Flutter by . . . It's a Good Deed wrap. . .

Since I first found out about the Good Deeds dress I have wanted to turn it into a wrap dress but I have never been brave enough. I think I made my first Good Deed at least a year ago now. I can't even remember what fabric it was made from, it has been and gone from the smallest munchkins wardrobe.

Recently however I have become a bit braver when it comes to altering patterns, just children's not adults, far too complicated for now any way. I made a pinafore from a button up back dress and added a pocket, I used a party dress bodice and a plainer skirt to make a fun everyday dress and today I finally decided I was brave enough to attempt the Good Deed wrap. I love this fabric, I bought it from a Dutch market stall holder at a fabric market in Rheda, Germany recently. Isn't it gorgeous!?

I was really pleased with my finished result. I am hoping it is going to fit after all the time I put into it, she was in bed before I could check. I tried to remember to take some photos as I went along so if you wanted you could have a go too.
To start with you need the Good Deed pattern in your chosen size and a basic circle skirt pattern, (there are loads on the internet, I can't remember which I used but here is one), for the corresponding waistline. Lots of bias binding in a contrasting colour, and your usual sewing notions. I used a pattern I had already made but failed to account for the waist the skirt would have had, hence mine is a little short. Make sure your skirt length is where you want it before cutting.

I was making for a 2 year waist so I was able to fold my fabric in half and in half again and cut out my circle. I then cut another 1/4 circle. While the full circle is still folded make a straight cut along one fold so you have and opening. You are going to sew the quarter circle and the full circle together. I forgot to take a photo of this stage but it's fairly simple. If you had to cut sections to make your circle sew all of them together leaving one opening.

You will need to round off your corners, I used a child's bowl to do mine, a cup or plate would work equally well. Now you can put your skirt to one side and work on the bodice.

First you will need to cut two fronts one facing left, one facing right and one back. You will put right sides together and join both sides at the shoulder seams.

You can now bias bind around the arm holes. You can also do this at the end but I personally find it easier to do it now. (My pictures don't show this as I was making it up as I went along but I promise this is easier). Next you will join the side seams. On the left side of the dress join the side seam top to bottom however on the right you will need to leave a gap in the seam for the binding tie to go through. I did forget to photograph this bit but you gap need to be slightly bigger by a couple of mm than the binding. My binding was about 1/4 of an inch when folded so I made my hole just bigger then that. Sew down from the top to the top of your gap and remember to reverse to strengthen the gap. Then sew from the bottom of your gap to the bottom of the seam. I hope this has all made sense. Sorry for the lack of photo.

The next step is to attach the skirt to the bodice. Fold the bodice and the skirt in half and line up the centre back with the centre of the skirt, right side to right side. Pin from the centre out on both sides, you may find the bodice is a bit longer than the skirt which is fine as the dress pattern is designed to go underarm to underarm but we don't need that. Sew the skirt to the bodice and trim the excess bodice in a straight line up from the skirt. It shouldn't be a lot. I only did this for an age 2/3 I hope the ratio's work the same as the sizes change.

I trimmed the neckline slightly at this stage so the ends of the bodice were slightly slimmer than for the original dress and then comes the longest part. Adding the bias. Start from the top edge of one side or your dress and work around to the other side. Then remembering to allow enough to tie the dress more on the side that will wrap around the body sew bias tape up and around the neckline and down the other side.
And there you have it your very own Good Deed wrap.

The Sorbetto Story

One of the first things I made for myself was the Sorbetto top. I wasn't 100% happy with it when I made it last Summer I wore it once or twice and it went to live at the bottom of the pile. I made a sort of promise to myself that I would wear the things I made and dug it out thinking maybe I would change the bias binding. However I had in the meantime lost some post baby weight so first I took in the sides about an inch. I gave it a trial run and I was in LOVE!

I now love how the yellow contrasts with the blue and makes it pop. So I decided to make another in some fabric left from an Anna dress I made. (More on the Anna's another time). This time I bound the bottom rather than turning it and made the full size pleat. The top was huge I adjusted the darts to the size 6 pattern and took in the sides loads.

When I had done I realised the darts were wonky so I had to unpick one and re do it. but it worked out OK I thought. 

My final one I re drew the pattern from a 12 to a 4. I was a little unsure about this but the size said it would work so I went ahead and trusted the pattern. I made an error with the material estimation, (I am using up my stash as we are moving), and I had to make it up without the pleat but I didn't think it would matter too much. I also found there was a small fault in the fabric on the back piece and it has a mark on it but this was from a coop buy ages ago last year sometime I think so just went ahead and got on with the top. I biased this rather than hemming again to keep the length. I didn't want it riding up above my jeans.

I was really pleased with my elephant line, they seem to be walking quite straight. Oh and the size 4, perfect fit. I think my flowery one is my favourite but I do like all of them and shall probably be making more. Possibly with other alterations. I have seen collars, piping, all sorts.

Have you made the Sorbetto? How did yours turn out?

Upside down pants or trousers as we would call them

Well I thought I would be productive while the little madam was sleeping and decided to use a remnant from another project to run her up a quick pair of trousers using the Dana Made It tutorial.

It was all going well until I realised as I cut into the fabric that I had not allowed for the directional fabric. However as she is 18 mths and I had already started I decided I was just going to go ahead and make them anyway. I don't think they actually look too bad considering and she won't notice. I still need to add the elastic which I will do after she wakes and I can measure her for size. I have decided that they will henceforth be known as the upside down trousers. 

How about you? Any recent blunders in your crafting escapades?

Lazy days holiday.

Today we went for a walk to a Garden centre we discovered by accident and then on to a bakers which was very disappointing compared to the one on the corner and then spent a lazy afternoon playing in the garden and finally sitting down to watch the Lego Movie.

While the small people were playing in the garden I thought I would try and finish some current projects. You may remember I showed you some fabric I pre cut in my last post. Today I made the first of the shirts.

I was quite pleased with the finished item as I didn't use the instructions and winged it. (It's the Lily Bird Summer Shirt). The only thing is I used Kam snaps instead of buttons and I wasn't concentrating and put the bottom one on too close to the next one. But it is perfectly wearable and I have a happy 'customer' in the shape of number 1 son.

The fabric was from the stofemarkt we went to in Rheda recently, I have the green one to be getting on with for number 2 son but also a top for myself that just needs bias around the arms.

I also made some pretty bunting for my friends gazebo. We were talking about gardens and things on our walk and she mentioned bunting. I thought as we are leaving soon it would make part of her goodbye gift.

It's all leftovers from a Higgs and Higgs bundle that was bought to decorate a friends daughters bedroom. It didn't take long but it's effective and I hope she will like it.

What's on your project pile?

Monkeys and Angry Birds - Well why not it's Friday after all.

I am supposed to be packing as our really rather wonderful life in Germany is sadly coming to an end very soon. We knew it wouldn't be forever but we were hoping for an extra year. However things were reorganised and we are all off back to the UK in the coming weeks. Our own move is towards the end of the month, a lot of people are going this weekend and early next week.

Anyway I can't pack as the boxes are in the attic and the door to the attic is in the small girls bedroom and the small girl is having a nap. It is baking today, I don't blame her, probably one of the cooler rooms.

So while I was pondering what to do I caught sight of my 'to do' pile and thought I would get on cutting out some things ready to sew later.

They are all 'orders' from my boys. No 1 son has asked for an orang monkey shirt and No 2 son has asked for a green one. The Angry Birds Star Wars is also a shirt for No 2 son, I have another from a different Angry Birds Star Wars fabric to cut for his best buddy. They are going to be leaving buddy gifts to each other. Buddy's Mum is hoping to come and help sew them. She is a sewing novice but I think we can get her sewing before I have to leave.

What have you been up to this rather warm afternoon?