Happy Valentine's Day!!...{again}

So now it's time for me to share my first couple of creations from my Japanese pattern sewing adventures!  I made this blouse a couple of weeks ago from this book and so for Azy's dress, I did a remix on the shirt by turning it into a dress.  I wanted to make it a bias strip dress because that purple bias strip dress is by far my fave to put her in (I swear she wears it once a week) for one reason at least: it doesn't wrinkle!

So I bought this adorable glitter elephant fabric and made more bias strips for the skirt.

I made my own aqua piping (yes with yarn ;-) and check it out: you recognize those glittery flower buttons???  Yep, I made them too!

I love that the buttons look like candy!!

The skirt is a circle skirt with a double ruffle on the bottom and a serged narrow rolled hem (I love those on ruffles because it doesn't make those sharp edges a folded hem can make.)  I could NOT find the right ribbon to put on top of the red lace.  Nothing in my stash look right.  So being the bias hoarder that I am, I made a bias ruffle trim to put on top and I could not be happier.  It was the perfect trim for the lace!!  A bow sash belt wraps around her waist, and there are two chevron striped heart shaped pockets for my little Azy to shove her valentines into!

I think the blouse of this dress came out sooooo much better than my first (even though I still really like that one).  The collar came out *perfect* this time!  I was a little confused at the instructions the first time because I thought the only seam allowances were the ones that were mentioned but that is FALSE!  Add in those 1cm bad boys everywhere!  That and I went up a size (which, I think next time I will do an in between sizing for my little chibi).  I really like making this shirt!  I'm always impressed with myself for making button-down shirts with button cuffs to boot!  I cannot believe I found this book!

So much fun sewing Japanese Lolita Style for little girls and there's a bonafide book on the subject!!

Oh, and it wouldn't be a "sew chibi" dress if I didn't add something fun for her, right?!  Check out that pocket on her blouse.  Yep.  A heart shaped pocket made to fit one and only one super awesome lollipop.  (you know me and my lollipop pockets hahaha)

I think it looks super fun and Valentine's explosion-y.  It's been a while since I did a wild and creation.  And she loved it!  The bus driver said she was a big hit at school that day!

For Sephira's dress, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. 

From the moment I thumbed through this book for the first time, I knew I had to make her this dress.  It's so girly and simple, and with that perfect modern yet vintage feel to it.  Those pleats and the short hem, with the peek a boo bloomers.  This is the perfect dress for my baby girl!  I found this adorable pink bicycle fabric with little birdies riding on them and I fell in love.  And then I turned to my stash to find a suitable match for the fabric.  I went through everything, and then I settled upon this awesome stretch velvet in this cool blue hunter green like color.  I also knew that I wanted to make the sleeves long since it's a bit chilly here. And then, as I started cutting, (and from YiFarn's glorious notes) I realized that I was going to need a larger width (keep that in mind if you are making this pattern).  Well, I am a pretty creative gal sometimes, so I thought surely there must be some solution to my dress that wouldn't take away from its simplicity.  I found this eyelet remnant I've had for a while and never knew what to do with it.  And then I realized I didn't have the perfect trim for the eyelet (I didn't think the red would look good there) so I made some ribbon out of the pink bicycle fabric of which I had the smallest amount left.  I added in enough to pleat it in on the sides so that it sufficiently poofs out. 

I knew for the top trim I wanted to use this red braid because it really made it feel Valentine's-y to me.  I used the green button I made in my button making tutorial for the back (even though the pattern actually calls for a large hand sewn snap, I knew I didn't like that idea as much as a beautiful hand-crafted button) and then with a little help from my terrific friend Ari, we picked out the perfect button for a decorative touch to the front, between the collar points.

don't you just love those sleeves!?

I then, last minute, whipped up a pair of bloomers with the last of the stretch velvet fabric (I cut out something else special from it that I have yet to stitch up).  The pattern is from the same book and the placement of the casings enlightened me to a whole new way of doing them.  

I love them this way because it adds the slightest paper-bag look to them and they are the perfect length.  The 85cm sizing on Sephy was perfect.

I can wait to do more from this book!  BTW, on japanese sewing books today, Yi Farn goes over my book.  She is an incredible wealth of knowledge and an immense help. A couple of my translations were way off. 

So there you have it. Valentines Day 2013 sew chibi style.  

What do you think?????

My little lollipop wizard.  If they ever make a candyland Harry Potter movie...;-)

Criminy, I have to draft up some Easter goodness!  Wait till you all see what spills out of my head for that one!

Until then!!

P.S.) If you do make buttons or any Japanese Sewing Patterns from the books I listed please add them to the sewn for your chibis flickr group!!