Oh Vanessa! 3 tutorials to modify in 1 post!

Hi!!! It is I, Jeanine, here with another tutorial/add on post!

This time for the Vanessa pattern! (kids/tween version is the Bettyann) 

I LOVE this pattern!!! I LOVE my shirt length one with shorts and I LOVED this one before I added the 18" ruffle to this one and I LOOOOOOOVE it maxi length!!!! So pick up your copy and try it out!

Today I have 3 tutorials for you! 

1. the straps to make this dress friendly for those of us with nursing babes!

2. a back cinch to give the back a little more shape in a very easy way!

3. 18 inch ruffle on the bottom! (isn't it gorgeous with the ruffle!)

Most of the dress you will be sewing as stated in the pattern but there are a few steps where you will need to pause and do the following! 

To start with get a measuring tape and notice about where on you 18 inches from the floor hits - for me that was bout knee so I looked at the handy dandy leg chart and cut my main Vanessa pieces at the appropriate length for my height 

So Let's begin with the first tutorial - the straps to be nursing friendly! 

First when you sew your straps - sew them MOSTLY as directed - the only difference is that you will sew about the square edge and clip the corners. Then turn out and topstitch as pattern directed.

Then continue following the patetrn for putting them in the back of the Vanessa, but when  you get to putting them into the front - DO NOT put them in!!!! (see below - no straps inserted between the layers!)

Now do a buttonhole at the bottom of each strap. I love my auto button holer! but I suppose you could also do snaps if you dislike buttonholes :)

Now where the pattern had you draw the dots (or if you are like me I square out those bits), anyways, in between those is where you will put your buttons - but on the pretty side 

 See - the button sewn on! and the back side of where the other button is right there by my thumb on the left

Now continue as the pattern says with the topstitching, elastic back, etc.

This Next part you do one completed sewing the dress up

2. Cinching up the back! I personally liked the look of it not cinched at the back - but the husband thought I should cinch it in a bit - so I let him have that one. compromise..

I looked in the mirror to get an idea of where I wanted it to go in a bit and then had my husband measure from the top to where I wanted the cinch in to be and then marked that line on my fabric with  disappearing fabric pen

For myself this was 7 inches from the top.

Then I took a piece of elastic that was the length of my back (or you could use the measurements given for the top elastic piece- but that might give it a bit of a tighter for than my cinch in) Pin each end of the elastic to the ends and the middle of the elastic to the middle of the back. (I marked it on the dress and elastic). Then I stretched and pined half way between each pin. 

Next take that to your sewing machine and stretch the elastic fully out to the fabric as you sew (If you have made the Tommy/Louey boxers you are familiar with this how to) I used 3/8 elastic and just did one line of stitching through it. 

And lastly the bottom ruffle - this one is quite easy to do - but fabric heavy :)

Measure the bottom of your Vanessa as is. Now you will want to cut 19" ruffle pieces that are 1.5-2x the length of the bottom (depending on how gathered you want it to look) Mine is 1.5 times the length for light gathers.

Sew what will be your bottom ruffle pieces together (short sides, right sides together)

Now hem the bottom of your ruffled skirt piece, this will be the bottom of your dress. I use my fancy foot and then turn over again and hem, but you use whatever method you prefer. 

Next gather your top edge of the bottom skirt. (I forgot to get a picture of this... )but increase your stitch length to the highest you can and then sew two rows of gathering stitches - do NOT backstitch, and pull the bobbin threads to gather.

Now put your ruffle piece inside your vanessa bottom - right sides together. Pin the side seams first and then the middles, spread your gathers evenly and stitch it up! Don't forget to finish your seam - zig zag or serge :)

There you have it - all done!!! Now try it one and do a photoshoot and share a picture with us pretty please! on our facebook page or in our facebook group!

Perfect for playing in! and it keeps the bugs off the legs!

Any tutorials you would like to see next? How about a sew a long? We have one coming soon! Keep your eyes peeled to facebook on Friday!

Adding a Ruffled Bib Front to the Simply Sweet

Hi! So, today is a tutorial for how to add a ruffled bib front to the Simply Sweet pattern. The simply Sweet is one of my favourite patterns because of how versatile it is already, but I just HAD to try making it with a ruffled bib front and thought you might like to add it to your Simply Sweet's as well! 

First print off your pattern piece/s. To make the ruffles you will want to have them be 2x the height of the front piece (I did empire waist by the way) and I found 3 inches wide to be perfect width

Now for the bib piece itself measure a rectangle that is the height of the front bodice and do about 3.5-4 inches wide

I like to get as much of my ironing done at a time as possible. So iron the edges of the bib front over on the two long sides and fold the ruffle pieces in half and very lightly iron them. Also take your front bodice piece and fold in half and iron to get a good crease down the center.

Set your machine to the longest stitch length for gathering the ruffle strips

Sew down the raw edge of the ruffle strips (folded in half as shown). Do NOT backstitch!!

Make sure to remember to set your machine back to it's normal setting 

Pull at your bobbin threads to get your ruffle strip the same width as your bib piece.

Pin on  the ruffles! I tried to get a close up picture - It turned out a bit blurry - sorry. But what you are looking at here is that I aligned the raw edge of the ruffle strip with the edge of the folded and ironed over bit of the bib piece. (top right cormer shows it best)

Stitch the ruffle strip to the bib front. repeat this for both sides of the bib piece.

Fold your bib piece in half and mark with a pin at the top and bottom.

Now line up the pinned center of the bib with the crease - top and bottom.

Pin your bib front on.

Stitch it on! I did over the line of stitching I used for the ruffled piece and a line very close beside on each side of the bib front.

Here it is all finished! I also added three buttons on  My husband doesn't care for how many colours this dress has - but I love it !

A Sew-a-Long Round Up

Here is a quick round up of a few of the lovely Dana's and Maddie's sewn by you!

First up is April from The Sewing Novice

I just love that fabric!

Next is the lovely Jen from Sincerely, Jen 

Perfect fit!

Also in the sew a long were some lovely Maddie's, First up from Prinkley Baby

Princesses and soft chevron - and those little girls - so cute!

And finally we have another maddie from Baby Sweetness

Isn't this little baby just a doll! and with little bloomers too!

A BIG thank you to all who participated! 

Sew a longs are hosted in the facebook group on a fairly regular basis - and there are prizes!!! (Jen, pictured above, won 2yards or circa and a pattern!) 

For more pictures and fun please join us in our facebook group and check out our photo album !

PS. a tutorial for the Simply Sweet will be coming to you soon! so remember to check in on the blog!

Who likes to coordinate?!

Did you know so SO many of our lovely patterns have an adult version and kids version? !!
Can someone say perfect for the family photos? or how about that wedding you have this summer? or Christmas/Thanksgiving dinner?... or even to make outfits to sell in your shop!

All our women's patterns go from xs up to 3xl and the kids versions mostly range from 6/12m up to 12 and even 13/14 in many cases! GREAT value for you pattern buck!

Whatever your event or non event we all know coordinating is fun!  So without further delay here is a list of our coordinating patterns!

First off we have the Patricia and Sophie:

Next is the Meghan and Molly:

Then there are the Shana and Emily:

The Marlo and Cathy are also a perfect pairing:

How about a match for the whole family! The Tommy and Louey boxers:

The Dana and Maddie are next up - these look wonderful as a dress or top!

Need something a little dressier? Well then, the Jamie and Marissa are perfect for you!

How about the perfect shift dress? I'd recommend the Rebecca and Shannon:

Here is another coordinating set that triples! A great shirt, tunic, and/or dress! The Devon and Leighanna:

Next we have the Vanessa and Bettyann:

Looking to sew for the men in your life? The Marco and Ethan are a classic set:

 

And finally another sew for the entire family! In chambray as cute pants, cottons, or in flannel as jammies the Easy fits are great and fast to make, shorts- full length; cuffed, plain hem, or ruffled! Kids and tween-adult:

We also have the Sisboom Katies and Judy's! (and don't be fooled by the name, those Katies are cute on boys too!)

NEW in our coordinating patterns for 2015 is the Sisboom Carolina Mae and Gabriella Fae 

Oh and Just in case you are wondering, the Lucy's matching kids version is in the book "A Girl's World" by the one and only Jennifer Paganelli!

Here is the document version for you to download if you want it ! 

Here is a link to our pinboards! Pinterest is a great source of inspiration and you can see the patterns made many different ways in all sizes and lengths !

Also if you are not already - PLEASE do join us in our facebook group and like our fan page!