SEWING || THE LAUREL DRESS

pattern: the laurel dress by colette patterns

after posting last week about my love for the new colette pattern - laurel, i set aside as much time as possible on saturday to make one. i sewed like a madwoman and wore that dress out that night to knit with my girls.  now i know i could write a few paragraphs gushing but my love for this dress but i'll keep things easy - I. LOVE. THIS. DRESS.  plain and simple.

i ended up having a chat with one of my fave bloggy pals anna from noodlehead last week after i initially posted about the laurel dress (read it here) and we decided it would be super fun to post our finished laurel dresses on the same day!  i ADORE how hers turned out - i mean really, anna oozes awesomeness out of her fingernails..lol.  she looks gorgeous!  so when you are done here go pop by noodlehead and show her some luv too :)

now back to laurel....

the pattern is true to colette style with lovely finishes, fabulous fit and hand stitched details that make a big difference in the finishing of your garment.  going from what i like to call "holly hobby" to "where did you buy that fabulous dress"?  i purchased the pdf version of laurel and even the cutting/piecing didn't seem to take too long. it was pretty easy to find the pieces and not too many to cut out.  with a pattern complete with 4 options (and more in the e-book variation) i was happy to see it not going to take me a few hours.

i went ahead and went a bit nuts and didn't make a muslin - i know....dumb and daring at the same time!  i feel like i'm starting to get a good idea of my bust sizing for a fitted shape and felt comfortable going ahead with this one without worries of a full bust adjustment or making changes to the pattern piece.  thankfully luck was on my side.  i made the size 14 for the 42" bust (i'm about a 41"-42" depending on my bra..lol) and it fits fabulous.  what worries me more lately is not my bust but my shoulders and smaller back compared to my bust size. i either get neck drape or armpit gaping so have had to make changes to previous patterns for these size adjustments.  for laurel i was a-ok.  i'm really happy with the fit on my back, arms, and bust.

what i am most in love with for this dress is my tummy.  i love that laurel skims and hides lumps and ahem...bulges (two kids sure did me in for life) but still shows off the assets i do like - my legs and bust without being too revealing or clingy.  i feel really comfy in it and can see myself wearing it often. in fact i've already worn it 3 times!!!! that's a success in my book!  i've got fabric to cut out another and the blouse version is in the queue as well.

all in all, the dress does take some time to make but it is worth every minute!  you hand sew your sleeve bias and neckline and hem.  i chose to finish my hem on the machine for time purposes because i refused to go out to my knit night without it on...lol...but if i hadn't i would have hand stitched it.  it was fun!  and honestly - the finished product looks gorgeous! only thing i haven't done yet is sew on my hook and eye. still  have to do that :)  i made version 2 with pockets and no sleeve cuff.  next one i hope to do the sleeve cuff - so adorbs! i also want to make the blouse which still features the laurel dresses bust and back darts (hello....how awesome are back darts!!! let's hear it for the back darts ladies! i mean c'mon...these things make me look just a wee bit fabulous!) but no zipper! sold! right there. done.  can't wait to whip that one up too!

and yes, i said zipper. don't be scared. trust me. laurel has an invisible zipper and it was my first time putting one in and honestly it was so easy. such an easy zipper to sew in.  colette patterns has a wonderful tutorial for you to follow as well if you need help as well as many other tutorials and tips throughout the pattern.  only thing i did change (and this was the daredevil in me coming out again) was sew in my invisible zipper with my regular foot. i know, i know...bad girl, but i don't have an invisible zipper foot and didn't want to leave my house to go get one.  i read how to sew the zipper in and realized quite quickly that i could do it without the special foot. my passion for edge stitching came in handy here. i simply unrolled the curled part of the zipper near the teeth as i sewed slowly and stitched as close as possible to my zipper.  done like dinner. worked like a charm and i had a heckavu good time while i did it...lol.  let's hear it for the selfish sewing!  i could get used to this!

||  PATTERN  ||
- laurel by colette patterns

||  FABRIC  ||
- some sort of brushed cotton from fabricland (wish i had more details but i don't :(  it's very soft though and i like it.

||  NOTES  ||
- sewed size 14 and made no full bust adjustment or alterations to the sizing of the pattern.
- hand stitched sleeve hem, neckline but machine stitched the hem.
- sewed my invisible zipper in with a regular zipper foot
- i made option 2 with pockets and no sleeve cuffs
- bias trim was store bought - not handmade
- hemmed my dress as per pattern.  did not find dress too short at all and i'm 5'4". so those of you wondering about the dress length it's great!
- overall i give this pattern two thumbs up! will be making many more!

what do you think?  are you planning on making laurel? what fabric and version will you be sewing? what's your favorite colette pattern? i'm thinking of trying the pants next! fill me in!  i've got coffee for all of you & i'd love a visit!

p.s. wishing you all a wonderful long weekend with your loved ones!  here's some lovely tulips that sit beside me as i type to all you lovelies! see you next week! xoxox

KNITTING || STRIPE STUDY SHAWL

stripe study shawl by veera valimaki

i got spoiled by my mom and dad this past xmas when they surprised me with some gorgeous madelinetosh tosh merino lite to make the stripe study shawl by veera valimaki (one of my fave knitwear designers).  i cast that baby on so fast and i swear i loved every minute of it.  even the ones that i moaned and groaned through.  those were the last few days of straight garter.  now don't get me wrong - i love garter, but after the excitement and fun of this shawl design just knitting straight garter stitch for a few inches felt a bit too humdrum.  but then i found my rhythm and my happy place and boom - my stripe study was done.

what's taken me almost as long as knitting it has been getting pics of it.  you see sometimes i have to beg (and i mean beg) the hubs to photograph things for me.  hard part is i always have some sort of creative visual in my head of the whole photoshoot. I know what I want.  he can't see in my brain. i can't seem to tell him in man lingo and we both end up frustrated.  either way we try to make it work.  so after a somewhat relaxing visit to the beach the other day (or as relaxing as it can be with 2 kids frolicking in the wet sand (one who keeps going just a bit too far out into the ocean), a hubs who keeps attempting to play with mad strange dogs, noisy people standing on the beach having a very loud 10min conversation in part german about real estate, and a child who all of a sudden realizes they have to pee and can't hold it) we attempted to get a few quick shots before driving like a madwoman to the nearest washroom so my crying child could pee.

needless to say they aren't perfect which is why there are a few more of my daughter modeling them above.  she tried to help me out.  i added them in and edited this to add that even though i wrote that i was making peace with my hubs pics i still tried again and prolly will a few more times until i get the shot that i'm happy with..lol. overall though i just wanted you to see it.  so i'm letting it go for now.  making peace with the photos of my stripe study.  it's beautiful.  i love it.  i hope you'll take my word for it and go make one of your own one day.  it's the perfect indulgence and actually a quite easy and relaxing knit that's perfect for purse knitting.  if you love short rows you'll love the race and anticipation of stripe study.  be warned though that blocking this lovely takes patience & a good tv show or movie (it took me an hour or two). i highly recommend using blocking wires (i got mine from knitpicks) and being very picky about it.  mine blocked nicely and i'm  happy with the turnout.

||  PATTERN  ||
- Stripe Study Shawl by Veera Valimaki

||  YARN USED  ||
- Torchere in Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Lite
- Steamer Trunk in Madlinetosh Tosh Merino Lite

||  NOTES  ||
- I did not do the full amount of stripe repeats. I simply did what others had done and knit till I ran out of my red color. You can't really tell and I love it anyways :) I also carried my yarn on the color changes up the sides for the 2 rows. No weaving in ends for me :)

i love the lines and the design of this shawl and have been wearing it tons! it's such a fun pattern to make and it was a joy to knit.  two thumbs up in my book.  my mom also made one and i love that we can both sport our stripe study's together! thanks mom & dad!

what about you? have you made one? do you like short rows as well?  what's your fave shawl to knit?  let's chat knitty goodness m'dears!  coffees on!

p.s  Laura C from Littleandlots was the winner of the Botanical Knits Book Giveaway!!! I'll be in touch today! Thanks for all of your entries!

FREE TUTORIAL || JENI REVERSIBLE APRON & AN ART GALLERY FABRICS GIVEAWAY

It's Fat Quarter Gang time for Art Gallery Fabrics! I've got my newest project out today - The Jeni Reversible Apron Tutorial! As soon as I saw Jeni's fabulous line of fabrics - "Color Me Retro", I knew I had to figure out a way to make a fun new apron using fat quarters! I always have a hard time getting an apron to fit me right when they are store bought so I was very excited to make an apron just for me - the Jeni Reversible Apron Tutorial! Yay! It's always a good thing to spoil yourself a wee bit. I hope you will all join in and make one and spoil yourselves a bit too :) It's fun - I promise!

I love that this apron is completely comprised of fat quarters.  You can easily add more prints or take some away but you can do it all with fat quarters :) There's a bit of measuring & cutting involved but nothing too tricky. Overall it's a quick sew with some topstitching (my fave) and an interesting construction technique with the vintage inspired pocket strips on the apron skirt. Plus it's got long ties to make the perfect big bow! Who doesn't feel feminine with a pretty bow on their apron?  So next time you see the latest Art Gallery Fabric fat quarter bundles pop up online whip up a fun new apron!

Head on over to the Art Gallery Fabrics blog to get the full pdf tutorial!  Yeppers - that's right! You get a nice printable pdf for this one!

And in the meantime don't forget to enter here to win a fat quarter bundle of Color Me Retro!!!

||  THE PRIZE  ||
 - One lucky winner will win a fat quarter bundle of Color Me Retro from 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 March 29th, 2013, midnight, PST.

Have fun and happy sewing!  A big thank you to AGF for their awesome fabrics! I love this apron and cannot wait to see all the fabric combos & fun details you all come up with!

SEWING || CLOTHES FOR ME

i've been feeling the urge to spoil myself a tad these last few weeks.  i've been dreaming of finding the time to sew for myself.  not for the kids, not for a gift, but just for me.  with some fun events coming up and me not feeling 100% lately i figured a new dress was in order.  but what to make?  i have 2 washi's now and i was feeling in the mood to spice things up a tad.  then literally (i'm not kidding here) as i was perusing the wide world of the intranet the colette newsletter popped up in my inbox and low and behold the new Laurel Dress!!! love at first sight!  this shift dress had me dreaming.  off i went and boom - in my cart it went without a second though. i never. ever. ever. do that. i'm cheap..lol. i could not resist the lure of the laurel...lol.

the laurel dress by colette patterns

pretty right? i just love the ease and simplicity of it. i also love the ability to really make it your own. so many possibilities and options!  and i'm hoping it will hide that tummy of mine..lol.  darn tummy...i digress.  since i'm in canada and the fabric i really wanted i would have to order online and wait 2-3 weeks to get i decided to shop local and find some random print that i will pay way too much for just so i can whip one of these up for myself.  this soft denim blue cotton print with black roses had me swooning. not sure what it was about it but i fell for it. i could just picture it with a hand knits and boots so i grabbed it with my screaming kids in tow (yes, i even braved the dreaded fabric store with both kids! i'm nuts) and bought my first invisible zipper, bias tape (i'm too lazy to make my own this week) and thread.  now i just need to find the time to sew it.

you can get the laurel dress here and if you buy it today you can still scoop up on their 15% off deal! plus as a bonus you get a free e-book with extras for the pattern, tips, techniques and more!  it's awesome!  and if you're feeling really creative you can head to the colette patterns blog and enter their awesome sewing contest for the laurel dress! the prizes are ahhhhhmazing! just sayin' :) you know....cause i can't help but make you all sew one right side along me.

and in case the laurel dress isn't your vibe check out another fave i've got on my list - the staple dress!  how cute is this one!  this looks like it will be next on my list after i'm done a laurel dress & blouse.  april rhodes designed a fab and figure flattering dress that's great for all skill levels! check it out here!

then of course i still need to make my tova tunic, and more wiksten tanks....and.......

what are you all sewing for yourselves lately?  have you found a new pattern that you just had to drop everything for to sew?  what's your go to ladies pattern of the moment?  i'd love to hear about it.  yes, i want to add more to my to do list...lol.  the more lovelies to make the better!

have a wonderful sewing, coffee and sunshine filled weekend! luvs <3

p.s. i'll be announcing the winner of the botanical knits giveaway next week.

CRUSHES || FABRIC & YARN

motif madness in vermillion & ivory from tsuru by rashida coleman-hale for cloud 9 fabrics

the mailman brought me some new lovelies yesterday! so excited to cut into these pretty new fabrics!!!  i've been drooling after tsuru by rashida coleman-hale (for cloud 9 fabrics) since she first sneak peeked it ages ago.  i saved up my pennies and finally was able to indulge and get a few prints from the line. i'm so in love with all the prints i got!  i'm now kicking myself wishing i had ordered more...lol.

but that always happens when i order fabric online right now.  the shipping hurts right now so i'm trying to be smart about my online ordering and only doing it when i need to or have a project in mind.  this whole being canadian thing is tricky sometimes.  makes me sad it costs so much now to ship fabric from the us to canada and vice versa.  hard on the wallet :(  i've been trying to take advantage of special shipping discounts when i see them pop up.  i also have a new sponsor spool & spindle  that's located in canada and she offers $5 flat rate shipping in canada and free shipping for orders over $150!  our other sponsors fabricworm, contemporary cloth & fat quarter shop all also have regular deals on shipping as well.  i try to share their deals when i spot them on my fb page whenever i can :) us fabric addicts gotta help each other out right? lol!

1. 1000 cranes cerulean 2. of a feather ivory 3. of a feather indigo - from tsuru by rashida coleman-hale for cloud 9 fabrics

along with my tsuru i also picked up more prints from timber & leaf by sarah watts for blend fabrics (you can see the other prints i got here) to add to the others i got from the line a few weeks ago.  these have a special project in mind for them and i can't spill the beans about it yet :)  the whole line is lovely though and i'm really happy with all the prints i have.  the girls love them as well.

brush bear ivory & gerbara turquoise from timber & leaf by sarah watts for blend fabrics

as well as fabrics i recently picked up some more of one of my go to worsted weight yarns - cascade 220 heathers in colorway aliki beach/sand.  i love this subtle neutral and hope the project i have in mind for it works out and i can show you all what i have planned in the next week or so :) think spring/summer & knitting ladies! wink wink....

cascade 220 heathers in colorway aliki beach/sand

i also could not resist ordering some of knit picks newest yarns billow.  as soon as i spotted these colorways i was sold.  this bulky yarn is 100% pima cotton! i know right! so soft! not sure what it's going to be yet but i'm working on something fun!!! 

billow from knitpicks in colorway tumeric and sagebrush

what fabrics have you splurged on lately? anything new you're lusting after? yarn goodies you recently picked up?  let's chat what you're crushing on! coffee's on!

GET INSPIRED FOR SPRING GIVEAWAY!!

 
With warmer temperatures around the corner, we want to help you get inspired for Spring!

Some fantastic bloggers and companies have teamed up to help you get your Spring Sewing On. Enter the Sewing Collection Giveaway for your chance to win one of SIX incredible prizes, including a brand new PFAFF® ambition essential™ sewing machine, with the total of all prizes being valued at more than $2,000! 

Get inspired this Spring!

MOMENTS IN THE MOMMYHOOD || SURVIVAL

it's spring break here where i live and let me tell you..never in my life would i have thought that i would dislike spring break. aiyayaya.  these are going to be 2 very long weeks.  my oldest has even drawn a calendar on her easel chalkboard counting down the days until school starts back up.  with the hubs busy with overtime it's not a season we can take a vacay in. so it's more of a torture having no school then a fun 2 weeks of holidays in our house. i guess that's just a reminder that i'm a grown up now...lol.  gone are the days when i counted down on my own calendar until spring break started to go have fun with my friends and have no school.  it struck me as funny how similar the situations are but in reverse.  when you are little you love school and then you get older and don't want to go and can't wait for that brief but awesome break of fun. and now here i am again wishing there was school.  i think if my hubs could have holidays right now i may feel differently but this is my fate so i'm putting it bravely out there - i. don't. like. spring. break.  there, i said it. phew. i feel better now.

i'm still not 100% (waiting to see a specialist next month) so that's making it even harder to entertain these wee ones. top it off with fog, non stop rain pours and you've got a pretty crappy spring break. bleh.  i also  haven't been able to sew for weeks!  with being ill and also having had a procedure done on my upper back near my shoulder it's made it really hard to type, knit and even sew and has me pretty down in the dumps i must say.  i'm trying to do it in little stints now. i sewed the other day for about 15 mins and will do a tiny bit more today again.  so i apologize for the lack of sewing goodness on the blog lately.  there's been a lot of knitting going on around here but that's mostly due to me being unable to sew.  at least i can lay down and feel crappy and knit. it's a bit harder to do that while sewing..lol.  i can't wait to be fully reunited with poppy though.  her and i have some new patterns in the works and this has sure slowed us down.

oh and did i mention we've been living in utter chaos?  yep. big time chaos.  you know when you redecorate and reorganize and your house turns into a bad episode of hoarders and you have no idea how it got that way? well that's my house. i can't even hardly get into my bedroom. plus my bed?  what's a bed?  mine's covered in 5 (i'm guessing), count em' 5 + loads of laundry...eeek!  i def need a fairy cleaning lady..lol.  we had a quick trip to the mainland last weekend and picked up a lot of new lovelies for our condo from ikea.  i can't wait to show you all my new office space.  i've now taken over our dining area and a good chunk of our living room.  oops...lol.  oh well....you gotta do what you gotta do right? the joys of condo living. you peeps without houses know what i mean right?

so the hubs and i have slowly been assembling ikea furniture after ikea furniture and watching non stop homeland (LOVE this show) and starting to get our lives back in order.  we're selling our old stuff to offset the cost of the new and also to make room for the new stuff...lol.  so as the old pieces sell we assemble the new ones.  the kids and i definitely do not do well with this kind of living situation though.  it's sort of a weird feeling being in limbo. hopefully by the end of this weekend things will be in more of a normal state again.

airplanes built by my oldest and photographed by her as well

the girls and i have been playing a ton of lego (lego rocks!!!!) and also restaurant.  these are both good things to play while mom needs to be laying down (you so know that i can rock restaurant for at least an hour, people can lay down in restaurants right?).  i even designed a fancy menu for their restaurant and printed it out and binded it for them...haha.  yep, i'm hardcore that way. can't have a restaurant without a menu!  we also got to have some good cuddle times with my super adorbs nephew.  i loooooove this little guy.  i love that i get baby snuggles but then he goes home..lol.  he makes me want more babies but then my oldest acts out and i snap out of it quickly.  i love the babies....older kids...now that's hard work.  2 is more than enough for me. in fact i think my soon to be 6 year old is the equivalent of 2-3 6yr olds in one body...lol. she's a challenging one that one.  thankfully my youngest is very docile and calm so it balances out a tad.  oh who am i kidding - it's nuts in my house...lol. there. i said it.  it's nuts. i'm surprised most days when i crawl into bed that i am still indeed alive. honestly.  i look around and think how the hell did i make it through today without a nervous breakdown?  or them killing me?  seriously.  being a mom is damn hard work.  damn hard work.  i think from now on spring break should be mom break.  all the moms could gather somewhere fabulous with lots of spa services, shopping, hot waiters, booze, beaches (whatever your thing) for a 2 week break from life.  ahhhhh....yessss....that sounds good.  waiter...another daiquiri please?  won't you join me?

who else is trying to survive spring break? is yours coming up soon?  what's going on in your home?  are you in a chaos zone too?  let's chat. it's friday and i am so excited the weekend is almost here!

BOOK REVIEW & GIVEAWAY || BOTANICAL KNITS

eye candy alert! eye candy alert!  it's been a while since i did a book review and boy am i happy to have the awesomely talented alana dakos's new book "botanical knits" on the blog today!  i'm a big fan of alana's work and her podcast (never not knitting) and her new publication botanical knits does not disappoint!  filled with stunning photography, gorgeous illustrations & fresh graphic design this book just makes you want to curl up at home and knit till you can't knit anymore.

botanical knits is inspired by alana's love of leaves and she has incorporated it into a stunning collection of hand knits that fits so perfectly with her beautiful aesthetic.  true to her style and signature look botanical knits is filled with 12 patterns ranging from sweaters & cardigans, to shawls, socks and mitts.  and let's not forget the hats! some of my fave projects alana designs are her hats.  this collection features 3 hat patterns all of which are awesome!  i have already cast on for my fave - forest floor and i'm loving it!

alana's patterns are well written, clear and easy to follow and the layout of the book is truly inspiring.  i really enjoyed the special touches that the graphic designer - Mary Joy Gumayagay, added to the book.  in particular her table of contents and yarn pages just made me clap with excitement (shown above). they are fresh, unique and fit the vibe of the book perfectly.  i also enjoyed how she tied in the "botanical" aspect of the theme and really reflected the vibe of specimens.  i thoroughly enjoyed it!  alongside Neesha Hudson's soft and endearing illustrations and the breathtaking photography by Carlee Tatum this book is sure to be a new fave for anyone's collection.  i can't wait to make more of the projects!

what do you think? are you ready to go on a wee walk through the woods?  let's go get inspired by the leaves shall we?  and maybe at the end of it you might win a copy of botanical knits of your own??? hehehe....click below to read more, drool over pics with me and to enter the giveaway!

MOMENTS IN THE MOMMYHOOD || IT'S A GOOD DAY

it's a good day by shannon cook

i love coffee.  i also love the start of a new journey.  since i'm revamping my home a bit i knew i wanted a lovely little pic to get printed and hang near my new desk.  i knew it had to have coffee in it..lol (of course right?).  instead of searching for something awesome on etsy or pinterest i really wanted to make something truly my own.  so i took the shot above and put a reminder to myself on it.  i can't wait to hang it up (and for all you coffee lovers out there if you'd like a copy shoot me an email and i would more than happily send one your way)! what do you have hanging in your creative space?

i've been working hard over the last few months to make some changes in my life. you know that never-ending journey of trying to find the ultimate work/life balance?  yep, that one.  so far it's been all positive, slow going albeit, but progress nonetheless.  i'm excited for what this year holds for me and when i read this post over on design for mankind last night erin just summed up all my thoughts so beautifully i had to share it.  i found her post so touching and inspiring and really a very special reminder that what i've been working towards is so worth it.  click here to go read her wonderful post. i swear i'm going to print it out and read it when i need a pick me up.  i hope you all enjoy it as much as i did.

what did you think about erin's post?  have you been striving to reach that balance?  are you trying to simplify and slow down to focus on your passions?  please share your thoughts.  i find this topic so interesting and such a great discussion starting point.  i hope you all have a wonderful weekend and i'll see ya next week with some new lovelies to share!  thank you all so much for the well wishes this week -  you guys are the best!  luvs <3

p.s.  the winner of the contemporary cloth fabric giveaway was...............

bless by tone - commenter #186

congrats hun!!!! so excited for you!!! i'll be in touch soon!  enjoy! thank you to all who entered and to sondra from contemporary cloth for the wonderful giveaway!

you can find all things contemporary cloth here:

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

FABRIC GIVEAWAY || FAT QUARTER SHOP

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!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
||  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.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

good luck everyone and happy fabric shopping!!!!  you can find all things fat quarter shop here:

website  |  blog  |  facebook  |  twitter  |  pinterest

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

Yarnster PDF "FREE" Knitting Pattern

$0.00

Add To Cart

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!!! 

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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.

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THE YARNSTER PATTERN FEATURES:

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:: 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

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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.

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Yarnster PDF "FREE" Knitting Pattern

$0.00

Add To Cart

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 here.  This 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.

SLOANE JACKET (FRONT, BACK, SLEEVES & BACK FRINGE) - SIZE 4/5T

 *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!