Sew it Yourself MLM company clothing

If haven't heard of MLM companies that sell clothes, I'm guessing you have seen it, but didn't know it. It seems to be EVERYWHERE! I have heard people rave and rave about how soft the fabric is, pretty designs, easy to wear pieces, etc. So I had to check it out for myself and attended a Facebook popup I was invited to.

Want to make your own - here are some patterns to try. I have an additional post for MLM company fabric and fabric alternatives HERE. Pretty much all MLM company items are made of poly blend fabrics and there are many places to buy the same style of fabrics.

Leggings - $25

There are so many legging patterns out there. I think the Everything Your Mama Made (EYMM) Get Moving Leggings are the closet to the style and fit of the infamous leggings.

The best FREE legging pattern is the 5 out of 4 Ninja Pants. They have so many rise options, and go up to a 5X. Get the code to make them free in the Facebook Group. Find my post about them HERE.

There is also the Peg Legs from Pattern for Pirates (P4P). The Peg Legs have a lower rise and slightly wider legs. The Peg Leg pattern is free with a code from joining the Facebook Group.

Plain Tee - $35


There are so many simple t-shirt patterns out. The Wardrobe by Me Wardrobe Builder Tee, Greenstyle Creations Lacy Slope hooded Tee (without the hood), and there are others.

Stretchy Knit Dress with Box Pleat Skirt - $65

I think the Love Notions Bluzette (the dress has many options and the right combination would make this dress) is close and so is the Greenstyle Creations Laurel Tunic and Dress (without the cowl). Also the Princess Skater Dress from Dandelions N Dungarees is very similar.

Dress with fitted Bodice, scooped neck and full circle skirt - $48

This can definitely be replicated using the P4P Sweetheart Dress (with solid bodice).


Raglan Tee - $35

There are also a lot of Raglan patterns out there.

My favorite is the Duck Butt Designs Really Awesome Women's Raglan (RAWR).

Hey June - Lane Raglan


Patterns for Pirates Slim Fit Raglan

And Greenstyle Creations Centerfield Raglan.

Swingy Tee with Side Slits

I think the Laundry Day Tee from Love Notions would look like this if you did the side vents like theirs. Free with code when you join the Facebook Group.

I made a separate blog post on recreating the swingy tee from the Laundry Day tee - Find it HERE.
Here is a photo of my DIY Swingy Tee

Maxi Skirt

These could easily be made with the Greenstyle Creations Sarah Nation Maxi Skirt. It can be made in woven or knit - so perfect for both. The Lola could be made as a shorter version.


Dolman Tunic with high lo hem - $35

There are several patterns that I think are close.
The Weekender Tunic (made with short sleeves) from 5 out of 4 Patterns.

The Piko top from Everything Your Mama Made (EYMM).  See my in depth blog on this easy hack (you just add length) HERE. Below is my DIY dolamn tunic using the Piko top .

And the Daisy Drop Shoulder Tee from Wardrobe by Me.

Cardigan

This could be recreated using the P4P Summer Kimono (just make it longer).

The KZJO Studio Grace Summer Cardigan is also similar and is already a longer length.

Mini Skirts

All these can easily be made with the Love Notions Sybil Illusions Skirt. The Sybil Illusions Skirt has numerous options.

The Cassie can be made using the free Pirate Pencil Skirt from Patterns for Pirates. Join the group to get the code to make it free.


Form Fitting Knee Length Dress - $45

I think the Greenstyle Creations Katie Dress is very similar.

Floor Length Maxi Dress with Fitted Bodice - $60

This dress could be recreated using the P4P Boundless dress.


Want to make a Swing Dress with a Hi Lo Hem?

 - check out this blog at Patterns for Pirates.


As you can see it would not be difficult to sew your own MLM company collection. I have included the pricing of the items I could find, but I don't know the fabric requirements for all the patterns listed above. Most of the tops I listed take less than 2 yards of fabric (most are 1.5 yards). I think these are pretty break even if you buy them or make them. The dresses I listed probably take between 2 - 3 yards. I think these would also be about even for cost of buying versus making them. Since I am petite and MLM company is all standard sizing, I will definitely get a better fit if I make the items myself. If you enjoy sewing your own clothes, you definitely can make these items yourself.

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Thanks!

Spoonflower

I have never ordered fabric from Spoonflower before. I have ordered free swatches - when they were offered. The had a 50% off sale on their Modern Jersey the beginning of February and I decided to play around with some of my photos and turn them into fabric. I am so happy with how they turned out. I have made my designs available for purchase on Spoonflower. Click this link to visit my shop. You can buy any of these prints on Spoonflower.





This is a photo of a cross section of a Sequoia Tree that had been polished to show the grain lines and features in the wood. This photo won first place in an exhibit a few years back and has always been a favorite of mine. I took this photo at a museum in Houston.

Here is the image mirrored and flipped to create a pattern on the fabric.

This is a photo of one of my favorite minerals - Labradorite. This is a piece in my person collection. I love they way that labradorite looks like a plain grey rock from afar, then as you hold it and turn it, you get these amazing flashes of color. It's so beautiful.

So here it is mirrored and flipped to make a design on fabric.

I love it, but it kind of reminds me of the Eye of Sauron from Lord of the Rings.

This is a photo of a mineral I saw at the Smithsonian. I can't find my edited and cropped version - so this is what it looked like originally.

Here it is mirrored and flipped to make a design on the fabric. I think this one ended up as my favorite.

I just love the color and the pattern that resulted from this one.

This is a photo of a Parrot Wing Rock, I've also seen it called a peacock rock. It is a variety of Jasper. I love the variations in all the colors. This photo is hanging in my bedroom. I really love it.

Here it is mirrored and flipped to make the design on the fabric.

This is a photo I took of the ceiling of the lobby in the Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is made of Dale Chihuly glass.

Here is the image mirrored and flipped to create the design on fabric. I so love the way this turned out.

Here is a little bit closer photo

Konstant Krafters PUL SUAT Market Bag

I got some beautiful PUL (unlaminated) samples from Konstant Krafters Fabric of 2 prints that are opening for pre-orders on February 19th. Typically people make diapers with PUL, but I've found that it is great for making reusable bags. The PUL is very durable yet soft and pliable.

These are the 2 prints I received.

This abstract floral swirl is so pretty. It has an oriental feel to it.

And I love geometirc prints with lots of color like this one.

I typically use a grocery bag as my template, but decided to try the free Market Bag pattern from Stitch Upon a Time.  I didn't take photos as I went - My PUL samples were a little smaller than the pattern pieces and didn't want to show something that may not have come out right.  I'll defiinitely use this pattern again. The bag size is good (about the size of your standard grocery store bag) and the instructions were easy to follow.

Here is my bag.

I have a loaf of bread, bag of potato chips, and a box of crackers in the bag.

I lined the bag with a cotton woven I bought at Golden D'or. I used this in a quilt for a coworkers baby girl a few years ago and bought way more than I needed.

The bag empty.

And here are pretty pictures of the bag laid flat.

I definitely recommend this PUL and the Market Bag pattern. I think my bag came out really cute.

Little Root Organic Fabrics

I am so excited! There is finally a custom knit group that prints on organic cotton. And not only that - it's organic cotton that is knitted AND printed here in the US. AND the ink is organic based and applied using eco friendly methods. It's this Environmentalist's dream come true! Go join the Facebook Group and check out the Website.

Leah Kimberly is the woman behind Little Roots. She seems pretty awesome and I have enjoyed chatting with her on Facebook. I was so excited when she selected me to sew a strike off from her first round. Leah will only run all original prints all the time. Her turn around time from order to delivery will be super quick since everything is US based. Expected turn around time is only 3 weeks!

This first round is open through March 4th. The organic cotton lycra is 6.2 oz per square yard, per the website. The sample I received matched this weight exactly. The Flower Scroll sample I received was measured prior to washing. I washed on warm and dried on medium/high heat. I had ZERO shrinkage. I weighed my sample before and after the wash and the weight changed by only 0.1 oz. The stretch is about 25% in both directions and the recovery was very good. After washing the fabric was nice and soft. It cut easily and had very little rolling on the edges. It sewed up like a dream.

I was sent a fat half of the Floral scrolls and a smaller piece of the coordinating stripe. The stripes matched the Floral Scroll perfectly.

For these fabrics, I decided to make the Koerbs Brothers Stitch Design Hello Hi Lo Top. It was the perfect pattern to show how well these 2 prints worked together.

Koerbs Brothers Stitch Designs First Birthday Blog Tour and Giveaway

I love the Koerbs Brothers Stitch Designs (KBSD) patterns, I have made the Block the World Lounge Set (see blog post here). So when the opportunity to participate in the blog tour for the first birthday - I knew I wanted to join and make one the Hello Hi Lo Top.

All patterns are on Sale with the coupon code "firstbirthday" through February 14th to receive 35% off. Also, see the end of my blog post for a giveaway. And be on the lookout for a new pattern that is releasing today!

This pattern was surprisingly easy to put together. It had several options. I went with the modest neckline and the keyhole back. I really like the inspiration photos that had a print matched with a solid and the front in a print and the back a solid.

Here are all my pieces.

First step was to make the keyhole opening in the back. First, a band is added to the edge of the keyhole.

Then it was topstitched with my coverstitch.

Then you sew a triangle in the band at the bottom so it lays flat. I swear it is flat. I hadn't ironed it yet in this photo.

Then the front was sewn to the back at the shoulders.

Then the sleeves are added.

Then the side seams are serged.

Now to make the neckband. You fold the bands then make a diamond and sew across them.

Then serge the band on and you have a cute little  overlap to the neck band.

Then I hemmed the bottom of the top and added a band to the sleeves and I was done.

I love how this top turned out! I feel skinny and sexy in it.

The print fabric I used came from Riki Prints. This print is "Under the Microscope" and is a photographic image of Aspergillus Fungi. The blue is a jersey knit I bought at Golden D'or in January for 99 cents a yard during their inventory sale.

The keyhole back makes this top very unique and gives a little sexiness to a t-shirt.

This is the modest neckline. I may try the lower neckline on my next one. But I love the wide set v-neck of this top.

The back piece connects to the front so that the back is seen from the front. I think this adds interest and makes it seem "normal" for the back to be a different fabric than the front.

I will definitely be making some more Hello Hi Lo tops.

Do you want to win a pattern prize pack? Enter the giveaway below.


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Knitpicked Fabrics - Round 3 Sweet Tweets

I sewed up another strike off for Knitpicked Fabrics. This time it's a Round 3 print named "Sweet Tweets". The pattern is reminiscent of Mexican folk art in the style of the birds and flowers. There is also a companion print that is only flowers in the same style. It's cute and whimsical. The background is a soft lavender and the print has hues of green, coral , and yellow.

Knitpicked Fabrics is the only custom knit group that I have heard of that does not ask for payment of the fabric ordered during the pre-order UNTIL the fabric is delivered to them. This is amazing - especially in light of scandal that has rocked the custom knit world recently.

Round 3 is open for pre-order reservations until February 14th Here. The pre-order pricing is $19.50/yard.

For this strike off, I decided to make a Stitch Upon a Time Merryweather. I love the simplicity of this pattern and the variety of options it offers. I have blogged about it before (read it HERE).

The turquoise eyelet knit I used as a coordinate came from C&C Fabric in the Dallas Fabric District from their $2/yard table. It went perfectly with this print.

I was also sent a panel, which I used as one sleeve. I made a mistake though - the sleeve was supposed to be on my right arm so the birds head could be seen from the front. Once I realized my mistake, I decided to leave it. I was in no mood to seam rip.