If there is one thing I have learned since I started sewing clothes for my kiddos it’s that you should never force a photoshoot. Not only will you end up with force smiles but you will probably have tears at some point. And really, is a pattern testing deadline or blog post really worth forcing your child to stand still and smile just for some photos.
Absolutely not.
When Mandalynn of Striped Swallow Designs posted a picture of her first pattern, Coachella Shorts, I jumped at the chance to test them. They are seriously cute and I was excited about supporting a fellow Pattern Workshop student.
Since I do my best sewing while the kids are napping I decided to see if I could get the pattern completed from start to finish while the kids were down. You know what it was easy peasy to get done and I even had time to spare.
As any stay at home parent can attest, when you are sick you rarely get time off. A few weeks ago we were going to go on a last minute trip up to Vancouver to see my brother and sister in law. The night before we left, which was about 5 hours after we decided to go I came down with a nasty cold. The kind of cold where all you want to do is lay on the couch and watch tv.
You may have thought I was joking when I said in my post here that I have been testing up a storm lately. It was all true and to prove it I have two more patterns to show you that I recently tested from the amazing Kate of See Kate Sew. I have a been a huge fan of Kates ever since sewing up the Recess Raglan from the Sew Fab Bundle last fall. I was instantly hooked and made one of my favourite pieces of clothing for Sophie from that pattern, check it out here.
Fabric shopping with kids is always so much fun. Kids have a vision for fabric that I may never have had, as example Sophie picked out the fabric in this dress and the end result was so great. She still gets compliments from strangers every time she wears it. I can’t take too much credit for it since I only did the sewing.
Recently we went shopping for some swimsuit fabric and Sophie insisted on getting shiny gold fabric to make Ben a swimsuit. So when the test call went out for Peek-a-boo Patterns new pattern Monaco Swim Trunks (affiliate link), I knew Ben would rock that pattern in gold. Now all Benny needs is a gold chain and aviators and his look will be complete.
I have been very busy testing patterns: Girls dresses, boys swim shorts and women’s shirts and dresses. My favourite part of testing is when the patterns start to release and I get to share what I made with the pattern. Today I am sharing with you my version of the Sweet Simple Dress by Allison of Freshly Completed.
More and more I let Sophie pick the fabric for clothes I am making her. I would rather spend the time making something that she is likely to actually wear than have to fight her into it. When this testing pattern came along, I brought Sophie into my sewing room and let her pick the fabric. Once the dress was made it seemed like she should be in Hawaii at a Luau instead of a traffic circle in Seattle.
The always amazing Amy of Peek-a-boo Pattern Shop (affiliate link) released her newest pattern today, the Seaside Scallop Shorts. I was lucky enough to test this great pattern, and you can tell Sophie was pretty happy about getting some new shorts.
These shorts have some really great details that not only give it style but also make it even more wearable for your little ones. The waistband is a flat front with an elastic back which is especially great for skinny mini’s like my kids who never seem to keep their pants up. You can add a fun accent fabric for the pocket lining as well which is a great way to add a bit of fun to the shorts.
Have you heard of the new pattern collection Willow & Co.? Its a collective of 7 amazing designers that all created new patterns for this upcoming Spring/Summer line Wanderlust. The collection is being released April 22nd but as a bit of a sneak peek I am joining others in the blog tour to show you one of the patterns being released, the Aster Cardigan by Vanessa of LBG Studios.
I love when designers reach out over social media to gather volunteers for testing their new or revamped patterns. Many of these designers get hundreds of responses to the tester call so when I submit my name I don’t get too excited because I know there are so many other people.
When it comes to picking the right fabric for a pattern sometimes the process is easy and other times you begin to question whether your vision is going to work in reality. My recent test of the Schoolboy Vest by Sew Much Ado in Sophie’s size was exactly one of those times where I started to doubt the awesomeness that I had envisioned.
Sophie has pretty clear wishes when it comes to the fabric for clothes I will be making her. No surprise that has resulted in most of her clothes being either pink or with pink in them. Because I can only sew so many pink things I decided to try and branch out and incorporate at least one of her other loves, flowers.
