Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Mermaid Skirt Tutorial

Rylee wanted to be a mermaid for Halloween and wanted Molly to be one as well.  Here goes my first tutorial...next time I will take step by step pictures.  I'm learning...my second attempt will be better!

Materials: 
1 yrd of fabric
1/2" elastic
scissors
pins
thread

Step 1:  Make pattern - lay a pair of pj bottoms on top of fabric of your choice.  Fold the legs so they take the shape of a tail fin.  Leave enough room on the left to finish wrapping around waist plus a 1" allowance.


Step 2:  Cut pattern - cut around pj pants leaving 1 " seam allowance.  Free hand what you want the fin to look like.  Place pattern on another piece of your fabric face down.  Cut identical piece.  One piece will be face up and one will be face down.


Step 3:  Pin and sew - place fabric inside out (in my case glitter to glitter).  Pin and leave waist open.  Start at the side and sew along the edge.  Turn right side out.

Step 4:  Stuff - I stuffed the tail fin with batting so it kept it's shape.

Step 5:  Finish waist with elastic - using 1/2" elastic, fold waist of skirt over elastic, pin, and sew.

Step 6:  Close skirt - pin short sides of skirt together.  Sew along pin and flip your skirt over.  Viola!

I made a basic tulle skirt to go underneath and a matching starfish headband for Molly.


Ikea Poang Chair Slipcover Tutorial

I wanted a comfy chair for Molly's room, but nothing too generic.  So off to Ikea we went and picked up the infamous poang chair.  I used the Poang Chair Cover Redo to cover what would have been an ordinary white cushion.  This tutorial by Becky at the dirtsa studio blog was excellent.  The velcro didn't match up, but I saw that coming since I'm still an amateur seamstress.  It hasn't been a problem though.  The fabric is from Jay McCarroll's Habitat collection.  You know...the winner from the first season of Project Runway.

Molly's Month by Month: Two

Things took a turn for the worst this month.  You have silent reflux, but refuse to keep the medicine down.  So unfortunately you cry and cry and cry in the evenings and finally fall asleep around 10:30.  I don't know how Rylee sleeps through it, but she does.  During the day, you are happier.  You smile, coo, and laugh.  You were 24 inches long, 11 lbs 11oz, and head was15.25" at your 2 month appointment.  Shortly after, you tested positive for RSV.  It was horrible.  We had to give you breathing treatments and keep an eye on you throughout the night.  It was very scary!


Molly's Month by Month: One

You are the best baby!  We quickly discovered you liked to be swaddled and love the Moby wrap.  You smile in your sleep, but I've never been able to catch it on camera.  You are an expert eater and keep packing on the pounds and inches.




Blog Facelift

My blog now has a new name and a new look.  In the past, I haven't been the best at updating, but I hope to get better.  My real driving force is to have all our memories and recipes documented so the girls will have something to look back on, fondly I hope.  Also, with Colt gone more, I'll be adding this to his favorites list.
As for the header, I wanted a picture of Rylee and her baby in their matching skirts I made, but she obviously wasn't in the mood for a photo session.  I tried to explain the blog was named Playtime and Pleats and it would only make sense to put a picture of her playing in a handmade pleated skirt.  However, Baby Cha Cha was too cold to wear her skirt.