Me Hearties!

I have a few pattern designers that I simply adore and never go wrong with.  Judy, from Patterns for Pirates, is one.  

This new Me Hearties pattern (and the matching mama Sweetheart Dress) are a home run!!!!  

This pattern comes in sizes 3 months up to a girls 14!  It has peplum and dress lengths, short, long, and 3/4 length sleeves, options for FOE or regular knit binding and options for the sweetheart bodice (as seen in both of mine) or a regular solid front and back.  

It also has instructions for a full lace overlay (look at some of the tester photos in the pattern listing.  They're beautiful!!!) 

I love that this pattern can be dressed up or down depending on accessories and fabric choices.  

Kessa getting two of these was actually a happy mistake.  I had cut the Jack panel (below) and Kessa really wanted the lace so I cut it for the top and....they did NOT look good together.  Well...They matched but they looked a bit...ahhh...hoochy, shall we say?!?!  hahahah!!!  Totally not appropriate for my nine year old!  

So, I found new fabric and simple ended up making two and I'm so glad I did!  I love both of them.  

And with just regular knits it's totally cute, comfy, and casual!  

(she was freezing and having a rather hard time modeling for me when we took these pictures.  I'm such a mean sewing blogger mom.  :p )

I did modify the circle skirt on this one by cutting two 1/2 circles instead of one solid circle since my Jack fabric is somewhat directional.  This way the large Jack heads aren't upside down.  

Oh, and for those of you without a serger, have no fear!  I made ALL of the zebra top on my regular sewing machine (well, except the hem.  I used my coverstitch for that but that's just because I'm lazy.  You can totally hem on your regular machine!)  

I dropped the ball on getting my blog post up so these patterns aren't still on sale BUT if you want the mama and girl versions you can always buy the bundle and save some money!

Also, there will be a site wide sale code released soon but you need to run over to the main site and sign up for the newsletter because that's where it will be released.  

Captain Comfy Jeans to the Rescue!!!!

Judy, from Patterns for Pirates, has done it again!  She's been teasing us with pre-test versions of these jeans that she'd made for her son for what seemed like months and I was DYING to try them because I knew my kids would love them!!!  

(I just adore how you can see tiny bits of Pirate Kitty in some of these photos!)

So, what's so special about the Cpt. Comfy Jeans you ask?  Well let me tell you!  In fact, let's just make a list shall we?  

• basic straight leg pants pattern
• sizes 3 months up through 14
• can be lined
• can be cut on the extended line and rolled so that your kiddos that grow up and not out can wear them longer!
• knit waistband option
• knit and jean waistband option
• faux fly (that means my little dude doesn't need help getting them on and off!)
• belt loop option
• patch or slant pockets

On this first pair I used upcycled jeans, lined them with flannel, cut on the extended hem line and rolled them, did the jean and knit waistbands, and patch pockets.   

(if you're keeping count, that means all I had to pay for was the flannel I lined them with...and technically I just pulled it from my stash so I didn't have to buy anything new for these!)

This was an earlier version.  The final version his unders don't stick out the top at all.  He LOVES these jeans though.  They're soft and warm, the knit waistband is super comfy (and how cute does it look peeking up above the jeans waistband?!?!)  

Moving onto the 2nd pair I made him... again, these are upcycled, lined with flannel, knit and jean waistbands, no belt loops, but this time I did a traditional hem (in fact I kept the existing hem from the jeans I was upcycling!) and slant pockets.  

Judy walks you through everything step by step.  You can make these as simple or as in depth as you want.  I top stitched and lined and did everything but belt loops on both of my pairs so they were a bit more time intensive but I'm really happy with the results...and with the price!  lol

All the other kids have already told me that they want flannel lined jeans too!  (I mean, really, who wouldn't?!!?!?!)  

Oh, and if you buy the pattern by Saturday it's on sale!  $2 off.  It's already sale priced on Craftsy, or you can use the code NEWPATTERN for the $2 off on Etsy (here.)  

Princess Mia Mora Cadenza

Better known as Cadence to her friends (and any of you mother's of My Little Pony lovers out there!)

You might remember a while back I posted a little bit about taking the girls to the My Little Pony Fair and Convention.  In addition to their "normal" clothes that I made them they each got a pony inspired outfit too...complete with ears, mane, horn and wings!  

(there are no words for this child...she is...special.  :p  And I love her!  lol)  I had some cutie marks that a friend had made for me and I used them on the arm and chest of Grace's.  I still have one more that she wants me to put on the rump too.  heheheeh.  

 (ignore the spot...she wore this all day and it has the stains to prove it.  lol)  I wanted something that was clearly the pony they loved but still comfy for everyday wear.  That meant it had to have wings.  My girls would NOT have been ok with a Princess Pony costume that didn't have wings (I mean...alicorns can fly, right?!?!)  But for me they had to fit in their car seats.  Pattern's for Pirates Wingman shirt to the rescue!

I modified the shape of the wings to make them more pony-like and then just kind of winged it for the main and ears.  I used part of a tutorial from Sugar Tart Crafts for the horn.  

I used the EYMM Calla Lily skirt and mashed it with the Wingman tee to form a dress.  It was a disaster to begin with and I had to cut it apart and add the turquoise band.  It looks a lot better now but I still like the Luna outfit I made Kessa better.

Overall I'm happy with how it turned out, Grace loves it, and my husband was looking at it today when Grace was sitting on his lap and commented on how "really cool" it was...and he doesn't hand out praise lightly!  I count that as a win!  lol