Here’s a pic of the first run at this pattern, in a size 6. The result is a good example of why it’s important to always check the measurements for size before tracing a pattern. Though Zoe is always a 6 in Kwik Sew, the size 6 in this particular pattern is too big.

After confirming the size 4/5 (XS) was a good fit with the crushed panne velour version, I made this one yesterday. Grumpy Care Bear is my favorite, and I suspect it will not be long before Zoe outgrows Care Bears.

I made this the other day in a size 6, but it was a bit big, so I did it again in a size 5. Much better! Crushed panne velour – slippery and a bit fuzzy, not my favorite thing to work with. FOE for the neckline and armholes, and then I just ran the bottom hem through the serger with some variegated purple Woolly Nylon in the loopers.

Zoe’s at day camp this week. Every day has a different color theme. Most of the week she’s found something that matches the color from her collection of school and extracurricular program t-shirts. Her school t-shirt took care of red day, her t-ball t-shirt is blue, and so on. Today’s color is yellow. She didn’t have anything yellow. Pink, purple, no problem. Yellow? Nothing.

So, I pulled out an Ottobre magazine with a shirt pattern I’ve been wanting to try for her and went to work last night. I’d been putting it off because I prefer to sew with knits and this one called for a woven, and it has shirring on the front. I’d never shirred anything before. It sounded difficult and involves winding the bobbin by hand, which seemed like something I could definitely mess up. As it turns out, it’s really quite easy!

Here it is, from Ottobre Design 2/2005 – #11, in size 122 with the length of size 134.

It does look a little odd on the hanger with the shirring pulling the front together. I was worried that it was going to gape under the arms, but when Zoe tried it on this morning, it looked fine. And, even more importantly, she loved it. I ran the bottom hem through the serger to finish the edge but didn’t hem it up yet, I wanted to wait until Zoe had it on to see where it was going to fall on her.

Overall, this is a nice pattern, and once I got over my initial fear of shirring, it went together quickly.

Zoe has day camp this week. I wanted to make her a new bag to carry all her camp stuff in. She has swimming stuff, her raincoat, lunch and snacks, sunscreen, bug spray and her water bottle. I thought a bag with two compartments to keep the wet things away from the rest and a outside pocket for her water bottle would be a good idea. Looking through my fabric stash, I found a light purple twill that looked like a good choice for the outer. Sturdy and purple – super. I had some butterfly fabric leftover from a skirt I made Zoe, so I knew she’d like that. And I chose a dark purple waterproof fabric for the other inside compartment.

As I was putting it together, I stuck the water bottle in the side pocket to make sure it fit. When I did that, I realized it looked an awful lot like Dora’s backpack. Ah, well. Zoe loves it just the same.

Here it is, half packed, from the front:

And the back:

It looks even more like Dora’s bag when the drawstring is pulled shut, but I don’t seem to have a picture of that.

I’ve made this pattern before, in a smaller size. It’s not my favorite jumper/sundress, but it’s super quick. This one is fully lined, reversing to a solid purple if her heart so desires, though it wasn’t my intent. Size 124/128. Perhaps one of these days I’ll get around to trying the pants pattern that’s also in this set.

Cotton seersucker – ducks and butterflies. I suspect it won’t be long before Zoe objects for these kinds of prints.

I’ve been less than pleased with Vista since I got this computer. I don’t really appreciate the user restrictions, apparently designed to keep me from getting anything done.

After much fiddling, I got my embroidery machine and computer talking again. For anyone else with this issue, this is what I did.
1) Plugged in the USB cable from my sewing machine to the computer.
2) Installed the 3D File Assistant
3) Installed all the updates from http://www.pfaffusa.com/655.html
4) Changed the 3D File Assistant, Config and Smart Update to run in XP compatibility mode. To do this, right click on the file in Windows Explorer, choose properties, go to the compatibility tab, and then click XP compatibility mode. While you’re in there, check the box at the bottom under “Privilege Level” to run the program as an administrator.
After I’d done all that, it looked like my computer was going to talk to my embroidery machine, but all it did was lock the embroidery machine in “File Transfer” mode and the 3D FA program got stuck in the thinking mode. I had to turn the embroidery machine off and kill the app via the task manager.
5) I went back to the 3D FA in Windows Explorer, right clicked again to get to properties, and in the compatibility tab, clicked on the “Show Settings for all users”. Once there, I again clicked on XP compatibility mode and checked the box at the bottom under “Privilege Level” to run the program as an administrator.
6) Finally, in the 3D FA properties again, I clicked the Security tab and changed the settings to Full Control for Authenticated Users and Users, leaving the Everyone, Administrators, and SYSTEM settings untouched.
7) Reboot computer.

I’m not actually sure about the necessity of steps 5 and 7, but am including them because this is the process that finally got my machine talking.

3 yards of fabric gets you one toddler sheet and standard size pillowcase. Letting your three year old pick out the fabric at the fabric store also gets you a morning’s worth of shopping without arguing.

Simple pink cotton/lycra capri length leggings for the girly. These are a size 116, I cut the waist elastic at 21″ and probably should have made it a tick smaller, but it’s okay. The coverstitcher cooperated without any adjustments when I hemmed the legs, I love it when that happens!

Ottobre Design, issue 01/2007, pattern #17

This is one of my favorite patterns for a quick dress. It has enough twirl factor to satisfy my girly, and it goes together in a flash. I’ve left off the front pocket. This one also got a lined hood and I left off the knotted extra the pattern calls for on the hood. The sleeves and bottom hem got a lettuce hem, which curls more after it goes through the wash. Zoe just loves the lettuce edge.

Sized 122/128, it’s made with a cotton rib knit called “Flutter” by Baby Nay for the body and the sleeves and hood are from the coordinate print. The pattern is Olivia by Farbenmix. Love it!