FABRIC GIVEAWAY || FAT QUARTER SHOP

Fat Quarter Shop Fabric Giveaway on luvinthemommyhood.com
1-3. urban mod by art gallery fabrics 4. small cotton dots from riley blake 5. comma slate periods by zen chic  6. fresh blue ikat by another point of view 
i've been under the weather the last few days so to keep the momentum on the up and up around here - cookies (mmmmm...yum!), i figured i might as well throw in another fabric giveaway! i mean who doesn't get cheered up by the chance of winning some new fabrics? especially with the selection at one of my fave fabric shops - the fat quarter shop!  boo ya!  i smile just thinking of the email i get to write in a week telling one of you ladies that you won!  it's almost as good as if i won myself :)


the fat quarter shop has selection galore!  i love that you can find all your faves there categorized in easy sections - designer, theme, collections, manufacturers, top sellers..etc.  you can also get all your fave cuts - fat quarter bundles, fat eighth bundles, charm packs, mini charm packs, hexagons, dessert rolls, jelly rolls and layer cakes!  wowsa!  you can also find awesome quilt kits, patterns, quilt clubs & block of the month!


and speaking of blocks of the month you should check out their 2013 Designer Mystery Block of the Month Club!!! so awesome!  fat quarter shop has gathered 12 amazing moda designers to each create a fab block to their mystery sampler quilt.  the block of the month starts in june 2013 and runs until may 2014.  member who join up receive fabric, instructions for each block of the month and in the end will finish with a gorgeous quilt! fun!!!  but hurry, the club is almost full!  with designers like v and co., bonnie & camille, fig tree quilts, kate spain and more this is sure to be a gorgeous quilt! you can read all about the 2013 designer mystery block of the month club here and also about their blog tour for it here as well.

who's ready to win some new fabric?  yahoo!!! here's the deets for the fabric giveaway!

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||  THE PRIZE  ||
 - one lucky winner will receive a $35 gift certificate to fat quarter shop!!!! yessss!  thank you fat quarter shop!

||  HOW TO ENTER  ||
- simply visit fat quarter shop & then come back & tell us what new fabric line you're crushing on that you would buy!
*bonus entry - like fat quarter shop and/or luvinthemommyhood on facebook and then come back and leave ANOTHER comment letting us know you did that too.

||  THE RULES  ||
 - you leave a valid email address in your comment to be eligible to win.
- giveaway ends march 13th, 2013 @ 12pm PST.
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good luck everyone and happy fabric shopping!!!!  you can find all things fat quarter shop here:


moments in the mommyhood || creative space


i'm trying to focus on the light at the end of the tunnel this week :)  and of course eating the cookies from yesterday doesn't hurt.  my hubs loves to take sunset and sunrise pics and i couldn't resist sharing this gorgeous shot he got the other week.  this is taken off our balcony and one of the views that he sees more than i do since i'm not a morning person.  since i sleep later than he does (i stay up later and he goes to bed earlier so it works out) i get to bask in those gorgeous moments through the lens he captures them in.  they always fill me with a sense of peace and i thought you may all love this one as much as i do.


i realized this past month that i have never gotten around to showing pics of my sewing wall.  the area i took on last year and revamped for my own office/sewing space in our condo.  i still plan on doing that but you have to wait just a little bit longer because i'm revamping again! yay!  the hubs and i are hunkering down to brace for tax season. that means lots of  cleaning, reorganizing and purging of our wee home.  but this time we are doing some redecorating as well.  we've got some lovelies that we are hoping to switch up and freshen up in our home as well as something that i cannot wait to show you all in the next few weeks!  i promise this time that i will take shots of all of it and show you where i keep my chaos...lol.


even though i have a good system i'm still trying to keep a lot of it under control.  i have an issue with getting lazy and then not rebolting my fabrics and then i run out of my mini bolts and just fold - and not always nicely i may add (tip: i use comic book inserts for my mini bolts. works fabulous and is really inexpensive! i picked this up from maggie of smashed peas and carrots). plus those pieces that are bigger than scraps and not nice fat quarters always end up in this one spot staring at me saying "shannonnnnnn...clean us up....how are you going to get inspired by us if we are all a big ol'mess....shannnooonnnn" and it drives me a tad bonkers.  so even though my current system is working well it has a few kinks that only living with it can work out and i'm hoping to solve those very soon and show you all what i've done. so excited!


in the meantime though i'm hoping to get better sooner than later so i can get back sewing :( i haven't sewn in 2 weeks and it's killing me. i just haven't been feeling up to it and it's one of those times when i'm thankful for at least my knitting.  the hubs snapped the pic of me and harper napping the other night and i thought it was a priceless moment of us both not realizing the other was asleep and both of us laying and curled up in 3 separate handmade quilts.  nothing better to nap with than quilty goodness right?

i'll see you all tomorrow with another giveaway!!  wahoo!  i'm so in the mood for giving away some more goodies! also stay tuned to find out who won the contemporary cloth fabric giveaway!  

how do you organize your fabric? do you fold or bolt?  do you keep them hidden or out for you to see?  does the disorganization get to you like it does me? let's share our tips so we can all have a fab creative space! plus if you have pics of yours pls share! i loooooove seeing shots of other spaces that they sew or craft in!

EVERYTHING IS ALWAYS BETTER WITH COOKIES || RECIPE


everything is always better with cookies.  you know the age old saying when life gives you lemons make lemonade?  well i've been trying to make a few pitchers of lemonade the last few days and i figured it would be easier to deal with life's lemons if i had some chocolate chip cookies to eat with it.  now, if you know me and have been a reader of this blog you will know i don't bake much. i don't enjoy cooking most of the time but one thing i do like doing is making cookies. not all kinds of cookies though, chocolate chip cookies.  delicious comfort food. the melt in your mouth, soft, chewy goodness kind.  just what i needed.

i know some other pals of mine are having a rough week so this post goes out to you because i really wish i could pass these cookies right through the screen and cheer ya right up.  gluten free, guilt free, calorie free, what ever kind you like...you gotta 'em.  but just in case my arm doesn't reach ya, here's the recipe if you'd like to make some yourself.  now i didn't come up with this recipe.  it's written on a wraggly, smeared, worn piece of paper that i've had hanging out of my lonely recipe organizer (that doesn't organize) forever.  i do not in any way claim this recipe as my own :)


||  EVERYTHING IS ALWAYS BETTER WITH COOKIES  ||

INGREDIENTS:

- 2 eggs
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup softened butter
- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda

heat oven to 375degrees.  beat butter, brown sugar and white sugar in a bowl. add in eggs and vanilla extract and mix again.

in another bowl mix your dry ingredients together (flour, baking soda, salt).

gradually add your dry mixture into your butter mixture and beat again.

add your chocolate chips and whatever other yummies you might like.  i like to use my tbsp as a scoop for making the perfect sized cookies. bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes on a greased baking sheet until slightly browned. let cool and gobble those bad boys up! mmmmmmmmmmmmm! yum!


you know what else makes things better sometimes? flowers. especially the kind your hubby and little girl pick out and bring home for you.  so sweet and just what this momma needed.  i've been keeping them near "my spot" (or as my hubs likes to say "my sheldon" - if you watch big bang theory you'll know what we mean) on the couch where i work to brighten up the room and cheer me up.  i can't wait for spring when i can start planting on our little deck with fresh flowers, herbs and veggies. 


between the flowers and the cookies i hope the week gets better as it goes. i'm crossing my fingers for it.  and don't worry, i'm ok, just dealing with some health issues that have proven frustrating and have knocked me down for a bit. visits to the doctor, an er visit, and other things have just gotten me into a tizzy but i'm a fighter and damn if i'm gonna let those cookies go to waste :)


i hope the sun is shining wherever you are today and remember.........everything is always better with cookies :)

do you have a fave chocolate chip cookie recipe? i'm always on the hunt for a new one and i'd love if you share your go to cookie recipe :)  gluten free ones especially! what do you turn to when you're having a bad week? you always brighten my day when you leave a comment - come chat! 

FABRIC GIVEAWAY || CONTEMPORARY CLOTH


who's in the mood for some new fabric? i am, i am!  are you? yay!!!!!  our awesome sponsor contemporary cloth is giving away some yummy new fabrics today!  i'm crushing big time on rashida coleman hale's line tsuru for cloud 9 fabrics and contemporary cloth has stock!!! woot woot! you could also stock up on cloud 9 fabrics other new lines micro mod and geocentric and don't miss out on architexture from kaufman fabrics and mecca for moderns from alexander henry (shown below)!

mecca for moderns from alexander henry
contemporary cloth is filled with fresh and modern fabrics and the owner sondra does a fabulous job selecting unique and gorgeous prints to fill her lovely shop with. on top of that she's a wonderful lady that i've had the pleasure of getting to know.  sondra opened contemporary cloth to provide a "resource for interesting, contemporary/modern and retro-look textiles for home or office, and original textiles created by fiber artists."

and guess what! sondra is so awesome she's giving all my fellow canadians a deal on shipping right now. enter the code "ThanksShannon" in the comments section of the order form to get 50% off your shipping to Canada!  you will then be refunded 50% off the shipping after your order is processed. thanks sondra- you rock!

on top of that you can also find 25% off selected kona, cloud9 fabrics & more here and 25% off selected pre-cuts here as well.

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||  THE PRIZE  ||

- one lucky winner will receive a $30 gift certificate to contemporary cloth! thanks so much sondra!

||  HOW TO ENTER  ||

- simply visit contemporary cloth and then come back and leave a comment below letting me know what fabric line you'd love to buy if you won.
- bonus entry: like contemporary cloth and/or luvinthemommyhood on facebook and then come back and leave ANOTHER comment letting us know you did that too.

||  THE RULES  ||

- you must leave a valid email address in your comment to qualify.
- giveaway will end march 5th, 2013 at midnight, pst.

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good luck everyone and thank you sondra for the great giveaway.  happy fabric shopping! you can find all things contemporary cloth here:


shop  ||  blog  ||  facebook  ||   pinterest  ||  twitter

VERY SHANNON || THE REVEAL

i've got something exciting to share! a fair amount of you figured it out yesterday but to those who didn't yet my news it's a new website!!!  woot woot!  don't worry though, luvinthemommyhood is staying the same and i'll still be here.   i've created www.veryshannon.com as a new site to brand all the work i do.  luvinthemommyhood will now be the blog component of very shannon.  it houses my sewing and knitting patterns and also the design work/book components that i dabble in as well.  it's been a long time coming and i'm sooooo excited about it!


it took the hubby and i months to come up with a name and just when i was about to give up he came up with very shannon and it just fit.  he's very proud of himself (...lol...i swear he strutted around like a peacock for days bragging that he named the new site. hilarious.)  i feel like my style and aesthetic is very true to my personality and what you see is what you get about me so my work is always "very shannon" so to speak. so my new baby is live.  it's not 100% complete yet, i'm still tweaking and adding things, but it's up and running. 

a lot of you know i've been struggling with the identity of "luvinthemommyhood". not the blog itself but the name. a lot has changed in my life since the blog started way back when (boy do i feel old) and the name is one thing that i've always wanted to change. nobody spells it right, it's hard to explain to other people, people automatically split it up into 3-4 words....and so on.  it's been a constant thing that i've been thinking on for years.  so having very shannon gives me a way to simplify my work and speak more clearly about what it is that i do. luvinthemommyhood will still be my fave neighbourhood it just won't be the end all be all name for me. does that make sense? 


very shannon gives you all a quick and easy place to find all of my patterns for sale instead of searching for them on the blog.  soon you will be able to purchase them direct from very shannon itself. options are a good thing :)  it also gives you a great way to see what other work i've been up to and to use a streamlined contact form if you need to contact me.  i love the clean aesthetic of the new site and i'm so crushing on my light coral and grey header. so simple, but so very me.  i'm smitten and hope you all like it too.

you'll notice that my new patterns and pattern photos now will have the very shannon logo and color themes and they will all be posted on both luvinthemommyhood and on very shannon.  all my free tutorials for luvinthemommyhood will stay here in the mommyhood :)  so no confusing changes will be happening with any urls's, links or changes for my blog readers.  you basically just have a fun new place to come check out if you want to see more of what i'm up to throughout the year. it's an exciting new change for me and one that will allow me to work on some new exciting projects.  so stay tuned!


to those of you who sent me lovely messages yesterday - thanks for the luv! you guys are the best! i hope you all enjoyed the free yarnster hat pattern and don't worry if you are a sewer, i have 2 new free sewing tutorials/patterns coming up very, very soon for you as well!

so come on by very shannon and check it out and say hello!  what would you like to see added to the new site?  any thoughts?  hope you are all having a great day and again, thank you for all of your support and encouragement!  xoxoxo

DOWNTON ABBEY KNIT ALONG || GIVEAWAY WINNERS!

bitty billy flowers from flores del sol
you all ready to find out who are winners are for the downton abbey knit along? so exciting! ...........................................................................................................................................................

1ST PLACE WINNER
OLIVIA VILLARREAL
- prize pack from Quince and Co. - Sundara Gift Certificate - Sweet Georgia Yarns Gift Certificate - Feministy Great Cowl KAL E-Book - Yarniad Gift Certificate - (1) Set of Downton Abbey Stitch Markers from The Amy Lee Show 

2ND PLACE WINNER
ANDEE FAGAN
- Jane Richmond Gift Certificate - Copy of New Lines Collection from Rose Beck - (1) Skein of Rain City Knits - (1) Skein of Neptune & a Tote from Luna Grey Fiber Arts - (1) Set of Downton Abbey Stitch Markers from The Amy Lee Show

3RD PLACE WINNER
MICHELLE CARTER
- shop credit to Feministy - Copy of Be Mine Collection from Rose Beck - Gift Certificate to Miso Crafty Knits - (2) sets of stitch markers from Cherry Tree Stitches 

wowsa! those are some prizes! thank you again to all of our awesome sponsors who donated prizes! congratulations ladies, i'll be in touch with you over the next few days in regards to your prizes! and congrats to all of you for knitting up some gorgeous items over the last month or so! thank you so much for knitting along with me <3

FREE PATTERN || YARNSTER HAT

I've got a new knitting pattern out for you all today! I'm so in love with this one you guys and guess what? That's right...it's a freebie!!!  In honor of some special news I've got to share and a new yarn I've been crushing on, the YARNSTER hat is here!!! 


yarnster.jpg
yarnster.jpg
yarnster.jpg

Named & designed after my sweet friend arika, the YARNSTER hat is your new go to slouch hat!  Featuring a lovely openwork mesh stitch, the YARNSTER shows off the gorgeous, subtle colorways of that fave yarn you're crushing on! 

Made with malabrigo's new yarn - rastita, a super soft, slightly felted, dk weight with tons of yardage (you could maybe squeeze out 2 of these from 1 skein if you unravel your gauge swatch) this hat is comfy, stylish and fun to wear.  It's also a quick knit which makes it a lovely gift for that special person in your life or as a special treat for yourself. it makes a great beginner/intermediate pattern for those of you who are looking to learn how to increase/decrease throughout a pattern and to knit in the round.


THE YARNSTER PATTERN FEATURES:


:: clear and easy to understand step by step instructions

:: bright & colorful photography

:: 1 page color PDF pattern

::  a great knitting experience

Yarnster is available for FREE at the following:

  1. RAVELRY
  2. VERY SHANNON SHOP
  3. DIRECT DOWNLOAD


I hope you guys like it as much as I do! So you all ready to hear my special news? Yay! But wait...oops, you're going to have to wait till tomorrow!!! Hehe....thought I would tease ya just a little bit.  I can give you a hint though.....you'll see a bit of it & a big hint if you download the pattern for YARNSTER.


yarnster.jpg
yarnster.jpg
yarnster.jpg

Special thanks to my gorgeous sister Camille for modelling for me!  Isn't she stunning? Have you tried rastita yet?  Isn't it fab! Do you have a fave yarn that would work perfect for the YARNSTER?  Do you love slouch hats as much as I do? I swear I wear a hat almost everyday. I'm definitely addicted :)

Get those needles revved up, grab some coffee, put on a good movie and let's get knitting! Come chat!

rainshine & learning processes


it's friday! phew! it's been a long one this week.  i don't know about you guys but i'm dying for some sunshine. of course living on vancouver island we're basking in the rainshine instead of the sunshine. you know that grey that is so bright yet dreary at the same time you have to put sunglasses on?  it's cold, windy and pouring buckets out today so harper and i are curling up with a quilt, a new movie, my knitting, her barbie and some fresh coffee.  i thought i would pop in and say hello to all of you. wanna chat? yay!

i'm so excited to let you guys know i've been working away busily behind the scenes here on the blog.  i've got some news to share hopefully in the next week or so that i can't wait to show you all!  i'm also super excited to let you lovelies know that i finally started working on some new sewing patterns!  yahoo! about time right?  lol..i know. it's been a while. i'm hoping for an early summer release for 3 patterns (i hope)!  after the craziness of the fall it will be fun to start sewing up some of my designs that have been waiting patiently for me to bring them to life. the sketchbooks and journals are on fire over here.

 

i've also got 2 new knitting patterns coming out soon!!!  1 for sale and 1 freebie!  i loooove them and they are my newest go to knits.  i hope you will all crush on them as bad as i have been :)  i swear every time i put out a new pattern it's like having a little wee baby.  they are all special too me in different ways and because i've been loving designing knitting patterns so much i'm jumping in with both feet.  i've busy been beefing up my resource library with some classic knitting books.  i couldn't resist picking up a copy of "the knitter's handy book of top down sweaters" and "the knitter's handy book of sweater patterns" both by anne budd.  i also have in my collection "knitwear design workshop" and a few more on the way - "principles of knitting" and "knitting from the top".  i don't know about you guys but i'm a visual learner and do really well learning by books. i'm also a book whore (sorry for the language but it's true..lol) so the more of my faves i can splurge on for my collection the better :)  i watch for sales and scoop when i can get huge discounts and free shipping. fyi- knitpicks has 40% off sales for books and when they do i advise taking advantage! happy early bday to me!  oh it's hard being a book lover sometimes...lol.

ok so now i want to know what you've been making this week? i ask this question a lot on facebook and get tons of responses. it's fun!  but i would rather chat with you all about it over here especially since it's tricky to even get my facebook statuses to show up to all of you on a regular basis. so fill me in.  have you been knitting, sewing, crocheting?  what project? got pics or a blog post to share? link them up in the comments. i love to see what crafty goodness you've all been up to.

do you have a fave knitting resource book that you use for technical things?  what do you find yourself reaching for when you learn a new technique?  i'd love to hear your thoughts on your process as well.  do you take online classes or search for videos on youtube? c'mon..spill the beans! 

wishing you all a new technique, crafty, coffee &  sunshine filled kinda weekend! xoxoxo  


p.s. i was so thrilled to find out that i was chosen as one of babble's top 50 mom craft bloggers for 2013!!!!!!!!!!! wahoo!! i'm doing cartwheels over here people!!! it's my 3rd year and i swear every year get's more and more exciting! thank you to all the peeps over at babble and to all of you awesome readers!  thank you, thank you, thank you!  this means a lot to me and my lil'ol blog :)

Downton Abbey Knit Along || The Giveaway!!!!

Red Door Balloons by Maybe Sparrow
are you all ready for some lovely prizes? maybe some to die for yarn?  a new pattern?  something to cross your fingers for?  i am!!!!!  i love this part of our knit alongs!  it's so fun to have so many wonderful sponsors to help support our downton abbey knit along and to spoil all you fab ladies who joined in and knit such pretty projects!  i hope you all go show these wonderful businesses some luv because without them our knit alongs just wouldn't be as fun!  having their generosity and support is so great!

*Please note: the knit along has already ended. This giveaway is for those who have already participated in the Downton Abbey Knit Along that ended last week.*

CLICK HERE to see the awesome businesses that supported our downton knitting fun & their generous prizes!

FREE PATTERN || SLOANE JACKET TUTORIAL


after recently taking part in film petit for one of my fave flicks of all time - ferris beuller's day off, i knew after having so much fun making my daughter's "sloane jacket" that i had to do a pattern for all of you!  this jacket is such a blast to make! it was probably the most fun sewing i've had in a long time!  the fringe, oh the fringe!  i heart it and my daughter hearts it too!  i hope you enjoy embracing your inner sloane and whipping one up for your little girl or heck - even for yourself! you could easily use the tutorial portion and draft up your own pattern pieces based on an existing jacket of yours.

i made this jacket to fit my daughter so it's roughly a 4/5T size.  she's a small little thing though just to give you a heads up for sizing.  i've written a tutorial for you all below and there is also pattern pieces you can download for the size 4/5T.  to see more pics of my sloane jacket and to read my film petit post click hereThis is a quick and easy sew with no seams at all whatsoever to finish! yes! using a soft fleece makes this kid friendly and also super simple to sew! a winning combo in my book especially since my daughter is super sensitive to what she wears.




||  SLOANE JACKET TUTORIAL  ||
*Copyright 2013 www.luvinthemommyhood.com All rights reserved.  This tutorial is for PERSONAL USE ONLY.  Please do not sell items made with this tutorial unless permission has been given.  Thank you.Please email luvinthemommyhood@yahoo.ca for more information.

MATERIALS

- Approx. 1 yard soft fleece fabric
- Co-ordinating thread
- Washable fabric marker

PATTERN PIECES

- Click below for the pattern pieces for the Sloane Jacket.

 *Please set your printer to "no scaling" or "actual size" before printing your pattern pieces.

You will also need to cut out the following sized rectangles:
- (2) @ 8"W x 6"H (Sleeve Fringe)
- (2) @ 4.5"W x 8"H (Front Fringe)
- (1) @ 10"W x 8.75"H (Back Fringe)

 

INSTRUCTIONS

*All seam allowances are 1/2" unless otherwise noted.

STEP ONE:  ASSEMBLING THE JACKET

Print out your pattern pieces being careful that the sizing is accurate.  Be careful to also make sure that you have noted the RS and WS of your fleece. Mine is white and it can sometimes be a tad tricky to tell the difference if you're sewing coffee deprived or in dim lighting :)  Cut out your pattern pieces.  You should have the following:

(2) fronts, (1) back and (2) sleeves

You should also have (5) rectangles to make your fringe from (sizes are noted above in the materials section).  Do not cut your fringe until instructed too later in the pattern.  Make sure to transfer the lines on your front and back jacket pieces for where to sew your fringe (make sure whatever fabric marker you are using is ok for the kind of fleece you are using).

With your back piece and your left front piece RS facing sew along your shoulder seam with a 1/4" seam allowance.  Repeat for the back piece this time with your right front piece.  Trim your seam allowance.

Now fold your neckline (this should be your entire neckline meaning your 2 fronts and the back) down 1/4" and topstitch it for a nice finish from the RS.  *See illustration to the left.

STEP TWO:  MAKING & ATTACHING YOUR SLEEVES

Gather the sleeve cap in between the pattern markings by using the longest stitch length (or gathering setting on your machine) with no backstitching and a 1/4" seam allowance.  Leave a long tail after sewing and pull gently to gather your sleeve cap.  Repeat for your other sleeve.  *See illustration below.

With RS facing each other lay your sleeve on your jacket sleeve opening and pin in carefully adjusting your gathering to make sure it fits your sleeve opening.  *Option: You can also choose to baste (sew in with a 1/4" seam allowance & no backstitching) in the portion of your sleeve cap that is gathered to eliminate any shifting or moving of your gathering while you sew in your sleeve.  Sew your entire sleeve cap into the opening with a 1/2" seam allowance. Trim your seam allowance.


We are now going to sew your sleeve arm and the side seams of your jacket on the side you just attached your sleeve cap to.  First though you need to place (1) of your rectangles along your sleeve arm centered between the cuff & underarm, RS facing RS of front sleeve (you want to see the RS of the fringe when you look at the jacket from front on when you are done making the garment). Pin along sleeve seam (sandwiching the sleeve fringe piece inside) and side seam.  Next starting at the bottom corner of the side seam of your jacket with RS facing each other and using a 1/4" seam allowance stitch your side jacket seams with RS facing each other continuing up and along your sleeve enclosing your sleeve (also sewing your sleeve fringe piece to your sleeve) and sew along the length of your sleeve. *See illustration above.  Fold the bottom sleeve hem 1/4" and topstitch to finish sleeve.  Repeat the above steps for your other sleeve and for the other side seam of your jacket.

STEP THREE: FINISHING EDGES

Hem the bottom of your jacket at a cropped length that is good for your child. I folded mine up 1/4" and topstitched along the hem.  Next fold your front sides under 1/4" enclosing your neckline and bottom hem underneath and topstitch this down as well close to edge. Trim all your seam allowances neatly.

STEP FOUR: ADDING THE FRINGE

Fold your back fringe piece in half.  Mark 4.25" down from top folded edge. Draw a line from this mark to the top opposite corner. Cut along this mark.

With your jacket RS facing up pin the back fringe pattern piece RS facing up on your back jacket piece along the pattern lines designating where to place fringe. Stitch along top edge of rectangle from one end to the other.  Lay jacket flat and cut your fringe evenly approx. 1/2" spacing for each cut.



Next take one of your front fringe rectangles and pin down on your left front side along the pattern markings.  Sew along the top edge of the rectangle.  Lay jacket flat and cut your fringe evenly approx. 1/2" spacing for each cut.  Repeat for the right side of your jacket front.  Your fringe length should just hit the bottom of your jacket.


Now using the same 1/2" spacing cut the fringe for your sleeves.  I did mine on an angle for fun going from short near the armpit down to a longer length before the sleeve cuff. 


That's it! You're done! So easy and fast right? Don't you love not having any seams to finish?  I hope you have fun with it!  If you have a child that is younger or older than a 4/5T size find a jacket of yours that's a similar shape and use it as a guide to make your pattern pieces. There are a lot of tutorials online showing you how to draft a pattern using an existing garment.


Try your new coat on your wee one and go rock out to "deunkeshein"! Tell Ferris and Cameron I say hi! Happy sewing!!!

p.s. if you make a sloane jacket please email me pics or add them to our flickr group! i love seeing your finished projects and so do my readers!

CRUSHES || FABRIC & YARN

lolli socks mcn in colorway pink lemonade
i am smitten.  in love.  crushing galore on this skein of yarn or what is now a lovely yarn cake!  it's from the lovely melissa of sweet fiber yarns and is lolli socks mcn in colorway pink lemonade and i swear it should be called shannon in a yarn...lol.  it's bright, fun, cheerful and has some of my fave colors of the moment in it! i can't help but smile when i look at it and someday soon it will become my very first pair of socks! wahoo! i haven't made socks yet, they've always slightly intimidated me up to this point, but i feel like this year is the year for me to take those bad boys down and what better yarn to use than one i am so in love with!

silk cashmere aran in colorway hippolyta
i got to meet melissa of sweet fiber yarns in person when jane and i were on the ISLAND book tour and she is just the sweetest thing!  and her yarn - well, it's to die for! seriously!  it's amazing! if you can get your hands on some scoop it up! i also received a lovely gift from her of 2 skeins of her stunning silk cashmere aran in colorway hippolyta! i am a lucky lady! thank you again so much melissa! big hugs!

melissa's skeins can hold their own right next to madelinetosh so if you are a tosh addict you will not be disappointed by sweet fiber.  trust me on that.  gorgeous!  i was lucky enough to get some of her adorable stitch markers as well that come in the cutest bottle evah! i squeal whenever i look at them!


i also finally found a skein of yarn to match my bright coral colored winter jacket so i could make some rathtrevor mitts.  i love the colors in this yarn and the new rastita by malabrigo is so lovely to work and knit with!  i saw many a pair of rastita rathtrevor mitts on our tour and couldn't resist knitting up a pair for myself in this slightly felted super soft yarn!

malabrigo rastita in colorway piedras
and i can't forget about the fabric! oh......i've been on a mad crush lately with some fabrics!

 
 

i'm working on my next fat quarter gang project for art gallery fabrics using one of my fave peeps line - "color me retro" by the adorable jeni baker of in color order! i love that it matches all my pyrex!!! you rock jeni!  i can't wait to sew with this!

i also ordered from one of my fave online shops (& our sponsor) fabricworm some of sarah watts new line "timber and leaf " and stocked up on my robert kaufman yarn dyed essex linen in denim and flax as well.  i can never have enough of these. they are truly a staple in my fabric arsenal.

i've been drooling over my fat quarter bundle of sarah watson's debut line "luxe in bloom" it's so gorgeous and so pretty!  this is going to be a quilt for me for sure! it's stunning and such a soothing and lovely palette! i am such a huge fan of sarah's work and can't wait for he new line coming out as well "indian summer".


and coming soon is a new tutorial of mine featuring some of  pat bravo's new line - carnaby street! so bright, colorful and filled with prints that are stylish and happy!  i will definitely be using this line in all sorts of fun projects! pat always does such a great job creating lines that are so interchangeable and exciting!


so what are you guys crushing on? any new fabric lines or yarns you just got or are saving up to get?  i'm eagerly awaiting tsuru by rashida coleman hale for cloud 9 fabrics. i am buying the whole darn line. i luuuuurv it!  grab a coffee and let's share our crushes! it's a great way to find new fabrics and yarns to spoil ourselves with! have a wonderful crush filled weekend <3

downton abbey knit along || starring you!

wispy cardigan made by mamatronic
today is the day! it's time to show off all of your hard work from our downton abbey knit along m'dears! i am absolutely amazed by the talent of this group of ladies! so many lovely knits! my queue and faves grew in epic proportions this kal! i feel a strong urge to make a lot of hats and shawls! asap! this is one of my favorite posts to write when we do our knit alongs.  i love going through all of the FO pics in our ravelry group and seeing just what was accomplished during the kal. it feels wonderful to know we all knit these TOGETHER.  it may not have been in person but we still did it together.  i love that.

the best part is that we all did them while watching one of our favorite shows - downton abbey.  i think it's safe to say we all love it and it just made this kal that much more fun to have downton gossip to dish which spurred many other wonderful and very special conversations in our ravelry group.  new friendships were made and existing ones were made stronger.  a lot of new techniques were learned and a few of us recovered from our boo boos (myself included) and we all managed to come out of it with brand new lovelies to show off.

to say i luv you all is an understatement.  the wonderful and caring group of ladies in our rav group have such a special place in my heart. i look forward to going on there everyday and chatting and seeing what you are all up to and doing this post is my little way of saying thank you! thank you for being you, for being brave, for being strong, for staying up late with me, for loving downton as much as i do, for loving knitting as much as i do and for being such a welcoming group of gals. i also have lots of AWESOME prizes to give away next week too! so now....enough of my gushing...here's your hard work ladies! 

||  STARRING YOU - PROJECTS FINISHED DURING THE DOWNTON ABBEY KAL  ||

1. magrathea 2. frederick & anne scarf  - both made by this handmade life
1. rustling leaves beret made by kpbailey 2. caroline made by kcmomof2 3. nola cloche made by northernheather 4. sideways grande cloche made by expecting sam 5. escargot made by sewsable 6. lucy hat made by mootastic1 7. regina made by rashooray 8. brattleboro hat made by jenny makes stuff  9. copenhagen hat made by 9crafty11


downton cowl made by kpbailey
1. imogen cowl made by schatzi knits 2. cladonia made by svenna 3. cladonia made by culabrat
1. regina made by ummashin 2. downton cowl made by carambole 3. rustling leaves beret made by girl like the sea
ethereal made by mrscattel
1. stripe study shawl made by rncurlysue 2. artemis cowl made by jannamaria 3. downton cowl made by juniper grace 4. faraway so close made by mootastic1 5. pretty triangle scarf made by corrinemb 6. drop stitch cowl made by jackiemcmahan
downton girl made by celtic cast on
1. shallows made by jpknitknot 2.gramps made by expecting sam 3. fishtail wristwarmers made by emsmomma 4. quill made by kirstyl 
regina made by pajfrun
1. wintered wheat mitts made by avasmom2007 2. ringwood gloves made by quiteamuzing 3. peacock eye fingerless mitts made by avasmom2007 4. regina made by lilpixie124 5. waiting for winter mittens made by knitterlydesigns 6. wintered wheat mitts made by nidhikansal 7. crochet lace fingerless mitts made by therapsdia 8. knitted neck scarf made by sewknittystar 9. socks made by minervas 10.. victorian cabled wristlets made by lauranh
1. downton cowl made by  2. downton cowl made by urbanizer
1. doily made by cnuland 2. a little something made by kcmomof2 3. stockholm scarf made by mudpunch 4. downton cowl made by trishaclap 5. downton cowl made by ackirebecci
grace lace beret made by arika
congrats ladies! did you get your project finished?  what was your fave part of the knit along?  do you have a fave episode so far of downton abbey?

you can follow along with all things downton abbey knit along here:
 


||  DOWNTON KAL SPONSORS  ||



FAMILY DAY || NEW HOLIDAY


it's a holiday where i live today - a new one called family day! such a great idea! so i'll see all you lovelies tomorrow because today i'm hanging with the cuties above and my hubs.  hope you all had a great weekend!

BUY NOW  ||  READ MORE
p.s. today is the last day to grab the sew fab e-pattern bundle before the sale is over :)

moments in the mommyhood || leaping is good for the soul


luvinthemommyhood
luvinthemommyhood
luvinthemommyhood

a little bit of leaping is good for the soul.  really.  trust me...i've noticed lately that i seem to keep leaping and jumping in all of the recent pics my hubs or anyone takes of me.  i think it's funny and also a sign of my personality. i don't enjoy being photographed so i think it is also my way of relaxing when i have to pose for a bit of time and am feeling uncomfortable.  i feel a strong urge to just let loose and then wham! i'm leaping.  it feels good though.  i highly recommend you try it...haha.  just throw a little leap in there next time you need to loosen up or have some fun.

my girlies are growing up so fast and have been keeping this momma more than busy and also challenged.  my oldest is as strong as ever and tests me at every turn but we're surviving and will hopefully make it through this phase.  if any of you have tips on dealing with a "strong willled child" i'd love to hear them.  harper is just a doll.  the kid can get away with anything i tell you.  she just smiles at me a tad and i melt like butter on a hot pan.  i'm going to pay for it later...lol.  in the meantime i've just taken to well......leaping :)  blows the stress right off....lmao.

so whatdoyasay? you want to leap with me? c'mon...i know you wanna....

wishing you all a leaping, jumping, frolicking, laughing and overall good time kinda weekend! what are your weekend plans?  what did you make this week? any projects you want to share? come chat with me!


read more about the SEW FAB e-PATTERN SALE here or buy it now here.

p.s. don't forget to enter our sew fab e-pattern giveaway and also to buy this wonderful deal! 80% off!  $24.95 for 18 patterns!!! wowsa!  there's only a few more days left of this awesome deal so scoop now while you can! 

downton abbey knit along || confessions

Pattern: Nola Cloche by Hilary Smith Callis  Yarn: Supernova in colorway Pewter by Luna Grey Fiber Arts
i love my new hat.  i love that it's so different from my norm.  i am usually always sporting something of a slouch variety and hardly wear fitted hats anymore.  when i do i remember why i love them as well.  this hat makes me feel a tad fancy. like i should sashay around my house as if i really did live at downton, sipping from a cuppa tea, eating biscuits whilst knitting, and discussing the goings on of the servants in the house.  can't you see it?  you're all there with me too.  we're all dolled up in our prettiest frocks, the room is filled with fanciful goodies, doilies and lace and we are having the largest knit night downton has ever seen!  could you imagine? they totally need to do an episode with a big knitting party!  now that would be drama! lol!


speaking of drama true to shannon style i have a confession to make.  you ready for it?  i. made. an. oopsie.  a big one at that.  i realized right at the end of making my hat that i had actually been following the size instructions for a chunky yarn not my worsted weight. oh my.  helloooo...shannon...do you need glasses?  more sleep? more coffee?  who knows...but i can't believe i missed it.  duh.  the nola cloche is written for 2 yarn weights and i'm not sure how i got so mixed up but i did. i hate ripping things out though so instead of redoing the whole hat (ouch!) i kept going.  i tried that bad boy on and i like it. it's not perfect but it's mine and well, that's the nature of handmade right? 


i really enjoyed this pattern and i also really loved working with luna grey fiber arts yarn and have a few more lovely skeins to play with. i can't wait to dig in! both the yarn and the pattern made for a fun project even though i made an oopsies.  such is life thought right?  remember this big fat oopsie of mine? oh ya....that's a good'er right there.  moral of the story - pay better attention to the directions, get more sleep and drink more coffee ;)

luna grey fiber arts
how's your project coming along? since y'all are having so much fun i'm giving you till next week to finish up! get those lovely photos up in our ravelry group so i can show you all off next week on the blog! that's right! it's time for starring you!  i can't wait to show off all of your hard work on here. so many lovely pictures and projects!  kudos to all of you fab ladies for joining in!

you can follow along with all things downton abbey knit along here:
 


||  DOWNTON KAL SPONSORS  ||


p.s. don't forget about our sew fab e-pattern bundle sale! don't miss this awesome deal!

SEW FAB E-PATTERN SALE & GIVEAWAY!!

So excited ladies! Today is the day!!! The Sew Fab e-Pattern Sale starts today!  Woot woot!  I'm thrilled to be part of this awesome bundle of fabulous sewing patterns all just waiting to be made up by you!  There's clothing for your wee ones (boys & girls) and for you too!  Accessories, bags, toys, and even suitcases!  I don't even know which one I would make first! 

I'm a huge fan of all of the talented ladies involved and we hope that you will all love this fun bundle as much as we do.  When I got approached to join in I thought it was such a great idea!  I'm always on a budget and have a long list of patterns I want to make but can't afford to buy.  This is an awesome way to get a huge chunk of your faves all in one shot!  $24.95 is usually what you would pay for about 3 patterns never mind 18!!! Such a great deal! And they are all fabulous!  Trust me on that one! I've made a few and I would buy the bundle just for those alone.
You will find my Commuter Cowl pattern in the bundle and this is one of my fave times of the year to wear it! Try mixing up your different weights of fabrics for different seasons!  It's a quick 30-45 minute sew that's fun and also makes a really great gift!

You all ready to hear more about the Sew Fab e-Pattern Sale? Yay!


Today is the 1st day of the 1st ever Sew Fab e-Pattern Bundle Sale and giveaway, sponsored by The Southern Institute and Fat Quarter Shop!


Over the past eight weeks a lot of behind the scenes work has taken place to bring you this amazing bundle of ePatterns from several of the top pattern designers and bloggers in the sewing and blogging world. The result is a bundle of 18 PDF sewing patterns that you don't want to miss.For one week only, ten pattern designers have come together to bring you 18 of their best PDF patterns, valued together at over $139.00, for the incredible price of $24.95! That's over 80% off of the combined retail value! Plus you can enter to win a dream of a giveaway valued at $390 from some really great shops!

For less than $25.00 you will have a library of resources that you can use over and over again. The designers that have joined this sale are experts in their craft. They have been sewing for a very long time and are well known in blog land and elsewhere. Each designer has contributed one or two of their favorite patterns to create a bundle that is sure to please! Whether you are sewing for your own family or making gifts for others, these are patterns that you will love to use.

If you've never sewn with a PDF pattern before, let me tell you how great it is! After downloading your pattern instructions and your pattern, you will print out the pattern itself, creating pattern tiles, if you will. Simply tape the tiles together to create the full pattern! At that point you can cut out the size that you need and pin the paper pattern directly to your fabric or you can trace the pattern size that you need onto sewing paper or tissue paper and cut it out, saving the paper pattern for later when you need to sew another size. PDF patterns are so convenient because you can print them out as many times as you need!


Now let me tell you a little bit about the giveaway! The Sew Fab Giveaway is amazing! One lucky winner will win a bunch of amazing prizes from Craftsy, Fat Quarter Shop, fabricworm, Jennifer's Jewels Custom Labels on Etsy, Green Bee Patterns, author Deborah Moebes, Mee a Bee, Gussy Sews, I'm Feeling Crafty, and Ball and Chain on Etsy. See the end of the post for giveaway details. This giveaway is not to be missed!

I know you're dying to know "What is included in the pattern bundle?"

18 well-loved ePatterns from 10 well-known designers are instantly accessible to you by PDF download upon purchase of the Sew Fab e-Pattern Bundle. Here are the patterns that you will receive (click on the links below to see more details):






The Sew Fab e-Pattern Bundle is only available for one week and will never be available again! You can purchase the bundle from February 4th at 8 a.m. EST through February 11th at 8 a.m. EST and there will be no late sales offered. Due to the nature of the sale there will be no refunds offered.

You don't want to miss this unique opportunity to purchase a ready made collection of 18 PDF sewing patterns from 10 of the best designers out there!

And now for The Sew Fab Giveaway!

You are not going to believe the prizes included in this giveaway! Can't buy the bundle? It's okay... purchase is not required to enter. Take a look at what you have the chance to win:
A Sewing Themed Box of Goodies from Pick Your Plum ||  Fabulous Wristlet from Gussy Sews (not necessarily the one pictured)  ||  The latest release, Stitch Savvy, by Deborah Moebes  ||  Sterling Silver Sewing Machine necklace from Ball and Chain on Etsy  ||  $50 Gift Certificate to Fat Quarter Shop  ||  $50 Gift Certificate to fabricworm  ||  A free online class from Craftsy.com  ||  The Scoop Tote Pattern from Green Bee Patterns  ||  60 Custom Tags from Jennifer's Jewels  ||  Red Riding Hood Little Girl's Satchel from Mee a Bee  ||  Handmade Sewing Machine Cover from I'm Feeling Crafty

YES, ONE WINNER WILL WIN ALL OF THOSE GOODIES!!!

There are lots of chances to win and no purchase required to enter the giveaway. Just use the Rafflecopter widget and enter to win this amazing prize package that will inspire you in your sewing as well as keep you stocked with fabric for many projects to come!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sew Much Inspiration right at your finger tips...
only $24.95!

Graphic design by Andrea Panell for Sew Fab E-Pattern logo.

ISLAND Book Tour Awesomeness!


if i could post one picture to sum up jane and i's mini book tour this past weekend for ISLAND this would be it.  ahhhh the joys of being overtired but also having awesome fun that makes it worth every minute.  it also rocks to get to share such wonderful and special moments with one of your closest friends. jane - thanks for being the best partner in crime evah and one of my most fave people on the planet. i love ya to bits and bits! now on to the juicy stuff...


this is what happens when you get a group of knitters together at an event.....


it starts all friendly and professional and then bam! turns into this!  muahaha!  oh darn...we just don't look as gorgeous and effortless as you do caitlin french ;p


we had such a fabulous and wonderful time on our journey. the pics above and the collage below were taking by the lovely and talented photographer and designer herself sylvia mcfadden.  you can find her on her blog here, ravelry here and on flickr as well. thanks for taking these pics sylvia! we had such a great evening with all of you at baaad anna's in vancouver.  thank you anna for hosting us and making it such a special night.  you did such a fabulous job and we luv your shop. we can't wait to visit again!

i thought it would be fun to just do a post highlighting some special moments from our book tour.  jane will be doing a post as well so watch for that and she'll be showing you the shops and writing more about what we did and where we were.  trust me that there's a lot more pics! lol! so in the meantime here's some shots that were some of my personal faves.

the lovely amanda and fiona from knit social (and knit city) - we wished you ladies lived on the island! we want more time to hang with you!!!  urban yarns hosted us on our first stop friday night and it was a fab evening with wine, sushi and more.  we got to see some great friends and stayed up just a tad too late having lots of fun.  thanks for having us urban yarns!  we love stopping in to see you ladies!
we had such a blast at 88 stitches - we got so spoiled by melissa of one of  our fave yarns - sweet fiber and her mom sue who owns 88 stitches and all the fab ladies who worked there.  it was a such wonderful way to spend our afternoon. thank you for your kindness and generosity.


we headed over to baaad anna's saturday night for a fun event that anna had set up.  with island decor, candles and lovely refreshments and homemade goodies we were in heaven.  we definitely had a great time and were sad the event had to end.  so much fun!
we then jumped on the ferry sunday morning to head on over to gibsons, bc to unwind knit & fibre lounge!  what a pretty city and kim and her lovely staff made us feel at home.  we had lots of laughs, yummy tea and a great time showing off jane's lovely patterns.  i wish we had more time to explore it was so gorgeous over there and if you are ever in gibsons be sure to check out kim's lovely shop. thanks for having us kim!


i of course couldn't resist posting a shot of my instagram feed from the trip.  i have to rely on free wifi on my ipad so there isn't a lot but they all have special little memories attached to them.  overall we had a fabulous time, got spoiled, had a lot of laughs, tried to be as organized as possible (which is exhausting..lol), set up and took down our little "shop" 4 times (phew!), shopped (2 stores in 2 hours..we need help...lol), paid a HUGE price for parking (ouch! $16.75 for 2 hours!!! it still hurts), forgot to pay parking (hahaha, we really are Islanders now Jane, who charges for parking after 6pm right? LOL!), took 4 ferries (cheered really loudly when we made the last one home), ate delicious food, ate some not so good food, slept in a gorgeous home (thank you to jane's aunt!), enjoyed the quiet, stayed up way too late at night giggling, knit, drank coffee and overall had a special little journey filled with wonderful people who were all so kind to us both.

image source - 88 stitches
so from us to all of you - thank you so very much for making this book what it has become and for showing us both so much love and support for jane's collection.  it means so very much to both of us and we can't wait to see you all again! thanks so much to every single person who came out to see us and showed off their ISLAND lovelies! big hugs and lots of luvs!!!! xoxoxo!!!

FILM PETIT || FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF


if you were to ask me what one of my fave movies of all time is "ferris bueller's day off" would be on the list.  i'm going to be 36 and i was raised on these kind of cult classics.  in fact i used to think, ok i still do think, sloane peterson was the bee's knees. i wanted to be just like her.  she was the embodiment of style, class, grace, beauty and was just plain cool.  i dreamed about that outfit but never felt brave enough to wear it.  so when kristin and jessica asked me to join in for this round of film petit and that the flick was ferris bueller's day off i did a bit of a squeal and a happy dance.  i've been dreaming of that white coat ever since and i'm so excited to show you my version of sloane.


i was really inspired by the idea of taking sloane into 2013 and also to make her outfit kid friendly.  i knew first off that my daughter would not wear leather or faux leather so i decided to go with a nice, soft fleece so that i could still fringe to my hearts content without finishing all those strands.  i also knew that i wanted her to stay true to my aesthetic and also be something that my daughter would actually wear.


when i finished drafting the jacket and started making my sloane version i swear i have never had so much fun working on a sewing project in my whole life.  i was laughing my head off and boy did it take all i had not to share the pics to all of you.  the icing on the cake was when my daughter got her hands on it. she looooves it.  she was posing her little heart out and just begging to wear it to school.  oh my....now that would be interesting.  i say bring on the fringe...but not everyone may agree with me on that one :)


my daughter asked me about the story behind the outfit and i gave her the 5 yr old version but in doing so i could hear myself talking about sloane with the same glorified eyes i had when i was a teenager.  she was beautiful, confident, and well....sloane.  i told her about the scene i wanted to capture - that sloane was waiting for her boyfriend, whom she loved, named ferris to come pick her up.  i told her she had hair just like hers and she was about to have a very exciting day off from school with ferris and her friend cameron and that ferris wanted to marry her.

i told her they were about to go on an adventure.  my little girl sparked up with a new found energy even though it was freezing cold, raining and a wind storm.  what a little model hard at work...lol.  she has now aptly named her new ensemble the sloane outfit.  i think it suits her.  i hope she holds onto the spirit of sloane and grows to be every bit of a confident and lovely woman that sloanes' character was.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- pattern used is the "banyan shorts" from figgy's patterns.
- mods made: faux fly with no zipper insertion.
- random suiting fabric from a store i will not list because i detest shopping there and went out of desperation.
- suiting has a bit of stretch to it which makes these super comfy but a bit of a pain to sew.  my daughter has lots of issues with clothing and comfort so i kept these a tad on the baggy side to keep her from feeling uncomfortable.  i made a size 4.

- pattern used is self drafted.  i love this little coat and drafted it on my own and guess what...if you like it as much as i do i may just do a sloane coat tutorial...hehe.  i want one in my own size.
- fabric is a soft white fleece from the same store i will not mention...lol.
- the sloane jacket is cropped and features a fun fringed back that dips down to a point, no closures, front fringe on each front panel and an asymmetrical fringe in the middle of the under sleeve. i chose not to go all the way to the armpit or the cuff simply for my own taste. i really liked how it looked not covering the whole arm and so did my daughter.  the jacket also has a lovely little gather on the top of each sleeve cap.  my version of the infamous shoulder pad. love it!

 - pattern used is the "banyan tunic" from figgy's patterns.
- fabric is a weird stretch blend. the lady at the store that i will not mention couldn't find out what it was nor could she the other fabrics i purchased there for this post...lol. it's soft though and has a lovely light grey blue color.
- i made the size 4 for the tunic but had to take up the length quite a bit to allow the shorts to still show.  my daughter asked me for 3 more of this top and loves it.

i also self drafted a pair of black leggings from an existing pair of pants my daughter had.  it was too cold to make her go bare legged and i thought the black tights went perfectly with her black boots.  i decided not to do the white boots as i knew there was no way in heck i would ever buy my kid white boots...lol.  talk about ruined in one day!

click here to hear the tunes!
i really enjoyed sewing both patterns from figgy's and would definitely recommend them and make them again. sooooo...whatdoyasay? want to dance with us? i think i hear "danke schoen" playing in the distance....oh ya....i do.....danke schoen, darling, danke schoen.................

go get your ferris groove on! embrace your inner sloane peterson and don that fringe jacket and strut your stuff ladies!  and while you're at it make sure you also pop on over to see kristin's adorable cameron (so cute!) and also jessica's awesome ferris (love it!).  i want to say a big thank you to these uber talented ladies for letting me join in on their fun and have a gosh darn good time sewing for my girlie.  luv you ladies <3


thanks for joining us for another film petit!  and make sure you add your pics to the film petit flickr group!

downton abbey knit along || time to block!

Pattern: Nola Cloche by Hilary Smith Callis  Yarn: Supernova in colorway Pewter by Luna Grey Fiber Arts
guess who's done their hat for the downton abbey knit along??? me! me! me!  i'm soooo excited!  i finished this bad boy up yesterday afternoon.  it really is a super fast knit but i've been distracted by other projects lately so i tried to spread the knitting love around throughout the last few weeks.  it fits like a dream and the yarn was so lovely to work with.  of course after modeling the hat i had to pop her in the bath for a lovely long soak and a cup of tea for me.
one of my fave rinses to use currently is eucalan.  i like the lavender scent.  i am also a fan of soak and cannot wait to try our sponsor quince and co's new lanolin soap! it sounds heavenly! it's on my "to try" list this year.  i've got a thing for always trying out new rinses for my knits.  what's your current fave? 

you all know how important i think blocking is.  it's a pain - yes...it sort of goes hand in hand with swatching.  they are both necessary evils.  they are kind of boring and we all are too excited to want to do them most of the time but i promise you that if you block (if appropriate for your project) the outcome is soooo worth it.  trust me on that one.  if you'd like to know a bit more about blocking here are two great post from my lovely friend rebecca of "nook":

- blocking from summer sweater knig along 2012
- blocking party from summer sweater knit along 2011 


i cannot wait to wear that brim! i'm mostly a slouch hat kinda gal so i'm looking forward to branching out a bit into the cloche style. should be fun!  i'm watching it dry as we speak and am crossing my fingers it's on my head by late this afternoon :)  i only wished i had been able to indulge in a nice soak myself last night with some tea and downton abbey.  i would have cried more than my tub could hold bath water though. i know a lot of you ladies have been commiserating in the ravelry group and i'm right there with ya. only issue for me is that i have seen the whole season and i'm still crying.  so if i chat too much about it i'll give it all away.  just be reminded to buy stock in kleenex. you're gonna need it.

oh and in case you're wondering what that lovely tea print fabric is under my hat it's from the lovely bari j and it's called "tea delights jam" from splendor 1920 for art gallery fabrics. i luuuurve it!  you may remember i used some of it in a different colorway in my christmas tree skirt this december.
how's your project coming along? are you almost done? remember to add your finished project pics to our "FO" thread in the ravelry group so i can show off your lovely finished projects in our "starring you" post soon!  i can't wait to see them! there are some gorgeous ones in there already and a lot of you are on your 2nd projects for the kal! go ladies go!

so grab your tea and come sip and chat with me. i want to hear about what YOU thought about this past weekends episode and how your project is doing.

you can follow along with all things downton abbey knit along here:
 


||  DOWNTON KAL SPONSORS  ||

Sew Fab e-Pattern Bundle Sale - Coming Soon!!!

Coming next week!
From February 4th- February 11th...
the first ever....


For one week only, ten pattern designers will be joining together to combine 18 of their best PDF sewing patterns (valued together at over $139.00) and selling them to you for the incredible price of $24.95! That's over 80% off of the combined retail value!

That wasn't a typo! For less than $25.00 you will have the chance to purchase a library of resources to get you started on several great projects that you can sew over and over again. The designers that are joining this sale are experts at their craft. They have been sewing for a very long time and are well known in blog land as well as in children's and women's sewing pattern design circles. Each designer has contributed one or two of their favorite sewing patterns to create a bundle that is sure to please! Whether you are sewing for your own family or making gifts for others, these are patterns that you will love to use.

Figgy's Patterns, Go To Patterns, peek-a-boo pattern shop, Seamingly Smitten, One Girl Circus, Sew Much Ado, luvinthemommyhood, Gingercake, Sew Fearless, Me Sew Crazy... this is the lineup! But you have to wait until Monday to find out exactly which sewing patterns are included in the pattern bundle. I can tell you that you won't be disappointed!

We are offering an affiliate program for this amazing sale too! If you think your blog readers, Facebook friends, or Twitter pals would be interested in buying this bundle of sewing patterns, why not sign up as an affiliate? As a Sew Fab Sale affiliate you can sell the pattern bundle on your blog and earn 40% of all of your sales! Contact Jenny at thesoutherninstitute @ gmail.com for details.

Oh! And there will be a giveaway! The Sew Fab Giveaway is amazing! One lucky winner will win a bunch of amazing prizes from some of your favorite companies and online shops! I can't wait to reveal the giveaway package next week!

Don't miss the Sew Fab e-Pattern Bundle Sale
starting Monday, February 4th!
Sponsored by
The Southern Institute and Fat Quarter Shop


We'll see you there!

The Sew Fab e-Pattern Bundle is only available from 8 am EST February 4th through 8 am EST February 11th. Due to the nature of the sale there will be no late sales or refunds.