Belle's Dress & Her Cape

Right before my granddaughter's third birthday, she requested a Belle dress. My daughter ordered her one online but when it arrived, it was not at all what the product photo showed. I received a pleading phone call from this daughter to see if I'd be willing to help make my granddaughter's birthday wish come true.  

How could I refuse?

After I finished this Belle dress, I was FaceTiming with my daughter to show her how the dress turned out. I told her, "What she really needs is a cape to coordinate with the dress."  Right about then, this cutie - who was supposed to be in bed - waltzes down with a blanket wrapped around her head holding the blanket like it's a cape. We both laughed and my daughter declared that she is constantly making her blanket into a cape. So, the next day, I knew what I needed to do. I designed a Belle cape from two patterns, sewed it and then added to the birthday box. As a bonus, I made a red Belle cape for her little sister. 

Only the finest materials were used to make this dress and cape. Once the bodice was finished I felt it needed some glam, so I hand sewed cut lace and a few yellow sequins onto it. The top tier of the dress was gathered and then I added a yellow, crystal cut bead to accent the top of each of the gathers.

Belle's actual dress is a little different from the dress I made, because my daughter requested a more modest top. To honor her request, I added short sleeves to the bodice.  I like how the dress stays up on her little shoulders. 

If you have a Belle that needs yellow gloves like these, you can find them here.

Doesn't every little girl deserve to be a princess and have pretend parties in her room? I so love my grandchildren and even though I live far away, I can at least give them memories of a grandmother who can help make their wishes come true. Especially on their birthday.

Since I like to plan ahead, I used the leftover fabrics to make these doll clothes for her next birthday.  I'm pretty sure she'll still like princesses then. 

Would anyone you know like these too?  You can find these items at my Etsy shop the fur trimmed doll cape here and Belle's dress and fingerless gloves here.

I've linked my Belle creations to Project Run and Play because it's their week to show what our signature style is. My style, of course, is to make whatever my grandchildren request.  

What's your style? Are the children you know crazy about the new Disney movie, "Beauty and the Beast" and have you seen it yet? xoxo Grandma

Refashion a Skirt into Two Dresses

The warm tints and shades of green and yellow from the original skirt make the perfect fabric for today's Spring refashion. 

I used that skirt to make two dresses for two of my granddaughters. Keep reading to find out how easy they were to make...

The first dress has tulle over the skirt, because the almost three-year-old, opinionated girl it was made for will only wear "ballet" style dresses. 

The second dress utilizes the beautiful pleats found in the original skirt.

  

The first thing you'll need for this refashion is two t-shirts in the sizes of your two little girls.

To get started with your two dresses, cut open the back seam of the skirt. If there isn't a back seam a side seam will work too.  

For the first dress, I measured from the hem up to the length I wanted the skirt part of the new dress.  Now follow these 4 steps for an easy ballet style dress:

1.  Unpick a few inches of the old hem at both ends of the back seam. Then, match the skirt from the bottom up, sewing a 1/4" new back seam.
2.  Re-sew the hem where it was unpicked.
3. Measure tulle the same finished length and width of the skirt. Sew the back seam of the tulle. Pin on top of the fabric skirt. Add two rows of gathering stitches to the top of the skirt, one at 1/4" and the other at 1/2". Gather the skirt to fit the t-shirt. Pin the skirt to the t-shirt.
4. With a sewing machine, sew the skirt to the t-shirt using a 5/8" seam. Optional step, top stitch the skirt to the t-shirt at 1/4".  

 

The final step was to add an accent to the t-shirt top left side. For this dress, I cut out a flower from the skirt's fabric and machine embroidered that onto the t-shirt.

For the second dress, I measured 6 3/4" from the top of the t-shirt and cut the remainder of the t-shirt off.

I carefully unpicked the beautiful pleats of the original skirt. I ran a basting stitch along the top of those pleats so they'd stay in place.

Then I measured the total width of the pleats, added a small seam to both sides, and sewed this skirt onto the t-shirt. The next step was to add a hem.  

For this dress, I used the three covered buttons from the original skirt's opening and sewed the buttons to the top center of the t-shirt.

Not so funny fact: when I finished my youngest granddaughter's dress using the length my daughter supplied me with, it looked too short - keep in mind I hadn't seen this granddaughter in 4 months, so maybe I was just imagining her taller. I sent my daughter a text telling her my thoughts-- that the dress looked too short. She assured me if I used what she provided, it would be right. The next day, I received a text from her telling me she measured wrong & the dress needed to be 4" longer.  UGH!

I ended up using the lining from the original skirt to add the light green border onto the bottom of this dress. I'd already made a diaper cover out of the same fabric and luckily had just enough fabric for this border.

In spite of the measurement frustration, these dresses are perfect for Okinawa's spring weather with their green and yellow fabric and the long sleeves for the breezes and frequent rain storms this time of year.  Happy dress making!   xoxo Grandma

Linked to: Project Run and Play

Sew a Winter Coat

This summer was shortened a bit for this cute girl. In July, she moved with her family to a continent that was deep into their winter season.  I knew she didn't like wearing any of her coats because in March I took care of her and her siblings while her parents headed half way around the world to check out their new home.  During my stay with her, I had to beg and plead with her to put on a warm coat whenever we'd head outdoors. The best I could get her to do was wear a sweater that had a fur collar. Her coats just weren't "pretty" enough for her. 

Fast forward to her fifth birthday that she right before she moved. I thought a warm coat might be the perfect gift for this picky, girl who was about to face a cold winter again.

To make this warm winter coat, I used a pattern from Simplicity #1476A.

I lengthened the sleeves by adding 4" to the length.  This converted them into long sleeves, instead of 3/4 length sleeves.  I used off white fleece for the coat and for the lining.  These glitzy buttons once graced an old sweater of mine.  The collar was made from a soft, lush beige faux fur with hints of mint.

When I gave it to her, she noticed some ribbon on my sewing table with pink, purple, blue and lime green stripes that she got excited about.  She wanted me to sew it onto the bottom of the coat.  After much persuasion, and a little creative thinking, I suggested we make her a special name tag to go inside of the coat, using the ribbon instead.  I even let her press the sewing machine pedal to create her name tag for this coat.  She seemed happy about this addition.

She wore this coat off the plane when her family arrived in Australia (where it is currently winter). It's been in the mid 30's at night there.  She's been warm and cozy in her pretty new winter coat which is just my sewing style.  My style is to create things for my grandchildren which make them feel special and loved no matter how far away they live. xoxo Grandma

Linked to: Project Run and Play

Fall Raglan Sleeve Dresses

I've had these fall knit dresses sewn for a while, but I was waiting for these cute girls, pictured above, to come to grandma's house to see if they fit.  Last week, after an all day drive, the wait was finally over.  These cute sisters got to come to visit their grandparents.  Big cheer for grandchildren visits!!! 

After a little alterations to the necklines, these dresses are now ready to wear when the weather turns to fall and the temperatures cool down.  As you can see, my older granddaughter is barefoot, so the weather isn't quite there yet.

The grey knit fabric used in both dresses tone the peach and the mint accent colors down and create a casual, comfortable dress for fall.  I used a basic raglan shirt pattern which I lengthened and then added a rounded pocket for their hands or little treasures.

These cute sisters had a hard time holding still for the camera.  What did we expect from a one and two year old?  I suggested giving them a book and apparently this book is a good one.  xoxo Grandma

Linked to: Project Run and Play

How to Make a Simple Mexican Poncho

Need a last minute, super easy to sew costume for a baby?  Try a simple Mexican poncho.  Then add a sombrero and maracas and that little one's costume is ready for Halloween in under an hour.

Supply List:

• Fabric
• Bias Tape extra wide double folded
• Mini pom pom trim
• Thread
• 2" long x 1" wide triangle of black fabric

Measure your child's length from the top of the shoulder to the middle of the thigh or however long you want your poncho to be.  Multiply this number by 2 and add 1" for the seams.  

Now, measure from wrist to wrist plus 1" for seams.  The will be the width of your poncho.

Purchase fabric according to the above measurements times two if you want the lining to match the poncho.  

In the center of the fabric, cut an oval and a 4" slit. This will be the area the head goes through. Repeat this step for the lining fabric.  

Sew mini pom poms to the bottom of both widths of the poncho.

Now, pin the lining to the poncho, wrong sides together.  Sew around the large rectangle shape using 1/2" seams.  Leave at least a 3" long area to turn the poncho.  Turn and iron.  Baste the neck opening together.  Pin bias tape around the neck opening starting with the slit area and sew.  Sew the black triangle on top of the bias tape ends as shown below.  Wasn't that so simple?

Hopefully, your little one will entertain himself with the maraca and be happy.

 If not, at least you tried, right?  xoxo Grandma

Linked to: Project Run and Play

Wedding Dress Costume From a Tablecloth

While I was ironing a white tablecloth to get ready for a party at my house, I remembered why I hated using it.  It was an extra long tablecloth and every time I used it, I had to iron it!  Anyone else hate ironing as much as I do?  I swear it's the worst task on earth. Well, as luck would have it, my granddaughter had recently requested I make her a wedding dress for Halloween. When I saw this white tablecloth, I knew that ironing it must come to an end... it's fate was to be a wedding dress. 

The pattern I used to make the dress is Simplicity 0631. Yes, it is from the Wizard of Oz, but Glenda the Good Witch's dress turned into a lovely wedding dress.  I added sequins to the bodice and a lot of tulle under the skirt. The great part about using a tablecloth was that the hem was already sewn!

When my granddaughter tried her costume on for the first time, this four year old proudly exclaimed, "All my wishes came true!"  May you have fun making wishes come true for all your little ones too.  xoxo Grandma

Linked to:  Nap Time Creations, Project Run and Play

How to Make a Spider Costume

A spider costume is just so much fun to wear for any active little boy in your life!  

Download this free spiders arm pattern here.  Make sure your print option, "fit to page" is not checked.  For the hood pattern, I used Butterick #5597.  

Supplies Needed:

Large 3" orange Pom Pom

Black sequins

Red sequins

White sequins

Black fabric

Clear elastic

Black Velcro 

Black thread

Black ready made long sleeve top

Black leggings

1.  Sew together the spider legs leaving the bottom of the pattern open.

2.  Stuff the legs with fiber fill.

3.  Sew the legs onto the black long sleeve top at the sides.

4.  5" from the end of each leg, run a gathering stitch around the width of the legs and then attach the arms together by sewing clear elastic to these areas. Leave about 4" of elastic between each leg.  Do not cut the tread until all the arms have been sewn to the bottom of the long sleeve top.  Tie the elastic thread off securely.

5.  Sew the hood according to the directions on the pattern.  

6.  Onto the eyes, sew the white circle of fabric and then onto the center, the black circle of fabric. 

7.  Sew the eyes together leaving the bottom open.

8.  Stuff the eyes with fiber fill.

9.  To the eyes, sew white sequins in a circle.  Then to the black pupil area sew a circle of red sequins and then around the interior of the eye, sew a circle of black sequins.  Now sew more black sequins to fill in this area.  Onto each sequin, sew a clear bead.  This step will keep the sequins in place.

10.  In the very center of the eye, add one white sequin.

11.  Hand sew the eyes onto the front portion of the hood.

12.  Hot glue or hand sew the orange pom pom in-between the eyes.

13.  Sew together the fangs leaving the bottom open.

14.  Lightly stuff the fangs with fiber fill and hand sew these to the edge of the hood, right below the eyes.

 That's it, your spider costume should be done.  My grandson loved watching his arms move together and the sequins made his eyes glow and shimmer.  Enjoy making costumes!  xoxo Grandma

For More costumes with free patterns, see these posts:

Free pattern for a moppet hat here.

Pikachu Free Pattern & Tutorial

Shared at:  Project Run and Play

How to Make a Little Miss Muffet Costume

"Little Miss Muffet

Sat on a tuffet,

Eating her curds and whey;

Along came a spider,

Who sat down beside her,

And frightened Miss Muffet away."

 - Mother Goose

To create this costume, I used vintage pattern McCall's #9270.

This pattern is perfect for a toddler's costume and the best part of this costume is the dress can be worn later by your toddler as a normal dress. 

For instruction on how to make the moppet hat, please go to this post.

For the apron, I sewed together lace, netting and ribbon to make a rectangular pocket. Once the pocket was finished, I sewed it onto the lower right side of the apron.

This pocket is the perfect size to fit a soft, little pom pom pet spider into.

How to make this pet spider for Miss Muffet's pocket follow the directions below:

Supplies needed:

• 2 extra large 3 inch black pom poms
• 1 .28 inch orange Pom Pom
• 2 wobbly eyes
• 2 black pipe cleaners
• clear elastic thread
• hot glue bun

1.  Glue the two black pom poms together with the hot glue.
2.  Glue the eyes onto the head about 1/4" apart.
3.  Glue the orange pom pom onto the head right below the center of the eyes.
4.  Cut the black pipe cleaners into 3" lengths and glue them onto the body of the pet spider.
5.  Bend the pipe cleaners so they look like feet.

Optional - add clear elastic cording around the neck of the spider and add a slip knot to fit around Little Miss Muffet's wrist so she doesn't lose her little friend.

Please join me tomorrow as I share with you a free pdf downloadable pattern to make this child sized spider costume.   xoxo Grandma

Shared at: Project Run and Play

How to Make a Child's Pikachu Costume

Anyone here into Pokemon?  My grandson absolutely loves anything and everything Pokemon.  My children were never into this phase, but oh my grandson and his sister sure are.  For Halloween last year, my grandson wanted to be Pikachu, a Pokeman character, for those of you who aren't into this character. I am one of those people who is clueless about this stuff. This meant I had to look at a lot of images to figure out how in the world to make this costume. 

First who is this creature? A quick Wikipedia search told me that "Pikachu are often captured and groomed by humans to fight other Pokémon for sport. Pikachu are one of the most well-known varieties of Pokémon, largely because a Pikachu is a central character in the Pokémon anime series."  

Next, I downloaded a few images for reference. Then I created the following pattern for your personal advantage, so if someone you love wants this costume, you won't have to search and sketch and figure it out like I did. You're welcome.

Supplies needed:

• Download Free Pattern Pikachu here and back strips here
• 2 1/2 yards of yellow fleece (I made a size 6 costume)
• Scrap of black fabric
• White felt for eyes
• Red felt for cheeks
• Yellow and black craft foam for the tail (get sticky back kind if available)

For the basic hood pattern, I used Butterick pattern #5597, the lobster head.
For the body pattern, I used this same pattern enlarging and rounding the front to about 6 inches larger, width wise for the back.

Being the cool dad that he is, my son tried on the Pikachu hood at the school party. Doesn't he look so hip?  Alright, back to your instructions... Machine embroider the eyes and cheeks onto the head. Then machine embroider the black tips of the ears onto the yellow fleece. Sew the ears together leaving the bottom of the ears open. Stuff the ears and pin in place onto the hood. Hand sew the ears in place.

Cut the tail out of craft foam, and if you're not using the sticky back kind then use foam glue to piece this tail together. You'll sew the tail into the back of the costume by slitting a hole where the tail needs to go. The foam is easy to sew right through so don't worry about that, it's just very awkward to sew, as you'll see. 

To get the tail to stay pointing upward, sew a piece of the tail into the upper portion of the costume.  I wish I had made a larger tab for doing that because my grandson's tail came undone & I'm all the way across the US from him and can't fix it.  

Oh well, he still seems to be happy in his costume.  I asked my son if people knew what he was supposed to be. He said not everyone knew, but apparently there are those who are a little wiser (or cooler) than I am and knew exactly what a Pikachu looks like. Happy costume making all!  xoxo Grandma

Linked to: Nap Time Creations, Project Run and Play