Emmy for Abigail

So... after the preemie Jamie Jumper I made turned out so well, I had the guts to cut into my other hoarded knits: Two Emmy's for Abigail!

Pattern: Fishsticks Designs "Emmy" Dress or Top (I think the pattern is retired)

Size 12-18 months

Fabric: Joann's cotton interlock

Details/Mods: Hems with twin needle and regular thread on top, Wooly Nylon in bobbin. Sewed all seams with WN in bobbin, and serged. I found the cuff band for the long sleeve was about 2" too long, so I trimmed that. I also tapered the sleeve a good bit, to about 1.5" less wide at the cuff, as it was quite baggy on Abigail.



AND look who's standing on her own!!



 

Have to stamp the size in the label at the back of the neck yet!

Dino Dudes Jamie Jumper

My friend Stephanie had her baby boy on Tuesday, at 34 weeks. Her little guy is 4lbs 7oz, teeny! Exactly the size Abigail was. But doing very well. I get to visit them tonight with my friend Suzanne!

I've been hoarding this Dino Dudes fabric and trim I won from Bonnie (a few years ago? ) in her Comfy Sleep Set giveaway. To make the preemie sized Jamie Jumper I printed the 0-3mo size at 80% and scaled the trim pieces also to about 80%, but kept the widths. It looks very similar to the 3-5lb sleepers we had for Abigail! Debating trying to figure out a matching hat.





First time I've ever made the JJ. The top snap was a little squirrely to get in. I think I probably needed a long-prong there.

Feliz Finished!

This morning I finished the Feliz Party Dress!!  I love the finished item, but I'm really glad others sewed it before me and made detailed photos/comments on construction, because boy, is the book sparse on directions!

Details:

• Fabric - "Genevieve" by Amy Hamberlin for Henry Glass Fabrics


• Trim - grosgrain ribbons


• Size - 98/104 (3T-4T) size, without seam allowances


• Modifications/more info - No seam allowances (by mistake, as the patterns aren't marked as needing them - you have to find that detail in the introduction); added 3" of elastic to the inside ends of the sashes, as per the tip in the book; cinched in the back elastic quite a lot; added faux piping (3/4" strip of fabric, pressed in half and inserted in seam) along front panel edges; finished back ends of shoulder straps and topstitched them inside the back of the dress, instead of sewing them into the seam, for adjustability; bias tape trim for overdress.

Front:



 

Back:



 

I will try add modeling photos later, if I can find this size model! :)

Feliz Party Dress

I finally got up the nerve to start the Feliz Party Dress that I've wanted to make since wondering whether our second was a girl or not.   It's from the book Sewing Clothes Kids Love from the Farbenmix/Studio Tantrum folks. The instructions in the book are sparse at best, so I'm using the Trillium photo sew-along for some more tips. My progress so far:

Wednesday was deciding what fabric where:



 

And then Thursday I finally cut it out:



 

I sewed the overdress seams, sashes, back facings, piping in the seams, and made a large amount of the brown into bias tape for the hem and applied some.



 

Friday morning during baby's naptime (2.5hrs!!) I planned and cut the ruffle strips, figured out both a rolled hem and gathering on my serger, sewed on the ruffles and last night I did the ribbon and the side seams on the underdress and the shoulder straps. Getting there!!

Cozy Baby

While putting off cutting out the Feliz Party Dress (I'm intimidated!), I realized Abigail needed something for fall/mild winter days. Googled around, asked questions as to what to use for outdoors that would also be carseat friendly - suddenly remembered - I SELL these lovely carseat/babywearing ponchos!

DUH. 

Even developed my own pattern. So I did a little stash diving and came up with this last evening:

 o

The outer layer is embossed minky in a plum colour, inner is arctic fleece. I cut the inners longer and rolled the hems to the outside, and did a white edging for the hood too. Closes in front and back with snaps (back can be open and out from behind in the carseat, or when babywearing facing out). Perfect length so she doesn't get frustrated with her hands stuck underneath. I will probably put a thin sweater underneath if it's cooler.

bitterSWEET

I've been putting off sorting through Abigail's outgrown baby clothes.  I had the time this week, and I now know why I was postponing it - it feels so final to go through all her things and put them away. Abigail is probably our last.  A lot of the clothes were tiny things I made her while I was pregnant and on bedrest, or while waiting for her to come home from the hospital.  It's hard to decide what to do with all of those, especially.

In the middle of it, as I was feeling a bit sad, my sweet husband had a good idea.

For her first birthday we gave Abigail a Bitty Baby doll.



 

And Bitty is very close to Abigail's birth size! Abigail was 4lbs 8oz so teeny tiny.

One day old here:



 

This was the coming home outfit I made for her during the wait to take her home from the hospital.



 

One week in one of her teeny preemie gowns:



 

And one of the tiny diapers a friend made for her:



 

I'm so happy all these little things can be loved some more!