Little Roots Fabrics

I've blogged about Little Roots Fabrics before. They are a new group that's been working out some kinks to ensure they are bringing the very best fabric that they can - and I think they finally did it.

Little Roots Fabrics is based on creating a custom knit fabric with as little environmental impact as possible. And that's something I can really appreciate.

How are they doing this? Well, they are sourcing USA grown cotton, having it knitted here in the USA, and it's being printed in the USA using no harsh chemicals. This gives you a product that is truly made in the USA through and through.  

Doing all this, does come at a cost. The preorder pricing is $26.50/yard. This is higher than imported custom fabrics, but you have to understand that material and labor costs in the USA are higher than in other countries.

You can view the prints offered and order at https://little-roots-fabrics.myshopify.com/collections/pre-orders The pre-order is open through February 18th.

I was sent the Mystical Creatures print to play with. It's intended as a child's print - but I love it for me. I think any nature and wildlife loving adult will enjoy this print as much as a child.

These "mystical creatures" feature some cute little characters. I especially love the little "tree man" as I call him  - in all green with branches sticking out from his head.

The top I made is the free Laundry Day Tee from Love Notions with some color-blocking that I did on my own. To get the pattern free - get the code from the Facebook group pinned post.

I wanted to conserve my print for another little project.

I decided to make a little 3-6 month size baby set. Below you see my applique of "Berry Girl" and "Apple Fox" with a little leaf to make it complete.

I didn't let any scrap go to waste, and did a few little appliques.

Below is my little "tree man" on the back on the little top.

The top is Fresh Stitch Patterns lap neck tee and the bottoms are the free kids leggings from Halla Patterns.

Just another shot - because I think it's sooo cute.

There are some other great prints and panels offered in this preorder. There are vikings, fairies, and some really cool waves. The preorder closes on February 18th. 

5 out of 4 Zen Pants



The newest release from 5 out of 4 Patterns is just amazing! The Zen Pants are so comfortable and can easily be dressed up or down when made with the right materials. The pattern is on sale for $7.95 through January 31st!

All my Zen Pants were made with Supplex from Zenith and Quasar Fabrics. Use the code "Supplexlove" for 10% off!



This version is the Heavyweight Teal.

Pockets on the front and back are just perfect!

I also got adventurous and used rivets on the pockets. They give such a nice finish!

I actually wore the outfit above to work and was so comfortable all day.

I made this pair with a lavender supplex that is no longer in stock.

I found this top I made with fabric from Little Roots Fabric (which is the only custom knit group to use domestically made cotton lycra and is domestically printed) that went perfectly with my pants.

Designer Stitch Patterns Bridget Top

This is my second time testing for Ann Grose of Designer Stitch. The top I tested this time around is the Bridget - and is she gorgeous!

The Bridget is a woven top that is slightly fitted, has two hem lengths, two neckline options, a back zipper, and soooo many different sleeves to choose from.

This is the low hip length with around neck and long sleeves with a spiral cuff.

My fabric is a rayon poly blend from C&C fabric in Dallas, Texas. It was on their $2/yard sale table and was perfect for this blouse.

The Bridget has bust darts, shoulder darts, and waistline darts to give shaping.

The round neck is flattering and gives great modest coverage.

The spiral sleeves are such a unique look and help this top stand out.

The style of the Bridget can be dressed up for a night out, paired with slacks or skirt for the office, and paired with jeans for a more casual yet chic look.

Many thanks to my photographer, Bryan Zumbar, for taking these photos in downtown McKinney.

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100 Item Sewing Challenge

Last year I challenged myself to make 100 items to giveaway. These were items I was sewing and donating to various charity auction - and I did it! I actually made over my goal of 100! This year I'm going to take it a little slower and will still attempt to make 100 items this year, but I'm not setting a specific goal for how many I want to give away.

This year a new Facebook Group has formed that will help me meet this goal - and maybe win some prizes. It's the 2017 - 100 items sewing challenge!

First - take a look at all these sponsors!

And the list is growing! If you are interested in becoming a sponsor - message the admin - Aimee Swan.

Here are the details of the challenge...

• You must create 8 items per month to be entered into the monthly prize drawings
• You must make the goal of 100 for the year - for a chance at the grand prize in December
• You can join in at any time - eligible for each month you participate
• To help you reach your goal, there will be 6 sew-alongs and discount codes for patterns]

Here are the rules...

• Upload photos of your finished items to your album as you complete them 
• Items must not be sold as part of a business - they can be for friends, family, gifts, personal etc. 
• A machine embroidery item with at least 10k stitches can count as an item. An item embroidered then sewn into another item can count as two.
• Small items can be grouped to count as one - this is based on the individual and their discretion - ie. Headbands, socks, small embroidered items etc. 
• Large items, like quilts, can be broken up at the makers discretion. 
• Heat Vinyl Transfer (HTV) or hand embroidery - makers discretion of how to group and count these.
• Sewing for charity or strike offs count towards your 100 - remember to number your items and upload the monthly placeholder photo!

Optional Challenges...

• Selfish sewing - have at least one selfish sew item per month.
• Stash buster - only purchase coordinates and sew through your stash

Prizes...

• 8 items per month - upload at least 8 items by last day of each month to be eligible for raffle.
• Grand prize will be raffled off in December for those that have 100 items in their album.

Sponsors...

Our wonderful list of sponsors is growing!

Sponsors are eligible to participate in the challenge and will be eligible to win any prize that is not their own.

The Admin, Aimee Swan, will do the drawings and is not eligible to win.

If you are interested in sewing 100 items - or even just a few - and want some moral support and a few cheerleaders to encourage you -please join! I guarantee you will make virtual friends and have fun completing some projects. My album is already started and my first 9 items are in there. Click HERE to take a look. 

Thanks!

Itch to Stitch Paro Cardigan

Kennis Wong of Itch to Stitch designs patterns that I find myself making over and over again. Her latest pattern is no exception. I love cardigans - especially in the spring and summer when it can be freezing in the building I work in. The Paro Cardigan is just perfect and will be a staple in my wardrobe.

The Paro Cardigan is on Sale for $8. The cardigan is designed for 2-way stretch knits with 25% stretch. The cardigan features a waistband and neckband that can be made in a contrasting fabric.

I always make a muslin of any pattern just as it's drafted - not making any adjustments to account for my short stature. I made my muslin using an interesting knit I got for $1/yard at Golden D'or.

The weather in Texas has been pretty wild lately and it was unbelievably windy the day I tried to get these photos. I had not added a button to this cardigan when I took these photos.

I love that this cardigan looks great open and loose for a more casual look.

The pleats in the front and back of the Paro Cardigan are perfect. They give me more than enough ease in my hips while not adding any bulk. The photo below is to show you the degree of wind I was dealing with.

After I made my muslin, I took the pattern and made a few adjustments - mainly I took 1.5" out of the upper bodice. I kept the length of the skirt portion the same.

I love the Paro Cardigan buttoned up. It defines the waist and looks more sophisticated.

I wore this version with a tank top and I love the amount of coverage the cardigan gives me when it's buttoned.

This fabric is from Zenith & Quasar. This print is based on drawings by Ernst Haeckel from 1904. You can read about the lithograph HERE. This fabric will be available for purchase soon on an athletic brushed poly base that's incredibly soft and luxurious.

Here's a close up of some of the pleats on the front of the Paro Cardigan.

It took me approximately 4 hours to make this cardigan from printing the pattern to sewing on the button. This pattern is an intermediate level, but can be easily managed by the adventurous beginner. The pattern is well drafted and the pieces go together perfectly. I highly recommend, not only this pattern, but all of the patterns offered by Itch to Stitch.

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Halla Patterns Peasant Top and Dolman

I recently tested 2 patterns for Halla Patterns.

First was the Boho Peasant Top.

I love this top - it's a relaxed fit knit top that's a raglan style, but with a gathered neckline and a knit band.

My friend Bryan took these great photos of me in the Boho Peasant Top.

This bokeh print was a remnant I purchased at Wherehouse Fabrics. The green band is cotton lycra from Made Whimsy.

This one is also a remnant from Wherehouse Fabrics.  The band on this one is Brown Supplex from Zenith & Quasar.

The send pattern I tested was for the Slim Fit Dolman. Love this top!

The peacock feather print is from Pink Zeppelin Fabrics.

The Slim Fit Dolman is FREE with a code in the Facebook Group.

I love Halla Patterns and highly suggest giving them a try.

Moon Beam Textile Company - Blood Shed Round

The Blood Shed Round at Moon Beam Textiles is for fans of Dead Pool and Zombies. It's all bloody.

The naughty panels are sold in sets of 3. I got one from the Dead Pool set and one from the zombie set.

The preorder is open through January 21st. Order at  https://moon-beam.myshopify.com/collections/pre-orders


I made a pair of the Stitch Upon A Time Scrundlewear with parts of both panels (I'll explain in a bit).

Here is is the backside. I have not seen the movie Dead Pool - so I have no idea what this is about!

I also made a beanie with some of both panels. I'll explain this further down.

I figured "Aim for the Head" was perfect for a beanie hat.

Due to the size of the naughty panel, for the beanie - I had to cut out half from one panel and half from the other panel. The beanie is reversible and the pattern piece was too tall to cut 2 out of the panel's height. That still left me with enough from both panels combined to make the panties.  So one naughty panel alone is not enough for a beanie by itself.

Firenza Irresistible Baking Mixes Gingerbread Mix

I was put on a diet that eliminates most gluten. So I have been trying lots of gluten free mixes.

So far, my favorite is this Gingerbread mix from Firenza. You can use it to make a cake, cookies, or muffins. 

Here is the box with my ingredients in the background. I was making the cup cakes.

I had to add 2 eggs, some oil, and milk. I also can't have milk, so I added lactose free milk instead. I used coconut oil for the oil.

My raw dough ready to go in the oven. The dough is fairly runny and was easy to pour into the cupcake/muffin pan.

Here is the side of the box showing the nutritional information. It shows 10 servings, but I made 12 cupcakes.

Here are the instructions on the box.

The instructions for cookies.

Here are my cupcakes right out of the oven. I was very impressed with how much they rose. I had tried another mix that resulted in hockey puck like muffins.

These also tasted amazing. They were very moist and had a great flavor.

I purchased this mix at Kroger when I found it in the mark-down section. It appears they only carried it for the Thanksgiving holiday. I did find the company's website - http://great-recipes.com/
They only have a few gluten free mixes - http://great-recipes.com/site_directory/about/gluten-free.html They have free shipping on orders of 6 boxes or more. I may have to order some if I can't find them locally - they were that good.