Pincushion going dutch

For the April Swap at Crafty Mamas you'll remember I got this little cuty.

I thought as it is going to Australia I'll give it a Dutch flavour so made a flower/rosette of Dutch Folk fabrics. The clogs stayed at home. I took the photo's on the dyke with a yellow buttercup as a silent witness.

Zoe Frilled Layer Skirt

I made this skirt for my 7 year old and this little cuteness picked it up from the sewing table and put it on! lol. Well, if I add straps it would make a lovely dress :)

I got the pattern from youcanmakethis.com and it is my second pattern I've tried out from the site. Well, nothing but compliments. This one again is so lovely written it is like getting a workshop from your aunt with all the extra tips and all the photo's and graphics. I can really recommend Zoe Frilled Layer Skirt. Though I am a Jack of all trades (master of none) I see myself as a beginner where it comes to sewing so these patterns are really easy to follow. (no I don't get comission for writing this lol). I was looking for an easy enough pattern where I can release my bottled creativity on and leave me a non-store bought look outfit! Oh and I really really need to get rid of my stash so I had to make it from already owned fabrics....

One evening, after all kiddies went to bed, I searched for the right combo of fabrics and cut the pattern pieces. I had to make a pink dress because it was little girl nr.3's turn for a home made dress and it had to be princess like... Well I thought my stash was mainly pink but far from it! I had more blues.... and I didn't have anything lace like for the top layer so I used netting(or whatever it is called it is terrible to cut straight!).

Another evening I strated overlocking the raw edges and making rolled seems. Gosh, am I glad I have an overlocker! I locked for the first time the netting and it went perfect. I used a darker yarn than the netting so it looked a bit more interesting and created a look that complimented the rest of the dress.

Evening number three a sewed the rest. Assembling all the pieces and making the ruffles. I am ruffle addicted but it does take a lot of time to make them. My overlocker does have a ruffler foot but I can't seem to really get the hang of it... Especially the manual isn't really helpful. I won't know how one calculates the ratio of fabric anyway...

This dress was fun to make and all the fabrics did match in the end. I just LOVE the dress and this will definitely not be the last one made from this pattern. My daughter just loved it!

ps. The cherry fabric came alll the way from Australia! I think it was from the generous Claire from "a little spunkiness"

That Pattern!

Yes! At last I tackled the pattern I've bought almost a decade ago for my firstborn and now I got a third chance to finish it for my youngest child:

It is maybe not that clear but I've added two duck shaped buttons in the middle front to go with the duck theme of the fabric used for the circular parts on this set. It all has a very Dutch Folk look and I think it looks very cute! ..and so I've taken part in the Crafty Mamas challenge for April: "That Pattern"!

The pattern: Koko & Nina

ahw isn't she cute!

April Swap at Crafty Mamas and I ended up with the most cutes Elephant South and North of the Saharah!

I was so fortunate to have Tas as my swap partner so please have a look at her blog Little Boozle. Here she blogged and posted photo's of the little one before the great voyage to Europe from Down Under :) and do visit her shop at Little Boozle at the Marketplace. Tax, thanx again for this little sweety!

ps. Note the little heart between her eyes, now aint that cute!