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Category: Pattern Tests
I recently had the pleasure of testing a new pattern for Love Notions, the Octave Coat. This coat is so versatile! It can be dressed up or down so easily with fabric choice, offers a shawl or hooded collar, includes generous pockets in a clever design, and the choice of a belt or button closure. The option of a lined or unlined coat also gives all kinds of options for looks and added warmth.
I made a shawl collar coat with a button closure in a thick, cozy fleece from JoAnn Fabrics. Instead of trying to make a buttonhole through those thick layers, I sewed a snap under the button.
The Navigator Pullover is an on trend, half-zip pullover with a front kangaroo pocket, and options for a collar or hood in sizes 2T through 16. It’s designed for stable knits, and perfect for boys and girls. I chose a cotton lycra French Terry with 4 way stretch from Raspberry Creek Fabrics, but many of the testers used less stretchy ponte or fleece with great results.
As always, Love Notion’s finishing is spot on, making it easy for your projects to look professional. The tutorial includes links to videos for the tricky parts. Look at how nicely that collar and zipper line up!
Stay tuned, I’ve heard rumors that this will be coming soon in adult sizes! I can hardly wait! But…one more photo of the boy because he is so stinkin’ cute!
Here is Genie’s daughter in the cuffed pants and long sleeve options. These are cotton interlock with cotton lycra bands. Genie chose the half zip option as well. The zipper assembly on these pajamas is straightfoward and a video tutorial is linked in the instructions to help with any tricky spots you might find.
I (Alisha) made two versions of the Classic Zip Pajamas during testing. The cuffed shorts and short sleeves are a great option for summer. My son has hardly taken these off since I finished sewing them. I used interlock with cotton lycra bands like Genie did with the half zip option. The shorts were slimmed down slightly after I made this version.
My seven year old has been begging for fleece zip up jammies for months so he was so excited when I made him some. I appreciate that Amy includes the torso length measurement in this size chart for this pattern because I needed to size up for his pajamas. If using fleece, I recommend double checking that measurement since fleece has no vertical stretch. Just like my other son, he’s been wearing these a ton even though it is 90 degrees outside. I’ve decided that’s a battle I’m not willing to fight!
If you have previously purchased Amy’s zip up pajama pattern, you can simply redownload this version from your account. If you don’t have a zip up pj pattern, we recommend the Classic Zip Pajamas. They’re a fairly quick sew with a variety of options that work great year round.
The Hideout Hoodie is a relaxed fit raglan with short or long sleeves and a hood or neckband which allow you to make a variety of looks from one pattern. More bang for your buck!
First I whipped up a size 7 for my almost 8 year old with red cotton/lycra french terry from the Peek a Boo Fabric shop. I paired it with black cotton lycra and a Ninja digital design from PAB. Even though there’s a lot of details, this was a fast sew.
My son absolutely loves his new shirt, but my favorite is the angled side detail. I added red trim to the top of my pocket, and I absolutely love the pop that the gray and white yarn dyed stripes add to the angle detail.
The pockets are more of a mini size but my son found plenty of opportunities to stash things in them while practicing his ninja moves 🙂
During testing, I made a size 6 hoodie for my 4 year old. It is too big for him right now, but I sized up in anticipation of it fitting next year as well. Cloud 9 Interlock is such wonderful quality and the stripes and crosses were the perfect for a super soft hoodie. It’s even on sale!
This hoodie pairs perfectly with his Rough ‘n Tumble pants which I’m pretty sure he stole from his brother’s drawer as they’re also too big! The hood is a crossover style, but has plenty of room!
Make sure to grab your copy of the Hideout Hoodie while it’s on sale through Thursday night! It’s perfect for both boys and girls. I have one cut out for my daughter that I’m looking forward to sewing soon!
When a big box of knits arrives at my house (not very frequently if my husband is reading this), two of my daughters immediately start claiming fabrics and asking for dresses. To be honest, they have been a bit “mama-made” starved the past several months. I am nearly 30 weeks pregnant now and have taken a bit of a pregnancy and long winter-related hiatus from doing a lot of girls’ sewing, blogging, and shooting. The new Skyler dress pattern was perfect to get my “sewjo” back and also take advantage of utilizing some fabric cuts that I loved but had been sitting for several months. And if you haven’t seen the news on Instagram, I am having another girl, so I promise more girls’ sewing is coming!Â
I love sewing with knits, particularly high-quality cotton lycra/spandex. I made this version in one of my favorite Art Gallery Fabrics prints by Sharon Holland Designs.
I chose to do the large bow back view for this version and had just enough fabric for the circle skirt. This is a straight size 4.
One of the variations of Skyler’s top and dress includes small side bows. I made 3 sets of hairbows to coordinate with her favorite Skyler dresses as you can see in this picture. Just follow the tutorial to make the bows and hot glue to your favorite clip of choice. Due to the thickness of her hair, I used french barrettes so they would not slip out.
For my next Skyler, I combined one of my favorite fabrics, Art Gallery Yellow Stripes, with a large remnant I had leftover from sewing for the Printemps Fusions Lookbook earlier this spring. I just cut the fabric to length to the width of fold due to the limited yardage I had. Luckily, with knits you can get away with removing a few inches on gathered skirts. This pattern is also suitable for using woven fabric for the SKIRT ONLY but I prefer to make all-knit dresses for ease of washing and comfortable wear.
For this version, I chose the simple square back. The instructions were clear to make a fully-lined and unique bodice.
I also used my time during testing to get Little Miss’s 4th of July outfit created! Doesn’t she look like a little firecracker? I did another large center bow for her and used the circle skirt for maximum twirl! The fabric is a custom print I picked up last summer that is no longer available. I’m glad I saved it for the right pattern!
During testing this Little Miss also had a 4th birthday! I pulled every gorgeous floral and every whimsical print I had out of my stash to let her choose! She kept saying, “Nope. Not enough colors.” Until we arrived at this stripe which is still in stock here! Momfession: I tried one more time to get her to choose a tossed print so I could do the speedy circle skirt. But, seriously, even if you use all the options, my first Skyler took me less than 2 hours even with careful stripe matching and needing to follow the instructions step by step.
She wore this to her birthday party and got soooo many compliments!
Finally, I want to share my very favorite Skyler!
My nearly ten-year-old daughter helped me find these beautiful fabrics in my stash. I combined Art Gallery sleek mint stripes with another older AGF print from the Geometric Bliss collection. My daughter wanted a circle skirt and simple square back done on the modest cut line with short sleeves for summer events. The pattern also includes full-length sleeves so I know it will transition well for back to school. I sewed her a straight size 10 bodice and lengthened the skirt to a 12 due to her height.
The dress had the tween-friendly, retro look we were both going for. I usually avoid cutting a circle skirt on directional fabric, but since these were vertical stripes in short bursts, I thought it would be fun to play with the print’s orientation within the circle skirt. It kind of looks like a colorful disco ball to me!
Last but not least, I have a bonus Skyler to share! 3 of us 4 over at Sew and Tell Project participated in testing the Skyler. We all loved it! Here is Emily’s beautiful version in a size 7/8L on her little girl. I love the colorful use of chevrons to showcase the pattern.
I hope one or two of these beautiful dresses has inspired you to add the Skyler’s Square Back Top and Dress to your pattern stash and more importantly, get sewing! Tell us what you think below!
I made two versions of the Baby Skyler during testing. The first was the simple open back cut out and gathered peplum length top. This Riley Blake Idelwild knit is perfect for this summer tank.
I paired my Baby Skyler with a pair of Baby Tammy Tulip shorts. I love that they are reversible for two different looks and work great with this peplum length top.
The Fourth of July is fast approaching, and for my second Baby Skyler, I decided to run with the red, white, and blue theme. I made the short sleeve circle skirt peplum length top with the big bow on the cutout. I used royal blue and red cotton lycra from Peek a Boo Pattern Shop, my favorite place to buy cotton lycra solids (and most other fabrics!), and a woven fireworks fabric I’ve had in my stash from Joanns since last year.
This top is perfect for those hot summer days and parades on the Fourth. The woven skirt still fit perfectly over my daughter’s head and tummy and makes for a great casual top for the parade we’ll be attending. The red bow on the back makes for a fun surprise when she turns around and runs away which is so common these days!
Thanks for checking out my versions of the Baby Skyler, and make sure to subscribe to our blog so you don’t miss Emily and Eleri’s versions of the Skyler for their big girls!
With 144 combinations of necklines, sleeves, sash, and skirts, this truly can be the one and only dress you need.
I used a woven from Hobby Lobby for Miss M’s first dress. I chose the sweetheart neckline, classic back, puff sleeves, and classic with ruffle skirt. The puff sleeves add such a sweet touch, and I just love the extra ruffle.
For my second dress, I used a lovely floral and chose the sweetheart neckline, flutter sleeves, scoop back, and twirl skirt. The twirl skirt is a gathered circle skirt and has such fun “twirability” for the older girls.
I chose to add the sash but I altered the back because I just wanted it as a band instead of with ties. I used metal snaps on both my dresses instead of buttons.
Hemming circle skirts is one of the most challenging part of sewing dresses for me. When I read Becca’s tutorial over at Simple Life Pattern Company about hemming circle skirts with bias tape, I knew this was a technique I needed to use. I used a red storebought bias tape to hem my skirt, and the process was so fast and easy. Make sure to head over and check out her tutorial! Not only is it a faster way to hem, it adds a fun pop of color to the inside of your skirt.
Make sure to head over to Peekaboo Pattern Shop and grab your copy of the Wildflower Dress. It’s a perfect Easter sew, and with 144 combinations, your little girl’s closet can be full of Wildflowers that are as varied as a beautiful field of flowers.
Here’s what you need to know about the High Tide:
-Sizes 3 months through 12 years (snap crotch option for 3 months through 4T)
-Plain suit, ruffle suit, skirted suit, or top option
-Cap sleeves, short sleeves, or long sleeves.
I was nervous about trying to install a zipper in swim material, but with some Washaway Wonder Tape and a bit of patience, it was not nearly as difficult as I thought. Amy has also made a video to help with the zipper installation and the neckband. I can’t wait to make the High Tide as rash guard tops for my boys as the zippers will make it easier to get those wet rash guards off!
I used the Paradise Floral swim fabric from last year for Miss M’s suit, but there are so many other cute options available at Peek a Boo Pattern Shop that I’m already trying to decide on which to use for Miss M’s next suit!
The sweet little ruffle adds such a fun detail to the suit, and one of my favorite features of the suit is the zipper guard behind the zipper protecting the neck and chest from the zipper.
Make sure to hop on over to Peek a Boo Pattern Shop and grab your copy of the High Tide Surfsuit and the women’s version, the Bahama Mama Surfsuit while they’re on sale today only!
The Aria and Baby Aria are knit dresses with a fun back addition–a panel including bows. It’s such a fun, simple twist to add fun and interest to the back of a knit dress.
The Baby Aria and Aria are drafted for knit with many options. There is a bow back or simple back as well as sleeve styles of tank, short, 3/4, and long. Flutters can be used with any of the sleeve options as well. The skirt can be gathered or circle with a fun ruffle added to either option for great twirliness.
I made two different long sleeve Baby Arias for my daughter. Both are 9-12 month width with a 12-18 month length. Make sure to check and see if grading out for the waist in the baby sizes is necessary. This bodice is a bit longer and i found I needed to grade out to the next width for Miss M’s baby tummy for a better fit.
This mint dress is made from Raspberry Creek Fabrics club line. Their club line is printed in house, and it is my favorite! I used long sleeves as well as a gathered skirt on this dress.
My second dress is also long sleeved but with the circle skirt option. I found a navy knit eyelet at my local Hobby Lobby and lined the entire dress with a dark fuschia cotton lycra from Peek a Boo Pattern Shop.
I lined the bodice according to the directions. I then sewed the sides of the bodice before attaching the sleeves. I cut 1/2″ off the fuchsia sleeve and hemmed the fuchsia and navy sleeves separately before attaching them as one in the round. I did the same with the circle skirts.
This is one of my favorite tops I’ve ever made for Miss M, and she’s already worn it several times!
Finally here’s my bonus tip for accessorizing your new Aria dress! If you’re looking for a quick hair bow, use the bow dimensions to cut an extra bow for a headband or clip. I simply sewed the bow right sides together leaving a small hole to turn it on the middle of one long side. Then I wrapped the middle portion of the bow around the headband and stitched it on. Quick and easy!
Make sure to hop over to Simple Life Pattern Company and grab your copy of the Baby Aria and Aria (plus the coordinating girls Tiffany Leggings) before the sale ends on January 23rd! There is a new release discount of 20% on the patterns separately and 25% off a bundle 🙂
The Houdini Bib has two versions: a basic bib with just the strap around the neck, and the Houdini version which has straps that criss cross in the back and snap below the arms. It is also available in three sizes: baby, toddler, and preschooler. After I made these, an inch was added to the length of the Houdini straps to provide a bit more room for movement.
The criss cross straps prevent Miss M from grabbing the bottom of her bib and shoving it in her mouth. There also is an optional pocket to catch food and crumbs while your little one is eating. I added the pocket to my white bib, but it’s a bit hard to see in the pics.
The options of fabric you can use to make the Houdini bib are endless. I made mine from PUL from Joann Fabrics. Amy offers some adorable PUL in the Peek a Boo Fabric Shop too! Other testers used flannel or terry as well. I’m planning to make a few from flannel with a PUL back to catch all the drool from my teething baby. Hop on over to Peek a Boo Pattern Shop and grab your copy of the Houdini Bib while it’s on sale today only! It’s a perfect stocking stuffer for the little ones in your life.