Mimi Blog Tour


I am super excited to be part of the Mimi blog tour!  I was so lucky that I got to test this amazing pattern by Filles a maman.  The Mimi is really a darling little pattern!  




Seriously, adorable, right?!?!?  This pattern has tons of options, which if you know me, makes me super happy!!  You can make a shirt or a dress.  How about adding a collar or leaving a little keyhole opening??  Want long sleeves?  This pattern has got ya covered!



Have to play peek-a-boo around a tree?  This top will totally work for that!  haha  I crack myself up!  But in all seriousness, this pattern really is fantastic!  Melanie does a fantastic job putting together a pattern that not only fits well but looks amazing and is easy to understand!


Ok, so when I thought about making another version of this, I really wanted to put my own spin on it.  Unfortunately, it did not turn out as planned, but I think it actually is not too bad, haha.  




I really wanted to make it in woven.  I knew this would work for my little lady since the size I tested was pretty roomy on her.  What I didn't account for was her large melon!!!  While she may wear 6-12months rtw clothes, her head is normal size, and that little key hole opening was not working for us!!




I actually sat in her room with her for 5 min trying to force it over her head.  Mom of the year over here!!!!  So, much to my chagrin, I took the top over to my sewing machine, grabbed my scissors, and cut the neck.  Uggggh, can we just have a moment of silence for that beautiful neckline I so sadly destroyed....


What matters is that she likes it, right?!?!  She said, "ohhhh pretty!" when I put it on her.  And really, now the neckline is kind of a boat neck!  A wonky boat neck, but I can work with that!



Besides that gorgeous neckline, the hem is TO.DIE.FOR!!!  Oh, and did you notice??  No sleeves!  I kept the sleeves off since it's hot here and my little lady is a ball of sweat in the summertime!  




Ready to make one yourself??  Head on over here and pick up your copy now!  And use code MIMITOUR20 for 20% off!!  And don't forget to enter the rafflecopter for your chance to win two 5 packs of patterns from Melanie's shop!  




Thanks for stopping by!!!  And don't forget to check out all the other amazing ladies on the blog tour!!


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FOXGLOVE

She's done it again.  Lauren Dahl of selvage designs has come to our summer wardrobe rescue with the amazing FOXGLOVE (affiliate link).  


This carefree modern tank features:
  • high/low hem
  • slight v-scoop neckline
  • racerback
  • woven or knit fabrics
  • optional seaming down front/back/sides
  • color blocking instructions
  • sizes 00-20
  • fantastic illustrations and wonderfully detailed instructions


It's no surprise that I love everything Lauren does.  She designs modern pieces that look good on all women!  Once you see her designs, you have to have them all, at least that's how I feel!!  I've said it before and I'll say it again, she's a genius!!


The longest part of this pattern is figuring out fabric and cutting!  Sewing this is a breeze!  I adore the bias finishing around the neck and arm holes.  It gives it such a polished look!  And THANK YOU THANK YOU for showing everyone how to attach bias correctly and so it only shows on the inside!!


Didn't know that was coming, did ya?!?!?  HeHeHe  I went for bonus points on this one and did an ivory dot mesh for the upper portion of the back.  Ok, don't mind my tank and bra strap fiasco going on here.  Since then I now have the perfect ivory and blush camis to pair with this!  I really love the color blocking!  And a lace back??  Yes please!!!  




My first instinct was to do the entire back in lace.  I think I will do that on my next one!  I bought a few different kinds to play around with but settled on this gorgeous dot mesh.  I thought it paired really well with the blush jersey knit.  And can we talk about the racerback????  How cute is that?!?!  I love racerbacks, and they are definitely IN this summer! 




 Ok, so I need to share my little oppsie on this one.  I got SOOO excited when sewing that I did not pay attention to the bottom portion of my back piece.  See how the top of the bottom piece curves???  Ummm, yeah, that should totally be at the bottom.  Llike I said, oppsie!!  But you know what?  I meant to do that!  It still looks great!  I've worn this top like 12 times already.  It's quickly becoming my go to top!


And the neckline is gorg too!!  The subtle v-scoop neckline is really flattering, especially on me!  As you can see, I was so graciously given more than enough up top, and high necklines just aren't my kind of thing.  This neckline is modest but very modern. 

Because I love you all so much, I'm going to share my selfies of foxglove #2 with you.  You ready for this???



I really must love you all if I just shared that little gem!  This is an ivory crinkle chiffon I scored for $2yd at my local fabric store. I was beyond excited when I saw it and knew it was destined to be my next foxglove!  I LOVE LOVE LOVE how it turned out.  Oh, and see those seams?!?!  How fun is that?!?!  I love the seaming down the front and back.  It might be my favotire part!



And yes, I sewed it corectly this time.  This is a lengthened version.  Being the busty gal I am(yeah, I totally said busty) I often need to adjust patterns to give myself a little more length, as the girls take up lots of space!  And guess what??  Lauren has the lengthening lines right on the pattern for you!  You can't go wrong!  

 I've worn it more than the knit, to be honest.  I love a versatile pattern that I can use different kinds of fabrics and has options that add visual interest.  I will be making many more of these this summer.  Next up will be a foxglove dress.  What do you think???  How cute would that be?!?!  An adorable high/low racerback dress????  Yes please!!!




If you NEED this pattern(and you definitely do!!) you can head on over to Indiesew to pick up your copy, or buy it over at Lauren's shop(affiliate link) starting June 30th.  Need some inspiration?  Take a look at the tester roundup.  These ladies did a fabulous job!  

Summer of SOLEIL blog tour

This summer is busy busy busy for my family.  That means my sewing time is very limited and I have to be pretty picky about what I sew.  It needs to be quick, versatile, and looks amazing.  Enter SOLEIL.


  
If you didn't already know this, Lauren Dahl is the genius behind selvage designs, baste and gather, and pattern workshop.  She is amazeballs and her designs are even better!  



Soleil is a must have pattern for this summer!  It is not only fast and easy, but the instructions are wonderful!  Lauren knows what she is doing because this pattern is more than just a step above the rest!



Let's talk about my favorite design element.  Hello gorgeous!  You see that back???  Is that not fabulous or what?!  I am loving the peek-a-boo cut out in the back.  Not a fan?  No worries!  Lauren includes pattern pieces for a closed back option as well!



Does your little lady love finding treasures but needs somewhere to put them?  Well, she's got you covered there too!  The pockets are adorable!!  I love the trim!  Adds just the right amount of pop!


I was fortunate enough to test this pattern for Lauren and immediately fell in love!  So much so that I knew I needed to join the blog tour!  But I couldn't just use my tester dress, I mean, a girl's gotta have more than one sundress, right?!




And I thought I loved my first version, haha!  Apparently I am on a floral kick right now, but this fabric screamed summer to me!  You may remember my AWESOME Magnolia Street Wrap Dress using this exact fabric!



 I really liked it for myself, but I'm so excited that now my little lady has a coordinating dress!  The fabric drapes nicely and is super soft on her sensitive skin.  I knew it would be perfect.


This time around I left off the pockets since my little one is not into keeping treasures just yet.  She doesn't quite understand the whole "pockets are so cool" deal, so I kept it simple.  I love how the front looks like a well fitted super cute sundress, but that back.....




Swoon!!!  Every time I see it I am a little more in love!  How perfect for hot summer days!  I think every little lady needs a few, OK maybe 20 of these in her closet!




The best part?  She LOVES her SOLEIL Dresses!  I'm sure some of you can relate to little ones who are very independent and like to have a say in what they wear.  Putting this on is NEVER a battle!  She loves wearing these comfy cute dresses.

The great thing about Lauren's patterns are that they become immediate staples in your little ones wardrobes.  They are versatile enough to wear everyday, but still adorable for special occasions!  I am dieing to try a lace overlay on my next one!!

This pattern takes me only an hour or so if I am uninterrupted, and without the pockets it is definitely a quick sew!  I made this last one in about an hour while the little lady was napping!  Can't beat that!!

 Special thanks to Lauren for letting me be a part of this fabulous Summer of SOLEIL blog tour!  Don't forget to check out her facebook page.  If you want to pick up a copy of the soleil pattern, click on any of the affiliate links in the blog.  You get to buy an amazing pattern and a cyber high five, and I get a little extra moola to put towards making more of these awesome dresses, plus it would be much appreciated!!!  

 Want a chance to win a free copy???  Enter below :)
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The Lorelei Women's dress Blog Tour


It's FINALLY my turn on E-Beth Designs blog tour and giveaway!  I was so excited when I heard Elizabeth was going to be doing a blog tour for this amazing pattern, and I knew I needed to be a part of it.   I was lucky enough to not only test the children's version but also the women's version of this pattern.  It is one of my favorites, and I can't wait to show you what I came up with this time around.

 You will probably remember the dress I made my daughter from the Lorelei girl's dress pattern.  I ADORE this pattern so much!  It is a wonderful party dress that has tons of twirl factor!!  I love the petticoat and the neckline is to die for!!


Then Elizabeth let me test the women's version!  I love the fit of this dress, and like the girl's version, this dress has some major twirl!!!




Now to what you've been waiting for.  Drum roll please........

 Introducing the Lorelei Women's Dress.....in KNIT!!!


Just blew your mind didn't I?!?!?  Never thought about using knit?  After making my tester dress, I knew I needed a casual version of this dress, and thought I might as well give it a shot with knit.
Now, let me tell you, this dress is super comfy!  I used a jersey lycra blend and it drapes beautifully and feels so soft!  The style of the dress is perfect for knit!  Word to the wise, SIZE DOWN!!  I cut out my normal size not really thinking, and after sewing this was HUGE!  I mean, without belting it, I looked like I was wearing a sack! lol  But, after taking it in about 5in on each side, I had the perfect fit, tailored to fit me like a glove!!  



 I can't say enough good things about this pattern!  The instructions are amazing, the fit is spot on, the pattern pieces go together beautifully!  I LOVE this pattern, even with the hand sewing(which is definitely not my favorite part, lol, but I suffer through it since I <3 the final product)!


The neckline may be my favorite part.  It has a vintage flair, but is still modern and so flattering on all sizes!


Oh, and did I mention that this pattern comes in 12 different sizes, ranging from 00-20, and cup sizes AA-DD!  So no need for a FBA!  How awesome it that?!?!  I swear, Elizabeth thought of EVERYTHING in this pattern!
The pattern gives instructions for both a regular and invisible zipper, but seeing as I wanted a more casual look, I opted for no zipper.  Instead, I cut the back pattern piece and the back yoke piece on the fold, and presto!!  No need for a zip!



I will definitely be making more of these dresses for summer!  It is the perfect sundress for any occasion!  I think I am going to wear this one to my BIL and soon to be SIL's wedding shower next week!  




Ok, so here's my challenge to you all.  Go buy the pattern and give it a shot in woven.  Then make one in knit.  I am telling you, you will not be sorry!  You will look and feel like a million bucks! And bonus, Elizabeth is giving you $3 off using the code: blogtour!  Isn't she the best?!  But that's not all!!  You have a chance to be one of 3 winners to receive the pattern for FREE!!!  And don't worry, if you happen to win but already purchased the pattern, you will be refunded your money!!!  Awesome, right?!?!  And if you really want to be super awesome, purchase from any one of my affiliate links in the blog and earn me a little extra money!!
And make sure to check out all the other amazing ladies who took part in the blog tour!!! 
June 4th:  Sew Starly & Mama Lusco


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Embrace yourself



Today is not about sewing.  Today is about love.  A wonderful video by Taryn Brumfitt is going around the Internet and it really hit home for me.  Her planned documentary "Embrace," will show how women feel about their bodies, how much we loathe ourselves, and what we can do to change our views.  

I've been struggling with body image issues my entire life.  As a little girl I was the chubby kid.  I liked dance, especially ballet, and this unfortunately only made my self esteem issues worse.



Pretty sure the maroon velvet dress wasn't helping my self esteem issues, haha


I remember sneaking food as a child, not wanting anyone to see me eat it.  This stayed with me through me teenage years as I continued dancing, and as a ballerina, thought I was huge.  I felt ginormous compared to my other ballet friends.  At 5'6 and wearing a size 6/8, I thought I was disgusting.  I look back at photos and see how beautiful I was, but I couldn't see that then.

My weight flipped flopped my entire adult life.  I've been all over the map and the feelings of not measuring up and self loathing have always been there, regardless of my weight.

After my second son was born, I lost a significant amount of weight, and while I loved the number that my pants now said I was, it didn't change the internal conversation that was continuously happening inside my head.  

Right after Max was born

A year later, down to my goal weight

The problem was that now I loved how I looked in my clothes, but still hated my body.  I was hiding how much I disliked myself from everyone, putting on a happy face.  It's an awful feeling, to not see what everyone else sees.  I was getting tons of compliments on how great I looked, but I still had all this turmoil inside.

And now I have child #3, a daughter.  And all I can think about is how I don't want her to be like me.  I want her to look up to me, and see how she should love herself and her body.  She will be bombarded with images of how she should look, act, feel.  I want her to have a role model who shows her that what she sees on TV is not how you have to be.  That she is beautiful and loved.
Me with my family on Easter 2014

I'm in between what I call my happy and unhappy weights.  It's been much harder this time around to lose the weight.  Almost 2 years later and I can't get it off.  I've joined a gym to help, but that doesn't change the mental aspect of this all.  We as a society, we as women, need to wake up!  It's OK to not be a size 0.  The average woman is a 14.  We need to learn that any size is beautiful.  It's not about the number, it's about how we feel!


I had a wonderful conversation with one of my friends the other day about self esteem.  She is on the other side of this problem.  She is thin and has always had problems gaining weight.  Her friends and family make comments to her about how she should eat more and how skinny she is.  What they don't know is that she eats and eats, but can never seem to gain weight.  She is just as hurt by their comments of how "skinny" she is as I am about me being "fat".  

What I hope we all can learn is that no one knows the struggles that another person is dealing with.  My weight issues could be more easily managed with working out more and eating a little better, but I also have other health issues that work against me, causing me an extremely hard time to lose weight. My friend can't gain weight, no matter how hard she tries.  You don't know the struggles someone else is going through.  

So, what's the point?  We all have struggles.  No matter how big or small, no matter how happy someone appears to be, we all struggle.  And for women, it's magnified 1,000x.  But the real problem is not size you are, it's how you feel about yourself.  You are not disgusting, a bean pole, fat, frumpy, ugly, squishy, skin and bones, ginormous.  YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!  Your body is amazing, you are amazing, you are worthy of love and you are loved!  


I'm working on this concept everyday.  I am learning to love myself how I am, with my faults, my fat, my newly forming wrinkles, my tired eyes...should I go on?  Embrace yourself, embrace the changes that are happening, because next month, next year, 10 years from now the likelihood that you will look back and say, "I was beautiful, I wish I looked like that now," is pretty high.  

If you'd like to help Taryn's documentary "Embrace" change lives, go here and donate whatever you can.  We deserve the chance to start embracing ourselves.





Channeling my inner DVF



Anyone who loves fashion knows that there are a few key items in every wardrobe a woman must have.  A great fitting pair of jeans, some killer heels, a classic button down shirt, a fitted pencil skirt, and the always in style wrap dress.  

Wrap dresses first popped up in the 1930's and 40's when the "popover" wrap style was introduced, but it wasn't until the 1970's that the wrap dress as we know it today came to fruition.  Thanks to Diane von Furstenberg, wrap dresses have become a staple in the modern woman's closet.  

I'm sure most of you have at least one hanging in your closet.  The great thing about wrap dresses is that they go along way.  My first wrap dress was purchased 7 years ago and it's still every bit as stylish was it was then.  They can also be dressed up or down and are amazingly comfortable! 

I love a great wrap dress, and that's why when I saw Jenny from Seamingly Smitten put out a call to test the Magnolia Street Wrap Dress, I couldn't pass it up!  This pattern is amazing and is full of options to suit every woman's taste!



This pattern includes:
  • sizes xs-xxxl(that's 0-26 ladies!!!!)
  • step by step instructions with color photos
  • petite, regular, and tall hem and sleeve lengths
  • size chart and finished dress measurement chart
  • tips for sewing with knits
  • instructions on how to tie the finished garment

I have tested many patterns for Seamingly Smitten, and once again this pattern is great!  The instructions are easy to follow, the photos are extremely helpful and guide you every step of the way.  And Jenny is always there to help if you need it.

There are a few things I really love about this pattern. One is the versatility.  With this pattern you could make multiple dresses and each look different because of the sleeve and length options!  Maybe you want a sleeveless wrap dress for summer and a long sleeve version to carry you from fall through winter.  How about a short sleeve version that hits right at the knees and a 3/4 sleeve to wear with boots in the fall.  This dress will take you through every season and will make you look and feel incredible!


Another thing I love is how easily this dress sews up!  With less than 3 yards of fabric and about 2.5 hours, you can have a brand spankin new dress that looks hot off the runway!!  One of the best parts is that this dress is a true wrap dress!  No faux wraps here!!  One side of the dress in complete with an opening to pull one of the ties through, that ensures you will not have any wardrobe malfunctions!!

This dress is an immediate confidence booster!  Slip it on and you instantly feel ready to take on the day!  I know for me feeling that I didn't just roll out of bed can be difficult sometimes, and as a busy ladies, we often forget how important it is for our own well being to feel good about ourselves!  This dress for me is just the lift I need on those busy days I can hardly get out the door in time.  Throw it on with some heels and funky jewelry, or pair it was ballet flats and a cardigan and you're good to go!



I love this dress and I hope you do too!  If you're interested in purchasing the pattern you can get it here.  As always, if you don't sew and would like one made custom for you, come visit my shop on facebook and message me for more details! Thanks for stopping by!
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