As my girls are getting older, their love of clothes is getting RIDICULOUS! They love fashion and work hard and save their money to spend on the latest ready-to-wear trends. I love being able to sew things for them still and it is an even bigger thrill when they reach for their handmade wardrobes over their RTW goods!
This little miss is spending her summer dancing and it was so fun to sew up a new mini capsule for those long dance days.
I used the Made for Mermaids Nicky Top and Bonny Leggings for the rib knit set. The Nicky top is our go-to boxy crop tee. We both love the fit so much. The Bonny Leggings is a free pattern and sooo easy to sew up that she sewed them up herself! It was a fun sewing day with my girly sewing up these pieces.
For the french terry pieces I used the Ellie and Mac Oversized Tee and Shwin Designs Starr Joggers. For the crop sweatshirt I used scraps of ribbing I had in my stash (from RCF as well). The Starr Joggers are modified slightly by cutting them into shorts. She loves this jogger pattern because it is a little roomier and relaxed than most.
There’s just something magical about a floaty, floral maxi dress!The Cora Top, Dress and Maxi from Simple Life Pattern Co. is simple summer perfection. Sewn up in a gorgeous Art Gallery Fabrics rayon challis, I don’t think it gets any better.
The Cottage Favorite print from Sharon Holland’s Willow line immediately jumped out at us. We both love that deep emerald/teal color and the floral print is simple and sweet. Art Gallery rayon challis is so soft and dreamy to wear and sews up easily too!
The strappy back of the Cora is definitely a show stopper! The elastic back casings create a perfect fit too!
I sewed up a size 12 with a little bit of added length to the skirt (using every inch of my three yards of fabric for this!). I’m in denial that my girls are growing out of SLPCo patterns. Hopefully, we can get one more year with this girl!
I really love that it’s both grown-up but not too ‘adult’. She wore this the next day with a little white tee underneath and it was the cutest! I love when she takes my makes and really makes them her own.
We met up with cute little Inara for some pics and these girls couldn’t be more adorable! Aren’t the backs of these dresses to die for?!
These patterns are on sale for the month of June as part of the SLPCo monthly challenge. Don’t you just love any excuse to sew up an adorable new look?!
If you’ve been a follower for very long you know just how much we love to travel. When Project Run and Play announced the theme for the latest collection I was over the moon! It’s been so fun to travel along with the other designers and to see all the incredible and creative destinations. My husband and I have been fortunate to travel to Europe a few times but I’ve yet to go to my ultimate dream destination of Santorini Greece. I knew that’d be the perfect place to let our imaginations explore and I had so much fun creating looks that embodied that beautiful setting.
Between Mamma Mia!, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and my favorite hidden gem tv show, The Durrells, Greece and particularly the Greek Isles and coast have charmed me!
We used fabrics from Raspberry Creek Fabrics for our looks. We stuck with vibrant blues, teals and white to recreate the incredible colors of Santorini.
Charlie went for comfortable travel clothes that can take him wherever he wanders. We used the new Singapore Shorts and Pants and paired it with the Chromium Hoodie.
I used this fun wave print available in the Design Library at RCF. Printed on french terry, it is ideal for throwing on after swimming or on cool summer nights. For the hoodie, I made a couple of alterations. I sewed on the kangaroo pocket from the Story Dress (he can’t live without a front pocket on his hoodies!). I also used the long sleeve pattern piece and hacked it to be elbow length.
The shorts pattern is actually made for wovens making it so versatile. It looks great in linen or even for swimming sewn in boardshort fabric. You know this kid and his sensory issues so I opted to use a soft knit for these. I used a faux denim ponte and love the look! These shorts have a nice wider elastic waistband, front pockets and back patch pockets, faux fly detailing, and short and pants length. They are a little relaxed fit and a great basic pattern to have in your collection.
The first piece for this cute girl is the Cancun Coverup. Again, if you know us, it was obvious I had to sew up a pattern with that name! Bonus that it is the cutest swim coverup EVER!
I used a beautiful woven swiss dot in off white and a cute dot trim I had in my stash. I sewed up the knee length version with a regular hood. The only changes I made were to sew my placket to the outside so I could add a little trim there and I skipped the pocket trim piece and used the embellished trim instead.
I think this piece will get the most wear all summer long. It’s a classic style and so easy to throw on. It sews up quickly and the fabric possibilities are infinite! How cozy would this be in a plush terry? Or sophisticated in a mesh or chiffon?
She’s been adding bucket hats to her accessories collection and I knew the Camper Hat would be the perfect addition. In a classic striped seersucker, this hat can coordinate with so much!
This pattern comes in a huge range of sizes from preemie to large adult. It’s easy to get the perfect fitting hat! I sewed up a teen size according to her head measurement and it fits so well.
It’s fully reversible so you can make it super versatile too. I did the same fabric for the main and lining, interfacing one side per the instructions. This gives it just the right amount of body without being too stiff. It’s also slimmer and the brim is shorter than a lot of her other hats, giving it a different look that I think is too cute on her!
The final pattern in this collection that I sewed up was the Saltillo Swimsuit. I can’t seem to pass up a good swimwear pattern!
This is another pattern that is full of bells and whistles. And in true teen fashion, we skipped almost all of them. I sewed up a solid royal suit with cross-back straps and optional big bow. There are leg and strap ruffles and a neckline flounce that can be added too.
The construction of the straps was my favorite part! I tend to shy away from straps because my topstitching is usually less than desirable. For these you create a casing around the elastic- no topstitching required!
A note on sizing, I talked about negative ease in my last swimwear post and how important it is to note. Her measurements are almost spot on for a size 10 but she is a 12 girth. I sewed up a straight size 10 and had to cut the back straps off about 2 inches each. The pattern tells you to try the suit on to get correct strap length so I just wanted to let you know not to skip that step! Every body is different and it’s great to get a more custom fit. You can also see the suit is a little bunchy and loose. Not terrible but just note that this suit doesn’t have the negative ease I’m used too. This is a bonus though for anyone with sensory issues as they won’t feel as tight or confined as other suits. AND there are no exposed seams on the inside so they’ll be extra, extra happy! The crotch area is wider which provides extra coverage in the front and back but I think I’ll need to slim hers down a bit in the front for her next one.
As you can tell, we had a little too much fun at our photo shoot. It was 8 pm (yassss to late sunsets!), Charlie had just been swimming all night and Payton was at dance all afternoon. It could’ve been a recipe for disaster but these kiddos were amazing! I think it’s the taste of summer in the air. We can’t wait for long days together, sunshine, and fun!
It’s time to PAR-TAY!!! No one throws a party like Project Run and Play and of course I had to join in the celebration. The Pantone Party 2022 is highlighting Pantone’s color of the year Very Peri.
Very Peri is a vibrant hue full of joy and fun. It’s a pretty combination of blue and purple and was so fun to work with.
I was lucky to be sponsored by Art Gallery Fabrics and we had a blast picking out our fabrics for our looks. Payton and I both were crushing hard on this floral (Asphodel District) and used it as the base for our designs. Sophie wanted something simple and casual so we picked a cute geometric plaid in Blueberry and paired it with solid white linen knit and grey stripes with a pop of daffodil yellow.
Payton has worn her Noel Dress, from our Project Happy Holidays tour, so much that I knew another one would be perfect for her. She loves that tiered skirt and the looser fit of the bodice.
The Noel is so full of choices that I really should have branched out from the last one we made but why mess with a good thing? We did short sleeves and three tiers for the skirt.
This color was just made for her! The modern floral print and the boho style of this pattern are such a great match.
The boxy fit of this tee is just like all of her favorite ready-to-wear tops. It’s super cute with these shorts and also pairs well with jeans. She picked out the graphic from Cricut Design Space and cut and ironed it on herself. I sure love when we work together to get just what she wants!
Such a Sophie look! Easy to wear and the mix-and-match possibilities with her wardrobe are endless.
Thanks for joining in the fun and stay tuned to Project Run and Play for all of the posts from the best group of designers out there!
The newest Project Run and Play collection, Project Happy Holidays, is so much fun! With 12 patterns that work for the holidays and beyond, it’s a great collection to add to your pattern lineup.
We got together with our sew-friends, Sew Whit Designs, for a fun holiday photo shoot! You know how much I love our PRP shoots and they’re even better with friends. My kids always marvel at how good sewists kids are in front of the camera and Whitney’s were absolute pros!
Our looks were all made with Raspberry Creek fabrics and I love that they work for well after Christmas too.
For Sophie’s outfit, I sewed up the Evergreen Skirt and Blip Turtleneck. I tell you each time I sew a PRP collection that it will probably be the last time this cutie gets in on the action but here we are again. I sewed up a 14 in both of these patterns and added length. She’s officially as tall as me at 5’6″ which puts her off the size charts height wise. She really does fit well into adult extra-small patterns but I just can’t seem to give up the cute kids patterns for her.
The Blip Turtleneck in this adorable rib knit is one of my favorite pieces! You’ve got to check out August Sewing’s versions and you’ll suddenly need one for yourself. It’s a simple pattern that is so incredibly cute!
The Evergreen Skirt is so full of options. For this version I used stretch mesh and lined it with double brushed polyester making it so comfy! The Evergreen Skirt has so many options. I do find with patterns with lots of options that it can be confusing picking which version to do. I spent more time deciding on which version to do than I did actually sewing!
The Noel Dress and Top pattern is so full of options! I love the loose fit and it has quickly become her favorite dress. She adores RCF stretch crepe and this print is way too cute!
The Noel has a button back and multiple sleeve options as well as 4 length choices.
Those tiers are everything!
If you have a 9-year-old, you know that comfort is key and this collection is full of comfy options! I sewed up the Cinnamon Cardigan, Lemon Tee (from Project Watercolor Beach), and Jingle Joggers for a cozy outfit that he loves.
I used simple black french terry for his cardigan and did the banded version. It works great for layering for school or church.
The Jingle Joggers are so awesome! We love joggers in this house and this pattern is really incredible. That side stripe option is so good.
Our favorite part- these hidden inseam pockets! This pattern includes sooooo many options and I can’t wait to make some more for him and for Payton too.
The jewelry Payton wore in this shoot was from Cloudy Jewelry Studio, Sophie’s Etsy shop. Those Merry and Bright bracelets have been my favorite to wear all month long.
For some major inspiration, settle in with your favorite cup of hot cocoa and flip through the Project Happy Holidays lookbook. The designers and other team members really hit it out of the park! Stay tuned tomorrow for details on all of Whitney’s looks too. Hope your holidays are happy and full of the best things in life!
Mulberry Lane from Riley Blake Fabrics is such a sweet collection. The bright cheery colors and prints made me long for spring!
Doesn’t this picture just make you so happy! All of those darling prints lined up. They’re just so cheerful and fun! The color palette couldn’t be cuter!
I used a new pattern that will hit the Project Run and Play shop on Monday, December 6th as part of the incredible Project Happy Holidays collection. I’ve got some adorable holiday looks using patterns from the collection but I was anxious to use the patterns for everyday wear too!
This is the Noel Pattern from the team at PRP. It has a top, peplum and multiple dress length options. I sewed up a dress version for our holiday looks and loved how quick and cute it was! I love the multiple tiers and the just right not too loose not too tight fit.
For this version we did the simple peplum top. When using quilting cotton, I like to do simple skirts as the weight of the cotton can add unwanted bulk with ruffles or gathered tiers. I think this peplum skirt had just the right amount of flare in this fabric.
The back feature a button placket and these snaps are my favorite part! They just added to the fun of this print.
Make sure to check out the other fun prints in this collection and head over to Project Run and Play for the latest on the new pattern collection!
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!
There’s just something about tie dye! It’s having a major moment right now but for us, it’ll always be a staple. My kids LOVE to tie dye every summer (we’ve been doing cousin tie dye days for-ever!) and a good portion of their wardrobe consists of past tie dye projects. When I saw these new Tie Dye quilting cotton prints from Riley Blake I knew we had to give them a try! All the fun without the mess!
There are eight tonal colors to choose from and two fun multi color prints. The quilting cotton base makes them great for clothing, blankets, and decor. My girls had very different ideas on how to use these prints so we went two totally different directions with our projects.
My oldest daughter is my future interior designer. She recently got her own room and has changed up the decor as often as she can. Her newest aesthetic is a playful pastel palette and this tie dye print was just perfect for it.
We debated between so many projects from throw pillows to framed art but finally settled on a fabric covered cork board to display all of her favorite pictures and mementos. I added a LOVE graphic (found in Cricut Design Space) with iron-on vinyl for a little pop and reminder of what’s really important in life.
Little sis is ALL about the clothes. In fact her bedroom is currently decorated with them, lol! She’s our messy one and usually goes through multiple outfits a day and her room is littered with the evidence. It works out great for me though because she is always the happy recipient of mama made clothes!
For this skirt I used the tonal purple tie dye (her current favorite color). She’s been asking for her own version of this skirt and this fabric was too perfect for it! The easy breezy feel of this print just begged to be a tiered skirt.
I used the Made for Mermaids Siena Skirt pattern. It’s such a fun and cute pattern. I love the different options and the results are always so darn cute!
This girl is definitely my free spirit and she channeled those vibes for this quick shoot. Pretty sure she needs to wear this to a summer picnic or concert in the park.
What do you need to make out of these great prints? Are they screaming home decor to you too? Or are you dying to add a little fun to your wardrobe? Whatever you pick, you can’t go wrong!
I’ll leave you with a little glimpse into some of our past tie dye makes! It’s not summer without them!
Can you believe it’s almost time for our kids to head back to school?! We head back mid-August and I can’t get over how fast this summer flew by. The good thing about heading back to class is that it gives me the perfect excuse to sew up cute new school clothes! I joined in the Project Run and Play Back to School Tour sponsored by our favorite shop Raspberry Creek Fabrics.
If you’ve been around these parts very long you know my kids are all about comfy (what kid isn’t?). These knits from RCF were just perfect for them! Paired with simple knit patterns, these makes were so much fun to sew up. These patterns fit my kids fantastic and sew up in no time.
My little guy got a classic jogger and tee outfit. I used the Lemon Tee paired with the Joseph Joggers, two patterns that we absolutely love and use over and over again!
For his tee, I used the diagonal body colorblock front piece and the solid back piece in a size 9. It was fun to play with prints and solids and this pattern is just perfect for it. I started with the Puzzle Cube print on jersey then used Deep Rust and Charcoal jerseys to coordinate. The neckband is bamboo cotton ribbing that matches the sweatshirting of his joggers perfectly.
He recently found a scrap of this incredible bamboo cotton sweatshirt fleece in my stash and carried it around as a blanket for his newest stuffed animal. He declared it the softest fabric ever so you can imagine how delighted he was to get pants made out of this magical stuff! This jogger pattern is a favorite because of it’s classic fit- not too slim but not too baggy either. This is a size 9 with added length.
When looking through the new back to school prints this girl fell hard for this paint splatter print. Just look at those colors!!
She’s still been loving casual dresses so the Story Dress was a great choice for her. Those sleeves are too cute and sewn up in cozy french terry, this dress is beyond cozy! We sewed up a size 10 with added length.
Payton asked to head back to this cool bridge for this shoot and it was so much fun! Charlie really hates the thought of photo shoots but gets into them once we get his music going. These two continue to get closer and closer and summer has been the best for them. They just have too much fun together (with plenty of arguing thrown in too!).
Make sure you follow along all week for some incredible inspiration from past PRP participants. Art Bella Creates nailed her makes yesterday and got me even more excited to see what’s to come the rest of this week.
Our newest makes for Riley Blake Designs might have you a little confused. Christmas prints in June? If you’re a planner, that’s perfect! Time to get your handmade holidays started. If you are anything like me though, you sew for the here and now. If only I was able to think that far ahead…
All About Christmas by J. Wecker Frisch is such a fun collection. I love the color scheme and think these prints would make adorable stockings. The snowflakes would have been top of my list for matching dresses for my girls when they were just a bit younger too!
When picking prints with apparel in mind, I tend to go subtle and was immediately drawn to the Stars in all of the multiple colorways. In thinking summer holidays, I went with Charcoal and Red. I think these prints will be festive throughout July but will work year round too!
I originally planned dresses with these prints but really wanted them to get more wear through the summer so I did top versions instead. As my teen quickly outgrows most kids patterns, I’m finding more and more women’s patterns that she now fits into. This is the Inari Top and Dress from Named Patterns (one of my go-to patterns for myself!) I sewed up a size 0 crop top version with no alterations.
I love the almost boat neckline and cuffed short sleeves. This pattern works well with a variety of fabrics. There is an option for a neckband when using knit fabrics but the woven version is finished with a neck facing. The crop length works so well on her!
Payton got a Vintage Little Lady Chloe Dress hacked into a peplum length top. This is a free pattern and such a great one to try if you’ve been eyeing Vintage Little Lady patterns but are hesitant. I love the simple dolman sleeve and baby doll waist. It’s a quick sew and has a handful of cute little details you can add.
Isn’t that back just too cute?!
So tell me, do you have Christmas sewing on the brain already? What’s your favorite handmade item to gift? I love this collection and think it’d be perfect for gifting this holiday season. And if you’re like me, don’t brush those Christmas prints off as just for December!
SewSophieLynn 