August Mystery Challenge: Cover Up

Did you see the challenge I did last month? We swapped a yard of fabric and had to create something from it. If you missed that post, you can check it out here! This month it was an idea that we swapped, fun!!

My Theme is Cover Up. So I did a hooded towel for little man! My first time sewing with terry cloth, and my first time using the serger that my mom gave me! I wont lie. It took me forever to thread the darn thing. Then it took a while to figure out how to get a seam. Once I got the hang of it, it was fun. I did learn that you cannot get 4 layers of terry cloth through the serger. Just in case you were wondering...

So thankful for the ladies putting this together. I would not have attempted this without the little push!

I gave Ula over at Lulu and Celeste the theme of morpho butterfly/rainforest.

I got my idea from Irene over at Sugaridoo. You should check out her Shop on Craftsy, I love her amigurumi patterns! So cute!

I knew what I wanted to do the moment I got the theme from Irene. I have been meaning to make little man some new hooded towels because he loves his hooded towels, but he has outgrown all the baby ones which is most of them! They really should make those baby ones a little bit bigger.

I bought 3 pretty decent sized bath towels from Walmart. There were only a little over $2 per towel. Not bad when considering a hooded towel is about 2-3 times as much.

I used one towel to cut out the hood and a contrasting towel for the spikes. I cut the other towel in half and sewed it back together with the spikes... I was going to stuff those spikes with poly-fil, but hubby thought that would be a little silly for just a towel. so, no stuffing. The colors... Nikolai picked out the colors. I didn't even realize they were kind of Christmas-y until putting them in the washing machine. I love it. :)

I just used my triangle ruler for the spikes, but took them in at the bottom so they were kind of like a jewel shape. it was fun sewing them together using the serger. I had to go back over some of the seams so many times. But I still think they turned out cute. Little man says it looks like a stegosaurus. So stegosaurus towel it is.

and so proud of my first time serging!

And one more... I think this picture is one of my favorites!

We had to hurry, this thunderstorm cloud was moving in! I love desert monsoons!

Don't forget to check out these other lovely ladies and what they came up with for their mystery theme!

Friends Stitched Together - History of Flight - 8/17

Felt with Love Designs - Under the Sea - 8/18

Knot Sew Normal - Fruit - 8/19

Friends Stitched Together - My Little Pony - 8/20

The Berry Bunch - Cover Up - 8/21

Pensebrox - Titanic - 8/22

Tangible Pursuits - London Dapper - 8/23

Rebel and Malice - Disco - 8/24

Sewing Sober - Espionage - 8/25

Sugaridoo - Musical Instruments - 8/26

Lulu and Celeste - Morpho Butterfly/Rainforest - 8/27

Paisley Roots - Classic Summer Movies - 8/28

Create 3.5 - Morocco - 8/29

Mae&K - Solar System - 8/30

The Sewing Sparrow - Safari - 8/31

Happy Sewing!

Peek-A-Boo Pattern Shop: Aloha Burn Blocker {pattern test and review}

*This post contains affiliate links. All views expressed are my own*

I got to sew up some swimsuits for Samara! Yay! The Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop Aloha Burn Blocker. These are super cute, and so much better than a bikini for a baby. Yeah, I don't even really put a bikini on me, let alone put one on my baby girl.

How cute is this little surfer suit?

I have to say that sewing with swimsuit fabric... super hard! It is so slippery!

The directions are great and easy to follow too. She gives some suggestions with sewing the zipper onto the fabric (like not using a zipper foot) makes it so much easier!

I love the fabric! Hurrah for the local discount fabric shop! Swim fabric at Hancock Fabrics was 16.99/yard! The blue at the discount shop was 5.99/yard and the purple was 2.99/yard! Not UPF rated, but that's ok. I set up the umbrella and douse the sunscreen. Or you can head over to Amazon and search for UPF fabric by the yard.

After sewing the short sleeve one, the long sleeve one was much easier! 

Looking at these makes me wish we were close to a beach!

The pattern is being released TODAY (3-6) and is on sale for today only too! 

Click here to visit Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop.

Get Your Crap Together: Shortie Nightgown Pattern Test {GYCT Patterns}

I had fun with this.  I will say that I am was nervous about creating clothes with wovens. It's just so different than quilting and piecing. But this is just adorable! 

The Shortie Nightie is an adorable top with bloomers, or a more full length (to the knees) gown option. You can check out more information and other tester photos at Get Your Crap Together: Shortie Nightgown.

I tested the gown. It is so cute!

I love the ruffled bodice and sleeved.

The yoke is open in back to provide ease for going over the head.

It's a relatively quick sew. And works for both knits and wovens!

one more picture... :)

Peek-A-Boo Pattern Shop: V-Neck Cardigan Sew-A-Long

*This post contains affiliate links. All views expressed are my own.*

Nikolai has a total of 1 sweater and 1 jacket. I am not the type of person that does laundry everyday for the little dude and his skin can't handle the soap that we use to wash our clothes. Poor little man... 

He has also been a bit jealous of the clothes that I have sewn up for Samara. She needs a little more than he does; she is growing out of her clothes much faster at this point than he is. So I decided to join in on the *Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop's Sew-A-Long for the V-Neck cardigan.

Another reason I have not sewn up anything for Nikolai is because Brandon is picky (you mean pink isn't ok? hehe). Most of my fabric options are old clothes of mine, and those are just too girly for a little boy. But, we have this awesome fabric store in town that sells knits for 2.99/yard. I have found Michael Miller (one of my favorites) and other designers there. But really, the price is not bad at all! And, I found some incredible camo prints there! How can a boy not love camo? And how cute would that be to have camo in a sweater!?! I also got pink camo for Samara too! So matching sweaters for the two of them it is! I know, I know, it should have been just a Nikolai thing.

I am debating putting pearl snaps on Samara's cardigan. I think it would be cute, but maybe too much? I'm not sure.

I think these were super cute. And once I finished Nikolai's, Samara's went fairly fast. Even the neck binding was not that difficult!

One thing though. She says to use a tearaway paper when doing the buttonholes. I suggested to listen to that advice. the first buttonhole on Nikolai's got bunched and stretched, it was just a big knot. Well, buttonhole stitches are very hard to rip out and stabbing yourself with a seam ripper will hurt. It hurts pretty bad. And it leaves a whole. Don't get a hole in your thumb and use some tear away to put a hole in the cardigan... ouch...

If you are interested in sewing up a pair for your little ones, click here to visit Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop and see what else may inspire you! She has discount codes too for multiple purchases so don't forget to check those out!

Happy Sewing!

(check out my affiliate links in the sidebar, I have a couple reviews for some new affiliates coming soon!)

Sewing Mama RaeAnna's Cupcake Top

I am so excited to be able to share with you all this fabulous top, the Cupcake Top by

It is super cute and I feel so honored to have been chosen to help test the pattern! I have to say (and I am sure those of you who have been reading my blog know), I am just loving independent designers and the PDF patterns they create!

This top is too cute! I love the pocket!

This picture on her blog post! SewingMamaRaeAnna:cupcake top pattern is here

I was scared to ruffle, but I braved my fear and loved how easy it was. RaeAnna is so ready to respond to questions and help!

I am excited to make at least a couple more! Even Brandon likes this pattern (the fabric from the discount store in town helps too). I need to work on my topstitching...

After a feeding, Samara fell asleep... Time for more pictures. I cannot help it, she is too cute in a really cute top! :)

I just love the sleeping angel face!

The directions are clear and well worded. The shirt went together super quickly! It was great! 

Also, she is offering a discount! 1/2 off (that's $4!) Monday 12/9, Tuesday 12/10 and Wednesday 12/11 using the code "BIRTHDAY"! Head on over to her blog Sewing Mama RaeAnna and check out her little one's 2nd birthday party themed "cute as a button"... Just adorable! :)

This cute top goes from 3-6months up to size 5 and she said she was going to work on grading to go up to a size 12 eventually! :) 

Head on over to her shop and pick one up. This is her second pattern, so help support a starting out independent pattern designer! :) And if not, look at her blog a little bit, she has such interesting stuff and some neat tutorials! :)

Halloween 2013

I love dressing up for Halloween, and I especially love doing it as a family. There is nothing greater than the cheesy, group-themed, Halloween costumes. And, I love making them! 

Here are the last 2 years... So fun!

And this year...

I was Tigerlily, Brandon was the Fox Lost Boy (Not anything to do with 'what does the fox say?'), Samara was Tinkerbell and Nikolai was Peter Pan. :)

Here are Samara's wings, green sparkly tulle sandwiched with cereal bag to make it crinkle...

Here was a picture before adding the lacing and wings so you can see the bodice and skirt. Got the idea here but didn't do halter...

Nikolai loved being Peter Pan! He was thrilled when people knew what he was dressed up as!

And what good is being Peter Pan if you can't shoot something?

And Brandon's Tail... Made with yarn and took forever! Tutorial used here...

And my Father-in-Law, pretty cool costume too!

I love it! So fun! Hope y'all had a fantastic Halloween!