Easy peasy skirt

Here is a quick pic of the new skirt I made.  It's about as simple A-line as you can get.  I like it.  I made the top a few months ago.  After seeing the outfit together, I'm going to shorten the hem on the top by about 3 inches.  I think this will make a more flattering look.  Right now, that horizontal line cuts right at the widest part of my hips.

Some sewing updates

Thanks so much for all the congratulations and well wishes.  I didn't know that many people actually read this.  :-)  Mark is such a joy.  I love having a baby around and know it will pass all too quickly.

I have a few updates on current projects.  Here is the white trench I've been slowly plugging away at.  This is the back yoke.  You can see that the point doesn't line right up with the center back seam.  In the instructions, they look like they should match, but the pattern piece for the yoke is not symmetrical, so I'm a bit confused...

Here's a look at the collar and neck details.  I think the tab is an interesting detail.  I like the epaulets, too.  There are a lot of steps to this jacket, but it's coming together quicker than I thought it would.  I just try to work on it for a half hour or hour each day (although I just started that back up the past few days).  
Here's the self-drafted, ruffled cardigan.  It's actually done, but I'm going to sew on some hooks and eyes so I can close it if I want.  When I get that done, I'll post a modeled pic.  I need to get out all the stuff I made while I was pregnant and couldn't model and do a photo shoot.  :-)
And a gratuitous cute shot.  One of our little neighbors (3 years) picked out the stuffed animal, and if I ever forget to sit it with the baby, my older son makes sure to put it in.

A Baby Boy

I'm still here (and still sewing a bit.  I also knit a lot of lace at the hospital).  Mark was born a week ago, May 31st.  7 pounds and 20 inches.  I'm so happy he's out and healthy.  He's such a joy - hardly cries and a great sleeper, as far as newborns go.  I really am getting more sleep now than a was that last week or two before he came.  :-)

Here's a picture taken two days ago - 5 days old.

New top and fabric

I don't usually post my fabric purchases, mostly cause I figure no one really cares, but I do have some to show today after my new experience - a fabric market here in Germany.  But first, a new top:

The pattern is New Look 6655, and the fabric is from Sawyer Brook.  I have to say something about Sawyer Brook - the fabric isn't cheap (this cotton print was $14/yard), but I've never been unhappy with a single thing I've bought there... and in the hit-or-miss world of online fabric ordering, that's saying something.  I'll do a review of the top when I can model it (hopefully within a few weeks).  This baby just seems so ready to come out, but he can't quite bring himself to do anything about it!

Now, the fabric!  After reading a post by Uta, I decided I had to check out these Dutch fabric markets.  Apparently they travel around the Netherlands and Germany.  I drug a friend of mine to one in Mannheim this weekend and was not disappointed!  

The most remarkable thing to me was the knits.  Tables full of knits - prints and solids - quality stuff at serious discount prices.  There were lots of beautiful prints, but in the end, I guess none of them were exactly perfect.  I did come home with FIVE cuts of solid knits - cream, blue, and yellow for summer, and pumpkin and brown for this fall.

I did buy one woven fabric.  This is a beautiful blue and yellow cross-woven linen.  I had to say no to lots of beautiful linen.  I wonder if they'll be back in the fall with more wintry fabrics...

This was a total impractical purchase - flower printed dotted voile and pink linen for an outfit for the little girl I don't have.  My first sister or friend to have a little girl is getting a blouse and jumper from this.  They had so much adorable fabric for little girls at this market.

I got everything I showed above for 35 Euro, which is incredible.  At the local fabric store I go to, I'm lucky to get two cuts of fabric for that.  And as I said, this isn't cheap fabric.

Finally, "the precious" - two yards of blood-red boiled wool for a jacket this fall.  Mmmmmm...  Photos cannot do this justice.
My only regret is not buying some denim.  They had lots of really nice denim for 5-8 Euro/yard.  I don't think I'm ready to try jeans yet, but I could use my TNT pants pattern and make some nice trouser jeans.  Maybe next time...

Baby clothes

I haven't made any progress on my son's shorts because I need to get some elastic to do the waistband.  Then, I'll just have to hem them.

Instead of getting the elastic this weekend, I worked on the outfit for the baby and was surprised at how quickly it went together!  Now, this is complete except for snaps, which I also need to get at the local fabric store sometime this week.

Awwww, it's so cute!  It does look a bit big to me.  I made the smallest size, but it's 3 months, not newborn.  The pattern is Burda 9756.  It's supposed to be a baptism outfit, but I obviously modified with my fabric choice.

Here's the back.  I think I'll use snaps instead of buttons up the back for ease of dressing a newborn.

Here's a look at the inside.  I like the way the collar facing looks.  I also used french seams everywhere to give it a finished look inside and hopefully make it comfier for baby.

Hopefully I'll be able to update soon with pictures on the little model once he makes his appearance.  This morning, I was thinking maybe the real contractions were starting, but they went away when I took a nap.  Now, they're back again, but not as painful as they were this morning.

I did a pattern review here.  Has anyone else been having trouble with the "clickable links" function on the site lately?  It used to work for me, but not anymore.

and now for something completely different

I bought this little sweater on clearance online (from JCrew) and, boy, is it an ugly color.  I thought it would be a nice yellow, but it is seriously "highlighter yellow."  Falls in the realm of "no wonder it's on clearance."  Anyway, it's a perfectly cute cut and fabric (cotton), and wasn't returnable, so I decided to try and bleach it.  

I love it when these crazy plans work out!  Now it's a really light, lemony yellow.  Very pretty!
My backup plan was to dye it after bleaching if I still didn't like the color or it turned out splotchy, but I'm just going to leave it at this point.

Shorts update

Here's an update on shorts for the little man.

I love the little pocket flaps on the back.
They look really big, so I'm going to try them on him and maybe take in the sides a bit.  I'm also going to put elastic around the whole waistband instead of just in back.