nice for the hot summer. Plus, it leaves lots of exposed back for kisses.

I kind of just threw it together without a plan, and there’s plenty about it that I’m not crazy about. But, it’s a nightgown. It was made with the intention that it would never leave the house – strictly for sleeping in and bumming around in the morning. And for that use, it’s perfect. It’s very comfortable, and just “princessy” enough to make her want to wear it. Another successful day of sewing.

Tutu number two

This blog gets more hits from people searching for “handmade birthday gift” than any other search term (every now and then, someone searches for “see jenn craft” or “jenn crafts” or “jenn painted window” and it gives me a warm fuzzy that not only do they remember my name, they can spell it right. I’ve known my friend Hooch for five years now and she never uses that extra N. )

Last time I was making a birthday gift, it was for a two-year-old boy. This time, it’s a four-year-old princess who had her birthday almost two months ago. (This time frame for gift giving is not surprising my family at all, they are used to watching the mail for Christmas presents around President’s Day.) The pink tutu went over so well w/ the Twink, I thought it would be just the thing.

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Now not *all* the other girls will be jealous, just *most* of them.

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Same technique as the last one – fold fold fold, sew shut, thread yarn through to gather, add sash, voila. Birthday gift fit for a princess. Well, almost. I thought it still needed *something*. Something that would push it from “cute tutu” to “fabulous birthday outfit.” Then I remembered this. Aaaah. Now we’re on to something.

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Floral fabric matches the sash on her skirt. Also – please see this kid’s cheek as proof that my son isn’t the only one who thinks he can fly. Gravity’s a bitch.

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The gifts were well received (when I put the crown on her head she said “I’m a QUEEN!”), and worn home. So much more satisfying than buying a Barbie.

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And as this wouldn’t be my blog without a “don’t let this happen to you” themed anecdote, I will give you this quick word of advice: it is not smart to choose closing your crown into a circle as your very first step.

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Seriously.  The very first step.  I had to do all the stitching the layers together, all the zig zagging around the shapes, everything, with it in a circle instead of laying flat.  Genius.

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Next month I’m going to a first birthday party.  I’m currently accepting suggestions for what I could make for a one-year-old girl.  Hmmmmmm…..

All the other girls will be SO JEALOUS!

Approximately 12 years ago, I bought a ton of pink and white tulle to make dress-up stuff for the Twink.   Maybe five years after that, I made her this.  Despite her early enthusiasm, she very rarely wears it, and would never even CONSIDER wearing it to ballet class.  Hmph.

Last week another girl wore a very fancy tutu instead of a normal leotard and tights.  Violet did “not have the prettiest outfit in class!”  Something obviously had to be done.

Check out the hands and feet!  She’s learning actual *ballet* in this ballet class!  No, seriously!  Go here for proof.

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I took a piece of tulle that’s about four meters long and maybe four meters wide (yeah – I was surprised, too.  I’d never unfolded it all the way before) and folded folded folded it until it was four meters long and about 18 inches wide.  Then I stiched all along one side to keep it folded up like that (I had ultimately planned to cut open the other side so all the layers were visible, but the Twink and I are both happy with the bubble skirt look, so I’m leaving it be.)  I’ve read a lot of bitching and moaning on Craftster about gathering tulle, so I will share with you all my 30 second unprofessional method -

1. Get a piece of scrap yarn the size of your kid’s waist.
2. Sew one end of it to one end of your tulle tube.
3. Feed yarn through the tube to the other end.
4. Sew other end of yarn to other end of tulle
5. Congratulate yourself on gathering four meters of fabric down to 20-something inches in less than a minute.  Go ahead and feel superior, you’ve earned it.

Then I attached a sash to the top, finished the ends, and voila!  Tutu.  (It’s not a complete circle – you tie it on like an apron.)

Yes, those are purple undies on display for the entire internet.  I tried to get her to put on her leotard for the pics, but she insisted that the pink tank top was “just fine” and that the “people who read the blog won’t even be able to tell the difference!”

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I’m incredibly pleased with how it turned out.  It took me less than an hour from idea to the kiddo wearing it (quite a bit faster than the foofy white one), and not only did she wear it to class, but as she was putting it on she smoothed it down with her hands while whispering to herself “All the other girls will be SO JEALOUS!” in an incredibly evil/happy voice.  So this one’s a winner.  (Which is good, considering I never did finish that nightgown for her…..)