Sew Spoiled

I created the Twist Apron when my sister, who is a bakery diva, had a birthday. I wanted to give her a custom apron that was as unique as her delightful pastry treats.  What makes this pattern different? It is how you wear the Twist Apron. Here is a short video showing you how to put it on. Step 1: Cut out your Twist Apron pattern.                     Style 1                                                         Style 2 (Shown above)   Style 1  Fabric A: Wrap Bib- 15”X 50” Ties- 2- 6”X 44” Waistbands 2- 3.5”X 22” Fabric B: Panel 18”X 22” Pocket 13.5” X 6.5” Interfacing Waistbands 2- 3.5”X 22”  Style 2 Fabric A: Wrap Bib- 15”X 50” Panel 18”X 22” Pocket 13.5” X 6.5” Fabric B: Ties- 2- 6”X 44” Waistbands 2- 3.5”X 22” ...

Every year in the spring I make a ton of these wristlets . They make great gifts for any occasion. The hardest part about creating them is having to give them away. Last spring I created this easy tutorial on how to create a should/ wristlet strap.   It really helps to have the ability to use it both ways. The fabric is called Amelia Paisley, "Release it or Bless it." I saw it and fell in love. I bought two yards without knowing how I would put it to use. These are all colors I love to wear in the spring. I bought different colored zippers to install in each wristlet. The lining is Michael Miller's pinhead dots in stone. If you want to make some of these adorable wristlet you can find the pattern here .

Have you ever seen something and wish you had the sewing pattern for? This happens to me a lot, especially looking at Pinterest and other websites. As I was looking around I saw this.... Honestly, I did not know where the ruffle collar shirt came from or who had designed the tunic. It was a picture I had found on Pinterest that did not have a link, I researched the image and found a boutique that sold the ruffle tunic called Devon Baer . These are beautiful tunics in bright gorgeous colors, ready for a day at the beach or on a boat. I loved looking at Devon Haire's designs and her online Boutique. It looks like she started at Etsy and expanded to her own shop. Next, I started to look for a similar sewing patterns. I wanted to make my own ruffle collar shirt. Of course the pattern was not available. So what did I do next? I looked through all of my sewing books and found  Built by Wendy Dress  book. This book has  3 style of dresses; the sheath dress, shift dress...

Wow! I was completely surprised to see on my detailed royalty report I had another Simplicity number for the Tailgate Teammate Tote, "It's So Easy, It's Simplicity #1190". It looks like they rebranded the tote and now are selling these two pattern designs together.  I am still a newbie and my only problem with this is, one they did not let me know ahead of time and there is no "Sew Spoiled Logo" on the cover.  If you are a pattern designer and you are wanting to work with a major pattern company you might want to know a few things first. Your pattern design is usually contracted for two years. If you sell a lot, then you might be asked to go on another 2 year contract. Or they might produce your pattern on a new number to refresh the branded look, seen here. The percentage you make as a newbie is usually under 10%, don't go under 5%. That means you have to sell well over 10,000 to make a $1,000 profit. However, they do sell your pattern arou...

After sewing garments for myself last summer and loving every minute of selfish sewing, I have discovered how much I love to wear clothes that are specially made for me. I feel more comfortable in garments I sew. I choose to wear my handmade wardrobe pieces more than store-bought clothes because they fit better which makes me feel more confident.  The Coco sewing pattern from Tilly and the Buttons are so versatile. You can make a cute top or dress using this easy pattern. There are also different options for the collar, either boat neck or funnel roll. I had trouble deciding, so I made both a dress with the boat neck collar and a top with the funnel neck collar. I love 3/4 sleeves, so I kept that the same. After making the dress in a size 3 (35" bust size), I realized that it was a little too big. I made the Coco shirt in a size 2 (Bust 33") and it was the perfect fit for my 34" bust! The Coco shirt is definitely another wardrobe staple in my closet. I can wear it wit...

Moving on to Round 4 feels amazing. I have had butterflies in my stomach all weekend. Second guessing all of my design decisions. This is such a tough competition and all of these women are incredible seamstresses.    I am learning so much!    I didn't know you could print on canvas ( like Michelle, from Sewhenge ) or combining paraffin and beeswax  to make a solution you can use to waterproof your bags ( like Teresa from Dandelion Drift ). At the same time I feel honored to be in these  challenges.  The next challenge is the Carolyn Pajama Pattern by Closet Case Files . I have been looking at the Ginger Jeans Pattern forever. This will be a great first pattern from her collection to sew up.  Sew Modern has also given us $75 to shop with, so I have been combing through their stash. They are based in Los Angeles, CA, I hope I receive the fabric with enough time to sew. There is so much to do; print the pattern templates, take mea...

This is Round #3 of the Super Online Sewing Match. It has been wonderful receiving patterns, fabric and online resources to create our sewing projects with. I feel so lucky to be a contestant. Each week receiving a new challenge with new resources to make it with. This week's challenge was the Caravan Tote and Pouch Pattern by Anna Graham from Noodlehead. Anna has a new book and line of fabric out and I can't wait to get my hands on both!  The Caravan Tote and Pouch pattern by Noodlehead is a knitters dream. It has pockets everywhere for needles, yarn, stitch counters and placement markers.  I am a beginner , when it comes to the world of knitting, but I love and respect it. I feel that it has made me a better seamstress because knitting is making your own fabric!  When I received the challenge, I began to wonder what fabrics to use. It was hard to narrow it down. I went to Fat Quarter Shop , who sponsored this week's round, and instantly fell in love with ...

This is a Cecelia Dress from The Magic Pattern Book by Amy Barickman . I love this dress and this is the third one I have made. You can wear it with a belt, that is in the pattern, or without a belt at all. Then it looks like a shift dress. I am currently on the lookout for a thin yellow or navy leather store bought belt to wear along with it. This fabric is Arizona by April Rhodes from Art Gallery Fabrics . I like all of the prints in this collection but this one looked like it would make an amazing dress. This is a wonderful go to pattern because you can make it from any 2+ yards of fabric, as long as the print is non directional.  The sleeves have a pretty tulip shape and I like that it has a big pocket.  It is wonderful to have a pocket!  There is not a zipper or buttons to worry about sewing, only elastic at the neck line. What a gorgeous day! Handmade Cecelia Dress in Arizona by April Rhodes Shoes: Natural Soul by Naturalizer Shoes Shades: Charming Char...

I am having so much fun participating in the Sew Mama Sew, Super Online Sewing Match II . This week we were asked to make the Marianne Dress by Christine Haynes . I love the look of this dress, I will probably make the Marianne dress over and over again! Christine Haynes is a wonderful apparel designer and her instructions for this dress are extremely detailed. S ince this dress is made from knit fabric  each step was written for a conventional sewing machine, as well as a serger. I have noticed in all of Christine's patterns that she keeps things simple. Only using a few pieces of fabric to stitch together, this makes it easier for anyone to create her designs.  When I started looking for knit fabric for View B of the Marianne dress pattern. I looked for stripes. I assumed that I need a busy print or something with horizontal lines. It wasn't until I went fabric shopping, that I realized color blocking would give me a  classic look. The f...