EYMM's California Dress

Kymy from Everything Your Mama Made and More has done it again!  Another awesome, totally trendy pattern that is fast and easy!!!  Woohoo!!!

I'm not kidding ya'll.  Her patterns are usually super fast and easy but are QUICKLY becoming the majority of my older daughter's wardrobe.

The California is part of the Bundle Up  promotion right now but I think it will be available to purchase on it's own in a week or two.  

The front and back of this dress are reversible (unless you choose to do the High Low hemline like I did on Kessa's) OR you can use two scoop pieces or two of the faux halters.  Both sides look super cute!

This style looks uber cute with a belt too but Kessa doesn't have any (yet!  lol)

There are options for maxi length (with or without the high low hemline), knee length or peplum.

Kessa loves the long version (and has even requested another one that's closer to floor sweeping length) but I think she needs some of the peplum versions for every day too.

OH!  And one last little tid-bit...I haven't tried it yet but I'm 99% sure you could use woven for the front and back of this and just use knit for the bindings and neck strap.  I'm going to try it today if I get some of my customs finished up!

AND...keep an eye out for the Ladies California coming very soon!!!  Yesterday was our testing deadline for it and I LOVE IT!!!  

Upcycle Dress Review

So, if you know me at all you know I LOVE upcycling.  Like...it's my business.  ;)  I've used a lot of different patterns and I love finding new styles to try.  When Stacey asked me to test her new upcycle dress I jumped at the chance!

Then...once we actually started testing...it just got better.  This pattern has SOOO many options ya'll!!

Let's start with the dress - instructions for piecing it, in case you aren't confident doing that yourself, can be done with a short peplum, a long skirt, two layered skirts or a paneled skirt over a long skirt!  It has a drop waist and a slimmer fit setting it apart from most other upcycle patterns.  It also has long sleeves, short sleeves, layered sleeves and sleeveless!  

                            

I did the paneled skirt over the long skirt on this dress along with the short sleeve option (because it's FINALLY starting to feel like spring here in Southern IL!)

And then....I did the sleeveless version.  In a dress with just the long skirt for Grace and in the shirt for Kessa.  I'm not kidding when I say the fit is perfect!  I didn't adjust anything and I'm usually adjusting stuff left and right on patterns!

 But wait!  There's more!!!  More you say?  Yes more!!!  lol (do I sound like an infomercial now?)

In addition to the dress with all it's options, and leaving off the skirt and just making a top, there are also instructions for making just a skirt!  With this skirt again, you can do one layer, two layers, a paneled top layer and solid lower layer, a whole paneled layer, AND ruffles!  And did I mention the twirl factor?  Clearly a hit for the spinning crowd (and I'm not talking exercise bikes!  lol)

In these pictures Kessa is wearing the top and skirt with a 4 panel top and bottom skirt and a ruffle.  

Outtake anyone?  She's wearing a store bought tank and the skirt below...

 And here she's wearing just the shirt with jeans.  I LOVE the way this set mixes and matches and I really love the length and fit of the shirt.  Kessa's getting out of dresses so much but I love being able to make her shirts that aren't TOO tight but aren't big and baggy either...and that cover her if she bends over!  lol

And one last one...the skirt with a tank again.  

This pattern is great!  So thorough and SOOO many options!  AND, Stacey is having a naming contest in her group right now.  Head on over and enter for a chance to win the pattern for free!!!  It will be released later this week.  

Cricket Top

 

Kessa has been reading the original Winnie the Pooh books and has fallen a bit in love with little Piglet.  One of my upcycle buddies was kind enough to get me a shirt for her and we turned it into this cute little number for summer!  

 

Now that she's getting a big older she's not liking dresses all the time but she still wants me to make her things.  The Cricket top from FooFoo Threads was right up her ally!   It has several different options included a neck ruffle and a bottom ruffle. 

One fun thing about this is that while the bodice needs to be made of knit you can use woven for the bindings and the drawstrings and even for the ruffles if you do them. 

(she's been watching the Odd Life Of Timothy Green.  Great movie!  ;) )

I did find that the length of the shirt without the ruffle was QUITE short, especially if you're planning on using the draw strings to ruche up the sides.  I think the finished length of a size 6 without the ruffle was something like 14".  That's way too short for my taste so I just lengthened it before I ever cut it. 

Also, according to the measurement chart I should have made Kessa about a size 3.  She wasn't home and after checking finished measurements I went with a 6 anyway.  Normally I go by the measurement chart because I know she's small but in this case I'm glad I did the 6. 

The chest on the 6 is a little wide.  The pattern tells you when to try it on your child and how to adjust that if it needs to be done but since Kessa wasn't home I just went with it.  Next time I'll still make the 6 but I'll take the arm holes/upper bodice in slightly so the binding doesn't run on her armpits.

Overall I think this is a great pattern.  It's fairly quick sew and the results are super cute for summer.  I just highly suggest that you check measurements...especially length...before cutting. 

Oh!  And one last thing...the pattern doesn't include it but I think I'm going to make some with just normal ruching on the sides with some elastic...I know some of my customers' children won't like the ties hanging down at their sides.

I plan to make the ruffled version soon for the shop or Grace.  There's also an adorable dress version (I bought this bundle pack with both the shirt and the dress and I think I might use the dress for Grace's Easter dress...if I actually get around to making them that is!  lol )

Deep Sea V-Neck

Have you discovered Patterns for Pirates yet?  If you haven't you need to get over to her shop and check out her patterns!  

Judy is super great to work with and she's coming out with some super fun boy/unisex patterns!  We're in the middle of testing some basketball shorts and a FREE (yes I said FREE!!!) muscle tank pattern right now so be on the lookout for those!  But today I'm going to share my Deep Sea V-Neck Tee.  I was excited when Judy messaged me and ask me to test because I've got 2 boys, and while I love sewing for them, lets be honest, they just get the shaft sometimes.

This was my first ever time to sew a V-neck and I have to say, it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be!  It was actually...dare I say it...sort of easy!  Judy holds your hand through the entire pattern and gives you THREE different options for how to sew in the V-neck.  How's that for choices?!?!  

The Deep Sea V-Neck has a more vintage fit than some shirts so it's not boxy and all and I love the fit of it on my skinny boy.  

I did the most simple version of the top with standard hems on the bottom and the short sleeves but the pattern also has long sleeves with or without cuffs and roll up sleeves with button tabs or button tabs you can put on the shoulds as well as a pocket options!  Again, how's that for choices?!?!  

Zeke wasn't sure he liked it when I showed him the shirt to begin with because "it didn't have a picture on it."  Guess that's what I get for always upcycling character shirts!  lol.  This one was upcycled from an old polo and I happen to love it...and by the end of the photoshoot Zeke decided he did too because it was so comfortable!!!  

Sugar Free Kids - Breakfast

    Good morning!!!  So much for getting up regular posts huh?  I've been swamped with pattern testing, sewing up custom orders and then the stomach bug.  So not fun!  So, I have some sewing posts that will be up in the next few days but about a week ago we decided to cut ALL refined sugar out of my daughter Kessa's diet.  I'm doing Trim Healthy Mama so I had already cut it out of my own but getting it all out of my daughter's has been a bit more challenging.  Especially since we're still letting the other kids have some (although they are having significantly less just by proxy.)  I've found breakfasts to be the most challenging so far because our kids usually eat store bought bagels or Chobani yogurt tubes...both of which have sugar in them.

I'm going to start recording recipes here that have been tried and approved both to help out anyone interested and to make them easy to find for me later!  lol.  Also, if you're interested I've just started a pinterest board for sugar-free recipes that I haven't tried yet and also one that has been tried and approved (things will probably get posted there before here unless it's not a recipe I found on the net.)

This morning we had pancakes and strawberry sauce.  The kids all love it and Tim even likes it!  (If you're on THM the sauce is on-plan but you'll need to make the THM pancakes from the book to put it on.)

I have no idea where this pancake recipe originally came from.  It's one my mom always made when I was little that I've tweaked a bit to be more healthy.  

Whole Wheat Pancakes 

2 cups whole wheat flour (sometimes I grind my own and sometimes I use Wheat Montana Prarie Gold which I can buy at Walmart for only slightly more than regular white bleached all purpose flour.)

5 tsp baking powder

1tsp salt

a shake of pure stevia extract (or a packet of Truvia if you prefer) (the original recipe called for 3 tbsp of sugar)

2 eggs (we have free range farm fresh eggs thanks to my parents large flock of chickens!)

2 cups of milk

1/3 cup of melted butter

There are more complex directions in the original recipe but I've found that you can just melt the butter and then dump everything else in the same bowl and mix.  Cook on a hot, well greased griddle and enjoy!  

 Strawberry Sauce

I'm going to have to get better about measuring things but for now, this will have to suffice ;)  

1-2 cups of fresh or frozen strawberries (thaw them on the stove or in the microwave if using frozen)

sweetener of choice (again, I used just a shake of stevia extract)

thickener of choice (I used 1/2 tsp of xatham powder)

1/2 cup or more of liquid (I use juice if we have any on hand, otherwise I usually use almond milk, but I have even just used water)  

Mash the strawberries and then add everything to a pot or microwave safe bowl and heat stirring frequently.  Pour liberally over pancakes and enjoy!

Normally I would have made myself some THM pancakes but today I had too much else to do so I used the leftover Strawberry Sauce and tossed it in my blender along with some other goodies and had a shake!

Strawberry Shake 

Strawberry Sauce (or just strawberries and sweetener)

1/2 cup of cottage cheese (don't worry if you don't like cottage cheese, you can't taste it)

1 scoop of vanilla protein powder

ice 

liquid (if you need extra to get your blender to go)

Blend until smooth and then you can drink your breakfast while you work!  I'm still sipping mine as I type.