The Perfect "Campshirt" (Simplicity 2040)

I may have mislead you with the title.

I'm not thinking of a button-up lumberjack shirt.

I'm thinking of "that" shirt.

You know, the one that is okay, that maybe isn't the most flattering, the one that you secretly kind of like, the one that you don't "care" about, so it's okay if it gets dirty and smoky and sweaty and splashed by icky fish water.  That shirt.  The one that gets a lot of wear because you aren't saving it for anything special.

I think of this as the "campshirt".  (I would never dream of spraying mosquito repellent with abandon all over my favorite shirt--it might get ruined.  You understand.)

View C

Imagine my luck when I stumbled upon Simplicity 4020, winner of Best Pattern of the Year award twice for a mere 25 cents at the thrift store.  Even better someone had painstakingly cut out and folded the pattern back into the envelope.  I never do that.

Anyway, it went together easy peasy in a couple hours.

I guess there were a couple issues.  Namely, I stretched out the neckline and didn't use interfacing on the facing.  (Go me)  Again, because this is a campshirt, I just sewed the facing down an inch in with a pretty pink zigzag stitch.  [After understitching:)]

I also brought up the V-neck about an inch.  

This is the only picture that you can see the pleats on top.  The diagonal wrinkles are due to me pulling the bottom band down skewampusly.

Final cost analysis:
Fabric: $1/yard at Hancock's  poly-knit
Thread:  stash, several remnants (dark pink, light pink, dusty yellow)
Pattern:  .25

Total: $1.25

Time spent:  2 hours, give or take?

Thoughts:   I'm rectangle shaped and the top of the band goes across the largest part of my belly.  Which doesn't really work for me.  So I won't be making this top again, but I will wear this shirt.  Probably a lot. It's a campshirt:)

Besides posing for pictures against my lovely siding with my darling son, we've been having a lovely summer.  (Now that it has FINALLY warmed up!)

We've been going to lots of baseball games... T-Ball and our minor league just kicked off their season--with fireworks!

We didn't plan for quite so much sun!

Daddy had to make sure the little one didn't run away.  Again.

We read some Shel Silverstein to help pass the 4th inning along...

I'm having a lovely summer, and hope you are too!

P.S. Fingers crossed hoping my swimsuit(s?) will be done by 4th of July!

Party Dress!

I can't really decide if it says little girl party dress or "some past decade" print.   Any thoughts?

So, I know everyone has made this dress, but now I know why.  It's a dream to sew up.  This time, because the fabric was so sheer, I made a whole separate dress as a slip.  (I'm reforming my easy corner cutting ways.  Or just taking a break...)  I should note that what looks good at 10pm in the basement under one lonely light, does not look good in natural light during the day.  It looks grey.  Dirty grey. Blech.

So, I'm wearing it sheer with a half slip and it works!!!  Woo-hoo!  It just became my hot summer sun go-to dress.

Simplicity 2630
[After this picture I went and checked the hem--it's straight.  Apparently the problem is with my body/posture/leg placement.  Nothing new:)]

Here's the breakdown:

Fabric:  from stash longer than 5 years ago, I'll guess I spent $7.50

Thread:  stash

Pattern: $0.99

Total:  $8.50

Time spent (discounting the entire under-dress): 

2 hours, from cut out to wearing, including sewing and serging all seams.

Items to note:

I performed a rolled hem with my serger on the hem, sleeves, and flounces.  

I cut the front and back flounce out as one, which worked well.

I added 1.5 inches to the hemline.

I did not include any facings.  I serged the neckline and turned to stitch.  

I cut out size 12.

I bet you are wondering what this is...

It's my new swimsuit!!!  I still haven't settled on a pattern, but Hancock Fabric put their swimwear fabric on sale for 50% off today, and I've been eyeing this fabric for weeks!!!  So I ran down and bought some!  (Enough exclamations?  Okay.  I understand.)

It's next to the beautiful flowers my husband brought me this week.  Aww.  

Swimsuit Coverup

This started out as a maxi dress that I would actually wear.  The drop (shirred) waist was originally supposed to be an empire waist.

Somewhere along the way, it turned into the best swimsuit coverup/lay around the house dress ever.

I sewed up the front for more sun coverage and to help keep the "sleeves" over my shoulders.

It's a rayon blend, so very soft and breathable.  It covers my shoulders and legs for when I'm out in the sun but done being out in the sun.  (I'm pretty sure this situation will be happening more and more since my baby is 2 and into all the same trouble his brothers are. Also, I'm pretty sure my husband hasn't realized it's going to help me keep the killer farmer's tan I already have started.)

The nice breezes float right through it.

The sleeves are open clear down to the shirred waist.

Fabric:  2 1/2 yards (with leftovers) $5 at Hancock Fabric

Elastic Thread:  stash

Thread:  stash

No pattern

Time spent:  2 hours--ish.  It's just 3 rectangles sewn together haphazardly and hemmed.  And shirred:)

Total $5.50 (we'll include some thread pricing)

I will definitely be getting my money's worth out of this garment this summer.  I've already worn it twice and loved it!  It's perfect by the pool.

Now, I bought a swimsuit last summer, but I'm kind of itching to make one.  Any thoughts?  Is it easier or harder than it seems?

Would it help if I told you I wanted it to look like this?

anthropologie $148

or maybe this?

Shabby Apple Pietra

Although, you should take into consideration I never look like that when I'm swimming/at the beach.  

This might be more accurate: 

I'm just saying:)

A Bracelet, a Dress, and Excuses

Guys we had snow last week.  Last week!  Grrr.  Oh well, pray for my tomatoes.  They are struggling.

In other news, I've been busy.  Just not sewing.  My oldest started T-Ball, we had a dog for a week, (best dog ever), wrapped up preschool graduation, got new furniture for my kids, my husband got a job, planted our traumatized garden, did a Bird Unit (homeschool style) with the kids, and cleaned, cooked, read, sewed, did yard work, and did my laundry.  I swear I meant to do all those other things....

Anyway, in trying to keep the mess/stress down for the last month, I didn't bring my sewing machine out.  (I'm a very messy sewer)  But I did do some crafting.

I used this tutorial

This used to be my favorite purse-from Fossil of course.

I put a snap in--you can see it on the bottom piece.
I didn't even stitch it in.  I hot glued it.  If it had been a bigger  snap, I may have used duct tape.
 It's been that kind of a month:)

I also made peacock feather earrings.  And then I threw them in my purse.  Now, they are trashed.  I really liked them so I'll probably make some more. (Does this sound like "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" to anyone but me?) And not put them in my purse.

(Unfortunately, no promises on this end)

This sewing I did a couple days ago!  As long as I get all those crossed out things done today, I might show you tonight!  It's made with 3 rectangles (sound familiar?)

I really should branch out--but lately, I just need easy.

This is what happened to the rest of my purse (the necklace)

Believe it or not, this is the best picture.  I'm not a

photographer like my mom.  (Who is doing a recap of 

her time aboard the USNS Comfort on a service mission, by the way.  

You should check it out)

So wish me luck, I should be posting again shortly.  (yea!)  

Right now, however, I must settle a dispute between Anakin's ghost vs.  Darth Maul's bodyguard.  Sigh.