Appliqued Messenger Bags

I think that I will start off this post with a glowing recommendation for Oliver + S patterns. I don't own as many as I would like because they are so expensive but for my birthday a couple years ago I received Little Things to Sew and have found many favorites in the book.

 

The pattern that I have made the most is the Messenger Bag, they come together so quickly and professionally. I have made both the large and small bags:

 

I've made an Owl Messenger Diaper Bag

 

A small Shark Messenger Bag

 

and one that I attached to my bike

 

My newest bags are small ones for my daughters to carry some toys with them for when we are running around town this summer.

 



 

I appliqued one of the gray bags with a monarch butterfly.

 

 

I used the same butterfly template I sketched out for the Rainbow Butterfly Skirt I made last year. But instead of putting the rainbow colors behind the black butterfly cut-out, I put just plain orange fabric. The white dots are just white fabric paint.

 

 

I lined the bag with the same orange- I love the sharp contrast of the monochrome bag with the bright orange.

 

 

The second bag I made I chose to honor my Texan roots and applique the state flower, a Bluebonnet, onto the bag.

 

 

I used the same technique of placing the colored fabric under the black cut out of the flower before zig-zaging around all the raw edges.

 

 

I lined this bag with the middle shade of blue (used in the flower applique).

 

 

I am in love with these bags and am brainstorming right now what to applique on one for me that won't be too kid-ish.

 

Hope you all are having a great summer!

~Jessica

 

Cynthia Rowley, Simplicity 1873



 







 So I made my annual road trip from Texas to South Dakota for our family reunion again this summer. For such an occasion I thought I needed a new dress for church on Sunday.

 

 

I choice the Cynthia Rowley Simplicity 1873 pattern and a black and red pinstripe fabric.
 

 

I used version A of the pattern- the longer skirt and the short sleeves but I liked the neckline on version C better so I swapped out the bodice.

 

 

 

 

The unique part of this pattern are the pleats. There are pleats EVERYWHERE! Even on the sleeves (my favorite part). The pleats on the skirt are confusing and I had to repin them a couple times to get them right.

 

 

 

Another unique attribute to this pattern is that the bodice and sleeves are completely lined. It made the dress warmer than a summer dress in Texas should be but mostly because the pinstriped fabric I chose was thick.

 

 

The dress came out exactly as the pattern cover and was true to the measurements on the back. I would suggest taking your measurements and checking the sizing because the size I made was 2 sizes bigger than what I am wearing in commercially bought clothes.

 

After I finished the dress I thought it needed a belt. I used New Look pattern 6144 just for the belt (I haven't made the dress from this pattern yet).

 

 

The belt looks good with the dress and it turned out to be a really comfortable, easy to wear dress that I should be able to wear to work also.

~Jessica

McCalls 5838- Easter Dresses

 

I made my girls Easter Dresses this year using McCall's Pattern 5838.

I went with dress option B.

 

 

Instead of using a zipper I choose to do 3 buttons instead--- I made the dresses a little big so that the girls can wear the dresses all through the summer and buttons make it easy to "let the dresses out" as they get a little bigger the next couple months.

 

 

 

The pattern was easy to understand and I finished both dresses in one night. I do have to say where I have found woman McCall's patterns to run small, this girl pattern was right on. The girls are wearing size 5 right now so I made them size 6 dresses and they are true to this size.

 

 

I really like the gathered details on the top of the bodice (the lining underneath is flat), it adds a little interesting detail.

 

 

In a weird coincidence I had both an orange and blue cardigan that matched the dresses perfectly.

 

I love it when things work out like this! The girls have been able to wear these dresses several times to church because the cardigans made them weather appropriate.

 

~Jessica