One Thimble #14

One Thimble 14 (affiliate link)  is out and with so much to see in this issue! One of Twig & Tale's patterns is featured in this issue and I just had to get up close with this one. 

While out friends in the southern hemisphere are enjoying their summer weather, I'm  knee deep in snow. When I saw the hottie cover by Twig & Tale I thought it would be the perfect project ot keep warm and cozy, especially after a full day of playing in the snow. The of of snuggling up in a blanket with a hot water bottle and a fun book appeals to the kiddos and me.

Three different animals are included with the pattern, the cat, panda bear and owl. They are all adorable! 

Since this project doesn't require much fabric I used what I had on hand, some off white terrycloth, and flannel for the facial features. I used a little Heatn' Bond to get the eyes and nose on. 

And that cute tail! ha! 

Here's a look at some of the other contributers to issue #14 of One Thimble. I'll be back in a couple of days with the patterns from Petite Stitchery and Bobkin Designs. Don't forget to pick up your copy of One Thimble today! 

2/9/2017

Pattern Revolution

Call Ajaire

The Berry Bunch

2/10/2017

SewSophieLynn

Candice Ayala

Lilyshine Creates

2/11/2017

Sprouting Jube Jube

Once Upon a Sewing Machine

Beri Bee Designs

2/12/2017

That's-Sew-Kari

Gaafmachine

SnickerDoodle Stew

2/13/2017

Stitches by Laura

Made by Sara

Max California

2/14/2017

Little Cumquat

Tales of a Tester

House of Estrela

2/15/2017

Not Sew Selfish

Adventures with Bubba and Bug

Lulu and Celeste

Until next time, xx.

Everyday Essentials with EYMM for Valentine's Day

To be honest I was a little worried about how I was going to present the pattern on my blog. Wondering if I would be confident enough to do modeled photos of my new nigthgown. We all have our reservations about going out of our comfort zone, we all have our little imperfections that we wish to hide from the world but in the end it is what it is. Yes I have curves, and imperfections that I didn't have when I was 20 years old, but they are a part of me and they tell a story. Really so glad that I was able to show you modeled photos and jump out of my comfort zone on this one.   

This pattern is the Everyday Essential by EYMM (affiliate link). The pattern offers so many options and such a huge size range (xs-5xl) including different cups sizes so its easy to get a good fit. 

The fabric suggestions for a good support fit is a cotton lycra blend, but I wanted the soft flowing silkiness of a rayon blend which doesn't have the best recovery. My solution was to line the bra or bodice part, front and back, with a white 95% cotton 5% lycra knit and get the comfort and light weight feeling of the rayon knit.

I also wanted a girly look to this nightgown and so I went through my stash of elastic lace. Finally I found some matching fold over elastic for the armcye. I spent more time contimplating my fabric selection than I did sewing. The pattern is very easy to understand and I put most of the garment together using my serger.

I haven't had a nightgown in years, I could get used to feeling this girly and leave those old flannel PJ's behind.

Make sure to visit all the stops on the Valentine Essentials Blog Tour! (Keep in mind that the links below won't work until their scheduled date.)

Feb. 3 -Sewing by Ti

Feb. 4 - Joelle at EYMM

Feb. 5 - Embrace Everyday

Feb. 6 - Sprouting JubeJube and Capture, Craft, and Cook

Feb. 7 - Call Ajaire and Blessed x Five

Feb. 8 - Rebel & Malice and Sew Haute Blog

Feb. 9 - Kelly's Sewing Creations and Sew Far North

Feb. 10 - Roundup at EYMM

During the tour, the Everyday Essentials pattern is on sale for half off! Use code VDAYTOUR on the EYMM site to save 50% on the Women's Everyday Essentials pattern until February 12 at 11:59pm PST.

Disclaimers:
This blog contains affiliate links meaning I make a small commission if you click on the link and make a purchase through it at no extra cost to you. 
I received the pattern at no charge for the purpose of the tour but all opinions are my own.  

Everyday Wear with Petite Stitchery & Co.

Hey all, I know its been a while...more than a month actually since I've posted to my blog. But I've been busy with tons of fun stuff that I can't wait to show you. For now here we are to celebrate everyday wear with Petite Stitchery & Co. Be sure to read to the end and enter the rafflecopter easy giveaway!

This group of three talented ladies have created a pattern collection with so much vesitilty and style that its easy to used for dressing up and everyday fun. 

From this collection I've made the Sparrow tunic, the Fawn leggings (with and without the tuxedo stripe) and my favorite so far, the Rosemary crop top. 

I made Sparrow and Fawn for Amelia. She just loves peplum style tops.

For the Fawn leggings I used a fun stitching technique (flat lock) that I learned in a class about exploring and using your serger to its full potential. It just gives the garment that little extra detail to make it so much more interesting and creative. So much more fun stitching techiniques and fun information to come...this all from a class that I took at Penelope-Machines a Coudre.

Now about Rosemary! So to start I've been hoarding this fabric from Birch Fabrics for some time now...it was purchased from Phat Quarter Shop on Etsy and there is even a facebook group...go check them out to get details on Black Friday deals and savings!  

Rosemary is a great layering piece, with this huge collar. *Here's a tip make sure if you have a driectional fabric to cut the collar upside down to get the print right side up on you collar. it would just be so sad if those little girls would be upside down. 

JubeJube also has the basic style of the Fawn leggings on. The fabric is from Art Gallery, purchased at my local fabric shop. 

I do think that there is so much potential with this wonderful little pattern company. There is just one think I would really like to see, please, pretty please stop putting sleeves cut on the fold. This is my opinion, but its so worth the extra time, effort, ink and paper to get the full sleeve simply becasue the front and back sleeve should have a slightly different shape. It just makes for such a better fit. 

ok, I need to go play the fishing game with the girls...it looks like so much fun! 

Join the Petite Stitchery & Co. Fan group on facebook for details on Black Friday sales!

More Petite Stitchery & Co. inspiration and fun with:

Inspinration - Gracious Threads - Cherubs Craft - Sew Sophie Lynn - 

Pear Berry Lane - Sprouting JubeJube - Élégantine!

Go check out the other posts!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Twig & Tale Tour

By now you've heard the news...Big Little can now be found as Twig & Tale. Makes perfect sense to me seeing that kids will have so many tales to share with all the encouraged use of imagination and play with Twig & Tales patterns for outfits and toys.

I had so much fun sewing up these whimsical patterns! First I had decided on the cape, I loved the idea of creating a little red cape, but brown... That's exactly what Amelia said to me, I want Little Red Riding Hood cape, but brown. I also fell in love with those pixie shorts! Who wouldn't! Then more suprises, I got to choose fabric from Art Gallery Fabrics and they sent it to me (for the purpose of the tour). So thanks to Twig & Tale and Art Gallery Fabrics both Amelia and JubeJube had a grand time playing pretend in the park.

For the lining of Amelia's cape I selected In the Thicket Dawn. I was to make the Pixie Shorts with Laced Sunset but when I saw the colors and pritns together I decided on two outfits simply because I didn't like the way they matched up, so a blouse was the way to go for this beautiful fabric.

You might also notice JubeJube's leggings...Yes, that's Art Gallery too, I picked that print up at my local fabric store, its Gust of Leaves.

I love how easily these pattern went together, and I love how each pattern can be made so simple or get the Wild Things Add-ons to make play time even more fun. In fact, you can get the Wild Things Dragon add-on for free, just sign up for the Twig & Tale newsletter, or get it here!

Download FREE Dragon Sewing Pattern

I know it doesn't look like Amelia is having much fun here, and at that point she wasn't just because I asked her to stay still for 3 minutes and put on the hood so I could see what she looked like with the hood on. What a drama queen!

What would a Blog Tour be without a giveaway!

Art Gallery Fabrics is kindly sponsoring 2 yards of Art Gallery fabric of your choice. To make the prize extra sweet, we are also adding a collection of 5 Twig + Tale patterns of your choice.
International entries are very welcome. Our bloggers come from every corner of the world to celebrate the global nature of Twig +Tale too.
Enter using the rafflecopter below.
(The winning entry will be checked to ensure all criteria are met).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 Blog tour overview page

Monday: Falafel and the Bee - Handmade Boy - Sew A Little Seam - Sew Shelly Sew

Tuesday: N�h-connection - Khadetjes - Paisley Roots - Vera Luna - Inspinration

Wednesday: Skirt Fixation - Mend and Make New - Idle Sunshine - NZ Green buttons - Candice Ayala

Thursday: Vaahtokarkkimonsteri - Lulu & Celeste - Sprouting Jube Jube

- Life in our busy household - Elephant Dimples

Friday: Pattern Revolution - Milk Monster Momma - Small Steps Big Noises - Fliegfederfrei

Saturday: - Made by Sara - So Popo Sew - Big Little Tales - Needle and Ted

* I received the Cap pattern and Pixie Pants/shorts pattern for the purpose of the tour, and Art Gallery Fabrics supplied me with fabrics for the purpose of the tour, but all opinions remain my own.

**The blouse pattern is Charlotte from Jilly Atlanta, and the leggings pattern is from Jennuine Design. The outer fabric of the Cape and Pixie Pants is a wool blend from my stash, the Prince de Galle fabric for the Pixie shorts also from my stash. Amelia's t-shirt and tights are from H&M, and their boots are from thier at home wardrobe. 

Until next time, xx.

Maple Skirt: Sew Along Inspiration

From the first time I saw the Maple Skirt by Gracious Threads I knew I had to make one. I'm so glad to be a part of the Sew Along to give some inspiration and maybe some tips.

My focus today will be on top stitching and all those little fun details I put on my skirt. 

If you aren't already a part of the Gracious Threads Sewing Group on facebook, you need to go there because that's where the main part of the sew along is taking place. You'll find a whole bunch of tips and ticks and more hacks....so much inspiration! PLUS so much more!

Top Stitching:

So let me start off by saying these pocket were not an after thought. I started with the outer pocket ...even before adding the lining. Very important to notice that if you do not have the thread color you need or want for top stitching denim you can always thread the top of your machine with two spools of your thread and pass them through so that both threads go through the needle. You'll notice the left side of my stitching is a lot darker than the right side. the bobbin thread stays as is. So now, back to my pockets...

I finished my raw edges with my serger and pressed down the top of the pocket by about an inch. Then I pressed down my seam allowances all the way around so that I could get a good look at the space I had available for my embroidery.  I did stitch down the top of my pocket so that it would look like the image below. I actually omited the lining of the pockets, but if you want to line them now would be a good to do it, before stitching down the top of the pocket.

After I drew out a simple curly vine looking image and just stitched over my curves with my machine then added the flower shaped buttons where I wanted to and sewed then on by hand.

Then all you have to do it stitch the appliqué pockets to the front of the skirt. I did a lot of top stitching on this skirt just to give some fun little details...like those buttonhole, they're all faux, I actually made the buttonholes and added snaps to close up the front of the skirt.

Adjustable waistband:

I also made an adjustable waistband on this skirt because my girls can actually share their clothes, they're about the same height, but they don't have the same body shape and one of them has an extra inch around the waist.

I made the waistband with two cuts to be able to thread through the elastic...making sure I kept the same length in total for the waist. 

 Pressed my seam allowances open, then stitched it to the outer waist band as directed in the tutorial. 

Thread through the elastic, sew the buttons on in the side, and that's it.

The Final Result: 

The top, by the way, is the Raindrop Tee, also by Gracious Threads. 

Until next time, xx.

*I did get the skirt pattern for free for the purpose of sew along, but all opinions and ideas are my own!