Super Cute Valentines Printables

Too many to choose from!

http://www.livinglocurto.com/downloads/valentines-day-free-downloads/

http://familycircle.com/momster/blog/free-valentine-printables

http://craftionary.blogspot.com/2012/01/75-valentines-day-free-printables.html

http://www.erinvaledesign.com/leo_on_the_loose/2010/02/diy-free-printable-valentines-day-coloring-sheets.html

McCall's 6074 -- as maternity

I've really had fun with this dress, and I'm starting to get the hang of sewing on knits.  It's been decades.  I raised the neckline and added sleeves.  I've grown so much I didn't even add the elastic in the front, but grabbed a scrap of fabric for an optional belt.  Maybe after the baby, I can add the elastic in the front.

I was also looking around for more maternity ideas and found these:
http://doityourselfdivas.blogspot.com/2011/10/diy-perfect-maternity-dress-revamped.html
http://www.luvinthemommyhood.com/2011/05/maternity-sewing-tutorials-roundup-2011.html#comment-form
http://www.luvinthemommyhood.com/2010/03/maternity-sewing-tutorial-roundup.html

By the way, I used the concepts in The Dressmaker's Guide by Elizabeth Stewart Clark to design my sleeves -- who said you only have to use her book for historic clothing?

Also, Prudent Baby offers some helpful advice for sewing on knits.

T-Shirt to Maternity Dress

I told my mom I was going to turn a t-shirt into a maternity dress tonight and I think she thought I was nuts. I believe she was thinking of the t-shirt dresses they make to send to 3rd world countries.

I've been wanting to try this idea, but didn't have a shirt to use. Then I realized this shirt had holes around the stomach -- probably from me trying to zip my fleece jacket up over my big belly.

I went to the fabric store, bought some black fabric for the waistband and skirt, and some purple to blend with the shirt.  The purples aren't quite the same, but with the black in the middle, you can't tell.

I don't have a serger, but that would have been immensely helpful with this project. If I do much more with knits, I might have to start looking into one.

First, I sewed the purple strip onto the black strip at the bottom.  Then I folded the whole thing in half and sewed it to make a tube.  I planned to put the seam in the center back.

Then I found a shirt with an empire waist and cut my old shirt at about the same level.

Then, I decided I wanted a waistband and cut about 3" off the top of the skirt.   Then, I evenly gathered the skirt into the waistband and sewed the skirt to the top.

I'll hem it tomorrow.  I've noticed that these long dresses are in.  I'm not so sure how I feel about that because they are so incredibly impractical.  At least they're not as full as other long dresses I've worn.

Thank You Cards

My daughter and I needed some thank you cards for some Christmas presents.  She looooooves crafts, and I thought it would be fun to try and make cards together.  Being a middle child, we really need to spend some time together.  It was a bit frustrating with the 2 y.o. and 8 y.o. around, too, but we survived.  The cards could be a little cuter, but the concept is good for the future.  I found a few ideas on Etsy, one from a painting my bro & SIL have, and one I think on Google images, but can't find it now.

I thought this one would be fun using finger prints as the leaves.

 http://www.etsy.com/listing/79906072/baby-thank-you-cards-baby-shower-birds?ref=sr_gallery_8&ga_search_submit=&ga_search_query=thank+you+card&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade

 http://www.etsy.com/listing/59118375/thank-you-cards-thank-you-notes-thank?ref=sr_gallery_1&ga_search_submit=&ga_search_query=thank+you+card&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade

All the parts to these little birdies was a little difficult for my daughter to glue on the paper.  So, I had her glue the other birdies on the other cards.