The Etage Dress

The Etage Dress/ Tunic is designed by a relative newcomer, Terri Olsen who writes the blog Sew Straight and Gather.  It's a beautiful blog filled with her beautiful creations and stunning kids. 

This is the first version of this dress that I made.  The main fabric is a 4 way stretchy knit that have just been hanging around in my stash, and the faux leather is leftover fabric from a pair of leggings.

 

From black textures to sparkly rainbows, this pattern is so versatile that with a change of print/ fabric, you could get a totally different dress. 

This next version is more of an everyday play dress.  I had a small piece of the rainbow knit that paired perfectly with the neon green.

 I love how the middle flounce creates a rainbow.

 I made a dress for B too, but getting her to model is another story.  So here are some phone pics.

So there it is, 3 versions of the Etage Dress.



Stuff I've Been Making

 

Look, I've been busy making stuff!  These pictures are actually from last summer, spanning from late June till early September.  So without further ado.... 



 It's really rare that I make matching outfits, but this skirt by Ellie Inspired really called for a matching top.  The skirt, by the way, has built-in shorts, and it's seriously something that S wears every chance she gets.  The top was modified from Heidi & Finn's Summer Maxi Dress.  I added the butterfly applique to tie it in with the butterflies on the skirt, and used the orange plaid fabric for the bias binding on the bodice.

This one is a Blank Slate Pattern, the Sweet Pea Pajamas.  The fabric is a vintage Daisy Kingdom fabric that I got in a fabric swap. 

Another Ellie Inspired Pattern, this is the Primary Pinafore and Blouse.

 Shwin Design's Glass Onion Top is one of my favorite patterns.  Check out the back view!

 This crazy girl is modeling the Dandelion & Dungarees' Perfect Princess Peplum.  There's a women's version too that I'm dying to make.   

 Another PJ pattern, this one is Heidi & Finn's All You Need Jammies.  B wears this set every time it is not in the wash.  Made in knit, it is super-comfy and oh so cute!

And finally, Rabbit Rabbit Creations' Sweet Pea Dress.  I've had this pattern for a while now and finally had a chance to make it.  The pattern has just been re-worked and updated.

More next time!

8 Days A Week: A Pattern Anthology Collection for Women!

Ok, I had to end that title with an exclamation mark.  Since becoming a stay at home mom, I've had to re-think my wardrobe choices.  My everyday style lately is yoga/ workout pants, and some sort of knit shirt with a zipped up hoodie pulled on top for warmth.  Even wearing jeans feels like "dressing up" nowadays.

So when the Pattern Anthology designers began testing their latest collection for women, I was super-excited to be part of the testing team.  Their are 4 patterns in this collection: The Go To Knit Pants, The McCartney Jacket, The Marigold Dress/ Peplum Top, and the Neptune Tee.  Potentially, you can mix and match the pieces to get a complete wardrobe.

First up is the Go To Knit Pants.  The velour that I used for these pants were seriously a PIA to sew with; the fabric was slippery, thick, and super-stretchy.  Nonetheless, I persevered in spite of a lot of seam ripping and cursing, and the result is a comfy, soft, and cozy pair of lounge pants that is in high rotation.

This is the Marigold in the peplum view.  I love the details of this dress/top: the gathers at the shoulders, the stand-up collar, the A-line shape of the peplum, all combine to make a feminine and classic silhouette. 

And here is the McCartney Jacket.  I love how this jacket turned out.  I thought about making it in the solid blue, but then decided at the last minute to use this scrap of lace that I had left over from a previous project. I love the tone on tone and the texture the lace ads to the Jacket.

 

And finally, the Neptune Tee is a basic tee with cute triangle cut-out options for the sleeves and the neckline.  I made mine from this rainbow on black knit.  I opted for the triangles on the front neckline and the sleeves.  This is a great tee to dress up or down for every occasion. 

 

All these patterns come with loads of options, and for the next couple of weeks, are available at a huge discount as a bundle.  Check out the Pattern Anthology website to see all the options.

 

Summer Sewing

Yikes!  Where did the summer go?  School is about to begin in less than a week, so I thought I'd better blog about my summer sewing adventures.  Here it is, in pictures!

 

 

See Kate Sew's Mini Maia Dress

Amelie Clothing Nimeni Jacket

See Kate Sew Harper Top

E&M Patterns Shirt and Dress No. 6

Les Filles a Maman's Elisa Top in knit and woven

Rabbit Rabbit Hummingbird Playsuit

 

To be continued....



KCW Day 4: Heidi & Finn Summer Maxi Dress

 
It's Day 4 of KCW and I finished this top based on the Heidi & Finn Summer Maxi Dress.  The blue is a knit tshirt that I upcycled.  I actually made this top to match a skirt currently in testing.  S really needs more solid knit tops.

I kept the bodice section of the pattern, but changed up the skirt portion; obviously it is much shorter, and I used the lower part of the tshirt, gathered to fit in the front only.  I added the butterfly applique to tie it in further with the skirt.

  I also changed the back to a button and loop instead of a tie closure.  I like that little bit of orange peaking out from the back placket. 

KCW Days 2 and 3: Some Leggins, a couple of swimsuits and a leotard

Days 2 and 3 were spent making some practical things that S really needed like a month ago.  But better late than never, right?

First up are some capri leggings, a soon-to-be released FREE pattern by E + M Patterns.   These were all knits/ spandex found in my stash, mostly leftovers from dance costumes.  I particularly love those faux leather leggings on the far right. 

The pink swimsuit and black leotard were made from the same pattern by Ellie Inspired.  These literally took so little time, an hour at most.  And the fit is perfect!

Finally, I turned Filles a Maman's latest pattern, the Elisa halter top into a swimsuit tankini!  The bottoms are from the Jalie mix 'n match bikini pattern.  I love the fit of both pieces.  Maybe soon I will post some modeled pictures and show you the other two Elisa tops that I've made.

The girls are in art camp this week, so I have lots of sewing time on my hands.  We will see what else I can accomplish this week!

KCW Day 1: The Marina Romper

Day 1 of KCW and I finished this little jumpsuit.  This is the Marina Romper, by Calie Faye Collection.  Originally this was meant for the 4 year old, but after trying it on, she refused to take pictures.  So here it is on her big sister.  It's a little short on the torso, but otherwise fits S pretty nicely. 

Their dad says the romper looks like a clown outfit.  I sorta think he has a point.  But aside from that, I quite like this outfit.  The pattern calls for wovens, but I made mine in a soft cotton knit, and it worked beautifully. 

So Day 1 of KCW is in the books! 

Make (Believe) Collection by Pattern Anthology



The gals of Pattern Anthology have done it again!  They've put together a truly cohesive collection with all the details and style that we've come to expect from them.  The collection comes with 4 patterns: the Bookworm Button-Up, the Adventure Tee, The Imagine Jacket, and the Explorer Hoodie.  This time around, there are a few different packages to chose from: but basically you can get the patterns for under $5.00 per pattern.  That's a steal in my opinion.  There's also an e-book of activities for children included in a few of the packages.  I've looked over the e-book and am so excited to get started on these activities.  Now that summer is here, my girls and I have a lot of time on our hands and its nice to be able to reach for a structured activity.  You can read more about the different packages  and the e-book here.

 

I was one of the lucky testers chosen to test all four of the new patterns.  If you've never tried a placket, or sewn a collar with a collar stand, or installed a zipper, these patterns are just the perfect place to start. 

 

 

 

 

 

The Bookworm Button-Up includes boy and girl versions with 3 back options, 3 sleeve options, and 3 pocket options.  This is the girly version with bow sleeves and pockets, and a pleated back. 

 

 

My version of the Adventure Tee has rolled-up sleeves with button tabs and a hi-low hem.

 

I made 2 Imagine Jackets, one for each girl.  For S's, I used a super-soft brushed cotton and for B, a purple velour.  Both jackets have ruched sleeves and shoulder patches.  I love how different the jackets look with the different fabrics.  The jacket also comes with regular sleeves and a color-blocked shoulder option.

 

  And finally, the Explorer Hoodie is a comfy, loose-fitting top perfect for cooler months.  It has two zipper options: angled and straight.  I made mine in an organic sweatshirt fleece.

 

The Make (Believe) Collection is available for only 2 weeks, so get it while you can! 

 

(image from Pattern Anthology)