Easter Verona Dress by Jennuine Design

I wasn't going to sew Easter dresses this year, but I'm so glad I ended up making matching dresses for both my daughters using the Verona Dress pattern from Jennuine Design and this Amy Butler fabric I purchased last spring (Amy Butler's Belle Collection - Chrysanthemum in blue),  I love the way they turned out!  (Sadly, my 4 month old is too sick to pose for pictures in her dress - so I'll have to share it after Easter!)  Walking around the shopping center the other day I was excited to think that my two girls will have original dresses this Easter and all summer long.
*this post contains my affiliate links to the Jennuine Design shop.

continue reading

Cowl Neck Dress and Sweater from Heidi & Finn

I absolutely love the new Cowl Neck Dress and Sweater pattern from Heidi & Finn! Easy to cut and sew; adorable, cozy, warm, and practical for my daughter. What is not to love?!


I had the opportunity to be part of the testing team for this pattern and the results were great from the start.  The dress and top pictured in this post are from the original pattern run.  Changes made during testing include a slightly slimmer cut on the bodice, the option of a band at the bottom hem, shorter sleeve length in smaller sizes, and a larger cowl in larger sizes.  I used the optional ties in both the dress and top I sewed, which can be tied to the front or back.  The dress also looks great without the ties, or with a belt.  Butterfly appliques are an option included in the tutorial, and several other testers added adorable appliques of their own.  Your choice of knit fabric can be used for this dress ranging from a thinner knit to fleece.  The cowl
will take a different shape and hold depending on the fabric.  I could make these over and over again, and I'm sure I'll make several each year for my own daughters and as gifts!


Another bonus: the pattern does not require a lot of fabric (especially in smaller sizes).  I made both my versions out of a sweater weight knit - the dress is from the Doodles collection at JoAnn's and the purple top I made from a 1/2 yard remnant I purchased at a local specialty fabric shop.  It is buttery soft and warm, and the remnant only cost $4.00 (which is WAY less than I paid for the first two yards of that fabric I bought for myself a few months prior!).

I really appreciated the way the tutorial has you hem the sleeves and bottom (if you do not use the optional band at the bottom).  By finishing the edge of the fabric (with serger or zig-zag stitch - I used serger for one and faux serger for the other) and then hemming, you are able to avoid having the bulky hem that a double-folded knit edge often leaves.  It's little things like this, her method of measuring the cowl neck to make sure it fits correctly (it varies with types of fabric) and similar touches that make this a pattern that is satisfying to make and looks great when finished.

This is a great pattern for someone who is thinking about sewing her first knit pattern.  You do not need a serger, so if you don't have one, don't let that stop you from sewing this dress!  The tutorial includes directions for using a serger as well as doing it without.  The serger I was using fritzed out after the first dress, so for the top I used a stretch stitch and then the faux serger stitch on my Janome to finish the seams and it turned out just as nice inside and out.


Features:

• Easy to follow pattern, quick sew
• Slim cut body
• Option for long/short sleeves
• Super comfy large cowl neck
• Optional long ties sewn into each side can be tied in the front or the back for a different look. 
• Dress pulls right over the head for easy dressing.
• Optional sweater length, bottom band, long or short sleeves makes this a really versatile pattern
• Can be made in any type of stretch or knit fabric (interlock,jersey sweatshirt material or fleece etc.). 
• BONUS- butterfly applique patterns are included to embellish your dress
• No serger needed - instructions for both serger and sewing machine are included in tutorial

Hawthorn Zip-Up Sweatshirt by Titchy Threads for Willow & Co.

It's time to start saving your pdf pattern pennies! (if you have a budget for your pdf pattern purchases)


Willow & Co, a pattern collective, is releasing their Spring and Summer line, Wanderlust: a glamping collection, on Tuesday, April 22.  Here is a peek at one piece from the collection, the Hawthorn Zip-Up Sweatshirt by Laura at Titchy Threads and Craftstorming.  I was so excited to be in the tester group for this pattern and I am thrilled with the result!










Pattern Options and Features
The Hawthorn Zip-Up Sweatshirt can be made for boys or girls in a variety of fabrics from medium interlock, to sweatshirt, to fleece, with a contrast knit fabric for collar and zip facings, and a rib knit for sleeve cuffs.  Options include full- or half-zip, regular or split side seam, with or without pockets.  Sizing ranges from 6-12 months to 12 years.


Further details: 

• Pattern pieces vary for each age by color AND line style, so they can be printed in color or black and white. 
• Option to turn off all except one size using pdf layers.  This means you can print only the size or sizes you plan to use.
• Detailed pattern pieces including notches for lining up pieces, adding pockets, etc.  This is often not found on pdf patterns. 
• Pattern pieces are well laid out, and assembly does not result in one giant mass of paper to cut, but rather nicely sized, well-portioned pieces.
• PDF document featuring very detailed tutorial with color pictures of every step. 
• Size chart, finished measurements chart, fabric requirements and supplies list.
• Cheat Sheet at the end for when you need a basic reminder of what comes next instead of following the whole tutorial (for those who are very experienced sewists or have made the garment multiple times).
• Prints on both Letter and A4 paper
• Metric and imperial measurements included throughout

Personal Review
This pattern took thought, time, and attention - and I think the final product reflects the effort put forth.  It wasn't difficult.  I consider myself an advanced beginner, maybe?  It was my FIRST TIME EVER putting in a zipper.  I think it looks fantastic.  It was also my first time doing these kinds of facings, first time putting in pockets, and first time using twill tape.  I won't pretend I didn't use my seam ripper a time or two, but Laura's instructions walked me right through and taking the time and attention to do it right resulted in an awesome finished sweatshirt/jacket.  It looks so well made and it has everything to do with Laura's well-drafted pattern, her detailed instructions, and her involvement and responsiveness to the testers during the testing process.  She quickly responded to feedback, suggestions, and questions and made excellent adjustments to the pattern to make it just right.

My version is the half-zip, split side seam with pockets.  I do not have a huge stash of fabric to choose from (especially knit), so I had to go to my local JoAnn's to look for fabric.  I really wasn't excited about what they had for boys and actually went looking two or three times before settling on the grey/red double layer fleece.  I was inspired by the pirate skull iron-on decal I found, and went from there, using a zipper and thread that matched the red under layer of fleece and the red in the decal.  The contrast fabric that lines the collar, the zipper facing, and pockets is repurposed from a shirt.  I thought the black and grey stripes not only coordinated nicely, but echoed the pirate theme.  I did learn that the fabric had too much stretch for pockets, and they stretched below the hemline.  I fixed this later by sewing the pockets into the seam on the hem.  Laura also recommend in the tutorial now using a fabric with no more than 30% stretch for the pockets. Twill tape options are pretty limited at JoAnns.  Its cheap and only comes in black or white.  When you buy this pattern, check out the etsy shop Laura recommended for twill tape for a great selection on twill tape.

I have two other boys asking when I will make them their own sweatshirt.  Heading in to summer, this will probably wait until fall, unless I can find some lighter sweatshirt knit that I like for boys.  But I know that this pattern is one I will go back to for my own family and for gifts.  It's one of those excellent, well-drafted patterns with clear instructions and beautiful results that I am so glad to have in my collection!

This is my little man's favorite shot, so he wanted me to include it!

Thanks for reading the whole post!  I'd love your comments, new likes for Sew-Not-Prefect on Facebook, and new followers on bloglovin'.  Please stop back again soon!

Mommy and Me Piko Tops from EYMM

What is there not to love about a stylish, quick sewing project for both mom and daughter?  This is one of those great patterns that probably takes more time to assemble the pattern and cut the fabric than it does to sew it.  Kymy at Everything Your Mama Made and More designed these tops and I had the opportunity to be part of the tester group for both the girl's and women's versions.  You can purchase the pattern here, including a bundle for both the girl's and women's version.

The pattern is for lightweight knits and has options for a hi-low hem, sidetail hem, or regular hem, and the sleeves can be short, 3/4, or long.  For my first shirts, I used the short sleeve version with hi-low hem.  Kymy's instructions are clear, with lots of hints for first time knit users.  She gives instructions for sewing with or without a serger and with or without a double needle.  I used a double needle on my, as I usually like the finish it provides, but I had trouble with tunneling on my fabric.  I will be going back and adjusting the pressure on my presser foot to see if that eliminates this trouble.

I appreciate that the top is cute and comfy for both me and my daughter and that I was able to sew both tops in one morning.  I already had my daughter's fabric cut, but I printed, taped, cut, cut the fabric for myself and sewed both tops in one morning.  I might try a size down next time.  I usually wear and sew a medium, and the fit is fine on this top, but I am interested to see how a size down would look as well.

If you are looking for an easy stylish top for yourself or daughter (or both), you have to check out Kymy's Piko tops at Everything Your Mama Made & More!

Heidi & Finn's Chic Cocktail Swing Coat: Review

If you are looking for a quick and easy sew that results in a beautiful and unique coat for a little girl in your life, you have to check out Heidi & Finn's Chic Cocktail Swing Coat.  It is a quick and easy project with amazing results!  When Christine at Heidi & Finn recently modified this pattern and added new hood and sizing options, I had the opportunity to test the updated version in size 18m.  I absolutely loved making the coat and was pleased with how well and how quickly the pattern came together.  In fact, the fabric I used for the first draft was just some extra fabric and I was not expecting to like it much until I used a better fabric.  But I ended up loving it and can't imagine having made anything with that fabric that would have turned out so adorable.  I am not exaggerating when I say that whenever my daughter has been wearing her new coat, we receive multiple compliments from perfect strangers!  On our last errand trip I counted at least eight strangers who asked about and complimented her coat.   I am planning a raincoat version using Amy Butler laminated fabric.  I can't wait to sew up another one!

This week only, you can purchase the pattern in the Craftsy shop for $4.50.  After that, it will be the regular price of $7.95 for the lower (12m - 5T) or upper (6Y - 12Y) sizing file, or $10.95 for the bundle which includes the full range of sizing in the Etsy and Craftsy shop.

My Thoughts
I really enjoyed making this coat and think all the new options are adorable.  I love that it can be customized for a sweet spring or Easter coat as well as a warm coat for fall and winter.  The instructions are clear and easy to follow, and the results are fantastic.  I am very happy with the fit and I especially like that the hood offers excellent coverage and protection from wind, rain, etc while not being too bulky or creating discomfort in a car seat.  I chose the button closure simply because I was thinking practicality and (again) ease of fit in a car seat.  I imagine the bow closure would work better in a forward facing or booster seat.

The only (minor) difficulty I came across was making the larger button hole, as my machine only makes button holes up to 1" (but my button was 1 3/4").  However, I came across these fantastic instructions on how to fool your machine into making a larger button hole, and it worked perfectly!

 Pattern Specifics and Options
The updated pattern is for sizes 12 months to 12 years and includes the following options:

• Collar or hood
• Plain hood, or hood with bunny, mouse or bear ears
• Button closure (1-3 large buttons) or large bow closure (the ties for the bow pull through the button hole, then are tied into a bow to secure the coat closed.)
• Extended sizing from the original

This pattern is designed for thicker fabric such as wool, wool blend, canvas, etc, with a lining of your choice (cotton, flannel, etc).  You want to choose a thick or stiff fabric so the coat will hold its shape.

The sizing is intended to fit over sweaters and layers of clothing, and to fit for several seasons of wear (making this pattern a great value for your time and effort!).

The pdf pattern instructions are easy to follow and include multiple pictures to help guide you along and provide clarity.  The pdf file is 6.9 MB (for smaller sizes) and 39 pages, with the last 14 of those pages being the printable pattern pages and the rest the instructions.

Pattern Description from Heidi & Finn:

What a Chic coat! This pattern is for the NEW Chic Cocktail Swing Coat. 
ON SALE for one week only! get it at this great price while you can!

This coat features a slightly fitted Upper body, boat-neck neckline, bell sleeve, and Swing body. With tons of options like Bow tie or button closures, collar or hood, ears or plain hood, this is a truly versatile pattern! 
A modern and classic design that will look great for years. The collar can be worn up or down for different looks. This coat can made with heavier materials for a perfect fall/winter piece. Or can be made with light cottons for a spring time option. The possibilities are endless!
This will be your favorite thing to sew!

NO SERGER NEEDED - as always, all my patterns are great for those just starting to sew and all you need is a sewing machine - no fancy tools needed!

This easy to sew pattern features all colour photos and pages of step by step instructions

Grab your pattern now at the great sale price and sew up a darling coat for a sweet little girl in your life!

Princess Dress from Candy Castle Patterns

I am so very pleased with this dress.  I wanted to make an Easter and Spring dress for my daughter and this pattern hit the mark!

I know, I know.  I posted nearly the same collage twice.  One looks better on my iPad, one looks better on the desktop.  Hoping to improve my photography skills so that they all look good.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I joined a two-week sew-along in the Candy Castle Patterns Group on Facebook, using her Princess Dress pattern.  This was my first sew-along and first pattern from Candy Castle Patterns.  I loved how easy-to-follow the pattern guide is.  I was able to try my hand at a few techniques I had not done before, and completed my second ever dress for my daughter.  And did I mention I love it?  The pattern is very versatile and customizable.  You choose slim or regular size, sleeve length (additional pattern available, Swizzle Sticks Sleeves for even more sleeve options), and whether you want a paneled or single fabric skirt, hemmed/ruffled/lace skirts, and the pattern also includes optional bows and yo-yo fabric flower embellishments.  I printed the pages I needed for my size pattern dimension, then followed the directions in my kindle app rather than printing the directions.  This worked very well for me.

I fell in love with the London Calling line of fabric from Robert Kauffman when I was shopping at The French Seam in Indianapolis (awesome fabric shop, the ladies there are lovely, and the store is delightful) and I knew I wanted to use the purple floral for the main fabric of my dress (it is so soft I even used it for the lining - I thought it was worth it to have that nice fabric next to her skin).  I had some green lattice print fabric left over from another project, and I liked the way it coordinated with the floral, so I chose that for my underskirt, even though I had originally selected a different fabric.  The lavender fabric was a remnant I picked up at The French Seam, and I loved the way it complemented my color scheme.   I used the one-fabric design for my skirt, and created ruffles for the bottom of both skirts.  I used the puff sleeve option, and then scaled back the puff a bit, for personal preference with this particular dress (look at the online photos to see how amazing the puff sleeves are for the Disney Character Princess dresses several women have made).

THOUGHTS
I've already said I really enjoyed the pattern.  I admit I was a little worried that the ruffles and scallops would be too much for me.  I also wasn't sure I'd like the longer length of the dress.  These are all options you can easily change - and many have.  A simplified Princess Dress uses only a single underskirt, and the length is very easy to customize.  I just went for it with those parts of the pattern and in the end I am very happy with it.  It is very well done.  For a more everyday dress, I will certainly use this pattern again in the simplified version as well.  The sew-along with the group was also delightful.  Any time anyone had a question or ran in to a problem, help was minutes away when posting to the group.  Also, everyone participated with lots of encouragement and congratulations on everything from fabric choices to finished dresses.  The schedule was very forgiving and manageable even for someone like me with limited sewing time.  Another aspect I found helpful was the encouragement to make a muslin.  I ended up making three muslins to adjust sizing and the sleeves.  I know this was key to having a dress I am so happy with in the end.  The only challenge for me (and its a little tongue in cheek) was fleeing from the temptation to dress envy - or comparison.  Women put together some very creative, beautiful dresses during the sew-along (and some even did multiple dresses at the same time).  So the temptation was there to think, "I wish I'd have come up with that color scheme" or "Wow!  What is my dress compared to that one?"  But that is not the point really, is it?  My goal was to be happy with my dress at the end, and I certainly am very happy with it.

FIRSTS
This was my first time:

• sewing a sash
• sewing on my new Janome sewing machine
• "bothering" with a muslin (I hate to confess) - as mentioned this was very helpful.
• making button holes on an actual garment (instead of just practicing on test fabric)
• participating in a sew-along
• using a pattern from Candy Castle Patterns
• incorporating a placket
• Using a serger for a rolled hem (not required, but I used it for the ruffles on both skirts)

CHANGES & SPECIAL TOUCHES

Besides the adjustments I made for my own errors (see below), the only changes I made to the pattern were to add a ribbon backing to the button and buttonhole area for extra strength.  I used fusible bonding to attach the gross grain ribbon to the underside, then ran stitches across the top and bottom to secure in place before adding the buttons and the button holes.  Not sure it was necessary, I just did it.  As I mentioned above, I also scaled back the puff sleeves for this particular dress.  I then tested it when I made my muslin.I also wanted to bring some of the green fabric to the upper part of the dress, so I added a double band on the sleeve edge, instead of the single edge.  I also made a coordinating headband/hair clip and made use of the included the leaf pattern with the flower.

MISTAKES
Since I am not perfect, I will share my three main errors or mistakes while making this dress.

The first was sizing.  I measured my daughter and thought for sure a 12m slim would be the size to make.  I went ahead and made a muslin since it was on the schedule and my first time with the pattern.  When I tried it on my daughter, I was afraid it would be too narrow, especially by spring, so I decided to try the regular.  This is also when I scaled back the puff sleeve.  Still too narrow and perhaps, too short, I moved to the 18 slim.  I also looked at the size chart again and realized that really the 18 slim is where I should have started in the first place.  I was still concerned with the very bottom of the bodice being too tight at the bottom of the chest, but decided to forge ahead.  I am glad I did, because I forgot that the dress and skirt meet there, with a placket that can flex open.  So it ended up being a lovely fit.

Secondly, when cutting the scallops in the bottom of the skirt, I cut scallops in both skirts instead of just the top skirt.  It was late.  I wasn't thinking straight.  Since the skirts are gathered at the top anyway, and didn't have enough of the underskirt fabric to cut another, I sewed the cutouts shut, and in the end (after gathering) it didn't make a difference - thankfully!

Thirdly, when I was sewing the finished skirts to the bodice, i misaligned the side seams on one side.  This happened because I actually misaligned the two skirts - so the underskirt was aligned properly, but from the right side (outside) they were misaligned.  This was disappointing because I had to pull out the stitched and also ended up having to re-gather a good portion of the overskirt, then resew it all in the proper position.  The whole time I was praying I wouldn't accidentally put a hole in any of the fabric.  I breathed a huge sigh of relief and pleasure when I finished!

See?  Not perfect.  Mistakes happen and happily they were all fixable this time.  But, thankfully, the dress as a whole is anything but a mistake.  I love it!  I'd love to see links to your own Princess dress or other Candy Castle Patterns garment in the comments section!