Isabella Dress

My daughter loves nothing more than a good pink dress.  That spins.  With no sleeves.  So, here you go - a new pattern from Ollie & Annie.  You can find the pattern here.

 

This is a size 4 with no modifications.  The embroidery, of course, is from Urban Threads.  I can't even look anywhere else for embroidery designs.

 

The corduroy is a 21 wale corduroy from Westminster from my shop.  It's perfect because she can wear this as a dress (and she already has) and once the weather cools down, she can wear it with a red long sleeved shirt underneath.

Mara Meets Shorts On The Line!

Hello to those of you visiting from Compagnie M!  I was so happy to be chosen to make a Mara Blouse as part of the blog tour.

The Mara Blouse was part of an outfit that I had in my mind to enter in Shorts On The Line over at Imagine Gnats.  Sometimes, you get an idea in your head about something you want to sew - sometimes, it works, sometimes, it doesn't......this time, it worked!

I made an adorable, if slightly edgy outfit for my 4 year old, complete with skull embroidery!

  

I got the idea in my head somehow to make a color-blocked version of the Oliver + S free Sunny Days Shorts pattern.  When I saw this skull - with flowers, no less! - over at Urban Threads, I knew it was a match!

 

I added back pockets to the shorts, and used my favorite snap tool from Snap Source.  It's simply the easiest way to add snaps - I highly recommend it!

Go check all the cool entries on Kollabora where they're hosting Shorts on the Line!

 

A Retro-Funky Alder Skirt

Several weeks ago, I got an email from Rachael from Imagine Gnats asking if I was available to test her newest pattern, the Alder Skirt.

Of course I was!  I had seen pictures of it on Instagram, so I already knew how cute it was.

Since I live on the edge, I let the 4 year old pick the fabric.  She  chose a very funky cotton from Jenean Morrison's Grand Hotel line:

Funky, right?

I had three colors of interlock knit to make a top - I had a light peach, an orange, and yellow.  I voted for the peach, my husband voted for the orange, but Julia chose yellow.  As it turned out, a good choice!

First of all, the Alder Skirt - it's a really cute design.  The pockets lie slightly away from the skirt which is a detail the kid really likes.  There's a flat front, which I prefer, and an elasticized back.  Since taking these photos, Julia has worn this outfit 3 times already, so a definite success.  As far as the sewing, for some reason, I had to get my head around the pocket construction, but the directions are really clear, so just follow them, and they work perfectly.  Once I figured them out, they lined up perfectly when I attached the waistband.  I have another cut out from a plain fabric which I'm hoping to make soon, so the details of this adorable skirt will show better.  Oh, and the sizing is spot on - this is a size 4, and I actually hemmed it a bit shorter than the pattern called for (which is unusual for me as Julia's on the tall side) because I thought the shorter length went better with the retro vibe of the pattern/fabric combo.

And, the shirt - it's my second Oliver + S School Bus T-Shirt.  I added the absolute perfect and simple embroidery design from Urban Threads - really, adding this little touch of embroidery really makes the outfit, in my opinion.  Urban Threads is a seriously dangerous site, if you have an embroidery machine....

A cute outfit, eh? 

Thanks much to Rachael for asking me to test!!

Bohemian Babydoll Dress - Made From Scraps!

I was lucky enough to be selected to test the newest pattern from Elegance and Elephants - the Bohemian Babydoll Dress.  I first saw pictures on Instagram and knew that this was one that would be a hit with my kid.

The pattern is a no-closure, breezy, over-the-head, tunic or dress.  All features my kid loves.

The sewing took maybe a couple of hours.  The fabric and embroidery selection - well, that took WAY too long!

When I saw the pattern, it just reminded me of summer.  I wanted to use something that reminded me of summer on Cape Cod....well, this plaid that I had in my stash from long ago totally worked.  I believe I used it to make a shirt from my son back in the day.  I had a teeny bit of lightweight denim leftover from the first dress I made Julia when I finally got a new sewing machine - I think she was about 18 months old.  Then, the embroidery choosing.....I went back to the Urban Threads website - my new absolute favorite source for designs (now that I've figured out how to download to my machine). 

This is a size 4 with 5 length.  According to the pattern release, she made some tweaks to the bodice size and neckline size.  My kid loves the way it fits, but I may try it again with a size 3 bodice (and the same length).

 
A seriously cute pattern - I can also see this in corduroy, with a turtleneck under it in the fall.....thanks to Heidi for letting me test!

Perfect Pattern Parcel #2 - The September Tunic and Hosh Pants

The days of the Perfect Pattern Parcel are winding down - only 3 more days to purchase this collection if you're interested...

Next up on my sewing list was the September Tunic and the Nosh Pants.  These are two patterns that I had never attempted, so I was eager to give them both a go.

The September Tunic is a pattern by toosweetpatterns on Etsy.  I had actually never heard of nor seen this pattern sewed up.  When I got the Pattern Parcel, however, I was pretty sure that this would be right up my child's alley.

I chose a Kokka double gauze fabric from the shop.  It's nautical themed, which I love, and it's in kind of muted tones - grey, and pinkish and bluish tones.  As double gauze is really soft, I knew it would give me exactly the drape I was looking for to show off the adorable bell-sleeves on the tunic.

I had never made the Hosh Pants before, although I'd seen them all over Instagram.  They're a straight leg, flat front pant with buttonhole elastic in the back.  They're made from one pattern piece for the legs, so no itchy seam on the outside.  I had to actually go shopping to find a stretch bottom weight - the pattern indicates that knits would not be among the recommended fabrics.  I found some great Robert Kaufman stretch sateen that I loved.  So much that I bought several colors.....and, then, ordered some for the shop (coming soon!)....

Some tiny changes/additions I made to the patterns:

The September Tunic - I decided not to have it button all the way down the back, and just stitched it up to the yoke at the back seam.  Less buttons, less buttonholes.  I added a bit of eyelet lace to the sleeves and bottom.  I'm not really an "eyelet" person, but I think it works.  The kid liked it.

The Hosh Pants - I unfortunately couldn't find a lick of buttonhole elastic in my stash, and made a special trip to the local Joann's to find some.  They didn't have any either.  So, I just stitched in the elastic.  I may un-pick it when I find some buttonhole elastic as I think it would work better the way the waistband is constructed.  I added a couple of patch pockets on the back, with some nautical inspired embroidery from Urban Threads.  A seriously dangerous website if you have an embroidery machine.  Actually, it's not at all expensive, and they frequently have specials on designs that are $1.49.  So, expect to see more embroidery from me in the future!

Don't forget to check the "Julia's Views" page for the lowdown from the 4 year old!