It's a Pajama Party!

 A few years ago, I read Madame Chic by Jennifer Scott, and thoroughly enjoyed it. You can find all 3 of her books HERE. I've read them all and enjoyed each of them. 

In her first book she talks about going to France and being an exchange student(something dear to my heart). Not long after she arrived, she had given her clothes to her host mother to wash. Her host mother took 1 look at her pajamas, at least what she was wearing for pajamas, I think they were an old pair of sweat pants that had belonged to her sister, and an old sweatshirt. They were full of holes. Her host mother was horrified as she thought that she may have done something in the wash to cause the holes. Jennifer told her that no, the holes were there. Her host mother just couldn't understand why she would want to wear something like this. The conversation prompted her to go out and purchase a proper pair of pajamas, and she said that she was amazed by how much better she felt, and how much better she slept.  

This prompted me to take a closer look at what I was wearing to bed. Not the best. So, I have been on a mission to revamp my bedtime wardrobe, and find pieces that feel wonderful, that I enjoy wearing, and will keep me warm in the winter. I thought I would share my makes as they are simple, comfortable, and I actually look forward to putting them on at night.

I have found that I REALLY love wearing leggings to bed, at least in the winter. They stay in place, and aren't riding up my leg during the night. The legging pattern that I have used over and over again is the Loveland Legging pattern from Sew News. I can make these in less than an hour. The top that I am wearing below is a free pattern from Fancy Tiger Crafts. It's their One Hour Top pattern, and you can find it HERE. I lengthened the top a bit, and lengthened the sleeves. Love it!     

I recently made a pullover out of a wool fleece blanket that I love wearing. I used an old Great Copy Pattern that is out of print. It's their New York Style Pullover. I looked on Etsy and found a number of Great Copy patterns, but not this one. But, if you are persistent, I'm sure that sooner or later it will pop up. For cold mornings, it's just the perfect pullover to wear with my pajamas.   

This pair of pajamas is exactly the same as the pair above, just in a different fabric. 

I absolutely love the dolman style sleeves.  

The pajama pants that I am wearing below are another free pattern from Martha Stewart. I have used, and used this pattern, for pajama pants to street wear pants. You can find the pattern HERE. I've paired it with another fleece top, the La Megeve Pullover from Naughty Bobbins Patterns.  

Underneath the pullover, I'm wearing my favorite pajama top, the Molly Tee from Pattern Union. 

The next 2 pairs of pajamas are both made with the Loveland Leggings pattern and the Molly Tee. This has become my standard pajama outfit.

My friend Cennetta of The Mahogany Stylist makes pajama pants for her family for Christmas. She loves the idea of the leggings and tee shirt. I told her that if she makes these for her family, she is going to create a monster as they are going to want more and more. Leggings and a tee to bed is just the best!!! :)

Happy Sleeping!!!

Rhonda

OOTD and a Sneak Peek

Happy Wednesday All! Well, I have blown my goal of posting everyday this week, sigh. Sometimes, the best we can do, is the best we can do :)

I had a fabulous week last week, such diverse experiences. I was invited to a party that was hosted by a heli-skiing group out of Canada. They gave everyone who attended the chance to virtually experience what what heli-skiing is like. Wow!!! It was so realistic that I had to hold on to the chair that I was sitting in. We flew to the top of a mountain where we got out of the helicopter. As the helicopter began to fly away, I felt a tiny bit of panic and wanted to scream out, "don't leave us here!" One thing I do know is that this level of skiing is truly above my ability!!!

On Sunday, we attended the most wonderful concert. A friend of ours has just been named the new conductor for the Northbrook Symphony. What a delight it was to be there for his inaugural concert. He has worked so very hard for this opportunity. Isn't it wonderful when you see someone's hard work pay off?!!

You've seen all of this before, but to get myself back into the swing of things, I thought I would share with you my outfit of the day...from yesterday. I wore my Ginger Jeans from Closet Case Patterns. The jacket is a free pattern from Sew News. You can find the free pattern HERE. It was a cool, rainy, grey day, so something a little bright just seemed to fit. The fabric that I used for the jacket is a Kantha quilt that I purchased from India. Love it!!!

The only thing I am wearing that I did not make is my scarf. My t-shirt is the Molly Tee from Pattern Union. At this point, I think I have made at least 10 of these babies. And the sweetest part of the picture, Mr. Berkley, my little sidekick :)

I never finished my portion of the challenge that Becky of Trial Balloons and I had back in August, thanks to me coming down with shingles :/ Anyway, our final challenge was to take something and re-create it into something that we will enjoy wearing.

Our first thought was to head to a resale shop and find an old pair of pants that we could redo into something new. Like Becky,the idea of taking apart some old pair of pants that I had no idea of where they had been was a little icky. So, I headed to my closet instead. After all, it's not like my closet is anywhere near empty ;) What I found was the dress you see below. A friend of mine had given me the dress, something she had found in a resale shop. Had never been worn. First issue is that the dress is a little too large. I could take it up, but as I looked at it, I realized that I would never really wear it enough for it to merit continuing to be a dress, especially a long dress. The fabric is a gorgeous silk, and it is underlined in silk. 

There is a lot of fabric in this dress. Below you can see that I have pulled aside the front overlay. The overlay is completely backed with the same silk fabric. So yes, lots of fabric, and plenty for a fun pair of pants, pants that I will actually wear and enjoy. As a dress, I would only enjoy wearing it maybe twice. 

What I actually made is the surprise to come :) 

Be sure to check out the fabulous bag and skirt that Becky made from her overalls. The bag is the perfect shopping tote as she incorporated all the pockets from the overalls. The zipper treatment she did on the skirt is super sweet. In the end, all she had left were minuscule scraps that only a bird who is building a nest could find a use for!!! You can see it all HERE.  

Believe it or not, I actually had to make myself sit down and do a blog post, but I am so happy I did! It's nice to be back :)

Rhonda

Free For All, Free Patterns For You and Others!

We are getting our very first snow here in Chicago. Nothing to write home about, just a wet, rain like snow. But, what's in the air is so very pretty. Winter is definitely here!

A few days ago, one of the trees that is out in front of my house lost all of its leaves in what seemed like a few hours. Once the leaves were on the ground, the tree revealed a little secret it had been hiding, a lovely hornet's nest. Call me crazy, but I have always wanted a hornet's nest. To me, they are an amazing piece of artwork.

So, my husband helped me pull out a ladder, and I climbed up and snipped my little prize out of the tree. 

I think it is just amazing!

While I can be crazy, I'm not stupid(well, sometimes). I put the nest inside a plastic garbage bag, tied the top, and it is out in the garage awaiting our first hard freeze before I bring it indoors. Hopefully, all will be fine and I won't end up with a very angry hornet in my house ;)

Thanks so much to all of you who purchased my design from Spoonflower. I am so very honored:) I also purchased a few for gifts, and mine arrived yesterday. So excited!!! Something I never would have dreamed I would be able to do.

With the holidays coming up, I thought I would share a few of the free patterns that I've found that would be fun to wear, or would make great gifts.

I really love this caftan pattern from Sew Daily. It is a graded pattern, so a number of sizes are available. You will need to register on the site to download the pattern. You can find the pattern HERE. It can be made without the tie for a looser fit. 

If you are looking for something lovely to give to a sewing friend, or yourself :), this pattern for a sewing machine and serger cover from Closet Case Patterns is free and fabulous. You can download it HERE.

Jumpsuits are all the rage! While this is a sleeveless jumpsuit, it would pair so easily with a t-shirt, or turtleneck and move right on into winter. This free pattern from In The Folds can be found HERE. 

Pattern Union gives you all the directions you will need to draft out this super cute, and easy to make dress. It's free with the code MAISIE. You can find it HERE. To draft out the pattern, you will only need 2 measurements, hip and skirt length. So, this is a great opportunity to make something for an out of town friend or family member. The only hard part is getting them to give you their hip measurement!!!

Another fun and very versatile piece from Pattern Union is the Phoebe Jumpsuit. It's free with code PhoebeFreebie, and you can find the pattern HERE. Pop over to the Pattern Union Instagram site to see all the fun hacks they have done with the pattern. With 1 hack, rather than making it a halter, they cut 2 backs and did shoulder ties. Again, that hack takes it from summer to winter paired with a t-shirt or turtleneck.  

A little clutch always makes a lovely gift. The pleated clutch below is from I Think Sew's book, Bags-The Modern Classics. You can find the free, downloadable pattern HERE.   

And last but not least, I love this free turtleneck pattern from Tessuti Fabrics. You can find their Monroe Turtleneck pattern HERE. 

All of the patterns are quite easy to make, and should go together quickly. Now, if I could just give you a link for some free time!!! ;)) 

Rhonda

Make Your Own Detachable Accent Collar/Free Pattern

About 3 weeks ago, I did a Monday Morning Inspiration post on detachable, accent collars.   You can see the post HERE. So many of you enjoyed the post, so I thought I would do a pattern to share with everyone. A detachable collar is something that is fun year round and can change the most boring of outfits.

For the holidays, I did this super fun collar.  

This is the back side, so it's like having 2 collars in one.

Here, paired with a simple black wool knit dress.

What's fun about the collar is that it can be worn traditionally as above, turned to the side as below, and even turned to the back for another cute look.

You can download the FREE PATTERN HERE. Just a word of warning, there are 2 sheets. Sadly, I couldn't get the collar on 1 sheet of paper, so you will need a tiny bit of tape. Somehow, I downloaded the pattern twice, so there are actually 2 patterns in the file. You may want to select just the first 2 pages rather than all 4. 

To make the collar, you will need 3/4 yard of ribbon for the ties. You could also do a button loop and a small button if you would rather not have the ties. A hook and eye closure is another option. 

***1/4" seam allowances have been included in the pattern, so just cut and sew!

If you would like a video tutorial on making the collar, just let me know, I'll be happy to do one. 

The collars make great gifts, and they are fun to wear. Also a great way to use up scraps that are just too nice to not use.

Have Fun!!!

 Rhonda

Thrifty Thursday/Super Cute Slouchy Hat

I have done a LOT of dumb things in my life ;) When I was in the 8th grade, I remember one particular day when it was so cold that I thought my ears would literally fall off of my head. Truth be told, had that happened, it would have been my own fault as I was just too vain to wear a hat on my head while walking to school. That day was a game changer though. As I walked, and my ears grew colder and colder, I vowed that I would never be this cold again, and yes, I would wear a hat. 

At the time, hats were just not the thing to wear, but after my experience, fashion or not, I was going to be warm. And so it has been ever since. I LOVE hats!!! If you were to look into my drawer, you would probably think I have more than 1 head since I have as many as I do. I have changed a lot since those days when I thought hats were horribly hideous. Having a hat for whatever the occasion may be is now just absolute fun! And soft hats fold down to nothing, so having a bunch is really not an issue. 

I recently saw a post from On The Cutting Room Floor for a free slouchy hat pattern and thought it was especially cute. A great little hat to wear, and when off, easily folded and stored in a coat pocket. It's intended for knit fabric, be it fleece, wool, or just a knit that you have left over from a t-shirt project. 

 

There are only 6 pages to print out, so quick and easy.

The pattern looks a little like church steeples to me ;)

I had a sweater that I had felted. I love the color and thought it would make into a fun hat. 

The sweater had side seams, so I couldn't cut the hat in one continuous piece, 

So I just cut it down the center and then added seam allowances to each side. 

I used the hem of the sweater for the bottom band. The instructions say to fold up the bottom 1 1/2". In the above picture, you can see that I placed the pattern right on the edge of the sweater, making it actually an 1 1/2" longer since I would not be turning up the bottom.If you aren't using a sweater with a finished edge, I would add at least 1" to the bottom of the pattern. You can always cut it off if you feel the hat is a little too long. But, it is supposed to be a slouchy hat, so a little more slouch is not such a bad thing :)  

I decided to have a little fun with the hat and add a tassel. All I did was take a piece of my sweater knit and cut it into fringe, leaving about 1 " at the top uncut. I then rolled the fringe around to make a tassel and stitched it securely together at the top. Once it was stitched together so that it would not open up, I then stitched it to the top of the hat.  

This is a very fast project, and something that would make a great, quick gift for just about everyone on your gift list. I made one for my husband, but shortened it so that there was no slouch. He loved it!

You can find the free pattern HERE. 

I plan on making a few more. A trip to the resale shop is on my agenda. Hopefully I'll find some fun sweaters that I can use. Our church usually has a request for hats, and or gloves at this time of year, so I thought I would use the pattern to make up a bunch. 

Enjoy!
Rhonda    

Thrifty Thursday/Pajama Pants for the Street

Just to set things straight from the beginning, I do NOT wear my pajama pants outside of the house. Okay, okay, truth be told, I have gone out to the garbage can in my pajama pants. And now that I'm thinking about it, I have thrown on a jacket and taken Gracie out for a quick trip in the back alley, but I promise you, that's it!!!

A couple of years ago, I shared this free pajama pant pattern from Martha Stewart. Since them I have made piles. I love the pattern and the pants are super comfortable to sleep in. I've made them in both cotton and flannel.

You never know where you'll find inspiration. A few days ago, I was out for a morning walk and I encountered 2 ladies who were walking with strollers. Since they were taking up the width of the sidewalk, I had to slow down. As I slowed my pace, I noticed the pants that one of the ladies was wearing. They were so, so cute. By now, they had made room for me, and as I passed I said, "I love your pants," and got a closer look. 

As I went on my way, I realized that what had been done was really quite simple. It was just a straight pant leg that had been gathered on the side. Hey, I can do that!

That evening as I pulled on my pajama pants, the thought occurred to me that I could just gather the side of the pant and have the exact same look. Her pants were just an elastic waist pant, so I thought the pajama pant pattern might work well.

I was actually rather pleased with the outcome.

Please excuse the crummy selfy. I rather like the side drape.

To make the casing, prior to sewing the side seams together, I serged the seams, sewed them together, and then pressed the seam open.  The hem was sewn in prior to sewing the side seam. So, I sewed the crotch seam together and then did a stitched hem before sewing the side seam.

I had some rattail cording that would work, and since this was just going to be a wearable muslin, I didn't cover the cord. Below you can see that I stitched in a casing. I left the top end of the casing open until I had threaded the cord through. Once the cord was through the casing, I them stitched it across the top, catching the cord in the stitching.

Once the cord was secured, I then pulled it up and tied it. The nice thing is that if I would like, I can untie the cord and wear the pants as plain straight leg pants.

One final little note. I save all of my left over ribbons and sew just a bit at the center back of my pants, or pajama pants, whatever the case may be :) Makes it easy to always know where the back is. 

  
If you decide to give the shirred leg a try, be sure to use a fabric with drape...rayon, poly, silk. 

Go take a walk. Inspiration just might be on the sidewalk!

The Wednesday Showcase/Table Turned

Gifts come in all sorts of ways! 

Last summer I injured my back and I have suffered with it since. I initially went to a rehab facility that combines chiropractic work with exercise. Rather than get better, it got worse! My doctor suggested that I concentrate on acupuncture and massage and allow the area time to heal, which I did, but of course I skied and hiked throughout the winter. The acupuncture and massage have helped, but the pain is persistent. Some days are fairly good, and some days rather terrible, but either way, the pain is never completely gone. So I decided to see an orthopedic doctor who specializes in back pain. As it turns out, it's caused from an old injury to my spine. I fell down the stairs about 10 years ago and really hurt my back. It healed though and I thought nothing of it until the doctor told me that the pain is caused from an old injury. He feels that the correct type of rehab exercises will help to strengthen the muscles around the area and I will once again be pain free. Fingers crossed :)  

I had a rotten headache yesterday, the kind that just won't go away, and of course, I had a rehab appointment. Off I went, feeling a bit sorry for myself. While waiting for my therapist, I opened my mail, and there was a little gift.

Just a few days ago, I needed to quickly throw on something that looked halfway decent, so I pulled out this little dress that I did for a Fabulous Free Pattern Friday post, The Magic Rectangle Dress.

As I pulled it on, the thought came to me that I should make another and revisit the post as I really enjoy wearing this dress. Perfect for summer. 

The message I received was from Maria Geer of Stitch and Sew. She loves to sew and her blog is all about sharing sewing tips, new products, and continuing to build this wonderful sewing community that we all love. 

Her most recent blog post is entitled, My Top 100 Free Sewing Patterns, and low and behold...my little Magic Rectangle Dress made it as one of her 100 favorite patterns!!!! Wow, now talk about telepathy ;)

I have gone through her list and it's wonderful. There are patterns for holidays, cute pieces to make for children, toys, quilts, bags, clothing for women, just so much!

Here are a few of my favorites;

Love this super cute whale. Great for a baby shower.

Such a fun hat for summer or winter.

Summer perfect dresses for big girls and little girls.

A fun faux fur vest for when cooler temps roll around once again.

A great carry-all bag with a secure closure. 

We can never have enough cute tees for summer.

Now this is just a small sample of the patterns that Maria has shared, so pop over, check out her POST. I think you'll find lots of fun ideas.

And a special thank you to Maria for featuring one of my pieces. Such a wonderful surprise!!!

Sew Now Magazine and Free Patterns!

Earlier this past week, I attended a luncheon with my husband, and had such a nice time. The woman who waited on us was such a hoot!!! I watched as she diligently worked to serve us, and when she placed my soup in front of me, I thanked her for working so hard to create such a lovely experience for all of us. That was all it took, we were friends :) As she bustled around, she shared her life, how she loves to go to Las Vegas, and that she would be going in August. With that she made fun of herself for going at the hottest time of the year. 

As the meal ended, she made a point of coming over to tell me how much she had enjoyed me being there. I really did nothing but just acknowledge her work. She even hugged me! So rather than just walk away, I said, "let's take a picture." She loved it :), me too!   
      

If I'm not mistaken, I think I saw an advertisement for Sew Now on Instagram, but I may be wrong. Anyway, what caught my attention was the promotion that they were offering. If you ordered the magazine, you would also receive a free printed pattern of the Simple Sew Cocoon Dress. So, I decided that I would take the plunge and order the magazine. It comes from England, so a bit more of a postage fee, but not bad.

Well, I was pleasantly surprised when the package arrived because there was not just the Cocoon dress pattern, but the Butterick pattern pictured below!!!
   

I was also pleasantly surprised when I thumbed through the magazine as there are a number of free downloads, the Lazy Days Top below.

A super cute pair of harem type pants. 

If you have children home for the summer, this retro kitty would make a great learn to sew project. Also a free download. Cute for an addition to a baby shower gift basket too!

Whether you have a girl or a boy, this little coverall pattern is perfect for summer wear. Cut off the legs and make shorts too!

You'll also find lots of info on new sewing patterns, along with inspiration and interesting tips. The magazine is a larger magazine, so easier to read and handle. The photography is well done, and the pages are nice and thick, not at all flimsy.  

At this point, I am not subscribing, but I will be paying attention to what's offered in upcoming issues.  So, check it out, I think you too might enjoy the magazine.

It's a glorious day here in Chicago. My peonies have burst open, and I have a lilac bush that is so incredibly fragrant this year. My garden is a very happy place to be right now. So I am off to set out some plants, and create a few containers of flowers. Here's a little glimpse of my peonies. I took the picture a few days ago, so they are even more beautiful now.

While talking with a friend, we figured out that this peony is probably about 60 years old. And she's still a beauty :)

Have a wonderful day!
Rhonda