She Who Sews

I was so excited when I happened across a testing call in the Twig + Tale Chat Group on Facebook for a new bonnet pattern. A bonnet was something that I really wanted to try ever since I bought the Twig + Tale Pixie Hat pattern. As much as I like the Pixie hat, and how cute it looks on, I wanted something a bit more fitted with the option of different closures, which this new bonnet featured.






Having never tested for Twig + Tale before, I applied not expecting to get picked, but was pleasantly surprised to find an email inviting me to the testing group when I woke the next morning. Twig + Tale are based in New Zealand, so the time difference to me in the UK was pretty much as big as it could possibly get!



This pattern testing was extensive. Children's heads are all different shapes and sizes, so finding a happy medium in the different sizes was a long process. You can see the first version test shots where the fit wasn't right for either of the sizes on my two children. After this first round it became obvious that the sizes needed contracting into larger size groups. I skipped this second round of testing as the group was split so that we weren't all making loads of versions!



As you can see, the next version I tested we were toying with the idea of adding elastic to the chin strap and having a more one size fits all approach. Now this worked for larger sized heads, sort of, but definitely not for smaller sized heads like my daughter. It swamped her.


On the third version above you can see we were almost there with fit. Adding a small piece of elastic to the centre back really helped draw the bonnet in to look more fitted. But there was still a fair bit of excess in the centre back piece. So a final, and fourth version was drafted.


This is the final test version, and the fit was spot on now over all the sizes. Through the testing process it was found that the bonnet could even be worn without any straps, as you can see pictured above. I like this idea, and for my final bonnet, one was without a strap, and one with a chin strap.


Here you can see my two final versions. The pink bunny bonnet was strapless under the chin, the orange fox bonnet had a chin strap fastened with a velcro tab.

The children and I had fun with the photoshoot. My son played a Fantastic Fox, whilst my daughter played the hunted bunny!







In the end, the Fox caught the Bunny and strung her up by the ears!

My pink bunny bonnet was made with an outer of hot pink 100% cotton corduroy fabric. I then lined it with a 100% floral cotton bought from Fabworks which I quilted to wool batting for winter warmth. The bunny ears weren't quilted, but did use the same floral fabric as a contrast lining. I made this version without any strap or ties, but did include the small piece of elastic in the back to help it stay put. I can honestly say, that through the whole photoshoot of running around, the bonnet didn't come off at any point!



The Fox bonnet was made with a Italian Wool Plaid fabric bought from the new closed Fabric Rehab website. Because the wool is very thick, I didn't quilt the lining on this one, instead just used some scraps of Art Gallery Denim fabric. I believe it was this linen/cotton blend that I won in a competition. The ear tips were made from scraps of stretch velour. This is the chin strap version. You can close the straps with snaps, or a button, but I chose a simple velcro tab. It's quick and easy for the child to do themselves, and safer if the strap got snagged as the velcro would give quickly.



I took so many pictures on this shoot, I thought I'd add some photo spam here:






You can pick up your own version of the pattern here, Evergreen Bonnet. It includes all the different closure versions, self ties, chin strap, diy ties, strapless etc, along with a peak option too. You get to choose from the following animals too, Fox, Bear, Bunny, Panda, Kitty, Mouse and Puppy.

I got requests from my children to make them more bonnets, so you can see a further Kitty, Reindeer and even Sherlock Holmes inspired bonnet in a blog coming soon. Which version would you choose? Let me know in the comments :)

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*Disclaimer: Some of the links in the post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission (the price stays the same for you) which will help me in the future to buy more patterns to share them with you!*

I responded to a testing call put out by a new pattern collective of designers who were asking for baby testers ideally, Petite Stitchery. I put my details down anyway, even though I don't have a baby to test for, and a few days later was delighted to be asked to test for them. As a new company, they had a range of patterns that they wanted testing, and I was given the Rosemary Cropped Sweater.



I must admit, I was a bit dubious about it because it meant sewing with not one layer, but two layers of knit fabric! I was added to the tester group, and went ahead with downloading the pattern in excitement. My little skinny Layla is a bit awkward to test for, she's average height for her age, but is super skinny. So going by the measurement chart (American sizing as the pattern designers are American), that put her in age 2-3 for chest, but Age 4 for height (she had just turned 5 at the time). Sometimes it's hard having a skinny child, you have to adjust every pattern, there is no 'just cutting a size and sewing it'. BUT, the end result is that you get a piece of clothing that fits properly (That is the plan anyway!).



I then sewed the cowl closed with a topstitch all the way round. I didn't like how this caused the fabric to stretch. I used a zig-zag stitch with my walking foot, but it still pulled the fabric as it fed through the machine. Unfortunately, this caused the edge of the cowl to pucker and pull slightly, which is OK, because you can hide it by turning it under.

This little sweater was certainly cropped. Too cropped in fact. It was supposed to hit at belly button height, but my little skinny minny doesn't follow size charts, and silly me didn't mash the sizes properly. So, her little cropped sweater ended up a little short. But she was smiling and thought it was wonderful! She quickly decided it would become her gymnastics warm-up jumper.



This second version came together really quickly, after all, I'd already made any mistakes I was likely to come across. I used the same method again to join the two layers, this meant I didn't have to worry about topstitching sleeve cuffs. And this time, instead of topstitching the cowl turning hole closed, I opted to handstitch instead. This leaves a much, much cleaner edge, and doesn't leave the fabric pulling under a walking foot.


This sweater fitted much better, and seemed to go down really well with Layla, who normally refuses to wear anything vaguely warm! She was actually choosing to wear this jumper voluntarily. I took this as a huge compliment, but of course, it's down to the pattern itself, not just my sewing!

This little outfit has come about slowly, and organically. It started with the cropped sweater, which was my first foray into sewing fully functional garments in knit fabrics. It's fully reversible, and of course, my pink loving girl mostly wears it, you guessed it, pink side out. The Rosemary Sweater was a pattern test I did a few months ago from new designers Petite Stitchery (more on the Rosemary Sweater in a blog post coming soon).


We had a seriously frosty morning the day after I'd finished her new hat. We took full advantage of the low early morning sunshine peeping over the hill into the valley. You can see the frozen ground. She was trying to blow breath clouds into the air, but the camera couldn't pick them up sadly.

The whole outfit is adorable, but she's already virtually outgrown the sweater as you can see by her t-shirt sleeves poking out at her wrists. It won't be long until the skirt is too small too.

Hello lovely sewing world!

I am kicking off my new blog with a review of the Anneliese Dress by MCM Studio Designs. I have recently discovered the world of pattern testing, in amongst the independent PDF pattern designers. I applied to test for this dress when the call came up and was delighted to be picked.




The Anneliese Dress by MCM Studio Designs. The pattern is a fairly simple, classic A-line style dress, with two sleeve options, long or short, and two front detail options, laced or tabbed. I chose the short sleeved version with tab front detail. The pattern ranges from Age 2 - 10 years.

My version was made up in Age 4, lengthened to Age 5. It seems a little snug in some of the pictures because my lovely daughter grew into the Age 5 size within the space of 3 weeks from measuring to the final dress! I used two cotton lawns to make this dress. The main print is pale blue, with pink leaves and buds scattered over it. I bought it last summer from Fabworks. The bright pink is a super fine weave lawn, which creases amazingly easily, but is also extremely soft to the touch. I've had this stashed for over a year. Both are very lightweight and floaty. It would be an excellent summer dress. Perhaps not so great for a wet and cold Cornish winter, but we all have to learn from slightly less than great decisions!


We managed to get a dry day with late afternoon sunshine for our photoshoot. It was a bit too chilly for a short sleeved dress really, but little Miss Layla was a star, and only played up to the cold once! Just after I snapped this outtake photo, she ran off to play with her friends, giggling. I don't think she was really that cold.



The back of the dress is finished with an invisible zip. There is also the option of a regular zip, but as I prefer the clean look of a successfully installed invisible zip, I went with that.


This dress looked superb gently draping over a long pettiskirt. It really set off the centre front panel. This dress would be perfect for winter here in a fine needlecord, to give it more warmth and body.... and of course, I'd have to triple check Layla didn't have another growth spurt, mid sew!

The pattern is currently on sale, half price, through 18th December 2016, or how about I make one up for you?

Let me know in the comments what you think of this sweet little dress.
Thats all for today, thanks for stopping by and reading, Saskia.