Sewing fun

I will always be glad I learned how to sew when I was in high school, simply because I can do things like this.

When did his happen?

My Pixie is going to be 4 this weekend. FOUR! How did this happen?

 

She is a very scary "pampire."

We're not going to have a party this time, because Boo at the Zoo is being held ON her birthday. We love the zoo, so we're going to party with the animals. She will love it.

What else will she love? This:

 

Her own dress, just (close enough) like Sally's dress. I can't wait to give it to her. In fact, I probably won't. She knows that I'm making it because she's had to try it on in process. It's nice and long on her, and I figure the sleeves can end up 3/4 length as she grows. Never fear. There will be pictures.

I also plan to make her a dress up caddy for all of the dress up things she's getting for her birthday. Time is getting away from me, so I'm not sure that I can get it done by her birthday, but it will happen. She's not quite there with understanding the calendar, so I have time. This may be the last year I can get away with it, too.

---

Later:

Yeah. I couldn't wait to give it to her. Who could wait for this?

 

Tori's pants

And now for a little sewing! (thanks, Fran, for fixing my machine for me!)

I have a friend named Tori who had a favorite pair of jeans. We all know about those. They're impossible to find, and once you do find them you hang on to them with a death grip until they're just a sorry wad of threads that may or may not have once been jeans. It's important to get every last second out of them.

Her jeans were worn through in the seat. This is a problem for any self respecting southern lady who does not want to flash her delicates to the world, right?

So, she asked her neighbor to fix them for her. Bought some cute fabric that could show through the holes. And handed them over.

The neighbor...

Well...

The neighbor did this:

Now... Let's examine this, shall we?

Not only did she use hot pink thread to sew them down... The patches are on the outside of the pants. What does this say to you?
"Hello, I would like to introduce you to my butt!"
"Check out my boo-tay."
"Is your butt swank? 'cause mine is."
"For a good time, grab here."

Now, Tori didn't know quite what to say. She took them home and tried them on. Showed her hubby. He would never be seen in public with her and these jeans. But they were THE JEANS. The FAVORITE jeans. So, she snagged me at knit night one week and told me the whole sad story. She didn't want to go back as a dissatisfied customer. She didn't know what to do. I didn't believe how bad they were until I saw them, and then, once I did, there was no going back. These had to be saved.

Those patches were on there GOOD, too. Three step zigzag all around them. Thin, fraying material near where the holes were. I took my time and removed them over the course of a couple of days. No rushing on this job. A sharp stitch ripper, good light, and a little tv company.

You'll be glad to know that the jeans are saved.

A little fabric peeks through the hole - like grownups wear.

Because dressing him as a hippy would be a copout

It's Retro Day at Sterling Montessori, part of their "spirit week" activities. Rowan wanted to go as Elvis, but I didn't have anything that I could turn into a leisure suit. I did, however, have a pair of courderroy pants that were almost out at the knees. And Elvis was born in 1935... So, Rowan is wearing what little boys wore when Elvis was born.

I love it when a craft comes together.

And I had to take the opportunity to do this NOW, before he's too old to let his mom put him in kickerbockers. When he actually thinks my skills are cool. ;)