Mama Lexi Loungers

Made for Mermaids has recently released a whole new collection called Lounge and Lace. The collection consists of the Bridgette Bralette & Nightie, Victoria Cheekies and Thong , the Stella Sweater with tons of options and of course these amazing Lexi Loungers! I was only able to test the Lexi’s but I bought all the other ones because they just all look so cute together. I just need to find time to get them sewn up!

So meet the Mama Lexi Loungers…

Now this pattern is not written for maternity but Megan T was kind enough to let me test and with some help we were able to figure out how to adjust them to fit my baby bump!

My first pair (which I didn’t get pictures of) fit and were comfortable without any adjustments, but had some really weird wrinkling going on in the crotch area that isn’t really flattering. So they will be worn to bed only – but honestly that’s the whole reason I signed up to test – I really needed some bump friendly sleeping/lounging around pants. I also I found out I have a slight hoard of floral french terry…like ALL my french terry is floral… anyone else have this problem?

After posting fit pictures – the lovely ladies in the testing group helped me figure out some changes I needed to make. I was so nervous about adjusting because I’ve only really ever graded patterns, I haven’t done any major changes before.

And I still haven’t because all I needed to do to make these not have weird wrinkles was to adjust the rise so it sat UNDER the bump and not on the bump. Adjusting the rise seems complicated but it was actually really simple! I just took the front pattern piece and a quilting ruler and made one simple line. I ended up taking an inch from the center front and then angling my line so it met back up to the original rise length on the sides. So it’s one inch lower right in the middle front, which lets it hang out under the bump.  I didn’t alter the back of the pattern at all, and just used the yoga waist band.

Now I did go by my current measurements for these pants. I typically make a pink in Made for Mermaids patterns, grading to a blue waist when necessary. These pants are one size up, purple, with a blue waist band. My first un-photographed pair I made an indigo waist band- but after sleeping in them it felt a little loose so I went to blue for my other two pairs. I have a feeling in a few more weeks indigo might fit just fine with how little man is growing!! I did use cotton lyrca for all my waist bands and since it has great stretch and recovery I’m hopeful I can wear these pants up to delivery and after.

What’s so great about this pattern is the options! My first set of pictures is the loungers with banded patch pockets, and yoga waist. But there is options for slat pockets, and a regular waist with drawstring as well! But this bump needed all the stretch the yoga band gives! It also comes in two short lengths, 4 inch and 5 inch (5 inch is shown above)- and the shorts have all the pocket and waist options the loungers do. PLUS if your not feeling the loungers it has a jogger option as well. (I haven’t made the joggers yet so no pictures are shown of that option!) It’s basically 3 patterns in one and you can make endless combos! There is also a uni-sex kids version as well called the Lexi & Lou and a Dolly version!

The shorts and pants have both been worn daily since I made them – the pants as soon as I get home from work and the shorts to bed – except a few times they’ve been in the wash. And with my hormones I really almost cried once when they were in the washer because they are just that comfy and I wanted them now!

So even if you aren’t sporting a baby bump I have a feeling these pants will be your new best friend!

The patterns are on sale through Tuesday 2/20, and limited time bundles of all the versions will be available until Tuesday as well! You can find the bundle here.

Details:

All my floral french terry is from So Sew English, and my cotton lyrca for the waist bands is from Surge Fabric Shop (I got the 10oz but the 12oz would be great too!)

The pants are pictured with Patterns for Pirates Cocoon Cardigan and Cross My Heart Cami, and the shorts are pictured with a retail maternity tank from target!

**This post contains some affiliate links- meaning I will get back a small percentage if you purchase from them. All profits go right back into sewing and my blog! **

M4M Mama Catherine

**This post contains affiliate links. This means if you purchase something from my link I will get a very small portion. All profit goes back directly into my blog or fabric to keep blog content! **

Made for Mermaids has just released their latest pattern, the Catherine. It comes in Mama and girls sizing, and even has a doll option!

I was so excited for this pattern ever since I saw the sneak peak, and watched the page like a hawk to sign up for the tester call. And I missed the call by an hour, and was around the 50th person to comment, so I just knew I didn’t make the cut.

I did a little happy dance when Catherine (yes this pattern is her named after her!) tagged me in a post and said I was in! For those of you who haven’t tested it’s still a competitive game, once you make it into the tester pool- you still have to sign up for the tests and you don’t always get chosen. There are so many talented seamstresses in the group and we all love a new pattern. Beggars can’t be choosers – and I’ll take whatever tests they’ll have me for!

This pattern is jam packed with options, which I have come to love about M4M patterns. It has three different yoke patterns, square neck, curved yoke or unlined curved yoke. Plus it comes in top, tunic, dress, and curved dress lengths, and all the sleeve options plus two fun flounces you can add to the sleeves.

I was assigned dress length, short sleeves and given my choice of yoke options. I’ve had this stretch lace from Joann fabrics for a while now and it was just begging to become an unlined yoke with my mustard rayon spandex from Pretty Posh Prints. I ordered this mustard in a pre-order and the start of summer, but somehow only ordered fall colors – not a single bright summer color. I don’t know what I was thinking. They have all been patiently sitting on my shelf for when cooler temps come back – and boy did cooler temps come back this week it went from 80 degrees one day down to 40 the next and stayed that way. Yep we just skipped fall and went right for winter.

When I first showed my husband my dress, un-hemmed at that point he said it looked like a nightgown. I had to admit it kinda did, but once I did my hair, paired it with leggings and boots and threw on my Mama Darcey it was true love. Since this is made with Rayon Spandex, it hangs a bit lower than the pattern is designed for so the dress length will be a tad shorter if you use other fabrics. But the drape factor you get with rayon spandex is just perfect and it’s so comfortable!

My Mama Darcey is made with a thin ribbed knit I snagged in a bundle from So Sew English. They often get fabrics they don’t have enough of to sell by the yard and will randomly post bundles with it. Be careful because bundle buying is addicting, there are only so many so you have to act fast! You can apologize to your bank account later….  This bundle I bought for the aqua floral it came with and just re-discovered this fabric while moving my craft room! (Hopefully a post for another day – if I ever get it fully moved and photo ready!) Now while this post isn’t for the Darcey – it just pairs SO well with the Catherine.

I’ve worn this outfit multiple times already and each time I’ve gotten so many compliments. One time I was with my mom and she proudly boasted that I made it, and the lady wanted me to make her a set. I only sew for fun right now so I had to decline that request!

I just loved this pattern so much I couldn’t just make one! When I signed up I really hoped I didn’t get assigned the flounce sleeve, because it just didn’t seemed to be my thing. It was a dramatic high low and I just didn’t think it would be very practical. But during testing they added a smaller flounce and I fell in love and had to make one.

This is made with another bundle from So Sew English, and I’m actually using both fabrics together. I know bundles are sold to complement each other but this is the first time, out of many many bundles that I’ve ever actually done it! I stuck with the scoop yoke here, but lined it this time, and decided to go with the curved tunic length. This rayon spandex is so soft and has already been in heavy rotation in my fall wardrobe. I don’t often sew with rayon spandex because my machine tends to hate it and I usually find it a bit clingy, but with how soft this shirt is I’m rethinking all my bad rayon spandex thoughts.

These last few pictures were taken quickly over my lunch break, daylight savings time has cramped my picture style hard because now it’s dark once I get home from work! I changed out of my more professional outfit, but ended up staying in this because it was so much more comfortable, and my co-workers didn’t even notice.

I already have several more of these planned, if only I could take a sewing vacation and get my wish list knocked out!

Made for Mermaids switched website servers and ran into some major headaches forcing them to release the Catherine on their Etsy site, but now their site is back up and working – with an all new look! They were so excited they decided to hold a flash sale and you can get 30% off all patterns with the code 40KSALE until Saturday 11/25/17 midnight cst. The coupon will not work on the sale items or with other coupon codes. It only works on the website (so not on Etsy!) And they are extending the Catherine sale until Saturday as well too (cannot be combined with coupon code but still a amazing deal!)

You can snag the pattern HERE, or get the limited time bundle with the girls pattern (only available during the release ) HERE! It’s on sale for just $7.50 individually, $13 for Mama and girls, or $16.50 for Mama, girls and Dolly through 11/25/17. Browse through the other patterns while your there this is likely the last big sale for a while!

Fall Mini Capsule

**This post contains affiliate links. This means if you purchase something from my link I will get a very small portion. All profit goes back directly into my blog or fabric to keep blog content! **

This spring Made for Mermaids and Patterns for Pirates teamed up to hold a Spring Mini Capsule contest which I participated in, and now they have teamed up with Cole’s Corner and Creations as well to host the Fall Mini Capsule contest! (And in real life the owners of all three companies are sisters! They are one crazy talented family!)

It’s pretty simple really – sew 9 mix and match pieces of clothing from any of the three sites patterns in two weeks and be entered to win the prizes. This time the grand prize is a cover stitch machine or $100 to Joanns! I didn’t win last time but I used the contest as as push to get outside my comfort zone and test my sewing skills! I made my first pair of actual pants, and tried several new patterns to boot! Here is a look at my spring capsule.

This time I sat down and really thought about what my capsule would entail. Last time, I got a little caught up with the mix and match, and while everything didn’t match (mainly the dresses) I ended up making items I haven’t actually worn. Like the pencil skirt. It’s super cute  – but it’s a little tight fitting and short to really be work appropriate. I work with high school students (as a counselor of sorts), and often find myself sitting on the floor with someone crying…so it’s a no-go for short pencil skirts. I honestly don’t dress up much outside of work but I do have a longer pencil skirt on my to-do list!

This time I was determined everything must have a purpose, and if it didn’t match the others it had to go with something I already owned – like jeans! I decided to focus on the pieces I’ve been meaning to make, or the pieces I wear all the time and would like a new variation of, while still including some patterns I hadn’t made yet as well!

Side note: I also wasn’t allowed to buy any new patterns OR fabric for this… I’m working on using what I have – and my fabric has actually over grown my craft room and is sneaking out into the hallway. So I have asked my dad to build me a bigger shelf! Unfortunately I don’t own any Cole’s Creations Patterns so only Made for Mermaids and Patterns for Pirates are used! I also made all 9 patterns in TWO days.

Here are the patterns I ended up using:

Slim Fit Raglan with Add on Pack

I’ve been dreaming of making this hoodie since I bought this french terry in a Wal-Mart $1 a yard clearance shopping spree! Unfortunately, even though I sized up one more than my usual size, this french terry just didn’t have much stretch so I can only really wear a cami under it … BUT I still love it so much. I think I have enough to try again in the next size up too!

Grandpa Cardi

I’ve had this gorgeous, soft, thick sweater knit for a good time now. It was in my very first mystery pack from Sincerely Rylee and I didn’t even realize I was buying a sweater knit mystery pack. Oops. I have been terrified of sweater knits and they have been sitting prettily on my shelf just waiting until I was brave enough! I used my serger on this bad boy, and I’m still really new to using a serger, something was definitely off with my differential feed which resulted in a pretty wavy band. BUT again I love it and I’m going to wear it wavyness and all.

I contemplated giving up after these two honestly. I’ve had some sad events happen in my family the past week and was using sewing as therapy – however sewing therapy doesn’t go so well when your first two projects don’t turn out as you expected. But I wanted to enter the contest so I decided to keep going in all honesty it was either that or sit and cry all day.

Pumpkin Spice Dolman

This lovely purple sweater knit was also in the same mystery pack Mr. Grandpa Cardi was, and it was my favorite by far. I actually posted in the Sincerely Rylee facebook group when I got this pack that the purple was destined to become a Pumpkin Spice Dolman. It only took me about two years to make it happen. I hadn’t even taped the pattern together until I made this. I had my heart set on a long sleeve super comfy sweater, but sometimes, as mystery packs are, there just wasn’t enough fabric to make that happen.

Actually it didn’t seem like it was going to have sleeves AT ALL. There wasn’t enough fabric left to cut the sleeves on the fold. SO I cut four single pieces and added some lace down the middle to accommodate that extra inch that would go missing once I made the seam up the middle, and I had no clue if it would actually work. My husband actually came home in the middle of this “ah-ha moment” and I told him not to talk to me I was busy. But I laid the sleeves together, then trimmed the seam allowance on one side. Laid wash away hem tape up both edges, stuck my trim to it, and sewed around the edges. After I was done I went in and trimmed out the visible purple fabric under the lace for a more peekaboo effect. And it worked, it actually worked! Lace is from Surge Fabric Shop

Favorite Tee

This is the second purple Favorite Tee I’ve made. I wore my other one to my sisters house and she loved it so much I actually gave it to her, and wore one of her shirts home! She might have also been made to wear it to model something else I made…but that hasn’t been released yet – and she said she’d take the shirt as payment. But I had loved my Favorite Tee and missed it, so I cut out another one! I didn’t really feel the side splits for some reason that day, so I cut the front and bottom the same length and just made it an even hem!

Cross My Heart Cami

I made a black Cross My Heart Cami, with with polka dots for my Spring capsule, and it’s my favorite to wear, especially under the favorite tee (I’m wearing it in the favorite tee picture too!) So since I made a new favorite tee I decided to make a new Cross My Heart too. I wear camis pretty much every day and I am always losing them in the laundry somehow, so there are never enough! My latest mystery box from Sincerely Rylee came with plain white cotton lyrca, and some nude rayon spandex and to be honest I was a tad disappointed. How boring, right? Except I feel like Darcey knew me and knew I needed it, but that I wouldn’t order the fabric myself! I actually have enough fabric for two more (I think) so eventually more will happen! I love how you can wear this either way, with the cross in the back OR the front – makes the plain white cami not so boring!

Peg Leg Shorties *Pssssttt….This pattern is FREE! Plus it has a pretty cool add on pack for FREE too!

These were at the top of my “I really need to make these” list. And the plan is that no one will ever see them, but I love wearing shorts under my dresses, you know in case of a casual wind gust that turns wearing dresses into Marilyn Monroe moments? Since my job is working with high school students one can never live down such moments – so I do my best to avoid them like the plague. My mom totally didn’t get why I was wearing them under my dress yesterday – but my sister requested a pair because she thought it was genius!

And since black pegs were so boring to sew I slipped in a floral lining on the waistband. These are made with all Double Brushed Poly and so comfortable to wear, like you forget you have them on comfortable. I’m making more for pajamas- but I think I’ll add just a little extra length next time.

Mama Joy

This dress has also been on the “to-make” list since I ordered this fabric and was the whole color inspiration for my capsule! When I purchased this amazing “Cora” liverpool from Mily Mae Fabrics I did so with the Mama Joy in mind. But then new patterns came out and I started testing patterns and it just never happened. So here she is in all her glory, and it might just be my new favorite dress! I actually checked to see if there was more of this fabric to order because my sister loved it so much, but it’s sold out 😦

Mama Nina Tunic

This tunic actually strays from my color scheme, completely! But while I was looking for which fabric to use next I came across a shirt my sister handed down to me, this white and mustard stripe you see on the sleeves. Fun fact? That shirt was bought in Belgium at Zara’s annual sale, while we were visiting our host sister! I don’t know why my sister wanted to get rid of it, but it didn’t really fit me. And then inspiration hit, and I just knew this had to be sleeves on a Mama Nina. So I dug through my fabric stash until I found this fall print from Knitpop I got awhile back, that matched just perfect. Except I only had one yard. Why I used to think one yard would be enough is beyond me, I have sooooo many one yard pieces.  With a little creative cutting I got a tunic length out of it, I just had to slim down the swing a tad!

You can see more of my Nina’s and a few more pictures of this one here -> Mama Nina Swing Pattern

Mama Ava *Using my own modifications

This started out as a simple 3/4 length curved hem mama ava, because I have two short sleeve ones I wear ALL the time. I actually didn’t buy the Mama Ava when it was released because I didn’t think I would like it. But the designer Megan posted so many different ones she made and was always calling it her favorite so when she had a site wide sale I scooped it up!

Anyway, about half way through this Mama Ava, I got super bored with it. It was so plain and uninspiring…. so I did something crazy. I sewed it all up to the hemming part, when I then tried it on, put a wonder clip at my natural waist and hacked the whole bottom off! Then I measured the opening, cut two pieces of fabric that were 1.5 times the length, gathered them up and attached them like a skirt.

And then I realized maybe I should have done this to a slimmer fitting shirt, because it’s real baggy (I actually pinned it back for the picture!) I took the sides in a little bit, about a half inch on each side and wore it to church with a sweater and a cute necklace and loved it! And then at lunch a stray green pepper fell off my pizza and got three little grease stains on it. On the first day I wore it, ughhh! But I am planning on trying this again with a slimmer fitting tee.

Also how cute is this necklace? I got it from Katy over at Thread and Grain. It seemed all the cool kids of the PDF sewing/blogger world had one, so I finally ordered me one too!

And here is the collage with all the pictures so you can see how well they all go together (or maybe that they actually really don’t that well!) But all of these pieces will get tons of love come fall! And to anyone else entering the contest (ends 8/13/17) Good Luck!!

Mama Nina Swing Pattern

**This post contains affiliate links. This means if you purchase something from my link I will get a very small portion. All profit goes back directly into my blog or fabric to keep blog content! **

Made for Mermaids has released the Mama Nina and I was lucky enough to be able to test it! The Nina is a raglan swing style top, tunic or dress, and has 3 different sleeve lengths, short, 3/4 or long. It’s also available in kids sizes as well (Nina Pattern)

I know a lot of DIY-ers have taken up copying a popular clothing company – and this pattern makes me think that Randy and Carly got together and had a baby. It’s like the best of both of them combined into one!

My first version was a 3/4 length sleeve top, and I used a floral rayon spandex for the main body, and an army green double brushed poly for the sleeves and neckband. Because this top has the swing factor you want to use a fabric that has a good drape, or it might end up feeling like a tent! Rayon Spandex was the perfect choice, and double brushed poly works really well too (plus it was the only coordinating fabric in my stash!)

The raglan sleeve is a fun way to use two different colors without even having to think about color blocking and helps you use up some of those scraps from other projects that you just can’t bare to toss! (This army DBP was first used to make a Mama Mya!)

What I love so much about the Mama Nina is that the swing gives you extra fabric to play around with knots, so depending on how you wear it you can have different looks!   I just made a quick knot here and was happy with how it turned out!

Honestly I love it so much tied and I’ve never been into the tying things up trend. I’ll most likely wear it knotted more than not – and this top is actually making me look forward to fall so I can wear it more!

After I sewed up this top, and fell in love with the pattern I just had to make a dress. Now the popular Carly that everyone has just doesn’t look good on me (I’m average height but it makes me feel so short and what’s up with the sizing down? I’m not an XXS and even that is too big!!)  I never got why people were so obsessed with them. But since I could make my own, with fabric from my stash and I loved the top I gave it a go.

And once I got over the “look I made this” stage I still really wasn’t feeling it. BUT I always force myself to wear what I made at least once. So I wore it to work – and now it’s LOVE. The long back hem makes the dress not feel very short and you don’t have to worry about flashing the world your underwear when you bend over – total win in my world!

Plus it feels like you’re in your pajamas all day while the rest of the world thinks you dressed up. The final pattern has a little more length in the front and a little less in the back, as all of us testers decided we liked it better that way – but these pictures give you a really close idea!

The fabric used is a brushed ITY from Sincerely Rylee. This was my first experience with brushed ITY and I wasn’t really sure what to expect when I ordered it but WOW! It’s amazing. The fabric has a cooler touch than double brushed poly (but still just as soft) and feels a bit dressier and breathable. This print is currently sold out – Darcey’s prints always move fast – but next time I see any brushed ITY I’m snatching it up! I also have this print in an Amber colorway, but it hasn’t told me what it wants to be yet!

Wouldn’t this look adorable with a cardigan, leggings and boots for fall? I wish I had styled it like that for some pictures, but it was 90 degrees when I took these so I’m not sure that would have been a good idea!

And because a girl can never have too many options I sewed up the tunic length for my fall mini capsule (look for a blog post on that coming soon!)

And my parent’s neighbors planted a sunflower field so of course we had to take some pictures there. When we asked them why they planted it the wife said her husband had planted it because she said she had always wanted one. How cute is that?

Sorry for the picture overload. I just couldn’t pick one, the sunflowers really make the photos! Turns out bees really like sunflowers too…so I wouldn’t recommend this if you’re allergic, thankfully I’m not and no bees (or people) were harmed during this shoot!

You can buy the pattern HERE

And don’t forget the girls version too, it makes an adorable mommy and me set! I don’t have any pictures because I don’t have a daughter to sew for but Made for Mermaids has adorable ones on the website!

**All pictures belong to me. Please contact me for written permission before using**

Mama Tara Twist Top

**This post contains some affiliate links – this means if you purchase something from the link I will get a very small portion. All profits go directly into the blog or fabric to continue to have blog content.**

Made for Mermaids never disappoints me on their pattern selections and their most recent release is no exception.  The Mama Tara Twist Top is quickly turning into one of my favorite pattern staples!

Do you see that unique side twist this pattern has? I almost didn’t sign up to test this one because that twist looks a little complicated but the pattern designer, Catherine, promised us it was a super quick sew and a goal I have this year is to get out of my comfort zone and try new sewing skills so I applied. When I got picked I might have done a little happy dance, and got assigned the tank version.

Here’s a back view – I just love the tank version! Most of my tanks I have to wear a shirt under – and that defeats the whole purpose of wearing a tank. When it’s 90 degrees I don’t want to be wearing two shirts!! It goes up high enough that you don’t have to worry about people seeing down your shirt when you bend over but not so high it chokes you! This version is actually made with Double Brushed Poly – and I was worried that it wouldn’t breathe very well, but I tested it out on an 85 degree day and was happy in it all day long! 

Also how awesome are these stripes? It was my first time sewing with vertical stripes and not having to worry about matching them on the side seams was a huge time saver! This fabric is currently out of stock but I purchased it from Mily Mae Fabrics

Of course I couldn’t get away with just sewing one top and had to make a couple more! It was such a fast sew, from printing, putting together the PDF pattern, cutting and sewing this top took under an hour! And even better? It took only a yard! This is a size pink- so not all sizes may be able to do that but it’s perfect for all those one yard pieces I ordered before I realized most patterns need more than that!

I really love how Made for Mermaids does their sizes, all their sizes are a color and not the regular small, medium and large. PDF patterns don’t always follow “retail” sizing. So if your a small in most store bought clothing you might not be in a PDF. You really have to check the size chart and then you have the ability to grade between sizes to make the perfect fit – because no matter what size we are it’s most flattering to wear something that actually fits! I’m usually a pink bust and hip, but a blue waist. That’s a two size difference, but this pattern is loose enough around the waist I didn’t grade the fit!

Here’s another tank version. This fabric does breathe better than the double brushed poly and is a poly spun spandex which is currently becoming a quick favorite of mine! It has a really cool to the touch feel to it and drapes so nice for this top! I got this fabric from So Sew English

So Sew English often offers bundles of fabrics they don’t have enough to stock full yardage of one and you have to stalk their facebook page to get a heads up on when they post them because usually there is only 3-5 to get!

And last but not least – I had to make the Twist Sleeve version too. Because I secretly hoped I’d get assigned that version and the sleeve was just begging me to make it. Does fabric or patterns ever do that to you?

That sleeve gives me all the heart eyes, and again I thought it seemed like it might be a little more complicated but it wasn’t! The tutorial walks you through it step-by-step and even though it does require a little more hemming, it’s 100% worth it.  I used my cover stitch machine to get a nice finished look because part of the underside hem is visible with this sleeve – but you can make it without a cover stitch and still make it look just as nice!

This fabric was in my May Bee Box from Vinegar and Honey Co. This is a monthly subscription service and they send you two yards of mystery fabric around the 14th of each month! It can be two yards of coordinating fabric or a continuous two yard cut. This was made from one yard of fabric – but I was forced to take smaller seam allowances at the shoulder seams to pull it off!

This pattern includes 5 different sleeve options, only two of which are shown here! They also have a regular short sleeve, 3/4, and long sleeve too! Plus they have a blog post about how to make the split sleeve in 3/4 or long and how to add cuffs to the sleeves too! They also include a plain front hack too, if the twist isn’t for you or you would like more options, along with an off the shoulder hack that looks just dreamy for fall in french terry! You can find all those here —> Tara Hacks

Made for Mermaids also has a girls version that comes in sizes 1/2 to 14 called the Tara Twist Top.

**All pictures belong to me. Please contact me for written permission before using**