1953 Vogue Special Design S-4324 Pattern Give Away!

Rules: Monday evenings I will post a pattern for the giveaway. You have to follow my blog and leave a comment. I will do the random number thing on Sunday evenings. I am going to do this the entire summer and you can win more than once so leave a comment every week.

This pattern is size 16 with 34 bust and hip 37.

For my sister!!!

I hit the mother load of finds! A 70's pattern:-)







This is the fabric I am making the skirt and blouse out of. It is actually a kind of stretchy medium weight fabric. My sister loves green and this is perfect. Tonight I finished all but the hem on the skirt. I even put a zipper in for the first time. It was all very easy. This pattern is a dream. I hope the top goes together tomorrow as easily. I will post pictures of her in it when it is finished.

Fleece in the Summer! Sewing NOT wearing:-)

Fleece is always on sale in the hot months where I live. If you find it 50-60% off and have the extra 10% at the fabric store, buy lots of it! I plan to start my Christmas sewing early this year! Well, that is the plan. I made this little hooded cape for dd a few winters ago.


This pattern is about the easiest I have made. It is perfect for beginners and fleece fabric is very forgiving. This looks great like you put a lot of work into it. Indietutes also has a great blog about a hat with long ears. It is awesome in fleece with a flannel ears!



This year for dd's preschool class Christmas gifts I think I will make a dozen of them. 1 for each kid. They are really cool and would be very cute in winter fabric. The ears tie up in knots, they can just hang or they can be tied under the neck to keep the ears warm and the hat from flying off in the wind.

Fresh Tomato Basil Pizza

This is about the easiest pizza to make and takes about 15 minutes to cook. We usually have pizza a couple of times a month, but our favorite place on the corner went out of business! First pick fresh tomatoes and basil. I have Italian basil growing (behind her) and Thai basil that she is holding. I love the Thai basil as it doesn't have the minty flavor that Italian basil has AND it has purple flowers:-) That may be the real reason but it just smells so good when the wind blows that I have a couple of really big plants.


I always have some baked chicken so I used that, too.
In a 9x13 pan I rolled out some pie crust (it is flakier on thin crust pizza), with the back of a spoon smooth out about 1/2 cup of tomato sauce. On top of that spread out 2 cups of cubed baked chicken. Now, you layer on the cheese. On top of the cheese single layer fresh sliced tomatoes and sprinkle with finely chopped basil. Bake for 12-15 minutes and serve hot!
Sorry about the picture. I made 2 pans of it thinking I would have a great picture with the second one once the steam quit rising, but my son liked it A LOT more than I thought he would.

It's So Easy It's Simplicity 3853

This pattern is great and has a lot of variations that really look cute. If you make the waist with enough stretch it will last the next summer as capris. I have had a million complements and have given a few as gifts. This always gets rave reviews at parties.



This version is exactly like the pattern with dangly trim at the chest, bottom of the top and the bottom of the pants. It is very easy to make.




This version: cut the pattern at the line for adding the trim. Cut the top fabric with 3/8" seam allowance and the cut the bottom part with the same seam allowance. Sew them together at the trim line using your 3/8" seam allowance. Sew the outfit now just as the pattern instructs. I also used trim at the chest, bottom of the top and the bottom of the pants. I would definitely recommend this for a new sewist.

Fruits N'Such Orchard

Tonight we went to the orchard after dinner. It was amazing. You pick your own peaches, apples, tomatoes and blackberries while enjoying the "wild life"!

The white peaches are so sweet and ripe that I am actually going to try and make my own peach freezer jelly! I had some fresh jelly in New Braunsfel that was peach and almond. It was truly a treat. I wonder if I can add a little almond.

The perfect tomato! She eats them like apples.

Taking a break in the peach trees:-)

Aprons from Vintage Napkins

This is a 15" x 15" vintage napkin and 1 piece of grosgrain ribbon between 1 yard and 1 1/4 yards. This works for kids between 18 months and 6. I like to use napkins that have the decorative fringe edge and I love the ones that are double sided. This is not so, first we will put 2 wrong sides together. The pretty side will be the outside. Next, fold them upwards (together) so that the bottom is about 2/3 of the way up.

Next, fold down an inch and a half back towards the bottom. This will give you a finished edge that won't get stuck on everything she puts into the pockets. Pin it in place.

Drawn a line (in washable chalk or vanishing fabric ink) down the middle where the pocket is and then 2 more, 1 on each side equal distances from the middle so that you end with 4 pockets.

Next draw a line on the across the top. Measure the width of your ribbon and add 1/4". My ribbon was 1" so I drew a line 1 1/4" down from the first line. This will be your casing for the ribbon.

Now is the time to cut the ends of the ribbon and frey check or fabric check or whatever you use to keep the ends from unraveling. It will have time to dry while we sew.

Now start to sew from the top of the pocket down. It is easier with the fringe edge if you go down. Sew the edges and each line you drew for the pockets just from the top of the pocket down. At the top of the pocket give it a back and forth on the sewing machine so when little hands get kooky with the big wooden spoon the stitching doesn't pull out.

Next sew the top lines that you drew. Leave the right and left hand edged open between the layers as this will be the casing for the ribbon.

Now insert the ribbon with the nice side facing the front of the apron. Fold the apron in half and make sure the ribbon is even and pin it in the middle.

Sew this a couple times between the 2 stitch lines. Nothing is more annoying than the ribbon coming out in the wash or when you are trying to tie it on a hula dancing munchkin! Now you are ready for some serious tea party service:-)

The top picture is a little bigger napkin and it was double sided. On that one I used the folding method to make the casing for the ribbon and did not have to put 2 together. You can also sew the pocket fold a little shorter so that it is about 4 inches high and sew the pockets lines 1 inch apart for a crayon apron. This is a cute 10 minute gift for some lucky little girl. It actually took me longer to picture and type this than to make 2 of them.

Tomorrow I hope to have a tutorial for you. This is for another cute little summer top. This will be reversible and has a cute tutu type bottom.

Matching Watermelon Doll Dress

Naturally, April has decided she loves her Baby Bekah again and must have matching clothes. IMO this doll is awful to sew for. She has a gargantuous cranium (it doesn't look big in the picture but it is)and weird bent arms. She is also a Madame Alexander from Grandma. My easy cheat way of making clothes for Baby Fat-Head is first put her down on paper and trace around her about an inch and a half out.
Cut out 2 adding seam allowance as you cut. I always use 1/4". I Hem the sleeves and sew a ruffle on. I cut a "V" in the front and sewed fabric to it right sides together, then turned it and top stitched it.


Sew the front to the back right sides together making sure you leave plenty of head room to Baby Fat-Head to put it on. Last hem it and hand it over to chubby cheeked cherub:-)


I will, as soon as she falls asleep, add a couple of hook and fasteners to hold the shoulders together better. If you sew too closely to her neck you can't get fat head through the top!

Ruffled Watermelon Summer Shirt

I love this watermelon summer shirt! It is with a few ruffles added to this awesome sewist's blog. I will be adding patterns and tutorials on some of the clothing I have had to redesign, alter or just make-up. My 4 year old, April, has a funny shape or lack thereof:-) She has 25" breast, waist and hips and is 49" high. It has made for interesting pattern remakes.