Needles and a Pen » Knitting, Sewing, and Nursing School

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  • Welcome to my blog!

    Hi! I'm Traci. I'm a Registered Nurse who loves quilting, knitting, cross stitch, and the great outdoors. In my pre-scrubs life, I owned Real Photography, and you can still see my old wedding and portrait photography site here .

    I've created a map that shows links to our camping/hiking/general family fun review posts that you can find here. It's pretty much the coolest thing on this site. Thanks, Google!

    I great big puffy heart *love* comments, so please let me know you visited! I try to always reply!

Category Archives: summer

nightgowns for Ellie

The thing about store bought kid’s pajamas is that they are not summer friendly.  In the attempt to keep kids from bursting into flame, they’ve created outfits that seem destined to keep kids miserable and sweaty.  Enter homemade children’s pajamas, where you don’t have to worry about pesky fireproof pajama laws and can use nice […]

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a renaissance dress for Ellie

We go to the Renaissance Festival in Larkspur every year.  Last year I made this quilt for watching the joust, and this year on my to do list was a period appropriate outfit for Ellie.  I used the Children’s Workshop Tab Front Jumper ‘instructions’ for the outer piece and the Sweet Little Dress pattern (extending […]

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two more outfits from the retreat

I’m late blogging these–I took these pictures right before we all came down with Super Virus 2012. I love the way this one came together.  It’s still a bit big on her, but should fit well late this summer. And another sandpiper top from the remaining fabric–I love that pattern!!!!

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another retro dress

Here’s another of the dresses I made for Ellie at our guild retreat in February.  A pattern from the 60s.  This one was a bit of a disaster–when I cut it out I was like “why are there two pieces for the back?  That’s dumb–I’ll just cut one and save myself sewing the seam.”   Speaking […]

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another sandpiper top

I really am enamored with this top.  It’s just so fast–I made two at the retreat and am trying to resist making more, because at this point her summer wardrobe just doesn’t need anything else.  But they are so cute and so easy!  This one got made up in some pacman fabric.  It was a […]

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a nightgown

I made this Sweet Little Dress intending it to be a dress, but it’s pretty obviously a nightgown once it’s on!  I could shorten it and it would make an adorable peasant top, but I think I’ll leave it as a nightgown, since Ellie is in need one one when the summer days come round […]

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