Embellished boy's tshirts

I am ready to put the first winner's prizes in the mail!  She didn't really need any of the "mommy" prizes, so I let her pick two kid prizes.  She ended up going with two boy's t-shirts.  Her son wears cloth diapers (check out my cloth diaper post here) so a t-shirt is perfect to show off his cute diaper covers!
The first one is a tie t-shirt.  I used some "manly" blue fabric and appliqued it on. 

Basic tie t-shirt!

For the other one, she said to get creative, and mentioned her hubby's love of baseball.  So I traced a circle on some off-white fabric (since a classic baseball is off-white) then used bright red thread to make the lines on the ball.  My sewing machine has a stitch that looks EXACTLY like a baseball stitch, yay!  I used a narrower version of that same stitch around the perimeter of the ball.  I definitely will use this technique again, it turned out so cute!

Baseball t-shirt

Close-up of baseball stitch

I am putting these in the mail today!  The other giveaway winner has been traveling so I am waiting on her to choose her prizes and will post them when they are complete!  (It actually has worked out well since I am so much busier with two kids now!)

Some projects I am working on and hope to post for you soon (and by soon, I mean whenever I get a chance to sew...since my daughters have not been synching up their nap times lately!)

-i-spy bag tutorial (as suggested by YOU!)
-Free People inspired "hippie" headband
-Yoga waistband knit skirt (turned out so cute, just need to put the tute together)
-Baby "lovie" mini blankie

There are so many more ideas floating around in my brain...the curse of the creative person, hahah!  I know that someday when my girls are both in school I will have more time to work on my projects, so I have to force myself to put the brakes on my brain and realize that this stage in my life is not the time to get a million sewing and craft projects done!  I wouldn't trade one minute of this time in our lives for a million dollars though! (Okay, sometimes during a toddler tantrum I would be tempted...)

Have a great week, and if you haven't gotten your mom a gift for Mother's Day yet jump over here to get some ideas!

Breastfeeding Moms- What to Wear!

So it's that dreadful time postpartum when you are still carrying around that baby weight (unless you are one of the few who gained only 25 pounds...NOT me, haha!!!)  On top of dressing to hide belly, thighs, butt and muffin top, you also have to make sure your gigantic boobs can get out easily for baby! 

Me: chubby and happy with my babies!

Unfortunately, a lot of maternity clothes are supposed to double as nursing tops- but who wants to wear their maternity clothes again?!?!?!  And we all know, the maternity and/or nursing tops are just ugly...the only cute ones are over $100 an item, which most of us can't afford.
So what is a girl to do?  You might expect me to say "sew your own".  But really, with a 2 year old and a new baby, I have spent maybe one hour total in my sewing room in the last 3 weeks.  So that is just not gonna happen!
I do, however, have time to scour the internet for cute stuff since I am sitting on the couch breastfeeding most of the day.  So here are some hints about where to find clothes that are both flattering postpartum and give you boobie access, plus some direct links so the work is done for you. Phew!

Tip #1- Check out stores that sell, um, how do I put this..."sexy" clothes?  "Clubbin'" clothes?  You know what I'm saying!  They tend to have very low necklines.  For our purposes, they are not for sexiness but for access.  But my husband does enjoy the view!  If you tend to dress more modest, these tops are still great to throw a nursing cami under. (Nursing camis are great for many purposes- have a several to wear under things and to sleep in!)  If you aren't worried about modesty, just think- if everyone is staring at your magnificently huge boobs, they won't be looking at your magnificently huge butt!  Just sayin'...
Some stores to check out- Victoria's Secret, Bebe, Arden B
Clothing examples:

Victoria's Secret, $59.50  Note the zip down top and fat hiding ruffles!

Arden B, $26.90  Note the draped neckline, fitted sleeve, and loose body.

Bebe, $98.00  Note the criss- crossed neckline and draping over belly, score!!!

Tip #2- Avoid the following things: Wide or poofy sleeves (your boobs are big right now, this will add even more bulk to your top half), horizontal stripes, REALLY spandexy fabrics (some stretch is good, but too much will show every lump and bump and cling in all the wrong places!), Shapeless garments (unless you wear with a belt. 

Tip #3- Look for the following features (some examples below) that are postpartum/nursing friendly:  ruching (hides lumps and bumps), cowl necks (easy for nursing), criss cross necks (again, easy for nursing), v necks (more flattering to a larger bust), fitted sleeves and shoulders (to slim your upper half), nipped in waist or belt (to slim the waist), hip/butt skimming (to cover it a bit!).

Ann Taylor, $48.00.  Example of ruching at waist and criss cross neck!

Trouve brand, from Nordstrom, $58.  Great deep cowl neck!

Tip #4- Body shapers are your friend AND your enemy.  Be careful when choosing...if you are hourglass shaped like me,  the tank top ones tend to backfire by rolling up to my waist and giving me a big fat belly bulging below it!  BUT- if I simply wear an old size small workout tank under my clothes, it really works well!  So choose carefully!  Also, a note about belly shapers (corset things) marketed for postpartum women...I tried this and while I think it helped, it also squeezed my intestines and gave me horrible gas.  It also made me look horrible because it took my hourglass shape and made it a sausage shape.  Full disclosure:)

Tip #5- CUT OUT THE TAGS!!!  When not pregnant/losing pregnancy weight, I am a size 6 in jeans.  Well, I am currently wearing a double digit size that I am horrified by.  So just cut out the tags if it is traumatizing to you!  I go to Kohl's and get the cheapo but still cute jeans ($30 or so) and then I buy a pair in each smaller size down so that as I lose weight I always have a pair of non-maternity jeans that fit well.  This will make you look good!  Be sure to get them in the ladies section, not juniors...unless you love that low-rise-with-a-muffin-top look.  I like the Vera Wang brand for this purpose.

Simply Vera skinny ankle jeans, $35 (on sale)  Cheap enough to buy in all sizes as you shrink!

Tip #6- Bathing Suits.  Ahhhhhhh!  This is something I am really concerned about.  So concerned, in fact, that I plan to just wear a series of cute cover-ups until I lose at least 20 pounds.  Especially since there are so many teeny tiny teenagers that prance around in their teeny tiny bikinis in my neighborhood.  Barf.

Victoria's Secret The Caftan Dress, $69.50

I hope this helped by giving you some clothing ideas and letting you know that you are not alone!!!  I have a LOT of weight to lose, and I know it will come off.  Yours will too!  The important thing is that I know I gave my baby all the nutrients she needed in the womb (and then some, haha!) and I have enough fat on my body to put towards milk-making to help her grow.  I always say that when pregnant, my body is on loan to the baby so I need to embrace the changes.  No big deal to be a little chubby for a while when I have a beautiful, healthy, sweet baby to show for it!


Are you a follower yet?  Please join in on the fun!!!

Cloth Diapering

How cute is this cloth diaper?!?!? (Cover from Assunta Store)

What goes through you head when you hear "cloth diapers?"

Messy?

Stinky?

Laundry?

Cost?

Only for "hippies"?

There are a lot of misconceptions out there about cloth diapering.  Today's cloth diapers are more mama-friendly than ever!  I started cloth diapering my oldest daughter around 6 months old.  I thought about it for a while before diving in and I haven't ever looked back!
Let's address some of the concerns you may have that I listed above.

Messy- Modern cloth diapers are just not as messy as the old fashioned kind.  They are basically structured like a disposable diaper with either snaps or velcro.  In fact, because they have elastic in the back (unlike disposables) you get less blowouts up the back of those cute little onesies!

Stinky- Gone too are those old-fashioned water-filled disgusting diaper pails.  You simply place the wet diapers into a "wet bag" in your laundry room (or wherever you choose).  When there is a poo, you can use a special sprayer to spray the poo in your toilet and flush, or if its an older baby's solid poo, just dump it in the toilet.  WAY less stinky than disposable diapers because you are flushing the poo!  (FYI- if you read the fine print on your disposable diaper box, it instructs you to dump the poo out of those as well.  Human waste is not supposed to go into landfills, they are not equipped for it!)

Laundry- Yes, there will be more laundry.  I wash my dirty diapers every other day.  They fit in one big load, and I hang dry the covers and wet bag to preserve the waterproof coatings.  So, there are a lot of benefits to cloth diapering and the trade-off is one load of laundry every other day.  That is worth it to me!  Some people argue that cloth diapering is not cheaper or better for the environment because of ALL the laundry- well if you add up the cost of the special diaper detergent (I use Rockin' Green), and the cost of the water for one large load of laundry every other day...you will see that this argument is SILLY!

My favorite diaper detergent!

Cost- Cloth diapers are definitely an upfront investment.  BUT- just like anything else, there are more expensive options than others!  We have chosen to use the more old-fashioned prefolds with small sized covers for the infant stage, as she will outgrow them fast and those are the cheapest option.  Then once she is larger we will use the Flip system again.  This is a hybrid diaper, and there are several other brands of them.  The Flip brand happens to be what we chose.  If you include some thicker nighttime diapers with covers, our Flip stash, and a couple of cloth swim diapers, and a couple of wet bags, all in all we spent about $200 to cloth diaper!  We had previously been spending about $70/month on disposables, so this has definitely saved us a ton of money.  For this baby, since we are starting cloth from day one, we have spent about $70 on infant cloth diapering supplies.  So by the second month of her life we will have broken even on those.  Then she can move into the Flip stash that her older sister used which will cost us nothing!  At some point we may replenish some covers, etc. if they start getting worn, but so far so good.   We did get a great deal on the covers from The Assunta Store.  They are owned by Americans living in China who help sick children and orphans, so their proceeds go to their non-profit.  I have found the covers to be very high quality and well fitting.  (They also sell cloth diaper making supplies if you are interested.  To me, the time making them myself is not worth it!)  I love to purchase things locally when possible, are we are fortunate to have a great cloth diaper store in the Indianapolis area called Toasty Baby.  They sell used prefolds at a discount (obviously they are sanitized and perfectly safe to use!)  That is how I got my newborn stash so cheaply.  They have an online store so you can shop with them too!
The most expensive option is all in one diapers, because you need a bunch of them and they are about $20 or more each.  The perk to these is anyone can use it because it really is just like a disposable.  Its all one piece so some day care centers will only allow this option if you choose cloth.  I know a couple of friends who asked about using cloth for their children at day care and they were told "no way!" so before you buy cloth diapers you may want to check with the day care you plan to use if necessary.  If you work and can't use cloth during the week at day care, you can always have a smaller stash and do it at night and on the weekends!

Only for "hippies"- Cloth diapering has become important to parents for several reasons- not just the environment!  Yes, it is better for the environment (no poo or diapers in landfills, less manufacturing, etc.) but there are other reasons to use them as well.  I like that there aren't any weird "gel" fillers and chemicals on my children's skin.  I like that they save my family money (more shoes for mom!!!) and they are REALLY cute- I have these adorable minky covers that are fuzzy and have adorable little prints on them.  My older daughter got to an age where she would ask for cloth if for some reason she had to wear a disposable (like at her Mother's Day out program).  When I thought about it, I wouldn't want to to wear scratchy paper panties if I could wear soft cotton ones- would you?

Please feel free to email me or comment below if you have any questions or need cloth diapering advice!  The post above barely scratches the surface!

Dear babies, Use cloth and be cute like me!  Love, Stella

Got a Baby? Enter this Giveaway!

I was recently sent a baby hairbrush to review from New People Company. They have a brush simply called "The World's Perfect Baby Brush".

BEFORE:

"messy" hair :)

 AFTER:

Nice and smooth!

It is a simple design made of plastic with tiny flexible bristles.  The bristles are VERY soft and thin, so there is no risk of scratching baby's head.  Stella doesn't even seem to notice her hair is being brushed into place! She has not experienced cradle cap yet, but I would imagine this would be a good brush for gently exfoliating the scalp without irritating baby's sensitive skin.  We really like "The World's Perfect Baby Brush"!  Even my 2 year old with fine hair seemed to whine less during hair-do time while using this brush.

What?  I'm getting my hair brushed?

 Another big bonus to this brush is that it is affordable!  They retail for only $6.00.  It would be a cute addition to a baby shower gift since it is colorful and unique!  It comes in several colors.

NOW...the fun part- you can enter to WIN YOUR OWN BRUSH!!!!

New Mommy Hormones, Sisters, Call out for advice!

New Mommy Hormones...for those of us who have had children, you know all too well what I am referring to.  There is this approximately two week time frame where your body suddenly has an absence of hormones the placenta has made for 9 months, and it makes you CRAZY!

Who wouldn't love a face like that?

 Over the past couple of weeks, I have had some great moments due to my "crazy" hormones. 
 I have cried because I am so in love with my little Stella.
 I have cried because I feel horrible guilt over the way my 2 year old Lola must feel.
 I have cried because I feel chubby (do ya feel me???)
 I have cried because I wanted to take a nap and organize my dresser drawers and couldn't decide which was more important to me (for real!)

I probably cried over a few other things too, but I am sleep deprived and can't remember :)

That being said, I am now over that hump and feeling pretty fantastic (other than lack of sleep!).  Stella actually sleeps waaaaay more than Lola, so I am getting about 5-6 hours at night!  Less than ideal, but pretty good for having a newborn!
My husband gave me hug and a shoulder massage before leaving for work this morning, so that was fantastic.  Then the baby pooped and it was back to reality!

Sisters!

I am really enjoying my two girls, and I look forward to matching outfits, trips to Chicago to prom dress shop together (I know, way in the future but let mommy dream!), slumber parties, puberty, weddings, baking cookies together...all the fun things girls bring.
I am planning to do an idea I found on Pinterest where you have a journal that you write back and forth in with your daughters.  I am going to make each of them one- or maybe an email address like in the TV commercial?  I mean, will they even make paper ten years from now?

Oh, and BONUS- two daughters to change my diapers when I'm old!!!

Being a parent is the toughest job on the planet- but I wouldn't take it back for anything!!!

Are you a mama of two girls close in age like mine?  If so, please share some comment love below giving me your best advice for raising two girls- I would love to have a post in the future where I share these tidbits!  (By commenting below you are giving permission.  I will link to your blog if you have one!

Only 4 followers to go before my next giveaway!!! Please join up so we can get to winning some prizes!!!

FREE pattern- crochet baby turban

So, the idea for this pattern started with Pinterest.  I'll take a moment to vent here....don't you HATE it when you want to pin something, and it goes to flickr instead of the original page?  Or you click thinking its DIY and its a shop?  Or you click and its in another language?  Well, this one was in another language, so I attempted to have Google translate it.  I was so bummed to see that it was knitting, because I am not big on knitting, nor am I very good/fast at it.  So I decided to simply use it as inspiration to create my own crochet pattern.
(And PLEASE, if you pin something, check first to make sure its from the original source so us bloggers/creators get credit for our hard work!)
So here is the picture- can you blame me for wanting to pin this?  What a cutie!!!!  (The hat and the baby!)  It is from a blog called Pickles.

credit here

You can see that mine is not completely the same, and that's okay- I don't want to completely copy it, just recreate the "feel" of that adorable little turban!  I've had this done for a while but had to wait for my model to be born :)

Crocheted "Stella" Turban (NB-3 months)

Size H crochet hook
1 skein cotton yarn (I used Sugar N' Cream)
abbreviations: sc (single crochet), sl st (slip stitch), hdc (half double crochet)

Round 1: Make 6sc in a Magic Ring (click through to link to get the how-to), pull string to close hole.
Round 2: Make 2 sc in each stitch around and join with sl st. (12)
Round 3: (2sc, 1sc) all around and join with sl st. (20)
Round 4: (2sc, 1sc, 1sc) all around and join with sl st. (27)
Rounds 5-6: (2sc, 1sc, 1sc, 1sc) all around and join with sl st. (34, 43)
Rounds 7-11: sc all around , join with sl st. (43)
Round 12: hdc all around, join with sl st. (43)
Round 13: sc all around, join with sl st. (43)
Round 14: hdc all around, join with sl st. (43)
Round 15: sc all around, join with sl st. (43)
Round 16: hdc all around, join with sl st. (43)
Round 17: turn and sl st all around.  Weave in ends.
Finishing:  Count up 7 rows and insert a piece of yarn.  Tie up from last row to form front of turban.  Cinch tightly!  Wrap ends around tightly and tie again (tie knot on inside).  Weave in ends.  Cut 3 pieces of yarn about 7" long.  Insert through loop on front and tie a bow tightly.  Double knot and trim ends of bow.

She slept almost three hours wearing this...maybe it will keep your little one cozy and sleepy too?   5 days old today!

That's it!  If you make one please link to it below so I can see :)
Remember, this is for personal use only!

Are you a follower yet?  Join me via linky, RSS, email, or FB!  Google is getting rid of friend connect soon, so I am trying to get followers to move to one of the above methods!

When I reach my current followers goal I will do another giveaway!!!

She's Here!

Stella Mae is here!  Everything went well- once her head popped out she opened her eyes and looked around like a little gopher..."Where am I?  What is going on here?"
We are both feeling great and doing fine.
Big sister asked mommy today (while patting my belly) "Hey Mama, you got another baby sister in there for me?"  So, I think it's safe to say she likes being a big sister so far.
Here are a couple photos for you!

Hello world!  I'm here!

"I gonna pet baby sister, Mama!"

Wildflowers Baby Mobile Tutorial

It's almost time for this baby and as I've told you I have been a BUSY bee making projects for her!  One project that I finished this week is the Wildflowers Baby Mobile.  It turned out even cuter than what I had envisioned! (Love when that happens!)
I think this could even be used in places other than a nursery.  It is so whimsical and romantic, girlie and unique!  So even if you don't have a need for this in a nursery, you could add some white Christmas lights and use it as a little chandelier, etc.  Let me know if you come up for another use for this project!

So, you want to make one? Let's get started!

Gather your materials!

Materials Needed:
-One long flexible floral stem with leaves/branches
-2-4 floral stems with several flowers each in the color scheme of your choice (this is up to your creativity- you can use as many flower types, colors, etc. as you choose!)
-Floral tape, wire, or "vine" (I used the faux flexible vine stuff)
-Clear elastic jewelry thread (use a thick gauge for durability!)
-Hot glue gun and hot glue sticks
-Tiny metal hook for hanging

Step One-
Take the long leafy/branchy stem and wind it into a circle.  Mine is about 12" in diameter but make it the size you think looks best for your space. 

I bent some of the leaves the opposite direction so they were all over.

Step 2-
Use your floral tape or vine and wrap it around to firmly attach the ends.  Be sure that the circle will not be coming apart!

See how nice the vine wire blends in?

Step 3-
Prepare your flowers.  Pop off some individual flowers and some groups of flowers (it might depend on the types you bought).  The point is to try and get some variety in how they are grouped.  Use the glue gun to be sure all the flower parts are reinforced.  Faux flowers can pop off into tiny pieces that could be a choking hazard so this step is VERY important both for durability and safety.  It takes some time, but is well worth it!

Gluing base on securely.

Step 4-
Decorate the circle with flowers from all angles- you want the mobile to look pretty from the baby's view, not the top!  The sides should be pretty too since you will see that in the room...but mainly keep in mind the baby's view.  Try not to follow a regular pattern, this needs to be very organic looking!

Don't be shy with the glue!  Have fun arranging your flowers in random places.

Step 5-
Begin attaching the hanging parts.  I put a drop of hot glue on the end of the clear elastic thread, then inserted it into the hole at the base of the flowers.  Some of the blue ones in clumps didn't have a hole, so I glued the thread to the side (about 3/4" of it for durability).  Vary the lengths of the thread so the flowers hang randomly!

See how nicely the elastic thread fits in the base of the flower?

Step 6-
Tie the elastic threads to the circle and glue well.  Again, you don't want this to be too uniform- space them out differently and be sure that there are a variety of flowers- colors, single flowers, bunches of flowers, etc.  It's best to lay them out ahead of time to plan.

Glue the knot, but be careful not to melt through the plastic!  These knots will not hold well without the glue.

Step 7-
After all of your flowers are attached the way you like it, attach four equal lengths of the elastic thread to the top of the circle and knot at the top.  Then screw a hook into the ceiling and hang the mobile on the hook!

Mine is not above the crib yet- waiting on my Dad to bring the hook over!

Some ideas for variations-
-Use a floral stem for the circle and hang lightweight birds or butterflies from the elastic thread!
-Make one that is all leaves.
-For a boy, it would be cute to use leaves and hang some lightweight plastic lizards, caterpillars, etc.
The sky is the limit to your creativity!!!
Let me know if you try it and post a link below so I can see it!

Please remember that this tutorial is for personal use only.  If you pin to Pinterest, please use the top photo with my website watermark on it!  Thanks so much!

***Are you a follower yet?  When I reach my current goal I will do a GIVEAWAY!!!***  Google is getting rid of Friend Connect this Spring, so please follow via RSS, Facebook, Linky, or email if you don't mind :)

Just to keep you posted...

You all know that I am VERY pregnant right now- and this baby is going to come any time!
I have been working on nursery projects and will have some fun things to share with you in the upcoming weeks- I'm going to spread it out a little.  Here is a little list of what's upcoming...

-Box pleat window valance tutorial
-Cloth diaper "wet bag" tutorial
-Wildflowers baby mobile tutorial
-2T and infant Easter dresses tutorial (and maybe a pattern...we'll see!)

I also have been using some other tutorials to make things, like this one from With a Tangled Skein for a crochet wool diaper cover, and this one from Sew Much Ado for a nursing cover.

Anyways...if you like newborn baby girl pictures keep your eye on my blog because there will be some soon!  I can't wait to see who she looks like, and what her little personality is like...I know my 2 year old has personality to spare, haha!

Ladies Kimono Robe- A Tutorial!

Guess what?  I actually sewed something for myself this week!  It turned out just as planned, I love when that happens!!!  So I am sharing the tutorial with you.  I searched a lot online and couldn't find any other free pattern or tutorial for a Kimono Robe, so I hope a lot of people find this who want one. (Please remember to link to me if you post about it!)  It is so comfy, and one size fits most!  (I would say realistically a size Small-Large as my 9mos prego belly is completely covered in it and I am normally a Medium.)  You could very easily make a longer version of this by buying more yardage and lengthening the inches in Step 1.

Please pretend my face isn't swollen to twice its normal size- I'm popping this baby out in about a week!

 

I made this to take to the hospital with me, as the maternity robes out there are less than stylish, and I wanted something unique!  While I did make this generous enough to fit a pregnant belly, it is not just for pregnant chicks- any woman (and some men, haha) would love to relax in a roomy, silky robe, right?!?!?!  The best part?  I got this beautiful fabric on sale at Hancock for only $2/yard!  So my whole robe cost about $5.

So, here is the tutorial...enjoy!  If you make one, please link up a photo below because I would love to see it!


ToBeContinued Ladies' Kimono Robe

Materials Needed:
2 1/2 yards silky brocade fabric (44" wide)  (If you want a contrasting trim like mine, choose a fabric that has a pattern on the edges and is completely reversible.  Most brocades are.)

close-up of my fabric

Matching thread
Sewing machine, scissors, quilting ruler, and other sewing tools as needed.

Step One- Cut a length of fabric that is 74".

With slippery fabric like this, pin pin pin!  I also used fabric weights to hold it in place while cutting.  Rotary cutters work best for this type of long cut.

Step 2- Fold the fabric in half along the widest side and pin the edges together to prevent slipping.  I did this on the (thread/scrap covered) floor to give myself lots of room!

Hopefully yours has this handy crease down the middle from being on the bolt.  If not, you may want to iron one in to help with the next few steps!

Step 3- Cut the center and neck out.  Measure out 3" from either side of the crease and mark all the way to the bottom hem.  (In other words, 6" out of the center.) Then cut- this is for the TOP LAYER ONLY!

I used my hand-held Gingher shears for this since I needed to cut the top layer only.

Step 4- Cut out the neck.  Mark a very slight half-moon shape for the neck and cut.

Don't stress if it isn't perfect- you will be covering this with a very wide binding. (Can you see how wonky mine is, haha!)

Step 5- Mark sleeves and body.  I used a large quilting ruler for this- once again that fold going down the center will come in handy!  For the sleeve shape, measure 10" down from top fold (the shoulder/arm) and 15" out from the center crease.  Mark.  Then continue marking the 15" mark to the bottom hem. 

If you want an even wider sleeve, feel free to go 11" or 12" down.  I found that 10" was just right for me though.

Step 6- Carefully cut out the L-shaped marking.  It is looking like a Kimono already!!!  (SAVE YOUR SCRAPS- we will be using them!)

Getting there- I love when it actually starts to look like something!

Step 7- Pin the bottom side of the sleeve and down the sides.  Yes, we are pinning on the RIGHT side of the fabric- because a French Seam is a MUST with this kind of silky, stringy fabric.  (You certainly could use a serger, but it would be a little scratchy and you still could get a few loose strands.  Therefore, my seam allowances are for French seams).  Usa a lot of pins because this is slippery fabric!  Normally I like to pin horizontal to the seam, but to prevent slippage I find that vertical is better with this type of fabric.

Step 8- Sew a very scant 1/4" seam.  Curve carefully at the armpit.

Note how the fabric is inside the edge of the presser foot.

Step 9- Trim any stringy things hanging off and press the seam.  Then turn the robe inside out.

Step 10- Sew a generous 1/4" seam to be sure you have encased the raw edges.

Your gorgeous French Seam is taking shape!  No scratchy stuff against your skin, and no loose threads!

Et voila!  Tres jolie!

Step 11- Hem the arm holes and bottom.  Simply fold over 1/4" and press, then another 1/4" and tack down.  Sorry, no picture of this!

Step 12- Make the trim.  This part is cool, because you simply use the parts you cut out to make the arms and body.  You should have 4 identical pieces sitting there.  Simply sew them end to end!  I used the gold side of my fabric as the "right" side for the trim so it would have a pretty contrast to the robe.  It also utilizes that pretty pattern on the edges of the fabric!  You will need to iron it like bias tape- in half, then fold in each side about 3/4" (NOT all the way to the center crease as you would bias tape- we want to see that pretty pattern!)  This will be a little bit longer than what you need, but we will cut off the extra at the end.  For now, mitre in the corners and fold over one end.  Baste in place.

Step 13-  Pin on trim.  Pin very carefully!  I placed it so the raw edge of the robe was about 3/4" inside.  This makes it nice and stable when you attach it.  When pinning around the neck it will be a challenge to get it to lay flat, but do your best.

I used my quilting ruler again to be sure the trim was going on evenly as I pinned.

Step 14- Sew the trim on carefully.  I went nice and slow  to be sure it was going on smoothly- especially around the neck!  You may find that the trim stretches a bit as you go around and you need to adjust your pinning for the second side.  This is fine, and that is why we didn't cut the excess off yet!  Stop with about 3" to go on the bottom of the second side.

Stick as close to the edge as possible!  You can always go back on the "wrong" side and be sure you caught the edges there too.

Step 15- Finish off the bottom edges of the trim.  When you get to the bottom of the second side, you will have excess fabric.  Cut it off leaving about a 1" overhang.  Mitre the corners as before and fold under, then baste down.  You can then finish that last 3" that you left unsewn.  Sew along the very bottom edge of the trim, being sure both sides are lined up perfectly.  Do this for both sides.

Neat and tidy!

Step 16- Make the belt.  Cut two 3" wide strips running the entire width of the fabric (44").  Sew them end-to-end, making the color you want as the right side (I again used the gold for contrast).  Then sew a 1/4" seam down the length, reinforcing with a zig-zag stitch or serger.  Turn this tube inside out, press, then turn ends to the inside at a slight angle and press then stitch down.

The ends of the belt will be turned to the inside and sewn down.

Step 17- Make and attach the belt loops.  Cut a 2"x10" piece.  Turn it inside out and sew a 1/4" seam. (Make whatever side you want the right side- I wanted the green to blend the belt loops in).  Turn the tube inside out and press, then cut in half so you have two 5" pieces.  Turn the ends to the inside like you did with the belt ends- be sure both belt loops end up the same length after doing this!  Then put your robe on so you can figure out where you want your loops to be.  Mine are up a little high so it ties above my big baby belly, but not so high that it will be weird someday when my belly is flat again (can't wait!!!)  Pin in place at the center of the loop.  Measure to check that they are even.  Then fold under the edges about 1/4" and sew in place.  I went over it a couple times to be sure it was tacked down securely.

Be sure to measure and adjust as needed so your loops are even on both sides!

Last step!!! Yay!

 

Step 18- Try on your robe with belt, and admire your sexy self in a mirror.  You may want to iron out that crease down the back, but it will eventually go away.  Enjoy your comfy, silky, Kimono Robe!

Oh, yeah...so HOT! (No really, these hormones are making me sweat, haha!)

Remember that this is for personal use only (yourself, gifts, etc.)  Please contact me if you are interested in making these to sell and I can give you the pricing for commercial license based on quantity.


Are you a follower yet???  Google is getting rid of Friend Connect in a bit, so please follow via the new Linky, or use RSS or email.  You can also follow me on Facebook and Pinterest!