Shorts On The Line - Prefontaine Shorts!

Good Thursday, all!

Have you been following the amazing series that is Shorts on the Line?!  It's an annual parade of awesome, put on by Rachael of Imagine Gnats and Carla of Small + Friendly.  SO much goodness!

So today, it's my turn to show off ma'shorts!  Also posting today for Shorts on the Line is Anna, of Noodlehead fame!  Don't miss that!

Jill from Made with Moxie kindly donated for review her KILLER new pattern (so new, it was released last night!) The Prefontaine Shorts!  I love this pattern so hard.  Let me show you:

I love them!  

They are such a great, classic, retro, comfortable style - ideal for Summer shorts.  And I made each of these during naptimes!  Wicked quick sewing, this pattern is!  Here's the description from Jill's shop:

The Prefontaine Shorts are designed to fit like the running shorts from the 1970s. They are slightly shorter and baggier than typical kiddo shorts. The pattern features front and back pockets as well as retro contrast trim.

These shorts can be made with a wide range of fabrics: Light weight wovens, quilting cotton, jersey knit, flannel, terry cloth, velour, minky, velvet, upcycled beach towels…the sky is the limit here. The retro trim is a jersey knit trim recycled from an unwanted adult t-shirt.

The Prefontaine Shorts are a quick and easy garment to stitch up. They’re prefect for boys and girls alike. They are so comfortable you’ll have difficulty getting your kiddo to take them off.

My polka dot version is cotton, and the crazy fish version is a dollar store towel that I hacked up!  I wanted to make Emmy a pair that she could throw on when she gets out of the pool.  I think these will be perfecto!

Full disclosure: this child was bribed to go out in the early morning for photos with cherries from our tree.  Equitable and just compensation, if you ask me.

The fit of these shorts is fantastic.  I made Emmy the size 2/3 on account of her ittybittyness, and they are perfect.  She'll be able to wear these all Summer long, along with the 10 MOAR PAIRS I plan on making.  :)

Adorable back pocket:

And the best feature for toddler wear?

POCKETS. 

So what do you think, do you love these as much as I do??  

If you DO, Jill has offered a coupon to my readers for the Prefontaine Shorts pattern!  Use code emmyloubeedoo for $1 off your pattern!  Thank you so much Jill!

OR!  Leave a comment here and tell me what one of your all-time favorite sewing patterns is - then you'll be entered to win a copy of the Prefontaines!  Wahoo!  I'll pick a winner Sunday night (6/23/13).

MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS too, if it's not linked to your blogger account!

Aaaaaaand, BLOOPER REEL!

lololololololol.

Have a great day, everyone!  Be sure to check out the other awesome shorts on the line!

6/10 - Petit a Petit and Family and Schwin & Schwin

6/11 - Delia Creates and Buzzmills

6/12 - Cirque du Bebe and Sanae Ishida

6/13 - Fake It While You Make It and elsie marley

6/14 - No Big Dill and Max California and Designs by Sessa

6/17 - girl inspired and Casa Crafty

6/18 - Frances Suzanne and Caila Made

6/19 - Made by Rae and Craftstorming

6/20 - Noodlehead and emmyloubeedoo

6/21 - Siestas & Sewing and Made with Moxie

6/24 - imagine gnats and small + friendly

This post is part of shorts on the line sewalong hosted by imagine gnats and small + friendly, sponsored by Jo-Ann, Pretty Prudent/Pellon®, and Hawthorne Threads.

Roly Poly Pinafore Blog Tour & Giveaway! (giveaway closed)

Hello, and good Monday to you!
I'm so psyched because today I get to share with you my take on the Roly Poly Pinafore, a pattern by my friend Rachael of Imagine Gnats!

Coyote Roly!

This is my second Roly Poly Pinafore (first one here!), and I loved making this one as much as the last.

This pattern is so many things that I love - simple to sew, easy to customize, and showcases your fabric choices beautifully.  Rachael pretty much knocked this one out of the park!

the roly-poly is a pinafore-style tunic top with crossover back that fastens at the shoulder with two buttons. it features clean lines, neckline pleat, optional in-seam pockets, and is reversible. whether you layer your roly-poly with a colorful cardi and skinnies, pair with your favorite summer skirt, or use as a keep-clean smock, this tunic fits perfectly into the wardrobe of the easy, simple days of childhood.

This version is sewn in a dark blue/grey super soft chambray, and a woodland print on the inside.  Though this pinafore is totally reversible, I didn't add buttons to the inside of this one because I am so madly in love with this coyote that I can't imagine ever keeping him hidden!

To make the coyote pocket, I used this printable fabric, and an image from this Etsy seller.  I printed it out, then sewed it to some natural colored muslin with right sides together, leaving room to turn it rightside out, then top stitched it to the pinafore, leaving a long space open along the top to make it  a pocket!

Isn't he handsome?!

Here's a shot of the inside fabric!  So cute. ALL the woodland creatures ALL the time.  :D

Photoshoot day was a washout!  What a bummer!  But here's the pinafore on Emmy out in the rain:

She loves the pocket!

So would you want to sew your own Roly Poly?!  

You can win a copy, right here!  Just leave a comment on this post to enter to win, and a winner will be randomly drawn at the end of the Tour - Friday, May 31st!   Good luck!

***EDITED TO ADD: About half of the comments I've received so far are from no-reply-comment bloggers!  PLEASE, leave your email address with your comment, or go HERE to see how to unset this no-reply setting.  How else will I find you to lavish prizes and compliments upon you?!?***  

Thanks to Rachael for inviting me along on the Roly Poly Tour!  I adore this pattern!

Don't miss these other super talented contributors!

5.13 Jill Made with Moxie / Stephanie The Crafty Kitty

5.14 Stephanie NeurosesGalore / Cherie you & mie

5.15 Ari Max California / Caila Caila Made

5.16 Veronica SewVery / Tara Girl like the sea

5.17 Nancy owen's olivia / Adrianna Crafterhours

5.20 Ajaire Call ajaire / Sarah EmmylouBeeDoo

5.21 Laura Craftstorming / Jessica a little gray

5.22 Frances Miss Matatabi / Nicke kiss kiss quilt

5.23 Amy formwork design / Kat Sew Chibi

5.24 Joanne Rose & Dahlia / Amanda Kitschy Coo

5.27 Celina Petit a Petit and family / Delia Delia Creates

5.28 Christy a.Amelia handmade / Carolyn Fake It While You Make It

5.29 Bonnie Fishsticks Designs / Maria La Inglesita

5.30 Jane Buzzmills / Kate Things for Charlie

5.31 Polly Jack & GeeGee / Molly Rose & Odin

Have a great week, everyone!

The Seafarer Top by Sew Much Ado

Hey hey hey!  Happy Friday!
4th Annual Martini Night at my co-workers house tonight.  Happy Friday, indeed.

So a short while ago Abby from Sew Much Ado posted on Instagram a sneak peek of her awesome new pattern, and a call out for testers.  I jumped on that so hard (I think I was the first commenter, lol.)
I've admired Abby for a long while, and I haven't sewn anything for myself in ages, AND it's a knit top.  Win times three.

SO, here is my Seafarer Top!



Let me just point out that this fabric was impossible to photograph.  It's a different color in every picture I took.  Ehh.  It's a beautifully luscious rayon knit (similar here).  I literally wore this top the whole day after I made it and then again the next day.  Ew.  BUT SO COMFORTABLE. 

Do I like it, you ask?

Yes, yes I do.  Haha!  Look how excited Emmy and I are in our handmade wares. She's wearing one of her many Skater Dresses.

This pattern is so, so great.  It's a super-fast sew and it's much more versatile than your basic tee pattern.  It's a dolman style top with lots of options for customization. 
The version I tested has bands to finish the arms, neckline, and waist.  Love that, it creates a great finished look without the hassle of hemming.  There are other options included to finish the neckline, arms and bottom hem more traditionally, like so:

How cute is Abby.

Another awesome aspect of this pattern is the little pocket!  You can choose really any fabric you desire for the pocket.  My purple/red/pink/fuchsia knit fabric has a subtle sheen to it, so I used charmeuse for the pocket, making this top appropriate for my relatively casual office day-job.  WIN. 

  

I L.O.V.E this version:

I can't wait to make heaps more of these tops.  HEAPS.

So head on over to Sew Much Ado to get your copy of the Seafarer Top, and to check out more shots of Abby's gorgeous beach photoshoot!  

Have a great day, all!  I'll have a 'tini for ya tonight!  ;)

Fancy-Up Your Hosh Pants - Final Day!

Hello, and happy day to you!

So finally, here is the very last installment of......

It was such a fun week seeing everyone's awesome Hosh re-makes!  Today, I'll show you what I did to fancy-up MY Hosh!

BEHOLD!

GAP pants here.

Yep - I hacked GAP pants!

I am still DYING that these pants are like literally the exact same color as the GAP version.  How the?  What the?!?

I made these cuffed Hosh Pants using stretch twill from my local Joann Store.  They have had amaaaazing stretch bottom weights lately!  Three cheers for that.

Slightly off topic, but relevant - I always cut Emmy's Hosh Pants in a size 2t through the waist and hips, then blend out the 3t length.  She is not average (she's tall and narrow), so I have to adjust for that.  I encourage you to play with your patterns in this manner, especially this pattern - with just one main pattern piece, you can get a good fit with just a couple easy adjustments!

I added one inch to the bottom of the pattern, and a half inch to each side - from the bottom up to about knee-height, blending into the curves.  Easy peasy!

Then I tacked the cuff down with a bright coralish thread (can you even see that?  Way to not take a pic, self).

I'm really glad I made these because Emmy has a drawer full of crazy-patterned Hosh - we needed some neutrals in a bad way! And I think the cuffed look is just so stinkin' cute for Spring.

So there you have it!  My Fancy-up Your Hosh Pants GAP Hack!

Emmy ordering me back to my photog corner after daaaring to touch her hair:

Haha!

Thank you all so much for checking out my mini series!  Please go give these ladies some love, and check out any Hosh Hacks you may have missed!  I Love these gals. :)

Ari @ Max-California

Kelley @ Casa Crafty

Rachael @ Imagine Gnats

Alida @ Alida Makes

Kat @ Sew Chibi

Veronica @ Sew Very

Have a great rest of your week, everyone!