Aspiring Designers Challenge!

Hi!  I am April—half of the creative duo over at Dandelionsn' Dungarees.  I am here blogging today as part of the Aspiring Designers Challenge.   My first pattern was the DarlingDungarees, and now, after several months' hiatus, I am ready for my second go!

When my older children were small, I sewed a lot for my twin sons.  Anyone with boys knows it can be hard to find creative patterns to sew for them.  I now have a 6-year-old son and he is always so sad because I sew for Big Sister and not for him.  Finally, inspiration struck.  I remembered the baseball shirts my older sons wore when they were 6 years old (17 years ago) and the Old Tyme Baseball Shirt was born.

  

I started working on this pattern last fall.  Then as happens with everyone, LIFE took over.  The pattern sat in my unfinished pile for several months.  One day, I was chatting with a fellow designer for whom I was testing a pattern.  She told me I should sign up for the Aspiring Designers Challenge and get this pattern into production already.  Having a concrete deadline was just the motivation I needed to get moving!

The Old Tyme Baseball Shirt is a loose-fitting shirt that can easily be layered over a long sleeve T-shirt for cooler weather.  It features a snap or button front and a piped placket and cuffs.  The simple design makes it perfect for embellishing with your favorite fabrics, embroidery, or appliqué.  It is definitely a design any boy or girl would love.

The Old Tyme Baseball Shirt is available in 3 size groups, NB to 18 months, 2T to 7, and 8 to 16, so your children of any age can be matchers!  You can get your copies in our Craftsy shop.  The best part?  This pattern is on sale today and tomorrow (2/24 and 2/25), one size range for $5, two size ranges for $9, and all 3 size ranges for only $13.  You can also win a copy through Pattern Revolution, after all, who doesn’t like to be a winner?  

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Make sure you follow along with our other Aspiring Designers this week and enter their giveaways!  You could be the GRAND PRIZE WINNER at the end of the week!

Perfectly Pleated Pants--- 2 ways??

I don't know if it's because I have been watching the food network lately or not but I really wanted to offer you up the Perfectly Pleated Pants in two different ways. Like chicken 2 ways, one grilled one in a salad. (I actually don't think I've seen any food network shows with chicken 2 ways, so bad example). Haven't got your pattern yet? You can get it here.

What I had in mind was our pants turned into a skirt... Yes a skirt!! And it really takes very little adjustments from you. First you'll need to take your front and back pattern pieces. Before you cut them out use a ruler to draw a line 1/2"  in from the inner crotch seam to about where you want the skirt to end, be sure to add an extra 1 1/4" for the hem. By doing this you will be eliminating the entire curve of the crotch seam. You now have a straight edge that you can cut on the fold. Repeat this same process for the back pants crotch seam.

Cut out your pants pieces with your newly drawn straight edge on the fold of the fabric. Cut 1 of each. Cut your remaining pattern pieces as per the instructions in the pattern.

Mark the center front of your skirt, transfer your pleat markings onto either side of the center front. (I cut my pattern front in two pieces due to my weird shaped fabric remnant). 

Pleat as per the pattern instructions. 

Continue following the instructions for adding the pockets. Sew the side seams of your front and back together. Continue following pattern instructions to add the waistband.

Now that you have your skirt put together you just need to hem it! I serged around the entire bottom of my skirt to give it an even finish. I pressed that serged hem up 1/4" and then I pressed it up again another 1". Topstitch your hem down right at the edge of your pressed hem. 

Now all I need to is wrangle up my 18 month old and take pictures with her wearing it!

Designers Challenge and a New Pattern!

Hi! I'm Elise, one half of the duo over at Dandelions n' Dungarees. I'm here blogging today because a few months ago a fellow designer and PDF pattern seller suggested that the PDF designers do a collaborative challenge, the basis of the challenge was simple-create something out of the box, something new and interesting. Seeing as Dandelions n' Dungarees is new to the PDF scene virtually anything we do is a challenge and NEW---so challenge accepted! After signing up for the challenge I put it out of my head... until I got the reminder notice a few weeks ago. Fortunately, I had been working on the Perfectly Pleated Pants. I felt they were perfect for the challenge.

First, let me start with the Perfectly Pleated Pants that weren't. The pants first started out with a comfy knit waistband, after my first sample, and some feedback from testers, it just didn't look right-so the knit waistband was nixed. Next, I hit the dilemma of how to write my tutorial on the pleats, I didn't figure people would appreciate me telling them to eyeball it LOL. Because my pleat pants originally had a fly, creating equal pleats was very difficult, the method I came up with in my tutorial wasn't working-it was just a disaster. So the fly went the way of the knit waistband. In the end my original vision was still realized and I learned A LOT along the way, especially to not procrastinate.

The Perfectly Pleated Pants: Sizes 12 months-8 Features 4 pleats with a flat front waist and elasticized back waist. Has 2 functional drop pockets (what kid doesn't love pockets?) and a cuffed ankle. Pattern also includes tutorial options for a rolled cuff, back pockets, and button tabs.

I love how you can dress these pants up with some satin or make them out of comfy flannel... really the fabric options are endless!

                                           

 

                                                 
Photo/Sewing Credits: Cindi, Angela, Nicole, and Tina (respectively)


You can get your Perfectly Pleated Pants here. Oh and Good news! They are on sale today and tomorrow (11/21-11/22) for only $5, use code: challenge. We are also giving away a copy through Pattern Revolution, don't worry, if you win we'll refund you for your purchase.
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Dolly's Darling Dungarees Take II

18" Doll Darling Dungaree Romper

Are you ready for another great use for our FREE dolly pattern?  Look what we made for big sister!  You can find your pattern here

This is how we did it.

First print your pattern pieces from Dolly’s Darling Dungarees pattern.  Our 18” model is taller and slimmer than our 15” model, so we need to adjust the pattern.   After your pattern pieces are printed out, fold out 1” from both the front and the back pieces.  The pattern comes on a 1” grid, so that makes it pretty easy.

 

Be sure and tape the fold down.  Then, count 6” down from the top of the back piece and draw a line.  Line up the front piece with the back and continue the line across.  You would think that I could easily have a nice straight line on my graph paper (or not).   It is going to look like this:

At this point, you can trim ¾” off the top of your pattern.  I forgot to do this before I cut it out--oops! So I did it after. 

Now sew the 2 fronts together and the 2 backs together.  Be sure to press those seams in one direction.   You can now roll hem the tops of the front and backs of the romper if desired.  Then sew ONE side seam of the romper.  

Transfer the line you made onto the front of your romper.  This will be your first row of shirring.

Being the lazy girl I am, I just lined up the bottoms of the front and back pattern pieces and made black dots with my Frixion pen where the lines ended. Then I used my ruler and drew a line straight across to connect the 2.  If you think your dolly will be wearing her romper in cold temperatures, use chalk or a disappearing ink pen to do your marking.  Sometimes the marks from Frixion pens come back when they get cold.

Now set your sewing machine up for shirring.  The line you drew is your first row.  Then using the edge of your pressure foot for the guide, sew one row of shirring above the first row and one below the first row.  You will have 3 rows total.  Be sure you tied off your elastic thread securely. Give the elastic a shot of seam and watch shirring magic happen as it shrinks up. 

 

(Alternately, if you hate shirring (or if your sewing machine does) Run a strip of bias tape along the center line, sewing it at both the top and bottom edges of the tape.  Using a piece of ¼” elastic, cut a piece of elastic about 11 inches and thread it through the casing, being sure to secure both ends.  You may want to check with your model and make sure 11 inches is tight enough. )

Now sew up the other side seam of your romper.

To finish the legs of the romper, press up ¼” inch and then ¼” again.  Or, you can do what I did and serge the edge and fold it up ½”. Topstitch the hem in place.

At this point you can finish the romper the same way you did the baby doll dungarees.

18" Doll Darling Dungaree Romper

 Great job!  I am sure your dolly looks "mah-vel-ous!"

Thanks for stopping by! Feedback and comments are ALWAYS appreciated!

~April

The Birth of a Doll Pattern

When my little girl was about 2-1/2, we decided she needed a sibling.  Her brother was born that November.  Santa Claus brought her a Bitty Baby that year in hopes it would help make the transition to Big Sister a little easier.  Well, for whatever reason, Bitty (my daughter came up with a REALLY clever name) never really accumulated a large wardrobe—the only thing her “Grandma” ever made her was a lavender leotard and dance skirt that matched her mommy’s.  Fast forward a couple of years and an 18” doll joined our family.  The new doll took all of my daughter’s time and attention and she was constantly begging for new doll clothes for her.  Bitty was all but forgotten, except when baby nieces or cousins came to play.  Then a few weeks ago, my daughter asked me why I had never made Bitty any clothes.  Being pretty sure that “Gee, you had a baby brother and I didn’t have any free time” sounded kind of lame, I decided to remedy that situation, and thus Dolly’s Darling Dungarees were born.  I hope your little girl loves them as much as mine does. (the link to download this free pattern at the end of the post)     

Watch our blog as we will be showing you some other cute modifications for Dolly's Darling Dungarees! (get your matching infant Darling Dungarees here)  

Thanks for dropping by ~ April

Dolly's Darling Dungarees

 Dolly's Darling Dungarees

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