Pre-School to Pre-Teens: Parcel #5 is here!

Our little girls. Our daughters. Our nieces. Our granddaughters. For most of us, they are the very reason we started sewing. They melt our hearts and make us tear our hair out all in the same five minutes. Girls. (shrugs) We're magical creatures.

Today I'm launching a special Pattern Parcel collection for our girls. The indie patterns in their Parcel were chosen for their versatility. They're modern styles that transcend time. They're Audrey. They're Marilyn. They're Hillary. This Parcel completely covers the size range from 4 years up to a 12 tween. Most of the patterns span even further, as small as newborn and 3 months, up to a 14, 16, 18 girl's tween sizing. We also chose these patterns because they were all styles we'd be proud to have our girls wear. But they're also still styles our girls want to wear. And I'm sure you all know what a fine line that is to walk.

We sew for our girls because we want them to have quality garments made with fine materials. Because store bought clothing for women these days is overpriced and poorly made. It's trash waiting to fall apart and accumulate in our landfills. Not only that, but let's be honest, today's store bought clothes are often styles that rush our little girls into an over sexualized womanhood or cram commercial garbage down their throats.

Let's make our girls clothes that are comfortable. That allow them to be the people they want to be and allow them the movement they need for all their activities. These patterns let our girls climb trees and build forts or get lost in books. They let our girls run and play. They can be athletes, artists, engineers and scientists. And even princesses. ;) Let's make our girls a wardrobe worth wearing.

Introducing, Pattern Parcel #5: Pre-School to Pre-Teen.


Click this image to learn more about the patterns and sizing.
Parcel #5 includes:
Lily Knit Blazer by Peek-a-Boo Patterns
Everyday Yoga Pant for Girls by Greenstyle
Asymmetrical Drape Top by EYMM
Playhouse Dress by Fishstick Designs
Mimi Dress and Shirt by Filles a Maman

BONUS PATTERN: Sunki Dress by Figgy’s

Choose your own price to support these independent digital pattern designers and to help us in our work with the charity DonorsChoose.org. Together, we've raised over $11,000 this year for classrooms in need!

Happy Friday, y'all!      

Prefontaine Shorts for Kids into Track Pants

If your kids are anything like mine, they love their Prefontaine Shorts. I recently went through Jimmy's dresser to make a box of hand-me-downs for his cousin and to cycle in the larger sizes in anticipation of warmer weather. I did this in the hopes of sending winter away, but it snowed one more time. Grr... In any case, while were were cleaning shorts out Jimmy saw these:


Unfortunately they are obscenely too small for him now, never mind when he would wear them three months for now. Into the hand-me-down box they went. Cue the tears. Huge, pathetic tears. So I promised him new ones. Lots of new Prefontaines.


Since it's a bit too cool here for shorts I lengthened the pattern in to Prefontaine Track Pants. Success! They're great comfy, wide leg pants. Or hell, even jammies. Lord knows Jimmy would wear them day and night if I let him.


Here's how you do it:
Use a clear gridded quilting ruler to mark a line 1.5" above the bottom of the front pattern piece parallel to the bottom edge. Make sure the line you makre is above the entire retro curve of the side seam, but below the crotch point. Mark a second line on your back pattern piece the exact same distance up from the bottom hem. Cut the bottoms off of both pattern pieces along those lines.

Measure your kiddo's hip to ankle length. Tape paper to your both pattern pieces. Reattach the retro curved hems of the pattern pieces so that the length of the pattern's side seam is your child's hip to ankle length plus 1.5". True the inseam pattern lines to match crotch points and bottom hems.


You will need to make a longer length of "bias" tape tshirt trim but one upcycled tshirt was still more than enough. Then just assemble your track pants as you would the Prefontaine Shorts. Easy, peasey. Now I've got one happy boy.



Don't have a copy of the Prefontaine Shorts for Kids pattern yet? It's part of the Pattern Parcel #2 sale as the Bonus Pattern. Or you can get it directly here.

Pattern Parcel #2 is here!

The countdown timer has ticked down to zero and I can finally share the patterns in Parcel #2 with you all! Without further ado, I present to you Pattern Parcel #2. Sugar, spice and everything nice. Parcel #2 is a collection of essential Spring patterns to wardrobe a little girl. Right in time for Kids Clothes Week and the Spring holidays.


Pattern Parcel #2 includes:
Celestial Tee by Figgy’s
September Tunic & Dress by Too Sweets Patterns
The Caroline Party Dress by Mouse House Creations
Hanami Top & Dress by Straight Grain
Hosh Pants by LouBee Clothing



Unlock the Bonus Pattern Parcel #2 also has a Bonus Pattern. To unlock the Bonus Pattern and have it included in your Parcel #2 purchase, just choose a price of $24 or greater. The Prefontaine Shorts for Kids by Made with Moxie will automatically be added to your Parcel!







Need a little inspiration on how to mix and match the sewing patterns in Parcel #2? Check out this little video we made for you. A special thanks to Thomas Knauer for letting us use his fabulous fabric designs! I am again jealous that these garments do not come in my size.

Perfect Pattern Parcel #2 from Perfect Pattern Parcel.

Now, I know exactly what you are thinking. "I wish I had a set of those Parcel Dolls!" You wish has been granted! The ever fantastic Rachael has created this printable of perfection just for you. Now you can print our your own Parcel Doll set and use them to design your Parcel #2 makes. You are going to want to print out at least two, you know, so the kids can color on their own. ;)

Don't forget, Kids Clothes Week starts next week! Now you can have a brand new collection of indie patterns to sew up for your little ones. Let's face it, your sweet girl is going to look so damn adorable in these patterns. Go grab yourself a copy of Parcel #2 and don't forget you have to choose a price of $24 or higher to unlock the Bonus Pattern.

Happy Friday, y'all! Have fun with your Parcel Dolls. I hope your weather is warm and your cares are light.

Too Perfect For This World

Ethereal ( adj.): Extremely delicate and light in a way that seems too perfect for this world.


This is the first time I've ever sewn a Figgy's pattern. It feels sacrilegious to say so. I was flattered when Shelly asked asked me to be part of her Heavenly Collection Winter Tour. This collection of children's sewing patterns is just lovely. The designs are unique, but so wearable. I really hate patterns that just look like everyone else's. I mean, why bother, right?


I can't wait to show you the Ethereal Dress & Blouse pattern that I sewed up for my daughter, Jane. The pattern has a multitude of options; sleeves or sleeveless, blouse, tunic, or dress lengths, and a darling frill.


The fabric I chose is a Yuwa cotton lawn from the imagine gnats shop. It also feels wrong to admit that this is the first time I've ever sewn with cotton lawn. Holy moly, it is just so so lovely. It's just the finest, smoothest, softest cotton I've ever felt. It's the cotton you want to be wearing on murderously hot days, and on warm spring afternoons when the sun is setting on your shoulders. I could wax poetic about it for days.


The Ethereal Dress & Blouse pattern is generously sized and a quick sew. I cut a 4/5 for Jane intentionally slightly larger than she measured to ensure she would be able to still be wearing it at the end of this summer. That girlie grows like a weed. Right now she'll wear it with a tee and leggings until the weather warms. Really Jane refused to take her dress off following the photo shoot.


I'm jealous I don't have a cotton lawn Ethereal Dress in my size. Also, this girl is just slaying me. I love her character.



Don't forget to enter the giveaway below and you can also grab a copy of the complete Heavenly Collection for over 30% off the full retail cost.

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Winter Wonderland Collection

If you have little ones to sew for this holiday season then you should consider getting yourself a copy of the Winter Wonderland Collection of sewing patterns by the ladies at Pattern Anthology.


The collection is everything from hats and capes to a blazer and party dress and all sorts of garments in between. It's everything you need for your little ones to take you through the holiday seasons. The pattern collection will have you dreaming of crisp cool air, warm holiday baking, sparkling lights, and cozy evenings with family.



For Jimmy, I sewed him up a Johnny B. Good Hoodie (it also comes with a hood collar option) and a Trapper Hat (which also has a pilot style hat option too.) The Trapper hat sews together so quickly and easily. I'm in love. I would recommend sizing it up if you are going to use a fluffy lining fabric, like minkie, fleece or fake fur. Jimmy loves his Trapper hat. I see many versions of these to come.

The Johnny B. Good hoodie shirt is an adorable retro style shirt. I just love my little man in a collared shirt. This pattern makes it super easy to make too, with less pattern pieces than a normal collared shirt pattern. But I've got to tell you my favorite part about this pattern is that it includes instructions on how to upcycle a men's dress shirt into one for your little dude! I used one of my husband's old shirts that he had gotten a stain on, then added the contrasting front and back yokes. The pattern has pieces to make your own cuff plackets, but I just used the ones on my husband's shirt sleeves. So much easier than sewing a dress shirt from scrap, and you get to have nice shirting fabric for your boys without paying an arm and a leg.



Jane looked through the Winter Wonderland Collection and chose the Juliet Capelet. All of a sudden she has decide she is big enough to be deciding what I will make for her. I sense trouble. We decided on the rounded hood option with no ruffle. I lined the hood and capelet with creme minkie for extra warmth. To make this piece more cape than capelet, I cut the neck of the pattern at her true size, but cut the bottom hem at a size larger. The toggle closures are from Joann's. I think they finish the look off nicely and bonus points that they are kid "I can do it myself" friendly.



The Winter Wonderland Collection is a good deal because you're getting a bundle of patterns that you can use for years. The sizes span from 18 months on up to 8 years. The patterns are great styles than can be easily remixed to reflect whatever look you (or your opinionated kids) are going for. Plus, you're getting the patterns for 25% thank retail once they have been bundled. You can even snatch up a Mini Bundle of just the girls or boys patterns.

The Winter Wonderland Collection is only available for a limited time and you only have two days left! Do not delay. You can have adorable outfits for your kiddos for each holiday through the cold weather season. And that means no ugly polar bear dork sweaters have to be worn.

Click the image below to be taken to be taken to the Winter Wonderland Collection site.


Disclosure: I received a copy of the Winter Wonderland Collection in exchange for my making something to share with you all. All opinions and ideas my own. End of story.