Sparkly Hat

I love those times when you have a weirdly ridiculous experience with a stranger. Either they try to share some kind of inappropriate story with you (I do not appreciate birth stories in the middle of the freezer aisle) or ask you for something off the wall.


Yesterday, I was at Hancocks. It was a delicious day at the fabric store because my husband had come home early from work and I was toddler free with a tall, one-pump, Starbucks pumpkin spice latte in my hand. I was browsing patterns and buttons then made my way over to the trims. I was "minding my own" when I heard a poor man (clearly sent to the store by his wife) painfully describing "You know, those little hooks like on a bra clasp" to an employee. He had no other words to describe them and had to keep saying "bra clasp" over and over, but the employee had no idea what he was talking about and finally said "We don't have anything like that here." Well, for one thing, they probably do have actual bra clasps, and for the other, I know for a fact they had hook and eyes which is what he was trying to describe. He passed behind me and I said, "I think you mean 'hook and eyes,'" the poor man's face lit up and he was so relieved to have alternate vocabulary with which to describe a product he didn't fully understand. Anyway, he went on his merry way and found what he needed (by the way, this is not the weird experience). So I continued browsing trims and gradually made my way to the table of seersucker on sale ($2.95 a yard!!)

I was absorbed in my sale fabrics when a little older lady, who had been browsing trims near me and probably heard my exchange with "bra clasp man," approached me and asked what I thought of two different pieces of gold, sequin covered elastic. She had a small piece and was trying to match it with what was there. I said, "Well, one is gold and one is colored" (it was kind of irridescent with many different colors plus a little gold). So I thought maybe she just couldn't see very well or couldn't reach the trims (she was about 4 feet tall or slightly less, no exaggeration). I pulled out a roll of the same thing she was holding and started to leave, then she began to describe exactly what it was for. The tale she told me involved a cruise she's going to be taking, a gold dress she will be wearing and a navy blue beanie that she intends to cover with this gold, sequin elastic. I'm "Mmm, Hmm'ing" politely and backing away when she asks, "Could you help me wrap this around my head so that I can see how much I will need?" No kidding, she stood there and had me wrap about 3 yards of stretchy sequins around her head in rows with zero compunction. She was really friendly and it was no trouble, but it completely cracked me up. What a thing to ask of a stranger! It was also sort of oddly personal to be putting things on someone else's head.

Anyway! I came away with a funny experience and more fabric than I intended to buy, but what do you do?!

Pattern Review: Butterick 4110

Butterick 4110

Sizes S-XL (13-30 lbs)
Baby Girl dress (4 views), Romper (4 views), Hat and Bloomer

My Experience and Description:

I just completed a really fun project! It was a classic baby girl dress with a big collar, like the ones my Mom used to dress my sister and I in when we were little. After every seam, I held up the dress "oohing" and "ahhing" over the little details and trying to get my husband to do the same thing.

The dress was a gift for my baby niece, they might use it for her baptism in November.  I wanted to use solid white because of the occasion and I also wanted it to be wintery enough for November-no, linen, thin cotton, etc... So I went with a lightweight corduroy trimmed with white crocheted cotton lace, it feels so soft on both sides and I really love the way it turned out.

I thought this pattern was very well written and easy to follow, the finishing turns out professionally and it looks nice inside and out. I like that there are several different options to choose from included in the pattern. No collar, pointed collar, scalloped collar, round collar, long, short, romper, bloomer... I actually made a pattern piece for a square collar. I just used the pointed collar and added straight lines from the shoulder and the point, meeting at a right angle. (I left the back in a point)

I love that the dress closes with buttons rather than snaps or a zipper, there's something very impersonal about a zipper on baby clothes. I will definately be using this pattern for gifts.

There are so many things you could do with this pattern. It would be precious with a white cotton collar and a flowered, striped or gingham print cotton for the dress. There are so many options and it's a very versatile pattern. It could be made in velvet for Christmas, bright patterns for a birthday party, and you could add embroidery to the collar. I really love this pattern and I give it...duh duh duuuuhh...

Five Spools! (out of five)



Things you should know about Butterick 4110:

1) There is a good bit of hand finishing involved. The dress is partially lined, so the bodice lining has to be slipstitched to the waist seam. It would be easy to add a full lining, but it will take a little finagling around the button placket.

2) When sewing/folding/cutting for the button placket, have a good example of a completed one beside you. I find that it's hard for printed instructions (even good ones) to show those kinds of things in the right scale and dimension. I like to have a good example beside me to keep from sewing then ripping over and over again or cutting where I shouldn't cut.

3) Double check all the seams at the neck and waist before you hand stitch the lining, I had sewn a little to close to the edge of my collar the first time around and had to take out all my handstitching to fix it. YUCK!

A little Fall flair!

I love fall, the colors, the temperature, the flowers and the clothes! I love coats and boots and sweaters and corduroy. I love overalls on baby boys and Thanksgiving, thick, hearty soups and hot beverages.

I planted some mums out in the yard this week and filled my galvanized metal planter with a beautiful rust colored mum and some lantana. Baby P really enjoyed them!

These are P's new fall overalls, they're reversible with a lightweight seersucker inside so they won't be too hot. I did a simple little turkey applique on the front and hand embroidered the eyes, beak and "gobbler." I like how they turned out, not sure about the orange buttons, we'll see!

Boo hoo...

No, this is not a Halloween post. I am in mourning.

Here is my baby on Saturday morning.

And here's my baby on Saturday afternoon...see what's happening here?!?

I'm just smiling here to keep from glaring at the woman cutting off my baby's crazy curls. I have to say that she was kind of amazing at cutting kid hair. She managed not to cut him while also NOT cutting off pieces of her own hands. After seeing this process, I was validated in my decision not to attempt P's first haircut myself. Now, I am convinced not to attempt it until he's old enough to bribe or threaten into absolute stillness. He was really good though, even when she brought out the clippers and hairdryer.

He looks so big without the wild locks sticking out around his ears.

He's still a baby.