Holiday Gift Guide {stocking Stuffers} and a tutorial

It's that time of year... for me anyway, all the major presents are bought and either on their way here or wrapped and under the tree. This may surprise you but I don't make many gifts. Every year I tend to make at least one home made gift for someone, but the holidays get a little too crazy and busy if I start making something for everyone on my list. I do however like to make a few stocking stuffers for my kids. Stocking gifts are from Santa, and Santa has a workshop and little elves that make things so I love making, or buying homemade, so when my kids see the gifts they think of the little elves that made them. So I have some ideas to share with you after the tutorial, since I thought I would share the super easy and quick little doll clothes I whipped up for Abbey's stocking. (Jude's stocking stuffers will likely be shared after Christmas due to time, but they are pretty awesome) 

 Abbey is getting a little dolly wardrobe this year. She is really into dolls and it's fun to see her play with them and dress them up.

 I grabbed these two dolls from her stash they are just a simple baby doll but you could follow this to make doll clothes for any baby.

 You will just need a stash of scraps. This is why I never throw away scraps from something I make, since now Abbey can have clothes for her babies that match her clothes. (she likes that)

 To make a little pattern lay the baby flat on some paper. Then trace the arm and body. Remember that you will need to add seam allowance. Also I recommend making the pattern a little fatter than the baby all around so it is easy for little ones to get on and off.

 Then for a little design I cut the pattern across the top. (add an extra seam allowance) Then I cut out a top and bottom piece. I did one for the front and one for the back I cut the back down the middle to have two pieces. I also made the skirt piece wider than I needed it so I could add some little pleats.

 Then sew the top and bottom pieces together. You can't see really well but I added little pleats to the skirt piece.

Then you should have the front and back pieces done.

 Sew the front and back together along the black lines in the picture.

 Then hem the bottom. I also made some super tiny bias tape (you could use pre-made stuff) and I sewed it around the neckline and back edge.

 Lastly I attached some little velcro dots to the back to fasten it. Super easy for a little girl to use.

 Then done. Now her little baby has a cute little dress that matches her Mixed Print Top.

 For another variation I made a few layers out of folded strips. Each one gets longer.

 Then I made the top part the same way I did the first one. So I had a tiny little cropped top.

 Then I sewed the slightly ruffled layers to the top. I finished it the same way with a little bias tape around the neck and back sides then I added velcro.

Dolly number 2 has a cute little top. (she just needs some pants) Hopefully Abbey will be so excited Christmas morning to find a whole slew of clothing for her little dolls in her stocking.

If you are short on time for making things this year there is probably still time to get orders in on some super cute handmade goodies from Etsy:

Here are some things I found that I liked:

1: Wooden Numbers Puzzle.
2: Felted Owl Pillow (get 15% off with code SHWIN at checkout)
3: Elephant Pull toy
4:Wooden Train

Sodee Naturals winner and a deal!

So I had a little bit of an MIA weekend. We got really busy, so the Holiday gift guide got skipped, but I will try and put the last ones together this week for stocking stuffers! Which may actually be the last one since the holidays are just around the corner and so time is running out... Then the blog will be pretty quite during the holiday season. We love spending time with our families, so we may pop in here and there but this week will be the last full week. Now on to the good stuff! The Sodee Naturals giveaway has come to an end. 

Random.org selected lucky number 48!!

 

Congrats Momentary Lapse! You will get an email from me today! 

If you are sad that you didn't win (as I imagine you may) There is good news for you! Sodee Naturals is offering Shwin&Shwin readers 10% off from now until December 31st! 

Enter code: Shwin  as check out. (you may have to register to use the code) 

Also some added perks from the company...

Become a facebook fan for special offers (they are offering one right now found on the "welcome page" 

They are also offering Free Shipping anywhere in the U.S. and flat rate shipping to other countries. So if you are looking for that perfect gift or stocking stuffer, they have great products you should check out!

Hello Neutral (dress)

 I LOVE bright colors on kids, I love them in my house, I love them in my wardrobe. They make me happy, but I always find myself coming back to the neutrals. My favorite cardigan in the whole world is tan and cream stripes, I wear it with everything. A neutral color palette is just so pleasing to the eye. So when Fabric Envy asked me which fabrics I would love to sew with from her shop. I knew right away that I HAD to have the neutral stripe. It was the stripe I was dreaming of. I knew just what I wanted to make with it.

 A little twist on the peasant dress. With a cute little belt (that can be changed out for different colors if you want a pop, or worn with other things, like this top here) Simple, and neutral, and lovely. Would you like to make your own?

 Start with a peasant dress. I tend to just "free hand" my patterns now, but you of course don't have to there are a million and one patterns out there for a peasant dress, or you can follow the free tutorial I linked to last year for this dress. Either way you want to make a peasant dress (front back and sleeve) Then I made a front and back neck facing (cut two front on a fold and 4 back not on a fold.) You will want the back facing to be a little longer than the front so they will overlap a little. I followed a regular tee to make the facing since the neckline would be different than the peasant top. If you need help drafting the facing pieces check out the tutorial for that here. I also cut a slit down a few inches of the back piece and made a slit facing (a rectangle) that was about 4 inches wide and about 1 inch longer than the slit down the back was. The slit makes it possible for you to get the dress on and off over the head. So when you are done all the pieces should look about like the picture above.

 Then you will start by sewing the sleeves to the front. Sew right sides together.

 Then you should have both sewn on like so.

 Next with right sides together sew the back piece to the sleeves as well. Then fold the dress so the right sides are together and sew the sleeves and sides of the dress together.

 Next sew the rectangle centered on the slit in the back. Just sew a "U" shape around the slit. Then cut a slit down the rectangle as well and turn the flap to the back.

 Now, I will try to explain this the best I can but hopefully it will make more sense as you do it. Take one side of the flap in the back and simply turn the edge under. Then press it flat.

 For the other side you are going to turn under the edge just a little and then kind of accordion fold the flap so that the fabric covers the slit. (it will make sense why in a moment) Then top stitch all the flaps in place. So top stitch around the slit.

 See that way from the outside the slit shows fabric and not just an opening. Make sense? Hopefully. You could of course just have a slit if you wanted.

 Then run a basting stitch along the neckline, and pull to gather.

 Next you want to take your facings and sew them together at the shoulders. You will have two identical pieces here.

 Then sew one right sides together to the neckline. (you will be sewing along the outside edge of the neck facing)

 Then with right sides together sew the neck facings together along the flap in the back and the neckline. Then turn the facing to the inside and topstitch in place. Now you have a nice finished neckline. With the flaps in back, I forgot to get a picture of it but you will sew a button on one side and button hole on the other then when the flaps over lap the slit in the back should look closed. Hem the bottom of the dress and the sleeves. Then you are done with the dress.

 Now for the belt. I started by cutting a strip of linen that was two inches wider than my daughters chest. (wider since it will overlap) Then I folded the strip in half and sewed around the edges leaving an opening so I could turn it right side out. I turned it right side out and sewed up the opening. Sorry no pictures of those steps. Then to add a little puffy detail. I cut some thin long strips of tulle. Wrapped it around my hand several times.

 Then I pinched it all together in the middle and wrapped the thread around it tightly.

 Then cut through the loops on either end and "fluff" the tulle it will look like a little puff ball.

 Then sew it to the belt. I made a few sewing them in clusters and I added one or two out of a cream lace as well. Then add a button to one end of the belt and a button hole to the other end and you have a very simple belt.

 That's all there is to it, for a peasant dress with a twist.

 I love the look of the neckline on the dress. and the cute little puffy belt, which to me is a must since other wise peasant dresses have a way of looking like a mu-mu or something...

I just can't get enough of the soft color palette! SO glad to of found the perfect stripe!


Brought to you by:

The Ruffled knit top

 I just want to start today by saying thank you! You guys are the sweetest! You have motivated me to sew more for myself and share it after yesterday's sweet comments. So thank you! So you know the best part of sewing for me? I almost always have enough scraps left over to make something for Abbey as well. (that never works the other way around) So with the left over knit from the holiday knit dress I made Abbey the ruffle knit top I have been thinking about for awhile. (crew cuts always has similar tops that I love, but hate the price tag so a scrap project is perfect)

 I love the way it turned out. I paired it with a belt from another project for an added pop, so that will be shared later. Added bonus we can coordinate outfits without being too matchy-matchy. So let's make one...

 I started with enough scrap knit to make the bodice and the ruffles, but I didn't have enough for the base of the top. It's fine since you don't see it anyway but if you have enough they could match. I just used an old tee to make the base of the skirt part. I patterned the top after a well fitting tee. If you need help drafting check my post on that here. ( I also made sleeves not pictured)

 Then for the skirt I sewed the front and back together at the sides to make a tube. Next I drew lines with a ruler across the front and back so that I could follow the lines when I sew the ruffles on. It makes it 10 times easier to get the ruffles on straight.

 Then out of some scraps I cut strips that were 1.5X wider than the skirt piece. Then I sewed them together at the sides to make a tube just like the skirt piece You will need as many rings as you have lines drawn, and they should be long enough strips that they over lap the ruffle below it. Since it is knit you don't have to finish the edge and cutting them imperfect adds to the charm of the top so don't worry about being perfect here. Then you want to gather the top of each strip. Need help gathering? Check here.

 Then pin the ruffles one by one to the skirt lining them up with the lines you drew. Once you sew them on you can cut out the thread you used to gather this will allow the ruffles to stretch a little with the skirt.

 Continue sewing the ruffles on until you reach the top.

 Then for the bodice. I made the top fully lined so I cut out two front pieces and two back pieces. Sew the front and back pieces together at the shoulders. Then sew them right sides together around the neckline. Turn them right side out.

 Then add the sleeve and sew the top right sides together along the sleeve and side.

 Next sew the bodice to the skirt right sides together.

 That's all there is to it. You could easily make this a dress if you wanted, or make it for yourself as well, I only had enough scraps for a top. But I may be making more in the future.

 I just love the look of the soft flowing ruffles.

 Down the front and back.

 Perfect for the holiday season even...

And just so you know that I am not crazy, it is chilly and so this is how she actually wears it out and about... but I love seeing the ruffles pop through the bottom of the Abbey Jacket.