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Monday, May 26, 2014

Swim Team Blog Hop


I am so excited to be participating in this blog hop with:

Wednesday, May 21st  Windham Fabrics
Thursday, May 22nd Dinara Mirtalipova
Friday, May 23rd, Erin Schlosser
Saturday, May 24th, Melissa's Missouri Mel
Sunday, May 25th, Terri Quilted Fox

Be sure to click over to their blogs and see what they made!

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Ever since I first saw the beginnings of this fabric several months ago, I have been dreaming about the fun summer cover-up I would make with these fabulous bathing beauties!  Designed by Dinara Mirtalipova for Windham Fabrics, you can read more about Dinara's design inspiration by clicking over to her blog above.


Though I generally don't make "Mommy and Me" outfits, these two  main patterns were different enough in scale that I felt like it was OK (as in not super-super-dorky even if we wore them on the same day).  Plus, my little swimmer girl who paddled around for hours in the lake yesterday despite chattering teeth, definitely "needed" this swimming-ladies pattern in something.






I ended up making a Washi dress by Rae Hoekstra, for me (which I have been meaning to do...forever...) and a quick pillow-case dress for her. There is a great pillow-case dress tutorial here. I just threw this together in a half-hour---I don't put a lot of time and effort into making things for her lately because she is 3 and FULL of opinions about her clothes.  See below.


So...she did not LOVE her dress.  In fact, she had a complete screaming temper tantrum about wearing it.  This is dad, bribing her with a promise of ice cream to get her to cooperate with photos---let's be honest about the other side of pretty blog pics.  


Looks bucolic, right??  Little do you know...


This Washi dress was a great one for me to make now...7 mos pregnant, because it has shirring on the back that gives it a little stretch and some small pleats in the front, so I can wear it now and in August after the baby comes. 


This is the face that we mostly saw.





These beautiful lupines finally provided some distraction.



I can't wait to make more of these dresses and tops---it was an easy one-day project and in this fabric makes a great swim day cover-up! 

What would you make?  Leave a comment here, I will be giving away two fat quarters bundles of this fantastic summery fabric to two lucky winners!

Thanks to everyone who left such nice comments!  I enjoyed reading what you would do with this fabric!  Sounds like the beach will be full of sun-bathing ladies this summer! ;)  The winners of the giveaway are Gill and Carla!  I sent you an email, ladies, so send me your address and I will send out your fabric. 






39 comments:

  1. I would make some cushion covers and place mats for my patio. We live at the lake, so this fabric is perfect! Thanks!

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  2. I love your dress Nell - one of the nicest Washi dresses I've seen!
    I'd make a picnic quilt if I was lucky enough to win!

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  3. I think a beach quilt would be great!

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  4. I love love love these dresses! I would make a tote bag for the beach and a pillowcase dress for my granddaughter.

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  5. Love your Dresses...and lil Model is sooo cute....even tho her tastebuds don't seem impressed with her dress! lol Way cute!

    I knoooow I would make a beach Quilt/Blanket for my Daughter!! They live in NC & go to the Beach often... & these fabrics are Perfect!! Love em!!

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  6. I would make a beach quilt with tote to match. Cute dresses you made.

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  7. OMG!! Your dresses are adorable and perfect with this fabric... Love them both!! Wish I could sew clothing, however if I won a bundle, I would make something I do best and so I would make a beach bag and beach quilt!!!

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  8. Such a gorgeous dresses.Love both.I`d make a bed runner or lap quilt and some of the blues would use them to see some blue Dear Jane blocks.Thanks!

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    1. Thanks Rosa. I like the idea of some blue Dear Jane blocks! :)

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  9. Cutest dress is yours. I have a beach blanket pillow set to make. Now I have the right fabric to make it.

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  10. I love th honesty in your pictures. How could your daughter not love such a lovely dress?

    When I first saw this I thought I'd make a beach picnic blanket, but I've been to a lot of the other blogs promoting this and I've been quite tempted by a swimming bag of some sort.

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    1. Hi Charlotte, Thanks! She didn't like the ribbon hitting her shoulders, so maybe I just need to re-engineer with some elastic...lol. Nothing like opinionated 3 year olds. :)

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  11. Your dresses are adorable. I have a friend with two little girls who love to wear dresses so I would make some for them with this fun fabric.

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    1. Thanks Karen. I wish my daughter loved to wear dresses more. LOL. She has 3 big brothers, so I imagine that is part of the problem. ;)

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  12. Your dress is adorable. I would make a romper for my niece and a little bag for her swim toys. I'm really tempted to use your daughters pattern. If I have anything left over, it's into my stash quilt with fussy cuts of the ladies! How fun!

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  13. I would make a beach cover up, too, and yours is beautiful! Thanks for the giveaway. sarah@forrussia.org

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  14. I would make a beach bag and beach quilt - such cute prints!

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  15. I would make my girls matching skirts!

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  16. I never thought of a dress with this fabric, but I absolutely love both of the dresses you made! Thanks so much for sharing! Your daughter reminds me of my three-year-old granddaughter, who also has strong opinions about what she wears! I love the bathing ladies and would use this fabric in cosmetic pouches. I'd also make my granddaughter a dress.

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  17. I would make some placemats and matching napkins. Fun projects!

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  18. I'd like to make a summer tote or swim bag, and accent some summer shorts for my boys (the pockets). :)

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  19. I think Id make a great big pool bag. Thanks for the chance. Love your dress!

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  20. I would have to make a quillow. Love your dresses. Thanks for the chance.

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  21. I see a beach blanket and beach tote in the near future! Love the nautical colors!

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  22. The dresses are so cute! I'd make a quilt or maybe a beach tote bag.

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  23. this fabric is oh so cute for the summer! I'd make a dress for my toddler in it. But with fat quarters, probably a swimming tote bag.

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  24. A perfect summer fabric. Thanks for the chance!

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