Written by Michael Ann of Michael Ann Made. Hello friends! Michael Ann here from Michael Ann Made, and today, I'm excited to venture into the world of laminates and coated fabrics with you! Now what is a laminate? Any fabric with a plasticy coating - oilcloth, vinyl, chalk board fabric, and some faux leather. These fabrics are great for projects that might get a little messy, like baby bibs or makeup bags, as you can just wipe them down with a damp cloth. But what if you can't find the perfect coordinating print for ...Continue Reading
ZIPPERS + a free simple skirt pattern
This post is sponsored by Craftsy. I've partnered with Craftsy to polish up my sewing skills through their online classes and share my experience with you over the next few months. I hope you enjoy! With the recent release of my Zippy Top (pictured and tucked in), you may have noticed that I love zippers! I think they can be really cute and are really functional. I also just like the word 'zipper'. I always tell a beginner zipper-installer to start with zipper pouches, because they are a really easy project that yields great results and ...Continue Reading
Painted Wood Necklace Tutorial
Written by Vivian of Vivileen and Suz and Viv. Today I have a super simple painted wood bead necklace tutorial. This is an easy way to add a pop of color to any outfit! Painted Wood Necklace Tutorial Supplies: cable chain- 34" 8 1/2" wood beads lobster clasp 4 jump rings paint paint brush wire cutters tape (if you want strait lines on your painted beads) 1. Paint your beads! To paint mine I used the end of a paint brush to polka-dot some of the beads. I taped off half of the rest of my beads and painted the exposed wood ...Continue Reading
the Just Add Jeans Round-Up and LAST DAY!
Today is THE LAST DAY to buy the Pattern Anthology Just Add Jeans collection! Tomorrow all 4 patterns will be available at full retail of $12 to $14 each! You can still save 40% now at patternanthology.com now! If you need some more convincing, take a look at all of these posts from us and our blogging friends! We had a great tour group and saw some amazing inspiration! If you've purchased the collection and have started sewing, ...Continue Reading
the very first post you should ever read about knit fabric
This post is sponsored by Girl Charlee fabrics. Hey knit haters! I know you're out there. You avoid knits because of one sour experience, right? I've been there. You picked up some cheap fabric from the store and thought you'd made a tee shirt, or maybe a swim suit. Stuck it in your machine and then "RRRRRR WHIRRRFFFTT GCKHCHRRR. beep beep beep. STOP." Maybe your needle broke. You might have seen a bird's nest of thread. And then you swore off knits forevermore! I did that, too. Years ago. It's hard to forget those sewing FAILS. ...Continue Reading
my new little black dress…the CITY GIRL FROCK!
Here's my City Girl Frock in dress form! The dress pattern pieces are included in the pattern! That means you can make a TOP, TUNIC or DRESS! 3 patterns in one! The pattern also comes with instructions and pattern pieces for a sash, but I belted it or wore it plain here. This fabric is a sturdy double knit which is perfect for the shape of the dress! Check out the top and tunic versions also! In case you were wondering, this pattern is totally maternity compatible! Half of my testers happened to be pregnant and it totally worked! It ...Continue Reading
Fabric Scrap Brooch
Written by Mandy Pellegrin of Fabric Paper Glue. Spring is upon us, my friends, and I could not be more excited! For me, it's time to start breaking out the bright colors, and one of my favorite ways to do that is with an unexpected brooch. Today's DIY shows you how to make your own by scouring your fabric stash for the brightest and prettiest scraps. Fabric Scrap Brooch Supplies: scrap fabric, wooden craft circles, matte decoupage glue, paint brush, scissors, pin backs, glue, chain Step 1: Begin by applying a thin layer ...Continue Reading
meet the city girl frock!
I'm excited to introduce you to my newest pattern! I've shared a little bit about it because it is a part of the Just Add Jeans collection by Pattern Anthology! (Watch our video HERE and purchase the collection HERE). This is the CITY GIRL FROCK! The main feature is a cozy cowl collar. The dress is also yoked with a little bit of gathering at the front. It's a swingy style, not too fitted with 3 lengths. You can make it in a top, like this houndstooth version. The houndstooth is a ponte de roma from Girl Charlee, it also comes ...Continue Reading
Leather Bottom Tote Tutorial
Written by Vivian of Vivian Eileen and Suz and Viv. If you're anything like me you can never have enough bags (or totes, purses, clutches, pouches...). They're probably one of my favorite things to sew because they usually don't take much time or fabric. Today I have a tutorial for a leather bottom tote. I love how customizable this project is! I used chevron fabric for the top and pleather on the bottom (and fun floral interior!) but really any combination of fabrics can be used. Leather Bottom Tote Tutorial// First cut your ...Continue Reading
frolic zig zag dress
I've been partnering with Fabricworm + Birch Organic Fabrics recently to promote some of their new fabrics. Today I'm thrilled to share the Frolic Collection! This fabric has cute little elephants and whales on it, in a really cool and bright color palette. I love the bright yellow the most! I almost made the whole dress yellow but decided to use the grey fabric for the skirt last minute. I'm glad I did, using two colors of the same print gives me that funky element that I love! I thought I'd make a dress with these fabrics because they ...Continue Reading
the wildflower top + jeans!
This is my Wildflower top! I made this top in this white and pink floral from Girl Charlee and the short sleeve option. I think I'll be living in this top this summer! The fabric I used is lightweight so it will be great in the heat. There is an inner layer that blends into the photos because I used floral for that part, too. Anyways, that eliminates the need for a tank top underneath. The top is really cute with a contrast inset, too! The top was easy to sew, I think it took less than 2 hours of ...Continue Reading
