Tuesday, September 11, 2012

It took a whole stinking summer to get this done

Once upon a time I lived in a house.
In the northeastern part of the United States.
If I wanted to sew all I had to do was walk into my temperature controlled spare bedroom.
I had fans in the summer, heat in the winter, and a sewing machine (complete with a thousand notions) that didn't have to be put away (as if in shame) every stinking time I used it.
I now live on a boat in Florida.
If I want to sew I have to dig through our guest berth (the garage) for any and all sewing notions including my sewing machine. This requires several trips, and no, we do not have air conditioning on that side of the boat and by the time everything has been hauled up to the salon/sewing area I'm saturated in sweat. And then there's the ton of fun I have trying to find a flat space bigger than 2 feet by 3 feet to cut out something bigger than a handkerchief.
Yes, we have an air conditioner hanging in our salon hatch but I may as well hire someone to breathe across a pile of ice on me for all the good it does. 
As for firing up an iron? Well, if you like lounging about in a sauna, come visit me.
I will never, ever get used to living in Florida (and I have no intention of doing so!).

Anyway, enough of my whining.

Awhile back (like at the beginning of the year) a young cruising couple had a baby girl and I really wanted to make something for them.  However, life and then weather got in my way and I only recently finished my project. I actually had a lot of other things I intended to make but she could very well be ready to enter college by the time I finish everything so I'm stopping now.



Excuse the order of my pictures but I have no patience with Blogger these days and I don't feel like spending umpteen hours trying to rearrange my photos.

This is a close up of a covered button that adorns the front of the little pinafore I made.
Butterick 5625










And here is the pinafore complete with hat and panties.




















A view of the pinafore's inside contrast fabric.













Panties


Hat (I lined it)

Outside of the hat with a covered button on top.


These are fingertip towels I made into easy, slip on bibs.

Bibs


This sleeve saver bib pattern is F854 from Sew Baby.  
The only thing I don't care for is that it requires bias tape which I hate!
I made my own bias tape but I'm not sure how many of these I may make it the future.Perhaps if I have grandchildren?
Sleeve Saver Bib

I butchered a pattern for boys in order to make these nautical booty sandals for a girl.
Booties

Since this baby will eventually become a toddler while living on a boat I made her a place mat sized chalk board (from chalkboard fabric which luckily a local fabric store carries).
And just try to find chalk these days. Not even ToysRUs carries it!!! I found mine at WalMart.



Tic Tac Toe anyone??

By the way, the beautiful fabric I used for the pinafore set came from Cyndi of Cut-Up and Sew.  She gave me a stack of fabric when we hooked up over Memorial Day Weekend and it's all to die for!! I would have loved to make a purse or tote bag from it but all of a sudden I realized it would make such a  cute baby outfit.

And it did.

I'm very much ready for the heat to break which should hopefully be soon. I have a couple of projects in mind that I'd like to get done before we either head back out to sea or summer sets in again.


9 comments:

marysews said...

That is such a cute outfit!

I wish I could lend you my sewing room. Since you're on the left coast and i'm on the right coast, I guess that's not happening soon enough!

laura said...

Mary,you wouldn't be able to get rid of me!!!!!

Carolyn said...

Oh Laura, you will get used to the heat. It just takes time!
Cute little outfit and I see you found chalk!

Debbie Cook said...

Heat breaking soon? Hahahahaha!
Very cute baby things!

Cyndi said...

Hey Laura! OMG! That little pinafore and hat set are SO.STINKIN'.CUTE!!! What a great use of that fabric. I'm sure both baby and mommy are going to love that! And the little bibs and sandals are precious, too.

You should call Bryon and tell him that Cyndi said you could come over and use one of his spare bedrooms as a sewing room...I'm sure he wouldn't mind! ;o)

Chat soon!

XOXO,

Cyndi

P.S. Hello to Hans and kissies for Wilbur!

Ken n Cheryl said...

How cute ... the outfit, the booties ... all of it! That's one lucky little girl!

I've never heard of chalkboard fabric .. great idea!

I think we're both ready for Fall ... goodbye hurricane season!

Katie Alender said...

I grew up in South Florida... I used to walk to and from the bus stop in jeans and turtlenecks... in the middle of summer! I think I must have been crazy. Living in the desert has cured me of my ability to deal with humidity.

Such cute baby stuff! And please tell me where you found the ribbing for the bibs!

(Did you know I have a baby of my own now?)

laura said...

Katie, I certainly DID NOT know you had a baby!! You've changed your blog and I'm pretty sure there's no mention of a baby (?). You have to send me an email with details!!
Ribbing is so hard to find but a local shop here carries a few colors. I'll be more than glad to send you a batch, just let me know.

Windtraveler said...

Laura!! Scott and I were looking up "sewing at sea" because we just got a sailrite sewing machine and lo and behold: It's a post dedicated to our baby Isla's goodies!! Honestly, I cannot thank you enough for your kindness and generosity...I will send you pics of her using all these great things!! I love them, and Isla will too! Thank you so much, you are SEW skilled ;) xoxox