Mama, Me and He: My "In Bloom" Fabric Got Hijacked

I am a bit obsessed with fabrics with metallic accents lately. I don't know if my fabric tastes were going that way or if those fabrics produced by Riley Blake Designs, are feeding that obsession.  

For this project, I chose the In bloom Gold Dot Sparkle and In bloom Gold Stripe Sparkle with the plan of making Butterick 6351 in the jumpsuit pictured in view D.

When the fabric arrived, I was double teamed by the Littles! Both kids loved the sparkle and dots and stripes and asked (cute puppy-eye pleaded) for me to switch my plan to include projects for them. My jumpsuit plan needed a switch up.

  

I stuck with the pattern and decided on the dress from view C. I used the stripe for the front of the dress,  

and both the dots and stripe for the back

This dress style is a departure from my usual and I like it; the saturated gold is so beautiful. 

The children, proud of their victory, chose coordinating shirts with their share of the fabric.

Little Miss chose a tunic from Simplicity 8105. The insets were perfect to add stripe accents to contrast the polka dots.

The Little Man is on a never-ending quest to always wear pajamas! He chose the top from Simplicity 8806 and added a stripe pocket. The back and sleeves of both are made with a plush knit from my stash. 

I have been told that the days of them wanting me to make their clothes will come to an end. When we are scrapping it out over fabric catalogs and fabric deliveries, I can't see it. It brings me such joy to hear their input on their style, color choices and reasons behind them. They are so proud to wear the clothes they "designed" and I make for them. I will sacrifice any amount of yardage to hold onto those moments and share this process with them!

Happy Sewing,
Bianca

"Let's Be Mermaids!" Jumpsuit and Dress-up Purse.

Little Miss loves for me to sew for and with her. Lately, she has gotten very vocal about what she does, and does not want me to make. I used to be able to make something for her and receive a grateful smile and thanks. Now, as she is getting older, we discuss her tastes, preferences and her role in the sewing process. She says she does not want me to waste time making something

Today, I am sharing  Lets Be Mermaids   a collaboration between Riley Blake Designs, Little Miss and Me.

                   

The Lets Be Mermaids collection is a fun line with designs we both loved! It has that perfect mix of feminine, cute, whimsical designs in a Springy range of colors. We were immediately drawn to the beautiful Scallops Periwinkle Sparkle with its' vibrant gold accents.The Let's Be Mermaids Main Mint

is a fabric we both squealed about when we saw it. The racial diversity of the mermaids spoke to this Bahamian island girl and meant we had to have it. 

I gave her creative control of this project and loved that she chose a jumpsuit (New Look 6389). It is perfect for the rambunctious play she enjoys while showcasing her personal style. 

She is a girl who loves frills and fluff, only if it does not get in the way of her fun. 

She chose this pattern because of the bodice flounce option and the shoulder strap style that suits her taste.         

This was a fast project to make and she was anxious to take it for a spin.

To complete her outfit, I designed and made this interchangeable bag for her. It is a child version of my Girls Night Out Tote bag that she can play with.

The body of the bag uses the Let's Be Mermaids Main Mint (silver metallic Essex linen for the front panel).

and it is lined with Scallops Periwinkle Sparkle with the Mermaids for a pocket to store the dress-up pieces.

She can dress her up as a mermaid 

or a regular girl. She can change her hair and clothes for endless hours of fun! 

We love this collection and have clearly been inspired by the lovely fabric. She wants lots more rompers in the other prints in the collection and personalized bags for all of her friends. 

If you would to make a bag for your little mermaid or merman, please tell me in the comments. I will be writing the pattern and seeking testers for girl and boy variations of the kits. If you would like to be considered as a tester, please send me an email me here.

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May your weekend be filled with lots of fun and the whimsy that can only come from the thrill of letting go to be mermaids. 

Happy Sewing,
Bianca and Little Miss

Up All Night Pajamas! Embroidering on Velour!

 

Whenever I get a package from Nature's Fabrics, I have to open it in secret. My kids are fanatics for soft plush fabrics. Very often, they cuddle the fabrics, take them away and use them as blankets until I'm ready to sew them up. They are so adorable it takes all of my willpower to reclaim my fabrics.

With my most recent order, I purchased with them in mind. I received this Wedgewood Cotton Velour for my son:

                                                       

and this Gray Sparkle Cotton Velour for my daughter:

          

I had planned on making all-in-one pajamas for both of them using these fabrics. Little Miss loved her selection so much, she's asked for a day time outfit  over PJ's. Little Man was completely thrilled with the idea of wrapping his entire body in his fabric at night.

I thought Simplicity 1731 was a perfect choice for this. Both kids were thrilled with it for themselves and excited with the thought that I may make a set for the rest of the family (and maybe get a dog!).

My little guy has a passion for reading and doing so at bedtime. He has recently admitted to stretching his allotted reading time beyond light outs. It reminded me of an embroidery design by Designs by JuJu. I knew I wanted to add the "I Read Past My Bedtime" message to his pajamas.

This project was also an opportunity for me to try machine embroidery on plush fabric. The trick is to not crush the nap of the fibers while allowing the design to pop. I achieve this, I had to make a velour sandwich by layering tearaway embroidery stabilizer on the bottom, fabric in the middle, and water soluble stabilizer on top. 

The water-soluble stabilizer allows the stitches to rest on top of the velour without crushing the nap of the fabric.

The design stitched up beautifully in the colors the Little Man chose. He was up for the flowers, as long as I made them black! 

The pattern stitched up easily and quickly. After cutting the jump stitches, I un-hooped the fabric and removed the stabilizer by hand and water. 

I modified the pattern only slightly by omitting the neckline drawstring for the hood. He and his curls can't be contained!

   

He loves the side pocket and strange upper sleeve pocket placement. He is really pleased to have the sleeve and hem casings. Anyone else like retracting into your clothes like a turtle? It is a treat on cozy nights!

 

I made the size small. It fits great and he has room to grow. 

He absolutely loves these and has been wearing them nonstop since I made them. 

It has been the perfect outfit for staying up late and finding more adventures in a good book.

Happy Sewing and Happy New Year!
Bianca

D.I.Y. Digital Printed Fabric From Flour-Resist Technique

         

I just love when one creative adventure is the inspiration for another. I recently painted some fabric using the flour-resist technique I have previously detailed here  and in the August/September issue of Sew News Magazine. A bi-product of this process is a painted and cracked flour surface that is washed away to reveal a more subtle painted surface beneath. I love the look of this stage of the process and always feel it is such a waste to dispose of the beauty made.

                                

This time, I took photos of the various sections of the fabric hoping to devise a plan to use them at some point.

Nature's Fabric now allows customers to print digital images on various knit fabrics. This new option was timely and I was excited to play with one of my photos that I was anxious to wear. My abstract image met the 300 DPI quality requirement, but did not have a seamless repeat (think floral designs and recurring patterns). If you know me, you know I am open to experimentation. Despite the lack of seamless repeat, I was curious to see what my submitted image would produce. I was willing to break the rules and see what I got with my image. 

Here is the image I emailed after placing my order. It is the same image 

flipped and joined on the long side in a photo program.

                            

The proof of the image looked like this and gave approval to print.

                   

The image was perfectly transferred to 2-yards of double brushed polyester. The 300 gsm weight fabric is soft like a plush fleece with a smooth top surface and textured underside. My kids love the feel of this fabric so much, it almost broke their hearts to know it was all mine.  

       

I love that the yellow edges created a bold stripe against what looks like a galaxy design.

  

          

When I ordered the fabric, I initally planned to use it to make a dress. After seeing it, and feeling it, I knew I wanted to get more wear out of it than I would with a statement dress. I opted instead  to make a cardigan that I can use frequently. I love the cocoon shape of Simplicity 8740, view D. The fabric requirements meant I could maximize most of my fabric with very little waste. 

I was also drawn to this pattern because of the front and sleeve bands. I oriented them horizontally for visual interest against the vertical stripes of the body. This is a fast, easy and comfortable garment to make an wear.

                 

I made the size medium and with my denser fabric, love the way the weight plays with the drape and stripe on the print.

I am very impressed with the quality of this image and the way it is reproduced onto the fabric. It has exceeded my expectations. 

I love the result of my "take this image and make it work" approach to this project. It does not have definite shapes, text, or required vertical or horizontal orientation. If it did, I would have needed to be more technical with my image choice and creation. This is a video on how to do seamless repeats for fabric printing. It will help you plan your design for printing. Once designed, your image will have to be at least 300 dpi for clear printing. If it all seems overwhelming, the staff of Nature's Fabric is very friendly and helpful if you have questions as you go.

 

Have you created and digitally printed fabric before? What software did you use to create it? Which service did you use? What has your experience been like?Would you do it again? I will be making more for sure. The only question is which photo to use next!

Happy sewing,

Bianca