Let's Talk Patterns

Shall we?  My grandma taught me to crochet when I was 6 years old but she never taught me to read a pattern.  By 5th grade I'd crocheted sweaters, leg warmers and more all by making it up as I went along.  Around 3rd grade I used my old curtains and hand sewed a dress that despite my mom's protests, I wore to church.  So, in late elementary school and middle school my mom taught me to sew.  She attempted to teach me to read a sewing pattern.  My aunt taught me more about sewing and actually designed smocked dresses and patterns.

But, the damage was done, I'd already taught myself to look at the end product and figure out the steps in between.  Trust me, this really comes in handy most of the time, however, I can get pretty frustrated with myself when I am trying to go by a pattern.  Since last summer I have actually been trying to follow patterns more closely when I m using them because I would love to design my own patterns some day.

Why am I telling you all this?  Well, I got the opportunity to be a pattern tester for Jenny over at Seamingly Smitten!  It was so much fun to try out a pattern for her and I must say, it is a great pattern!  She said it would take a beginner sewer about an hour and a half.  I forgot to actually time myself, but I would say it took me a bit under an hour, in between making dinner all with the help of my trusty three-year-old assistant.  Best part is I have something new for myself to wear today, which is great because we are supposed to have awesome weather (finally).

So, here is the pattern I tried... The Laurie Clair Tunic

How cute is her sister, Laurie?!?!?  I so totally wish I could live down the street from my sister(s), they are sooooooooo lucky.  Want to see how mine turned out?

Excuse the plunger... It's a clean one since O-man uses it to play "plunger basketball" but we still put it back in the bathroom!

Here it is with a cardi over it, it's going to be nice, but it's only about 60 degrees right now so I'm sportin' the cardi until it gets warmer.

Please bear with the self photos, I've promised Jenny better ones but it will have to be once Tasha and JuneBug get home from school, O-man's photography skills leave much to be desired!

This pattern hasn't been released yet, but Jenny has some other darling ones, and based on the ease and details in this pattern, I'm sure her others are just as great.  You can get them on etsy or at You Can Make This.  I should also mention, I had everything on hand to make this so I got to do a bit more stashbusting too!

I said patterns earlier, plural.... well, I recently purchased a few of Ashley's patterns from Lil Blue Boo.  I have wanted to for quite a while now and I must say, I'm wishing I had purchased them sooner.  I've already made a few Sienna dresses for the girls and have lots of pieces cut for more.  I will get some pictures of the girls in them over the weekend.  The Sienna pattern actually only goes to a size 6, so I had to make some adjustments for my tall girls, but more on that later.

These ladies are both so talented, maybe someday I'll join the ranks of "designer" and have patterns of my own... anything in particular you want to see?

Peace be with you,