Sew Many Books {Fancy Nancy}

Hello! I am Nicole from over at Cole’s Corner and Creations; where I share the projects I sew for my three sweet babies, my huge family, and occasionally, for customers.

That’s right, I am just ecstatic to be here today. If sewing is my favorite thing, then reading is certainly my second favorite and I especially love reading aloud to kids! I was just too excited and filled with ideas to choose just one book (when Emily asked me to join in the fun), so I left it up to my two girls, Ella and Lucy. I asked them which book they wanted to use as inspiration for new outfits and they chose Fancy Nancy! It’s perfectly fitting, because I never met two girls who loved being ‘fancy’ more than these two! The Fancy Nancy books are written by Jane O’Connor and Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser.

I have to admit… when I first saw the Fancy Nancy merchandise, I couldn’t stand it! I couldn’t understand her outfits… and I just thought she was plain…. well, not cute. That was… until the girls got a couple of Fancy Nancy books for Christmas one year. Then we were hooked! You see… Fancy Nancy is so charming and sweet and dramatic and just ALL GIRL! Exactly like the two girls I live with. Plus… the images in the books remind me so much of all my sweet nieces. We have 7 girls in a row in my family. See what I mean: Fancy Nancy and the Fabulous Fashion Boutique:

Our girls:

There’s always some sort of fashion show, make overs,  talent show, or other girly thing going on… they are such a hoot! But since we have a couple closets full of dress up clothes and because they’re usually dressed like this in the TX summer heat {with their cousins}….

I decided to make our Fancy Nancy inspired outfits into swimsuits! This swimsuit pattern is the first pattern that I drafted and graded myself and sold in my etsy shop, so I’m REALLY proud of it. I have made it in different ways about 45 times, at least. I used the same pattern for both these swimsuits, just with different adjustments.

And… why not be dressed up while you’re swimming and playing in the sprinkler? I know Fancy Nancy would approve. My girls SURE did!

We choose the two most recognizable Fancy Nancy costumes as inspiration.. The first being the cowprint top and the poodle skirt, which I used to hate, but LOVE in this swimsuit!

In the book , Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy, Nancy is getting a new dog and she says…

Custom, dress up, swimsuits are also SO posh! Complete with the applique poodle on the skirt,

 and a little tie in the back,

Just perfect for swimming, playing in the yard, water balloon fights and whatever summertime adventures little girls get into!

Also perfect for tea parties

and just playing in the yard with your big sister.

For Ellas swimsuit, we went with the flouncy, purple dress.

In this first Fancy Nancy book, Nancy is teaching her whole family to be ‘fancy’. They get all dressed up and take a trip to the King’s Crown. But who needs to take a trip??? My girls love being fancy at home, in the pool, and in the front yard. Why, we can be fancy just reading on a blanket in the yard.

Of course, it’s always more fun with a fancy sister,

or some friends.

There’s just too many ways to get fancy when you’re little.

So, if you have a fancy little girl in your life and you haven’t introduced her to Fancy Nancy, you must try the books. They are so wonderful. We just love reading them all.

And we LOVED participating in this series. Thank you so, so much Emily for inviting us to participate. The girls had so much fun reading the books, making sketches, and planning and participating in the photo shoot! So much fun, in fact, that my poor, neglected 10 year old son was jealous and has requested that I make him something inspired by one of his books. I hope this series has inspired you all to do the same! What a fantastic way to get the kids excited about reading and sewing… the two most fun things in the world. 🙂

Enter your email address: