Love Notions Rockford Raglan

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Are you ready for another amazing pattern from Love Notions?!!  (This post contains affiliate links. Purchasing through them provides me a little kickback to keep up this lil sewing habit of mine!)  The Rockford Raglan is such a versatile top and will be a staple in your wardrobe!

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There are so many fun options with this pattern that I had to keep sewing them up!  There are swingy top and tunic versions, an asymetrical overlay, and a banded option.  Add in multiple sleeve lengths and this could be the only raglan top you need.

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I sewed up four different tops during testing and love them all.  The view D banded version is a great everyday basic.  This one is done in french terry from Raspberry Creek Fabrics.  It’s fun to dress up with a scarf and cozy enough for pairing with my favorite joggers for snuggling on the couch.

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Double brushed poly is perfect for the view A swingy tunic option.  This pretty fabric is also from Raspberry Creek (surprise, surprise).  I’m going to need to grab some leggings to match this one.  It’ll be too cute paired with boots!

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This view B top version might be my surprise favorite.  I paired these fabrics from my stash on a whim and love it so much!  These flowy versions are perfect for hiding those extra holiday pounds and look great under a cozy cardigan too.

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I think raglans are the perfect blank slate to add a little vinyl fun.  This pretty white and pinecone version (also from Raspberry Creek Fabric) was just asking for a little bling.  I wanted to do something wintery that could be worn through the new year too.  My Cricut sure is getting a workout this time of year!

Which view are you going to sew up first?  It’s so hard to pick a favorite!!

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I was lucky enough to get together with fellow testers Rachel from Little Fish and Anna from Kainara Stitches.  It’s so fun having sewing buddies close by and even more fun when we’re pattern testing together.

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Rachel is a rockstar for braving our freezing temps in her short sleeve version!  I love seeing the various versions on our different body types.  Such a cute, flattering top!

You can grab your copy while it’s on sale here through December 19th!  Perfect pattern for a little breather between holiday sewing projects!

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Can’t wait to see all your versions!!

 

A New Batch of Halifax’s

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I’d like to pretend that I wake up every morning and get dressed to the nines but my reality is not so glamorous.  My biggest debate every morning is whether or not I can get away with wearing sweats all day.  More often than not you can find me in a sweatshirt and jeans or joggers getting all the glorious mom-life done.

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One of my go-to sweatshirt patterns is the Halifax Hoodie from Hey June.  I’ve currently got about 10 in my closet- a bit obsessed is right (you can check some out here, here, here,  and here).  They are quick sews and I just adore all the options.

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This cute plaid and polka dot version is my new favorite thing.  I used french terry dots and plaid double knit from Raspberry Creek Fabrics– the BEST place to get your cozy fabrics for this pattern.  This is view B- the view I do the most.  I can whip one of these bad boys up in the time it takes to watch an episode of the Office.  So stinking fast!  It’s also my favorite pattern to use up scraps and mix prints.

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I’ve been dying to do a big bishop sleeve sweatshirt and this pattern was a great place to start.  I used view D with a couple of tweaks.  For the sleeves I extended the length a few inches and drew a straight line from the shoulder to the new hem- keeping it nice and wide.  I made an elastic casing and 1/2″ elastic instead of a cuff.  I like the added fullness it gives the sleeves but it’s not too much drama- still nice and wearable everyday.

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I raised the neckline up a bit and added the cowl.  I love the cowl a little snugglier around my neck.  Such a cozy sweatshirt!  I used an incredible organic bamboo french terry from CaliFabrics for this version and it’s a little piece of heaven.  This slate blue color is so pretty and works well in my wardrobe.

Some of my favorite sewing buddies are having a little party over on Instagram celebrating this fun pattern.  It’s a great little refresher from all that holiday sewing and perfect for a little gift to yourself.  Search the #halifaxholidayparty to join in the fun!

 

Love Notions Acorn and Oakley Vests

Acorn and Oakley Vests- Love Notions Patterns sewn by SewSophieLynn

Are you ready to get your cozy on?!! Love Notions Patterns has just the thing for you!

This post contains affiliate links.  I became a Love Notions affiliate AFTER falling in love with her patterns and testing process.  Purchasing through my links provides me a small compensation that I use to keep my sewing hobby a float!

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This pattern is available in women’s, girls, and even a simple doll version, (you can grab the bundle here)!  There are three different women’s and girls views so you will definitely get your money’s worth.  I sewed up a view A for myself.  It’s meant for fur or minky- those super luxe soft fabrics you never want to take off!  View A is also lined- a great place for a fun contrasting fabric.  All views feature my must have option- pockets!

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For my oldest I did view C, a princess seamed zip-up style.  I love the way the pockets are done on this version!  They are part of the front pattern pieces and create a nice seamless opening.  View C is bound with bias tape on the bottom hem, arm opening, and front seam.  It’s a versatile, sporty look.

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My younger daughter got a cropped version A, left unlined for a simple, amazingly quick sew.  For her’s I took my pattern pieces and folded the hem up accordion style so I could keep the curve on the bottom.  I took about 5″ off the length.

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Shannon Fabrics was a generous sponsor of this pattern and sent Tami at Love Notions a couple of gorgeous faux furs to share with her team of ambassadors.  I was thrilled to get to work with this beautiful fox fur.  I couldn’t waste any of it which is why my little one got a cropped version as well as a dolly version.  It looks so high end and expensive and feels like it too.  I honestly stare at my wardrobe and dream of what else I can pair it with just so I can wear it as much as humanly possible!

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I also lined my version in a soft stretch velvet to really seal the deal as the coziest thing in my closet.  I never thought I could be so in love with a fur vest but here I am!

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Ready for cuteness overload?! How cute are these matching 18″ doll versions?!  My girls love their mini-me’s and especially love dressing them up.  My oldest is getting pretty confident on the sewing machine and sewed her doll’s quickly and easily.  I love a good confidence boosting project!

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Speaking of confidence boosting… I had my first epic fail in forever while sewing this vest right here.  It was an early morning and I was happily sewing away before the kids got up.  I got to the very last step and was sewing on the last side of the zipper when my mistake became glaringly obvious.  In my haste (and sewing cockiness)  I had somehow stretched the front of one side, making one side 1.5″ longer than the other.  Bias tape was properly sewn on and zipper almost fully installed.  I gave up and walked away, swearing to never look at it again…

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This sweetheart was so excited for her new vest though and swore she’d wear it as is.  I giggled at the thought and told her no way!  She happily began unpicking the three rows of stitching.  Her optimism and love of this vest kept me going and I was able to fix my mistake and give her the finished garment the next day.  This is why I sew- that joy and can-do attitude make it all worth it!

Tips- to avoid a mistake like mine I have a few suggestions.  First, measure the front of your vest and cut your bias tape the same for both sides.  My fleece had very minimal stretch so I didn’t even think about it coming out different.  Wonder clips are your friend and carefully clip you bias tape on, trying your best to not stretch your fabric.  When it comes time to sew on your zipper, Wonder Tape or fabric glue are very helpful.  My zipper had even ended up wavy the first time and I found that fabric glue really helped hold it in place.  Take your time and you’ll end up with a beautiful finished product!

 

 

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The Oakley and Acorn Vests make the perfect Christmas gift for you or someone you love.  The girls comes in sizes 2T-16 and the women’s goes from XS-XXXL.  Grab yours on sale through Tuesday, November 28th.

Itch to Stitch Blog Tour

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The sewing community is amazing folks.  When word got out that Kennis Wong, the designer behind Itch to Stitch, had her home burglarized the community quickly rallied.  Her sewing machines, computers, and cameras were all gone and we knew we could help get her back on her feet.  So many incredible bloggers, fabric companies, and other pattern designers have joined together for a blog tour and giveaway to help in the best way we know how!  Buy her patterns, sew them up and share… spread the word and let’s show Kennis how much we love her and her designs!

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I’d been dying to try the Tierras Woven Joggers since their release so this was the perfect opportunity.  Since we’re headed into colder weather I wanted to try a thicker, warmer fabric than was recommended.  I used a gorgeous cranberry red Robert Kaufman Tahoe Flannel from Raspberry Creek Fabric (a sponsor of the tour).  It’s so soft and warm!

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I love that there are lengthen/shorten lines for both the crotch and legs.  I easily lengthened the rise 1.5″ since I prefer a mid-rise pant.  Because my fabric was so thick and had little drape, I took in the back thighs a bit too.  The pattern is easy to customize to your measurements and preferences.  I threw on leather patches and grommets instead of buttonholes for the drawstring.  I love a little bit of detail to spice things up a bit.

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I paired them with the Hepburn Turtleneck to dress them up a touch.  I used a beautiful hacci sweater knit, also from Raspberry Creek.  I honestly steer clear of turtlenecks usually but all the lovely pictures I saw convinced me to give it a try.  I’m so, so glad I did!

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I went up two sizes for a looser fit and added 1.5″ to the length (a standard adjustment for my height).  I love that it’s a super quick sew and I can get so many different looks depending on fabric choice.  This sweater knit version will be worn all winter long!

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I can’t wait to wear my new outfit on those cold snowy winter days!  It’s the perfect casual mom-i-form.  Comfortable for folding laundry, running errands, and all those other everyday things.

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Ready for all the great tour details?!  Read on to meet all the incredible bloggers and sponsors and how you can win some amazing prize packs!

Your ITS Love bloggers are

Monday: Sew Sophie Lynn, Merritts Makes, Sewing with Sarah, Sewing with D

Tuesday: Shalini’s Blog, Auschicksews, Rebel and Malice, Sewing Vortex

Wednesday: Replicate Then Deviate, mahlicadesigns, Sewing with D, The Petite Sewist, kreamino

Thursday: Sewing Curves, Creative Counselor, Sew Mariefleur, Fairies, Bubbles & Co, Sewing by Ti

Friday: Harper+Lu, MeMade, On Wednesdays We Sew, Heather Handmade, Bellevi, and visit by mooglii on IG

The ITS Love Tour sponsors have been so generous in support of Kennis of Itch to Stitch that we’ve been able to put together several prize packages to share with you.

First, you may enter our giveaway to win one of three prize packs:

Prize Pack #1 includes:

5 Itch to Stitch patterns

$25GC to Simply By Ti

$50 Raspberry Creek Gift Card

$50 Bella Sunshine gift card

Prize Pack #2 includes:

$50 Knit Pop GC

$25 Designer Stitch GC

$25 Chalk and Notch GC

3 patterns of choice from Coffee And Thread

2 patterns of choice from Hey June Handmade

Prize Pack #3 Includes:

$15 Thread & Grain store credit

$25 Maker Mountain Fabrics GC

$40 So Sew English GC

3 patterns from Halla Patterns

A Rafflecopter Giveaway

Your second way to win is to share with us your recent Itch to Stitch creations (made between October and November 2017). Add your creations to our Link Up Party before Nov. 20th for a chance to win one of two prize packs.

LinkUp Prize Pack #1 includes:

5 Itch to Stitch patterns

A $40 value PFRE Sly Fox Fabrics.

$25 Maker Mountain Fabrics GC

$50 Love Notions GC

LinkUp Prize Pack #2 includes:

$25 Stylish Fabric GC & sewing box kit

$25 Chalk and Notch GC

5 patterns from Rad Patterns

Pattern of choice from DG Patterns

 

 

Giveaway and Linkup prize winners will be announced on or about November 21st.

 

Love Notions Sloane Blog Tour Day Four

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Today’s post is a little sentimental.  This pretty lady right here is my mom.  She is absolutely the most selfless, kind, genuine person you’ll ever meet.  She actually taught me how to sew when I was young.  She sewed a ton of my clothes when I was little but then life with five kids kept her away from her machines.  She was busy driving us to school, practices, jobs and always had a side job going too.  As a mom of five myself, I don’t know how she did it (and our house was ALWAYS clean- super woman, I tell you!).

As my sister and I have gotten more into sewing she’s been wanting to get back into it too.  She was super nervous to sew for herself and scared of the new PDF world.  We knew that Love Notions Patterns (affiliate link) would be a great match for her.  They are classic styles with great instructions that come together easily and there are tons of beginner friendly patterns too!

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I’ve been sewing PDF patterns for so long now that I forget about how different they are from how I learned to sew in Home Ec.  The printing and taping are new not to mention the trend towards cutting pieces with pattern weights and a rotary cutter instead of pins and scissors.  I find it so much easier but that rotary cutter can be a little intimidating for a first timer.   We started with the LDT pattern this summer.  I think it’s a great pattern for a beginner (although the fabric recommendations can be a little trickier to sew with).  She made two gorgeous dresses and wore them all summer!  Once fall hit she kept mentioning she’d love to try a hoodie.  The new Sloane Sweater was perfect!

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Our first stop was Raspberry Creek Fabric for some pretty french terry.  She had a hard time deciding and grabbed fabric for two versions!  I knew this cotton spandex french terry would be much easier for her to sew than the rayon spandex she’d been struggling with.  It’s nice and thick, doesn’t curl or fray, and sews up so great on the serger.  I highly recommend it for a newbie to sewing knits- it’s a dream!

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We washed the fabric, printed and cut the pieces, and sewed this up all in an afternoon! This is her ‘I can’t believe I made this!’ face!  She was so excited to have a cute finished garment in no time.  It’s the best feeling to see someone’s confidence grow and their love of sewing ignite again.  Doesn’t she look amazing?!  I think she did an awesome job too!  I love her fabric pairing and how she used the dots.  It suits her so well!  I think that’s one of my favorite things about Tami’s patterns- if you look through her tester photos you will see real women, all shapes, sizes, and ages, and everyone looks fantastic!  Her patterns are easy to wear for women of all walks of life- you can make them dressy for the office or casual for the stay-at-home mom and everyone in between.  They’re just so, so good!

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And here she is doing the signature blogger ‘look at the ground as naturally as possible’ pose.  Nailed it!  This was simply the best afternoon and I’m so glad I got to share a piece of it with y’all.

You can catch all the other stops on the tour here:

 

Love Notions Sloane Blog Tour Day Three- free Cut File

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Here we are on day three and I’ve got another women’s Sloane for you.  This is inspired by a J. Crew sweatshirt I found on Pinterest

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It’s no longer available and I guarantee that I would cringe at the price.  Basic sweatshirts with a little embellishment are an easy DIY and usually carry a hefty price tag off the rack.

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For this version I sized up to a medium.  The inspiration pic looks really roomy and I wanted to keep that look.  I used one of my go-to fabrics- this light heather grey french terry from Raspberry Creek Fabric.  It’s a cotton spandex blend that’s medium weight with great stretch and recovery.  I did a basic view B without any of the bells and whistles.

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For my floral embellishments, I used my Cricut.  I knew I could achieve the look of the velvet flowers on the original with a black flocked heat transfer vinyl.  I love flocked vinyl and use it all the time.  It lends a retro vibe to graphic tees and holds up so well in the wash.  It mimicked the velvet so perfectly for this project too!

I’m not a graphics girl by any means so my flowers were done with a little trial and error.  I found a few free floral clip arts online and traced them in Design Space.  I copy and pasted them to get multiple sizes to get a good variety to play with.  I had fun laying them out on my top and playing around with placement.  You really can’t go wrong.  Use as few or as many flowers as you’d like.

You can make your own with these free files using your cutting machine:

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I think they’d look great in a metallic or a subtle monocramatic color on color too!

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I love this quick embellishment project!  So easy and adds so much to a boring old sweatshirt.

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You can check out all the other stops on the Sloane Tour this week here and stick around for my official post tomorrow!

Monday: Sew Shelly Sew, The Wholesome Mama, Ruby Rue Creations

Tuesday: Third Shift Creations, Sew Like a Sloth, Four Seasons and a Roadtrip

 

Love Notions Sloane Tour Day Two

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If you’ve followed me for very long you know I’m all about comfort.  Even in my fanciest dresses, I love to feel like I’m in my pajamas.   So it’s no surprise I now have a closetful of variations on the Love Notions Sloane (affl. link).  Sloane season also coincides with french terry season which means I will be living in comfort (and style!) for months!

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Raspberry Creek Fabric carries my favorite french terry, a thick cozy cotton spandex blend, in tons of gorgeous prints in their in house CLUB fabric line.  Diana at Raspberry Creek is a dear friend and has graciously sponsored most of my Sloane fabric posts.  You definitely need to head over to check out her huge selection at amazing prices (not to mention lightning fast shipping!).

This newest line is something dreams are made of.  I’m such a fan of olive and plum and this fabric is just beautiful!  I used the floral on oatmeal base and plum dots for this version.

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I did view B with the yoke and hood options.  I did a size small and like the boxy fit of this pattern.  The wider fit sets this apart from my other hoodie patterns and feels very fresh and trendy that way.  It’s still classic and not too slouchy though too!  This pattern can be made almost entirely on your serger making it sew up in a flash.  I did a french seam on the hood and a little topstitching on my machine but even then this was easily a quick afternoon project.  Am I speaking your language too?!  I don’t think anyone ever has ‘too much’ sewing time!

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I had to quickly throw this on hot off the machines so I could get quick pics.  I was dying to wear this out trick-or-treating with my crew.  It was perfect for our slightly crisp fall evening!

You can check out more fantastic Sloanes this week by following the blog tour- so much cuteness!

 

 

Love Notions Sloane Week

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This week Love Notions is celebrating it’s newest pattern and update- the women’s and girls (affl. links) Sloane.  All week long I’ll be sharing my Sloanes- it’s such a versatile pattern I can’t stop making them!  Today I’m starting with this repost from the CaliFabrics blog.  I love this sweater and just had to share it here too!

Make sure you check out all the bloggers joining in the Sloane Blog Tour.  There’s hacks and such a huge variety of looks you won’t want to miss.

 

I love scouring fashion magazines and Pinterest as we head into a new season. I’ve been loving the huge embroidery trend and knew I wanted to incorporate it into my daughters fall wardrobe (I’m hoping to add some to mine too- can’t let her have all the fun!). I hopped on Amazon and grabbed a bundle of embroidered flowers and then started brainstorming everything I was going to floral-fy! Jackets, sweatshirts, pants, tees… you name it. Then when I was browsing the CaliFabrics site inspiration hit! I wanted a subtle print and in my book leopard print is totally a neutral. This leopard sweater knit was perfect!

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Now that I had fabric picked out I struggled to find just the right pattern for the look I wanted. I knew I wanted a boxy cropped sweater and really struggled to find a pattern that suited what I had in mind. That was until Tami at Love Notions magically read my mind! The women’s Sloane Sweater is one of my favorites and just recently went under a revamp. While she was busy fixing it up she threw in a girls version too- hello! With a few little tweaks it was just what I had envisioned!

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I used the basic banded version, view B. I cropped off three inches at the hem then did my bottom band the same width as the hem. That’s it- super easy alterations to get this easy-going cropped look!

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This was one of my first times machine sewing embroidery on. The applique has a black base that made the thread blend in fairly well. If it was a fancy garment or special occasion dress I think I’d spend the time to hand sew the pieces on but for this everyday garment the machine was perfect. Do you have any tips or tutorials you love for attaching embroidery or appliques? I know there will be many more in my future. I think it really elevates the garment and there are so many possibilities.

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I love that this outfit could work for both a grown woman and your fashion-minded girls. It’s hard to find clothes in stores that are sophisticated without being too-grown up looking. Her school has a fairly strict dress code and it’s so nice being able to sew things that are suitable.

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I’ve decided having a tween is the best! She will happily wear all the latest trends and styles that I feel might be a little too ‘young’ and ‘hip’ for me. We have very similar styles so I always know that if I’d like it then she will be thrilled with it too. It’s a fun age and sure makes sewing for her rewarding. As a sewing blogger, I’d much rather be behind the camera taking the pics instead of front and center! She’s such a willing model that I honestly could just happily sew for her all day.

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She’s the reason I started sewing and the namesake of my blog afterall…

Are you sewing for fall yet? Make sure you check out the huge selection of sweater knits in the shop! So many cute fabrics, so little time!

Love Notions Bash and a couple new Forte’s to celebrate!

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Love Notions is celebrating!  Hop over to the blog for tons of pattern hacks all week and a chance at so many fun prizes!

To celebrate Love Notions is having it’s best sale of the year- 50% off ALL PATTERNS through October 27th.  You can grab patterns for you, your teens and tweens, little girls, boys, almost everyone in the family is covered.  I’d thought I’d share some of my favorites with you in case you needed a little help decided which one to grab!

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It’s no secret that I love my Love Notions Patterns.  I am an Ambassador but my journey began as a tester.  I had tested for multiple designers when I started testing for Tami.  I couldn’t believe how thorough and attentive she is.  She really listens to testers and makes adjustment after adjustment to get the fit just right for everyone.  I love that our voices are heard and that she is willing to do multiple revisions based off our feedback.  I especially love that she sews right along with us, usually ending up with dozens of prototypes by the time the pattern is released.  She uses trimless pages which make printing out and piecing together new patterns a breeze- so quick!  I was thrilled that her patterns fit a huge range of sizes- her women’s patterns start at XS and go to XXXL and most of her children’s patterns start at 2T and go up to a 16.  This was huge for my kids as I have teens and tweens that are super hard to find patterns for.  I always go off my measurements (you might find you are a smaller size than you’re used to) and have great fitting garments.  Safe to say after a few pattern tests I was hooked.

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I became an affiliate AFTER I realized I was constantly referring fellow sewists to her patterns.  I knew I could confidently recommend each one and figured I could make a little change on the side to pay for fabric for the next pattern test.  This post contains affiliate links meaning that by purchasing through them I earn a small kickback (which no doubt goes to my fabric stash).   As an Ambassador I am happy to answer any questions you may have and I will continue to spread the word about all things Love Notions!

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In honor of the bash I’m sharing two new Fortes.  I was on vacation during most of the testing of this pattern.  I whipped up a version C as I was packing and wore it multiple times during our trip.  Stripes and a sleeve flounce were all I needed to feel chic while sight seeing! I couldn’t wait to get home and make more.

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I came home and quickly made a couple more version C’s- one tee and one dress hack.  I also made a version B for my mom and love how quickly these come together (and the fact that there are soooo many options!).  This tee is a double brushed poly and is left unhemmed.  I love, love it styled with my Canyon Cardigan.

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I’d been dreaming of a simple dress using this view and it was such an easy hack.  I measured how long I wanted it and just extended the side seams straight down.  I originally thought I’d need more width through the hips and knees and had done an a-line extension.  The extra width was more frumpy than cute so I took it off and love the final result.

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I also raised the neckline on this one an inch and a half.  I prefer almost a crewneck look and Tami is a scoop neckline kinda gal.  She’s gotten me to branch out and I usually love the results but will alter the neckline now and then.

Are you ready for some more of our favorites? The Miss Mary Mack is one that I reach for over and over when I want to pair a couple different fabrics.  It’s such a sweet little girls top that can be worn year-round.

The Li’l Laundry Day Tee is also a huge hit.  A knit dress full of options that works for both school and church is something that get worn a ton!  With all the neckline and sleeve choices my girls can totally customize their dresses exactly how they want them.

For my boys the Moto Maxx set is essential.  Every fall I sew up a new batch for my youngest.  They are perfect for running and playing and the extra layer at the knee gives them a much longer life than his normal sweatpants.

Fun boy patterns are hard to find so you might like the Vanguard Kit as well.  Both these boy patterns come with top and bottom patterns and for $6 that’s quite the steal.  The colorblocking on the Vanguard tee takes all the guess work out of doing it yourself and those cargo pants are perfect for all his treasures.

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Now for ladies, I’ll give you my top five must haves (ok- counting the Forte it’s six but they’re on sale so I’m really ‘saving’ you money, right?!).  The Bluezette is just a winner guys.  There are two bodice styles, five skirt options and three sleeve lengths which means you could make a dozen and have a different dress each time.  This dress has gotten so much wear because it flatters and in this double brushed poly I honestly never want to take it off.

These four tops were made from the same versatile pattern- the Terra Tunic.  The Terra is full of options- hood, funnel, scoop, v-neck, asymmetrical, and boat-neck necklines and multiple sleeve choices too.  It’s a great basic pattern that lends itself to easy hacking.  The leopard print sweater is simply cropped a few inches and you can find my hack for the peplum top here on the Love Notions Blog.

The Boyfriend Cardigan is definitely my most worn piece in my wardrobe.  That charcoal grey french terry version in the middle there gets worn almost daily.  I just leave it out and if there’s the slightest chill in the air I grab that baby.  It’s comfortable and I feel like it’s a step up from my ratty hoodie.  There is also a girls version and I think my daughter is developing a very similar relationship to hers!

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I’ve got extra love for this pattern since it was the first pattern I ever tested for Love Notions.  Look how much my little girly has grown!

My next go-to pattern is the La Bella Donna Top and Tunic.  This is another pattern that comes in girls sizing too.  It’s a versatile dolman sleeve top that is full of options (are you sensing a theme here?  LN patterns are usually loaded with tons of options in each pattern, something I always look for!).  There are cowl, hoodie and boat neck options along with multiple sleeve lengths.  For my striped version I widened my cowl for a cute chunky look.  I love this pattern for everyday tees too and after comparing MANY dolman patterns this one remains the winner.

Last but not least is the Sybil Illusion Skirt.  This is the ULTIMATE knit skirt pattern.  Really, buy this one and you won’t ever need another skirt pattern ever!  There’s a box pleat, a-line, pencil, swing, drop yoke, asymmetrical wrap, and gored options and all come in knee or midi lengths.  There’s an optional control top waistband panel and best thing- no closures!  Wait, the real best thing is actually POCKETS!  I can’t live without them!  These skirts come together so easily and are perfect for dressing up or down.

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K, are you ready to do some shopping?  If you want more in-depth reviews of any Love Notions patterns you can use the search function on my blog to bring up all my past LN makes or click the Love Notions tag at the end of this post.  There are so many other patterns to choose from you really can’t go wrong with any of them.  Happy Shopping!

 

Dreamy Velvet Wrap Dress

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This is the dress dreams are made of.  It’s one of those things you feel fabulous in but is also so incredibly comfortable you contemplate wearing it everyday- it’s totally appropriate for the soccer field and a Target run, right?!!

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My journey for this dress began back in August when I picked up this luscious olive green velvet from Stylish Fabrics.   I knew immediately it needed to be a dress for me and couldn’t get a wrap dress out of my head.  I searched and searched for the perfect pattern- I really wanted a higher neckline but couldn’t find one that looked right.  The details on the Striped Swallow Designs Summer Dawn were exactly what I wanted though.  Those sleeves are just about the most awesome things ever and that shoulder gather is perfection!  I grabbed it and then sat on this project while I tried to figure out all the alterations I’d need to do to make it work for me…

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The changing leaves really motivated me to get this thing done- I NEEDED a gorgeous fall backdrop to really do justice to this dress!

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With a few modifications this dress is all I had hoped it would be.  I’ve never even worn a wrap dress before and now I want to fill my closet with them!  This style is just my cup of tea- comfortable and classic but with a bit of wow thrown in.  I’ll let you in on all my tricks to get the perfect dress for me!

summer6

The modifications I made were only to the bodice and straps.  In making the alterations I did need to change the construction a bit also.  My main goal was to raise the neckline.  Every version I’d seen was way too low for my tastes and needs.  I’ll be primarily wearing this to church and on the rare special occasion so modesty was key.

pattern

I took my front bodice piece and first extended the bottom to fit my front skirt piece.  I then drew a line straight up to match the line marked in the picture.  From there I extended the diagonal out for more coverage.  It didn’t need too much extra.

summer4

 

When I attached the neckline binding piece I folded it in half then serged the whole thing on, creating a neckband instead of the hidden binding in the pattern.  This added even more coverage.  I sandwiched my waist ties in the binding/bodice seam and tacked them down.  The pattern calls for one tie to be placed in the side seam and then sewn across the waist.  I knew the velvet would add too much unwanted bulk and chose to simply trim my tie and sew it into the binding instead.  I also left the sleeves unhemmed, wanting to preserve the flowiness and not add the bulk of a hem.  These might be easy alterations for some but it really took some thinking for me.  I’m a rule follower and have the hardest time figuring these things out sometimes!  It all worked out beautifully and now that I’ve done it once I can easily whip up a few more!

summer1

 

My cute husband was a gem and met me after work to get these pics.  I sure love his creative composition and I know it’s not really part of the marriage package to be the on call photographer.  He did a fantastic job even though velvet is just about the hardest thing ever to photograph!  Now we just need a killer date night where I can wear this out on the town!

 

summer11

summer7