Mix & Match dreams DO come true!

How about some Jocole Patterns Mix & Match goodness?!

I love all of the Jocole patterns, I won't lie... but my favorites are the Mix & Match series! I love how customize-able they are. I can literally do anything with my Mix & Match patterns. I love that feeling of freedom (thank you Jodi Jean Baird)!

I recently made a pair of pants for a sew a long Whimsical Fabric is having this month and I needed a cute top to go with them. I looked through all my patterns and I found....NOTHING... that I liked. I'm sure you've been there lol. I started thinking about what i wanted and it had to be something with a nicely fitted bodice but I wanted the skirt part to be more free flowing. The more I thought about it, the more I knew the bodice had to be the Jocole Mix & Match. Cuz, you really cannot go wrong with Jocole, amirite?

I used the Basic Empire Bodice and the Classic Sleeves  to make the basic bodice of the top. I pretty much just followed Jodi's excellent instructions and made a perfect bodice cuz yeah thats how I roll.

Then I took out my trusty Radiant A-line Bottom and started measuring. I ended up with 2 rectangles that were about 24" wide and 10"high? tall? I gathered the tops of each rectangle to match the bottom of my bodice and I sewed them together and attached them to my Mix & Match bodice. Cake! Looks pretty good, doesn't it? :)

Being the completely awesome designer she is, Jodi Jean Baird did all the math so everyone can make this adorable Mix & Match variation for themselves! Voila!!

Mix & Match Sew Along Day 2

Jocole Mix & Match Sew Along Day 2

We are working with the Jocole Mix & Match Series for this sew along.  There are tons of options and combinations, so your pieces will not look exactly like mine but the process is the same.

You should have front piece, back piece, and sleeves at this point.  Again, I have the Basic Bodice with the A Line Skirt option cut.  I am also making the Classic Sleeve with a flutter sleeve on top.

Today we will sew the bodice front and back together.  I know this step won't take but a few minutes, but we want to give everyone a chance to get caught up.

Sew the shoulder seams together.  If you want, get the sleeve pieces ready for tomorrow.

I lined up the Flutter Piece with the curve at the shoulder on the sleeve piece.  This will allow us to attach the sleeve easily tomorrow.

If you haven't seen the beautiful creations that the girls at Pattern Revolution made, go see them here.  See you tomorrow!

Jocole M&M Sew Along

Jocole Mix & Match Sew Along

Are you ready?  We are giving the Mix & Match series a go for this sew along.  I'm excited to break down the process to make it all clear.

I am making a little dress for my daughter.  In order to create a Mix & Match Dress you need several pieces from the series; a bodice, sleeves and bottom.  I needed the following pieces:

Basic Empire Bodice

Radiant A Line Bottom

Classic Sleeves (I'm also going to add the flutter sleeve on top of the classic sleeve.)

We will combine all of these pieces to make a cute little dress.

Today we will print, assemble the pattern pieces and cut fabric.  When you have all the pieces cut and assembled, we still need to do some piecing to make the pattern work.  You can see in the picture below that I have placed the Basic Empire Bodice above the Radiant A Line pattern piece.  The fabric will be cut as one whole piece with these two pattern pieces together.  Be sure you are lining up the fold for the bodice and bottom on the same side.  

The bodice piece is turned toward the wrong side (in the photo) to line up the fold sides.  Cut one front and one back piece and two sleeves.  If you are making a dress that the bodice and skirt are separate pieces, you will need a front and back for each piece.

This is what you should have so far.

Here is the schedule for the Sew Along for the week of November 17- 21:

Monday - Print, assemble pattern, cut fabric

Tuesday - Sew bodice or dress front and back

Wednesday - Sew sleeves

Thursday - Finish

Friday - Share creations to enter for a prize

I hope you will join us in the sewing group if you have questions.

Let's get sewing!

Mix & Match Series: Sew Along Contest WINNERS

Are you ready?  holy moley i was supposed to post the winners *last* week ... i'm a mess.  thanks for hanging with me.

CONGRATULATIONS !!!!!  

Thanks for sewing along with me and participating in the contest.  

I LOVED looking at all the picture entries.

Kayla Casper (Fussy Gussy) with 14 entries.  I LOVE her fabric choices and how she add embroidery to her designs) ... she wins a $20 gift certificate to jocole.com

Basic Empire Bodice, Basic Tee Bottom, Classic Sleeves, Playful Flounce bottom (double layer with the top layer cinched up) 

Basic Empire Bodice, Basic Tee Bottom, Flutter Sleeves, Playful flounce bottom (3 layers ... the top 2 layers are cut shorter)

Harmony Marquart (3 Giraffes) with 18 entries.  I LOVE how she always uses the patterns as a base but ALWAYS changes it around and adds her own spin to it ... she wins a $20 gift certificate to jocole.com

Racerback Bodice (Harmony added the quadruple ruffle skirting to the bottom of the empire bodice)

Lisa Crosbie ... she made a Cowlneck Tee (Classy Cowlneck Bodice, Basic Tee Bottom, Classic Sleeves) ... super cute!  LOVE that color!  She wins a $15 gift certificate to jocole.com

Peg Gonzales ... she used the Basic Bodice, Radiant A-Line Tunic & Classic Cap Sleeves ... in *LACE* oh em geeee .... I LOVE the way this top turned out.  Super cute!  ... she wins a $10 

gift certificate to jocole.com

Heidi Flugel ... she made a Cowlneck Dress and a Cowlneck Tee ... they both turned out GREAT!  she wins a $15 gift certificate to jocole.com

Erin Kimmons ... she made a dress for herself and used the M&M patterns to modify the Crossover Dress pattern ... she wins a $10 gift certificate to jocole.com

Alyssa Carrion ... she made a cowlneck dress for herself ... and then she just couldn't stop and made a cowlneck dress for her daughter ... she wins a $10 gift certificate to jocole.com

Sheri Fowler ... she made a super cute Racerback Tank ... LOVE the pink color, it turned out great.  She wins a $10 gift certificate.

i'll be sending out emails with the gift certificate information in a little bit ... CONGRATULATIONS !!!!!  Thanks for sewing along with me and participating in the contest.

Mix & Match Series: Sew Along Day 5

There is *still* time to catch up ... if you already haven't picked up the patterns.  Here is a link to the entire Mix&Match Collection -- I'm gonna run a 25% sale now through the end of the sew along (8/27/13).

Links to Purchase:

ALL Mix&Match Patterns

Bodices

Bottoms

Sleeves

Today's Tasks:

Post your finished Mix&Match pictures in the album found **HERE** in the Jocole Patterns FB Group.

If you have ANY questions the Jocole Patterns facebook group is a GREAT place to ask them.

Judging starts MONDAY August 26th.

The entire schedule can be found HERE.

Mix & Match Series: Sew Along Day 4

There is *still* time to catch up ... if you already haven't picked up the patterns.  Here is a link to the entire Mix&Match Collection -- I'm gonna run a 25% sale now through the end of the sew along (8/27/13).

Links to Purchase:

ALL Mix&Match Patterns

Bodices

Bottoms

Sleeves

Today's Tasks:

Stitch up your bottom following your directions ... add to the bodice

If you have ANY questions the Jocole Patterns facebook group is a GREAT place to ask them.

Tomorrow's Tasks:

Post your finished Mix&Match pictures in the album found **HERE** in the Jocole Patterns FB Group.

The entire schedule can be found HERE.

Mix & Match Series: Sew Along Day 3

There is *still* time to catch up ... if you already haven't picked up the patterns.  Here is a link to the entire Mix&Match Collection -- I'm gonna run a 25% sale now through the end of the sew along (8/27/13).

Links to Purchase:

ALL Mix&Match Patterns

Bodices

Bottoms

Sleeves

Today's Tasks:

Add your sleeves (if desired) ... hem ... stitch up side seams

If you have ANY questions the Jocole Patterns facebook group is a GREAT place to ask them.

Tomorrow's Tasks:

Stitch up your bottom following your directions ... add to the bodice 

The entire schedule can be found HERE.

Mix & Match Series: Sew Along Day 2

There is *still* time to catch up ... if you already haven't picked up the patterns.  Here is a link to the entire Mix&Match Collection -- I'm gonna run a 25% sale now through the end of the sew along (8/27/13).

Links to Purchase:

ALL Mix&Match Patterns

Bodices

Bottoms

Sleeves

Today's Tasks:

Start putting together your bodice ... finish your shoulders, neckline. 

If you have ANY questions the Jocole Patterns facebook group is a GREAT place to ask them.

Tomorrow's Tasks:

Add your sleeves (if desired) ... hem ... stitch up side seams  

The entire schedule can be found HERE.

Mix & Match Sew Along and Contest details

Are you ready for a Sew Along and CONTEST ?? I wanna see what *YOU* make with the Mix & Match Series patterns

Basic Empire Bodice, Sassy Dress Bottom, Sweet Flounce Sleeves
Metallic Slinky Knit from SpandexWorld.com

My FAVORITE thing about the Mix&Match series is how versatile they are.  Every time someone shares a picture of something they made with the series they are *always* different.  I just did the math and you can make 400 different dresses and tops with this series.  Talk about a BARGAIN ... it's like *endless* options.  I can always make something different ... or embellish it differently ... or change up something.

I've been wanting to DO something with the series so you lovely ladies can try them out and see just how much FUN they can be.  

So let's start with a GIANT sale ... are you ready?!  The *entire* Mix&Match collection of patterns will be HALF OFF *ONLY* on August 7th (ends midnight PST).  (**M&M Bundles excluded)

Available from nb-14 *and* xs-xxxl (23 different sizes) ... now *that* is a LOT of options !!!

Links to Purchase:

ALL Mix&Match Patterns

Bodices

Bottoms

Sleeves

Sew Along Schedule:

Below is the schedule we'll be following (so you can plan ahead).  Each day I'll be posting new things on the blog.  Tips & tricks ... new tutorials ... you just never know what  might show up.

Wednesday August 7th:

Purchase Mix&Match patterns for HALF OFF from jocole.com

Thursday August 8th:

Start planning out YOUR Mix&Match design.  

Order fabric from your favorite knit fabric sources (or purchase locally at your fabric store).

I *LOVE* the knits from GirlCharlee and from SpandexWorld

*twiddle your thumbs waiting for fabric!!  Make something from your fabric stash while you wait :)

Monday August 19th:

Print your pattern pieces, tape pages together and cut out desired size and length

     *bodice, bottom, sleeves

     *tape the bodice & bottom pattern pieces together as shown in the directions if you do NOT want an empire seam

Tuesday August 20th:

Start putting together your bodice ... finish your shoulders, neckline

Wednesday August 21st:

Add your sleeves (if desired) ... hem ... stitch up side seams

Thursday August 22nd:

Stitch up your bottom following your directions ... add to the bodice

Friday August 23rd:

Post your finished Mix&Match pictures in the album found **HERE** in the Jocole Patterns FB Group.

Monday August 26th:

Judging STARTS

Wednesday August 27th:

Contest winner will be announced

Introduction to the Mix&Match patterns from Jocole

I think I get asked questions about the Mix&Match Series ALL the time because it's still such a new concept.  

Here's the gist:  you can mix ANY of the patterns together to create endless designs.

Here's how to works ...

Step 1:  pick your bodice  (4 different options)

Step 2: pick your bottom (10 different options)

Step 3: pick your sleeves (10 different options)

(or leave it sleeveless)

yup, did you read that correctly?!?! ... 4 x 10 x 10 = 400 ... you can make four-hundred DIFFERENT dresses and tops using these patterns ... plus add in that they are available from nb-14 *and* xs-xxxl (23 different sizes) ... now *that* is a LOT of options !!!

At first they are a bit confusing ... but once you TRY it you'll love it and never want to stop.  You become the designer and can create something NEW every single time you use them.  

Step 1:  pick your bodice  (4 different options)

basic empire bodice

classy cowlneck bodice

racerback bodice

scoopneck bodice

Step 2: pick your bottom (10 different options)

radiant a-line bottom (2 lengths)

basic tee bottom

playful flounce bottom (can added at the empire line or at the bottom of the basic tee bottom)

horizon bottom (3 length options)

sassy tunic & dress bottom (2 length options)

Step 3: pick your sleeves (or leave it sleeveless)  (10 different options)

classic sleeves (3 length options, or 6 in the ladies)

flutter sleeves (plus a puff sleeve option)

sweet flounce sleeves (3/4 or long sleeve options)

petal sleeves

Racerback Tank, Basic Tee Bottom (spliced), Playful Flounce Bottom (with added ruffles)
Made by Fussy Gussy

Classy Cowlneck, Radiant A-Line, Classic Sleeves (cap)
Made by Caroline Critchfield

Scoopneck Bodice, Basic Tee Bottom, Playful Flounce Bottom, Flutter Sleeves

Classy Cowlneck, Radiant A-Line (tunic), Flutter Sleeves

Classy Cowlneck, Radiant A-Line (tunic), Classic Sleeves (long)
Photo by FortyToes
Modeled by Kori Leilani

Classy Cowlneck, Basic Tee Bottom, Classic Sleeves (elbow)
Made by MamaMia

Racerback Bodice, Basic Tee Bottom

Classy Cowlneck Bodice, Radiant A-Line Bottom, Classic Sleeves (cap)
Photo by Leah Teofilo

Classy Cowlneck Bodice, Racerback Tank Bodice, Basic Tee Bottom
Made by Harmony Marquardt paired with the NEW Basic Brief Bottoms