Back to sewing

I've been on a sewing kick for the last few weeks.   M got me a sewing machine for Christmas a year and a half ago and my middle school home ec skills have been slowly coming back as I practice.   I enjoy sewing for different reasons than knitting - it takes a lot more prep work but you have a finished object with less actual sewing time.   Knitting, on the other hand, is eminently more portable and (IMO) the more fun of the two.

The first project to share is a wetbag.  I have a great wetbag with a dry pocket that I use for cloth diapering on the go, but wetbags are perfect for anything wet or messy and I want to sew two larger ones to use for swim lessons with L and for our used un-paper towels.  I had 1/2 yd of the monkey fabric in my sewing box and I bought 7/8 yd of white PUL from Joann Fabrics for 70% off since it was the end of the bolt.  This is a notable project because it was the first time I'd sewed with PUL and the first time sewing in a zipper/using the zipper foot.   I used this tutorial and here's my finished wetbag:

Since my sewing machine isn't compatible with a walking foot and I couldn't find a Teflon foot, I used cornstarch on the shiny side of the PUL and used a ball point needle.  It worked out really well with no pulling.  The zipper foot is so easy to use - I can't believe I was afraid of zippers before!

The second project to share is an outfit for L.   It's McCall's M5416, Toddler's Dresses, Tops, and Shorts:

And here's mine:

It's the type of pattern where just a few pieces can make several different looks depending on embellishment and trim.   I measured her and made the size 2 (which I think is roughly a 2T).  It's a decent fit for her now and should it comfortably through the summer.   This project was the first time I've made a facing in a garment and the first time I tried to do a blind hem on the sewing machine.   I admit that while I blind hemmed the shorts, I gave up on doing it on the top; it was just too fiddly and I sewed a straight stitch hem instead.  I think if my machine could use a hemming foot it would have been a piece of cake, though.    I really like this pattern!

Sorry for the blurry area in some of my photos.  L got her hands on the camera and was swinging it around by the cord, so I have a feeling a new one may be in our future.