Going Batty

Throughout Cordelia's life it has become apparent that I believe all children should wear clothing with animal ears on them- I honestly think it is the cutest thing ever. I was particularity excited when Hayley of Mouse House Creations released a sneak peak of her latest pattern- The Dress Up Hoodie, and put out a tester call.

I knew that even if I didn't get accepted to test this was a pattern I needed to have because there were soo many options! And I absolutely love giving novelty hoodies to kids for birthday gifts.  

The Dress Up Hoodie comes in sizes 6 months to 12 years and gives you the options of making a plain raglan hoodie, or making a dinosaur, horse, unicorn, bunny, cat, mouse, shark, bat, owl, or a butterfly. You can also mix and match any of the pieces to create whatever animal your imagination comes up with. 

I made Cordelia a size 7 bat. The pattern goes together in a very straight forward way, the instructions make sense and all of the pieces fit together well. The fit of the base hoodie is really great too, it's the perfect length for Cordelia, and the hood is nice and large. However, if I were to make this hoodie out of a bulkier fabric I might grade out the forearms a bit more so she could still fit layers underneath. That said, they are the perfect size in this material- which is actually a cut up unisex sweatshirt (size xl, and the pink is a second sweatshirt).

This pattern gives you the base of every animal, but it is up to you to embellish it the way you want. For example, the butterfly markings are for you to put your mark on, and fabrics are suggested for the animal accessories, but there is a lot of leeway for personal interpretation- for the horse mane you could use fake fur, or yarn, or cut fleece. If you aren't sure what materials you want to use, take a look at all the tester photos- it was fun and inspiring to see all the different combinations. I think the pattern is written well for this and I think it really lets your creativity run wild, which I love. 

 I differed from the regular wing construction by lining my wings (so you could get the flash of pink) and I used the split back piece so the wings were attached in the center. I also choose to add pink stitching to mimic the bone structure in a bat's wing. 

I used the same pink stitching on the arms, hood, and pocket. 

The inside of her ears I used the inside of the sweatshirt fabric so they would be fuzzy, and I used very stiff interfacing to help them stand up well. 

Cordelia is so dramatic she was all about this project- and when she wore it to school I was so happy I made a black animal because it didn't show as much dirt as all of her pink and blue sweatshirts! 

This was a fun make, and a good pattern- and I even have three more cut out on my desk now that Halloween sewing is done! 

Straight Stitch Designs, Bryant Top

I took a break from testing patterns because life had just been so chaotic- and honestly while I was pregnant I was just too sick! I missed testing a lot because I am super motivated by deadlines, and I enjoy being part of the process. All of the designers I have worked with put so much time into drafting and perfecting their patterns and they really take into account the tester feedback- which I find wonderful. For full disclosure I did receive this pattern for free because my work testing it- but all of these opinions are my own.   

When Kimberly posted that she needed one more tester in my size I jumped at it- and honestly I hadn't even seen what design top she was working on! But truthfully I have that much faith in Kimberly, her ascetic, and the time she puts into her designs. My all time favorite t-shirt pattern was designed by her, and I figured no matter what the top was I would love it.     

This new top is named the Bryant, and it has such a wonderful effortless chic look to it. Designed for knit fabrics and cut on the bias it skims the figure nicely- which is a plus for me since I am still a little extra fluffy in the middle post baby- and lets be honest, I probably like cookies a bit too much to get rid of this extra fluff and I'm ok with that! 

The Bryant comes in sizes 0-24 (another thing I love about Straight Stitch Designs Patterns!) and it features two different sleeve lengths. Another thing that makes this pattern so versatile is the wide range of "looks" that can be achieved with the same pattern but different fabrics. I made my top in a size 18 (with no modifications) out of a sweater knit but other testers made this top in cotton lycra, crepe knit, rayon challis, jersey, rayon knit, ITY, ponte de roma, sweatshirt knit, and double brushed polly. To get a good idea of the variety check out the tester round up, and the blog post Kimberly wrote just to address fabric selection!   

I will admit that I was a tad nervous about the dolman sleeves since it's not a look I gravitate towards, but I am really happy with the fit on this and I am all about the cuff detail- which Kimberly says was a last minute detail added to the pattern. I'm really happy she went with her gut and added it! One tester- Maria made her Bryant with a contrasting fabric on her cuff and I absolutely love it! 

My one word of advice- and it's silly really, it make sure you stay stitch the neck! I am terrible and I skip stay stitching all the time...and I did this time (originally it was a suggestion in the pattern....Kimberly switched it to a MUST because of silly people like me) skipping that one little step really messed with how clean I was able to get the boat neck on my top- so don't be like me!  Besides that one little thing, I had a lot of fun sewing this top up, and I have now added a french terry version to my "to sew" list and I highly recommend this pattern. 

In the Garden with Alice

Maryland was hit with a bizarrely warm February. It's been wonderful to see the sunshine and not have to drag coats everywhere- but it sure has me worried about the heat this summer might bring- and the bugs! 

We took advantage of one warm Sunday to walk the grounds at Brookside Gardens. I asked Cordelia if I could take some pictures of her in the new dress I made while we were on our walk and she freaked out- she has been very against pictures these days and it kinda kills me!

So I left the big camera at home, but once she caught me snapping a cell phone photo of her she relented and seemed to get into it! I can't keep up with her sometimes! I normally shy away from cell phone photos on the blog, but that might have to change because I never want to make her feel like getting new dresses from Mama is a chore.

  Now, about the dress. The pattern is another great one from Bella Sunshine Designs- I swear I don't work for her, I just adore her patterns. This is the Alice pleated dress in a size seven, with about two inches added to the hem. I saw snippets of this dress when it was in testing and absolutely fell in love with the peter pan collar.  There is an option in this pattern to include bias binding on the collar that I am very excited to try. 

Besides the awesome peter pan collar the dress has really interesting cap sleeves that can be done in a coordinating print - and the way they are sewn in makes sewing kids sleeves super easy. Also the Alice features a pleated skirt which is different from what I normally sew for her. 

Normally I talk about how easy these patterns are to sew up, but this is not a beginner pattern, you want to be familiar with sewing and take your time. The instructions are well written and clear, but there are a lot of details and steps to this dress. The entire dress is lined- sleeves, bodice, skirt- the whole thing, and it has an invisible zipper. I actually skipped the invisible zipper and used a regular zipper because that's what I had on hand, it doesn't look nearly as great as the dresses in the tester pictures but I was ok with that. 

Cordelia was very involved with this dress, I showed her the skirt fabric and she said she loved it, I showed her the pattern for the dress and she was on board, she helped pick the coordinating polka dot fabrics, but in the end I wonder if it doesn't match her personality. She said she loves it, and it fits perfect, but it hasn't been a go to and I really think it's because it's just too sweet.

I know that might not make sense, because what five year old really has a personal style- but I honestly think Cordelia does and I don't think we nailed it with this dress. So I love this pattern, but I think my next one I might go a little funkier with my fabric choice! 

An Adaline Dress- for Cordelia

When I was pregnant I really wanted to take beautiful family photos. Pregnancy was months of throwing up, being dizzy, and not getting out of bed. I wanted beautiful glowing photos to help me forget all of the misery and focus on the wonder of growing a human life- because it's a pretty amazing thing to do. So we booked a photographer, I picked out Brendon and my outfits, sewed Cordelia this dress- and then ended up spending the week in the hospital connected to an IV, a fetal monitor, and receiving steroid shots in my hips. So we missed our opportunity for family photos and in my sad hormonal state I have to admit I cried about it. 

But Cordelia did end up with this lovely dress! Which was a good thing because we had one of those moments where we woke up and nothing fit her! Do your kids do that also- just grow two sizes overnight?

I used the Adaline Dress pattern from Bella Sunshine Design. I've sewn Melissa's patterns tons of times before and I always find them to be clear and straightforward- the end results are always nicely finished on the inside too!  

I made this dress in a size 7 but added two extra inches in the hem for my super tall girl. One of the things I have found I like a lot about Bella Sunshine Designs is that if Cordelia wears a seven in this pattern I know she will wear a seven in any of the other BSD patterns- and a 7 is also what she normally wears in store bought clothing, so when I forget to measure her (don't do this, don't be like me- always measure your kids lol) I can guess pretty well what size to make. I also deviated from the pattern by adding extra volume to the skirt and thinning out the sleeves a tiny bit. 

The sleeves and upper bodice are made from a lightweight jersey (the pattern has you cut them out of a woven, but I don't think this affected the fit too much) and the body of the dress is cut from a soft flannel. 

I added pockets too because Cordelia is offended whenever I make something without pockets (she doesn't know how good she has it!) but I think the pattern includes an update for adding pockets so this isn't really a modification anymore. 

This cute micro house we took pictures at was made by Forty Third Place and installed in one of our local parks. Cordelia is now itching to have her own micro house in our backyard because it's so fun to play in- there is a little bench in there too. I can't get over how pretty it is- I love the hexagon pattern on the roof- something they are known for. 

Thanks for stopping by and taking a look! 

Vintage Grace Flutter Dress- Pattern Review

Pattern testing has given me the opportunity to get to know the style of some really great PDF pattern designers. One designer I can recommend without even knowing what pattern you are talking about it Melissa from Bella Sunshine Designs. Every pattern I have worked on from her has just been totally top notch- and I am a big fan of how thorough her testing process is.  

The Vintage Grace Flutter Dress is Melissa's latest pattern (and one I had the pleasure to test). This pattern is sized six months to girls size 12, and features a great flutter sleeve with optional lace trim. The bodice has a great wide, flat, simple, front which makes for a great place to feature some super special fabric, or you could decorate it with a heat transfer design or applique. I love that the bodice is also lined so all of the seems are inside and not left where they can be itchy- which would especially be a plus if you appliqued the front!   

This is my first version of the new Vintage Grace Flutter Dress- It is also from one of the early stages of the pattern, so keep in mind that two inches were added to the length of the dress on the final version. I made this dress using my favorite black and white stripe cotton, and super awesome blue octopus fabric from Cotton and Steel.  I have been really obsessed with all things black and white- a trend that Cordelia hates, but the blue in the Cotton and Steel fabric made my fabric choices  five year old approved. Instead of opting for lace on the flutter sleeve I used black bias tape on the edge to repeat the black and white theme. 

The dress went together quickly- probably about an hour and a half not counting the cut out time (I take FOREVER to cut things out). The instructions are very straightforward and great for any confidant beginner. I like that Melissa includes cutting instructions for the skirt so you don't have to print and tape the entire pattern - you can just print the bodice and sleeve and then measure and cut your pattern. She also includes helpful tips on blending sizes and adjusting for length- and her size lines are marked with the size on them which makes it easier if you have to print multiple sizes at once.   

The last dress feature I want to mention is the adorable button back. I love a good button back, and I have such a large stash of buttons! I love buttons because it is such a nice extra touch in a little girl's dress- and Melissa's instructions on the buttons and the skirt placket get an A+.  So now that I am done gushing (for now) I want to mention that the Vintage Grace Flutter dress is on sale until Thursday!  

Wedgwood Skirt by Straight Stitch Designs, Pattern Review

Most people who know me probably feel I have a "look" I love bold prints and colors and I have an almost gravitational pull to skirts and dresses. I just love the ability to put on a skirt or dress and just feel really pretty and pulled together. My first sewing project for myself was a skirt, and they are still one of my favorite things to sew. These days most of my sewing time has been take up with sewing things for Cordelia- and I really enjoy sewing for her, but I was really excited to sit and sew something for me! 

The Wedgwood Skirt pattern by Straight Stitch Designs covers sizes 0-24 which covers waist sizes 24" to 44.5", and comes in two lengths- knee length and a midi length. I opted for the knee length - at 5' 5" I think the midi might just be too long for me.  I was between sizes 18 and 20 and after test fitting my waist band I was still nervous the 18 would be a hair too small so I sewed up a straight size 20. In this fabric I would have been totally ok with the 18 and I ended up having to move my button in further in the waist to bring it in a bit. However I would much rather do that then have a skirt that was too small!  I think in a thicker fabric I would stick to the size 20 because the waist band would have a little more bulk and a little less give to it. I think this is a good instance to be mindful of your fabric choices and always test fit your waist band just to make sure it's perfect. 

This skirt features good classic, flattering pleats with some really fun details- including these darling button tab pockets! I decided to make my pocket tabs contrast the skirt but I really love the tester versions that used the same fabric which makes the detail more subtle. You can also always leave off the flaps if you want! 

Another fun detail is the exposed zipper and a button tab. I have never sewn an exposed zipper before (I'm actually surprised I haven't!) and I found the instructions really easy to follow. In fact all of the skirt instructions are really easy to follow! If the exposed zipper thing isn't your "thing" then no fear because Straight Stitch Designs will have a post this week detailing how to add an invisible side zipper instead. I've seen pictures of her test skirt with the invisible zipper and it is really lovely.

All in all I really love this skirt and I will totally be making it again. My only complaint is that because of the pleats the pattern piece is rather large in the plus sizes and needs to utilize 60" fabric or be cut cross grain. Not a big deal- but something to keep in mind  I cut this skirt cross grain and it worked out great- but so many fabrics in my stash are 45" with very directional prints. My biggest piece of advice for this skirt is to make sure you test fit the waist band  to get the perfect fit. The waistband is rather straight so if you are a little more lumpy in the middle it might need a tiny bit of shaping to get the perfect fit- which I might do on my next one. That is the best part of sewing- you don't have to be shaped like everyone else to get the perfect fit!

The Mackinaw Coat Pattern Review

One of my 2016 sewing goals is to challenge myself more- to take on more sewing projects using skills that push me. When Ajaire, from Designs by Call Ajaire, put out the tester call for the Mackinaw Coat I jumped at the opportunity. I love testing for Ajaire because I learn soo much, and it really forces me to sew outside of my comfort zone. 

The Mackinaw Coat uses so many great techniques that I am not well practiced in- including bound buttonholes and a bagged lining (which I adore). And just look at this collar! Doesn't it look soo snuggley! The coat also includes welt pockets, that can be sewn with our without pocket flaps. 

This pattern covers sizes 12 months to 12 years, and with four different style options it is easily customized to suit any girl or boy. You can pick a pleated or flat front "skirt" and either a large, dramatic collar or a smaller collar. The dropped armscye allows for a great range of motion for play which has made this coat a go to in Cordelia's wardrobe. 

Mackinaw Coat Pattern Review

Pattern designer? Call  Ajaire

Where to buy? Etsy

Size range? 12 months to 12 years

What size did you make?  size 5 with no modifications 

What did you think of the instructions and the construction process? This is not a coat for a someone new to sewing, there are a lot of steps and advance techniques that could be very overwhelming. In fact I was overwhelmed at times and I am no way new to sewing! The illustrations were are a great help to me because I am a very visual person, but the instructions are also very detailed for people who do better with words. 

What fabric did you use? I used home decorator fabric- light weight upholstery/ drapery cotton, and costume fur that wasn't what I had in mind but Cordelia fell in love with it. The coat is lined in teal flannel for added warmth. I did choose to color block the coat, which isn't a suggestion included in the pattern, but I like how it breaks up the busy print.

Will you sew this again? Yes! 

Any adjustments for next time? Next time I would like to size up in the length and either use a heavier fabric or interface the coat with a fuse-able fleece to make it warmer- because it was later in the season when I started this coat I decided it make it lighter so that she could wear it into the spring, but I know this would be excellent as a really heavy duty coat. 

Any advice on this pattern? Don't rush it! Jackets take time and attention to detail. I often rush through projects or leave them to the last minute and you really can't do that with something this detailed. Make sure you take the time to transfer all of your pattern markings and cut all of your notches- I get lazy with this but they are incredibly important in this pattern. Also- be sure to check out the sew-along starting February 23rd on the Call Ajaire blog! 

Be sure to check out the other amazing tester versions- it's so inspiring to see so many beautiful versions of the same jacket! I don't have links to all of their posts yet, but I will add more as soon as I can!

Autumn Lane Creations, 

Domestic360, 

Inspinration,

Needles to Say,

sew SEW Quilty

Montlake Tee by Straight Stitch Designs

I just finished up participating as a tester for Kimberly of Straight Stitch Designs . I have mentioned before how much I love testing (especially testing deadlines because it really keeps me on track) and this test was no exception. Kimberly was really sweet to work with and the amount of attention she put into the details of this pattern was just fantastic. 

I tested the Montlake, which is a relaxed fit t-shirt with a deep scoop neck, four sleeve lengths, and a swing hem that I really adore. The pattern ranges size 0-24 which gives it a great size range- something I really appreciate as a plus size sewer! 

I sewed my shirts in a size 18 and I didn't have to make any adjustments in length or to accommodate bust which was nice. I did narrow the sleeve width for two other versions I made our of stiffer fabric (I'll include pictures of those at the end).  I also want to pat myself on the back for making all of my versions out of my own stash! Operation "sew my stash 2016" is going well so far! 

  

I love the look of the narrow neckband- just remember, the more stretch your fabric has, the lower your neckline will be. 

This polka dot fabric one I made entirely on my regular sewing machine- which proves that you do not need a serger to sew knits.  

It's kinda funny, but even though I have been sewing for years it never occurs to me that I should make t-shirts! My thinking has totally changed because these were soo easy! And they were exactly what I was looking to add to my wardrobe.  Kimberly has the pattern on sale until Sunday (1/31/16) for just $8.