Kiss a Frog Prince

My cousins oldest daughter is having her first child and they asked if I could make them a frog set.  So I spent a lot of April working on this little sweater set with 2 hats.

The hat patterns came from RAKJ patterns, I added a backing on the eyes so that they were green in back.

              

this photo with both hats has the truest colors one is lighter than the other. 

a new pattern for me 

The sweater was made from a Bernat pattern booklet for Softee baby yarns, 

which were not available where I shopped. Actually finding a decent green acrylic for a baby was quite difficult.  Most were either too bright or too much brown was added.

While working on this, I watched several Craftsy videos, more to come on those.

MCCall's5252

So I started this vest back in September. It was March when I picked it up again.

My plan to have it finished for a mountain wine weekend.  When I was cutting it out, I thought it was too big but went ahead anyways.  My plan was to give it an upscale look using faux quilted leather and wind resistant polartec.  The polartec is Pro fleece- a wicking fleece on one side and smooth almost the feeling of neoprene on the other. Its a beautiful hand but a bit stiff.  I started to diligently work on this project and I had  to put aside for something else. 

(I have a sweatshirt under this, but it makes me look like i have football shoulders and huge breasts)

 In October I started losing weight and as of mid February was down 35 lbs.  So now to finish I had to cut it down a few sizes.  It was already over sized, the weight loss just emphasized it.  I had all but the zipper and finishing details done at this point.  I took off the collar, separated the shoulder and side seams.  There's a princess seam on the front that the pockets and mp3 pocket seam into.  Because I had so much work in the pockets(top stitching) I didn't want to take it all out and the faux leather isn't great for not showing stitching removed.  

(This photo really emphasizes how I needed to take out pocket seam and adujust more from the princess seam, not just from the side)

I trimmed down the collar width and height.  I shortened the shoulder(not enough!) took in the side seams, going from a XL to a medium and its still too large.  this was a unisex pattern but this is ridiculous!  I'm so disappointed by the results.  The zipper is weird because it appears to ripple yet the fabric itself isn't.  I did a full review in pattern review.  I doubt I will wear this for more than morning walks through the neighborhood.  A mediocre pattern for sure and an expensive mistake.  I never thought I would a need muslin for a simple outdoor vest. 

The fabric was folded so long, the crease is somewhat permanent until I can wash it a few times I think. 

I was more than a bit disappointed with the outcome, because I had a good idea.  But will have to seriously start working from new measurements, and I need to change my mannequin to one that is not plus sized because I'm not in that bracket anymore. 

Oh well a lesson learned..