A PDF New Years Resolution

I have had a bit of a pattern addiction. For the past couple years. My PDF pattern collection keeps growing and my sewing just can't keep up. When I walk into my sewing room i just feel lost. I have piles of patterns, piles of sewing books, piles of fabrics and lots of trims. There is just so much I don't know where to start. So my big decision...Sew them all. Because at this poit I would bet I have only sewn 10% of them.

That's my pile of purchased PDF sewing patterns, plus a couple Farbenmix [more like 10] farbenmix patterns, and two Oliver & S non-PDF patterns. I have more stored in my PC waiting to be printed, taped and traced. So my resolution-promise to my self. No More Purchases until I sew every single one of these for Mila. At least once. And I plan to blog about each one!

I was thinking I would also force my self to not allow any new fabric purchases for my PDF resolution, But that is really just  unreasonable and a line I am not ready to cross.  I will have to tackle that problem another day : ). Fabric shopping is just too much fun.

Here is my good sized book collection: ). I LOVE pattern books. "Sewing Clothes Kids Love" is what really got me into sewing children's clothes. The book is very inperational. Lots of bright and colorful kids clothes with trims and appliqués.  I think I will attempt to sew up at least one pattern from each of these books and one pattern from my Ottobre, and Buzz Kids magazines. One exception to my no new patterns, I love love testing : ). So I will be still happy to test some patterns out : )

I plan to start with a Winks design pattern I had purchased a year or two ago and have yet to sew up. 

Is that cute or what! The sizeing is 1-8 and Mila is just starting to get into size 1. A top certainly needs some bottoms so I think I will combine the simply sweet tunic with Brownie Goose's Lola Bell Pants pattern. 

Yep, those are amazingly cute too! I have made these before but never for Mila.

Ok, ready, set, go, ME! 

Keeping a secret

Mila and I have been keeping a little secret over here. I had the opportunity to test again : ). This test was a top secret mission for Heidi & Finn, an entry for the Designers  Challenge a competition by Pattern Revolution.  We as testers were asked to create a dress samples unseen. Well I personally had no fear that the outcome would be adorable. I own many of the Heidi and Finn patterns and there are many more I plan to purchase. Everyone of Christine's patterns are beautyfull. Just as I had suspected this pattern was just as adorable!

Introducing- The Gatsby Dress

A test for Figgy

I was soooo happy to get the opportunity to test a pattern for Figgy.  I have been a big fan since I had first seen the SCIROCCO Pattern.  What a pretty dress and I just loved how the back had that cute twist.  Figgys pattern are so modern but still sweet and easy to read.  She is another one of those pattern designers whom seam to teach you a new sewing lesson with each pattern purchase.  To be honest I have just been dyeing to test a pattern!!!  I have a hard time coming up with something to sew or just seem to have to many ideas of what I would like to sew but never seem to get any of my ideas completed.  Contests and pattern testing seem to keep me on a straigt line-and I get the project done.  Well, enough about me. 
Lets talk about this new pattern.  It's called the Celestial Pullover. 

Flip that Hoodie, November Flip

Its November already, wow this year sure has been cruzing by!  The Frances Suzanne "Flip this pattern" series is half way over, and oh what fun it has been!!!  The November pattern was such a great pick.  I love a pattern that I can use for years to come, and even better- for boys and girls.  The pattern chosen was The Hangout Hoodie by the Peek-a-Boo Pattern shop.

 

My Sunki Flip

I have been so looking forward to this months Flip This Pattern for the year long sew-along with Francessuzanne.com. This month we were asked to flip the Sunki pattern by Figgy. I have had this pattern saved in my mind for a future purchase, when Mila is a little bigger. Well a flip is the perfect excuse to pick up the pattern a little early.

Oh I love that Mila is getting a little bigger and some of my favorite patterns are fitted for her size.  This pattern at 18 months was still a little to big.  Mila is in around 6-12 months clothes.  So with this flip part of the flip was adjusting the size to fit my chubby snuggy bebe.  Yes I call her a 100 different goofy names.  My neighbors must think I am a little goofy because I am sure they could hear my high pitched baby talk all summer long with those windows open.  Fall is finally here so the windows are closed a little more often and wool works great for the season and the season to follow.  This dress I made with the softest wool blend.  I picked it up at my local Hancock Fabrics. 

My signature look

Last week of Project Run and Play and I have this blog posted first.  Why, well I think my signature look was a pretty easy one to write about.  Ok,  so my signature look is a bit of a copycat. But it is so my style, and the first time I saw this dress I fell in love.  And I was just a kid at the time.

I do love everything about it, the color combination, the pin dots, the vintage style, the buttons, blue ric rac, its just adorable : ) I use to play with the dress when I was a child. I think it is actually a doll dress. My grandmother had kept it from when she was a little girl. It had been sewn for her by her mother (my great grandmother). Recently my grandmother passed away. This dress and an old camera were passed down to me. I hung the dress up in my sewing room as inspiration.  A few months later we had our baby girl.  Our first and only little lady.  She has three big brothers.  I now had even more of a reason to recreate!  And just my luck I  walked into my local quilt shop and there it was.  The exact same pink and white pin dot fabric.  EXACTLY the same.  What are the chances. The quilt shop lady told me pin dots are timeless.

That's my dress on the left and bottom right next to the original on the top right. 

I used Made By Rae's, Geranium dress pattern with a few changes.

First I added about two inches to the fold. Notice its about an inch taller.

Here it is cut out, the lining stayed the same.

I folded it back in half, drew that line in my picture and than sewed along the line.

I than ironed it flat : )

I cut off that extra fabric at the top and than sewed the ricrac along the ironed fold. It was pretty easy : ) the rest I just followed the directions to the geranium dress pattern.

I think she loves it, I sure wish my grandma could see, not just the dress but the baby as well.  She would just be in love! : )
I did make this dress a few months ago and Mila is just about to out grow it, so I took a few more pictures for you to see and me to keep : )

 

 

 

Here is one other outfit that I think reflects my signature style.  This was my Tinny flip for the Frances and Suzanne sew along.  I think it really has a vintage feel, fun and nice clean lines similar to the dress I have Mila in in the above pictures.

 

 

 

One more thing.  Yay, I won a prize from sewmamasew.com.  Only problem.  The prize requires that I am in New York City.  Unfortunately I will not be traveling there with in the next year so I have decided to give away my prize.  If any of you plan to be in New York City with in the next year or two and would be interested in a tour of NYC Garment District please let me know.  Here is some info on the tour-

Seek's New York Garment District Tour is a two-hour guided tour featuring the city’s best fabric, trim, and notions stores. Along the way, tour participants will also enjoy seeing famous fashion landmarks (like the Fashion Walk of Fame) and Project Runway filming locations such as Parsons, Bryant Park, and Atlas Apartments. Led by a professional costume/fashion designer and licensed guide, this tour also explores the history of the NYC garment industry and the development of famous department stores like Macy’s and Lord & Taylor.

The Garment District Tour is perfect for fashion students, aspiring designers, fabric aficionados, Project Runway fans, fashion history buffs, and anyone who just loves to sew!

New York Garment District Tour (general info about the tour)

Public Garment District Tours (tour dates and ticket sales)

 

 

Thanks for viewing!

 

Week three in plaid

Week Three for Project Run and Play and the and the theme is mad for plaid.  I have had this brown plaid wool fabric folded in my stash for years.  I decided for this theme I would finally use it.  The fabric is perfect for fall and the cooler weather here in Minnesota.  Like last week I used the Oliver & S roller-skate pattern.  I think this is my new favorite pattern!

My Flipped, pattern combined, and inside out W pants !

Ahhhh, I did it!!! I did not think I would make this flip in time as well.  I have had the pants cut out for 3 weeks but did not get the change to sew them until last night.  Luckily my pretty little model showed up to daycare today and here we go.  Pictures : )

The Skittles Dress

So here is my entry for week 2 of Project Run and Play.  I really thought I would never make it in time.  First off I sure had a hard time choosing a candy.  Week two is candy inspired.  Yay fun : ), but my favorite candy is anything chocolate.  I love chocolate!!! But last week my top was brown and next week my outfit will be brown so I had to go with some color : ).  My outfit is Skittles inspired.

Yum, all kids love skittles.

Project Run and Play week 1

This is my first ever Project Run and Play sew along and first entry as well.  I am beginning to become addicted to these sew alongs.  So much fun : ).  I have been participating in the Frances and Suzanne Flip This Pattern sew along since the second month and I am truly becoming more imaginative with designing than I ever thought I could be.  This first week for Project Run and Play is to mix up the Popover Sundress by Oliver & S.  This is a great pattern and you can find tons of inspiration on Flicker.  Here is my flip...

My Tinny Flip

Thank you Frances Suzanne For choosing this pattern : ).  I have been wanting to purchase it.  And now this was my perfect excuse.  And I have to say I will be using the Tinny pattern many more times!  This is my second flip in the Flip This Pattern series.  You can find my first flip here. 
Warning again...possible horrible spelling and punctuation in my blog. 

My tinny flip was mostly about not making decisions.  I just loved every version of the tinny and loved the entire line of the fabric.  So the one decision I made was to just use it all. 
Excluding the collars, I had to make a decision on that, and it was not easy.   I made my Tinny mix up in size 1 in hopes my tinny baby girl will fit in the outfit some day.  She is 5 months.  Isn't she cute. She is still too Tinny though : )

And here is my flip...

I made the dress in three parts.

The Pleated top is probably my favorite part.  I kinda wish I would have gone with a little something less likely to show dirt.  It really did though turn out pretty.  I did add some width so that it would be easy to fit on without a zipper.

My back closure...

Cute little ducky buttons.  Ok to be honest I have never sewn a zipper and I am sure I could have done it.  Especially after those awesome instructions in the Straight Grain pattern, but this gave me the chance to use more fabrics and those cute little buttons.

And for the Skirts...

 

I just added yokes, I hope that is the correct word to use : ).    At least that is what a Farbenmix pattern had called it.  Oh, and I almost forgot...A close up of the fabric.  It is Once Upon A Storybook By Whistler Studios.

And the Collar.

 

Anyways, That was my flip, and two more photos of my adorable model!!!! In flip of course : )  And can any of you other bloggers out there help me.  How do I make all my photos larger??? : )

And how I created that little number with dots

 The Oliver & S pattern does say to make the lining fabric shorter. You do not need to do that with this version.

I started off with a few changes to the patten.. First a added 3 inches to the fold side on the front.like the photo bellow : )

I than drew another line 3 inches down like my next photo

So I have kinda created a square on the front pattern. You will want to cut out the square when cutting the pattern. That is where your gather will be.

The next change to the pattern I made was to the side seams.

That is the bottom edge in the photo above. I drew a line 3 inches out and than drew a nice straight line up to the armpit. I did this on all side panels, front and back (just the sides).

Go ahead a cut your fabric. I used a very light weight cotton so that front gather would not be too bulky.

See that big square I was talking about earlier : ).

Now go ahead and follow the directions from O&S about joining the pieces. Remember the back will be sewn so no need for that button and loop.

This photo above  shows everything connected and the edges ironed. Next you will want to gather that square closed like the photo bellow-

Now you can make that little rectangle to cover the silly looking gather. Mine looks to be 5x3. Sew the edges and turn right side out.

Pin on top of the gather and sew to dress.

Now go ahead and follow the the O&S directions. When sewing the side seams together make sure to start at the armpit : ) otherwise if yours was like mine the bottom edges were not the perfect match in length and that would lead to a crooked dress. Sew the back as you hade done with the side seams. And hem the lining and the main.

Next I added gathered tulle to the lining. Whoops. I did not take pictures of that. I think the length of the tulle was about 6 inches. You could use other fabrics as well.

And now for my secret dots : )

Well I used no sew heat n bond. 

I ironed the red to the red. (Just folded it over and ironed. I than traced and cut circles and machine stitched it to the tulle. I have since the photos thrown this dress in the washer and dryer. My little circles folded from the heat of the dryer. So I do suggest if you use my method just let the dress air dry. 

Anyways, that's what I did : ) please let me know of you have any questions.