Updating my patterns and links

I realized that lots of my patterns and links were not here anymore thanks to Yahoo closing down Geocities...so I will be updating them as well as uploading my newest ones in the next week or so! Sorry to all those who have come and missed out.

Love List # 75

This new dress I made for Mia, and this picture in general. I hope to be uploading some simple dress patterns soon, as well! I have decided to use recycled materials only for my stuff in the future ... (or mostly).

Original hem tutorials for jeans!

I found this great tutorial for hemming your own jeans, but keeping that cool original hem. It can be done by hand, even, if you do not own a machine!

http://www.sketchee.com/963/hemming-jeans-like-a-pro

and also this one in case either of these go poof in the future.

http://www.daciaray.com/?p=38

Make your own Wooden Learning Bike

While searching for Christmas presents to pass on as ideas for the grandparents, I came across the wooden balance bikes. No pedals, great for helping kids learn balance, and can grow with them. BUT, these bikes are pretty costly. I thinkyou might be able to get one for around a hundred, now, but why not make your own like this guy did. Here is the link to his flickr photos, and here is the link to his patterns and ideas.

A little something for myself with those old tees

Cute undies from those old tee shirts you want to keep for yourself instead of using for diapers or rags! I cant wait to try these!! Instructions are found here

Little Lace up Leather boots - soft soled

Here is a pattern I made for some lace up boots same style as the slip on soft soled shoes but these are lace up and higher on the ankle. The only size of this pattern is 18 month. Follow the shoe instructions and the notes on the printed pattern.

Soft Soled Leather shoes

Sewing Skill: Medium, small applique skills needed.





Materials: Small leather scraps (old leather skirts, etc, work great). The thinner leather makes for softer shoes and can be sewn on a regular machine. The pattern is for sizes 6 months to 18 months. I also sell these in my store as well as a paper pattern for sizes up to 24 months.





These are recommended for new walkers. They provide slip protection and the soft soles help develop arches and improve balance.





Pattern can be found here and here. You need both pages, be sure it prints the correct size. You can use your childs foot to guage which size to use, just make sure there is about 1/4-1/2" of space around the foot. on the pattern for seam allowance and room.

I used my imagination for the decoration, but you can do anything to cover the elastic holes..
Here are the directions.

Cut pieces...2 of each pattern piece no need to flip pieces, they are ambi-foot!

Cut out your elastic hole cover (not on pattern) this will be a flower, circle, stripe etc about 1"square to cover the slits where the elastic would show. For a stripe, just trace the toe pattern again on the contrasting color and cut about 3/4"to 1" deep.

Cut elastic to the length of your elastic casing pattern. If using a thick leather, or if you elastic is very stretchy (they all vary), cut 1/2" less than your casing. I use stretchrite 1/4" elastic and cut it 1/2"short. Cut 2 pieces

Cut 2 small slits in the center top of toe portion. These should be about 3/8" apart and 3/8" down from the edge of the side that will go across the bridge of the foot.

Thread one end of your elastic up from the wrong side,then back down through the other hole. Attach a safety pin to one end of the elastic (small pin)

Sew elastic casing to upper part of heel piece, leaving short ends open and backtacking all ends. Sew close to the edge, as you will have to pass a small safely pin through there.

Sew your decorative stripe, flower, applique, etc over the place where your elastic shows. BE SURE to not sew ON your elastic...move the ends around as you sew around the hole.

Thread the safety pin from your toe portion through the elastic casing, keeping it threaded through the toe part as well. You will have to hold one end and gather as much slack as you can, gathering an inch or more on bothends of the elastic. I sew them together with about an inch tail, but you can do less than this if you want them looser on the ankle.

Then I trim to just beyond my stitching, then thread that thick part into the elastic casing and scoot the elastic around so that the bump is near the back.

Sew you toe/heel (now attached via elastic) to the bottom piece. 1/8" seam allowance. You can use a 1/4" S.A.for a slightly smaller shoe.

Sew right sides together. Heel portion should overlap OVER the toe portion about1/2" when you sew it on. This will make the toe portion be on TOP once you turn.

Reinforce the stitches all around,sewing just next to (outside of) your first stitches. No need for these to be neat, and are not absolutely needed.

Turn and smile, you are done.

Here is another free pattern online, but I found these to be too narrow and I just love my homemade pattern :)


If I was a good knitter, I would try these slippers from felted yarn. They look adorable, but I just dont have time to learn to knit well....although I did buy some nice yarn and needles, Im too afraid to just try it after a few failed projects.

Easy Onesie Dress

This is a great link for a cute dress made from a onesie and a small amount of fabric. I made a really cute one with a white onesie, some black and white striped fabric on the bottom and emroidered a Jack Skellington face on the front. (From the Nightmare Before Christmas). I lost my picture of it, but Mia loved it!

Favorite T shirt turned baby/toddler dress

Sewing Skill: Beginner, Cost: Nada except thread

What better way to recycle your favorite tee shirt? All you need is a currently fitting shirt of babe's and an old one of your's...or thrift store finds....this one was made of a small FAVORITE tee of mine and turned perfectly into a 2T dress for my daughter. I found as my daughter grew, all she ever wanted was stretchy cotton dresses. The ones I made her before she was born with all the beautiful layers of calico and vintage woven fabrics ended up being to stiff to flow around and twirl like fairies or the seams were "scratchy", etc...they were all wrong. Now I know, an old loved tee shirt makes a perfectly loved dress.

The tee shirt was from King Stampede out of Brooklyn ..love em. Unfortunately, this one got a stain that the dress avoided!!

1) Lay out old tee shirt flat with all seams even


2) Lay favorite fitting shirt on top of shirt, making sure your featured logo is centered

2a. For an X small T shirt or bigger kids t shirt, place shirt even with neckline, it will probobly be small enough. For a small or larger tee shirt, you will need place below the neck and will have an extra step of adding the neckline (see below)

3) Fold shirt up at 2-3" below arms'

4)Cut out around shirt 3/4" . If you are using XS, do NOT cut the neck, taper your shoulder cut to match. Do not cut prehemmed sleeves that are shorter than your pattern shirt.

5)Measure UP from BOTTOM of tee shirt:

10" for 18M, 11" for 2T, 12" for 3T,

or guess from babes measurements or a similar dress.

6)Mark and Cut strait across.

7) You now have 2 layers on the top and one tubular rectangle on the bottom. Turn top piece inside out with right sides together. Sew shoulder seams, a, tapering into neckband if applicable. Use a tight stitch and about a 1/4" Seam allowance. See notebelow for larger shirts.

8) Still right sides together, sew from finished sleeve opening to underarm in one continuous seam, b. 1/4" SA. Reinforce underarm with another row of stitching close to first. Be sure to tack ends.

9) Gather bottom piece at raw edge. By hand or machine baste. It should be the same width as top "c" edge.

10) Place both "c" edges RIGHT sides together with raw edges even. The easiest way to do this is to put the shirt part inside of the skirt.

11) Stitch with a tight stitch. Stitch again close to first row. 1/4-1/2" seam allowance. Be sure you catch all the gathers.

Turn and done!

NOTE: For a larger shirt, you will need to line up pattern shirt UNDER the neckband. Use you pattern to cut a new neck (lower in the front). Remove original neckband, shorten, and reapply to your new cut neck after finishing as above. If sleeves of large shirt are longer than your pattern shirt, you will need to cut and then hem them.