Sewing STYLE for Women this holiday

So Excited to have Emily from My Crafty Little Self here to join us on the blog today with a STYLE feature!!!! 

AND she made the Jenny in STRETCH poplin! 

Do you have a favourite colour to wear around the holidays ? 

Don;t forget to leave a comment on this post, we would love to hear from you!

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Every year, Christmas sewing for myself always winds up at the very bottom of my to-do list. As I'm feverishly finishing a quilt binding for a gift late into the night on Christmas Eve or still sewing buttons on Christmas outfits for my family 30 minutes before the party starts, I realize once again...it's not going to happen.  

But not this year!  I made sewing a new Christmas dress for myself a priority and I'm so glad I did.  This red stretch poplin and the Jenny dress pattern have been sitting in my stash for too long and it was time to use them both. This piece of fabric has moved with us to 3 different US states.  Either our family needs to stop moving so much, or I need to sew with woven fabrics more often!   I added a cropped blazer for style and function--it was 20 degrees Farenheit outside when these pictures were taken.  

The Jenny dress adds a level of customization that I've rarely seen in any sewing pattern. Once your general size is determined, you choose a cup size for your bodice and a waistband height and length based on your torso measurements.  The dimensions for a range of skirt lengths is given, from shirt length to maxi length.  

The finished result is a precise, flattering fit in the bodice and the perfect piece for layering.  This dress will be worn on its own in the summer heat and will be in my rotation year-round.  

I've been reading a book about my great-grandmother's family and was pleased to find out I come from a long line of tailors and seamstresses.  Struggling to make it as farmers in southeastern Idaho, they were as resourceful as could be with fabric.  Coats were taken apart the following year and sewn inside out to make them "new" again, any scraps were immediately pieced into a quilt, and hem facings were often used to leave as much growing room in garments as possible.  

In the spirit of resourcefulness, I used a hem facing (a technique also used in the Judy's Fancy Pants pattern) since I had just enough fabric to keep this dress maxi length but still wanted the wide hem specified in the pattern directions.  

I am headed to a Christmas concert tonight in my new dress and will wear it again on Sunday to sing in the church choir.  What a good reminder that the seamstress in the family deserves a new Christmas outfit every year too.  Happy holidays to everyone!  

The Betsey Apron with a Ruffle

Looking for a quick and pretty sew for a hostess gift ? to pair with a cookie in a jar mix ? To pair with a kitchen gift ? For the annual 20$ gift exchange ? Work buddy gift ? 

Today the lovely Rachel is here and this one pattern, the Betsey Apron she is showing off goes from kids to plus sizes all in ONE pattern!!!!!!! Yep, ALL the sizes in one pattern!  

Please take a moment to leave Rachel a comment  at the end of the post telling her something you love about her post or pics!

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Hello, my name is Rachel, and I am currently a stay-at-home mom. Whenever I have a spare minute, I love to sew, work on my first (and hopefully not last) novel, and write in my blog, https://mrspodge.wordpress.com.

I’m a big fan of the Betsey apron, with its classic 1950s styling and easy to follow directions. Last Christmas, I followed the directions precisely and made matching aprons for a dear friend and her daughter. They were thrilled with their gifts and love to wear them when baking together.

This Christmas, I wanted to make a couple of aprons for myself and my own daughter, Zoë, age 3 1/2. Zoë loves all things pink and purple. The flouncier, the better. I had some Sis Boom, Caravelle Arcade fabric that I was dying to use, and had enough pink and purple to please even my discriminatory daughter.

I didn’t end up having time to make one for myself, but I made a very special one for my daughter, and added a ruffle.

How to add a ruffle :

I cut a 4” X 100” strip of fabric, folded it in half, pressed it, and gathered it. I did not use the bias tape trim. Instead, I sewed the ruffle between the two sides of the reversible apron in exactly the same way one would attach a ruffle to a pillow, except that I tapered the ruffle until it disappeared at the top of the apron. I turned it inside out, and finished the rest of the apron exactly according to directions.

Showing off her Rachel Reindeer using the FREE pattern!

Zoë, in a fit of stubbornness, admired the apron, but refused to try it on for several hours. She truly believes clothing is optional, even in December. I finally persuaded her to put on some clothes and the apron, and she was absolutely delighted with it. She wanted to start baking cookies then and there!

I love the way the ruffle makes the Betsey apron even more feminine, and look forward to making one for myself soon!

Looking to make this a full body apron ? Check out THIS post

Full Apron Betsey Tutorial

Thanks so very much for this great tutorial!!!! We hope you all leave Michelle some holiday cheer in the comments section!

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Hi there, Michelle here from SewJourners. I'm here to show you how to add a bodice to the Betsey Apron. This apron is perfect for holiday entertaining, gift-giving and cookie prep!

Ever since my daughter was 18 months old our favorite pastime has been baking muffins together. She started out by simply tipping the measuring cups into the mixing bowl, and sprinkling the streusel...well everywhere. Now at a whopping two and a half years old she is a true boss in the kitchen. She gets out all the supplies and wants to do as much as possible by herself. Enter much-needed aprons!

Until now we've been using basic aprons that were graciously gifted to us, mine for my wedding and hers at her baby shower. I decided it was time to make us some mommy-and-me matching aprons to add a sentimental touch to our special memories and get her even more excited to bake with me if that is at all possible.

Initially I began to draft my own pattern, but then I saw the Sis Boom Betsey Apron and it was exactly what I was hoping for and so much more. I mean really so much more. I would have never come up with these side bows that take this apron to the next level.

I used Happy Home fabrics by SewCaroline, available here. These prints are perfect for this fully reversible apron. There are so many combos that work, and the text is spot on for an apron.

The Betsy is a very fashionable half apron. However when my daughter and I are in the kitchen, things get messy! So we needed something with a front bodice. Today I'm going to show you how easy it is to add one without needing any additional pattern pieces. So grab for yourself the Betsey Apron pattern, some fabric, and lets get started! 

What you'll need:

• The Betsey Apron pattern available here, and any supplies listed there.
• About 2 fat quarters in coordinating fabric.
• Additional bias tape. (length depends on your preferred closure method)

Instructions: 

You will need to make one change to the cutting instructions on the pattern. Instead of cutting one belt center piece you will cut two in the following dimensions:

• Child: 3 1/2" x 28"
• Misses: 4" x 36"
• Womens: 4" x 42"

Complete the following steps prior to the Apron Belts and Ties section of the pattern instructions.

Measure the distance between both sets of snip marks on your main apron fabric and add 1" to that measurement. That is the width of your bodice piece. You can then measure from your center waist, over the bust curve, up to the height you would like your bodice to go, then add another 1-2" to that measurement. 

For mine the child bodice was 13" x 9 1/2" and the misses was 18" x 13 1/2". (W x H)

Cut your two bodice pieces. 

Match up both bodice pieces with right sides facing and sew short sides with 1/2” seam allowance.

Turn right side out and press seams.

Sew gathering stitches along the top edge of the bodice.

Gather enough so that it becomes about half its original width.

Clip or pin your bias binding over the gathered edge of the top of the bodice. Now determine how long you want the bias tape, by trying it on. I chose to apply snaps to mine so I needed just enough to go around my neck. You will need more if you want to tie it in a bow. Trim bias tape 1/2" longer then your preferred length.

*Keep in mind strangulation safety when doing the child version. Velcro is another closure option.

Fold the short ends of the bias tape in 1/4" so there are no raw edges showing.

Using the same method explained in the pattern, sew 1/8" along the edge of of the bias tape, starting and ending at the short ends and securing it to the bodice. Add snaps to the ends now if you'd like.

When you get to the Apron Belt and Ties section on the pattern instructions, apply the instructions for figure C to both center belt pieces. 

Skip the instruction for figures D and E.

For figure F we will lay our two center belt pieces lined up together as pictured below. Unfold the upper and lower folds, but not the inside folds, and attach to the tie pieces as instructed. 

Follow along in the pattern and when instructed to attach the main apron to the center belt you will attach it to the lower edge of one of the belts. 

Then we will attach the bodice to the upper edge of that same belt in the same fashion.

Bring the other belt around to the front and place directly over the belt with the apron attached, wrong sides facing, making sure to cover all the seams. 

Pin, clip or wonder tape in place.

Topstitch as instructed in the pattern. (figure D)

And you're done! Well you really should add those side bows. They are so much fun!

Now for an idea of what my daughter was really thinking when we took these pictures:

And yes, she did get one:

or two...

Thanks for letting me share with you today! Remember to follow me at SewJourners.net.

You Know Dasher and Dancer... ... But do you recall the most famous reindeer of all???

Today we welcome Sarah of Prairie Girl Knits to the blog! Showing you a GREAT and fun use for the FREE Rachel Reindeer Pattern!

You Know Dasher and Dancer... ... and Prancer and Vixen.  You know Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen.  But do you recall the most famous reindeer of all, Rachel the Red Nosed Reindeer...

What??? What happened to poor old Rudolph?  Well, let me tell you! There's a new reindeer in town, and her name is Rachel!  Rachel Reindeer is a sweet new free pattern from Sis Boom.  Designed by Jeanine Thomlinson (who although I've never met, I feel like she's practically my neighbour because we live only a few towns away from each other here on the prairies), Rachel is a fun, quick sew sure to please anyone this holiday season!

I'm sure I don't have to tell you how much I love sewing patterns from Sis Boom/Scientific Seamstress!  They are always such a treat to put together.  As soon as I saw this latest offering from them I quickly became obsessed with the idea of a Reindeer Wreath.  So here I am to tell you all about how I got that obsession from a vague notion bouncing around in my head to cheerily hanging on my door!

First things first.  As soon as I printed of the pattern I realized that Rachel in her original size was going to end up being one mighty HUGE wreath because I knew I wanted to do nine reindeer - eight for Santa's sleigh and of course one more for Rudolph (or in this case Rachel).  So, I decreased the pattern to 75%.  I figured that would give me a balance of a nice size of reindeer but not be too horrendously tedious to sew.

Ready to start!

Sadly, I had nary a scrap of Christmas fabric in my stash, having used up all of it last year making the annual ornaments for my kids.  So off to the fabric store I went.  I was pretty happy to be hitting up a 50% off sale at Fabricland and thought I'd go ahead and buy 9 different fabrics.  Once at the store though another inspiration hit me.  I could do pairs of reindeer in four different fabrics and then a totally different one for Rachel making her stand out of the crowd even more!  I bought .2m of each of my choices and that was more than plenty for my little 75% sized Rachels.

A little off on the stitching. Once at the machine I could barely see my sewing lines and I was going crosseyed trying to see where to sew...

I carefully traced my first Rachel with my silver chaco marker.  Ha.  Fooled me.  I couldn't even see the lines.  So then I tried my pink Frixion pen.  Nope.  Finally I dug through the boys bag of markers and grabbed a purple washable Crayola marker.  Yes!  I could see where I'm supposed to sew!  Whoot, whoot!!!!  I really need to remedy the marking choices I have on my sewing desk.  They're woefully inadequate.

All turned and getting their stuffing

I sewed these little beauties up following the instructions for sewing, turning and stuffing.  Then I had a problem on my hands.  Nine cute little reindeer with no clue how I was going to get them to form a wreath.  I started by stitching them one hoof to the next hoof, but quickly realized they were just going to flop about.  So then I stitched them from one chest to the next reindeer's base of tail.  Closer, but not there yet.  Still too floppy to stay in a nice circle.  Frustration was beginning to get the better of me.

Stitching hoof to hoof

As I was moaning and groaning about what to do next, (BF)G - bless him - came along and provided the solution.  He suggested a wire around the back.  I thought a coat hanger would do, but they never unbend and then reshape the way you want them too (or the way I want them to in any case...) but then inspiration hit.  I vaguely remembered having an extra embroidery hoop down in my craft supplies.  It was even the perfect size when I dug it out!  YES!!!!!!!  I covered the approximately 40" in diameter wooden hoop with some double fold, extra wide bias tape, then stitched the reindeer onto it.  It's perfect! (Thanks honey, for suggesting that!  Otherwise I'd probably be still standing at the kitchen counter trying to figure out what to do!)

All my supplies are gathered for my final steps

Embroidery hoop is covered and reindeer are all attached

Almost done.  Just a few more final touches left!

Because I had some left over space at the top on either side of Rachel I thought that I would fill it in with some fabric bows.  For the bows I cut strips of red broadcloth 6" wide by 26" long and sewed them together angling at each of the ends then tied them in a bow and tacked it onto the hoop the same way that I had done the reindeers.  I added a loop of ribbon at the back behind Rachel so I could easily hang the wreath.

All done and ready to put on the door!

So, some reindeer with festive ribbons around their necks, a red nose for Rachel/Rudolph, a couple of bows and there you have it!  A happy little herd to brighten our entrance way this holiday season!

NEW Sisboom pattern in town - and it is FREE

There is a NEW Sisboom pattern in town - and it is FREE !!!!!! 

We are sooooo thankful for all our wonderful customers and readers that this is our holiday gift to YOU! and we would LOVE to see what you make so please tag us or hashtag us #ssholiday !

I used my reindeers in a couple projects! The scrappy one got made into an outdoor wreath! 

The solid ones I turned into a garland (the Dolls and Daydreams Tiny Tot pattern is with them) 

I love a festive feel in the house!

What project are you going to use the Rachel Reindeer with? 

List your ideas in the comments below!

Where to Wear! Brunch Date Edition!

I just love the idea of WHERE to WEAR! The whole series is a mix of sewing AND fashion bloggers so we can get wardrobe inspired!! AND there is a giveaway!!!! So keep reading!

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When I think of a brunch date with the my girl friends, I want to look cute, but casual and I forsure want to be comfortable! I also don't want to freeze on the walk over! 

For this look I used the Sisboom Angie hack I did for Topstitchers 2 'seasons' ago and paired it with a new Madge mini with lace overlay (Madge is not out yet... Don't ask when - I don't know...)

A cute fast lace overlay mini shift with the red coat and a pair of tights and some wedges makes for a perfect brunch pairing! Comfy, cute, and totally ready for a fancy drink and some waffles!

Of course, I wished I lived somewhere warm enough to wear a cute dress to brunch these days .... 

My original styling also works for a brunch date though! 

Be sure to head over to Wild+Wanderful or Gardening in High Heels to check out the other brilliant bloggers, sewists and stylistas on the tour, as well as be able to link up your own looks and show us what you would Wear to Where!


Now let's talk giveaway prizes for this tour!!
For the sewists: Choice of 3 patterns from Cole's Creations, Choice of 3 patterns from Made for Mermaids, Pattern of choice from Patterns for Pirates, Pattern of choice from Scientific Seamstress, Sewing-tee of choice from Sewing Stadium, Pattern of choice from Simple Life Pattern Co, Pattern of choice from StitchArt
For the Fashionistas: Set of 6 cards from Designs by Nicolina, 30 minute Social Media/Copy Consult by Gardening in High Heels, Tee of choice from Handmade Escapade, $20 Store Credit from Jenny Penny Designs, Tumbler from Joy+Tren
A big thanks to our amazing sponsors!
Cole's Creations | Designs by Nicolina | Gardening in High Heels
Handmade Escapade | Jenny Penny Designs | Joy+Tren
Made for Mermaids | Patterns for Pirates | Scientific Seamstress
Sewing Stadium | Simple Life Pattern Co | Stitch Art
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