SewSophieLynn

Patterns for Pirates Cocoon and Butterfly Cardigans

The newest pattern from Patterns for Pirates has totally won us over. The Butterfly Cardigan is the youth version of the Cocoon Cardigan. With all of it’s options it will be a year round staple!

For our first version, I did a dressy cropped version out of stretch velvet. It is incredibly soft and I love that it can be worn over dresses for church or thrown over a tee.

There are two different band widths giving this cardigan multiple looks. I did the tall bands on all of ours for a longer, chunkier look.

There are also multiple sleeve lengths and cuff bands or hem options. We did long sleeves with tall bands on ours too.

After her cropped version she was begging for a long version as well. These are such a quick sew that I was very happy to whip one up for her.

I adore this version sooooo much! I used a midweight sweater knit I picked up from Wal-Mart for a steal. Our Wal-Mart rarely has those $1/yard knits I hear so much about but this was one of them. I’m so glad I got a ton of it because it was perfect to do matching sweaters.

The construction on the mama version is exactly the same as the girls so mine came together in no time. I really would love to make a handful more. They are such an adorable layering piece!

I had been looking for a new cocoon cardigan pattern and this one checks all the boxes. Quick sew, easy instructions, multiple length options, a variety of sleeve choices- winner, winner chicken dinner!

I have the hardest time taking it off each day!

You can pick up the bundle here, too!

I have been loving my Silhouette that I got for Christmas. I love graphic tees and it’s so fun to make our own. Thread and Grain has just recently started offering her designs as digital files and I am totally loving having all the work done for me. You can check out the designs here– she’s got something for everyone. This ‘Fabric is my love language’ is absolutely perfect for me!

I have a few lined up for my kiddos but we started with this pretty ‘Hello Gorgeous’. I can’t wait to make more!

Watcha Wearing January

Tibeca at Sewing By Ti is hosting a fun tour filled with tons of inspiration to help you beat those winter blues. Watcha Wearing January is all about your style this month and of course there’s two HUGE giveaways to go along with it. Read on until the end for all the glorious details.

This post contains affiliate links. Purchasing through them gives me a small commission that inevitably ends up as more fabric for me 😉

My winter wardrobe is pretty basic. I either wear joggers and a flannel or jeans and a cardigan. Really- every single day you will find me in some combination of that uniform. I’m trying to branch out and throw some leggings in there too every now and then. I’m fancy like that…

For this tour I want to highlight my newest Love Notions makes.

I’ve paired a Laundry Day Tee (free if you join the Facebook Group) with a Love Notions Boyfriend Cardigan. The Boyfriend Cardigan was my very first test for Tami at Love Notions and the start of something amazing! I hadn’t made one since then and I’d been dying to pull out the pattern again. For more pics of my Laundry Day Tee you can hop over here and find my dress hack here.

For this version I used my favorite fabric in the whole entire universe- seriously! It’s charcoal french terry from the lovely Raspberry Creek Fabric. (It’s out of stock currently but she gets new stuff in constantly!) It’s amazingly soft, sews up so easy, comes out of the wash even better each time, never fades or pills- trust me, it’s the best!

I made a few slight mods to this version. I sized up from my usual small to a medium- I wanted it oversized and cozy! I left off the side vents also- mostly because I’m lazy. Finally my ‘shawl’ part of the binding is a tad skinnier at the neck because I was short on fabric.

I added a tiny leather tag to my pocket just to class it up a tad.

Confession- after making this I wore it three full days in a row and at least twice a week since then. It’s just the ultimate in comfort and goes with everything.

My second look features another boyfriend cardigan, paired with a La Bella Donna this time.

The La Bella Donna is one of my favorite top patterns. I used a olive green modal jersey from Cali Fabrics for this version. It’s silky soft and drapey but yet sewed up wonderfully.

I love the shape of this top! Loose in all the right places and so comfortable.

It’s one of those ‘must-have’ patterns in my book. It has a ton of options too which makes it a pattern you’ll use over and over.

This cardigan also is a medium with the side vents skipped. I was also short on fabric for this one and had to get a little creative with my band. I simply made my own band 6″x the width of fabric, folded it in half, sewed the short ends then attached it to the cardigan. I did a three inch hem to get the band to fit. I really like how this turned out and will use this method in the future too.

This one is currently sans pockets since I can’t make up my mind. I’d love a little bigger, taller pocket but couldn’t get it quite right. I’m not giving up though- after wearing this all day I realized that pockets are a must!

I love that this pattern is two separate back pieces. The extra shaping really brings in the waist line and keeps it from looking sloppy.

This fabric was a gift but I believe it’s from Joann’s. It’s a lovely navy on the inside and is such a great medium weight.

K- ready for the good stuff! You can check out the other bloggers this week here:

Sunday, January 8th: Sewing By Ti, Embrace Everyday, Doodle Number 5

Monday, January 9th: Sewing By Ti, Tenille’s Thread

Tuesday, January 10th: Robynne and the Bobbin, Harper+Lu

Wednesday, January 11th: 5 out of 4 Patterns, Sewingly Michelle

Thursday, January 12th: Crafty Like A Rox, SewSophieLynn

Friday, January 13th: Creative Counselor, Sewing By Ti

Saturday, January 14th: Wild & Wanderful

Now for the giveaways! There are TWO big prize packs this tour. For more details and to enter to win all the loot head over to Ti’s blog. There’s a Rafflecopter giveaway and also a linky party to join in.

Prize pack one includes patterns and fabric from these amazing sponsors:

Prize pack two includes fabric and patterns from all of these great sponsors:

You don’t want to miss it! I’ll be bringing you one more post on this tour featuring children’s looks. You can check the hashtag #watchawearinjanuary for more inspiration too!

Slouchy Cardi from Heidi and Finn

My girls closets are overflowing but they always seem to be in need of something. This time of year it’s sweaters and layers!

This Christmas break my goal is to fill that whole in their wardrobe. The Slouchy Cardigan from Heidi and Finn is just perfect to do that.

It’s such a quick sew and comes together so well. The shape is so on trend and adorable on too!

This picky girl loves this cozy sweater! I used this fun double sweater knit from Cali Fabrics. It is a fantastic weight- not too heavy to sew but still warm and thick. I grabbed the brown colorway for myself!

I grabbed this girl right in the door from school and she was thrilled to throw on her new sweater. She’s been going like crazy and I’m excited to relax with her this Christmas break. She’s been hanging in my sewing room with me and designing a few of her own tops that we are excited to sew up together. I love this age and this girl really is a gem!

Are you sewing over the holidays? Fried from all the Christmas sewing and taking a break? I’m looking forward to a little sewing and a lot of relaxing!

Ugly Sweater Party with Petite Stitchery

I love a good party so I was all on board when Petite Stitchery said they were hosting an Ugly Sweater Party. Who doesn’t love a fun ugly sweater?!!

I’ve loved the Rosemary Cowl Crop since the very first preview I saw and knew it would be perfect for this tour.

I think an ugly sweater is all about upcycling so for my version I grabbed a cozy blanket from good ol’ Wal-mart. It worked perfect and I loved being able to use the blanket edge for the bottom hem too!

I did a little tricky hacking to make the sweater just one layer. This fleece is so thick and cozy that I didn’t want to add too much bulk. I used a scuba knit stripe for the cowl and cuffs. I sewed the cowl on like a neckband. The sleeve cuffs kinda stumped me. They are sewn like a lining about 7 inches up the sleeve and rolled up for a nice, thick contrast cuff.

She’s ready to party!

What? There’s more fun sweaters coming your way! Make sure to head over to the other stops on the tour:

Tuesday 12/20

Rebel & Malice and Sew Sophie Lynn

Wednesday 12/21

Inspinration and Petite Stitchery & Co

Thursday 12/22

Sprouting Jube Jube and Phat Quarters

Make sure you add your holiday ugly sweaters to the link up for a fun giveaway!

Holiday Freebies with Made for Mermaids and Petite Stitchery

Anyone doing any last minute holiday sewing?!!

I’ve got a few holiday freebies from you from some of my favorite ladies.

The ladies at Made for Mermaids generously continued their 12 days of Christmas this year with 12 super fun and easy patterns and tutorials.

I sewed up the Annie Apron for my buddy in the kitchen. It’s a quick sew and so easy to customize. It can be made with a couple of fat quarters and some fabric scraps for the waistband. Such a great stash buster!

My littlest got an Earwarmer in his favorite fabric scrap. There are sizes for the whole family and I know I’ll be sewing myself one real soon!

The bowties complete any holiday outfit for the boys in your life. You can even make dad one to match. Seriously fast and oh so cute!

The girls on your list could all use a cute lace Dress and Top Extender. I love a hint of lace and these extenders are so great! I know my girls have a few tops that I’d love to last through the winter and this extender is just perfect to add a couple inches to the length.

Make sure to check out all of the Made for Mermaids freebies! There’s something for everyone on your list!

Petite Stitchery has also been rolling out some quick holiday freebies and my kids are obsessed with the Tinsel Cowl.

There are three options- button, fringe, and simple. My kids have been making them themselves and loving it! My daughter did her first buttonholes and loved picking out trim for her button version.

It’s another great use for all those fabric scraps you’ve got lying around. Those precious pieces of velvet will be scarves in no time!

What’s on your Christmas sewing list still? I’m dying to dig into some American Girl doll sewing for my girls. My scrap hoarding will pay off for matching duds from some of my favorite makes this year. Stay tuned for a post on that goodness!

Made for Mermaids Joy and Mama Joy

Made for Mermaids newest pattern in their Dreamy Collection is here. The Joy and Mama Joy are classic knit dresses that will be perfect for every occasion.

The Joy features a fitted bodice and a full pleated skirt with multiple skirt and sleeve lengths.

It mashes perfectly with the other dresses is the Dreamy Collection. I mashed the Noelle top with the pleated peplum of the Joy and love this top!

It looks fantastic in a variety of knits. I used stretch velvet for my maxi version and also for the Noelle mash. The floral is a fun scuba knit that really showcases the pleats.

We’re really struggling with pictures lately as it’s been so gloomy and it gets dark so early these days. I’m afraid blog pics for the next few months are going to be less than stellar- already looking forward to spring and sunny days!

We headed to the mountains for this shoot and my oldest took the pics. It was fun but freeeeezing! The snow falling is a little help from Photoshop but we missed the real snowfall by just a few minutes. My girls have gotten to be such troopers with their crazy mom. Since November, I’ve been paying them for shoots under the condition that they use the money for Christmas presents. They’ve been more eager and it’s been fun to see them spend their earnings on their siblings and other family. I’m hoping that after Christmas they’ll go back to being happy with a chocolate or other special treat- wish me luck!

I could see this being my go-to dress for this one. It fits perfectly, has pockets, and she will die if I make her a maxi version. This dress and that fabric really just make me so happy! It was one of those projects that when I finished I was totally tempted to check her out of school just to see it on her… tell me I’m not the only one that gets that excited.

I knew this blue velvet was meant for this little lady. She’s worn this top to school and it just suits her so well. I love that hi-low peplum and that collar is so timeless.

I want to love my dress, I really do. It’s about as comfy as it gets but it really doesn’t flatter me. It’s not the dress design so much as my indulging in a little too much holiday cheer and not enough hitting the gym. It’s also the fabric choice for sure. Velvet shows every little bump and works well in a looser silhouette for me.

It’s a little better styled with a scarf or a belt.

I also made a peplum top in ponte but will definitely size up next time. This top was my first version in my normal size and the maxi is one size above what I normally wear in M4M.

I will for sure make more though. I think Liverpool would be a great fabric choice or even a thicker ponte with a bit more stretch. I placed a big order for fabric all with this pattern in mind!

You can pick up your patterns individually here and here or grab the bundle since you know you’ll want to be matchy-matchy!

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Get The Look Blog Tour with Simple Life Pattern Company and Art Gallery Fabrics

When Katie from The Simple Life Pattern Company asks you to do something you’ve just got to say yes! And when she’s collaborating with Art Gallery Fabrics you can’t say it fast enough!

The Simple Life Pattern Company has teamed up with Art Gallery to offer Get The Look kits. Each kit comes with the pattern and fabric you need to recreate these gorgeous looks. If you’re anything like me, picking fabric can take longer than actually sewing! These kits are a no-brainer!

I’m thrilled to be sharing my own look along with some amazingly talented women on the Get the Look Blog Tour. (I’ll hook you up with links at the end of my post.)

When given access to any Art Gallery Fabric boy did I struggle! I knew right away I wanted to do a classic Emma’s Herringbone Top and Dress. I wanted it simple and sweet. I’m always drawn to Art Gallery’s gorgeous prints but was surprised there weren’t any solid looks available in the Get the Look kits. The new denim line from Art Gallery Fabrics is dreamy and I picked Outland Yarn Dyed Denim in Endless Paradise. It’s a pretty, soft chambray with a tint of teal to it.

I paired it with some pretty wood buttons and some cream dot trim for just a touch of contrast.

It’s such a simple look but one that can be dressed up or down.

This girl loves her accessories. Pop on a cute necklace and floppy hat and she’s golden!

You can make this look for yourself by grabbing the kit here (it’s on sale too!). You can make it your own by adding whatever trim you’d like at the waist. I loved it with lace or a simple piping too! Hobby Lobby and I are tight 😉

For more brilliant looks check out these incredible ladies and their darling girlies.

Nov 28th Caroline Hulse — Sew Caroline

Nov 28th Kim Coffin – Sweet Red Poppy

Nov 29th Kari Steiger – That’s Sew Kari

Nov 30th Dana Willard – Made Everyday

Nov 30th Tami Peterson — Sew Sophie Lynn

Dec 1st Bonnie Christine – Going Home to Roost

Dec 1st Delia Randal – Delia Create’s

Dec 2nd — Simple Life Pattern Company Recap

Make sure you join the SLPCO Facebook group for the latest info and tons of great inspiration! Art Gallery’s Instagram is one of my favorites- daily fabric pics to feed my fabric lovin’ heart.

Sew Straight and Gather Andromeda Top and Dress

Terri at Sew Straight and Gather has done it yet again. I swear she can do no wrong. Her patterns are always so unique and so well done. The Andromeda Top and Dress is no exception. AND- she’s having an AMAZING Black Friday Sale right now. All single patterns are just $5 CAD! What a steal!!! I suggest heading over there right after reading how much I love this new pattern 😉

I tested the girls version but there is also a ladies- yessssss! The girl’s comes in sizes 2-14 and the women’s in sizes XS-3XL. They both feature banded top, tunic, free flowing dress and gathered waist dress options. Those sleeves make it so incredibly fun!

I made my first one out of pretty double brushed poly from Knitpop. It worked perfect for this pattern. I left the sleeves raw and did a simple neckband. This pattern could possibly be the quickest thing I’ve ever sewn! Just a few seams later and this beauty was done.

She’s worn it a few times since and always gets so many compliments. It’s so darling and definitely has that wow! factor.

Little sis was intensely jealous and was dying for her own. I’ve been crushing hard on stretch velvet lately and snatched up some gorgeous colors from Stylish Fabric. I used this pretty gold and I’m thrilled with the quality and great customer service I received. AND it was also a steal compared to what I’ve seen elsewhere. It was my first time sewing with it and I new this simple pattern was a great choice to begin with.

From cut to finish this was done in under a half hour (it helped my pattern was all ready from big sis- loving that they wear the same size!).

Can we talk about this goofy girl for a minute? She did NOT want to model but the second she got this on she was smitten. She turned on the super model moves like that! She kills me!

I’d say she likes it!

Make sure you grab your Andromeda- you can get the girls, ladies (Terri’s sweater-knit cover version is killer!) or the bundle. Don’t forget to pick up some of my other favs too- check out my versions here, here, here, here, and here.

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Petite Stitchery Fall 2016 Collection

My girls are always in need of easy, everyday clothes so I’m happy to be joining in on the Petite Stitchery and Co. Everyday Wear Tour. Make sure to enter the giveaway at the end of the post to win a pattern of your choice!

I picked to sew up the Maize Tunic and Dress along with the Sparrow Top and Fawn Leggings. This Maize in soft cotton flannel is such a great top for school, in fact she wore it the very next day!

The Maize has multiple options and is a quick, fun sew. You can pick a straight, curved, or hi-low hem and short, 3/4, or long sleeves. I picked the keyhole button closure but you can also do a tie.

I love the full skirt and feminine puff sleeves!

Pockets make everything 1000x better, right?!

This little miss love peplum tops and hates wearing jeans. This Sparrow/Fawn outfit is just what she wears everyday.

The Fawn leggings have an adorable tuxedo stripe option. Done in Raspberry Creek Club Fabrics they are comfy and totally cute!

The Sparrow Top has a darling peter pan collar option and keyhole back that I chose to leave off. I used a mustard liverpool that I wanted to keep basic. It’s a top that will work great with the rest of her wardrobe.

There are a few sleeve options and different peplum lengths too!

You can check out the other ladies joining in on the fun:

Inspinration – Gracious Threads – Cherubs Craft – Sew Sophie Lynn –

Pear Berry Lane – Sprouting JubeJube – Élégantine!

Make sure you enter the Rafflecopter to win your choice of a Petite Stitchery Pattern!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Head on over to the Petite Stitchery Facebook Group for tons of inspiration and to get the latest on sales and coupons (hint, hint!).

Sew What Do I Wear? Holiday Edition

The sweet ladies at Made for Mermaids and Patterns for Pirates are hosting a super fun tour- Sew What Do I Wear? It’s full of amazing inspiration for all of your holiday festivities!

I’ve been dying to make me a maxi dress ever since I made my girly this version. Every single time she wears it I get a twinge of jealousy. We all sit and pet her soft double brushed poly dress and I knew I needed my own BAD!

With my husband’s Holiday Party quickly approaching I knew this would be the perfect excuse to get sewing. He recently became the big boss man and I feel like my party attire should be stepped up a notch. I love that this dress is casual but still has a bit of wow factor. It also helps that I feel like I’m wearing my pj’s so I’ll be nice and comfortable even if I’m sweating on the inside trying to remember names and put on my best party face.

I mashed two patterns together for this easy hack. I used the Mama Ava from Made for Mermaids with the Boundless Dress from Patterns for Pirates.

I wanted it to hit at my natural waist so I measured from my shoulder to where I wanted it to hit then added 2 inches for seam allowance and to have it blouse a little. I then measured from my waist to the floor (I love my maxi’s to hit the ground) and cut my skirt that long by the width of the fabric. I constructed the dress per the Boundless tutorial, using 3/4″ elastic in the waist since it was gathering so much fabric there. I basted the top and the skirt together first, stretching the top to match the skirt then followed the tutorial for adding the elastic. Of course I had to add the Boundless pockets too!

I need to fill my closet with these! I couldn’t bring myself to take it off after we did these pics and wore it all day- cleaning house, driving carpool…all those mom duties that suddenly felt a bit more glamorous in a maxi. This fabric is a dream and I could seriously live in it forever!

I had the hubby grab pics at lunch one day. Tell me you all give your guy this look too! I was cracking up at my “you know what you’re doing, right?” expression. He did a great job with the pics and I sure loved sneaking off with him for a bit!

Make sure to check out the other great looks on the tour. We’re talking smokin’ hot party outfits, darling family pic looks, and holiday gathering wear.

Nov 14 – Wild & Wanderful/ What Does She Do All Day?/ My Creative Room

Nov 15 – Sew A Piece of Joy / Red Stitch Blue Stitch/ Sewn Of A Stitch

Nov 16 – MaMoose / Rebel & Malice / On Wednesdays We Sew

Nov 17 – It’s Liesel / Stitching and Making / The Kisses Co

Nov 18 – SewSophieLynn/ I’m Just Like Mommy/ Lady and the Gents / The Crunchy Mommy

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