Pillowcase Dresses

A week ago it was over 90 degrees and we had to get the air conditioner fixed. Again. Since then it has been dreary and in the fifties just about every day. Today I finally noticed that it's only 62 degrees inside because the thermostat was still on A/C. Why can't it figure out when it's time to use heat vs. air without us having to tell it so? (OK, I'll bet there is such a thermostat and probably not worth the extra $200.)

I actually enjoy a cool spring so it feels like there's a break between winter and summer, but Olivia is growing out of her cute little summer clothes before she even gets to wear them. Last Sunday I had planned for her to wear a pink and green sleeveless dress in honor of the Apple Blossom Festival, but it was so chilly I layered it over a long-sleeved onesie and pink pants. Still cute.

One Saturday in March when Steve was playing paintball I tried my hand at making pillowcase dresses. You start with a pillowcase, cut the closed end off for armholes and a casing*, then add a drawstring for straps. For the pink one I started with two fat quarters (because they were on sale for 99¢), a satin ribbon drawstring, and made muslin facing* for the armholes. The yellow one I lined because it was pretty translucent, and I also did elastic for the front and back instead of a true drawstring. So much for the quick and easy project! And then we had a fashion show with Daddy when he came home, so if you look closely you can see his paintball grubbies (and the quilt!). So, until the temperature shoots back into the nineties we will be wearing these dresses with the BabyLegs my mom gave us from EarthBums (thanks!). And, because they are adjustable and unfitted, Olivia can wear these as tops when she gets taller.

Speaking of EarthBums (my sister-in-law's cloth-diapers-and-more-company), Tom and Jen just welcomed a sweet little girl, Lyla Jane. She's two days old here and sporting her own set of BabyLegs. Tom and Travis came to visit for the Bloom, and somehow I didn't take a single picture while they were here. It was so good to see them and watch how Travis is growing. (He's 3!)

*In case you're wondering, I don't sew that much (curtains, other straight-lined-non-fitted things) but somehow I've picked up the terminology from Mom. And the pack-rat tendencies. Yes, I just *happened* to have elastic laying around, probably from last spring when I was planning to make pillowcase skirts for myself. The baby belly foiled that plan, but nothing is going to waste!