Tween Tuesday: Sometimes dresses are still OK!!

 

When the kids start to hit the tween years being somewhere around 8 – 12 years old suddenly the dress you lovingly made for your daughter isn´t anymore the style she likes or those new jeans that you bought for your son get a quick: “No, I am not going to wear “those” answer!”

So my sewing projects have changed from flower prints to mostly solid fabrics and from colorful fabrics to blues, blacks, greys, whites and lately lot´s of denim and I´ve even tried my hand with knits (I´m shocked as I´m such a woven fabrics girl)! Some of my projects are total misses if you ask my daughter and other times I still get it right – again in her opinion!

So I was pretty happy when my latest sewing project Knit Dresses got a thumbs up!! And Elli got to hang out with one of her best friends Loti and we had a fun photo session!

 

Oh and this is Loti´s “French face”….haha, there´s something about her expression that always makes me think of French!!

Ravenna Dress, Tunic and Top pattern from Little Lizard King

Fabrics: Market finds from Barcelona

 

Pjs and Giggles

Hey,

It´s been months since I´ve last blogged…but that´s how it goes, life gets busy with new projects and juggling everyday commitments but I haven´t stopped sewing for my tween girl and I even got some of Elli´s friends to join us for fun “show the new sews” picture sessions over the past few months plus, I´ve made few pieces for my friend´s younger daughters as well!

Now that weather has gotten chillier we are craving for warm PJs, reading a good book, relaxing by the fireplace and watching good movies on Sunday afternoons – preferably while still wearing that warm and snuggly PJ or Nightgown!

Talking about the PJs and Nighties, this is one of my favorite picture sessions from this fall/winter…so far!!

It was an afternoon full of giggles and having good time!

 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Stardust Gown and Northern Lights Pajama Set Patterns from Little Lizard King

 

 

Sewing diaries chapter 13

Dear Diary,

Do fabrics speak?…Funnily enough they do…they might not speak the same language to everyone, as when a fabric says “you will love me” to one person, it will say nope, not my kind of gal to another sewing enthusiastic! Sometimes a fabric screams from the shop shelf “Meeeeee, I´m the right one!” for that sewing project in my mind and other times the fabric bolts sit quietly on the shop selves and make me hesitate and worst feeling ever, make me leave a fabric shop empty handed!

I´ve had this lovely blue fabric which drapes beautifully waiting for the right sewing project since last summer. I know, so not me to have extra fabric just laying around as I usually  purchase fabric with a specific project in my mind. But this fabric was a gift so it was patiently waiting until I felt that I had a perfect idea for it and finally the idea jumped into my mind…in a form of a Mod dress pattern from Little Lizard King.

The angel sleeves are absolutely fabulous…..and I already have another project in my mind for summer with this pattern…now I just need to hit the fabric shops and let the fabrics speak to me!

 

Dress and flower pattern: Little Lizard King

Dress fabric: Gift from a friend

 

 

 

Sewing diaries chapter 12

Dear diary,

Finally I braved myself and I cut this Art Gallery fabric I was given as a gift last summer. It was my favourite from last year´s fabric collections and I have had such a hard time trying to decide what to sew with it.

At the end I went with the simple style of the Elise pattern from Little Lizard King as it showcases beautifully this fabric and spring colours!

Elise Pattern: Little Lizard King

Fabric: Art Gallery, Forest Floor collection

 

 

 

 

 

Sewing diaries chapter 11

Dear Diary,

Today we did our best to pretend to have a fun sunny summer beach day! Now don´t get me wrong we did have fun and we were on the beach, the only thing missing was a hot summer weather!

But nevertheless Elli tried some beach looks for the up coming summer….hurry up warm weather!!

I am so happy Elli still wears dresses time to time…long gone are the days of big ruffles, sashes and twirl factor…now the simple styles and solid fabrics are her preference.

 

Dress and headband patterns:  Little Lizard King

Fabrics: Ribes y Casals

Hat and bracelets: With Charm, Barcelona, Spain

 

 

Sewing diaries chapter 10

Dear diary,

This was love at the first sight….pattern love I mean. Sometimes I just can´t help but my heart starts to race like I would be running a 100m race, I feel all giddy and just give those absent smiles while deep in my own thoughts…because my mind is helplessly pushing everything else out of the way and all I can think of are fabric combinations, and different outfits I could create with the patterns.

And I was so happy that Elli approved flower fabric for her new top!

Isla top and Mayari skirt patterns:  Little Lizard King

Fabrics: Ribes & Casals

Sewing diaries chapter 9

Dear diary,

February is my happy month in terms of fabrics. After darker and thicker winter fabrics I am always so excited when the spring and summer fabrics start to arrive at shops. I love to plan new sewing projects and try new patterns. This top makes Elli happy as it is a perfect mix of a more teen style yet it is girlie as well. I would wear it would the pattern come in my size!!

Next I´m after some fun and more colourful fabrics to try this pattern in dress or romper style for summer beach days!

Havana top/dress/romper pattern from Little Lizard King

Top fabric from Ribes & Casals

Sewing diaries chapter 8

Dear diary,

A twirly girlie summer dress….a little feminine flower crown…a calm look in her eyes wiser beyond her years…

A radiant smile that makes you smile too, a tranquil feel that she transmits without knowing….that is what this lovely young lady is made of….and I´m happy Elli can call her a friend.

Dress pattern: Verona dress pattern from Little Lizard King

Fabric: Market find

 

 

 

 

Sewing diaries chapter 7

Dear diary,

Soft pink in different tones, lace, and flowers what could be more girlie and sweet!

Topped with a friendship that started years ago…

 

 

Mod dress pattern: Little Lizard King

Dress fabrics: Ribes & Casals

Sewing diaries chapter 6

Dear diary,

One of my favourite photo locations is this park close to our home. I love the pretty stone steps, trees and plants that make it feel like a secret garden. Partly wild and forest like and partly a beautifully groomed garden, it has been a place for numerous weekend walks, forest exploration trips and of course holds memories of quite a few photo sessions we´ve done there in the past with Elli and her friends.

These new white denim pants looked so lovely while they lasted..they now have cute and rather muddy paw prints on them as we happened to come across to an adorable puppy who of course just could not wait to jump on Elisa.

Florence top and dress pattern: Little Lizard King

Flares pattern (with modifications): Little Lizard King

Fabrics: Ribes & Casals