Pink Cake Three Ways

Our special four year old was lucky enough to have three celebrations this year... one at school, one with family (on the very day), and one with friends (the weekend after). And, each got her a different version of my go-to cake recipe, Magnolia's Vanilla Cupcakes from More from Magnolia, with Rachel Ray's icing recipe—which, by the way, is honestly the best cupcake frosting I've ever had. I make half the recipe.

I made mini two-layer cakes for her birthday dinner at home. She shares her birthday with her Nona, so they each got one—with their own mini cake-banner, too. I used my Martha Stewart butterfly punch, baker's twine and my ubiquitous Cavallini and Co. Alphabet Stamps.

Out of the same batch of batter and frosting, I made ice cream cone cupcakes for her to bring to preschool. These were the traditional treat for my husband's school-birthdays, so we decided to carry it on. I got mini ice cream cones (at Target) to make them more preschool portioned.

[Oh... late night school-cupcake baking. A rite of passage, I think.]

To make these, stand the empty ice cream cones in a muffin tin (or a mini-muffin tin), fill them two-thirds or so with batter, and bake as usual. 

I piped the icing on and dipped them in sprinkles to make it look like (pink) soft-serve. 

AFTER they were baked and cooled, I put tin foil over the empty muffin tins and poked holes to secure for the cones in (BEFORE I iced them, so that they wouldn't be tippy when I decorated and transported them.)

Finally, for the friend party, I made regular sized cupcakes—same recipes, of course. The ballerina toppers were by Meri Meri (although I bought them last year).

We decided to go with the age=number of guests rule (4 friends for a 4-year-old) this year, and had a simple sprinkler/kiddie pool/trampoline party in the backyard. She had a blast and we did too.

Crafty Chloe Doll Bed

It's no secret that I love Heather Ross—her fabric, her illustrations, her patterns—so, it's no surprise that I ordered Crafty Chloe for Louisa as soon as it came out. The book is FANTASTIC. And, it inspired me (and Louisa) to do a little crafty crafting of our own, for Lou's twin friends who celebrated a birthday last weekend.

At the end of the book Chloe gives her friend Emma a doll bed she makes out of a clementine crate. There are instructions from Heather (via the Martha Stewart Show) on the Crafty Chloe website. We decided to give the twins their own copy of Crafty Chloe and a homemade pink doll bed, just like Emma's.

Echino Cars Toddler Backpack

Leo's backpack (or more accurately, toy train tote) gave me a chance to use Rae's Toddler Backpack pattern again, which has been updated to include lining and enlarging instructions since I made one last fall for Louisa.

For this one, I used Echino Mini Cars (from Echino Nico 2011) in green and brown (which I purchased while I was in New York a while back at Purl Soho). I interfaced with heavy weight pellon, and lined it with Michael Miller Lime Toot Toot from etsy. I'm not the first one to use the mini cars for a Rae Toddler Backpack, but it is a great fabric for boys, so no wonder.

I added two side pockets, one slip, one elasticized for a water bottle, just like last time. And I added an inside pocket and pencil slot, and a patch on the other side with his name and phone.

Children at Play Dress (Simplicity 5226)

I wanted to make Louisa a play dress, and found this pattern, Simplicity "Easy to Sew" 5226, in my drawer (not sure where or when I got it). I decided it would be good for putting to use some of my Sarah Jane Children at Play Michael Miller prints that I've been hoarding. I bought these (and a bunch of boy prints that you will hopefully see up here soon!) from Hawthorne Threads when they were first released last year.


I really like Sarah Jane's illustrations (Louisa has this print over her bed, and Leo has this one over his crib), and Louisa loves white dandelions, so that drew me to this print, Summer Gardens in Lilac.

She actually requested this dress this morning... "the one you made with the dandelion girls on it, you know, Mom?"

I wish I had made the bias binding around the collar and arm holes out of the flower print I used on the ruffle (Meadow in Pink) but I was trying to save that yardage for another project, and also, I hate making bias tape. So, I used some close-enough-pink packaged tape. It closes with a single pink button and fabric loop in the back.


Everything has to have a pocket these days. Lots of treasures to keep track of.


I turned and stitched most of the seams, used some french seams, and serged the bottom. I also made it quite a bit shorter than the original pattern.

Here it is at play!

Running with her classmates in her school's Mini Relay for Life:


And at the first Friday's After Five of the season, getting her face painted with her dear pal Dorothy:

Wiksten Tank (Spring Top Sewalong)

Like so many others, I jumped on the Wiksten patterns when they recently became available as PDFs. The patterns get great reviews and I was not disappointed by the Tank.

I used Anna Maria Horner Little Folks Voile in Diamond Mine Sky, and the same in Coloring Garden Dusk for the trim. The pattern calls for the bias trim to be hidden but I folded it narrowly to show off the contrasting fabric.

My topstitching is far from perfect but it isn't too noticeable on the floral print. I also had a hard time getting the hem to fold nicely on that durn curve!

I bought the voile last summer from Fabricworm.com when I was inspired to make a tank like this one (which I LOVED as soon as I came across it on flickr), and of course I never used it til now.

I made a size medium based on my bust measurement but it is too baggy around my middle. Next time I'll definitely taper it in a bit. I know it is supposed to be loose fitting, but this looks maternity (when I am not holding my hands on my hips to keep the poof down). The fit is a little off in the back too with some gaping at the neck.

The fit on this one from the Quilted Tortoise is perfect, in my opinion. She also inspired me to spend the time to match my pocket perfectly!

This is my first entry into Rae's 2012 Spring Top Sewalong. Hopefully I'll get a chance to follow through on a short sleeved Renfrew Top as planned for my second entry!

Made by Rae Flashback Skinny Tee

Leo has been so obsessed with his first "car shirt" I had to make another one quick.

This time I used Made by Rae's new Flashback Skinny Tee pattern, and the brown retro cars interlock (from Print Knits Studio, discovered through the Piccoli Piselli KNITerview). The neckband and cuffs are made from a brown cotton rib knit from fabric.com.

The pattern was perfect and super quick. I made the 18-24 months size for Leo who is 20 months old. It fits him great. The instructions are clear and well-illustrated. I will make make more I am sure.

Only thing I did differently from her directions was to attach the cuffs and neckband with my serger, skipping my regular machine all together (like Liesl instructs in the oliver + s Hopscotch pattern). On the other seams I did as Rae recommended and first stitched with my machine.

I don't have a walking foot yet, but I found that a longer straight stitch worked better on this fabric than a zigzag, although I did use a zigzag stitch on the hem. I also used a ballpoint needle.

Thanks for another great pattern, Rae! (I've also made her Showoff Bag and Toddler Backpack.)

Mmm... bacon.

Sew Liberated Envelope Tee

Finally Leo got a shirt, too! And it has turned out to be very satisfying for me, because he has worn it every day since I made it. Luckily the cars hide the stains fairly well (sort of). Every morning he starts unzipping his pajamas and asking for his "cars!" I love it. And I need to make more ASAP to give my washing machine a break.

This is the Envelope Tee from Growing Up Sew Liberated. I made the 24 months size, which is the biggest of this particular pattern. I used my serger, but her instructions are for doing it without. And I added cuffs and a waistband.

The fabric is retro cars interlock from Print Knit Studio. I hadn't heard of that site until it was mentioned in Sascha's KNITerview, but the prices are very good and the fabric came right away. Plus he included swatches of almost every other print they carry which is very helpful.

This interlock is very high quality and easy to sew with. It is cozy for winter, but I don't think it will be too hot for spring if I make a short sleeves version.

The sleeves turned out way too long (I didn't take off enough to compensate for the cuffs when I cut the pattern) and so I ended up cutting them off and hemming the sleeves with a zigzag stitch (as you can see in the top picture). The waistband kept rolling up (I think because of the direction I serged it) so I ended up hemming the bottom too.

I made three more in size 0-6 months for three new little girls that were born to three different friends of mine this winter, babies Evelyn, Charlotte and Virginia.

I used a lightweight cotton pointelle rib knit in iris from fabric.com and some pieces of oliver + s city weekend for the trim (left over from Louisa's Hopscotch Dress.)



These shirts whip up very quickly and are very practical so they are perfect for gifts—and for playing.

Fancy Nancy Kid Pants Pajama Bottoms

When I found a silky Fancy Nancy remnant at Jo-Ann, I couldn't resist making something for my little Fancy Lou. Of course, this sort of fabric (although "not to be used for children's sleepwear," since it is not doused in flame-retardant chemicals) is best suited for around-the-house apparel. Pajama bottoms!

I made the ruffle out of a two-inch strip, twice as long as the cuff. I just serged off the bottom and gathered the top to match the cuff. I attached them with a quarter-inch seam allowance, which I also finished with the serger. Quick and easy.

I followed Dana's Kid Pants post and traced another pair of Louisa's pajamas that fit her well, but it turned out pretty wonky. I had little patience for perfecting the pattern after making a trial pair from an old pillow case.

So, there is a lot of bunching in the crotch and the waist band is a little fudged.

But oh well, they are silky, ruffled, have Fancy Nancy and Frenchy all over them and cost me about $3 so I'm calling them a win.