Sweatshirt Dress

Sooooo once upon a time in the beginning of October I made myself a sweatshirt dress! 

I was happy with the result and was looking forward to wear it....you know as soon as I had blogged about it. Haaaaaa! And here we are in the end of December and like I already wrote on my Facebook page, the finished-not-worn-because-not-blogged-dress had become an inventory of my sewing room that I did not even notice any more. NOT okay! Especially since a dress in this material is not a year around dress for me. 

Princess Knit Dresses.

This Thanksgiving we went on our first ever trip to Disney World.

There was just about a thousand things I did not know about Disney World and one of those things were that it is quite common that little girls that are into such things dresses as princesses when they visit. 

I can't say I was surprised but had I not seen THIS post from the goddess of all sewing bloggers Jessica from Me Sew Crazy my knit stash would still had been packed with knit in all these questionable colors and my girls would have worn leggings and t-shirts or something else non-princessey (ay ay ay).

Pretty in Peplum Dress by Sew Much Ado

Little miss Toothless would like to present you her two new Pretty in Peplum Dresses. 

She loves those dresses and so do I. 

The pattern is designed by the lovely Abby from Sew Much Ado and she has done an amazing job making a pattern that is not only super pleasant to work with but also results in a dress that is comfortable to wear but looks super stylish.

Bubble Shorts by DoGuincho

Shorts in winter? Mais bien sûr!

It's all about the styling!

I have made a pair of DoGuincho's Bubble Shorts.

Beside it being an awesome pattern, it also gives a great result. Two equally important things when we talk sewing patterns, right!

The Mulberry Tunic Turned Sweatshirt.

Except for my raglan-sleeved knit dress, I don't think I have ever made so many different versions of clothes from the same pattern as I have with The Mulberry Tunic Pattern by Kid Approved.

The original, The even-more girly version, The 70's dress version 

and now I proudly present you: 

The sweatshirt version.

You know me and my kids' love for knit so it is no surprise that I wanted to try a knit version of this pattern.

I decided to use very classic sweatshirt details such as a kangaroo pocket and hem with contrast colored knit rib but everything else is from the original pattern.

I did not change the sizing at all since this is an interlock fabric and therefor not that stretchy.

This is a size 5 on my fairly tall 4-turning-5-in-January-child.

The yoke fabric is woven fabric (Waterfront Park by Violet craft for Michael Miller) which I received in the goodie bag from the Girl Night Out I attended in LA. 

The cream and navy blue stripe is this ultra soft and lovely Saint James interlock knit (you can buy it HERE) that you might recognize from the Look book from Willow & Co Patterns' first collection. 

I just received a ton (okay, maybe not a ton) of organic sweatshirt fleece and French terry from Organic Cotton Plus (they also have GREAT interlocks by the way - I'm waiting for the grey melange to be ready for delivery) and I just want to make like 10 more of these. I LOVE the combination of knit and woven....even though the endless possibilities sometimes overwhelm me when I trying to decide on what to do next, ha.

The original pattern has a sort of rounded hem (who gives an almost slit effect at the side seams) and you obviously have to skip that if you want to hem with a knit rib but that is an easy fix to the pattern.

The kangaroo pocket is also easily drafted and the same height as the lower front piece and is sewed in the seam under the front placket and at the bottom to the rib.

You can carry around a lot of exciting things in a big pocket like that!

Yup, this pretty much illustrate how much she loves her new sweatshirt!

Buy the Mulberry Tunic Pattern HERE.

Thank you!

Wolf Costume - Halloween 2014

Yup, there is a wolf on my blog.....

W wanted to dress up as a wolf for halloween (I think she got that idea after our visit to Great Wolf Lodge, ha) and even though I showed her a great costume online for $38, she wanted me to sew it. Dang, they know what buttons to press, right. How can you say no to that!?!

I was totally dreading it because I don't enjoy making costumes but who knew that a trip to JoAnn's would turn that around!

I arrived early monday morning and they had just opened. There were barely any customers and the employees were more than happy to help - and I did not even have to wait to get it.

At home I had seen this perfect brown/grey fake fur fabric and their website said it was in stock in my local shop.....except it was nowhere to be found when I arrived. Back to the help that was willing and accessible......she knew exactly what I was talking about and went out back and checked the fabric they were unloading from a truck right that moment and came back with a giant roll of EXCATLY-WHAT-I-WAS-LOOKING-FOR....and it was on sale. Yeeeees.

She also informed me that some of their patterns was on sale for 99 cents and I started looking around and found THIS pattern from McCalls.....not that much on sale but pretty much what I was imagining drafting myself - but why in the world do that when someone had done the job for me!! (Except when I came home I realized I accidentally bought a adult size L and not the kids size 6-7-8 like I needed - silly me thought you got ALL the pattern sizes in one envelope). Oh well, that is why we have Amazon Prime and two days later I received the pattern in the right size....and I was started to feel at bit excited....because this could actually be quite an awesome costume, ha.

The only changes I did to the pattern (besides making it quite a bit more narrow) was to add the white contrast piece to her belly, draft a wolf tale pattern piece, add white felt 'claws' to the tip of the spats (I learned a new English word there!) and to the gloves plus I also made the gloves fingerless. The fingerless part was actually W's own idea which I thought was kind of genius so she can way easier do what you do on Halloween.....open candy :-)

Yup, we did some face paint too. I can't draw at all (okay, I probably do not even have to explain that small detail after this shot above haha) but we have a little book that followed the face paint set we once bought and luckily there was an example of a wolf too, phew.

The hood is separate and closes at the front of her neck with velcro. I put some grey knit inside to make it comfortable. The suit itself is unlined and mostly with raw seams.

It was actually super nice for once just throw all intentions about nice finishes etc out the window and just SEW....fast and easy....ahhhh. 

Maybe I do enjoy sewing costumes a tiny little bit now.

And in case you wonder what Littlesister is going to wear this year you can see it HERE.

If I was really cool I would of course have convinced her to be Little Red Riding Hood but hence the not-loving-to-sew-costumes-so-much I was more than happy to push a costume we already had in the house.

For those of you who celebrate Halloween:

Happy Halloween!

Thank you.

Elm Rain Poncho by Petit a Petit and Family

Even though I was the controller on Willow & Co Patterns' first collection, I was not able to actually sew all the patterns before the release. I'm only human, right! 

Today I'm ticking off another pattern, the amazing Elm Poncho Raincoat by Petit a Petit and Family.

Senna Tote by Willow & Co Patterns / lbg studio

Today I have something (for me) very unusual......a bag...that I have sewed...myself. And what convinced me to sew a bag you may ask? The answer is The Senna Tote from Willow & Co Patterns designed by Vanessa from lbg studio. That lady always makes the nicest bags/patterns!

Pleated Pencil Skirt - Flower Edition

Warning: These photos are taken in direct sunlight and included a very sweaty 'model' in a thick blouse and with squinting eyes. Ugh, so sorry! But I have had this skirt finished forever (okay, a couple of weeks) and we have had builders in the house since then...and I do NOT take photos of myself with builders as an audience. (and yeah I know...I'm weird since the photos are for a public blog - but somehow taking photos and showing photos are two different things to me. Is that just me??) 

Finally this saturday lunch time hubby took the kids out and I finally had the house to myself - super hot September mid day or not....this was the time.

Mulberry Tunic - Dress Remix

So while my blog was occupied showing one cool and/or cute kindergartner after the other in Sewing for Kindergarten I have been in the sewing room and for once have a backload of things to blog about. 

First up is a remix I have wanted do to for a very long time. Turn the Mulberry Tunic from Kid Approved Patterns into a dress with an elastic waist.

Sewing for Kindergarten - Day 9

All good things has to come to an end....and today Sewing for Kindergarten is ending....but not without a BANG. Celina and Laura is up!!

But before we come to them make sure you do not miss Natalie's and Christina's posts from yesterday.

My first guest is Celina from Petit a Petit + Familiy. This lovely lady is my style-and-just-generally-everything-idol. I can't even behind to tell you how much I have learned from her just by watching her work. She is a constant inspiration for me and I'm really SO grateful to be calling her my friend.

She also closed Sewing for Kindergarten last year with a PHENOMENAL post (see it HERE). Btw she is still blaming me for starting her even-bigger-than-last-blog-post-crusade she went on afterwards, haha. Reality is that Celina is just the type of person that gives her everything when she signs up for something - I really love people like that.

This year her beautiful daughter is starting Kindergarten and let me just say that it does not look like Celina is going to disappoint this year either. Wow.

Thank you Celina!

See Celina's full post HERE.

My next guest is Laura from Craftstorming. She is my pattern-making-perfectionist-idol and her attention to detail is insane. I have several times heard people calling one of her patterns, the Small Fry Skinny Jeans for "the best pattern ever" and I'm pretty sure I agree! The amount of details in that pattern that after a lot of top-stitching turns into these amazing jeans are really absolutely mind blowing. I highly recommend that pattern....and the others she has made!

I know Laura will be sharing the details from some of her new patterns in her post so I really think we should just jump right over.....like NOW!

Thank you Laura!

See Laura's full post HERE.

That's it....Sewing for Kindergarten is completed and oh boy this year was fun, touching, clever and just downright CUTE.

Enjoy your first year in school all you kindergartners out there and thank you for being such good sports in all the blog posts. 

Thank you to all their Mommies that sewed, photographed, edited and wrote blog posts. And last but not least thank you to all you readers that followed along!!

Sewing for Kindergarten - Day 8

I really REALY hope you did not miss the FUN edition from yesterday with Hayley and Susan!

My first guest is one of the nicest out there. Christina from 2 Little Hooligans. 

The other day she told me that she gets a lot of unannounced guests, that just comes by to hang out with her, and seriously if I lived nearby I would do that too.

She is the type that one day paints the house, the next she pickles whatever vegetables she has grown in their garden and the third she is whipping up the most amazing costumes. (Seriously her kids must be the most anticipated in the neighborhood on Halloween - see HERE and HERE - WOW, right!)

Oh, and then she is also the type that claims that she is not very good at photography (yet her photos are always amazing) and that she is basically at a beginner level at sewing....yeah right :-)

Let's head over and see what she made for her cute cute daughter.

Thank you Christina!

See Christina's full post HERE.

My second guest is lovely Canadian Natalie from La gang à Nat.

Natalie is a lawyer by day and sewing blogger by night. Pretty cool, huh. 

I love her style and especially her color combinations. We definitely share a love for color block. Check out THIS post or THIS one. Both stunning dresses.

I love what she made for her beautiful daughter. The Aster Cardigan/Willow & Co Patterns and The Charlie Dress/Mingo & Grace. Together they make a perfect school outfit.

Thank you Natalie.

See Natalie's full post HERE.

Sewing for Kindergarten - Day 7

I loved Alida's and Jennifer's posts yesterday - make sure you do not miss them.

Today things are getting hilarious...consider yourself warned.

First up is our little overachiever Hayley from Welcome to the Mouse House. (No more introduction needed!)

So this is, besides obvious reasons, hilarious to me. Let me tell you why. When my daughter finished Kindergarten in June we got invited to a award show in her class. Since I'm Danish and my husband is British, we had never gone to school here in the US and had no idea there was awards involved in Kindergarten. It happened that I was chatting with Hayley the day we are going and I mentioned my award show ignorance. We get a good laugh about it - just because we are stupid like that - not because we are actually against awards....and then we have not talked about it since. 

A few days ago I suddenly got the idea that it could be fun to make a round up post from this year's Sewing for Kindergarten by giving every one of the participants some sort of more or less silly themed award....and what do I receive from Hayley the very next day....THIS!! I almost fell down from the chair, laughing so much and just shaking my head over the crazy coincidence that we both thought about it for this series. I think I will skip my idea now and just enjoy Hayley's masterpiece here. Did you notice 'Most Likely to be a Cat Lady.' (we all know how much Hayley's daughter loves cats).

TOO FUNNY!

Thank you Hayley (for ruining my round up post, haha).

Go see Hayley's full post HERE.

My next guest is also hilarious (in that ironic way I just luuuv).....It is Susan who blogs together with Adrianna (yes, she is hilarious too - get the theme here?!) on Crafterhours.
So the smart thing about two women blogging together is that they can deliver kindergartners every year. Thanks ladies!

Ahhhhh, I'm so in love with this dress. Somehow Susan has managed to make it look vintage and modern at the same time. I guess it is both patchwork and geometric...well, whatever it is, I'm obsessed and I wish I could go buy the pattern right now (hint hint ms super-pattern-digitalizer). And I don't know about you, but to me it looks like something more might be going on in the back...it looks a bit like the white fabric goes down below the cut at the waistline. Hmmmmmm, need to click over RIGHT NOW!

Thank you so much Susan!

See Susan's full post HERE.

Sewing for Kindergarten - Day 6

Did you catch the outerwear edition yesterday? Weren't they aaaaamazing!!

Go get Olga's and Justine's posts if you missed them.

My first guest is the amazing Alida from Alida Makes.

Yeah, I know...she needs no further introduction. This beautiful woman, inside and out, who can sew and photograph like a champ, has great modern style and is not afraid to share her opinions and be vulnerable. I have met her in real life....this is her...not just something she is pretending - yeah, I really admire her! 

Alida recently published the great great eBook Style That Kid! which I had the pleasure of reviewing and absolutely loved.

Thank you Alida!

See Alida's full post HERE.

My second guest is the fabulous Jen from A Jennuine Life.

Jen works as a part time accountant, Mom to two girls and still finds time to sew, blog and make sewing patterns. So far she has made the Matinée Dress and the LOL Swing Top. Impressive.

Let's head over and see what this dress is all about. It looks amazing and I want to see more.

Thank you Jen!

See Jen's full post HERE.

Sewing for Kindergarten - Day 5

Welcome to Sewing for Kindergarten's second and last week. Did you catch Monica's and Sara's amazing posts last friday?

Do you remember I wrote how they are both intelligent ladies with a great humor....well, it turned out they also both have a biology degree. I guess they were more alike than I originally thought - fun.

Today we are having an outerwear edition....correction....AMAZING outerwear/blazer edition.

First up is my blogging BFF Olga (another lady with great humor and intelligence btw). Olga from Kid Approved is the one I chit chat with on a daily basis, just as much private subjects as blogging and I think of her as a real friend even though we never met (but one day we will, I mean...at least we live on the same continent!)

Olga is also part of Willow and Co Patterns and designed the great Mulberry Tunic.

Olga is much better at sewing than she thinks and the aaaaaamazing swing coat above speaks for itself. WOW!I mean....just WOW - I want one!!

Olga also told me she has made what her daughter is wearing under, so I would suggest we all hurry over to see what that is (but don't miss my second guest, okay!)

Thank you Olga!

See Olga's full post HERE.

My second guest is Justine from Sew Country Chick.

I had the pleasure of sharing room with her in LA at Fabric Weekend and let me tell you, this lady is hilarious and full of fascinating stories from her former Beverly Hills housewife life (for real, not the reality series) now turned fashionable farm housewife, growing her own vegetables in a stunning house outside LA. 

Justine's daughter wears a uniform in Kindergarten and Justine, who has recently started exploring the sewing techniques of couture, dressmaker and tailoring, has made her this insanely cute blazer jacket. I know it has some cool details such as hand-stitched hair canvas interfacings, (whatever that is - please enlighten us Justine!)  

Thank you Justine!

See Justine's full post HERE.

Sewing for Kindergarten - Day 4

Last day in the first week of Sewing for Kindergarten is here - wait, didn't it just start?

Make sure to catch up on Abby's and Suz's post from yesterday in case you missed them.

My two guests today are both new, but good, sewing friends and even though I'm pretty sure they are different personalities they have two things in common that I appreciate very much in people: humor and intelligence - especially at the same time!

First up is Sara, that lives in Portugal and blogs at Made by Sara.

I first 'met' her during testing some of the patterns for Willow & Co Patterns and when I saw her first item, I was like....wait, this lady can really REALLY sew. And as you can see above, she also have amazing style! Win-win!

Thank you Sara!

See Sara's full post HERE.

My next guest is Monica from Adirondack Inspired.

Monica lives in the mountains and I just discovered that she has a 'Explore with me' tab on her blog with the most stunning and cool photos from her beautiful family's adventures. I can highly recommend checking that out.

Monica's photo's always has this beautiful dreamy feel to them and I can't wait to see the full outfit she made her cute kindergartner. It certainly looks promising on the above photo.

Thank you Monica!

See Monica's full post HERE.

Sewing for Kindergarten - day 3

Yesterday we had cool cats (see Stacey's and Rebecca's post) and today we are getting cutie pies (my two guest has together 7 kids and man, one is just cuter than the other.

My first guest is Suz from sew pony.

This lovely lady has a cool vintage vibe over everything she makes and I absolutely love it. Luckily she makes patterns so everybody that sews can get a bit of her style.

Thank you Suz!

See Suz's full post HERE.

I have had the pleasure of meeting my next guest Abby from Sew Much Ado in real life and seriously she is as sweet, fun and bubbly as she looks.

She also makes patterns. Her style is clean and contemporary. A style we all need in our lives, right! 

Thank you Abby!!

See Abby's full post HERE.

Sewing for Kindergarten - day 2

Ahhhh, welcome to day 2 of Sewing for Kindergarten!

How amazing were Christie and Karly yesterday!!

Today we are getting a boy in the mix too! It's not so often I show boy clothes on this blog (since I don't have any myself) so enjoy!

Give a big welcome to sweet Stacey from Boy, Oh Boy, Oh Boy Crafts.

So this is basically perfect boy school attire if you ask me. A cool t-shirt/sweatshirt and some practical yet stylish pants. And I think we can all agree that the hat/cap (argh, what is the correct English tern for this type of hat...I know there is one but I can simply not think of it right now.)

And hey! Stacey is offering you that raglan shirt pattern FOR FREE on her blog....yeah, I guess all there is left to do is jump right over, right! (But don't miss my other guest, ok!)

Thank you so much Stacey!

See Stacey's full post HERE.

My second guest of the day is Rebecca from Rock the Stitch.

We all know her from Willow & Co Patterns where she was the designer and pattern maker behind the big success The Fawn Lily Tunic & Dress.

Ohhhh, how I love this outfit. This is how my own daughters are dressed very often. T-shirt and some funky pants/leggings.

And how hilarious is this little kindergartner - I can't wait to see the whole post.

Thank you Rebecca!

See Rebecca's full post HERE.