Small Fry Skinny Jeans in Floral

Another installment of skinny jeans for winter here today. I picked up this fabric a month or so ago and didn't expect that it would take me THIS long to make them. Oh well, the weather got warmer for a bit and has now dipped back down and she'll certainly need them.

Holiday Dresses for Mae & Co. 2014

This year is my first when it comes to selling handmade clothing. Instead of creating a bulk lot of dresses for the holiday I decided to try something different. I created sample dresses and took orders from there, which seems to be working out pretty well. I think it's really helped with keeping me from being overwhelmed and I also feel creative about what I'm making. Something I don't want to lose while moving to the business side of sewing. 

I chose to use the LLK Best Dressed Girl pattern for my holiday dresses. 

If you follow me on IG, then you've likely seen at least one of them before. 

All Spice Blog Tour

Winter Sewing

Hey guys! 

I thought I'd check back in with you quickly to show some of the projects I've been tackling in my absence. I totally have the in-laws coming over in a bit to eat pizza (yay, Friday night!) and then take the two big kids to stay with them. That's means a bit of television and some sewing is in my near future! 

Aster Cardigan in Olive Green + Print

The other day I was pretty frustrated. 

Treat by Shutterfly

Hey guys! I'm here to chat with you about a new mobile greeting card option that I tried recently called Treat. Before I begin, I was given a credit to their store to try for free, though I was not required to give a positive review. While it was great to try risk free, my opinions are my own and I would not recommend a service I didn't support.

So let's talk greeting cards.

KCW Day 2 - finishing Firestar

Alright, Day 2 people. 

I've got myself a Halloween deadline and I'm not about to fail. Firestar has been completed. 

For the top I used the new Titchy Threads pattern - The Rowan Tee. It's amazing. So many options that my head spins thinking of them all. I used the basic shirt pattern without stripes and the hood option. That way it can be warm and useful after beggars night. 

Pants were made using the Go To Leggings. They've worked wonderfully for everything I've made, this included. I knew the fleece didn't have as much stretch as the pattern calls for, so I added zippers into the seam and wah-la! 

Gloves were made using a free pattern I found online, though it was for adults so I modified it to fit my child. 

Mask was another online find- I just googled children's mask template and found one that was a Mardi Gras mask. I didn't even have to change the shape. Apparently Firestar likes her some Mardi Gras.

Hm, I think that's it. 

Wish me luck as I begin to dive into a Batman outfit. My son stated today that I'd be making him a Transformers outfit, aaagh. Kids and their ever-changing opinions. I did my best to explain that mommy is already making Batman and we can look at making a different costume afterwards. He seemed ok with it. Crisis averted. 

See you tomorrow!! 

KCW Day 1 - Firestar

Day 1 of KCW 

Thank goodness that this round is right before Halloween. I need one more reason to get in my sewing room and get these costumes done or I'll be up the night before beggars night cursing. 

Sew Geeky - Studio Ghibli Totoro Dress

Studio Ghibli - they make some of my favorite children's movies& when I saw that this was the theme of September's Sew Geeky I was ON BOARD. 

Pattern Parcel #5 - The Mimi Dress in Blue

If you hadn't realized by the title, I'm participating in the tour for Pattern Parcel #5!

Astro Boy - Project Run & Play 80's Cartoon Sew-a-long

 Another season of Project Run & Play is upon us. 

It's a fun competition full of themes and drama. Yes, only one can be the winner- but for the rest of us, there's the sew-a-long. I've been participating for many seasons now and truly enjoy looking at each seamstresses work, gaining both inspiration and motivation to push my limitations further and further. 

So, week 1. The theme is one near and dear to our hearts... anyone who spent their Saturday morning or after school hours plastered intently to a television screen knows exactly what I'm talking about- 80's cartoons yo. 

Paper Bag Skirts in Blue & Plaid

So there's a huge chasm between those who love paper bag skirts and those who hate them and then there's me standing in the middle seeing both of their points going hmmmm...

Fussy Cut Circus Purses

Because I'm now sewing for a local brick and mortar shop called The Vintage Street Market in Altoona Iowa, I've spent a ton of time recently getting together items to place for sale. It's taken a lot of my *just for fun* sewing time away but I'm still really enjoying it! Recently I finished these purses. 

Sew Geeky Marvel Vs. DC: Batman Toddler Backpack

WOOHOO! I've never made my kids a backpack and it was time to check that item off my bucket-list. Though, I feel like there could be more in the future since it was really fun to sew. 

I grabbed the Toddler Backpack pattern by Made By Rae when it was featured on the Friday Fiver for $5, yessssss. 

Sewing for the store-front shop: Saffron Twirl Dress in Pink & Orange Elephants

Why have I been so busy lately? 

Well, aside from the fact that we homeschool, have a new baby, are renovating a house, and are in my husbands "busy" season at work (yeah there's ANOTHER reason as if I needed one!) ...

From the Saturn to a tractor...

Well hey there!

It happened. 

Do you see that photo up there? Yeah, that's us! 

A few weeks ago, my husband sat down and discussed with me how much we needed a tractor. On the list of reasons? Well, the weeds have grown almost ten feet tall on all ten acres of our land ... no way can they be mowed and hiring someone to come every few weeks is expensive. 

The All-Spice Dress in Floral & Ruffles

My final All-Spice tester dress is another intricate one. Yeah, I could have quickly sewn up something to satisfy my role as tester, but how much fun is that?? Lily loves everything ruffles and girly, which if fine with me although I'm not a huge fan of them. If you remember, not too long ago I changed my mantra to "quality rather than quantity." I want my kids to wear their handmade clothing happily, and if that means taking a bit of extra time on them then I'll do it. 

Kcw - The Last Days + 1; All-Spice Mural Dress

All my dreams of finishing my dress by day 7 were shattered at about 9pm last night. 

I finally realized it just wasn't going to happen, but I kept embroidering until around 10pm. Then I needed a goods nights rest and to give myself today to finish up. 

Plush Pony (take 2) in Floral

Not long ago I made an adorable plush Fox Lovey for my newborn, which got me thinking about the first plush toy I ever made, a pony for Lily Mae. I kept going back to it in my head thinking about how I learned so much from it and had so much fun creating it. I began planning #2 in my head, well here she is. 

KCW Day 4 - Skirt & More Embroidery

Day 4

I'm still chugging along getting in at least an hour a day, if not a bit more. It's hard to tell sometimes when I'm able to pick it up for 10 minutes at a time here and there and then again at nap time. 

KCW Day 3; A finished bodice

Day 3

On day three I finished the embroidery on the custom artwork All Spice bodice and then put it together. I'm actually pretty proud of the progress since that embroidery work takes a while. It would normally go a little quicker but I am constantly changing out colors. 

KCW Day 2; Embroidery Ya'll

Day 2 has come and gone, whew! 

I spent all of day 2 having Lily draw her masterpieces onto the bodice of the dress and then allowing her to pick each color she wants the drawing to be embroidered in. While the task takes a bit of time..."I want it in red here, and then this needs to be green, yeah- light green, and then..." lol it's completely fun watching her enjoy the leadership role she get's for this dress. She may or may not be a natural "BOSS." 

KCW Day 1 Cut & start the All Spice Dress

Yay for KCW! 

I say this each round, but I really love this challenge. This theme is so cool though, kids art. &we love our kids artwork, amiright??? 

I decided to integrate a pattern test into my KCW sewing because time is of the essence when I have three littles needing all my attention. 

Yesterday I began cutting out the second All Spice Dress (my first will be showed later)... 

Racerback Dress in Stripes

Something's got to give when you have a new baby, right? 

Right. 

I love sewing and blogging, but guys- this baby is gorgeous and snuggly and cute in all the best ways. 

Crawford Family Quilt: Earth Day Square

I've said it again and again - in our house, we love Earth Day! 

SALE! - Mae & Co. Etsy Shop

Hey guys, I wanted to let you all in on a deal I'm having! 

All items in my Etsy shop are on sale through July 11th - 15% off using the code summer14. 

I'd love to create some new items, but need to clear some space before doing so. 

Visit The Shop

Wearing My Work: Baby Skye Maxine

Before baby was born I had sewn up some clothing for her to wear, and while I LOVE showing what I create right away - it's always fun to come back to them to see what they look like while on the baby! 

Here's a geranium dress I made. Though it was newborn it took her a couple of weeks before she could put it on. Really though, she was only 7 lbs at birth and filled out very quickly, making this an adorable staple in her wardrobe. 

First Day of Summer Romper with FREE 3 - 6 months pattern

Happy first day of summer! 

Though it may have felt like summer before, today is the official first day of summer and I wanted to celebrate by offering you a pattern I drafted for my little girl, Skye. She's not quite big enough to fit into it, but I'm attempting to plan ahead (shocking, right?).

Stitchwerx Designs Ainsley & Aiden Baby Suite I Pattern Release & Giveaway Blog Tour

Welcome to the Stitchwerx Designs blog tour. If you haven't seen the other tour participants, make sure to check them out! (links at bottom)

Happy Father's Day! annual tshirt for dad

Hey guys! 

Though I've been getting things done (amazingly!) ... it's been super quiet around here! This week I'm blowing you up with posts - including this one that I look forward to each year. 

Dad's annual Father's Day shirt. 

DIY Best Bottom Diaper Covers with FREE Pattern

We really like our BB diapers. My husband did extensive research before we made the large cloth diaper purchase for our son two years ago. They have held up remarkably well with just a few of the inserts getting holes - and the full set had some 75 inserts or so.

It's a GIRL!

A very short week ago, we welcomed Skye Maxine into our family and I couldn't be happier about her birth. First, we were attempting a vbac (vaginal birth after cesarean) ... second, we were attempting it at home due to the hesitation of doctors and hospitals in our area to allow you to vbac without hinting pushing scaring you into another c-section. I could go on for quite a while about that subject, but instead lets move forward. 

The Last Dress ... ? Little Geranium in Mustard Yellow and Geometric

Goodness guys, I'm still waiting for a baby. My first came 7 days early forever messing with my perception of the due date. My second waited and I was induced 3 days after my due date - something I now wish I wouldn't have done. This time, I'm waiting it out. I feel really good about my choice to let baby come naturally, but I also realize that with Lily coming early, I've since expected them to (probably to keep myself from procrastinating!). Yeah, but that's not happening and now I'm squeezing in sewing time hoping to finish each item *before the baby comes. It's fun!

I just finished a little newborn geranium dress in case we have a little lady. 

Fox Lovey Pattern Review & Giveaway!

With baby Crawford version 3.0 ready to make it's entrance at any time, I feel like today's review and giveaway fits right in. Emily from Tangible Pursuits contacted me several weeks ago regarding her Fox Lovey pattern. I had admired Emily's Fox Lovey on her facebook page  and commented to tell her it was adorable -  needless to say, I was happy when asked review the pattern and excited that she was generously going to offer one of my readers the chance to win it.
YAY!

The Pleated Playsuit in Blue Herringbone

I'm still adding pieces to Lily Mae's summer wardrobe. I want items that will be specifically good for when we are at the farm. I imagine she'll be wanting to run around and play in the dirt and explore- so clothing that will wash well and be comfortable. 

Sew-a-bration Of Womanhood: The Buttercup Bag in Canvas

I'm so pleased to be back again this year for the wonderful series "The Sew-A-Bration of Womanhood." Last year it was referred to as "Make For Mom" - but this year it has undergone a great transformation where all women are celebrated, rather than just mothers! 

For more information on the change, visit this post by our lovely hosts - The Shaffer Sisters where they explain it oh, so well. Also hosting the series this year is one of the Season 9 contestants of Project Run & Play- a very talented lady Ajaire, from Call Ajaire. 

What's Next?

Hi! I know that after the fury of KCW, Calling All Kids, and PR&P it seems so quiet around here. Well, in truth it is pretty quiet. I haven't stopped working but I've been using my time to prep for next month when I'll be guest posting on a few great blogs. I'm also prepping for our baby to come any day now! I've still got a few weeks until I'm due, but the reality is baby chooses when it wants to show up. :)

I'll give you with a little teaser of what's next:

Who makes your clothes?: A fashion Revolution

Do you know who makes your clothing? 
Just a year ago 1,133 people were killed in a factory in Bangladesh- people who were working to create clothing, cheap clothing for consumers like us. It really hurts my heart to think that getting a "deal" means putting someone in danger. That our price points have created a situation where a mother or a father may not make it home to see their child, ever, because their work environment is so unsafe. Or, that they must live in poverty because the factory where they work pays them wages that are unthinkable.

Maternity Dress: handmade by ME

Small Fry Skinny Jean Shorts in Geometric Print

I'm back for my second pair of Small Fry Skinny Jeans. 

Such a great pattern. 

Upcycled Summer Pajama Shorts

New item of necessity? Summer pajama shorts for Archer. 

It seems like winter dragged on forever, then suddenly without warning, we had a day where the temp was 86 degrees. Whaaaat? So, like a smack in the face, spring showed up and I realized that though Archer had plenty of tees to sleep in, but he didn't have many pairs of shorts to go with them. He really can't go without shorts on or he'll rip his diaper off and scream "Mommy, help me!" until I come in and put it back on. I'm also not a big stickler for matching pajamas- in fact, it seems like anytime I expect items to go together the kids pull out their opinion cards and tell me they want something different. oy. I give up, wear what you wish little ones. 

KCW Wrap Up & Mix N' Match Gender Neutral Baby Outfits

I finished KCW feeling amazed at all of the items I managed to sew in a weeks time. Here's a pile of my baby items. It didn't have Lily's green dress since she was wearing it at the time of the photograph. 

KCW Day 7: The Racerback Dress in Green

On the last day of KCW I decided that I had sufficiently stocked up on newborn/small sized baby clothing and that this day I would have a little fun. Of course the project was finished towards dinner time when light was less than ideal, so I chose to wait to photograph. I even tried (for a good twenty minutes) to see if I could play with lighting/settings on my camera to get a decent photo and found it futile. For my level of photography skill, proper natural light is needed. 

KCW& Calling All Kids Day 5: Newborn Geranium Dresses

Another great pattern I have found for the new baby is the adorable Little Geranium Dress offered on Made By Rae.  

KCW & Calling All Kids Day 4: Summer Breeze Dress in Geometric& Yellow

Whew- busy busy day! I'm going to make this a super brief post. I just cannot justify keeping these kids inside a moment longer than absolutely necessary to share my creation. 

It's gorgeous outside, hooray for spring!

KCW & Calling All Kids Day 3: Baby Romper In Blue& Buses

Last night I had an unexpected surge of sewing power and started on my version of  The Baby Romper offered as a free pdf pattern by Shwin & Shwin. I made it over a year ago as a baby shower gift but this time it's for me!

KCW Day 2: Baby

Back for Day 2. 

I kept tackling my baby list and even added to it a little. 

KCW Day1 & Calling All Kids

Kids Clothes Week (aka KCW) is a sewing event I've followed for quite some time. I've enjoyed taking time to plan out my kids outfits rather than flying by the seat of my pants. It's that extra creative step that many times gets left out & during KCW and other challenges I get to stop and really enjoy the creative process of sewing that I love so much.