Minion bathrobe

Ever since I discovered Dana's bathrobe pattern, I was hooked on making bathrobes for my kids and for making them as birthday presents.  The whole concept is genius since there are times where it's just easier to slip the robe on and keep the kiddos warm and dry.

I originally made the largest size for a friend's kid but he outgrew it so quickly.  So I did my first attempt to "hack" the pattern and make a larger version of it (approximately a size 5 for kids).  I looked up some tutorials on how to grade up; I cut up the pattern and added a few inches to make it wider and longer.  I also enlarged the arm holes and draped the hood a bit longer so I could add an eye for a minion from Despicable Me 2.

The end result ...

J modeling the bathrobe.

I used this tutorial to get an idea on how to create the eye.  I had to buy some wonder under to use on the eye and the black band.  The wonder under is paper backed fusing and made things so easy to sew onto the towel. 

The hood with the minion face on top.

J is only 3.5 years old and currently fits in the largest size (size 3-4) of the beach robe pattern.  I'll definitely use the "new" pattern to make another beach robe when he grows a little bigger. 

Secret Valentine Exchange Gift

I finally received my Secret Valentine Exchange Gift from Julie!  Apparently the first gift never made it to my house and she had to make a second gift. 

 It's a fabric covered plan holder and very thought out with the convenient strap. 

I definitely like the choice of fabrics and how soft it is to the touch.

Sadly the first gift still has not shown up in the mail.  Thank you again for going through the trouble of making a second gift! 

And below is the final result of what I made for my Secret Valentine Exchange - a little pouch for Nicole of Cicely Ingleside.

Pouch sewn for my Secret Valentine

Inside fabric choice

So this concludes the first online exchange I have ever participated in.  Looking forward to more exchanges and more excuses to keep sewing.

Secret Valentine Exchange

So I took a risk by signing up for the Secret Valentine Exchange.  I would have never taken the risk if I didn't enjoy reading Sanae Ishida's blog so much.  I love the clothes she creates, the writing style and the overall style of the blog. 

The Secret Valentine Exchange required participants to use what we already have and have the gift be handmade.  I'm not sure how crafty I could get with the items on hand but I had some cute fabric leftover from a previous project that matched my recipient's likes.

Below are the two fabrics I used to create a simple zippered pouch.     

Top: Birch Fabrics - Marine Too; Bottom: Monaluna - Circa 52

Silly me, I forgot to take a picture of the finished product before mailing it out.  I'll have to email my recipient for a picture of the pouch once she receives it.  Here's hoping she will like it.

This is it

I've finally taken the big step of starting a blog.  I'm not sure who will actually read it but at least this digital journal will document what I've created. 

After having my first kid, I was drawn to the blogging world and in particular, the sewing side.  The idea of creating something is thrilling and gives me a sense of satisfaction.  Once the sewing began, I found a nifty little site called Pinterest and that's where things got a little crazy.