FALL POPOVER REMIX

So excited to show you what I've put together for Project Run and Play Season 7 Remix Challenge

I started with this Pattern: Oliver and S Popover Sundress
This may sound odd but my inspiration for this outfit's design came from the waistband I used in this upcycled project.  I unpicked it and decided it was just too pretty to throw away. Let me explain; the waistband had ribbon and one row of a running stitch already embroidered onto it - thank you Banana Republic for finishing your pants with a touch of wonderful. 

Yup, my depression era mama would be so proud with how I've learned to UPCYCLE!   I purchased the blue floral print and one skein of floss - all the rest of the supplies were upcycled.  Total cost for this outfit = $5.50

I added a layer of green machine embroidery (you know that stitch on your sewing machine that you've always wondered what to use it for) and then more hand embroidered details to create this unique contrasting border.  The final layer was a green 2" ruffle.

Then I softened the yolk turning it into a curved design, added maroon piping, more hand embroidery and a few random buttons.  

I also added a ruffled embellished pocket that Mr. Owl fits perfectly inside.
I think every little child needs a play thing in their pockets. 
Here's where you'll find the FREE Pattern to Mr. Owl.  

Next, I wanted a shirt to wear under the tunic but why buy fabric when you have a Battenburg lace pillowcase that has soft cotton and beautiful edge work and isn't being used in your home decor?  Here's the fabric I used for the peasant blouse:

   
It was tricky cutting the blouse out but I love how it completed my Fall Popover Remix outfit. 
Here's the shirt without the tunic on top of it...a perfect longer top to wear with anything.  

Next  step was to reproduce the outfit for an 18" doll.  My daughter's Samantha (a retired American Girl doll) was the perfect size & luckily it was literally collecting dust for who knows how many years on her dresser.  

Tada - Samantha in her new outfit - the link to this free pattern is found HERE

*A huge thank you to the mom of one of the adorable children that I use to teach for letting her daughter model this outfit & letting me photograph her in it. 

Happy sewing!   xoxo Grandma
See The Dedicated House for more things to make out of blue.

Measurement Charts for Children

All my grandchildren live in a different state which involve a flight or two and two of them live in a country half way across the world from me.  Sadly, right now, that's how it is but I still love sewing for them.  Because of this drive to create, I'm always asking my children to measure their children.  Yes, it's a  pain!  I've found two charts that help with measurements and thought I'd share those today.
  
3 - 12 Childrens Measurement Chart

Happy sewing!  
xoxo Grandma

Little Elephant Toy Pattern - FREE Pattern

HERE is a link to the free "Chunky Little Elephant Toy pattern as promised in this post

Instructions to make an elephant toy: 

• Cut out your elephant pattern pieces as indicated.
• Sew the gusset to the legs using as small a seam as possible.
• Sew the body and head to the gusset using as small as seam as possible.
• Sew 2 sets of ears together. (After the ears are turned, hand stitch a running pattern around the ears.)
• Turn the sewn piece right-side out.
• Sew two small black beads onto the elephant's head for his eyes.
• Stuff your elephant with batting or a poly-fill product, start by putting a little batting at a time into your elephant's trunk. Make your elephant as fat as possible!
• Sew closed the opening with a few slip stitches

The instructions and photos for making the Chunky Little Elephant's tail is Here .  

Happy elephant herd making!    xoxo Grandma

A Herd of Little Elephants

Look what my grey fabric scraps turned into, a herd of little elephants!  

On Tuesday, I'll post a pdf pattern so you can make your own elephant herd. Here's the link to the pattern.  Happy sewing!  Leave me a comment & let me know if you made a little elephant.

How to make an elephant's tail

• Using 6 strands of grey embroidery thread, made a tail by sewing three 5" threads onto the top of the elephant's bottom. 
• Tie a knot at the top of the tail.
• Braid the tail to about 1 1/2" from the bottom.
• Tie a knot through the bottom of the braid.
• With the head of a pin, separate the threads.
• TA DA ...you should now have a little elephant!

Here's a little elephant music to listen to as you make your 6" high x 5" long x 3" wide chunky elephant.  Don't you just love this elephant song from "Dumbo"?

And now an elephant summer joke....

"Why were the elephants thrown out of the swimming pool?  Because they couldn't hold up their trunks."

Have a fun day!  For more soft toy ideas go to Threading Your Way.
xoxo Grandma 

Sailing, Sailing

Oh, the things a few fabric scraps can become...my latest baby quilt is now a nautical number. The anchor and the rope were leftover fleece from a humanitarian project.  After cutting them out, I machine embroidered them onto the blue background fabric. While searching for a border, I learned that nautical fabric is hard to find in a land-locked state.  I love the sail boat fabric I finally found.

Should I add these buttons - like portholes?

Or do you think it looks better without them?

xoxo Grandma

Kid Friendly Sea Food

A little over a week ago, my adorable niece came for dinner with her boys.  I wanted to have a kid friendly meal and this is what I came up with - thanks to Pinterest for the crab sandwich idea.  

MENU

Main Course: crab sandwich or octopus 

Vegetable: olives, carrots and radish

Salad: blue jello with Swedish Fish

Side: Chips & dip

Dessert:  Red Velvet Cake

To make a crab sandwich, slice a croissant in half, cut the ends removing a "v" shape" from the cooked hot dog to look like a crab's pincer, add a radish smile, two eyeball attached with toothpicks & carrot legs - crabs are anatomy correct with 8 legs but the child this was made for only wanted four carrots but you get the idea, right?

To make an octopus hot dog, cut two-thirds of the hot dog into 8 long stripes then place in boiling water and watch the legs of your octopus curl.

This was a red velvet cake.  I didn't have blue frosting so I added green food coloring and then the boys added the blue sprinkles and the fondant shark head and fins.  When we cut into the cake, the oldest cried, "Look it's shark's blood!"

Thanks Joy for sharing your photos!   The cute boys are my great nephews & they really were great kids; playing so happily together while my niece and I talked for hours.  My niece said that the shark head was the first thing her older son showed to everyone when he got back to his home in Oregon. 

*The fondant shark head was made by Sprinklebelle Cakes

Teddy Bears Picnic Quilt

When my children were little, "The Teddy Bears' Picnic" was one of their favorite records to check out from the library - yes, a RECORD. 

Years later, one of my children gave me this darling pop-up book illustrated by Fran Thatcher:
Are you noticing a theme here?
Every time I looked at the fabric I had with teddy bears holding their little nets attempting to catch butterflies, the song would start to go off in my head....do you know this song?  It's delightful...just listen and smile. 
Anyway, this song was my inspiration for this quilt.

This playful fabric was inherited. To see a close-up of this 1960's fabric go this link.

The quilt is backed in brown minky - a perfectly warm fabric for a winter baby.
My sixth grandchild is due in December and this quilt is for that wee one. 
Yea, for more grandchildren!