Lately I have been on a mission to have fun with my kids.
People tell you that they get big fast, but I swear it isn’t until they actually start getting bigger that you realize just how true that statement is. So now it has become my goal to truly be there with them. Not distracted on my phone or too busy with errands. And when I am involving them in work related products, to make it FUN. I have been trying to involve my children in a way that is filled with laughter and smiles. Allowing me to not only sew for them with love in my heart, but also take photos together that we will cherish some day.
After all, I don’t want them to remember the Mom who told them to look this way or that…but rather the Mom who couldn’t get a clear photo because we couldn’t stop laughing.
Fiesta Groove Dress and Women’s Knot Top
Part of the Fiesta Fun Fabric Tour with Made Everyday
Groove Dress by Made It Patterns
My daughter is wearing the groove dress by Made it Patterns. It was my first time sewing this dress after seeing many rave reviews. She is at the age where basic kids sewing patterns can look too ‘kiddish’ on her if I am not careful. So I try to keep my eyes open for patterns that are still youthful and modest, but mature enough for a pre-teen. The grove dress seemed to fit this category, and looked comfortable, cute, and easy to sew.
Thoughts on the pattern:
The pattern was perfect for an everyday dress. I love the way it fits my almost 11 year old. I bought the kids size version, which goes to size 10, and ended up drafting a size up in the pattern using my hand drawn self drafting method. I tend to buy size 12 clothes for my daughter. With the self-drafted size 12, the dress fit perfect! I love all of the different options the groove dress has, from different sleeve lengths to hoods, making it truly a great pattern for year-round seasonal weather. My daughter is on the tall side, so I will probably make the dress just a tad longer next time. For perfect knit fabric hemming, without the wonky seams, I used ThermOWeb Soft Stretch tape and a long straight stitch to help secure in place. That stuff has seriously become my new knit sewing fabric best friend.
Thoughts on the fabric:
The Mexican dress midnight knit fabric, designed by Made Everyday for Art Gallery Fabrics is gorgeous! Great quality using 95% cotton/5% spandex, and 50% four-way stretch with great stretch recovery. The color is bright and vibrant, and the fabric is smooth like butter to the touch. The color held up beautifully in the wash, and I didn’t notice any shrinkage with a cold water wash / hang dry. The fabric is perfect for a fun dress at this tween stage – vibrant yet playful.
Women’s Knot Shirt DIY
For the women’s knot shirt, I used a combination of the Larchmont Tee sewing pattern by Sew Caroline (offered for free download this month only at SewNews here), and paired it with this basic Tie front top tutorial by Merrick’s Art. The hardest part was matching up the front of the shirt fabric pattern to get the design where I wanted it. Which still isn’t quite perfect. But after a few seam ripper incidents, some unsavory words, and not enough leftover fabric – I had to leave well enough alone. I still think the shirt looks adorable though, especially once I put on my hot pink espadrilles wedge sandals with it :).
*Side note – jumping with high heel wedges is not a good idea. In fact, playing around in general with high heel edges = not so smart. See how my daughter laughs at me after I fall…
Thoughts on pattern:
It can be difficult sometimes to find a classic shirt pattern that uses woven fabric for women. We tend to stick with apparel fabric (and for good reason). But when 80-90% of the fabric sold in local fabric shops tend to be quilting cotton, it is only natural to want to sew with these fun designs for ourselves. The Larchmont tee by Sew Caroline is a clean, classic shirt pattern that uses woven fabric – yet is still comfortable and well designed for a modern fit. I altered the pattern by mixing it with Merrick’s tie front top DIY, giving it a front center seam. Furthermore, I added a hi/low hem curving the bottom back seam to cover my boo-tay. I wanted to be able to wear this shirt with leggings on a hot Summer day. I will definitely sew up this pattern again the next time a woven quilting cotton jumps in my shopping cart that I simply must sew up for myself (I hate it when that happens – ha!).
Thoughts on fabric:
The shirt fabric is Mexican Dress Morning by Made Everyday for Art Gallery Fabrics. It is a lightweight quilting cotton, 100% cotton that somehow manages to NOT be see-through. I was worried that I would have to sew a lining with this shirt, but that was not the case. The colors are bright, and absolutely perfect for Summer. It just makes you happy to look at it!
As for keeping the photoshoot fun…
Will I always be the best at this? Heck no. In fact, I am pretty sure I need to apologize to someone for my behavior earlier today…let’s just say I wasn’t acting very ‘Christian‘. Or whatever that word is supposed to mean. But I am a work in progress, and all I can do is my best. Every day. One step forward at a time.
We are all only human after all.
Thanks so much for stopping by, and until next time…
Happy sewing!
So fun and happy! Love your goal to be present. These look like excellent patterns!
Oh how did I miss this? What beautiful, fun, bright and colourful pictures. That Groove Dress is utterly fabulous. Did you consider making the teen size small which comes free with the kids pattern?