The As American as Apple Pie Dress

 I hope you had a fabulous Independence Day and are enjoying the long weekend! On Thursday, I showed the outfits I made for my kids for the 4th of July and promised a tutorial for Miss Bloom's Apple Pie Dress. I know I'm a few days behind... But now, here it is!

Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July from our little family! This year I decided to get festive and make All-American outfits for my kiddos for the 4th of July. Miss Bloom is a very easy-going kid so I knew that I could make anything I wanted for her and it would be a-okay. Miss Belle is a different story. She is a girl who knows what she wants and hasn't quite mastered the art of compromise. And what does she usually want? Pink dresses or skirts that twirl. I knew that it would be a challenge to get her out of her comfort zone. But challenges are okay. And last, but certainly not least, what about Little Boy Blue? I really wanted to get out of my current go-to for boys: bow ties.

Cross Stitch Tagalong Sewing Kit: A Tutorial for the Girl Scout in all of us

The Girl Scout motto is "Be Prepared." Of course that means different things to different people. As a sewist, to me that means having a mini-set of tools on hand for any emergency. You never know when you will be called upon to sew the top of your friend's dress closed before a wedding or fix one of your daughter's dance-friend's costumes. At any moment, a button could pop off and need to be reattached.

A few weeks ago, when I was making Daisy hair clips and personalized envelopes for my Daisy Scouts, I knew that I also wanted to make an end of the year gift for my awesome co-leader. A busy mom and doctor who is frequently on the go, she also appreciates the allure of the sewing machine and homesewn crafts. So I thought that a personalized, mini-sewing kit would be perfect for her. And now I'm going to show you how to make one of these cute and handy little gifts for yourself or someone you appreciate.

The Candyland Dress

Last week was Miss Belle's 4th birthday. This girl loves board games and candy, so I was not surprised when she declared that she wanted to have a Candyland Party for her birthday. And that meant that she needed a Candyland dress.

Pirates' Paradise

 Yesterday was my nephew's 5th birthday. And I felt a bit lost trying to figure out what to make for him. Twirly skirts and hair clips are my go-to gift for girls around this age. I like to make ties for baby boys. And, of course, there are superhero capes. But we've already gone that route. What to make? What to make? And could I do it with supplies I already own? In a moment of inspiration, I decided to give him a pirate dress up set. All kids like to play pretend and dress up!

Daisy Gifts: A Two-for-One Tutorial

This afternoon my Daisy Girl Scout troop has the last meeting of our first year as a troop. I'm feeling a little sentimental. It has been such a delight hanging with these 10 kindergartners (soon to be first graders!) all year. To mark this momentous occasion, I decided to make a little end of the year gift for each of my Daisies. Daisy button hair clips and fabric envelopes. Personalized, of course. And now I'm going to show you how to make these pocket-size gifts for the little blossoms in your life.

The Checkerboard Skirt

I am so excited to share these new skirts with you. I've been mulling over this idea for awhile. I tried to make them a few weeks ago and the dimensions were off. But now I think we've got a winner!