Warm Winter Dress

Nothing shouts warm and cozy like clothing made from shirting flannel! 

I love how the fabric made sewing this dress easy.  Shirting flannel is so comfortable too.  If you've ever worn shirting flannel you understand it feels like you're wrapped in a soft, flannel blanket.

I had a hard time finding a shirting flannel that my daughter liked.  I ended up choosing these black and white fabrics which complimented one another.  They are a perfect match for a classic, casual winter dress.

The big pockets were cut on the bias out of the large check adding a fun contrast to the small checks.

The trim on the large checked sleeves is the tiny checked fabric.  I love the way the small and large checked fabrics were able to play off of one another adding more interest to this dress.

The pattern I used was a vintage Butterick #3842.  

The pattern shows a raglan three-quarter length sleeve, patch pockets and neckline binding.  It also shows a ruffle at the end of the sleeves but I opted to add self-made bias tape from the small checked fabric instead.  This pattern was fun and easy to sew.  I would recommend this pattern and of course the fabric is just amazingly soft and snuggly! Perfect for a chilly winter day.  xoxo Grandma

Linked as my favorite thing I sewed for a child in 2016 to Project Run and Play.  I love the vintage pattern used and the warm shirting flannel.  I want a dress made out of the same cozy fabric.

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

Petite Penguin Ornament - FREE Pattern & Tutorial

Let's face it, everyone loves little furry animals. And penguins rate right up there with the cutest creatures!  I bet you might even know someone who collects penguins, do you? Here's a last minute ornament to make, perfect for tying onto a gift or putting on your tree.  When it's finished, this petite penguin ornament stands just 3 1/2" tall.

First up, you'll need to download the free pattern HERE.  Print it making sure the "fit to page" is not checked.  

Supplies needed:

• White fleece or felt
• Black fleece or felt
• Gold cord
• Black embroidery thread
• White embroidery thread
• Fiber fill
• Scissors

1. On the front of the penguin:  Lay top of head onto white body and stitch around the inside of this piece.  Sew on French knots for the eyes.
2. Sew on the stomach piece but stitching a running stitch all around this piece.
3. On the back of the penguin:  Stitch lower edge of round head in place. Stitch two feet together with a blanket stitch.  Find the center of the penguin and pin the feet in place.
4. Tack the feet in place on the wrong side of the fabric.

5.     Sew beak using 4 strands of golden orange embroidery floss.

6.     Sew around penguin using a blanket stitch.  Use black thread for the top of the head and white thread for the body.  At the top of the penguin's head, do the following: 

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Cut 2" of gold cording and tie a knot toward the bottom of the cord.  As you are stitching closed the penguin's head opening, sew the thread in between the stitching.

When you have about 1 1/2" to sew, stuff the body with fiber fill.  Continue sewing until the whole body is stitched together.  Pin the flippers in place.

7.  Sew the flippers in place with black thread.

You adorable petite penguin ornament is finished! Enjoy! Have a great Christmas!  
xoxo Grandma

Dollar Store Purchases - Doll Party Dress from a Sequin Headband

Party time around here today.  The dollar store purchase transformation for today is how to make a doll party dress from from a sequin headband.  (If you're just joining me, we're having fun last week and this week turning cheap finds from dollar items into cute doll clothes (you can find links to my other tutorials at the bottom of this post).

I found this headband at JoAnn's Fabric and Craft Store. They had a lot of colors to choose from but I chose silver because I knew that I had some pretty shimmery purple fabric and I thought it would make a fancy looking skirt once added to this headband.  I was hoping this project would be easy (which it was) and quick (if I hadn't of hand sewed the skirt to the sequined headband, it would have been quicker).

1.  Put the headband around your doll's upper chest area.  From the back, pin the headband so that it'll stay on your doll.

2.  I hand sewed the back of this headband together while working around the sequins.  Once sewn, cut off the excess headband.

3.  You'll need 30 inches of ribbon to use for the straps on this dress cut into four 10 1/2 inch pieces.   Pin the ribbon onto the headband where you'd like the dress straps to be.  

4.  Hand sew the ribbon onto both sides of the headband.  I sewed the ribbon onto the back side of the elastic and then onto the front side, thus giving it more strength for child style playing.  On the side of the ribbon that you are not sewing onto the headband, it's advisable to add "no fray" onto the edge of the ribbon. 

5.  Cut fabric into a rectangle 12 1/2" x 30" (I wish I had of made mine not as long...I'll suggest a better length as 12 1/2" x 20".)  You might as well learn from my experience making this!  Right?  

6.  Iron fabric before you sew it together.

7.  Sew fabric length together using 3/8" seam.  I sewed two layers together because my fabric was really sheer and I didn't want my doll to be immodest! 

8.  Fold the fabric in half width wise with the seams in the middle.

9.   At the top of the fabric (the side not folded) add a gathering stitch. 

10. Gather the skirt so it fits to the sequin headband which is the bodice of this dress.

11. Pin like crazy to keep these two pieces together.

12. Stretch the headband slightly as you sew the skirt to the bodice from the wrong side.  I found that it was best to hand sew this step.  That way my sewing machine's needle didn't keep hitting those sequins.

13. Turn the skirt right side out and put it onto your doll.  The skirt is now a bubble skirt.  The best part about this skirt is you do not need to hem it.

Don't miss these other dollar store purchases into things for your doll posts: 

  

Day 1 go HERE (Little Miss Santa Outfit).  

Day 2 go HERE (Sweater Dress)

Day 3 go HERE (Leggings) 

Day 4 go HERE (Elf Outfit)

Day 5 go HERE (Doll sleeping bag from a chair cushion & tea towel

Day 6 go HERE (Shorts from shirt sleeves)

Day 7 go HERE (Skirt & scarf from a scarf)

Day 8 go HERE (Party dress using a sequin headband)

Day 9 go HERE (Night Gown from a baby fleece blanket)

Day 10 go HERE (Jacket from a fleece scarf)

xoxo Grandma  -  Linked to: Nap-time Creations

Dollar Store Purchase - Doll Sweater Dress from Socks

This is day two of making doll clothes from dollar store finds.  You can view the first project HERE.  

Today, I'm going to show you how to make a sweater dress from a pair of thermal socks I purchased for one dollar.  So, grab your thermal socks if you can bear parting with them this time of year and let's get started.

Supplies needed:  

• Red thread
• Dark gray thread
• velcro

STEP 1:  Cut the socks as follows:  cut both socks at 9 3/4" measuring from the top of the socks to the toes.  Cut those pieces only in half lengthwise.

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Cut the bodice cut the sock 4" high x the length of the sock. Cut the sleeves 4" long x 3 1/2" wide. 

STEP 2:  Sew sweater dress side seams using an overlocking stitch.  This will create a tube.  

Note, for all stitching on this project, use an overlocking stitch.  Also keep a lint brush handy... because you'll really need one!  

STEP 3: Finish the hem with a close zig zag stitch, stretching as you sew which gives the hem a curly look.  Sew around the hem twice.  

After finishing these two steps, your sweater dress will look like this on your doll:

STEP 4:  Right sides together, sew bodice shoulder seams.  

STEP 5:  Right sides together, sew sleeve seams.  When finished, this is how those pieces will look:

STEP 6:  Sew sleeves into armholes.

STEP 7:  Sew the hem onto the sleeves - follow step 2.

STEP 8:  Using the remaining sock, line the bottom of the sock with the bottom of the bodice.  Add 1/4"  to the top and cut the sock along that mark.  Turn right sides together and sew the top, (back neck)  seam together.  Turn this piece right side out and pin onto the bodice.  Sew bodice to back piece.

STEP 9:  Unpick the seam tape from the chair cushion.  Use some of this seam tape to finish off the right back of the bodice.  Set the seam tape aside because you'll use that in another project.

STEP 10:  Sew the finishing edge of the neckline the same way as Step 2. 

STEP 11:  Sew the bodice to the skirt, lining up the skirt seams to the middle of the armholes.

STEP 12:  Turn the dress right side out and it's ready to try onto your doll.  Determine where on the bodice you need the velcro.  Take the dress off your doll and sew the velcro in place, one piece on each side.

Your sweater dress is now finished. And for $1.00, really, how can you go wrong? It's sure to please a child's desire to dress her doll in new winter clothing.   

Don't miss these other dollar store purchases into things for your doll posts: 

Little Miss Santa Outfit go HERE 

Sweater Dress go HERE 

Leggings go HERE 

Elf Outfit go HERE 

Doll sleeping bag from a chair cushion & tea towel go HERE

Shorts from shirt sleeves go HERE 

Skirt & scarf from a scarf go HERE

Party dress using a sequin headband go HERE

Night Gown from a baby fleece blanket go HERE 

Zebra Jacket from a fleece scarf go HERE

xoxo Grandma  -  Linked to: Totally Tutorials

Making Snowmen from Scraps

If you're like me, you probably have tons of scrap fabrics left over from past projects that you just can't seem to throw away.  I usually make doll clothes out of them, but when I saw this pattern I thought this would a fun and different way to use up those scraps. 

This project actually started back in June. I cut out six snowmen and some clothes for them. And then it got hot and I didn't feel like sewing them, nor did I want to think about winter and snow because that would mean I'd be shoveling and freezing!  I'm really not a fan of winter, are you?

Then a few weeks ago, when the weather turned a little colder, I finally felt ready to sew these together. But, of course, I couldn't find the pattern or the instructions.  After searching and cleaning a bit, I decided that I must have thrown them away. "Oh well," I thought, "it really doesn't matter because I usually change things when I'm sewing anyway." So, below is the outcome of pattern-less snowmen. 

For these snowmen's bodies, I used left over batting and the tiniest of noses from my Easter carrots free pattern found HERE.  For this snowman's hat, I used fur which was left over from making baby booties.  

This snowmen's coat and hat were from a fleece scarf one of my children made in a sewing class.  

This snowmen is wearing a nice warm refashioned wool sweater that a daughter left at home.  I had to work around a few pin holes that the sweater had but don't you think that this little snowman looks toasty warm in his winter looking attire?   

The scarf above was refashioned from a belt that I took off a jacket.  

In several of the snowmen's hands, I found some small ornaments that I attached with a few quick stitches.  I think these scraps of fabric made some pretty adorable snowmen.  Yes, snowmen from your scraps take on lots of personalities and are a fun way to use up your leftovers. 

Now that these snowmen are completed, if my children don't claim all of them, I'll be donating a few to my favorite winter charity, Festival of Trees. Happy scrapping! 

-xoxo Grandma