Little Lizard King – SewSophieLynn

Raspberry Creek Fabrics Suit Up For Summer 2022

Have you been following along with the Suit Up for Summer tour this week? It’s been so incredible! So many new techniques to try, genius tips, and can we talk about all of the gorgeous swimsuits?! Hello! This year’s bloggers really blew me away. What a privilege it’s been to get to know them a little bit and to witness their amazing talent.

In years past, this week has been a bit crazy for me. I LOVE LOVE LOVE to sew swimwear and usually have about a dozen to share with you (you can find all of our past swimsuits here.) This year I scaled back for multiple reasons but I still couldn’t wait to sew a few new suits. The new Raspberry Creek Fabrics swim collection is just way too hard to resist!

I always love RCF florals and this swim collection is just full of so many good ones. My girls and I don’t tend to gravitate to red but this print jumped out to all of us. My younger daughter requested it, I stole it and sewed it for myself, then my older daughter modeled it and has now claimed the suit for herself!

For this suit I used the Petite Stitchery Colby Bralette and Patterns for Pirates Busy Bee Bottoms. The top is not intended for use as a swimsuit but it worked out great. I did add cups between the lining and main fabrics for a little more coverage. I think next time I use this pattern for swim I will add elastic to the neckline and armscye as well. It’s extra comfortable without it and has plenty of negative ease to stay in place but I think it would lie better. Remember, I made this top for me, using my measurements but it fits my teen surprisingly well. I’m in love with this bottom pattern. My all-time favorite bottom pattern is the P4P Hello Sailors but this one just might be the new go-to. It’s very similar to the Hello Sailors (high-waist, great coverage) but has so many other options as well. The leg line is a little higher and feels more flattering but still is comfortable and modest. I sewed up a size small graded to a medium in the waist. My daughter measures into an XS but these fit great as well.

This is the Petite Stitchery Brooklyn– SO CUTE, right?!! This is another pattern so full of options. I sewed up this swimsuit in a small (again according to MY measurements). When I tried it on though the fabric design was very stretched and distorted so this little miss got another swimsuit! I think in a solid fabric, I’d stick with a small but I hated losing the details of these amazing prints. For the top I did the optional shelf bra and added cups. I also cut it at the longer cut line and added the band for a little more length. The bottoms have real pockets! While I loved this detail, they kept poking out so I sewed them down after these pics were taken. I love the idea of them but they just weren’t practical. I do keep seeing bottoms with pockets and might need to hack another pattern to have them (just big enough for a hotel key while on vacation!).

The colors in these prints are what sold me. The peachy foliage and teal geometric just remind me of our favorite vacation spot in Cancun. I paired these prints with solid peacock teal and tangerine for a little pop!

This girl had a very specific request for me. A ditsy floral swimsuit with flutter sleeves. Done and done!

The Little Lizard King Maui swimsuit seems to be a favorite of the RCF team this year and it’s no wonder! It’s really so, so cute! There are one piece and two piece options and the bow back is to die for. She picked the two piece and I slightly altered the flutter sleeve piece to give her the look she wanted. I extended the curved side of the pattern piece about an inch and then didn’t gather it as much as the pattern intended, starting and stopping the sleeve just under the arm. It gives it a little more of a grown up look than the typical flutter sleeve.

This Sage and White Ditsy Floral print was just what she dreamed. She really wanted a white floral and I love that Diana was able to make that happen! It’s so classic and sweet without being babyish. Just perfect for this almost teenager.

My swim wardrobe is pretty chock full but I really wanted another one-piece. I tend to shy away from them. Store bought suits rarely fit because of my long torso and I’ve yet to get a great fit when I’ve sewed one. I mentioned negative ease a bit before but let’s talk a little more about it. I think it plays such a huge part in how your finished garment looks and feels. Some patterns will have a lot of negative ease, meaning your fabric will be stretched to fit your body. This can be great to hold you in and keep things snug BUT it can also make your prints stretch out and make it uncomfortable to wear. I sewed a fantastic one-piece a couple of years ago but the negative ease really flattened me out (another con if you’re not working with a lot in the bust area like me!) and kept riding up in the length. You can solve this problem by sewing a bigger size (but I’d keep the elastic the same as your true measurements) or adding length.

So it was with a little trepidation that I sewed up this suit but boy am I thrilled! I sewed up the Clara from Swim Style Patterns. Swim Style is a new to me company based out of Australia. I stumbled upon them last year and immediately feel in love with all of their suits. They are so on trend and I initially thought of my girls with all of the adorable two piece options. But when searching for a one-piece with great coverage but a little extra ooomph, the Clara jumped out to me.

I love the leg line and the deep v-neckline really helps add to my (lack-of) curves. I sewed up a size small graded to a medium in the waist. I’m a rectangle with my current measurements being 34-30-38.

This pattern came together sooo easily! I loved the tutorial- not too lengthy but also had all of the information needed. The finish is nice and clean on the inside too making it sooo comfortable to wear. There are pockets to add cups and the option to add elastic to the under bust seam which really gives it that extra support. I chose to do a little gathering instead of the bust pleat since my bust is smaller. I was worried a pleat would be too big and the gathering turned out to be a great call. For my next version (which I seriously can’t wait to make), I’ll shorten the shoulder straps a bit to give even more lift and add power mesh to the stomach area between the lining and main fabric. Remember my rant about negative ease, the Clara seems to have the perfect amount for me! It’s not so tight that the print is distorted and doesn’t feel restrictive at all.

To say I have a thing for black and white prints is an understatement. I love me a good black and white stripe and gingham is right up there with that. This little bench is in our entry way and I was cracking up that I matched it!

I think the RCF CLUB basics don’t get enough love. They work great as coordinates but also stand on their own. This black and white gingham is so classy and timeless. Gingham is still everywhere in stores and will be around forever, just like this swimsuit! I can’t wait to wear it all summer long.

Thank you to all of our amazing sewists who joined in the tour this week! It’s been such a pleasure to sew along side them.

Hosted by SewSophieLynn and Paisley Roots

Sew Hard of Hearing, I Em Sew Happy, Zaji-Kali Makes, Sewing with CWay

Sew Mary Mac, Lorelei Caroline, Sew With Summer, All My Spare Time

Made By Kates, The Imperfect Sewist, Intensely Distracted, Lovely for Life

Sew Whit Designs, Sew What with Afton, It’s Liesel, Clothed in Vermillion

Kainara Stitches, Stacey Durant, Desert Blooms, That’s Sew Kari

Pajama Time with Designer Flannel from Riley Blake Designs

As the seasons change, one of my favorite things to sew up is fresh new pajamas for my kids. As we roll into the holiday season, my kids will be getting a few new pajamas and I can’t wait! For their newest sets, we used Riley Blake Designs newest Designer Flannel.

There are so many new prints to choose from and it was fun for my kids to pick their favorites. I was seriously tempted to sew some up for myself because their were so many prints I loved too!

This little guy is in that perfect in between stage. He loves to be big and wants to do everything his teenage brother does. But get him in pj’s and he’s my little snuggle buddy! He still loves to sleep with his favorite stuffed animals and would wear pj’s 24/7 if he could so this new set will get lived in for sure. This simple navy star print is classic and ageless. I used the Northern Lights pattern from Little Lizard King for his bottoms. This pattern is so full of both boy, girl, and unisex options making it a great pattern to have in your collection. It’s designed for knit fabrics but the pants can be made in woven. I love the slightly slimmer cut of this pattern compared to other pajama pant patterns that I have. His tee is from Wal-Mart with a cute iron-on design found in Cricut Design Space.

Big sis got a pair of Limone Loungers from Jennuine Designs in mint stars. The Limone Lounge set is another workhorse of a pattern. It comes in sizes newborn-14 and has pant, crop, and shorts options as well as multiple skirt choices too. It’s great for year-round wear and the elastic waist means that it’s so comfy too! I sewed up a size 14 for this girly and added 3 inches to the length but sadly it wasn’t quite enough so these are already a tad too short. Good thing they’re just pj’s but I think it’s finally time for me to move on to sewing her only women’s patterns. I’m trying desperately to hold on to my little girl but boy is it fun watching her grow up!

“Rise and Shine” is what I say to my kids every morning when I wake them up and it’s one of those phrases that means so much to me. I want my kiddos to greet everyday with potential and shine like the amazing little humans that they are! This graphic is from Cricut Design Space as well.

This little rainbow print was my personal favorite and I’m thrilled this girl loved it too! I used the Gracie Tween Pajamas from Violette Fields Threads for this set. It was a simple set to sew up and I love the option to add piping too. Just a note that I did have a hard time easing in the sleeve cap and have found that on a few VFT patterns that I’ve sewn up. Not sure if it’s just me but I will try to reduce the sleeve head a bit in the future.

I purchased buttons to go with this fabric but pulled out my KAM snaps at the last minute. We couldn’t decide what color to use so we went with all four and she said the snaps are her very favorite part!

I love sewing with flannel! You almost don’t need to use pins or clips because your pieces stick together (anyone else remember using flannel story boards? same concept!) and make sewing a breeze. This fabric isn’t too thick and was easy to iron. The best part? It’s soft and mid-weight making these pj’s a dream to sleep in! Make sure to check your local fabric shop for these cute prints and more.

*The fabric in this post was provided to me by Riley Blake Designs in exchange for this post. All opinions are our own!

Spring is coming with Ava Kate from Riley Blake Fabrics

I’m sure we’re like so many in the western hemisphere, getting our first glimpses of spring. Utah spring means snow one day and 65 degrees the next. It means constantly checking the forecast but also knowing that if you don’t like the weather today, don’t worry! Chances are tomorrow will be completely different! The warm days have me so excited for spring!

The sunshine and warm weather was perfect to photograph the newest line from Riley Blake and Carina Gardner, Ava Kate. Ava Kate is full of beautiful florals, stunning damasks, and fun stripes. The black, seafoam, blush, and cayenne palette is one I can get behind.

I used three fabrics from this collection. My younger daughter is in Vines Seafoam and my older daughter picked Cayenne stripes. I lined them both with Flowers Cayenne and did a matching hair tie as well.

Payton has a thing for baby doll style dresses. Week after week she reaches for this style to wear to church. Something loose and easy to wear almost always wins with her. I sewed up the Chloe Dress from Vintage Little Lady. This is a free pattern and is available in Tween, girls, and baby sizing. Talk a bout a winner!

I sewed up a tween size 10 and forgot to add length to the skirt (she’s in a 14 height!). Yep, this little miss is shooting up just like her sister. For so long, she was my easy, one straight size girl. The last year she has really lengthened and is growing up way too fast! I tried to convince her it was ‘vintage length’ and she said “Vintage like what they wore on the Brady Bunch?” That was my cue to add a little more to the skirt, lol! Luckily I had just enough fabric left to do another quick tier and now we’re calling it a design feature.

This dress pattern is a dolman style bodice and is a super quick sew. I’m pretty sure both girls will be getting many more of these. It’s just such a classic style!

I had a sweet neighbor give me some of her old sewing notions and I was so happy to come across these buttons in her stash. They were just the perfect pop!

I just love this color on her and will keep filling her closet with it. She had to double check when I told her it matched her eyes perfectly!

This cute girl is definitely a teenager and it’s getting a little trickier to sew for her. Luckily she’s easy to please!

She’s still barely in the sizing at Little Lizard King and I am going to be so sad when the day comes that we can’t use their kids patterns for her anymore. I sewed up the Mavora in top length. The Mavora has so many options and darling ruffles (you might not even recognize it from my version!) but I fell in love with a simple tester version in stripes and knew I had to use it for this fabric. I was hopeful to fit a dress out of this fabric but sadly didn’t have quite enough. I think it was a happy accident though because this top couldn’t be more perfect for her!

I love the wide shoulders and fit. It feels sporty but still very feminine.

I sewed up a size 12 with added length to both the bodice (1.5″) and peplum (1.5″).

I used another vintage button for her keyhole closure and it was meant to be too! Her hair tie is created like you would do bias tape but I just sewed up the edges. Left untied felt very teenage-y!

Shooting these pics really had me excited for more outdoor shoots in the future. I have so many new favorite shots of my girls from this shoot!

Like these two! Pretty much sums up their relationship and personalities!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you’re enjoying that first taste of spring in your neck of the woods!

Suit Up for Summer 2021 Day Four- Tween Girl Fashion

We’re almost to the end of our week ‘o fun! I’m pretty sure I’ll go into swimsuit withdrawals when the tour ends. Good thing for you, you can still pick up Raspberry Creek Fabrics swim fabrics at 15% off with code SWIMTOUR.

Every year my girls and I go swimsuit shopping and every year we leave empty handed. We struggle so much trying to find suits that both fit their personalities and just plain FIT! My oldest daughter is now in junior sizing and somehow that means that their are even less options that work for her. It makes me so happy that I can sew both of my girls suits that really work for them.

This year I tried a few new to us patterns. The first is the Hibiscus pattern from Honeydew Kisses.

I think my girls have been a part of the design process for so long that when I asked for swimsuit ideas this year, I should not have been surprised to get this drawing from Payton. She really wanted the cutouts on the side and a fun strappy back. She was thrilled when I pulled up the Hibiscus pattern and it matched up with her vision!

I sewed up view B in a 9/10 with added length. We skipped all the ruffles to get as close to her inspiration as possible.

When I was her age, I had a very similar suit that I thought was THE COOLEST! My mom loved it because it was a one-piece and I loved it because the little cutouts seemed so grown up to me. This tie dye print just ups the rad factor!

For her second suit I used the Little Lizard King Sanibel. She loves all the little tie front tops in the shops and the Sanibel is absolutely adorable! I love all of the Little Lizard King swim line and plan to work our way through them all.

We used another fun tie dye and paired it with the light blue and yellow swim solids. The colors are just so cheerful and scream summer to me!

I sewed up a size 10 classic neck tankini length top with tie and the gathered side panel bottoms. This pattern had multiple options for the top and you can add lots of little extras like flutters and ruffles too. It’s no surprise that we skipped most of those. I love that this suit feels sporty but also a little feminine with the side gathers on the bottoms and tie on the top.

Big sis picked out fabrics and had ideas too but I steered her towards the Xfactor top after sewing my own. She was super easy to persuade and picked out the long sleeves for her version.

I added the same bra cups and shelf bra lining to hers that I did to mine and it gives just the right support for her.

She picked out this Dash Dot Abstract print and then we struggled with what to pair it with. It looked great with the black and white micro stripe as well as the bright yellow solid we had too. We settled on this vibrant lipstick pink and I love the pop of color it brings. We used the Calypso bottoms (they’re her most worn from previous years) and I did the same modification from the past, cutting them at the non-banded line but still adding the band. This gives them a little more height and she likes that her top and bottoms just meet.

Sophie has had this inspiration pic saved and wanted to recreate it. The Viridian from Jennuine Design was perfect with it’s separate panel pieces.

She loved this bold leopard print and then pairing it with black really made it suitable for her. She loves fashion but doesn’t like to draw too much attention to herself so this is the perfect way to wear a bold print like this.

For her top, I lined it in a lightweight techno scuba fabric instead of adding cups. This added a bit of smoothness and was a great solution. I sewed up a straight size 12 with the racer-back and she has a teeny bit of growing room so hopefully this will last all summer.

While getting ideas this year we came across this unique top from Albion Fit. She loved it and I immediately started looking for ways to recreate it. It’s a simple peasant style and searched my pattern stash to no luck. I asked in our swim tour group and they were so helpful and I landed on the Gypsy Top from Striped Swallow Designs.

I sewed up a size 12 crop length with short sleeves. We made it so she can wear her Viridian top underneath so this is just like a little coverup top. I made casings instead of following the pattern instructions since she wanted it to look more like the inspiration.

I like the higher neckline but could see her wanting a wider, lower neck in the future. This was a fun, creative make that isn’t your typical swim top and that’s what we love about sewing our own swimwear! It allows you to dream big and try new things.

My girls are loving their new suits and we’re dying for warm weather to break them in! Sewing for tweens and teens can be tricky but I love the collaborative process with my girls. It’s so fun to bring an idea to live and to create suits that fit them so perfectly!

Make sure to check out the other amazing blogger this week! Today’s sewists are bringing it big time!

Sew Mary Mac Merritts Makes Wild + Wanderful Call Ajaire

Made by Kates Violet and Jewels Sweet Mama Life All Things Katy!

Intensely Distracted Pins & Pinot My Heart Will Sew On The Petite Sewist

All My Spare Time Kara Metta Handcrafted by RED Sincerely, Shantelle

Replicate Then Deviate That’s Sew Kari Desert Blooms Boo + Lu

A huge thank you to our sponsors and don’t forget to check out today’s giveaway!!
Again, you can find the tour on Instagram with the hashtag: #suitupforsummer2021

Titchy Threads Sew A Little Seam Simple Life Pattern Co. Pattern for Pirates Ellie and Mac

Lowland Kids Gingham Hive Striped Swallow Designs Honeydew Kisses Little Lizard King

Jennuine Designs Greenstyle Creations Made for Mermaids Call Ajaire Hey June Boo Designs!

Sofiona Designs Love Notions Lil Luxe Collection Jalie Sweet Red Poppy

Riley Blake Stardust

In the middle of all of my swimsuit sewing, I took a break to sew up this sweet dress. I’m really in the mood for all of the warm weather sewing and this dress just hit the spot.

Working with Riley Blake is a treat and I love being able to sew up their new lines. Stardust by Beverly McCullough of Flamingo Toes is such a fun line and was a pleasure to sew up!

I picked Glam Glasses in mint as our main print and paired it with Scallops Peony. I love the retro beachy vibe of the whole collection.

To keep with that retro feel, I sewed up the Byron Bay dress by Little Lizard King. The simple silhouette screams 50’s housewife to me. I sewed up a size 10 according to her measurements and lengthened the skirt a bit for her height (she’s a 14 for height).

The elastic back means this dress will grow a little with her. I love the look of it too!

I kept things simple and used snaps instead of buttons. I can’t remember the last time I used snaps and I love how easy and quick they are!

To finish off the look I sewed up a Lilly Bow Scrunchie from Little Fish. Rachel shares a genius way to make a scrunchie using your favorite hair elastics and the end result is just too cute!

This dress makes me want to head to the boardwalk and eat ice cones as the sunsets. It just makes me think of all the simple pleasures of life!

New Dresses in Riley Blake My Heritage

It’s officially fall and that means it’s plaid season! I will take all of the plaids, all of the time!

This post is sponsored by Riley Blake fabrics. I got to work with one of their newest lines, My Heritage by My Minds Eye. The subtle colors and antique feel really drew me in. There are pretty Family Tree panels that have me wishing I quilted.

My girls and I were thrilled with the plaids in this collection. Classic and the colors are my favorite. I will put my kids in teal as much as possible!

I used Grid in Dark Teal and Plaid in Cream. I love how they work together!

I was excited to sew new dresses for my girls. We scoured our patterns and I had to purchase the new Little Lizard King Nara after discovering I was seriously lacking a cute drop waist dress pattern. Now, that cream plaid dress was meant for my oldest daughter but when she tried it on it was shockingly short and not at all drop waist! Oh boy! Turns out I totally forgot to lengthen it for her tall body, duh! Sewing fail for sure. I’d printed out the pattern weeks ago in preparation and then just went for it when it came time to finally sew it up. Luckily, little sis LOVED it and was thrilled with my ‘mistake’. And the cute teal dress looks darling on big sis- win win!

For this dress I used the Jilly Atlanta Marlow– a favorite I sewed up here. I love the simple design and classic look. This is a size 8 width lengthened (remember this was meant for lil sis). The Marlow has cute front ruffles that I adore but unfortunately my girls are not big fans. Keep things plain and simple for them and then things will get worn. I’ve learned the hard way!

Throw in some simple wood buttons and I’m sold!

Can we all just agree that this dress really was made for this girl? I’m not sure what I was thinking. It just suits her so much! This is the Nara from Little Lizard King. The Nara is another pattern that is full of options and details but in sticking with my philosophy of less is more we went basic. I used the long sleeve but did a simple casing at the wrist to eliminate the slight wrist ruffle. No bodice pleating or collar either… both details I’d love to do someday. This is a size 10 lengthened to a 14 in the bodice and skirt.

A pretty button front and a bias cut plaid really make me so happy!

We brought little brother along for this photo shoot and he played DJ and behind the scenes jokester. Oh boy, the outtakes with this shoot were too funny!

Thanks for stopping by! Head to your local quilt shop to pick up these pretty prints.

Midsummer Meadow by Riley Blake

The new line Midsummer Meadow by Katherine Lenius for Riley Blake is so quintessentially summer! It was fun to pick easy to wear summer pieces for this adorable fabric.

It seems like summer has hit us full blast here in Utah with temps climbing high! My girls wanted some cute play shorts to get them through this heat and these prints were so perfect.

My oldest picked the Brea Top and Shorts from Little Lizard King. I seem to be gravitating to LLK often these days and each new pattern I try cements them as one of my go-to pattern companies for my girls. They continue to come out with darling women’s and boys patterns too and I’m going to have to give them a try soon.

We both really loved that front yoke shaping! I think for our future pairs I will need to add a little length and pockets. These can feel a little pajama-y and I think pockets will make them way more functional. She loves these as is though and they’ll be perfect for our lounging at home this summer.

The Brea top has optional flutter sleeves but we went with the sleeveless option because it felt a little more grown-up. The tie-front waistband is such a sweet touch!

I love these two prints together! The sea glass color of the Woven print is one of my all time favorite shades. It’s a classic print that she’ll be able to wear with lots of her tees and tops. This main floral print is such a pretty wildflower look. She can’t wait to pair it with jean cutoffs too!

This butterfly print hooked me into this collection. When it arrived I couldn’t help but start dreaming up ways that an over 40-year-old woman could get away with wearing it. I think it’d be a darling Love Notions Melody Dolman or Hey June Amherst. Or I could always settle for darling pj’s too!

This girl was having none of that though! This print was hers and she was NOT sharing. We went with the Lilly Petal Shorts from Violette Fields Threads and I think they’ll get worn so much this summer! Paired with a tee in Aqua knit, this outfit was perfect for tramp jumping, cookie making, and bike riding.

I like the unique style of the Lilly shorts. I omitted the lining, knowing they’d already be pretty substantial in quilter’s cotton. It was so fun to pull out all my trims and let her pick. This trim from the Target Dollar Spot years ago was such a cute accent. She loves the fringe!

We love this gorgeous new line and know you will too!

Little Lizard King Amsterdam in Gem Stones from Riley Blake Designs

Did you guys audibly gasp at this fabric?! I mean c’mon, it’s pretty darn amazing! When I first saw the new Gem Stones Bright line from Riley Blake Designs I knew this little girl would be in heaven! There are so many colors to choose from and that ombre is to die for! We chose the Flamingo colorway but it was such a tough choice. We love the subtle sparkle of the gold squares with the bright, vibrant colors. Sooooo pretty!

I knew this fabric needed an equally stunning pattern to really showcase it so we searched our favorite makers for something new to us. I’ve always loved the Little Lizard King Amsterdam every time I’ve seen it sewed up and she was smitten the first time she saw the listing. I knew we needed a maxi dress to really showcase this fabric and I think this pattern was the perfect choice.

This project was such a fun sew. I loved working with the fabric and trying to figure out the best way to really make it shine. She requested a yellow bodice and I love how the dress feels anchored by the turquoise hem. I love sewing dresses and sewing them in quilting cotton is so nice. The stability and weight make it so easy to sew and press. The weight adds a little more body to the skirt. She felt like a princess in this dress and said she can’t wait for an occasion to wear it (with us rarely leaving the house these days she might just be wearing it to the park or a backyard bar-b-que!).

Nothing like a happy kid to make you love this hobby!

This fabric really is amazing! The ombre runs selvage to selvage and it was the perfect width for this maxi dress. My mind is racing with all of the cute possibilities with it! Thank you to Riley Blake for letting us play with this fun line!

Abbie’s Garden from Riley Blake Designs

I’m excited to be back here on the blog today. Sewing time is scarce these days and blogging time seems even scarcer. The sun is shining and I’ve got a house full of kids these days so we are spending as much time outside as possible. I do love spending a morning at my sewing machines though and this fun fabric from Riley Blake was a perfect excuse to sew!

I always love Sue Daley’s designs and Abbie’s Garden is no exception. The pinks and blues are just the perfect shades and I love the pop of black with them. I always get sucked in by the florals but the darling main prints are so sweet too.

My girls and I picked two simple prints from the collection. My younger daughter went with Abbie’s Garden Floral in Black while my older daughter wanted something more subtle and non-floral and picked the Garden Lattice in Charcoal. There are so many great coordinating prints with this collection!

For this dress I turned to a free pattern from Simple Life Pattern Co., the Catalina Dress. I always love finding great free patterns that I can recommend and this one is fantastic! It’s a classic sundress that comes in sizes 2-12. The elastic back means no closures so it’s a quick sew too! It’s perfect for highlighting those special fabrics and a great base to really play around with. I’m already envisioning a pretty stripe version or playing with the straps a little for fun.

When she put this on and requested a ponytail, I got all kinds of 50’s school girl vibes. I had to teach her about Sandra Dee and she loved her style!

My oldest wanted something other than a dress and the search was on for just the right pattern. Little Lizard King released the Cannes pattern just last week and the moment I saw it I knew it’d be perfect! This pattern comes in sizes 12 mos.-14 and features top and dress options. With a v-neckline in the front and back, it’s another no closure pattern. It’s finished with bias around the neckline and arms instead of another layer or facing which makes it nice and lightweight.

While it works great in quilting cotton, I think it’d be lovely in a rayon challis or gauze too! Bonus points moms, there’s a ladies version as well!

It was so fun to head to one of our favorite walking trails for these pictures. Summertime is in the air and I can’t wait for more days like this. We had to stop for our first snow cones of the season after this shoot and for a moment all was right with the world!

A huge thank you to Riley Blake for sponsoring the fabric for this post. Make sure you check out Abbie’s Garden at your local quilt shop!

Monterey Romper in Floral Hues by Riley Blake

This project was a fun one! It combined so many of my favorite things: This girl, great fabric, a new pattern, and a totally fun photo shoot.

This project started with the fabric. Riley Blake let us pick fabric from the new Floral Hues collection. This girl has such a huge love of all things red and immediately loved the simplicity of this print. We paired the Floral Hues Daisies in Red with a tiny bit of the Dots in Red. It’s such a sweet combo and the whole Floral Hues line has a great classic vintage vibe.

This is a lovely cotton lawn and it feels amazing! I love the softness of Riley Blake’s lawn and think it’s perfect for so many apparel projects. This picture just shows the weight and lightness of this fabric so well. It’s so breezy and light but I wouldn’t hesitate to wear this without a lining either. The lighting hit her just right and you get just a peek of her silhouette.

We used the Little Lizard King Monterey Romper to really highlight this fabric. This girl absolutely loves rompers and I love to make them for her. She loves all the options with this pattern but has been wanting the split sleeve version since it released. I’m known to ask my girls if they like a pattern when it releases and then sit on it for months and months until they finally break down and beg me to sew it up! I guess I’m a tease like that 😉

I was able to easily blend sizes to make it work perfectly for my tall slim girly. The construction was actually really quick and I’d highly recommend this pattern. It’s easy to get on and off which is a big deal with rompers. Overall, I’m sure we’ll make more of these cute one pieces.

Very little sewing this summer has meant very few photo shoots as well. I MISS being behind the camera so much! This shoot and the time I got to spend editing it were actually my favorite parts of the whole process. We hit a little trail just a couple of miles from our house and loved just wandering and exploring. It was a gorgeous summer evening and I couldn’t get enough of this sweet girl.

I just love these little moments I get to squeeze in with my kiddos. Being able to capture them as they grow and mature is something I’m so grateful for. Lucky you that you get to see it right along with me, lol!

Thank you Riley Blake for the pretty fabric and the push it gave us to create these great memories!

Tag: Little Lizard King