Christmas time is here! | Week 50 | #52wonderfilledweeks

Whoa...first...thanks to everyone who visited the site last week...the free tag download got over 1200 hits! That's amazing, and I am so happy I was able to help people out! This week was busy...so busy that I am again posting on a Monday...my first "day off" (as in I don't HAVE to be anywhere or PLAY anything) in the last 9 days.  It's definitely that "time of year" for a musician.  In the past 9 days I have had four rehearsals and 8 concerts...on top of the whole keep the kids alive and happy, prepare for Christmas visitors, finish gifts and package them to be mailed and keeping up with my practicing for some exciting things coming in the first part of the new year!  I'm feeling stretched pretty thin...and I am just looking toward the finish line  -  the end of the year for me.  

This week I had planned on sewing up both the kids' Santa/Christmas outfits but with everything going on it was impossible.  HOWEVER, I was able to get P's dress done and just in time for her to go to her FIRST concert ever, New Philharmonic's Nutcracker! I have played this production for several seasons now and was so excited she was finally old enough to attend.  It was still pretty long for her and I think her attention was starting to wane at the end but it was really cute to look up from the pit and see her clapping after each scene.  

I made her another Patterns for Pirates, Me Hearties dress.  I've made a few of these this year for her.  It's a super easy pattern and has a circle skirt which is the ultimate twirling skirt so it's my go to.  I bought this soft double brushed poly, I think from Knitpop, last year.  While I have made this pattern before I did have a few curve balls thrown at me!

I knew I wanted to make a black dress with the skirt in the Christmas plaid.  I had some regular black DBP on hand and cut out and put together the bodice but when I had P try it on I was struck at how thin the black DBP was.  This is a "winter" dress and it just seemed thin and flimsy - even though I have used this for numerous other makes. I was sort of stopped dead in my tracks wracking my brain for an alternative.  With the busy week I had I didn't have time to order anything online or stop by any brick and mortar stores for a different option.  Then I remembered this liverpool I bought at JoAnn's a few year back.  It has a plaid pattern in it, but black on black and with the heavier weight I thought it might dress up the dress and add some heft.  

The down side I realized as I was sewing up the new bodice is that it is a little scratchy on the inside..which is why I don't wear the shirt I made from it as often as I'd like...but that's when inspiration struck! I already had a second bodice cut and sewn from the thinner DBP...what if I just use that inside as a lining?? I was so stupidly excited that it worked...it looked great and in the words of P "It's so cozy and warm Mama".   

Here's how I lined the bodice.  With both bodices sewn together (I had already sewn them when I decided to line it) I put right sides together pinned/clipped the neckline and sewed around the neckline with a stretch stitch on my sewing machine.  I didn't want to serge the neckline since that can sometimes add bulk.  Once they were sewn together I turned them inside out and clipped the center pivot area, ironed and top-stitched with a longer than usual straight stitch.  then I basted the bottom edge of the bodices together before I added the skirt.  Basting the two layers together keep things from shifting as I was attaching the skirt.

I matched the sleeves together and serged around them before I turned under 1/2" and top-stitched.

I knew P would need a Christmas bow to match as well but didn't have any matching ribbon so I set out to make my own.  I used two strips of the plaid fabric. (Also, for those that ask how I get things done...notice P working on her own project in the background!)

And then cut the ends at 45 degrees.  In retrospect I should have not made a parallelogram but a rhombus...I had to twist the ends to get them to look the same on the final bow.

With the ends cut I put right sides together and sewed around the strips leaving a 4" gap for turning.  

I clipped the corners and used some thinner interfacing on both sides of the 'ribbon' to add stability so the bow would not just flop around.  Once I had the interfacing bonded to the fabric I turned it inside out.

Next I just kind of played with different ways to fold it into a ribbon.  I was hoping to use the method I linked to on the blog a few weeks ago but I made the strips too short...

Once I had the ribbon how I liked it I wrapped the center in thread and made a smaller strip to add to the center.  

I purposefully made the center piece so that I could slide a clip or headband  thru the back of the bow.  I really like versatility when it comes to accessories!!

All in all I like how it turned out.  If I have time I'll add a bolero jacket for her visit to Santa and Christmas Day but first I need to finish brothers vest! 

May the sewing Gods ever be in your favor if you're like me and still working on things for the big day!!