Snug as a Bug!

It's December and like any self-respecting sewing mama that means that I have about 957,342,527 projects looming over my head that I feel the need to finish before Christmas.  If you're like me, that list includes new Christmas pjs!  My kids KNOW that they get new PJs every Christmas Eve.  So, how do we keep our traditions and not loose our minds?  Find quick and easy patterns that fit the bill!  

EYMM's  Riley's Nightgown and Sleep shirt is perfect!  It's designed for knit and comes in a shorter nightshirt length or a longer nightgown length (bet you couldn't have guessed that from the name could you?!?!)  It has both long and short sleeve options and it includes sizes newborn - 18 in one pattern!  (and if you want to match your kiddos be sure and check out the mama version too!)

Now, I've made this several times in knit and I love it.  My girls love it.  It's just so comfy!  This time I wanted to try something a little different though.  It gets cold in our house at night.  We turn the heat down to 61 degrees usually and then the upstairs gets even colder than that.

So, I decided to try out this pattern in flannel.  Super soft.  Super cozy.  Super WARM.  I decided to size up a little bit since I was using something without stretch.  My girls are 5 and 8 and wear a solid size 5 and probably close to a 7 (my 8 year old is pretty small.)  So I decided to just go for it and I cut the size 7 nightgown length out for both of them with slightly shorter sleeves.  The fit is great on both of them.  No problems even though I used flannel!  

You can see that it's obviously a little shorter on my 8 year old than on the 5 year old but it's still a great length for both of them!  

One thing to keep in mind if you decide to use flannel is that you still need something with really good stretch and recovery for the neck binding.  I used a nice weight cotton lycra blend.

One last thing that sets this pattern apart is the binding on the bottom hem.  It's not just turned under and hemmed, it actually has a facing that you sew on and fold under.  I used fleece on the bottom of this two just for added snuggle.  The binding helps the nightgown keep it's shape and it's also really great to add a little weight to keep everything where is should be when you used a lighter weight knit.

So are you sold yet?  If so be sure and use the code SNUGASABUG to save 30% off your EYMM nightgown purchase until 11:59pm PST on Dec. 11. You can use it on Riley’s Nightgown & Sleep Shirt (girl’s sizes newborn to 18tween), Callie’s Nightgown & Nightshirt (women’s sizes xs-5x), or the bundle of both size ranges.

Also be sure and check out all the other ladies on the All Tucked in for the Holidays tour!!!

12/3 — Call Ajaire

12/4 — Gracious Threads

12/5 — This & That & Craft

12/6 — BabyFish Designs

12/7 — Sew Starly

12/8 — Rebekah Sews  AND  Sprouting JubeJube

12/9 — Two Novembers  AND  Just Another Sewing Mama

12/10 — Lulu & Celeste  AND  Snickerdoodle Stew

(this post contains Affiliate links)

Greenstyle Focus on Fall Blog Tour

To me, fall style is all about comfort and being cozy, because of that Greenstyle Creations Focus on Fall Blog Tour got me super excited.  I was thrilled when I heard I got to be a part of it and even MORE thrilled when I learned that Riley Blake would be providing fabric for us to work with!  

I love Greenstyle's patterns because they're so wearable.  They usually very much basic wardrobe staples that can be altered and changed and used again and again.  We got to pick three children's patterns (but they have fantastic adult patterns as well!) to work with.  

First up is the Easy Options tee.  It comes in sizes 3T - 12 years and has 3 different sleeve options and 3 different hem options.  I upcycled a Lego Star Wars shirt.  Originally I had planned to use this to make a shirt for Zeke (who is wearing it in these pictures) but once I started cutting it out I realized that the long sleeves had a slight bell shape to them so I cut it in Kessa's size instead.  Now, as you can see in the pictures, it's a very slight bell and it would be easy to take out and make straight if you wanted a more boyish look.  This is the only time he'll be wearing it...honestly having him model it just make pictures faster which is what we were going for because the kids wanted to get back to their Monopoly game.  lol

I did notice that the Easy Options Tee had a larger neck/neck hole than most of my t-shirt patterns.  I think this probably stuck out to me because I recently saw someone asking for shirts with larger head holes because their child had a large noggin.  ;)  

Next up, Miss Kessa is sporting a Regan Tee and Dress in a thin lavender/navy blue striped knit.  This dress was SOO fast to make and she loves it.  It can be done in shirt or dress length and has several sleeve options as well.  It goes from size 5-14 and is a great staple for your older girls!  In fact, we took these pictures, then the yoga pants, and then she changed back into this dress.  

Again, this style also has slight bell sleeves and a sweet little curved hem on the bottom of the skirt.  I have plans for several more of these.  They'd also be a great base for some shabby fabric flowers or a fun belt!  

And finally, the Yoga Pants.  These are fantastic!  The fit is great, the length was perfect (I made my midget 8 year old the Mediums) and they just look so darn comfy!!!  I have a feeling both my girls will be wearing these a lot this fall and winter as we hunker down inside with our school work.  (And clearly they work well for their intended purpose right?!?!  lol!!!) 

I used a Star Wars font from www.fontspace.com and cut a freezer paper stencil out on my Silhouette to decorate the leg.  Everyone needs just the right outfit for playing Star Wars Monopoly right?  

(I didn't pose them...that's all natural right there!  lol!!!)

And now, for sticking with me all the way to the end I have goodies!!!  A chance to win some great prizes from Greenstyle and Whimsical Fabrics and...a coupon code!  Woot woot!  You can use the code "25discount" for 25% off your purchase from Greenstyle Creations during the tour.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

and be sure and check out all the other stops on the tour if you haven't already! Greenstyle Creations Focus on Fall Blog Tour Schedule

October 13- Kick off Post by Blogs Like A Mother
October 14- Friends Stitched Together
October 15- Handmade Boy
October 16- Becca Duval Photography
October 17- The Lady and The Gents
October 18- Snickerdoodle Stew
October 19- The Sewing Sparrow
October 20- Once Upon A Sewing Machine
October 21- Babyfish Designs
October 22- FABulous Home-Sewn
October 23- Gracious Threads
October 24- Wrap Up Post by Blogs Like A Mother

It's a Bird, It's a Plane,

no, it's my Crazy Crew in their Superhero sets from EYMM!!!

 Now, if you've been following the blog tour you might remember reading about Clara and her...ahemm...lack of interest in modeling.  Reading that made me chuckle and also gave me a little push to give you a behind the scenes look at the making of EIGHT full (or nearly full) Super Hero sets just days before my blog post was due.  Ya ready?  (also, prepare for picture overload!)

 

First off, let me tell you about my crafty OCD.  I'm pretty sure that's a real thing.  I get these ideas in my head and decide it's going to be totally awesome and from that point on it doesn't really matter what everyone else wants because, let's be honest, the pictures are going to freaking rock!

So, my crafty OCD set in and I decided that the kids all having coordinating satin capes with one side being "their" color and one side being black was going to be A.MAZE.ING.  AMAZING.  (With four kids we do a lot of color coding and it goes like this Kessa's color is purple, Zeke's is orange, Grace's is pink and Zane's is green.)

Next, you need to understand that going to the fabric store consists of an hour drive one way for me, and it's in the same town as Sam's Club so if I'm making the drive I have to stop there too.  So, last Thursday we went on a field trip with Grace and Zane's pre school to a pumpkin patch (goodbye morning!) and then I decide it would be a good idea to make that hour drive and hit up Joann's and Sam's.  We get to Joann's...we find the satin...purple - check.  pink - check.  green - check.  orange - no.  No orange.  BAH!  So now my Crafty OCD is freaking out and I don't have a back up plan.  Kessa is saying she wants a Frozen cape (that's NOT happening today..) and everyone else is asking for something crazy and it's naptime and I'm tired and I HAVE to get fabric for these because they have to be done ASAP.

And then it dawned on me.  These pictures are going to be fine no matter what we make the capes out of.  The kids are going to wear them and love them, and honestly...they're FOR them...not me.  Soo...I made a deal with the Crafty OCD that was going crazy and said, "Here's what we're going to do.  We'll use quilter's cotton in their colors for the back and they can all pick their own lining."  And we did.  And (as you can see) it works.  lol  

The kids all picked flannel for the lining fabric of their capes and last night Zeke had his on and was watching TV when he realized if he turned it around and wore it backwards it doubled as a cozy blanket!  lol!  That made him love it even more.

Ok, so let's talk about this pattern, because, honestly, there are TONS of free patterns out there right?  Why buy this one?  Well the instructions are great and having the pattern for everything together, all in one place, makes it WAY easier IMO.  The pattern includes sizing for 15-18" dolls all the way through size 10.  There are three different mask shapes to choose from and tons of applique patterns and letters and the cuffs are super cute too.  Oh, and the belts!  No worries if you don't have a kid around to try it on because measurements are included.

So, here's what I think about buying it, sure, you could probably figure out something and make your own, but with the code HEROSET you can get the whole kit and kaboodle for $2.97 instead of $4.95.  That's a $3 well spent in my book.  I always try to weigh costs vs. my time spent and in this case $3 makes my life so much easier than spending hours finding the right sizes or making my own or trying to guess which would be best or what length to make something and on and on.

 (Kessa always makes getting good shots so easy.  She's turned into quite the natural in front of the camera.)

The girls both love having matching outfits with their dolls so that being included rocks too!  

Obviously Pirate Kitty couldn't be left out of the fun either so I printed the doll size mask at 60% and it fit him pretty well.  I just free handed the cape for him by looking at the others and then drawing it smaller.  

(Laser Cat??!?!)

And some more "behind the scenes" shots just for laughs.  

The kids have been wearing these close to non-stop since I finished them up.  I think it's safe to say that they approve!

So, be sure and use the code HEROSET for 40% off through 11:59pm PDT on 10/21/2014 and if you need some more inspiration check out these other blogs on the tour!

Bigg Stitches, Little Stitches

Friends Stitched Together

Just Another Sewing Mama

Lulu & Celeste

This & That & Craft

Just Joshin'

Mommy and Me! Bebelambs Style

I had been eyeing the Berkley pattern for a while but hadn't pulled the trigger and gotten it yet so when I heard that Lynn from Bebelambs was having a Mommy and Me style blog tour I jumped all over it.  For a while I was planning on making myself and the girls' maxi dresses.  I even bought enough fabric to do them all in maxi length but then at the last minute I decided I'd rather have a tunic to wear with leggings.  I'm thinking there might still be another one coming in maxi length though!  lol

Both the Berkley (the ladies pattern) and the Labri (the girls' pattern) are supposed to be reverse knot dresses.  The Berkley included directions for making the straps stationary.  The reverse knot is super cute (and much easier to make and get the fit right with!  lol) but none of us like big bows or knots that dig into our backs in the car.  The girls even make me untie sashes before they get buckled in.  Soo...with that in mind I used the instructions for the stationary straps on all of our dresses.  

I color blocked the bottom of Kessa's and Grace's has a wide exposed ruffle on the bottom of hers.   

My girls' think it is SOOO fun when they can match...and if mom matches too?!?!  It doesn't get much better than that in their books!  ( I feel like I need a #blessed here or something!  lol)

Our cross backs (mine has the opening too but I have a black bra that covers up that part on.)  And how 'bout those tan lines?!?  We love summer around here.  I was just telling Tim the other day I needed to get a different suit to mix up the tan lines a bit.

I know I'm biases, but seriously!!!!  How cute are my girls?!?!?

And some more just for fun...the boys and Pirate Kitty photobombed when we were done.  

Yup, that right there ^^^ pretty much sums up most of my days!  lol

And how about some outtakes just for fun?  (because you haven't seen enough pictures of me yet, right?  Right.  I thought not.) 

That right there ^^^ that's going on a video when she gets married one day!  lol

So, did you like my mommy and me styles?  Join the Bebelambs Blog tour and you'll get loads more "Mommy and Me" inspiration and you can even share your own looks too!!!  And you can use the coupon code mommyandme to get 20% of anything in the Bebelambs shop!  

July 20th Theresa Taylor - Grammies Dolls July 21st Gina Arnold Johnson - BabyFish Designs (that's me! ;) July 22nd Faith Alexander - Sew Like That July 23rd Hannah Rorke - Hello Sunshine July 24th Kylie Roberts - Dribbles and Dots July 25th Amy Huber - How I Make Stuff July 26th Tish Corrales - Milileke a Rafflecopter giveaway