Taylor's Bunny Bonnet & Little Lizard King 'Astoria Playsuit'

If we could all remember

what it was to be a child

the world would be

 a more pleasant place.

Tammy R. Eledge

Sweet Baby Taylor is the daughter of Kristen, another of my wonderful teammates at school.  She was just over a year old when I made this sunsuit set last April  She has amazing motor skills.  She was full-on walking at nine months without holding on to anything!  She is fast, too!  The only non-blurry photos I was able to take of her in this outfit were when she was lying down!

Just look at that sweet face!

The sunsuit is a PDF pattern from Little Lizard King.  It was the first time I made it and it was an enjoyable sew.  The finish inside is very nice with all enclosed seams.  The front piece is lined and encloses the back pieces.   I used pink plastic snaps on the bottom which was my first experience with plastic ones.  I was thrilled with how easy and fast the application was and I am hopeful that they will stand the test of time like the ones made of metal.

I used a vintage Madeira hand towel and some really nice eyelet edging to embellish the front of the sunsuit and a wider eyelet for the flutters on the shoulder straps.

Patterns:  'Astoria' by Little Lizard King,

 'Bunny Baby Bonnet' by Polluted Pixie on Etsy,

 bib pattern: unknown.

Fabrics, Etc.:  vintage linens, trims & eyelets from my stash,

 floral fabric from stash (?) and yellow Kona cotton broadcloth

I absolutely loved making the bunny eared bonnet!  Soooooooo cute!  I even made another for a dear friend's new granddaughter that I will blog about another day.  The pattern pieces go together well and the directions were easy to follow.

Thank you for reading my blog!  I hope your day is filled with sunshine and flowers (even if it is only the figurative kind)!

Sydney's Blue Birds

 Isn't that outfit just adorable?  It was not made by me.  It was made by Kathy Berry, a dear friend of my dear friend Jana, for her only granddaughter.  The whole ensemble is just beautiful!  The sun bonnet ties with fabric ties under the chin and has ribbon in a casing in the back to draw it to size.  There are hand embroidered flowers all along the outside of the brim.  Please notice the little matching beach pail.  Yes!  Kathy made that to match the ensemble, too!

 Kathy used a floral cotton print with lots of flowers and butterflies and then coordinated the embroidery of the sunsuit bodice to match.  The floral spray is her own design.  I tried to enlarge the photo I have in the next picture.  It is not as clear as I would like.  The embroidery is really stunning.  Check out the wooden hanger.  You guessed it!  Kathy made that, too!

 The vintage pattern in the next picture is the one Kathy used for the sunsuit and bonnet.    It's charming and quite old.  It was published in the earlier 1940's and sold for .25 cents.   When people were making only an average of  $16-30 dollars a week, the $.25 wasn't the deal we would think it was.  Minimum wage in 1945 was just .40 cents per hour!  A forty hour week would bring in just $16!  ( When my dad proposed to my mother in 1950, she said that they had to wait until he made $50 a week to get married!  They were married in 1951.)

 The following pattern is one you can purchase today from Wendy Schoen Design and from many online heirloom sewing shops.  It is obviously a remake of the pattern above with lovely added heirloom techniques (lace work, applique, embroidery).  It comes with  sizes 1-6.  I have this pattern and plan on making some cute little sunsuits to add to my grandmother's hope chest!

I hope you enjoyed seeing Kathy's lovely little beach ensemble!

Sailing, Sailing....Smocking for a Baby Boy: Project Run & Play, Week 3

As always, click on the photos to enlarge them for easier viewing.

 This is my entry for the sew-along challenge for PR&P Week #3:  Boys Week.  It is a birthday gift (late...gasp) for Liam's first birthday.  He is a beautiful little boy with dark brown eyes and brown hair and the most adorable little smile.  Liam is the first grandchild of dear neighbors of ours.  He lives in Miami where the temperature usually stays fairly warm (70's-90's) all year long so this little sunsuit will get plenty of wear.

I used the pattern "Baby Playsuit" by Creations By Michie' and a smocking plate by Pat Garretson Designs called "Bebe July".  I made a size one because Liam's measurements were just under the measurements for that size.  The insert and lining are Imperial broadcloth and the seersucker is a mystery.  It has been in my stash 'mellowing' for quite a while!  I believe I bought it when my own son was about three and I made a pair of shorts for him.  Logan will be 18 this week so I think it needed to be used!  It is a polycotton.  It will be very easy care for Liam's mama.

 

 I added two extra rows of waves to fill the rows required by the pattern for the insert and I like the way it came out.  I bordered the insert with red micro-check mini piping and used Wash Away Wonder Tape for the first time to hold the piping in place instead of pins.  Carol (Mama CJT of http://mamacjt.blogspot.com/), has been talking to me about this product and sent me some and I just love it!  Thank you Carol!  I will never do an insert without it again!  Carol also gave me the playsuit pattern (among lots of other heirloom sewing goodies).  You have to know that I thought of you all week long, Carol!

I love the open sides of the bodice.  It is so nice and cool for a south Florida baby!

I put the waistband on with the stripes going horizontally for a little extra interest and used bright red buttons for a little 'back appeal'.  The crotch closes with snap tape (3 snaps) and there is 1/4 inch elastic in the legs.  I am particularly pleased with the snap tape because I (finally) used a zipper foot when doing the application.  Very neat and tidy.  I'm sorry I forgot to take a photo of that section of the playsuit.

Here is a little closer view of the smocking.  I'm not the best picture smocker but this plate has small stacked figures without color changes so it is relatively easy to do.

I really liked this pattern but it took me longer to construct than I anticipated.  This is due to me being unfamiliar with the pattern and not the pattern itself.  It really is beautifully drafted.  This pattern will get lots of use because this little playsuit was liked by everyone in my house!  Even Logan gave it a 'thumbs up'!  The bodice and waistband are lined but the pants are not so the side seams are serged.  (This fabric would have been a bear to French seam.)  The Buttonhole Fairy was with me and the buttonholes came out great.  My machine doesn't always cooperate when I do buttonholes and they often have to be redone but not this time.  What did give me trouble was the snap tape!  I put it on the wrong sides of the crotch plackets the first time and had to pick out all those tiny stitches.  I don't know what I was thinking!

Anyway, I am so glad I can give this to our neighbors to give to Liam.  I believe they will be going to Miami in a week or two.  Please stop by http://www.projectrunplay.com/2013/01/week-three-boys-week.html to see all the great entrys for this week's challenge.