Tam's Renaissance costume

Here's the tunic I made for our little guy. Renaissance clothing is pretty easy to sew because you just make it big and add a drawstring or tie. All this tunic is composed of is two nearly identical front and back pieces and two tubes for sleeves. I knew I didn't have to make it perfect, or make it to last, since he'll out-grow it before next year!

The material is a light tan cotton/linen that I had used for curtains for one of the Minnesota apartments. The trim is all bias tape inherited from my aunt's sewing stash.

For this tunic, I traced a 9mth onesie onto paper for a pattern. This was to get the right length for the shoulders and width for the torso. I then used a pair of pants to guess at the length. I wanted it to go to his toes so it would cover the diaper and we wouldn't have to shove shoes on him.

I wanted long sleeves for sun coverage more than for warmth so I guessed on the arm length (a little long). I also left slits up the sides so that he could sit comfortably and he could stay cool if it did get warm. Then, in the back, I cut a slit from the neck opening so I could get the tunic over Tam's big head and tie it closed.

Quick seams up the sides, around the neck, around arm holes. I quickly sewed on the red bias tape so I didn't have to turn any edges :-) I ran out of red, so around the neck on the front is blue. (This is what happens when you don't measure anything).

Finally, I found an awesome dragon design on line and used it for the front of the shirt. I stenciled the dragon on using freezer-paper and fabric paint.

We loved the results!

Crafting gene?

Why oh why is my crafting gene kicking in now? At the end of the summer...when I'm trying to get ready for the school year?

We are planning to got the Silver Leaf Renaissance festival in Battle Creek, tomorrow. So, last night, I whipped up a tunic for Tam to wear. Yeah, literally whipped it up in about 2.5 hours while watching Harry Potter. I'll post photos later today.

I want to try these scrabble tile pendants for the women of the family for Christmas (we have 2 scrabble sets, so I have extra tiles)

I've got plans for some stenciled onesies for baby Christmas gifts.

I want to try my hand at modge podge for a new purse, since I can't seem to find a vintage one I like for the price. Something like this:

Oh, and I totally want to re-vamp my boring office chair with some new fun fabric!

Science and babies

Last night Brian and I were watching a Bones re-run on TV. This show is centered around a forensic anthropologist (Bones) and a FBI dude (Booth) and the various murder mysteries they are involved in solving. The show appeals and appals me with its "science" at times, but we both enjoy the story-line and trying to figure out who-done-it. Anyways, this episode involved a murdered mom who left an infant (4mth) who the stars had to take care of for the show. Whenever Bones had the kiddo in possession, she would talk to the kid in science terminology. For example, she would wave her fingers in his face to elicit giggles while telling the baby that she was waving her phalanges, which are the finger bones.

This is me.

I seem to not just babble baby nonsense, but continue to tell Tam all of the science behind the interaction as well. My example? Bath time. I'm pouring water on him while telling him that it's water; it's wet; it helps to make him clean; it's a liquid, not a solid or a gas; however, it can change between those states as water vapor or ice; it is composed of 2 hydrogens and a single oxygen molecule; the molecule has a slight polar charge; etc...

Well, you get the picture. Science time is all the time in our house :-) I then had the mental picture of Tam in kindergarten telling the teacher he would like a glass of H20!