Made for Mermaids – Page 3

Made For Mermaids Camila Swimsuits

I’ve been DYING to share this pattern with you all! Yesterday I introduced you to two of the swimsuits that are part of the Made for Mermaids Mermaid Shores Collection. Today I’m sharing my favorite two- The Camila and Mama Camila!

As soon as the weather started to warm up I began pinning swimsuits like crazy. As I prepared for our Suit up for Summer Tour, I kept going back to this off-the-shoulder ruffle look. I wanted one bad (I even stalked a girl while on vacation to get a better look at her swimsuit!). I was beyond excited when Megan posted the tester call for this one! I was on it in no time!

This pattern was so quick and easy I made three girls versions and one for me too! After sewing this one for me, this suit was a breeze! Guys, this brings my total for hand made swimsuits just this year to 15- eeeek! I promise I’ll stop soon (after one more Mama Camila for me!).

This suit is just so cool though! There are two views- an off-the-shoulder version and an under arm flounce version. The fun thing about the off-the-shoulder view is that it can also be worn under the arm too! The halter straps keep things nice and secure but I found that mine stayed up no problem without them.

I whipped up this suit in under an hour and totally forgot the straps. She had no issues at all keeping it on her shoulders though- it even held up to a wild game of chicken with her big brothers! I totally recommend the straps on the littles but it was so cool to see how secure the elastic in the neckline keeps it.

I love the side ruching- so flattering on mamas and toddler bellies alike!

And look at that bum coverage (oh my, I just asked you to look at my bum, totally blushing!)! It’s just so good though!

I was lucky to get to work with this amazing swim knit from Raspberry Creek Fabric. It’s been a huge hit and sold like hotcakes. It’s amazing quality and so easy to work with.

Sewing suits for my girls has been so rewarding. They both need major size blending and this suit made it so easy. My oldest is in a 6/7 width with a 10 height and my youngest is in a 6 width with an 8 height. It just makes me so happy being able to fit suits to their bodies.

This cutie is in a straight size 4. I just can’t get over how adorable this suit is on little girls!

I did a blue graded to indigo at the waist then back down to blue and added two inches for my height. With all the included measurement information it’s easy to pick and blend sizes to get a perfect fit. I also added soft foam cups and the elastic shelf bra for support. It’s such a great fitting suit!

We’ve had a blast in our suits. I really love that this testing window gave us time to really break them in and see just how awesome they are. My girls reach for theirs again and again, they love how comfortable and stylish they are!

I’ve got too many pictures but I can’t choose favorites so I’ll leave you with a bunch from all our swim fun. We were so lucky to get to meet up with my bloggy buddies, Mellisa of Made By Melli and Anna from Kainara Stitches, for some splash pad time too!

Make sure to pick up your copy of the Mama Camila, Camila, Calypso, Lainey, and Pearl Cover-up while they’re on sale! You can also grab all the girls patterns bundled here and the full collection including the Mama Camila here. The sale is good through July 3rd then the bundles will disappear for good so don’t miss out!

You can see our Lainey and Calypso here.

Now get sewing!

Made for Mermaids Mermaid Shore Collection- Lainey and Calypso

I’ve got a problem people- I can’t stop sewing swimsuits. It’s seriously so addicting. They’re quick, take such little fabric and we spend so much time in them that I feel like it’s so worth it. Plus my swim knit stash keeps multiplying and there is no way I could pass up testing the new Mermaid Shores collection from Made for Mermaids.

I’m splitting our suits into two posts simply because I have soooo many cute pics to share with you! First up is the Lainey, a cute one shoulder two-piece suit with optional ruffles at the neck or waist.

For my version, I did the neck ruffle and added a tiny pom pom trim to the edge. This border print was just perfect for this suit. So perfect that the pattern piece for the top barely fit in between the borders and the ruffle piece was almost the exact measurement of the border. Seriously meant to be! My sister picked up this fabric at the SAS warehouse in Phoenix.

One of my favorite things about all the suits in this collection is the bum coverage. So, so good! No wedgies here!

The Lainey comes with a crop and tankini top options. This little one is adorable in the simple crop version with the ruffle bottom.

The whole Mermaid Shores collection is all about mixing and matching and these Lainey bottoms pair so well with the Calypso top.

The Calypso is a two piece suit with optional ruffles on the top and high waisted bottoms.

It’s so darn cute and easy to sew too! This is the smallest size (1/2) on this tiny miss.

I love being able to blend sizes easily to get the perfect fit for my girls. This one is a 6 chest with 7 hips and 8 length- an easy blend using the instructions in the pattern. You can’t get that kind of fit in an off the rack swimsuit!

I can’t tell you how much we adore this whole collection! I’m so excited to share our Camila’s with you tomorrow!

Sew Americana Blog Tour 2017

I’m excited to be here again for the Sew Americana Blog Tour, year two! I love everything Katy of Wild and Wanderful does so of course I had to join this tour. My sister and I had so much fun last year we jumped on board again in a heartbeat!

These three have grown so much in the last year and I can’t get over how darn cute they were for this shoot. Last year my sister and her kids were moving from Alaska to Arizona and stayed here in Utah for part of the summer. This year they’re here for the summer too and we can’t get enough of these cute cousins!

My girls sure love doting on these little ones!

Let’s talk about the outfits! This teeny one is adorable in Made For Mermaids Evie Suspender Shorts and a Pistachio Top from Sew Like My Mom. In a classic chambray these shorties are such a staple. Super cute but so practical too!

The back of these ties in a bow and really ups the cuteness factor. I just love little bloomer shorts in the summer!

I was thrilled when my oldest fell for overalls- she’s all about comfort AND style. I love the Sydney Romper and Pinafore from Mouse House Creations. It’s such a classic, sweet style and was perfect for the look we were going for. I’ll never grow tired of picot trim bias, especially in a gingham! It’s the fun pop these shorts needed but still keeps them versatile.

We paired the overalls with a Boo! Designs Sleeved Leotard for a fun vintage look with a modern twist. She absolutely loves this outfit! I love that it’s perfect for summer- an outfit she can wear running around the neighborhood with friends or off to a bar-b-que.

My other niece is all about comfort and these two pieces will be great to mix and match into her wardrobe. The Skipper Top from Sew Much Ado is such a staple pattern for my sister and I. It’s a quick sew and is a great base to show off fun fabrics. In a red and white stripe, it’s great for the Fourth of July but will still be wearable year round too.

She got a pair of Hailey Ruffle Shorts from Made for Mermaids and a Barb’s Headband from Simple Life Pattern Company. This comfy knit outfit is totally playground approved.

Perfect for hiding in the big ‘ol tires at one of our favorite parks! Isn’t she just darling?! I feel like as an aunt, I can say these things 😉 She is just pure innocence and joy!

The last outfit we made for the tour was another one we wanted to be able to mix and match into her existing wardrobe. These chambray Lilly Shorts from Violette Fields Threads will be great. I love the pop of red from the bias tape!

She lives in her Miss Mary Mack (affl. link) tees from Love Notions and I always know I can’t go wrong making her more! This one in floral and polka dots is definitely my new favorite. So cute and girly!

As it often goes these days, I had more fun taking and editing these pics than I did sewing. So I’m going to leave you with a bit of photo overload and a little wish for ya’ll to have the best holiday weekend! I’m so grateful for this beautiful, amazing country we live in and for all those who have fought to make it what it is today.

Make sure to head on over to all the other stops on the tour- so much patriotic goodness!

Our Amazing “Sew Americana” Tour Lineup:

You can add your patriotic makes to the link-up too!

An InLinkz Link-up

Thanks for stopping by our stop on the tour!

Sew What Do I Wear Valentines Edition

Valentine’s is fast approaching and this mama needed something new to wear. The Made for Mermaids/Patterns for Pirates ‘Sew What Do I Wear? Valentine’s Edition’ was just the push I needed to hit my sewing machine. You know me- it needs to be stylish AND comfortable for me to wear it, even for a night out. Enter…bum, bum, bum… a ROMPER!! Holy smokes, people! Where has this gloriousness been all my life?!

I used the Megan Dress and Romper pattern from Made for Mermaids. I’d actually been eyeing this pattern since it came out but figured I was a little too old and matronly to pull it off. But all those cute testers in the pattern pics just kept taunting me- every single one of them looks gorgeous and you know they are beyond comfortable. I decided to just take the leap and I am so glad I did.

I knew I wanted a pretty flowy floral and this rayon spandex from Raspberry Creek Fabric was absolutely perfect for Valentine’s! It has the perfect drape and sewed up so beautifully. It’s lightweight enough that I think I can wear this through the summer too! And a little secret- it was about 20 degrees when we took these pics so I layered some fleece lined leggings underneath and it’s so loose you can’t even tell. Here, here to an all seasons outfit!!

I only made a couple of changes to make it suit my preferences. I did an elbow length sleeve (of course) and did a 3-inch binding band around the bodice as suggested in the pattern to offer a little more coverage. I’ve got no cleavage to show off so a little cami underneath kept me nice and modest 😉

Funny story- I told my husband I had to make a romper this weekend and he said, “Oh nice. For Payton?” I was like, “No, for me. What do you think?” No response… Probably a good call because I could tell exactly what he was thinking and it wasn’t a good thing, haha! I came up a bit later in it and he actually said, “Wow! That looks really nice!” In husband talk that’s a HUGE compliment! He never notices my makes and after 16 years doesn’t really care about my appearance (huge blessing since I wear tees and joggers 90% of the time!). I’m calling this outfit a win in the “How to impress the Hubby” category.

Another secret- It totally feels like I’m wearing my pj’s, maybe even better! It’s so comfortable that I really could wear it everyday. I’m thinking that throwing a long cardi over it will be perfect for dressing it down a bit. Oh, or a denim jacket! Can I get away with wearing my Chucks with it? We’ll see… I feel like this has opened up a whole new world for me! Now I know why my girls are so obsessed with rompers!

Ready to get your mind blown with even more date night inspiration?!! I sure am!

Make sure to check out all these lovely ladies:

Jan 30 – The Do It Better Yourself Club/ Wild & Wanderful/ SewSophieLynn/ Vinyasew

Jan 31 – Argyle and Pearls / Ma Moose / Red Stitch Blue Stitch/ All sewn up by Stacey

Feb 1 – All Things Katy! / Sew and Tell Project / Sew A Piece of Joy / The Kisses Co

Feb 2 – It’s Liesel / Sewingly, Michelle / Stitching and Making/ Rebel & Malice

Feb 3 – On Wednesdays We Sew/ The Crunchy Mommy/ Margarita on the Ross/ Four Seasons and a Road Trip

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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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

Project Run and Play: Week Two-I’m an Autumn

Fall in Utah is my absolute favorite! The vibrant leaves, cooler weather and trips to our favorite pumpkin patch are things I look forward to all year.

It was so fun sewing for this week’s Project Run and Play challenge- I’m an Autumn: using the warm colors of Autumn for your primary color palette (red, orange, yellow, and brown). Now admittedly, I’m NOT an autumn and I’m drawn to much cooler colors so this was initially a bit of a challenge for me. I had nothing at all in my stash in those colors so we took a trip to the fabric store (five fabric stores to be exact!).

I had a vision for this dress right from the start and finding the perfect fabric proved to be harder than I thought it would. With our short time frame I knew I had to find it locally and I finally settled on this gorgeous charmeuse from Joann. It has such beautiful drape and worked so well for this maxi.

I used the Lil Luxe Dress from Lil Luxe Collection as the base for this dress. I added the long sleeves and pockets from the Starlight City Dress, also by Lil Luxe Collection. I cinched the sleeves with elastic to create a bit of volume in them. I used the width of the fabric for the skirt portion adding to the drama of this dress.

I raised the back curve a couple of inches. This dress will get worn to church ALOT and I wanted her to feel comfortable in it. And boy does she! She absolutely loves it! She’s all about the maxi dresses and this is her new favorite!

To complete her look I made a luxurious faux fur vest. She’s always wanted one and this was the perfect outfit for it!

I used my go-to t shirt pattern the City Park Tee from Hey June Handmade to start with. I drafted the vest using the bodice pieces with only slight modifications. It’s fully lined in a super soft tweed and closes with a hook and eye at the chest. She’s anxious to wear it with her favorite skinny jeans and boots once the weather stays cooler.

I was so excited to sew for this little guy too! He’s not the easiest to photograph but he’s always a super grateful recipient.

The highlight of his outfit is a vest made using the BBC Vest from Shwin Designs. Flannel and leather are such an amazing combo for fall.

It’s so soft and cozy and will make a great layering piece in his wardrobe. I lined it in cream stretch denim to make it a bit more structured.

The leather details elevate it and I was a little nostalgic digging through my great-grandma’s buttons for this project. These were exactly what I was looking for to finish off this vest.

His pants are Moto Maxx bottoms from Love Notions. I love the details on these and they were so fun to play with.

In my endless fabric search I was trying to find soft, comfortable khaki twill. Everything I found was stiff and not what I had in mind so I headed to my hubby’s closet. I stole his beloved well worn khakis and they worked like a dream! I did diamond quilting on the knees and lined them with flannel from the vest. Comfortable, warm pants will be well loved this fall.

I did triple stitching on the waistband and slightly cropped them to be more like the joggers his big brothers are so fond of. This little man wants to be exactly like them so he loves his new cool pants!

His tee is an ode to another fall staple- long days at the soccer fields! This little guy is so excited to be on his first soccer team after spending much of his life watching all his siblings play. He’s definitely got the soccer thing down and this tee is a winner.

I used the Made for Mermaids Rowan Raglan and slimmed it down to fit better under his vest. I love this pattern and all the options it comes with. He loves hoods so I’ll be adding them whenever I can.

These two are just loving their new looks!

Make sure to head over to Project Run and Play to see the other competitors looks and to vote for your favorite! We hope you like our Autumn look as much as we do!

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Back to School Tour

I sure love all this Back to School sewing I’ve been doing, especially the chance to get some boy sewing done! Today I’m on the Back to School Blog Tour hosted by Lulu and Celeste and Sprouting JubeJube. Of course, there’s lots of prizes and discounts for you, too!

This little guy can’t wait to head back to pre-school in a couple of weeks. He’ll be doing it in comfy style thanks to a few of my favorite patterns. (This post contains some affiliate links. I receive a small commission if you purchase through them that will be turned around to get more fabric to then convince you to buy more patterns 😉

I used the Jolly Roger Raglan from Patterns for Pirates paired with the Boxwood Joggers from Sew Like My Mom. Such a comfortable, stylish outfit that he will grab again and again.

He absolutely loves the pockets- perfect for Hot Wheels and Legos!

The slim fit is so cute and makes these joggers hip and so, so cool!

The Jolly Roger is a pattern that will be a staple for him. A basic raglan is essential for little boys. The relaxed fit is perfect for his little toddler belly (which is quickly disappearing, sniff, sniff). I think he’s doing his best supermodel smolder here for you 🙂

This is the kind of outfit any little boy would love!

Outfit number two is another classic combo with a twist. I’ve been wanting to make him some Moto Maxx joggers from Love Notions forever. They are full of awesome details that really make them look straight out of the department store.

Double layer, reinforced knees will make these pants last longer and also up the cool factor.

Lots of top stitching may take a bit more time but is so worth it.

For his top I used the new Rowan Raglan from Made for Mermaids. He really wanted a hooded t-shirt and this pattern is full of options so it was perfect.

I never think to do raglans in a single fabric but will definitely be doing it more often now- duh!

Almost all my fabric for these outfits came from Raspberry Creek Fabrics. Their selection of french terry is constantly being updated so make sure you check back often. The Boxwood Joggers and Moto Maxx pants are both made from french terry she carried (the black is usually in stock but the blue and stripes were one-time-buys). The Jolly Roger was made with cotton/lycra from the shop also.

The Rowan was made with a super soft sweater knit I picked up in LA.

Now for the good stuff! There are so many goodies up for grabs. Just look at all the amazing sponsors!

Head on over to Sprouting JubeJube to enter the Link-up for a huge prize package. You can also get all the info on some killer sales to help you create that back to school wardrobe you’ve been dreaming up.

Today’s prize is 1 PDF pattern from Modkid and 1 PDF pattern from Audrey & Tiffany
*excludes bundles
Runs from August 25 12:00 am EDT until August 26th at 11:59pm EDT.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out the rest of today’s stops on the tour:

Create 3.5 – Sweeter Than Cupcakes – The Wining Wife – Paisley Roots – The Eli Monster

And make sure to visit the rest of the bloggers packing this tour with fantastic back to school inspiration!

Call Ajaire * The Wholesome Mama * Sew and Tell Project * BLAVERRY * DIY Crush * Phat Quarters * Mahlica Designs * Handmade Boy * Kaleidothought * The Berry Bunch * Filles A Maman * Sprouting JubeJube * Sew Happily Ever After * Tales of a Tester * 5 out of 4 Patterns * The Crafting Fiend * Create 3.5 * Sew Sophie Lynn * Sweeter Than Cupcakes * Wining Wife * Paisley Roots * The Eli Monster * Cindy Parrett Blog * Sew Starly * Élégantine! * Gracious Threads * Lulu & Celeste * Sewing By Ti * Amazing Adventures with Bubba and Bug * Simple Life Pattern Co. Blog * Inspinration * Mama You Can Make it For Me * Moon Star

Back to School with Made for Mermaids

Summer is winding down and we are in full back to school mode here- sob, sob! I love spending my days with my kids and it makes me so sad when they are gone ALL day. The one good thing about this time of year is a new school wardrobe! I’m happy to be joining in the Made for Mermaids Back to School Blog Tour. Make sure to use the code M4MB2S to save 20% off patterns.

Our summer in Utah usually comes to a swift end once school starts. Fall will mean 80 degrees one day and 50 degrees the next. Time to sew up some cool weather staples!

My girls sure love to get dolled up for school but always want to be ready for whatever recess may hold. They are girly girls with a side of tomboy spunk.

I sewed up the Blair Tunic for my oldest and the Brooklyn Dress for my youngest.

The Brooklyn dress is such a classic pattern that came together so well. I loved the lined bodice and quick, easy construction. I did a size 7 with an 8 length in the skirt. It’s a great fit that will hopefully get us through the school year.

I used a lovely ponte from my stash and played with the stripes a bit. I love this color on her and she loves how soft and comfy it is. This one lives in skirts and dresses so this will be in constant rotation.

I love, love the options with the Blair pattern. For this version I used a super soft french terry. I had this amazing upholstery fringe that I’ve been dying to use and it was just perfect for this top!