I do get more done than sewing when it's nap time, but I'm not going to show you the clean dining room closet.
I've started the spring sewing spree for the Toddler2T. The dresses go so fast when the longest seam is about 8 inches. For this dress I used a standard quilting cotton in a very neat cotton ball pattern (I'm you can see it, because that doesn't sound very neat), and for the skirt I cut one of my t-shirts just under the arms and gathered the raw edge until it fit with the bodice. The bottom was already finished because of it's being a shirt, so i saved myself the tedium of making a hem that won't fray.
If you start looking at clothes that you might want to upcycle into other things, always keep an eye out for any edges or buttons that you might be able to use to your advantage. Once you start you'll get good at, and it can save you a ton of time and effort. You can see one of the ways that I use old jeans in a previous posting about upcycled grocery bags and backpacks.
Aside from saving jeans, another thing that I always save is the button strips on dress shirts. Leave them buttoned and then cut out the stiff part that the buttons and buttonholes are sewn on to, leaving yourself plenty of material on either side. You have installed buttons and buttonholes that you know are going to match up, and you can add them into anything the way you would a zipper. I've also added them to upholstery covers.
There are my tips for the day! One of these times I'll have to show you the potholders I make out of the back pockets of the jeans...
