SEWING || SALLY DRESS: MY AWESOME PATTERN TESTERS!!!

alida from alida makes

starting next week is the sally dress pattern tour! some of my favorite bloggers will be joining in with their versions of the sally dress!

but before i could kick off the tour i had to show off some of my fabulous testers versions! honestly my testers were AMAZING. we did 3 rounds of testing for this dress to get as good a fit as possible for a woven dress with no closures for sizes 2T-8. not an easy feat i tell ya. there's also some fun pockets, and sleeve options - yay!  some of these women made 6+ dresses (renee of two many you are a superstar)! so amazing! i could not have released this pattern without their invaluable help, time, suggestions and support. you guys rock!!! not everyone's pictures are shown here (this post would be wayyyy too long) but my thank you goes out to ALL of them :)

please take the time to show them some love and pop by their blogs to see their own posts about their sally dresses! they are all so talented.

samantha from bobaloo kids

vanessa black photography

jenn from a jennuine life

teresa from dandelion drift

alicia from two little plums

caryolyn from fake it while you make it

ayelet from the graceful rose

laurel of sing all you want

teresa from dandelion drift

veronica from sew very

sewing our sanity

1. freshly completed 2. & 4. small seams  3. sewing mama raeanna 5. 6. doublestitching 7. alida makes 8 & 9. two many

shannon from googiemama

palak of make it handmade

Courtney from Sweeter Than Cupcakes

victoria of little black duck

i hope you enjoyed seeing all the wonderful and hard work my lovely testers did! aren't they amazing? testers play such an important role in helping to make our patterns be all that they can be and i feel blessed to have gotten so many wonderful testers who put up with me through 3 rounds of testing :) you guys are the best! thank you again!!!!

you can find the sally dress available for purchase now on my website (yay!) and on etsy. you can also read more about the sally dress here and here. thank you so much for those who have already shown their support!

have you made a sally dress yet? what fabrics did you use? what did you do to put your own flair on it? wishing you all a wonderful and happy sewing filled weekend!

SUMMER SWEATER KNIT ALONG || DEADLINE EXTENSION POLL

our deadline is here for the summer sweater knit along!  are you ready?

yes? no? maybe so? need another week? or 2 weeks? done but have another wip you would like to finish up? let's vote on it! you know how we love a kal extension. click on the link below to vote for your choice! 

SUMMER SWEATER KNIT ALONG EXTENSION POLL

i can't wait to see all the sweaters done! the ravelry group thread for all your finished sweaters is already filled with the most lovely projects! you guys are so amazing!

how's your SSKAL project coming along? which sweater did you make? are you close to being done?

p.s. don't miss the new Brooklyn Tweed BT Fall 2013 Collection! Stunning pieces! I'm obsessing over Oshima!

>>> JOIN IN & SIGN UP <<
- sign up for the knit along by clicking "here".
- get inspired by checking out our kal pinterest board
- take part in all the fun conversation & make new friends in our ravelry group
- find out more and find all the posts and info "here" on our kal homepage.
- remember to tag your instagram/facebook/twitter/google+ pics with #sskal.

>>> OUR AWESOME SPONSORS <<<

KNIT GIRL IN IDAHO

FREE PATTERN || EMBRACE BABY QUILT: BEGINNER QUILTING SERIES

it's time for another beginners quilting pattern!!! the embrace baby quilt pattern is here!!!! 

i whipped up this bad boy in a few hours for the lovely tanis of tanis fiber arts for her new baby boy a few months ago. it literally has taken me from then to get pics and to hand sew my binding on...lol. oh my...how's that for a "better late than never" gift right? i loved making this quilt and it was a lot of fun to whip together. the whole idea is to "embrace" your stash. embrace those leftover chunks that don't really fit for anything else. turn them into a new quilt or play mat for that special wee one in your life!

the embrace quilt is fast, fun and easy to make. it's a great introduction into quilting and and also whole cloth quilting.  i also got to go all willy nilly on my quilting which was extra fun!!! if you're looking for another great beginner's quilt pattern you can find my free Bella Collage Quilt Pattern here.

those lines aren't straight and they aren't supposed to be and i. loved. every. minute. of. it. 

so don't worry about being a perfectionist this time round. casual disarray can be fun! let go of the straight lines and get a bit wonky. let your creative side take over. you could easily quilt this in any pattern you'd like. free motion, straight lines, curved whatever floats your boat with the fabric you're using. i really liked the idea of playing with the lines and the idea of mountains and bears. so some of my lines are straight (like the horizon) and the others are curved and rounded (like the forest hills/mountain slopes). i dig it and hope tanis does too.

keep reading for some more pics of this cozy quilt and the FREE pattern!

embrace your fabric leftovers...embrace the freedom to go wild with your quilting, and embrace that cute little baby when you're all done!

EMBRACE BABY QUILT PATTERN

*Copyright 2013. All rights reserved luvinthemommyhood.com. For personal use only. 

SUPPLIES
 You will need various pieces of fabric to make your desired quilt size. I used the following:
- 1 piece of fabric 38"W x 42.25"H (this is your quilt top), this will be known as "A"
- 2 strips of fabric 38"W x 17"H (this is for your quilt backing), this will be known as "B"
- 1 strip of fabric 38"W x 9.5"H (this is for your quilt backing), this will be known as "C"

Fabrics Used: I've used Bear Hike Orange and Las Flores Mahogany from Camp Modern by Jay-Cyn for Birch Organic Fabrics, and an orange solid from my stash.

You will also need batting cut to about 3-4" bigger than your overall quilt size once sewn. My batting was 41"W x 45"H. I like to use cotton batting.

- quilting needle for your sewing machine
- basting pins (if desired)
- co-ordinating double fold bias tape to fit finished size of your quilt
- scissors
- coordinating thread
- hand quilting needle (if desired)

INSTRUCTIONS

STEP ONE: SEWING YOUR QUILT  BACKING

With right sides facing each other, sew one of your "B" pieces to the long side of your "C" piece. Press your seams toward the darker color. Repeat this step for your other "B" piece this time stitching it to the other long side of your "C" piece. This forms your quilt backing. *See diagram below.

Next your are going to do a wee bit of topstitching because you all know how much I love to topstitch..lol.  Topstitch along the the two center seams of your quilt backing close to the seam line. Press. *See diagram above.

STEP TWO: ASSEMBLING YOUR QUILT

We're now going to make your quilt sandwich so we can have some fun with quilting! Yay! You can find a great tutorial on one way to make a quilt sandwich here. Make your quilt sandwich as desired. This is a personal preference. I like to baste my quilt layers together using quilting pins. Feel free to make your quilt sandwich however you find is the most successful for you. There are many methods for doing this.

STEP THREE: QUILTING YOUR QUILT

Now it's time for the fun part - quilting your quilt! I recommend using a quilting needle for your machine. It works better. I also have a walking foot on my Pfaff Ambition 1.0 and loooove it! This really helps make machine quilting a breeze.

When quilting I always start at the center and quilt my way outwards but you can feel free to use whatever method works best for you. I simply did random lines alternating between some sort of straight to some more curved like a gentle slop per se. No precision here this time! Whatever you do - have fun with it!

STEP FOUR: BINDING YOUR QUILT

It's time to finish that quilt up and get our binding sewn on. You can choose to either make your own bias tape or you can use pre-made bias. I used pre-made. Here is a link to a "How to Sew Binding Roundup" I did all on how to sew binding. Lots of great tips and links here. Remember to trim your excess batting off and make sure your quilt edges are nice and even before sewing on your binding. My fave method is to machine sew down the first side of my bias and then hand sew the rest. It's very relaxing to curl up with your fave show on the couch with some tea, your lovely quilt and your sewing needle. It's soothing and very methodical.

STEP FIVE: WASH IT UP

This part is almost my favorite step of quilting. I love, love, love putting them in the wash.  Once they come out of the dryer it's like magic! The change is so fun and it's just the best feeling when it comes out all crinkly and soft with your stitches looking all purdy! If you're new to quilting you'll know what I mean once you do it. It's fun!

Guess what? You're done! You did it!!! Whether it's your first quilt or you're a seasoned pro I hope you had fun embracing some of your stash! This quilt is economically friendly as well! I even used up leftover batting too! Wouldn't this look great along with our free Simpatico Pillow Tutorial? Adorable!

Now I get to send this quilt off with love to a cute little boy to chew on, roll on, play on, burp up on and just generally cuddle with. Does my heart good :)

For more of our Beginner Quilting Patterns see our Free Bella Collage Quilt Pattern.

What fabrics would you use to make your Embrace Quilt from? Do you have a favorite way to quilt up your larger stash pieces? Don't forget to add your pics to our flickr group if you sew up an Embrace Baby Quilt! I'd love to see them!

p.s. a big thanks to my baby sister and nephew for letting me take over her gorgeous nursery to do my photo shoot.

SEWING || PEEKABOO PATTERN SHOP FALL TOUR: CLASSIC JUMPER

i recently got to take part in the peek-a-boo pattern shop fall 2013 tour!! 

it's been fun watching all the patterns being made and all the bloggers takes on them. when choosing the pattern i wanted to make from peek-a-boo patterns i fell for the classic jumper as soon as i spotted it.  i knew i could get a vibe of vintage/modern twist from it and was just itching to use this print from my stash -  flower bed from house & garden that cloud 9 fabrics released exclusively for joann's. i ordered some as soon as i saw it pop up for sale. i love the color palette and the fun print!

amy has such a great and wonderful collection of patterns in her shop. there is seriously something there for everyone. from undies to skinny jeans, for boys, girls and babies - you name it - she has a pattern for it. my oldest looks forward to wearing her classic jumper during these last few days of hot weather we're having but also pairing it with leggings, a tee and cute boots for the fall!

wanna see some more pics? yay! i can't help but show off the cuteness of this jumper...and the piping...i love me some piping y'all.

cute little jumper right? you can also make versions with pockets, change up where the piping is or leave it off and more in the pattern. i made a mistake when fussy cutting out my right front and had to recut it but didn't have enough to match my prints up perfectly. i'm a perfectionist so this bugs me...lol..darn fussy cutting..lol. i know most people would not even notice and my kiddo sure doesn't so it's all good. i can get over it...sort of... :) overall we're really happy with the dress and fit and i'm sure she will wear this lots and the best part is the size will fit my youngest soon as well. so it's a win win :)

|| FABRIC USED ||
- flower bed (in orange..i think it's called) from house & garden by cloud 9 fabrics for joann.com they seem to be sold out of this print :( but you can find some of this lovely line left online at joann's here.

|| PATTERN USED ||
- classic jumper by peek-a-boo pattern shop
- modifications made:
*this is a size 3T. yes, my child is small. her chest size is teeny tiny. she's 6 years old but fits a size 3T. i was aiming for a cross between tunic/dress length. it was so hot the day of our shoot though she has no leggings on :) still cute if you ask me. i love that length on girls. so retro.
* i didn't sew on any buttons. she is very sensitive to the feel of her clothing and she refused to wear it if i had buttonholes or buttons on it. (i love buttons so this was quite the battle...lol)

make sure you follow along with the rest of the tour!

there's also a great giveaway over on peek-a-boo patterns on saturday! see all the patterns used on the tour and pop on over here to enter to win some prizes!!! 

do you have a favorite peek-a-boo pattern that you love? do you dig the fussy cutting? what's your latest sewing blunder? coffee's on and it's yummy so pull up a seat and let's chat ladies!

*I am an affiliate for peekaboo patterns but my opinions are my own.

SUMMER SWEATER KNIT ALONG || HOW TO BLOCK YOUR KNITTING WITH GUEST JANE RICHMOND

some of you are coming up on the home stretch of your summer sweater knit along projects and one question we hear a lot about in our ravelry group during this time is blocking. how to do it, why to do it, the methodology behind hit, drying times etc.

i was super excited when my bestie and partner in crime jane richmond offered to guest post on this important subject because if you knit - you will need to know how to block and block properly.

i'm so super jealous of the sweet set up jane's got going on that puts my poor methods to shame. honestly...my mind is blown. after you're done reading the post you can find the tutorial on how to make your own sweet blocking set up just like jane's over on her blog today! 

aside from wearing my knits when they are done blocking i have to admit that one of my favorite parts of blocking is not the blocking itself but the soaking. i love the adrenaline rush from taking that item you've SLAVED over and plunging it into soapy water. it's scary and fun all at the same time. i'm also obsessed with what i use to soak my knits. currently i am IN LOVE with eucalan's newest scent - wrapture. obsessed. i've been finding myself hunting around my condo looking for things to block in this lovely scent. in fact i had a handful of samples of wrapture and i'm almost all out. time to buy a big bottle :) think of it as shampoo/perfume for your hand knits. the magic potion to put that extra bit of va va voom to your hand knits! i also really like the brand SOAK as well. i recommend both for your hand knits.

strathcona by jane richmond

so while i daydream of my knits soaked in wrapture i'll let you hear from the lovely jane richmond and her awesome tips on how to block your knitting! let's get soaking!

let's hear from jane....

Fairly recently Shannon had a blocking emergency. It was the day before a photo shoot and she realized she hadn't blocked her knitting so she immediately wet blocked it and laid it flat on her living room floor to dry. By 10 o'clock that night the garment was still damp. After a quick phone conversation, it was decided, I would come and rescue the knitting with the promise that I could have it dry by morning. I kept my word, the crisis was averted, and it got me thinking about putting together a tutorial on how I like to block my knitting. 

Ready? Here we go!

1) I fill the bathroom or kitchen sink (depending on size of knitted item) with tepid water and a no-rinse wool wash such as Eucalan or Soak.

2) I toss in my knitting and squish the soap suds through the fabric. 

3) I let it soak for a minimum of 15-20 minutes. 

...I always set a timer otherwise I forget all about it!

4) Then I drain the sink and squish out as much excess water as I can. It's important to squeeze only, DO NOT wring out your knitting!

5) I lay the item flat on a dry towel and roll or fold it up. If you are blocking a sweater or other large piece of knitting try to support the weight of the entire piece when transferring it from the sink to the towel, that way you won't stretch out the fabric accidentally as wool can get very heavy when it takes on water.

6) I jump around on the towel to squeeze most of the remaining water out of the knitting. I recommend doing this on laminate floor in your kitchen or bathroom otherwise you'll end up with a wet spot on your carpet!

7) Then I unroll the towel and bring my slightly damp knitting over to my blocking area. I've heard of people blocking directly on their carpet, on towels on their bed, on blocking mats, the possibilities are endless really and we as knitters are creative by nature. I like to use window screens which I set on top of my Costco drying rack, this way the entire piece can lay flat and still get air circulation from above and below. Pieces dry in a flash this way and if I have a very urgent deadline I'll set up a standing fan and it does the job in half the time! Just recently Chris and I put our heads together to make a custom drying screen for my knitting (as seen above), if you'd like to see how we made ours you can find the full tutorial on my blog. 

8) Once I've laid my piece out flat I use a measuring tape to ensure I am blocking to the intended measurements.

And that's that! Easy peasy.

Blocking is a great way to help your knitting look it's best. Even if a pattern does not require it as one of the finishing steps it's always nice to give your finished work a little soak to even out the stitches and allow the yarn to bloom and soften. 

Thanks for having me on your blog as part of the Summer Sweater Knit Along Shan! It's always a fun time dropping in on this wonderful space ♥

yay! thanks for stopping by hun! if you wake up tomorrow and that screen is gone you know it's at my house! lol!!!! wink wink... you can find all things jane richmond here:

website  |  blog  |  facebook  |  twitter  |  ravelry  |  instagram

what do you use to do your blocking? do you have a fave method or wash that you are loving? let's chat blocking!!!

>> JOIN IN & SIGN UP <<
- sign up for the knit along by clicking "here".
- get inspired by checking out our kal pinterest board
- take part in all the fun conversation & make new friends in our ravelry group
- find out more and find all the posts and info "here" on our kal homepage.
- remember to tag your instagram/facebook/twitter/google+ pics with #sskal.

>>> OUR AWESOME SPONSORS <<<

KNIT GIRL IN IDAHO

GIVEAWAY || FABRICWORM BIRCH ORGANIC FABRIC GIVEAWAY & FORT FIREFLY!

i've so been looking forward to showing you this version of the sally dress! doesn't this fabric just make you melt? 

i adore it and birch organic fabrics! i knew when i spotted one of their newest lines, fort firefly by teagan white that i had to make a sally dress out of it.

the girls loved the line just as much as i did. in fact they fought over it when it got delivered! it was priceless. in the end my youngest won out :)  i hadn't done a short sleeve version for her yet and wanted to make one and also play around with a different fabric options this time. the other ones i've made are all 1 print or 1 print and a contrast print for the pockets. so i went a little wild for me this time and did 3! talk about dangerous! i couldn't resist though and in the end i adore it. so fun and my little one is over the moon with it. i think it's her favorite sally dress yet.

i have to post more pics to show off the cuteness overload here...i can't resist...we all could use some cuteness on a monday morning right? (keep reading though, there's a giveaway below..hehe)....

now since i looooove birch fabrics so much and i know you all do too we're hosting a fun giveaway from fabricworm today - one of my top go to places to buy fabric! a lucky sewer is going to get a chance to win 2 yards from one of their other equally as adorable upcoming lines "just for fun" by jay-cyn! i love the colors in this line and thought they would be perfect for a sally dress too!

want to find out how to enter?

 

 

|| THE PRIZE ||
- one lucky winner will receive 2 yards from the birch organic fabrics line - "just for fun" by jay-cyn.

|| HOW TO ENTER ||
- simply leave a comment letting me know which print (s) you would choose for your prize.

|| THE RULES ||
- you must leave a valid email address with your comment or you will be disqualified.
- giveaway is open until 09/15/2013, midnight, PST.

have you made a sally dress yet? how cute would one look in the "just for fun" line? are you a fan of birch fabrics too? so adorable! happy sewing & fabric dreaming!

>>> NOTES >>>
- penny's garden from fort firefly by teagan white for birch fabrics
- field party from fort firefly by teagan white for birch fabrics
- fireflies mineral from fort firefly by teagan white for birch fabrics
- sally dress pattern in sizes 2T-8 

SUMMER SWEATER KNIT ALONG || WHAT'S IN YOUR KNITTING BAG?

this is fun. c'mon...admit it, you're all as nosy as i am and love to see what other knitters carry around in their knitting bags. 

i had way too much fun doing this and had to stop myself from taking copious amounts of pictures of inanimate objects that are part of my favorite thing about knitting - the notions and accessories! if we are on a yarn diet we can still buy tools..hehe..and bags...and stitch markers...and tape measures...and pretty little things...the list goes on!

wanna see more of what's in mine on a typical day?

on any given day the above are always with me in one of my knitting bags. i use the project bags you see below and the black and white zippered pouch comes with me EVERYWHERE. in fact, i need to make a bigger one. all the goodies in the first pic of this post fit in there...barely :) you can find more on my box bag here, my sock knitting project bag here (free tutorial) and my zippered pouch here.

i like to use my indie project bag or my jordana paige bag (if i have a lot bring) when i take my knitting out and i need more than what will fit in the bags below. my indie bag fits 2-3 projects, journals, my full set of needles and more so it's my go to car knitting/knit night etc bag for my on the go knitting.

so...c'mon now...i showed you mine so you show me yours...what's in your knitting bag? 

ITEMS IN MY BAG....
---> foldable scissors from knit picks
---> needle gauge from churchmouse yarns
---> retractable tape measure from knit picks and knitsocial 
---> stitch markers from sweet fiber yarns 
---> lace stitch markers, misc stitch markers from knit picks 
---> locking stitch markers &  split ring stitch markers from knit picks
---> bent tip tapestry needles 
---> cable knitting needle from knit picks
---> stitch markers from my lovely friend aja, amy and jana
---> miscellaneous journals
---> clover #336 knitting counter (kacha-kacha) (bought from urban yarns)
---> snap'n go notions case from exchanging fire

>> JOIN IN & SIGN UP <<
- sign up for the knit along by clicking "here".
- get inspired by checking out our kal pinterest board
- take part in all the fun conversation & make new friends in our ravelry group
- find out more and find all the posts and info "here" on our kal homepage.
- remember to tag your instagram/facebook/twitter/google+ pics with #sskal.

>>> OUR AWESOME SPONSORS <<<

KNIT GIRL IN IDAHO

CRUSHES || FABRIC LOVE!

yummy! fabric love! boy do the fabrics in this post make me drool!

i've been stockpiling some of my new fave fabrics over the last few weeks. i've shared sneak peeks on instagram and realized i still had to blog these pretties! i recently spent a few days cleaning out my stash and reorganizing my fabrics. it felt great to clean out a lot of older fabrics i've been holding on to for way too long and making more room for new and inspiring prints just begging to be sewn with! it feels great and i'm almost at the point where i can show off (finally!) some pics of my workspace with you all!

in the meantime though here are some of my newest babies....

TULE by leah duncan for art gallery fabrics

the above pics all show some of my favorite new lines - tule by leah duncan for art gallery fabrics. to say i have been counting down since i first saw pics of this line is an understatement. i've been stalking art gallery fabrics to get my hands on some for weeks! i also got some of their newest blenders squared to try out as well. these lovelies are going to be a new quilt for me! yay!

FORT FIREFLY by teagan white for birch fabrics

also on my drool radar is the newest line coming from birch fabrics - fort firefly by teagan white. how gorgeous are these! i'm making a sally dress with these (so cute!) and need to get more of the line. the girls were fighting over them so i think quilts may be in order or at least more clothes!

BRIAR ROSE by heather ross for windham fabrics

and just to up the cute factor even more i had to jump on the briar rose bandwagon and get some jersey to add to my cotton collection of this line by heather ross for windham fabrics.

various knits from www.girlcharlee.com

and to top it all off my knit obsession has continued. more lovelies from girlcharlee for a new sewing pattern (hopefully) and some other fun lovelies! see that grey with the little silver dots? that's for my lady skater dress by kitschy coo! i can't wait to make one! and remember, you can save 10% off at girl charlee with the coupon "LUVMOMMY"! coupon is valid for 2 more months!

i can't wait to get some serious sewing time in using these lovelies! what new fabric lines are you crushing on this month? any faves you recently splurged on? share! i'd love to hear your new fabric crushes!

KNITTING || THE BARBARA COWL - FREE PATTERN!!

BARBARA COWL  ||  DOWNLOAD NOW

i've been so excited to share today's FREE knitting pattern! the barbara cowl is here!

i was over the moon to be able to design this pattern for sweet georgia yarns using their brand new yarn - trinity worsted (70% superwash merino, 20% cashmere, 10% silk). you all know how much I love cashmere and you mix that with sweet georgia yarn and color and i'm in heaven!!!! the barbara cowl only takes 2 pretty skeins! the perfect indulgence pattern. you know we all deserve a little cashmere in our lives....

this pattern is so fun! fo'reals! it's ideal purse knitting but not boring purse knitting! 

barbara is a squishy, comfy and reversible infinity cowl perfect for layering that looks great worn single or double looped. barbara is sure to be a “go-to” cowl in your wardrobe. barbara is knit flat to allow you to try on your cowl as you knit to get the best length for your height and body type. the barbara cowl showcases the subtleness of hand dyed yarn and is a satisfying project perfect for a beginner and beyond. the broken rib pattern is easy to memorize and fun to knit.

those of you who know me know that i love sweet georgia yarns and so do my knitter pals. we heart felicia and her wonderful, bright, bold and gorgeous line of fabulous yarns! the fact that she is located in vancouver, bc is just icing on the cake since it's so close i can actually see felicia occasionally and embrarass her by hugging and fawning over her beautiful yarns. she is so talented and her yarns are stunning. if you haven't knit with sweet georgia yarns you should definitely try. you'll be addicted - trust me! so yarn yummy!!!

the barbara cowl was inspired by my best friend and biggest supporter - my lovely mom barbara. 

you can read more about the inspiration behind this cowl and more over on the sweet georgia blog today. my mom and dad were just in town for 2 weeks and they left this morning. needless to say i'm still crying. i miss them horribly already (love you guys).

BARBARA COWL ||  DOWNLOAD NOW

head on over to ravelry to get your FREE COPY today! i'm so excited to see some of these knit up!! make sure to show off pics of your barbara cowls in our ravelry group here. happy knitting!

you can find all awesome things sweet georgia yarns below:

website || blog || facebook || twitter || instagram

*all images by felicia lo of sweet georgia yarns

SURPRISES & A WINNER

octobers by nannerburns of the blog dear friend

fall is just around the corner and i have a yummy surprise coming up for you all on monday that i can't wait to spill the beans on! 

in the meantime i'm going to be spending the next few days with my mom/dad & family that are in town visiting. and to all you fellow anne of green gables fans (ahem...cate) i thought you would love the image above found on the blog dear friend.

i also have a winner to announce!!! the winner of the lunden patterns giveaway is.................

commenter #64 - melanie

congrats! we'll be in touch with you soon with your prize melanie!

you can find all things lunden designs below:

website  |  blog  |  shop  |  facebook

a big thank you to all of you who have shown so much support this week to my pattern design business! without all of you i wouldn't be able to do what i love. so thank you all! wishing you all a wonderful, relaxing, daydream and family filled weekend. see you all on monday!

SUMMER SWEATER KNIT ALONG || EASY EASE WITH GUEST ALICIA PLUMMER OF TWO LITTLE PLUMS

Pattern: Portside by Alicia Plummer || Image Src: PostScriptLove

i'm so excited to have one of my fave knitting designer pals on the blog today for our summer sweater knit along! the lovely, talented and oh so funny alicia plummer of two little plums is here with us today talking about all things ease. i know a lot of you are always chatting about ease. how much, how little, where, how it works, how to change it etc...so i thought it was fitting to have the designer of the sweater actually called "ease" (which is currently at the top of my "to make list") come and chat with us all about ease.

alicia's designs are so perfectly northeast cozy with modern lines. they are the sort of designs you will stop everything to knit and that you love to wear when you are done. true wardrobe staples with clean and comfy design aesthetics. i'm so lucky to know alicia as a friend as well as a designer and this girl has some mad skills people. she also sews! so make sure you pop by her blog or ravelry page and give her a nice warm hello!

and now let's hear from alicia......

Ease. The word alone conjures up images of effortlessness, breezy weather, and relaxed emotions.

It sounds “easy”…(not in the negative connotation! Ha.) In the knitting world, however, it can cause a lot of anxiety and confusion for the knitter. How can something so simple sounding be so…so…frustrating?

Simply put, Ease is the difference in measurement from the finished garment to the wearer’s actual body.

Negative Ease is what you see when something appears “skin tight”, like many popular tank tops these days. Chances are, you have some layering tanks in your closet now. Curious? Take one out, lay it on the floor and measure across the body directly under the armpits. More than likely, it’s smaller than your chest circumference. Since it’s a knitted fabric, it stretches and gives where it needs to. Something from a less forgiving fabric like canvas or linen wouldn’t even fit over your head! Most knitted hats and fingerless mitt are written with negative ease so that they stay put! In this case, negative ease is necessary. My upcoming Thoroughbred mitts (shown at bottom of post) are written with just .5'' of negative ease, but they hug the hands nicely.

Ease by Alicia Plummer

No ease is when the finished measurements are identical to your own. My version of Jane Richmond’s stunningly simple Oatmeal pullover is a good example of no ease.

Positive Ease, my personal favorite of the Eases, is larger around than the wearer’s measurements. I find it the most flattering because not every single aspect of your anatomy is on display, and I have parts that should be in baggier clothing (sigh. The mummy tummy). Positive ease does not necessarily mean you’ll look like you’re wearing a big potato sack. When I put a test call out on my sweaters, a lot of the time I hear testers say “I don’t want it to be too baggy. Can I modify it?” (we will get into modification in the next paragraph). Well, a lot of ease with the right shaping can be downright gorgeous.

My favorite sweater I’ve ever designed is Ease—I don’t think there’s a knitter out there who doesn’t look amazing in it! 

Ease has an intended 3’’ of positive ease at the bust, but less at the waist and hips. That gives it a slouchy yet flattering look. Portside, however, has almost no intended ease at the bust but increasing ease at the hips and waist. Heathered, by Melissa Schaschwary, has 3’’ of positive ease throughout—also flattering.

But will it fit me? I’ve seen (and been!) a paralyzed knitter who is stuck trying to decide on a size. 

Because a knit fabric stretches, more than likely your sweater will fit unless your gauge is terribly wrong. (This has happened to me before. 31’’ bust for an 18m old child? No thanks. Lots of ripping there!) Modifying for intended ease is simpler than you think.

Let’s say that there is a sweater you love with 2’’ of intended ease in a gauge of 5 sts to the inch and you’re a 33’’ bust, but the sweater is based on a 34’’ bust (so pattern garment 36’’ total, but you need 35’’ for the ideal fit). Your stitch count for the bust in pattern would be 36 x5, which is 180 sts. Simply take your gauge and multiply by your bust plus intended ease (so 33 plus 2, is 35). 35 x 5 is 175 sts. Work to that number instead of the number in the pattern. Schematic measurements are a great help when doing this. You can take the schematic and write down your numbers (with intended ease—don’t forget this step!) and multiply by gauge to determine your ideal stitch counts.

Viola! Perfection!

In closing, ease of all types can be flattering depending on how it’s used. The thicker the yarn, the more ease you’ll want. Happy knitting! xoxo

thank you so much for coming on today alicia! thank you for being a wonderful friend and for all the chuckles my cute little space bar you xoxoxo you know how much i adore you.

you guys can find all things alicia plummer on her ravelry page here or on her blog here.

what are your favorite tips about ease? any tricks you use to help keep it all straight? a fave sweater you love that plays with ease? come chat! i can't wait to see how all of your projects are coming along! 

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SEWING || THE SALLY DRESS PATTERN IS HERE!!

THE SALLY DRESS PDF SEWING PATTERN ||  BUY NOW

The Sally Dress is here!!! Yay! I'm so gosh darn excited about this dress! I hope you will all enjoy it as much as my girls and I do! 

The Sally Dress was part of the Vintage May Series earlier this year (you can read more about it here) and was inspired by the lovely character Sally Draper of the hit tv show Mad Men. I wanted to create a dress that was vintage inspired but still modern. I love dress silhouettes that work well with fabric pairings and customization. A little trim, piping or piecing on the bodice,  fun pockets (lining and outer) and this dress can have a whole new look! Switch up your skirt and bodice prints, go with solids - you name it - The Sally Dress can roll with it. The Sally Dress is sized for 2T - 8 and is suitable for an Advanced Beginner/Intermediate level sewer.

THE SALLY DRESS PDF SEWING PATTERN ||  BUY NOW

Want to flex your sewing muscles? 

All of the The Sally Dress versions are fully lined (I love me a lined dress) and comes with sleeveless, short sleeve and elbow length sleeve options. I love it's square neckline and the fact that there are no closures!!! Say what? Yep - I said it - no closures! This is a slip on/slip off kinda dress. Fun right? If you make the Sally Dress you will see that to account for the larger sizes the bodices jump up a bit in size. This is to account for the head size and to enable a larger child to get the dress on and off without too much assistance. So please choose your sizes carefully when sewing. You  may even want to do up a muslin first to make sure the fit is good for your child. The bodice fits a tad looser than on the younger styles but is still equally as adorable if you ask me :)

THE SALLY PATTERN FEATURES:

:: sizes 2T-8

:: fully lined bodice

:: square neckline

:: no closures

:: sleeveless and 2 sleeve length options

:: clear and easy to understand step by step instructions with a professional finish

:: 24 page color PDF sewing pattern

:: size chart, fabric requirements, notions, and sewing tips/glossary to ensure a great fit

:: bright & colorful photography

:: a great sewing experience

The Sally Dress is available to purchase at the following:

MY SHOP  ||  ETSY  ||  GO TO PATTERNS || CRAFTSY (coming soon)

What's new for The Sally Dress? One of my favorite things about The Sally Dress Pattern itself is the diagrams. 

It's been a personal goal of mine to have the whole sewing pattern be in diagrams and I'm super excited to have been able to do them all myself. Illustrator and I have become quite good friends. Even though we had a few tiffs...lol, we're now in a good place. I hope to learn more and improve upon what I've already established for the next set of patterns. I hope you enjoy them and that you find it clear and easy to follow. It was a new fun and creative outlet for me. I love to draw so this kind of technical drawing really opened up a new way of thinking for me that I enjoyed.

I have to give a huge shout out to my testers for The Sally Dress. They all worked so hard and some made more than a few Sally dresses! I love you guys! Thank you for all of your support for this pattern and for all your feedback. In the next few weeks we will be showing off their hard work here on the blog. I can't wait to show you some of the versions that were sewn up! Just stunning! So stay tuned for that and also an upcoming Sally Dress Pattern Tour!!! Yay!

I also have to give a special shout out to Karen of One Girl Circus for all of her help and support during the making of the Sally Dress. Big hugs luv! Karen is so awesome she even has a great tutorial on her blog to give you guys a visual walk through of how to sew sleeves into a lined bodice today! Yay! This is a great asset to our full pattern and I recommend checking it out! I love me a bit of hand sewing. There's something so comforting about sitting down and enjoying the calm of creating some lovely finishing touches to your garment. A clean finish is priceless in my book.

and now for some more pics....I just can't resist...my littlest just looks so darn cute in her Sally Dresses. You can also find more pics in my shop here!

I hope you feel inspired and are ready to get sewing The Sally Dress! It's such a great feeling when your wee one is wearing a dress you made with love and someone approaches you and says "where did you buy her dress?"! It makes my heart swell and my girls just love it! It's one of the little things in life that I cherish. So grab some of your absolute favorite fabric and get creative and sew up a Sally Dress today! 

THE SALLY DRESS PDF SEWING PATTERN || BUY NOW

Have you made a Sally Dress? Make sure to add your pictures to our Flickr Group so we can see your versions! I can't wait! For any pattern support or questions please email me at luvinthemommyhood@yahoo.ca I hope you enjoy the dress and thank you so very much in advance for all of your support! Happy sewing! xoxoxox

||  FABRICS USED  ||

Elbow Length Sleeve Version:
- Calico Lilac from Briar Rose by Heather Ross for Windham Fabrics.
- Strawberry Lilac from Briar Rose by Heather Ross for Windham Fabrics.

Sleeveless Version:
- Floradots in Saffron by Erin McMorris for Free Spirit Fabrics.
- Bodice and pocket are lined with Hidden Treasures Gold from Indie by Pat Bravo for Art Gallery Fabrics.

SUMMER SWEATER KNIT ALONG || FREE PRINTABLE YARN STASH BALL BANDS!!

my stash needs some tlc and reorganizing. you know how it goes right friends?

i recently got some new lovelies to add to my stash and when going to put them all away i realized i've let my yarn stash get slightly messy and a tad disorganized. i also realized i've been a bad, bad girl and while even though adding my stash to my ravelry stash page i have not been as diligent as i should be on keeping my ball bands with my wound skeins. oops!

now looking back there are a few i'm pondering what they actually are. so laying in bed last night staring at my stash as i was falling asleep (am i the only one who does this???) i thought why not come up with my own fun ball band that i can print out and wrap around my stash for those skeins and cakes that i have lost my ball bands for. i can then take all my deets from my ravelry stash page and write it on my ball band! yesiree! and then i thought i had to share it with all of you because i had so much gosh darn fun making it.

so print it out - cut it out and wrap those lovelies with it or curl it up and stick in in your cake. whatever floats your boat :)

i've given you 2 sizes - a regular ball band size and a larger one that may fit around a wound cake. they are lovingly called  "Oops....I lost my ball band".

click below to download your copy!

Oops...I lost my ball band - Regular Size. Free Printable!
Oops...I lost my ball band - Cake Size. Free Printable!

oh and one tip to remember....you are more than allowed to sing britney spears "oops, i did it again" while printing and cutting these out as they were my inspiration for the name :) and yes, that's how we roll around here.

how do you keep your stash organized? bins? totes? ravelry? let's chat stash love m'dears! who doesn't love hearing and seeing others people stash?!

>> JOIN IN & SIGN UP <<
- sign up for the knit along by clicking "here".
- get inspired by checking out our kal pinterest board
- take part in all the fun conversation & make new friends in our ravelry group
- find out more and find all the posts and info "here" on our kal homepage.
- remember to tag your instagram/facebook/twitter/google+ pics with #sskal.

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LIFESTYLE || HUSTLEMAMA HANDMADE MASON JAR LOVE!

have you all still been crushing on your mason jars as much as i have? i take mine with me EVERYWHERE.

after writing this post and hearing from shannon of "hustlemama handmade" i couldn't resist doing a post showing off some of the goodies she has to offer for all of us mason jar addicts. i mean honestly - if i can put a stylin' sleeve on my jar, add a colorful straw, a funky lid and make my smoothie/coffee/water sipping that much more fun - i'm game!

shannon sells lots of wonderful goodies in her etsy shop. from handmade mason jar sleeves, adorable re-usable straws (bpa free), cuppows & jar lids, to super cute snack and sammy bags (sandwich bags) for both boys and girls, you're sure to find something awesome in her shop!  my kids and i are super excited to try out our new goodies!  she also does sewing and custom orders with embroidery as well!

the icing on the cake? my turquoise cuppow! 

yep, i said turquoise. swoon!!!! brings a smile to my face every time i use it! perfect for sipping my grapefruit/orange/lemon detox water in! oh the little things in life right? i don't know about you guys but these things brighten my day and yes - my hubs thinks i'm nuts..lol. anyone else relate?

if you're looking to spice up your mason jar drinking or stock you and your kids lunches up in style hop on over to hustlemama handmade and say hi! and guess what! hustlemama handmade is also offering a discount for luvinthemommyhood readers! 

use coupon code "MOMMYHOOD" for 20% OFF until 08/25/2013!!!

have fun spoiling your mason jars...wink wink! you can find all things hustlemama handmade below:

shop  ||  facebook  ||  instagram

what's your fave way to style up your mason jar? what size is your fave? do you have one of the new colored cuppows? any new green smoothie or detox water recipes you want to share? come chat & sip with me!

MOMENTS IN THE MOMMYHOOD || MINI VACAY & A WINNER

we had a lovely little much needed mini vacay on the weekend to visit friends and family up island. i feel like i want to jump into the shot above from my IG feed and relive it.

it was relaxing and much needed. after being stuck in our condo it sure felt great to be in a house that is stylin' and lovely with a great backyard and lots of space. i swear i would take pics all day if i lived there the light is so amazing! we also got to spend the day at a friends house that had the best outdoor pool/backyard. i am not kidding one iota when i say i literally ran to the pool, stripped down (to my bathing suit, which is new that i adore that i got at the bay for 60% off peeps! what a steal! it even held the boobs in!), jumped in and never got back out - for. 4 1/2. hours. no lie. i wasn't even shrivelled. it was AMAZING! add on a great game of bocci ball and a bbq that i could eat! thank you so much to the leitz's for the dairy free, gluten free, nut free food! i know i'm a pain in the ars to feed and i so appreciate the lovely meal and having us all over to your lovely home for the day. and thank you to the brown's for giving us your amazing home again while you slept in the trailer! you guys are the best! it is a holiday we will remember for a long time. i had so much fun and we had a great time, as always with you all.

now we're counting down till next week when my folks are coming to town for 2 weeks and i am SO EXCITED! i get to see my parents about once a year and boy do i miss them. we're all looking forward to time with them. so bear with me if i only pop in here and there the next 2 weeks - i'll be soaking up some mommy/daddy love and i even get to see my grandparents and my omi as well! i've been missing my family oh so bad and after working so hard these last few months under a ton of stress this is much needed family time for all of us.

the pics above are all from my instagram feed. you can find more shots of my daily life and such on my instagram feed here. i'm under "luvinthemommyhood". come follow me...purdy please? lol.

i also remembered while i was away that i forgot to announce the winner of the copy of "handmade in the uk" from the other week! whoops! doh! our lucky winner is..........

commenter #5: margo from the blog "love, luck, bliss"

congratulations my friend! so excited random.org picked ya! we'll be in touch soon to let you know about your prize!

what are you all up to this weekend? what projects have you been working on? have you been sewing/knitting/crafting? fill me in! i'd love to hear about it! come chat with me :)

wishing you all a weekend filled with wonderful, slow mornings, steamy coffee, laughs, good friends, family, cuddles, late nights and fun! luv you guys and i'll see you next week! xoxoxo

SUMMER SWEATER KNIT ALONG || KNITTING WITH LINEN WITH GUEST HANNAH FETTIG OF KNITBOT

image src: knitbot

one of the things i find the most exciting about our summer sweater knit alongs are the yarns. ohhhh...the choices. so many gorgeous and drool worth yarns being knit with! 

watching all the chit chat about project choices and pairing the right yarns, colors, etc together is just so darn inspiring! during all these discussions one of the most chatted about fibers is linen. there's always questions about knitting with linen, which in case you're wondering, makes a beautiful, light weight garment. it's an interesting fiber to work with and one our ravelry group is always chatting about.

image src: quince & co

when thinking about a post on knitting with linen i thought who better to bring in to give us the low down on knitting with linen than hannah fettig herself! swoon! her newest collection "knitbot linen" for quince & co speaks for itself. clean, modern lines let that linen just shine! quince & co's linen yarn - sparrow is just lovely.

i'm so excited to have hannah fettig as a guest today! she has been one of my favorite designers for years now and her pattern the "effortless cardigan" was the reason our summer sweater knit alongs even started to begin with. it was my first adult sized garment. so thank you hannah - for all your inspiration & for being here with us today!

images src: knit bot linen

now let's here from hannah...

I have worked with linen and other plant fiber based yarns in the past.  But this year I truly discovered just how wonderful it is, both to work with and to wear.  If you're familiar with my design work you know about my love affair with open front drapey cardigans.  Linen fabric naturally drapes and knit at a looser gauge, well, it's doesn't get much drapier than this.

Recently I shared some tips for working with linen yarn on my website.  I wanted to share them here with Shannon's readers since some of you may be venturing into linen for her summer KAL. 

Linen yarn is spun from a plant fiber so it isn't forgiving the way wool is.  Any stitch you create is going to be frozen in time exactly as you make it, no amount of blocking is going to change what those stitches are.  But no worries!  If you work with it correctly you'll still achieve beautiful finished garments.  Here are a few tips I have and maybe other knitters can leave comments with some things they've learned.

TIPS FOR KNITTING WITH LINEN

1. Joining a new ball: You want to be mindful of not running out of yarn on the front or back centers of any pieces.  When starting a new ball, do so at the side seam or some other inconspicuous spot.  To join the new ball, knit the next stitch with the tail of the previous ball and the new ball held together.  This will secure the yarn - you can now proceed with the new ball.  If it's still feeling unsecured you could temporarily knot the two strands.

2. Duplicate stitch: You'll want to weave your ends in using a duplicate stitch on the WS to make sure those ends won't be visible from the front.  Here Jerusha demonstrates how this is done, tracing the yarn through the purl bumps:

3. Washing: Yes, I say washing instead of blocking because unlike wool, you can throw you're linen garment right into the washer and then DRYER and it won't shrink.  In fact, the fabric will be all the softer for it.  Below, the hand washed and dried swatch is on the top, the machine washed and dried swatch on the bottom.  Go ahead and conduct you're own swatch wash test if you're nervous about laundering your entire garment.  I do like to pull the piece out of the dryer while it's still a little bit damp, not all the way dry.

So is your interest peaked in linen?  May I suggest checking out my new collection Knitbot Linen which features six designs in Quince & Co. Sparrow, a fantastic fingering weight yarn available in Pam Allen's beautiful palette.  Also, if you've had the Featherweight Cardigan in your queue for awhile, or maybe Breezy Cardigan or Wispy Cardi, these would all be fantastic in Sparrow.  If I weren't knitting away on a collection for fall, I would be casting on a Featherweight for myself right now!

thanks again for joining us hannah! you can find all things knitbot and hannah here:

website ||  facebook  ||  ravelry  ||  pinterest  ||  twitter

what are your tips for knitting with linen? do you love working with this fiber? come chat! it's sskal day! i want to hear all about your projects this week!

>> JOIN IN & SIGN UP << 
- sign up for the knit along by clicking "here".
- get inspired by checking out our kal pinterest board
- take part in all the fun conversation & make new friends in our ravelry group
- find out more and find all the posts and info "here" on our kal homepage.
- remember to tag your instagram/facebook/twitter/google+ pics with #sskal.

 >>CHECK OUT OUR AMAZING SPONSORS<<

KNIT GIRL IN IDAHO

GIVEAWAY || LUNDEN DESIGNS SEWING PATTERN COLLECTION!!

i just got back from a mini vacay just in time to giveaway an amazing prize from one of my favorite quilt pattern designers!!

melissa of lunden designs sewing patterns is celebrating her one year anniversary and release of her paper pattern collection in digital form! so in honor of this we decided to throw a BIG giveaway!!! melissa's patterns are modern, fun, and a joy to make! ever since i spotted her stargazer pattern on pinterest last year i have been a huge fan of melissa's designs. we bonded over our love of birch organic fabrics and i always look forward to what she's going to make next! as you can see in the picture above i looooove her patterns. that's my personal collection :)

and on top of the giveaway she's also offering a 15% discount off her etsy shop until 08/18 with the coupon code "DIGILOVE"!!! so grab your fave fabrics and make yourself a lovely new quilt!!!

so if you're looking to get inspired by a well written and exciting quilt pattern with beautiful results i highly recommend lunden designs sewing patterns!

are you ready to find out what the prize is? yay!

\\ THE PRIZE \\
- one lucky winner will the ENTIRE collection of lunden designs sewing patterns in digital form!!!

\\ HOW TO ENTER \\
- simply leave me a comment letting me know which quilt pattern is your fave of lunden designs.

\\ THE RULES \\
- you must leave a valid email address in your comment or you will be disqualified.
- giveaway is open until 08/18/2013, midnight, pst.

a big thank you to melissa of lunden designs for the super generous giveaway! thanks hun and here's to another fabulous and amazing year!!! and thank you to all of you for your entries! happy quilting!!!

website  |  blog  |  shop  |  facebook

SEWING WITH KNITS || CATE'S COWL - FREE TUTORIAL!

who's in the mood for a free tutorial? me! me! me! you're gonna love this one!

it was my bday in june and i splurged on some new workout outfits for myself and while shopping i came across a fabulous cowl that you could wear ruched or unruched - so fun!!! the cowl had channels running down either end of it allowing you to wear it in various styles. i was IN LOVE!

since then i haven't been able to stop thinking about it and with a hefty price tag i decided to just whip one up for myself. once done i realized that i had to share because i have been wearing this cowl non-stop. and i mean non stop. it's so comfy and soft and versatile and....well i could just go on and on but i'll save your from listening so you have more time to sew one up for yourself.

 

the cowl is named after my lovely and sweet friend cate who is ever so stylish and always has the best outfits/shoes on. i only wish i was her size so i could steal them all...lol. 

she was shopping with me that day and i had to get her to model it for you as well! i hope you all enjoy it as much as i do! this cowl really is the perfect accessory. xmas is just around the corner too and it sews up fast! so if  you've been scared of sewing with knits before now is the time to conquer it! this is a great project for practicing sewing with knits!

RUCHED....

 

 

NOT RUCHED...

you ready to sew with me? yahoo! let's get those knits ready!

TIPS FOR SEWING WITH KNITS
Sew with a straight stitch suitable for knits with your machine. I like to go up about 2 numbers in length for my machine. You could also use a zig zag stitch or choose to do a zig zag stitch and a straight stitch together to reinforce it. You could also use an overlock stitch on your machine if you have one. And if you have a serger just use that :) I also recommend if you are sewing with a regular machine to use a needle for knits. Trust me on that one. It helps tons. You can use any of these methods in the tutorial below.

CATE'S COWL TUTORIAL

MATERIALS
- 2 yds stretch fabric (I used a black tribal print that was a cotton jersey blend (it's sold out sorry) from www.girlcharlee.com)
- coordinating thread
- stretch needle for your machine (optional)
- long pieces of ribbon or elastic (optional)
- rotary cutter with mat or scissors

INSTRUCTIONS

STEP ONE - CUTTING OUT YOUR TIES

*NOTE: IF YOU ARE USING RIBBON OR ELASTIC PLEASE MOVE ON TO STEP TWO.

Cut 2 strips of fabric 2"W x (height of your yardage) along the entire side edge of your fabric (I used my selvages for my ties). When cutting your fabric you should have your selvages running along the left and right side of your fabric. These pieces of fabric will be your ties for your cowl. *See diagram above.

STEP TWO - SEWING YOUR COWL

Next fold your fabric in half width wise, right sides facing each other (bring your left side to meet your right side edge). Sew along this side edge with a 1/2" seam allowance. *See diagram above.

Next we are going to sew your unsewn ends together to form a cowl. These will now become the sides of your cowl. So lay your cowl out in front of you, with your center seam (the seam you just sewed) in the middle running left to right with right sides facing you. Your unsewn edges will now be on the left and right. *See diagram above.

Bring your unsewn ends together matching up the center seams on both of them together. Place a pin here. These will be RS facing each other. Now continue pinning your unsewn ends together. This will begin to form a circle. Don't worry about the rest of your cowl, just keep it out of the way for now. This process will help to keep the cowl 3 dimensional and not flat. Now stitch along where you pinned with a 1/2" seam allowance starting from where your center seams matched up, all along these unsewn edges until you can't sew anymore. This will form a circle when you are done. You will have an opening a few inches wide here that we will close up in a few steps. *See diagram above.

Now this sounds harder than it is. It's actually quite an easy step but I know a lot of people get stumped at this step. So for those of you who are visual here's a great video by the crafty gemini that you can watch to see how to sew this portion of the cowl. If you go to about 4minutes in you will see the process that I have just explained.

STEP THREE - ADDING YOUR TIES

Now keep your cowl right side out. Sew along the left side of your side seam (the one you just sewed) with a 1" seam allowance taking care not to sew the other part of your cowl. This will create half of the channel needed for your ties. Repeat for the other side of the original seam. Then top stitch on top of the seam line of your side seam while also carefully folding under a 1/2" seam allowance for your opening that you had left open shut when you get to it. This will create 2 channels. *See diagram above.

Now find the center of the other side of your cowl. Sew a line down the center. Next sew two lines spaced 1" apart on either side of the line you just stitched. You will now have 4 channels in total - 2 running down each side of your cowl. 2 on your left side and 2 on your right side.

Using your seam ripper or scissors gently and carefully cut open the ends of each of your channels ONLY.

Attach a long safety pin to one end of your fabric ties (ribbon or elastic). Starting with one end of the channel feed it up and through to the other end, then feed back in starting at the top of the channel beside the one you just came out of. Feed it down that channel and out the other end.

I kept my 2 strips really long until after feeding them through my channels. Once feeding them through you only need the strips to be as long as your cowl is fully opened (not ruched). Trim them and stitch the ends of the strips together. Repeat this for your other set of channels. Trim your seam allowances nicely and pull the ties so the sewing seam is hidden inside the channel. Now ruche to your hearts content! *See diagram above.

STEP FOUR - WEARING YOUR COWL

The options are so fun here! Wear your infinity cowl long and single looped with no ruching, or pull the ruching for a different look entirely! Or switch it up and double wrap your cowl with the ruching or no ruching as well! Cate's Cowl is soft, cozy and like your best friend - there for you every day!!! So whatcha waiting for? Go make one....heck make 3! You'll wear them...I promise!

my knit fabric was purchased from girl charlee. if you're looking for awesome knit fabrics head on over and use code "LUVMOMMY" to get 10% OFF your order! coupon is valid until end of oct!

happy sewing! i hope you enjoy the tutorial! make sure to upload pics of your projects in our flickr group so i can see your lovely cowls! xoxox

SUMMER SWEATER KNIT ALONG || TOP 5 TIPS FOR CONQUERING YOUR WIP'S

ok, let's all admit it, the majority of us has a stack of wip's just sitting there waiting for us to come and pick them back up. they sit in the corner and watch as our excitement for them gets replaced by new and fresh projects, as our attention wanes and fades, until the day, which could be weeks, months or years from now, when we finally...finally...come back and pick them back up. you know them. most of us have them.

and for those of you who never have a stack of wip's i bow down to you. the gemini in me cannot stand not having new projects on the go at all times. 

in fact i get creatively claustrophobic if i'm stuck working on the same thing and only one thing for a long period of time. it makes me cringe just typing it. so for this year's summer sweater knit along i thought to myself let's tackle those wip's and give ourselves the encouragement to quit procrastinating and get finishing them. let's cheer each other on as we struggle with sleeveitis (oh how i suffer from a bad case of never finishing sleeves), or seaming or button sewing and any other thing that keeps us from finishing those darn wip's.

when thinking about what to make myself for this years summer sweater knit along the thought of a new sweater made me nervous. i just don't have it in me to start yet another wip. so for this years sskal i'm going to "attempt"...haha...attempt being the key word to finish at least 1 of my wip's. you see, i have 3, yes 3, sweaters on the needles at the moment. i know, it's sad right? those poor, poor sweaters. one of them has been there for 2 christmases now! i really would like to wear it for this xmas but then again, i say that every year...lol.

i also started to think about how i can manage my wip's more. here's some of the things that i'm going to aim for now with my wip's.

TOP 5 TIPS FOR CONQUERING YOUR WIP'S

SET LIMITS FOR YOURSELF
i'm going to try to set limits from now own. for example i will allow myself to "try" to have say only 2-3 accessories and 1-2 garments maximum on the needles during any given time. any more than that and projects go to the wip graveyard. set your limits for what will work for you.

KEEP YOUR YARN STASH UNDER CONTROL
try buying yarn only when you have a project/design/inspiration already in mind for it. try to buy yarn for projects that are current for you to work on. not ones you will be making "maybe" in the future. and of course, this is what works for me - this one (all of you who have gorgeous & large yarn stashes) may not work for everyone :) you could also go on a yarn diet until your wip's are done. good incentive to splurge on new yarn!

USE RAVELRY TO YOUR ADVANTAGE
regularly update and organize your stash and project wip's in ravelry. i find that when i go in and actually look at the amount of projects that i have as a wip it's easier to control new projects being started and to re-inspire me to pick back up my wip's.

PLAN AHEAD
give yourself a realistic timeline to finish your projects when you start them. you can also throw some time in there to add in special projects that catch your eye so you can easily put a wip on hold and whip up a new one in between.

MAKE FINISHING UP WIP'S FUN
find a kal, or knit along that makes finishing up wip's fun. or pick a time in each year that you allow yourself to "only" work on wip's and fall back in love with them. i hope this years sskal is a fun way for you all to get some wip's finished up.

which wip's do i have on the go? here they are in all their glory!


|| THE OATMEAL PULLOVER ||

||  AUDREY  ||

|| LEVENWICK ||

here's hoping i get at least 1 of them done!  you can see all my wip's on my ravelry page here.

are you working on wip's for this years sskal? how are your projects coming along? fill me in! i'd love to know your tips on controlling and finishing wip's!

>> JOIN IN & SIGN UP <<
- sign up for the knit along by clicking "here".
- get inspired by checking out our kal pinterest board
- take part in all the fun conversation & make new friends in our ravelry group
- find out more and find all the posts and info "here" on our kal homepage.
- remember to tag your instagram/facebook/twitter/google+ pics with #sskal.

>> OUR AWESOME SPONSORS <<

KNIT GIRL IN IDAHO

SEWING || TUMBLE TEES PATTERN TOUR!

 it's time for the....tumble...tumble....tumble.....TUMBLE TEE PATTERN TOUR!

we're so excited today to be part of the tumble tee pattern tour for the lovely rachael of imagine gnats new pattern! i heart the tumble tee. seriously gals...this top/dress is sooooo fast to whip up and the kiddos just adore it! it's comfy, easy to make, versatile and i get to sew with knits! wahoo!! it's been too long since i got busy sewing with some new knits and it's sure been fun to get bit by the knits bug again.

the tumble tee pattern is easy to follow with clear instructions, pattern pieces, tips and techniques for sewing knits and ways to add your own flair to the tumble tee. we opted for the tee version to try it out because my oldest has a sensitivity to a lot of clothes. i was a tad worried she may not like too many seams so i opted to go with the easiest one so if it bugged her i could whip up a different version or one for the wee one instead.

i made mine with a finished neckline but unfinished armholes and hem. we looooove it like that. it's casual, yet still finished. it fits her great and she wore it the whole day as soon as i was done sewing it! in fact - true to her style i got it off the machine and she preceded to wear it and stain it! good thing this momma got pics before she played hard in it..lol.

oh the joys of motherhood...stains and all.

the knits i used for my tumble tee are both from our sponsor girl charlee. i bought them on a whim when choosing my knits for this project. i had other prints in mind but then spotted the floral print and swooned. i'm feeling it and so are my girls. and of course i had to throw some coral in there too! fun right!

if you want to  treat yourself to some new knits make sure to pop on over to girl charlee and use coupon code "LUVMOMMY" for 10% off your oder! 

the coupon expires at the end of october so it's just in time for some serious back to school sewing. i know i'm doing some big time planning on what i'm going to be making for my girls this fall. school is just around the corner.

i think this is a great beginner project for those looking to jump into sewing with knits and also a GREAT basic for any child's wardrobe. it's fun and fast - a win/win in my book!

>> PATTERN <<
- tumble tees pattern by rachel of imagine gnats

>> FABRIC <<
 - coral orange solid cotton jersey knit (sold out) and peach/minty floral cotton jersey blend both from girlcharlee.com

>> NOTES <<
- i sewed up the size 5 for my girlie.
- we did a finished neckline but an unfinished armhole and hem.
- we opted for the split front and a solid back.
- no modifications made.

you can buy a copy of the tumble tee pattern here and follow along with the rest of the tumble tee pattern below! yay! we can't wait to make more!

8.5 Sew Sweetness & The Crafty Kitty
8.6 One Girl Circus & luvinthemommyhood
8.7 Sew Delicious & Living with Punks
8.8 girl like the sea & Suburbia Soup
8.9 Buzzmills & Miss Matatabi
8.12 Alida Makes & Max California
8.13 Crafterhours & Kitschy Coo
8.14 La Inglesita & sew chibi
8.15 EmmylouBeeDoo & LBG Studio
8.16 Petit a Petit and Family & girl. Inspired