Don't Miss the Sew Fab e-Pattern Sale!

Hi, everyone!  This is Veronica, and I just wanted to let you know that next week, I would love to have you stop by and see all the amazing patterns offered up for sale in the Sew Fab e-Pattern Sale.  When the sale goes live on Monday, Feb. 4th, I'll have a link here on sewVery that will allow you to purchase all 18 patterns offered in the sale for just one extremely low price! You will be impressed with the line-up of patterns offered, so make sure you come back here to check them out and make a purchase!

Below is more information provided by Jenny of The Southern Institute.  She is the one organizing the sale.  Please let me know if you have any questions! This is my first time to participate in a sale like this, and I am really excited about this offer!

Coming next week!

From February 4th- February 11th...

the first ever

 

For one week only, ten pattern designers will be joining together to combine 18 of their best PDF sewing patterns (valued together at over $139.00) and selling them to you for the incredible price of $24.95! 

That's over 80% off of the combined retail value! 

That wasn't a typo! For less than $25.00 you will have the chance to purchase a library of resources to get you started on several great projects that you can sew over and over again.

The designers that are joining this sale are experts at their craft. They have been sewing for a very long time and are well known in blog land as well as in children's and women's sewing pattern design circles. Each designer has contributed one or two of their favorite sewing patterns to create a bundle that is sure to please! Whether you are sewing for your own family or making gifts for others, these are patterns that you will love to use. 

Figgy's Patterns, Go To Patterns, peek-a-boo pattern shop, Seamingly Smitten, One Girl Circus, Sew Much Ado, luvinthemommyhood, Gingercake, Sew Fearless, Me Sew Crazy... this is the lineup! But you have to wait until Monday to find out exactly which sewing patterns are included in the pattern bundle. I can tell you that you won't be disappointed! 

The Sew Fab Sale is offering an affiliate program for this amazing sale too! If you think your blog readers, Facebook friends, or Twitter pals would be interested in buying this bundle of sewing patterns, why not sign up as an affiliate? As a Sew Fab Sale affiliate you can sell the pattern bundle on your blog and earn 40% of all of your sales!  Contact Jenny at thesoutherninstitute@gmail.com for more details.

Oh! And there will be a giveaway! The Sew Fab Giveaway is amazing! One lucky winner will win a bunch of amazing prizes from some of your favorite companies and online shops! I can't wait to reveal the giveaway package next week!

Don't miss the Sew Fab e-Pattern Bundle Sale

starting Monday, February 4th!

Sponsored by

The Southern Institute and Fat Quarter Shop

       

We'll see you there!

The Sew Fab e-Pattern Bundle is only available from 8 am EST February 4th through 8 am EST February 11th. Due to the nature of the sale there will be no late sales or refunds.

Sweetheart Dress and a Giveaway!

Today I'm sharing this playful dress I made for Ella using the Sweetheart Dress Pattern from Luvinthemommyhood.  Update:  To see the second Sweetheart Dress I made, click here.

Isn't it just adorable?  And it's absolutely perfect to wear for Valentine's Day which will be here before we know it!

This pattern is professionally written and full of excellent illustrations and photographs to easily guide you through the entire construction process.  It's one of the best pdf patterns I've found so far.  I would rate it appropriate for a confident beginner sewer.

The pattern includes a size chart for sizes 2T-6T that I found to be extremely helpful in determining the size that would best fit my Ella.  Ella's height and chest measurements were right in the middle of a 4T and 5T, but her waist was more like a 4T.  In the end, I decided to go with the 5T.  I feel like the fit was spot on for the length and chest, but the waist is a tad big (and I knew it would be since I went with the larger size).  I'm not worried about it though!  Overall, I'm very pleased with the fit and look on her.  She loves it and should be able to wear it this year and next year as well!

Months ago, Ella and I bought this sweet, edgy fabric on the clearance aisle at Joann's.  Ella loves anything with hearts and pink and purple, so there was no way she would let me leave the store without some!  It's a nice cotton twill that was easy to sew and worked well for the Sweetheart Dress Pattern. For Ella's 5T version, the pattern called for 1 3/8 yard of the main fabric and 1/2 yard for the bodice lining.  I even had enough of it left over to make a new set of hot pads for me and Ella (get the tutorial here).

I used some quilting weight cotton that color coordinates with the main heart skull fabric.

The pattern has three pieces and then a measurement chart for cutting out the skirt rectangle, so there is no piecing and taping together sheets of paper!  Just print and cut them out and you are ready to go!

I remember when I first saw this dress on Luvinthemommyhood, I thought it would be tricky to make the heart cutout in the back, but it was anything but that!  Shannon's pattern instructions made adding this detail a piece of cake (or actually a heart)!  And I learned a new way to make a lined bodice for a dress!  I love learning new sewing tricks and methods.  Don't you?

Ella striking a pose!

I will say that I found it a little tricky sewing together the fabric after I cut out the heart per the pattern instructions.  Even though I had the fabric sufficiently pinned together, the fabric was flimsy and difficult to manage.  I think the next time I make the dress I'll trace the entire heart out and sew around it with the seam allowance before cutting out the heart shape. To me, I think that might be easier.  I know this may sound a little confusing, but once you see the pattern, I think you'll understand what I mean.

I try to avoid buttonholes when possible, so normally, I would use a fabric loop for the button closure.  But this time, I decided to try Shannon's tutorial on how to make a hand sewn loop using embroidery thread for the button closure.  It took me four tries to make it the right length and nice looking!

I'm glad I tried it because I learned another sewing trick that I'm sure I will use all the time now!  Of course, you can make a fabric loop instead, and the pattern instructs you when to sew it in if you go that route.

I used a covered button for the closure using a 3/4" button and the lining fabric.  I wish they still made these covered button kits the way they did back in my grandmother's day.  I found a few in her stash, and they are so much easier to use because no tools or plastic pieces are needed!  The old ones have teeth around the back edge of the button that grip the fabric and a back that just snaps into place.  With these new kits, I sometimes have a difficult time getting the back on without the use of a hammer, and then I'm afraid I'm going to smash my thumb or finger!  Anyway, sorry to get sidetracked about covered buttons!

This Sweetheart Dress was such a quick sewing project--only a couple of hours if you don't count the time it took me to get the hand sewn loop just right!  And the best part, Ella absolutely loves it!

This is the type of dress that can easily be dressed up or down, and this version is definitely a play dress!  Great for running, jumping, twirling, and climbing.

She wore it three times the week I made it despite the chilly weather outside. I know I'll be making more Sweetheart Dresses in the near future. In fact, I may have already made a second one!

If you want to make your little Valentine her own Sweetheart Dress, then here's your chance.  Two lucky sewVery readers will each receive their very own copy of the Sweetheart Dress pattern from Shannon at Luvinthemommyhood!  To enter, follow the instructions below.  The winners will be announced here on Wednesday, January 30th!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Of course, you can always go ahead and purchase the pattern from Shannon at Luvinthemommyhood!  You'll be glad you did!

Oh, and just to clarify things, this review is 100% my own.  Although I received the pattern free of charge as part of a swag gift at Sewing Summit, I was not compensated for my opinion of this pattern.  In fact, I have never been paid for a pattern review!  Have a great day!

Linking up at these parties as well as others shown here.

This dress was featured at Threading My Way and The Train to Crazy!  

 

Fun! Fabric Bracelets

Late last year, I came across this cool idea over at LBG Studio to make bracelets using scrap fabric.  I immediately pinned this idea, ran to the store for supplies, and whipped up a dozen or so Fun Fabric Bracelets for my kids, family, and friends!

It took me several minutes at both Michael's and Joann's, but eventually I found the bracelet crimps. I like the design on the ones from Joann's better, plus they were a better deal since I used a coupon!

I wasn't really sure how long to make the bracelets for the average adult since I have small wrists (like 5 3/8" around) and usually have a difficult time finding bracelets to fit myself.  I ended up cutting out some 6 3/4" long and some 6 1/2" long knowing that the clasp would add a little length to the overall bracelet.  This seemed to work out well for most of my recipients, but next time I think I'll either make them a 1/4" longer or use a bracelet extender on the clasp so the fit will be flexible.

For my daughter, I cut off about an inch from the longest adult bracelet, making hers have a finished length of 5 3/4" without the clasp.  It seems to fit her just fine.

I opted to use a different fabric on each side so the bracelets could be reversible. My favorites were those with multiple rows of stitching which gave them more of a quilted effect. I also found those cute little hearts in the jewelry making section at Michael's that I added to some of the clasps for decoration.

Making these fabric bracelets was such a fun, quick little project, and my daughter enjoyed helping me pick out fabric scraps and cut the strips.  I sewed and assembled all 12 or so bracelets in roughly an hour's time!

These fun fabric bracelets were a great addition to gifts we gave my nieces, my friends RaeAnna and Rachael, Ella's dance teachers, and Ella's friend, Madalyn.  We gave away some others and managed to keep one bracelet a piece for ourselves.  I forgot to take a picture of all the bracelets before I gave them away though!

I know I'll be making more of these soon, but next time I definitely plan on using a bracelet extender or something similar to make putting the bracelet on a little easier and to provide a more flexible length.

So if you want to make a few of these fun fabric bracelets for yourself or a gift, be sure to check out Vanessa's tutorial over at LBG Studio!

A sewVery Simple Hot Pad Tutorial

I am off to a slow start with blogging this year, but I have been very busy at home sewing and working on projects.  One project in particular is a tutorial on how to make your own rice filled hot pads with a removable cover.

You may remember my original hot pad post from last year where I made some smaller sized hot pads with a velcro closure.  This velcro closure allows you to remove the inner rice bag and wash the exterior cover.  We use hot pads to warm up our feet in the bed, so being able to wash the outside cover is a necessity!

We've been using these smaller hot pads all year, but I've been wanting to make a larger version with a simpler bag closure for a while now.  So today, I'm sharing with you my tutorial for making these oversized hot pads with an overlap closure for the exterior bag.  This method is by far the easiest way to make a hot pad cover.  So, gather your supplies, and let's get busy!

Sew the pieces together using a 1/4" hem along the three sides that you pinned.

At this step, you have an option to sew a 1" piece of velcro to the overlap closure to help keep it secure when the rice filled bag is inserted.  I did not do this, although I thought about it at first, but my bag stays closed just fine.  For a narrower, smaller bag, this would definitely not be needed.

Now to make the inner bag that will hold the rice. Take your two pieces of muslin, pin together, and sew together using a 1/4" seam allowance.  Just make sure you leave a 2" or 3" opening in order to turn the bag inside out. Press the bag flat making sure to press under the raw edges at the opening. This will make it easier to sew closed in a minute.

Using a funnel, fill the muslin bag with your rice.  For these large hot pads, I used roughly 18 oz. of white rice to make the bag full but not overstuffed. Carefully pin the edges of the bag opening shut and sew together using a 1/8" seam.

Insert the rice filled bag into the hot pad cover, heat the bag in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes, and remove the bag from the microwave using the handy dandy twill tape handle.  Place the hot pad under the covers in your bed a few minutes before you jump in, and by the time you crawl into bed, you'll have a nice toasty warm spot to put your feet.

This oversized hot pad will stay warm for more than half an hour when you heat it up for 3 minutes.  Just be careful when you first remove it from the microwave because it will be very hot!

This tutorial can be used to make any size hot pad.  Just adjust the measurements to fit any scrap pieces of fabric you have lying around.  Make small ones to keep your hands warm or medium ones to use on sore muscles, but please remember to always make sure the pads are not too hot before letting a child or elderly person use them.  These things can be extremely hot when first removed from the microwave, especially if you hold them in one spot on your body for more than a few seconds.

Now I just need a day or two off really nice, sunny weather so I can make pictures of Ella outside wearing all the new things I've made her!  I have a lot of blogging to do!  Come back soon to see the two Sweetheart Dresses I made using LuvintheMommyHood's pattern, a pair of leggings using the Go To Leggings pattern by Andrea from The Train to Crazy, plus a few other things I put together since the new year began.

See you soon!  Have a great day!

sewVery's 2012 Top 5 Most Viewed Posts

Before I recap the 2012 Top 5 Most Viewed Posts from my blog, I'd first like to say that I sincerely hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year!  I've been busy these last couple of weeks visiting with family, celebrating the holidays, and enjoying time with my family.  In particular, I have spent a lot of time cooking and baking with my children in both a real and play kitchen, decorating plastic princess jewelry with my daughter, and assembling some major Lego Ninjago pieces for both my son and daughter (we're talking close to 1,500 pieces of Legos)!

The year 2012 marks the year I began blogging about my sewing projects, and the year that I made countless new, wonderful friends.  It's truly been a blessing, and I hope that blogging in 2013 will continue to be as rewarding.  

I am so thankful for the loyal followers who read my posts and occasionally leave me a comment letting me know their thoughts on the subject, especially when my post provokes you to remember something you haven't thought of in ages.  And I am so amazed that others around the world find my projects and tutorials interesting and useful!  

So here are the 2012 Top 5 Most Viewed Posts from sewVery:

No. 5:  Giveaway Day - International Entries Allowed!

I still get hits on this even though this contest was held last May!  I think lots of people find it because of the Cute Little Zipper Coin Pouch that I made for the giveaway.  I wish I could claim the idea and tutorial for this pouch, but I discovered it here.

No. 4:  A Patchwork Purse and Coin Pouch

This Patchwork Purse is one of my favorites, mainly because I made it using Joel Dewberry's Heirloom collection fabrics!  I made it to challenge myself, but it's much smaller than I would normally carry.  I held onto until this Christmas so I could give it to my sister-in-law.  She really likes Vera Bradley purses, and although this is not the same thing, I hope she really likes it and will use it some.

Since I like to carry a little larger purse, I've thought about scaling the pattern up some so I could make one for myself.  I guess that is a project for 2013.  Also for 2013, I need to try out the other purses from this Simplicity 2617 pattern since I didn't get to that last year!

This post also showed off the very first little round coin pouch that I made using this tutorial.  It really is a great little zipper pouch.  I use mine to carry extra earrings when I travel, and I made my dad one in Auburn University fabric that he carries change in.  He put a spring clip on his so he can easily attach and remove it from his pant's beltloop.

No. 3:  My Emmaline Bag

My No. 3 most viewed post was this very bold and bright Emmaline Bag I made using a pattern I won from Janelle at Emmaline Bags & Patterns. Janelle is a super sweet person that I became friends with after making this bag and writing the post about it.  I really recommend you read the post and check out her patterns!

In fact, I still haven't tried out her Teardrop Bag pattern (even though I purchased it a long time ago).  That's another project just added to my 2013 To-Do List!

Coming in at No. 2 is my Ruffle Neck Romper Tutorial.

I just love this simple little romper. I know I'll be making more this spring for my daughter to wear.  And the picture graphics are one of my favorites, too! I had a lot of fun making the romper, tutorial, and the photo.

The No. 1 most viewed post on sewVery in 2012 is (drum roll, please)...

Felt Fabric Flower Tutorial

I made these fabric flowers last year for my daughter's Beautiful Flower Birthday Party.  These flowers are sewVery simple to make and can be made in a variety of ways as seen in the post.

This tutorial was featured at a couple of different places and receives lots of views everyday almost a year later!  Just goes to show you that sometimes the simplest projects are the most well received.  Now I just need to come up with a project that can top this one!

Well, that's it!  Thanks again for following my blog and this new journey of mine.  It has been such an adventure for me, and I hope blogging and sewing continue to open doors to new opportunities and new friends this year.

Have a great day!