Wedding Time!!

Our youngest was so excited to get asked to be in my sisters wedding!  So much so we immediately needed to go dress shopping and find the perfect dress for the special day.  My sister gave her pretty much free reign to pick whatever she wanted but no lace, no crazy colors and she preferred it longer and not knee length.  She was so excited to go dress shopping and found a dress right away that she adored the skirt on but sadly the top was all lace and didn’t fit very well.  After several other shopping trips she was still stuck on the skirt of the initial dress so mom to the rescue!  The dress skirt consisted of a couple layers of fabric hemmed with horsehair to give it that magical shapely bottom.

After searching a number of designers and realizing we were right on the brink of exiting kids clothes for the elusive tween sizing we landed on Violet Field Threads Tween Elianna dress. The bridesmaids were wearing a v-neck top so she decided she wanted to match them.  We did a trial run and ended up making a few skirt alterations to get her just the look she wanted.  She and my sister were both so excited about the outcome!  Wedding day happiness!

 

Mystic Myrddin

This hoodie is a comfy staple in our closets!  This pattern caught my attention immediately with its whimsical hood options, high front collar for our cold winters and fantastic details.  I ended up making several which have become the kids favorites.

So cold for pictures this day!

Smather’s Beach Top

Last year I had the absolute pleasure of testing a new top/dress for Plucky Butterfly Designs!  I had taken a little hiatus from blogging, well fallen off all together, but it’s time to get to work again!  When looking over summer wardrobes for this year I realized she outgrew the two tops and two dresses I made last year from the Smather’s Beach top/dress I had tested.  These were well worn last year and simply her favorite tops to wear with shorts, jeans and skirts. She wore them well into the fall with a cardigan over them or a top under them.  I am so sad to see them go and will be passing them along to a friends daughter who I know will love them and wear them as we did.  I have already printed out our next size up to cut and have pulled out several fabrics to start cutting for this summer.

Fabric from Dark Matter Fabrics

A few things I love about this pattern are how easy it goes together and that the top is lined and fits great.  This pattern has a great silouhette with a flare that’s just right!  This PDF pattern fits sizes 12 months- size 12 and has great directions with complementary photos and guidance. 

Fabric is Doodles Sloths from Jo Ann’s

Fabric is from a Knitpop Auction Box!  Auction boxes are available in the Facebook group.   I had no idea what I would ever do with this but she loved it and claimed it right away!  

So excited to make more of these for this summer!

Aurora Party Dress

I had the pleasure of testing again for Sunday Girl Designs.  This time we worked on the Party Dress.  This darling little dress comes together easily with a lined bodice, several skirt options and a lovely petal sleeve option and full skirt.  My daughter fell in love with the floral fabric and we went from there. She was excited to have a new dress for Easter and I was excited to be testing again!  The updated pattern has a narrower sash but this dress is definitely a favorite!

This pattern is available on Etsy in the Sunday Girl Designs shop.  The Party Dress is one of their many great patterns.  Another favorite of ours is the Jane's Plain Dress and Tunic.  We made several of these last summer and she has asked for a couple more already this year! Here's our first from last year!

The Pixie Basket

This morning as I began sorting out my table for the tenth time this month I realized I really needed something to toss all my sewing clips in.  I have had a stash of these for a while but have just recently begun using them and find that they are definitely a great help in my bag making projects!  I made a couple larger bags this week which led me to opening more packages of clips and they were taking over!  A quick trip to Pinterest led me a tutorial for the Pixie Basket tutorial on the Fabric Mutt Blog. She had very clear and direct instructions which made this task a quick and easy and in no time I had a great little basket to fill with my clips to keep them off of the table and all in one spot.  I used some fabric I already had out from some bags I made for my daughter and her best friend who are off to D.C. for their 8th grade trip.  Such a great little end product!  I'm sure I will be making more of these in the future.

Jenn

Jane's Plain Tunic- Sunday Girl Designs

     I recently completed a new tunic for my daughter!  She was so excited about this fabric she had seen (because of the Mom and daughter getting ice cream) and she had to have something new!  I came across a pattern test for the amazing Jane' Tunic and Dress from Sunday Girl Designs!  What caught my eye immediately was the scalloped bottom!  While my daughter is a huge fan of ruffled everything, I love the clean girlish look this top has without being frilly and fluffy.  I am so in love with this and I already have another in the works!

     I was new to Sunday Girl Designs and there are a few things I love about this tunic.  One being the scalloped bottom and the detail trim along the hemline.

     The second thing I loved, which I found during construction, was the great directions and finish for the back placket on the back.  This method was so easy and gave a beautiful finish to the back closure.

     The directions for this pattern were great!  There were so many pictures to guide your through step by step.  I don't often use bias tape and the directions on how to apply this was very clear and the photos helped demonstrate exactly what I needed to do.  I can still use some practice with it but I love the look of the contrasting bias tape and may attempt to make my own bias tape on future tops.

This shirt is sure to be a new summer favorite!  I was so pleased to be able to test this design!

You can purchase this pattern at Sunday Girl Designs Etsy Shop!

-Jenn

Splendid Sampler Block 6

I finished block 6 and love the color combination!  I have decided to start sashing as I go and am off to find a sashing style I like!

Block #6

Splendid Sampler 3-5

Moving right along on my Splendid Sampler!  Working with these small blocks has been challenging me!  I am going totally scrappy on this project so whatever strikes me that day is what I go with for that block and incorporate a creamy Kona solid in each block.

Block #3

Block #4

Block #5

Block 4 is waiting on some embroidery...time to pick up some floss and give it a try!  I don't often do to much handwork when it comes to sewing but I do crochet and cross stitch.  Hopefully I can pick this up quickly!

Splendid Sampler Block #2

Today was a challenge!  Block two of the Splendid Sampler consisted of 36 squares all measuring 1.5" each!  This block also included HST's which are definitely not my favorite and these were tiny.

In making this block, I used some of the tips and tricks I have seen previously about working with small pieces which I am notoriously bad at!  I made sure to starch the pieces before cutting, marked the 1/4 inch on each piece instead of relying on my 1/4 inch foot and I ironed the seams open. All of these came together to make a great block. 

I did aim to go scrappy but then see that part of my block is heavy on the grey and other parts are heavy on the teal.  I also turned the bottom butterflies the wrong way!  Oops!  Next up, sewing on some antenna. 

http://www.thesplendidsampler.com/blocks-and-bonus-projects/

Splendid Sampler Block #1

Today I started a new adventure!  I am so excited to be tackling the Splendid Sampler which consists of 100 blocks delivered at a rate of two a week!  Block one was simple and fun and so appropriate for the Valentine's Day kick off of this project! 

You can find the project blocks at http://www.thesplendidsampler.com/blocks-and-bonus-projects/

Cote d'Azur Sun Hat

I made the Cote d'Azur Sun Hat by ShannonMac Designs!  This isn't my first ShannonMac design and it won't be my last!  Her patterns are easy to follow and turn out great every time!

The Cote d'Azur made me a little nervous, after all, who sews a hat?  This girl, that's who!  This pattern calls for quilting fabric and I knew just what I wanted to use!  I had this great light teal paisley swirl and I wanted a darker color under the brim to absorb the sunlight reflecting off the river when I'm tubing and hanging out in the water in Tennessee so I found a great medium grey cotton.

I went the free motion quilting route when sewing the brim and did a swirl pattern on the brim.  My daughter loves it and insisted on modeling it for the pictures!

Another great ShannonMac Pattern!

Find it here!

Jenn

Point Mugu Maxi Skirt

Ruffles!!! Ruffles!!! Ruffles!!!

If there's one thing in this house the girls love, including me, its ruffles!  Have you seen the ruffle aprons we made previously not to mention tons made since then for friends birthday's and others!  How about the ruffled Cartwheel Shorts?  Ruffles are a favorite around here so I was so excited when I was asked to test the Point Mugu Maxi for my daughter!  This ruffle filled design was quick and easy and came out beautifully!

My favorite part of this pattern?  It had two options for cutting.  You can print and cut the pieces from the pattern or you can use the cutting chart and rotary cut every single piece!  I immediately knew which direction I was going and using my trusty rotary cutter I was completely cut out in no time!  I was able to sew this together quickly since she couldn't wait to try it on and start wearing it!

Check out the pattern by Seaside Notions!

Skirt Pattern

Simply Sweats

I was delighted to be chosen to test a pattern for Dandelions 'n' Dungarees this past week!  I ended up making a couple pair of these capri's and these are my favorite ones!  These will be my daughter's "go to" comfy pants!  I had made them in purple and strips but with spirit week coming up she dug through my stash and found this green I had long forgot about and her "Michigan State" pants were born!

This pattern is super easy and each pant leg is one cut of fabric, not two pieced together as we usually see.  With the elastic and ribbed jersey making up the waistband these may be the most comfortable pants ever!

A few things I love about this pattern are:

• Ease of printing and print a single size pattern
• Variety of lengths- shorts, capri and pant length and the pants can be cuffed or uncuffed
• Quick sew!  Under an hour start to finish
• Sizes for boys

You can find the pattern here from Dandelion and Dungarees Etsy shop !  I see many pairs of these in my future!

Scrappy Carpenter's Square Quilt

I love the look of a carpenter square quilt but hadn't yet made one and was on a mission to use up some of the scrap material I had laying around! This project tackled both!  I started by mapping out the carpenters square pattern on graph paper (the "old fashioned way" I'm told) and then debated sizes.

 I decided that with borders I wanted to aim for approximately 80" square so the squares that make up the star ended up being 6 1/2" unfinished.  I began by cutting out the scraps and making all the half-square triangle, have I mentioned I am not fond of HST's...but I did it and got them out of the way.  After playing with many options for the borders I liked the idea of having it "framed" by a border and so a plan was born!

To quilt, I chose to do an all over spiral and after practicing on paper, since I had only used this pattern as an accent on one other quilt, and I was pleased with how it came out.  There are definitely areas where I needed to slow down or watch myself because I ended up with pointy spots but I am very happy with my Scrappy Carpenter Star!

Today's Zipper Brick Pouch

Today I used a video tutorial from Melanie at the IHeartStitching channel to make a gorgeous brick pouch for a friend who has helped out with the children lately!  This tutorial was quick and easy and turned out perfectly!!  The tutorial can be found here:  https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=m-SsfnXbVrc

I then made a large pin cusion to go with it which turned out great!  I used a medium sized bowl, traced it onto fabric and sewed the edges leaving a small space open to stuff it.  I filled it half with poly-fill beads and half with stuffing and then sewed the hole closed.  I used embroidery thread to section off the circles and then add the button!  Love how it turned out!! 

Until next time!

Jenn

Quilts and things...

Just a catalog of a few quilts I have made!