In preparation for KCWC...

In preparation for KCWC I have been setting the stage for success.
I have selected coordinating fabrics, traced and cut out patterns, gathered notions. I have even gone as far as to cut out and mark a few garments. I want too have the opportunity to make every moment of the up coming challenge count.

The plan:
3 pairs of “ruffle hem” pants. A green twill pair, a blue cord pair, and a tone on tone orange herringbone pair. I will be using CC Abby as they go together quick and easy, all 3 pair should take me no more than 2 days. (2hrs) These will be just like the gray pair on my blog minus the ruffles on the butt.

2 Classic Picnic tops by Oliver + S. one in a multi-colored dot print and the other in a cute brown print with pink and green trees. I am planning 1 day for each top (2hrs)

1 top, I am going to use the Christi pattern by Maja’s heirloom. I will use a black background fabric with small blue, teal and light blue flowers. I am not going to pleat and smock the sleeves for lack of time. I am going to use this as more of a test of the pattern. If I like the look this pattern it is likely to be revisited. I think this top will go together rather quickly 1 day is what I am allowing (1hr) Not counting button and button holes.

1 dress, I am going to use CC Rose and some yellow and gray fabric I have had for a while. I have used this pattern before and it to goes together lickitty-split and should take no more than 1 day (1hr) Again not counting button and button holes

Something for the holidays will round out my busy week. I will be using CC Paulie pattern that I have used many times before…I know this will take more than one day as I plan to add some extra touches…the extra time should be well worth it…and who’s really counting anyway?

The result of the week should produce 3 outfits for play, one play dress, and a fun holiday something.
Not bad for 7 hours of FUN…
I don’t know if I will have the time to blog as I go but I will do my best, if nothing less I will take some pictures and post after the week is over!
The plan has been laid…LET THE SEWING BEGIN!

KCWC

Earlier this spring I was very excited to come across several ladies who were sewing kids clothes for one hour each day for 1 week. I knew once the challenge rolled around again I would be participating…so it is that time of year again and I am IN…I will be spending the next few weeks finishing up some projects and prepping for the week challenge. Who knows how much I will get done but I am hoping to have lots and lots of fun. Come join me…
Go give Elsie Marley a visit at http://www.elsiemarley.com/ and let her know that your in!

Ruffle top socks tutorial...and Miss N plays with thread

So it all started with a LOVE for little girls in ruffle socks. There is nothing that says I AM LOVED more clearly than a big hair bow on the head and ruffle socks around the toes. If you feel the same than this little toot is for you.

As I am starting to get things together for fall a run to the local boutique was in order. I picked up a pack of ruffle top socks and paid a fortune (6.99) for 2 pair but I needed them right then as the ones from last season were sadly out grown.

After returning home and plundering through some stash goods I found just enough left over islet ruffle to try my hand at ruffle top socks. It was easer then I thought it would be…

The plain top socks were purchased on sale for less than a dollar a pair…what a deal! That’s more than 7 pair for the price of the boutique ones.

Now for the fun part, putting my ingenuity to work.

I removed the header from the top of the pre gathered islet. This left a ragged mess that needed to be trimmed. I could have used the expensive flat islet but as I was just learning I wanted to play it safe and use the inexpensive left over stuff.

I gave the islet a nice press and identified the right from the wrong side.

I measured up from the bottom edge of the islet enough to even out the raw edge. I then cut along this line.

I measured the wide stretched opening of the sock and doubled this amount to determine the needed length of islet

 

Then I turned under only about 1/8 of an inch along the cut edge and along both ends.

With a few pins I marked the center of the islet and the right and left on the sock . I did this because I want the seam on the inside of the ankle.

                              

Then I set my machine to a wide long zigzag…(6,3)

I pinned the islet with ends overlapping just a bit (1/8 of an inch)

With needle down I pulled the sock as tight as I could so the islet would lay flat Wrong side of islet to right side of the sock.

I made sure the center mark on the islet matched up with the outside ankle mark.

Once I finished stitching around the top of the sock I did a quick zigzag along the overlap at the inside of the ankle.

And the finished product was cuter than anything I have ever bought at a boutique for only about $1.00 per pair.

Just think of the possibilities, use those little bits of lace from heirloom sewing projects, talking about fancy socks. Try dieing the lace to match different outfits, maybe some beadding with a piece of ribbon woven through it might look cute? Hope you have a blast showing the ones in your life that they are loved, from the top of their head to their little toes!

And while I worked Miss N had fun playing with my not so often used spools of thread. I secured all the thread tails as to avoid a really big mess and put them into a basket. Miss N enjoyed dumping them in a rainbow of color and putting them on the pegs of the thread storage box! What simple Sunday fun!