Saturday, August 27, 2016

Back to school blog tour



Our kids have one week of school holiday left, which is why I am showing you Back to School Clothes. I am participating in the Back to School Blog Tour hosted by Sprouting Jubejube and Lulu & Celeste, so at the end of this post you can see links to other Back to School posts and a give away. For the blog tour I sewed three pieces: a dress, a bolero and a rain coat.


Let's start with the outer layer: the rain coat. I used the Wild Things Coat pattern from Big Little. This brings the score to four coats that I sewed with this pattern. Earlier, I made a beaver, a Toothless, a bunny and now a simple bear. A raincoat has to close very well so I chose to use velcro. I used one long strip of velcro from top to bottom on the button strip. Besides giving extra wind protection, the velcro makes it super easy to open and close the coat.The fabric is an inexpensive table cloth and I used the same fabric for both sides, in case the water resistance would not be perfect. My daughter can't wait for it to rain!



The middle layer of the outfit is a hack of the Pearl Shrug from Gracious Threads. Layers make summer dresses perfect for fall so the Pearl Shrug is a nice staple to have in every imaginable color. I have a store bought ruffle bolero which I love, and I used the Pearl to get a similar look. I more than doubled the length of the  bottom strip to create the ruffle. With hindsight, 1.8 times might also have been sufficient. I really like the stretchy bias finish of the neckline. It is the perfect way to add a nice extra pop.



The dress she is wearing is a hacked Driehoekje dress from The Eli Monster. The pattern asks for woven fabric, but I made it in jersey. I sized down to get a good fit due to the stretchiness of the fabric.  I really love the triangular lines on the front. I did not want to finish the dress with a facing, so I actually made an extra triangular seam on the front (and horizontal on the back) to create a fully lined bodice for an easy finish. I also added pockets, because our kids just need them. I bought the fabric a year ago at Joyfits.


My poor girl got a mosquito bite on her eye! Her eye was swollen heavily, making the shoot a challenge. I tried to pick those pictures in which she just seemed to wink like a crazy person. I finished the clothes just before we went on holiday, and although I had three days to make pictures, that eye destroyed my chances for the perfect shoot. I hoped I could re-shoot when we got back two days ago, but seeing we have a heat streak, I did not want to put her in that many layers.




Check out the overview of today's other posts on the today's host page. Like I mentioned at the beginning, there is a great give away, one pattern from Big Little. So, you could get this coat pattern for free! Fill in the rafflecopter to participate. To celebrate the tour, there are also several discounts.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Designs by Call Ajaire: Get  20% off in their Etsy shop with code BTS2016. Code valid from August 22nd through August 27th.
E+M Patterns: Save 50% with the code backtoschool on their website or in their Etsy shop. Code valid until August 27th at 11:59pm PST.
MODKID: Get 25% off  your entire purchase in their Etsy shop with code BTS2016. Code valid from August 22nd through August 27th.
Love Notions: Get 20% off all kids patterns with the code loveschool. Code valid from August 22nd through August 27th.
Sew Happily Ever After: Get the Nana’s totes pattern at 50% off with the code BACK2SCHOOL2016. Code good through August 31st.
Laela Jeyne Patterns: 30% off Any Single Pattern, No Code needed. From August 25-29th, 2016.
StitchART: 20% off with the code back2school in their Etsy shop. Valid from Aug 22nd – 28th, 2016.
Gracious Threads: Buy 3 patterns and save 15% off the purchase price! Use code SAVE15ON3. No expiry
The Eli Monster: Save 20% with the code yayforfall. Code valid until August 29th, 2016.
Filles à Maman: Get 25% off with the code BTS2016. Can be used on their website or in their Etsy shop. Code valid from August 24th through August 28th midnight EDT.
Whimsy Couture: Get 50% off, no code needed! End August 31st, 2016.
5 Out of 4 Patterns: Save 20% with code BTS2016. Valid from August 22nd-28th midnight EDT. Cannot be used on fabric.
Snuggle My Baby Patterns: Save 25% with code BTS2016. Valid until August 31st, 2016. 



Check out the rest of today's stops on the tour:
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Sunday, August 21, 2016

Domi times three



My son has no problem with choosing. It does not matter if he has to choose between gifts, sweets or children to ask for his birthday party. He chooses fast and it is not easy to change is mind. So, when he told me he needed more shorts like the crocodile ones from this post, I just made them. I have to admit that those Domi* from Sofilantjes* shorts are quickly cut and quickly sewn, so it was no sacrifice at all. I made my son exactly the same size as last year, I actually used the same copied pattern pieces. In the past, I already once took of a centimeter or two from the top, because he likes to wear his trousers on his hips. I am pretty sure that the Domi pattern is the my most often used pattern.



You know me, I do not like doing the same thing twice. So even with this type of line construction, I decided I wanted three different versions. I made one without pockets, one with round pockets and one with inseam pockets. Not a huge type of variation, but just enough to keep my mind happy. Of course all three got a different main fabric, but the fabric for the waistband is the same. I love the quality ribbing from Swafling( which I buy at Joyfits).



The red white striped version is from super soft and stretchy towel fabric. I used it before on this swim suit cover. The fabric is rather thick, which is why I decided to omit the pockets. Somehow the waistband ended up backwards, so now the seam is on the front. I was not in the mood to change it though. When I gave him the shorts, I told him that for these trousers the seam actually had to be on the front (I do not use labels). This lovely pair is usually worn backwards, so I would not have dreamt he would remember the seam comment. Last week my son actually asked me if this pair is the one where the seam if in the front. I was impressed.



The grey fabric is a leftover from the fabric from which I cut this dress. I was planning on ordering  the fabric for my son at Droomstoffen, but my eldest daughter loved the picture from the screen, so she got it. From the leftovers, I did manage to cut a pair of shorts. This one got inseam pockets. The pockets had the tendency to fall to the outside, but after I stitched down the opening with 1.5 cm on each side, they stayed in perfectly.



The last ones were sewn with a leftover from a dress that you have not seen yet. Remember I sewed a dress for the Christmas in July post and changed the dress in the last moment? Well the original dress is sewn with the yellow jersey. You will have to wait for the dress post, because that collar is still way to warm. I bought the fabric from Miss Madeline during a sewing weekend meeting.


Feel free to leave a comment in the language you prefer (although Google translate might have to assist me if you choose something different than English, German, Dutch or Hungarian). If you buy anything through my affiliate links (*), I get a small commission (the price stays the same for you), I am very grateful for everything that feeds my fabric addiction.

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Monday, August 15, 2016

Selfish sewing shirt



****update: I am in the running to become a Project run and Play Participant this season! Check out all the blogs and choose your favorite before the end of the 19th.****

Pre-cutting is a dangerous thing for me. If I will not immediately sew it, loss of interest is very big. Here, I told you I cut a shirt (and sewed a toddler dress from the scraps), and after that, the pieces were just laying there. All those test deadlines came first, but now it was finally time. The fact that we are going away to a warmer country helped (not much chance of wearing the shirt in the Netherlands when we get back due to the weather). I am super happy that I finished the shirt, it is a new favorite one.



The fabric is viscose tricot and it is super soft and stretchy with a great flow. If you haven't sewed with viscose tricot you should give it a try. Sewing it is a bit tricker than with stable bio cotton jersey's but with my serger it still worked like a charm. Also the hems were not much harder on my sewing machine then usual. Last time I already told you I got the fabric from Droomstoffen. This one is not available online, but there are several other pretty ones.


For the pattern I copied my favorite store-bought shirt. The copied shirt is my favorite shirt, so I guesstimated the pattern pieces, I did not deconstructed the actual shirt. I got that particular shirt in a second hand pregnancy clothes package (and it did not leave my closet after I was done with being pregnant). The colors have faded, but I just love the fit. I love the fact that the original shirt actually fits my chest. You can pull the cords to change the fit of the shirt.


I drafted the pattern digitally and it still needs work (the breast line has to be lowered a little, sleeves slightly different), but it is a fun first try. I will probably sew more from it because I think it would also be a great winter shirt. In the next version I will probably drop the cords, or at least put them on the inside. I always wear them pulled up anyway.


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Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Tulip release



Remember that I went on a sewing weekend in February? Besides getting a lot of sewing time, I also met a lot of amazing people. One of them is the very talented Katrien from Kaatjesnaaisels and she just released her first paid pattern (she already released this great free dress). Together with another amazing blogger, the impressively young (especially considering that she has her sewing blog for years)  Eva, they developed the Tulip top and dress. I was one of the lucky ones that was allowed to test and I sewed up this awesome dress.



The front of the dress is a true eye catcher. The overlapping petals give a very pretty asymmetrical effect.  The pattern is very suitable for baby/toddler bellies but it also fits my skinny girl beautifully. The dress is designed to hit just above the knee, but I lengthened the dress. My girl just had a jump in chest size (her chest had been stable for years) so I hope she will be able to wear this dress for while, hence the extra long dress.



The back closes with a blind zipper. Officially the zipper should go into the skirt part a bit. I cut incorrectly though. Now a days, I am so used to cutting pieces with the seam allowance in them, then you can cut everything on the fold (which I did) without problem. The test version was without seam allowance though. You can imagine my facial expression when I realized I cut the back on the fold, not taking into account the needed seam allowance for the zipper. To not distort the fit, I simply put the zipper only in the bodice. My skinny twig easily fits through the hole. Only the test version was without seam allowance, the final is WITH seam allowance, so you can freely cut things one the fold with your dress.



Besides my printing, I was rather slow during this test. This meant that a few other dresses had already been sewn. They all looked beautiful and I dared to immediately use a treasured fabric. This metallic fabric covered in gold spots is from Michael Miller. I bought it one and a half year ago at fabric.com and never dared to use it. I think it could not have found a better garment. The gold piping was a perfect match.


Normally the dress is 7 euro in the web shop, but with the code HAPPYTULIP (in capitals) you get 10% discount until the 14th. For now the pattern is only available in Dutch. The sizes range from 80 to 140 (European sizing) and there is the option to only print the size you need!

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Monday, August 1, 2016

Paradise toddler dress



A month ago, Flosstyle organized a Sewing Bee inspired game in their Facebook group. There were three different rounds, but I only participated in the first round. Before we went on holiday (we got back today) I had agreed to that many sewing deadlines that I could not put in the other two assignments (I literally did not want to loose sleep over it). This little fun dress was the result of the first assignment.



The first round's assignment was the most challenging one for me anyway. We had to make a Paradise dress (free pattern from Flosstyle) and we had to stick to the instructions (even the exact modification was chosen)! No free wheeling, improvisation, no hacking, no mash-up, nothing. I did blend sizes, but besides that, I actually followed the instructions, so not like the first time that I made this pattern. I did not win a prize, but the huge smile on my youngest face when she saw the dress was enough any way.



The fabric combi was the same as for this top, still love how well those fabrics go together. Looking back at those pictures from last year, I realize how much the hair of my middle daughter has grown (back) after we put her back on an egg-free diet for her. The dress has a very simple A-line style but is easy to play in.



The level of  detail in the finish was part of the judging process. I changed thread for the hemming and to sew on top of the (hand made) bias, but on the last picture you can see that I was too lazy to change the bobbin thread. That picture was not submitted to the contest though, I only had to submit three.




Feel free to leave a comment in the language you prefer (although Google translate might have to assist me if you choose something different than English, German, Dutch or Hungarian).
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