I have been super busy creating things the last couple of weeks. So very busy that I forgot to actually take pictures. So very busy that I couldn’t take the time to blog about what I was doing.
And now with the holiday season upon us, it’s going to stay just as busy.
Along with a lot of people, we like to do an advent calendar. This year we are focusing more on family activities to do together each day.
I plan to document this in our 25 days till Christmas countdown.
Let’s begin.
I loved this sweater the moment I saw it.
It’s the J Crew Chandelier Sweater, and it comes at a price of $168. I purchased this plain grey sweater, and then decided I didn’t really like it. It was just too boring.
And it was the perfect backdrop to try and recreate the chandelier sweater. I know I am not the first and I will not be the last. But I’m pretty happy with how it turned out.
I went to JoAnn’s and picked out two different sizes of jewels. I really liked the bigger jewels on the original J Crew sweater, but I didn’t have any luck finding jewels that big. If you had more time to look around, or felt confident ordering jewels from the internet you could probably get a closer match. In the end I think it works out good for me. You still get the idea of the original. Plus my kids love to pull on them, so I was glad they are a little smaller and I am crossing my fingers that I sewed them on well!
My new sweater made an appearance at book club.
Yeah for good friends, books, wine, and a new jeweled sweater!
A lot of the time I will work on a project and get it 90% done. And it will stay that way FOREVER. Something more excited comes along, or something else seems more important.
Well I finally knocked the 10% left to go on this project.
Remember my cape I made earlier this fall?
I finally decided to add a few more buttons and finish up the back.
Now it’s finally ready to be worn.
Let’s just pretend I got this post finished up last Friday. I was trying to create a new series that happened on Friday, but life has taken over and I haven’t posted an “On Trend” item for a couple of weeks.
I have owned this sweater for 7 years or so. I bought it and never wore it. It was one of those items that looked cute on the hanger and I neglected to try it on before I bought it.
It looks like a Charlie Brown sweater to me.
So I chopped off some length on the sweater and sewed up the hem.
The hem is still is a little wonky, so I think I might have to hand sew it. But it’s good enough for me to wear it right now….can you tell I’m not too picky!
Here is a shot from the back.
This sweater will definitely get more use now. As long as cropped sweaters stay in style!
I made a stocking hat for my son months ago. Back when I had made him this little fox shirt, and I thought a fox stocking cap would look cute with it. But I wasn’t really happy with the hat, I thought it had turned out too big and gathered and that it might look better on my daughter.
Except my son found the hat and loves to wear it. He wears it all the time indoors and out. And I think he likes the fact that it is a little baggy around his head.
He likes to style the hat off his head. And loves to take it off and on.
It definitely makes me happy that he likes wearing something I made!
And as for the baggy pants. I tried to make him a pair of pants with this as the inspiration.
It did not turn out like the picture above. I dropped the crotch too much, the legs are too baggy, and you can’t even see the bottom ankle band because the pants are too long. I guess in another year when he grows in to them it might look like the photo above, but they are comfortable (I lined them so they are super warm for the winter), and he doesn’t mind the bagginess. So he should get a lot of wear out of them.
I have a problem with store bought pajamas. Well specific ones and specifically related to my daughter. My daughter can not wear tight pajamas, for some reason they cause her diaper to become loose and she inevitably pees the bed. I get very tired of changing sheets every single morning. So loose pajamas it is.
We do like store bought footie pajamas, but sometimes we would like a different option.
The best separate pajamas were these ones from Target. You get them in a 3 piece set, usually one t-shirt, a pair of shorts, and a pair of pants.
They were comfortable and she likes them. But for some reason I think pajamas can be a little pricey, especially when they start looking like this after a short amount of time.
Dirty and pilling all over.
So I have been on a recent quest to make my daughter some pajamas, while utilizing the most of my time and what can be bought in the store.
I just found this free pattern here for pajama pants. I had recently bought some snuggle flannel for $3/yd and using the pattern I was able to sew up some pants in under 30 minutes (I did not add the contrasting cuff to the bottom, in order to save time and because I didn’t have any contrasting fabric that matched).
Now for the tops. Making t-shirts isn’t a huge deal, but when you can scour Target for their $3.50 clearance plain colored t-shirts, well that makes a whole lot more sense.
So for $6.50 and under 30 minutes of time, you have a new set of pajamas. You would actually have enough material to make shorts too….but I’m not sure many people like to sleep in flannel shorts!
And one happy and comfortable little girl!
A side note: they say you shouldn’t make pajamas for children out of the snuggle flannel line because it hasn’t been treated for flammability. In other words….use at your own risk, and just make sure if they are wearing any flannel material they are not around open flames (i.e. use common sense).
As I finally wrapped up making Halloween costumes on the day of Halloween I began thinking about all the time and money put into making something homemade and how it would compare with something store bought. I thought I would document it for you.
Bella – Wicked Witch of the East
Store bought option
– Doesn’t really exist for the whole costume.
Homemade version
– cost: $3 for tights (witch's dress was already owned, but also store bought).
– time: 5 hours to assemble and paint the cardboard house. Extra bonus, the cardboard house makes a great play space for a two year old brother!
Myself – Wicked Witch of the West
Store bought option
– approx. $50-80
Homemade version
– cost: $25 fabric for black dress, tights, and makeup (already owned wig, hat, black shirt and boots).
– time: 6 hours to cut and sew the dress.
Extra bonus, the dress is not a costume and can be worn for many occasions. Although I will admit that my costume was not as good of a replica as I wanted to achieve.
Jesse – The Wizard of Oz as the door keeper
Store bought option
– $60
Homemade version
– cost: $30 fabric for jacket, fabric for hat and mittens, thrifted jacket turned into dress, mustache.
– time: 5 hours to cut and sew all the costume pieces ( I blame most of the time on the striped collar).
Men’s homemade costumes can be pricier because they need so much fabric for their taller/bigger frames. Also this costume probably won’t be worn again, but I do have thoughts about changing the hat and mittens into something my daughter can actually wear.
Oliver – The flying monkey
Store bought option
– $50
Homemade version
– cost: $19 fabric for all 7 pieces of the costume
– time: I’m not sure I want to admit this one. I did not keep track by any means, but I would guess something ridiculous like 10+ hours to cut and sew all the costume pieces.
I’m hoping because the monkey suit looks cute without the flying monkey parts and I made it out of fleece material, he will be able to wear it around the house. He loves the monkey pants with the tail and was upset he couldn’t wear them before Halloween. We will see with Halloween being over if he wants to wear them now that he will be allowed to.
In the end I’m not disappointed I made them, although I think next year we should probably aim for something simpler!
