The last garment I made for Kid's Clothes Week is a dress I made for my niece Lucy's 7th birthday.  I used my (free) Perennial Dress pattern.  The dress is made from a soft grey pinwale corduroy.  The contrast fabric is Far Far Away (III) by Heather Ross.  You can find it here.  The sleeves and pockets are edged with miniature pom-pom trim.

Lucy is a slight little girl and is pretty much the same size as Isabella.  Isabella gave Lucy her present yesterday and she loved it! 

By the way, thanks to my friend Ros from Sew Delicious, Belle and Boo contacted me asking if they could feature Emily's jacket on their website to show off their gorgeous fabric.  Yay! Thanks Ros!!

I've had lots of fun sewing this week and have some more sewing ideas swimming around in my head for the next couple of weeks!

Here is my next piece for Kid's Clothes Week.  I have had my eye on this pattern since I pinned it a couple of months ago.  I was browsing through the collection of Burda pattern magazines at my local library, when, to my delight, I found the dress pattern.  You can buy it from Burda online here.



 

I made this dress for Issie in the 110cm size (she is about 105cm).  I'm glad I didn't go smaller as it is quite a short little dress.  The fabric is a Japanese jersey I bought at Spotlight.  I used my stretch needle and had no problem with loopy, skipped stitches. I actually didn't bother over-locking, since jersey does not fray.

I love this dress for many reasons.  It was relatively easy to make, will be very comfy to wear, can be worn with tights and a long sleeved tops or as a lighter summery dress, and last, but not least...it does not need ironing!! Gotta love that.

 

I will definitely be making this dress again.

Project details:
Pattern - Flouncy Dress by Burda
Materials - Japanese jersey
Cost - $15
Time taken - 1.5 hours
 

 

I love this pattern so much I have made it three times.  It is the Little Uptown Girl jacket by Make it Perfect.  I made it up in a size 1 for Emily (who is almost 14 months).  I sewed slightly narrower seams so that hopefully this will also fit her next year. 

The jacket is fully lined so takes some time to construct as you are essentially making two jackets.  It is a straightforward pattern though and very satisfying to put together.  I was lucky to score the checked wool fabric for free from the mother of a friend of a friend (it pays to tell people you sew...and love free fabric!).  I lined it with this gorgeous print I found at my local Spotlight.  It is called Woodland Walk by Belle and Boo.  I was very excited when I found it, as not only does it match perfectly, it is also so pretty and perfect for an incy, wincy little girl!

 

 

I went a bit overboard with photos, but I thought since Emily hasn't featured so much on my blog so far, that she needed some air time!

For day two of Kid's Clothes Week, I recycled a ladies top I found at my local oppy (Opportunity Shop for non Aussies!). 

After some chopping, sewing and overlocking, I made a top for Juliette.  I was poking through my ribbons/embellishments draw looking for something to add to make the top a bit more interesting.  I was excited to discover a little lace peter pan collar (not sure where I acquired it from!).  Perfect.  A couple of little white buttons and I think this top is pretty sweet! 

I decided to get back into the sewing this week, and just in time for Kid's Clothes Week.  I took part in Elsie Marley's sewing challenge last October and found it a great motivator to get heaps of sewing done as well as a great way to uncover some great blogs.  The idea is that you sew for your children (or others'!) for one hour a day for one week..

The first thing I have sewn for the week is the Sunday Brunch Skirt by Oliver & S.  I have made this skirt a few times and think it is such a cute little pattern.  Simple, sweet and comfy.  I had just enough heart printed denim left over from my Perennial Dress.  I teemed it with a sweet 1930's reproduction print for the pocket linings and I used orange top stitching for a bit of interest.

Cute!

Project details:
Pattern - Oliver & S Sunday Brunch skirt
Materials - heart printed denim from Spotlight, 1930's reproduction print
Cost - about $7 worth of fabric
Time taken - one hour

For the rest of the week I am hoping to sew a winter jacket for Emily, some comfy jeans for Isabella as well as recycling a couple of my tops into some sweet long sleeved ones for Juliette.  If I am super efficient, I might manage to make a Perennial dress for my niece's birthday and Isabella this Burda dress. 

Are you taking part in Kid's Clothes Week?  What are you making??

My darling Dad, John Patrick Hingston, died yesterday morning.  He was diagnosed five months and three days ago with Stage IV lung cancer after heading to hospital with some shortness of breath.  My Dad smoked most of his adult life.  I never saw my Dad smoke.  It was something he was not proud of and an addiction he did not want people to see.  Of course we all knew and although we didn't like it, we accepted it because we loved him. 

My Dad was an amazing man - an amazing husband and father to six very proud children.  He was a teacher who inspired so many students and when I look at the life he lead I feel so proud of what he has achieved.  He lived a life of simple values and lived his life right.  He was a loving man, a funny man, an extremely intelligent man, a fun Grandpa and such an amazingly wonderful person. 

My dad turned sixty five two months ago and we had an amazing celebration for his birthday where he shared great conversations with friends and family and where he also heard many affirming things about himself.  This was such a fabulous opportunity for him and us.  He also shared a special day with us at my sister's wedding just two and half weeks ago.  We were all so fortunate that he was well enough to enjoy in such a magical day.

I love my Dad and will miss him incredibly.  I am so glad to be here with my amazing family.

 

John Patrick Hingston

3/2/1948 - 3/4/2013