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 Series: Sew Along Day 1

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 we're doing some preparation work.

Today's Tasks:
Print your pattern pieces, tape pages together and cut out desired size and length
     *bodice, bottom and sleeves -- tape the bodice & bottom pattern pieces together as shown in the directions if you do NOT want an empire seam.

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

Tomorrow's Tasks:
Start putting together your bodice ... finish your shoulders, neckline.  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

Knit Binding Tutorial

Hello everyone! I'm Harmony and I'm the designer behind 3Giraffes. I LOVE using Jocole patterns. They are fabulous. I also love using different techniques and adjusting patterns or adding to them to make something totally different and fun and new, but still have the perfect fit that the original pattern has.

Today is a tutorial on how to do a knit/stretch binding instead of using traditional elastic, fancy edged elastic (like picot or ruffle edged), or fold over elastic. This will be done using Jocole's awesome women's Basic Brief Bottoms pattern and some cotton lycra. You could most definitely use this tutorial for the kids undies pattern as well.

First cut out your underwear pieces out of your chosen knit fabric. Make sure to trim away a seam allowance since this will not be folded under. Then it's time to cut your binding strips.

First you need to know how wide of a seam you're going to have. Then you cut a strip 3x your seam wide x the length you need as if you are using elastic minus about an inch. In my case, my seam allowance is about 3/8". Which means I need my strips to be 1 1/8" wide. I made them about 1 1/4" wide because it can't hurt to have a little extra to work with.

After the crotch is sewn you sew on the strip with right sides together along one leg opening. Stretching as you go just like with elastic.

After its sewn on it looks like this. You see the right sides.

And like this on the inside.

You sew one side seam after both the legs have the binding piece sewn on. Making sure the seam is pointing down into the binding piece.

Then sew on the binding for the waist, then sew the other side seam with the waist seam pointing up into the binding and leg seam pointing down into the binding. It looks like this all together.

 

Then you make sure the seam is in the binding and fold the binding over top.

 

And I guess you should pin it in place...but I don't. I confess that I use pins as little as possible. This is what it looks like underneath.

Do a stretch/straight stitch right along the edge of the seam. Or in the seam if you can. (This is what is referred to as a "stitch in the ditch.") You can see a difference in the finished side vs unfinished side.

 

Then once it's all sewn down properly you trim off the binding on the inside.

Before trimming.

During trimming.

Super comfortable! And a fun way to finish off an edge when you run out of elastic or want to use a stretchy fabric instead of elastic for a different look.

Please excuse the awful pictures for this tutorial. If I knew it was going to turn into a blog posting I would have used my real camera instead of my awful phone! I promise next time will have better pictures. :)

Thank you so much Jodi for inviting me to come play here today!! You are awesome and I'm honored that you have asked me to contribute.