Look At Me, Planning Ahead...Who Am I?

3.07.2012

With a baby due in late March (or possibly early April)

Who's sick of looking at my growing belly yet?  Wait - don't
answer that question!

and a very energetic toddler turning three in early May, I figure that the next couple of months will be just a wee bit hectic and so I've been trying to get a few things done now in an attempt to make life easier down the road.  Like working on O's birthday present, which I've decided is going to be a dress-up chest that will hopefully keep her well entertained in the months to come.  I've been keeping an eye out at stores for little things that I think she'd like but I've also picked out a couple of things that I'd like to sew for her gift and amazingly, I've finished one of them already - the Play Cape from Growing Up Sew Liberated.


When picking out the fabric for the cape I knew that I wanted atleast one side to be red (because who doesn't love Little Red Riding Hood?) and I originally thought that I was just going to go with some red uncut corduroy but when I went to go buy it I realized that it's not a particularly drapey fabric and that it probably wouldn't be the best choice for a dress-up cape.  And then I came across a huge bolt of red velour and I was immediately sold. 


The velour is incredibly drapey, but even more importantly, it's incredibly soft and O is obsessed with soft fabrics (in fact, every time I take her into a fabric store she yells out "minky!" and heads straight towards that section where she proceeds to rub her face on every bolt).  So I bought a yard of red velour for the Little Red Riding Hood vibe and a yard of black velour for something perhaps a bit more sinister.  I'd never sewn with velour before so I didn't quite know what to expect and I'm happy to report that all in all it was fine to sew with (if you ignore all of the fuzzies that it leaves everywhere).  You should probably know though that this pattern was incredibly easy to sew and was very forgiving so perhaps it was not the best test of how much of a pain in the butt velour is to sew with.  In any case, the cape came together incredibly quickly and I sewed it exactly as directed except that I rounded out the point of the hood, a la Dana


Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to convince this very grumpy child that the hood is actually for somebody else and to hide it out of her sight until her birthday comes along.  

15 comments:

  1. A dress up chest is such a cool idea! You rule, and I like seeing your growing belly. You're almost mama to two!

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  2. woah, look at you - both the belly and the sewing! that cape is awesome, and my Em does the same thing in the minky section. she's also a big fan of the lame and sequin section...sparkles!

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  3. Yay, the belly is going down, a good sign!
    And I love the idea of a dress up chest! I remember buying a doll size stroller for my son when Miss M. was due so that we could both run around with a stroller...

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  4. look at you indeed! i can't wait to see what else is in store for that dress up box. a velour cape is perfect - i love that it's reversible and that one side is sinister :). double the dress up fun!

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  5. Looks like maybe O prefers sinister? :D
    These capes are so awesome I cannot tell you how much wear Clem has had out of his.
    I think the easiest solution right now might be to make this an early part of her birthday present....

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  6. A little busy in a few months you think? ;o) Looks like it's going to be a fab chest anyway, hope you managed to prise it away from her okay!

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  7. Might need to make one of these! Almost baby time; woot!

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  8. good luck with that friend. you might want to wait until she is asleep and take it off her then, as i am sure she won't take it off, not even to sleep! super cute idea to give her a dress-up chest! i might have to copy you! you look great btw! your super skinny with a basketball hidden under your shirt! i am sure you don't feel like it but you really do look awesome!

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  9. dang it woman.
    you look so good.
    xoxo

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  10. Your baby belly is adorable, and so is that cape! Yeah, I don't think I would have the energy to try to take it away and then give it back! You must be made of stronger stuff than I am!

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  11. We got the girl a dress-up chest for Christmas, and I've been looking for ideas for what to stock it with. This is a great one!

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  12. Love the cape! I was thinking about making Anna the one from "Little Things to Sew" but wondering about fabrics--velour is a cool idea.

    And I always want to rub my face in the minky fabrics bolts, too!! Too bad I'm no longer a toddler.

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  13. It came out fantastic! I have wanted to sew up this pattern so much, especially after seeing Dana's lovely photos, and then my sister stitched one up (maybe crushed velvet?) for my niece. It turned out great and I love that it has a sinister side. Kind of perfect for an almost three-year old!

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  14. Well done and yay you for being organisied. Did you manage to get it off her. I did that to Amelia with a knit a few years ago. Finished it, photographed it and then wrapped it up and gave it to her for her birthday - hehe - great minds think alike. I don't think I would get away with it now though.

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  15. Oh my word. . . that is just awesome! You are so good it's good and bad!

    I love the part about O in fabric stores!

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