Bundle UP Sale ... coming soon

Are you ready for some exciting news?

The first installment of Bundle Up is coming SOON.  Bundle Up is a collective of your favorite established pdf sewing pattern designers coming together to offer you a sweet deal on both hot NEW patterns and favorite past releases.

So what makes Bundle UP different from other bundle sales?

• We only feature established designers whose patterns and reputation you already know and trust.
• We create themed bundles -- our first is girls (next is ladies).  You get more of what you need and none of what you don't.
• We offer primarily new releases patterns and throw in a couple oldies but goodies to round out the bundle.
• We allow you to "Build a Better Bundle". You gets to pick and choose which patterns and how many to include in your bundle.  Already have one of the patterns? No problem, just pick from the others.
• The more you buy, the more you save!

Are you ready to see who is in the first Bundle Up sale?

How does it work?

These patterns are already a great bargain, marked about 50% from their retail prices, but we have an even better deal for you.  The more you buy, the better deal you score!!  You must buy at least 6 patterns to get the bundle pricing, but the more you add to your cart, the cheaper they get.  Here are the details:

• $4.50 each for 6 ($27 total)
• $4.25 each for 8 ($34 total)
• $4.00 each for 10 or more ($40-$44 total)

here's a sneak of the NEW  Jocole pattern

Easter Coloring Pages

Easter Coloring Pages

And Some Family Memories

Are you looking for a fun activity to do with your kiddos for Easter?  Look no further!  Jodi has designed some coloring pages just for our kiddos to have a ball with.

My girls had a fun evening color the cute clothes and eggs.  (If you look closely you can see that my son was not interested in coloring.  He's on the computer on the couch.)

 

And they worked hard on those cute eggs and adorable girls!  That phone is never far away!!!

 

There are 3 girl dolls, 1 boy doll and a coloring page of eggs in the pdf.  Included are the Circle Flounce Dress Doll, The Crossover Dress and the Endless Dress.  Your daughter can color the Endless Dress you made for her last week!

It would be even more fun to allow your daughter to design her own dress and then you make her design come to life.  Wouldn't that be exciting for a little one?  She gets to tell all of her friends that her mommy made a dress just like she colored!

Showing off her creation.

 

And she's reading, Happy Easter.  You can find the coloring pages here.

I'm not sure what your Easter celebrations entail, but for me it is all about family being together.  Easter is one of the holidays that makes me miss my family in Texas the most.  Of course Christmas is hard and birthdays remind me how far apart we are, but Easter is one of my fondest memories of childhood.  The day was about family, all day long.  We started out Easter Sunday going to church together:  all of my aunts, uncles, cousins, parents and grandparents.   We all sang at the top of our lungs and I'm sure sounded like a pack of wild dogs!  We were all happy to be together and celebrate the real reason behind Easter.

After church, we all went to a family member's house.  We had a huge meal together, talked, laughed and did whatever kids do.  I was always so excited because I knew my mom would bring her famous potato salad and it was the highlight of the meal for me.  I could have eaten only that potato salad and I would have been a happy camper.

My best and most favorite memory of those family gatherings was the egg hunt.  My Aunt Judy always made such a special effort to have a fun egg hunt.  She had a ball hiding the eggs and watching all of us find them.  While all the other adults were busy doing adult things, my Aunt Judy was there with the kids making us feel like we were the most important part of the day.  That is a great feeling for a kid--to be important.  My Aunt Judy made my life special in so many ways, but that is one of my favorite things she did for me.  

I can't live up to my Aunt Judy(or my mom's potato salad!).  She is an amazing person.  I can only hope my own children feel as loved and important as she made me feel.  I hope your Easter is filled with bad singing, great family, potato salad, a fabulous Aunt Judy and an AMAZING egg hunt!

Happy Easter!

How to Make a Cheer Bow

How to Make a Cheer Bow

My oldest daughter started cheer competitions this year.  She has never been interested in competitive teams before, so this was something new.  I realized very quickly that if you are going to cheer competitively, you MUST have a specific cheer bow.  AKA, a HUGE bow on the top of the head.  Every competition we went to, they were selling cheer bows for $15-$25.  To me, that is crazy.  I know there are lots of people out there that would gladly pay for the bow just so they don't have to make it.  I'm not one of those people!  I love a challenge and I love to do something new.  Let me tell you how I made this one!

Supply List:

1. 2 1/2 to 3in ribbon
2. 1 1/2in ribbon
3. 3/4in ribbon
4. zip tie
5. glue gun
6. heat 'n bond (optional)
7. hair band

I found the ribbon at JoAnn's, there is a small section with cheer bow ribbon(it's not with all of the regular ribbon).  The 3in ribbon is the most important size, the others can coordinate with the large ribbon.

Cut the ribbon to 30 inches.  This is the perfect length for cheer bows.  Cut the heat 'n bond to the size of the two smaller ribbons.

Iron the heat 'n bond onto the ribbon.  To keep the ribbon from burning, it's a good idea to put a piece of fabric over the ribbon.  Iron the fabric (with the ribbon under) being sure that the heat 'n bond adheres to the ribbon.  The reason for using heat 'n bond is so that there is no need to pin the ribbon together.

 Place the medium size ribbon over the large ribbon.  Be sure to place the ribbon right in the center and iron them together.  Zig zag stitch along the inside ribbon.

Fold the ribbon in half (WST) at the end of the ribbon.  Clip the end at about a 45 degree angle to create the "V" shape at the end of the ribbon.  Repeat on the opposite end.  (If the smallest ribbon you are using isn't thick, go ahead and attach it before cutting the ends.)

Use a flame to seal the ribbon edge.  Just pass the flame near the ribbon to slightly melt the edges.  This process keeps the ribbon from fraying.

Repeat the heat 'n bond process with the smallest ribbon.  Zig zag stitch the small ribbon onto all ribbons.  Clip the ends to match the larger two ribbons.

 Mark the center of the ribbon by folding it in half, end to end.  Cross the ribbon making sure to line up with the center mark.  Starting at the center point of the ribbon and the point where it crosses, begin gathering the ribbon at the center.

 Once the ribbon is pulled together and gathered, use the zip tie to secure the ribbon together.  Don't tighten the zip tie all the way, zip it loosely so you can be sure the ribbon looks nice and is in the right place.  Once you like the position of the ribbon, zip the tie as tight as it will go.

Clip the end of the zip tie off.

Hot glue the hair band right on top of the zip tie.  Be careful not to get glue all over the ribbon.

With the bow facing up, use a small piece of ribbon to create the center tie.  Hot glue one end to the hair band area, wrap the ribbon around and hot glue the other end on top of the ribbon.  Again, don't use too much glue because it will ooze out and look bad.

 The finished ribbon looks something like this.

 And it's even cuter when it's on a pony tail!

Endless Dress Sew Along Day 4

Endless Dress Sew Along Day 4

You should have 3 skirt panels sewn together; a back panel, front panel and another back panel.  Let's sew the band onto the skirt panel.

Sew all three band pieces together along the short side; one back panel, one front panel and another back panel.   Fold the band in half WST and iron.  The band panels will match up exactly with the skirt panels.  Attach the band to the skirt by matching the raw edges, and serge or zig zag stitch.   Iron the seam up to the skirt panel and topstitch.  You have one long skirt piece with the band attached.

Serge the open side of each back panel.  Pin the back panels together marking down 2-3in from the top of the skirt panel.  This will be the opening for the bodice buttons on the empire bodice(if you are doing a regular bodice you do not need the opening at the top of the skirt).  Attach the panels together.

Iron the seam open.  You can see the opening in the picture.

Topstitch around the opening.

Gather the skirt to the same length as the bodice.

With the bodice front facing the skirt front (RST), insert the bodice into the skirt.

Attach the skirt to the bodice.

Serge or zig zag the seam.  Turn the dress right side out and iron the seam up to the bodice.  Topstitch the bodice.

Congratulations!!!!  You completed an Endless Dress!  I hope you had as much fun as I did.  Come back next month for another sew along!

And, we're outta here!

But mom, I don't want to take any more pictures!!!!

Endless Dress Day 3

Jocole Endless Dress Sew Along Day 3

Buttons, Buttonholes and Pockets

Are you ready for buttonholes today???  Yikes!  I hope you'll give them a try, even if it's just to practice.  I have a couple of hints before we actually sew the buttonholes.  

Have you ever wondered about that little hole on the arm of the bobbin case?  Well guess what!?!?  You're about to use that sucker!  When the hole is used, it adds a little extra tension to the stitch and gives a nice, tight buttonhole.  The thread goes through the hole on the bobbin case.

Second, the buttonhole foot comes in handy for making --wait for it--buttonholes!  I didn't even realize I had this foot but it came with my machine.  The channels on the bottom of the foot keep the parallel lines of the buttonhole in place.  Just use it like a regular foot and it will work keep everything straight on its own.

Don't laugh, I practiced about 10 buttonholes before I was happy with the buttonhole.  I wanted to make sure I programed the machine correctly.  (Are you sick of me saying buttonhole yet?  I am!)

Start on the actual, real life bodice now.  Buttonholes go on the left and buttons on the right.  (Ignore that I put them on the wrong sides!)

One of my favorite pattern pieces in this PDF is the buttonhole placement guide.  The guide allows you to mark the buttons on the right side and the buttonholes on the left.  The guide insures that the buttons and buttonholes line up correctly.  Genius!

Mark the buttonhole placement on the LEFT side of the bodice back (the picture shows the buttonholes on the wrong side).  This is an empire length bodice so there are 3 buttonholes.  Be sure that the buttonholes are a little longer than the buttons so the buttons slide in easily.  Sew the buttonholes.

Mark the button placement on the RIGHT side of the bodice back(the picture shows the buttons on the wrong side).  Sew on the buttons.  Fabric covered buttons also look really nice, find the tutorial here.

Make sure everything lines up!

Pockets are also an option for the Endless Dress.  Place all 4 pockets RST, at the top of the skirt panels.  Sew the pockets onto the right side of the skirt.

Iron the pocket pieces flat and topstitch.  Place fabric RST and line up all pockets.  Beginning at the top of the skirt; sew down to the pocket, around the pocket and down to the bottom of the skirt (sewing the skirt panels and pocket pieces together).  Serge or zig zag stitch the edges.

Now you have a completed bodice and a skirt panel with pockets sewn on.  Tomorrow we sew the skirt band, gather the skirt and attach the skirt and bodice to finish the dress!