Noelle Dress - Newest pattern in the Dreamy Collection from Made for Mermaids

The third pattern I tested last week was the gorgeous Noelle Dress from Made for Mermaids.  Its an addition to their Dreamy Collection, which is a beautiful collection of dress patterns, and includes a series of interchangeable bodices and skirts to create whatever gorgeous creation you wish!  The Noelle features a stand-up boatneck cowl and a high low circle skirt or peplum with optional pettiskirt layers.  Let me tell you, the twirl factor of this dress is perfect!!

I knew I wanted to make a Christmas dress for my daughter to wear to our Santa Brunch at the County Club.  I chose a gorgeous kelly green Ponte de Roma fabric I've had in my stash from Girl Charlee for almost 2 years now.  It was the perfect color and weight for this dress!  I also knew I had to make a pettiskirt for optimal twirling, so I opted for 3 layers of stretch lace.  I found my off white lace at Walmart of all places!

You can pick up your copy of this pattern here.  Remember its meant to be able to mix and match with some of the other pieces in the Dreamy Collection!

The lighting was so perfect for the dress photo shoot, and my kids were in such good moods, I took advantage and turned it into a Christmas Card shoot as well.  Found a winner!

Please note that this post contains links.  Some of these are "affiliate links" which means I get paid a tiny portion of whatever is purchased.  Affiliate payments go directly to my fabric fund to continue the cycle of testing more patterns so I can share the love with you!

Deer Creek Dress and Tunic by New Horizon's designs

Last week, I somehow managed to pull off three pattern tests at the same time!  Phew. I loved all three patterns and my results were perfect for each one!

First up were the matching elastic waisted dress or tunic from New Horizon's designs.  I was assigned a tunic length top for my daughter and a curved hem dress for myself.  The most daunting task was choosing fabric to use for each!  I knew I wanted them to coordinate as I planned do to pictures together, and even with my extensive fabric collection, I struggled to find 2 things I liked well enough together!  I finally settled on a couple amazingly soft Double Brushed Poly choices.  I also decided on matching leggings for us, although I ultimately decided the leggings with my dress length did not work.  I went with a beautiful burgundy floral print double brushed poly for my dress (from So Sew English Fabrics) and a solid ruby double brushed poly for my daughter's tunic (from Purpleseamstress fabrics).  I also made up some matching leggins in Olive Green double brushed poly (from So Sew English as well).  Side note, if you have not tried sewing with double brushed poly, you need to give it a shot. This stuff is so soft, I felt like I was wearing a nightgown instead of a dress that day!  Do be careful with washing though, as it is a fairly delicate fabric despite its weight and warmth, and can easily pill or snag in the wash!

Back to the pattern at hand... This pattern has 3 different sleeve lengths (cap, 3/4 or long) and 3 different hem lengths (curved tunic, straight dress and curved dress).  It features an elastic waist with a casing, and I honestly found this method of construction the easiest yet!  Since there is no trimming of the seam allowance (phew!), I could use a serger to attach the skirt and bodice pieces leaving a nice finished look inside!  Also, it may sound like it may be bulky because the seam allowance doesn't get trimmed down, but the instructions call for very thin elastic, meaning there is no more bulk in this casing than other methods! I definitely recommend this pattern for beginners as its got clear instructions and simple construction!

Finally, I'd be remiss to mention, this dress has pockets.  You're welcome.

The patterns are available for purchase as a bundle, or individually (girls here and women's here) on the New horizons website!

Please note that this post contains links.  Some of these are "affiliate links" which means I get paid a tiny portion of whatever is purchased.  Affiliate payments go directly to my fabric fund to continue the cycle of testing more patterns so I can share the love with you!

Driftwood Hoodie by Striped Swallow Designs

Just wanted to pop in with quick post about the release of the Driftwood Hoodie by Striped Swallow Designs!  Love love love this comfy top!!  This was an awesome pattern to be a tester for!  I used an amazingly soft rayon spandex french terry from So Sew English Fabrics for it (I have it in 2 other colorways as well, so I was comfortable risking one cut on a pattern test!)  And just as I had anticipated... this turned out amazing!

There are some awesome details on this pattern that make it really unique!  I love the cowl and hood combination.  It is so cozy, but the cowl makes it slightly dressier in my opinion!  It also features a banded, curved hem with side vents.  The band makes for such a clean finish, and the curve makes it really flattering to wear over leggings!  The side vents are just icing on the cake of an awesome pattern!  Not to mention, it also has large kangaroo pocket that is a must have for any hoodie.

I love the versatility of this pattern. It comes in shirt length and tunic length.  I definitely see lots of various Driftwood hoodies in my future.  I love that it can be made with contrasting sleeves (they're raglan style by the way!)  Its a great way to use up smaller cuts of fabric that way!  I wore this one round all day and felt beautiful and comfortable!

The Venice Dress - 3 ways

Over the summer, New Horizon's pattern company came out with a beautiful dress pattern called the Venice Dress.  I had completely missed any previews or sneak peeks when it was being tested, and I was floored by how beautiful it was when I finally saw it released! It included several lengths and sleeve styles, and all were gorgeous!  I added it to my "to sew" list, but didn't think much more about it for a while. 

As a stay at home mom, my need for a gorgeous dress like this is pretty limited.  I decided I was going to tackle it any way, and come up with a couple other ways to style it so that's its a little more functional for my everyday life!

My idea for this multi-functional dress really started to take shape when I found the perfect fabric to use.  I found a gorgeous and unique heather grey Rayon Challis from Califabrics.  In general, I tend to think Rayon Challis is a pretty dressy material.  It has such beautiful drape.  I thought the heathered nature of this particular fabric made it a little more suitable for every day. (Side note, my 2 yard cut arrived with an unfortunate flaw right in the middle of one of the yards.  The customer service at Califabrics took care of the issue right away, and shipped me an extra yard the next day.  I could have returned the flawed 2 yard cut and received a new 2 yard cut instead, but opted to start working with what I had and wait for the replacement yard. Very pleased with their excellent and prompt customer service!)  I also had some beautiful grey lace trim from So Sew English Fabrics that was the perfect accent for the bottom hem! Of course I had to add the pockets, because if you've read any of my previous posts, you'll realize pockets are life around here!

My first style includes some purple sparkly sweater knit leggings and some grey suede ankle booties.  This look is a step up from my every day-running the kids around look, but still fairly casual. I threw on a sparkly necklace with it to highlight the pretty shape of the neckline!

My second look will be perfect for fall.  I've paired the dress with some charcoal grey tights and tan boots.  I finished it off with a little black and charcoal buffalo plaid scarf for warmth and coziness!

My third look is my dressy look.  This is something I would wear to a wedding or a holiday party.  I LOVE THIS DRESS.  To me, its the perfect balance of sexy and sophisticated.  I feel very pretty in this dress, yet comfortable.

This dress is going to be a fall staple in my wardrobe with the many ways I can wear it.  I used to not think dresses were practical for my lifestyle with 2 busy preschoolers, but this goes to prove just how wrong I was!

Finally, I just wanted to point out why Terra from New Horizon's is one of my favorite pattern designers.  There are a LOT of talented designers out there, and I enjoy making patterns from many of them.  Most of them deliver beautiful and well drafted patterns, but I've come to appreciate a few small details in particular, all of which Terra includes in her patterns. Some of these may seem small and trivial, but all in all make for a smooth sewing experience for me!  Here are a few of my favorite little things:

• Sleeves are not cut on the fold, they have a different curve on the front and the back as our bodies and arms are not the same on the front and the back.

• When printing in layers, the size is still printed near the line, so there is no more deciphering which grey dotted line you printed to know which size you are working with!

• Pattern pieces include a dashed line for lengthening or shortening as needed. No need to find the ideal spot and make sure its straight, there's already a line included for you!

The first pattern I made from New Horizons was the Telluride Top.  I was a tester for it, and I was super skeptical of having to make an XS in a fitted top.  I held up the pattern piece and saw lots of curves and thought "thats not gonna work on my rectangle body."  But, it did. And so has every other pattern I've made from New Horizons!  I love how flattering all of the patterns are on every body type! If you haven't made a pattern from New Horizons yet.... I highly suggest you give one a try.

Please note that this post contains links.  Some of these are "affiliate links" which means I get paid a tiny portion of whatever is purchased.  Affiliate payments go directly to my fabric fund to continue the cycle of making up more patterns so I can share the love with you!

New Horizon's Dublin Dolman Patterns

A month or so ago I tested another pattern by Terra for New Horizon's patterns. (Formerly called Terra's Treasures, this is also the designer of the awesome color-blocked Elevation Hoodie I wrote about back in February!)  The pattern was for a Dolman top with loads and loads of options!  I made a long sleeve version that included a gathered back and POCKETS!  I have a mild obsession with pockets.  When picking out store bought clothing, I always check to see if tops have pockets or if its a top I would pair with pants that have pockets instead. Either way, I ALWAYS gotta have pockets in some way, shape or form!!  Its definitely a deciding factor in whether or not I purchase store bought clothing.  The good thing with sewing my own garments is that even if a pattern doesn't include pockets, they are fairly simple to add!  Well just my luck, I simply suggested to Terra prior to testing that she include pockets in the pattern, and lo and behold she did!  Hallelujah! There are a lot of Dolman patterns from various designers out there, and I've tried a handful of them, but I just have to say I LOVE the way Terra's patterns are drafted and all the options this one in particular includes!  I was excited when she came out with the girl's version as well! I knew this would be a style I would make a lot for my daughter with the various sleeve lengths and hemlines!  I opted to also make a tunic length for my daughter, but with a straight back instead of gathered like mine.  I love that we can have similar shirts, but with slight differences to keep it interesting! And the icing on the cake of these patterns:  The girl's version includes and 18" doll size pattern as well!  So, OF COURSE I had to make Sienna a matching outfit as well! :)  Now, just LOOK at all of the variations these patterns have!

And, take a peek at some shots of our versions!  Yes, my husband thought I had gone crazy when I sent him the picture of us matching, but you can tell by my daughter's smile that she's in heaven!

You can find these patterns for sale on the New Horizon's Website. They can be purchased individually, or as a bundle as you so choose! There's the Women's version, the Girl's and Doll version, and the Bundle!

All fabric is from So Sew English.  The leggings are made from a luscious Double Brushed Poly, and use the (free) Peg Leg and Bonny leggings patterns from Patterns for Pirates and Made for Mermaids! Codes for these legging patterns are available in each designer's respective facebook group! The dolman tops are made from a couple different rayon spandex cuts I've received in various bundles from So Sew English!

Please note that this post contains links.  Some of these are "affiliate links" which means I get paid a tiny portion of whatever is purchased.  Affiliate payments go directly to my fabric fund to continue the cycle of testing more patterns so I can share the love with you!

Best Friends Collection from Made for Mermaids

Believe it or not, I have been doing a whole lot of pattern testing over the past couple months, but I haven't kept up with blogging each one, because well, ...life.  Now that my kids are in preschool a couple days a week, I actually have a bit more time to catch up on that silly game of life and can do other fun things like share my creations with you!

So, without further ado, I present to you the details of my latest pattern test.  These are a couple pieces of the new "Best Friends Collection" from Made for Mermaids.  You can read all about the pieces in detail here, on the official release blog post if you'd like, but I will summarize for you as well! The boutique inspired collection includes 5 patterns, 3 of them brand new and 2 updates.  These 5 patterns include the Skipper Skirt (a cute tiered skirt with optional attached shorties, capris or full length leggings), the Stacey Shirt (a tee with lots of cute add ons like button tabs, a chest pocket or a beautiful ruffled bib), the Barbie headband (a fun knit headband with shabby chic rossettes), the Rose Ruffle shirt (a knit tee with ruffled sleeves) and Hailey pants (knit OR woven pants with a comfy knit waistband and ruffled bottoms. Also includes a new shorty length too!) 

I sewed up 2 versions of the Skipper skirt, one with a woven skirt and full length leggings attached, and one all knit skirt only.  My daughter lovingly refers to her ruffly skirts as tutus, so I thought "what would make a ruffly skirt even better for a 3 year old..... um, how about ruffly fabric for the ruffles!"  Ruffles for days on that one!  I also made 2 of the Stacey shirts, one long sleeve and plain and one 3/4 sleeve with a chest pocket to match the chambray Skipper skirt.  I wasn't sure the bib was our "style" at first but the more I see them, the more I love them and have a couple versions planned to include those for my daughter's fall wardrobe!  I also sewed up one set of Hailey pants.  These are awesome!  I purposefully made most of the pieces to be mixed and matched (aside from the fun ruffly "tutu" as my daughter calls it) in order to have a sort of capsule wardrobe! I am so thrilled with how they all turned out! Be sure to visit the Made for Mermaids site and click through the pattern listings to see all the tester pics.  There are some AMAZING outfits in there that these talented ladies put together!

Here are some of the details on the fabrics used:  The floral Stacey shirt is a cotton/spandex from Raspberry Creek Fabrics on Etsy.  It is one of their custom CLUB line prints (that is now sold out...)  The chambray Stacey skirt is a remnant from Joann's.  The fabric for the attached grey leggings (which I also used as the neckband on the Stacey shirt) is a brushed poly from So Sew English fabrics.  The frozen Elsa fabric is from Fabric.com and the ruffly aqua fabric is from Joann's.  The regular aqua fabric on the ruffly skirt is a bamboo blend from Girl Charlee.  The grey Hailey Ruffle pants are made from ponte de Roma from Girl Charlee.

Now on to the details of purchasing these awesome patterns!  As always, the patterns are on sale for release only.  They are on sale through Sunday 10/2 for $7 individually ($3 for Barbie headband by itself) or you can purchase one of the bundles pictured!  Bundle 1 gets you the 2 new patterns, Skipper and Stacey, for $10 together, and you get the Barbie headband pattern for FREE!  Or, buy Bundle 2 and you get all five of these patterns bundled for just $20!  You are going to want all of them, so grab one of these bundles now as they are only available at release!

Please note that this post contains links.  Some are "affiliate links" which means I get paid a tiny portion of whatever is purchased.  Affiliate payments go directly to my fabric fund to continue the cycle of testing more patterns so I can share the love with you!

Pattern Testing - Elevation Hoodie by Terra's Treasures

First of all, Happy Leap Day everyone! Recently I was chosen to test another pattern by Terra's Treasures.  It was a tight deadline to begin with, and I was out of town for the first 2 days of the testing window, so I was feeling the pressure, but this was something I was just dying to be a part of!  Several weeks ago I saw a sneak peek that Terra had posted of the hoodie in her Facebook Group (Link to Facebook group) and I started stalking the site to see when the tester call would be made!

One of the hardest parts of this test was deciding on what fabric to use for each of the colorblock sections!  I knew I wanted to put something with a pattern on either the middle or top section, but narrowing down which combination I liked best proved harder than expected!  I decided on the stripes and then felt like it would make a neat additional accent on the pockets as well. The stripes are a lighter weight Jersey knit I got from a Girl Charlee knitfix bag, the middle black part is microfleece from Joann's, and the bottom gray is a nice french terry I bought online from Denver fabrics. The black cuffs are a cotton spandex from Joann's as well.

I am not going to lie, this was definitely not a quick project.  At least not for my first one.  I would imagine the next will go quicker as there is always a learning curve with new patterns, but I'd estimate it took me about 4 hours for the first (cutting and sewing).  With so many pieces to cut its important to pay attention and make sure you label the pieces somehow to keep them in order, and also note which part is "back" and which part is "front" on the sleeve pieces (my system is to put one of my wonder clips on back pieces, or on the part of the sleeve peice that should go towards the back).  I also have never done a welt pocket before, so that took a little extra time to work my way through that. After it was all through, it was more than worth sacrificing a little sleep for this amazing Hoodie!  I don't know that I've ever been more proud of a garment I've made as I have of this!

Its a tad big on my 4.5 year old who is on the smaller side of 4T measurements, but that just means we can wear it for the Spring then pull it back out again in the Fall and it should still fit!  He really loved the way the pocket goes all the way through.  He was stashing some of his favorite matchbox cars in there during our photoshoot!  Of course it was the coldest and rainiest day when I needed to take pictures, so I only snapped a few shots of the finished Hoodie on my son.

Isn't he a cutie!?

This is by far my new favorite pattern.  Again, it was a little challenging, but so worth the extra time when it results in such a unique shirt for my boy!  I also love that this pattern can be used for girls too.  I'm envisioning one with some girly colors for the bottom and a bright floral accent for the middle or top.  Another modification I plan to make is adding a zipper down the middle to make it a zip up hoodie.  This would make it even easier for layering in the spring and fall!  With sizes ranging from 6-12M all the way up to 16, I can guarantee I'll be making lots of these for both my kids for many, many years! There will also be an adult version of this awesome top sometime in the near future, and I can't wait to get my hands on that one too!

Here is a link to Terra's shop: Terra's Treasures Designs.  (It's an affiliate link) You can find the Elevation Hoodie here along with many, many other awesome patterns for kids and adults.  The Swiss Army shirt is another unique top I love making for my son, and the Lisse is my favorite adult top! (oh and there's a kid version of the Lisse, but I don't own that yet!)

Sewing Room Reveal

So, we recently had our basement finished.  I say recently, because it finally wrapped up about mid July, despite having been started just before Thanksgiving. Last year.  Anyway, it was a long process, but the end result is totally worth it!  My favorite part of the whole process is my new sanctuary.  The only thing left to do in here is hang my pegboard on the wall, but we were just so antsy to get the workers out of our house we really didn't plan ahead on how it would be attached to the wall....  oh well, at least its functional! Below are a few images of my sewing room.  Let me know if you have any questions about the layout or where anything is from!

Edited 4.11.16 to include details of where things are from:

• Thread racks: Martha Stewart Collection from Home Decorators Collection
• Magnet Boards: Silver Metal Ikea Spontan Magnetic boards covered in floral Twill fabric from Hobby Lobby.  These hold several Ikea Grundtal magnetic jars where I keep can clips, tags, sewing feet, etc in.
• Peg Board: Custom made by our carpenter with plain white beg board and trimmed in leftover door molding.  Molding painted by me.
• Corner desk: Combination of Ikea furniture... Linnmon Table Tops, Alex drawer bases, and Klimpen Bookcase bases
• Desk Chair/Cutting Table stool: Ikea Ingolf Chair and Barstool
• Cutting Table: Ikea Stenstorp Kitchen Island
• Dress form: Hobby Lobby
• Closet Shelving: customized Ikea Algot shelving system
• Full length mirror: Ikea Hemnes Mirror
• Teal arm Chair: Custom Klaussner recliner

Although my sewing room is my pride and joy, I also adore our entertaining space down there.  Our kids have their own area with a TV and plenty of place for toys, as well as a secret room under the stairs.  On the other side of the archway from the kids space, is our grown-up entertaining space, complete with a custom bar and stadium seating!  I've included one pic of this space below!

Can't wait to fill those racks on the left side of the bar with lots and lots of wine!!

Tester Tour - Blue Ridge Dress by Hello Holli

Well, here goes.  My first blog post (other than my brief intro post, that is).  I've been wanting to do this for a while, but I really didn't have any content I wanted to write about.... Then came along this opportunity to test a pattern for a new pattern designer (Hello Holli), and the resulting dress was worthy of starting a blog for!! I went ahead and volunteered to be part of a tester tour for this new pattern as a part of Kids Clothes Week, and this post will be featured on Hello Holli's blog on Wednesday, July 1.

The Blue Ridge Dress is a beautifully crafted dress, designed for woven fabrics.  This took me outside my comfort zone a little bit as I've primarily sewn garments with knit fabric.  The pattern called for bias tape, and although pre-made bias tape would have saved me a bunch of time, I dove in and decided to follow the instructions in the pattern and make my own!  It honestly was very simple thanks to the clear instructions, and although tedious, definitely produced an additional awesome detail!  I love how the self-made bias tape is a bit thinner than store bought.  That definitely worked well on my small dress!

My beautiful bias tape!

I have to admit I haven't sewn too many patterns meant for woven garments, so I'm by no means an expert, but the fact that this dress has absolutely no exposed seams makes for the cleanest finish I've ever seen!  Even though I am now the proud owner of a serger, I did not have to use it on this dress as all seams are enclosed!!  The construction was very unique, and took a bit of finesse to get everything laying properly, especially the bindings, but even with my "advanced beginner" sewing skills, I was able to produce a very neat garment!

Below are a couple shots of my daughter in the Blue Ridge Dress.  A storm was rolling in (and honestly, it has rained every day since then!!) so I did not get as many shots as I wanted before it started raining! I was so happy I remembered to capture a picture of the back of the dress.  I used one of my favorite buttons from my late grandmother's collection.  One of my favorite activities I used to do at her house was sort her buttons she always kept in a couple of old cigar boxes.  I distinctly remember this pink button, and it makes me smile when I see it sewn onto this beautiful dress for my daughter.  The modeled shots really show off the unique curve of the bodice.

I also got some cute shots of my little angel playing in the rain. I thankfully whipped the dress off and got her t-shirt back on just in time! She just loves trying to catch raindrops.

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The Blue Ridge Dress is now available to purchase through Hello Holli's Etsy shop and it is on sale through July 3 using code BLUERIDGELAUNCH at checkout. https://www.etsy.com/listing/237343070/blue-ridge-dress-pdf-sewing-pattern?ref=shop_home_active_1

If you purchase this pattern, be sure to join the Hello Holli Maker's facebook group and share your creations! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1462600460722788/

I hope everyone is inspired by this gorgeous new dress.  I was so grateful to be a part of the tester group for this beautiful pattern.  You would never guess this was the first pattern produced by Hello Holli. I can't wait to see what other creation she comes up with!

Hello!

Well, I did it.  I've started a blog. I had toyed with the idea for quite some time, but never had the spark to actually do it. Until now! I've recently started testing new sewing patterns and wanted a place to be able to share my work. I don't think I'll ever have anything groundbreaking to share, but at least I'll have this outlet to showcase my crafts, creations, and ideas with anyone that may be interested.  My posts will mainly be about sewing, as that is my passion, but I'll be sure to sprinkle in a few other goodies along the way.

So, lets start with the basics, like who I am.  I'm Jody, and I'm lucky to be married to a pretty great man named Mark.  Together, we have 2 beautiful children, Mason and Madelyn.  I am a stay at home mom of these 2 little rascals, and most of my days are spent chasing them around and (unsuccessfully) trying to get them to eat something other than goldfish crackers and chicken nuggets....

My main hobby is sewing, and this hobby is the reason I have my business... so I can justify my fabric hoarding! I learned to sew in 8th grade home-ec class, and initially had such a passion for it, that I made my mom order every "sew your own stuffed-animal kit" in the catalog they sent home so I could sew to my hearts content.  Needless to say, I maybe finished one of those kits once that class ended, and didn't really do much sewing until many years later. It wasn't until after I had my first baby that I decided to take it up again, and began doing some simple applique work. I've moved on to sewing garments for myself and my children, and soon hope to sell some of these items in my shop. My sewing has come a long way over the past few years, but I still have a lot to learn!

After time with my family and sewing, my next favorite activity is golf.  I have started taking lessons and really hope to improve over the summer!  As frustrating as the game can be, I would love nothing more than an afternoon on the course with my husband!  Although we don't get out as often as either of us would like to, its still a fun outlet for us when we do get the chance!

Well, that's me in the smallest nutshell I could find.  I really look forward to sharing my creations with you.  I warmly welcome any positive suggestions or comments you may have! Stay tuned for my entry on the Tester Tour for the Blue Ridge Dress by Hello Holli!