Animal Applique Jumper for Kids Tutorial

For me, there is nothing more adorable than a cute little girl in a classic jumper. Add a fox or a squirrel to that jumper and toss in some sweater tights, a peter pan collar and mary janes and you've got yourself a major cuteness overload. I got the idea to make these jumpers for Ruby because she is really into animals right now and I knew that nothing would get her more excited than to have a fox pouncing across her body or a squirrel eating a nut on her belly. The pattern for this jumper is pretty easy to create, just make sure you've got the measurements correct before you get started. I measured Ruby about a month before I made the jumpers, and now they are a bit too small in the chest. Probably better to add a half inch to all of your measurements to ensure they will fit your child for a whole season.

Katie MilesNovember 19, 2013Toddler, Sew, Applique, Baby Comment

Appliqué Chevron Canvas Bag

Hit the beach in this super cool gold lame´ chevron canvas bag. Never done applique´ before? No problem. Follow this easy tutorial and you will have your own one of a kind beach bag before you know it!

Katie MilesJune 21, 2013Applique, GiftComment

Little Dress on the Prairie

As promised, here is a tutorial for a slightly more complicated summer dress for a little girl. This is possibly the second cutest thing I've ever made next to my little girl, Ruby. This dress is still too big for my little baby bear, but that was intentional because I want it to fit her this summer. I couldn't resist putting it on her though and watching the two cutest things I've ever made twirl around the room melted my heart. This summer when the dress actually fits, I will take some photos of the crazy cuteness and post them. For now, I hope you enjoy the tutorial.

Katie MilesFebruary 19, 2013Sew, Toddler, AppliqueComment

Bird and Corduroy Jacket

First let me start by saying that I am not a seamstress. The only stitch I know how to do on a sewing machine is a straight stitch and I don’t know anything about pattern making. But, when I was a kid I used to make a ton of doll clothes. If you know how to sew and have ever made doll clothes, making baby clothes isn’t too hard. Also, keep in mind that this is the only time when your child doesn’t care about what she is wearing, so it may be your only time to experiment with making clothes for her.

Katie MilesOctober 4, 2012Sew, Toddler, AppliqueComment

Tie-Dyed and Appliquéd Onesies

I made this set of Onesies for a very special friend of mine who is about to have a baby boy. I started with some washed Onesies (it’s important to wash them in order to get the sizing out so the dye will adhere). To make the geometric dye pattern, wrap the Onesies around a paint stir stick (free at most hardware stores) and clip binder clips on the edges. After the Onesies are bound, soak them with water and set them aside.

Katie MilesSeptember 12, 2012Fabric Dying, Applique, Baby, Upcycle, GiftComment

Hand Embellished Jeans for Toddler

My daughter has the cutest pair of patch worked and embroidered Baby Gap jeans that my friend found at a garage sale. She is about to grow out of them and I am so sad to see them go, so I decided to make her a new pair. I found a pair of jeans her size on sale for $7. Then I dug out some fabric from my pile of pretties that I am always dying to find a use for. I cut out a shape from the fabric and stitched it onto the jeans. I like DNC Pearl embroidery floss for the stitch work because I like to see the irregularity of the stitching, but you could use thread or a machine if you want a neater look. I wasn’t satisfied with just the butterflies and wanted to add a little more flare so I embroidered some flowers onto the jeans as well. The Lazy Daisy stitch is so easy to do. I included a scan from an embroidery book so you can see how it is done. I love my little girl in jeans like these- so original and cute!

Katie MilesSeptember 5, 2012Toddler, Applique, Embroider, UpcycleComment