Monsters!

 During Spring break, Kaleb and Victoria sewed these adorable Monsters!

Victoria had help with hers(far right) and then she created one completely on her own for Kirk to take to work for his desk(middle).  They turned out so cute. Kaleb has always enjoyed sewing. I'm glad. But then again, I have always sewn with them sitting in my lap watching when they were babies.  I taught them that they can sit and watch but they can't touch. They always did. Or they would sit with my sewing pins with the yellow baubles on the end pushing them in and out of my pincushion. I am sure that I would have freaked people out if they had seen what they were doing. I was a PICU nurse at the time so really I knew the consequences that could have happened.  But honestly, that was the rule, if you want to sit in my lap while I run the sewing machine your hands have to be down. Even as a little baby they did. And the result is they all like to sew, well, Jared just doesn't remember loving to sit in my lap so he wouldn't agree that he can or likes to sew. 

Laura Ingalls Wilder

 It only took me a few minutes to figure out why Victoria scooted her chair close to the heater with her desk stool next to her. We had been reading The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder this past month and Victoria is loving it as much as I did when I was little.

It has been fun to experience the books all over again. I love that she is sewing. She has even put together a sewing basket with projects lined up. That's my girl.

 She and her friends even play that they are pioneers.  They spend quite a bit of time debating who gets to be Laura this time.  Hopefully they are taking turns.

I think if they could get closer, they would.

Sewing Project

This is Victoria's sewing project. 

She came to me with the fabric and said that she wanted to stitch a christmas tree to hang on her door.

I drew out the pattern on a piece of paper and showed her once how to work the cross stitch.  She picked it up quickly and was done lickety split.

I did have to fix a couple knots on the back.

She learned that the back is just as important as the front.

I always hated that lesson.

She was pretty proud of herself and couldn't wait to show her Dad. 

I am proud of her too.  She really stuck with it and finished the whole idea.

I also loved that she found everything she needed in a few plastic boxes.

New Outfits

Daphne has been working on her own designs for doll clothes. If you can master a small scale you can master a much larger scale. She has all of the basics down for following a pattern. She designed Kaya a new outfit, altered a couple patterns, and sewed this all on her own. It turned out great. I am glad that she enjoys sewing as much as I do.

I finished the little red skirt and top for Victoria's doll Molly. It was really easy to do too with great results. I love it when I have only a half an hour to do something for myself and am able to whip out something really cute in the end.

A New Design

I needed some down time last weekend and decided to work on an assignment that Daphne got from a class that she is involved with. I took a cute top that looks great on Daphne and a cute pair of capri pants that look great on Victoria and decided to make an outfit just like it for the American Girl Dolls. It was fun. It was a great stress reliever. Which my mother said would have stressed her out just trying to figure out what fabric and thread to use.

My attitude was so much better afterwards.

I think it turned out cute. The flowered fabric I have had stashed away for about 15 years. It barely made a dent in the stash. It was fun. Now I am working on a flowered top with a pleated skirt for "Molly". I just have to dig for some red fabric.