Having a TRYST with a TRISTA

Outfit 92 - 2013-14 School Year

So, here we are at Thursday and we are wrapping up our sewing some newer Create Kids Couture (www.createkidscouture.com) patterns. I hope you have enjoyed seeing these tween patterns in practice. I will tell you that she loved all of them and got lots of compliments all week. I recommend all four of these patterns to keep on hand as quick go to patterns when you are ready to play with knits.

To wrap of the week, we are bringing a fun top. It is the Trista's Tween Pixie T-shirt http://www.createkidscouture.com/tristas_tweens.html.

This top is absolutely adorable and what really makes it is the party in the back - the cute twirly pixie hood. Again, we are rocking lots of possibilities and options on this one. For my version, I did the long sleeved. I initially did the two bottoms bands, but ended up cutting off the bottom one because it just ended up being too long on her with both. I am happy with the length as a top with just one. This sewed up very fast. I upcycled a cute sassy phrased shirt of mine to be the front and then mixed it up with some fun knit fabrics. Check out the Trista's Tween Pixie Tee - I hope you enjoy it!

Isn't the back just precious?

So, there we have it! Tomorrow evening we are heading out to spend the night for the elder child's archery tournament. He shoots at 10 am Saturday morning. I'll have the results from the weekend for you on Monday. He has practiced his heart out and I know he will do his best. That's the thing with archery, if you breathe wrong, your aim is screwed up. He is shooting with a bow that has no sights, so its all on him. I know he is going to do amazing. I am very proud of our whole team.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and I hope to see you back on Monday for our next outfit! Thanks for stopping by and see you then!

Ruffles and Stuff

Outfit 91 - 2013-14 School Year

Our Create Kids Couture (www.createkidscouture.com) week of sewing continues with our third CkC Tween Outfit this week. You can view the entire Create Kids Couture tween pattern line here http://www.createkidscouture.com/Tweens_c_8.html. They also have little girl sizes, womens sizes, plus size womens sizes, doll clothes and boys patterns.

Today we are featuring the Tessa Knit Dress.

It's another versatile knit pattern that has many options. You can do short sleeves, long sleeves, add a circle flounce to the sleeves. You can do this as a top. You can add one, two or three circle skirt flounces or you have the option to make a stripwork skirt. 

Here is our version of the Tessa Knit Dress. Hope you enjoy! And we had to do a backdrop because it was cold and rainy :( Boo - bring back the spring sneak peeks!

Again, I love this pattern. It sewed up super quickly and easily. Nothing crazy. Only bad thing is all of these cute knit patterns are dwindling my knit collection down. I just had to order from http://eurogirlsboutique.com/ to beef my stash back up! :) 

Hope you enjoyed and hope you had a great hump day! Check back tomorrow as we wrap up our Create Kids Couture sewing week! Have a wonderful evening!

Heidi Ho!

Outfit 90 - 2013-14 School Year

Wow - can you believe this is my 90th outfit for the 2013-14 School Year?

In just 10 more I will hit my 100th outfit. I know I mentioned a few blogs back about tying in a giveaway around the 100th outfit and I think that is going to happen! I will have more details as the time gets closer. 

Today is day 2 of my week of sewing CKC Tween Patterns. Create Kids Couture's tween patterns can be found here http://www.createkidscouture.com/Tweens_c_8.html. Today's pattern is the CKC Tween Heidi Tween Hi-Lo Peplum Top http://www.createkidscouture.com/heidis_tweens.html. 

This is another cute and easy to sew up top that is very contemporary. It has several sleeve options, too. That way you can carry this pattern from sleeveless to long sleeves and everything in between. I did a short sleeve with a circle flounce edge. And as you can see from the pictures, she had a great time wearing it!

And we finish up this outfit with silly posing pictures :)

You gotta admit - she is a pretty good sport having had her picture taken 90 times over the school year so far. :)

Come back tomorrow for Day 3 of CKC tween patterns. Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful evening!

Pretty in Pink

Outfit 89 - 2013-14 School Year

Happy Monday! I hope all of you had a great start to the week. I think this is the first full week we will go to school since we came back from Christmas. I guess I better knock on wood, though, right? With my luck, I'll say that and then she will get sick or something (ugh - no!). We sure don't need anyone getting sick. It's a busy week with another busy weekend. It's an exciting weekend, though. I have probably mentioned that my son is on the school's archery team. Well, we are going to the regional tournament this Saturday. He is so excited. Being our school's first year with a team, I think it may be a long shot for us to qualify for state, but I am so proud of him and his team for stepping up this first year.

Back to sewing - So, today is the first day of my week of Create Kids Couture sewing. I didn't really plan it that way, but CKC had a huge tween pattern release last week and of course I had to get in on that. So, I was excited to break in some new patterns. And this gives you a chance to check them out, too. Really, though, if you sew for a girl, tween or lady (and I have heard buzz about boy patterns coming, too), you really need to check them out. The website is http://www.createkidscouture.com/. If you want to check out the tween patterns specifically, they are here http://www.createkidscouture.com/Tweens_c_8.html. They even go up to women's plus sizes.

Today's pattern is the newly released in tween sizes, Cosette. http://www.createkidscouture.com/cosettes_tweens.html. Here is the primary picture from the pattern

I was intrigued by this pattern when I saw it pop up in the little girl sizes. I have made similar things without a pattern by just cutting off a tshirt and adding a woven skirt, but the advantage of using this is a.) you get to decide what bodice you want and not be dependent upon what tshirts you have b.) since they have taken all of the legwork out of measuring, it saves time and gives you a very polished and predictable look. All in all, I really like this pattern and I can see making this again. I even bought it in the mommy size because I think it would be cute on a mommy too! 

So, here we go! Day one of CKC sewing - the Cosette Tween Knit and Woven Dress.

I really like how this turned out. And my gears are spinning for our upcoming Disney trip/cruise during spring break. Our last girls weekend Disney trip was a whirlwind one that I didn't have time to really plan for to sew things for her - but I think I have time for this one. Can't you see the Cosette in red, black, white and yellows for Disney. And you can make it sleeveless to make the Orlando heat a little more bearable. So, be thinking of some cute patterns I can Tween Disney-fy! I will probably start making them as we go and using them during the school week so I can be stockpiling :) I just need it to stay consistently warm. Tomorrow's high is 71, Wednesday's high is 51. Crazy!

Thank you for stopping by and we will see you tomorrow for another cute Create Kids Couture tween pattern!

Singing in the rain

Outfit 88 - 2013-14 School Year

So, I saw this pattern advertised on Whimsy Couture's (http://www.etsy.com/shop/whimsycouture)Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=613681045371832&set=a.229334183806522.55620.120293008043974&type=1&theater) and I thought to myself - Hey, Self, that looks cute and easy and when you are cranking out 4 outfits a week, sometimes those are the best qualities a pattern can have. So, I hit the Whimsy Couture site and grabbed a 3 pack bundle (including this pattern) and headed on my way. This pattern is the Whimsy Couture Criss Cross Tunic. It goes up to a 12. You can find the pattern here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/164666864/whimsy-couture-sewing-tutorial-ebook?ref=shop_home_active_1&ga_search_query=criss.

Today was forecasted to be a rainy day, so I had some Tula Pink Prince Charming Fabric in Dew Drops that I thought would go well with a rainy day. It did end up being misty this morning and hecka humid (but thats the south). So, please forgive her hair. She inherited my curly hair which frizzes at the sniff of any type of moisture. It ended up getting up to 80 degrees tonight and the thunderstorms are supposed to be rolling in tonight.

So, here is our Whimsy Couture Criss Cross Tunic. Super fast, super easy, super cute - not a zipper, button, elastic or snap in sight. I think this would be a great beginner pattern. Minus the hand sewing, she probably could have tackled this one herself!

And then look - bam - NEW top. I completely could have thrown this one in on you guys as one of my days of sewing - but I was being honest and didn't ;) But look at the versatility - 2 tops in 1! Love reversible things!

The pants we have worn before and they are the Jocole Mega Ruffle pants. http://www.jocole.net/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=8_15&products_id=88

I hope everyone has a great weekend. We have a busy one (when don't we?). She has her last puppet making class at the theatre academy she goes to on Saturday, so they will have their final presentations. My son is getting ready to go to the regional archery tournament next Saturday, so we have been doing a lot of shooting. She has a big book report due Tuesday (of which we havent still quite finished the book). No stress, though ;)

I hope to see you back Monday. I think we might actually have a full four day school week of sewing. That will be a first in a while! Thanks for stopping by!

Everything HER mom made and more!

Outfit 87 - 2013-14 School Year

Today I used a pattern from another new to me designer - Everything Your Mama Made (http://everythingyourmamamade.com/). This designer was exciting to me because they have some very contemporary designs and they include adult sizing as well. Today I used the Sasha's Top, Tunic and Dress pattern in the tween sizes (it comes in NB-18 and there is an adult version as well!) The NB-18 pattern can be found here http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/sewing/clothing/sashas-top-tunic--dress-nb-18-tween-/84879.

As you can see, it is very versatile. You can make either the top, tunic or dress length, add a sash or a faux neckline sash. You can finish the bottom in a number of ways as well - rolled hem, elastic, traditional hem with double needle, or even a folded band. It is recommended to use a lightweight knit for this pattern to give it that nice drape, especially with that dolman sleeve. I used some knit I had here at the house and it was a little on the sheer side because it was so lightweight, so I just threw a cami on under it for her.

One interesting comment she got at school today - "Oh, your mom didn't make your outfit today?" This pattern looks so on trend and modern, her friends thought it was store bought. I paired it with some tonal leggings from Naartjie and her favorite tall black boots. 

My version is the tunic length, size 12 with a traditional hem with twin needle stitching. 

We had such awesome weather today. It was almost 80, so the kiddos had to play outside when they finished their homework.

Can you believe we are near my 100th outfit for this school year? I think I am going to have to do something special for that. Its weird to think that this summer this was just a spark in my head. I never really thought about it, I just decided to do it. And so far, it has had its trials and blessings. I thank all of you for sticking with me through this challenge and I am so happy to have heard from so many people that they have started sewing for their older girl because of seeing this blog. And, it has been a joy for me to sew for her this school year. We only have a little over 9 weeks left in the year and that will be gone in a blink!

Thank you for stopping by!