Sewing for Girls – Page 7

Suit Up for Summer with Raspberry Creek Fabrics Day One- Coordinating Suits for the Family

It’s time for one of my favorite blog tours- the Raspberry Creek Fabrics Suit Up for Summer tour! My love of sewing swimsuits runs deep and I live for this week to sew and share my love with you all.

Stay tuned to the end of this post for all the details of this week long tour including all the amazing bloggers joining in, a tour-exclusive fabric discount and giveaway info!

Karly of Paisley Roots and I have been prepping for this tour for months. We’ve been excited to share the amazing suits that our tour bloggers have been working on. With the events of the last few weeks, we hesitated to move forward with the tour but after a collective vote we all agreed that the world needs a little sunshine right now.

I don’t know about you but the act of sewing swimsuits for me is an act of faith. I usually start in February or March to ensure that my family is set once the warm weather hits. Sewing swimwear when it’s snowing and temperatures are freezing is showing a hope and faith that sunny summer days are coming soon. It helps me beat that winter gloom just imagining my family together at the swimming pool or lounging on the beach. This year that faith is even stronger as we’re living with such an uncertain future. I know that there will be pool days and laughter ahead. The sun will shine bright and I won’t take for granted when my extended family gathers for a swim at Grammy’s pool. I’ll savor the play dates at the splash pad and splashing on the trampoline with the sprinklers. I have hope and know that we will all be so grateful for each and every day of normalcy.

This week, I’ll be bringing you a post everyday that will hopefully inspire you to get sewing and look towards your own sunny days ahead. Today I’m sharing some fun family coordinating suits. I’ll share more details on each suit later this week but for now want to get your mind going with all of the cute fabric combinations available at RCF.

I love that each RCF fabric release has coordinating collections within it. It helps take the guesswork out of matching prints. It’s also fun to find your own group of prints and basics that work perfectly together since all of the RCF designers use our CLUB basics for the colors of their prints. I’m loving all of the black and white prints this year and was happy that my kids each picked some as their favorites. My teenage son picked the Black and White Checker Print for his suit and I was thrilled when the other three chose prints that went so well with it. For his suit I used the board short base but for little brother’s I used the stretch swim base. Big sister is wearing Coral Palm Leaves paired with Black and White Micro Stripes. Little Sis fell hard for the Blossom Pink and Sage Palm Trees that match perfectly with the Blossom Pink Solid. I love that these all look great together but aren’t too over-the-top as a whole.

I came up with a few more combinations that would work for the whole family. This set includes: Tonal Teal Grey Multi Stripe, Grey Gingham basic, Navy and Lilac Sea Creatures, Deep Lilac Swim Solid, and Charcoal Grey Board Short.

These Bananas are just about the cutest thing ever! Paired with Black Gingham, Black and White Leopard Print, and fun vivid solids like Lipstick Pink and Bright Yellow, this group just makes me so happy!

For a more low-key family look, I did another pink and black combo. These Cactus look great on any gender and any age. I love them with the Black and White Checker print but they also coordinate well with the Handrawn Dots or Coral Gingham (can you tell I’m a big fan of ALL the ginghams!). Throw in a classic solid black board short and this combination is to die for!

Ready for all the tour details?!

Join us all week long on Instagram for fun giveaways from some of our tour sponsors.

You can also shop and save 15% on swim fabrics with code SWIMTOUR.

Follow along this week with this talented group of bloggers. You can head to the RCF blog for previews of each days tour participants.

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Hosted by: Sew Sophie Lynn and Paisley Roots

Sincerely, Shantelle Merritts Makes Sew Mary Mac

Phat Quarters Sewing Sew Haute Blog My Sew Bliss Kainara Stitches

Made By Kates Sewing and Things Desert Blooms Sweet Mama

Margarita on the Ross Auschick Sews Hazelnut Handmade Call Ajaire

It’s Liesel House of Curves Stitching and Making Replicate then Deviate

A HUGE thank you to all our pattern sponsors!!!

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Sew A Little Seam Jilly Atlanta Ensemble Patterns Petit A Petit & Family

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Thanks for joining in our fun and we really hope this week brings you a little joy and hope for amazing days to come!

Page and Mini Page Hoodie from Chalk and Notch

We have been on the hunt all winter for a good boxy hoodie pattern. My girls are obsessed and have a handful of ready-to-wear pieces in constant rotation. I’ve tried upsizing our favorite patterns but really struggled to get the fit they were after. Gabriela to the rescue! I’m so excited to be sharing all about the new Page and Mini Page Hoodies by Chalk and Notch. I was lucky enough to test both patterns and can’t wait to share our new favorite hoodies with you.

The Page is an oversized raglan sweatshirt with multiple sleeve and hem options. The Page pattern comes in sizes 0-24 and has 2 cup options. The Mini Page is available in sizes 12 mos.- 12 years.

I sewed up a size 6 A/B cup bodice for my versions. I did view A (the banded hem) with the full sleeves. I’m still hooked on this style of sleeve and waiting for the moment when I get tired of it but I don’t see that happening any time soon.

This rust french terry version was the first one I sewed up. It came together so fast that I immediately started planning other versions. For this version I added an inch to both the bodice and the sleeves since I am 5’7″. I tend to need to add length to all my long sleeve tops. This sweatshirt is soooo comfortable. It’s just loose enough but doesn’t feel sloppy. I want to wear this one every.single.day!

I’ve had this gorgeous double knit since our trip to LA last summer and I’ve been waiting for the perfect hoodie pattern. It was just meant for the Page! This time I added 2 inches to the bodice to make it a touch longer.

To really up the lush factor, I used this incredible Shannon minky I got at the first Love Notions retreat. I’d been saving it to use for a hood lining and it was just perfect for this! My kids have all requested matching hoods so I’m crossing my fingers I can get a few more linings out of it. It’s so soft and plush!

This sweatshirt is quite possibly the prettiest hoodie I’ve ever made and is right up there with my favorite things to come off my machines.

This cutie has been patiently waiting for me to sew up this Hobby Lobby fabric she picked out early this fall. She specifically wanted an oversized hoodie and I kept putting it off, hoping the perfect pattern would pop up. She squealed when I showed her Gabriela’s mini version and we both knew it was the perfect match!

This is a size 10, early tester version. The hood and length changed a bit since this but we love the fit! I can’t wait to sew up a few more come next fall. Big sis and little bro are waiting in line for theirs too!

Make sure you grab your patterns on sale through Tuesday, March 17th! I’m sure you’ll be as hooked as we are!

Liberty Winterbourne from Riley Blake Designs

The Winterbourne Collection from Liberty Fabrics for Riley Blake is my newest fabric obsession. I was head over heels for Flower Show Spring and this newest collection is just as incredible.

This time I sewed up two dresses- my favorite thing to sew with Riley Blake quilting cottons. As usually it was torture narrowing down our fabric choices. My oldest is steering away from florals and this collection had a few beautiful prints that she loved. My younger daughter loves pinks and blues and I knew so many of the prints in this line would look pretty on her.

This print was such a beautiful choice. It’s called Bankart Fresco-A and it has such a vintage feel to it. The dark jewel tones are so pretty!

She’s been wanting another Zoey Dress from Violette Fields Threads. This pattern is one of my favorites. I sewed one up for one of my very first collaborations with Riley Blake and it’s still in constant rotation. It’s such a pretty style and one of these days I’m going to convince her she needs a maxi version because it’s just stunning!

Those pretty sleeves get me every time! This pattern comes together quickly thanks to that snap-front placket and bias neckline finish. The fit is nice and easy with an elastic waist that adds comfort and a cute blouson effect.

Little sis got a beautiful ditsy floral in the most gorgeous colors. This print is call Primula Posey-B. The pretty pink, soft blue, and sage green is such a great color combo.

For her dress I used the Jilly Atlanta Marlow Dress. I’m on a bit of a Jilly Atlanta kick. I’ve hesitated to buy her patterns recently since my girls are at the top end of the size range but they seriously are sooo cute that I can’t help myself. They’ve got their eyes on a couple of more of her patterns so expect to see a lot more Jilly Atlanta love around these parts.

The Marlow is full of sleeve and skirt options which makes it a pattern that I can switch up a lot. This is the short sleeves with vintage length. You can do bodice or sleeve ruffles and there’s a clever front pocket to add too. I love the relaxed fit. It’s totally something I’d have in my closet too!

My love for all things Liberty continues with this collection. The collaboration with Riley Blake makes me so happy! The lower price point makes these precious prints affordable and hopefully gets more sewists a chance to work with them. Take a peak at all the Liberty collections with Riley Blake– so many to die for prints!

Riley Blake Called to Serve

This year is a year of milestones for my little family. My husband and I will celebrate 20 years of marriage in September. My kids will turn 18, 16, 13, 11, and 8 and so many of those birthdays will bring big celebrations and important events. There will be a high school graduation and an elementary school graduation as well. I’ll gain a new teenager and officially have an adult child. Just typing that all out has me teary-eyed! How did I get so lucky and where have all the years gone!

When I saw Riley Blake’s new Called to Serve line I knew it’d be perfect for this upcoming year of mine. My oldest has already started preparing to serve a two-year mission for our church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He’s attending extra classes on Sunday, doing the necessary medical forms, and is getting excited to serve the Lord. As much as this breaks my mama heart to send him away that long, there isn’t another thing in the world I’d rather him do.

When thinking about what I could tuck into his suitcase, I knew a simple pillowcase would be perfect. It folds up small, will wash up great, and will be a nightly reminder of how much his mom loves him. Each night as his exhausted head hits his pillow, he will be reminded of why he’s there and how much he’s loved at home. I love all of the uplifting sayings on this print and the message that he’s there to serve. The classic simple designs are so universal and not too juvenile. It’s just too good!

I used the Free Roll-up Pillowcase tutorial on the Riley Blake website. I love that the inside is full of clean finishes so I can be confident that this will hold up throughout his mission. It was a simple project that I think I will have to use in the future too! I think it’s a great beginners project and one my kids would enjoy sewing themselves.

My youngest will be getting baptized this year and has just really begun to study the scriptures on his own. He likes to read them at bedtime or sometimes listens to them on his devices too. I sewed up a pocket pillow that’s perfect for holding his books or Kindle and will be a great reminder each night to do his reading.

Since he shares a room with his big sister she also got a pillow too. I let them pick out which colorway they wanted in the temple print and which coordinates too.

This temple print is gorgeous! The Angel Moroni statues are all metallic gold which I think adds such a pretty touch. It’ll be fun for them to learn about the temples and identify which ones are on this print. As we travel around the country, we always try to stop by and visit each temple so they’ll get a kick out of seeing the ones we’ve seen in person.

For this pillow I roughly followed a tutorial in Melissa Mortenson’s book Project Teen. Her tutorial used a full size pillow but I wanted to adapt it to a small throw pillow size since my kids beds are full of all of their favorite stuffed animals. This smaller size (12X17) was a great size to hold their book or their device and headphones too. I loved that the pocket didn’t go across the full front of the pillow and I was able to customize their pillows with a little Cricut vinyl. This was a great place for my kids to have some input too. They picked the vinyl color and fonts. I really try to let them have a little ownership over our projects in hopes that they love it all the more.

As we embark on this exciting year, I’m up for any and all advice you all have! Do you have your own missionary? Any tips as we prepare? What helped you as a mom prepare? I have a feeling I’ll be sewing my emotions away!

Make sure you check out this new line at your local quilt shops. I keep thinking of all the great gifts it could be used for- scripture totes, quilts, church bags, or temple bags. They’re good for newlyweds, missionaries, new converts, and more. I feel so lucky to have been able to do a project that merged so much of what makes me ‘me’- my family, my hobby, and my religion. Wish me luck this year!

Abby’s Spin + Twirl Dress and more new patterns in the Project Run and Play Shop

The Project Run and Play pattern shop is growing! I’m excited to be here today to share just one of the TWENTY new patterns now available at PRP, Abby’s Spin + Twirl Dress and Top. You can grab any of the new patterns for 20% off through the end of the month!

This pattern is a classic skater dress with a semi-fitted bodice and full circle skirt. There are two bodice lengths: empire and natural waist, neckband or cowl neckline, multiple sleeve lengths, and a top or dress skirt length. It comes in sizes 12 months all the way up to 14 (yay!). I sewed up a size 12 with a 14 length with medium sleeves and of course we added the optional pockets!

We used a stunning floral jersey from Raspberry Creek Fabrics that is on sale through today. It was the perfect weight for this pattern. It’s soft and comfy but still dresses up so nicely. I love the pretty spring hues!

Obviously, she had to try out the spin factor!

Make sure to head over to the PRP shop to check out all the new arrivals. Then head on over to Instagram for a fun little giveaway. I’m giving away one pattern to the shop simply by following PRP on IG and commenting on my post- easy peasy!

With so many new patterns, make sure you check out the PRP blog each day for the featured patterns and fellow PRP designer showcasing it. The fun continues through the end of the month!

This post was sponsored by Project Run and Play and Raspberry Creek Fabrics. All opinions are my own. I’m a loyal PRP fan and RCF lover!

Raspberry Creek Fabrics Spring 2020 CLUB line

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I absolutely LOVE this time of year. February, you ask?! No, I am so over winter BUT February means new CLUB prints from Raspberry Creek Fabrics! Spring sewing is just what I need to beat these winter blues!

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Part of my job at Raspberry Creek Fabrics is that I get to work with our strike team. As soon as we preview each new line, I sit down with my kiddos and they ooh and aah over all the new prints. They always have a handful of favorites that they want immediately in their closets. It usually goes something like this, “I want a hoodie out of that, a t-shirt in that, pj’s in those, and a dress in that print!” Sometimes their wish lists are a mile long!

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I’m usually happy to oblige! CLUB knits are my favorites to sew with. They are stable and my serger LOVES them. Most of these projects are quick and easy sews, usually taking under an hour per garment. That’s my kind of project- especially when I have three eager kiddos awaiting each finished piece. I’m excited to share what I’ve sewn up so far from the new spring collection.

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This look was one I debated making for myself. My tween and I are usually on the same page fashion-wise and if it’s something I’m crushing on I can pretty much guarantee she wants it too. Chest stripe sweatshirts keep cropping up everywhere and I knew I wanted to recreate one- this time she was the lucky recipient. I used the Flora Stripe in french terry, paired with the light heather grey french terry and deep sage and dusty rose jersey. I sewed up the Hatteras Hoodie from Hey June Handmade and did my own color blocking with the stripes. An easy hack for such a cute result! I threw in a pair of lounge shorts using the Lexi and Lou Loungers from Made for Mermaids. She’s already worn the sweatshirt to school with jeans in this cold weather and I think come summer this will be a cute outfit to throw on after a day at the pool.

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This girl is all about the girly prints and fun details. I’ve been wanting to sew up another Striped Swallow Designs Apres Ski top for her and this pretty floral was just perfect for it. I’ve sewn up the Apres Ski plenty of times before in lighter-weight fabrics but I think this jersey just might be my favorite. I love how full the sleeves look in it!

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This little guy was the proud recipient of a handful of new clothes this past week. He’s growing so fast and I’m desperately trying to keep him clothed so this was perfect timing. I’m a sucker for stripes and the spring line is full of so many good ones. I used the Fauna stripes in french terry paired with the grey heather ft and teal jersey this time. I sewed up a classic Sew A Little Seam Constance Sweater using the stripes. For the pants I used True Bias Mini Hudson Pants and sewed a racing stripe to the side seam using the Fauna stripes. I simply cut the stripe leaving the white stripe on either side and folded that under. I sewed the first side down right on the side seam then sewed the other side down on the back of the pants. Another easy hack that takes these pants up a notch!

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This kid loves his hoodies and was smitten with this Knight and Dragon fabric too. This time I used jersey fabric for a lighter weight top that will work well through spring. I turned to the Rowan tee from Titchy Threads (it’s a good one if you haven’t tried it!). It’s got a slim fit that fits my little guy so well. I love that arm stripe detail!

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This last piece for Charlie is quite possibly my favorite thing in his wardrobe. It was such a fun make and I love how it came out. I used the Ellie and Mac Be Creative Hoodie. It was my first Ellie and Mac make and I have to admit I’m always apprehensive trying out new designers. I was so impressed with this pattern and all the little details it includes. Those are faux drawstrings which I love considering they ALWAYS come out in the wash. The color blocking options with this pattern are so fun too. I used this amazing City Map print in french terry paired with black french terry and hunter jersey for a sweatshirt that is our high school colors. He’s already excited to wear this to his big brother’s soccer games!

Fun fact about this kiddo: He wore these fake glasses all last week and convinced all his friends they were his reading glasses. He made sure to include that he was getting contacts this weekend so he wasn’t stuck wearing them forever! Yes, we did have a little chat about it but man, did he crack me up! I love that I got these pictures to remember this funny little man!

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Have you filled up your cart yet? What prints are you getting? Remember that release week pricing of $1 off per yard ends Monday February 17th so make sure you check out soon! I think we all need a little spring sewing!

Liberty Flower Show Spring for Riley Blake Fabrics

I’ve been a lover of Liberty fabrics since I started sewing regularly almost ten years ago. I dragged my husband to the Liberty flagship store many years ago on a trip to London and I wandered the store for far too long for someone as cheap as I am! I left with a few small trinkets (fabric buttons, a handkerchief, and some gorgeous bias tape) and vowed to one day splurge on actual yardage when I felt confident in my sewing abilities. When I saw that Liberty has partnered with Riley Blake to offer affordable quilting cottons, my thrifty little heart rejoiced! You get the same iconic prints and Riley Blake’s quality cottons.

I’m excited to introduce you to the Liberty Flower Show Spring line. There’s an amazing variety of prints- from the vibrant and bright spring florals to the subtle tone on tone prints. I requested a few different prints that I fell in love with. I knew I needed something for myself and was torn between which children deserved this goodness.

Payton needed a dress in this happy floral print. I’ve been wanting to make a Simple Life Pattern Co. Newport Dress since it released and I knew this print would be great for it. I love the simple lines of this pattern and those pockets are the coolest thing EVER! The construction is unexpected but the look really adds so much to this dress. I sewed up a straight size 10 (she’s right in between an 8 and a 10 size-wise but I want her to be able to wear this through the summer too) with added length that I ended up taking out by doing an extra wide hem. I always think I want dresses to hit below the knee so she can wear them longer but in the end I decided that I like the look of slightly above the knee so much better. With a wide hem, I can just let it down when she grows! The joy of sewing your own clothes!I paired the Malvern Meadow print with the Wiltshire Shadow Collection Custard for the lining and pockets lining. The colors in the Malvern Meadow print are so fun and cheery. They bring a bit of sunshine to our gloomy winter days. I made a warm weather dress for an upcoming vacation and know she’ll be happy to wear this come spring too!

This print, Yorkshire Meadow, had me so torn. First, it was going to be a tie for one of my boys. The subtle print and muted colors make it a floral that works great for anyone. I finally settled on shorts for my oldest daughter because it was the most practical. As we get ready for our trip I noticed she’s grown about a foot and her shorts are a little extra short now. These will be perfect for throwing on with a swimsuit and wearing while we do a little sight seeing too.

I used the Free Purl Soho City Gym Shorts pattern. I love this free pattern! It’s quick and the racer styling never goes out of style. She’s in the largest kid size for her waist and I added an extra inch to the inseam length. I used store bought bias tape and 1.5″ elastic instead of the 1″ the pattern called for. They offer this pattern in children’s sizes 2-11 and women’s waist sizes 33-46″. It’s such a great lounging pattern and works well with lots of different fabric types. It’s fantastic for beginners too!

For my top, I used the Arley Gardens print (not available on the website but it should hit your favorite quilt shop soon!). These colors are divine! The rosey-pinks and dusty blues- c’mon! It feels a little more grown-up and not so flashy. It’s just so darn pretty!

I used the Melody Top from Love Notions (affiliate link). It’s the perfect beginner friendly button-up. No finicky plackets to mess with and great, detailed instructions. I sized down to an XS this time as I was afraid it would look too boxy in this heavier weight cotton. I love that the Melody looks amazing in so many different fabric types. I made one slight change to the pattern and cut the back piece straight across instead of the shirt tail hem. I plan on tying the front whenever I wear it and I found with my last Melody that my back hem just naturally bunched up in the back. Cutting the shirt tail curve off will reduce the bulk back there.

Are you itching to get your hands on some of this line now?! If you’re looking for the Liberty lawn feel, this isn’t going to work for you. It has the same feel and weight as a high-quality quilting cotton. It will be great for lots of home and apparel projects as well as nice on your bank account too! If you’re like me that means you can just buy ALL the prints then!

Love Notions New Year Sale- A LN Roundup!

Happy New Year! We celebrated with a little fondue, Rock Band and confetti cannons and now it’s time to relax and settle into an exciting year to come.

My first post of the year (decade!) is very fitting. I’m bringing you a round up of some of my favorite Love Notions makes from 2019 in honor of their rare 30% off site-wide sale. 2019 brought a little slow-down to my sewing but I still made sure to make plenty of time to continue to work with the companies that I love- Love Notions being at the top of that list! I love the quality of LN patterns and the fact that there’s a little something for the whole family.

This post contains affiliate links. Purchasing through them does not cost you any more but I do receive a small commission. I like to mention that I joined the Love Notions family AFTER being a long time tester and falling in love with the patterns and thorough testing process.

The Samson Sweater is one of those patterns I use over and over. I love it for my girls and also my little guy. It’s a little boxier than our other raglan patterns and makes the perfect sweatshirt. It’s easy to size up, add length or crop to get different looks. Plus it sews up soooo fast!

I made my first Kayak Boardshorts last year and I’m hoping to squeeze in another pair for our mid-winter beach trip. They were super easy to hack to get this look for my teenager but I think my littlest man would love a pair as-is. The knit waistband would be just what he prefers.

The Sloane Sweater continues to be a favorite for both me and my kids. Last year I made for my first one for Charlie and I adore how it turned out. There are a ton of options and that back yoke piece is just perfect for playing with fabric combos.

Last year was all about the dresses for me. Dresses are my favorite things to sew and Love Notions Lyric and Dolce dresses were a big hit for me and my girly. I can’t wait to sew a new one for my this spring!

I also added a couple of new Willow Wrap dresses to my wardrobe and I adore this pattern! These are both maxi hacks- the mustard version uses the Olympia skirt and the tropical print is just a lengthened gathered skirt version. These dresses are the ultimate in comfort!

The Melody Dolman is the LN pattern release I anticipated the most and it did not disappoint. I wore this top to death all summer and love how easy to wear it is. It looks great with jeans and feels so pulled together. If you are looking to try a button-up pattern for the first time, this is a great intro pattern. It’s easy to follow and sews up so nice and quick.

The Octave Coat is one of my proudest makes of 2019. I wear this beauty so much and feel giddy at the thought that I actually made it. It was a fairly simple sew and another great pattern for anyone wanting to push themselves just a bit. With so many different recommended fabric choices, you can make just the coat you’re dreaming of.

To round out this round-up, I’ll leave you with my absolute favorite Love Notions pattern, the Classic Tee (the girl’s version is equally awesome!). I wore these tees to death all spring, summer, and fall and continue to wear them layered under cardis and sweatshirts in the cold weather. I also love the long sleeve option. This tee is the perfect slouchy tee and I love it in so many different fabrics. If you were to just buy one pattern during the sale, do yourself a favor and pick up this beaut.

It was really hard to pick my top Love Notions patterns! If you’re looking for more options you can head here for all of my past Love Notions makes. Happy New Year and Happy Shopping!

Christmas Gifts with Riley Blake Sparkle

It’s that time of year to do ALL the gift sewing. I sat down with my oldest daughter and we had a little sewing afternoon and whipped up some cute, quick presents using FREE patterns from some of our favorite designers. This fabric from Riley Blake Designs was perfect for accessories that will match everything!

We used a Swiss Dot on Black Gold Sparkle from Riley Blake. This fabric would make a darling dress, skirt, pillows, or quilt… there are loads of possibilities! I love the classic dots and the sparkle of the gold. There’s just something about a good black and gold combination!

Our first project was one that has been all over the sewing community since it debuted last year- a hidden pocket infinity scarf. We followed this tutorial from Patterns for Pirates. It was easy to follow and so fun! That hidden pocket is perfect for holding your cell phone, keys, mints, etc. and is such a genius idea.

She plans on gifting this one to her favorite teacher with a gift card snuck inside the pocket. I think we’ll have to make a few more for teachers, neighbors, and friends.

We turned to Made for Mermaids for our other two projects. Both M4M and P4P do a fun 12 Days of Christmas each year and offer free patterns and projects. I don’t know how they continue to come up with them year after year but I always look forward to them.

My girls still love a good simple bow so we just had to make the new Hadley Hand-Tied Bow. We did the largest size and I think it works great for tweens and teens. I’m glad they even included a little tutorial on how to tie it up just right.

We also sewed up the Bow Scrunchie pattern. My daughter has made dozens of scrunchies and I love the bow addition on this one. She was easily able to sew up both of these hair accessories (I manned the iron while she sewed!). I love seeing her sewing confidence grow with each project!

We had to throw in a Flower Market version with the little scraps we had leftover from this jacket. These hair things are perfect for all those precious scraps! She’s planning to gift these to her little sis which is fantastic because that means they’ll stay in the family and I can steal them!

Are you sewing handmade gifts this year? Do you wait until the last minute or are you already done with your crafting? I usually think I’m done and then like to cram in some last-minute gift sewing in the final days before Christmas. Doesn’t that make me a true sewist?!

Riley Blake Flower Market

The Flower Market line from Riley Blake is full of all my favorite types of prints. Bold florals, geometrics, dots, and ginghams in all of my most loved colors too! I knew my Payton would love this line and boy, was I right!

She fell hard for the main print on black and I got to pick a couple of coordinates to go with it. I used the Folk Pink as the lining and my go-to knit 1/2″ black and white stripes for the hood and bands. I can never get enough of the black and white stripes- so classic and the perfect coordinate for EVERYTHING!

For this project, I was really looking to branch out. I love using Riley Blake cotton for dresses, skirts, and pajamas but knew I could push them further. When I sewed up the Senpai Jacket last month I really wanted to try it in wovens. This bold, fun print was perfect for giving it a go.

It is recommended to use knit for the hood, bands, and lining. I used quilting cotton for the lining bodice and the striped knit for the lining sleeves without any issues. I omitted the welt pockets and used inseam pockets from another pattern. For some reason, this girly has a hard time finding her inseam pockets though. It’s quite hilarious watching her find them every time. Welt pockets might be good for this silly girl!

I really love this pattern and so does she! I like the boxy, slightly cropped fit. It has a neckband option as well if you’d prefer it without a hood. She has asked for another one that she can add patches to. I think it will be my go-to jacket for my younger kids.

The snap front also makes it a fairly quick sew. I did struggle with one step- sewing the sleeve cuffs to the main and lining arms. The instructions don’t have the seam hidden in between the layers and I really wanted to figure out the clean finish. After unpicking multiple times, I gave up and did it per the tutorial. Do you know the magic way? If done correctly this pattern could be reversible. I love that idea!

I absolutely adore this fabric line and think it will make the most beautiful things. Little baby quilts, bedding, dresses, ugh! It all would be adorable!

Category: Sewing for Girls