Monday, September 17, 2018

Agnes in Black Lace


I've never yet owned a little black dress. 
That is, until now.
As soon as I saw the Black Paisley Lace Fabric at Minerva Crafts
I knew it'd be perfect as an overlay on a dress. I just needed to pick the pattern.
For the bottom layer I chose a soft bamboo cotton jersey from Sew Lovely Fabrics.


After some deliberation I settled on the Agnes Dress by Halla Patterns
It was swingy and seemed to have enough fabric to accommodate a growing baby belly. 


I did have to hack the Agnes Dress pattern a little.
Because I wanted to do sleeveless and double layered, I chose to use the burrito roll method (you can find a good tutorial here!)


The dress is comfy and will be perfect for dates or special occasions. 


I'm thinking I can add a shrug or cardigan in the colder months as it's often cold up here. 


A bit of a story here: 
I sewed this up in the Spring when I was about 17 weeks pregnant, got the pictures taken at 22/23 weeks (I was on semi bed rest), edited them, and then I ended up in the hospital on bed rest for 12 weeks. That's why I'm finally posting about it now!
In the meantime we had a handsome little man who was born at 35 weeks by scheduled c-section, and I'm slowly getting back into sewing and blogging. 


This dress hasn't gotten much wear other than the pictures yet but I'm looking forward to being able to wear it when I'm done nursing my new little man. 


Sunday, May 20, 2018

Tess Tulip Shorts Sunshine Sale!


Summer time! 
A time of short sleeves, shorts, and bare feet. 
A time of freezies, water fights, and endless hours playing outside.
How I love summer. 
And, what better way to get my littles dressed for summer than by sewing up a fun pair of Tulip Shorts!



To make them even more summery, I sewed them up in a breezy linen. 
Next time I hope to add some trim to the petals--they'd look lovely with some pretty white trim peeking out. 


Do you love summer too?
Do you love a fun pair of shorts?
You're in for a surprise--the Tess Tulip Shorts are on sale!
Today only, so be sure to get your copy.



Sunday Sunshine Sale - Tess Tulips girls
The sale is LIVE and will continue until 12 Midnight tonight
Prices
¯¯¯¯¯¯
Girls - Use the code “sunshinesale”
Coupon Sale Price $5.00
Regular Price $8.00

Pattern Information
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
•Sizes
Girls 6mo to 12 years (see listing for measurements)
•Layers option
•A0 print shop file


•Trim patterns formatted for letter and A4

Be sure to join the Bella Sunshine Designs Pattern Facebook group for updates on sales, etc.!

Monday, May 14, 2018

Boys in Summer Blog Tour


Boys in Summer Blog Tour: Part of the Sewing Blue Blog Tour series hosted by Made for Little Gents  

Welcome to my stop on the Boys in Summer Blog Tour!
Having 4 boys, I tend to do a fair bit of sewing for boys, and this was another perfect opportunity to sew up a great boy shirt again.


I used the Discoverer Tee  by Ellie and Mac (affiliate links) and let my son choose the fabric.
He chose pretty basic fabrics--solid cotton lycra knits, but the design of the pattern definitely adds some interest with such basic fabrics. 


I will confess this shirt has been worn and washed before I could grab pictures of it, and I forgot to iron it after the washing. He's pretty thrilled with it and was very eager to wear it. 


I really like this pattern as it's a looser fit and my boys really enjoy that as they do not like tight fitting shirts. Plus as I said before, it's not just a basic tee--it has a cool design element that takes it up a notch.
If you don't have this pattern yet or are looking for a cool boys pattern (even my older boys like this shirt!) be sure to go buy the Discoverer Tee  by Ellie and Mac (affiliate links) 

Looking for more summer boy inspiration? 
Follow along on the Boys in Summer Blog Tour hosted by Made by Little Gents by clicking through the links below. 
Thurs. May 10 Phat Quarters | Dreams & Stitches 

Thursday, May 3, 2018

Sew Lovely Cherry Blossoms

Sew Lovely Fabrics once more has an amazing preorder open! 
The fabrics are from Raspberry Creek Fabrics so these are milled and printed in North America.
I got to try out the Cherry Blossom and Stripes.


The fabric sews up very nicely and it is a lighter weight cotton jersey fabric which is perfect for summer dresses and tops. 


I paired it with a coral rayon spandex for the neckband and flutter sleeves. 


The dress pattern is the (affiliate link) Hazelbee Dress pattern (which seems to be unavailable at the moment.) 


Be sure to order your fabric soon as there are minimum amounts needed to be able to get the fabric ordered in. (Don't worry--if minimums are not met you will be refunded!) 

This dress will be headed off to a cute baby girl! 

Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Suburban Stripes

I think I've fallen in love with bamboo cotton jersey.
It is so soft and the drape is amazing. 
It is perfect for spring or summer tops.


When I saw that Sew Lovely Fabrics had in some bamboo cotton jersey stripes, I knew I needed to try them out. 
I chose to try out the Charcoal Mix & Everglade and I'll admit I ordered a few more to try out on my own as well! 


My son needed a new shirt for Church for Spring/ Summer so I chose to sew up the Suburban Basic Tee from New Horizons Designs. I did do the sleeves a little different--I added enough at the bottom to hem it instead of cuffing it. 


The fabric is available now from Sew Lovely Fabrics so be sure to check it out! 

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Favourite Sewing Supplies

(This post contains affiliate links!)

I thought it'd be fun to share some of my sources for some of my favourite sewing supplies.
This is so far from an exhaustive list but it's a short, fun list of items I love and enjoy using.



These are great for attaching your tags to your items if you're selling or gifting. They are delicate but add such a pretty touch! Add your washing instructions, logo tag, or even a personal note to your items. 






The selection here is amazing! I've gone with mainly plain wooden buttons but the painted ones would add an amazing touch to your handmade garments. 
These ship from Australia but arrive in a very reasonable time. 


All your zipper needs in one place. Seriously. And the cost is very competitive as well. I stocked up on a lot of 7" zippers in a huge variety of colors.
I'm not sure I'll ever get through them all, but I love having a wide selection on hand when I'm sewing little pouches or need to find a good match for certain fabrics.




Monday, March 12, 2018

Hazelbee Dress in Tulips

Sew Lovely Fabrics has some super sweet fabrics up for preorder (and these tulips are already in stock here!) 
I had a chance to sew up the Watercolour Tulips as soon as they came in and I'm very happy with this fabric. 



I used the Hazelbee Dress in size 12 months and sewed up the play dress with flutter sleeves. 
The pink is a cotton lycra I had in my stash but if you are looking for some really nice co-ordinates, they have a Jazzy pink and also a blue and white pin polka dot.


I did finish the dress a little differently than called for. I did a neck band in the round instead of a neck binding before the last shoulder is sewn. 


It'll be a perfect gift for a new baby--especially a pretty Dutch baby. 


While the tulips are available already, be sure to check out the fabrics that are on preorder before it closes on the 15th! 


Monday, February 12, 2018

Get Ready for Spring Blog Tour

Welcome to the 'Ellie and Mac Get Ready for Spring Blog Tour' hosted by 'Seams Sew Lo.'



Spring is around the corner. Or we'd like to think so.
Here in Alberta we can expect frost as late as the May Long Weekend, so it definitely feels like Spring is still a ways a way. But, we can be hopeful for an early spring.
So we're sewing for Spring!
I chose to use the Boy's Sunday Morning Sweats and the Discoverer Tee from Ellie and Mac.


 For the Discoverer Tee, I chose a lightweight jersey knit for the bottom portion and a slightly heavier weight cotton-lycra for the top and sleeves. The pattern comes with a long sleeve and a short sleeve option so you can make this year-round.


The Sunday Morning Sweats are basically shorts over a narrower almost legging-like pant. I only used the shorts part of the pattern for these shorts, but again they could be a good year-round pattern. They have a yoga waistband with no elastic so they're pretty comfy. 



Even though we're having a snow storm today and it's -30C with windchill my son decided to keep wearing this after pictures--he loves a good pair of shorts. 

Shirt fabric is from Girl Charlee (an old print) and Water Tower Textiles (solid).
The fabric for the shorts is from Zenith and Quasar (jegging).

Enjoy 35% off all Ellie and Mac patterns the month of February!

Please visit all the stops on the 'Get Ready for Spring Blog Tour' featuring Ellie and Mac spring sewing patterns, hosted by Seams Sew Lo
 Do not forget to enter the giveaway below too! 


February 3rd: Seams Sew Lo (Intro)
February 4th: Seams Sew Lo
February 5th: Violets and Jewels
February 6th: Threadistry
February 7th: Mama Can Make it
February 9th: Aurora Designs
February 10th: Flaxfield Sewing
February 11th: Floral and Flannel
February 12th: FABulous Home Sewn
February 13th: Minns Things
February 14th: Our Play Place
February 15th: Tenille's Thread
February 16th: Seams Like Style
February 17th: Hutsepruts
February 18th: Candi Couture Designs
February 19th: My Sewing Roots
February 20th: Manning the Machine
February 21st: Stitched by Jennie
February 22nd: Kathy's Kwilts and More
February 23rd: Sewjourns
February 24th: Mermaid Mama Designs
February 25th: Fee Bricolo
February 26th: Oak Blue Designs
February 27th: Big Fly Notions
February 28th: Sewing Blue


Saturday, February 10, 2018

Sewing Something Sew Lovely

Sew Lovely Fabrics--a brand new fabric shop in Alberta, Canada that offers cotton jersey fabrics that are milled, printed and/or dyed in North America.

The fabrics I used are both bamboo cotton jerseys--chili and charcoal mix
(Just to clarify--the bamboo fabrics are from overseas but are part of their sustainability fabrics and pass all required tests.)

First of all, the packaging!
It was like receiving a present, it was so nicely wrapped.


A couple of samples were included--I think I'm in love with the Bamboo Fleece--I may have to try that one out as well.


And, to top it off, candy and a coupon! 


Last but not least, the fabric. 
The bamboo jersey is so soft! 


 I decided to sew up Ellie and Mac's Dicoverer Tee.


My son chose which fabric would go where and his one request for the pattern was that it wasn't too tight--either in the arms or the fit. I think we accomplished that.


This fabric was a dream to work with--I would LOVE to sew myself all the bamboo tops. 


Also, February is Heart Month at Sew Lovely Fabrics


Be sure to join the group and follow/like their page!

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Something Different--Classic Book Challenge!

This is a little different than my usual sewing! I used to be an avid reader but have not read as much in the last number of years as I find I get lost in a book and have a hard time putting them away. Also, the little time I feel I have I want to use to read books that help me to grow in my faith and knowledge of God. However, as a homeschooling mom it is good to read the books that my kids will be reading and to keep my brain sharp. So...I will try to join in on this challenge:

Karen from Books and Chocolate is doing a Back to the Classics Challenge for 2018. 

1.  A 19th century classic - A G.A Henty book

2.  A 20th century classic - 'Lord of the Flies' by William Golding


3.  A classic by a woman author. 'Cotton in my Sack' by Lois Lenski


4.  A classic in translation.  'Reis Door de Nacht' by Anne Devries translated to 'Journey Through the Night'


5. A children's classic. 'Winnie the Pooh' by A.A. Milne


6.  A classic crime story, fiction or non-fiction. Probably 'Sherlock Holmes' by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.


7. A classic travel or journey narrative, fiction or non-fiction. 'Pilgrim's Progress' by John Bunyan

8. A classic with a single-word title. 'Christiana' by John Bunyan


9. A classic with a color in the title. 'Anne of Green Gables' by Lucy Maude Montgomery


10. A classic by an author that's new to you.  I'll need to look for something yet! 


11. A classic that scares you. 'Pride and Prejudice' or 'Sense and Sensibility' by Jane Austen


12. Re-read a favorite classic. 'Margaret Paton: Letters from the South Seas' which was published in 2003 but the letters are written in the 1860's to the 1890's. 


I myself am curious how many of these I'll get to! I'd love to get in the habit of doing more reading and this looks like a do-able challenge.

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Mug Rugs!

In December I had some fun doing a couple of small quilting projects--mug rugs! 
For a couple of years already I've been wanting to make some of my friends a small Christmas gift and this year I finally got to doing it for four of them. 


I had so much fun coming up with different ideas for each one, and working with each of their favourite color combos. 
This first one I found a cool idea on Pinterest with stacked tea cups, so I found some neutral colors in my stash to make them and then appliqued them with sketch-like stitching. 


Next up I used my Dresden ruler and just sewed them together along the long ends, alternating the direction. Navy, yellow, and teal were the colors of choice here. 


Black and white, grey and blue. This one has random strips sewn together and then the blue fabric, I fussy-cut around the design in the fabric. It turned out so bold and fun!


The last one has the hearts appliqued onto a piece of white fabric and then I reverse appliqued that behind the Essex linen. This one is based on my plates and cups--this friend has always loved the color of my plates and cups. They look almost like Delft blue but are actually a Martha Stewart set from Sears years ago. 

It was neat, working with the fabric I had on hand, doing some different quilting techniques (mostly free motion and straight lines), and trying to be a little artsy with fabric.

Sunday, January 28, 2018

Maggie Tunic--One Day Sale!

I'm quite excited that one of my favourite shops will be having Sunshine Sunday Sales!
First up in the sales is the Maggie Top Tunic and Dress


This pattern comes together very nicely. It has three length options (top, tunic, and dress) and three sleeve options (short, 3/4, and long).
I chose to sew up the tunic length with short sleeves. 


It is a slimmer fitting top/tunic/dress so as a tunic it's perfect over skinny jeans or if your daughter is the legging wearing type over a decent pair of leggings. 


I'm sure I'll be using this pattern over and over to make tops for my daughters. 
The size range is 6 months to 12 years, so it's a pattern you can use for years and with all the options it works for all seasons.  


Sale price with the coupon code is $5 for the girls, $6 for the ladies, and $10 bundled! 
You can find the code in the Facebook Group!
Find the pattern here: Maggie Top Tunic and Dress from Bella Sunshine Designs.
Code is valid only from midnight to midnight EST the 28th of January.