Ready for the water

  A few weeks back I saw that Dana had posted about a new pattern she'd created...the Beach Robe, and I knew it would be perfect for my two for our trip to the beach.  A robe is perfect for the beach because you don't have to worry about keeping a towel on and your hands are free to do other things.  Plus, it covers more than a towel which helps both with drying and sun protection.

  The pattern only goes to size 5, so I emailed Dana and asked if it was easily sized up, she said she thought it would be and since Emma only really needs the length sized up, I bought the pattern.  Dana is amazingly good at breaking down each step and explaining a pattern like she's in your sewing room with you helping out.  And after my last experiences from Burda, this was a welcome relief.

Love this kid.  He's so silly and funny.  Chris said he looked like Obi Wan in his robe.  He thought that was great!!

    I let the kids pick out their towels, bought some bias tape and got busy.  Well, actually the towels sat in my room for a week while I "got around" to making them, but do we really need to go into details here???

  I would highly recommend this pattern to anyone who is familiar with a sewing machine and has small children.  The pattern comes as a pdf so you print the pattern pieces at home and tape them together.  I measured the pieces up to Emma and Oren to make any alterations to them before I cut my fabric.  I ended up adding 2 inches in length to both and widening the armscye (fancy word for armpit hole!).  No one wants a tight fit in the armpit!

  And the pattern is very customizable.  I went with partial ties on both robes (because I didn't want to fool around with cutting out enough to make a full tie that went all the way around).  Emma wanted short sleeves on her's and Oren wanted long sleeves.  Emma said she didn't want a hood, but I decided for her that she did.  I lined both hoods which took about 1 extra minute and makes it look so much nicer.

Pa (my Dad) snuck up on them and posed behind them.  They didn't even notice till he grabbed them.  

  I would fully advise reading the directions carefully before beginning and when she recommends getting 2 towels, get 2 and that way you don't have to put the robes on hold until you can get back to the big city to buy another towel in each color only to find out that the towels Oren picked are now sold out so you have to finish Emma's until you can get to Walmart to let Oren pick out 2 new towels.  Also, when she says 3 packs of bias tape, you'd be smart to get 3 or 4...You can always take it back if you don't need it, and it's a bummer to only buy 2 and get about a foot from finishing when you run out.  But I wouldn't know from personal experience or anything...

She was not thrilled with getting out of the water for some pictures by the way.  Emma is like me...she'd live at the beach from morning till night if we let her.  No going up to the house for her!  ;)

  At any rate, I definitely think this pattern is a keeper and would use it again for gifts for the kids' friends with summer birthdays and things like that.  Both kids used them at the beach with success, although most of the time, they just air-dryed, being kids and all.

P.S.  I wish I was a big enough blogger that people would assume this was a paid-for post.  These are completely my own ramblings, I just wanted to spread the love.

P.P.S.  Does anyone know why sometimes blogger accepts pics great and sometimes they come out all grainy-looking even though you saved them looking good?  HELP me and my pics, please?!?