Moto Jacket by Jennuine Design

First up before I get into the details of the pattern...can I just say how I love this picture of Clara. She looks like she could be a Ralph Lauren model...it's the red, white and blue color scheme that brings him to mind, but it's her face too.

As for the pattern, it's the Moto Jacket by Jennuine Designs.

A great pattern that I had the chance to help test.  This was a fun one to test because it challenged me as well, as it has zippers and welt pockets.  It's always fun to take on a challenge.

It's meant to be a more light weight jacket, not one to be worn over sweaters, but it is oh so stylish.

I used heavy weight home decor fabric, flannel and rib knit for this jacket.  Clara picked out the color scheme and fabric (except for the main one as I already had that in my stash).

I love the bike fabric she chose...it adds a little whimsy.

The pattern itself is well written and easy to follow. If you've never sewn a separating zipper or welt pockets, you will learn something new and Jenn will walk you through the steps.

If I had the ability to get my hands on some leather, I would LOVE to try this pattern out with it.  As it is, there is going to be a pattern tour and I have some more ideas for this one.

If you want to check out my other version, head on over the Sew Cool for the Tween Scene.

New Summer Staple--Wrigley Raglan

Are you looking for a great raglan shirt pattern? Well look no further! The newly released Wrigley Raglan from Love Notions is your one stop shop that has the raglan covered.

 It comes in a huge range of sizes, has 3 different collar options (crew, split or hooded), has 3 different lengths (shirt, tunic or dress) and has plus sizes as separate sizes.  It really  does cover it all!

 I was part of the testing and believe me, this one is a great final product. Both of my daughters (I couldn't stop at just one) love their shirts. They say they fit super well and are super comfortable.  There are more of these in our future.  This pattern is also a great one for upcycling those old large t-shirts (some great examples in the pattern pictures). Clara wants one with the Cardinals logo on it to where to school on Card's Day...now to find a shirt at a thrift store.  

 The other nice thing is the feminine fit of the shirt.  This is a shirt for girls and the high/low hem is a nice feature to that. 

By adding some length to the shirt, I also made 2 night shirts for my night gown loving daughter.

Our dog Max kept insisting on being in the pictures.

So now we have a new Summer staple, with many more of these to come.

And another great thing is the pattern is on sale until Saturday June 13, so go check it out over at Wrigley Raglan by Love Notions

The pink stripes and polka dots was her choice. The navy is from a stash I inherited from somewhere and it is super soft, so was perfect for pjs.

If you want to see the other version I made, you can check it out over at Sew Cool with the Tween Scene.

Awesome, Quick and Easy: New Shorts Pattern from Elegance and Elephants!

Heidi over at Elegance and Elephants has just come out with another great pattern. Boho Trousers and Shorts is just what you need for a quick summer sew. And right now there's 15% off this new pattern...you should go check it out!

I had the chance to test the shorts and Clara is love with them...in fact I have 2 more pairs cut out and ready to sew. Just in time too, because this gal of mine was in need of some shorts.

As always, Heidi's instructions are easy to follow with clear pictures and helpful suggestions along the way. You come away with a quality product.  And for this pattern it was a very quick sew from start to finish...with the taping of the pattern I think it only took me 1 1/2 hours from beginning to end!

For the grey ones I used a light weight linen blend and some contrasting quilters cotton for the pockets along with some lace on the bottom.  This pattern is perfect for those summery airy fabrics.

The purple ones are made out of an upcycled skirt and she just loves these. For this pair I used the existing hem of the skirt for the hem of the shorts.  I wish I had had enough to make the pants out of this fabric...it would have been the perfect pair of light weight summer pants. 

We do have some plans for making the pants in the future though...just on the hunt for some light weight fabric for them.  For the shorts you can get a pair out of 1/2 a yard.  All you need is the fabric, elastic and trim if desired. For the pants you'll need a little more fabric and some elastic for the legs as well.

Pixie Hooded Coat by BigLittle

I got to be part of the test group for the new Pixie Hooded Pattern by Big Little and can I just say what a great experience it was!  And the end result were 2 great coats for my girls, that they actually chose to wear! (Check out my other version over here).

The coat is very versatile and will cross over from season to season depending on the fabric choice. For this one I used a home decorator weight fabric for the outside (sorry, no source because it was given to me by my mom a couple of years ago) and a fuzzy blanket found on the Target clearance aisle for the lining. I also added a band of red biased tape around the hood for a little contrast/pop of color.

The pattern comes in a huge range of sizes (1-14 children's), 2 hood options (pixie or rounded) and there is also a pea coat version available as well as a women's pattern in the works.

As for the pattern itself, this would be a great beginners pattern!!! And the result will be something that will have people saying "You sewed that?!?"  There are no button holes, zippers or anything else too scary. Lisa has done a great job writing up the directions and giving great visuals as well.

The other great thing about the pattern...it comes together super fast!!! I sewed this coat together in a morning...so there is some instant gratification involved as well.  I also like this because I won't feel too bad when they outgrow it so quickly...I only invested a minimal amount of time and materials in it, but I got what I think are stunning results.

So if you are looking for a great versatile coat pattern that goes together quickly your really should check out the Pixie Hooded Coat or the Pea Coat by Big Little.

Now for a couple more pictures of my not so little Nordic Pixie (the fabric reminds me of the Norwegian/Swedish prints):

Zoe Raglan Top

Back last year I had the chance to test the Zoe top by Liola Patterns and I just realized that I never blogged about it. Something to do with kids starting school and life getting crazy. So here it is...

It is a great and easy sew and oh so comfortable. I loved the curved hem line and the pleats on the sleeve...just something a little unique and different for your basic raglan. I also loved that the sleeves and hem line were long enough without me having to alter it...something nice for this long torsoed/long armed gal. It however, would be rather easy to make it without the pleats if you want just a basic shirt.  Really if you are looking for an easy to follow pattern for a basic comfortable shirt, you should check out the Zoe.

Photos thanks to my 11 year old:)

Omni Family Blog Tour

It was a family affair with the making of the Omni Tempore by Sofilantjes Patterns.
I went a little crazy in the making of them. Not only did I get these 4 done (sizes Adult Medium, Adult Small, size 10 and size 12), but I managed to get 2 12 month sized ones done as well and shipped off as baby presents for my newest niece and nephew.

This pattern is an amazingly quick and easy sew...from start to finish of the sewing less than an hour (especially by my 6th one:)

These are just some cute pants that I made to go with the boy version, following this tutorial.

So here are my finished versions...they all really love them and they are quite comfy.
I said more about them over at Sew Cool for the Tween Scene as well.

Sophia's is a size 12, shawl collar, with kangaroo pocket, cuffs and waistband all made from purple micro fleece.

Clara's is a size 10, with shawl collar, kangaroo pocket and cuffs made out of super soft and comfy micro fleece...I loved her fabric.

Ethan's is an Adult Small, hooded with cuffs...he said he kind of wished his was roomier. The fit is more like that of a thick shirt than a sports sweatshirt.

For mine, I used some of my 'winnings' ( a nice textured knit from Nosh Fabrics) and made an Adult medium with a hood. I agree that the fit is kind of snug. If you want to layer I would go with a size up. But it really is a great pattern and very comfortable...I wore mine all day long.

So now go and check out some of the other stops on the tour for some great inspiration, pick up the pattern for yourself at a discount (such a great bargain as you are getting size 12 months all the way up to adult XXXL) and then try your hand at the amazing prize packages put together!

Prize Pack #1

1.5 meters of fabric from Joy Fits Fabrics

Omni Tempore Pattern Bundle by Sofilantjes

Bustle Skirt Pattern by Koda Baby Boutique

1 Pattern of choice by Filles a Maman

1 Pattern of choice by Serger Pepper

1 Pattern of choice by E+M Patterns

1 Pattern of choice by Striped Swallow Designs

Prize Pack #2

1.5 meters of fabric from Joy Fits Fabrics

Omni Tempore Pattern Bundle by Sofilantjes

Grace Pattern by Rose & Lee Designs

1 Pattern of choice by Filles a Maman

1 Pattern of choice by Madeit Patterns

1 Pattern of choice by Dandelions n' Dungarees

1 pattern of choice by FABulous Home Sewn

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, November 24th 

Pienkel - Mie Katoentje - Shaffer Sisters

Tuesday, November 25th

Serger Pepper -  From a Box - JaimeSews

Wednesday, November 26th

Sisko by Mieke - ShannonMac Designs - Felt With Love

Thursday, November 27th

Lulu & Celeste - SewOutOfControl - Filles A Maman - Sprouting JubeJube

Friday, November 28th

huisje  boompje boefjes - Mae & K - House of Estrela

Saturday, November 29th

Oon - Daisy Chain Creations - Sew Cool for the Tween Scene - Rebel & Malice

Betty Skirt Tour

So a couple of weeks ago I learned I was the lucky winner of one of the Abilmente Prize packages given by Annika over at Naeh-connection (seriously, I felt like it was Christmas morning) and part of the package was this lovely bundle of Cotton and Steel "At the Zoo" from The Fat Quarter Shop.

I decided that the fat quarter bundle would be perfect to make this pieced Betty Skirt, since I get to be part of the Betty Skirt Tour.

The lovely ladies over at the Shaffer Sisters have put out this great basic skirt pattern that has tons of options. The Betty Skirt makes a great go-to skirt because it's simple to make, but the pattern allows you to personalize it to suit your needs.

I chose to do the large pleated option, but decided to make each pleat a different fabric from the bundle. This worked out perfectly because the longer width of the fabric was exactly twice what I needed, therefore the front and back pleats are exactly the same.

To get the pleats, I took the measurement of the pleat guide between pleats and added a seam allowance of 1/2 an inch, cutting the strips to the length I needed. Then I sewed them all together, pleated it (using the seams as a guide...no marking needed) and added it to the yoke.

This silly girl loves how it turned out. Even my 11 year old likes (and since they kind of wear the same size...I think she has her eye on it). The fabric was lovely to work with and such a visual treat!

As for the Betty skirt...you just need fabric and elastic (you do need buttons for the one with the placket) and that is it! It comes together fast, comes in a huge range of sizes, and has well written instructions.

Another plus...it's got great twirling factor...that means a lot in this household.

So if I've piqued your interest, you should go and check out the other stops on the tour...there's been some beautiful creations, and then go and buy it yourself with the discount code!

Now for a slightly random change of subject...this is my normal camera lens (it is just the kit lens...nothing special). It wasn't working so thanks to the invention of YouTube I thought I'd try to fix it myself. It was going to cost more than a new one (and the cost of the camera itself, since I bought it used) to get it fixed, so I thought I'd give it a go. I figured out the problem, ordered the part and all that is left is for the part to arrive and me to hopefully assemble it back together perfectly:)  I've been using my distance lens for my pictures the last little while...there's been a learning curve, but I do like how some of them are turning out.