Meridian Cardigan: pattern tour and giveaway!

You haven't heard much from me lately.  Not at all in the past three months, really.  Well...remember how our family just moved over the summer.  Surprise! We're moving again.  Back to Alaska. In two weeks.  Thank you, US Coast Guard.  We are very excited to go back so soon.  But it was really unexpected, so we have been scurrying around trying to get all the details figured out.  Before all of this came about, I signed on as a stop on the imagine gnats pattern tour.  I'm so glad I did, as it gave me a good reason to get out my much-neglected sewing supplies and make up something cute.

In honor of my girlie's 8th birthday, I chose to make the girls' Meridian Cardigan.  Today is her birthday, in fact.  And she has all the sass that an 8-year-old should.

This pattern was really simple to sew up, and it came out just fine using an easy zigzag stitch.  Getting a serger is at the top of my to-do list!

I got these adorable knits from Girl Charlee.  I have been looking for an excuse to place an order from her, and am so glad I finally found one.

My favorite part about the cardi?  It's reversible!  Because sometimes you feel like a bunny, and sometimes you don't.  Can you tell we have a *tiny* obsession with purple?

This pattern is rock-jumping approved.  And that's important when you're eight.

All patterns in the imagine gnats pattern shop are 20% off for the month of January with the code "januarytour"so be sure to stop by and take a look at the selections for kids and adults.

Even better, you can enter to win a copy for yourself.  Just use the Rafflecopter widget below.  Winner will be chosen on January 31, after the movers have left my house with all of my stuff!  Leave a comment on my blog with your best moving tip for an extra entry.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The roly-poly-along blog tour and giveaway

 

For the longest time, I was intimidated by sewing clothing.  I was making tons of bags, wallets, iPad cases, etc., but the thought of making something that actually had to fit someone and look good was scary.  Along came Rachael from imagine gnats, who is constantly posting cute pics of things she makes for her girls to wear.  When she asked me to test out her roly-poly pinafore pattern, it was the final push I needed to give garment sewing a go.  And now I seem to be slightly addicted!  Oops!

Really, though, if you have never sewn a garment, this is a great pattern to start out with.  It's cute, simple, functional, and can be made your own in a thousand different ways.  Have you stopped by the other blog tour spots?  There are some really amazing designs!  I chose to go a little more simple and focus on my sewing technique, but I did split the front into two different fabrics to give it a color-blocked look.  I made it fully reversible, with buttons on both sides.  My girlie loved the pockets on the original test version that I sewed up, but I hit a mind block when trying to figure out how to do pockets accessible from both sides of the reversible look.  After I decided to omit them altogether, I realized that I just needed two sets of pockets, one on each side.  Oh well--there's always next time.  Because there will be many next times with this one.

The reverse side

I took the time to really work on my pleats and
topstitching,
 especially since I used contrasting thread!

One happy roly-poly girlie!

How about a copy of the pattern for yourself?  Just comment on this post and be entered to win one!  You can earn an extra entry by liking my Facebook page and commenting that you did.  Be sure I can reach you via email.  Giveaway will close May 31 at 5pm AK time.
You can also purchase the pattern right now on Etsy here.

Be sure to visit the rest of the stops on the the tour!

5.13 Jill Made with Moxie / Stephanie The Crafty Kitty

5.14 Stephanie NeurosesGalore / Cherie you & mie

5.15 Ari Max California / Caila Caila Made

5.16 Veronica SewVery / Tara Girl like the sea

5.17 Nancy owen's olivia / Adrianna Crafterhours

5.20 Ajaire Call ajaire / Sarah EmmylouBeeDoo

5.21 Laura Craftstorming / Jessica a little gray

5.22 Frances Miss Matatabi / Nicke kiss kiss quilt

5.23 Amy formwork design / Kat Sew Chibi

5.24 Joanne Rose & Dahlia / Amanda Kitschy Coo

5.27 Celina Petit a Petit and family / Delia Delia Creates

5.28 Christy a.Amelia handmade / Carolyn Fake It While You Make It

5.29 Bonnie Fishsticks Designs / Maria La Inglesita

5.30 Jane Buzzmills / Kate Things for Charlie

5.31 Polly Jack & GeeGee / Molly Rose & Odin

Pattern Testing and Blog Touring

Ever since Rachael got me started on pattern testing and sewing kids clothing at the same time, I have been on a roll with both.  My kids are loving my newfound skills, and I love testing patterns because I always learn something new.

The tumble tee pattern test was no exception.  Here's a little sneak peek at the dress version of the pattern, coming soon from imagine gnats.  Her included tips on finishing seams in knits made me pull out my sewing machine manual and learn the overlock stitch, which is pretty darn close to a serger stitch.  Who knew?!  It's pretty obvious that my girlie loves the dress.

Thanks to the afore-mentioned first pattern that I tested for Rachael, the roly-poly pinafore, I'm a stop on the roly-poly-along blog tour that is going on right now!  Stop by on May 28 to see a new version of the roly-poly that I made, and check out the other stops on the tour for lots of fun ideas. I'll even have a copy of the pattern to give away!

Pattern Testing: My First Garment

With all the sewing I have done, you'd think I would have made some clothes for my kids by now.  Nope.  None at all.  I don't know why, but the idea has always intimidated me.  Maybe because everything has to be exact to make it fit correctly.  Bags and accessories are a little more forgiving.  But I have intended to try out garment sewing.  I even ordered a Renfrew pattern and several knits (because I had no idea what kind I was supposed to use!) last fall.  It all still sits in a pile in my guest-turned-storage room.

So, when Rachael at imagine gnats asked me to test a pattern for a girls' pinafore shirt, I knew the time had come.  If she thought I could do it, I probably could.  She sent me the pattern in a .pdf, with no photo of what the final product was supposed to look like.  The mystery made it fun!  And for such a simple top, I learned several new skills.  Pockets set in the side seams.  Fully lined.  AND---I had to learn to make buttonholes.  Yet another skill that I have avoided thus far.  It turned out rather fabulously, if I do say so myself.  I used some fabric from the bottom of my stash, in case it turned out to be a disaster, so it's not my favorite.  But my girlie loves it.  And has asked for matching pants.  Oy!  What have I done?!

Want your own chance to test patterns for Rachael?  Head on over to her blog and sign up to be on her tester list.  She also has a pattern shop on Craftsy, where I suspect you will find the finished version of this pattern soon!

Pockets at the sides, buttons at the shoulders

I had a lightbulb moment when I realized that it crossed in the back!  Silly me, not knowing what a "pinafore" was!

Her best model pose!

Holiday Makings

Now that I'm done with the one craft show I decided to do this year, I have turned my focus to a list of handmade Christmas gifts for friends and family.

First up was these awesome stockings from a tutorial by imagine gnats.  I had already been eyeing these fun, modern fabrics from the Winterkist collection, so when I saw the tutorial I knew it was meant to be!  I loved making them.  Rachael's method of quilting as you go was new to me, and it turned out beautifully.  I did end up having to piece the lining fabric together to get pieces large enough for the pattern, but that probably could have been avoided had I paid more attention when cutting out the fabric strips for the stocking fronts.  I think the hand-cut felt names really complete the stockings.  I made these for my brother, his partner, and my yet-to-be born first nephew.  I made the baby's stocking in a combo of colors from each parent's.  If you know them, don't tell them about these yet!  It's a pretty safe bet that they won't see them here, and I will have them in the mail on their way next week.

Next up is a lap quilt by special request for my step-mother, who is in a residential facility with Alzheimer's.  I chose a cheery jelly roll by Valori Wells and made some funky log cabin blocks.  I need to trim them and add some charcoal gray sashing, and then quilt it.  I'm hoping to get this one done by Monday!

After that, I have some reusable grocery totes to whip up.   I lucked out and managed to hit the Joann's Black Friday sale!

I also am going to try out this tutorial for fabric Christmas ornaments.  I'm not so sure about using hot glue to assemble them.  I'll let you know how they turn out.

Be sure to check back on Monday...I'll be participating in Sew, Mama, Sew!'s Giveaway Day.  It was a ton of fun last year, visiting hundreds of new blogs and discovering great new handmade items.