Swimming Swimming in the Swimming Pool

This weekend our community pools open for business -- actually, open for play! After last year's success at sewing a bathing suit on the fly and without a serger(!), I decided to give a real pattern a go this year. I present My Childhood Treasures Leotard/Swimsuit 2.

Surprise Lullaby Layette!

I have an announcement...

I LOVE the Lullaby Layette from Oliver + S and I'm sad to give it away -- but ain't no one in this house ever gonna' fit in that.

Muse of the Morning Girl's Tee Reviewed

When I started blogging I really thought I'd be on my own island in the vast sea of the internet, sending out messages in a bottle hoping someone, anyone would read them. I still get a thrill just seeing that people are reading (and following!). But when I'm contacted to participate in a blog hop or review a pattern, I'm downright flattered. That's not to say I'm easy, I still choose reviews and group activities carefully and thoughtfully. When I was asked to review a pattern from Muse of the Morning, I admit I wasn't familiar with Chrissy's patterns. So I went and had a look. I immediately saw a great opportunity to mix a utilitarian gray knit with feminine shoulders on the Practically Perfect Girl's Tee Shirt. When something like that pops into my head so quickly and easily, I go with it. I love it when it comes out even better than I first saw in my mind's eye.

Perfect Party Dress? Perfect Play Dress.

I believe the strength of a good pattern is in the flexibility and in the finishing. The Perfect Party Dress has both in spades. That's why I'm really excited to be part of the Tie Dye Diva Perfect Party Dress Blog Hop hosted by Kathy of Handmade Dress Haven. If the hop brought you here and this is your first time visiting The Inspired Wren, welcome! Take a look around and you'll see I sew a lot of clothes for my five year-old Peanut, crochet a little here and there, share a new sewing tutorial every first-Tuesday of the month, and host Inspire Us Thursdays: Sew Needle Stitch Hook, a fiber-niche link party each Thursday. 

But today let's talk about this Perfect Party Dress. It really is perfect. Usually the first time I sew a pattern, I follow the directions exactly. But this is such a classic silhouette with beautifully clear pattern directions that I didn't need to. It’s such a solid pattern, I’ve already sewn it twice.

One pattern. Two very different looks.

Designing for Easter

Finally! Done. And photographed. Project Run & Play Week #3, Design My Own Fabric:

She really wanted this week's photo-session chocolate and was willing to be posed like a delicate lady in order to get it.

Project Run & Play Week #3, Design Your Own Fabric Challenge: Print, dye, color, paint, stencil or whatever else you can think of to design a fabric that is all you and then use that material to create an outfit!

We'll Spring Break in France, s'il vous plaît

Today is a special off-schedule post so that I can share my Project Run & Play Week #2, Spring Break Challenge solution. I so wanted to get this posted on Monday, but it snowed (again!) on Sunday (March 30th! Why?!). So I gave myself grace, and time to find some sunlight for photos, and pushed this back until now.

Strolling on the Seine? Or heading for the gangway on the cruise ship?

Project Run & Play Week #2, Spring Break Challenge: Design an outfit inspired by your favorite vacation spot (or day-dreaming vacation spot). 

Elephant Legs? Put Me in the Zoo!

I was so excited to start blogging in part so I could officially sew a long with Project Run & Play. Season 9 is upon us and I was raring to go. And then they announced the challenges. I'm so very happy that I'm not a formal contestant because the Week 1 challenge stumped me right out of the gate. (I hate to jinx myself now by saying I had clear ideas for the remaining challenges early on, so I won't. But I did.)

Piggie, Gerald, elephant legs, an ice-cream cone, and a tribute to Robert Lopshire, too!

Ottobre Tunic: Third Time's the Charm!

Usually, around the third time in a row that I sew-up a pattern I start to feel burnt out. Not so with this tunic. This charcoal-gray Ponte-knit with subtle sparkle was the fabric I had in mind for this tunic from the get-go. I wasn't burnt out sewing this one, I was excited! My favorite part by far is the pop of pink in the trim and top-stitching. We generally shy away from pink around these parts, but I'm a sucker for a bright-colored trim on a neutral solid.

 Finally warm enough to get some pics outside, now I'm looking forward to a green background instead of brown.

Sewing from Ottobre Design: First Time Ever!

Our little, three-person family hangs three stockings every year at Christmas. And every year Santa Claus generously fills all three. Among the goodies, we each get a magazine. Santa knows me well, and this year he hooked me up with my very first issue of Ottobre Design! I may have actually squealed when it arrived. Issue 2013/4, Kids Autumn, is filled with so many amazing patterns I want to sew them all. But I started with #14, The Princess Castle Tunic.

   

TUTORIAL: Burrito Cuff PJ Pants

Making PJs for The Peanut is so satisfying. They are a quick sew and a chance to use the darling, seasonal quilting-cotton prints that greet me every time I walk into a fabric store. The first pair of pajamas I made for The Peanut were for Pajama Day at school on Halloween. I had just made a couple of pillow cases using the Burrito method. Inspired by that technique I decided to add an accent cuff to the bottom of her PJ pants. You can do it, too!

2013 In Review

2013 was the year of Mary Poppins. Not only did we watch and read a lot of her, but with the help of my sewing machine, crochet hooks, and The Peanut, we were privileged to meet her in person. Twice! (Once at her 4th Birthday Party and again on Halloween.)