Giveaway! Archives - Skirt Fixation

Posted on September 6, 2018 September 5, 2018

Cricut Mountain Make-A-Thon Review

The last week of July, I was invited to teach a sewing class at the Cricut Mountain Make-A-Thon. Cricut paid my way to the conference and gave me lots of nice swag while I was there, but this post is not sponsored by them. This was my 1st time teaching at a conference.

Before I went, I used my Cricut Maker to create some fun, creative, sewing themed business cards. First I printed my blog name and contact info on card stock. Then, I had the Maker cut out the card and the sewing machine shape from card stock. It also cut out the fabric rectangles for me. Then I simply sewed a fabric square to each card. Afterward, I was looking at the pile of sewing machine cutouts, and decided to glue one to the back of each card rather then throw them away! It was easy, fast, and quite effective for a creative business card!

The conference was held at the Little America Hotel in Salt Lake City. It is a very nice hotel, and since I had Mr. Skirt Fixation and Baby with me, we really appreciated our spacious king sized hotel room!

Each morning, there was a presentation during the breakfast in the great ballroom. Above is the only photo I snapped during one of the presentations. I wish I had gotten photos of the creative displays on each side of the room, but if you search the hashtag on Instagram, you can see great examples.

The sewing class I taught was the Curved Zipper Pouch project from Cricut Design Space™. Anna Griffin, the creator of this project, was actually at the Cricut Make-A-Thon! Before teaching the class, I had sewed up several samples for students to see. It also gave me a chance to embellish the zipper pouches with a variety of Cricut products like glitter iron on, chalkboard iron on, floral iron ons, and so on. Each pouch had some of the striped fabric you see above, which is the Riley Blake Stripes Fat Quarter stack. Some of the pouches are lined with it, like the blue leather pouch with the flag…inside are red and white stripes!

This is the presenter side of my sewing classroom. Each teacher gave a Powerpoint presentation on that large screen and the students could follow along with the steps. Besides teaching their own class, we presenters helped out in several other classes. I was so glad to have helpers in my class with a knowledge of sewing because many of my students had never sewn a zipper before!

On the student side of the classroom, there were sewing stations, Maker cutting stations, new EasyPresses for pressing projects, and so on. Depending on the size of the class, some students had to share the machines. We teachers knew this ahead of time, and so I prepared my class so that different students could be working on different machines at the same time.

Before we went, the Cricut team warned us they were going to be loading us up with things to take home…and boy did they ever! I brought home enough stuff to share with all my kids, and I’ve got a giveaway below too because I’ll never be able to use everything!

One thing I have been using a lot is the BrightPad. It is the perfect thing for assembling PDF patterns! Now I don’t even trim the pages, just line them up, tape and go. It’s so fast and even fun! The BrightPad was designed to make weeding vinyl (taking out the extra, unnecessary pieces) easier, and I can’t wait to use it for that too.

I think my favorite part of the Cricut Mountain Make-A-Thon was getting to meet and interact with the different sewing friends I’d only know virtually until then. In the photo above, those of us termed “the tall ladies” posed together. Left to right, I was delighted to meet Heather of Heather Handmade, Karly of Paisley Roots, (me) and Sarah of Pattern Revolution, and so many more sewing and creative bloggers!

Now for that giveaway I mentioned! I’m giving away everything in the photo above, and possibly more too! To enter this giveaway, leave a comment below, and then head over to Instagram for another entry. Giveaway not sponsored by Cricut. Giveaway will end in one week and winner will be chosen randomly. Affiliate links are used in this post. If you click on one of our affiliate links, we might make a small commission for referring you. But don’t worry, we only recommend products we actually use and love!

Posted on July 13, 2018 July 12, 2018

Janie Dress and Peplum

Today is our stop on the Project Run & Play Shop Grand Opening blog tour! It’s an exciting day to be able to share not only these Janie dresses with you, but the whole Project Run & Play Shop. This idea has been over a year in the making, and it’s so delightful to have a place to offer the amazing Project Run & Play design all in one spot!

The whole month of July is the grand opening celebration. There is a huge giveaway, sales each week, and every single pattern is being featured and sewn by a talented Project Run & Play designer.

This week, dresses are featured. They are for sale for 20% off in the shop. We got to sew up the Janie Dress and Peplum pattern. This darling knit dress has quite a few options, and we couldn’t help but sew up two different version.

The Janie Dress and Peplum can be made in 13 sizes from 6 months to 12 years. We sewed a size 12 months for Baby. The pattern is very thorough with photo illustrations and detailed instructions.

One thing we love about this pattern is that cute collar! It is perfectly drafted, and is super easy to attach. Plus it lays right exactly where it’s supposed to at all times, which is very important!

As you might know, knit neckbands are a particular point of interest to us when we sew patterns, and we are delighted to report that this one is absolutely perfect! It lays flat with no curling or buckling. Another sign of a superbly drafted pattern in our opinion!

The Janie Dress can have either a circle skirt or a gathered circle skirt. In the floral dress, we did the circle skirt option. But we added length simply by using the gathered circle skirt hem length. Quick, easy, and super effective to make this pattern last a little longer on a growing baby.

The fabric for this dress is Indigo and Aster knit jersey La Floraison. We also used it for Annie’s cardigan here. The collar fabric is some indigo denim-look knit fabric. I used it because it really accentuates Baby’s eye color!

The other Janie dress we sewed is mostly the same, but we used the gathered circle skirt option. This was also a very easy dress to sew. We used some rust bamboo knit leftover from sewing myself a peplum I sewed for myself. I guess I haven’t shared it here, except in my Me Made May round up post. You can see it on Instagram here.

The fabric is so lightweight and perfectly cool for summer because it’s bamboo and rayon mixed! I love wearing my peplum, and I just know this dress will help Baby keep cool in the summer heat.

These 2 Janie Dresses are just the beginning of a summer capsule wardrobe we’re sewing for Baby. So stay tuned for lots more baby goodness and tons of photos in the near future! And remember to head over to Project Run & Play for the grand opening tour! You can enter the giveaway below also. And get your Project Run & Play patterns here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Posted on June 28, 2018 July 22, 2018

Denim Details – Ways to make your garment special!

And now, Day 4 of Denim Week, we get to probably our favorite part of sewing a denim garment…details! If you’ve taken the time and effort to sew a detailed denim garment, you should absolutely make it special by adding some unique denim details. We’ve found 7 different areas to add denim details to your garment, and we’ve got loads of examples of ways it’s been done in the sewing community. Plus we’ve added 2 tutorials and 2 free cut files for you to use if you want on your denim garments!

Denim Detail #1 Back Pockets:

This is probably the most noticeable way denim garments are personalized! And, why not? The back pocket is basically a blank canvas, waiting your design! We’ve created 2 tutorials for you, a pleated back pocket and a pieced back pocket.

Pleated Pocket Tutorial:

Step 1: Fold, pin and iron horizontal rows of pleats until the pleated section is long enough to fit pocket pattern piece.

Step 2: Topstitch across pleats with topstitching thread

Step 3: Cut out pattern pocket pieces and attach to back as instructed in pattern.

There is a side view where you can see the cool texture the pleating creates.

Pieced Pocket Tutorial:

For this tutorial, we used the smaller size of the Goose Chase pattern by Jeli Quilts. There are hundreds of paper piecing patterns available, and we can’t wait to use some more! Be sure to show us if you’re inspired to use a paper pieced quilt pattern on your denim back pockets.

Step 1: Use paper piecing template and the front and back of fabric to create design. We used both sides of the fabric so the finished pocket would have the same color value, just light and dark tones.

Step 2: Sew on extra denim to sides and top as needed to expand size of the pieced fabric.

Step 3: Cut out pocket. Cut out another pocket piece from lightweight lining. Fold the edges of the denim pocket over the lining pocket. This is to protect the insides of the piecing. Then, just attach to back as instructed in pattern.

Funny story: I couldn’t decide if I wanted to topstitch around the flying geese or not, so I tried it to see what it looked like on one pocket. Which do you like better? See photos of the finished skirt below to see what I ended up with…

Back pockets from the sewing community:

Here are some amazing examples of back pocket personalization from the sewing community! Click on each photo to be taken to their creation.

This was probably my favorite project from 2017 – it had so many firsts for me and I still can’t believe I sewed a zip fly! Also, I love my Wonder Woman pocket detail. Pattern: #SandbridgeSkirt from @heyjunehandmade Fabric: stretch denim from my stash

A post shared by Kristin (@isewbestaftermidnight) on Feb 7, 2018 at 3:03pm PST

So I did this…made a pair of custom perfect fit jeans. #becauseican #ashjeans #conemillsdenim #mybuttlooksgreatinthese #fithappens

A post shared by gogovivi (@gogovivi) on May 31, 2018 at 9:12pm PDT

https://www.instagram.com/p/BimtZ5QBpJU/?taken-by=havinsewmuchfun

https://www.instagram.com/p/BKRVosKDRNX/?saved-by=skirtfixation

#gingerjeans workshop in progress, and this time I get to sew along. Adding some flair to my back pocket for the first time…I’m kind of loving it! #enjoytheprocess2018 #sewwithstitch #handmadelifestyle #homemadewardrobe #lovelocalot

A post shared by Stitch Sew Shop (@stitchsewshop) on May 2, 2018 at 8:06am PDT

https://www.instagram.com/p/BSN6eOOg_yt/?saved-by=skirtfixation

Denim Details #2 Tags

There are a couple of ways to use tags in your denim creations. The leather tag on the back waistband is a common element of denim garments. We have 2 free cut files for the designs we used.

For this tag, we used Kraft-tex paper (which is what is often used on ready to wear denim.) Since the cutout details are quite small and wouldn’t be stitched in place, we used Aleene’s Okay-to-wash-it fabric glue. We’re happy to report that it’s still just like new after much wearing and several washes! You can get the FREE cut file project here.

For this second tag, we used real leather and created this free cut file. After cutting it out on our Cricut Maker machine, we simply topstitched it on.

You can see what a special, customizes skirt these details make!

Tags from the sewing community:

This first example is a different kind of tag on the inside that’s totally unique and amazing!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjfWlxKhOD2/?saved-by=skirtfixation

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bjuxay2BBqh/?tagged=ashjeans

Awkward selfies from the waist down of my #morganjeans! I'm really happy with how they turned out and will definitely make more. Fabulous pattern, hardware, and instructions from @closetcase.patterns, sustainably produced denim from @threadintl. #nofearnewjeans

A post shared by Charlotte Curtis (@c.f.curtis) on Mar 25, 2018 at 2:03pm PDT

Denim Detail #3: Inside pockets, facing and trim

Inside the denim garment, there are several fun places to tuck in vibrant fabric! The pocket lining, the bias trim, the inside of the waistband, and so on. It’s like a secret smile and a small celebration tucked inside!

Insides from the sewing community:

#miymarch18 'My First' – my first jeans! @closetcase.patterns #gingerjeans – too small at the moment! Must make another pair!

A post shared by Tabatha Tweedie (@tabathatweedie) on Mar 8, 2018 at 2:04pm PST

The preview photo above only shows the awesome back pocket design, but over on Instagram, you can scroll through the photos to see the insides too!

On our blog today, our celebration of denim continues with a review of the Closet Case Morgan jeans pattern. #morganjeans #nofearnewjeans @closetcase.patterns

A post shared by The Drapery (@thedrapery) on Mar 8, 2018 at 8:55pm PST

Some days my top stitching isn’t on point. Today was one of those days. At least this is my muslin and not the precious Cone Mills. But how fetching is this Bias trim band at the top? From my favorite @stitchsewshop ♥️✂️ I think the leftover #riflepapercofabric on the pockets is from there as well. It’s been in my stash for a bit. #mossskirt #sewyourownclothes #stitchandbitch #imademyclothes

A post shared by TheFlannelTomato (@theflanneltomato) on Jun 4, 2018 at 5:21pm PDT

Denim Detail #4: Fabric and Topstitching choices

The combination of fabric and topstitching fabric makes the garment look so different! On the Sandbridge Skirt we sewed above, we used contrasting thread. If we had used white, or a navy contrasting thread, it would look different again.

When you use contrasting topstitching thread, it really stands out and makes a statement. Matching topstitching thread results in a totally different look.

Fabric/topstitching combinations from the sewing community:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BVAoJmpgMsc/?saved-by=skirtfixation

https://www.instagram.com/p/BeiM5xAF4o0/?saved-by=skirtfixation

I’m almost finished with my gingers for #nofearjeansmonth but I’m a teensy bit behind! #lifeofashopowner BUT @untitledthoughts made a beautiful pair of #closetcasepatterns #morganjeans recently that she dyed as well (natural dye). A sprig of lavender on one back pocket! #perfection #sewyourownjeans

A post shared by Topstitch Studio and Lounge (@topstitchatl) on Feb 28, 2018 at 4:20pm PST

Denim Detail #5: Hardware

Yes, installing the hardware can be intimidating. But it’s worth it! If you can make an incredibly complex garment from denim, you can install the hardware! I think it’s scary because this step is the last one, and you’re doing it to the finished garment! If you mess up…all your hard work and time is wasted, right? But there are loads of helpful tutorials and videos, and you should always practice (buy enough extra hardware!) first.

Hardware from the sewing community:

Casual #murcia #murciaquehermosaeres #casualstyle #casualoutfit #streetphotography #streetstyle #rojo #rojoynegro #fashionista#ella #ella#bella #mj #fotodeldía #estilosa #miniña #felizfinde #morganjeans #morgan #guess #top #moda #fashionistas

A post shared by Janeth Salazar (@mjvictoryjimdo) on Jun 8, 2018 at 7:19am PDT

https://www.instagram.com/p/BfRaB_1hDxW/?tagged=sandbridgeskirt

https://www.instagram.com/p/BWyi38zB-Kw/?tagged=sandbridgeskirt

Non-modelled #memademay today. Zebra print #plantaintee and grey denim #mossskirt Also had to wear a RTW jumper over the top as our air con at work has been on the ‘Siberian winter’ setting all week. #mmmay18 #mmmay #seamstress #sewing #makersgonnamake #imakemyclothes #makeityourowndamnself #handmadewardrobe

A post shared by Katherine (@kaffffrin) on May 16, 2018 at 11:43am PDT

Denim Detail #6: Distressing

We don’t have any experience with distressing denim, but we’ve seen it done well. Here are some helpful tutorials:

How to distress denim from Bernina

Sew Guide how to make your own distressed jeans (15 ways!!!)

Imagine Gnats distressing denim tutorial (photos of different techniques on different denims)

Patterns for Pirates (tips and good advice!)

Distressing denim from the sewing community:

Moje prvni Morgan jeans jsou hotové a jsem z nich nadšená! Moje šicí sebevědomí šlo nahoru stejně jako chuť pustit se do dalšího kousku. Tyhle první jen vzbudily chuť experimentovat s prošíváním a tvarem kapes, a možná velikostí. Třešničkou na dortu je ten barevný vnitřek, který je hlavně pro mě a radost z jejich oblékání. My first #morganjeans are finished! My sewing confidence went up as well as the need for another pair. This first piece only provoked the desire to experiment with the top stitching, pocket shape and maybe with the size as well. The cherry on the top are the colourful insides seen just by me when putting them on. #nofearnewjeans #boyfriendjeans #imakemyownclothes #closetcasepatterns #morganjeans #memadewardrobe #novédžíny #siti #vlastnorucneusito #sijemesinasebe #svadlenka #sijeme #šijemedžíny

A post shared by Marci Hora (@ode_to_notches) on May 28, 2018 at 7:50am PDT

#heyjunehandmade went and did it, again, adding another amazing pattern to the collection! And, I had the pleasure of testing it! *squee* Released 7/20/17! The #SandbridgeSkirt is a casual skirt in two lengths with traditional five-pocket styling, a functional zip fly, belt loops, and contoured waistband in sizes 2 – 22. (Check their blog for a sew-along!) https://www.heyjunehandmade.com/product/sandbridge-skirt/?affiliates=55 Go to fb.me/sewrumba to see more of my work. #heyJune @sewrumba @heyJunehandmade #handmade #sewing #stayathomemom #SAHM #Atlanta #Georgia #crafts #craftaholic #skirts #skirt #PDFPatterns #sewingpatterns #DIY #makeallthethings #sewinglove #happyplace #Ididthis #Imadethis #photography #hobby #sewrumba

A post shared by Mrs. Crumba (@sewrumba) on Jul 29, 2017 at 10:25am PDT

Before life went crazy at home, I made more jeans! @closetcase.patterns #morganjeans @califabrics #linkinbio #isew #sewistsofinstagram #sewersofinstagram #imakemyclothes

A post shared by Katie (@kglee01) on Apr 6, 2017 at 2:43pm PDT

Denim Detail #7: Pattern Hacks

I used the Sandbridge Skirt pattern and made it into a maxi skirt. To do this, I simply grabbed a denim maxi skirt from my closet that I wanted to replicate the shape of. As I was cutting out my skirt, I extended the length of the skirt starting beneath the pocket bag and angled it gradually out and down. To get the shape I wanted, I laid the RTW (ready to wear) skirt out on my fabric, and used the angle and length as my pattern from below the pocket bag and down to the hem. The result is exactly what I was hoping for!

Pattern Hacks from the sewing community:

@replicatethendeviate is sharing her tutorial for these #BryceCargoPants / #SandbridgeSkirt mash-up jeans!! I am so impressed that she was able to make these fantastic jeans from those two patterns and so excited that she's giving us the step by step directions! Everyone holla at Emily and then go check out her post!

A post shared by Adrianna Appl (@heyjunehandmade) on Mar 14, 2018 at 10:50am PDT

So here’s a fun fact. I am such a terrible blogger that I forgot to hit ‘publish’ on Monday’s Overalls post until yesterday afternoon, so it has become Wednesday’s overalls post, and also here is a photo of me in front of a wall. As you do. Also, swipe for a flatlay complete with succulents. As you do. Anyways: Ginger Jean Dungaree hack now on the blog- for real this time! . . . . @drapersfabrics @closetcase.patterns #gingerjeans #patternhack #closetcasepatterns #overalls #modernmaker #sewcialists #berninanz #madebyme #isew #handmadewardrobe #makersgonnamake #makerlife #sewingblogger #sewingtall #sewnz #sewistsofinstagram #pinkhair #ootd #imakemyownclothes #diywardrobe #sewingaddict #rtwfast2018 #succulents #flatlay #diystyle #youcanhackit

A post shared by Kat Klebenow (@katklebenow) on Jun 26, 2018 at 3:25pm PDT

More Denim Details Inspiration:

We’ve got a Pinterest board dedicated to Denim Details here.

Day 1: Introduction and Cone Mills Denim Giveaway

Day 2: Giant List of Denim Fabric, Supplies and Resources

Day 3: Giant List of Denim Patterns Classes and Tutorials

Denim Week Discount

Right now, the Sandbridge Skirt is the featured pattern over at Hey June Patterns, so use the code “Sandbridge15” to get if for 15% off!

Affiliate links are used in this post to products we use and love. IF you click on our affiliate links, we may make a small commission for recommending the product to you. But don’t worry, it won’t cost you anything extra! Thanks for supporting our small business.

Posted on June 25, 2018 July 4, 2018

Denim Week Introduction

Welcome to Denim Week! This is a super fun week where we’re going to cover everything to do with denim. There’s a giveaway, discounts, inspiration, tutorials and much more!

Denim Week Schedule

Monday, June 25: Denim Introduction

Tuesday, June 26: Denim fabric and supplies

Wednesday, June 27: Denim patterns and tutorials

Thursday, June 28: Denim details (Pockets, tags, topstitching, distressing and all the little ways to make your denim garment special!)

Friday, June 29: Other uses for denim

Okay, so let’s get this introduction started! (The giveaway is located at the end, so be sure to scroll all the way through, it’s a good one!)

If you’re interested in the history of denim, check out our post here.

This post has everything you should know before you start sewing jeans.

We’ve got a Pinterest board dedicated to Denim Details here.

For this denim week occasion, I’ve sewn myself two new denim skirts! I’m excited to share them with you in full detail. (The back side of these are the best part, if I do say so myself!)

We would be remiss if we didn’t mention that sewing with denim usually means a more complex project. Which, for beginner sewists, can be quite intimidating. And we admit that it took us quite a few years of sewing before we attempted these advanced type of projects. So if you love denim, but are not ready to sew your own, we highly recommend these denim skirts from Style J.

Denim Week Discount

Right now, the Sandbridge Skirt is the featured pattern over at Hey June Patterns, so use the code “Sandbridge15” to get if for 15% off!

Denim Week Giveaway

Currently, Cone Mills denim is the hottest fabric item in the sewing community. Threadbare Fabrics has some in stock, and is generously offering 2 yard to the winner of this giveaway!

Closet Case patterns is offering a pattern selected by the winner from any of their jeans patterns. This included the brand new Jenny Trousers and Overalls, the popular Ginger Jeans (in any of the 3 varieties) and the Morgan Jeans.

Itch to Stitch is giving any one pattern from their shop to the winner. The winner can choose any pattern, but these are the ones that use denim fabric: Danube Jean Skirt, Mountain View Pull-On Jeans, Liana Stretch Jeans, Angelia Shorts, Sequoia Cargos.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

More Denim Details Inspiration:

We’ve got a Pinterest board dedicated to Denim Details here.

Day 1: Introduction and Cone Mills Denim Giveaway

Day 2: Giant List of Denim Fabric, Supplies and Resources

Day 3: Giant List of Denim Patterns Classes and Tutorials

Day 4: Denim Details to customize your creation

Day 5: Other things to make with Denim Fabric

Posted on May 21, 2018 May 20, 2018

Mermaid Maxi Skirt Review

Mermaid Maxi Skirt pattern sewed and reviewed by Skirt Fixation

When a skirt is named “Mermaid Maxi” what else can you do? I was helpless to resist! Diva Patterns by Tie Dye Diva has a new skirt pattern out, and it’s just as delightful as the name implies. I was ecstatic to join the blog tour for the Mermaid Maxi Skirt, and I can’t wait to see all the creations this week!

The Mermaid Maxi skirt is a knit skirt with some pretty special details. First there’s the fit and flare mermaid tail shape. Then there’s those pockets. And finally, the pattern is versatile enough that you can make it several times achieving a different look every time.

I sewed a size 4, mermaid tail shaped skirt with ruched pockets. The only change I made was to add 2 inches to the length, one at the knee, and one in the middle of the flare as instructed in the pattern instructions. A straight skirt with a slit in the front can also be made. And there is an option for straight pockets.

This pattern has great thorough instructions, lots of markings, illustrated drawings, and easy to follow directions. Any possible difficult steps in the pattern are noted and extra instructions given if needed. The Pink Pin Tips are especially helpful, and I loved the way the elastic waist is constructed.

The Mermaid Maxi skirt can be made in 14 sizes from 0 (34-35” hips) to 26 (53-55” hips.) In the above photo, I’m attempting to show you how full the bottom of the skirt is! It’s so swishy and fun to twirl, but hard to capture on camera!

As you may have noticed, I pulled out some of the best fabric I’d been saving for just the right occasion. This is knit fabric by Art Gallery Fabrics and is super soft and very good quality. This one is called Line Drawings Bluing designed by the very talented artist Bari J. In the above photo, you can see the detail of the lovely ruching on the pocket, and of course a closeup of that amazing fabric!

Suddenly I have an urge to sew aaaaalllll the swishy maxi skirts and take a trip to the beach and stroll barefoot through the sand. Trail my toes in water. Feel the salt water spray in my hair.

For this special skirt, I had to sew myself a new shirt. Of course I sewed the Union Street Tee by Hey June Patterns. And I treated myself to some chocolate brown dana modal knit fabric. The fabric and the Union Street Tee pattern have the perfect drape and ease to pair with this form fitting maxi skirt. Believe me when I tell you this simple t-shirt is a treat!

You will want to be sure to check out the blog tour introduction post here. There are giveaways for $250 in prizes, and the Mermaid Maxi Skirt pattern is on sale! Plus there’s a discount code for fabric so you can sew your own Mermaid Maxi Skirt! Also, be sure to check out the rest of the Mermaid Maxi Skirts all week long! (And if you’re looking for the weekly Me Made May post, I’ll see you here tomorrow…)

Monday, May 21
Tie Dye Diva Patterns – Mermaid Maxi Blog Tour and Giveaway!
Skirt Fixation – Mermaid Maxi Skirt Review

Tuesday, May 22
Musings of a Seamstress
Heather Handmade

Wednesday, May 23
Sew Altered Style
sewsewilse
Chook n Duck

Thursday, May 24
Penny Sew Vintage
TipStitched
Sharon Sews

Friday, May 25
Sewing By Ti
Brittany J Jones

Affiliate links are used in this post to really great fabric and patterns that we’ve tried and love. Please accept our thanks for supporting our small sewing business when you click on our affiliate links. It won’t cost you anything extra, and we might make a little profit.

Posted on March 30, 2018 March 29, 2018

Stripes and Flowers Girl’s Maxi Dress

Girl's stripe and floral maxi dress sewn by Skirt Fixation

Ah the maxi dress! Annie loves them, and I love sewing them for her. A maxi dress on a young girl is such a statement piece. And with fabric as bold as we used for this one, it’s no wonder she’s been wearing it every chance she gets.

For this maxi dress we used the Uptown Downtown Dress pattern by Sew Straight & Gather. We are making the size 10 for Annie this spring. There are so many different options on this pattern that it’s easy to use it over and over again to create a whole flock of dresses! On this one we used the cowl neckline, maxi length, elbow length sleeves, and pockets.

The fabric is one Annie and I both fell in love with in the fall. It’s from Raspberry Creek Fabrics CLUB line, and we love the stripes and flowers together. Even though it’s from their fall line, I think the dress works as a spring and summer dress too.

Annie is growing so fast, I’m not sure it will still fit her in the fall! Or it will probably still fit her around, but might not be maxi length anymore. That won’t stop her from wearing it…she wore this one well after it wasn’t maxi length anymore!

This fabric is no longer available, but here is a fun Art Gallery Fabrics knit with stripes and flowers in similar colors:
Art Gallery Skopelos Jersey Knit Paparounes Crimson Fabric

Or this one in fun, bold colors is also an Art Gallery Fabrics knit with stripes and florals.
Art Gallery Spices Fusion Jersey Knit Paparounes Spices Fabric

I convinced Annie to have a cowl neckline because I wanted to put a more saturated color by her face. She’s so fair, that I knew she could use the pop of color at her face to bring out the pink tones in her cheek. We used some double brushed poly fabric in wine color, and it drapes perfectly for the cowl.

But Annie really is in love with this whole dress, even though she wasn’t convinced about the cowl at first. She thought it might be too hot in summer. I reminded her of this one I’d sewn her with a cowl, and how she’d worn it in hot weather sometimes too.

Of course Annie had to test out the twirl factor as soon as she put it on! It passed with flying colors! The width of the hem at the bottom of the skirt is so generous, that it really makes this maxi dress fun to wear. And twirl!

Leave us a comment, what do you think of stripes and florals together?

Affiliate links are used in this post. This means if you click on one of our links, we might make a few extra pennies at no extra cost to you. Thanks in advance!

Posted on March 16, 2018 March 16, 2018

Great Wall of China Inspired Children’s Clothing

Even though I’m not eligible to win a prize, I’m sewing along with Project Run & Play for the week 1 “7 Wonders of the World” theme! (If you missed the news, I’m now leading Project Run & Play!) It’s too inspiring not to! Here’s a look at our Great Wall of China Inspired children’s clothing.

Around our house, we have studied the Great Wall of China in our history studies many times. Since it’s one of the ancient Wonders of the World, we chose to be inspired by both the architecture, and the surrounding landscape. And we decided to have a little fun too!

For Annie’s dress, we chose to be inspired by the length of the Great Wall of China and sew her another maxi dress. We started with the Camden Raglan, and got busy designing it into a dress with special little touches.

The first little touch we added was to insert lace on the lines of the raglan sleeves. It’s a sweet little touch, and represents how the Great Wall of China criss crosses the entire country.

The second little touch we added was to design a bell sleeve for the sleeve hem with more lace inserted at the top of the bell. Annie chose the length she wanted the sleeves to be, and absolutely adores how they bell out and flow with the dress.

The final touch we added was to leave the sleeve and bottom dress hems raw. With time and wear and washing, they will curl up slightly. The intention was for this design feature to mimic and accent the white of the lace and cherry blossoms.

We used this Art Gallery Pandalicious Jersey Knit Yinghua Cherrylight Fabric. “Yinghua” means cherry blossom. It’s perfectly soft, drapes beautifully on the sleeves and skirt, and is stable enough to make the neckband turn out perfectly. Annie styled it with her Panda Vest we sewed for her earlier. This is to represent the pandas in the wilds of China around the Great Wall. You can read all about it in that post, but it uses panda fabric from the same line of fabric as the cherry blossom fabric. And she also borrowed a fan from Allegra for a photo prop.

Next came some raglan t-shirts for the boys. Yes, more raglan t-shirts for these boys! What can I say? We used the Oliver+S Field Trip Raglan t-shirt pattern. For David we are sewing a size 7 and for Lowell a size 5.

For the fabric, we used some Riley Blake Knit Stripe Aqua/Navy Fabric for the sleeves, neckband, and the back of Lowell’s t-shirt. We chose stripes to mimic the lines of the Great Wall of China. For the fronts, we used Riley Blake Designs navy blue jersey knit fabric.

Then came the fun part! We decided to use our new Cricut Maker machine to make fortune cookie gold foil iron on graphics with two fun sayings. And the little strip of twill tape represents for the paper fortunes inside!

David’s shirt says “Tough Cookie” with a fortune cookie. David is quite a sweetie, and like many boys his age, loves to see how tough he can be! Click here for the free cut file if you want to make a shirt like this too.

Lowell’s shirts says “Fortun*Ate” as a fun play on words about eating fortune cookies and how fortunate we feel to have him as our son! If you want to make a shirt like this go here for the free cut file.

For the photoshoot, we tried to find a location the was faintly related to the landscape of China. We found a river, a gazebo, some cement pillars, a lamppost, and a timber frame shelter.

What do you think of our Great Wall of China inspired children’s clothing? Be sure to go over to Project Run & Play and check out what all the designers created for the 7 Wonders of the World prompt, you’ll be inspired and amazed! And you can see what everyone else is sewing along here.

This isn’t the greatest picture to showcase the clothing, the lighting is too bright, the kids are wiggling, and so on. But after I got home and was editing the photos, I noticed how the boys are holding hands with their fingers interlaced, and it was a done deal!

Oh, and if you guessed that I rewarded them with fortune cookies for a modeling jog well done you guessed right!

Affiliate links are used in this post, because if we ever hope to go to see the Great Wall of China someday, we’ll need some money! Just kidding, but we do appreciate those of you who click on our affiliate links the help us earn a few pennies at no extra expense to their total.

Posted on January 17, 2018 January 16, 2018

I Made A Puffer Jacket!!!

How to DIY a puffer jacket - tutorial from Skirt Fixation

In celebration of today’s EPIC coat making success, I’m giving away a $50 gift card to Mood Fabrics! For a chance to win, visit me on Instagram.

For a very, very long time I have wanted a puffer jacket! But because I’m 6’ tall, until very recently, one that fit was out of the question even though puffer jackets are everywhere! Then my (also very tall) sister sent me a photo of her wearing a puffer jacket she had purchased from a specialty tall shop. I fell in love with it, and almost hit the buy it now button on their online shop. Then I got to thinking…and decided to sew one for myself. But as I looked for online tutorials or tips or anything, I couldn’t find ANY! Am I the only person who has tried this? There are a few places you can buy pre-quilted fabric, but now I was on a mission to sew my own.

After searching for nylon fabric (what puffer jackets are made from) I got several swatches from Mood Fabrics, and finally settled on Burgundy Nylon Ripstop fabric for the outside, and Maroon/Gray Tartan Plaid flannel fabric for the inside.

You can read all about how to make your own puffer jacket over on the Mood Fabrics blog today! I’m guest posting there all about everything I learned while making this jacket for myself.

It may not surprise you to learn the pattern I used as the starting point for my puffer jacket was the Halifax Hoodie by Hey June Patterns. (affiliate link) To read about the modifications I made to the pattern, and see some (pre snow storm) photos, head over to the Hey June Handmade blog today!

I think the only details I didn’t include in those two posts is my zipper source, and the leather tassel I created at the last minute! The zipper is a 36” thin nylon-coil separating formal wear zipper in color #527 – Bordeaux. It was the only zipper I could find that was long enough. It came from Zipperstop. And since it wasn’t really intended for outerwear, I decided to add the leather tassel to try to spare the zipper and okay, just for looks! It was so simple to make, I just cut long strips of gray leather, looped them around the bottom ring of the clip on hardware, and tied another strip of leather at the top to keep them all secure. It turned out to be too wide to clip through the actual zipper pull itself, so I used a metal ring to go connect them.

Here’s a picture of my inspiration puffer jacket…the one my sister owns! How did I do?

Posted on July 19, 2017 July 18, 2017

Quilt Market 2017

In May I had the awesome opportunity to explore Quilt Market for a few hours thanks to the generous ladies at Simple Simon and Co. I had been wanting to meet liZ and Elizabeth for years, and finally got the opportunity. Quilt Market is a trade-only show for the quilting/fabric industry. So you can see how I was like a child in a candy store as I walked around with liZ.

liZ and Elizabeth had a booth showcasing their new Just Add Sugar fabric line. They won the top prize at Quilt Market for best single booth award, and you can see why! Their booth was LOADED with fruit (which they brought in their suitcases all the way from Utah to St. Louis!!!) The booth just exploded with color and sweetness. The table was set for 6 and piled high with fruit, flowers, and of course their new fabric! I even got to record on video their reaction when they were presented the best single booth award.

Because there were hundreds of booths at Quilt Market and I only had a few hours, I had to be selective in what I saw. With careful planning and the ever generous Simple Simon and Co. ladies, I made it to my top 5 destinations!

Since I had chosen to wear my Runway Skirt made from Art Gallery Fabrics designed by April Rhodes, I had to see the Art Gallery Fabrics booths and meet April. She was there displaying her new Arizona After and Heritage fabric lines, and they are both amazing. Her booth was fantastic, and had a quiet peaceful atmosphere in the middle of the very bustling Quilt Market.

You might notice I also dressed Baby in an Art Gallery Fabrics dress (blogged here!) As I walked up to their booth, Walter Bravo (who assists his wife Pat in running Art Gallery Fabrics) held out his arms to me and Baby with delight in his eyes! We felt like we’d come home!

There were two displays that stopped me in my hasty exploration of Quilt Market and I had to photograph them. This flower wall made entirely of starched fabric by RJR Fabrics was fantastic.

Another was this butterfly quilt display. I don’t even know what to call it. Let’s call it art! It was made from the In Bloom fabric collection by Sandra Clemons.

There are 500 butterflies. Five. Zero. Zero. Incidentally, you can buy the pattern to make your own butterflies here.

Also, I HAD to meet Tula Pink. Tula is basically a celebrity in the sewing world. And her fabrics are amazing. She even has a line of scissors and sewing notions that everyone is gaga over. But the real reason I wanted to meet Tula was to see which one of us was taller! I’d only seen photos before, and noticed her height, and was curious. I’m not spilling the beans, but let’s just say we saw eye to eye about some things!

I also got to meet Alison Glass (who designed the fabric on this skirt) and her assistant Chen. In a totally unexpected turn of events, I got a signed copy of Blair Stocker’s book Wise Craft Quilts. And Rebecca Bryan gave me a precut mini charm pack from her new fabric line Panache. There were so many other people I got to meet and fabrics I got to see and feel, it was incredible!

Spring Quilt Market 2017 was and amazing experience for me. I’m so thankful to have experienced it and for liZ and Elizabeth. Since everyone was so generous to me, I’m holding a giveaway for some of the amazing items I picked up at Quilt Market. To enter, all you have to do is follow us on Instagram and comment on our giveaway post there.

Posted on July 11, 2017 July 10, 2017

Bloom & Grow Skirt – Free Girl’s Skirt Pattern!

Free girl's Bloom & Grow skirt pattern from Skirt Fixation

Today we’re excited to release a free girl’s skirt pattern, the Bloom & Grow Skirt. As in the past few years in July, we’re excited to join in with Simple Simon and Co. for the Skirting The Issue charity sewing event! We’re releasing another free girl’s skirt pattern, the Bloom & Grow skirt.

If you want to go straight to download the skirt, click here!

We designed the Bloom & Grow skirt with the growing girl in mind. This skirt is designed for use with double border print fabrics. Often, these fabrics feature a floral print. The extra fullness of this skirt makes it super twirly and the elastic waist is perfect for any growing girl.

Annie is wearing a petticoat underneath this Bloom & Grow skirt to show the fullness! Because this skirt is not cut across the fabric from selvedge to selvedge like traditional skirts, but down the length of the yardage, it is a very full skirt!

The fabric used for this skirt is Sage Prickly Pear Indigo by Art Gallery Fabrics. It is a double border print fabric which means the pattern is printed along both sides or selvedges, down the length of the fabric.

Another beautiful double border print fabric you could also use is Garden Walk fabric by Art Gallery Fabrics.

We also designed some floral radiograph double print border fabric, and think it’d be smashing on the Bloom & Grow Skirt!

We’d love it if you use this free girl’s skirt pattern to sew up some skirts for Skirting The Issue. Read all about Skirting The Issue here. And then link up your skirts for girls in foster care.

You can also check out our other very popular free girl’s skirt patterns: