Sewing Scientist

Designer Stitch Eleni Blouse and Dress

Ann Grose of Designer Stitch makes fabulous patterns that are fun to wear. Designer Stitch is Celebrating their first Birthday with a Blog Tour and Sale!

Here's the Blog Tour Schedule - Be sure to see what patterns the other bloggers make.

June 5, 2017

Pattern Revolution Kick Off of Blog Tour

So Very Jo

Bellevi

woohoobydavina

June 6, 2017
Capture, Craft and Cook

itsewcolorful

Lilliepawillie

June 7, 2017
Living in Twinado Alley

June 8, 2017

Adventures With Bubba and Bug

June 9, 2017

For the blog tour - I'm featuring the Eleni Top - You can also make it as a dress.

The Eleni has a number of options for sleeve length and to add a flounce. I made the 3/4 length sleeve version without a flounce and with straps.

This is a great top for we to wear this summer. I made it with a lightweight cotton voile I purchased from Steve at Super Textiles in Dallas.

The Eleni was perfect for this funky peacock border print.

I think this will be super cute this summer with some white capri pants and flip flops.

If you want to make your own version of the Eleni - grab the pattern now while it's on sale for 50%. The sale ends on June 12th!

La Fabrica Shop by Nina Zabal

A new fabric group just opened their first preorder - La Fabrica Shop by Nina Zabal. Nina Zabal is the owner and artist of the La Fabrica Shop. The designs are printed using organic inks on cotton lycra here in the US. That's something very uncommon in the custom knit industry.

Nina Zabal sent me a sample from her first preorder to sew. I received Hipp Gemma. It's a lovely design of crystal gems in a variety of pastel colors on a soft grey background. I was drawn to this print by my love of geology. I love to collect rocks and minerals - and crystals are always so beautiful.

I was sent a sample that was slightly smaller than a fat half. I immediately knew that I wanted to make the Elle Puls Bethouia with this print.

I love this raglan top in how the sleeves connect in the back. I think it shows off the print great.

I decided to add a little HTV to the top. It's hard to read in this photo, but it says "You were born to sparkle" - and the HTV is glittery.

I used the mint cotton lycra from Made Whimsy for the body.

The preorder for this print, and many other beautiful designs, closes on June 18th.

Presale Bonus Discounts!

SAVE1 - $1 when you spend $25*

SAVE2 - $2 when you spend $50*

SAVE3 - $3 when you spend $75*

SAVE4 - $4 when you spend $100*

*This discount equals to $1 dollar OFF Presale price per yard. Yards can be comprised of 2 fat halves or half yards, or a combination of them.

In addition, get a greater discount when you join the La Fabrica Shop Facebook Group.

Order at https://www.ninazabal.com/

Madhouse Fabrics

Madhouse Fabrics has a preorder open now that's "for the boys", but I think they are pretty awesome for "girls" too.

All the prints are offered on cotton lycra, woven cotton, swim knit, board short, and PUL.

I was sent the "Moon Surface" in cotton woven. I used it to make the Adora Top.

This is one of my favorite patterns. I love the neckline and the back. Plus - it mixes woven with knit for a stylish, yet comfortable top.

I was also sent these "Manly" yarn dyed stripes. I normally don't care for stripes - but these are seriously amazing! Love the colors and the variations in stripe width.

I decided to use these stripe for the sleeves of a Bethouia by Elle Puls. It's a raglan style top - but I love the way the sleeves are joined in the back.

And, I decided to add a little HTV design that I made to my Bethouia top in response to the US leaving the Paris Climate Accord.

I also got to sew the "Moon Surface" print in swim. So now I have a moon swim suit. I love how it turned out.

I used the Patterns for Pirates Sweetheart for the top - with a few tweaks.

This preorder closes on June 9th. Order at http://madhouse.tictail.com/

Made Whimsy Summer Round

Made Whimsy has some beautiful prints in the Summer Round. Best part - for the first time you can now get these prints on bamboo spandex!

The preorder is open through June 19th. Order at http://www.youmadesomething.com/summer-round/

This is the Jumbo Cacti in Bamboo Spandex.

I made the Renni from A Sparkle Baby in Maxi Dress length. I LOVE it!

This print is just gorgeous!

The Bamboo is so soft and has great drape.

Here's a close up so you can see the gorgeous colors and details.

I also sewed up the Emerald Elephant print and panel.

This is the Gwen from See Kate Sew.

I love the look of the faux raglan.

These elephants are gorgeous!

The emerald green background is so beautiful!

Don't miss these great prints!

Pink Zeppelin HP House Sparkles

Pink Zeppelin Fabrics is known for their amazing Sparkle and Shimmer fabrics. The fabric has the appearance of a glittery surface - but it's just an optical illusion. The fabric is just printed to have this appearance and is actually nice and smooth.

This round has Harry Potter House Stripes that are available in a wide stripes - 2" (what I sewed) and mini stripes - 0.75". They come in sparkle (what I sewed) and shimmer. It's also available on a variety of bases - cotton lycra, minky, bamboo lycra, cotton woven, PUL, french terry, and DBP. I used the cotton lycra.

Use the code LAYAWAY no minimum, or code FATHALF for everything in cart to become a fat half; orders are combined. Order at http://pinkzeppelinpreorders.bigcartel.com/

Preorder closes on June 2nd! Don't delay!

I used the Gryffindor Stripes to make the Love Notions Whistler Pullover.

I paired the stripes with a red faux leather knit I got from C&C fabrics in Dallas, TX. I borrowed a Harry Potter wand and robe from a friend's little boy.

I think I'm ready to go to Hogwarts!

Little Roots This is Love

Little Roots Fabrics is committed to supporting the American economy, the American dream, and the American Spirit. The current preorder for “This is Love” supports this mission.

The “This is Love” series of prints were designed to stand for something “good” without a concern for politics. It’s about love. It’s about recognizing we are all beautifully different, yet we are also the same – we all deserve to be loved and valued. These prints can serve many purposes and used for many different applications (for example Earth Day). A portion of the proceeds will be donated to “Us Together” and put to use in the Cleveland area – home to Little Roots Fabrics.

World Refugee Day is June 20th. Us Together is an organization that helps refugees in the Cleveland area with EVERYTHING involved with coming to a new country. It was founded by refugees, and is still directed by former refugees. You can learn more about the organization at http://ustogether.us/

The Preorder Closes on May 30th. Order at https://little-roots-fabrics.myshopify.com/collections/pre-orders

Little Roots Fabrics Round 3 Space Prints

Little Roots Fabrics is now on Round 3 and growing every day!

If you don't know already - Little Roots Fabrics prints with organic based inks in the USA on domestically produced 93% cotton/7% spandex! And the quality is truly amazing.

Here are the prints I sewed up this time around.

My favorite has to be this gorgeous Marbled Galaxy (Purple) design. The pastel colors in it are beautiful and this Mint Cotton Lycra from Made Whimsy was a perfect match.

I decided to make the A Sparkly Baby Renni Dress in what I will call a top length. I basically took the tunic length skirt and shortened it to fit both the front and back of the skirt on a fat half of fabric. I love how it turned out!

Just look at this beautiful design! The marbling reminds me of the grain of an exotic wood. It also reminds me of a topographic map. This print coordinates perfectly with other designs offed this round, but I love it all on its own as well.

Now these next 2 designs are very special. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and Proceeds from the two prints below will be going toward Project Semicolon.

This is the Halla Stardust tank. The print in the center is called Phoenix Rising and it's a hidden semicolon print. Project Semicolon is an organization dedicated to preventing suicide. The semicolon has come to symbolize the struggle of those with depression and suicidal thoughts - the semicolon represents that their story is not over.

The back

And Fractured Spirit Looks great all on it's own. I color blocked and did a little hack to the Wardrobe Builder Tee from Wardrobe by Me to make this asymmetrical hem top.

The Preorder Closes on May 30th!