Watermelon Suspender Dress

Just when I think I know exactly what I want to sew, I see a sewing tutorial online and flash to a scrap in my stash that would fit that project!  Today's project was found on the blog Delia Creates when I was looking for a sun bonnet pattern.  This new project is called Suspender Dress.

I followed her basic instructions, but I sized up to fit my 12 month old.  I used a piece of ribbed knit fabric I bought for pajama cuffs (but never made) and a T-shirt I bought for a DIY nursing shirt (and also never made).  I don't remember how I thought to put these two together, but they were definitely meant for each other.

I cut my straps the same size Delia suggested and the bodice pieces approximately 11 by 5 1/2.  Ribbed knit fabric is really hard to work with (which is why I never made those pajamas) so my pieces were a bit....crooked ;)  I cut the T-shirt right where the waist-shaping ends.  I assembled the whole thing with my serger, pleating the skirt instead of gathering it.  Didn't I say in my first post I didn't think I'd ever try pleats?  Well, gathering a thin, knit T-shirt is way more scary than pleating it, let me tell you!

If I wasn't such a knit chicken (and it wasn't so hot outside), I'd take some scraps from the skirt and applique a cute shape on the bodice.  Or paint some watermelon seeds on the skirt :)  I'm looking forward to this baby waking up from her nap so I can watch her run around in her new dress!

Sweet Dress

The Sweet Little Dress pattern is one that I have used many times over the years for my girls.  I forgot to move the PDF when we moved the hard drives in the computers around, so all I have left is a crumply piece of paper.  But it still works.  What I love about this pattern is the easy sizing and easy construction.  I can throw one of these together in about an hour.  I made the blue dress pictured with scrap I found at the second hand store for $1.  There is enough material in that "scrap" to make three dresses!  The neck and sleeves are simply 1/4 inch elastic.  I buy mine from sewtrue.com in the 36 yard rolls because I use it in everything!

Welcome!

I'm the first to admit I'm not that great of a sewer.  But I really do enjoy sewing (when I'm not knitting) and I tend to modify and create patterns that fit my life style better than patterns that are commercially available.  I've created this blog to share my projects, my discoveries, and links to other sewing places online that I enjoy.

I named my blog Crooked Seams because that is how I sew.  I am not a perfectionist and I refuse to sew anything that requires a lot of concentration or detail work.  With six kids in the house and one more on the way, if I try to be detail oriented in a project, I will never finish it.  I also prefer to sew things out of materials I find at secondhand stores.  Sewing can quickly become a huge expense and burden on the family budget (also a time-sucker, but we won't talk about that here).

Here is a quick list of things I sew:

• Diapers
• Pillowcase-style shirts and dresses
• Simple skirts
• Burp clothes
• Cub/Boy Scout patch attaching
• Flannel pajamas

Here is a quick list of things I don't think I will ever sew:

• Quilts
• Pockets
• Collars
• Button holes
• Pleats
• Clothes for myself

I'm currently working on a tiered skirt for Evie out of seersucker fabric that I bought maybe TWO years ago.  I'm hoping I get it finished before she grows out of it.  The hard part for me is facing the gathering part.  When I actually do it, I think it wasn't so bad.  But thinking about having to sew a gathering seam, align it with the next tier, and sewing it together...oh my!  Too much thinking!  I've finished the bottom two layers, which are the longest, so hopefully the rest will come together quickly and I can post a picture of the finished skirt!