Dish Towel Aprons for Kids! -- TUTORIAL

I have been on the lookout for dish towels to make into aprons for my boys, and last week I finally found some cute ones:

The towels were quite large -- 18"x28" -- so there was plenty of space to cut out all the parts.


This is how I cut them into apron parts.


I folded the side straps into thirds, encasing the raw edge inside, and topstitched around the two long sides and one short side.


For the neck strap I pieced the two parts end-to-end, folded it with the "right" side of the fabric on the inside, and sewed along the long edge and one short edge. I then turned it and topstitched all the way around.


Here are all the parts.
I cut the pocket piece to size, created a skinny little "loop" piece (about 5/8" wide and 2 1/2" long finished), and serged around the raw edges of the main apron piece and the pocket.


I simply turned the serged edges about 3/8" and stitched around.
(I love you, serger! I really didn't want to roll all those edges!!)

Attach all the side straps in the right places, and turn under the edges of the pocket and sew it on.


This is where the loop piece and neck strap go, so that the neck strap is adjustable. Of course it could be done the traditional way as well...


...but if you do a handy little loop, adjusting the neck strap is oh-so-easy with the quick tie of a half-knot!


Ta-da!!

Here's Mr. S. in his carrot apron...

Buzz in his pea apron, and...

...my cute niece in her TURNIP apron.
(I love the turnips!!)

Now I am thinking with how large these dish towels are, I might just go pick up a red radish dish towel and make myself a half apron!!

Cabbage Patch Clothes

This weekend I just HAD to sew SOMETHING or I would lose my sanity. I made another little shirred shirt for JellyBean (maybe I will show you later?), and then spotted another project:

JellyBean's little cousin gave her a Cabbage Patch doll when she was born.

Here are her original clothes. They aren't super horrible, but I do not love them.


So, I made her a quick little dress to match one of JellyBean's.


I inherited a matching pair of onesies, and decided that one just had to be for the doll!

It turned out really cute! It's my favorite of all the clothes I made for her.

Then there was this infant's mock turtleneck I also inherited -- wrong season for JellyBean.

It made some fantastic two-piece jammies for her doll, though! I used the sleeves to make the shirt (cute ruffly hem, though you can't tell from this photo), and the hem of the shirt for the hem of the pants. the sleeves (again with cute ruffly hem!) are made from the neck of the shirt! Love it!

(Made that doll blanket a couple months ago... It works perfectly for her!)

Then I had to make one more pair of jammie pants out of a scrap of flannel to go with her onesie.

Much better!

Flashback Friday -- Tall Dolls

I really enjoy all things tiny, and just love to make doll clothes. Last summer I found these girls on clearance at KMart (nobody knows why, right? Oh yeah, they have FREAKISHLY long legs!!) and just had to have them all!

I then began obsessively creating clothes for them. Seriously, it was days straight of making tiny things for them! Here's a rundown of some of my favorite outfits.....


I love this career-type suit set. It's a wrap shirt with a jacket and (my favorite!) ruffled skirt. She also has slacks, so her wardrobe is very versatile.


I love making things out of other things. This outfit started life as a weird headband from a dollar store. Works much better as this cute two-piece outfit!


I collect fabric. Yes, it is an addiction. This is one of many, many, many fat quarters I have collected over time with no purpose other than "I really love it and have to have it!" Of course its occasion came, and it is perfect for her dress/scarf combination!

Can you say GREEN PLEATHER?! My mom had a couple yards of the stuff in her fabric collection. (Yes, I believe fabric hoarding is hereditary!) It is the perfect weight for doll clothes! I admit, this is my very favorite outfit on my favorite of the girls. She is also wearing a wrap shirt I made out of a very tiny scrap of fabric and a piece of ribbon.
I also made her hat and scarf out of a human-sized scarf I got on clearance at The Gap over ten years ago. Couldn't live without it, but never wore it. Looks great on this girl, though!

Oooh, this one is a recycle job that I almost hate to admit to! This was a very (very!) freaky pair of thong underwear. Yes, the sequin trim was on it too. And, yes, this is ALL the fabric there was in that one pair of underwear. Enough said.

Wardrobe Refashion Pledge

I just made a two month commitment over at Wardrobe Refashion -- one of my very favorite sites to watch! I have been contemplating it for a while, and decided to take the plunge!
Here are the guidelines:

"I pledge that I shall refashion, renovate, recycle preloved items for myself for the term of my contract. I pledge that I shall create and craft items of clothing for myself with my own hands in fabric, yarn or other medium for the term of my contract."

I just have to wait for my invitation, and I will be able to post my items as a "guest author" on their site! This is going to be so much fun!! This also means I can't be going out and buying any clothing unless it is thrifted. But -- has anyone been clothes shopping lately? There AIN'T NOTHIN' to buy, unless you want to dress straight out of the 80's! (Been there, done that; not sure I want to do it again!!)

I am so ready to get started!