So Long Summer Blog Tour 2018

Welcome to the Sew Long Summer blog tour. I am joining today to show you what I have been making for my younger daughter as we edge closer to the end of Summer.

Not only are we sewing bloggers are going to share with you how we say “Sew Long Summer” But we’ll be asking you to join in with a Social Sew too (read on to the bottom of the post for details and prizes) How fun is that?! I love sewing along with other people on a general themed topic.

Where we live it is now getting quite cool at night and in the morning but heats up by noon so it is time to make and wear pieces that can be layered into Autumn and Winter. With that in mind I knew I wanted a fairly basic but still cute top pattern to fill her shirt drawer with. And knowing I dislike making repetitive basics I knew it needed options so I could use one pattern and be done for this growth spurt.

When I was looking through the things I pinned to my style board for her on Pinterest she liked This Dress From Persnickety Clothing

It is pretty dang cute right?! I actually bought an orange and pink stripe knit from Fabulace on Etsy and made her these first three for her birthday (the big #3! We skipped terrible twos and are now firmly in threenager mode) to somewhat mimic this dress.

 

 

This third one has little rainbow pastel hearts on white, it was harder then I thought to catch this one on camera.  I will admit though that doing three similar versions in the same fabric can get confusing when she wants to wear them back to back…or hauls a dirty one out to wear again before it hits the washer. This happens more frequently then I would like, but it does show that she loves them. That is always wonderful when you make something for someone else.

I knew she needed tops instead of dresses so I chose the Faux Layer Low Waist Top option of the Sew A Little Seam Blythe Top, Tunic, and Dress Pattern

It came together so smoothly I whipped up the first three for her birthday and when I came across some nice knit ladies shirts a couple days later I grabbed them up to refashion into 3 more Blythe’s for my little. And there is yet one more almost finished on my sewing machine right now…how many is to many? I am never quite sure myself.  I find refashioning quite joyful and love going to thrift stores to pick things out in fun fabrics I couldn’t get in yardage and combining them in fun ways. For example, one of the shirts I refashioned has cuffs that I kept and think look super cute-being able to keep details is great!

For all of the Blythe’s I have made so far I have used the bound neck keyhole option due to my kids being fairly tall and slender and having large heads so having that keyhole closure makes getting her dressed so much easier!

 

For both striped versions I didn’t have enough fabric in the shirts for the gathered skirt so I just added the length of the skirt so they are long enough and made the two A-line tops you see here. Equally as cute and comfortable. I think little adjustments like that really helps you get the most mileage out each of your patterns. So full price this pattern is $7.00, if you consider how many times I have made it already (6) my price per make is $1.16 each for the pattern. I used size 3 this time and it goes to size 12 so there are many more years and sizes left to use. Not to mention that I have two daughters so double the use. If I make any more Blythe’s it just keeps going down. And so on, until that pattern has completely covered it’s purchase price many times over. How many cute shirts can you buy for $7.00? Remember this next time you have a spur of the moment pattern purchase…not that that happens often. Right Ladies? Yes, excellent. We agree to rationalize it away lol impulse pattern buyers unite! Now if only I could clone fabric yardage…

Are You ready to sew with us? Our theme this month is all about getting those transitional wardrobe pieces ready; finishing up all those things we meant to make this summer; and well, basically whatever Sew Long Summer means to you.

Share what you’ve been making to say “Sew Long Summer” and use the hashtag #SewLongSewcial18  to be entered into our random drawing.

Continental US participants will be entered to win a $20 store credit from Simply by Ti Fabrics.

All other participants will be entered to win a pattern of choice from DG Patterns.

To enter, please tag your sewing project with #SewLongSewcial18 on Instagram or Facebook. You can also leave a link in the comments on the mahlicadesigns intro post. Please limit your entries to items you’ve sewn between Sept 10th and Sept 28th 2018. Winners will be notified and announced shortly thereafter.

Sept. 10th Sewing A La Carte, Tenille’s Thread, A Custom Clothier, Made for Little Gents, Miss Marah Sewn

Sept. 11th Manning the Machine, mahlicadesigns, Sewing Vortex, Crafting Fiend

Sept. 12th Auschick Sews, Aurora Design Fabrics, My Heart Will Sew On, Vicky Myers Creations

Sept. 13th Flaxfield Sewing, Sewing with D, Musings of a Seamstress, Make it Sew with the Bear and Pea Atelier, Petite Font

Sept. 14th Sewing à la Carte, Sewing by Ti, Stitches by Laura, Sewing with Sarah, My Sewing Roots

 

Itch To Stitch Lago Tank

Have you tried the Lago Tank from Itch To Stitch? It is a free pattern! Oh the joy! Oh the love! I was a tester for the Lago Tank and fell in love, it is a great fitting tank and fills a hole in my wardrobe for warmer weather. I don’t like wearing sleeves much. So short sleeves and sleeveless tanks are right up my alley.

 I may have to order that fabric again to make a doppelgänger tank to this one. I loved wearing it with this cardigan.

This Instagram picture and my fit and style pictures are all I have to document my original tester tank…when I moved last year I packed the tank in my duffel to wear for the moving and unpacking period and did wear it for that but then it disappeared  somehow. Not even joking. I have no idea what happened to it and wish I did because I could be wearing it right now in comfort and style. I used This Fabric from Simply By Ti Fabrics for my original and it sewed up like a dream!

Ye gads. The fit of these RTW pants is terrible in retrospect. And to think they were my favorite pair forever! They are a knit and I finally bought Ponte and that is indeed what they are, though I got a lighter ponte then they are made of. 

I did have to make some adjustments to the pattern for my personal fit preference. I shortened the arm bands by several inches so the fabric would cover my bra, I try not to show bra or bra straps if I can and you could see a little bra from the side so I shortened the band to bring it in at the designers suggestion. This picture shows how low it was before I unpicked and shortened the bands to bring it up.

I had to lighten this ridiculously to be able to see the difference in the Lago and the under tank I wore to cover my bra. 

I also shortened it. It is meant to be a tank that covers you if you bend over and it still does, I am just a few inches shorter then the pattern is drafted for. This pattern is perfect for making several for assembly line style sewing. It is a very quick make! I actually made one for my sister this summer, a cropped high low tank using the Lago out of this Girl Charlee fabric. She loves it which made us both happy!

However, on a note about this particular fabric: It is printed onto the fabric and it was not printed on grain. Trying to get any kind of pattern matching is practically impossible.  Which is quite unfortunate as the print is really pretty in person and the fabric is lovely if it was not for that.

I want to make a few for summer wear but have not quite settled on a fabric…perhaps one of these? This post by Sewing By Ti using that same olive damask print (but a different pattern) makes me lean toward that fabric, and in fact; was why I bought it…sometimes it is hard for me to stick to my original plans. Originally the green damask was for a Lago, the pink floral a Mary Peplum, the fuchsia ikat a Lago or Ladies Fun Tee, the turqouise print for Polliwogs Leggings for my daughters, the blue and black broken chevrons were made into a Mary Peplum with Portlanders in mind for the remainder. The purple damask was intended for an Angel Top, and the animal print was inspired by another Lago tester-Ilse’s animal print version. She is so stylish! I highly recommend looking through her wonderful makes on her blog or Instagram.

Fabrics 1, 2,  4, 5, and 7 are from Simply By Ti Fabrics and are all still available. Fabric 3 is from Girl Charlee and fabric 6 is from Fabulace and neither are currently available from them, though similar prints are.

So if you are looking for a tank top for spring and summer wear I recommend trying the Lago and especially in a Simply By Ti knit! Robynne of Robynne And The Bobbin did a head to head comparison of using Simply By Ti cotton Lycra vs rayon spandex here if you are wondering how the fabrics compare.

Happy sewing my friends!

5 Out Of 4 Patterns 20K Blog Tour

Today I am joining the 5 Out Of 4 Patterns 20k Blog Tour. I am here to show you my Knot Your Average Shirt. I chose to make the sleeveless tank version in a lovely eggplant purple cotton Lycra I had in my fabric stash. You can find almost identical, much higher quality fabric at Simply By Ti Fabrics .     I thought this fabric would be a great color match to my favorite Ready To Wear Cardigan and was thrilled that it did indeed match so well! That being said, it languished in my fabric stash waiting for the right shirt pattern to come along.

I wanted something that would be an easy to wear basic, but had enough detail to add that little bit of extra that takes an outfit up a notch. The knot front detail certainly did that for me. I wanted to make this pattern but every time I went to buy it I looked at that knot and thought “I’m not there yet skill wise” it wasn’t until recently when I followed along with the Knot Your Average Top and Dress Sew-a-long that I decided I could totally do it! (Really, it is easier then it looks) And it looks so dressy! I have been on the job hunt lately and wanted something I could wear through the year with various weight cardigans. I have to admit taking pictures was quite chilly and the photographer literally ran back in the house as soon as she knew she had some good photos. I wasn’t far behind to tell the truth! I do love that the snow in the background made me look less ghostly.

I agree with the pattern suggestion that you use fabric that the front and back are similar enough not to be noticeable in the knot where the front pattern pieces twist. Though I may try the Leopard Print Rayon Spandex I grabbed last year from Simply By Ti Fabrics intending to make a tank out of it. I can’t recall what the back of the fabric looks like without getting it out of my stash. I think it will work-how fabulous would that look with some nice jeans?! To bad I am not dating, that would make a great summer date night outfit. I will wear them anyways 🙂

 

I love how the straps are the perfect proportion for my body and hide my bra straps quite neatly, I had to include this back view to show it is indeed a full coverage back.

I forsee many more Knot Your Average Tees and maybe a dress or two in my future if I can get appropriate fabric that sing to me. There are no local fabric shops where I live that carry apparel fabrics, so it all has to be shipped in. I am curious, where do you shop for fabric online?

Don’t forget to follow a long on the tour and in the Facebook 5 Out Of 4 Patterns Group

Get 40%  on all 5 Out Of 4 Patterns off Monday through Saturday with the code “SOBIG”

5 out of 4 Patterns 20k Blog Tour Schedule

April 2 – Tales from a Southern Mom | Miss Marah Sewn

April 3 – Dragons Flames Designs | Poppy Monroe Collection

April 4 – Pear Berry Lane | Candi Couture Designs

April 5 – Sewing with D | Kathy Kwilts and More

April 6 – The Sassy Seamripper | My Heart Will Sew On

Here is a Giveaway you won’t want to miss! Don’t forget to enter 🙂
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Pickle Toes Patterns Back To School Blog Tour

I am joining the Pickle Toes Patterns Back To School Blog Tour today to show you the  Pollywogs Slim Fit Leggings. Stick around for the giveaway and a coupon code you won’t want to miss at the bottom of the post!

(Disclaimer: I was given this pattern free for tour)

I am making my daughter’s Fall/Back To School wardrobe capsule style. Some of the combinations she comes up with are quite special. So a capsule wardrobe with everything matching? Sign me up to get sewing for sure! I was looking for a very slim fit legging -almost a footless tights- pattern to add to her wardrobe. I think I have tried 4 different leggings patterns for her previously and none of them were “The One” I am delighted to say these leggings are it! I had to hide the leggings from her so she wouldn’t go play in dirt before I could get pictures. Not even joking. Pretty dresses, leggings, and dirt are my 4 year old’s favorite things.

That being said, I really needed leggings for her that could pull multiple duties, as footless tights under dresses, leggings under tunics, and tight enough (yet comfortable enough) to wear as an extra layer under jeans and overalls for winter. She is tall and skinny for her age but has a little booty so I usually have to blend sizes for her, or rely on really good stretchy knits. She doesn’t fit store bought leggings very well to say the least,  so while most moms buy their basic leggings; I’m over here getting prepared to churn multiple basics out using Pollywogs. Think black, navy, cheetah, striped (yes those are basics for my girls) and I am going to show you her denim blue ones today. 

I bought this lovely Cotton Lycra in Dark Denim from Simply by Ti Fabrics ($7.20 a yard right now-and she has fabulous sales if you want to try it at a lower yet price) with basic leggings in mind for my kids. (Maybe for me too…it feels so lovely!) It has 65% stretch across the width of the fabric and 50% stretch the length so it certainly meets the 40% stretch required for Pollywogs. The pattern is quite close fitting, with no butt or crotch bagginess; but it does still work well for lots of movement-running jumping climbing, crawling while playing etc. *happy dance* The Pollywogs pattern has the options of a yoga waistband or a regular elastic waistband, I chose to make the yoga waistband, and I made my daughter a size 5 with no adjustments and they fit great!

Her love for these leggings and how easy it was to get a great fit with this pattern makes me feel like a Rockstar sewing Mama. Best feeling ever.

So if you need some leggings in your kidlet’s life I highly recommend grabbing the Pollywogs Slim Fit Leggings and I even have a coupon code for 25% off for you! The code is “MISSMARAH” and is good on any pattern purchase in the Pickle Toes Pattern shop with a minimum purchase of $7.50 (Pollywogs are $5) so grab another pattern while you are there! Hahaha I know right? Like I have to convince you, you are already probably looking in another window.  I think I would grab the Leia Dress for my girls (that twirl factor!) and maybe the Bread n Butter Pickles Tee for me? The pattern goes from XS-4XL so you could grab it too! Mama always needs cute tee shirts right? Don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

 

 

 

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