SewSophieLynn

Love Notions Sloane Tour Day Two

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!

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.

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!

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!

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

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

Wednesday: Seamly Behaviour, My Heart Will Sew On, Ma Moose

Thursday: SewSophieLynn, Very Blissful Blog, Kainara stitches, Sprouting JubeJube

Friday: Sew and Tell Project, Sewing curves, Princesse et trésors, All Things Katy!

Love Notions Sloane Week

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.

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

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

Wednesday: Seamly Behaviour, My Heart Will Sew On, Ma Moose

Thursday: SewSophieLynn, Very Blissful Blog, Kainara stitches, Sprouting JubeJube

Friday: Sew and Tell Project, Sewing curves, Princesse et trésors, All Things Katy!

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!

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!

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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

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?!!

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…

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

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!

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.

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.

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!

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!

Winter Adelyn with Raspberry Creek Fabrics

The newest line from Raspberry Creek Fabric has hit the shop and it’s simply perfect! Corrine Wells Design really nailed this winter fabric line. It’s classic, simple, and so versatile. I was lucky enough to get to play with this gorgeous cardinal print. I chose the cotton jersey and paired it with this Robert Kaufman Carolina Gingham. I love the retro feel of this combo!

I used Adelyn’s Scoop Back Dress from Simple Life Pattern Co. It’s a favorite with my girls!

I did a couple of easy modifications. She wanted 3/4 sleeves so I simply cut the long sleeves a bit shorter. I also changed up the skirt because this girl can’t get enough maxi dresses! I used the width of the fabric but cut it in half to add pockets (almost a necessity now!). I used a pocket piece from the M4M Joy since I had it handy but any side inseam pocket would work. I measured from where the bodice hit her waist to the floor and added a hem allowance. I love to do them floor length to begin with because kids grow soooo fast and then they can possibly get a couple years wear out of them. I added clear elastic at the waist seam to help with the weight of the skirt. I did the higher scoop and it still works lovely with the bow.

Our favorite feature with this pattern is the darling bow back! Seriously a showstopper!

I’m excited to have a holiday dress done for her (don’t worry- I can never make just one!). I love that this fabric is not too Christmas-y and will work great all winter long. It reminds me so much of my sweet Grandma Lola and her love of birds. I get especially sentimental during the holidays and it just makes me so happy to see my little miss in this.

You can grab this fabric (and the rest of the line!) on sale through Thursday, October 19th for $1 off a yard. It will stick around in the shop until Christmas.

Love Notions Sloane Sweater

Fall is here and that means sweaters and sweatshirts are taking over our closets! The newest Love Notions patterns are perfect! The Women’s Sloane got a revamp and while she was at it she added a girls version too! (affl. links)

This post contains affiliate links. I became a Love Notions Affiliate AFTER falling in love with her patterns, testing process, and attention to details. Purchasing through the links provides me with a little kick back that of course gets spent on more fabric 😉

There are two different views- view A is a relaxed fit, curved hem top and view B is a boxy fit with bands (similar to your favorite sweatshirt). There are tons of options too! You can add a contrast yoke, elbow patches, kangaroo pocket and a hood. You’ll want to sew up a handful just to try them all!

I sewed up this version pre-revision and blogged about it over on the CaliFabrics blog. This super soft french terry version is one of my favorite makes! The fit didn’t change much during testing but many of the options are new including extended sizing and a FBA piece (so nice to have the work done for you!). This is a simple view B with lace added to the yoke seams.

I had just enough left of the rose french terry for this fun top for my girl. She picked some camo french terry (from LA) as a coordinate and I love this combo sooooo much. Pink and camo is just a sweet little match!

I love that these tops coordinate but aren’t exact copies. I’m sure we won’t wear them at the same time but it was pretty fun to get pics with my mini me!

Of course lil sis needed one too! Are you scrambling to fill in all the gaps in your kids cold weather wardrobe? I was shocked to see this girly had outgrown most of her long sleeved tops. A plain view B was a quick and easy solution! This is a quilted knit from Hobby Lobby last year. It’s a bit thicker than the recommended fabric but I love the boxier fit. The perfect loose fitting sweatshirt without being sloppy!

The grey and flannel version was an early tester version. The final pattern is a bit more slim but we still love this one! I can’t get enough of plaid flannel and french terry together- especially this mustard and grey combo. You might recognize it from this rad Halifax of mine 🙂

That yoke and those elbow patches are pretty fantastic!

This will be such a staple pattern for us. There are so many possibilities, such a great basic pattern that can be hacked to fit your needs.

I’ve got a little sneak peek of an easy hack that I’ll be sharing with you on the CaliFabrics blog real soon. I’ll link it here when it’s up!

Make sure to grab your copies on sale through Thursday, October 19th! (bundle, girls, women’s– affl. links)

Back to School Tour Capsule Wardrobe

I love sewing for fall and the Back to School Blog Tour hosted by Lulu and Celeste and Sprouting Jube Jube was a great excuse to sew for my oldest daughter. Make sure to head over to Sprouting Jube Jube to see the amazing list of sponsors- so many great pattern and fabric companies!

When it came time to plan my sweet girl’s back to school wardrobe we first went through her closet to see any gaps that needed to be filled. It’s no secret that this girly has quite the closet full of clothes. In an attempt to keep it from overflowing we decided a capsule wardrobe for fall would work best. We pulled old items from her closet, added a few new handmades, and then hit a couple stores for a few more pieces. I think this collection of handmade and store-bought clothes sums up her wardrobe in general. I love to sew her easy, quick pieces and fill it in with ready-to-wear items that don’t make sense for me to sew- items that are inexpensive or too time consuming for me to fabricate. Sometimes it’s even easier for me to purchase things and then alter them to fit her skinny body- a quick taking in of the waist and hips has saved many ready-to-wear pants! Now on to the fashion show…

This blush pink bomber jacket, purchased at TJ Maxx, was the starting point for this capsule. I love it so much and have a serious case of jacket envy! It’s the perfect weight for fall and has been in heavy rotation here.

Jeans are one thing I’ve yet to attempt so I will gladly keep purchasing them! It’s hard to find pants that fit this girl and when we do I feel like cheering! H&M offers a wider range of sizes and their pants run on the skinny side so they are usually our first stop. Both of the jeans featured are from there. We also order online for her quite a bit since more stores carry slim sizing only in their online shops (Old Navy, Target, and Crazy 8 are some favorites).

This girl loves to browse online and fell in love with a few pieces from Children’s Place, including this hoodie and the button-up shirt (no longer available but here’s a similar version). For under ten dollars each, these pieces were no brainers for me to purchase. Button plackets, collars, button-holes- eek! She loves her button-ups and for that price I will gladly save myself the time, stress, and expense of making them. These hi-top white sneakers are also from Children’s Place.

The leggings and this tee were found at Ross and were both under $6- easy things to make, yes, but for that price point we were both happy to add them to our cart! For all you vinyl-lovers like myself, Thread and Grain has a super cute vinyl file with the same saying! The black and white polka dot Reebox were also a Ross score.

Onto the handmades!! I’m a huge fan of the Love Notions Boyfriend Cardigan (affl. link) and knew she’d love her own french terry version. I picked up this french terry from Raspberry Creek Fabrics and while it’s currently not available there are PLENTY of other french terry options in the shop! It’s beyond cozy and a good alternative to the classic hoodie.

These two tops are oldies but goodies and are still going strong. The floral is the Andromeda Top from Sew Straight and Gather (you can see more pics of it here). The striped tee is my go-to t-shirt pattern, the City Park Tee from Hey June Handmade (more pics here). These are both shirts that she continues to gravitate to so they were no brainers to include in this capsule.

The Patterns for Pirates Butterfly Cardigan is another tried-and-true pattern for us. It’s an incredibly quick sew and I love the slouchy-cool look it has. This thin sweater knit has been in my stash forever and was perfect for this light-weight fall cardigan.

The last piece I made might be my favorite! The Lazy Day Lounge Pants from Gracious Threads are the perfect comfy pants! They’re a relaxed fit but not too baggy and sloppy. In this gorgeous french terry from Raspberry Creek fabrics (currently out-of-stock), I don’t think I could love them more!

Phew! You made it to the end- you might deserve a medal for sticking through all those details! So many pieces but they all add up to one super cute, versatile capsule wardrobe!

Thanks so much to Deb and Ula for hosting! Make sure to check out all the amazing inspiration this week. If you love sewing for kids then this tour is for you!

Monday, September 25, 2017

Host: Sprouting JubeJube

Sewing by Ti * mahlicadesigns * Momma You Can Make It * Kutti Couture * MoonStar – Wondermirakel * Call Ajaire

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Host: Lulu & Celeste

Sew and Tell Project * From-a-Box * Ronda B. Handmade * MeMade * House of Estrela * My Heart Will Sew On * Tales From A Southern Mom

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Host: Sprouting JubeJube

mahlicadesigns * Gracious Threads * Adventures With Bubba and Bug * Elli & Nels * Bellevi * Little Heart Threads * Sewing By Ti * Lulu & Celeste

Thursday, September 28, 2017

Host: Lulu & Celeste

Paisley Roots * The Crafting Fiend * Sewstarly * It’s Liesel * Tales of a Tester * Kaleidothought * auschick sews

Friday, September 29, 2017

Host: Sprouting JubeJube

SewSophieLynn * Sew Haute Blog * mahlicadesigns * Sew and Tell Project * RP Custom Fabrics Blog * FABulous Home Sewn * Sewing By Ti * Phat Quarters

Sewing for Kindergarten Blog Tour

Man, oh man! The day I have been waiting for FOREVER has finally come. My youngest baby started kindergarten! My emotions are all over the place but one huge positive thing is I get to join in the Sewing for Kindergarten Blog Tour. I’ve been following this tour since the beginning and it’s super exciting to be joining in this year.

I think we all are a little torn seeing our youngest head off into the big world without us. It’s hard knowing that this is where it all starts. With one in high school I know all to well how quickly it goes by. There were definitely tears shed on his first day. Such a bittersweet moment in time.

This photoshoot reminded me what a fun age this is. In some pictures he’s channeling his inner teenager (like the one above, hello!). In others he’s giggling like a little boy, carefree and innocent. I love watching him navigate the world of friends, rules, responsibilities, and life. I’m taking it all in- trying to freeze as many of these moments as possible.

It just about kills me that this little guy isn’t by my side 24/7- now it’s just 22/7, haha! I was dreaming of lazy afternoons watching tv, eating chocolate, and sewing like crazy. Who knew that two hours would fly by in a matter of seconds?!

This kid is all about comfort, I think every kid is at this age. I did a mix and match look with five coordinating pieces, all knit for extra softness. Here we paired a Jolly Roger Raglan from Patterns for Pirates with a sweet pair of Mini Hudson Pants from True Bias. Both of these patterns are staples and I think I can make them with my eyes closed at this point. They’re just classic pieces that can be paired with so much.

The raglan features a darling cut file from Thread and Grain. This kiddo is Future Class President material for sure! I used a fat quarter from Spoonflower for the sleeves- he picked the print himself and has been so excited for his new tee.

The Hudson pants are done in a subtle houndstooth that I had set aside for myself- luckily there’s enough left for me too! I love this print and the hipster vibe it brings.

Here they’re paired with a Fighter Tee from Handmade Boy and an Aztec Vest from See Kate Sew. (And yes, he is blowing spit bubbles. I told you he’s still all boy!)

The Fighter Tee is such a fun spin on a loose fit t-shirt with panels that run from the sleeve down the side. I used the perfect boy print- a limited Halloween print from Raspberry Creek Fabrics. I know the spiderwebs will be a hit year-round!

The Aztec Vest is such a quick, cute layering piece. I sewed this one up in french terry from Raspberry Creek. I had this zipper in my stash and I had to giggle when he saw it and exclaimed, “A golden zipper?!! Yesss!” It doesn’t take much to make him happy! I simplified the construction even more by omitting the pockets making this such a fast sew.

His final piece is the Moto Maxx pants (affl. link) from Love Notions. I can’t say enough good things about this pattern. They’re comfy and cute and the extra layer at the knee not only adds to the cool factor it also makes them extra durable. So perfect for busy little boys!

I’m loving all the prints in these looks. I tend to stick with stripes and solids with my boys, mainly because cute boy prints are so hard to find. These prints though are right up my alley- not too childish and so easy to mix into the rest of his wardrobe.

Thanks for stopping by my little stop on the tour. Make sure you head to these other amazing bloggers- I can’t believe we all have kiddos starting kindergarten this year! What a fun milestone to share!

A couple new favorites for ME

With all the kids back in school I now have a couple of hours each day to myself. I’ve been looking forward to this time for YEARS! Little did I know that those two hours would fly by and seem like mere minutes each afternoon. In that short time, I try my best to clean the house, run errands, help in the classroom, and all the other mom duties we have. I had dreamed that every afternoon would be spent at my sewing machines! In the last couple weeks I was able to squeeze in a bit of sewing just for me!

The Key Largo Top from Hey June Handmade has been on my to-sew list since it went into testing! All summer long I’ve been longing to cut into one and I finally moved it up my list as soon as I got my hands on this gorgeous Lecien fabric from Raspberry Creek Fabrics. It’s so soft and I needed it made into a top stat! I tell you, it’s dangerous when your bestie has one of the best fabric shops EVER! A quick stop to visit and I inevitably leave with a stack of beautiful new fabric. She’s the best I tell ya’!

I’m all over relaxed, loose tops and am thanking the style gods who have made them so in fashion. I think women everywhere are rejoicing with me! The Key Largo has that perfect fit through the shoulders and chest and then just skims all the other bits. It’s meant to be a bit more cropped but I added a couple of inches to mine. I’ve got to be able to do the little half front tuck!

My other make was with another GORGEOUS fabric- this time from Stylish Fabric. I had won a gift certificate through Project Run and Play and waited to use it for my fall wardrobe planning. This Old Rose Stretch Velvet is joining my closet full of all things blush/mauve/dusty pink. It’s such a pretty color- not too pastel-y or nude.

link

This pretty velvet tee was my inspiration. I loved the cuff sleeves and relaxed fit.

I used my go-to relaxed fit tee pattern- the Mama Ava from Made for Mermaids. I trim an inch or two from the length and have raised the neckline a couple of inches to be more crew neck than scoop. I think I have half a dozen of these tees in my closet now which is saying a ton coming from a pattern hoarding like myself. I rarely reuse my patterns since there’s always a new one to try!

Those cuffs proved to be my nemesis. I tried a few different methods to get the look I wanted and seriously struggled. It was one of those projects that usually takes thirty minutes but dragged into days because I had to walk away from the issue out of frustration! I really wanted to do a cuff like the Hey June Santa Fe- a band that is sewn on the inside and flipped out and tacked on the outside. The issue came with this velvet sticking to itself and becoming super stiff when trying to use the underside of the fabric for a contrasting look. After multiple attempts I decided a thin, simple roll-over hem would just have to do. I serged the edge first to keep it from sticking to itself and then just had to call it ‘good enough’. I think lately ‘good enough’ has won over my need for perfection. Call me lazy- I’m calling it keeping my sanity 😉

What have you been sewing lately? Anyone else super excited to get their sewing time back after summer (however little or long it may be!)?

Blue Carolina Blog Tour

It’s no secret that I love fabric. So you better believe I’ve been crushing hard on the new fabric line from Christopher Thompson, aka The Tattooed Quilter. Pretty florals in my favorite blues with a dash of pink- hello! Blue Carolina for Riley Blake Designs just speaks to the preppy, classic girly girl in me. I jumped on this fun blog tour in a heartbeat!

I had such a hard time settling on prints for this tour- so many gorgeous florals, fun pup prints, and I still need to grab me some of this ‘cut, sew, repeat’ fabric!

I knew I wanted to make something for me but I just had to do a coordinating top for my mini me too! I love her developing sense of style and it’s a bonus that it’s so much like my own. I know that if I’d wear it, she’ll love it too! The fabrics were just perfect for both of us! I went with the Carolina Lace Navy and for hers I used the Carolina Ditz Blue. Lace prints get me e-ver-y time! I’m also loving this ditzy floral- with all the huge floral prints out there this sweet small-scale print is so refreshing.

Her blouse is a Patricia Top from Simple Life Pattern Company (you totally need to check out Katie’s stop on the tour here!). I did the dramatic hi-low version and a modified half sleeve. I can’t get over how much I love that hemline!

That scoop back makes for easy assembling and super easy on/off! I went with my daughters measurements on this but I think I would size down next time. She’s a mini me in almost every way, including my rectangle body type. Her narrow shoulders make fitting a bit more difficult but it also makes me so glad I can sew for her petite frame! I think this loose style still works for her and think it’ll look darling layered under a cardigan for fall too.

This print, actually this whole line really transitions well for every season. The colors are timeless and classic and I can see it working equally as well for a long sleeve button up top as it does for a summer sundress.

For my top I used my go-to woven tee pattern, the Shoreline Boatneck from Blank Slate Patterns. I did a simple hack to add a gathered peplum to the bodice. I wanted a little more feminine look and this was perfect!

There is a hack pack included with the pattern that includes a similar look. Since I already had my regular pattern ready to go I chose to do the hack my own way. I simply cut my bodice pieces at my natural waistline plus seam allowances. I sewed my bodice together per the pattern (I lengthened my sleeves a couple of inches) then added a gathered skirt. My skirt pieces measured 13″ by 1.5x the width of the bottom of the bodice pattern piece. I didn’t want a super full skirt and this worked just as I had planned.

I really love a pattern that can be added to and mixed up in a million ways. I’m dying to try Kim’s gathered statement sleeves on this pattern too!

Make sure you check out all the other fabulous ladies joining the tour- they’re simply some of the most stylish women I know!

A huge shout out to Christopher and Riley Blake for letting me join in on this par-tay!

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