Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Bundle Up BOY!!!!




Have you heard about the Bundle Up sales yet?  They're so fun because you can pick and choose the patterns you want and then bundle them up for great savings!  They're always all new patterns too!  


I was super excited when I got the e-mail from Robin asking if I'd be interested in sewing up some of the patterns for the boy themed Bundle Up! I got to sew up patterns by two of my favorite designers and now Zeke is well on his way to being ready for fall and winter!


First up is the Lumberjack shirt from Patterns for Pirates.  (I discovered as I was writing this post that I'm not very good at taking detail shots of the clothing, so I'm sorry about that!  I'll be trying to do better about that in the future.)  This is a classic flannel shirt with a ton of options!  It can be made as a single layer, it can have a hood (lined or single layer), or a collar, one pocket, two pockets or no pockets!  Now, if you know me, you know I love to upcycle so it should be no surprise that I hit up Goodwill to find fabric for my shirts!  


Now, everyone knows flannel shirts are great for the farm crew, but did you know they're also really trendy for the "skater" and "punk" crowds?  Zeke's jacket is a heavy weight cotton outer (it was an Old College Inn brand button up that I paid $3 for) that's fully lined with skully flannel I bought last year from Joann's.  The outer hood is knit and the inner hood is the skully flannel again.  This thing has some great weight will get him through all of fall quite easily!  It's nice and loose so he'll have no problems wearing it over other shirts too.  Because I upcycled it I used the existing buttons/button holes and this was really a fairly quick sew even being fully lined!  

   For Kessa's I modified the pattern a bit.  I cut the size 5 width and then flaired it out a bit to give it an A-line effect.  I also measured the length so it would hit her around her thighs and look good with leggings and boots.  I didn't line her shirt (except for the hood) and after seeing pictures I wish I has sized down even a little bit more.  I think with a few tweaks this will be a totally great tunic for her though!  


Hers is also upcycled and it's a super soft, broken in flannel.  Her hood is black cotton/lycra lined with a skully cotton lycra print.


 I'd never made a shirt with actual button cuffs and a placket and such before but these were honestly a breeze!  Judy's instructions were clear and easy.  I didn't have to use the seam ripper even once!


Not a great picture, but I wanted to show one with the hood up.  Also...can't you just see how cute this would be with super high top (like boot high) All Stars?  I couldn't find any in time for our photo shoot though.  Boo!  lol  

Ok, now let's switch gears and talk about Terra's Treasures p51 Flight Jacket!  


First, let me just say that I LOVE a good bomber jacket.  Leather + sherpa make my heart swoon.  This is one of the first coats Zeke ever had when he was little (how totally adorable and tiny was he?!?!)  So when Terra showed me the sketches for her p51 I was in LOVE!!!


I went the classic (faux) leather + sherpa route for Zeke's jacket but a lot of other testers and bloggers used other things like corduroy, windpro, and even sweatshirt fleece.  I have some hot pink pleather I want to use for a girly one at some point too.  


This is probably one of the more in depth patterns I've ever made.  I got a little scared looking through the pattern and wondering what I'd gotten myself into, but once I started, it went together beautifully.  Terra holds your hand and walks you through each step.  I think this would be a lot easier or more difficult depending on the fabrics you used.  Obviously if you use a heavy leather and a thick sherpa it's going to be a lot harder than if you use sweatshirt fleece and flannel.  My sherpa was probably about a medium loft and the faux leather is a nice weight but not too thick.  I think it worked out as a great combo for this coat.  (I bought both fabrics from fabric.com)


The welt pockets are super easy to make and the asymmetric zipper really makes this jacket stand out from the crowd! Oh, and if you live in the middle of nowhere, like I do, and can't find the right sized zipper, Terra even tells you how to shorten your zipper so it will fit!


The vintage tank at our local park paired with this jacket made me want to give all the photos an old-time filter.  So...there ya go.  Lots of (over) editing on these pictures of my sweet boy.  It was 100+ degrees out when we took these pictures and he rocked them!  lol ;)


My husband says we need to start collecting patches to spruce this bad boy up even more. I think it looks great this way and would also be a great base for more embellishing!


The front and back bodice are fully lined with sherpa and the sleeves are lined with a thinner fabric (I used flannel).  


I'm SUPER proud of this jacket.  The end product was worth the 2 to 3 days (on and off because we're super busy and have 4 kids! :p ) of work that it took.
If you  haven't bundled up yet you're running out of time!!!!  Be sure to head over and pick out some great patterns!  Remember if you buy 6 they're only $4.50 each and they get cheaper from there!  (You have to buy at least 6 to get the bundle pricing)  

And if you want to see more views of even more of the patterns from the Bundle Up be sure to check out the rest of the blog tour.  These ladies are CRAZY talented!!!  





Sunday, August 17, 2014

Turning 8...


Kessa turned 8 a few weeks ago.  She's grown and changed so much in the past year.  While she can still give me a run for my money some days I can see her trying.  I can see her striving, and often winning, the battle to control her emotions.


She's my girly girl for sure.  She picked out the shirt and style for her dress (she was very specific about the double sleeves with "bumpy" edges and THREE twirl skirts...ALL with ruffles.  Yes ma'am!)  One of her birthday presents this year was a sheet of Jamberry junior nails.   She LOVES them.  In fact, she's had them on for probably 2 weeks at this point and a few days ago one came off.  I was putting another one on for her and said, "Next time you loose one we should probably just go ahead and take them all off."  Her immediate response?  "And put new ones on, right?!?!?"  lol.  


She loves to read (she's been devouring every "Fairy" book she can get her hands on...and there are a TON of them.) She also likes to color and draw, "design" clothes (she goes through my scrap boxes and makes up outfits and accessories for her dolls, her siblings and herself.  Just tonight she styled up Grace with scraps, asked for my phone to take pictures, and then was telling me how some of them turned out really well but how the lighting in some of them was just awful and how Grace hadn't wanted to smile for some of them but that she HAD managed to get a few great shots.  hehehe!!!  Love it!)  She plays with her Loopsies a lot and the My Little Ponies and she's always making up games for all the kids to play together.  Her imagination is fantastic!


I can wait to see what the upcoming year brings for her and how God will work in her life and use her.  As always we continue to pray that He will soften her heart and save her and that we will always be able to know her heart.  That we would be more concerned with her motives than her behavior.

Party Time!


My girls were born 3 years and 3 days apart.  August starts and we have a birthday on the 3rd, another one on the 6th and then Tim and my anniversary on the 9th. It's busy.  Because it's busy (and because they haven't complained about it yet!  lol) we always have one party for the girls.  We don't usually do a big party with lots of friends or anything, just a small, low key thing with family and maybe one or two friends.


This year Kessa wanted a castle cake and Grace...well Grace didn't really care but she loves My Little Pony so I decided to make them a MLP Castle cake.  


I'm no professional by any means, but it turned out cute and they liked it!


I always make them new dresses with their age on the back for their birthday and Grace wanted a Princess Cadence one this year.  I don't have ANY good pictures of her dress yet, but hopefully I'll get some this week.  





Coloring with her Aunt Michelle and wearing a birthday crown from her Aunt Amanda.


 Kessa was a *little* excited about her presents!  lol


These two have birthdays only 3 days apart too!  They've been friends since they could walk.  I love watching their friendship grow and their personalities develop!



Any this picture of  Zeke...it's the perfect photobomb!

Friday, August 15, 2014

Sale Alert!!!

Ok, so I don't usually post about sales and whatnot unless it's a new pattern I just tested and it just happens to be on sale.  Today though, I'm going to change that.  You see, Terra (Terra's Treasures) is having a Back to School Sale and it ends today.  So, why am I sharing about this one?  Because I flat out LOVE Terra's patterns.  A LOT.  As in, this is going to be a VERY photo heavy post and it's not even close to all that I've made with her patterns!  This post isn't sponsored or endorsed by Terra and I'm not an affiliate or anything.  I just big pink puffy heart love her and her patterns.    So, if you see something you can't live without you can use the code BACKTOSCHOOL for 30% (end today, 8/15).


 Moving on!  These are the Kenzington trousers.  In this pattern Terra taught me how to make and use piping and it's super easy and I love it!!  Seriously, how cute are those back pockets?!?!  Kessa is wearing less dresses and more pants lately so I see more of these in our future this fall.  (And that front yoke?  So cute!)  It's really the details that make Terra's patterns stand out from the crowd IMO.


The Mayfair has so many options and the finished product is amazing.  I LOVE the lace overlay and using a sheer for the sleeves?  *swoon*  (Obviously you don't HAVE to use a sheer for the sleeves)


And those spats?!?!  Seriously!!!  Above and beyond in the cuteness factor!


Terra isn't just about girl patterns though.  She has some AMAZING boy and unisex ones too!  These are probably my son's favorite pair of jeans ever.  I upcycled them from some of my husband's old ones.  These pants were my first time doing welt pockets and Terra makes it so easy!!!  




More Metropolitan pants and a Streamline tee too.  These were upcycled from a pair of men's dress pants and they're perfect for church and dressy occasions but still fun with the Star Wars flannel on the pockets.

The Streamline tee is my go-to raglan pattern.  The fit isn't big and boxy  like some patterns, the length isn't too short and it's a breeze to whip up.


The Monkey leggings are so cute for littles!  You can make faces on the bum, just use a different fabric, or throw in a t-shirt panel for fun.  I think these are an ADORABLE surprise worn under little dresses or skirts.  Grace wears hers to bed a lot too because they're so comfy.  

 (Streamline tee and Suburban Basics tee)

If I want a shirt with set in sleeves instead of raglan I always grab the Suburban Basics tee.  It has short sleeves and long faux layered sleeves (LOVE that look!!) and like all Terra's patterns it's got great instructions and a great fit!  Another fast sew too which is always a plus!

 Streamline Tee and Metropolitan Pants


(Suburban Basics tee)


And there are still more patterns that I've made but haven't talked about and even more than I haven't made yet!!!  Be sure to go check them all out!!!  The above is a collage of just SOME of the photos on my phone of clothes I've made with Terra's patterns.  Sooo...are you sold yet?  If not come back in a few days and you'll be able to see her newest pattern that will be released with the Boy Bundle Up...it's EPIC!!!!!  

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Fall Style


What's that?  It's August and I have MORE fall sewing done?  No way!

I got lucky and got to test my first two patterns by Made for Mermaids last week and they're a hit!  I really love how they're both just solid staples for fall/winter.  


The Rose Ruffle shirt was released last week and is fantastic for layering or as a stand alone.  It comes in sizes 1/2 up to 14 and can be made with mid or full length sleeves.  It has a slimmer fit through the torso that makes it especially ideal for layering.  (The neck band has been lengthened to take care of the puckering that you see in my teal and gray striped top)


It also pairs PERFECTLY with the Hailey Ruffle pants that will be released this coming Tuesday!  Now let me tell you about these pants...these pants are SOOO cute.  AND they have a yoga waistband so your daughter will think they're super comfy.  AND they have a waist ruffle that almost looks like a ruffled undershirt.  AND they can be made in knit or woven for all pieces except the yoga waistband!

On this pair I used a woven for the pants and bottom ruffles and a cotton lycra knit for the waistband and waist ruffle.  


Saying "hi!" to Si.  They have nice full booty coverage too.  No plumbers crack here!  ;)




For this 2nd set I made I upcycled a shirt and used stretch lace for the sleeves on the top.


The pants and bottom ruffles are knit, as well as the waistband, and the waist ruffle is an awesome Wonder Woman woven fabric.  I love patterns that let me mix the fun woven fabrics I find in with my beloved (and comfy!) knits!   


Also, stretch lace is becoming a bit of an obsession for me.  I love it.  I'm going to be sad when it's too cold to use it and I feel I might start layering it over things at that point.  It's just so fun!  lol


See?!?!  HOW CUTE IS THAT LITTLE RUFFLE?!?!?!  Ahhhh!!!!!!!!!  Ok, so...now that you're wishing away Monday so that you can buy this awesome pattern...I'm going to bed.  Night night!