SEWING || SEW FAB E-PATTERN BUNDLE SALE!

i've been happily stitching up some awesome and fun patterns for my girls from some great designers that i hope to show you this week!  

best part of it all is that today is the launch of the sew fab e-pattern bundle sale! yay! this seasons bundle is awesome if you ask me! i have only made a few of the patterns and i have tons more to go! there are 26 in total! yessss! so much good stuff!

with school in full swing, christmas coming and the next season of kids clothes week coming up what better time to get sewing. i know i will be! i'm also hoping to get a few things done for me too out of the bundle and that's the best part - there is a great variety of patterns in the bundle. girls, boys, ladies, accessories etc....which means more sewing fun!

you can find all the details about the sew fab e-pattern sale and all the patterns and wonderful designers involved below! i can't wait to show you some of the goodies i've sewn up this week! happy sewing my friends!

Welcome to the Fall and Winter 2013 Sew Fab e-pattern Sale Event!

Last February was the first ever Sew Fab e-pattern Sale and it was so successful and was so well received that Jenny Yarbrough of The Southern Institute, the creator and administrator of the sale, decided to have more!  This sale is bigger and better than the first, with plenty of patterns to get you through the fall and winter (if you live on this side of the hemisphere), and a few warm weather patterns thrown in for those of you who live on the other side of the world.  You'll also find more gender neutral patterns for those of you who are sewing for boys.  And what about you?  Of course there are a few women's patterns thrown in for some selfish sewing too!

Over the past several weeks a lot of behind the scenes planning has taken place to bring you this newest bundle of ePatterns from many of the top established and up and coming online sewing pattern designers.  The result is a bundle of 26 PDF sewing patterns that you're going to love!

For one week only, twenty-six pattern designers have come together to bring you 26 of their best PDF patterns, valued together at well over $2oo.oo, for the incredible price of $29.95!!!  That’s over 80% off of the combined retail value!  Plus you can enter to win a dream of a giveaway with several prize packages from some of your favorite online fabric shops!

For less than $30.00 you will have a library of resources that you can use over and over again.

Now for the good stuff... the PATTERNS!

26 amazing ePatterns from 26 well-known and up and coming designers are instantly accessible to you by PDF download upon purchase of the Sew Fab e-Pattern Bundle.  Here are the patterns that you will receive (click on the links below the images for more  information about each pattern.)

>>> THE PATTERNS <<<

1) Reversible Zippy Hoodie from Kitschy Coo  2) Ananda Pants from CHOPSTIX  3) The Sally Dress from Very Shannon  4) Best Harem Pants from Too Sweets  5) Notebook Slipcover from Gingercake 6) Junebug Dress from Craftiness Is Not Optional  7) Fancy Pants Leggings from Titchy Threads  8) Skinny Jeans from peek-a-boo  9)Pajama Eaters from Sew Fearless  10) Ruffle Dress from Sumo's Sweet Stuff  11) Go To Cape for Women  12) Sadie Grace Nightgown from Seamingly Smitten  13) Vintage V-Neck from Blank Slate Patterns  14) Zermatt Bow Swing Coat from See Kate Sew  15) Tumble Tee from imaginegnats  16) Nituna Jacket from Figgy's  17) Greenpoint Cardigan from Hey June  18) Gathers and Giggles Quilt from Sew Much Ado  19) Billy Car Play Mat and Roll Up from Handmade Therapy  20) Bimaa Sweater from LouBee Clothing,  21) Candy Carousel Dress from Molly Blossom  22) Convertible Clutch from LBG Studio   23) Infinity Sweater from One Girl Circus  24) Undies Pattern from From the Red Kitchen  25) Owl Backpack from The Sewing Loft  26) Ethan Shirt from the Scientific Seamstress

The designers that have joined this sale are experts in their craft.  Each designer has contributed one of their favorite patterns to create a bundle that is sure to please!  Whether you are sewing for your own family or making gifts for others, these are patterns that you will love to use.

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

This Sew Fab e-Pattern Bundle is only available for one week and will never be available again!  You can purchase the bundle from September 30th at 8 a.m. EST through October 8th at 8 a.m. EST and there will be no late sales offered.  Due to the nature of the sale there are no refunds.

You don’t want to miss this unique opportunity to purchase a ready made collection of 26 PDF sewing patterns from 26 of the best designers out there! 

The Sew Fab e-Pattern Sale! Sew Much Inspiration right at your finger tips…only $29.95! Get your bundle now!

*Patterns included in the Sew Fab Pattern Bundle are intended for personal use only.  The selling of patterns without designer's permission is prohibited and punishable by law.  Please contact individual designers for licensing requirements if you desire to create and sell clothing from patterns that have been purchased through this sale.
**For answers concerning sale terms and customer service questions, please see the FAQ page.
***This post contains affiliate links.  When you purchase the Sew Fab Bundle through those links I earn a percentage of the sale.  Thank you so much for supporting the Sew Fab Sale!

SALLY DRESS PATTERN TOUR || ALIDA MAKES

isn't the pic above adorable? i was so lucky to have alida from alida makes as one of my testers for the sally dress. i adored her first version so much you can see it in the actual sally pattern too. her daughter is so lovely and the dresses just suit her so well. alida has a great sense of style, fab sewing skills and is a fun and awesome gal. i'm thrilled to have alida as our next stop on the sally dress pattern tour.

please pop on by alida makes to see more awesome pics of her sally dress and give her a warm hello!

SALLY DRESS PATTERN TOUR

follow along with the whole sally dress pattern tour for inspiration, reviews & giveaways galore!   you can find the sally dress to purchase here in my shop on etsy. thank you for all of your support <3

BOOK REVIEW & GIVEAWAY || STITCHED BLOOMS

today's book review is for the new release "stitched blooms: 300 floral, leaf & border motifs to embroider" by author carina envoldsen-harris of the awesome blog "carina's craftblog". this lovely gem of a book is a great addition to any embroidery lovers collection.

i love to sew and knit but i also love to do embroidery! i don't get to do it as much as i'd like to but when i do i really enjoy it! if you're looking for a new embroidery book that is classic and has a good amount of technique and patterns in it this book is for you. from tea towels & luminaries to pincushions and sewing kits there is a project for everyone in it.

my favorite thing about stitched blooms is the beginning. i adored carina's section on color. i think a lot of people get intimidated by color palettes, how to choose them & why and i thought this was a wonderful part of the book. she addresses the following in the beginning of the book:

- basics of color theory, color schemes, and even color exploration exercises! 
- fabrics & thread (caring for your pieces, types of thread, how to use floss etc)
- embroidery tools (love the bit on pattern transfer pieces)
- working with motifs
- embroidery techniques
- great stitch glossary (so cute!) 


i learned a lot and will use this book as a refresher whenever i get some lovely time to pick up my needles and thread. what about you? would you like to win a copy of  "stitched blooms"?

img courtesy of lark crafts

\\ THE PRIZE \\
- one lucky winner will win a copy of "stitched blooms" and a set (7-8) of the author's favorite floss color combos!

\\ HOW TO ENTER \\
- simply leave me a comment telling me why you love embroidery.

\\ THE RULES \\
- you must leave a valid email address in your comment or you will be disqualified.
- giveaway is open until 10/02/2013, midnight, pst.

you can also see the rest of the pretty stitched blooms blog book tour below! there are lots of great posts and chances to win! thanks for having me carina!

 Sept. 16th – Amanda Carestio - www.larkcrafts.com
 Sept. 17th - Lynne - lilysquilts.blogspot.com
 Sept. 17th - Sara Lawson - www.sewsweetness.com
 Sept. 18th - Alicia Rosello - www.elblogdedmc.com
 Sept. 19th - Jessica Crapo - www.running-w-scissors.com
 Sept. 19th - Diane Gilleland - www.craftypod.com
 Sept. 20th - Mollie Johanson - wildolive.blogspot.com
 Sept. 21st - Aina Crescimbeni - www.casandersen.blogspot.it
 Sept. 21st  - Beth Wilson - www.sewmamasew.com
 Sept. 22nd  - APL Creations - http://aplcreations.com
 Sept. 23rd  - Jo Stafferton & Floresita - www.feelingstitchy.com
 Sept. 23rd - Rachel Hobson - averagejanecrafter.blogspot.com/
 Sept. 24th - John Adams - www.quiltdad.com
 Sept. 24th - Aimee Ray - www.littledeartracks.blogspot.com
 Sept. 25th - Jenny Doh - www.crescendoh.com
 Sept. 26th - Hanna Andersson - www.ihanna.nu
 Sept. 26th - Abby Glassenberg - www.whileshenaps.typepad.com
 Sept. 27th – Susie Stubbs - www.flowerpress.blogspot.com
Sept. 27th - Lynne - lilysquilts.blogspot.com

*i am an amazon affiliate. all opinions are my own. thank you for your support.

SALLY DRESS PATTERN TOUR || SUMO'S SWEET STUFF

you see that cuteness above? oh my....swoon! definitely brightened up my dreary rainy friday where i live!

our next guest on the sally dress pattern tour is the oh so sweet summer of the blog "sumo's sweet stuff". summer sews and crafts and her blog is filled with goodies you'll want to whip up! she's such a sweetheart and i adore the versions she's made above. such awesome fabric pairings! i'm so enjoying seeing all the fabric choices for the tour! you know how i love me some cute fabric!!!

so pop on over to "sumo's sweet stuff" and say a big hello to summer today! you can find all things sumo's sweet stuff below:

blog  ||  facebook  ||  twitter  ||  pinterest  ||  instagram  ||  google+

 you can find the sally dress to purchase here in my shop on etsy. thank you for all of your support <3

SALLY DRESS PATTERN TOUR || SEWING MAMA RAE ANNA & SEW LIKE MY MOM

today's stop on the sally dress pattern tour are two fabulous ladies! the cuteness just keeps on coming! 

first we have raeanna of the blog "sewing mama raeanna".  she was one of my first testers! i love how her version turned out and adore the bow! you can see more pics of her dress and find out how to make your own bow over on sewing mama raeanna.

you can find all things sewing mama raeanna below:

blog  ||  facebook  ||  twitter  ||  pinterest

next we have the talented melissa of the blog sew like my mom. melissa is funny, sweet and so talented. make sure you pop by her blog too to see her adorable version of the sally dress.

you can find all things sew like my mom below:

blog  ||  facebook  ||  twitter  ||  pinterest 

you can find the sally dress to purchase here in my shop on etsy.

SALLY DRESS PATTERN TOUR || WELCOME TO THE MOUSE HOUSE

ok, seriously - how cute is this version of the sally dress?

today's lovely guest for our sally dress pattern tour is hayley of the blog "welcome to the mouse house". i first spotted hayley's fabulous sewing skills when she was in season 5 of project run & play and won! i fell in love with her style and have been following her ever since! keep your eyes on her space, this gal is reportedly coming out with her own pattern line soon! i can't wait to see what she comes up with!

pop by welcome to the mouse house to see more adorable pis of her sally dress and show her some mommyhood luv! you can find all things welcome to the mouse house below:

blog  ||  facebook  ||  twitter  ||  pinterest  ||  instagram  

COMING SOON - THE SEW FAB FALL 2013 BUNDLE SALE!!!!!

Coming next week...

For one week only, twenty-six pattern designers will be joining together to combine their best PDF sewing patterns (valued together at over $200.00) and selling them to you for the incredible price of $29.95! That’s over 80% off of the combined retail value!

Grab the bundle when it goes on sale next week and you'll be all set to sew for school and the coming holiday season! You'll have to wait until next week to see which patterns are included in this fall's bundle, but I can tell you right now that you won't be disappointed!

See you bright and early on Monday morning!

SEWING || BATEAU TOP & DRESS PATTERN TOUR & GIVEAWAY

OH MY....this is one of my fave new patterns! the bateau neck top & dress pattern from wee muses is a must have for any wardrobe!

anneliese from the aesthetic nest (and wee muses) is one of my fave online pals. we started chatting when my oldest was a baby and her girlies were still babies too! it's so amazing to be able to still have her as a friend and i was so excited when i saw her newest pattern and got to be a part of the bateau back to school pattern tour!

the first thing i have to say about this pattern is that my VERY picky 6 year old loooooves it. like she's been begging to wear it everyday kind of love it!!! i'm over the moon to see her connect with a piece of clothing like this. i, being the blogger mommy i am, didn't let her wear it until the photos were done, i mean this girl is a big time stainer so i couldn't risk it.. but after a week of bad weather we finally had to take them inside and she woke up soooo excited to finally be able to wear her bateau top.

the wee muses pattern for the bateau top is easy to follow has TONS of options, clean finishes, details, and clear instructions - all my fave things about a good sewing pattern.  anneliese walks you through all the steps to make many a beautiful knit garment. bonus is you can now even get the extension for the bateau top to make dress versions too! yay!!!! seriously, you could make a wardrobe of bateau's easily!!! i can't wait to make more.

we used a really fun neon pink solid from girl charlee.com! my oldest just loves this color and i'm all over a fun bright so it was a happy combo to add to her wardrobe that you can see already has tons of color! her favorite chevron skirt from old navy just matched up way to perfectly! i know the top doesn't look too neon in our pics (darn rainy weather) but it really is a true neon pink! love it! if you pop on by girl charlee enter the coupon code "LUVMOMMY" to save 10%!!!

and guess what? you can enter to win a copy of the bateau neck top pattern and the dress extension pack!

>>> ENTER TO WIN A COPY OF THE BATEAU PATTERN <<<
- simply leave me a comment below letting me know if you'd make a bateau top or a dress.
- you must leave a valid email address in your comment or you will be disqualified.
- giveaway is open until saturday, sept 28, 2013, midnight, pst.

thank you for having me on your tour anneliese! big hugs m'dear and congrats on an amazing pattern!

you can find all lovely things wee muses and aesthetic nest below:

wee muses  ||  aesthetic nest  ||  facebook 

SALLY DRESS PATTERN TOUR || SEW VERY

today's spot on the sally dress pattern tour is sew very! 

veronica was one of my first testers and proof readers and how adorable is the version she made? this girl has some mad sewing skills! she jumped right in adding piping to not only the bodice but the pockets too!!!! wowsa! i love how easy it is to customize the sally dress!

make sure you pop on by sew very to read her full post and also enter to win a copy of the sally dress pattern! so much cuteness!

you can find all things sew very below:

blog ||  facebook  ||  pinterest  ||  twitter  ||  instagram

SEWING || SALLY DRESS PATTERN TOUR!

it's time for our sally dress pattern tour! i'm so excited! 

i've got some amazing and super talented ladies taking part! i'm over the moon excited to have so many wonderful bloggers & designers sewing up their own versions of the sally dress over the next few weeks! there will also be some fun giveaways as well! so sew along, read, and show these gals some love!  i can't wait to see all the sally's when they are done!

first up is the lovely jenn of the blog a jennuine life. she was one of my most invaluable testers, a fabulous sewer and seriously how cute are her girlies? pop on by her blog today to see her versions and read her post! thanks again jenn! hugs!

you can find all things jenn here:

blog  ||  facebook  ||  twitter  ||  pinterest  ||  instagram  ||  etsy

have fun following along with our pattern tour! i hope you enjoy it! happy sewing!

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!!!

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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!