#bundleUP for Women Continues - VFT Ginger & FBA (Full Bust Adjustment)

You've seen lots of Violette Fields Ginger for Women variations during the blog tour . . . 

did you #bundleUP?

For me, the Ginger doesn't work without 

a Full Bust Adjustment.  

  

To learn more about the advantages of properly fitting your bust & small or full bust adjustment, visit Everything Your Mama Made & More for the blog series:  "All About the Bust"  

So today is just a look at how an FBA can make your Ginger hug your curves!

Oh, and look how cute my new shoes are . . . my first pair of flats!

Show some love to the bloggers on the Pattern Revolution Women's BundleUP 2015 Tour:

Mimi's Mom - Baby Fish Designs - The Wholesome Mama - Gloria June - Sew Happily Ever After - Manning the Machine - Sew Like My Mom - Sproutign Jube Jube - Keep Calm and Carrion - Friends Stitched Together - Thread Riding Hood - Gingerbear Hibbadorary - Pensebrox - Sew Starly - If Only They Would Nap - Handmade Boy - All Things Katy - Bunch-o-Berries - Bee Quilted BeautiesSew Thrifty - Made by Sara - Feathers Flights - Mabey She Made It - Mae and K - Sugar Plum Cuties - Rebel and Malice - House of Estrela - Phat Quarter Blog - Sofilanjes

happy sewing!

gloria june

Pattern Revolution 2015 Women's PDF Pattern #bundleUP - Jocole

Another year has passed, another birthday candle added to my cake . . . .and more patterns to add to my collection of Women's PDF Sewing Patterns!  

During the #bundleUP Blog Tour, I'll post my versions of a few of the patterns offered. 

Are you ready to #bundleUP?

Pattern Revolution, 

together with several PDF Pattern Designers, have created several #selfcaresewing patterns

 just for You!

bundle pricing is only available during the #bundleUP sale

May 1 - 8, 2015

Day 1 of the #bundleUP Blog Tour:

Jocole A-Line Shift Dress for Ladies

 Jocole's contribution to the #bundleUP is a Ladies A-Line Shift Dress or Tunic with boat-neck or scoop-neck option.  

• Sizes XS (0-2) to XXXL (24-26) included
• PDF Pattern, printable on US Letter, A4, and Copy Shop (36" x 77") sizes, included
• Knit or Woven fabric friendly
• Fabric Yardage Guide, Suggested Fabrics, Notions & Tools, included
• Sizing Guide, with Body Measurements only, included
• Line Drawings and Inspirational Photos, included
• Tips to find the perfect fit as well as links to various tutorials and contact information, included
• Quick Guide Instructions and Glossary of Sewing Terms, included

This pattern suggests "Finding the Perfect Fit" as it is drafted with average/standard measurements.  As I have several fitting issues, I made a muslin with Michael Miller woven fabric.  

I found that I needed alterations to the torso portion.  

Back to the pieces I traced . . . . 

At the lengthen/shorten line, I shortened the torso area, and worked on my "sway-back" issues.  

Information on how to "find your perfect fit" is provided in the pattern instructions.

Links to various tutorials and blog posts are included to help you achieve a great fit.  

(I traced the pattern and marked my Apex, an important point in placing darts on a fitted garment; and used a Full Bust Adjustment later to better fit my body.

Both garments shown in this post are my muslins. This pattern suggests making a "Shell" which is also known as a muslin.)

For my next version, I sized down a couple of sizes to use this lovely floral knit from #girlcharlee (from a KnitFix sale).  

With the modifications made to my pattern pieces, 

I have the fit I wanted.  Yay!  

Follow the Blog Tour May 1 - 8 (during the sale).  You'll get a look at all the patterns included, with reviews and inspirational photos to 

help you choose.  

More information can be found here (click on the image):  

Happy Sewing,
Gloria June

Lily Giggle New Zinnia for girls - Its all about the petals!

This post is cross-posted at Pattern Revolution.  Stop by here to see another reviewer's look at the New Zinnia!

I'm Gloria, and I'm a sewaholic . . . yep, I took on this review and its deadline before I got sick, and started sewing while I had the flu. But as we say here in Louisiana, on any occasion, rain or shine: "Laissez les bon temps rouler!" (Let the good times roll!)

With Mardi Gras just around the corner, I had my inspiration to try out the New Zinnia by LilyGiggle. Lucky for me, I had just straightened my fabric hoard and found Robert Kaufman's Celebrate Seuss! Tossed Characters fabric smiling at me. It is time to celebrate Seuss-style. I searched the internet for an embroidery design and found the perfect one!

And baby sister gets a coordinating tunic too, with a Mardi-Gras jester hat on the cat-in-the-hat . . . and a little fur for her curious senses.

This pattern is all about the Petals. Yep, gorgeous petals at the end of your ¾ or long sleeves. Choose A-line or Empire waist in tunic, above knee or below knee lengths in sizes 2 – 12. (I added buttons to my petals as decorations, mimicking the circles in the skirt fabric.)

First things first:

• $9.50 USD, via PayPal, purchased here:  New Zinnia; 
• Fabric(s):  Knit for the A-line; All Knit or Knit & Woven for the gathered Empire waist;
• Layered Printability – choose to print only the size(s) you need; 4 – 5 pattern pieces (short sash is optional);
• Imperial Size Measurements, Finished Garment Measurements, and Fabric Requirements are all provided in charts;
• Woven skirt portion and Sash is cut following a Length x Width Chart (no pattern piece);
• 3/8" Seam Allowance included in pattern;
• Quick Sew Instructions (for those who usually skim the tutorial/instruction part);
• No cutting chart for neckband. Instead, the designer's preferred method of determining band length & width are provided;
• Approximately an hour and a half sew;
• Intermediate+ sewist (neckband*)

I'm rating this pattern more suited to an Intermediate+ sewist because of the neckband: No measurements are provided. Instead, the designer provides you with photographs and a step-by-step tutorial on her preferred method of determining the size and fit. This can be a bit intimidating for a beginner.  I would prefer a cutting chart so that I can take advantage of the "quick sew" list by quickly cutting my fabric pieces and go straight to sewing.

I was glad to see the section on how to trace your pattern pieces onto freezer paper and then iron onto your fabric. I forget about this fantastic method and I'm glad it is included for those of you who haven't tried it yet.

The petals are my favorite part! In my state, I struggled to make sure the petals were trimmed perfectly, continuing to cut round and round . . . until I trimmed them too much. Sometimes folks, we need to just let it go . . . . J.

Happy Sewing!
gloria june


Now, for the photo bombs!

A princess dress everyday with Made for Mermaids, plus a #giveaway

Made for Mermaids Everyday Princess Collection

When I started testing PDF patterns pre-release for pattern designers, I was thrilled to join Megan Gorman and her testing team to volunteer to test her clothing patterns for girls!  

I asked Megan if she would like to offer a chance to win a pattern (ANY pattern!) to my readers and she said "I'd love to! :)"   So, keep reading for your chance to win one pattern of your choice from Made for Mermaids!

If you're not already aware, PDF pattern designers depend on testing their actual design before its released to the public for purchase to verify that their brainchild actually panned out on paper.  That's right, you print your own pattern that you purchase digitally, store on your computer, your cloud, your jump drive - and print at will or preserve your original printing to trace off sizes for use over and over again.  Opportunities for testing for various designers can be found on their individual FaceBook group pages, the PDF Pattern Sales & Promotion FaceBook  page, and various other places on the internet, including blogs and business pages.  

Everytime I pretest a pattern for Megan, it is perfect from the first draft.  The product she produces is quality and thoughtful.  

The Everyday Princess Dress line is designed for use with cottons, broadcloth, satins, velours -- whatever your heart dreams of fabric-wise, the versatility of these patterns will please you!  You will also be getting more bang for your buck here because you can make the dresses without "princess" inspiration -- they can be made using any print or fabric type, pleasing your sewing experience with everyday dresses, special occasion dresses, costumes or play dresses.  It may be time for you to build an "imagination station" to hang all your daughter's (or grandaughter's) princess inspired dresses in the play room . . . .

Here are a few dresses I've created with patterns from Made for Mermaids over the last year or so (click on the title of each dress to purchase the pattern in her Craftsy shop):  

My vision of the The Belle Dress

Baby Katniss! (my favorite!)

Frozen Inspired Dress

 

Cleaning Cinderella

Merida Brave Inspired Dress

 Tiana Inspired Dress

 

You can also purchase her patterns on Etsy.  

(I personally prefer Craftsy as you can share photos of your creations on the site, view other customer creations, and if there are any updates to any patterns from any shop you've purchased through Craftsy, you will be notified and download them without delay.)  

Newest Release:

We just finished testing Megan's latest pattern, the Briar Rose Dress.  And my friend Whitney took photos of her daughters as soon as she got home from work!  Here are Fiona & Abby, ages 8 and 7, in the versions I created with the pattern:

Yep . . . you're right, my vision for Fiona is inspired by 

Ariel's day dress or "town dress". 

Abby's dress is inspired by "Briar Rose" 

a/k/a Aurora a/k/a Sleeping Beauty

You may have noticed the embroidery on most of the dresses I've been inspired to create. Having an embroidery machine has made so many things so much easier . . .I was doing applique by hand and sewing machine after our granddaughter was born . . . then I took the plunge and bought a Brother PE770.  That was a good decision!  

As with all of the dresses in the Everyday Princess Collection, you can make the dress as a costume, following the colors and embellishments of the princess it is inspired by; or use your imagination and design your own dress  . . . . these dresses can be anything you or your little girl dreams of . . . . 

Now, onto the GIVEAWAY!

One winner will receive one pattern of choice from Made for Mermaids PDF Pattern Collection.

Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy Sewing!

gloria june