A Jennuine Design: The Matinee Dress

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Spring in Oregon can be a little treacherous.  Often, it can rain days on end and you feel like it's just a sad continuation of the rainy season that we have nine months of the year.  Then all of a sudden, we get one glorious day when the sun comes out and the sky is blue, and the flowers start sprouting. 

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Timezone: Pacific Daylight Time

We took a trip to the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival on one of those glorious spring days, and it was the perfect opportunity to photograph B in her new Matinee Dress, which I had the pleasure of testing.  Jenn is the author of the lovely blog A Jennuine Life.  The Matinee dress is her first foray into the world of children's pdf patterns, and let me tell you, the pattern and tutorial are so impressive, professional, and thorough that you would never guess that she is a novice.  The steps are fully illustrated with computer graphics and the directions are concise with just enough details.  I'm excited to see more of her designs in the not too distant future.

The front has a sweet boat-neck, a sash right at the empire line and a simple drop waist with a gathered skirt.  But then, she turns around and you get this:

Is that not the cutest?  I just can't get enough of the back view.  B is on the slim side for her size, so I added an extra button in the back to make sure that her skivvies didn't accidentally peak out.  Jenn has since added a section on customizing the fit of the dress.  But honestly, I like that it's a little on the big side.  She will definitely get more wear out of this lovely dress.  And she is growing so fast that she'll probably outgrow it soon enough.

I really wanted to use this Heather Ross floral for B.  There are little bees flying around amongst the flowers.  Her nickname is Bee and she is busy, busy, busy!  I found the perfect plaid from my stash to match.  I think it's Riley Blake.

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You can find the pattern on Etsy here.  It's on sale currently; just use the code MATINEE20 to receive 20 percent off.  Or you can hop onto craftsy and buy it at the already discounted rate.  And be sure to check out all the other tester's versions of the Matinee dress.  There are some crazy talented sewists/ photographers with beautiful children in this group.

I'll leave you with one last picture of B jumping for joy.

Willow & Co. Fawn Lily Tunic by Rock the Stitch

I'm super excited to share with you my tester version of the Fawn Lily Tunic and Dress pattern, coming soon from the Willow and Company Spring Collection.  This pattern is designed by Rebecca Holmes of Rock the Stitch. 

I love everything about this pattern, the construction, the style, the various included options; it is just such a unique look that you can't find anywhere else.  And for a first pattern, Rebecca really knows her stuff.  Everything fits together so perfectly and explained so clearly.

The Wanderlust Collection's release date is April 22nd. 

Shwin & Shwin's Fall Patterns



 Now that both girls are in school, I have 3 days a week to myself.  This first week was occupied with sewing up Shwin Designs' new fall releases, which I was lucky enough to test. 

First up, the Madonna Ruffle Top.  This is the short sleeve option using a light-weight floral knit I found at Girl Charlee, part of a birthday shopping spree from last spring.  I love the flowy, fluttery look created by the dolman sleeves.  And of course S loves the layered ruffles on the bottom.  The top is meant to be worn with bottoms, but, lengthened a couple of inches, could easily work as a dress too.

There is also a three-quarter sleeve option, which is my favorite.  I think I might have worn something similar back in the 80's!  The full gathered sleeves strike a perfect and totally unique silhouette.  I really, really love this look.

Next is the Paperback Cardi.  I made mine using a white double knit which is on the heavy side.  The contrast shawl collar is a jersey knit from Heather Ross's new Briar Rose line that I found at Lima Sews.

This looks equally stylish unbuttoned!  It's the perfect transition piece between fall and summer, when the mornings are crisp and cool and the afternoons are in the 80's.

Like Shauna, I thought that the cardi paired with the ruffled top is just perfect.  The whole outfit called for a side pony.

And finally, the Apple Loungewear.  I found a really soft and cozy boucle knit at JoAnn's and paired it with this purple and gray leopard print for the leggings.  There is a little metallic sparkle in the sweater that I knew would appeal to S.    

There are peekaboo pockets on the side that matches the leggings.  I love that both pieces are so comfortable and casual, but stylish all at once.

All these pieces are great for mixing and matching and layering.  Stylish, comfy and versatile; I find myself jealous of S's fall wardrobe. 

So that's it!  Hope your weekend is lovely.

I Heart Heather Ross

I started this bag a couple of weeks ago and just finished it last night.  The pattern is the messenger bag from LIttle Things to Sew.  It's really not my style to let something remain unfinished for so long.  Once I start on something, I tend to obsess about it until it's done.  Not so with this bag.  This was a leisurely sew, an hour or two here and there.  I had time for other things, like going to bed early and hanging out with the husband in front of the TV.

I used the same fabric combination as the bear carrier, Heather Ross Far Far Away 2.  The bias trim, lining, and straps were made from Liz Scott Sugar Pop.  It's a cute little bag, with an empasis on little.  But it fits S perfectly.  She can probably pack her extra clothes for preschool and a couple of smallish books in there.

So after finishing this bag last night at around 11pm, I saw that I still had quite a bit of bias tape left over.  Of course bias tape should never be wasted.  And so I has to make this:

With a real waist band and button closure.  Almost like a grown up skirt.  It was 1:30 am when my head finally hit the pillow.  So much for leisurely sewing.

The Princess and the Pea

I was inspired to make this gift set for s. when I read this post, by Make it Perfect. I love how this turned out! The book is The Princess and the Pea, by Lauren Child. It is a well-written, beautifully illustrated story.







For the doll, I used the Margot pattern from the book Wee Wonderfuls, by Hillary Lang. The doll is actually a topsy-turvy doll that when flipped is two versions of the same doll. This end is the dressed-down version. The picture above is the dressed up version.


I must say that the doll was more difficult than I expected it to be. There was a lot of handsewing and little details that were a bit frustrating. I don't think it really had anything to do with the pattern, just my lack of patience and the fact that I had a self-imposed looming deadline. So after a couple of nights of going to bed in the early hours of the morning, I was able to finish her in time for Christmas.

The backpack is of course made from the Made by Rae Toddler Backpack pattern. The print is Heather Ross Far Far Away Princess and the Pea fabric. I could only find this print in double gauze which is a very light thin cotton with a more textured and looser weave than voile. So I interfaced it and lined it with canvas. I added a bit of length to the pattern, about 3 quarters of an inch, to fit the whole princess in. Originally, this was supposed to fit the doll and the mattresses, but ended up way too small for everything. So presently, the princess resides in a cardboard box. I am thinking of gluing some cute paper in the box to make it look like a wallpapered bedroom. But that is a project for another day...

Here is a detail of the mattresses. I only had time to make seven, not the twelve that was in the book. I found some trim scraps I had to add a bit of detail and interest to the mattresses. I also made a liitle pillow and a tiny purse to hold the pea. The pea itself is a from a pom pom trim.

I would love to add a blanket and a crown someday and maybe a little coat. But for now I am taking a couple of days rest from sewing and going to bed at a decent hour.