Here is a little shirred top I made for my daughter from an old men’s shirt. When I started I was trying to make something more like this, but the yoke was a leeetle too tight. Luckily there was just enough length to cut it off and try something new.

That damn elastic thread everyone raves about seemed like the best bet for actually coming out with a wearable top in the end. I’ve tried it before, but there are so many conflicting explainations on how to use it–wind it loose, wind it tight, wind it not too loose and not too tight (that one is particularly helpful, thank you), pull it to gather, don’t pull it, iron it, steam it. Whatever. I already screwed up the shirt once, so I didn’t have much to lose by screwing it up again.

But hey! it’s not so bad.  I have no idea how I wound the bobbin (not too loose and not too tight–sorry) but it worked well enough. Definintly of the homemade varitey.  She likes it, but elastic thread is not all that pleasant against the skin–anyone have any ideas for lining shirring? Or have any horror stories about elastic thread?

stringing pompoms and blasting the air conditioning on a disgustingly sticky hot day. I think we’ll hang them in the kids’ room when the baby wakes up. Michael’s has awesome colored pompoms by the way. I might even go back for another bag.

straight from the trash and super stylish. score!

There was a brief period after KCWC where I was riding a sewing high.  Many things got cut out a few things got half done and then it fizzled. This top didn’t help with the fizzling. I just kept screwing it up at every turn.

The fabric was supposed to be this orange linen with sort of hand drawn white flowers. Pretty, right? The problem was flowers don’t grow sideways. Damn. It took me a while to pick another fabric I like, because I’m trying to find a place where my kids and I can both be excited about the clothes I make. I don’t want hyper stylish kids dressed in all gray, but I don’t want them to have free range picking out the fabric. Does that make me a mean mom? whatever. I’m the one sewing it. Also, I get to make the rules, so there.

I picked up this fabric at a swap (thanks Lil!) and though there wasn’t as much as the pattern called for it worked out okay. It hangs a little weird in the front, but I’m probably the only one who notices. The pattern is awesome by the way. It’s a free tutorial called the apron top tutorial. The yoke is so  simple and pretty. I bet it would look great with stripes. It was originally a halter top, but my daughter can’t stand them so I went with a criss cross deal. Jump! Jump!

I’m here. I haven’t fallen off the earth, I’ve just been sucked into summer with three little kids and all it’s sweaty, whiny, wet and happy craziness. I keep waiting for things to slow down a little so I can get some projects crossed off the list, but then yesterday I realized the crazy is not going to let up until summer’s done.

So I’m going to try to take that minute here and there my kids give me and to get something accomplished. Like their room. It’s still far from done and it’s starting to wear on me.  The overhead projector came out yesterday and I started to draw a map of our neighborhood on the big board.  Nothing like a big junior high flash back in the middle of the day.  If you are too young to remember the drone of the fan and the slightly burny smell of the overhead projector well then you are just too young aren’t you.

If you’ve got a keen eye then you spotted the bumper I made in the first picture. And here is the bunting bumper (rubber baby bunting bumpers!) in all it’s glory. Take a long look, because I will never be making one of these suckers again. You know when you are dreading doing a project and then you start and think, hey, this isn’t so bad, kind of fun even? Well this wasn’t like that at all–it sucked the whole way through.  But thankfully done and off the list.

Painting the dresser is next. Any thoughts?

Here are the first few posts about the room if you need a refresher:

• before
• during 1
• during 2