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.
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. 
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. 
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. 
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). 
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. 
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. {CLOSED}
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!?
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 
This tunic is delicious.
These are lovely!
This pattern is on our ‘to do’ list too…..and, YES! We have those sewing days more often than not. Thank you for your honesty in describing your woes. It makes us feel a bit more ‘normal’ :).
So cute – I love Shwin patterns!
Love the tunic for the precise reasons you described. Yuki has such a stylish wardrobe because of you! The fabric you chose is simply delectable. Such rich berry colours, and pairing with those tights and booties she looks really the little lady. Can’t tell that you had all those mishaps in the process of making it either – how did you recover the snipped off corner or did you have to do that again?
Fabulous! 🙂
too cute! every time i see a picture of your daughter, i want to hug her – she’s sooo sweet.
Forget the giveaway…. I want that cute kid!!!!
Your daughter is adorable! And yes, I’ve had projects like yours that just have one problem right after the other. I usually stick with them and finish and end up loving it!
Go to Patterns is now bookmarked. What a great site!
this is really adorable (as is your daughter)!
I’m sorry you had so many set backs making the tunic. I’ve had projects like that and I’m always surprised by how well they can turn out in the end. I love the fabrics you chose. It looks great.
I have sewing days like that, too, and have a love/hate relationship with my serger for the very reason you described. But the tunic is so cute, and I love the colors you chose. (Gorgeous photo location, btw… those trees… that misty fog!) thanks for the review! 🙂
Love this!!!!
Love how it turned out! Adorable.
It’s good to hear that someone else has sewing days like that too. Those kinds of projects are exactly the reason I have a nice little pile of unfinished projects! The tunic turned out beautifully and I love her little boots 🙂
Thank you for sharing the good and the bad! The tunic is fabulous and your daughter is adorable!
Oh my, is beautiful, and Yuki looks so happy.
Oh my gosh she’s the cutest!!! 🙂 Love your version and glad to hear I’m not the only one who has difficulty sewing some days. 🙂
So cute, I love the fabric you chose!
I just love that dress on Yuki!
I love the fabric that you choose for this pattern!
that dress is too cute…and that last pic is crazy adorable!!
i love that kid too 🙂 and your tunic!!! awesome.
Oh my goodness, I think the model has sold me on the dress!
Could she be any cuter???!!! So cute. I hear ya on projects like that. They seem harmless but everything just seems to go wrong for one reason or another. It looks like you definitely made it work! Way to persevere!
oh my gosh cutest EVER!!! I have to get this pattern now. Settled. Perfect fabric choices girl!
So so cute! I love patterns where you can use more than one fabric.
Cherie!!! She is so freakin’ adorable. And I LOVE that pattern – darling!
oh yes, sewing days like that… my seam ripper and i are best friends some days. but then a project comes together so perfectly and easily and you can almost forget about those days. 😉
Man I love your fabric choices here; so perfect, and it seriously looks like your foresty background is fake! So pretty. Sorry about the bad sewing day! Sounds like mine yesterday. I powered through, but ended up with two cut fingers and plenty of seam ripping in the process. Oy.
Your fabric selection for this tunic is beautiful. I too have had projects that should have been “simple” to complete, but gave me the blues on so many levels. Beautiful job.
Despite the roadblocks this came out super cute. Like you said, stylish yet appropriate. Love it.
oh, the cuteness is killing me – both of the tunic and your daughter’s awesome smile:) I just bought this pattern and had been considering shot cotton to sew with – now I think I’m convinced! THanks so much for sharing!
It turned out so cute! I feel like most of my sewing projects are somewhat disastrous. Lol. When I made some Maggie maes for my girls, I think I obsessed over the pleating for way too long. The armholes seemed uncomfortably tight to me too, and I had to rip the seams out a bit just to get their arms all the way in. Once that was handled the dresses were a big hit. Now I know to definitely make the pits bigger!
love the tunic, LOVE that squinchy smile even more.
and piper jane has that polka dot cardigan. 🙂
ALL THAT, but it seriously is adorable!!!! Love it on her!!!
Cute baby- I like Shwin patterns!
She is too cute to handle ❤ i love her ❤ and the dress she is wearing is indeed so beautiful 🙂 thank you ! http://www.dresscostume.com/
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