SewSophieLynn

Cotton + Steel Fringe Dress

I think I’ve died and gone to dress heaven! This dress is seriously everything I could possibly want in a garment; comfortable, chic, on trend, and makes me feel absolutely amazing!

I was lucky enough to be part of a fashion show at UQSM (Utah Quilting and Sewing Marketplace) and the generous folks at Cotton + Steel sponsored our show. It was so fun to shop their giant collection of fabrics. I struggled picking something from all their amazing lines. I’m a sucker for the Rifle Paper Co. lines but knew they’d be well represented by the other ladies in the show. I knew I wanted a rayon and fell hard for this pretty butterfly print from Melody Miller’s Flutter line. I think that it’s bold and subtle all at once. The colors are so very me and the print is a little different from my normal floral, stripes, or gingham but still not too crazy. It feels very seasonless to me too and I’ll wear it all year round, with sandals in warm weather and booties and a cardigan come fall.

I was beyond impressed with the weight and feel of this fabric. It sewed up easily and the drape is just beautiful. I’ve been spoiled working with it and now can’t wait to use it again.

I sewed up the Fringe Blouse and Dress from Chalk and Notch using the maxi tutorial from the Chalk and Notch blog. Why have I not sewn up this pattern before now?!!! I am so in love with it! It was such a fun sew. The instructions are fantastic and the finishing is superb. It was also a fairly quick sew, I was able to make it up in a day full of lots of family interruptions. I did view B, the popover version, and already have a view A set aside and ready to go.

I added the ties to the back darts and I love the little bit of shaping they give.

I was honestly a little nervous that this style would look a little ‘maternity’ on my body type. I’m very rectangle with no chest and a belly and it’s really easy for tops and dresses to accentuate those features. This pattern did the exact opposite in my opinion. The lower neckline draws the eye up and the ties and waist shaping actually give me the illusion of a waistline. The waistline gathering isn’t bulky and hits at that sweet spot of my natural waist. I’m so glad to have given this style a try and now will fill my closet with this pattern and similar styles!

Can I get a little real with y’all? I know my job as a sewing blogger and pattern promoter is to look pretty and tell you all the great things about my latest sews. Part of that ‘job’ is taking fancy pictures of myself and posting for all the web to see. I wish I could let you all see me as I sit here in my jammies writing this, having spent a totally lackluster day running errands like oil changes, grocery shopping, and soccer games. The sunglasses in all my pictures are to hide the undereye circles from the lack of sleep and also the fact that I have an uncanny ability to close my eyes each time the shutter goes off. You rarely see back shots because I have a silly insecurity about my elbows… I think staring at pictures of yourself can bring out all kinds of funny negative body thoughts. It is fun to pretend to be a beautiful supermodel for a few minutes but just know that most of us in front of the camera are dealing with the same insecurities and daily life that you are. I wouldn’t trade the everyday moments of motherhood for anything!

It takes a really amazing garment though to really make me feel like a million bucks and this dress does just that. It hits that sweet spot of feeling like your most comfortable pajamas while looking like a chic garment. Doesn’t get any better!

Sewing WITH Kids

As my kids get older they’ve caught the sewing bug. They get an idea in their heads then just have to get it sewn up right then- sound familiar sewists?! Today I’m going to share a few of their favorite makes and our tips for a happy sewing experience.

This guy just dives right into each project with absolutely no fear. I never really taught him how to sew and remember the day when he was about 8-years-old and I caught him mending his socks with my serger. No intimidation with this kid!

My older kids are not really interested in sewing up pillowcases, bags, or other standard beginner projects. I think since I sew primarily clothing, that’s what they want to sew too. He really wanted a hoodie like his older brothers and we sewed this up in an afternoon. Hoodies are a go-to for me when teaching my kids to sew. My oldest has made a couple of Greenstyle Hudson Hoodies and my younger kids love the Hey June Hatteras Hoodie. The bands make it easy to finish with no knit hems and I think a hood can be even easier to do than a tricky knit neckband. For the most part hoodies can be done on a serger which makes for a more professional finish that they’ll be proud of. Another bonus with hoodies is that french terry is a great fabric to work with. It’s nice and thick and doesn’t curl as easily as thinner knits.

He made this last fall and wore this constantly all winter long! A couple other easy projects I’ve made with my older boys are t shirts (this one from Jalie or the Jolly Roger Raglan from P4P are favorites), joggers (Boxwoods from Sew Like My Mom and Mini Hudson Pants from True Bias), and pajamas (the free Walk the Plank bottoms from P4P).

This sweet girly loves to sew as well. She took a sewing class last summer with her best friend and I’ve been super grateful she did. She was able to learn all the proper techniques and gain the confidence to really tackle projects on her own. During her class she used a regular sewing machine and made bags, pillows, and pajamas. They taught her how to cut out patterns and which stitches to use. For her first big project at home she also sewed up a Hatteras Hoodie with her brother. It was so fun having them working side by side!

She loves to sew birthday gifts for her friends. She makes backpacks, sleeping masks, and hair things. We love the Made for Mermaids HUGE collection of Free Patterns– there are tons of great beginner projects and loads of things perfect for gifting.

Her latest sew was a fun one! We sewed the Mainland Collection from Striped Swallow Designs together. She sewed the Rhapsody Joggers and I did the Highlander Dolman. She picked these darling fabrics from our Project Run and Play winnings from Riley Blake Designs. They are so cute together and such a great weight, making them easy to work with.

The top is also another great beginner project that I think she could do on her own next time. We changed a few things with the patterns to make them even quicker, easier sews.

We did a wide yoga waistband on the joggers and a wide band on the bottom of the top. She plans to wear this set primarily as lounge wear so comfort was key! It also made construction even easier.

The pocket construction on these pants is super fun and quite easy for her to figure out. I love the oversized look of them too!

I changed the sleeves to have a wide cuff, one of my favorite features on tops lately. I think it adds a cute detail to this top.

I think the most difficult part of this top is the bound neckline and optional ties. It’s such a nice finish and she’s so meticulous that I’m sure she could handle it next time. It’s definitely my favorite thing about this pattern!

Here’s a breakdown of some of my tips for sewing with older kids:

1- Let them pick their project. They’re more likely to finish a project they’ve picked themselves and will be proud to wear the finished garment if it’s something they’ve been eyeing in stores.

2- Pick fabrics that are easy to sew with. I like thick knits like cotton/lycra (Raspberry Creek, Art Gallery, and Riley Blake are perfect!) or french terry (Raspberry Creek has you covered!). For wovens, I love Robert Kaufman Mammoth flannels for pj’s or quilting cottons for household projects. Good quality fabric might be hard on the wallet but it’ll make all the difference in how easy it is to sew and how well the finished project will hold up.

3- If you’d use a serger on the project, let your kids use it also. I know that blade is scary but I’ve found my kids are cautious and careful around it. We use clips to hold pieces together and they work great at making sure they sew nice and slow too!

4- Go easy on them but also make them unpick when necessary. When I learned to sew as a teen I was so resentful of my seam ripper. My mom made me unpick things until they were perfect. Guess what I’ve learned- perfection isn’t all it’s cracked up to be! If it’s close enough and won’t cause problems further in the construction, let it be. Sometimes though a little seam ripping just needs to be done. When sewing these joggers my daughter sewed a cuff on with the seam on the outside. She quickly ripped the seam out and had it sewn on correctly in no time. Lesson learned! We grow the most from our mistakes so don’t deny them that opportunity, lol!

5- Have fun! It’s hard not to think that you could probably finish the project in half the time but sit back and enjoy those moments with your kiddos. They go too quickly!

Hey June Phoenix Blouse

Well, be prepared to buy another pattern. The Hey June Handmade Phoenix Blouse is here and it’s perfect for summer (and all year really!). It has all the same great quality you’ve come to expect in a Hey June pattern- amazing instructions, excellent drafting, and incredible style.

The pattern features a loose fit, front yoke with slit, and a back yoke. There are sleeveless and bell sleeve views. The best part for me was the fact that the Amalfi Dress sleeves fit perfectly with this pattern- hooray for even more options! I used the flutter sleeve from the Amalfi for my version.

I love the breeziness of this whole blouse but those sleeves take it to a whole new level!

I’ve had this fabric forever! I found it years ago in LA at Michael Levine’s Loft where you pay by the pound and since it was such a lightweight fabric I got yards and yards of it! I love the subtle print and drape. I think it’s a rayon crepe and it’s just a bit sheer. While I think the finished top is amazing in this fabric, I did have to walk away a couple of times during sewing as it put me through the ringer! I think my next Phoenix will be in a sturdier fabric but those flutter sleeves just needed something that would flow and I knew this would be perfect.

The back yoke construction is genius!! As with all Hey June patterns the insides look just as pretty as the outsides and that yoke is a little mind blowing. It’s a simple to do technique that hides most of the yoke and shoulder seams.

Make sure you grab your copy of the Phoenix Blouse! It’s a wardrobe MUST for sure!

Lana Top and Dress from Coffee + Thread

The Lana Top and Dress is the latest pattern from Coffee + Thread. It’s such a cute, on trend style and so quick to sew up!

This pattern is a knit dolman bodice with a ruffle sleeve with both top and dress options. It comes in sizes 2-20 and a big bonus is that a top can be made in just a yard of fabric for most sizes! You’ve got to be like me with a huge stash of one yard cuts that you’re not sure what to do with. This pattern is perfect for them and you can sew up a few in just an afternoon, my kind of pattern for sure!

I really like the fit of this top, not too fitted and loose in all the right places. It’s perfect for those hot summer days!

Like most tests I do, I sewed up an early tester version with all intentions of making a great final version also but yet again time got away from me. Daily life with five kiddos sometimes puts a damper on my sewing time, lol! The pattern was lengthened after my version but otherwise the fit was pretty great from the get-go. I used a yummy soft rayon spandex from an LA fabric shopping trip and it worked great for this pattern. I love the ruffle sleeve in a lightweight fabric!

I’m thrilled to have the perfect summer top and definitely need to sew up a couple more! You can still grab the pattern on sale through May 10th!

Patriotic Starlight City Dress

The new Patriotic CLUB line from Raspberry Creek Fabrics has me feeling so inspired. Corinne really did an amazing job creating this line and I can’t get enough of it!

I had big plans to use this rayon challis print for myself but had a change of heart when this little miss struggled to find a warm weather dress that still fit- darn growing kids! I absolutely love the Starlight City Dress from Lil Luxe Collection (you can see our other version here) and knew it’d be stunning maxi-fied.

That back is just so fun and it’s such a quick, easy sew too since there are no closures!

I modified it just a bit using the width of the fabric for the skirt and adding length to make it touch the floor. She is a 7/8 width with a 12 height but I didn’t alter the bodice piece so it hits a little higher on her chest.

We both love those pockets! Seriously, there’s nothing more comfy than a soft maxi dress with pockets.

I did have to be a bit creative with the pattern placement with this print. You don’t want to end up with medallions is the wrong place on the chest, if you catch my drift. It’s not such a big deal on my little miss but when I make my own top I think I’ll try to do something similar to this bodice. Aren’t those colors just so pretty?!!

You can grab this fabric and the whole patriotic line on sale through the end of today, 5/7. They’ll stick around in the shop through July 4th so you can get your fun summer clothes ready!

Megan Nielsen River Dress and Top

I’m so excited to finally get to share these makes with you! I was thrilled to be a tester for Megan Nielsen’s latest pattern, the River Top and Dress. This dress was one of my most worn this winter and it’s been torture not to be able to share it with you all!

This pattern includes so many options! It’s a fun reversible raglan sleeve top or dress that can be made in both knits or wovens. It can be worn with the v-neckline in the front or back making it so versatile!

The relaxed fit made it so perfect for hiding all those holiday pounds and for keeping me comfortable all winter long. I loved pairing it with tights and a cardigan for an easy casual church outfit.

I made this version out of a thick plaid double knit from Raspberry Creek Fabrics. I absolutely love this fabric and it was perfect for this pattern. It has both structure and stretch and is so soft. It’s no wonder I couldn’t get enough of this dress.

I also did a top version in a houndstooth ponte (from my stash) that I just love! The cropped length was so flattering and made me feel slightly edgier and way cooler than my normal jeans and tee 😉

There is a cuff option for the sleeves that I absolutely adore! Digging up these pictures again has me convinced I need to make another brighter version for spring.

Head over to Megan Nielsen stat to pick up your copy of this fun pattern and you’ve got to check out the Ash Jeans that also released this week. So much goodness in the shop!

Raspberry Creek Fabrics Patriotic CLUB Line

Summer is coming which means it’s time to start sewing all the red, white, and blue! I don’t know about you but my kids wear their patriotic stuff constantly between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Summer is just the time of year that makes you so proud of the country we live in. Raspberry Creek Fabrics newest CLUB line is perfect for all summer long!

Corinne of Corinne Wells Design did a great job designing this line. There are six prints on the CLUB base jersey and french terry. CLUB base fabrics are comparable to expensive knits like Art Gallery but at a fraction of the price. They are my kids absolute favorite!

There are also two prints on dreamy rayon challis. I just had to have that cute red bandanna print so stay tuned for a little something for me!

My sister and I were excited to sew up these prints for our girls! They love cousin photo shoots almost as much as we do.

This cutie is wearing the Navy Stars on White paired with the CLUB red stripes. My sister used the Issie Top and Dress from SewPony for this darling dress. Those ruffles are so darn cute!

My Payton loves comfy clothes with a little sass and the Studio Top from Shwin Designs is so very her! I combined the two views, adding the sleeves from to the bodice flounce version. I had a lot of fun playing with the direction of the gingham for each pattern piece and since this knit is a four-way stretch it worked out just lovely. This big red plaid just screams summer to me!

This tiny miss was absolutely adorable during our shoot. She just loves her big cousins and they love her so much too! She’s wearing a modified Alley Cat Romper from Lil Luxe Collection. My sister made the bodice per the pattern and then chopped the bottom to be a cute handkerchief hem peplum.

Finally, my oldest is wearing the Cora Culottes from Made for Mermaids. They are such a quick sew and so comfortable. I’ll need to make her a bunch more for summer since she’s not much of a skirt girl but these are great compromise.

Are you itching for long summer days, bar-b-ques, and lots of family time? Just looking at these pics again has me so ready for school to be out and for all things summer! Make sure to head over to Raspberry Creek Fabrics this week to grab these fun prints for a dollar off per yard during the release week sale. Bring on the sun!!

Love Notions Sonata Dress

Hi guys! It’s been forever! After all the craziness of Project Run and Play I’ve been enjoying a little break from all the commitments and blog tours this last month. I did do a quick guest post for Cali Fabrics during Chambray Week and it was a great chance to get back to my machines.

When Tami at Love Notions previewed her latest pattern I knew it would be perfect for summer. The Sonata Dress (affiliate link) is an easy to wear dress that will get you through those hot summer days in style.

*This post contains affiliate links. In return for purchasing through them I get a small kick back that I inevitably use to get more fabric to sew up more fantastic patterns. Win-win for us all!

This pattern is full of features. There are bust and waist darts with excellent instructions on getting a great bodice fit. The neckline is finished with a facing that you can do on the outside or inside of the dress. There are three sleeve options; short, flutter, and sleeveless. The back of the bodice has an elastic casing that really cinches in the waistline. An a-line skirt with built in pockets finishes the dress perfectly!

For my version, I wanted to do one that would work well as a swim cover-up. I used a light gauze fabric from Hobby Lobby (last year) and added tassel ties to the neckline. There are instructions to line sheer fabrics in the pattern but I chose to do mine unlined to keep in light and airy.

I’m so excited to finally have a cute cover-up for all those pool days we love so much.

I love that this dress gives my very rectangle body a bit of definition at the waist. The back elastic and bodice darts give me just enough shaping to make me feel like a million bucks!

I’m so out of the habit of taking pictures of myself! For these I set up the tripod and had my little guy man the shutter. It was such a hilarious shoot and in most of the pictures I’m either out of focus, yelling at him to take the picture, or grimacing from the fact that he wandered off again to look for bugs. There’s even a dozen of me talking to the nice lady walking her dog right through our little spot. It was definitely not ideal but he was such a trooper.

Grab the Sonata Dress on sale now through Sunday May 6th!

Project Run and Play Week Four: Signature Style

It’s the final week of Project Run and Play and I can’t believe I’m here at the end. It’s been such an amazing experience full of so many ups and downs. To be here with Cassie of Pear Berry Lane and Gemia of Phat Quarters is truly the icing on the cake. These two ladies have been with me on my sewing journey from my early pattern tester days and I’ll be thrilled no matter what the outcome of this contest is. These women are so incredibly talented and both deserve all the prizes in the world for their hard work and determination these last few weeks! It’s been an honor to compete with all five ladies and I know they make this sewing community a better place.

The theme this week is Signature Style- my favorite week yet! The pressure was off and I got to sew what I felt really expresses our styles. I wanted to highlight my own design aesthetic but also play up the girl’s tastes and personalities too. These two outfits really are such a great mix of the three of us and I love how they turned out. I lean towards classic styles with clean lines and simple silhouettes but I love to give them a contemporary twist. These pieces will integrate easily into their wardrobes, will get lots of wear, and really showcase who we are style-wise.

This dress is the highlight of our look. I’ve had this fabric for years and have just been waiting for the right project. This competition has been just what I needed to cut into all my beloved stash fabrics! This particular fabric came from Hancock Fabrics in their clearance section (that was always my favorite local place for unique, inexpensive apparel fabrics). I absolutely love the colors as I’m all over anything blush, olive, grey, or black these days. I’m usually drawn to stripes and florals but this bold geometric print is different and so incredible. Sometimes the design comes first and sometimes the fabric just knows what it needs to become. This fabric screamed to become a classic pleated dress so of course I had to oblige.

I used a favorite pattern of ours as the starting point, the Blake Dress from Mingo and Grace. I used this pattern for our Pokemon look in our first trip to PRP and it just seemed so right to used it for our final look as well. This time around I added sleeves and a peter pan collar. I always look for dresses with sleeves to make them more church appropriate and to give it more wearability in our ever-changing Utah weather. I used the sleeve and armscye of another pattern and was surprised at how easy an alteration it was. I will definitely be doing it more often in the future! There was a ton of hand sewing involved with this dress from the fully lined bodice to the hand tacked hem. All things that make this dress one that will be worn and cherished for as long as possible

One of my favorite features of this pattern and one I needed to keep were the hidden pockets. I love this design element and while it’s a little tricky to figure out it’s always a happy little surprise for my girls.

The collar is made from the same pleather as last week’s pants. I love the edge it gives the dress and knew she would too. She adores her pants from last week and thinks this collar is pretty cool. Little rockstar touches are always welcome with this girly. I wanted to add a little ribbon belt and this leather trim was too perfect.

I finished the dress with a lace exposed zipper. I had this one in my stash and loved the feminine feel it brings to an otherwise modern look. It suits my daughter so well. She’s full of spunk and sass but still sweet and girly too. It’s always so fun when you can sum up their eclectic personalities in one garment!

My older daughter is a mini me through and through. I always apologize to her for all the little things she’s inherited from me from my quiet personality to my funny teeth. Good or bad, she’s just like her mom. I know when I sew for her that if I would wear it she’ll love it too. I wanted to recreate one of my favorite makes for myself because I knew she’d adore it too. This top is my take on my own gingham Willamette Top from Hey June Handmade. We paired it with a classic blush twill skirt for a simply chic look!

For this top I started with Simplicity 1043, a pajama pattern. I used the wide collar but then almost completely redrafted it. I wanted it to be as close to the original inspiration as possible. I made a dolman sleeve and cuff, added a back yolk and pleat, and added in all the seam details.

The Willamette is such an on-trend top and I love all the unique features it has. That back pleat is just lovely in gingham! This fabric is a beautiful Robert Kaufman one inch gingham I picked up at my local quilt shop but is readily available online (in case you need some for yourself, hint hint!).

The seaming makes it so fun to play with the directions of the gingham. I cut the yoke, cuffs, collar, and bottom pieces all on the bias. I love the effect! I used all the same clean finishes of the Willamette pattern to create a garment that’s as pretty on the inside as it is on the outside. French seams, a magic burrito rolled yoke and hidden seams in the cuff make this top look so high end.

I used the Linden Shorts and Skirt pattern for the skirt changing up a few things for this look. I slimmed it down a bit and did my own slash pockets. I also drafted my own waistband and used an invisible side zipper for closure. This skirt is a prime example of why I sew for this girl. She measured an 8 waist and 12 length and I still needed to bring in the back middle seam a couple of inches and customize the width even more. Ready to wear bottoms are always so short on her and skirts are near impossible to get in a decent length! So glad we can create a garment that fits her tall, tiny frame!

This fabric is a shiny sateen I got in LA but I chose to use the wrong side of the fabric for everything but the pocket bag. She’s seriously lacking in skirts and this color will work so well with her existing wardrobe. I was happy to create a great basic piece that will get worn and loved!

This week’s looks are simple and timeless with fun details that bring them into the present day. It was so rewarding making garments that not only highlight my own style but also bring out my daughter’s unique personalities as well. Isn’t that why we sew moms? After a long month of sewing, this week’s pieces truly reflect who we are and why I sew.

For this week’s shoot we headed to my favorite location, a quaint old town street not too far from us. I love the dirty alleys, gorgeous wood wall, and aged brick buildings. So many options for amazing backdrops in one easy location. We were racing the sunset and these girls have become experts these last few weeks at nailing poses and hamming it up as quickly as possible. For once, the sun was shining and I didn’t need to edit out goosebumps, lol! These two have earned a good break from blog pictures that’s for sure!

Thanks so much for bringing us this far in the competition. I’m so grateful for the sewing community and all my real life family and friends who have been cheering me on through this adventure! Make sure you head over to Project Run and Play to see all the looks and to vote for your favorite. I’m sure you’re in for some serious eye candy!

Project Run and Play Week Three: Shine Bright

It’s week three! What a ride it’s been! I’m thrilled to have made it this far in the competition and have been loving my competitors creation’s each week. Make sure you head over to Project Run and Play to check out their looks and to vote for your favorite.

The theme for this week is “Astronomical Proportions’. I really, really struggled with this one. I love that this competition pushes me to try new things and to be adventurous but I also want to be true to my own design aesthetic and style. As designers we pondered the double meaning of the theme; outer space and also big dramatic proportions or style elements. Trying to go with both meanings and stay practical and wearable was my big hang up. I decided to go ‘big’ in my own way.

I kept thinking of the stars- both in the sky and on the silver screen. We are channeling the bright, shining stars in the sky and also our favorite Hollywood movie stars. It made for a fun week sewing and an especially fun photo shoot.

Fabric played a huge part in this week’s look. I used mostly fabric I’ve had forever and that I picked up for a steal. The sequins, lining knit, and neon pink scuba knit are from LA that I grabbed last year. The sequins were a screaming deal at $5/yard and the scuba was a remnant that I got to dig for ;). The faux leather knit came from a local home decor warehouse for $3/yard and the space knit was a Joann remnant for a couple of dollars as well. Serious savings! While it was amazing finding just the right fabrics in my stash it also meant I had to work with the yardage I had. It proved a bit challenging on the main pieces but worked out in the end.

This dress was such a learning experience. It was only my second time working with sequins and my first big project with them. I only broke ten needles in the process- haha! The sparkle and shine are so worth it though!

The real showstopper is that skirt! I added fairy lights for extra wow factor and love the results.

I wanted this dress to be both playful and sophisticated and to really suit her style. I loved this dress and this one as well and wanted to use elements of them in our look. I love the blouson top and wanted a circle skirt to really showcase those twinkling lights. I love the bishop sleeve of the second dress but unfortunately didn’t have enough fabric for long sleeves. The slight flutter sleeve is my compromise!

The dress is lined in a super soft grey rayon jersey knit. It’s comfortable and helps retain the drapiness of the sequins. I did an elastic casing on the bodice lining only to avoid an extra seam on the sequins. The elastic had to be nice and snug to hold up the weight of the sequins and battery pack.

The lights are removable and took a lot of time to figure out.

I created a zipper pouch in the pocket to hold the battery pack. There is a buttonhole on the other side of the pocket for the light strand to feed out of. The lights are hand tacked to the inside of the sequins and are just loose enough that they can be removed easily.

If I were to create this dress again (hello, future me!) I’d do a couple of things differently. This was my first time making a light up sequin dress after all! Hopefully someone else can use these tips to make their little princess’s dreams come true. The battery pack is a little too heavy and bulky in her pocket and I think I’d either do a separate pocket in the back of the bodice or since I knew she’d be wearing shorts underneath it would be ideal to put the battery pack in a pocket there then do a buttonhole on the skirt lining for the lights to feed through. The fairy lights were lightweight and the wire was pliable and worked well with the weight of the sequins. The lights add just a bit of fullness to the skirt which worked well for this application. How fun would a light up dress be for a night of fireworks at your favorite theme park? I think there are lots of possibilities with these fun lights!

The spin factor with the lights is our favorite! I love that she picked Chucks to really play up the playfulness of this look. Perfectly suits my soccer loving, book-worm, old soul of a daughter!

I used the Nina Blouse from Coffee + Threads as my basic bodice pattern again. I eliminated all closures and did a slight boatneck to fit over her head. I redrafted the sleeve to have as much flutter as I could fit on my remaining fabric. I just love that drape!

I used the Love Notions Leggins’ pattern to make a pair of shorties to wear underneath to allow her to spin to her heart’s content! I added height to the waistband and cut them to hit mid-thigh for coverage but to stay hidden too. This fun space print was perfect for the theme and I love when they peek out a bit as she twirls!

Overall, I’m so happy for the push Project Run and Play gave me to cut into my beloved sequins. It was worth all the broken needles in the world to see this little miss feel like a star!

This girl is my little sassy one. She’s full of spunk and I wanted an outfit that captured that. A neon pink top with faux leather leggings sure did the trick!

For her blouse I used the Hey June City Park tee as my base. I sized up and redrafted the body for a boxy, loose fit. I added wide blouson sleeves for our take on ‘astronomical proportions’. I love the drama of the sleeves and finishing them with an elastic cuff keeps them a little more practical.

Just about as puffy as this simple mama gets 😉 She’s in love though!

I did a slight high low hem to add to the dramatic feel.

Gold foil stars add the finishing touch. My Cricut and I are becoming BFF’s this competition too. As I searched for star fabric all over the internet it hit me that my Cricut could give me just the look I wanted. I was able to use the bright fabric I wanted and add just a spattering of stars to tie it in with the theme.

Her pants are simple leggings with a few modifications for a sleek fit. I used the Peony Leggings from Sew Like My Mom. I slimmed the legs even more for a second skin close fit. I added height to the waistband for a high-waisted silhouette.

They’re cropped just at the ankle for a retro feel. Really wishing I could rock the pleather pants like this girl!

Our shoot day was another one for the books. After six soccer games and a birthday party, we had a fun shoot planned in front of this cool wall. Mother Nature had other plans as the skies turned grey and it started raining then turned to slushy snow. Perfect photo conditions!

Luckily I had a backup plan and we headed to a ‘fancy’ parking garage for a high fashion photo shoot- complete with natural wind machines and an audience. These girls loved getting glammed up and really turned on their inner movie stars. A little makeup and a rocking hairdo go a long way in making them feel confident and really bring them out of their shells. Yet again, the photo shoot turned out to be my favorite part of the process. These girls crack me up and we just have a blast each time!