Seaside Notions - Pensacola Beach Petal Top

 Have you seen the newest release from Seaside Notions? The Pensacola Beach Petal Top  has got to be one of the most adorable tops I have ever seen!  I knew that my daughter would love the petals and there are so many options for embellishment!  (Disclaimer: I did receive this pattern in exchange for providing my honest opinions in a blog post.)  Recently, I have become concerned that my daughter would ask me to stop sewing her clothes because of the "cool" factor that 3rd grade apparently comes with.  But then I made this shirt for her and I think that we can safely determine that she loves it!

Pardon my "urban jungle" and the neverending fall construction that surrounds my house but Washington winter means, "Run out and take your pictures before the rain comes back!" Here are a few better photos:

Oh yeah! Mom for the win! She was in love! ...and requested more in specific fabric combinations that I don't necessarily agree with but we will compromise.  The pretty silver has a sparkle to it that doesn't leave a glitter trail everywhere she goes and the petal fabric is something that I scored in a scrap lot I bought that seemed to compliment her personality perfectly.  I used a pretty pink bias tape to give her a little detail that wasn't overpowering and I intentionally did not blend the bodice down a size to allow her to layer it in the upcoming cool weather.  (Although there are detailed and complete instructions for blending sizes to ensure the perfect fit for your little one!) And of course my button boycott continues and I used two snaps to make it easy for her to dress herself and make life easy on mom.  

I paired this shirt with the Emilya's Skinny Pants by the Simple Life Pattern Co.  I used these because I could use the last of my limited supply to create cuffs and a matching outfit, which makes Dad able to dress the kids in the morning without my help. Mom - 2 Life - 0. 

So if you missed the release and the sew along, I hope I made sure you didn't overlook a great pattern. And while you are over at Seaside Notions check out the other patterns in the shop!  The Point Mugu Maxi Skirt is a big favorite in my house and even comes in women's sizes so I am in love.  Head over to the Facebook group - Seaside Notions Patterns for more inspiration!

Thanks for stopping through! 

Lexi Lou Bag Blog Tour - A Vision To Remember

Hello everyone! Long time no see!!!! Welcome back or welcome here if it is your first time.  Today I am participating in the Lexi Lou Bag Blog Tour!  Now, I don't know if I am the only one but I always see rag quilt but never made anything with that look.  So when I saw the testing call for the Lexi Lou bag I know I had to be brave and give it a try.  And I am so glad that I did!

So here are some lessons I learned while constructing this bag.  If you want the full on fray look, you should incorporate the flannel that is suggested between each layer.  My woven fabric choices did not fray as well as I would have liked.  But maybe with future washing the fray will increase. I love the construction of the exposed seam and I like the look of the striping on the pocket.

This bag does have a zipper closure but I don't know that it would be too hard to not use the zipper if you don't want to.  But there are instructions for both a traditional zipper and an exposed zipper which is super cool if you have hopped on the exposed zipper wagon with me and are always trying to figure out how to incorporate one.

I am actually going live from the tail end of my California vacation and this bag has been a godsend!  It is the perfect size for a day bag and worked great on the beach!

Overall,  I am pleased with my first attempt and I can't wait to make another for my daughter so hopefully she doesn't steal this one from me!  But go make your own!  And leave me a comment to let me know what you are planning you might win a prize!

Join seven seamstresses as we sew up the New Lexi-Lou bag from A Vision to Remember. There will be one or two bloggers each day, be sure to visit them all as no two bags are the same!

*NOTE* The links below won’t show the tour posts until their day of the tour, but you are encouraged to click through and check their blogs out.

8/24-

8/25-

8/26-

8/27- &

8/28- &

Be sure to leave a comment each day to be entered to win a free pattern. Each blogger will be choosing one comment from their blog to receive a free pattern from A Vision to remember.

Also, the Lexi-Lou Pattern has been discounted 25% this week! Get yours now on Craftsy or Etsy!

Point Mugu Maxi Skirt!

Recently, I saw a testing call that just screamed my daughter's name!  Although I was not familiar with the designer, I applied to make this adorable maxi skirt.  The Point Mugu Maxi Skirt by Seaside Notions turned out to be just as perfect as I suspected it would be.  This pattern ranges in size from 12 months to 14 years.  The pattern is well written and easy to understand as well as easy to customize for the perfect fit.  I also love that there is the option of simply using a measurement chart or printing pattern pieces to please any consumer.  The tiered skirt allows for any mixture of your favorite woven fabrics but my daughter already had her eye on a few fabrics from my stash.  

We are big supporters of Autism Awareness due to the passion my son has for working with young children who are autistic.   I am working so hard to teach my children to love people for their differences and respect what makes us all special.  My daughter is no different and wanted to show her support.

My daughter is so girly that the ruffles were right up her alley and the skirt touched the ground when she bent her knees slightly so she was in heaven!

The skirt isn't heavy on her and she can run and play just like she always does.  She is really just in love!  I would suggest a thinner woven for summer time wear. Both of these fabrics were super thin and flowy allowed her the skirt motion she craves. 

Isn't happiness like this what we all strive for?  Join the Facebook Group or just head over and buy yourself a copy here using the code BLOGTOUR to get 20% off! So go make your little girl just as happy! Or enter below to win fabulous prizes!!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

May Mystery Challenge!!!

So recently, I am looking for a challenge... gasp! And I ended up finding myself as a member of the May Mystery Challenge.  So we were randomly paired and each person was "gifted" with a topic.  I was assigned 1964 New York's Fair by Jonie from KnotSewNormal.  Huh? I had never even heard of that?!? Admittedly, at first, I hung my head in sorrow and played the envy game with everyone else's topic.  Then I sucked it up and googled my subject.  I found out a ton of information and an overload of cool trivia.  For instance, below is a postcard from the fair.  Do you recognize that gigantic globe?

 It is called the Unisphere.  It was the symbol of the 1964 World's Fair and symbolized the theme which was "Man's Achievements on a Shrinking Globe in an Expanding Universe".  It still stands today!

Does it look familiar now?  You have probably seen it in numerous movies, music videos and even video games since it's original construction including Men In Black, Cyndi Lauper's Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, B52s album cover, King of Queens, Iron Man 2, Captain America and a version entitled the "Monoglobe" appears in Grand Theft Auto IV.

The hosting of a World's Fair results in the construction of an entire mini-city within a city. I live near Seattle which boasts it's skyline altering Space Needle which was constructed for the 1962 World's Fair. (See Jonie, you should have picked that one :) ) There are plenty of notable fair landmarks and structures left in New York and there is an amazing article here that discusses them.

Now, what did I sew?  I really had no clue what to do with this one.  I am so used to sewing for my daughter that I really searched for a way to make her look like a typical member of the 60's crowd.  And then the lightbulb went off! What about making a dress for myself???

I chose the Simplicity 1155 pattern which has two vintage looks.  The first thing I discovered is my renewed sense of hate for paper patterns.  I sneezed and ripped a piece! Argh!  But the results were worth the pain.  Not only did I end up with a dress for myself, but I managed to watch like 20 seasons of my shows on Netflix.  Slow and steady wins the race right?



I have to say that the time part wasn't as bad as I originally thought it would be and perhaps I am used to the instant gratification of whipping up a dress for my daughter in under a day and never having to adjust anything?  I still have a lot to learn about adjusting dresses to flatter my shape but not bad for a first try.  Either way, I think I have found my inner girlie girl and I have no doubt that I should make myself another dress soon.

Thank you so much for stopping by for a little history and to glance at my photos.  Please continue to follow this amazing series and glance backwards if you missed any of the previous creations!

5/25│ The Berry Bunch - Frank Lloyd Wright │ Sew Not Perfect - Lucille Ball, I Love Lucy

5/26 │ Create 3.5 - George Sand

5/27│ Zoe and Ted - Suffragetes

5/28│ House of Estrela - Woodstock/Fall of the Berlin Wall  │ Pen Seb Rox - Piet Mondriaan

5/29│ Friends Stitched Together - Impressionist Movement │ Wining Wife - Judgement of Paris

5/30│ Super Stay at Home Mommy - Madame Tussaud │ Keep Calm and Carrion - Jackie Kennedy  │ Gloria June - Florence Nightingale

5/31│ Sofilantjes - Andy Warhol │ Busy Little Bee - Marie Antoinette │ Amanda Rose - March 9, 1959 Barbie

6/1│ Pienkel - Bianca Jagger │ Huisje Boompje Boefjes - Anne Frank

6/2│ Taking it Up a Notch - Queen Victoria │ Amazing Adventures with Bubba and Bug - 1964 New York World Fair │  Kelly's Sewing Creations - Steampunk Mary Queen of Scots

6/3│ Mae & K - Tesla │ Pretty Little Blog - Moon Landing │ Knot Sew Normal - Lutie Eugenia Sterns

6/4│ Sew Starly - Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II │ Hibbadoray - Amelia Earhart │ Sew Far North - Countess Markievicz (1868-1927)

6/5│ Made By Sara - John Dillinger/Roaring 20's │ Friends Stitched Together - Prohibition/Roaring 20's

6/6│ Country Bella - 1900's World's Fair/Art Nouveau │ Lulu and Celeste - Rosie the Riveter

6/7│Sew Domesticated - 1960's/Civil Rights Movement │ Rebel and Malice - French Revolution/Joan of Arch │ The Fabric Hoarder - Gypsies

Dive Into Swimsuits!

Hey! It is my turn to show off my swimsuits!!! I am so excited!  I was lucky enough to participate in the Coles's Corner and Creations: Dive Into Swimsuits blog tour and I choose to sew the All 4 One Stylish Swimsuit.  This pattern is so versatile and has so many options I spent days trying to figure out what to do! And I know that I will use this pattern over and over again and for many years to come!

This is actually my fourth swimsuit I have ever sewn and I am still learning a lot about sewing them. Last year, I managed to make one swimsuit for my daughter and it was not my best showing.  But it fit and it wasn't the pattern but my inexperience with the material and sewing altogether.  So this summer demands that I redeem myself and my sewing machine and crank out some swimsuit fun.

Beachy Keen Bikini/Tankini By E-beth Designs

Recently, I tested the Lakehouse Swimsuit for Cole's Corner and Creations and that was one of my first swimsuits for this season.  It is truly adorable so a few quick pictures of that one.

Some helpful hints I learned between that swimsuit and the current ones:

1) Measure and measure again.  My daughter is muscular and long so one pieces are a challenge and I am constantly adjusting them.

2) Go slowly and hold on tight. I have a lead foot and swimsuit fabric can be super slippery!

3) Start thick!  My red and black dots is so thin I wondered if it would be see through.  This caused me a lot of frustration. I should have picked a thicker fabric at first until I got the hang of it.

So now my version of the All 4 One!

She loves her new suit.  I think it is still looking a little short in her torso even though I thought I adjusted enough.  Refer back to lesson 1 above!  I will probably alter this one and give it back to her because she really loves those black and red dots.  

During the tour, the All 4 One suit is on sale for only $3.00 so there is really no excuse not to go grab the pattern and make a swimsuit!  Make sure you check out my fellow bloggers on the tour because they are some of the most talented ladies I have seen!  Don't forget to head over to Cole's Corner and Creations and enter to win amazing prizes too!

Summer Surprise Anniversary Blog Tour

Welcome to the Summer Surprise Anniversary Blog Tour!  I have been working with Anne Jacobs for quite a while. The Summer Surprise pattern was the first pattern I saw of hers and I knew that I had to make one for my daughter.  At that time, I had barely unpacked my sewing machine and didn't know how to do most things.  But I just knew I needed to make one.  I was lucky enough to get picked to test the extended Summer Surprise sizing for my daughter.  And then I offered to help her behind the scenes promoting and sewing and being a part of the Sofilantjes family.  And I have loved every moment!

I just knew I had to beg to be a part of this blog tour!  And I had an idea on how to hack this pattern and give my darling Diva a dress she would die for!  I bought some Minecraft fabric for my son that he went wild over and my Diva had been begging me to let her have what was left.  So I knew I wanted to use that.  Now, maxi skirts are my Diva's new craze and everything needs to go "to the floor, Mom!" But how to turn the Summer surprise shirt into a maxi dress?

First, I measured from my daughter's shoulder to where I wanted the bodice to end and cut the shirt pattern to that length plus seam allowance.  Now here is the trial and error.  I used the Greenstyle Amy Maxi skirt to define the shape of the skirt.  Any long skirt pattern would do, this was just the one I had on hand and I cannot draw well enough to handle simple shapes.  Sad, I know!!!

So my first try...

To which I was given the feedback... "it isn't long enough mom!"  Now I was working with a t shirt and the scraps of my yardage so I needed to figure out a way to lengthen this dress and make it match.  I estimated needing another 6 inches to give me the final length I desired.  Instead of cutting two pieces, I cut one large waistband-like strip and put it in the middle.  And she loved it!

She now refers to it as her Minecraft Princess dress!  And I got some super high fashion modeling from her! :) She keeps me laughing!

The details are to die for!

So now for the fun part!  The Summer Surprise pattern has been re-released in a new updated format.  If you already purchased this pattern, just reach out and you can receive your copy.  If you don't own it yet, head over to www.sofilantjes.com and use the code anniversary for 25% off your purchase!  

And before you leave, enter to win one of our amazing prizes!  Because winning things is my Diva's favorite pasttime! There is a new giveaway daily so don't just enter mine today, check out the links to the other blogs and enter there too!  I can't wait to see everyone's creations in the Sofilantjes Sew and Show fb group!  Happy Sewing!

Day 2 giveaway

-Serger Pepper Designs, winner's choice 

-Lily Bird Studio, winner's choice 

-Cole's Corner and Creations, winner's choice 

-Paisley Roots, All Spice 

-Kelly J Designs, winner's choice 

-Laela Jeyne Patterns, winner's choice 

-KB Stitch Design, winner's choice 

-Sofilantjes, winner's choice

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Inspinration - The Craftiness in Me - Van Je Veel - Boutique Birdie - Tory Frail Designs - Wining Wife - Keep Calm and Carrion - Moon Star - Circle Meets Line - Amazing Adventures with Bubba and Bug - Manning the Machine - Sugarplum Cuties - House of Estrela - Create 3.5 - Handcrafted by RED - Lulu & Celeste - Rebel & Malice - Two Novembers - From a Box - Sprouting JubeJube - Maryall Made - Phat Quarters - Knot Sew Normal - Sew Happily Ever After - All Things Katy