sew cute – Elizabeth Smillie

lace onesie {part three}

August 12, 2013 Elizabeth Smillie

I’m so excited to share this with you today! Do you remember the lace onesies that I’ve shown you how to make {here and here}? And how I mentioned that we welcomed a sweet new niece into the family {my first niece!}?

I packaged up a few of the onesies that I had embellished as a welcome gift for Baby Brooke, and her mama was just tickled to be able to use them in Brooke’s newborn photos! We have a sweet, sweet friend who is quite a talented photographer, and she did an amazing job! Of course, Sarah had some gorgeous subjects to work with, and the result is a set of precious keepsake photos <3

If you’re in the Ohio area and would like to contact Sarah regarding a photo session, her website is Living Joy Photography, and here’s her Facebook fan page. She also made the darling head band Brooke is wearing {love it!!!} and has an Etsy shop where she sells others like it. Even if you’re not close enough to have her capture some memories for you, you can still enjoy some of her amazing talent!

DIY ruffle bottom onesie tutorial from the Path Less Traveled

how-Tuesday: ruffle bottom onesies {is there anything sweeter than a tiny ruffled bum?!}

July 16, 2013 Elizabeth Smillie

I have a new niece! The sweet little dumpling was born last week, and in anticipation I had been doing just a bit of sewing {of course} :) Sewing for my own babes is a joy, and making sweet little things for nephews and nieces is just as much fun!}.

She’s the first little girl in her family, and is destined to be outfitted with her fair share of pink and lace … so it was only fitting that I make her a ruffle bottomed onesie!

Would you like to make your own version? If so, follow along with me as I show how I made this one {note: I’m not a professional seamstress, and this is the “wing it as you go method” :)}

materials: 1 onesie, ruffled lace trim {mine was about 1 yard long, but you could use more or less for different looks}, sewing pins, thread {that matches your trim}, scissors and a sewing machine

step 1: unsnap the bottom of the suit and pin the lace to the base of where you like the ruffling to start in the rear – I chose to begin pinning where the leg curve stopped. As you pin, turn the raw, beginning edge of the lace under so that there are no straggling threads. :) Don’t cut the trim yet! step 2: begin sewing! starting at the end of the lace, sew almost to the other side of the onesie, stopping about an inch from the edge. Backstitch and raise your needle and presser foot. step 3: fold the trim back the other way, layering it over the first line. Stagger the second row of trim a bit – this begins your “ruffle but”! Pin in place, and sew as the first line. Continue in this manner, zigzagging the trim back and forth until you’ve achieved the fullness and look you have in mind ……and when you come to the end of your last layer …
…turn under the raw end as in the beginning … …and sew to secure it, backstitching to lock it in place. This is what it will look like from the inside – zigzags of stitching!

Once you’ve finished, be sure to clip any stray threads. Then enjoy the cuteness!

Now that I’ve made these for baby Brooke, I think I need to make one or two for Olivia :) Because it sure would be a shame to miss out on seeing a darling pile of ruffles squirming across the floor as she learns to crawl!

I’m sharing this at the Vintage Farmhouse, the Train To Crazy and She Sews <3

Christmas sewing re-cap, part 1

January 12, 2013 Elizabeth Smillie

Those of you who follow me on Instagram might have seen the late night photos of the skirts I was making for the girls. {This being the first Christmas that we had two girls, of course I felt that they needed to have matching outfits :) I’d love sewing Christmas outfits for them to become a tradition!}

They were rather last minute, but even so came together just as I had pictured!

I used Oliver+S’s free Lazy Days Skirt pattern which I’ve used so many times that I know it by heart {it makes up so quickly – if you’re not interrupted, that is}. Of course, late at night I can’t quite remember how to do the ribbon hem, so I winged it {I’m pretty good at winging it}.

{please excuse the darkness of these photos – it was really late!}

First, I scrounged through my fabric looking for a length of some nice heavy-weight Black Watch plaid that I knew I had. Didn’t find it {I know it’s in there somewhere, though! Maybe I’ll find it for next Christmas’s outfits …}, but I did find an old dress shirt of my dad’s that would work nicely.

Then I measured – note my super accurate measurement technique of using the last Lazy Days skirt that I made for Emma Grace to check the length – and cut. I cut Em’s from the torso section of the shirt, and Olivia’s from one of the sleeves. Because I used the midsection of the shirt for Em’s, hers has a sweet feature of a button placket down the front which I thought classed it up just a bit. I sewed the placket shut so it’s non-functioning now, but if I make her a Lazy Days skirt from a shirt in the future I might leave it useable … it could be really sweet!

At this point, Olivia got hungry. It was already after midnight, so I told myself that I’d finish them the next day {hah!}. Well, it was a nice thought. Remember how I mentioned that this pattern works up pretty quickly when you’re not interrupted? Somehow I didn’t quite realize how many interruptions two toddlers and a newborn can give! Wonderful interruptions though they are. :) This set, instead of taking about an hour which they normally would have, took bits and snippets grabbed from 3 days.

I ended up finishing them at almost midnight Christmas Eve. Yep.

After we got two super excited children to bed and Olivia finally settled for a few hours I was able to get the sewing part done. Totally guessed as to the width of the waist bands, but they worked! They turned out so very darling.

I {re} dressed up Emma Grace and Olivia the other day to get some more photos of the two of them together – funny how in the busyness of Christmas day I didn’t get one where they were both smiling!

Coming soon, the onesie that I embellished for Olivia to wear with the skirt. :)

I hope you’re enjoying the new format of the blog over here on our site. I’m still learning all the ins and outs of it, and am enjoying the challenge!

Have a lovely weekend!

her own blankie {and burp cloths, too!}

November 21, 2012 Elizabeth Smillie

I’ve made up a baby blanket for both Emma Grace and Ian using the Scallop Quilt “pattern” from Bend-the-Rules Sewing by Amy Karol, and so of course I wanted to make one for Baby, too. :)

I’ve been making up the “just for her” things in shades of gray and pink, and was able to find some lovely polka dot gray quilting flannel and pink and gray paisley cotton at JoAnn. I love how they complement each other, sweet and feminine without being too babyish.

I machine quilted a few of the center paisleys to provide a bit more definition. I love how it looks …. maybe I should quilt a few more of them? :)

Now, after having 2 babies, we have plenty of burp cloths. But there were some fabric scraps left over from the blankie …. and I had a few plain diapers left …. and Baby #3 needs to have something special, too, right?

This vintage lace was a gift from one of my lovely customers – who just happens to live in France. :) Fun!
I sewed it over some gray grosgrain, which I then layered over some pink satin to get the look I was going after.

And there you have it – a bit of a layette for Baby.

Remember to stop by the Facebook page next Monday morning to get the sale code!

And have a lovely, relaxing Thanksgiving!

Emma Grace’s Christmas dress (last year’s version :D)

November 16, 2012 Elizabeth Smillie

Do any of you remember the dress that I made Em for Christmas 2010? It was so sweet that I decided to use the same pattern for last years’ dress as well. :)

I had a large batch of gorgeous antique lace from my great aunt, and wanted to showcase it in this dress. It was so beautiful that I didn’t want any florals or prints to compete with it, and chose a soft gray material.

The peasant pattern was, once again, super simple to work up. The most complicated part was adding the lace! In fact, so simple that I made it the afternoon of a Christmas party we were going to (and for which Em didn’t have an outfit for – problem solved!).

To keep the focus on the lace, I just used a few pieces around the hem and the sleeves. They’re so delicate and lovely!

It’s a sweet dress that looks darling on her, and I’m kind of sad that it doesn’t fit anymore. But, now I get to make another! :)

dolly diapers

July 30, 2011 Elizabeth Smillie

Emma Grace is in sweet stage where she loves her dollies. She loves taking care of them, making them “talk”, holding their hands and making them “walk”, asking for treats (real ones) for them to eat (and she then finishes what they don’t, of course).

And of course, diapering them. It was getting to the point where she was using more (real) diapers and wipes on them than I was on her some days! So, now her dollies have their own special diapers and wipes which are reusable (and so much cheaper!). :)

I found the pattern for the diapers on Skip To My Lou, and got the idea for the wipes over here. I used flannel for the wipes (which I haven’t taken a photo of) and just zigzag stitched the sides.

It’s so sweet to see her lay her baby doll down for a change and then talk to her all the while. : ) Maybe someday I’ll get a video of it so I can remember … : )

my creative space today: sewing for baby

March 31, 2011 Elizabeth Smillie

We had a new nephew show up a few nights ago (so proud of you Leah! and so looking forward to meeting the little guy!) and so yesterday I quickly pulled out the material that I had stashed to make his blanket. :)

The blanket is brown minky on one side and a JoAnn’s print on the other. I used the Scallop Baby Blanket pattern from Bend-the-Rules Sewing (such a fun book – if you haven’t thumbed through it yet I highly recommend it!).

Brett’s blanket is coming together quickly – now all I need to do is run it through the wash to get all the extra fuzz off and wrap it up for the little guy. :)

you find more creative inspiration over here today

sewing for babies

March 12, 2011 Elizabeth Smillie

Babies seem to be popping up all over this year (what joy!). It seems that every week I hear of someone else who is having a baby. :)
Our family circle is adding two – John’s brothers are each having a boy. Emma and Ian are getting their first cousins this Spring! Of course, I have been itching to do some sewing for our new little nephews. :)

One of the things that was on my “Ideas” page was this tutorial for embellished burp cloths on Diary of a Quilter. I (kind of) followed it to make a set for each new nephew:

burp cloths for baby Owen, whose nursery is animal themed with bright colors

burp cloths for baby Brett, whose nursery is elephant themed with pale greens and blues

Each baby is also getting some of Ikea’s wooden child size hangers. I bought some when we were expecting Emma Grace and have loved them ever since! They are really classic feeling – and they never break (a huge plus!). One of the last things I did before we left Cincinnati was to stop by Ikea and buy some for each baby (and their mommies). :)

There are a few days left to enter to win the CSN Stores gift card. If you haven’t yet I highly recommend it!

And you’ll be seeing this (and a ton of other people’s crafty Spring ideas) linked at a few of these blogs (click here) – you might enjoy checking them out!

Handmade Christmas, part II

December 23, 2010 Elizabeth Smillie

This project was actually a Christmas present for me. :)

A while ago I saw this tutorial for sewing your own ironing board cover and saved it in my “ideas” folder. It looked so easy, and my ironing board definitely needed a face-lift! Then a few days later I found some really cute material on the remnants table at the fabric store. And now, several months later, I finally took the time to make it into this:

It turns out that the hardest part was getting everything together and taking the time to make it – so glad I did! :)

The ironing board cover takes 2 yards of fabric and about an hour to complete (or longer if you get interrupted;)). Basically, if you have a sewing machine, iron and ironing board and some basic sewing skills, you can make this!

Hmm, maybe I’ll make a few more as Mother’s Day gifts?

I’m posting a link to this on a few of these blogs.

handmade Christmas, part I

December 18, 2010 Elizabeth Smillie

I made a dozen tea towels to give as gifts this year to, well, some of my loved ones (you know who you are already, so what am I trying to hide?). :)
They were so much fun to make, and so pretty that I’m thinking of keeping a few for myself!

I meant to post these and the tutorial right after I finished making them two weeks ago. Really, I did.
But you still have time to make some too, if you’d like!

To make them I used:

6 cotton “flour sack” towels, 30″x30″
a bag full of ribbons and trims that I’ve been saving
sewing scissors
iron and ironing board
my sewing machine

I cut the towels in half the long way to end up with 12 towels that were 15″x30″.
Then I pressed them, ironing out a bunch of the wrinkles and pressing a hem on the raw edge.
Next I sewed the hem on the raw edge, making them finished on all four sides.

I have a bag full of short ribbons and miscellaneous trims that I’ve been saving and I spent an hour or so sorting through it looking for just the right combination of ribbon and trim for each of my loved ones (making them so cute and personal). That was the most fun out of the entire project!

The last step was sewing the trim on to the towels. Once that was done, all that was left was to wrap them up!

I’m linking this at these blogs – check them out for some terrific Christmas ideas!

Elizabeth Smillie

The Path Less Traveled

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