Breaking Ground 2018

This year, breaking ground is a little more fun for me. Not only am I using a pattern by a designer I have never used before, I also get to use my birthday present that I got a week early! 

The pattern is the Jukebox Hits by Flosstyle. The pattern is a little more pricey than the average but you know the saying you get what you pay for, well it applies here! This pattern is a fantastic wardrobe builder! You get dresses and tunics and blouses... and a bunch of different options. It's so easy to change the pattern to suit your needs! 

I wasn't sure what fabric I wanted to use or what style I was going with until after March Break vacation. I walked into my sewing room and there it was...this huge box! For me! It was the Brother CV3550! Yay! Happy birthday to ME!
First thing, this pattern was designed for woven fabrics, I used a light weight French Terry with very little stretch. I knew that new cover stitch would be fantastic for this project ... and talk about ground breaking!

I just had to do some fancy stitching and drafted some hip pockets that would be top stitched to the front, then I decided I to add a facing for the rounded hem. For the neckline I used a knit cut on the bias, and then top stiched that to make the style fit.

For the front neckline, I simply cut out a continous lap just to add a little something fun I wasn't sure if I was going to add a snap or button closure and once JubeJube tried it on I liked the way it sit and left it like that. And instead of putting the elastic waist casing on the inside, I put it on the outside and inserted a drawstring. This also helped cover up and secure the top of the hip pockets.

The pattern has so many styles that is was easy to let myself be inspired and just go with it. As you can tell the fit is perfect and all I had to do was fallow the size chart.

If you'd like to try Flosstyle patterns for yourself, join the group, Flosstyle Fair on facebook, get the discount code and get the Ventura Lite raglan tee for FREE!!


This is the last day of the tour... so go back and check out what everyone has made for their Breaking Ground project!




Welcome to the Breaking Ground Blog Tour 2018. This week over 20 bloggers are joining together to break new ground by trying a pattern designer that is new to them, try new techniques, new styles, or whatever way they want to push themselves. The Full Tour includes all these creatives... we hope you'll visit us each day:

 Monday March 12- mahlicadesigns, Sewing Vortex, Sewing A La Carte, Little Heart Threads, The Sewing Scientist
 Tuesday March 13- Musings of A Seamstress, A Custom Clothier, Octaves of Color, Aurora Design Fabrics, Sew Altered Style
 Wednesday March 14- Flaxfield Sewing, Chook n Duck, Tales of a Tester, Sewing By Ti, Sewing Vortex, Kathy's Kwilts and More
 Thursday March 15- Very Blissful, Manning the Machine, Sew and Tell Project, Musings of a Seamstress, Stitches by Laura
 Friday March 16- Lulu & Celeste, Tenille's Thread, Sewing A La Carte, The Bear and Pea Atelier, Aurora Design Fabrics, Sprouting Jube Jube, Kathy's Kwilts and More

To make the tour even more fun, our Breaking Ground blog team member, Gail is offering 2 patterns of choice from her pattern shop Flosstyle to one lucky winner.

 a Rafflecopter giveaway 

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We'd love to see how you're Breaking Ground this month. Share with us what you're working on by using the hashtag #BreakingGround2018 across social media.  Better yet, join the Sew Alongs & Sewing Contests facebook group to sew along with the Breaking Ground theme for the entire month of March. In the group you'll find support and encouragement for your projects and fun themed challenges.

As always, thanks for stopping by today.

Until next time, 

*Disclaimer: I received the pattern by Flosstyle for the purpose of the tour and review but all ideas and opinions are my own! 

PM Patterns Blog Tour

I think you can tell by her face that Amelia loves her new outfit! 

I love trying out new designers, and P&M Patterns is new to me. Karine, the designer at P&M Patterns is based in Europe as has recently had all her patterns, landies' and children's, translated to English. The only thing that has not been changed is the paper format. The paper format available for at home printing is 4A so it doesn't fit standard US sized paper. I got over this hurdle but just popping in some legal sized paper and printing according to instructions. Included is a file so you can also have your patterns printed at your local print shop.

For this look I used Gus and Lollipop.

Gus is designed for a woven fabric but I made it in a knit. I love the drape of a rayon lycra knit. This one is so soft and light weight.

I made a size 6 according to the chart measurement, I had no need to go down a size due to the fact that I was using a knit. I changed the construciton just a bit since most of assembly was done with the serger. For the sleeves, instead of a flat assembly, I sewed up the side seams first then put in the sleeve as an inset sleeve.

The bow at the back is simple and elegant.

Other details on this top include gathers at the front shoulder seam, the waistband and the sleeve tabs.

About this sweet skirt...

This skirt has an adjustable elastic waistband at the back and the front lays flat. I didn't want to change any of the details of the hip pocket, they have been designed to perfection!

I shortened the main fabric of the skirt by about an inch so that I could lengthen the contrast band. I just love this fabric and I wanted to see a little more of it on the skirt.

Sizes for Gus and Lollipop range from 2 year to 12 years. The files that you get with your purchase include the tutorial with your choice of French or English, a list of required materials with size charts, home print file for 4A paper (I used legal size and it worked great) and a file for print shop.

Now the question is; will I make these patterns again.... you can bet on it. Both these patterns are really well put together, the tutorial is easy to understand with clear step-by-step drawings, and they are loaded with fun style! I'm even thinking I need to make Gus in my size!

More fun patterns and inspiration to check out! And don't forget to enter the giveaway for your chance to win a P&M pattern!

Pm-Patterns Blog Tour

• March, 13th: Lilla-Gumma/ My Sewing Roots
• March, 14th: Sew Sew Ilse/ Threadistry/ Seams Sew Lo
• March, 15th: Sprouting JubeJube/ Sewrendipity/ Sewvolution
• March, 16th: Sewing Vortex/ OakBlue Designs/ AusChick
• March, 17th Octaves of Color

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Until next time,

*Disclaimer: I received the patterns for free for the purpose of the tour and full review but all opinions and ideas are my own!

GYCT Spring Dress Blog Tour

What happens when I let Amelia choose one of three fabrics... She insists she needs all three of them for one dress. Thank goodness they were all white with a navy print!

I showed Amelia the listing photo of the Rival Raglan by GYCT. She got very excited at the prospect of having a new spring dress that was comfy and that would replace another dress that she grew out of.

Amelia actually had a plan and she knew what she wanted so I took full advantage. She was quite clear she wanted the sleeves to have stipes and the skirt to have polka-dots. I added the striped band at the bottom of the skirt to balance out all those prints and in the end she loves it and that's all that really matters!

First, I'm so happy to say that sizing is spot on when you follow the size chart! And it's a really quick sew, almost all done with the serger and used a twin needle for hems. You get all the different sleeve lengths in this pattern from long to short and everything in between! The only thing I may have done different from the instructions is adding the clear elastic at the waist in the seam allowance so that everything stays nice and straight and the waistline doesn't get stretched out from wear. 

Also, there are two cut lines, one for the t-shirt and one for the dress to add the skirt. I left it t-shirt length since it did give a couple of extra inches to the bodice of the dress. I wanted the dress to have a little bit of a drop waist to it. Amelia really loves that style and I didn't want to disappoint.

I used a cotton lycra blend from my local Fabricville.We love this blend, it's so easy to wash and really comfortable to wear!

More fun styles are on the way with the GYCT Spring Dress Tour, don't be shy go take a look at the other stops! And don't for get to enter the giveaway!

Our Play Palace  *  Elli and Nels  *  Max California

Tales From A Southern Mom  *  Phat Quarters  *  Darrel Rob Crafts  *  GYCT Designs

Threadistry  *  Sprouting Jube Jube  *  Manning the Machine

My Sewing Roots  *  House of Estrela  *  The Berry Bunch

Kathy's Kwilts and More  *  Paisley Roots  *  Aurora Designs  *  Natalie Bug Creations

Sponsored By

Sunshine Rae Fabric

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Until next time, xx.

Journey by Monaluna

I can't believe I get to do a third post with Monaluna Organic Fabrics! The new Journey collection is just so lovely to work with ... come see! 

I love that every time I get my hands on some Monaluna Organic fabrics I'm inspired to go out of my comfort zone to make something that I don't normally make. I've admired Swoon Patterns (affiliate link) for years, purchased several of their patterns, made a Betty Bowler once but then never got around to making another...until now! I thought the Donna Vintage bag would be the perfect canvas to show case the Skull & Roses print. 

With a little fussy cutting I managed to center the bigger skulls and highlight them. I made my own piping with the Birdseed in blue print. 

Finally for the inside I used Arrows for the lining. Its a beautiful coral, its acutally a pitty that its hiding inside! 

With all the fabulous prints in the Journey collection it was really hard to choose! 

A huge thank you to Jennifer of Monaluna for supplying us with these wonderful fabrics! You'll want to check out the other stops on the tour today starting with Gemia, our hostess with the mostess, over at Phat Quarters! 

*  Phat Quarters  *  Crafting in the Rain  *  Handmade Boy  *  Sprouting JubeJube  *
 Wild & Wanderful  *  Kari for Pattern Revolution  *  Sew Sophie Lynn 
*  It's Liesel  *  Swoodson Says   *  Lulu & Celeste  *

One more thing, we have a giveaway for this tour thanks to our friends at Itch to Stitch, Grammies Dolls, Bella Sunshine, SisBoom, Little Moo Designs, Izzy & Ivy Designs, The Cloth Parcel, Jalie, Designs by Call Ajaire and Love Notions. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway