Thursday 29 June 2017

Sew Swimwear - Supermom Swimsuit

I jumped at the chance to join the Lulu and Celeste Sprouting Jube Jube Productions Swimsuit Edition Blog Tour. (Wow, That's a mouthful!!!) I sewed up this amazing floral stripe swimsuit using a swim strikeoff from Black Rabbit Fabrics back in March (AKA very much still winter in Edmonton) but have yet to blog all about it. As of today there's even some of this swim knit left on the BRF website! Black Rabbit Fabrics is also currently celebrating 3000 members in their facebook group. Enter the 3000 member giveaway here.

When I saw this gorgeous floral stripe strikeoff, I just knew it had to be turned in to my very first Agility Tank. I actually won the Agility Tank pattern from 5 out of 4 Patterns (affl. link) awhile back but with my very tight testing schedule had not made one yet. I brought my strikeoff with me to my local gem sewing store Marshall Fabrics to look through their solids to find one that matched. They didn't have just the right blue to match with the stripe so I decided on a bright neon coral colour instead.


The Agility Tank Pattern went together beautifully. I used the strappy back version with the lower arm cut for the overlay. I also did the drawstring around the bottom which I love because I can make it tighter for when i'm in the water so the overlay doesn't float up. I have had alot of questions about sewing with swim knit and how tough it is. I probably wouldn't suggest this pattern in swim knit for a total beginner but it is definitely doable for someone who is comfortable with sewing knit binding and who has sewn with swim knit before. If you're used to sewing with cotton lycra, you will probably find swim knits to be quite slippery. It does take some getting used to but the end result of a few practice suits is totally worth it!


For my swim bottoms, I decided to make them reversible. I used the free Celeste Panties from Ohhh Lulu as a base pattern with a few modifications. I had to add seam allowance to both legs as they are finished with stretch lace in the original free pattern. For the full construction of these bottoms I was able to follow along with the instructions on the Ultimate Bikini Bottoms from 5 out of 4 Patterns. I highly recommend that pattern as a starting point for bikini bottoms especially if you want to learn how to make them reversible. I didn't use a swim liner with these bottoms since I had 2 layers of swim knit. In the future, if I have a lighter print and a darker solid, I would probably add a layer of lining in between so that solid doesn't show through quite as much.


 What do you think? Which way do they look best? Which way would you wear the bottoms? Please feel free to leave me some comments to let me know your thoughts!

 Cheers! Michelle
PS As always check me out on instagram for more pics


Monday, June 26
Tuesday, June 27
Wednesday, June 28
Thursday, June 29
Friday, June 30

Enter friday's Contest:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Two ways to enter: Enter the Grand Prize Rafflecopter, and/or post a swimwear item you’ve sewn on Instagram. Readers can enter more than once on Instagram but must use a different photo/different sewn swim item per entry. (Ie. multiple photos of the same outfit only count as one entry). Items allowed: swimsuits and swim coverups for the entire family (women, men, children). To enter on IG: Post your photo and use the hashtag #TheSwimsuitEditionTour and tag @luluandceleste and @debzaleski in your post. Items can only have been sewn since the beginning of June 2017. Closes July 2nd 11:59pm EDT.
 Prize: Phat Quarters $25(USD) gift card + Boo Designs $100(AUD) gift card + Sewing by Ti -$20(USD) gift card + Made by Jack's Mum - swim pdf pattern bundle

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Monday 12 June 2017

Sew What Do I Wear - Sunshine Vacation

Well there's nothing like leaving things until the last minute and getting this post up when i am literally ON vacation. I always have all these great plans to get my projects sewn up early and my posts done with time to spare but as you all know I tend to procrastinate and think I have more time than I really do. Hence, finishing sewing and writing this the day before leaving on vacation. I still need to finish laundry and pack!

 So sit back, read on, and enjoy a mimosa, fruity summer beer, mojito, sangria, or your own drink of choice!


The weather in Alberta has been pretty all over the place so far this summer. We've had unseasonably hot weather and also unseasonably cold weather. Hubby and I were supposed to be climbing a mountain this weekend but it had to be postponed (at our guide's recommendation) due to crazy cold temperatures at the higher elevations.

And here is my Crossover Sunshine dress! I love all the dresses available in the Patterns for Pirates collection but I decided that I really wanted a dress with pockets and love the look of this cross over front with the gathered sides. There are 3 different bodice options, 3 different skirt lengths, and 2 different skirt looks meaning endless (okay 18) different options.


For this blog tour I decided I wanted to use my gorgeous boats border print that I found at my gem local sewing shop Marshall Fabrics. I have gotten so many great finds there! The panel/print was exactly 0.8m which is just under a yard. I knew it would make a great longer skirt portion of a dress. There wasn't quite enough fabric to make a maxi length dress so i'm coining this an "ankle length" dress. 


I am pumped to wear this dress all summer long. I used a birch organic cotton lycra for the upper portion and pockets. I like the structure and compression that this fabric brings. For the bottom, the border print is a nice rayon lycra with 4 way stretch. In the future I would love to make another Sunshine dress in a buttery soft bamboo lycra knit similar to the fabric used here in my romper.

When we head to LA in October I can guarantee this dress will be at the top of my pack list. I feel like it is dressy enough to wear out to a nice dinner, but casual enough to wear on the beach. Oh and check out those pockets!!! I can also wear my new dress to work with a cardigan and have somewhere to put my work ID/Pager/Coffee Money. Score!

As always, check out my other posts or follow me on Instagram.

Cheers! Michelle


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