Paneled Sunsuit Skirt

I absolutely love sewing clothes for my daughter to wear to school. My little first grader is growing like a weed and could use a few new skirts and tops to add to her wardrobe. When Call Ajaire asked me to participate in her Not Just a Sunsuit pattern tour to celebrate the release of her first pattern, the Paneled Sunsuit, I knew I had to try the skirt view first for Ella a new school skirt! 

The Paneled Sunsuit Pattern has more options than any other pattern I've ever seen! It's insane the number of pieces and outfits you can sew up out of this one simple pattern. The instructions and diagrams are extremely thorough and detailed and a breeze to follow.

Baby Sleep Sack and Giveaway!

Today I'm participating in the Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop (affiliate link) Lullaby Line Pattern Tour!  Get ready to melt when you see the sweetness on my blog today!

This post contains my affiliate links for Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop.  All opinions are my own.

As many of you know, I am good friends with Lindsay from Lindsay Sews and Craft Buds.  Well, Lindsay recently had a baby boy, and I needed a good excuse to go visit her so I could hold the baby! I sewed together a quick sleep sack using one of the patterns from the Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop Lullaby Line and then headed out the door to deliver the gift to little Elliot!

I think he likes it! Yay!

Baby Elliot is such a precious little one who is just 3 weeks old in these pictures.  He already weighs nearly 10 pounds, so I decided to sew together this 3-6 month sized sleep sack which only took about an hour to finish.  I used some left over Super Hero Shannon Fabric's Cuddle from a previous project I blogged about and added some black ribbed knit for the neck and armhole binding.

The Sleep Sack Pattern was a breeze to follow with its step-by-step written instructions and color photographs to use as a guide.  Installing the zipper was even a cinch!  The pattern even comes with a footed sleep sack option for bigger kids (sadly, my kids are already too big for that though!).

I know I will be using the Sleep Sack Pattern as well as many of the others, like the Baby Gown, Body Suit, Pants and Shorts, and Baby Hat, from the collection whenever I need a quick baby gift for a friend or one of my husband's co-workers.  The entire collection of 6 patterns is a great deal for just $35, or you can buy them individually.

Be sure to visit all the other bloggers from this past week (including my other good friend, Sewing Mama RaeAnna) to see more squishy babies and adorable little clothes for them.  You'll be glad you did!

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And don't forget to enter the giveaway for a chance to win one of three $50 gift cards to Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop!  Wow!  That will buy you a lot of terrific patterns!  To keep up with all the latest pattern releases, be sure to follow the Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop Blog.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks to Lindsay for taking pictures and allowing Elliot to be a model for me today.  I think he's already testing out the sleep sack!

Have fun sewing!

BIG Sale at Peek-a-Boo Patterns!

That's right!  It's the sale you've been waiting for!  It's time for the BIG sale of the year at Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop (affiliate link)!

This post contains affiliate links, but all opinions are 100% my own.

Now through midnight (MST) on November 30th, you can save 25% off one (1) pattern using code JOLLY25 or save 40% when you purchase five (5) patterns and use code JOLLY40  at checkout.

Sale codes are only valid at Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop November 27th - midnight (MST) November 30th.

I know you've got a pdf pattern wish list (don't we all?)!  Now's the time to make your wish come true!

What will you buy?  If you need some inspiration, just check out a few of the things I've made using the great Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop patterns.  Click on the picture to go to my original blog post about that pattern and click on the link above the pictures to purchase the pattern.

Audrey Cross Over Party Dress

Evelyn Dress Pattern

(both the dress and top below were made using the same pattern)

Skinny Jeans and Sierra Top

Clara Tiered Twirl Dress

Ruffle Bum Romper

 

4-in-1 Reversible Sun Hat

Hattie Button-Up Tank Top and Sailor Shorts

Alex & Anna Summer PJ's

Have fun shopping and have fun sewing this weekend!

Clara Tiered Twirl Dress

I love Fall weather.  Maybe it's because I was born in the Fall or maybe it's because I love the Fall colors. Whatever the reason, I'm glad it's finally here and things are starting to cool off!  Because it has been so pleasant outside the last few days, I've taken my children on several outings.

Earlier this week, we headed to the zoo where I was finally able to take a few decent shots of Ella wearing her Clara Tiered Twirl Dress by Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop.

Since I am an affiliate for Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop, this post contains affiliate links; however, all opinions stated are 100% my own.  I was provided a copy of this pattern for free in return for my honest review of the pattern.

You see, I made this dress earlier this summer and have tried at least two other times to get her to stand still long enough for me to make photos.  The name of the dress does it justice!  She loves to twirl in it!

The Clara Tiered Twirl Dress pattern is a simple sundress style dress that is a great sewing project for a confident beginner.  I say confident beginner because there are four small buttonholes for the thin straps to go through on the bodice.  The pattern instructions and photographs are clear and straightforward as well as very easy to understand.

The tiers are simple, slightly gathered strips of fabric that are sewn together.  Because of this, you can make a dress like I did with lots of different fabrics, or stick to a variety of solid fabrics for the tiers, or a mix of both.

In all, I spent roughly an hour and a half sewing this dress together in a size 6 for my daughter.  I think the bodice fit is perfect on her with or without a shirt worn underneath it.  That's another great feature of this dress!  It can be worn year round just by wearing a short or long sleeved t-shirt under it.  We can even pair it with a cute little solid colored cardigan and some leggings and wear it in the winter, too.

Next time I make it, I plan on using more solid fabrics so that I can embroider a design or monogram on the bodice.  Don't you think that would be cute?

As far as the fabrics I used to make this version of the dress, Kelle of Ann Kelle designs for Robert Kaufman graciously sent me these beautiful fabrics to "play" with.  Since there are so many different geometric prints all in the same colorway, I decided the Clara Tiered Twirl Dress was the perfect pattern to showcase all of them at once!  Do you think it's too much?  Na!  It's perfect!

I made this brightly colored version of Clara Tiered Twirl Dress using Ann Kelle's Woodland Pals fabric in Bermuda for the bodice, Remix Small Chevrons, Remix Large Chevrons, Remix Dots, and Remix Triangles all in Bermuda for the five tiers, and the large chevrons for the straps.  You can purchase all of these prints at a variety of online and brick and mortar retail fabric stores.  I highly recommend them!

Want to grab a copy of this pattern for yourself?  Then head over to Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop to purchase the Clara Tiered Twirl Dress Pattern.

While you are there, be sure to check out the Thrifty Thursday pattern--the Adele 3 Tier Ruffle Skirt--that is on sale today only for just $4!

Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop Fall Tour Giveaway!

As promised, Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop has an amazing giveaway to celebrate the Fall pattern shop tour. Keep reading for all the details and how to enter.  Oh, and please, please, please vote for my Peek-a-Boo outfit (Number 11 below)! To see more pictures of the Sierra Top and Skinny Jeans that I made, click HERE to read the original post.

I am an affiliate for Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop, and all opinions in this post are 100% my own.  When you use my affiliate link, I am credited with a percentage of the pattern purchase.  Thanks for your support!

The pattern shop fall tour has been so much fun!

To celebrate, Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop is hosting a HUGE Giveaway :)

2 winners will win 10 patterns of their choice!

You could make a whole wardrobe with that prize :)

Giveaway closes at the end of the day Friday September 20th. Winners will be announced on Saturday September 21st. 

Cast your vote for your favorite look from the tour by clicking the little heart in the upper right hand corner (the winning blogger will get a pattern 5 pack!) and then enter with Rafflecopter below. Good luck!

An InLinkz Link-up

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Peek-a-Boo Patterns Skinny Jeans & Sierra Top

It's time for Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop's Fall Pattern Tour!  I'm excited to be participating again and getting to make not one, but two of Amy's terrific children's clothing patterns--the Skinny Jeans and the Sierra Top (affiliate links).

This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are 100% my own.

I am an affiliate for Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop, but all opinions in this post are 100% my own. To see the Thrifty Thursday pattern deal, scroll to the bottom of the post!

With the promise of cooler weather fast approaching, I decided to make my daughter, Ella, a new pair of jeans and a stylish sweater top for the fall.

First, let me just say I am in love with this pair of jeans!  Really, these are the most awesome pair of pants I have ever made thanks in part to the superb Skinny Jeans Pattern.  This pattern has a lot of details that can help you make a homemade pair of jeans look store bought.

I started off by taking all new measurements for Ella.  She's grown so much in the last couple of months that I wanted to make sure I was using the correct size for sewing these jeans since so much work goes into making a pair!  Based on her measurements, I went with a size 5.  As you can see, they are a good fit plus she has a little growing room left in them.

To make these jeans look even more authentic, I decided to try my hand at using heavy duty jeans thread.  My big mistake was not having a denim sewing machine needle when I started this project. I worked on these pants a little at a time over an entire weekend and didn't actually go out and buy a denim needle until late the second day.  Boy did it make a difference though!  I definitely recommend making sure you have the right needle for the project before you begin or else you will drive yourself crazy with skipped stitches or excess thread showing up on the underside.  I could have avoided a lot of frustration if I had just gone to the store for the denim needle before I began sewing a single stitch! Lesson learned!

But I must say that the jeans thread really made these jeans look amazing!  Finishing touches can make a huge difference!

I used a stretch denim and decided to embroider a cute "Princess" crown design on the rear pocket. I stitched out the Embroitique design on a piece of the denim fabric and then cut out the pocket piece before sewing it onto the jeans.  Add a few hot fixed crystals and you'll have one happy little girl--I mean Princess!

I finished the jeans with the faux fly and added a functional jeans button to help make pulling the jeans up and down a little easier.

The only thing I wish I had adjusted was the length of the elastic I used for the back of the waistband. The jeans are a little big in the waist.  I should know by now that even though Ella's waist measurement may match the pattern chart for the size I am making, that I always have to shorten the elastic amount specified.  Thankfully, the Skinny Jeans Pattern has belt loops, so she can wear a belt to tighten up the waist just a bit.

To complete the outfit, I tried out the new Sierra Top/Tunic/Dress Pattern.

Again, another top notch pattern from Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop that offers multiple options:  short sleeve, long sleeve, top, tunic, dress, pockets on the dress, elastic at the waist with a bow, u-notch at the neck, or regular neck finish.  It was a tough decision, but I chose to make a short sleeved, u-notch neck with the elastic and bow at the waist top.  Using Ella's latest measurements, I chose to make a size 6. It's a perfect fit!

For the fabric, I used 1/2 yard remnant of sweater knit plus some plain black interlock knit for the facings. I attached the sleeves differently than the pattern called for which resulted in me having to use shirring at the waist instead of elastic.  The result was the same though.

One thing I'll note is that Ella has a difficult time getting the top over her head.  I didn't use a zig zag stitch or stretch stitch to topstitch the neck opening, so that is probably my problem.  I'll be sure try a zig zag stitch on the next one I make.  Plus, I'm sure if I make a top with the regular ribbed knit at the neck opening that there would be no problem at all.

Ella looks so grown up and stylish in her new outfit for the fall!  And she finally let me style her hair!  She hardly ever lets me do anything with it, but she really liked how I pulled it back on the sides and made it poof up a little on the top!  She just better watch out!  I grew up in the '80's, so I know how to make big hair!

I'll be making more of both of these patterns for Ella's fall and winter wardrobe.  I've already purchased some stretch corduroy with a bit of metallic sparkle to it for another pair of Skinny Jeans, and I have some pink striped knit that Ella has been asking me to make her a shirt or dress out of.  I think a long sleeved Sierra tunic or dress will be the perfect choice!

Thanks for stopping by today!  Be sure to visit all the other great bloggers on the tour to see what they've made for the fall.  Plus, Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop is having an amazing giveaway that starts Saturday for a 10-pack of patterns!  To find out more about the giveaway and to enter, come back here on Saturday for all the details.

Plus, today is Thrifty Thursday at Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop!  Be sure to grab the Hang Time Basketball Shorts pattern for just $4! Price goes back up on Friday.

If you've just discovered sewVery for the first time today, I hope you'll decide to become a new follower through Bloglovin', Facebook, or email!  Have a great day and have fun sewing!

The Princess Audrey Dress

I just adore the Audrey Cross Over Party Dress Pattern from Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop!  You may remember the first one I made earlier in the summer.  It had such a vintage feel to it because of the fabrics and the trim I used, and it reminds me of my childhood!  Oh, those were the days...

Well, I decided to make Ella a second Audrey Dress, but this time, I chose bright, modern prints to make it seem more playful and casual.  What I came up with I dubbed the Princess Audrey Dress!

Don't you just love a pattern that is great for both dressy and casual styling?  I do!

I am an affiliate for Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop, but all opinions in this post are 100% my own.

This time, I made the bodice of the dress using a size 6 and the skirt using size 5.  I was much happier with the fit as a result.  While both dresses fit well and are comfortable to Ella, the second dress is a little looser making it easier for her to dress herself.

Besides mixing sizes, the only other thing I did differently on this dress was to make the back opening more of a keyhole cutout with a tie closure.

I can't claim this as my own idea sadly, but it did come from another great Peek-a-Boo Shop Pattern that I use often--the Evelyn Dress and Swing Top Pattern.

Let's talk about the fabrics.  I just love these fabrics!  They make me want to smile every time I see them!  All the different prints are from Ann Kelle for Robert Kaufman.  Kelle designs the most fun, colorful collections that are great for apparel, home decor, or accessories.  I even made Ella a matching backsak to go with the dress (there's a glimpse of it in the pic below)!  Want to know more about the backsak? Read about it HERE.

The skirt is Girl Friends in Jewel while the bodice, sash, and binding are both Ovals in Pink and Ovals in Summer  from her Remix collection.  I've had the best time sewing with these fabrics and others that Kelle herself sent me to try out!

This version of the Audrey Cross Over Party Dress turned out exactly how I envisioned it!  And the best part--Ella loves it and has worn it so many times that I've lost count!

Apparently, just wearing this dress can make you want to act silly!

Today is Thrifty Thursday at Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop, and that means one special pattern is on sale for today only for just $4!  This week's sale pattern is the Hangout Hoodie!  I've had it for a while now and need to make up a couple for Ella for the fall.  Guess I better go and get sewing!

Thanks for stopping by to see my Princess Audrey Dress.  Hope you'll come back again soon or maybe hop over to my post from yesterday to enter a giveaway to win a free Craftsy class!