My mother-in-law is visiting this week, to visit with the baby and help out and keep me company while my husband is away again. Very sweet! And it’s been a nice week so far. The other day, we went to JoAnn fabrics, where I didn’t really need anything, but came out with about $60 worth of stuff. Um…
A garden gnome … because I’ve been looking for one that isn’t creepy for a while. And this guy is cute!
And a bunch of fabric and some trim. And some gift bags.
But the fabric and trim… that is the part relevant to this post.
Yesterday, I sewed and sewed and sewed, and ended up with this:
A cute cute cute “pillowcase” dress for Anneliese, and a matching one for her friend Ella, Joni’s baby girl. I made it big/long on purpose, so she can wear it for a long time. Hopefully it will fit throughout the summer, and in the fall she can wear it with a long sleeved shirt underneath it, and leg warmers.
Here are some more details. Please excuse the wrinkles… Anneliese had been wearing it all day.
And here it is with the dress I made today (which took alllllllll day):
Black/white polka dots, with yellow smocking, buttons, and peek-a-boo rickrack.
Close up of the honeycomb smocking and decorative buttons:
peek-a-boo rickrack
Matching pinwheel hair clip.
And I forgot to take a “real” picture of the back of it, but here’s one I put on instagram earlier (minus the straps and trim). The top of the back is shirred with yellow top-stitching, and elastic thread on the inside. The front of the bodice is lined with yellow gingham.
I know I really haven’t blogged much lately, and that stinks. I have stuff to share, but I have just hardly been on the computer at all.
Hi! I'm Emily. I'm a Navy wife and stay at home mom of two beautiful children. I cook simple, delicious, grain-free recipes, do crafts, decorate my home on a budget, and keep a happy household. I tandem breastfeed, babywear, cloth diaper, practice elimination communication, homebirth, and co-sleep, but I'm not a hippie.
I would love to make the “scrap” dress for my granddaughter Nellie. Do you have a tutorial? I can’t sew without a patternor a tutorial. Thanks, Kathy
I love the dresses! They are so adorable!
That multi-fabric pillowcase dress is just beautiful! I’ve made like 20 of them over the past six weeks, and looked at dozens, if not hundreds, of pictures of others, and I like yours the best! I love how you got so many different colors to go together so well! You have inspired me to make one out of scraps, too, but I could only come up with four fabrics to put together and they are primarily only two colors, pink and blue, in addition to white.
I wish I’d thought of making dresses like this when my own daughters were small! I get to make things for my granddaughter, now, though!
Happy mothering!
I love, love, love the polka dot jumper & matching hairbow!! Would love to find the pattern in adult size! Sigh… seems all the cute clothes are munchkin sized! ;*)
That 2nd dress is amazing! I’m not usually a huge fan of smocking, but that honeycomb smocking is adorable. You are so talented!
So adorable!
I love the simplicity of the pillowcase dress. I might actually be able to make something like that… Any suggestions for a boy though? I’m due in 2.5 weeks…our first
I total understand the higher price! They would be worth it, adorable!! I’m in love with the first one…unique, classic! Of course the second one is awesome too!
They are both lovely! I am so impressed!!
Way to go! They are both beautiful! Really impressed
I can’t wait to see the matching lady babies! These are both so cute. Multi-fabric pillowcase dresses are my new favorite thing. Love them. Super easy to sew up and super cute too. I wish they had been in fashion 16 years ago when I was painstakingly pleating sleeves and making ruffles for Kelsey’s dresses. Seriously. Also wish the etsy market wasn’t so saturated with pillowcase dresses
Awesome!! I LOVE the first one!! You should think of selling some of your crafts! I would totally buy the first dress, especially since I stink at sewing!
Thanks Christie!
I might consider it, like one of a kind ones… but they would definitely be “boutique prices” because they take a long time to do!
and I have hair clips, headbands, wings, tutus, and will be getting boy stuff soon!
http://www.facebook.com/joyfulababy is where they will be if I ever do.
wow, well done! the pieced dress would be a good way to use up fabric scraps too. impressively frugal!
Thank you! NOT frugal though, considering I bought the strips pre-cut and stuff. haha. But it would be great for leftovers, you’re right!
well then, now it sounds like something that maybe even I could do! ha
Those dresses are so adorable and easy for her to wear.
thanks much.
Both of those dresses are seriously gorgeous!
thank you so much! I love them too.