Catho's Marine Top.

This week I received a package over the post. One of my dear friends from the Netherlands sent it to me. It contained the latest issue of Knippie, my favourite sewing magazine, some typical Dutch ribbons and a lovely little dress for Marie. 

Isn't that awfully sweet! 

Marlous (my friend) has a girl only two months younger than Marie. This means there's always a lot we can share. So it won't be a surprise that I do miss her sometimes.

Obviously, a present like this asks for a big thank you. So I selected my favourite fabrics and went to work.

I made Catho (her daughter) this marine theme top. I hope her daddy likes it as well, since he loves to sail.  

I used one of the patterns from the Knippie, which is also available as a pdf pattern online. I think it's a lovey pattern, and I'm sure going to make Marie one or to of these tops as well. 

Overalls.

 Since the overall I made earlier for our nephew was so easy to make, I decided to make two more for Marie.

 They are not only easy to make, but also easy to wear. I imagine...... Marie is not yet able to confirm this of course, but she does look happy enough.

The whole charm of making clothes yourself is that you can add your own touch. Determined to do just that I created a big heart-shaped application with the letter M on the pinkish suit. Only to discover once more that I like nothing better than simplicity.

As you can see the overall still has a 'scar'. But, as scars often do, I think it only adds character ;-).

Bow Pockets Pants.

For Flip The Pattern organised by the sisters Ashley and Emily from FrancesSuzanne, I earlier made the Horsey Bubble Pocket Shorts.

However, this was more of a redecoration rather than a Flip of the pattern. Inspired by all the other contributors of this sew-along, I Came up with this real flip.

All I know about sewing, is what my mum told me a decade ago. Inspired to learn much, much more by all the amazing talented bloggers who contribute to the Flip The Pattern competition, I took up sewing classes.

Last Saturday I had my first class, and I learned so much already!

Eager to put to practice what I had learned, and happy to finally make something that looks nicely finished, I went to work. 

My lovely teacher, Debra, told me how to sew a French seam and sew a neat firm crotch. 

Happily sewing my French seams I didn't realize that with my lack of experience  I probably could have done with a bit more seam allowance. But I still managed  to squeeze Marie in! 

Does that firm crotch come in handy............

  

As you can see, I adjusted the length of the legs. The bubble pockets I replaced with bow pockets. 

Can't wait to practice my, yet to be learned sewing skills, on all the other patterns that will be featured every month at the Flip The Pattern sew-along!

Bubble Pocket Shorts.

 Sewing along with the amazingly fun initiative, Flip This Pattern, of Frances Suzanne, I made this Bubble Pocket Shorts of which the pattern is created by the very talented Heidi from Elegance and Elephants.

How I wish all patterns came with such beautiful instructions!

Using one of my own old sweaters and some left over pieces of fabric, I went for  horsey themed shorts.

Although the nights are quite cold by now, the afternoons are still nicely warm. This comfy shorts is perfect for Marie to play in the garden.

Being a big horse lover myself, and having only just moved to Australia, the little cowgirl-touch seemed suitable.

Although, forcing my own fondness of horses on Marie this way, I secretly hope she never wants to start riding herself. 

Busy mastering her standing skills, there is a lot of falling involved. And watching her fall down from the height of her own tiny legs, breaks my heart already. No way I can stand seeing  her toppling of a horse some day. 

Mum's hand-me-down.

Shopping at Kmart for some winter cloths for, both Marie and myself, I was appalled again by how inexpensive some clothing is. It always makes me feel so guilty about my sewing, since a meter of fabric often is more expensive than an already made winter jacket.

It triggered me to go trough my closet to see if there were any forgotten or dismissed items that would be suitable for my sewing projects. Of course there turned out to be quite  a few. The coming weeks I'll show there transformations here. 

The first item that had to sacrifice it self was one of my shirts. It became a sweater-shirt for Marie.

However, she won't be wearing it for long as well. I have to stop ignoring that my little girl is growing fast, and move up a size for her.

Hopefully she will be a big sister one day, and there will be an other little doll around to put it on. Wearing it to the grocery store earlier today everyone complimented me on my "cute little boy" already, so we do know that it is suitable for both sexes.

Here is a little tutorial on how to transform one of your own shirts into this sweater-shirt.

Using an upper quatre of one of your babies onesies,  draw a pattern for the bodice. 

Cut this pattern out of the lower front of your shirt. This way the front pocket of your shirt won't be an obstacle.

For the back you cut the pattern out of the higher part of the back of your shirt. This way you'll include the pretty shoulder seam.

Cut the neckline of the front of your bodice lower than the neckline of the back. (Don't look to closely at how I did this in the picture below, since at first I didn't cut them at the same width.)

You'll also need  a pattern for your sleeves and a strip of fabric to make your own bias tape. How to do both, as well as how to put all the pieces together, can be found in the tutorial for the sleeping bag.