Romper revisited (Sasha Collection from Laela Jeyne Patterns)

I have a love hate relationship with rompers.  I love them because they are comfortable and an all in one outfit, but I hate them because I have to completely strip to use the restroom.  However, when Marisa said she is adding some options (particularly the pants option) to her Sasha Easy Fit and creating a collection from it, I was absolutely in for testing.  I really do love this pattern for so many reasons.  Let’s do a quick run down of what this pattern includes:

- Large size range: XS-XXL

- Two bodice types: faux wrap or mandarin collar button down

- Bottom styles: blouse, mini skirt, knee length skirt, maxi skirt, shorts, pants

- Three sleeve lengths: sleeveless, short, long

- Two waist options: drawstring or elastic

- No trim pages which makes for easy pattern assembly

- Layered printing so you print only the size(s) you need

- And, as always, clear concise directions with illustrations for each step

So really, with these many options, you could make something for each day of the week and no two would look the same!  I opted for a button down, sleeveless pantsuit for the test, and I had some erally soft drapey rayon challis that I had picked up from JoAnn’s that I decided to use. 

Construction took a bit of time on the bodice only because of the placket and the collar.  They aren’t hard to do, but it does take a little bit of working and slow going to make sure that all of the edges were lined up properly.  Due to those two pieces of the bodice, I would definitely recommend some experience with collars and plackets.

The fit for the romper is extremely forgiving.  It has a loose flowing, retro feel to them, and I felt like I had stepped back into yesteryear a little when I put it on!  I did add a belt, though, because I did the elastic waist and wanted something to break up the pattern of the fabric.  I literally want to live in this romper!!  I don't even mind that I had to strip down to my undies to go to the bathroom! 

It really didn’t take me too long to make this romper.  In all, it was about a three hour project, and once you have the bodice put together, you can zip right through the bottoms and waist.  I did take a little extra off the bottom to accommodate my short stature.  The pattern is drafted for a woman about 5’5”, and I’m 5’1” so I shortened the pants 1.25”, and it was the perfect length.

Okay, so if you’ve read this far along, let’s get some info about how you can get your own copy of the Sasha Collection!  It was released yesterday and is available for purchase at Laela Jeyne Patterns. It's available right now for the special release price of $6.50, BUT, until tomorrow night (28 Sept) you can get it for $5.50 by picking up the coupon code that Marisa has available for Laela Jeyne group members.  Head on to the Facebook group and grab the code OR join the group and grab the code!  The pattern will be available for the special release price until Saturday (1 Oct)!  Now, go get yourself a copy of the pattern and make yourself a Sasha!

Blessings and Happy Sewing,

Kim

For the honor of the Petal!! (Lilly's Petal Skirt from Snuggle My Baby Patterns)

My daughter is a tree climbing, bug catching, no skirts kind of girl.  I can't say it's entirely her fault because I kind of don't wear skirts very often so I guess she learned that from me.  Well, Jennifer Gunn from Snuggle My Baby Patterns, posted a photo of a skirt she made her daughter and asked for an interest level.  I decided to go ahead and apply for it because my neighbor's granddaughter loves skirts and really does TWIRL ALL THE THINGS!!!  I was pretty excited when Jenn sent me the "Congratulations, you've been selected to be on the test team" email!  Enter the Lilly Petal Skirt...and I was in love.

One of the few standing still moments I could get from her!

THEN, she added a costume contest aspect to the test, and I had to figure out how to get my bug catcher to WANT to wear this skirt because I needed her to need this skirt.  Now, the kids have been watching the original He-Man cartoons the past few weeks (shout out to the 80's!) and she said, "Momb, can I be her!?!"  The "her" she was referring to was She-Ra.  I tried to play it cool and calmly replied that I THINK I have something I can do for this (fist pump, I'm going to make this for my daughter, too!!)  So, I made the costume, even got a headdress made, and she said, "Um, I think I want to be a horse instead."  I think I could have doubled for Grumpy Cat when I told her no.

The start of our photo shoot.  I wanted to punch myself in the face at this point.

So this skirt is amazingly simple to make, but it is also amazingly beautiful when done...let's get some basics out here so you know what you're getting with this pattern:

- Large size range: 2T-16
- Button closure on the side (so no zipper)
- Elasticized waist for a more comfortable fit
- Bias binding along the edges of the skirt for a really unique finishing look
- Clear, concise directions and photos with each step

Can She Ra fly?  She can't?  That's lame.

I made two skirts for testing.  The first was a size 3T with a 4T length, and it was amazingly easy to just modify and mesh sizes as needed to get the skirt to fit right on my little model.  I used a wondermous ombre feather quilting cotton that I got from Ozark Fabrics on Facebook, and I bought the bias tape.  You CAN make your own but when it said I needed 9 yards of it, my ambition took a major nosedive.  I purchased some from JoAnn's.  Some of the testers had greater persistence and "stick to it" ness than me and made their own...it turned out amazing, by the way.  My little model was over the moon excited about her dress, and it was a fight to get some good standing still pictures of her because she just wanted to twirl until she couldn't stand.  The petal construction of the skirt makes this an amazing twirl skirt.

The twirl made She Ra cool again...

Soo, when it came to my daughter and modeling this for me, there was no love.  She didn't want it because she wanted to be a horse.  However, once we got She-Ra fully outfitted, she was pretty excited.  She asked if She-Ra can fly, and when I told her that she couldn't, She-Ra was lame again. Until...the twirl.  Then, She-Ra was "the bomb.com, Mom!"  Seriously, I don't even know where she gets this stuff.  We spent a good hour just spinning in circles.  Well, by "we" I mean "she".  I get motion sick on the teacups at Disneyland so I wasn't spinning with her.  Her entire outfit was satin and chiffon, and it was pretty awesome.  I did her skirt in a size 6 with a size 7 length.  Again, really easy to mod as needed.  I kinda want to be She-Ra for our Fall Festival this year. The satin was actually pretty easy to work with, and it did drape differently than the quilting cotton. However, both skirts were still beautiful, and I really do think that this skirt is perfect with pretty much any woven material.

My daughter loves this skirt so much that she actually has asked for another one.  This time, however, she asked to be a lettuce.  Her school has Spirit Week coming up and one of the days is, well, um, Salad Dressing Day.   The elementary grades are dressing up as pieces of a salad while the middle school and high school will dress up as salad dressing types (Italian, Ranch, Thousand Island...).  I just can't wrap my brain around where that came from, but my daughter said this skirt is perfect because "when I twirl, I'll look like a blooming lettuce!"  I do believe we will be going with satin again for the material just because I loved how it draped.  I might even add some chiffon to the lettuce one...not really sure yet on that, but I do know that we will have another skirt, it will be green, and it will be twirlarrific!

I really do love this skirt, and I absolutely plan to make one for myself when Jennifer gets around to designing a big kid version of this skirt.  And I will twirl in it just like my daughter did in hers. Maybe not as long, though.  I did mention me and the teacups, right?  Construction was so simple, and it took me maybe an hour to finish each skirt.  The unique placement of the petal circles gives this skirt a beautifully different look, and the simplicity of it is what gives it its elegance.

Okay, so here we are at the part where I tell you how to get your own copy of this amazing skirt pattern!!  This released on the 14th of September and is available for a special release price of $5.  It will be available at this price only until the 24th of September so don't miss your chance to get in on this deal!  You can get the pattern here at Jennifer's Snuggle My Baby webstore or here on Jennifer's Etsy store.  You can also join the Snuggle My Baby community on Facebook to keep up to date on Jennifer's happenings or to ask questions if you hit a head scratch while sewing up your own SMB creations!  Now, go grab your copy of the pattern, head over to join the FB group, and I'm going to go see a girl about some lettuce!  Thanks so much for reading along.  I really do appreciate you all so very much!

Happy Sewing and Blessings,
Kim