Lennon Sew Along Information

So, while at Disney last week, the Norris family wasn't the only one to meet Peter Pan. The Lennon did too...

I know, corny right? But hey it is early in the morning and I am still working on getting my brain back from vacation. :)

Here at BG, my goal is to show you many different variations and spins you can put on your patterns to help diversify your little one's closest while keeping the cost down. I also feel it helps to broaden your skill sets. To be honest - I actually learned more about collars when drafting this one than I ever thought I would know! See, we have to keep our brains sharp, right? Especially when they are still on vacation!

So, I am super excited to start a sew along to show you how to add a Peter Pan collar to your Lennon dress or blouse. I will also do a tutorial on how to make the Lennon sleeveless so that you can get some wear out of it this summer. While making the sleeveless dress, I will also show you how to line it completely and sandwich an invisible zipper between the two layers with a gathered skirt. This dress will be just as beautiful on the inside as out! 

The fun all starts this Tuesday, March 17th. Which also happens to be St. Patrick's day. We should all feel lucky then. :) Speaking of luck and good fortune, let me fill you in on 2 sales going on for this sew along.

1. The Lennon pattern is on sale RIGHT now for $7.00. That's more than 20% off. Awesome, right? This way, in case you don't already have the pattern you can grab it in my Etsy store for a discounted price. And just think, if you buy it discounted and then learn more ways to use it, talk about some major bang for your buck! Here is a link to grab it in my Etsy store. The sale will last until midnight EST on Monday 3/16. 
2. Looking for just the right fabric? How about fabric on sale? Ummm...yes please! My dear friend Hilary at HBFabrics is offering a discount for the sew along! I just went through her shop and picked out a few I thought would be perfect for the Lennon! Here are two I thought would make ADORABLE sleeveless Lennon blouses.

Pair those with a chambray Lottie skirt (releasing soon, yay!) and talk about being stylish this summer!! I cannot even stand to think of the cuteness of the pink gingham with the denim skirt!

And these are some great combos for the dress. This Dear Stella is just SCREAMING to be a sweet little nautical-inspired dress with collar. I was thinking the chevron for the skirt, a sweet ivory for the dress part and the adorable Carolina Chambray in strawberry for the collar. OH MY WORD!

And this, gosh...I've had my eye on this print for a while. It may be time to dive in. Imagine this with a blue collar and then splash it up with a red ribbon around the waist. Okay, that's it. I need to fabric shop now. 

So, now through 3/17 (see, the luck continues) use the code BGSEWALONG20 to earn an additional 20% off your order at HBFabrics on Etsy. And don't fret on time, say your fabric doesn't come in time, NO worries. I always keep my sew alongs linked on the blog so you can reference them whenever you need to!

So, while a pattern sale and fabric sale are almost too much excitement to contain in one day...I have ONE more piece of excitement. And this one is FREE! Drumroll....I have already drafted the collar for you. And I will include a link for download on the first day of the sew along. Fantastic right!! So no need to stress about drafting a collar. :)

Now for those ready to plan and shop. Click here for a list of materials needed for the Lennon. Now, if you are planning on making your Lennon sleeveless, you need not worry about the facing for this but you will need a lining. To construct the dress sleeveless, you will basically cut 2 sets of the bodice, so that you have a main fabric front and back pieces and then lining front and back pieces. For the blouse, you will do the same, but I will show you how to cut the lining - it will end about 3/4 of the way down your blouse. Just make sure to account for that fabric. For the collar, most of the times you can cut this from scrap pieces, but if you like to be formal - make sure to have 3/8 of a yard. Clear as mud, right? Also, on the dress for the pattern it doesn't matter the zipper length as it is cut off, but for the sleeveless version we are sandwiching that zipper and will use it all, so make sure to grab a zipper that is longer than the bodice, but shorter than the dress. Again, clear as mud I am sure. Ha!

Okay, I just threw a ton of info your way, and if your brain is still on the struggle bus this morning like mine is...let's break it down for you. Here's a little calendar:

• now through 3/17 : pick up your copy of the Lennon ON SALE in the brownie-goose etsy shop and use the code BGSEWALONG20 for 20% off your order at HBFabrics on etsy.

• Tuesday 3/17 - Friday 3/20 : the sew along begins right here on the BG blog! Remember, if you cannot sew along this week, no worries! I will keep the sew along up and linked under the sew along tab. i will post each day a series of steps to construct our collared Lennons. Since this is just a sew along, many times i will reference the pattern. For example, I may say, finish construction as indicated on page 15 of tutorial. So, the pattern is kinda a must-have. :)

• Friday 3/20-Sunday 3/29 : I will start an album on the brownie-goose lovers group on Facebook. This is where you will upload your creations to be entered into a giveaway. You can make as many as you want to enter, but only the photos in the album will be entered to win. Make sure you put your photos in the right spot! This gives everyone a chance to participate over 2 weeks!

• Monday 3/30: I will choose 2 winners at random for 2 brownie-goose patterns of choice AND a $25 gift certificate to Etsy. Fun, fun, fun!!!

Alrighty then, who is excited!? I am, but I also must get to work!!! It's an exciting week at BG with a sew along and hopefully a brand new pattern release. Must grab more coffee!

Thanks ladies - and holler at me brownie goose@hotmail.com with any questions!

Xoxo - Amy

Big-Girl Britches for a New Year

hello to all of my geese and happy 2015! 

as i took the last few weeks off from work, i had a lot of things to ponder. i will be completely honest and tell you quitting BG was one of the items i pondered. as some of my friends in the sewing world know, this isn't the first and probably won't be the last time i ponder this thought. it happens. for those that own their own business, you know what i mean. burn out is real. and rough. and when there is no real "clocking out" going on, a business can run you into the ground. i made myself lists of pros and cons because i am very old-school like that. some days the pros for quitting out-weighed the cons and vice-versa, and some days my emotions swayed me one way versus the other. but in the end, here i am. back at it. because between you and me, i love it. but with some perspective in mind. 

perspective that went a little something like this: 

• life is too short and too sweet to stress. 
• life is too short and too sweet to worry. 
• life is too short and too sweet to dwell on negativity. 

and more than anything, 

• life is too short and too sweet to spend too much time on a business where come tax time you realize you are almost paying the government to work.

there, i said it. in all honestly, taxes kill me with BG. take an unfortunate tax bracket, add in self-employment taxes and BAM. there goes all the money. wasn't that fun? 

NOT.

so, with all of this said - i need to scale back just a bit. which is quite silly considering i am a very small fry to begin with. but the magic word in that sentence was "I." as in I need to scale back. I need to find a better balance. I need to make better use of my time. so, this is all about me. and finding a good balance of work time vs. family time vs. me (and my labrador) time. i am quite positive and think this can be done. i just have to set limits.

so, i am really going to try and focus on limiting my business hours to when my kids are in school. i also need to never again try to publish a new pattern around the holidays. OR have a major deadline in the summer when my kiddos are home with me. see, baby steps y'all. 

what does this mean for you? nothing much really - other than my presence online or emails may be limited to mornings, some evenings and not much in the afternoons. we can do this, right? i mean, we all know how shady i am to start with. :)

with all of this said - on a FUN note, i made myself a list of things so i can try and stay focused and organized and all that fun jive in 2015. and this list includes some really fun sew alongs, collaborations, tutorials, pattern revamps, and a few new patterns - which may or may not all make it.  depending on time. 

so, who's up for a really fun 2015? here's to a happy new year full of BG, organization, staying focused and getting our sew on!!

is there anything you are dying to see?

xoxo - amy

Who Wants to Buy Some BG?

Okay ladies - fun stuff ahead. And this time it isn't just limited to those that sew.

I get at least 2 emails a week asking if I sell the items that I sew. Most of you know that I no longer sew to sell (goodness knows I can hardly keep up with the small amount of sewing I do for patterns and don't even ask Byron how quickly I sew on his shirt buttons) but LOVE to recommend girls that do. I usually send those that ask to my Facebook page and tell them to look at who posts and contact them (this is why I am so crazy in telling all of you to watermark your pics!). 

Anywhos.

What would you do if I told you that 19 uber talented designers got together and have sewed up some major goodies from BG patterns and will be putting all of these items up for sale for YOU TO BUY?

Would you have a major freakout? Because I kinda did. And I can sew, I just don't do so efficiently.

Introducing the Brownie-Goose Online Showcase. Do you hear singing in the background? You are not alone.

The Facebook page is crawling with gorgeousness and sneak peeks. And one of my favorite things is all of the designers were featured and had an "about me" section. I always love to learn a little more about the talented girls behind the beautiful clothes!

You know the girl behind BG loves a good sneak...so here are just a few I grabbed from the site.

Are you excited yet? You should be. 

So, the most important part. When and where.

November 10th at 9 pm EST on the Brownie-Goose Online Showcase Page. 

Be there and score some awesome clothing, or be square. But don't comment on what I want to buy, I might have to pull out the claws. :) Haha, just kidding. Maybe.

For more details please check out the page and take a moment this morning, drink some good coffee and go window shopping and check out all of the awesome and amazing sneak peeks!

Peace out ladies!

xoxo - Amy

Cricket Sew Along - Day 4, Second Look

Welcome back geese! I hope you had an awesome sewing day yesterday and are ready to finish up your Second Look!

If you are just now joining in the fun, check out these other 3 posts to catch up:

• Cricket Sew Along Debriefing
• Cricket Sew Along - Day 1 (First Look construction)
• Cricket Sew Along - Day 2 (First Look waist and hem) 
• Cricket Sew Along - Day 3 (Second Look construction and casing)

Yesterday we tacked the lining and casing for the elastic. I left you with sleeves to construct overnight. Today we are back to tackle the side seams, elastic, hem and decorative bow!

 Let us start with the elastic. You are going to cut 2 pieces of elastic for the waistband. So, one small formula is needed:

waist measurement - 1

2

For me, Louisa's waist is 21". So, (21-1)/2 is 10". I will cut 2 pieces of elastic that are 10" each. Remember, don't get my measurements confused with yours!

Now, grab one of the pieces of elastic and your elastic-threading thingamajig and feed the elastic through the casing on the front of your Cricket. I put the casing lines on there from yesterday just in case anyone wanted that as a reference.

 When the edge of the elastic is aligned with the side of the dress, sew the elastic in place with a 1/4" seam, as shown below with the black dotted line. When I sew elastic, I like to reinforce the stitch to make sure it isn't going anywhere.

With one edge secured, finish feeding the other end of the elastic through the other side.

Once you have it pulled through, tuck it back so that the edge of the elastic is aligned with the edge of the side just like you did for the other side. Pin in place and again sew the elastic in the casing with a 1/4" seam allowance as shown by the dotted line below.

One side done! Now do the same with the other piece of elastic and the back of the Cricket. 

Once both sides have the elastic secured in the casing, place your dress on a flat surface right sides together and line up the underarm seams, sleeves and elastic casings.

Once everything is lined up and pinned together (you can see below I used the cheater method for the sleeves. Cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater!), sew (3/8" seam allowance) along the bottom of the sleeve, through the underarms and down the side MAKING SURE to keep your elastic casing for the front and back lined up and also making sure to catch the elastic-securing stitch in your seam.

 Finish those seams and then double check that the elastic-securing stitch was caught and covered. Sometimes, because I am neurotic cautious, I will place another line of stitching to make sure that elastic stays in place. When I do this, I sew it right along the edge of the seam as shown by the gray dotted line. This is certainly not necessary, but as I said...sometimes I get a little cautious like that. :)

Okay, rocking and rolling on day 4. One would think some of you carb-loaded last night. ;)

Now, it is time to finish up the Cricket. If you used the original method for the sleeves, go ahead and put the cuffs on the bottoms as shown in the tutorial on page 20. Then, hem your dress and add the button as instructed on pages 23-25 of the pattern.

Guess what - we have a decorative bow to do and then you are SO done! This bow is easy-peasy and adds such a cute, girly detail that my little Lou adores.

Cut a rectangle of fabric about 5-6" tall by about 40" wide. I actually cut a piece that was 5.5" by selvage width. I just grabbed a solid out of my stash of scraps and had just enough. Here it is below on the fold. You want it to be long enough to be a cute bow - but not too long. And for width, we will fold it over on itself, so pick a width and then double. However, I don't recommend going more that 6" since it may get too bulky to attach to the casing.

 Fold it in half lengthwise with right sides together. You will sew (white line) from one end all the way to the other, making sure to leave a space mid-way through that is about 1-1.5" wide so you can flip it over on itself. 

I like to curve my edges just a bit to make it more feminine looking.

 Once you have sewn it along the edge, leaving a gap in the middle, clip your curved edges as shown below.

Now, grab your handy turn-it-right-sides-out thingamajig (I use hemostats, I couldn't function in my sewing room without them) and flip your bow right sides out. Then, take to the ironing board and press it all along the edge making sure to fold in where you left the gap.

 Once pressed, take your bow the sewing machine and top-stitch all along the edge you just stitched making sure to stitch closed the opening left for turning it right sides out. 

Take your dress and work the fabric evenly along the elastic in the waist. Then, grab the elastic from the buttonhole on the front of your dress so that it is sticking up above the casing as shown below. Again, hemostats to the rescue. Or you can use tweezers. Lord knows my eyebrow tweezers get more time in my sewing room than in the bathroom. I have some very scary brows. Yikes.

 Once the elastic is pulled up a bit, slide one end of your bow through it as shown below.

 Now, work the bow in and give it a beautiful tie. I will not give a tutorial on that because I am the worst bow-tier ever. It is pitiful.

Once your bow is tied - stand back, turn off the iron and the sewing machine and pat yourself on the back. YOU DID IT ladies!! Your Second Look is all done!

Congratulations!!! We actually finished up a day early, wahooo! I will post an album in the brownie-goose lovers group on facebook tomorrow morning so that you can upload your photos for a chance to win some BG patterns and a gift certificate to Hawthorne Threads! This album is for completed photos only and you have until the following Sunday 10/12 to enter photos.

Thanks again ladies for another wonderful BG Sew Along! I hope you had fun and learned a few things along the road. :)

Peace out girlies - from the girl behind BG