Depending on fabric, you can make joggers look put together, you can wear them to work out, or you can wear them to lounge around in. Not only are they so versatile to wear, they are not difficult to sew!

I have 3 different patterns to talk to you today about – one for me, one for my husband, and one for all my kiddos 🙂 I also will chat about fabric choices. 

For the Kids – Sofilantjes Cessatio Joggers

This pattern is a newly released pattern by Sofilantjes that comes in 3 languages (Dutch, French, and English). The Cessatio jogger pattern includes sizes 12 months to 14 years and has options that work for all my kids like a paper bag waist (with or without a ruffle), a drawstring waist, front pockets, back patch pockets, or faux welt back pockets. I used a few different fabrics on this one, and I really like the ease and style it has for the kids.

For my youngest, I used a french terry fabric from Knitpop. It is a rayon/poly/spandex blend so it drapes nicely. I have to pay attention to fabric with rayon content that I do not dry it on hot, otherwise it will pill and look worn very quickly.

She is 2 (will turn 3 in just a few months!), but I make her a size 12 months. Since she is tall and slim, I grade up 2 sizes for the rise and for the length of the pants to make them tall enough for her. 

Making adjustments to the pattern for her helps her to have pants that fit her right in the waist and not fall off and be long enough where she needs! I have really had a difficult time buying store bought pants that have a tall enough rise/leg and are slim enough to stay up on her. I am so glad I sew!! 

For my oldest daughter, I picked a similar french terry from Knitpop. I also used the same options as my youngest on her pair. Thankfully, I did not have to make any adjustments for her. She fit right into the size 13. 

The paperbag waist option with the ruffle is probably the most complicated part on this pattern. The front ties are enclosed in the side seam of the waistband and the top ruffle is sandwiched in between the top of the two waistband pieces. The ruffling is caused by gathering a long piece and is not caused by tying the bow.

Here is how it looks to sew the ruffle into the top of the waistband. If you like the look of the ties but not the ruffle, you can omit the ruffle. Both of my girls liked the ruffle look on theirs!

If you have watched me any on my YouTube channel, you already know I am on overclipper. 

For my youngest son, I made a pair in a thick stretch sweatshirt fleece. I did his accents in a green cotton lycra so that the seams were not bulky.

I had to adjust for his height as well and am so happy with how his turned out. The fabric is thick enough to take all his tumbles. He runs and plays hard all day long.

I used the patch pockets on the back on all my kids joggers (except one who did not want back pockets!). The pattern does have a faux welt pocket that looks pretty nice, but my kids like pockets to be real!

For my middle son, I used a really cool wickaway athletic mesh that I got from the Fabric Fairy. This kid is always sweating so I wanted something he could stay cool in for his baseball practices!

I was happy with how opaque this fabric is because some meshes are too see through for bottoms. This mesh does a really good job of not showing anything under it while still having the breathability of mesh.  

The wrong side of the fabric is soft against the skin and the right side is a textured feel. I used the wrong side out on his cuffs, waistband, and pocket openings so the textured part wasn’t against his skin.

I have yet to add a drawstring on this pair. Whoops! Thankfully the elastic in the waistbands of this pattern helps for extra staying up power.

For the drawstring opening (that is there and ready for me to add a drawstring!), I sewed a one inch patch of green fabric onto it, and then used tiny grommets. I like the look of these for the pop of color to match my coverstitching.

My youngest son was pretty bummed that he didn’t get “a pair of eyes” on his. Instead of using grommets on my youngest, I did buttonholes on my sewing machine.

For his drawstring, I used the fabric from his pants and made a long strip that was 1.25 inches wide. I sewed the strip on the long end right sides together and then turned it right side out. His joggers were already getting dirty by the time we made it to this photo because he doesn’t like to stand still at a park!

Joggers for Me – The Greenstyle Brassie Jogger Pattern

For myself, I made joggers using the Brassie jogger pattern. It is one I have blogged about a lot because it is such a staple in my closet! I have made this pattern so many times and love wearing it! I also have a full sew along for this pattern HERE if you want any video support while sewing your joggers. 

This time, I did the midrise file and used a really high end feeling athletic fabric that I got from the Greenstyle shop called Align. I plan to wear them to work out in as well as do my daily active life with the kids in. I copied this pair of pants I saw online and was so happy to have mine at such a better price point! 

I did not use the waistband included in the Brassie pattern. Instead, I used the free contoured waistband pattern so that I did not need a drawstring and that the waistband is nice and firm for working out. It worked out great, but I think I will go up a size on the waistband next time to make it a little less compressive. This fabric has really nice recovery!

It has a cool and smooth feel to it and is not a brushed/warm/soft fabric. I plan to make a pair of leggings with it next. (or a top! It is definitely lightweight enough for a top.)

I tried to get nice photos with a few more of the kids but that didn’t really work out. So, here are some outtakes instead.

For my Husband – The Greenstyle Iron Joggers Pattern

I made my husband the Iron joggers in XL. I picked his size based off of his full hip measurement (the fullest part around his butt) and then used the waistband size that correlates with his high hip measurement (where he wears his pants). I did not use his natural waist measurement since he does not wear his pants that high. 

For fabric, I used this Dharma athletic fabric from The Fabric Fairy. It is a smooth cool feeling knit fabric that is perfect for playing outside with the kids or lounging at home. 

I did a buttonhole for his drawstring opening and used twill tape for his drawstring. This waistband has 2 inch elastic inside of it. 

Since this fabric is so stretchy, I took an extra 1/4 inch out of the inseam all along his thighs to reduce some of the extra ease. 

For pockets, I did the extra deep pocket option on the front and one zippered back pocket. 

In March of this year, my husband began working at home due to COVID-19. Even though this year has been tough, I am so grateful that he has been home with us on so many levels. I am also glad he has another pair of joggers that fit his new lifestyle so perfectly (that happens to be in his favorite color) to round out his collection. 

Resources

• Floral french terry from Knitpop 
• Black wickaway athletic mesh from Fabric Fairy
• This grey athletic knit from Fabric Fairy
• Align Navy athletic knit from Greenstyle
• Sofilantjes Cessatio jogger pattern
• Greenstyle Iron jogger pattern
• Greenstyle Brassie jogger pattern
• Full Video Sew Along for the Brassie and Iron patterns

Thanks for stopping by today!  I would love to stay connected with you. You can find me on Instagram. You can subscribe to my YouTube channel HERE. If you want to take a look into the things that inspire me, you can follow me on Pinterest. You may also follow my blog with Bloglovin.

*Disclosures

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small compensation when you purchase via my link. This does not cost you anything, and I genuinely appreciate the support. Any and all opinions expressed are still my own.

XO

This racerback tank pattern has the option of 4 different back options and multiple length options. Choose from top to tunic to maxi! I made my oldest daughter the tunic length and my middle daughter the top length. 

I used all cotton lycra fabric for their tanks. The solids came from Made Whimsy Fabric. 

This print came from Jumping June Textiles, but I don’t see it in stock anymore. 

I used the single fold binding method to finish the edges. Now that I have a coverstitch, it makes it so easy and quick!!

For my oldest daughter, I used this Flavor of the Day print from Art Gallery. 

My daughters (and my oldest son) are leaving for camp for the week, and I have to admit that I am terribly sad. This is their first time to go to camp, and I am happy with the social distancing procedures put in place by the camp and know they will be safe and have a blast. I am just going to miss them!

Grab your pattern HERE while it is on sale! The pattern is also available in Dutch here and in French here. 

Thanks for stopping by today!  I would love to stay connected with you. You can find me on Instagram. If you want to take a look into the things that inspire me, you can follow me on Pinterest. You may also follow my blog with Bloglovin.

*Disclosures

I received this pattern for free as part of the testing process to give the designer feedback about the instructions and fit. Also, this post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small compensation when you purchase via my link. This does not cost you anything, and I genuinely appreciate the support. Any and all opinions expressed are still my own.

For myself, I made the Greenstyle Power Sports Bra with the nursing option and the Greenstyle Super G shorts.

Video Tutorials

You can watch me sew the nursing option of the Power Sports Bra HERE. If you want to see how I cut the Super G pattern into shorts, you can watch that video HERE.

I am nearing the end of my nursing journey, which is bitter sweet, but I am glad I took this chance to memorialize it and record how to sew the nursing option of the power sports bra! Hopefully, it can be helpful to those who are still in that stage or sewing for someone who is. I really struggled with finding good nursing sports bras before this pattern was released, and I just can’t say enough amazing things about how well this fits and how easy it is to make! I have at least a dozen in my closet and would happily make a dozen more!

I also sewed myself a new Muscle Up tank to wear over my bra. You know, I can’t just walk around in a bra and short shorts all day. 🙂 I used cupro for this one. It is such a buttery fabric with low stretch and good drape.

I LOVE the armscye on this pattern. It is a unisex tank, and I also have made several for my husband. It is my go to tank when I want a looser fit for a breezier tank. I prefer it in fabrics that have nice drape.

For my daughter, I made the Sofilantjes Litore.

This dress has a fun strappy back and several skirt options. I chose the high-low circle skirt on the pattern.

It is really good that I am able to sew because this girl does not have a typical shape for store bought clothes. She has had the same chest, waist, and hip measurement since she was like 4 or 5 months old. She seems to put all her growth in the upwards direction and has stayed in the 75% for her height, though. This means that store bought clothes are way too baggy if the length is correct.

For this dress, I made her the 18 month width and a 2t for the height. I probably could have made her the 12 month for width, but hopefully she will get a little extra tummy some time soon.

We had a fun goose come and visit us during photos. It kept her very happy and occupied while taking photos! It got very close to us, which made me a bit nervous. It never did anything but honk at us a lot, though. Has a goose ever attacked anyone?

She loves that I put pockets in her dress! Of course, my shorts have pockets too!

Resources

• Fabric: Feather Bound is on preorder at The Styled Magnolia through May 17th on multiple fabric bases. Of course, my fave and the one I used is Athletic Brushed Polyester.
• Fabric: Cupro, not sure where it is in stock at the moment. I have been looking for more!!
• Patterns: Power Sports Bra, Muscle Up Tank, Super G Tights, and Sofilantjes Litore
• Video Support: Nursing Sports Bra, Super G Shorts, Muscle Up Tank
• Other Supplies: Bra Cups, Clear Elastic, Soft Waistband Elastic, Nursing Clips

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope you find my nursing bra tutorial video helpful! Let me know if you have any questions.  I would love to stay connected with you. You can find me on Instagram. If you want to take a look into the things that inspire me, you can follow me on Pinterest. You may also follow my blog with Bloglovin.

*Disclosures

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small compensation when you purchase via my link. This does not cost you anything, and I genuinely appreciate the support. Any and all opinions expressed are still my own.

My husband and our oldest son spend a lot of time together playing baseball. As soon as my husband gets in from work, he quickly changes into something more comfortable (than his button up shirt and slacks regular work attire) and races outside to beat the sun setting so that they can throw or hit the ball together. When my son began in little league a year ago, I had no idea just how much they both would enjoy it!

The spring season will be starting in a little over a month so I thought I would sew each of them a shirt to wear when they are out practicing together. I also made my husband another pair of joggers because he is absolutely obsessed with the Greenstyle Iron joggers. He has at least 6 pairs now, and I am finding that it is all he wants to wear when he doesn’t have to be dressed up! It is the biggest compliment EVER to me as a seamstress. I am so happy to be able to make something that he loves to wear!

The Hudson Raglan

For my husband’s top, I used the Greenstyle Hudson Pullover*. I made his measured size (Large). The pattern is drafted to only have long sleeves so to make them short sleeves, I cut the sleeves at 6 inches below the armscye and hemmed them 1 inch. He wears a Large in store bought clothes so I would say this pattern sizing runs true to RTW sizing if you need to make one for someone that you can’t measure.

Adjustments

A good deal of the shirts my husband buys in stores are too short on him. If he goes up to an XL, the shirt is long enough but way too wide. He is 5’11” and has a long torso so the best part of sewing for him is the ability to just add the length he needs. I added 1.5 inches of length to the bottom of this top.

The Iron Joggers

On this pair of Iron joggers*, I did the slant pockets in the front with one zipper pocket in the back. For sizing, I use his hip size for the legs (XL) and use his low waist for the waistband (3XL). I calculate the waist elastic based on where he wants to wear his pants. I have a full sew along for them here if you want to make a pair too and want to see any of the steps on video!

The Regem

For my son’s top, I made the Regem* from Sofilantjes. I love this unisex t shirt and have made him several of them. It has colorblocking options and a great basic t option.

The neckband on the pattern is calculated for ribbing, so for this particular fabric I recalculated it for 90% so I could use the same fabric. I think it lays really nice now! I like to use 90% for fabrics that have really nice recovery or are not very stretchy to begin with (like t shirt fabrics)

The Vinyl

The hardest part of sewing for my husband is that he wants all of his t shirts to have some crazy saying on them, and I have yet to get a machine that cuts HTV or a heat press. A few weeks ago I spent some time with one of my favorite humans – Aimee Wilson. She is just the sweetest friend, and I haven’t gotten to see her in quite some time! When we get together, we take photos (She is a great photographer!), go fabric shopping, and sometimes we sew (I have learned so much from her! She has sewn most of her life!).

This time, we changed things up a little and worked on adding some heat transfer vinyl (HTV) to a few plain shirts that I had made. I made 2 for my husband, one for my son, 1 for my oldest daughter, and 2 for myself. I was so excited that we got so much done (and still stopped for some yummy Mexican food). I can’t wait to share the other shirts I made with you!

After our fun session of crafting together, I immediately wanted to buy a cricut or brother cutting machine and a heat press! When I mentioned this to her, she said that it is more fun to craft together and she never uses hers nearly as much, so to just come to her house when I want to make a t shirt with vinyl again! I may just take her up on this because I adore how the shirts turned out.

The cut file that I used for my husband’s shirt can be found here. Aimee was able to make the cut file for my son’s shirt! My son’s shirt is a Babe Ruth quote: “It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.”

Resources

1. The fabric for the tops is all cotton lycra from Made Whimsy: navy, light heather grey, and heathered blue. 
2. The fabric for the joggers is heavy brushed athletic performance. This fabric is so nice and incredibly soft! I bought some during the Black Friday sale just for joggers, and now I am wishing I had grabbed the wine colorway for myself!
3. Baseball cut file can be found here.
4. Patterns used are the Greenstyle Hudson and Iron Joggers and the Sofilantjes Regem.

Thanks for stopping by today!  I would love to stay connected with you. You can find me on Instagram. If you want to take a look into the things that inspire me, you can follow me on Pinterest. You may also follow my blog with Bloglovin.

*Disclosures

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small compensation when you purchase via my link. This does not cost you anything, and I genuinely appreciate the support. Any and all opinions expressed are still my own.

XO

Today, I have some shirts that I made for my sons to show you! I used some shark fabric that is also from the Raspberry Creek fall club line.

I used one of my favorite kid patterns – the Sofilantjes Regem to quickly knock out two shirts for them. One of my sons insisted on short sleeves, while the other was happy to have a long sleeved shirt for when colder weather arrives.

It’s amazing how one photo really shows how different their personalities are!

For my 7 year old son, I made a size 7 based on his measurements. I added 3/4 inch in length to the bottom of the shirt just in case he needed it. He was maybe half of an inch over the height for the size 7, and it seems that he grows up quicker than out.

For my 5 year old son, I made the size 5, which is where his measurements put him as well. I added an inch to the bottom of his for extra growing room.

The Fabric

The fabric I used for their shirts is all cotton lycra. I love that their solids are the exact same base they print on, so it is really easy to coordinate. For my oldest son, I used a panel, the coordinate, and solid black. For my youngest son, I used the coordinate, the grey solid left over from the panel, and the same solid black. I had a total of 1/2 yard of black, 1 panel, and 1 yard of coordinate to work with and had enough for both shirts and a pair of boxers. I am still working on the boxers though 🙂

People have asked me what I think of the custom fabric from Raspberry Creek, and I like it! I think it is a very budget friendly way to get custom prints that work wonderfully for everyone. I love that they put the effort into designing fabric my boys will wear over and over again. The quality reminds me of a standard cotton lycra, but is not the silky smooth heavy stuff I have paid $25/yard from customs group for. It is half the price and worth every penny!

The long sleeve version of this pattern has a fun color blocking section on the lower part of the sleeve. As you can tell, he had a little more fun with his photos.

Here is this kid in real life. Climbing, swinging, hanging, and full on adventure at all times.

The Hair

So, both of the boys hair was getting out of control. I asked my husband to please take them to get their hair cuts, and he agreed. Then, I saw him in the back yard, taking matters into his own hands. I gasped. I ran outside and proclaimed, “Well, if anyone is going to cut their hair, it will be me. You admitted just earlier today that you don’t even cut straight!”

I knew what my husband was doing. He always prefers me to cut their hair and knew I would do it if he tried. So, I cut both of their hair. I think I did ok on my oldest son. I just kept it short. On the 5 year old, though, it just isn’t straight. I need to work on it a bit more. Whoops. 

Thanks for reading today! Are you already sewing for fall? It is still pretty hot here, but I want to have at least a few cold weather shirts done to be ready!

I would love to stay connected with you. You can find me on Instagram, or you may receive updates by liking my page on Facebook. If you want to take a look into the things that inspire me, you can follow me on Pinterest. You may also follow my blog with Bloglovin.

Resources

• The pattern for their shirts can be found here.
• The shark panel can be found here. The black solid is here. The coordinating geo shark print can be found here.

Disclosures

I received this fabric for free so I could sew it up and show how it would look sewn up. This post also may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small compensation when you purchase via my link. This does not cost you anything, and I genuinely appreciate the support. Any and all opinions expressed are still my own.

The Pattern

I was excited to test out the latest Sofilantjes pattern – the Optimum Racerback. I have really enjoyed all the Sofilantjes patterns I have made, and this one was no exception. The pattern comes in sizes 12 months to 14 years, has one racerback bodice style, and the option of a 3 panel circle skirt or a 6 panel circle skirt. This dress brings out all the twirling. She was dizzy from spinning by the time our photoshoot was over!

Sizing and Adjustments

I found it was very important to follow the pattern instructions as far as mashing/grading sizes. I made my daughter a size 8 for chest, 9 for waist, and used the 9 height on the skirt. The bodice is fully lined and only has shoulder seams and one seam in the back. I found that using clear elastic in the armscye and neckline of the bodice were very important to keep them from gaping.

Speed

I was rather surprised at how quick the Optimum pattern was to make. It was only maybe 10 pattern pages to print and tape together and took less than 2 hours to cut and sew up. It really helped saved time by doing a rolled hem on my serger for the bottom hem. If you have never done a rolled hem before, just check your serger manual. On my machine, I have a lever to push forward to change the setting to rolled hem, then I remove my left needle, and increase my stitch length. It makes a really clean finish!

Fabric

I used cotton lycra for all of this dress. The solids are from Made Whimsy. The print on the bodice was a scrap that my friend Aimee Wilson sent me. It is dream catchers, and I made the mistake of putting them upside down. Whoops! I don’t think she noticed!

The Second Dress

For my daughter’s second dress, I used all double brushed polyester. I love all the variations you can get in a paneled skirt, and that I could use just scraps! For this one, I cut out 4 panels in the print on the front of the bodice and cut out 2 panels that were in the solid on the back of the bodice.

Life

When I was thinking about what I wanted to talk about in my post today, I kept thinking about the joy I hear and see in my children from their relationship with each other. As I go about my day, there is constant noise in my home. I don’t mean noise in the negative sense. Rather, I mean there is always chatter, excitement, play, laughing, and tumbling about.

This girl always seems in the center of it all too. She notices people. She notices when someone needs help. Her level of attention astounds me and sometimes feels quicker than my own. We talk a lot about the gifts and joys that each kid brings to a home, and I feel that she brings the heartfelt love and concern in our home. I can’t wait to see her be a mom one day and to go for her dreams. She tells me that she wants to be a nurse or doctor and care for babies in some way, and I say “yes, go for it!”

When we finished taking photos of her dress, she accompanied me to the grocery store and asked for a prize of donuts for all those smiles and spins. When we arrived home, she announced she brought donuts and shared with everyone who wanted one and then sank her teeth in. Sharing is a huge part of being in a big family, and thankfully, she is quick to do so. She also announced that mom lost the keys during the photo session and we hunted for them while the sprinklers went off.

Resources

• You can find the Optimum pattern HERE. It is also available in French and Dutch. The pattern is on sale for release through Monday .
• The cotton lycra solids that I used for the first dress are from Made Whimsy. Her solids are my favorites.
• The floral double brushed polyester fabric for her second dress is from Sincerely Rylee. The solid yellow double brushed polyester came from Knitpop.

Thanks for reading! I would love to stay connected with you. You can find me on Instagram, or you may receive updates by liking my page on Facebook. If you want to take a look into the things that inspire me, you can follow me on Pinterest. You may also follow my blog with Bloglovin.

Disclosures

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small compensation when you purchase via my link. This does not cost you anything, and I genuinely appreciate the support. Any and all opinions expressed are still my own

Today’s post will be all about the details of the mommy and me outfits of a crop top and shorts that I made us. I hope you like them! I also have a video on YouTube that you can find HERE to show how I altered my Super G pattern pieces to make my shorts.

I am so glad that I sew a lot of activewear because (a) sewing spandex is quick (compared to many detailed woven projects) and (b) let’s face it – this mom life keeps me on my toes more than a real gym does.

So, when I sewed my latest activewear set, I had to make her a matching one so we can twin together.

When it was time to take photos, though, she didn’t really think my poses were the best idea, and I got more of a work out than I had imagined.

She gave chase, and an hour later, I had hundreds of photos to look through, and the ones where she was “cooperative” were because she thought she was winning this game of chase we were playing. Whew!

The Pattern Details for the Toddler Active Set

For the baby’s set, I made her a Sofilantjes Solis Top and Greenstyle Stride Tights for her shorts. The Solis is actually a dress pattern, so I just made the bodice. I hemmed the bodice half of an inch and it makes the perfect adorable crop! No other alterations needed, and this was one quick top!

For the Strides, I made her size 2T, and I added half of an inch below the shorts cut line so that they reached to her knees. She is wearing a cloth diaper so they fit her really well.

The Pattern Details for My Set

For my top I also used the Sofilantjes Solis dress bodice and hemmed it. For my bottoms, I made Super G Tights and cut them as shorts. The pattern does not have a shorts cut line, so I have a video HERE to show you how I changed my pattern pieces. I am wearing a Greenstyle Power Sports Bra underneath my top to keep everything in place. You can see a few of the straps poking out past the racerback.

I used swim lining from Made Whimsy for the lining, and I don’t like that mine tries to peak out. The bodice is a lined bodice, and despite my efforts to get it to roll out, it still did. If I make this again, I will just line it with the same fabric. The yoga fabric is thin enough that it would still be comfortable.

Fabric

For both of our sets, I used the Yoga fabric from The Styled Magnolia. I love how this fabric wears and how cool and dry I stay in it. I took these photos on the 4th of July and after photos, we both wore our matching set to watch fire works. I laid out one of my quilts (this one to be exact) on the lawn by our local library and covered us in bug spray. It was still so hot out that day, but we both stayed really nice and cool in our outfits. I also felt super bright between my quilt and the pretty florals we were wearing!

Resources

• The Sofilantjes Solis pattern is available for women, girls, and in a bundle of the two.
• The Super G Tights pattern can be found HERE. The video to see how I cut my pattern pieces can be found HERE.
• The Girls’ Stride Tights pattern can be found HERE. The bundle that includes both girls and women’s patterns can be found HERE.
• The Yoga FABRIC is available for retail at The Styled Magnolia.

Thanks for reading! I would love to stay connected with you. You can find me on Instagram, or you may receive updates by liking my page on Facebook. If you want to take a look into the things that inspire me, you can follow me on Pinterest. You may also follow my blog with Bloglovin.

Disclosures

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small compensation when you purchase via my link. This does not cost you anything, and I genuinely appreciate the support. Any and all opinions expressed are still my own. I received this fabric for free after paying shipping so that I could sew it up and provide feedback to the designer.

When I was pregnant with my first baby 11 years ago, due to years of infertility, I could not believe that I was pregnant. When my sweet baby was born, I looked at her for the first time and thought “It really happened?! Pinch me! How is this true?!” I was soooo unprepared for the days that followed!!

Today’s blogpost will be all about my current motherhood musings and AHA moments, memories I don’t want to forget, and the latest pattern by Sofilantjes.  Thanks for stopping by!

Do you ever have moments in your life that you dream of, long for, and just can’t wait to happen? Then, when they do happen, it feels so surreal that you almost can’t take it all in and feel so unprepared? No, just me? I think motherhood (despite my longing for it) caught me by surprise. It finally took until my fifth child for somethings to click for me.

Keeping Memories

One of the things that clicked recently is “Take photos, write it down, and record the moments you can’t seem to take in because you will NOT remember it all!”

I did not have a smart phone when my first daughter was born and was absolutely clueless as to how to work my camera. I didn’t keep baby books and thought often “How would I ever forget XYZ adorable thing she just did?!” Sadly, one moment has toppled on the next, and I don’t remember everything I wished I did. Oh, how I wished I could tell my younger self to take a million photos and write it all down!!

I have had an Instagram account for my sewing for years, and a few weeks ago, I finally started a personal Instagram account to document my kids. Why did I not do this before?! It’s an account just for me to put a caption with a photo that shows up on Timehop every year for me to have and for the kids to have when they are older and want their memories. I don’t use that account to follow people or interact like I do on my sewing account. It is really a space for me to have memories. Do you have a better way that you collect memories with photos???? I would love to hear about it if you do.

The Advena Top and Dress Pattern by Sofilantjes

Now, let’s get into SEWING… I love when I get the opportunity to pattern test for my kids because then I get to make something fun for them and take them out for photos!

I recently got to test the Advena by Sofilantjes. I made my oldest a short sleeved shirt, and I made the youngest a short sleeved dress. The pattern comes with three neckline options, three sleeve lengths, and the option for a top, tunic, or dress. I made my oldest daughter’s top with the View C neckline, which has just one lapped shoulder. I made my youngest the neckline with both lapped shoulders so it makes getting her dressed easier. The other neckline option in the pattern is a basic round neckline.

When I asked my oldest which fabric she wanted, she immediately picked out my hoarded, precious Made Whimsy fabric. She was pretty excited that I used this fabric for her and also wanted to show me how great she is at handstands.

This is 10. I am loving 10. She is incredibly brilliant. She loves to help and can run the house just as well as I can. She is great at math and is pretty determined to learn anything she sets her heart to. She is also the photographer behind a lot of my blogposts. She makes the best chocolate chip cookies all from recipes she finds on her iPad and even brought me milk and freshly baked cookies on Saturday while I had lost track of time in my sewing room. She always asks if I need tea when she is making herself some and loves to join me for a great chat with a cup of tea. Her hugs are warm and so full of love. I pray that I can continue to raise this strong girl with wisdom and grace. When she was a defiant 2 year old, I wished I could have looked into the future to see this girl.

Now, the baby…. She is 15 months and has taken the toddler stage by storm. I got her dress out of a 12 inch piece of fabric!! I used the same navy cotton lycra from Made Whimsy on her side panels as I had for my daughters, and I love how it pulls both of their tops together.

When I was getting dressed this morning, this cutie pie found a cup of tea and poured it all over the carpet next to my night stand. Then, she found my contact case and some toothpaste and walked down the hall to my sewing room. In my sewing room, she dumped out the trash and was throwing fabric about wildly. Somehow I still made it through today (thank you JESUS!) She makes all the kids laugh and loves to show off where her eyes, nose, and belly button are. She also loves to sing.

Pattern Thoughts

I love the side panel on this pattern. It really helps to break up the dress and gives the older girls a slimmer view if they still have a bit of a baby belly.

I love that this pattern has a wide size range. I made my youngest the 12 month size and my oldest daughter size 11. I love Sofilantjes drafting. I can always trust it and don’t have to size up to make sure I don’t waste good fabric.

I will definitely be making this pattern again!!

I was amazed at just how many photos I got of her front in this photo session because most toddlers give you lots of photos of their backs as they run away….

Since I only had a 12 inch scrap for her dress, I had to get a front, back, 2 sleeves, and 2 skirt parts out of that entire strip. I had no way to pattern match and just had to go with how things were cut. I still can’t believe that the pattern matched up pretty well on the back!!

Resources

• The Advena Top and Dress Pattern can be found HERE. It is on sale right now for release and is also available in Dutch and French. Also, it is available in only baby sizes.
• The floral for my daughter’s top is cotton lycra from Made Whimsy.
• The fabric for my youngest daughter’s dress is from Jumping June Textiles.
• The solid navy cotton lycra on both girls’ side panels is from Made Whimsy.

Thanks for reading today! I hope I have inspired you! You may follow me on Instagram or receive updates by liking my page on Facebook. If you want to take a look into the things that inspire me, you can follow me on Pinterest. You may also follow my blog with Bloglovin.

Disclosures: I received this pattern for free as part of the testing process to give the designer feedback about the instructions and fit of the pattern. This post also may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small compensation when you purchase via my link. This does not cost you anything, and I appreciate the support. Any and all opinions expressed are still my own.

Do you sew for your children? My son is 6, and he still absolutely loves when I take time to make him something special. He recently asked for a hoodie to wear on the chilly mornings and evenings of Spring; so, I was pretty excited to oblige. For today’s post, I am talking about the newest Sofilantjes pattern as well as what to do when grommets are ripped out!

Pattern Details

The new Velocitas pattern by Sofilantjes features 2 different views to give you plenty of colorblocking fun on the main body. The pattern can be short or long sleeves and comes in sizes 12 months to 12 years. I made a size 7 width and length for my son based on his chest measurement and height.

This pattern is great for layering and works wonderfully for the thicker fabrics that do not have a lot of stretch. Since we live in an area with milder weather, I used a thicker interlock for the main fabric and paired it with cotton lycra from Made Whimsy.

Grommets + Kids

What I did not think about when making this hoodie for him was just how ROUGH boys can be on their clothes. You see those holes in his jeans? Let me just say that I am one grateful mama that ripped jeans are considered in style these days! Anyways, I stayed up later than I would like to admit one night finishing this hoodie for him and couldn’t wait until he woke up to show it to him. When I let him try it on for fit photos the next day, he excitedly and zealously tried out his hood and ripped one of the grommets all the way out. Yikes! I had ironed on interfacing on the wrong side, but it was not enough!

To fix it, I partially seam ripped part of the hood off to get to the grommets. Then, I reinforced the grommets with a one inch square of Kraft Tex paper on the right side. I use a straight stitch when sewing the paper on. Then, I reinstalled the grommets, and voila! Fixed. Stabilizing with interfacing alone was not enough for this high stress area.

I really like the look the Kraft Tex paper gives. It looks like leather when washed, feels like paper, but sews like fabric. It is some pretty cool stuff. I keep a variety pack on hand so I have many colors on hand.

I made his drawstring out of the black cotton lycra I used as contrast on his fabric. I cut a long strip that was 1.5 inches wide and sewed it along the long edge with a 1/4 inch seam allowance on my serger. I turned it right side out and fed it through the channel with a safety pin. Based on US Safety Standards, I only allowed 3 inches of drawstring to stick out when the hood is not cinched. I also sewed a bar tack/safety stitch in the middle of the channel of the drawstring so that he cannot pull the drawstring out.

He has worn his Velocitas Hoodie a bunch since I made it. He just started baseball last month and is now requesting that I make him another hoodie in his team color – red – so that when they have early morning games, he can keep warm.

The Velocitas Hoodie pattern is on sale now through early Monday morning so grab your copy! It is available in English, French, and Dutch. You can find the English pattern HERE.

Thanks for reading my post today! I hope I have inspired you! You may follow me on Instagram or receive updates by liking my page on Facebook. If you want to take a look into the things that inspire me, you can follow me on Pinterest. You may also follow my blog with Bloglovin.

For my daughter’s dress, I used the Sofilantjes Foras dress pattern. It starts at 12 months (the size I made) and goes up to size 12 years. I made my oldest daughter a dress from this pattern last year (you can read that post here) and have been waiting until the baby fit on the size chart so that I could make her one too! She is finally on it!

Even though I am dreaming of Spring, the weather still has not caught up to my dreams. It was a rather chilly winter day out so I made my daughters dress in the 3/4 length sleeve and put some leg warmers on her so that she wasn’t miserable during photos. I am glad she had them on too because she tripped a few times, and they saved her knees.

The fabric that I used for both of our dresses is a cotton lycra with 92% cotton and 8% lycra. It is super soft and soo adorable. I had to throw in a splash of my dress fabric on the pockets to give her a pop of pink. The yellows in my dress fabric also were the same yellows in the honeycomb so I thought they worked well together. Aren’t those bees adorable!?

The pocket on the dress is a functional pocket. She does not understand yet just how great pockets are, but I still took the time to do the pocket because I absolutely love the colorblocking it adds to the dress.

The Foras has an optional gathered skirt or a full circle skirt. I did not have enough coordinate to do the full circle, but I had just enough for the gathered skirt. All those little gathers were worth it because she is so cute in this skirt!

This little princess has my heart! She brings so much joy to our entire family, and I just cannot imagine life without her. She is in that fun stage where she loves to see cause and effect. She dumps, investigates, rearranges, throws out, and has the busiest hands. I never can get over the curiosity and determination of a person entering toddlerhood! It’s nice to have her brothers and sisters around to help me keep up with her!

For my dress, I used the Sofilantjes Vallis dress. I tested the dress this summer (You can read that blogpost here), and I have wanted to make another one ever since. The fit was just perfect, and it has been my favorite dress that gets the most wear. I immediately knew it was the dress that I wanted to make again when I saw this floral.

The Vallis has a low back that makes Texas summers bearable and that I find very stunning! Most garments with low backs have a higher front neckline, but this one has a low enough neckline in the front that I can still easily pull it down and breastfeed in it without modifying it.

I picked my bodice size based off of my upper bust and picked my skirt size based on my waist measurement. I did not grade for my hips since the skirt is full. The only change I have to make to this pattern is to do an FBA (Full Bust Adjustment), which is really easy because there is a bust line and instructions on how to get an accurate front piece. My bust has decreased slightly since I made the dress this summer so I just pivoted my FBA piece in slightly based on the measurements I am now. I made the natural waist bodice with skirt A (the half circle). The pattern also includes an asymmetrical handkerchief and handkerchief hem for the natural waist bodice. If you are pregnant, the pattern has an empire bodice with a gathered skirt also included.

Pockets! Do you see how cold I am in this photo too? Ha. It still is not spring, but a girl can dream (and quickly put her coat back on when photos are over!)

I feel like we are ready for a vacation in these photos. Or to go to a wedding? I am not sure where we will be going yet, but I do know that if someone invites me to a fun event, I will not be up until 1 am the night before making a last minute dress!

Resources

1. The fabric for my dress and my sweet princess’s dress came from Made Whimsy. Both fabrics are currently open for preorder through March 5. You can order them here.
2. The pattern for my dress is the Sofilantjes Vallis dress. You can purchase the dress here. You can read my previous blogpost on the dress here.

3. The pattern for my daughter’s dress is the Sofilantjes Foras dress. You can purchase the dress here. You can read my previous blostpost on the dress here.

Thanks for reading! I hope I have inspired you. You may follow me on Instagram or receive updates by liking my page on Facebook. If you want to take a look into the things that inspire me, you can follow me on Pinterest. You may also follow my blog with Bloglovin.

Disclosures: I received both patterns for free as part of the testing process to give the designer feedback about the instructions and fit of the pattern. I received this fabric for free so that I could sew it up and provide modeled photos of it. This post also may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small compensation when you purchase via my link. There is no cost to you. Any and all opinions expressed are my own.