Mariposa Dress

Last week I made myself the mariposa dress from Anna Maria Horner's Handmade Beginnings, I've made several things from this book now. I like how this dress turned out. It's a little on the big size even after I took in the skirt a bit but oh well it will be great for after the next baby. I used some thrift store cotton material in an indian print.

I love wearing dresses in the summer but of course I can't while I am still nursing so having a nursing dress is really great. I think the design is quite clever - here you can see how it works.

Summer Pants

I did some more summer sewing for Henry this week. Finally got to try out this pattern from Anna Maria Horner's Handmade Beginnings for reversible pants. Just like Anna Maria Horner's baby in the hood jacket they involved co-ordinating several fabrics. With the different coloured back yoke and the turned up cuff, that's 3 fabrics to pick to coordinate. Plus the reverse side. So that was the hardest part - choosing the fabrics. I got to use this fish fabric that I got from a man's shirt and the very very last of that indian fabric, a fabric that has shown up in almost all of my sewing projects in the last few months, I will miss it.

And for the reverse side I used two linens that I had scraps of. This side was the afterthought side but I definitely like how it turned out too.

The pants are just two layers of thin cotton so perfect for summer. At first I was reluctant to complicate elastic-waisted pants because they are usually so simple and easy to make. But making them reversible is great for rolling them up - perfect for summer and perfect for growing boys. These should fit him for a while.

Baby in the Hood Jacket

I finally put the buttons on this jacket that I made for Henry and now it is the perfect weather for it. It is the baby in the hood jacket from Anna Maria Horner's Handmade Beginnings, a really great sewing pattern book that I bought for myself. So far I've also made the cushion and the booties from this book.

Instead of making it a summer jacket like it is meant to be I did fleece for the lining so it is a bit warmer. I think he will get more wear out of it this way. It turned out alright with the alteration, I just went up a size. The only place it maybe didn't work so well is the sleeves are a bit tight. But they fit.

It was very hard picking the fabrics to use. He does already have a plaid jacket as well as several shirts but I just love him in plaid. And combined with the indian print placket I think it looks quite different than anything else.

I would love to make him another summer weight jacket using the same pattern but I have so much on my list to sew I'm not sure if I'll get around to it. I'll just have to enjoy this one.

More Shoes for Henry

Even though I always end up putting Henry in the same old Robeez shoes, I can't help myself from making him more. And I still didn't have a warm pair that fit well. So I made these.

They are from my new book Handmade Beginnings by Anna Maria Horner. I really like this book and am dying to make the little jacket from it for Henry to wear this spring, just got to make some fabric choices.


I like how they turned out. I love the fabric choices I made and they fit really well. Lined with fleece and coming up over the ankle they should keep his feet just a little warmer than his usual shoes.

Here are some pictures showing the fun he got up to today in his new shoes:
Playing behind the sofa, getting covered in dust


Falling asleep in his high chair while I was cooking, so sweet!