Pattern for Pillowcase Dress

step 1 Measure your child from the shoulder to the desired length of the dress. measure this distance on your pillowcase from the open end, and cut straight across. this cut edge will be the top of the dress.

step 2 On each side of the pillowcase, at the cut edge, draw armscyes (that is the dressmaker term for armhole). The shape is like a letter “J” with the top of the J at the cut edge of the pillowcase. For a small child, it should be about 3″ deep, for a larger child make it 4″ deep.

step 3 Fold the two top edges 1/4″ to the inside and press (don’t worry about making it exact–just get close enough). fold down and press these edges again, this time 3/4″. Doing this double turn makes the finished edge neat. Stitch along the first fold, from one end to the other, forming a tunnel (this is known as a casing).

step 4 Cut your elastic into two 6″ pieces. Attach a safety pin to one end of one piece and use that to thread the elastic through one of the casings. As you thread the elastic, the casing will draw up, forming a stretchy neckline. You’ll need to pin the other end of the elastic when it gets to the casing so that it doesn’t come all the way out. Stitch across the open end of each casing to hold your elastic in place. Repeat with the other elastic and casing. stitch across the open end of each casing to hold your elastic in place.

step 5 You’re almost done! Cut two pieces of binding, each 28″ long. You’ll notice that the binding is folded lopsided–one side is wider than the other. This is to help make sure you get both sides stitched. Always stitch with the narrow side of the binding facing up and you can be sure you’re catching the back side as well.Slip one armscye edge into the fold of one of the binding pieces, leaving about 10″ or so overhanging the top - these form the ties. Pin as much as you feel you need to in order to keep things neat. Beginning at one end of the binding, start stitching along the free edge, continuing all the way around the armscye and to the other end of the binding. Repeat for the other armscye.Instead of the binding, you can fold a casing (as you did earlier in step 4) and thread a piece of narrow ribbon 28” long into each of the arm holes, tying into a bow at the top. Once the ribbon is threaded through, sew a couple of stitches at the side seam to keep the ribbon from being pulled all the way out.

step 6 Sew some ribbon or rick rack approx 3 ½ - 4” from the lower edge, catching the original envelope opening of the pillowcase so that it doesn’t catch when your child puts the dress/top on.That’s it! The hem is already finished for you.

WE'RE BACK...

Dusky asked me to make this public again. After wanting to go private for so long, he decided it's too much of a hassle to have to sign in everytime. =) So here we are again....for all to see

I LOVE MY DAUGHTER!

I posted the other day about Kaia being obsessed with the pool. Kind of Scary!!! Today I was running on the treadmill. I thought that Kaia was in the living room with Dusky and he left the house and went to work because he thought that she was in the room with me. I had been running for about 25 minutes and my next door neighbor comes walking in to my room holding Kaia (who is completely soaked)

She had gone outside and was in the pool. I was totally freaked out. Thank goodness for Alicia. I'm so glad she walked by and saw her.

Then, after I got done running I got in the shower. By the time I got out, Kaia had gotten into my hair wax and had applied a thick coat all the way down both legs, both arms, her dress and the floor. That stuff is so dang sticky! It took forever to clean up. But at least she was wearing something cute at the time.......

I made dresses for the girls this morning. I made them out of pillow cases and it seriously took like 20 minutes to make both of them. It was so easy.

TTA- Do you workout???

I'm so glad this question was asked this month. Because if it would have been last month I would have had to say no. I went to Georgia a few weeks ago and there is this GREAT trail around the lake. It inspired me to start running again. Maybe it was a combination of the beautiful lake, my new ipod+ running shoes, and georgia. When I lived in Georgia I worked out more than I ever have in my life. We did 5k races like every weekend and I did my first ever triathalon. Plus, Dusky is on this healthy fitness craze. It's great. We are eating a lot better and on the days that I don't want to run, he goes and runs like 8 miles and makes me feel like a slacker. It really gets me going. We've been running everyday. I even rode my bike 8 miles yesterday. That's the first time i've ridden my bike in 2 1/2 years and although my butt is extremely sore, I feel good. So far Dusky has signed us up for a 5 mile run, 2 5k's and a triathalon. All in the next 3 weeks. So I guess that's my motivation to continue to train. I don't want to look like an idiot crawling over the finish line.

Random Pictures...

I went outside the other day and Dusky and Kaia were sitting on the roof looking at birds. She cried like a little baby when we made her get off. She loved it up there.

Here's our little Chunk Sienna

This is the dress that I made for Kaia. She looked so cute on Sunday.

As I was getting out of the shower the other day Dusky told me to come and look....

Kaia had layed down by Sienna, put her arms around her, and she was totally asleep on the pillow. Sienna was running her fingers through Kaia's hair. It was the cutest thing I've ever seen.

Every time we walk past the swimming pool Kaia jumps in with her clothes on. You think I would learn, but even though I know it's coming, she is REALLY FAST!

I couldn't get to her come inside the other day. By 10:00 in the morning her face was bright red and she was drenched in sweat. So we stayed outside in the swimming pool all afternoon.

Sienna's tummy time toy.

Happy Late 4th to All Yall...

How do you like Kaia's cheesy smile?

I know this is late but we had a fun 4th of July. We had a BBQ then we went into Alexandria and Mike Jenkins let us go to the top of his building (which is one of the tallest buildings in the city) and watch the fireworks. It was really cool. They did an amazing fireworks show right over the river. It lasted for a long time. Kaia loved it! She clapped everytime she saw one that she really liked. Sienna-she didn't really care!

FYI...

Sienna now wears a bigger diaper than Kaia. Yes, that's right-she's 3 1/2 months old and she's in a size 4. Kaia is 20 months old and she's in a size 3 still. Sienna weighs 16 pounds and Kaia weighs 20 pounds.

This is the view from our front porch