Roly Poly Pinafore- Review and Giveaway

Welcome to my stop on the Roly Poly Pinafore blog tour. This is a new pattern from my in real life friend, Rachael of Imagine Gnats. 

Let me tell you about Rachael. She is really funny, really generous, and totally going places. I wish I had her drive! I've never known someone who can bring ideas to life as fast and as well as she does. It's like she just goes around whipping her world into shape. I can never wait to see what she does next!

So this pattern is one of the most recent accomplishments from Rachael. (Hey, I think I'll try writing children's patterns...poof! Nailed it.) It's downright adorable. And it's also quick, easy to make and fun to pick fabric for and customize. What else could you need in a  summer pattern?

For my version I used a Lotta Jansdotter dot from here Bella line, and the glasses print from Riley Blike's Geekly Chic. Both were stashed from Sewn Studio, and I had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to use them together. The lining is a lovely and light Kaffe Fassett shot cotton my mom got for me at a recent quilt show. (Thanks mom!) 

The skirt she's wearing here is a corduroy Oliver & S Sailboat skirt I finished up during KCW. 

I love the sweet pleat detail that Rachael added to this classic kids shape. It's perfect. I chose some great tealy-green buttons for the shoulders from my vintage collection. (They really bring out the food on her face.)

This is the second day in a row Elsie has worn this top. It just looks great with everything and I want make her about a dozen now. I love how sweet her shoulders look in it and when her little baby back peeks out.

She is normally wearing a 2 in most patterns, but for this I cut a size 1 but lengthened it to a 2. I'm glad I read Tara's post about that before making mine. (You have to check out her version, it's geniusly cute!)


Even though I honestly think you should run and buy this pattern immediately, Rachael has been kind enough to offer a giveaway to one lucky reader. To enter, just leave any comment. Please remember to include your email so I can contact the winner! One entry only please, open to anyone.

Vintage May: My 80's Pop Art Boy

This post is part of the awesome Vintage May series with Skirt as Top and Craftiness is Not Optional. These ladies have put together a 2 week tour of the decades with some very talented seamstresses. Everything in this series is always so inspiring- you won't want to miss anything!


If you have spent much time around my blog, you know that the florally soft vintage look is not really my thing. Don't get me wrong, it's one of those styles that I love and appreciate on everyone else. I just don't usually go for it myself. I do make the occasional allowances, but it's not my MO.

So for some reason, when I began thinking about what I would make for Vintage May, I became fixated on Keith Haring.

Keith was a New York street artist in the 80's. He was kind of the first street artist to make that crossover into a household name, long before Banksy and Shepard Fairey. 

He just made the simplest of line drawings. But they were so recognizable and iconic that they grew into their own language. You've probably seen his radiant baby or dog symbols before. He was making these big social and political statements with street vandalism, but leaving it up to the people to decide what his symbols were saying. Unless it was one of those times he was actually spelling out the message for them.

If you are around my age, you probably remember his illustrations appearing on Sesame Street. I think that's where the positive nostalgia I have with him comes from. It's totally amazing to me how he went from criminal street vandal to this huge pop artist that was even accepted by parts of the high art community. He got his message out, whether it was a giant public sculpture project for a children's hospital or an Absolut Vodka ad. 

I chose this 'batman' icon for Hendrix's shirt just because it makes me happy. I have a positive response to it. That's what art is all about right? And Hendrix always says his favorite flying animal is a bat. I made a freezer paper stencil for the black part and then painted the yellow in by hand. (Which, by the way, was not the easiest way to do things. I should have made a stencil for the yellow first and then done a separate one for the black part. Lesson learned.) 

One of my favorite creative lessons from Keith is that he never planned out ahead of time what he would draw. Even on huge public works, he would just start drawing in his simple bold lines and see where it led him. I know it's not the same on every level, but sometimes my best sewing comes from the times I don't pre-plan, don't over-think things. He was just pure creation in that way. 

I couldn't resist taking these photos by an actual Shepard Fairey mural we have in our neighborhood. His style of street art couldn't be more different than Haring's, but I'd like to think they share the same drive as artists to have their message seen by as many people as possible. It's the new and the old, vintage and modern. 

The shorts are just Oliver & S Sketchbook Shorts that I made slightly more eighties-licious by shortening them a bit. I used a Kaffe Fassett woven stripe that feels to me just like a sheet set or curtains my older brothers might have have had in the 80's. The colors in the stripes are fantastic. 

I'm so glad Kristin and Jess asked me to join along in Vintage May. Otherwise, I might not have had an excuse to make Hendrix this righteous 80's outfit. (Although I am a very strong believer that there are many aspects of 80's fashion that should never be seen again.) 

By the way, I hear that the amazing Dana has something crazy good in store for Vintage May today as well. 

Thanks for reading folks. Remember, crack is wack.

Sew Sweetness Pattern Winners

According to random.org, the three winners who will each get to pick three Sew Sweetness (hey, lucky you, Sara just released an awesome wallet pattern this week!) patterns are:

#51 Katie

"I love the Aeroplane bag. Perfect size for this traveling nurse to carry all her stuff, since there never is a locker. Besides, it is Nurse's Week, what better thing to win?"

#94 Falafel and the Bee who said:

"I LOVE that aeroplane bag, but the Dot dot Dash Dash bag is pretty cool too!

I would love a good pattern for a sturdy bag. I carry waaaaay too much stuff around, and consequently, my bags do not hold up well.
~Michelle"


#34 Kellers who said:

"I love your blog. I'd be so excited to win one of these patterns!"



Congrats! I'll be emailing you today about what patterns you'd like. 

This weekend I'll be binding up this flying geese quilt and finishing a Noodlehead Super Tote. What are your weekend sewing plans?

Sew Sweetness Pattern Giveaway

Hey guys, today I'm over at Mama Says Sew talking all about my fun new Aeroplane Bag. But after you check out my pictures and full pattern review there, come back and leave a comment here for your chance to win any three Sew Sweetness patterns you want! 

I'll pick three (3!!) winners this Friday. You can tall me which pattern in Sara's shop is your favorite, or just tell me why you need to make a new bag. Don't forget to include your email. Good luck!

More KCW: The Dire Wolf Tank

This was my bit of nerd sewing from last week. Although, it turned out to be some really cool nerd sewing. The dire wolf was an actual prehistoric very large wolf that is now extinct. But it's popular around our house lately because of Game of Thrones. Why wouldn't huge-ass light colored wolves that protect the House Stark be an integral part of my KCW?

I must credit the artist Nora Aoyagi for the original image I traced the wolf from for my freezer paper stencil. (Also, I watched the Project Runway finale last week while making this, and the whole wolf thing with this color scheme was definitely a little Michelle inspired. Probably should have sharpied some giant circles all over Elsie for the photo shoot.)

The tank itself was made from an old shirt of mine and a pattern I made from one of Elsie's shirts. I had made a simple pocket tank from the same pattern earlier in the week, but this time I added a flutter sleeve. I rarely do things that so closely resemble ruffles, but... I sure do love this. I see more flutter sleeves in my future. Here's a good tutorial for making them, but for this knit tee I kept edges the raw.

The shorts were another super quick project from my productive week. They were made from thrifted gingham pants with Cailamade's summer shorts pattern. Which is free! And happens to be Elsie's size exactly. 

The great thing about this tank is that somehow that weird color goes with every single bottom I made her last week (5 of them.) Well, actually that's not the great thing, but it's third on the list of great things.  This is just a quick Lazy Days skirt with added Echino patch pockets on the sides. Elsie loves the pockets. Lightning McQueen was getting parked in them all day.

The pink fabric is Aboriginal dot by Kaffe Fassett. I sure to love his dots, stripes, and shots. I picked up some of each at the recent International Quilt Festival downtown and I was excited to use a little already. Pink and ruffles in the same outfit!? And cars and a wolf... I have no idea how, but it's working for me. 

In a very strange twist of marketing, this photo shoot was apparently brought to you by both Pixar and HBO. 

KCW Part 2

You know what I love about Kids Clothes Week? Everyone approaches it differently. This is the first time I've ever made it past 2 garments in the whole week. And I made it pretty far past, because now I have 8 finished garments and there are still 3 days left. For me, I had to figure out a way to build momentum and not lose it. I am slowing down a bit, but I think I'll finish at least 2 more things.

I've kept some guiding principals all week, and I think that's what made it successful for me:

• Only using materials I already have. I love using up stash. Takes away the guilt when I go to buy more later.
• Only sewing patterns I've sewn before and already had traced. I know a lot of people love to use this week to try new things, but this has been a huge factor in my productiveness. I've modified some things to keep it interesting or sewn different views. I even drafted a quick tank pattern one night, but that was pretty mindless. Point is, it's the brain extension that really leads to burnout. (And too much tracing. That definitely leads to burnout.) Use your hands, not your brain or knees.

• Sewing things that are really needed. I've mostly sewn staple items for Elsie because she really doesn't have much for the coming warm weather. Filling needs motivates me. 

• Blogging and modeling just get in my way. Don't get me wrong, I am enjoying reading some of your blog posts and the clothes are always cuter on the kids. But Elsie is really into "NO!" when it comes to photo shoots, so they eat up a lot of time and stress. Plus the actual post writing on top of that. If I had tried blogging daily, I woulda been done on day two. Kaput. I love you guys for reading here, but this week has been for me and my family, not the blog, and that feels great!

• On the other hand, the social aspect of KCW is very fun and a great motivator. I like to be stroked as much and the next guy. I'm posting every garment to IG (alittlegressica) in real time and then to the Flickr group right from my phone. So glad they improved the flickr ap for iPhones by about 538%. I can take a little break and look at every new thing popping up there easily on my phone for insta-inspiration.

• Don't plan too far ahead. I think that's what killed me in the fall. I had all these things cut out and ready the week before, and then it didn't seem as exciting to sew them anymore. This time, I've left myself more freedom. I sew what I want!
• Finish things. I like to finish things. 

• Never waste time on pedestrian tasks like laundry folding or floor mopping. Do waste time going outside with your kids or taking the occasional power nap. 
• Coffee. Ungodly amounts of coffee.

You can click on the pictures to go to my Flickr and get more pattern information for each one. It's turning out to be a very Oliver & S week for me, which is great. I love to use the few patterns I have of theirs over and over. (Love or laziness?) 

I'll be back Monday to share several more KCW finishes and wrap it all up. What have been your secrets to success this week?

KCW: Liberty Ice Cream Blouse

Whenever I make big plans for Kids Clothes Week, it never works out that well. So this time I've decided to keep expectations very low and just sew what I can sew. Sounds like good clean fun to me. 

But the part that really kills me is trying to photograph and blog things. That NEVER happens in a timely fashion. So I'm getting rid of that pressure too and I'll probably just post one or two fuzzy instagram pics here. If I actually spent the time trying to get good pictures of projects, I would not have time to sew the next one. And this week is about sewing, because my kids really need some warm weather clothes! If you are horrible at following blogs (like I am), just keep up with me there- alittlegressica. And of course, we'll all be having a party in the KCW flickr group. 

I actually finished this Oliver & S Ice Cream blouse on Saturday because yesterday was our joint birthday party for Hendrix and Elsie. I can't believe I now have a 4 year old and a 2 year old!

I used my favorite print from Bloomsbury Gardens by Liberty LIfestyle. I got it at Sewn of course, and now I want to sew all her clothes in LL. It's just so soft and gorgeous for garments. My friend at the party told me she could tell I made it just because it looked like such quality fabric. And of course, this pattern is one of my favorites. This was my first time making the blouse view and it's very quick.

Do you like her matching mustache?