Monday, May 3, 2010

My Non-Pillowcase Pillowcase Dresses

My friend Meri is pretty adventurous when it comes to crafts. When she mentioned making a pillowcase dress for her newborn, I was intrigued, especially when she said she didn't make hers out of an actual pillowcase.

That was the clincher for me, really. We currently use all of our pillowcases, and I haven't had the luck to find a fun vintagey one at a yard sale yet. Meri promised to show me how to make a non-pillowcase pillowcase dress and I promised to make her a delicious café mocha, which is really the only thing of value I have to offer.

There are tons of great tutorials online (like this one or this one), but I needed an actual real person to show me because
1) I am high maintenance like that and
B) I truly believe that I have the math skills of a 2nd grader and it's all my mom's fault because I fell off the changing table when I was a baby I just need some guidance when it comes to measuring and cutting.

If you have a hard time going from tutorial to finished product on your own, I'd be willing to try a step-by-step  post for sewing-challenged folks, but for today, here are some photos!

Love this Heidi Grace fabric!
And you know we had to have a photo shoot...forgive the shadows, please...bad timing!
My two year old has the skinniest legs! I wish I had her problem...but I digress.
Happy Monday! 
Hope you'll come back and join me for the Dishing It! Party this week. Hit that link to read more about it...I think the topic for May will be fun!
Linking to Kimba's fab DIY Day over at A Soft Place to Land.

post signature

34 comments:

Kristin said...

Very adorable!

Libby said...

THOSE ARE ADORABLE!!! I might have to make one for the little girl I watch.
Stopping by from SITS!

Dawn said...

Those are adorable-they came out great!

Erin said...

Those are the cutest little girls in their milkshake pillowcase dresses!!

Andrea said...

Aren't they fun to make?!!! I made one for each of my 3 girls for Easter and they were 'non' pillowcases as well! LOL
Love the HG fabric! I have bought some of hers before, but hadn't seen this particular print!

slommler said...

What adorable dresses!! And your girls are beautiful! Skinny legs and all!!
Hugs
SueAnn

Richella said...

Get out! You made those dresses?? Good for you! You've been holding out on us--you can sew, for sure!

I hear you with the falling-off-the-changing-table story, though. There are some ways in which my brain just doesn't quite work right. You should see me trying to learn how to do a new exercise or a dance move. No, scratch that--NO ONE should see me. I have to be shown exactly what to do, in person, with someone to actually put my limbs into position. It's as if my brain just can't quite process kinesthetic directions. I think my mom must have dropped me. That has to be it. :)

Wish I had Michaela's legs!

Holly said...

A-dor-a-ble!

Meri said...

Don't let her fool you, she didn't really need me. But I did accept the mocha, because, well, they are yummy. lol

They turned out fab! You did a great job! :D

RJ @ A Life Designed said...

I wish I could wear dresses like that! Your girls are so cute!

1 Funky Woman said...

Oh that fabric is too cute! How sweet is that kiss picture?

jenjen said...

Really cute!!! I love the print you used. And that picture of the girls kissing is so sweet!

Great job!!!

XOOX
Jen

House Queen said...

They look fabulous! i stink at math too and I cannot sew so I am really out of luck!!!

And...I would PAY to have that Skinny Leg Problem! Geesh! I have never had that!!!

Have a fab Monday!!!

samantha said...

I've wanted to learn how to make these. They are so cute

Petula said...

Oh my gosh, that's cute. I love the big girl one, but the little/big girl looks absolutely cutesy adorable. Great work!

Sandra said...

Thanks for the idea and tutorial ...I was lucky enough to find two vintage pillowcases at GW this past week for $3.00. I have four granddaughters and want to make all of them a pretty dress for summer. Thanks again.

southerninspiration said...

So, so cute my friend!!!

suzanne

FrouFrouBritches said...

You did a great job!! Now, see, wasn't that easier than you thought it would be? I love the fabric!

Ya know, I've never once used a pillowcase to make a pillowcase dress. I always just use fabric.

The girls look ADORABLE!! I missed out on skinny legs too!

Paula said...

Fabulous! You did a great job making them. Now that you know how to do it, you can make all sorts of matching dresses. Wouldn't a red/white/blue set be cute for Memorial Day and for 4th of July??

Jane said...

These are too cute! I wish my daughter were young enough to wear one. She's 8 now and kinda missed this trend...lol!!

Speaking of sweet, I've got a Cupcake giveaway going on right now! Easy entry, just leave a comment!

Jane
Finding Fabulous

Nadir @ Hodgepodge said...

How cute! They look adorable!

Jennifer said...

Hey Amanda!!! Those dresses are way too cute!!!

I was in color guard back in high school so, I'm kinda partial to marching band! I'm a big dork, I know! Currently my boys are having fun playing with it! I might use it as a hallloween costume one day!

Take care!
Jennifer

Kevin n Kate said...

Amanda~ The dresses look GREAT! You have inspired me to do them! I was just watching a "how to" video last week on them :) Great work!!

Kelli said...

I just made 3 this weekend!! I LOVE them! I also LOVE the fabric you chose! Once you get the hang of making these dresses, it's not that bad and I am so not a seamstress!

Wendy said...

So cute! My 6 year old has toothpicks, too.

Jessica said...

Awww...how cute.:-) Love matching siblings. :-)Great job!

Southern Fried Gal said...

These turned out very cute! They are very popular in my neck of the woods. You can get really creative with monograms and applique's (is that the way you spell that?)

Kendall said...

Love the dresses! But I think your girls could wear potato sacks and they would still be adorable!

janet said...

Not sure what's cuter...the dresses or the models! Well done!

Kristin said...

Aw, ADORABLE! I might have to make some of those!!

Michele {The Scrap Shoppe} said...

Cute! I love that fabric. Your girls are adorable in the dresses! Thanks for stopping by my blog!

Chasity said...

These are cute, I just recently made a non-pillow case, pillow case dress too.

http://theintertwinedlife.blogspot.com/2010/05/pillow-case-dress.html

Jess @ Frugal with a Flourish said...

Those are super cute!!! Love em!

Andrea @ TheTrainToCrazy.com said...

So cute!

I have a weekly Thursday blog party especially for people to share things they've made to be worn. Stop by if you'd like!