Improvisational Pleating Contest Entry

Alternatively titled: the Pleated Princess.

Whenever I try to do a task in addition to my day job as a mother the whole house seems to fall apart.  No cleaning or cooking gets done and the B watches a lot of TV.  A whole lot of TV.  The key skill here is multi-tasking, and I get a big fat F.  If I was being reviewed at work it would be the scary N for needs improvement and I would probably be put on probation.  Good thing there's job security in my current gig, and I don't get paid anyway.  Curious about what I have been working on?  Even if you are not interested, please don't leave until you have voted for me.  Here it is, my entry into Straight Grains improvisational pleating contest!

Here are photos of the dress before I added the buttons.  I think I like the dress better with buttons.

This is the bodice of the dress with my improvised pleats.

I started the design process by trying to find some inspiration.

I found a lovely dress but I wasn't excited about the volume of the sleeves and the ruffles down the front.  My little lady is a bit messy so ruffles are just too hard to clean.  So I thought that the design was perfect for tweaking.  I could easily replace the ruffles with a pleated panel.

I wanted the dress to be more form fitting and shorter.  The model had some strong opinions to the contrary.

I want it to be long!

This was her reaction when I cut the muslin "prototype" short.  And this is what happened when I made it more narrow.

No, you can't take a photo to see how it looks. 

Since she is the one that decides if she wants to wear a dress, I had to cave.  Have you ever tried to get clothes on a toddler who didn't want to get dressed?

I'm on the go, there is fun to be had!

Thanks for checking out my dress.  Now please go vote for me HERE!.

BGB Shirred Skirt

I was recently honored to be selected by April at Dandelions n' Dungarees to test their Baby Girl Bottoms skirt pattern.  At first I was a bit daunted because I had never shirred before.  But the skirt was so adorable that I just had to try.  Just check out my results!

The BGB pattern has a ton of options including skirts, shorts, pants, and diaper covers.  If you are nervous about shirring there are also options to use elastic casing instead.  The pattern has a shirring tutorial that covers both traditional shirring (elastic thread in the bobbin), and zigzagging over the elastic thread.  If you haven't yet,  you should try your hand at shirring, it's actually really easy!

The 3-6 month size is a perfect fit for my 4 month old little model.

Even with the shirring and the bias tape for the pockets, the skirt sewed up very quickly.  Time is essential for me since I usually do my sewing standing up with the baby in the ergo.  She's starting to get grabby so I have to sew while she's asleep.

My favorite things about the pattern:

1.  I only had to cut out the pocket pattern pieces, the rest of the skirt was basically rectangles

2. Quick and easy tutorial on shirring

3. Easily customizable details (I just did bias tape, some ladies did lace/ruffles on the pockets)

4. Adjustable waist elastic

5. POCKETS!  Pockets on baby clothes are so frivolous, but completely adorable

Baby C gives it 2 slimy thumbs up!

Yes, Butter is Dairy

Last week I took C to see a gastrointestinal specialist for her acid reflux.  The appointment was made more than a month ago and her symptoms have mostly gone away.  I fully expected the doctor to say that she must be growing out of it and just to keep up with the meds she is currently on.  I did not expect her diagnosis: milk sensitivity.

Really?

At first I thought very little of it since I'm mildly lactose intolerant and limit my milk intake anyway.  Then the doctor handed me a long list of items to cut from my diet that didn't even contain milk in the name like; casein, hydrolysates, and lactalbumin.  I've been on this restricted diet for a week now and I'm constantly surprised by how many food products have milk proteins.  Luckily Oreos are okay so I can still have cookies.

Makes no difference to me, I don't get any cookies.

Here are reasons why cutting milk proteins from my diet is not fun.

1.  Craving foods that I can no longer have
          I don't usually desire things like chocolate, cheese, and ice cream.  But if you tell me that I can not have it, I really really want it.  I'm like a toddler when it comes to food.  If it would make a difference I would feel free to throw a full blown tantrum.  Now I have to eat salad and stuff.

2.  Asking servers if there is any dairy in their food
          Yesterday I had to describe how butter was made to an incredulous Target food court server.  She did not believe me when I told her that butter was dairy.  She kept looking at her tub of butter and saying, "there's milk in this?!"  Next week I'm going to teach her how ice cream is made.  I think it'll blow her mind.

3.  Reading ingredient lists past the first 3 items
         I try to cut down on the high fructose corn syrups and overly processed foods so browsing through ingredients is not unusual.  But searching through the list of gobbledygook for a set of ingredients is like a less fun word hunt.

4.  Cooking at home more
      We used to eat out at restaurants 3 or 4 times a week.  This option really helps when I'm just too tired to entertain while cooking, cleaning, and doing dishes.  But since my food choices are limited, and servers can be difficult (see #2), we have to eat at home more.

I'm the one that has to eat your cooking!

On the bright side, C's diapers are less stinky and she isn't cramping.  A happy baby is a happy mommy so it's worth the trouble.  Mind you it's only been a week.  In another few months I may be ready to give up.

Look at me, of course I'm worth it!