But my little girl LOVES pink princesses and wants a pink princess dress. And a pink princess school bag. And a purple princess dress. Etc... so I'm always trying to dream up ways to reinterpret the theme and make things "pinkalicious" enough to capture her imagination while still appealing to my sense of style. So, a big "Thank you" to Miss Heather Ross, for designing Far Far Away 2, the ultimate princess collection of fabrics, done in a sophisticated color pallate that still incorporates the all-important pink and purple.
After hoarding this fabric for quite a while, too anxious to actually cut into it and make anything, I finally made a few skirts, which I'll show you if I ever get it together enough to take a picture while she's actually wearing it! More recently though I made a tote bag - inspired by Lainey's recent slew of princess drawings. I love how she's so proud of her artwork, and likes to explain what she's drawn, and tell us little stories about the people in her pictures.
She was "just a little bit blue in her face."
"She is purple and blue. Her crown is TURQUOISE." Not blue. Not Green. Turquoise. Thank you very much! And "it sits on TOP of her hair!"
My favorite simple tote bag tutorial is this one from Skip to my Lou. It's not only lined, but fully reversible, and I love to sew things that are finished so well they are as nice on the inside as the outside. I didn't make my tote the same dimensions - but otherwise followed her instructions.
The larger areas are appliqued wool felt, and the detail work is embroidered. I added in Lainey's signature too, and "08/11" so we'd have the date.
In just this past month, Lainey's preschool teacher taught her to make her "E's" stand upright, instead of laying down and napping. (We both LOVE Miss Kim and Debbie)!
I photocopied and reduced the two drawings that inspired the design element on this bag, and made a little laminated tag that is sewn into the bag in lieu of a name tag! Lainey loves to point out how she made it, and mommy made it. What a fun way to collaborate w/ my daughter! And to preserve a tiny bit of her voluminous artwork!
So, where's the Heather Ross Princess fabric in all of this?!! The lining! It is this gorgeous purple sleeping beauty print. Now to get really brave, I'm going to try making a Far Far Away 2 "princess dress" using the Oliver and S Ice Cream pattern for the first time. Wish me luck!
