Heat Transfer Shirts for Back to School

I never make back to school clothes. With sooooo many cute store bought clothes out there why bother? Besides, when I sew it's not to try and save money (that's not always possible! But you can get some really cute store bought stuff on sale!). I sew to be creative and scratch an itch usually. So anyway, I'm pretty excited I actually made stuff for school! These cute puff-sleeved tees are from Old Navy (I have used them before here and here). I bought them last year when they were on sale for $3.75 each. 

Kelly posted about the Star Wars convention here in Germany and she had made a tank top using this At-At design. I had to have it!! Emily loves Star Wars and how cute is this design???? 

I used my Silhouette Cameo for all of these.

This one is my favorite. Besides it being adorable, I layered heat transfer and am so proud of how it turned out!  It's supposed to be Emily:)

And Soot Sprites! From the Totoro and Spirited away movies. Love these things. I may have gotten a tattoo of them on my feet....if you're reading this Dad, then I didn't get another tattoo. 

I used the trace function on my Silhouette using a graphic off the internet. Once again Kelly came to my rescue! She is sooo knowledgeable on so many things. Thank you Kelly!! I made a bunch of Soot Sprites using vinyl decal material for my sister-in-law and nieces house. When they get them and install them I'll post pictures. 

This one is my least favorite. I think I should add more too it. The Sting Ray is fuzzy; I do like that part.

And then Ava's!! She only has one so far. Can you read what it says?? 

All designs except Star Wars and Soot Sprites are from the Silhouette Store.

This may be my foot in the front, my nieces in the middle (she um...didn't want to finish getting hers done. It hurt. A.LOT.) and my sister-in-laws in the far back. They didn't come out as cute as I envisioned but I still love them.

Circle Floor Cushions

Sad to say that I started these floor pillows when Emily was 1 (2006). I made the yellow one in 2006, then in 2009 I made the pink one. Then that's it. I had intended to make more using the other colors from this fairy fabric I have had since the early 90's but ....

Well I finally made them all! I'm not in love with this fabric anymore and would have chosen something else but I wanted them all to match the ones I had started so long ago.

*when I asked Ava what does E stand for she said Shirt. And Handle starts with B. So happy she starts kindergarten in the fall:)  I had to ask Ava these questions away from Emily or she would have corrected her and then had an argument and Ava would be in tears insisting that E stands for Shirt!

The pattern is an old one. Very old. It's Vogue 7567. But here is a free tutorial.

I ironed Pellon, 1-sided fusible fleece (the link shows it in a package but I bought it off the roll) to all the pieces after they were cut out to make it more durable (all 5 of the cushions were made like this). I used packaged piping and heavy duty make-you-own zippers.. There is a handle and in the picture below is a little square I added over each zipper. This was because at the time Emily liked to unzip everything and yank out whatever was in there. I also used large square (30"x30""??)  pillows to "stuff" the cushions with. This was much easier and more economical than making a muslin lining and stuff it with stuffing then sewing it closed then stuffing it in the cushion like the pattern suggested. I bought big huge square ones from Ikea. If the pillow is rigid then the square won't work in a round cushion. I bought the feather ones that are really squishy.

*wee bit embarrassed over the wonky square below but not enough to take out the photo.

Done! So happy to check that off my to-do list. And to use up some of that fabric but I still have sooooo much left!

Baby Slip Dress-Matryoshka

The Baby Slip Dress pattern from Venus at Suburbia Soup!! I love you Venus!!

I had wanted this dress as a pattern since the 1st Baby Slip Dress she posted (here she shows all of them and the FREE pattern!). 

I used a fabric I was hoarding (Heather Ross Matryoshkas). I love this color. LOVE it. It's like a coppery brown and so perfect on my girls since they have brown eyes. I love the neck the best. 

And here it is on Ava. Same dress/top. It's a size 6, the largest it goes. So Ava is wearing it as a dress and Emily as a top.  I think for Emily as a dress it would be to child-like and lengthening the skirt part would possibly look disproportionate so its perfect with shorts as a little tunic top. I really really love this pattern Venus!