Washi Tunic for Me!

i've been busy knitting but i've also been sewing.  i couldn't resist whipping up another washi after making my dress.  this time i decided to do a tunic.  i originally was going for rae's version with sleeves and maybe a peter pan collar but the universe was against me.  never try cutting out your clothing pattern pieces when you have kids running wild around you.  after some silly mistakes (some that weren't even mine) i ended up running out of fabric and didn't have enough left to do the sleeves or collar. i also omitted the pockets...lol.  but even though the end result wasn't what i had originally visioned i love it no less. i've been wearing it non stop and cannot rave enough about this awesome pattern.

i used one of my fave prints from last year "afro fusion dusk" from indie by pat bravo for art gallery fabrics.  it's soft and has a lovely drape.  i couldn't resist adding the same vintage mustard bias for my armholes and neckline that i did for my original washi dress. i did a plain rounded neckline that i finished with the mustard bias and some double top stitching for fun which i also repeated on the hemline. i also decided to add a casing with elastic for the back this time instead of doing the shirring.  you can find a tutorial on how to do this on rae's blog here.  i didn't line mine though. i simply made a casing and topstitched it down in position and fed the elastic through. when i sewed my side seams down it closed the ends of the casing.  it's super fast, easy and i love the result.  i recommend it if you don't feel comfortable sewing shirring or your machine acts up with it.  mine has suddenly realized it hates shirring. no idea why...lol.

i hope to show you some pics soon of me actually wearing the tunic but with our dreary, grey, and rainy weather here the timing just always seems to be off for the hubs to take pics of me and it's just too dark in my condo to take shots of myself.  hopefully i'll be able to show you all soon.  in the meantime i put it on sally, my lovely dress form.  she's not my size...not even close...haha...but i love her anyways.  i use her for hanging things on and she likes to travel and do markets/craft shows with us all :)  she's on loan to me from a friend and she's come in very handy.  one day i will buy myself one that is my size though...lol.  when i put this on her i died laughing.  seriously.  it really made me realize how big "my girls" were when you see it hanging off of a dress form that is the size i'd like to be.  oh my....so close ups it is :) i'm sure you get the idea though :)

i've really been enjoying sewing my own clothing and hope to do a lot more this year.  one of my new year's resolutions has been to sew my own pair of pants.  anyone have a great pattern recommendation?  i'm fed up with buying pants that just dont' fit right and make me look bigger than i am so i'd love to make some fit just for my body.

have you made your own pants before?  what is your favorite pattern to use? do you have any tips for me? let's chat sewing my friends!

||  FABRICS USED  ||
- afro fusion dusk from indie by pat bravo for art gallery fabrics purchased from fabricworm
- vintage mustard colored pre-made bias tape for armholes.

||  PATTERN USED  ||
- washi dress by rae hoekstra (made by rae)
- size made: XL
- full bust adjustment: none
- length: mid thigh
- helpful link: sewing women's clothing post from rae (great for tips on sizing and muslins)

banberry place giveaway!!! fabrics & more!

who's in the mood for some yummy fabric?  our lovely sponsor banberry place has fabric galore and is one of the best places to get some fabulous knit fabrics!  they've got "inspirational fabric, patterns & trims from around the world"!

heather ross fabrics on sale!

**THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.  THE WINNER WAS COMMENTER #176. THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR ENTRIES!**

banberry place also carries designer fabrics, cotton & knit european import fabrics, pre-ruffled fabrics and seasonal fabrics.   on top of all the lovely fabric there is also an awesome selection of trims & ribbons! i love me some trims people! so cute!

banberry place stocks a great selection of patterns including e-patterns and e-book patterns.  you can find patterns for women, children, boys, stuffies and more.  make sure to get ready just in time for valentine's day as well with all their heart fabrics! 

there are also some great sales! get your hands on some far far away 2 and 3  plus boys knits are on sale too!

||  THE PRIZE  ||
- one lucky winner will receive a $30 gift certificate to banberry place.

||  HOW TO ENTER  ||
 - simply leave a comment below letting me know what you'd spend your $25 on.  that's it! nice and easy!
- *bonus entry: like banberry place and/or luvinthemommyhood on facebook and leave us another comment to let us know you did that too.

||  THE RULES  ||
- you must leave a valid email address in your comment to qualify.
- giveaway will end  january 13th, 2013 at midnight, pst.

good luck everyone and thank you corie for the great giveaway.  happy fabric shopping! you can find all things banberry place here:

website  |  blog  |  facebook  |  twitter  |  pinterest  |  

Patricia Infinity Cowl Tutorial & an Art Gallery Fabrics Giveaway!

It's Fat Quarter Gang time over on Art Gallery Fabrics today and I'm going to show you all how to make the Patricia Infinity Cowl using only 6 fat quarters! Woot woot!  It's a great beginner project to practice piecing and working in 3 dimensional forms.  I love making things that have multiple looks and living on the West Coast of BC in Canada means I wear a lot of cowls and layers.  The Patricia Cowl doesn't disappoint. With the option to have 3 prints/solids per side you can have a total of 6 different fabrics to show off! Hello! Fun!!!!!!!! It's warm, huge, and perfect with your fave jacket but could also easily be worn with a tee in the warmer months for some added flair!

Wear it single looped or double it up (my fave) the Patricia Infinity Cowl is sure to be your new fave accessory this winter.You can easily change up your fabrics by turning the cowl inside out and bam! - you have a whole new look!

When choosing my fabrics for my latest Fat Quarter Gang project I could not resist the lure of Pat Bravo's Rock N' Romance line.  I'm a gemini and love the play on soft and hard for this line. It appeals to both parts of my personality.  And since I'm always changing my mind about what color or vibe I want to wear this suits me perfectly.  I also think this cowl would be equally as fabulous in some bright solids.  That's next up on my list.  Art Gallery Fabrics (along with gorgeous prints) makes some awesome color palettes of solids and who can resist that darn pima cotton! The drape and softness is so amazing!

So go pick your fave new fabric crushes and let's get sewing your newest fave accessory!  Head on over to Art Gallery Fabrics for the whole tutorial in an easy downloadable PDF :) Perfect for that real last minute gift (this takes literally about 30-45mins from start to finish) or for some selfish sewing after the holidays. Go on....spoil yourself...you deserve it!

Want to win some Rock 'N Romance of your own?

**THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. CONGRATS TO COMMENTER #117!**

||  THE PRIZE  ||
- one lucky winner will receive a fat quarter bundle of Rock 'N Romance by Pat Bravo for Art Gallery Fabrics.

||  HOW TO ENTER  ||
- leave a comment to let us know when you have done ANY (or all) of the following:

-follow Art Gallery Fabrics on your fav social media platform (Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter)

and Subscribe to the Art Gallery blog to stay up to date on all thing AGF & the Fat Quarter Gang..ohhh..and lets not forget Flickr!

||  THE RULES  ||
- you must leave a valid email address in your comment to win.
- Giveaway open until January 4th, 2013, midnight, PST.

Have fun and happy sewing my friends!  A big thank you to AGF for their awesome fabrics! I can't wait to see the cowl fabric combinations you all come up with! And HAPPY NEW YEAR'S!  See you all in 2013! Woot woot!

p.s. big hugs & thanks to one of my besties jane richmond for being my lovely and gorgeous model.

2012 TUTORIALS & PATTERN ROUNDUP

2012 was such a fun year! i get such a kick out of looking back at all the crafty things i got up to so i thought i would do a wee roundup of all the tutes and patterns that i put out on luvinthemommyhood this past year.  enjoy and thank you all so much for sewing and knitting along with me! big hugs to you all! see you next week with a new free tutorial for art gallery fabric's fat quarter gang!

make sure to add pics of your projects inspired by the tutorials and patterns above to our flickr group! i love seeing all of your wonderful creations!

a little handmade goodness

i recently sent a little handmade xmas pressie off in the mail.  i couldn't resist gifting a fun pieced zippered pouch, needlebook and a small project bag (not shown) for the receiver.  it was hard to give away this grey/yellow combo pouch.  i adore it and hope my friend does too.  i also added in one of my fave xmas cards that were made up with all of my blog info and a special message inside from moo.com last xmas. i heart them so much i'm thinking of framing the last few i have to put up as holiday decorations. so cute!

the best part of sending my gift away (other than the fun of making someone a pressie) was receiving my pressie.  how awesome was my gift below?  she sure captured my personality!  who can resist a grey velvet bow clutch, awesome fabrics and thread??? i did a very big happy dance when i opened my parcel.  thank you so much heidi (of elegance & elephants).  i looooove it!

what handmade pressies have you made this year? what's your favorite go to pattern to use when giving friends a gift? happy sewing ladies....coffee's on, come say hi!

Lunden Designs Quilt Patterns & Birch Fabrics Giveaway!!!

big top, flag day, grand junction and northern exposure quilt patterns from lunden designs

*THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED*

Our first place winner was commenter #21 - Laura!!! Yay Laura! Merry early Xmas! Have fun decorating your son's room! 

And second place winner was Jen from A Jennuine Life

I'll be in contact soon. Thank you so much Melissa for the giveaway!

giveaway time ladies!  christmas is just around the corner (eek) and i've been super excited to host this giveaway!  one of my fave quilt designers melissa of "lunden designs sewing patterns" has a great prize for you guys today!  her patterns are modern, fun and i simply adore them!  i've got plans to make a few of them now in the new year for our home.  i've got my eye on grand junction and northern exposure - 2 of the 4 new patterns she just released.

lunden designs sewing patterns are available as paper patterns so you receive a lovely full color booklet with paper instructions and pattern pieces if needed.  her instructions are clear, well written and easy to follow.  each time melissa designs a new pattern i stop and think "how did she do that?" and then bam...she makes it soooo easy.  just the way i like it!  here's a look at her newest patterns.... big top, grand junction, northern exposure, and flag day.

gorgeous!!!  since melissa and i are both huge fans of birch organic fabrics and we both sew so much with cynthia's wonderful organic prints we thought it would be fun to team up again for another giveaway!! woot woot!!!!!!!!!!!! gotta love that!  gorgeous and fresh quilt designs with equally as fabulous fabrics!  sounds like a sweet xmas pressie  to me!  want to enter?  here's the deets!

Set Sail by Birch Fabrics

||  THE PRIZES  ||

- (1) winner will win a copy of the quilt pattern "Flag Day" by Lunden Designs and also the prints used in Flag Day from Set Sail by Birch Fabrics for the crib sized quilt!!!! wowsa! i want to win!
- (1) winner will receive (3) paper quilt patterns:  Big Top, Grand Junction, Northern Exposure!!!

big top, flag day, northern exposure, grand junction quilt patterns from lunden designs

||  HOW TO ENTER  ||

- simply leave a comment below telling me which of the new lunden designs quilt patterns you love the best!
*bonus entry: like lunden designs, birch fabrics and/or luvinthemommyhood on facebook and leave separate comments letting me know you did that too.

||  THE RULES  ||

- you must leave a valid email address in your comment or you will be disqualified.
- giveaway is open until monday, december 17th, 2012 at midnight (PST).

you can find more on birch fabrics and lunden designs below:

website  |  blog  |  shop  |  facebook

website  |  blog  |  facebook  |  twitter

good luck everyone and happy sewing!  i cannot wait to see who wins!  a big thank you as well to melissa of lunden designs and also to cynthia of birch organic fabric for the generous and awesome prizes!

Washi Dress for ME!!!

washi love, washi love!!!  it's taken me forever to finally get the armholes of my washi dress done but i finally did!!! yay! i used a vintage mustard bias trim and love it! it's a fun pop of color just for me on the inside of the dress.  i wore my washi out for my hubbies xmas work party this past weekend and before you judge the pics above let me tell you they were taken at midnight after the hubs and i had (some...ahem) drinky drinks.  this momma was not feeling any pain and boy was it amazing to be out with the hubs without our children for a night.  it was sooooooo nice.  we don't get to go out very often (i mean like 1-2 times a year) so it's a big treat for us to go out for an adult evening :) 

i loved that i could wear a dress that i made.  it was such a thrill!  i love this dress....i love it so much i've worn it about 3 other times since saturday...haha.  i know the pics above are crappy lighting and the dress is wrinkled but i couldn't resist sharing them.  they felt real.   they felt like me...being a goof and capturing a moment for me when i was feeling free and content with my body.  i love that rae's washi dress makes me feel like that.  it hides my flaws and shows off my good assets.  i have never felt more comfy in a dress before. it's a fab feeling!

i plan on making the tunic version next and will be trying out rae's version with the elastic on the waistline instead of the shirring.  i had a tricky time with the shirring placement for my body.  it's the only negative for me with this pattern and that's me being very, very picky.  i never seemed to get the right amount for it to hang right over my hips an butt and i made the mistake of sewing the side seams before trying on the back to see if the shirring was good.  i had to rip open a section of the sides and try to add lines of shirring and take away some and it was a nightmare.  they still aren't perfect but i don't care. i love it anyways. 

i'm also leaning towards doing the peter pan collar for my tunic and a few other of rae's tricks like the longer sleeve.  i can't wait to get started on it.  the nice thing about being done the first washi is that i have already made a muslin and a dress and can just make as many as i want  knowing they will fit :)  the paunch is hidden and the girls (aka my boobs) are happy in the bodice. 

the washi i made was done using the dress pattern and i did the short sleeves and the fully sewn down yoke and hemmed that bad boy short.  well short for me. i really wanted to wear this with tights and/or leggings and found the shorter length was way more flattering and slimming on me than the at knee or just above length that i normally wear. it slimmed my legs and made me look taller.  so i'm so happy i dared to make a big change like that from what i would normally wear.  it suits my wardrobe better now and is way more versatile for me to wear with different shoes and boots with the shorter length.  i'm also thankful for all the lovely compliments and helpful suggestions on tight colors to choose from when i posted a sneak peek instagram shot. you ladies are AWESOME! you can read the convo here which has a pic where you can see the length of the dress better.  i'm still on the hunt for some colored tights like suggested (mustard or teal) so in the meantime the grey has been a great match for brown shoes and boots.

i made a size xl and did not have to do a full bust adjustment.  the xl fit me perfectly.  the darts were right where i wanted them and there was no armhole or back neck gaping which is a problem i always have with garments. thank you rae!  i love that this dress helped me to get over my fear of sewing a fitted bodice for me.  i highly recommend doing a muslin before you make this dress and taking the time to get a great fit.  you can find out lots of information about doing a muslin and sizing etc from this great post rae has written and also from the pattern itself. 

||  FABRICS USED  ||
-  anna maria horner's print fine feathered in colorway pomegranate from her new line field study from fabricworm.
- vintage mustard colored pre-made bias tape for armholes.

||  PATTERN USED  ||
- washi dress by rae hoekstra (made by rae)
- size made: XL
- full bust adjustment: none
- length: mid thigh
- helpful link: sewing women's clothing post from rae (great for tips on sizing and muslins)

have you made a washi dress yet?  what version did you make?  have you made a dress for yourself before?  what is your fave pattern to use?  spill the beans...i'm dying to see your washi's ladies!

A Very Bari Christmas Tree Skirt Tutorial!!

christmas is right around the corner and for years and years i have yet to make or buy a christmas tree skirt.  this year it was time to change that.  first off, my tree skirt isn't round.  i'm digging it like that.  after putting together this christmas tree roundup i fell head over heels in love with the idea of a rectangular tree skirt.  something i could play with some quilting on and finally get to use the essex linen that i've been hoarding like a mad woman since the summertime.

when the fabulous bari j came out with her new line of fabrics - splendor 1920 i was sold.  fabric that was modern, yet classic with geometrics and girly, feminine florals and teapots - it was a line after my own heart. the gemini in me just swooned.  at xmas time i obsess with coffee, tea, treats, curling up under quilts by the fire and doing needlepoint or knitting....splendor 1920 reminds me of xmas.  it creates that vibe for me.  it's something that rings through in my home and even my wee ones right away loved the fabrics and have taken to curling up under the tree on it and pointing at tea pots. they know momma loves her tea and coffee and of course...her downton abbey.

the very bari christmas tree skirt tutorial is a great project for a beginner looking to to advance in their piecing and quilting skills and is also a great canvas for more advanced quilters to have fun with.  all the shapes (besides the circular opening) are either square or rectangular for simple and quick sewing and the quilting lines are all straight and mostly follow along your seam lines so it's easy quilting too!  just the way i like it right before the holiday gift making rush.  the tree skirt is a great size at 43.25"W x 38.25"H and my fave part is that even when the pressies will be under the tree parts of my skirt will still show.  it's soft, cozy and even the back looks great!  i fought the lighting in my condo the last few days with our dark, dreary coastal weather and don't have a shot of the back but it's all solid essex and the quilting patterns add some pizazz.  i gotta give a shout out to my mom who suggested the lovely diagonal line pattern for my 4 corner pieces.  they are my fave and i owe her one for that one :)

i adore the warmth that splendor 1920 lends to my tree that is mostly silver and blues with hits of turqoise.  i don't go for gold much for my tree and love that the soft creams in some of bari's print warm up my tree but don't conflict with the cool tones of the greys and blues.  it's a happy harmony for me and just what my tree needed to finish it off.  you might even see an ornament to go with it soon....

the very, bari christmas tree skirt tutorial features:

: : 6 page full color pdf pattern complete with clear & easy to understand step by step instructions with bright photos and digitally drafted diagrams

: : instructions for a finished quilt including the quilting pattern.

: : fabric requirements, notions needed

: : a fun quilting/sewing experience :)

the very bari christmas tree skirt tutorial is available as a FREE DOWNLOAD here:

VERY BARI CHRISTMAS TREE SKIRT TUTORIAL

the fabrics used in the very bari christmas tree skirt tutorial are:

Splendor 1920 from Bari J. for Art Gallery Fabrics

- Tea Delights Honey  - Nouveau Geo Coral  - Knotted Trellis Gold 

- Abbey Roses Blush  - Grandeur Bloom

Robert Kaufman Yarn-Dyed Essex Linen Denim

thanks for the fabric inspiration bari and for letting me use your name :)  you're awesome!

what do you think? do you make your own christmas tree skirt? is yours rectangular too?  let's chat sewing!  i've got tea on with a cup for you too :)

happy sewing and make sure to upload your pics to our flickr group or leave a comment below. i love to see what you're making and to hear from you!  i hope you enjoy making the tree skirt as much as i did!

WIP's and WISBWO's

the pic above is a sneak peek of a new tutorial coming soon! i hope you all are going to luv it as much as i do. i'm totally crushing on bari j's new line splendor 1920. it makes me feel all warm and cozy and wanting to sip tea and do embroidery. i heart it.

i've been busy making but crazily enough none of it is xmas presents.  while i find this daring and somewhat freeing it's also weird. i have never not gone a christmas without making at least one gift and i'm sure i'll end up making at least 1-2 but as of right now...nada.  i know...it's wild!  must be all that kahlua i've been sipping!   i took a tally of some of my wip's (work in progress) and my wisbwo's (work i should be working on)(yes, i totally made that acronym up, i rock like that) and thought i would show you all that a) i'm not wonder woman and never get 3/4 of the project i start even half way completed b) i always bite off more than i can chew c) i think that i am in fact 3 human beings and that there really is 84 hrs in a day and d) that sleep is for the weak.  i in fact will openly admit this isn't even half of it but it's a good chunk of what's in baskets hidden away in my sewing area.

i got a little irritated with some of my knitting wip's and even unravelled a few and rewound them.  that my friends is really wild.  that i did without kahlua. not even a sip.  i just looked at it and went - meh.....ripping this out.  done.  felt good.  no guilt, yet here i am telling you all about it and now feeling a tad remorseful for the project that is no more. oh...wait....a tiny inkling of wistfulness....and....it's gone.  done.  bye bye.  see?  that was ok. i survived.  now i need to allocate that yarn to a new project or donate it or sell it.  cleaning out and moving on.  i think if we all allowed ourselves the freedom to just "let projects go" sometimes our creative souls would feel so much lighter.  we all carry the baggage around of the "unfinished projects" or the ones "we have no time for but need to work on" or the "ones that we think are gonna be amazing but fail horribly and make us re-evaluate if we should even keep on making".  they all gather taking up precious real estate in a corner of your brain and drain energy that could be spent making projects that simply make you happy.  so for this xmas and for the new year i am only going to attempt to work on projects that "make me happy".  if the others don't make the list they simply will be undone or reworked.  i just don't have the energy to expend on them anymore.  sheat happens and nobody is perfect.  if it doesn't work out, try again or move. simple as that. we all grow the more we create.  the more you practice the better you get and the better you get the more you learn and to me, learning and growing are what feeds my soul and my hands.

i recently picked up this yummy scarf shown above and seriously have been wearing it everyday.  i swear these colors just scream shannon right now.  i have been bundling up with this warm color palette during all of these grey blustery days we've been having.  it puts a smile on my face and keeps me warm.  a win/win in my book.

i've also been busy working on my next tutorial for the fat quarter gang.  i'm up in about 2 weeks and i'm working on something fun using pat bravo's new line "rock 'n romance".  i've been trying to clean up my sewing workspace so i can finally show you all some shots of my new sewing wall that's been up for months now that i still haven't blogged about (oops).  while i was cleaning up i realized some goodies that i haven't blogged about yet or in a while.  remember my audrey above?  so purdy in that yummy red!  i've been plugging away at it when i have the time but it keeps getting put on the back burner.  i started it last fall in the hopes of wearing it for xmas 2011 and never got it done and what do you know....i'm hoping to wear it this xmas but really don't think it's going to happen.  i'm going to remain optimistic though.  so in the meantime it's hanging out with a gorgeous skein of lace weight madeline tosh in calligraphy that i. am. obsessed. with.  i just keep swatching and swatching and know soon she will be a new design.

i recently cast on an "oatmeal pullover" while we were away a few weeks ago and i'm hoping to be wearing this cozy sweater very soon too. i'm just about at my hips and plan on making mine a tad longer and doing short sleeves instead of long ones.  i'm hoping it will cure the horrible case of sleevitis i have going on. the yarn is one of our groups fave go tos for quick cowls and chunky sweaters at an affordable price and it's by lion brand yarn.  i used the lion brand wool-ease chunky in colorway "wheat " for my oatmeal pullover.  i also recommend their wool-ease thick and quick weight as well.  both chunky and thick and quick are regulars for gifts and quick knits.

that lovely rainbow colored yarn is patiently waiting for the new year for me to cross one of my new years resolutions off the list.  i really want to make my first pair of socks.  i've knit my whole life and never made socks.  you see i hate wearing socks. i know it's sorta weird but i just hate having them on my feet. it's bothered me since i was a little girl and used to pay my younger sister pennies to put my socks on for me. i couldn't even touch them.  word to the wise never ever put socks fresh from the dryer near me.  it's like nails on the chalkboard.

needless to say it's weird that i want to take all that time to knit socks when i hate wearing them but the way i see it is that maybe if i make them and i choose the feel of them i just may wear them?  what do you think?  yay or nay?  well i ponder this life altering decision (not) the sock yarn is hanging out with my startings of "folded".  now this yarn i want to just wrap around my body and wear as a cloak (so now i'm nude, with no socks and a cloak made of gold malabrigo sock yarn...not a pretty picture my friends) it's that glorious.  i've got enough to make a garment and chose folded in the springtime.  it's now sat there crying for me to pick it back up.  sad thing is that i feel like i've lost my gumptcha (is this a word?) to make it anymore.  i've been tempted to rip it out and start another project with the yarn but each time i go to start to unravel i stop and think about how long it took me to actually knit what i have done and that i really do love folded.  so it still sits all curled up in it's knitting bag....waiting.....and waiting....for me to actually do what i wrote about at the start of this post. time to be brave ladies.  who's with me?

what are you all working on?  seriously, i love to hear about what you're making. i think it's one of my fave questions to ask you all.  i also adore when you link up posts showing what you're working on or recently made so i can pop by and say hi!  so come on...put the mug down and say hello :)  i promise it's fun.....

Maternity Sewing Tutorial Roundup 2012!!!!!

phew! it's finally here! i couldn't bear to let 2012 go by without our annual "maternity sewing tutorial roundup"!!!  and no, before you ask i'm not preggers. i just like being excited for all you lovely pregnant, glowing mommas out there and give you lots of inspiration for making your own maternity clothes during your pregnancy.

so have some fun! pin your faves, check out all these talented ladies tutorials and show your luv! and most of all...pass it around.  there are a ton of ladies out there who i know don't even know you can refashion or sew your own maternity clothes and are suffering..lol.  i know i did with my first baby, i didn't even know how to sew yet but would have learned a heckuva lot sooner had i known i could make my own stylish maternity clothes without spending a fortune! congrats to all of you who are expecting or who are planning to be and happy sewing!!!!

maternity dress by cotton and curls

make a wrap dress by a beautiful mess

make a sundress from a beautiful mess

1.side tulip hemline tunic 2. maxi tank dress 3. maxi dress

oceanside knit dress by happy together

diy make a lace top from a beautiful mess

1. men's tee to striped top 2. men's loose tee to gathered top 3. top with elastic waistband

diy make a tunic from a beautiful mess

1. summer tunic 2. tied maternity top 3. ruched top 4. my favorite top 5.ruffle shoulder top

||  EXTRA LINKS  ||
- turn a men's polo top into reversible maternity top from cotton & curls
- shirred maternity tunic top refashion

stretchy pocket maternity pants from see kate sew

1. maternity jeans 2. maternity pants 3. diy maternity jeans 4. maternity jeans

diy prepster maternity skirt from growing home

1. very gathered maternity skirt 2. empire skirt

maxi skirt from elle apparel

1. super comfy stretchy maternity pencil skirt 2. comfy diy maternity skirts

||  EXTRA LINKS  ||
- maternity jean skirt from mens shorts 

diy maternity swimsuit sewing tutorial from cotton & curls

1. maternity bow belt 2. the bow belt 3. diy ruffled belly band

diy belly band from a beautiful mess

||  EXTRA LINKS  ||
- stretch lace belt
- mad mim's sewing tutorials
- maternity swimsuit pattern alteration and maternity swimsuit sewing
- 5 new maternity patterns from burda style
- sew fearless's "sewing with a plan: a semi handmade maternity wardrobe"
- www.diymaternity.com - awesome resource!!

megan neilsen maternity survival pack

- any and all of megan neilsen's wonderful maternity sewing patterns.

and our previous years maternity sewing tutorials roundups!!! yay!!! lots of goodies to be found in these giant roundups as well.

 

do you have a favorite maternity sewing tutorial that we haven't included in any of our roundups? let me know and i'll add your faves in the roundup above! i love this part! it's so fun to find new things! i hunted the web for my faves but that doesn't mean i won't love yours!  so grab a hot bevvie and come share!

Bella Collage Quilt Tutorial!!

i'm so excited to tell you all that we finally had some gorgeous weather here and i got the "bella collage quilt" photographed!! yay!!!! i heart this quilt.  it was such a fun one to whip up.  it's all about the fabrics on this one. i'm a huge fan of lotta jansdotter's work and fell head over heels for her new line bella.  i wanted something that was a great beginner quilt for all you fellow newbies but also something that let you have some wild fun with quilting if you were more experienced.  you know me...i'm all about a bit of wild fun :P

one of my main goals for designing the bella collage quilt was to enable the sewer to use 6 yards of fabric fully with minimal cutting.  i'm always looking for a way to use full yardage (i gotta thing for it) and i'll admit it...i suck at cutting.  so if i can't get a pre-cut bundle i tend to lean towards yardage and fun quilting to add some flair.  the finished size of this quilt is perfect for one adult. i'm all for that. i believe in selfish sewing these days and heck if my toes are warm and i'm all cozy and snuggled i'm happy.  when the hubs is out and i need a warm me up i go straight to bella now.  she keeps me nice and toasty.

i had the most fun with the layout of the quilting pattern for bella.  from far away she looks unquilted but if you look close - bam....tetris baby!  i wanted to highlight the outline of the blocks in the quilt front but also play up the 2 pieces on the back by splitting the pattern in half so to speak.  it enables a new quilter to jump in and make something that looks complicated but is fairly straightforward.  all straight lines (no curves). if you can sew straight lines you can make the bella collage quilt.

being a blogger i make collages a lot...and i mean a lot.  so the idea came to me when i was trying to figure out how to preserve as much of my yardage as possible to just make a collage.  i lurve it and it is going to be well loved by this momma in our little apartment.  i've been snuggling up with it non stop since i finished hand sewing the binding on and it really brightens up my sofa (which is definitely not as nice, or clean, as my friends whose is pictured above).

the bella collage quilt tutorial features:

: : 4 page full color pdf pattern complete with clear & easy to understand step by step instructions with bright photos and digitally drafted diagrams

: : instructions for a finished quilt including the tetris style quilting pattern.

: : fabric requirements, notions needed

: : a fun quilting/sewing experience :)

the bella collage quilt tutorial is available as a FREE DOWNLOAD here:

BELLA COLLAGE QUILT TUTORIAL

we had a blast photographing the bella collage quilt.  this is one of my fave places in victoria.  a beautiful lookout bluff that has 3 bright colored anorak chairs perched atop it.  when you sit there you feel as if you're floating in the air above the ocean.  it's one of my fave places to go and just breathe.  it reminds me how amazing this place is and how to not sweat the small stuff.  i can tell you that i needed it that day.  it ain't easy photographing quilts peeps. i freely admit i stressed with this one.  i wanted some shots that i could look back at and enjoy that weren't just for tutorial purposes.  something to document that moment and our little family.  i'm thankful the hubs & even the kidlets helped me out!  i adore the pics and i get relaxed and calm just looking at them.  i think one of these bad boys is going in a frame cause i need all the help i can get these days to just remember "to breathe".

so come, grab your fave quilt and a thermos of coffee and join me on the bluff...let's chat...and dream away an hour or two atop the ocean......

i hope you all enjoy this quick and easy quilt as much as i did. sometimes it feels good to whip something up that makes you feel fabulous that you adore that doesn't take months and months to make.  it was refreshing to just let my mind go and have some fun and just make what i felt like making and not worrying about how tricky or "new" it was.  i just enjoyed the whole process and i hope you will too.  so if you've been scared to try quilting now's the time to jump in.  i promise i'll hold your hand if you need it and i'll be here cheering you on!  you can do it...i know you can!

happy sewing from my home to yours!  xoxoxo  oh, and if you make one please upload some pics to our flickr group so we can all see your lovely quilts!  i can't wait!

what do you think? do you think you'll make one? what fabric line are you crushing on that you would use? i can't wait to hear your thoughts!

Sweetheart, Delaney & Albatross Dresses - Birch Fabrics Booth Quilt Market

sweetheart dress

our holiday crafting support group post has been postponed :( this momma is still under the weather and has now lost her voice. torture i tell you. if you know me i hardly ever shut up never mind not be able to talk at all!  good thing i'm a good whisper talker...lol.  but it is hard to yell at the kids now and yes, they are taking full advantage of it. smart little whippets.  so i'm taking tomorrow off and taking it easy. this bug is taking forever to get over and every time i think i'm on the mend it hits me again with a different symptom.

sweetheart dress

i realized that i haven't had a chance to show you all the dresses i was so lucky to have on display at the birch fabrics booth at quilt market this fall.  i so love all the fabrics that cynthia's fabulous company comes out with and the fact that they are all organic is icing on the cake.  it was so fun to make 3 dresses - the sweetheart dress, the delaney dress & a new one - the albatross dress.  i love each one of these little dresses for their modern yet retro vibes and feel like they pair up great with birch fabrics prints.  i managed to grab some shots of the dresses before they went off to their new home :)

first off i squeezed my tiny 5 year old into both of these dresses which are a size 3!  yep, that's how small she is.  they were a tad tight but hey, what else do you do when your 2 year old is being stubborn and won't let you take one pic of her no matter what you do. i did get a few but they were about as good as it got. i tried everything. i even had a temper tantrum of my own (embarassing), i bribed, i begged...didn't matter.

 

 

in the end we gave up.  i decided to move on and use the eldest kid who in that particular moment felt sorry for me and agreed to be photographed so please ignore the fact that the armholes are way too small for her little body (shown below).

the albatross dress (shown above and below) is a new dress i designed with the birch fabrics prints as my inspiration.  i love these two prints together and couldn't resist doing something very flowy and feminine.  both of my girls loved it.  it's got a zippered back, faux belt and an adorable cut out with a feminine hand sewn bow detail on the neckline.  this dress will hopefully be available as a tutorial for you all in the next month or so.  i'm working on doing the dress with a lined bodice because my girls like it better and also because i'm really picky about finishing details inside and outside the dress and i think it will just add that extra nice finish to it.

what do you think? would you like to see a tutorial and a free pattern in one size for this dress?  or would you rather buy this dress as a full pattern with sizes from 2-10yrs?  i'd love to hear your thoughts :)

i also can't forget about our delaney dress.  this dress is still a fave to wear in our house.  harper is finally growing out of it...sob sob.  it's a great beginner dress and a good way to practice sewing that bias tape.  isn't that fox print adorbs?

here's some shots of the birch fabrics booth at quilt market.  lindsay (from the cottage mama) and i got to be booth buddies again with some of her clothing on display as well! so fun!!! thanks again linds for taking pics for me! she was at quilt market so it was fun to watch her post pics of our little outfits.  a big thank you again to cynthia for letting me make a few of my dreams come true!

i'm wishing you all a wonderful thanksgiving weekend and in honor of your holiday i'm having my first sale!!! woot woot!!!!! gobble gobble!  use the code "THANKSGIVING" in my etsy shop for a 10% discount off your purchase through till nov.26th!  have a fabulous day tomorrow!

have you made any of the dresses above?  would you like to see an albatross dress pattern or tutorial?  what have you been busy sewing lately?  let's chat :) i can't talk but i can still type <3

||  FABRICS USED  ||
SWEETHEART DRESS
outer dress -  bear orange from camp modern by birch fabrics
lining - bobbers from camp sur by birch fabrics
DELANEY DRESS
outer dress - sly fox from camp sur by birch fabrics
bias trim - bobbers from camp sur by birch fabrics
ALBATROSS DRESS
bodice - flight mahogany from camp modern by birch fabrics
skirt -  las flores mahogany from camp modern by birch fabrics

The Blair Bag - K.I.D. Series on Me Sew Crazy

i'm so excited to be guest posting over on my good friend jessica's blog - "me sew crazy" (and the awesome sewset) today for her K.I.D. series!  i love the whole idea of this awesome series.  we all got to get our kidlets to draw and design a project that we had to make. my oldest came up with a fun bag she called "the blair bag". 

the blair bag features a fun bow tie closure so she can practice tying her bows/knots (something she is working on at the moment) and is fully lined, interfaced and features another pocket inside and an extra wide strap for comfort.

come pop on over to me sew crazy to see more pics and read about our K.I.D.S. experience and also to check out all the other guest posts in this series! 

do you involve your wee ones in the design and sewing process?  what things have they designed that they have made? do you let them choose their fabrics and colors?  let's chat. it's monday and i'm slowly coming out of my cold coma & the coffee's on <3

Christmas Tree Skirt Roundup - Holiday Crafting Support Group

my poor christmas tree has been ahem....naked shall we say for the last 5 christmases.  i've been shamefully using an old white receiving blanket draped around the bottom of the tree.  it's a sad boring excuse of a tree skirt and i admit i hate putting it there every year.  so this year i've decided to "try" to get one made.  no pressure...just adding it to my would love to have done this holiday season list.

after reading a comment on last week's holiday crafting support group post requesting a christmas tree skirt roundup i thought "aha...now that's exactly what i need to roundup".  so here you go!  i got out my lasso and rounded up what i think are some spiffy and purdy christmas tree skirts.  you've got quilted, pieced, felt, no sewing, knitted and crocheted tree skirts.  have fun & most of all i hope you get inspired!  also, if you  know of an awesome tutorial of your own or one you love please leave a link to it in the comments below and i'll add it to the "your faves" section of this post! alrighty...go pour yourself a nice big glass of (spiked) egg nog and let's get crafty!

 ||  SEWING TUTORIALS  ||

1. vintage embroidered tree skirt 2. sewing 101 tree skirt on design sponge

1. rockin' retro christmas tree skirt 2. spiderweb christmas tree skirt 3. christmas tree skirt in july

no sew ruffled christmas tree skirt

1. striped tree skirt 2. ruffled tree skirt 3. ruffled tree skirt 4. scalloped felt tree skirt

simply quilted patchwork tree skirt from sew 4 home

1. cloud9 christmas tree skirt 2. festive christmas tree skirt 3. buddy the elf tree skirt 4. fur trimmed tree skirt 5. diy ruched tree skirt

diy felt flower tree skirt

1. quilted tree skirt 2. christmas tree skirt

christmas tree skirt tutorial from simple simon & co

1. poinsetta tree skirt tutorial 2. heirloom wool tree skirt

||  KNITTING & CROCHET TUTORIALS  ||

granny tree skirt

1. silent night tree skirt 2. snowball tree skirt

retro ripples skirt

hemlock ring blanket

||  MORE LINKS & YOUR FAVES  ||

- stars all around the tree skirt pattern from simplicity
- hexagon tree skirt tutorial by jaceycraft
- esch house quilts north pole tree skirt tutorial
- bird in hand quilts christmas tree skirt
- fruitcake under my tree tutorial 
- christmas tree skirt from pauls block party
- silent night tree skirt
- round ripple tree skirt
- star tree skirt
- granny tree skirt
- diy no sew rufffle christmas tree skirt tutorial
- christmas tree skirt

you can find all the holiday crafting support group posts here.

link up, join in, comment below, add pics to our flickr group and take part in our conversations on ravelry too! we want to see what you're making, planning on making and what you've got planned for the holiday season.  if you've posted about holiday crafting add your link in the comments below as well.  it's way more fun if you all join in (if enough people comment i may just start a wee linky party for us to use). i loved seeing all of your holiday gift lists last week! i added about another gazillion projects to my faves :)

what's your favorite christmas tree skirt?  knit, crocheted, sewn or crafted?  do you have a fave pattern?  have you made your own christmas tree skirt before?  fill us in!  show off your handiwork!  let us know how your gift making & decorating has been going :)

Organic Fabric Giveaway from Honeybegood!!!

prints all from havana from monaluna

who wants to win some new fabric? i do, i do!  i loooooovvvee when we get a fun fabric giveaway and i love it even more when it's organic!!!!

our fabulous sponsor honeybegood has a wonderful fabric prize for us today!  honeybegood is run by the lovely karen who makes buying organic and environmentally friendly fabrics a lot easier for all of us.  her shop "specializes in organic cotton, hemp blends, and sustainable fabric for quilting, art and life".  honeybegood carries "designer organic quilting fabric from amy butler, daisy janie, monaluna, clothworks, robert kaufman and many more". you can also pick up "eco-friendly batting and organic cotton thread in a range of colors"!  hello!  how awesome is that!!!

top row: geocentric canvas by cloud 9 fabrics  bottom row: alchemy organic by amy butler

karen also has a handy section on her blog that explains all the different certifications that organic products can have.  it's worth a quick read and makes it easier to understand when you are shopping for something that is truly organic.  you can find that listing here. i also enjoyed this section on honeybgood that is called the "top 9 reasons i love organic".  it's a great way to find out a bit more about shopping organic and why to do it.  shopping organic can be easy and affordable if you're shopping from wonderful stores like honeybegood.

robert kaufman pure organic solids

for all of november karen will be donating 3% of all sales proceeds go to the American Red Cross for sandy relief efforts and there is also free shipping on all US orders over $50. i personally love stocking up on solids and i love the whole line of pure organic solids by robert kaufman.  i can never have enough solids and to have my solids stash be organic is something i'm trying to slowly achieve.

amy butler organic soul gift box

you can shop on honeybegood by designer/manufacturer, categories, kits and even bundles/precuts.  honeybegood also carries organic felt from eco-fi as well.  i also adore that karen sells gorgeous boxed sets of some of their loveliest fabrics!  what an awesome xmas gift that would make for the fabric lover in your life!  she even has free shipping on any "gift" purchased.  entire order must be shipped to one address to qualify.  enter code "giftship" at checkout.

you fab ladies ready to find out what you could win?
||  THE PRIZE  ||
- one lucky winner is going to get a $30 Gift Certificate to HoneyBeGood!!!!

||  HOW TO ENTER  ||
- simply enter a comment below letting me know what you would use your $30 gift certificate for at HoneyBeGood.
*bonus entry - like honeybegood and/or luvinthemommyhood on facebook and then come back and leave another comment letting me know you did that too.

||  THE RULES  ||
- you must include a valid email in your comment or you will be disqualified.
- giveaway is open until november 19th, 2012, midnight PST.

good luck and happy fabric shoping!  a big thank you to karen for the lovely prize and for such a wonderful fabric shop!

you can find all things honey be good below:

website  |  blog  |  facebook  |  twitter  |  pinterest

thanks for all of your entries!

holiday crafting support group!!

i finally allowed myself to realize that it's november.  halloween is over and that means christmas stuff is everywhere.  tv, radio, stores, online...you can't get away from it.  this also means for us lovers of making that we usually are at this point getting either over zealous or a wee bit stressed with our holiday crafting plans.

if you're anything like me you've probably experienced both the highs and the lows of holidays crafting.  you start out super excited, almost a crafters high of sorts, writing lists, planning out your supplies and choosing gifts for everyone from your child's teacher to your loved ones.  you get all revved up and pump yourself full of "i can do this", "i'm going to save so much money doing this", "i don't need sleep", "i can live off coffee for a month" and so on....until you a) give up half way through and buy gift cards b) have a crafters breakdown c) burn out or d) end up grumpy/stressed and severely sleep deprived on xmas that you don't even enjoy yourself.

what's the point in pointing this out to you? well....i don't want that to happen to any of us anymore.  so how do we solve it? i'm not 100% sure what the answer is but what i do know is that i have some tips that i have learned and so do a lot of you.  we all love making gifts for our loved ones and we all just love to "make" so how can we, as a group, inspire, support and cheer each other on to make a  "reasonable"  (and i mean human, not robot) amount of gifts and home decorations.

throughout november and december i'll be writing posts on most wednedsays to open up discussions, project sharing, friendships to be made, shoulders to cry and lean on, and overall just a place you can come each week to keep focused, stay on track and try to make it through the holidays making but also smiling.

||  FOR THE SEWERS & CRAFTERS ||

- this is new for me so i'm going to try out a few things along the way. depending on interest from you fab ladies i'm thinking of starting a linky party on this day where you can link up your posts for crafts/projects you are making for the holidays and their progress or other posts inspired by the theme "holiday crafting support group".
- add your pics to our flickr group to show off your handiwork. we love to see what you're making.
- comment, chat, start discussions, join in the convo. i promise this is all more fun if you get involved :)

||  FOR THE KNITTERS  ||

- there will be a topic in our luvinthemommyhood ravelry group called "holidays crafting support group" where you can all chat away, share your project line ups, link to what you're making and also show off those pics!!! i love this part!!!
- feel free to also join in with the rest of us here on my blog post each week, link up your posts on all the knitted lovelies you're posting on your blogs as well.

i want this space to be somewhere you can come during this mostly joyful but also sometimes stressful time of year each week to feel like you have people to talk to who understand you, are making things right along side you, cheering you on, and just plain want to hear about all the fun stuff you have planned for the holidays.  feel free to show off all your handiwork and crafting skills!  it helps to keep us all motivated and feeling inspired.

i love christmas and plan on making this one as relaxing and as enjoyable as possible for my family this year and i hope you will all join me in this wee journey.  so join in! i can't wait to see what you will all be whipping up this year!

to get you started here are some of my fave roundups from previous years for holiday goodies:

||  GARLAND ROUNDUP  ||

image source

||  WREATH TUTORIAL ROUNDUP  ||

image source

||  CHRISTMAS STOCKING ROUNDUP  ||

would you all like to see some new roundups on these topics this year? anything else you'd like for me to round up for the holidays?  let me know below and i'll get my lasso out and get rounding em'posts up.  have you started your holiday crafting list yet?  what & how many projects are you planning on making this year?

quilting 911 - creative bliss

i have a confession.  i've been cheating on my vintage sheet inspired quilt with a new one.  i know, i feel guilty.  i try to work on only one quilt at a time but this time i've cheated.  i blame it completely on lotta jansdotter.  yep, it's all her fault.  why did she have to come out with such a lovely line that i just could not absolutely resist making a new quilt for myself out of?  it lured me over to the dark side.  i quickly bundled up my other quilt and put it aside to jump head first into the frenzy of lotta sewing.  the line - bella.  the result?  can't show you yet...hehe.  but i loooooove it.  i think it's my fave quilt to date.  why?  because it was completely spur of the moment and i just winged it. 

sometimes my most favorite projects are the ones that are totally unexpected and not on my schedule or list at all whatsoever.  it feels wild and freeing to do this once in a while.  i'll just drop everything and immerse myself completely in something new and unplanned.  i just lose myself in it and boy is it fun.  even though i feel guilty for dropping my other quilt faster than a hot potato i feel that it's worth it to have this new baby to snuggle up under.

how to sew binding roundup

want to know what the best part is?  it's going to be my first quilting tutorial!!!! yes!  i'm so excited!  it definitely is something i wanted to share and it's the perfect quilt for all you fellow newbie quilters like me to sink your teeth into.  so watch this space....it's coming soon.  i spent all my kid free time yesterday quilting my brains out on this bad boy so that today i can start putting the binding on. i had tons of work to do but i just. couldn't. stop. quilting.  speaking of binding....don't forget about our how to sew binding roundup! this is a great resource of tips and techniques for binding your quilts.  i refer to it all the time.

1. rocky shore in schooner 2. scattered sand in seaspray  3. seaside stripe in seaspray 4. seaside stripe in warm grey 5. rocky shore in sunspray 6. woven in schooner all from bella by lotta jansdotter

want to know what prints i used for my new quilt?  i used the lovelies shown above & even had to add some color palette boxes below the prints just for fun! aren't they purdy?  i don't want to reveal too much and all i can say is i'm digging it.  yep. i even snuggled under it for a few minutes after i was done quilting it.  i feel like that is the moment of true quilting love for me. i love the quilting part the best out of the whole process.  it's so exciting and fun for me.  this time was tricky though.  this was a much bigger quilt than i'm used too and it was a good workout trying to fit it in my machine.  it was tricky and time consuming but i managed to push through and i'm happy with the outcome. it ain't perfect but heck...who is right?  it's all a learning process for me.

i simply love the feeling of getting lost in a quilt and watching the time fly by while i'm having a heckuva lot of fun. there is something so soothing and relaxing about quilting that i just can't put my finger on it but man is it good for the soul and oh so rewarding when you are done. i even have to admit that this is the first time i'm actually looking forward to the binding process.  i usually detest it but have started to grow a fondness for hand sewing my binding.  i sew the first side by machine and hand sew the binding down.  this works great for me and i love snuggling up under the quilt with my trusty thimble.  it's starting to become fun for me and i'm so looking forward to this evening.  that is exactly what i'm going to be doing tonight. i can't wait to show you all the finished product and share the tutorial.

what quilt are you working on right now?  do you love or detest the binding process? which part of quilting is your favorite?  do you find yourself getting lost in creative bliss while quilting too?  let's chat m'dears!  it's monday and it's finally not raining here! yay!!!

Simply Color by V and Co. - Fat Quarter Shop Fabric Giveaway!

simply color ombres by v and co. for moda

you guys in the mood to win some yummy fabric today? sounds good because i'm in the mood to give some away!  the lovely and oh so adorable bloggy pal of mine vanessa of v and co. fame has her first fabric line out this year called "simply color".  i loooooooove it.  i'm so feeling those ombre prints (shown above) and since i'm pretty excited about this line i knew you all would be too!

simply color by v and co. for moda

the awesome "fat quarter shop" is sponsoring our giveaway today and one of you lucky ladies is going to get a chance to win them some simply color! simply color is perfect for anything ranging from quilting, clothing, accessories...the list goes on.  there are a ton of awesome patterns on fat quarter shop as well as the v and co. website (and her book) so there is definitely no shortage of projects to use simply color for.  all the solids and ombres are my faves. i love the colors that vanessa chose and can't wait to get my hands on some. 

simply color by v and co. for moda

fat quarter shop always has a great selection of all of your favorite prints and all the yummy moda pre-cut selections. dare i say christmas is just around the corner and it's never too early to get perusing the fabric...right? or at least that's what i've been telling myself this month..haha.

simply color by v and co. for moda (image via v and co.)

the weather has been horrendous all over and i feel like simply color is just what we need to lift upour spirits.  it feels so bright and fresh to me...sort of like that perfect day right in between spring and summer when the air is fresh and full of promise but it's not too hot out yet.  where all seems right in the world and you feel creative and energized.

you ready to enter?  yay!!!

||  THE PRIZE  ||

- one lucky winner will receive a jelly roll of simply color by v and co. from fat quarter shop.

||  HOW TO ENTER  ||

- simply leave me a comment letting me know what you would make with your jelly roll.
*bonus entry: follow fat quarter shop on pinterest and then come back and leave me a comment telling me you did that too.

||  THE RULES  ||

- you must leave a valid email address in your comment or you will be disqualified.
- giveaway is open until monday, november 5, 2012, midnight (PST).

good luck everyone and thank you for all your entries! i can't wait to see who is going to win!  and a big thank you to fat quarter shop as well for the awesome prize!!!

you can find all things fat quarter shop here:

website  |  blog  |  facebook  |  twitter  |  pinterest

ps. to all of you facing sandy this week please stay safe... you're all in our thoughts.

Create Kids Couture Sewing Paper Pattern Giveaway!

we're still battling some kind of bug in our house and i thought what better way to cheer myself up than to give you guys a fun giveaway! one of our newest sponsors in the mommyhood "create kids couture" is here today for an exciting pattern giveaway!!!

elena's double layer peasant dress

create kids couture is run by friends tiffany and shannon and was started when they noticed a lack in "over the top" couture boutique sewing patterns.  they decided to jump in and started their now successful and very popular pattern design company.

helen's maxi dress

if you're looking for sewing patterns that are boutique, couture, beautiful and range from dresses, bottoms, rompers, accessories and even boy's clothes than create kids couture patterns are the way to go!  their patterns feature clear instructions, full color photographs and computer drawn pattern pieces.

natalie's ruffle butt romper

whitney's ruffle neck romper

create kids couture recently decided to release their first set of paper sewing patterns just in time for this month's fall quilt market and guess what?!  one of you lucky ladies is going to get a chance to win all 4 of these adorable paper sewing patterns!!!!  ready to enter?

1. whitney's ruffle neck romper 2. natalie's ruffle butt romper 3. elena's double layer peasant dress 4. helen's maxi dress

||  THE PRIZE  ||

- one lucky winner will win a copy of each of the 4 new create kids couture paper patterns!

 whitney's ruffle neck romper, natalie's ruffle butt romper, 

elena's double layer peasant dress, helen's maxi dress

||  HOW TO ENTER  ||

- simply pop on over to create kids couture & then come back and leave me a comment letting me know your fave pattern.
- bonus entries: like create kids couture and/or luvinthemommyhood on facebook and leave me another comment letting me know you did that too.

||  THE RULES  ||

- you must leave a valid email address to enter or you will be disqualified.
- giveaway is open until monday, october 29th, 2012 at midnight PST.

thanks for entering everyone, good luck to you all and thank you to shannon and tiffany from create kids couture for the lovely giveaway.

you can find all things create kids couture here:

website  |  blog  |  facebook  |  twitter  |  pinterest  | 

Winner of Peekaboo Patterns Build a Wardrobe Giveaway!

so excited to announce the winner of the fab peek-a-boo pattern shop build a wardrobe giveaway!!!  this shop is filled with so many wonderful and classic patterns that you could easily make more than one wardrobe.  was the winner you?

commenter #146 - njeri!!!

congratulations njeri!!! we'll be in touch with you soon! i hope you have fun with the patterns!  and thank you so much to amy of peek-a-boo patterns for the super generous giveaway and awesome patterns! you rock girl!

 you can find all things peek-a-boo pattern shop here:

website  |  facebook  |  blog  |  newsletter (signup)

happy sewing everyone & thanks for all of your entries!