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madebyeleri

Wardrobe Builder: Love Notions Tidal Top, Dress, and Maxi

There is nothing I like more in summer fashion than a comfortable knit dress. Can I tell you all again that I am 5’10”? This doesn’t make clothes shopping impossible, but it often means that I am missing the perfect fit. If it is a hair shorter than knee-length, I can’t comfortably bend or crouch to care for one of my small children. If it is a maxi, I must wear flats to avoid it being awkwardly short. Throw in the dilemma of different bustlines and backsides that every women regardless of height can relate to, and shopping for a simple knit dress is really not actually that simple. Continue Reading

Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop Long Beach Board Shorts!

Do I have a treat for you today! The PDF sewing world went wild for the release of the Rocky Mountain Raglan a short while ago. I know that my husband was thrilled with his new set of shirts that I shared with you here.

If your husband now can’t get enough of your sewing, or you are just in need of a fun Father’s Day gift like I am, the Long Beach Board Shorts are the perfect answer! I made my  husband’s board shorts with affordable boardshort material from the Peek-a-Boo Fabric Shop. You can shop their wide range of boardshort swim fabrics here. Continue Reading

Another day, another dolman: Mother’s Day Edition

If you’re anything like me, May is driving you a bit crazy, right? End-of-year parties, finding or making those well-earned teacher gifts, First Communions, Confirmations, Graduations, recitals, field days, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, etc. All of these awesome holidays and milestones are crammed together right when it is warming up and looking pretty where I live. I’ve had to work hard to stay focused on the things that take priority in our house even though I often just want to curl up in my sewing room while the kids play in the back yard now that our cold spring seems to be disappearing. While I haven’t had time to do some of the more labor intensive sewing projects I enjoy, I have been able to squeeze in a couple hours here and there to sew some simple projects to keep me sane (and well-dressed) through the upcoming weeks. Continue Reading

Sewing as necessity… sewing with love.

I’m going to go off the beaten sewing blog path a bit with this post.

I want to talk a little bit about one of the reasons I sew.

If you’ve read this post, you know that sometimes I sew to preserve a legacy. If you read this post, I also sew to create a special childhood memory. And sometimes I sew just for the joy of creating something for myself.

For the most part, modern day sewing is a luxury that I engage in frequently. I want to be honest here. For the most part, I don’t need to sew many things that I don’t actually want to sew. While about 50% of my sewing is related to pattern testing or blogging, ultimately every project is the result of me trying to push the idea from inside my mind into a reality that benefits and somehow meets the needs of various members of my family. Continue Reading

Rocky Mountain Raglan for Men from Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop!

Good morning, sewing friends!

This morning, I want to introduce you to my favorite person in the world, my husband. My husband is a great guy and has been super supportive of this blogging adventure, the big boxes of fabric, and the bursts of sewing. He has also been behind the camera for me when I’ve been modeling my women’s articles of clothing and I am so grateful for his willingness to learn some photography skills alongside me. Continue Reading

Favorite Sites for Fabric for Mom for Mother’s Day

Hey Dudes and Kids,

Did you wait yet another day and STILL forget to order a special gift for Mom? Don’t worry. You still have time to check out Monday’s post and choose Prime shipping and be golden.

But let’s say your wife is just like me and FABRIC is her love language? I have a few independent retailers to hook you up with! I have personally purchased custom fabric, specialty fabric, and designer fabric from each of these retailers. Continue Reading

Last Minute Mother’s Day Gifts for Your Favorite Sewist!

Do you celebrate Mother’s Day with a favorite sewist? Maybe your mom likes to quilt, or maybe your wife makes adorable clothes for your sweet kids. Alisha, Emily, Genie, and I have been chatting up a storm about what we use the most in our home sewing studios and what we most wish for to make our favorite hobbies easier!

If you are looking for last minute gift ideas for your favorite fabric junkie, the Sew and Tell Project has compiled a list for you! Many of these items are available with Free 2-Day shipping on Amazon Prime to make it easier for you to get your gift in time for Mother’s Day, May 8th. (*This post contains affiliate links which support operation of our site so we can share our creations with you). Continue Reading

Meet the Summer Caye Pants and Shorts by Love Notions!

Hi guys! This is a bit of a different post for me. This is my first post as a member of the Love Notions Promo team which means that I do receive a small payment for testing and shooting this pattern test. This was also my first time testing for Love Notions. Awesome Emily tested the Vanguard Kit that was released a short while ago.

Today I want to talk about the Summer Caye Pants, Capris, and Shorts released today (4/29) and on sale for $6. I asked to test the girls’ 4″ hem shorts in a size 3T. I often request to test for my big girls as they are more in need of clothing than the baby. Continue Reading

Ready for Sunshine with the Sofilantjes Solis Dress and Tunic!

Hey guys!

Have you ever taken a risk on a pattern and been thrilled with the results? We love Sofilantjes patterns in our house, but when I saw the tester previews of the new Solis Dress and Tunic I was a bit worried that this would be a style I wouldn’t be able to make work for my slender girls.

The Solis is an ontrend racerback sundress with two skirt options (pleated tunic or dress length and a circle skirt). It has a lovely and unique racerback style. However, when I go shopping for my daughters and see these styles I immediately know that we will have peekaboo gaping, saggy necklines, and a skirt that is too short. Continue Reading

The Journey Tank and Dress – Swimsuit Edition!

Are you still pumped for our Swimsuit Sewing Challenge 2016? I still am! I have yet another suit to share with you today.

This is my version of the 5 out of 4 Patterns Journey Tank and Dress worn as a tankini top!

I have been sewing a lot lately (probably too much) but I couldn’t pass up testing this adorable dress and tank by 5 out of 4. The 5 out of 4 Patterns started popping up in my sewing newsfeed frequently last summer as being awesome for nursing mothers and maternity. However, I knew I was winding down with the nursing stage of my life for now and I am not currently expecting. Continue Reading