The Train To Crazy

A new home, a new bag for me and features for you!

I'm so sorry I didn't get last week's features up on Saturday! I've been working around the clock for a couple weeks getting Go To Patterns settled into a new comfy home and I'm happy to say it is finally here!! Woohoo!! I couldn't love it more. I still have a few kinks to work out but wow oh wow I love it.  Please go look and let me know what you think!! We now accept Paypal and each listing has a full size chart and licensing information available. Plus you can search by designer, size, type, skill level or season!

I also made myself a little something last week. A new Rebecca Bag! I LOVE it! I'm sharing all about it over at Eat, Sleep, Make for their fun new series, Made It For Me.

See more details at Eat Sleep Make!

Make It Wear It Thursday

Welcome to Make It Wear It Thursday! Link up anything you made (sew, knit, crochet, glue, glitter) to be worn. Accessories count! Just add your blog link or flickr photo link to the inlinkz form below. It's super easy and we love seeing what you made!

I haven't touched my sewing machine in 2 weeks. I know for some of you that's unthinkable. I've been doing some behind the scenes work on the pattern shop and all those changes should be live next week. Fingers crossed! We've been working around the clock to get it completed and I'm ready to move on to the next project!

This week there were some fun Casual Lady sightings! Kirsten from Kojo Designs made this simple and adorable version. Of course, everything she does is amazing. Cute belt! Go see the rest of her photos. 

Speaking of amazing, Stefanie from Girl, Inspired also made a Casual Lady. Love this one. It looks fantastic in this print. And THANK YOU to both of you ladies for sharing this cause and helping raise money for She's Worth It. Mwah!

Featuring You

Thank you for linking up to Make It Wear It! I love featuring you! Here are just a few of the nearly 100 amazing things linked up this week! From sewing to knitting and refashioning there was SO much. It was hard to choose!

hamiltonchicklets knitted this amazing "gramps" sweater. That yarn is amazing.

Sweeter Thank Cupcakes made an amazing twister shoulder detail in this girlie shirt.

Skater Dress Tour

One really fun part of the online sewing community is getting the chance to sew up other people's patterns and tell you about them. It's no surprise to anyone that I love to sew knit dresses. My friend, Amanda, recently came out with a great knit dress pattern. I love the shape. Easy wear bodice and a fun skirt that can twirl. I was am so happy to be joining the pattern tour! I give you The Skater Dress.

Super cute, right?? The Skater Dress pattern comes in sizes 1/2, 3/4, 5/6, and 7/8. With just 4 sizes to choose from you can't go wrong! I used size 3/4 and my daughter is usally a solid size 4. The bodice fit perfectly! I shortened the dress about 3-4" to fall right at knee length for her.

I actually didn't cut the excess off the dress I just hemmed it up. That way I'll be able to let it down as she grows. Awesome.

I found this houndstooth knit at the Michael Levine Loft in January. They have great knits. I get a lot of my fabrics there. This one would look great for this dress.

When most people think of a skater dress I'm pretty sure they think ice skating. But here in the OC it's just skateboarding that comes to mind. She bought this skateboard with her Christmas money. Got to start them young!

Make sure you stop by Kitschy Coo and check out Amanda's blog and shop. Besides great patterns, she also sells AWESOME knits. She's in the UK so if you're there you're in for a treat. Of course, you can buy them from anywhere if you want to pay the shipping. You won't find knits like these anywhere else.

Linking to Flamingo Toes, Sew Chatty, Sew Country Chick, Girl Inspired

the Anywhere Dress (SALE ALERT)

My most recent sewing pattern was born from my desire to make a dress that was QUICK, no fuss and easy for beginners. The Anywhere Dress pattern for girls fits that bill. No gathers, ribbing, stretching or elastic. No zippers, buttons or extra pieces. This is just a simple, knit dress for girls with four sleeve options to suit every seasonal need.

The neckline is fully faced. If you don't know what that is, you'll be glad to learn! I just press mine well and don't even topstitch or understitch. 

A fun fabric print makes the dress more exciting but even a simple solid is adorable.

the Casual Lady top and dress pattern for women

Ok! I can finally share a little about what I've been working on! I released two patterns this weekend. One is for sale and the other is FREE! The Casual Lady top and dress sewing pattern is for sale! But here's the catch, I created it to support She's Worth It. I thought a sewing pattern was the perfect way to raise money for a sewing collective project. If you don't know anything about She's Worth It  you can read more here. Who doesn't want a great fitting shirt AND to help a great cause?

Even better? All proceeds from Peekaboo Patterns, Blank Slate Patterns and The Sewing Loft paterns in my shop are benefitting She's Worth It! So if you've been wanting to go on a shopping spree head over here to see the patterns that are participating!

Everything on this page is being donated to She's Worth It today only.

I have to say, I LOVE this shirt. It is so comfortable and flattering. And I'm not just saying that because it's a self design. I've seen it on a lot of other testers and it looks great on everyone! You can't say that about a lot of patterns.

Calling All Kids

Happy Friday, everyone! Pst. You can find me over here today.

Beachy Boatneck pattern found HERE

Go To Leggings pattern found HERE

Make It Wear It Thursday

Welcome to Make It Wear It Thursday! Link up anything you made (sew, knit, crochet, glue, glitter) to be worn. Accessories count!

This week I've been busy sharing things I made last week. I've made 5 Beachy Boatnecks so far. The three I made for my son took only 90 minutes. And it is seriously one of my favorite patterns, ever. Then on Monday I shared a couple Carousel Tops I made my daughters. The Carousel Tops were seen in their natural habitat. Tuesday I shared a couple Boardwalk Skirts. I forgot to share this one. It is pretty much my favorite thing ever.

When I was making it I was a bit unsure about whether any of my girls would wear a skirt with kitchen gadgets on it. The always wise, Katy Dill, told me to attach a cute little charm to the skirt that can be hidden in a pocket. Well, I never got to the pocket but they love the key! You can find the Boardwalk Skirt pattern here.

Boardwalk Skirt

I'm continuing my tour through the Sun & Surf Collection. Sunday I showed off four of the Beachy Boatneck shirts I made for my son and daughter. Monday I highlighted a few of the Carousel Tops I made for my daughters. I think I forgot to mention that the pattern goes up to size 12 yrs. Today I'm showing off a couple Boardwalk Skirts I made. The Boardwalk Skirt has a wide range of sizes from 6 mo—14 yrs. If you're looking for a skirt with some flounce and twirl this is for you!

I love both of these. The one on the left is a Lizette lawn fabric with a crochet trimmed underlayer. The one on the right is a MoMo fabric with a ruffle trimmed underlayer.

That's the Santa Monica Cinch and Sunshine Dress on the right.

This skirt pattern comes with an easy elastic casing waist option or an elastic back drawstring option. It is designed to be easy enough for beginners. We think it's a fantastic twirling skirt and the bottom layer has less "twirl" so your girlie's little buns will stay covered. Yay for that!

This pattern is currently only available in the Sun & Surf Collection but will be available individually when the collection sale is finished!

UPDATE: All patterns are now available individually HERE.

Happy sewing!

Carousel Top

When I design a pattern I get so nervous to hear what people think. That's how I feel about the Carousel Top. I'm not sure why but I've been nervous about this pattern. Thankfully the reviews have been great so far!

I thought I'd share a few of the Carousel Tops I've made.

I love this one. The fabric is a slinky knit blend of some sort. I got it from the Michael Levine Loft so I have no idea what it is made of. She wears this as much as possible.

There it is. The Carousel Top on a carousel.

Make the neckline with a button or without.

This pattern is rated as intermediate but if you've worked with knit before don't be afraid to try this! It really isn't difficult!

More Carousel Tops around the web:

The day I made 3 Beachy Boatneck shirts in under 2 hours (plus 2 more)

Last week I started sewing up some of the great patterns from the Sun & Surf Collection. I began with the Beachy Boatneck sewing pattern. I love the 3/4 length sleeves, boatneck, curved hem and generous length. I was so excited to sew up this pattern for both my boy and my girls!

I started with one for my middle daughter (I'll share later in the week). Then I decided to make a handful for my son. I cut three out and once they were cut they only took me an hour and a half to sew all three. And that was with little distractions here and there. Pretty sure this one of my favorite patterns.

  

This was a size 2T. It fits perfectly and it's adorable on him. The green stripe fabric on the left was some leftover I've had from this adorable green dress that was one of my first internet sensations a few years ago. It was from JoAnns. The middle fabric was from Michael Levine Loft in L.A. and the fabric on the right was from SAS Fabrics in Hawthorne.

Then I made one for my oldest daughter. She's a size 6 but she has been for a couple years. I'm hoping she's got a growth spurt coming soon so I made the size 7. She is very picky about neck holes that are too large so I made the neck opening a little smaller.

I love this shirt. The fabric was from Michael Levine Loft.

Make This Look: Designs By Sessa

For our final guest this week for Make This Look, Vanessa is here to show off the entire outfit she made! She made it all! So impressive!

*******

Hi! I'm Vanessa, {a sassy lady, Christian first, wife, mama to one, adopting mama, part-time fabric store employee, sewing blogger}, and I'm so glad to be here today! I'm LOVING my new hand-made outfit and I'm so excited to share it with you! I'm thankful Andrea asked me to be on her amazing blog! We are working together for She's Worth it! a campaign to stop human sex trafficking among women and young girls, and we'd love your $10 donation more than ANYTHING else! Find out more information here! It really does matter and your $10 does more than you know! The Inspiration: This fall/winter, I have been very inspired by the fur vest trend, perfect paired with leggings and a long sleeve tee. It just adds such an aspect of sass to any regular outfit! These are my pinned inspiration photos, in particular the chevron fur vest by Armani Exchange for $200!!!

1/2/3 

My hand-made look: 

 All images taken and copyrighted by PhotosOfGrace Photography (Please give credit where it's due!)

Make This Look: Little Kids Grow

Today's Guest for Make This Look is the talented, Shannon from Little Kids Grow. She was inspired by a ready made dress design and used the draping method to create her own unique look. So impressive!

Good Day "Train to Crazy" Friends!

(It's 6 o'clock in the morning as I write this post. Early. Very Early. The kids are asleep, and I'm trying desperately to squeeze my wintery comfort foods body into this cute little number. Ha! Ha! Priceless.)

So here's my little secret: Most of the clothes that I make/ design for myself have never been out of my closet. Why you ask? I do like what I make, . . . usually. :) It's just that most of it is just not very practical.

Make This Look: Sew Country Chick

Tolday for Make This Look, Justine is here to share an amazing dress she made. You'll love this. Perhaps some designers saw her dress first and decided to make this look! (it happens! designers follow blogs too!)

******

Hi I'm Justine from Sew Country Chick. Thanks for having me visit Andrea!

And thanks to my daughter Isabelle for modeling this dress for me.

She has some serious attitude.

Make This Look: Madmim

The amazing Miriam from Madmim.com is here with us today to kick off the Make This Look Series! She's taken the basic idea from a fantastic shirt and made it her own. Thanks Miriam!

******

Hello Peeps (I've got birds on the mind)! I'm excited to talk about recreating looks we love, and being inspired by all the design bounty that's out there. I'm a huge sucker for making designer looks on the cheap, but it's not very often that I let myself make a straight up knock off, as I usually like to take one or maybe two style elements I love and translate them into something Mimish by playing with the design, texture, color, scale and on and on and on. But every now and then I come across something that's already pretty magical, and I want to just recreate that bad boy in all it's glory. To be totally honest, this shirt wasn't one of those times. I mean I really like it, and I think I even pinned it, but it wasn't until I saw my sister Eirene knock it off that I truly saw it's Mim-potential. So this is a knock-off of a knock-off, if you follow me. The original beauty, upon investigation, has some really lovely details that are worth talking about. First of all, we can all agree it's a great print. Also the color is pretty and the boat neck is nice. But the sleeves really steal the show for me, I love how the pleats and gathers are actually sewn into the seam, it's very cool.

My $2 version: it's not like I-can't-tell-which-is-which close, but it is pretty straight forward. I used this soft buttery orange jersey, and self-drafted this tee pattern (so happy with it!) with a round neck and a-line silhouette. I like the fit of the original (and if I were really going for an exact copy I would have used my trusty Renfrew), but truth be told I'm just a bit more comfy in an a-line silhouette, and I think it's a touch more flattering on my very happenin' hips. It seems like I just can't stay away from hand-printing these days, and I once again used my reversible stamp technique, which is really a barrel O fun. I also added a nice rounded hem because I'm into them lately--they allow for more mom-bending, which heaven knows I do a lot of.

Sun and Surf Collection is HERE!

If you follow me on instagram or facebook you have probably seen sneak peeks of this fun new collection that I collaborated on with Kate, Shauna and Melissa.

We've been working out the details on this since last Fall. It has been so much fun putting all the details together and collaborating on our designs!

So, without further ado, may I present The Sun & Surf Collection. 8 patterns by 4 designers. UPDATE: Buy the patterns individually now HERE.

We've started our website, Pattern Anthology, to showcase our collections. We hope you'll love them as much as we do!

And we're kicking off a pattern tour!

 

Sun & Surf at Sew a Straight Line | Sun & Surf at It's Always Autumn | Sun & Surf at Elsie Marley | Sun & Surf at A Girl and a Glue Gun | Sun & Surf at Mama Says Sew | Sun & Surf at Girl, Inspired | Sun & Surf at Groovybaby and Mama | Sun & Surf at The Cottage Home | Sun & Surf at Craftiness is Not Optional | Sun & Surf at Skirtastop | Sun & Surf at Straight Grain | Sun & Surf at Me Sew Crazy | Sun & Surf at Delia Creates | Sun & Surf at Max California

The time I made "lapkins"

I needed to make napkins for an upcoming dinner and found myself only liking one fabric out of my stash for the job. This is remarkable for two reasons. First, I have a million fabrics. Second, I have a million fabrics. Though, in my defense, most of them are knit or bottom weight so they aren't exactly napkin material. But the bummer was that this particular fabric was only 1 yard. And I needed to make six napkins.

So I cut my yard into 6 equal pieces. 12"x22". That's a pretty long rectangle. I considered cutting the yard into 9 pieces. 12"x14.66". That's a small napkin. Perhaps more of a cocktail napkin? But I didn't do it. I made the long rectangles. I used my mitered corner cloth napkin tutorial.

That's when the Lapkin was born.

It's perfect for little laps (bigger ones too). And it can fold nicely for dinner or substitute as a placemat, if you're desperate.

Sewing for MEN: inspiration & what YOU made

I wasn't sure what to expect going into this Sewing For Men week but I'm so happy about the outcome! Monday's button up shirt, Tuesday's bike jersey, Wednesday's reversible pajama pants and Thursday's zip fly shorts were all so fun!

Thank you to those of you who added things to the flickr pool! There aren't many but I hope you keep adding things when you make them! I'll be featuring them from time to time and I'm thinking we're going to need another Sew For Men week in the fall! 

Here is some more sewing for men inspiration to get you excited.

This Simplicity 5581 by Threadsofgray looks like a great starter pattern.

Feather's Flights shows us how to shorten a sleeve on a button up shirt. Probably a more practical sewing project for most people.

Running with Scissors made a Negroni shirt for her husband. 

Feather's Flights shares 6 steps for altering a men's suit.

Sewing for Men: Man Shorts

When I decided to sew something for my husband I considered something simple. Perhaps a tie. But I've made him one of those and he never wore it. And I already made him pajamas a few years ago. He still wears those a lot. Then I considered athletic shorts. But I didn't feel like searching for the right material. Then I decided to look for shorts patterns. And without much thought I decided to sew him some shorts. I still can't believe I sewed man shorts. 

I used this BurdaStyle shorts pattern. The pattern is definitely for more advanced sewists. If you've never inserted a zip fly or a welt pocket I suggest a different pattern. 

What I liked:

• The style of shorts is great. Flat front, zip fly, welt pocket. 
• Great shape.

Make It Wear It Thursday

Welcome to Make It Wear It Thursday! Link up anything you made (sew, knit, crochet, glue, glitter) to be worn. Accessories count!

This week I've been sewing up quite a storm. I can't share a lot of it with you yet but soon! There will be new patterns released in March that I think you're going to love!

So what have you been making?

Time to link up!!

Sewing for Men: After Dinner Pants (aka. pajamas)

Today we have the wonderful Rachael from Imagine Gnats joining us for Sewing For Men! Thanks Rachael!

*****

hello, train to crazy readers! rachael here, and i'm so happy to be sharing my sewing for men project: after-dinner pants! you might know them as pajamas, but doesn't after-dinner pants sound so much fancier? and we're all about fancy in the gnats household... as long as it's comfy, that is, and preferably handmade. you can check out more of our handmade antics on my blog, imagine gnats .

it's been a while since i sewed up something for my husband, Nick (affectionately known as mr. gnats), and i've never actually sewn a garment for him. for last father's day, i made him a sturdy apron from duck cloth with some help from our littlest girlie (you can check that out here). i've made him this nook cover, there was an echino messenger bag before that, and some roll-up tote bags.

Sewing for Men: Men's Cycling Jersey

Today's Sewing For Men contributor is Carolyn from Fake It While You Make It! She's sharing this awesome cycling jersey she sewed. Wow.

*****

First of all, I'd like to thank Andrea for inviting me to be part of this series.  I am constantly amazed by the fact that someone else would want to hear me babble on about my sewing projects.  So thank you, Andrea!  And I can't wait to see what the other ladies have made!

Of all the things that I've made over the last decade or so (and there have probably been hundreds), I've made only three things specifically for my husband. I blame this on the fact that I was probably a bit put off when Ben accidentally destroyed the very first thing that I made for him - a knit hat made out of some ridiculously expensive Italian merino yarn that he accidentally threw in in the washing machine thereby shrinking it up to about the size of a yarmulke.  Needless to say it was years before I made him something again and when I finally got around to it I was much smarter.  

Sewing for Men: Men's Button Up Shirt

Welcome to the Sewing for Men Series! Kicking us off is Melissa from Melly Sews with this wonderful men's button up shirt! It's perfect and she wants to know if you want the pattern for it. Read on!

Hello, Train to Crazy readers! Today I'm here to talk about the fun and challenges of sewing for men.

I'm Melissa, and I blog over at Melly Sews

Sewing for MEN: a miniseries

I'm very excited for this week. We're kicking of a special Sewing for MEN series. Four bloggers sewing for our husbands. If you google "sew for men" or search on Pinterest you won't find much. So we're going to create content! We're sewing for men. And we want you to join us. Read on...

This week's posts so far:

men's button up shirt
men's cycling jersey
men's after dinner pants

*****

Our lovely contributors this week:

Kicking of the week on Monday is Melissa! She blogs at Melly Sews and is an amazing pattern designer. You can see all her designs at her store, Blank Slate Patterns. If you haven't had the privilege of sewing one of Melissa's patterns then let me tell you, they are very good. You'll never be sorry you purchased one. She thinks of every detail! 

These are 4 of her patterns. The green dress is the Little Bow Pleat dress. The little boy is in the Trendy Tuxedo Pants and Shirt as well as the Blank Slate Blazer. The purple dress is the Tiny Bubbles dress. With Easter coming you'll want to snap these up! How do I know she does impecable work? Because you can buy any of these at Go To Patterns and I don't allow bad patterns in my shop!!

Melissa's blog is FULL of wonderful inspiration. She also is great about sharing free tutorials and patterns. I'm not sure how she gets it all done!! Some of my favorite tutorials:

• Color Blocked Draped Shirt for women (with free pattern)
• Gatsby Hat (with free pattern)- Is anyone else super excited about the movie??? I cannot wait!
• How to Dye Fabric- She dyed the fabric in those dresses above. Aren't they gorgeous??
• Twin Needle Tips- I have to say, there is really only one thing that makes me run screaming into the other room when it comes to sewing. And that is twin needles. This is a must read post.

Melissa drafted a men's button down shirt for her husband and I CAN'T wait to share it with you am so glad I could share it with you. She's AMAZING! Thanks for being a part of this series, Melissa! If you don't already follow her blog please go do so. You might also want to follow her on Pinterest.

 

Next up is Carolyn from Fake It While You Make It. She sews a lot for her two adorable daughters and herself. I pretty much drool over everything Carolyn makes. They're all perfect and I always love her fabric choices. But it was THIS shirt that earns her a gold star in my book. And that post earns her husband the Blogger Husband of the Decade award. I hope you clicked over to see it. If you didn't. Go see it now. It's here. In case you missed it.

Now, wipe the tears from your eyes. What did you think?

And she knits.

(your ovaries just did a little flutter didn't they?)

And she quilts.

On Tuesday Carolyn will be showing off showed off the cycling jersey she made for her husband. Say what?? That's right. You won't want to miss this! If you haven't added Carolyn's blog to your blog reader yet go ahead and do that. You'll be happy you did. And follow her on Pinterest too while you're at it.

 

Wednesday we have the prolific and always hilarious, Rachael, from Imagine Gnats. Rachael made men's "after dinner pants" for this series. Definitely go see. You've most likely seen Rachael's sewing around the web. She's now famous for her Raccoon movement. We had a bit of a discussion last year about how fun it would be to start a new trend and I'm pretty sure Rachael has single handed-ly done it. These raccoon elbow patches are probably my favorite. Rachael sews a lot for herself, home and her adorable girls but she's also really active in the sewing community. She's a guest and contributor everywhere and is currently hosting the Covert Robin gift exchange. There's still a couple days to sign up if you are interested!

She has tons of free tutorials but this Madeleine Bag is one of my favorites. Simple and lovely.

A handful of my favorite projects on Imagine Gnats:

• The Cathedral Window Remix quilt block tutorial. If you quilt you'll want to see this.
• Dottie Dino- a taggie softie that is just perfect for any baby. You'll want to make a few as gifts.
• Her first cross stitch pattern- Is there anything she doesn't do??
• When I met Rachael at Sewing Summit she was wearing THIS Washi Dress. It's the best Washi I've seen yet.

If you aren't following Imagine Gnats yet, please go do so! You can also follow her on Pinterest.

 

Thursday I'll be sharing! I haven't started yet but I'm making some shorts. Let's all say a quick prayer that they go well. I work best under pressure but this is cutting it a little close!

How about you?? Will you take the Sewing For Men challenge and make something this week?? I'd love if you'd join us! You're not behind, considering I haven't started yet. Sew it up then write a blog post or email me a photo and I'll feature it on Friday!

UPDATE: I've started a Sew for Men Flickr group! If you'd like, join the group and add photos of anything you've sewn for a man so we can all get inspiration! Find the Sew for Men Flickr group here.

K.I.D.S.

I'm so honored to be a part of the current K.I.D.S series at Me Sew Crazy! It's all about having kids design their own clothes. I love it and I love the great designs they're all coming up with!

I had my oldest daughter, Naomi, design her own outfit for this challenge. Hop on over to Me Sew Crazy to see what she was making here:

She was so proud of herself. And her work was excellent! Great job, Naomi!

Sewing for SPRING!

I've been working away like crazy sewing for Spring. Unfortunately, none of it is ready to present yet. BUT, if you take a look at my photo journal you'll catch a few peeks. Follow along on instagram if you're interested.

I've been using this girl overtime.

Whenever I make a new pattern I test it and test it myself. I didn't want to change my serger thread this weekend so I now have 5 garments that match that thread. Good thing it's one of my favorite colors.

And speaking of that machine, I highly recommend a Baby Lock if you use a serger a lot. The stitches are always perfect. It is easy to thread and switching between stitches is a snap. And I'm not paid to say that. I had a different brand before this one and it was not that enjoyable to use. This girl is SO fun. They aren't cheap but if you're willing to invest this is the way to go.

Do you have a serger? What do you like about your serger?

Social Media Friends will be back next week!

Zipper Pouch Tutorial and Pattern Roundup

If you're participating in She's Worth It you'll want to head over to our She's Worth It Pinterst Board to check out the great tutorials we've rounded up. Tons of bracelets and zipper pouches. *as a side note, if you want to do some sort of magnetic snap pouch/bag, that's totally OK!*

Here are some of the zipper pouches you'll find on the Pinterest Board right now.

 

Source: theadventuresofbluegirlxo.blogspot.com via Andrea on Pinterest

Linen and leather padfolio

Have you ever made a gift that you wanted to keep? I had a really hard time taking this one to the post office. I sewed this linen and leather padfolio for Heather from The Sewing Loft for a gift exchange. She's a pen and paper gal and this padfolio sewing pattern was just the thing for a legal pad, pen and some business cards. An all around great notepad cover pattern.

Pattern: Padfolio by Rachael from Imagine Gnats

January sewing list

Now that my Christmas sewing is over I'm getting ready to start a new list. I tend to put 4x as many things on my list as is actually possible. Am I the only one that does that?? Well here's my too full January "just for fun" sewing list.

1. Skinny Jeans. I can't believe I've never gotten around to these yet. They've been on my list since September.
2. Scarves for the girls. These aren't necessary at all here. But they're still on the list.
3. Finish our Advent Jesse Tree I made a year ago. I ran out of thread 2" before the end of the project and never finished it. I'm determined to finish before I pack it away for the year.
4. A Blank Slate Basics blazer. I got the paper pattern and I'm very excited to get started. 

I love this fabric. It's wool from the fabric district.

The pattern is very well done. It is so highly recommended I can't wait to start!

On top of this I'm working on a few patterns and some other fun projects and a new website! GoToSew.com is now live! I'm very excited about this. Go To Sew is the official blog of Go To Patterns. There will be fun sewing contests you can apply for and I'm also looking for contributors so please apply if you're interested!

What is on your list this month?

The year end post where I realize how many of these I never blogged about.

Now that we've done our Top 12 Lists it's time for a year in sewing. Well, some of it. I didn't blog a lot of it so you might see something new. And a few outtakes. Like this one. Gorgeous scenery, perfect light.

This was the first week of Project Run & Play. I loved this jumper. She never wore it again.

Week two was my favorite. It was boy week. A little known fact: that's my girl. You know which book this is from? 

Valentine's Day last minute outfit for pink day at school. You can never go wrong with a simple skirt. I don't know if I blogged this or not.

I made this cute car play mat from the Sewing for Boys book. I later made the garage tutorial.

I made over my daughter's room for her 7th birthday. This is her coming home from school to find it. Find the duvet tutorial here. The wall gallery tutorial is here.

I never blogged this but I did a frame wall as well. Notice the canvas that wasn't finished.

A cape for women?

When I first started working on sewing capes for my girls I had a few people ask if I could make one for women. I laughed a little, thinking I couldn't imagine myself in a cape. Then the cape sewing pattern for girls was a hit and it got me thinking about capes for adults again.

Then this happened.

It turns out I like capes! This one is made from wool and lined with a woven cotton.

But the hood is lined with my precious Liberty print I'm currently in love with. I also used it in the embroidery hoop sewing kit.

I wore it out in our "frigid" winter weather last night and it kept me warm. Yay for capes! The Go To Cape for Women sewing pattern is now available if you want to make one as well! You can check the website for details.

Would you wear a cape?

Related articles

Go To Leggings released! Giveaway Alert!

Go To Shift Dress

the BEST sewing & craft pinners to follow

A Very Go To Christmas: Basic Blazer

A Very Go To Christmas: Alex & Anna Winter Pajamas

Embroidery hoop sewing kit

I made this cute little gift a while back. It's perfect for gift for anyone who sews (or is learning!). A little sewing kit in an embroidery hoop. It's also a great way to use bits of your favorite fabric. I had seen different types of embroidery hoop sewing kits online but none of them were quite what I wanted. So this embroidery hoop sewing kit was birthed. This isn't much of a tutorial but you can get an ide of how it's made just from the photos.

Video chat about sewing patterns

I had the privilege of having a little video chat with Lindsay (Craft Buds, Lindsay Sews), Heather (The Sewing Loft) and Jessica (Sew Set, Me Sew Crazy) the other night. We talked all about designing and selling sewing patterns. If you're intersted in that topic you should check it out. It's not a quick video but it was a lot of fun! Thanks for organizing Lindsay!

DIY chair back covers: a how-to tutorial

Today is a fun DIY chair back cover tutorial from Sarah of Sewing Parts Online. These are so great! I love the reverse appliqúe and the great nametag holder! What a fun idea for holiday parties. If you skip the tree they make great year round chair back covers. 

Hi everyone! My name is Sarah from Sewing Parts Online and I'm so happy to be sharing with The Train to Crazy! Make your holiday dinner even more festive with these christmas tree Chair Back Covers! These are much easier to make than full chair covers and much less expensive. If you have a big family dinner, you'll really enjoy the name card holders! Make your own name cards with decorative paper and rub-on calligraphy. I hope you enjoy making these as much as I did! 

Go To Shift Dress

Now available in the shop! Thanks for the great reaction to this dress! The Go To Shift Dress for girls is a quick, easy dress that still has a lot of style. A wonderful sewing pattern for beginners as well! This girls dress sewing pattern comes in sizes 12 mo—12 yrs. It is a shapeless dress. Perfect for wearing plain or adding a belt. 

(I love this behind the scenes shot)

I love a large button!

Related articles

Go To Leggings released! Giveaway Alert!

A Very Go To Christmas: Skinny Jeans

A Very Go To Christmas: Pea Coats

A Very Go To Christmas: Basic Blazer

A Very Go To Christmas: Alex & Anna Winter Pajamas

Go To Signature Dress Roundup

Last summer when the Go To Signature Dress sewing pattern was first released there were 14 bloggers who helped me get the word out about the pattern. Without them, the dress certainly wouldn't have been as big of a hit as it has been. THANK YOU ladies! Because of you we were able to quickly donate the first $1,000 procedes to a charity project my kids worked on for a year. I'm so happy to report that they just donated $5,100 to World Vision to buy a home for an orphan family. So thank you to everyone who bought their ornaments (the website they ran is no longer available) and purchased a pattern in that first month!

THANK YOU!

Before the year ended I wanted to make sure you all saw those fantastic tunics, dresses and maxi dresses that were made during that series.

Check out all the wonderful dresses:

Knockoff fashion for children

I'm so excited to be over at Elegance & Elephants today sharing a knockoff outfit! I chose a fun outfit off my STYLE: kids pinterest board. 

Head over to check it out! Psst. There may be a free pattern involved!

I found these suitcases at an antique store. I don't take my kids into antique stores usually (oh the things that can go wrong!) but I'm glad I did this time! They were hidden under a clothing rack and I just happened to see a bit of bright pink peaking out. I think I'll put them in every photo from now on. 

 

A Very Go To Christmas: Basic Blazer

Kate from See Kate Sew is sharing the Basic Blazer pattern from Blank Slate Patterns today! Much like with Cherie's post, I could barely notice the outfit past the cute kid. Toddlers really are the cutest. Seriously though, this sewing pattern is fantastic. If you need to sew a blazer for a boy or a girl this PDF pattern is amazing.

A Very Go To Christmas: Goodship Dress

Today Jessica from Me Sew Crazy is sharing her Goodship Dress by Circus Wear. As always, Jessica has picked adorable fabric and this dress couldn't be cuter! I had the honor of rooming with Jessica at Sewing Summit and she really is amazing. And she has some really exciting things planned for the sewing world so make sure you follow her blog and her website Sew Set so you don't miss the details!

A Very Go To Christmas: Maggie Mae Dress & Tunic

Today Cherie from You & Mie is sharing her amazing little daughter. Um, I mean this adorable Maggie Mae Dress by Shwin Designs. The combiniation couldn't be any cuter!! Cherie is an amazingly creative seamstress. I always enjoy seeing what she comes up with!

A Very Go To Christmas: Alex & Anna Winter Pajamas

The wonderful Jenny from The Southern Institute made adorable knit pajamas from the Alex and Anna Winter Pajamas sewing pattern. I love the size range (up to 8 years) so you can even make pajamas for older boys and girls. This is a pattern by peekaboo pattern shop and you won't be dissappointed.

A Very Go To Christmas: Commuter Cowl

This time of year a scarf or cowl is not just something to keep you warm, it's a fashion statement. The Commuter Cowl sewing pattern by luvinthemommyhood is just that. The talented Kirstin from Skirt as Top made one for this series and I love it!

A Very Go To Christmas: Dragon & Rhino Stuffed Animals

Every child loves stuffed animals. I, personally, have had a lot of fun sewing some for my kids. There is something extra special about a homemade stuffie (or fluffy or whatever you call them!). Amy from Naptime Crafters & Peekaboo Pattern Shop is sharing the adorable dragon and rhinoceros stuffed animals she made from DIY Fluffies patterns.

A Very Go To Christmas: Go To Leggings

Today for A Very Go To Christmas Lindsay, from The Cottage Home, is sharing a tutorial for making ruffles on the Go To Leggings. These are so cute! I love the color of the leggings too!

20 easy DIY gifts for women ($10 and less)

Need to make a gift for a girlfriend, mother, daughter, sister or neighbor quickly? I've rounded up 20 easy gifts for women you can make quickly and cheaply with these easy DIY tutorials. All for under $10!

a sweet little linen cape

Last week I bought a bunch of linen (not here). It inspired me to make this simple, natural cape for my oldest daughter.

12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS SEWING: FREE MOTION CHRISTMAS TEA TOWEL

Finally back to the Christmas sewing! I shared this sketchy Christmas tea towel over at Skip to My Lou earlier this month. It was such a fun project. I know free motion sewing scares many of you but don't let it! This free motion tea towel tutorial will help you overcome your fears.

I enjoy sketching with a sewing machine. I like the careful messy look. Of course you could sketch from your head but I prefer to have a pattern to follow. Feel free to copy this one.I started by using a water soluble fabric marker to draw my swirly tree. 

Making gifts extra special

Sometimes a gift is just a gift. But most the time it is not.

That's why I designed the fabric gift bag. Cute, functional, reusable (green!) and it says more than, "I just picked up this $3 rainbow bag because that's what they sell at Target."

Make a fabric gift bag.

The new Go To Gift Bags pattern comes with full digital pattern pieces for 3 different sized gift bags, a wine bottle bag and a felt gift card wallet.

Flashback Friday at Sew Much Ado

I'm over at Sew Much Ado today talking about handmade heirlooms. These are some of my favorites.

Do you know what these are for? These are cherished items in my house. I know my kids will love passing them down to their kids as well! Go stop by Sew Much Ado to find out more!

12 Days of Christmas Sewing: Easy Merry Pillow

It's November and I'm kicking off the 12 Days of Christmas Sewing series with an easy DIY merry pillow cover tutorial! This cute christmas tree pillow tutorial is so quick you can have one of your own in 30 minutes.

This simple merry christmas pillow will look great anywhere!