oh sweet hattie!

i have a few designs that take my breath away each and every time that i look at them. no matter how many times.

the hattie is for shizzle one of those designs.

this dress brought me to tears at the drafting table a little over a year ago. i walked away from it numerous times with many 4-letters behind me swearing i was quitting it. but, it never left me alone. it would haunt me in my dreams and i would be right back at it the next morning. and finally, one day it just worked and i think i went a few minutes without breathing.

i love everything about this design. i love the ruffled neck with a pleated front...

i really love the gathered sleeves with the buttons on the tabs. you know me, i am a sucker for a button.

i adore the short length. i know not everyone agrees with me here, but i love a short dress on a little girl. can you tell i am a huge fan of the brady bunch and the fashion of that time period?

well, it has finally made itself to pdf form so that all of you can create the sweet hattie as well. and i decided to draft it tunic length as well, because i honestly cannot stand how stinking adorable it looks over some skinny jeans. 

as soon as i publish this blog, she will be in the etsy shop. for sale. for you. i hope you love her. i certainly do. and so does lou...don't let that sassy face fool you.

now, for a little more info about what i have been up to. yall, i swanny i haven't stopped in 2 weeks. i have been busting it with patterns and pdfs and tutorials and measurements, etc. i have decided to finally start to include larger sizes and honestly the drafting is kicking my tail. i have been pouring over measurements, sweating under my arms and holding my mouth just right hoping that my insane collection of sizes is working out well. i was a bit humbled to find one day that MY inseam was only a few inches from that of a 12 year old. ouch.

but, to be honest - i cannot keep this pace going. i am exhausted and my brain isn't functioning at full capacity. i mean, think about today - i almost FORGOT to publish hattie. oh my. so, what i plan to do is shut down the etsy shop on thursday of this week for a bit so that i can play double-time with the patterns. i have a special little brown doggy (the brownie of BG)

 

 that turns 11 on the 16th, and i think we all know that i LOVE to celebrate a birthday with a little flash sale. and since technically a flash sale is not planned - that is all the info i can give you about that for now. ;)

again - ladies, i am blown away by the pictures of your creations you send me. i love to see what spin you put on my patterns. it seriously puts a big ole smile on my face. keep it up!

so, hattie getting published, etsy shop closing thursday and in the meantime...someone else you may know turns 33. just a hint, here she is throwing her hands in the air and LOVING life. 

 

peace out my brownie geese.

BG + HB = BFF 4-eva

okay, i know that title is so nerdy and dorky - but after the turn of events this afternoon, anything is humorous to me. plus, we all know i am a dork like that anyways. :)

our upstairs renovation started today, and since we are living in the house while the reno goes on we have made a small area in the basement that is about 400 square feet temporary living space. what this means is that most of everything my family of 4 people, 2 labradors and a kitty cat, does is in this space. hope we love each other. close quarters for sure.

well, today has been a bit hectic getting everyone settled into the basement. the day started off pooey as i was chastised in the carpool line when i broke a rule i didn't know existed (i may be awesome (hehe), but i am not much of a rule-breaker, well...not anymore at least), and then i come home to my sweet brown dog not feeling well and limping and being all pitiful. then, nash decided to strike nap time and once i got lou home from school we discovered a leak in the 400 square feet of "safe space" that we have (on brand new flooring) and trying to deal with that and screaming kids at the beginning of suicide hour...well, let's just say that i'm spent. it's about beer-thirty.

okay - off the pitty potty for me. ain't nobody got time for that! instead, let's learn about the new pattern hitting the shops tomorrow and a fun fabric deal with HBfabrics!

after many, many, many requests and inquiring minds...the Lily Ruffler will be released in my etsy shop tomorrow.

this ruffler is probably one of my faves ever. it puts a little spin on the old double ruffle pants and gives you the option of adding trim and even another fabric to peek out from behind that top curved ruffle. the cut is slimmer than the sleepy jeans - since with the ruffly-ness (dear spell check, yes that IS a word. sincerely, the girl behind BG) you need slimmer lines. trust me. we cannot be having these girls looking all frumpified! oh, and what would a BG pattern be without buttons? and better yet - i drafted this pattern for capri and pant length. so the hardest part is deciding which length you wanty. :)

so, while that is awesome news - i haven't even gotten to the best part yet.

if you buy the Lily Ruffler in the first 3 days - you will get a coupon code good for 10% off your purchase at HBfabrics. and better yet - hilary just got a TON of new fabrics this weekend. on top of all the other awesomeness in her shop - she just got more of the robert kaufman chambrays that you see used on many, many pieces of BG. i love to sew with his chambrays - you cannot beat them with a stick! she has the royal (i've used these for the summer sailors on the dock of the bay, the limited edition lolas on the daydream believer, all my denim rufflers), black (this was the ever-popular sleepy jean fabric) and drumroll....MOCHA. girls, this mocha is dying to be a Lily. she told me so. and don't EVEN get me started on the yarn dyed linen. oooooooooh my darlin. and oh smacks, i just saw she restocked the robert kaufman metro living line. danger fabriholics!

so come on ladies...the early bird gets the worm. get the lily ruffler before midnight on thursday and reward yourself with some new fabric! the coupon code will be emailed to you with the pattern and hilary gets a list of the purchasers, so no code sharing please!

enabeler, yes....bad influence, always. sorry ladies. ;)

patterns in waiting

so, i've had a lot of emails and facebook posts recently asking what i have been up to and what i plan to be up to in the near future. well, here is your answer.

NO good.

hehe, just kidding...maybe.

but in all seriousness, i hope to get my sew on again soon. all of my machines, fabrics, buttons, etc. that i am used to looking at day-in, day-out have been packed away in boxes since the beginning of may. enough is enough, i miss those guys. i am itching to get back to sewing and design.

and hopefully i will. soon. we are about to begin renovations on the house, so i will have a temporary spot for my sewing stuff (that will be shared with the kids as a play room/sewing room...sound like a disaster? methinks yes, but i am sort of desperate at this point). that means i can get to work on finishing up some of the patterns to publish and get some new ones out the door. 

pattern design was something that just sort of fell into my lap - mostly due to my stubborness and inability to let things go. i would think of something that i wanted to sew and not find it anywhere out there, therefore...i would draft until i cried and got it all just right. then, i sort of realized that it was more fun than i was letting on, and started to design for collections - mostly so that the BG that i brought you would be different, and me. and then i decided to take a leap of faith and publish some of those patterns since i had people asking (this was a decision that i battled for quite some time) and could not have asked for a better outcome. i never in my life realized that it would bring me such joy to encourage others to create and sew. it knocks my socks off. honestly, when i see people sewing my designs - it really just makes my heart smile - and i know that probably sounds all cliche - but i mean it. sewing is cool, i mean - i am sure i am preaching to the choir here considering who reads this blog, but it is such a cool thing and it is fabulous that i can reach people all over the world and connect on the same level. knocks off those socks peeps!!

anyways, before i get carried away in talking about how much of a dork i am and how rad sewing is...how about what you came here for. patterns in waiting...

these are just a few of the designs you have already seen that i will be taking the plunge and publishing the patterns. i cannot give you a time line as my life is crazy-fest right now, but i am thinking with louisa starting kindergarten next week (sniff, sniff) i may have more idle time on my hands. haha, famous last words.

so, look for these babes to hit my etsy store at some point:

the hattie - this dress was a HUGE accomplishment for me in the drafting arena and i heart it with everything i have! i hope you will too!

 the betsy - i debated to publish this one since i thought it was just another peasant dress pattern, but i have had numerous requests...and so i am happy to indulge everyone's inner brady bunch.

the trudy - this dress can take so many forms. add a flutter, add a pocket, add some funk to your heart's desire!

 

the allie oop - a dock of the bay fave that gave me fits at the drafting table!

for the boys - the clam digger shorts, i swanny i could eat that child!

bestill...the lake dress. possibly one of the few dresses that takes my breath away repeatedly.

the lazy susan top...flutter and boatneck together, yes please!

the lemonade dress - still working out kinks on this one, if a kink is categorized as personality...this one is full of it. lawsy - but she will be perfecto before she hits the shop. just trying my patience in the meantime...

the ever-requested sadie...be her a skirt or a top, including a tutorial on colorblocking the BG way.

another for the boys - the henry pant. a flat-fronted trouser with a cuff on the bottom. i am still debating on whether or not to include instructions for the suspenders as well, i heart them...but don't know if everyone will...what do you think?

so, that is what is on tap here in the near future. i've got my hands full for sure. and who knows...the creative dragon that has been laid at rest all summer may come out and blow some fire up my rear end for some new designs.

i say it again and again, and i mean it again and again...thanks for being the BEST damn customers a girl could ask for. rock on all my BG ladies!

something new for BG & HB

whoooaaaaa...remember me?

these poor, poor neglected blogs of mine. :)

okay - to fill you in a bit, brownie-goose is now stationed out of athens, ga in a house that is amidst renos/unpacking/hooligans/etc. my sewing room is all still in boxes and will remain that way for at least another month, if not more. i've got to get my husband started in his new job, louisa settled in kindergarten (sniff) and nash in mother's morning out (sniff again). and then, it is momma's turn!

but, in the meantime i have been getting some of the dock of the bay patterns up in the shop for you to sew and love, and i have to admit...the pictures i have seen of the work you ladies have done, wow - yall rock it for real!

well, i have another coming out this week - and something really fun, new and exciting to try with it. ready??

if you follow me on facebook, you are no stranger to HBfabrics. hilary (the girl behind HB) has been my fabric supplier since the get-go. she is awesome like that and has been such a huge help to BG when planning collections, keeping my secrets, helping me out with discontinued fabrics (which we all know i tend to love a little too much), etc. and i think you all know how i like to support a fellow momma out there working to stay home with her chirrens (and she just had the sweetest little girl, who i like to call baby HB to make 3). anyways, if you haven't ordered from her before...here is your perfect chance!

HB and BG are teaming up! 

i can hardly stand my excitement in this! this week (tuesday), i will publish the tilly pattern

in the etsy shop and if you order in the first 3 days (offer expires midnight of thursday the 26th) -  i email you the pattern AND a discount code good for 15% off your order at HBfabrics. because we all know...there is NO such thing as too much fabric, and you need fabric to make a pattern, right? ;)

while writing this blog i decided to cruise hilary's shop to see what all she has in right now and i picked out a few of my faves for the tilly and thought i would share.

• this print makes me smile - does your little one have some denim shorts? if so, i think it would make the perfect outfit!

dear stella bukhara fez in multi

• and this one, we all know that BG loves a chevron (and guess what, so does HB! she has tons of them) and this yellow is dying for a big fat navy or grass green button in the back!

riley blake chevron in yellow

• and now, for my fave...seriously - if someone doesn't make a tilly out of these two gorgeous fabrics to pair with some polka summer sailors soon i just might fall out. if i knew where my sewing machine was, i'd be all over this one right now. plus - michael miller used the word "thar" and we all know i LOVE me some sailor/pirate talk. :)

michael miller thar she blows in sea with riley black seaside dot in blue

might i mention she also has buttons? eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeks. danger for the girl behind BG.

okay...now that i have convinced myself that i "need" new fabric (it is truly an addiction, but the way i see it is that there are many worse things i could be addicted to, you know...like buttons) let me get back to putting the finishing touches on that tilly. :)

so, fun, fun news - new pattern this week and fabric coupon! hot diggity dog!