The Tutu Model

Lu loves her tutu. 

Frilly little lovelies.

The last two days I’ve only wanted to sew frilly little things.  I think partially to avoid hemming the two dress pants and suit of my husband’s (that have been sitting around my sewing room for almost a year).  Tulip-Lu is home while the big kids go to first grade.  Yesterday she wanted to wear Bird’s Belle dress.  When I told her it was too big for her she responded, “Mama, plweeease make me a tiny Belle dwess.”  I told her I would and she promptly took my hand and escorted me to my sewing room.  “Make it here.”  I told her I could do that except we didn’t have any tiny Belle yellow fabric. “Its okay.  We’s go to da store.” 

So we did.  When we came home she watched a 20 minute show, Kipper, and ran into my sewing room to ask if the tiny Belle dwess was completed.  It was a little tricky getting if finished because each time I put it on her to try on she refused to take it off.  I finished it last night while she slept and already washed it once.  She loves it.  The material is easy polyester from Joanns.  I drafted the pattern because I couldn’t find anything that was on sale and her size.  I didn’t want to pay $8 for a pattern when the dress cost a total of $20 (including the zipper).   It features a full circle skirt with a petticoat which makes for very impressing little girl twirling. 

 

I also bought some glittery material for tutus while I was at JoAnns.  Both my girls love to dance and love to dress up in little dance lovelies.  I made Lu and Bird matching tutus in this silver with white netting underneath.  I’d be tempted to make about 400 of these if I knew where to store them.  Total for two tutus, $9.00.  Like how I only post the totals for some projects.  Let me assure you that sewing is not a cheap hobby.  I don’t save money. 

Extender Slips

My sister Emily is on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Santiago, Chile.  Its important to missionaries to be modest.  The other day (okay, last month—I’ve been procrastinating) I got a letter saying essentially, “I’d like some slips with lace on the bottom to make a few of my skirts a bit longer.  Oh yeah, I love you too.”  No measurements or anything silly like that.  I made her an ivory, black, and white one.  We’ll see how well they actually work out because it seems like measurements kind of might matter.  That’s a flashback dress of mine (2009 maybe) to illustrate how I think these are supposed to work.  The white slip I bought and just added lace.  Then I got to thinking that it was too expensive of a project this way ($15.00 for the slip) and thought I’d pick up the tricot to make my own.  Tricot isn’t easy to place anymore but I finally tracked some down.

   

First Day of First Grade Dress

Did you stay up the night before school started each year like I did?  Too amped and excited/nervous to sleep?  Every single year.  And now, again, again because my teensy twins grew up in a blink and start first grade tomorrow.  They wear uniforms at their school but this summer as I was rereading the uniform policy I noticed that it was really generous in its terms. 

Girls may also wear solid-colored collared dresses in one of the uniform shirt colors.

I missed that phrase last year but today I rectified the situation by making Bird a red dress for the first day of school—tomorrow (in true night-sew fashion, with no time to spare).  Her favorite parts are the square glittery buttons and sneaking polka dot bias tape inside.  I think the dots make her feel rebellious.

The fabric is a stretch poplin from JoAnns.  The pattern is Simplicity 5226 with the only modifications being the tucks added to the front bodice, the back bodice, and the pockets.  I made a size 7 and it is generous on her.  I put a 5 inch hem on the bottom and will be surprised if it doesn’t last two years when I take that out and add a tuck to hide the crease. 

  

Flashback August 2, 2001

Eleven years ago I married my husband.  And because this is my sewing blog, I introduce the dress that I made to be married in.  I am still happy and proud of that gown from a decade ago.  I drafted it myself and hand beaded the waist and hem circumference.  I can’t even guess how many hours I spent with that.  My skills (and my person) have matured and grown a lot in the years I’ve been married.  I can say that Ryan and I have worked hard, played hard, and loved hard in these years.  We’ve been blessed with accomplishments, change, and growth.  A redo now would certainly produce a better garment.  Perhaps one day I’ll have the chance to potentially make those changes in gowns for my own daughters.  I cut my wedding dress up in 2005 when I made it into tiny little baby clothes for my twins. 

 

PS Love you babe!