Back to School Blog Tour: Kinder Style

Welcome to Day 1 of the Lulu & Celeste and Sprouting JuJube back-to-school blog tour! I’m grateful to be part of the tour and have chosen some wonderful shops to highlight as part of our preschool and kindergarten wardrobe gear-up!

All designers mentioned in this post donated my choice of patterns for this feature, so a big round of thanks goes to them! Now, let’s check out some of this Kinder (and Pre-Kinder) fashion!

Phat Quarters: Willow

When I selected my patterns, I wanted to highlight both a knit pattern and woven. “Willow” from Gemia of Phat Quarters was my woven of choice. The pattern might not yet appear on her website, but she is working to get them up soon (previously of Petite Stitchery). This gorgeous boho-styled top was just calling for chambray, so I decided to use my daughter’s two favorite colors: green and blue.

I modified the front of the top to exclude the tie. It’s actually one of the most darling features of the top, but my daughter is sometimes picky about ties. So I slightly widened the neckline to ensure it’d fit over her head. In the end, I could have likely left it as-is because she has plenty of room. For the front of the top, I chose “Cool Foliage” chambray by Art Gallery Fabrics.

The most striking feature of the Willow is the curved back yoke. I chose soft hand-dyed Shibori fabric from Seamingly Smitten as a modern, stylish accent. This style perfectly compliments my daughter’s free, explorative personality.

Jalie: Drop Pocket Cardigan

One of the most-used garments in our fall/winter wardrobe are cardigans. It helps with that transition between fall and spring, especially in Michigan. I throw a tank or tee under, and the cardigan is the perfect top layer. When I saw the gorgeous low pockets with the Jalie, the Drop Pocket Cardigan was my pattern of choice; and bonus that Jalie patterns go from girls to women’s! That means mama gets a cardi for bus/school runs.

I used soft French Terry for this piece, floral from Pretty Posh Prints for the main outer, and solid burgundy from Raspberry Creek Fabrics for the pocket accent. The cardigan is made by using double front pieces and folding them back to form a pocket; I loved the construction idea and end appearance. This is one of our favorite cardigans to-date.

Phat Quarters: School Bus Fabric
Sew By Pattern Pieces: Sunshine Tunic

As part of the back-to-school tour, I was eager to use my amazing school bus knit fabric from Phat Quarters. My girls were gaga over it from the moment they saw it.

And although Sew By Pattern Pieces isn’t an official sponsor of the tour, I knew the Sunshine Tunic would be the perfect pattern to use to make this a staple in her Kinder closet. The pattern released only recently, and we have 3 of these tunics already in the closet. It has a beautiful hi-low, fantastic fit through the arms and bodice, and on-point neckline. And it also comes with color-blocking pieces to actually make the shirt look like a sunshine if desired. I might need to do that for my other daughter with the rest of the school bus fabric and mustard stripes!

  

I hope you enjoyed a peek into just a TINY bit of my back-to-school sewing. There is a great number of seamstresses taking part in the tour, so be sure to make your way through the list below throughout the week!

Happy new school year!!

TOUR SCHEDULE

Monday, September 25, 2017

Host: Sprouting JubeJube

Sewing by Ti * mahlicadesigns * Momma You Can Make It * Kutti Couture * MoonStar – Wondermirakel * Call Ajaire

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Host: Lulu & Celeste

Sew and Tell Project * From-a-Box * Ronda B. Handmade * MeMade * House of Estrela * My Heart Will Sew On * Tales From A Southern Mom

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Host: Sprouting JubeJube

mahlicadesigns * Gracious Threads * Adventures With Bubba and Bug * Elli & Nels * Bellevi * Little Heart Threads * Sewing By Ti * Lulu & Celeste

Thursday, September 28, 2017

Host: Lulu & Celeste

Paisley Roots * The Crafting Fiend * Sewstarly * It’s Liesel * Tales of a Tester * Kaleidothought * auschick sews

Friday, September 29, 2017

Host: Sprouting JubeJube

SewSophieLynn * Sew Haute Blog * mahlicadesigns * Sew and Tell Project * RP Custom Fabrics Blog * FABulous Home Sewn * Sewing By Ti * Phat Quarters

 

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Happy First Day of Fall with My New Season Staple: The Deer Creek Dress

We’ve heard of the staple “little black dress,” but do you have your “little red dress?”

Red is one of those colors I love having for last minute holiday gatherings. And tis (nearly) the season!

When I contemplated what I wanted for my little red dress, there was one pattern that blew my other options out of the water: The New Horizons’ Deer Creek Dress

Why is that?

Pockets

The Deer Creek Dress indeed has optional pockets, and the instructions offer such beautiful ways to keep them nice and flat so they don’t add any hip bulge.

Curved Hem

The dress, also offered in tunic length, has a beautiful curved hemline, adding a flattering silhouette.

Elasticized Waist

The elastic in the waist is one of my favorite attributes and allows us to highlight the small of our waist, with the skirt of our fabric cascading below it. This avoids the boxy look for all shapes and sizes.

I did size up on my elastic measurement based on my own waist measurement because I wanted the dress to be very comfortable and not too tight in that spot. I measured XS and drafted the full dress for XS but used size S elastic, and it worked wonderfully.

Fabric Choice

I chose a beautiful red cotton spandex from Sly Fox Fabrics so that my little red dress would be 1. very comfortable, 2. breathable, and 3. non-clingy. Other fabric types that would work well for this dress are brushed poly and French terry–especially the rayon blends that are soft with good stretch.

So, happy fall to us! Treat yourself with a nice latte and the Deer Creek Dress pattern to welcome in the gorgeous changing colors and holiday festivities that are soon to come!

 

 

Petite Stitchery Knit Point Dress Release

 

 

The clouds decided to greet our stars as we geared up for pictures of the new knit Adelyn Point Dress from Petite Stitchery & Co.

Although my camera settings weren’t adjusted for fog and the pics weren’t crystal clear, I had to keep these because of the beautiful greeting the fog gave us that morning.

 

 

 

 

The new Adelyn point dress is a quick and beautiful sew, with a neckband and basic top/dress construction. The bottom of the dress comes together in points at the front and back for a darling feature. This requires only a basic hem, so you won’t need to add an extra hem lining etc. (bonus for this mom!). This has quickly become my daughter’s favorite dress to grab for school.

I used soft brushed poly in blue stars from Sly Fox Fabrics; the scattered star placement aesthetically worked great with the free-flowy style of this dress. This dress would also be gorgeous in a rayon-blend French terry or cotton spandex.

 

 

 

And even with the points, this dress has major twirl!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Adelyn dress will be available tonight on the Petite Stitchery website along with another knit release, Belle, which can be mashed with the Adelyn.

Grab your patterns, and be sure to share your creations in the Petite Stitchery Facebook group!

 

 

 

10k Giveaway: Free Women’s Movie Night Pajamas by Sew a Little Seam

 

Did you hear the incredible news? The shop Sew A Little Seam just reached 10k members and is offering a free pajama pattern for women as a thank you (read below for details)! Now let me tell you, this is no ordinary group. For those of you who see me post all of my Constance creations, that’s from this pattern designer as well. 100% of those proceeds go to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation.

Then last year, she offered a free pajama pattern for kids–just in time for the holidays. So now… we have pjs for the entire family!

We are so ready for the holidays!

I just love the graciousness of this company! And to top it all off, the fit of these patterns are fantastic. So let me start with the new women’s pattern:

This is a fitted pajama pattern, and I used brushed (i.e. heavenly!) sweater knit from So Sew English Fabrics. I built up my stash last year in hopes that my girls and I could have matching cozy creations, and voilà!

The fit of the bodice, armscye, leg width/length etc. are all on par. I’m 5’7.5” and didn’t need to add extra length; everything fits as intended (i.e. great!).

 

 

 

The kids’ pattern also got a facelift and now includes a yoga waistband (wahoo!). Both patterns are FREE with a code in the Sew A Little Seam FB group. If you have any trouble downloading the patterns, you might just need to wait a little while and try again since the website traffic has been enormous.

Enjoy this new pattern and a way to bring our families together! xo Jennifer

M4M Cora Culotte Shorts + Hurricane Relief

 

 

The Made for Mermaid Cora Culottes are now available–and just $3 through Sept. 30th, 100% proceeds going toward Hurricane Relief.

When we started testing this pattern, the hurricanes hadn’t plagued our nation, so the focus was solely on the the cuteness of shorts that have the swing of a skirt. And now–ordering this pattern can help many in need.

So…those pattern details…

 

 

Let me just say that when I saw yoga waistband + swing shorts of various lengths, my response was: 🙌🤸🏽‍♀️🙋🏼. My daughter is growing, so we stick with tunics to wear over leggings and use bike shorts to wear under dresses. She loves adventure! Having flowy shorts with the look of a skirt was B.i.n.g.o. I mean, we can totally pair them with tights through fall and winter!

The pattern, instructions, and fit are all on-par. There is no scrunching when attaching the waistband to the shorts, which was a huge (+) or me; the measurements of the shorts top and the waistband are accurate, so you can get a nice smooth waistband connection. I used brushed poly from Pretty Posh Prints and made a coordinating top because we lack solids in her wardrobe.

We paired her outfit with a couple of accessories: darling sandals from The Humble Soles and a boho necklace from Ali Jane & Co. It’s the little things that make my little girl feel like a princess!

A princess who loves to have fun!

So go grab your Cora Culottes, and report back with hashtag #m4mcoraculottes. I want to see all of your creations!

Fall Wardrobe Prep: The Seamingly Smitten Cowl Tunic

  

As I gear up for my fall wardrobe capsule (well, let’s be honest…early fall has already snuck up on me here in Michigan!), I’ve been contemplating what I wear the most in the colder months. Looking at my closet from last year, my longer tunics, hoodies, and dresses got the most wear…paired with leggings or sweater tights. When I saw the unique cowl on the Seamingly Smitten Cowl Tunic (also a top), I had to give it a try.

You can probably guess that the result was sweet adoration. I lined my cowl with an olive green, added olive drawstrings for another unexpected pop of color, paired with striped mustard cotton spandex from Raspberry Creek Fabric and solid mustard pocket and leggings.

I added accent binding to my pocket, and I also used eyelets for my cowl. I’ll share the steps here in case you want a similar look.

Creating Pocket Binding Pieces

I used 1.75” width and cut my length just longer than the side slant on the pocket. It’s easy to trim the excess after sewing. Shown below is one side sewn and the other side prepped. You’ll lay the binding face-down (right sides together) on your pocket piece, matching raw edges.

You’ll then sew on the binding; I sew 3/8” from the raw edge. I use a triple stitch (3 dashed lines) to allow for stretch on the stretch knits. If you have another stretch stitch (looks like a lightening bolt), you can use that. A zigzag stitch also works on knits.

You’ll then want to tuck the fabric over to the wrong side of the pocket, covering the seam allowance.

Then, stitch the binding in place. I stitched about 1/8” from where the binding is attached to the pocket. This catches the backside of the binding as well.

  

And voilà! You now have binding on your pocket and will continue the instructions as written with the pattern.

Adding Eyelets to Your Cowl

  

The other modification I made was using eyelets instead of buttonholes on my cowl. I love the finished look of eyelets, and they’re incredibly easy. I won’t include step-by-step instructions here, but this is the tool I use and really like:

I picked mine up at Jo-Ann’s, and the easy-to-use instructions are on the back of the package.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have some serious love for my my new fall capsule addition! You can grab your own cowl pattern HERE, and you can receive 40% off now through Tuesday 9/5 with code SAVE40. Be sure to use hashtag #sscowlhoodie when you share your creations; I’d love to see them!

 

Fall is for Fluted Sleeves: A Hi-Low Fashion Top

Fall is for a lot of things…cozying up with family, picking 🎃s, drinking lattes…and I’d have to argue that this fall is also for fluted sleeves and all things hi-low 😍

 

The Seamingly Smitten Women’s Off-The-Shoulder Top with hi-low hem is that garment I want to pull out of my closet every day of fall. It has sweet sophistication, and I’ll share with you one more way to add charm to this top: adding a curved front as well as the curved back (already included in the pattern). This accentuates the hi-low seam and can help seamstresses achieve a modern look while still getting that covered-bum hi-low detail.

 

 

 

My Stats

To start off, it’s important to know my measurements so that you can make changes that are proper for your height. I’m 5’7.5” and measure at the XS. To cover my bum, I use the “tallest” cutting line at the back and both “tallest” and “regular” length for the front. For a longer tunic length in future versions, I might extend 3” at the back and use the tallest cutting line for the front so I can wear with leggings.

Adjusting the Front Piece Pattern

The adjustment to the front pattern piece is super simple. We will use the same curve as the back piece but flip it upside down. Start at the “tall” line and curve up to the “regular” line as shown here:

Don’t you love that tape? My girls are my helpers 🤣👏 The end result, when sewn, will look like this:

The front bodice is no longer straight across; it’s slightly curved.

  

Other Adjustments

The pattern is well-drafted and straightforward. The only other change I made was that I used 1/4” elastic in my neck/shoulder casing. This is the standard size I use for my off-the-shoulder tops, so I knew it’d work for me. You can try various sizes to see which is your favorite.

And just like that…we’re ready for all of those back-to-school errands and activities! Add a high-waisted black skirt, and I’m ready for date night!

Be sure to use the hashtag #ssflutedsleeve when you sew your new tops/tunics; I’d love to see what you create! And if you don’t yet have the pattern, it’s 40% off for 48 hours with code SALE40. You can grab your copy here.

 

Summer Dawn: Striped Swallow Designs’ Wrap Dress

There’s something simply feminine about wrap dresses. Maybe I think of kimonos or silky nighttime gowns–but I adore them. Oddly, though, I haven’t worn many wrap dresses for fear that they would come untied or be pulled by one of my toddlers. Thankfully, an unwrap-proof (until the right time…wink wink) dress has arrived in my closet: the Summer Dawn.

The new Summer Dawn by Striped Swallow Designs includes breathtaking features like modern flowy sleeves and a beautiful crossover bodice cut. It also includes my favorite–an optional lace skirt for a formal touch.

And the best part is, it’s a pretty simple sew!

 

For my Summer Dawn version, I chose my current favorite colorway of Moonstruck single brushed poly from Sly Fox Fabrics. There’s a vintage minty color within the floral that captivates me, and the single brushed poly is brushed on the outside and silky on the inside. It’s so sweetly elegant.

I paired it with this Abstract Lace for the Blog Post version of the dress that Mandalynn offered for the pattern. The added lace is one of my favorite features.

The Fit

I sewed the size XS, which is where I measured. I did not have to modify the pattern; the fit was right on across the chest, bust, within the armscye, across the hip.

Tips/Tricks

The instructions were very straightforward for this pattern; so really, the only tip I have is to definitely use interfacing when adding your buttonhole. Just cut a small square, and it makes all the difference. To test this, I tried making a buttonhole on a scrap of brushed poly, and it didn’t take. Then I tried creating a buttonhole on plain interfacing, and it was beautiful. I knew, then, that I must use my interfacing.

Options

The Summer Dawn comes in the Blog Post version shown (dress length with added lace skirt), and it also comes in regular dress length and maxi length. There are also options for short sleeves (shown) or slightly longer (around elbow length).

Enjoy all of the Summer Dawn options, and be sure to share your creations in the Striped Swallow Designs FB group!

 

Take Me to Venice – The Dress for My Wandering Soul

 

We may live in a bustling city. Or surrounded by hay, or Saguaro cactus; we may even have Temple elephants that meander our streets with clamoring roars of the drum.

Regardless of where we live, we can sew ourselves into the space in which we desire.

Today, I’m in Venice. If only in threads.

 

 

 

The Venice Dress by New Horizons Designs is designed for soft, flowy woven fabrics. I used a woven floral rayon from my Pretty Posh Prints stash–something that spoke to my mood as I was sewing.

I chose to make the mini length (out of my norm!) because it feels so “right” this summer and can easily be worn as a tunic with leggings or skinny jeans. I made the short sleeve (which is really an elbow length) with crossover on the sleeves and the band at the back. Adding these features were very simple, and I think it adds quite a bit of charm.

Tips

The process to sew the dress was very straightforward, and I’d recommend topstitching the neck facing down (optional within the pattern) or cutting it shorter. The longer facing wants to occasionally wiggle up if not topstitched; you can see this in the pic below. With a quick topstitch, it’ll stay lovely and keep me in Venice just a while longer.

And right now, Venice is exactly where I want to be.