Hello, Friends! I'm still here. Busy working on some left-brained stuff (my old marketing life revisiting for a bit) and busy working on some fun right-brained stuff: new patterns and pattern updates. I have been learning new programs so I can create computer graded and drafted patterns. It's slowed me down quite a bit but I'm really excited about being able to share patterns of this quality. The first is in testing so it's close! Stay tuned.
Oh, and of course I've been busy with these three! Enjoying summer things such as swimming and hiking and field trips to local attractions. And gathering with friends and family. We celebrated Independence Day with just such a gathering. If you were celebrating on the 4th too I hope yours was a great one.
We started off the Fourth of July with some swimming lessons. Not quite the same as going to watch a small town parade (in my mind the ideal way to start off the day) but I'm so grateful my girls have the opportunity to participate in sports and challenge their physical selves. I would sign them up for every lesson available if time allowed. I'm grateful too that girls here are free to seek an education and develop their minds for great things. I so love learning and there is nothing like seeing your children enjoy learning new things too. It inspires me all over again.
In the evening we gathered with friends for a traditional Fourth of July barbecue. There were BBQ ribs and salmon and lots of good-tasting side dishes. I brought a green salad based on this green bean, sweet corn and tomato combo. Yum! We are so lucky to have great neighbors who love us and include us in this tradition. I missed our family who weren't with us, though. I don't know if it's age or wisdom, but there's no group of people I would rather be with on a holiday, or any day.
I did a bit of patriotic sewing just in time for the holiday. This patchwork Madras seems just perfect to me--in that East coast preppy way, which is a fun throwback to my school days. Audrey's dress is one I made her a couple years ago--you might remember it from this Madras post. Still fits! Just shorter.
I sewed new dresses for Scarlett and Tess with my Ruffled Chemise pattern. Tess's version is exactly the current pattern--Scarlett's is a new ruffled placket variation I'm playing with. I found the patchwork fabric at Hobby Lobby last year (same source for Audrey's dress a couple years ago) and need to go back to see if they are stocking it this summer. I can't believe it's July already! I have so many summer sewing ideas and it seems is slipping away already...!
I love the idea of patriotic outfits for Independence Day. If you want to see some things I've sewn in the past you can check out:
2012 (Kangaroo Pocket Knit Skirts)
2010 (Patriotic Pillowcase Dress)
2009 (the Summer Set prototype!)
2009 (Patriotic Prairie Dresses)
16 comments:
Those dresses (and the girls) are so cute. Love the ruffles.
They look absolutely perfect!!!
Cute! Love the ruffled placket version
Soooooo. Cute! Great dresses and darling girls!
The dresses & girls are sooooo cute! Love the look.
The girls look wonderful in tose darling dresses! Isn't it nice to get several years wear out of a dress for your oldest. It is so well made that it will be worn by her sisters for several years, too.
Very cute! I found the fabric from tess and scarlett dresses at joanns recently. They also had a pink. I wasnt sure what to do with it but i think im going to use it for a chemise now. Thats really cute! I made my son some pants with the fabric on audreys dress last year and now my daughter wears them. I like that fabric a lot!
Lovely dresses! I also love the matching Salt Water Sandals! Do you have a pair too? =) I love my white pair- the leather is so soft and comfortable! (got mine from Mod Cloth)
I'm new to your blog having found it tonight while searching for info on making oilcloth tableclothes. I remember them from the 1950s when my mom used them. I'm hungry for nostalgia and this is my start, but I also fell in love with the purpose behind and the content on your blog. I've entered you in my Feedly feed so I can follow along.
This post reminded me of my first years in college when madras was all the rage! I wonder why we stopped loving it so much. Glad to see you're using it with your girls.
The dresses are darling and I love how you stated it as a throw back to your own school days! I also think starting the fourth with swimming lessons is about perfect!
The kids look very cute and the dress lights there look..
Love the dresses!!!
Oh goodness, these are adorable and patriotic and preppy and great! Love the ruffles combined with the line of the madras.
The dresses and your girls are so cute!! I love your fabric choice - I've always found 4th of July outfits so limited in their use - but with this fabric, they could be worn year round. Really cute!!
Darling dresses Anneliese! Your latest post reminds me we need to go screen-free for a while over here too!
Love love the dresses and the fabric you used (to be honest I just placed an order for the exact same fabric)!
How lovely to see your three girls together - they are adorable :-)
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