Star Pods Maternity Tank

Posted on June 13, 2013 by Cherie

Woohoo, more sewing for me! I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve decided to not use the term “selfish sewing” when I sew for myself. Although that is essentially what it is, the word “selfish” has such a negative connotation and I just feel like we shouldn’t feel bad about sewing things for ourselves. I think sewing for ourselves is good for building skills, it’s practical, money saving and it’s not always easy! The fact that it’s fun and often rewarding is just an added bonus!

I got the idea to make this tank after seeing this one from Old Navy. I copied it almost exactly in style except I made an inverted pleat instead of a box pleat at the neckline. I don’t know if it’s the most flattering top because it doesn’t have a tight fitting bodice. But it’s comfy and I know it’ll fit for awhile, possibly through my pregnancy.

The fabric I used is Star Pods in Green from designer Patty Sloniger for Michael Miller. I got it from Modern Domestic when I was up in Portland for Quilt Market. It’s a lovely chartreuse color and is really lightweight, so I thought the drape would be perfect for a top. I used the Wiksten Tank pattern as a starting point and I’m going to show you how I adjusted it to make this top. The Wiksten Tank is a great, simple tank top pattern that anyone can sew (you can see my previous versions here, here, and here). I recommend you add this to your pattern collection if you don’t have it. But if not, you can probably draft a pattern for this top using another pattern or a tank top you own with a similar cut. The only extra material you’ll need is some 1/4 inch wide elastic for the bottom of the tank.

Alright, so using the directions, figure out your size and cut out your pattern. There were several adjustments that I made to my pattern. First I added 1.5 inches to the front piece along the “folded” edge. This will make the pattern 3 inches wider and give you room for that growing belly. I also raised the neckline an inch because I felt like the original was a bit revealing.

I added about 4 inches to the length of the front piece, but kept the curved hemline the same.

For the back piece, the only adjustment I made was lengthening it enough to match up with the side seam of the front piece (the 2 pink lines). Then I made an ever-so-slightly curved line for the bottom of the back piece.

After you cut out your pieces, mark the center of the neckline on the front piece and then 1.5 inches on either side. These are your pleat markings.

Bring the two outer markings in towards the center, pin and press. Sew a basting stitch across the pleat to hold it in place.

Once you’ve made your pleat, follow the pattern directions for constructing the tank. Sew the shoulder and side seams and finish the armholes and neckline with bias strips.

For the bottom, to make a casing, fold the hem up about a 1/4 inch, press and then fold again about 1/2 an inch. Sew along the folded edge all around the hem, but leave about an inch open to thread the elastic through. Measure your elastic and trim – it should fit comfortably but snuggly around your hips. Using a safety pin, guide the elastic through. Sew the ends of the elastic together and sew the rest of the casing closed.

And you’re done!

Here’s what the bottom of the tank looks like when it’s on. You can see the slightly longer length in the front for extra belly coverage.

Ooh, by the way, thanks for all the sweet comments about the two “maternity” dresses I made and all the great suggestions for other maternity patterns and styles to try. I seriously feel like I want to make myself a whole new wardrobe now, I’ve never been so motivated to sew for myself!

I feel so weird with so many pictures of myself up on the blog, but I suppose it’s only fair since I’ve put my daughter through it for the last couple of years. And I’ve still got more “me” sewing on the horizon, so I hope you’re not too sick of it yet. I’ll try to spare you and sprinkle some non-”me” sewing once in awhile too

Thanks for visiting!!

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Washi in Blue 2!

Posted on June 11, 2013 by Cherie

So I mentioned I’ve been sewing more for me, right? Well I have. And this was actually the first recent project I sewed for myself that was a success – the trusted Washi Dress by Made by Rae. Before this dress, I tried 2 other projects that I ended up scrapping. Trust me, I have sewing fails too! So after that, I decided to turn back to the trusted Washi because I knew that I couldn’t go wrong. It’s nice to have a pattern like this that you know will boost your confidence and restore your faith.

I made my first Washi dress as a tester last August and I called it Washi in Blue. Well it just so happens that this dress is blue too, so I call it Washi in Blue TWO. Creative huh!? I also realized that I’m wearing the same necklace and same cardigan in both photo shoots. Hah! I need some new accessories.

*smolder*

Anyways, I rave all about the pattern in my previous Washi post and my feelings haven’t changed a bit. This is an AWESOME pattern, especially if you’re new to sewing for women but want to give it a try. It’s quick and easy and oh-so-cute. I love the style, it’s so flattering, in fact, I haven’t seen a version of the Washi that hasn’t looked great!

The fabric is called Squiggles from the Dear Stella Maasai Mara line. I actually bought this back in September or October with a Washi in mind and it took me only, oh, 8 months to actually make. One of the great things about this fabric is that I actually packed this dress up in a suitcase, took it out all wrinkly, hung it up overnight and when I took it out the next day to iron it, it was wrinkle-free!!

This dress is not a maternity dress, but I realized pretty quickly that the style is pretty accommodating for growing bellies as well. The dress I made last August still fits me! I love how fitted it is in the bodice and how much room there is in the skirt to either gloss over a belly you’re trying to hide (trust me, I had a belly before I was preggo), or make room for one you’re proud of And I know that I’ll be able to wear this dress way after I’m pregnant too!

Because my bust size had changed since I got pregnant, I decided to go a size up (to an XL). But after I sewed it up, the bodice ended up being way too big and it would gape open with the slightest lean forward. That was no good, so I ended up taking in the bodice 1.5 inches on each side. Now it probably resembles a large in the bodice, but an XL in the skirt, so it’s got extra room for tummy. I also kept the length longer than I normally would so that when my belly got bigger, the dress would still be long enough to wear without leggings or pants. If I were to make another dress for my maternity months, I’d probably cut the front bodice and back pieces in the large size and the front skirt piece in an XL and maybe deepen the pleats to make it fit the width of the bodice.

Since I haven’t figured out the best way to shirr on my machine, I decided to make a casing for elastic. It looks different from shirring of course, but it was easy and allows for that snug yet comfortable fit.

As for the neckline, I decided to raise it a little to keep myself well covered, but widened it a bit. Kind of like Kristin’s famous scoop neckline, but a little less wide?

At almost 27 weeks, these pictures were taken just a few days after these photos, but I look smaller. Funny how different outfits do that.

Anyways, I have a few more things to share that I’ve sewn for myself and a few more on my to do list. You guys are going to get so sick of pictures of me! And trust me, I don’t like taking these pictures. But I figure at the very least, I’ll have some photos of my growing belly!

Have you been sewing for yourself lately? Have any maternity patterns you recommend? What are other flattering maternity looks you love?

Bunch-o-shirts

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Cherie

So this was actually part of my Kids Clothes Week project list, but I didn’t quite finish it that week. I did finish the “All My Friends Are Dead” shirt and Yuki liked it so much that I was excited to get these done as well. If you recall, she requested a dinosaur shirt, a robot shirt and a shirt with stripes. So there you have it! Three more t-shirts for my tomboy.

I didn’t actually intend for them to be so boyish. I did make a bright pink one first but the rest of the knit that I had laying around happened to be dark. The pattern is the Flashback Skinny Tee by Made by Rae in size 3T. My daughter is more like a 2T, but since I wanted it to fit a little looser and fit for a long time, I went a size up. I would recommend doing the same if you want a less “skinny” fit.

The first one is a simple tee with contrasting arm cuffs and neckband. This was the easiest one to make not only because I didn’t paint anything on it, but also because adding cuffs is way easier than hemming sleeves (in my opinion). Rae has a tutorial for making a short sleeved FBST here.

The second tee is the robot tee! Simple solid black knit with hemmed sleeves. I just used the same fabric for finishing the neck. For both this tee and the Stegosaurus tee, I just searched for simple images/silhouettes on google image to use as a stencil.

I printed them out at the size I wanted, cut it out to use as a stencil, traced it out on contact paper and cut the shapes out. I know everyone talks so much about freezer paper stencils, but honestly, I have no idea what freezer paper is! I really need to find out though, because contact paper does not work all that well. It doesn’t stick to the fabric as well as I’d like, so it leads to wobbly lines and such, if you’re not careful.

Yuki’s favorite of the three is by far the “dinosaur shirt.” Between this, the pink “dinosaur shirt” and the original (store bought) red “dinosaur shirt,” now she has three dino shirts!! And I honestly think that I have to make 4 more because she wants to wear them EVERY DAY. When we get dressed in the morning and give her some options for clothes she can wear, she keeps asking for “dinosaur shirt!”

This is honestly my favorite too. It’s made from a super thin, soft and comfy knit. The stegosaurus wraps around the side slightly and I just used a bunch of different fabric paints in blue, green, silver and white to give it the multicolored look that it has. At the last minute, I decided to take a quilted paper towel and lay it over the painted area. I pressed it down on the paint to pick up any excess and when I lifted it, it gave it this really cool textured look. Like a real dinosaur!

So, no pics of Yuki in the shirts, but I can tell you the dinosaur shirt is getting really good wear. The others are comfy too, but they aren’t getting as much love. :(

BUT I LOVE THIS PATTERN. So basic. So quick. So many ways you can mix it up. As of now, I’ve used this pattern at least 6 times and that’s more than any other pattern I own. It comes in two size ranges: 12-18 months-5T and for bigger kids, sizes 5/6-13/14! If you don’t own this pattern yet, I think you should go get it now.

I didn’t actually finish all the projects that I had lined up for Yuki during KCW, but the rest are on hold for now. I have two fun projects coming up for next week – one is for the Roly Poly Pinafore Pattern Tour (a pattern by Imagine Gnats) and the second is my post for Elegance and Elephants‘ fun series, Knock it Off (the series is already underway, so go check it out!)

AND ALSO . . . I’m trying to sew more for ME! So if any of it comes out decent and I work up the courage to model them, you may get to see some of it We’ll see!

(Oh hey! Did you enter the Zakka Sewing Book and Fabric Giveaway yet? There’s still time! The giveaway is open until Friday, May 10th at 5pm PST.)

Geranium in Feathers!

Posted on April 19, 2013 by Cherie

Kids Clothing Week Spring 2013 is starting in a few days and Meg invited me to share my favorite pattern over on the KCW blog as part of the weeklong wind up. I chose the Geranium Dress/Tunic pattern by Made by Rae. There aren’t a lot of patterns that I make more than once, but this one is so classic that I find myself coming back to it again and again. You can see my full review and my past Geraniums over on the KCW blog.

And in honor of the post, I made a fun new tunic for Yuki!

There are a ton of different variations of this top you can make, but I decided to go with something simple – sleeveless tunic, scoop neck, and a gathered skirt – since I had chosen such a busy print.

I bought this feather print by Martha Negley awhile back from Stonemountain and Daughter because I loved it, though I wasn’t sure what I was going to use it for. One of the great things about the Geranium pattern is how much you can change it up – pick a detailed print and keep the style simple, or choose a simple fabric and really play up the details.

The tunic bodice is lined with some aqua fabric that I had in my stash and I made some piping to match. The back closes with three blue buttons, which I realize now are totally crooked! Oops!

I love this pattern!! And now that the weather is warming up, it’s the perfect time to fill someone’s lil wardrobe with Geraniums!

Have you started planning or prepping for next week? I’ve barely had a chance to think about it, but my goals are to not buy any new fabric and to sew with patterns I already own. We’ll see what I come up with!

So what are you going to be sewing next week for KCW??

My Little Flower Girl

Posted on April 17, 2013 by Cherie

This past weekend my sister got married and if you follow me on Instagram (@youandmie), you’ve probably seen some sneak peeks of the fun and beautiful weekend. The entire week before the wedding was pretty much devoted to wedding prep – I had wedding projects piled up all over the place. Menus, table numbers, escort cards, signs, and of course, the flower girl dress. But it all got done and everything went so smoothly – I really don’t think it could have been any more perfect. The lovely bride and groom put together a really amazing wedding weekend and was surrounded by all of the people who love and support them – it was a really awesome thing to see.

Unfortunately, I didn’t take any pictures, so I can’t show you all of the little projects that I worked on, but as I collect pictures from friends and family members, and of course, the professional photographer, I may be sharing some of those with you. My only big sewing project for the wedding was Yuki’s flower girl dress. Since I didn’t get any pictures of her during the wedding, I made her put the dress back on yesterday and quickly snapped some new ones. Amazingly enough – she really likes the dress! She wore it for 9 hours straight on Saturday and never once complained or asked to take it off! And the truth is, I like it too!

The pattern is the Oliver + S Fairy Tale Dress. The dress is simple in it’s design (which is great for special occasions or for adding embellishments), though it is not necessarily a simple dress to construct, BUT the result is pretty stunning! The pattern comes with two views: sleeveless and sleeved, with two different kinds of collars, an optional sash or waist tie. For my version, I made it sleeveless, but omitted the collar and added a ribbon sash instead of the one included in the pattern. I did, however add a lace overlay and my fabric choices, though they ended up looking exactly how I envisioned, made construction a bit tricky.

I made the dress in size 2T and it fits Yuki perfectly. The bodice (for sizes 2T and up) have darts in both the front and back, which make for that perfect fit and professional look. It has an invisible zipper in the back and is fully lined. It also has an optional layer of tulle for skirt volume. As you can imagine, there are a lot of steps to constructing this dress and I did quite a bit of hand sewing to give it a truly professional finish. It takes time, but really, I think it was worth it!

All the materials besides the lace, I bought at Britex Fabrics. I decided splurge on something high quality for this special occasion dress. The main fabric is a synthetic satin in eggshell and is pretty thick. I think this also made construction a bit trickier in places (the pattern calls for light to mid-weight fabrics) but I really love how well the fabric holds it shape because of the heavier weight. I used a polyester lining that was a pain in the butt to work with – it was soooo thin and slippery and shifty. Probably the right choice for this project, but still no fun to work with. The ribbon is a double sided satin ribbon that was chosen to match the color scheme/bridesmaids dresses. The lace was a last minute decision and I picked that up at my local Joann’s.

The flowers in these pics are not her actual bouquet from the wedding, but rather those from a table at the wedding. The flowers for the wedding were done by my sister’s friend, Jaclyn K. Nesbitt Designs, and they were all soooo gorgeous! I wrapped these up in some ribbon so Yuki could have another bouquet. I think the flowers were the most exciting part of the flower girl job for Yuki!

And she was such a trooper the entire wedding. She didn’t have any meltdowns, she kept her dress on (and UNSTAINED) the entire time and escorted me down the aisle during the ceremony. She had to leave the ceremony towards the end because she was starting to get bored and when she watched the wedding party walk back down the aisle at the end she started getting really upset saying she “didn’t get married” because she was “too loud.” Omigosh, it was too cute. She thinks that all of us who walked back down the aisle got married and she didn’t get to because she was making too much noise. Poor sweet thing.

Anyways, this dress was definitely a labor of love and I don’t even know if she’ll ever wear it again, but I think it was worth it. She was the cutest flower girl I’VE ever seen and I think she felt pretty darn special. I think I will use this pattern again, though in more casual and lighter weight fabrics. I’d definitely recommend this pattern for a special occasion dress! Like all Oliver + S patterns, it is a high quality pattern with clear instructions and great diagrams. You know the techniques are legit and you always end up with a professional looking garment. I feel like I give this same shpeal every time I talk about O+S patterns, but it’s always true – you really can’t go wrong with them!

So it’s been pretty busy around here and just when you think things might settle down, KIDS CLOTHING WEEK rolls around! Can you believe it’s already next week? I honestly haven’t given much thought about what I’ll be making and I probably won’t be quite as involved as I have been the last 2 rounds, but I am looking forward to getting some good ol’ kids clothes sewn. If you don’t know what KCW is, check out all the important info here and know that it is a TON of fun. And it’s not too late to get in on the action! Coming up later this week, I’ll be posting on the KCW blog about one of my favorite patterns, so be sure to check that out

Handmade Kids Clothing Swap

Posted on April 4, 2013 by Cherie

A few months back, Robin from Nested in Stitches contacted me about this idea she had about rounding up a group of sewists and bloggers who sew kids clothes and having us all sew for each other’s kids. Sounds like fun right? Well the best part about it was the amazing group of people she gathered to participate! And we didn’t know who was sewing for anyone else, so it was super exciting to see the outfits start coming in. Read about all the details and who was involved in the Handmade Kids Clothing Swap here.

The wonderful Robin herself was the one who sewed for my daughter! She took a look at my Kids Clothing Inspiration pinterest board and was inspired to make an ADORABLE outfit for Yuki. Here’s a sneak peek and then a bit from Robin about the outfit she made . . .

Here’s Robin:

This swap was so much fun to do! Cherie’s pinterest board is full of fun, graphic kids clothing. I know she loves to dress Yuki in unisex clothes, and I know Yuki can rock that look. I also wanted to sew something that I knew a 2-year old would want to wear- and you can’t go wrong with a knit. After happening across some super soft double knit at Bolt, I decided to recreate this look.

I used the Oliver + S sailboat pattern for the top in a size 2T. Because this pattern uses a facing inside the neckline, it’s a perfect candidate for knit fabric. I ended up sewing the top with the wrong side of the knit facing out because I loved the heathered blue-grey color. (The inside of the top is a solid navy blue). Because of the nature of the double-sided knit, this choice is going to give the top a causal, somewhat wrinkly look. The shorts are sewn from Figgy’s banyan pattern. I used some navy and white gingham shirting I had on hand (and also from Bolt). The sizing on the shorts seems to run a little on the large size, and these are the 18 month size. The pattern is awesome and the shorts are adorable. I took the lazy approach and didn’t sew the zip (or any) fly… I decided that a two-year-old didn’t need a zip fly, and I wanted to keep the look super casual. Finally, to take the whole look to the next level, I knit a little hat for Yuki in a gorgeous grey alpaca yarn I happened to have on hand (the colorway I used is called ash). It’s the perfect cool, every so slightly bluish grey, so was a fantastic match for this outfit. The pattern is Rambled, and I knit it in the smallest size, since I know that alpaca is likely to grown with time.

It was such a blast to sew for Cherie and Yuki! The whole experience is a little nerve-wracking, as you can imagine it would be if you are sewing something for another sewist’s child to wear! But it was so much fun to be able to break out of my own sewing habits and be able to sew something that hopefully embodies someone else’s style. And? It fits! (Phew!)

AND? We LOVE it. The outfit fits her perfectly and suits Yuki so well!

Robin really hit the target on this one. The outfit is totally comfy, practical and so so cute. Not only that, but Robin’s sewing skills are impeccable!

I can definitely see her wearing this outfit all the time and it’s got enough room to fit her for awhile. The shirt is suuuuper soft and a beautiful heather blue color. It’s a simple style with just the right amount of detail to make it unique and stylish.

I love the plaid Banyan shorts too. Robin added some fun elements like gray pockets and a cute button to match the shirt.

And to top it all off, she knit this ADORABLE lil hat for Yuki. I won’t lie, when I saw it I really hoped that it was for me. But alas, it didn’t fit my noggin’.

Probably cuter on her anyways.

I just want to give a HUGE thanks to Robin for the truly amazing outfit for Yuki. I can tell that a lot of thought and care when into crafting these garments especially for my daughter. And of course for organizing this fun clothing swap and letting me be a part of it!

For the outfit I made, I was assigned to Sanae and I was soooo nervous to sew for her! But it turned out really fun and rewarding, so head on over to her blog to see the outfit that I made for her daughter, K!

AND be sure to check out all of the participants’ blogs to see the fantastic handmade outfits we swapped!

robin from nested in stitches
danielle from my sparkle
delia from delia creates
gail from probably actually
heather from well-crafted
kristin from skirt as top
meg from elsie marley
sanae from sanae ishida
vanessa from lbg studio

A Simple Blouse from a sunny spot

Posted on March 22, 2013 by Cherie

The second garment I made from a Japanese sewing book is this simple blouse from a sunny spot 女の子のまいにちの服 (Every day clothes for girls), same book I used for this top.

It’s called “Simple Blouse” and it really is exactly that. I picked it, once again, because of it’s super simple construction. I was still looking for something with directions so straightforward that I could figure it out by diagram only.

This top certainly fits the bill. It’s just a front and two back pieces with sleeves built in (so separate sleeves to sew in). The neckline is finished with bias and there is a simple folded button placket and that’s it!

I didn’t realize this earlier, but looking at these pictures, the top looks, dare I say, almost hospital gownish!?

But in a cute way, right!? If you were to make this top, I might recommend a cute print, like the small floral pictured in the book, and steer clear of solids. Especially anything white or minty, to avoid the whole hospital gown thing . . .

Since I made these first two tops from Japanese patterns months ago, I’ve tried a more slightly more complicated pattern (with success!) which I hope to share with you soon. And after my wonderful guests share their knowledge with us next week during the Japanese Sewing Book Series, I know I’ll be pumping out garments from Japanese sewing books like crazy! I can’t wait!

She’s starting to get a hang of this peace sign thing!

Again, if you’re interested in purchasing this book, you can find it on Amazon, Etsy, or Kinokuniya.

If you haven’t entered the Miss Matatabi Giveaway, make sure to do so by Sunday at noon PST!

And the series starts on MONDAY! Be sure to come back each day next week for Japanese sewing book tips, translations, and inspiration from my amazing and talented guests Kristin, Sanae, Meg, Frances, and Robin.

you & mie is an Amazon affiliate. I will earn a small commissions for Amazon purchases made through links provided in this post.

A-Line Tunic from A Sunny Spot

Posted on March 20, 2013 by Cherie

I made my very first sewing project from a Japanese sewing book back in August from the book a sunny spot 女の子のまいにちの服 (Every day clothes for girls).

When I was in Japan over the summer, I picked up a couple of pattern books including this one. It has a lot of simple but cute, very feminine outfits for little girls. If you’d like to see more pictures from the book, Japanese Sewing Books has a thorough book review here.

When I decided to sew up my first project, I picked the cute “A-line tunic” because it is adorable but also a super simple sew. Even though I couldn’t understand the Japanese directions, I could easily tell how it was constructed by looking at the diagrams.

It is just two pieces (front and back) plus bias for the neck and arm holes. Add some gathers and lace or piping along the neckline and you’ve got a sweet and twirly little tunic. I highly recommend this as a starting project for newbies to Japanese patterns!

Of course, I didn’t realize at the time that the book’s smallest pattern size was still too big for Yuki. Oops.

I used this double gauze Nani Iro Melody Sketch that I picked up in Japan and it is probably one of my favorite fabrics ever!! I think it’s so puuuurty. It’s from an older line, so it’s harder to find, but it looks like there is still some available here. Double gauze is really lightweight, so it hangs really nicely and it’s a perfect top for warm weather.

Well it’s finally starting to fit her and I think it’s one of our favorite tops now.

Again, it was definitely a manageable project for a first timer. The hardest part for me was finding the pattern pieces I needed on the pattern sheet. If you’re interested in purchasing this book, you can find it on Amazon, Etsy, or Kinokuniya.

I have one more top that I’ve made from this book to share with you later this week. But until then, I wanted to make sure you all knew about this great resource for sewing from Japanese sewing books. It’s called Japanese Sewing Books! You really should check out her site for a dictionary of sewing terms, help with understanding patterns, plus translations, book reviews, free patterns and sew alongs. It really is a fantastic starting point if you’re a beginner to Japanese patterns and between that site and the Japanese Sewing Book Series here next week, you’ll hopefully be ready to tackle those patterns with confidence!

I’ve loved seeing all the projects that you guys have sewn up from Japanese sewing books. Please keep sharing your links with me – they are very inspirational! Until next time!

you & mie is an Amazon affiliate. I will earn a small commission for Amazon purchases made through links provided in this post.

Baby Geranium

Posted on January 15, 2013 by Cherie

I only made a few gifts this holiday season, but when I found out I was going to be visiting my favorite lil baby, Logan, I knew I had to make her something. Logan is 7 months old and the daughter of one of my best friends from high school. She lives in LA and she is precious! And since I had Geranium on the brain, I just had to sew up another one!

The pattern is Made by Rae’s Geranium Dress pattern and if you’ve checked out the pattern, you’ll know there are a ton of options you can choose for the dress. I was tempted to stick with my favorite combo (see my eyelet version), but decided I should try something at least a little different! With the advice of Melissa and Kristin, I settled on something simpler for lil 7 month Logan. Tunic length (more practical for the soon-to-be crawler), no sleeves, pleats (Logan is a modern and sophisticated gal) and of course, the notch. I can’t forgo the notch!

Most patterns I own, I’ve only sewn once. This pattern is one I know I’ll sew from over and over again. I already have ideas for lots of cute different Geraniums, but alas, Yuki only has one body. Good thing this pattern goes up to size 5T! Plus it’s a really simple yet beautiful project, so it makes the perfect gift!

Here’s a close up of the notched neckline. Definitely my best yet (out of two), but still not perfect. It’s got a tiny dimple near the bottom that I couldn’t press flat. I’ll get it right one of these times!

The fabric is from the line Timber & Leaf by Sarah Watts (you should check out the rest of the line – it’s gorgeous!). I bought it at one of my new favorite fabric stores in the Bay Area, Stonemountain and Daughter in Berkeley. I’ve gotten a lot of amazing things there recently and if it weren’t across the bay, I swear, I’d be there all the time!

The back closes with 3 beautiful blue buttons just like Logan’s eyes. I was going to sew them on with gray thread, but the needle I happened to grab already had some almost-neon yellow thread in it that I ended up using. Thought it went well.

I made the dress in size 6-12 months and I think it’ll still be a little while before she can wear it. But by then the weather will have warmed up and it’ll be perfect for a crawling and cruising and maybe even walking lil Logan! Oh, they grow up so fast!! *sniff sniff*

I’m slowly getting back into the swing of things around here, but I’ve been a bit under the weather so it’s been tough. To be honest, I haven’t touched my sewing machine since I left for my winter vacation 2 and 1/2 weeks ago even though I’ve already been home for over a week! I’m hoping to get my sewing mojo back again soon. But don’t worry, I’ve got lots of new projects planned for around here, including my post for the Basic Bodice Design series over on iCandy handmade coming up next week!

How are you doing? Did you take a little break after the busy holiday season? Or did you dive right back in?

Maggie Mae Tunic and a GIVEAWAY!

Posted on December 5, 2012 by Cherie

*Unfortunately, this post was delayed due because we had a very long power outage and then I had to travel for work. Looks like the train (to crazy) is pulling in a little late and I’m so sorry!!*

I’m really excited to be the next stop on the Very Go To Christmas pattern tour! Go To Patterns really is the place to go if you’re looking for fun and classic patterns. They carry patterns for everything from clothing and gift bags to quilts and stuffed animals from a variety of great designers. Andrea is the mastermind behind the pattern shop and the blog, The Train to Crazy, and she’s created a really amazing collection of must-have patterns. It’s definitely worth checking out.

maggiemae1 I chose the Maggie Mae Tunic by Shwin & Shwin to review because it’s been on my to do list for a very long time. I actually purchased this pattern before KCWC in the fall, but never got around to making it until now. I wish I hadn’t waited though because I. Love. This. Tunic.

maggiemae5 I just think it’s adorable and I’ve thought so since I first saw the pattern come out. I love the colorblocking, the curved pieced bodice, the little cap sleeves, the pleats – I love how stylish it is, but still so appropriate for kids (Shwin & Shwin has a knack for designing kids patterns that balance style and practicality). And it really can be made for any occasion – from casual playwear to special occasion – depending on the fabric you choose. I used this gorgeous Kaffe Fasset woven ikat and shot cotton that I picked up at Stonemountain & Daughter in Berkeley.

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The Maggie Mae can be made as a tunic or a dress (the version I made is the tunic) and comes with inseam pockets and buttons in the back.

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This project is a good intermediate beginner pattern. The construction is fairly simple even with the curved bodice piecing. You’ll have to do some pleating and of course buttonholes, but if are comfortable with those things, you can sew one of these up in a snap.

Despite that, this project was a little bit of a nightmare for me to sew up (at no fault of the pattern – purely my own stupidity). I just wanted to share the story with you so you know that I have really bad sewing days too. Because this pattern is pretty simple, I was excited to get it done quickly. Well I was finishing an edge with my serger, which I’m still learning how to use, when a corner of the bodice was gobbled up into the serger with the slicing blade on, so SNIP! Off goes a small corner of the bodice.

Then, it literally took me forever to get my pleats looking good – centered, evenly sized and spaced. Unfortunately, there are no pleat markings on the pattern, so you have to figure it out yourself and I don’t know why it took me so long – but I must have pleated, pinned, basted and torn them out 5 times before I got it just right.

When I was just about done, I accidentally hemmed the tunic up in a thread that stood out a lot more than I expected and I didn’t like it. As I was tearing the hem out with a seam ripper to do over, I tore a small hole in the front of the dress at the hem line. WTF – is this project trying to kill me!? Have you ever had a project like that? Where everything goes wrong? And to top it all off, I had meant to make this a dress and didn’t realize until I put it on my daughter and her booty was hanging out the bottom that I had used the tunic measurements instead!!! Haha, seriously, I was having issues that day. BUT, despite all that, I still looooooove the way it came out. So all of that to say, even if you’re a complete knuckle head like me, you can still make this adorable top/dress (just make sure you’re reading the appropriate measurements off the chart depending on whether you want to make a skirt or a tunic).

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I made the size 2T for my 2 year old and it fits her pretty well. The only thing that I would change if I make it again (and I’m sure I will), is to lengthen the top bodice piece just a little bit to make the armhole a little roomier. It fits her just perfectly, if not a little snug there. Otherwise, the sizing seemed just right.

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I love that there are sooooooo many possibilities with this dress depending on what coordinating fabrics you choose. I’m already dreaming up combinations for the next one. What colors/prints would you choose?

Well lucky for you, you have a chance to win an amazing giveaway prize and trust me, you’re gonna want to win this.

Enter to win a shopping spree at GoToPatterns.com and Sew Fine Fabric!

THREE WINNERS!

Click here to enter the giveaway via Rafflecopter!

Go check out the rest of the Very Go To Christmas posts here:

Handmade Therapy Nov. 29th
a pretty cool life. Nov 29th
Sew Much Ado Nov. 30th
Simple Simon and Co Dec. 1st
One Little Minute Dec. 1st
The Cottage Home Dec. 2nd
Sew country chick Dec. 2nd
Nap Time Crafters Dec. 3rd
A Little Gray Dec. 3rd
skirt as top Dec. 4th
you & mie Dec. 5th
Boy, Oh Boy, Oh Boy! Dec. 5th
Me Sew crazy Dec. 6th
see kate sew Dec. 6th
Delia Creates Dec. 7th

And what Yuki photoshoot could be complete without one of these pics!?

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Haha – I love this kid. I hope you’re all enjoying getting ready for the holidays. Please go check out Go To Patterns – I’m pretty sure you’ll find so many things you love. And be sure to enter the Washi Giveaway here (ends Friday, December 7th at 5pm PST).

Thanks, as always, for stopping by and I hope you’re all having a great week

you and mie

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Category Archives: sew & tell