FREE PATTERN REVIEW : FISHSTICKS DESIGNS - THE TANK

I had downloaded this pattern long ago but just got around to sewing it . I am trying to clear my sewing room of all tiny scrap pieces, hence the three colour combo on this design. I got away with making this top with a scrap of fabric 25 wide by 18 long.
The pattern is easy and straight forward . If you are new to sewing knits it still is easy. I used a size 9 needle, a stretch stitch on my sewing machine and away I went at creating this design. To ensure I used every last bit of scrap I took the pieces from the neck and armholes, folded it in half then in half again and cut in a love sign. Knit wont fray so it does not need to be hemmed or anything. I sewed three beads from an old necklace in the centre and there you have it -  a decorative flower.

My model is age 5  with chest 22" . I made the size 2T chest and 4T length. Unfortunately my knit does not have a lot a stretch so her time in this tank is going to be short lived.

The pattern I used can be found here.
But I checked the site today and found out that an update was done and can be found here.
Happy sewing!

FINN & RILEY PANTS CAPRI AND SHORTS by POLLYWOGGLES PATTERNS

Talk about versatility

Well this pattern will certainly leave you wanting to make something new. You have three options in ONE pattern :

• Pants
• Shorts
• Capri

 and it can be used for BOTH boys and girls. In fact that makes 6 options if you really think about it from ages 12 months to 8 years.

Heidi also conserves on printing the patterns by having an innovative way of allowing you to measure the length that you want.

She gives great hints on "Mash Ups" which allows you to tailor your pant for best fit.


Each option can be beautifully enhanced with ruffles to make them even cuter.

Please visit Pollywoggles Patterns on Etsy and dont leave without your copy.

T

Rainbow Dress Pattern - Felicity Joy by Pollywoggles Patterns

I am not very good at writing a whole lot especially on patterns I have tested. Instead I  prefer to just sew them.

 But I must give credit where it is due,  and well,  Heidi from Pollywoggles Patterns is really great at what she does. 

This dress speaks for itself : simple, girly, twirly  

Every little girl loves to twirl and this dress will not disappoint. 

It is also very easy to put together, and who does not love shirring. If you have never done it before, dont be put off by that. The pattern is well written with great hints and tips to shir your way into a beautiful dress.



Please visit Pollywoggles Patterns on Etsy  for the  Rainbow Dress Pattern - "Felicity Joy"  which goes from size 18months to 8 years.

 And while there check out Heidi's other patterns

 

PATTERN TEST REVIEW: THE GINGERSNAP DRESS by MCM Studio Designs

This little dress is so very cute. Loved testing it! It is such a simple little dress with a lot of possibilities. You can dress it up or make it casual. Whatever you do it will definitely look charming.

Visit Linda's blog at MCM Studio Designs

Or you can purchase the pattern from  The MerryChurchMouse on Etsy

PATTERN REVIEW: BUTTON UP JUMPER BY ONCE UPON A SEWING MACHINE

I had the great opportunity to test the BUTTON UP JUMPER   by Once Upon a Sewing Machine and I must tell you it was a fun sew.

The jumper is quite unique. The three little buttons in front are not just decorative, but they also can be loosed so that the child can step into the jumper.
The sizing goes from 12months to 8 years.

 Two more buttons at the back are stationery and add a decorative touch.

The pockets are cute and great for storing small treasures.

If you choose not to layer the jumper -  that OK!, as it can be worn by itself as shown here.

Dont miss out on the great opportunity to make this simple beauty for your little one.
Right now I think there is a coupon code  on the blog.

So, good luck and have fun sewing.
 

PATTERN REVIEW: THE RAIN DROP TEE

I am very happy to have been a part of the testing team for the Raindrop Tee. It is a fun and quite easy sew. The pattern is straight forward, easy to understand and comes in both long and short sleeves.
I chose to use two colours because I did not have one piece big enough to make the shirt. Unfortunately the purple looks like navy in the picture, but I loved how it turned out.

PATTERN REVIEW : LOLLIPOP SWIRL SKIRT BY MY TREASURED HEIRLOOMS

I had the pleasure of testing the Lollipop Swirl Skirt  by My Treasured Heirlooms. This was actually my very first pattern tester call and I loved it!
The skirt is very easy to sew and has three different types of waist closures, making it very versatile and easy for both the beginner and the advanced sewist. I am an intermediate sewist and completed it in two hours - between 10 - 12p:m so you know I was really half asleep , right?
What I love about it is that it is a great stash buster ! You can use coordinating  scraps for each swirl and still end up with a great skirt.

You  should really give it a try!

PATTERN REVIEW: SANDPIT ROMPER by RABBIT RABBIT CREATIONS

I had the privilege of testing the Sandpit Romper by Rabbit Rabbit Creations .

This pattern  will really add some versatility to your child's wardrobe.

• What makes it really great is that it is a unisex pattern (instant money saving coupon for those of you with both a boy and a girl) . 

•  It allows you to utilize your scraps for pockets and other little ruffles and bows etc.

• For new sewists, it is REALLY  easy to put together so  don't be intimidated by  the look. 

• Also, there is plenty of room to add your own creativity (note, the bow - is not a part of the pattern and there are pockets for the back too which are optional) .
• It can be a layered piece (something I dont need because we live in the Caribbean - smile)

 The pattern goes up to size 5 and my model is wearing the size 3 (she is actually 4 years old - but skinny).

 I can vouch that my fellow testers did a more amazing job than me with fabric choices! So check out their posts for great ideas!

The pattern will be released  tomorrow (August 4 2014),

WOODCHIP DRESS WITH BOW

This fabric reminds me so much of the grain lines in wood, so I decided to call it my WOODCHIP DRESS. 

This fabric is a soft flowy rayon which was combined with a gold matte linen.

Again, a basic bodice was used and a strip of the matte linen was sewn onto the bodice at the waist and then topstiched (like an inset belt) to add a special touch. I extended the shoulder length by about 1 inch resulting in a soft faux sleeve on her shoulders. This is a size 4T.

Please ignore the pin in the back of the bodice , my model had popped in unexpectedly and the dress had not yet been completed with the buttons. With that said, I decided to add this pop of colour to the back because (you guessed it, if you have been reading my blog long enough) the woodchip fabric was not enough so I had to improvise.

I am still learning about fabric and how they behave. I constantly document my findings in my sewing journal for future references.

AFRICAN PRINT TODDLER DRESS

I have been saving this piece of fabric FOREVER, because I wanted to make something really nice with it. Since it was less than a yard  I could only manage a size 3T out of it. .

The fabric was also very waxy and stiff, so my other concern was choosing the right pattern that would go with that kind of texture.

The colours are actually a lot deeper  than my camera shows - it is really lovely.

Finally I just winged it and made this. A basic bodice pattern was used, and the skirt was barely 1 1/2 times the width of the top,  hence pleats instead of gathers.  It turned out really well, especially with the pleats at the front (you can barely see them) which just lies flat without any fuss.
I did a small "V" in the neck line as I did not know how else to not make it so "boring". The "V" was not as sharp as I wanted, but it was still OK.  I probably should have used interfacing to make it stand up a little more. Ah well, next time....

GINGHAM AND GREEN GIRLS DRESS

Gingham is such a versatile fabric. Cut it on the bias and it  creates a whole new look. I tried that technique this week and here are the results. The bodice is fully lined and there are no zips or buttons on this one because the fabric was such a small piece I couldn't get an overlap on the back.
I embellished with a little bit of white  lace to complement the white in the bodice. I like to carry colours through out the whole design, otherwise I feel as if I am breaking some fashion rule.

LITTLE GIRL'S LIBERTY DRESS PATTERN

I found this free pattern on HomeCraft Forums . It is called Little Girl's Liberty Dress Pattern.  Unfortunately, you don't get the instructions. So, I decided to picture  what it would look like based on the pattern piecies. Unlike the liberty fabric the pattern called for, I used georgette fabric lined with pongee. I neglected to follow the pattern instructions that required for the bottom of the sleeve and not the top to be gathered. This was the end result. I made a flower and a belt out of  polyster silk. I also made a covered button out of the dress fabric and sewed it to the flower and then to the dress. The back has a zipper closure (forgot to take that photo).

DOCTORS SCRUB REFASHIONED TO APPLIQUED TOP

This doctors scrub was made for a career day event. It has no further use after that so I decided to refashion it into something a little cuter.
This was my second try at applique and really struggled with it as I was lazy and did not use interfacing. It seems as if  I like to make easy stuff really difficult by NOT following the rules. Anyway, my sewing machine did not work well either, it was skipping stitching and making the sewing look really uneven. Here is the not so good results.

TEDDY BEAR TOP

Hi,
I found one yard of this teddy bear fabric on sale. Yup, love me a good sale.
The pattern used is the free Pat Bravo Tutorial

I decided to see how much I could get out of one yard of 45" fabric. So I divided it in half so it was now two pieces of 18 x 45. One tiny detail I forgot to pay attention -  yes - directional prints. I have seen it so many times on patterns and totally forgot to follow that rule here. Anyway, I have made one 3T top so far...and plan to use the other half and make a shirred dress / top. I will see how it works out.

To break up the monotony of the teddy bears, I added a neon yellow strip of fabric at the waist.

Even though it can easily slip on or off, I am practicing to make all my items with closures as I realise that most commercial pieces have a closure.

RUFFLE TOP DRESS

I must have been inspired by a dress I saw somewhere on the internet, but I cannot remember what triggered this design.
This is another  dress I sewed up without guidance of a tutorial or pattern. That says I am getting better at my craft (smile).
I made this dress out of a 1/2 yard of red dacron & cotton and a 9"Wide x 58"Long strip of  polyster.
This fabric was just enough for a size 3T. The chest came out at 22" and the length about 19inches.

OK. This is an update - My niece came over (today July 8 2014) , and even though my red dress had not yet gotten its buttons, I had to let her try to on to see how it fits. She is actually 4 years old, but a skinny one, so her it is: