Knock It Off Tour (Lulu and Celeste, Sprouting Jube Jube Productions)

Today, I'm one of the stops on the Knock It Off Tour sponsored by Lulu and Celeste and Sprouting Jube Jube.  The challenge: create a "me made" item inspired by retail items.  I spent a good chunk of time looking through Pinterest and Googling different stores to figure out what exactly I wanted to make.  I landed on two outfits: a Dolce and Gabbana cocktail dress and a more casual retro style dress from Alexander McQueen.  Both were way out of my budget, but hey, that's the beauty of being able to sew!!

The first dress that caught my eye was a simple cocktail dress with a lace overlay skirt.  I found a striped floral lace dress on FarFetch.com, and it appears that it is now sold out. However, at the time, it was listed at $3,495.  Just a little out of my price range.

Dolce and Gabbana striped floral lace dress (photo credit:  FarFetch.com)

I took a look at the patterns in my stash and found the Talia Fitted Dress from Laela Jeyne.  It had the option of both a round or v-neck bodice, and it's already a sleeveless dress so it was perfect.  The pattern doesn't call for an overlay on the skirt, but that was an easy enough mod to do.  I also left the skirt as drafted with a little less gather on it since I didn't want to add bulk around the waist. I opted for a red satin as the underskirt since I made this dress for the annual ladies' tea at my church and wanted it to match the "Shine" theme.  I also opted for smaller stripes on the bodice!

Not exactly the same as the D&G dress, but I definitely love the pop of color in the skirt! I also made a teapot clip to go with my dress using the Mad Hatter Tea Set from Super Pop.  The original pattern is for a fabric tea set, but I just used some polyfil to make the teapot into a stuffie that I could attach clips to.

In total, this dress cost me about $25 and two hours to make, so I would call that a win!

After I found the D&G dress on Google, I stumbled onto another dress that I was over the moon for. It was a retro style plaid dress by Alexander McQueen.  The top caught my eye because it reminded me of the inside of my favorite Burberry's coat.  Then, I saw the rest of the dress and was sold.  When I looked at the price tag on this one, it was $1,095 on Lyst.com.  Of course it was because I liked it...back to the pattern stash.  

Alexander McQueen plaid retro dress (photo credit: Lyst.com)

Alexander McQueen was known for his crazy and wild designs, and I've always loved his creations. This dress, however, spoke to me.  It didn't speak loud enough for me to spend over a thousand dollars on it, but it spoke loud enough to inspire me to make one similar to it!  I found the Santa Fe Scooter dress from Bell Bottom Girl.  The original pattern has a longer torso and a shorter flounce than my inspiration dress, but I simply shortened the top by 6 inches and added that to the bottom of the flounce.  The pattern also didn't call for a zipper but I added one into the back seam allowance and didn't need to modify the pattern at all to make that happen.  

I also opted to keep the bias tape finished armholes and neckline of the pattern and went with a purple plaid since I'm just slightly in need of some sun after the winter.  I was concerned that a tan colorway would blend into my skin so purple it was.  I also didn't put a faux belt on the waist so that attention wouldn't be drawn to my waist.

The fit of this dress is relatively loose so there is plenty of room to move around in it.  I love the overall look and fit of this dress, and I do think that I will probably be making a few more of these before the end of the summer!  

For this dress, I spent about $15 for materials and an hour of sewing time.  I would say that $40 and about three hours of my time is a win for two new dresses that would have cost me over $3,500.  I told my husband that I saved him thousands of dollars by spending just $40 at JoAnn's.  I don't think he's convinced, but I'm standing by that statement. :)!  

Thanks so much for stopping by and visiting today!  We're only on Day 3 of the tour so there are plenty of designers still to come.  You can also visit the designers from Day 1 and Day 2 by following the links below!

Monday, April 24

Lulu and Celeste - Call Ajaire -Paisley Roots - Adventures with Bubba and Bug

Tuesday, April 25

Sprouting Jube Jube - mahlicadesigns - Sew and Tell Project

Wednesday, April 26

Lulu and Celeste - SewSophieLynn - Nini and Ash - Little Heart Threads

Thursday, April 27

Sprouting Jube Jube - sewingbyti - Inspinration - House of Estrela - Beri Bee Designs

Friday, April 28

Lulu and Celeste - Duchess & Hare - Creative Counselor - Filles A Maman (FAM)

Thanks again for stopping by today!

Blessings and Happy Sewing,

Kim

Jade's Crop Top from Snuggle My Baby Patterns

It may be April, but summer is practically here already in Oklahoma.  My kids have pretty much checked out of school, and I'm pretty much right there with them (just being real...:)!)  I just had the opportunity to test the Jade's Crop Top from Snuggle My Baby Patterns, and my daughter loves it. She wants me to put tulip sleeves on every shirt she owns now.

Okay, so pattern details!!

- Sizes range from 2T - 16.
- Two sleeve styles: fairy wing or tulip
- High-lo hem
- Key hole back tie so no buttons or zippers!
- Layered printing
- Quick and easy sew (took me about 45 minutes from cutting to final stitch)

This top was such a quick sew.  I made this one in a size 7, which is my daughter's ready to wear size, and it was a perfect fit.  I did use the measurement chart to figure out her size, though, because she grows so much between tests that I never know for sure what size she's in.  This one, however, is true to size for ready to wear.

We took a look at both sleeve styles and opted for the tulip sleeve.  After she put it on, Naomi decided that she wants every single shirt to have tulip sleeves from now on.  Since she doesn't typically like anything girly, I was pretty excited that she loved these sleeves!

The back has a keyhole closure at the top with ties so it's pretty easy to put on and take off.  While I am happy to do buttons and zippers, I was kind of happy to see the ties at the neck.  It's a pretty simple way to finish the hems, too!  The ties and neckline are all one single strip of bias tape so that made it quick and easy to finish.  I opted to make my own bias tape, and I did a 1/2" finish (or a 2" wide strip).  You can use any width bias tape that you want for this part so that gives some flexibility when picking the bias tape you want to use.

There were only three pattern pieces so there isn't a lot to assemble and cut out.  The top itself is pretty free flowing so my daughter had plenty of room to run and play when we were at the park. She's pretty particular about anything that clings too tight, so this was right up her alley!  We already have several more of these planned.  Hopefully, I get to them before she grows again!  HA!

"Sooo, how do I get a copy of this pattern?" you ask.  Let me tell ya!  This pattern just released, and it is available for a special release price of $5!  This price is good through May 1st so don't miss out on your chance to get this while it's on sale!  Just head over to Jenn's webstore to grab a copy: Jade's Crop Top.  Jenn also has a Snuggle My Baby Patterns support group on Facebook where you can get inspiration, ask questions, or just hang out with other sewists.  You can join the group here: Snuggle My Baby Patterns FB page!  Thanks so much for reading along!  Now go grab your copy of the Jade's Crop Top and share your creations with us on the FB page!

Blessings and Happy Sewing,
Kim

Just kicking it with Kelcee (Kelcee's Wide Leg Bottoms from Snuggle My Baby Patterns)

My daughter is somewhere between tomboy and pretty in pink right now.  I think she likes the idea of skirts and dresses, but if she can't climb a tree in it, all bets are off.  Usually, we end up with sweaties and tee shirts so I was pretty excited when Jenn Gunn from Snuggle My Baby Patterns showed us a sneaky peeky of her new pants pattern.   My daughter looked at them and said, "Ehhhh, yeah, I'll wear those, I guess."  That was enough for me to hit submit on the test application.  After I got the pants on her, she didn't want to take them off and was very upset that she has to wear a uniform to school.  But seriously, these pants are so perfect for pretty much any style outfit.  Some testers even used home decor and denim weight fabric, and they were FABBBBULOUS!

So, as per usual, pattern specifics:

- Large size range: starts at 2T and goes through size 12
- Three length options: shorts, capris, trousers
- Unique high waist design
- Shorten and lengthen instructions so you can tailor to your child's height
- Layered patterns so you only print the ones you want/need
- Photos for every step of the tutorial for visual reference

I opted to make a girl's tux and a nautical number with a crop top for the test.  My daughter acquiesced to this and told me she gets fabric picking choice so off we went! She picked a pretty bright coral for her tux, but that just made it all the more awesome for me because seriously, a coral tux...nuff said.  I also modified Katie's Crop Top and and Vicky's Button Up PJ Top to pair with the pants version of the Kelcee.  It was magical when she put it on.  The pants hit at just the right spot that you could still see the high waist and buttons, and the wide leg bottom was perfect for her to still be able to run around.  My girl is a little on the tall side so we went with an 8 length and a 7 everywhere else.  This is standard for her when I buy ready to wear pants so I'd say this is spot on for store bought sizing for us.  She even let me put her hair in "piggy butts"! (My niece sometimes does her hair in piggy buns, and Naomi calls them piggy butts...).

For the second pair, I went with the capri option and modified the bodice of the Bella Party or Play dress.  Again, these bottoms were perfect.  The simplicity of these bottoms really lends them to going dressier or casual depending on what you need.  They are have this wondermous vintage feel to them. Naomi actually picked the colors for this outfit, too, and I'm kind of impressed with her fabric picking choices...proud momma moment.

The front of the pants are flat front with an elastic in the back to bring the waist in.  There are also button tabs at the front that add to that vintage feel while still providing comfort and ease of movement.  You do have the option of using snaps for the front, but I really wanted the buttons because I would add a bow and embellishments to everything if I could.  With three length options, these pants really are a staple for any season, and you can use pretty much any type of woven fabric. As I said, during testing, there were all types and weights of fabric with these pants, and every single one of them turned out amazing.

This time around, my son was a little bummed that he didn't have a new outfit so I made him a matching nautical set with Jenn's Dominic Board Shorts and Easy Day Tee.  He was pretty excited about having a matching outfit and hammed it up pretty hard.  I promised him that I would share his outfit so here are just a couple pictures of Bubba matching the Bug!

Okay, so how do you get YOUR copy of this pattern? Easy peasy...this pattern is now live at Snuggle My Baby Patterns, and you can get your copy at the release sale price of $5 (this price will only be good until the 11th of April so don't miss out)!  You can grab your copy here: Kelcee's Wide Leg Bottoms.  You can also scope out some of the photos from the other testers at this link!  Jenn also has a Facebook group where you can get info on her happenings, get help if you hit a headscratch, and grab some inspiration for your own creations!  Just head here to join in: Snuggle My Baby Patterns FB.

Okay, one more photo of my two loves before you click over to get your own copy of Kelcee's!!

Thanks so much for reading along about our latest sewing adventure!

Blessings and Happy Sewing,
Kim

Putting some pep in my step (Ladies Peplum Tank from Snuggle My Baby Patterns)

So, I'm usually pretty wary of anything that has a full skirt on it because I really don't feel like I need anything else to fill out my shape, but seriously, the Ladies Peplum Tank from Snuggle My Baby Patterns really knocked the fear right out of me.  I'm kind of obsessed with this top right now, and I've already made 6 of them.  It looks pretty amazing on pretty much ANY body type!

Alright, so, let's break down the pattern specifics real fast:

- Very large size range:  This pattern starts at size 2 and goes all the way up to a size 32
- Instructions on how to size blend, how to accommodate a longer torso, and how to do a full bust adjustment
- Two styles:  banded torso or simple torso
- Easy binding instructions that make for a beautiful finish
- Extremely fast sew.  I made two tops in about an hour and a half
- Layered printing so you only print the size(s) you want/need
- Photos for every step so that those of us who like the visual can compare our top to the tutorial
- Clear, concise step-by-step instructions

Here are my llamas after they had recovered from their late night celebrations

Okay, so as I said, in not so many words, I love this top.  It kind of makes me feel like I'm stepping back into the 30's or 40's when I wear these tops, and I really love the fashion from those decades. The peplum skirt really draws the eye upward to give the illusion of a smaller waist by draping over the hips.  I really didn't think that was going to be the case when I saw it on my mannequin, but I was sold after I put it on.

I fell between two sizes for the measurements so I blended from an 18 bust to a 22 waist.  I also made one in a size 18 bust and a 20 waist.  Both size blends fit me extremely well and gave a little different look with the different skirt sizes.  It was a really easy process to blend it out after I glued all of the pattern pieces together.

I also used the slash and spread process to make the torso just a little longer for me.  I have to do this with a lot of tops I make, and it's really what makes me just rather sew for myself than to try and buy something off the rack in stores.  Again, this was a relatively easy process, and I ended up adding 3/4" to my torso on these tops.  I would strongly recommend doing a muslin first so that you can figure out what adjustments you might need to make, if any.

I used several different knits for these tops, and I found that the more stretch it had, the looser it fits. You will definitely want at least 30%, and for my personal preferences, anything above a 40% stretch was a little too stretchy.  Also, make sure you plan accordingly for directional prints.  I did not so on one of my tops, it looked like my llamas had been partying too hard the night before and were all now sideways...darn the luck, had to go back to the store for more fabric...

However, once I got the muslin figured out, this top fit amazing!!  It's designed to follow your curves but it won't be extremely snug so there's plenty of moving around room.  With a 6 year old and a 7 year old, I can appreciate a top that lets me run after them.  I actually paired these tops with both a pencil skirt and a pair of jeggings, and both outfits looked fabuloso so this top really is very versatile. I even managed to squeeze Mickey Mouse into a date night outfit, so really...versatility.

Had to snap a selfie of me and the Mouse

I originally cut two tops thinking I wouldn't have time for more than that, but after I sewed up two in an hour and a half, I had to raid the stash for more fabric.  I have a pretty significant knit collection, and my groom was ecstatic to see it dwindling a little.  just. a. little. (I did order more knit to fill the void, though...he'll find out about that next week sometime. 😐.  I even managed to make a Wonder Woman inspired top that I seriously want to wear EVERYWHERE!!!

Alright, enough of me talking about how awesome this pattern is.  Time to get you some info on how to get your own copy so you can see for yourself why you need this top in your life.  The Ladies Peplum Tank released this week and is currently on sale for only $6 (regular price: $12) at Snuggle My Baby Patterns.  You can grab your copy here: Ladies Peplum Tank.  Jenn also has a FB group that you can join.  You can ask any questions you might have when you're making your creations or hop on to get some inspiration from the ladies who have already sewn up some amazing things.  You can join the group here: Snuggle My Baby Patterns.  Aaand, if you want to just peruse Jenn's collection of patterns, you can go to her webstore and take a look at what other patterns she has already released: Snuggle My Baby webstore.  Alright, so I'm going to stop rambling so that you can hop over and get your copy before the sale ends on the 28th of March.  Then, hop over to the FB group and show us whatcha made because we want to see it!  Thanks for reading along!

Blessings and Happy Sewing,
Kim

Spring in Vienna (Vienna top and tunic from Peek-A-Boo Pattern Shop)

I bought the Peek-A-Boo Pattern Shop Violet top and dress for my daughter about three months ago, and it's literally been sitting on my cutting table waiting to be finished.  I've been secretly wishing I could get this pattern in my size, and I was so excited when I saw that Amy had upsized the pattern to women's sizes with the new Vienna Top and Tunic.  I applied to test and was not so secretly excited when I saw that I had been chosen to be part of the test group!  It's love...I have four of these now and am planning a mommy and me set for me and my daughter!

So, before I get too far along, let's get some details going on what you're going to get with this pattern:

- Large size range: 00-24 (XXS-XXXL)
- Two length options: top or tunic
- Four sleeve lengths: short, elbow, 3/4, or long
- Two pocket options for the tunic:  top or tunic
- Maternity add-on option for those who are expecting!

This top is a very quick sew.  From cut to last stitch, it was about 45 minutes.  This was also with a couple of pauses from two little people who were apparently wasting away because they hadn't eaten in the past 10 minutes...

You'll get the same extremely well written tutorial that we always get with Amy's patterns.  There are also photos for each step for those of us who like to refer to a visual example as we sew along.  In the directions, there are a couple of steps that call for varying seam allowances so you'll definitely want to read through the directions to familiarize yourself with the steps before you start.

I'm usually pretty wary of making stuff for myself because I have such a wide variety of measurements between my top and my bottom halves.  However, with this top, I made these tops with no adjustments, and they were a perfect fit.  The top is a little fitted and widens out slightly near the bottom to give a little more room at the hips.  I'm 5'1", and I didn't alter the length of the tunic at all.  I found the length to be the perfect leggings length, and I really love that it covered my tush.

I was so excited about the fit of these that I immediately wore my first top to the park, and a woman came up to me and asked me if I was SURE that it was handmade because it was such a trendy little top.  😄.  

I have literally worn my Vienna tops every day this week, and I'm contemplating making a few more today or tomorrow just so that I have one for every day of the week...I think my favorite part is the pockets...I'm always looking for somewhere to stick the little treasures I get from my kids or the kids in my classes at school.  I'm also obsessed with florals right now, and this top is perfect for showing off the floral knits I've been amassing in my stash!  I MIGHT try my hand at colorblocking and make one with a panel that I've been eyeing...we'll see!

So, if you've read this far, I really appreciate you following along!  The Vienna released today and is available as part of the Thrifty Thursday sale over at Peek-A-Boo Pattern Shop.  You can grab your copy at Amy's webstore here: Vienna Top and Tunic.  For today only, it's on sale for $8.50 (regular price will be $9.95).  If you're wanting to grab the maternity add-on, that's also on sale today for $2 (regular price is $3). You can grab the add-on here: Vienna Maternity Add-on.

If you're on Facebook, Amy also has a group where you can share your creations, ask questions, or even get some inspiration for future projects!  Just head over to the group and request to join:  Peek-A-Boo Pattern Shop.  Amy DOES also carry fabrics so you can also zip over and pick yourself up some knits at the webstore!  😉!

Thanks again for following along!  Now grab yourself a copy of the Vienna, which pairs perfectly with the Violet if you are interested in matching sets for you and your little love, and sew  yourself up some love!

Blessings and Happy Sewing
Kim

Tiny toes that soon will grow...(Infant Chris and Christy's from Snuggle My Baby Patterns)

My littles are well out of infant clothes, and sometimes, I miss the tininess of baby clothes.  However, thanks to my many friends who are now having babies, I can still enjoy tiny toes whenever I need to get my baby fix!  My neighbors had their first baby about three months ago, and I could just eat her up!  She's so wondermous!  Last week, I finally put together and sewed up the Infant Chris and Christy's All Season PJ bottoms for her!  She's still pretty new so I made the 3-6 month size for her, and well, hello, I had to add the ruffle bum to them because the whole world is brighter with ruffles and bows...

This pattern is such a fast sew, and pattern assembly took no time at all.  There's only one pattern piece to put together (unless you do the ruffle bum).  For the ruffles, there is a measurement chart, and depending on how you cut it, you can easily get 4 ruffles from it.  I only used 3 because Lulu is so little.  This pattern starts at size 0-3 mos and tops out at 18-24 mos so it really does have a wide range of sizes for you to work with.  There are also photos with every step which I like because I really appreciate having a visual to compare where I'm at to what it should look like.

I sewed up a 3-6 month size because Lu is between those two sizes right now...so maybe a 4 1/2 mo?...there was definitely plenty of room to grow for her, and as fast as she's doing that, this will give mom and dad a few months of use before she is into the next size.  It was a little bit long so if you have baby close, it wouldn't hurt to get a measurement to know how long to sew the bottoms.  We decided to keep them long because she's sure not moving anywhere right now, and she'll be in a 6 month length before too long.  Originally, I wasn't going to do the rufffle bum, but I couldn't resist at the very end and decided to add them.  I can't help it; if I can slap a ruffle or bow on it, I will.  The pattern does come with directions on how to do the ruffles if you decide you want some of those.

All in all, I think this pattern took me about an hour to do.  That's from piecing the pattern and cutting it out to sewing it up so if you got yourself a pretty good groove going on, you could have 5 or 6 prs of these in no time.  I really do love this pattern for a quick go to if someone needs a pair of pants for their baby, and I'm now in sewing for baby mode so you never know what I might find to sew up next!!!

Thanks so much for reading along this far.  If you are looking to grab yourself a copy of this patter, you can find it at Jenn's online store:  Snuggle My Baby Patterns.  There's also a Facebook group if you want to come find Jenn to keep up with her happenings:  Snuggle My Baby Patterns FB group, and for those on Instagram, come find her there too (She's all over the place these days!!! :)!): SMB Instagram!

Again, thanks for hanging with me!  Now go grab yourself this pattern and sew up some love!

Happy Sewing and Blessings,
Kim

Be a Mermaid (Veronica's Jumper Dress by Snuggle My Baby Patterns)

Oh, mylanta!  I love love the new jumper dress from Snuggle My Baby Patterns!  Naomi was so excited and couldn't wait to get this on after it was sewn up, and she already has some fabric picked out for a second dress (and possibly a 3rd and 4th dress)!  Let's talk about this pattern for a sec and then get onto why I love it so much!

Pattern features:

- Large size range:  starts at 12 months and goes up to 10 (which makes this momma happy since N is almost at the very top of the age range for most patterns)
- Easy assembly and quick sewing prep: only 3 pattern pieces to assemble
- Quick and easy sew (I think each dress only took about 45 minutes to make from start to finish!)
- Layered sizing so you only print the size(s) you want/need
- Photos for each step of assembly for those of us who like the pictures to see if we're on the right track
- Clear, concise directions for a fast simple project

Okay, so with details out of the way, let's get to some info about the pattern and dress.  Like I said, with only three pieces to cut from the pattern, assembly was very fast and very easy.  I actually use a glue stick for piecing my patterns so that cut down on time a little more for me, and I was ready to sew in no time.

The dress is a loose fit jumper style that is designed to wear over a shirt so this dress is really a wardrobe staple for any season.  We've been having an unusually warm winter here in Oklahoma so we were standing outside in short sleeves and bare feet in the middle of February...winning!! However, if it were a little cooler out, I could easily have paired N's dress with a pair of leggings or tights and a long sleeve shirt, and we would have been just as good to go!

The dress is made to slip over the head with ribbon ties in back to keep the top from slipping.  A bow makes everything better so really, I was ready to put a gigantic bow on the back, but my daughter put the big kabosh on that.  :/!  I let her win this time.

The pattern really packs a pretty large punch.  It can be made with standard cottons for everyday wear or dressed up with some satin or a lace overlay for special occasions.  The one we went with had a satin top with piping in the seams (not included in the pattern but very easy to add) and a mermaid print from the Mendocino collection from Windham Fabrics because let's face it, if I could be a mermaid...you wouldn't see me for the splash I make as I swim away.  In fact, the classic simplicity of this jumper lends itself to a lot of options if you are a trim junkie like me. I had to limit my trim usage and only to go with one thing or this dress would have rivaled Effie Trinket!  I did, however, make a matching fascinator to top off the outfit!

Now, my daughter's favorite part....it comes with hidden pockets!  She stuck her hand in it and said, "Oh, yes, that would definitely fit a frog.  Perfect size, mom!"  Um...I'm sorry, did she say a frog?!?!  Maybe a mermaid isn't such a good idea after all...So, the roomy treasure holders were a huge hit with my daughter!   As far as the size, my daughter wears a size 6 or 7 in ready to wear, and the 7 was a perfect fit for her.  She was able to jump around and had plenty of room in the dress.  I did go with a size 8 length on the skirt, though, because she's pretty tall,m and the 7 was just a hair too short for her.  Sizing does only go to 10 on this one, BUT it starts at 12 months vs 2T so there is more mileage with this pattern on the smaller sizes!

Okay, so let's talk about how YOU can get this pattern.  It's actually live as of today (12 February) and is on SALE for the next week.  You can grab this pattern right now for $5!  Click here for the pattern link:  Veronica's Jumper Dress. Or you can go to the main page and check out all of Jenn's patterns: Snuggle My Baby Patterns.

For those who are on Facebook, Jenn also has a group you can join to stay up to date on her happenings and ask questions if you ever hit a roadbump while you're sewing up your Snuggle My Baby creations:  Snuggle My Baby Patterns FB group.

I appreciate you reading along for this long, and I hope this helped give you an idea of how awesome this pattern is!  Now, go grab your copy of the Veronica's Jumper Dress and sew up some love for your little girl!

Happy Sewing and Blessings,
Kim