Simple Life Pattern Company Jane

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My girls love, love, love rompers!  At last, we have found our new favorite!

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The Jane Dress and Romper from Simple Life Pattern Company releases TODAY!

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I’m super excited about it because it’s the first pattern release from Gemia Carroll of Phat Quarters Fabric.  Gemia was one of my first online sewing buddies and has been such a great friend.  Her first pattern is all I hoped it would be!

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With just the right options, this pattern is just perfect for all the girls in your life.  There are dress and short romper versions, a plain or pieced bodice, ruffle placket and bodice pocket options, cap sleeves or sleeveless, belt loops, hem cuffs and pockets!

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I did the plain bodice option and ruffled placket.  I used KAM snaps (for the first time-hello?!, so EASY!)  and it makes it super quick and easy for potty breaks.  I love the pop of color they bring to the outfit.

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It’s just the perfect play outfit- comfy, easy to wear, and so, so cute!

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Make sure you grab your copy on sale today!

Striped Swallow Midsummer Dream

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This girl and this dress have me swooning!

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The new Striped Swallow Designs Midsummer Dream Dress is too cute for words!

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This girl is all over anything with a bohemian vibe and this dress was perfect for her.

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She picked this flowy mystery woven from my stash and crochet trim.  I love when their choices come together just perfectly!

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The pattern features a wide ruffle, lined bodice, elastic waist and multiple skirt lengths.  You can also make a separate crop top and skirt!  This is a 6x maxi version.

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It was this one’s 7th birthday and she couldn’t wait to take pics in her new dress.  Be prepared for picture overload as I can’t get enough of this photo shoot!  We hit the ‘golden hour’ and found this great abandoned house.  Some of my favorite shots ever but bear in mind I am still learning…

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Make sure to pick up your copy today!

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Blaverry Nina and Ollie

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Christie at Blaverry is in the process of updating some of her patterns and I’m so excited for you to see the improvements.  The Nina Skirt and Ollie Top were some of the first on her list.

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The Ollie Top is a classic silhoutte with two different collar options.  We choose the one piece collar.

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I love the simplicity and classic lines of this top!  It features a hook and eye closure to keep things sleek and polished.

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The Nina Skirt is a simple knit skirt with a brilliant waistband that keeps it in place while still being super comfortable.

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The finishing instructions on these patterns are top notch!

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These are available in sizes 2-16 making these the perfect patterns for your teens and tweens.

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These patterns feature new and improved fit and tutorials.  Size charts have been expanded and pattern tiling has been changed to make for easier blending.  I’m so thrilled with these changes that make Blaverry patterns more user friendly.

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These are super quick sews that will get worn a lot this summer.  They fit in perfectly with her comfy but sophisticated wardrobe.  We can’t wait to see what’s next in the Blaverry line up!

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I am part of the Blaverry Blasters team and received these patterns for free.

Top fabric: Spoonflower modern jersey

Skirt fabric is ponte from a Girl Charlee Knitfix

Hey June City Park Tee

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Hey June‘s second Junior’s pattern is here!!!  The City Park Tee is the minified Union St. Tee– perfect for your girlies!

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It has all the great options of the Union (v-neck or scoop neck, mulitple sleeve lengths) and two hem lengths (shirt and tunic).  These two are size 8 tunic length with scoop necks.  We have a v-neck shirt length that we still need pics of (photo shoots are no fun when there’s cousins to play with and parks to hit up!).

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In sizes 6-16, it’s the perfect go-to tee pattern.  I just love that my girls can use this pattern for years to come!

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The short sleeve version is perfect for summer but with multiple sleeve lengths we will be using this pattern year round.  It’s such a wardrobe staple!

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Like all Hey June patterns, the tutorial is superb and fit is spot on.  I’m truly spoiled every time I sew up one of Adrianna’s patterns.  They all come together so smoothly with great results every time!

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Make sure to grab it on sale (through June 12th)!

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This one was pretty happy to get her braces off and I’m loving her big smile!  Momentous day at our house!

 

 

Make Laundry, Don’t Do Laundry Tour

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Laundry is inevitable.  With a family of 7 it’s quite the chore.  Most days I’d much rather use my precious time sitting at my sewing machine so when the ‘Make Laundry, Don’t Do Laundry Tour’ came about I jumped on board in a heartbeat!

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This is such a fun tour with amazing sponsors and bloggers combining for an awesome week-long party!  Prizes and giveaways galore!

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For my stop I’m sharing the quickest sew EVER!  We’re big fans of pencil skirts and I love, love, love how quick and cute they are.  I used Jocole’s Girls Knit Pencil Skirt and Ladies Knit Pencil Skirt for our looks.  There are lots of pencil skirt options out there though- Love Notions Sybil Illusion Skirt (affl. link) and the Patterns for Pirates Pirate Pencil Skirt  (free to Facebook group followers) are other great options.  You can also easily draft your own.

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I picked the Jocole pattern since it had a girls version and I love the simplicity of it.  It’s one piece front and back which works fine for me and my girls and adds to the quickness of it all.  Less pages to print, easy peasy cutting, and cute end result!

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I did the mid-calf natural waist option in a gorgeous ponte (ponte and pencil skirts are a match made in heaven!).  The women’s version comes in sizes XS-XXXL and features 8 different length options and multiple waistband options too.  I love that it takes the guess work out of it all.

The girl’s version comes in sizes nb-14 and includes an 18″ doll version too.  It only has one length option but it’s easy to adjust to your preference.

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This version is done with a gorgeous stretch lace over a cotton lycra (from Raspberry Creek Fabrics).

My little one was in heaven with the camera remote!  Diva in the making for sure!

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And this one all of a sudden looks twelve in a sweet pencil skirt!

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Summer has arrived and sewing time is at a premium.  The sunshine is calling and our days are spent outside instead of at my machine. Quick projects will be a necessity. What are your favorite fast sews?  I love simple tees, quick shorts, and fun dresses.

And now for the good stuff!  There are three fun prize packages you can win.

I want to thank all of our amazing sponsors for being a part of this tour.
A few of the designers are having sales for the duration of the tour, so here’s the codes!George & Ginger use code MAKELAUNDRY25 for 25% off her patterns
Blaverry use code MAKELAUNDRY for 25% off her patterns
Stitch Art use code MAKELAUNDRY for 30% off patterns
Paisley Roots use code MAKELAUNDRY for 25% off patterns
These codes are good through June 12th!
Then Laela Jeyne’s Emily Womens T-shirt & the Deluxe Charlotte Kids Leggings are on sale through the 11th! No code needed!I know everyone loves a good giveaway so here’s the prize packages:

 

 

You can link up your own projects here to be entered in to the Link Up prize drawing.

An InLinkz Link-up


You can enter the Rafflecopter giveaway here:

Head to all the other tour stops here:
6/6 Creative Counselor / Phat Quarters / Call Ajaire / Friends Stitched Together / The Wholesome Mama / Wild & Wanderful
6/7 Blaverry / The Inspired Wren / Sew Sophie Lynn / Sprouting Jube Jube / Coral & Co / Once Upon A Sewing Machine
6/8 Paisley Roots / Sew Happily Ever After / Randoms By Rydz / Elegantine / Rebel & Malice / Fabulous Home Sewn / Candice Ayala
6/9 Create 3.5 / Muse Of The Morning / Sew & Tell Project / Gracious Threads / Beatnik Kids / Everything Your Mama Made
6/10 Sweeter Than Cupcakes / Pear Berry Lane / All Things Katy! / Sew Starly / Handcrafted By RED / Adventures of Bubba & Bug / Sew & Tell Project

 

Love Notions Tidal Top and Dress

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It’s here!!! The Love Notions Tidal Top and Dress is the summer essential you’ve been waiting for!

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(I am a paid Love Notions tester which means I get a little compensation for my time and materials.  I’m also a Love Notions affiliate so if you purchase through links on my blog I’ll get a small kick back.  Just enough to get me a little more fabric to keep up with the next fabulous Love Notions pattern!)

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I love, love testing for Tami at Love Notions.  Each pattern goes through the ringer and the end result is always the best it can be.  She is super receptive to feedback and works right along side the testers to perfect the fit of each piece.

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There are a three different sleeve options- tank, sleeveless, and short sleeve.  You can also make it a top, knee-length dress, or maxi.  I need a sleeve so I was thrilled when she added that option.

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It features a wrap around seam and either bands or binding finishing options.  The top has a slight high low hem.  It is an amazingly quick sew and I couldn’t stop making them!

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This cute coral dress was made in the first round of testing.  The fit right off was pretty good and I absolutely love this dress.  I used beautiful stretch lace and cotton lycra from Raspberry Creek Fabrics.

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I made version two in more cotton lycra and stretch lace from RCF.  Cotton lycra is a bit thick for this drapey top and I was anxious to make another version with something a bit more flowy.

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This version is one of my favorites!  I love the fit of it.  The sleeves were a bit wide though and continued to be tweaked through the testing process.

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This top was made with the final version and the sleeve fit is perfection!

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I’d been dying to make a maxi version and this one in CLUB stripes from RCF is just what I was looking for.

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It’s so fun to accessorize and so comfy and chic!

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I have a feeling my summer wardrobe will be filled with Tidal’s!

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Make sure you check out Love Notions Memorial Day sale to get all my favorite patterns for a steal! Check out my Summer Caye’s, Tabitha Tops, Tessa Dresses, Li’l Laundry Day Tee, Sybil Skirts and Sabrina Slims.

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Kids Clothes Week- Black and White Edition

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This round of Kids Clothes Week has snuck up on me again.  It came at the perfect time though as this girly is in desperate need of some summer play clothes.

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We’re beefing up on basics this week and we started with a few tees and a couple shorts.

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Every year I make a batch of KID Shorts from Made Everyday.  I fell in love with this crazy print at Joann’s last year and these retro shorts were perfect for it.

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I added 2 inches to the girls racer hemline.  Next time we will add an inch or two to the rise- my tall skinny girl is so hard to fit sometimes!

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I love it paired with the new City Park tee that’s in testing from Hey June.

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She got two of those this week so far and I’m sure they will become a summer staple.  When the pattern releases I’ll give you all the glorious details!

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I used CLUB fabrics french terry to make a quick E+M Top #27 (a FREEEEEE pattern!).

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It’s a super quick sew that I’ll for sure make again.  I’m not loving it in this thicker french terry but it’s super cozy and will definitely get worn.

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I’ve got grown-up pattern testing going on but I’m hoping to squeeze in a few more things for little miss.  I’m really wishing KCW and the end of the school year were not coinciding- anyone else going crazy with end of the year madness?!!  My little guy is officially done today so there goes my kid free mornings. Naptime will be even more precious these days!

Make sure you check out the KCW blog to be blown away with inspiration- it’s my favorite!

Sofilantjes Anniversary Tour

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Sofilantjes is celebrating their 2nd Anniversary and I’m so happy I get to join in the party!

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So many amazing bloggers and sponsors and HUGE giveaways you won’t want to miss!

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For my stop on the tour I’ve got a simple hack on the Omni Tempore.  With it’s crossover hood and kangaroo pocket, I knew it would make the perfect swim cover-up for my girls.

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They have a hand-me-down cover-up in french terry that is constantly fought over.  It’s the coziest, comfiest of all their covers and I knew I could recreate it in this yummy french terry from Raspberry Creek Fabrics.

I’ll share my simple tutorial so you can recreate this look for your little one.  You can use a regular knit to make a cute summer dress too!  I’m still new to tutorials so don’t expect too much 😉

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Grab your pattern and supplies and let’s get started!  You are only altering the bodice pieces.

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It helps if your ruler isn’t broken but if you have kids I’m sure a few of your supplies have met this fate too!  Make sure you measure from the top of the pattern piece (not shown to protect the designer).  I lined my top up with the top of my cutting mat so I measured down on my center seam also.

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Easy peasy, right?  All we are doing is lengthening and adding a slight a-line to our bodice pieces.  From there we sew it up following the pattern tutorial.  Nothing mind blowing and easy enough for a beginner to do.

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And you will have one happy girly when you are done!

It’s perfect for after swimming when we grab our favorite treat.  The first snow cone of the season means summer is right around the corner!  I dislike all things fruity- can’t even stand it, so my snow cone choices are limited but my kiddos sure love them!  What’s your favorite flavor?

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We’re ready to hit the pool!

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Make sure to check out the other stops on the tour for some more great twists on your favorite Sofilantjes patterns.  Use code CELEBRATE to take 25% off all patterns during the blog tour.  Join the Facebook Group to keep up to date on all the latest shop happenings and to be filled with inspiration!
From a Box – Paisley Roots – Pattern Revolution – SewSophieLynn – Beri Bee Designs – Sprouting Jube Jube – Coral and Co. – Create 3.5 – Jennifer for Sofilantjes – Bellevi – Vaahtokarkkimonsteri – Sew Journers – Inspinration – MoonStar – Lucky Mie – Nononsonsmoms – Pienkel – Tales of a Tester – Adventures with Bubba and Bug – All things Katy – Candice Ayala – Rebel and Malice – Liesellove

We’ve also got an amazing Rafflecopter Giveaway for you today.  Enter to win 11 patterns!!! It will run until May 25, 12.00 AM (GMT+1) (Amsterdam time)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thanks for joining me!

Cali Faye January Peplum

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I’m always on the hunt for cute woven top patterns.  The January Peplum from Cali Faye caught my eye when it was released and has been on my ‘to-sew’ list ever since.

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About the same time I just HAD to order this darling panda quilting cotton from Phat Quarters fabrics on Etsy.  Gemia (one of the Phat Quarters owners) was one of my first online sewing friends and I was so excited to place my first order with her.  It was super quick shipping and she has such an amazing selection (this print has since sold out but there’s a ton of cute stuff to check out).

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I knew this fabric and pattern would be a great combo for my panda-lovin’ girl!

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She just loves her cute ‘panda-licious’ top!

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It certainly suits her little personality!

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I really adore the shape of this pattern.  The hi-low peplum is too cute!

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The construction is basic and quick.  Nothing fancy but the tutorial is clear and concise.  It has a zipper back and a shoulder detail that can add fun contrast and pops of color.

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The neck is done with bias which I still need to work on my technique.  It looks fine but not perfect!

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I’m not exactly sold on the sleeves… I think I’ll do them shorter next time but she liked them as is so I’ve got to make the customer happy 😉

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I’ve got one happy girl and I think there will be more of these come fall.  The pattern cover is done in a lightweight flannel that I can’t get out of my head.  Hopefully, it doesn’t take me months to get to that one!

 

Hey June Handmade Sante Fe Tee

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Adrianna strikes again… I’m convinced everything she touches is golden!

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The Santa Fe Top is no different.

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I’m going to live in these tees this summer!

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A loose, flowy top is on everyone’s wish list right now.  They are so on trend and this pattern checks all the right boxes.

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With multiple options, you can have a cute tank or a fun cap sleeved tee.

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The fun sleeve color-blocking option resembles a raglan and lends itself to some super cool pattern mixing.

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There is also an option for a top-stitched seam down the center front and back- a detail that total elevates this tee.

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Fabric choice makes such a difference with this pattern.  The drapier the knit the better.  My main fabrics are LA scores and the floral is from Pretty Posh Prints.  I chose not to hem my tees since it won’t fray and I’m lazy 😉  I added an inch to the stripe version and 2 inches to the grey.  I did a regular neckband on the grey also to bring it in just a touch.

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Run and get your pattern NOW!  Seriously… You won’t regret it!  It’s on sale through May 16th.

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