A Woven Lana Top

Hi everyone! Today I am joining the Lana Blog Tour with a woven version! Keep reading to know all the mods I made to turn this pattern designed for knits into a fabulous woven top. 

Catherine Cardigan

This week I am joining the Catherine Cardigan tour! My girls love to layer up with cardigans so I am always looking for good cardigan patterns. There are a couple I love and now I am adding one more to my go-to list!

The Catherine Cardigan is the perfect addition to your girl(s)' wardrobe. It is suitable for spring, summer and autumn! 

The Ania Tunic + The Wild and Free Pants

Hi everyone! Is this me blogging again? Am I getting into the sewing+blogging loop again? I certainly don't have the time I used to have to sew.all.the.things, but I am managing to sew again! YAY! 

So, today I am sharing with you my recent makes. Two patterns by Coffee + Thread. Love Olga and absolutely love her patterns! 

The Fat Quarter Skirt

Hi! I just found the perfect pattern for people who - just like me - don't have much time to sew or need a quick & easy & cute gift for girls. It's the Fat Quarter Skirt by Thread Riding Hood. It only takes 2 fat quarters of fabric! And it's the perfect sewing fix for this sleepy mom of a baby, who doesn't have much time to sew these days... 

An Elephant for Baby T. - his first mama-made Christmas gift!

The best and most beautiful season of the year is just around the corner! (I just love, love the holiday season!) If you are anything like me your sewing machine will be working full steam the week before Christmas in order to have all those handmade gifts made... Well, this year because of baby #4 I thought I'd best start (way) earlier with my Christmas sewing (because everything takes me longer (much longer) to get done) and the thing is: I am already ahead on my gifting list! (Yay!!) 

When Virginia asked me to join this year's edition of Gingercake Patterns Holiday Gifts I immediately said yes! Sewing for a blog series AND tackling my handmade gifts list all at once? Yes, please! 

The Tulip Top

Hi! In case you're wondering, baby #4 is almost out! (Any day now! Eeeek!) but I am full active, nesting and doing a major cleaning here at home, but I am finding some time to sew! So, today I am joining the Tulip International Blog Tour and sharing my version of the Tulip top! 

The Tulip Top & Dress is a brand new pattern by two Belgian ladies - Eva and Katrien (links below). This pattern was first launched in Dutch and I was really in love with it because of all the versions I was seeing on social media. So, when they contacted me to be one of the proofreaders for the English version I was thrilled!! After a couple of weeks of work, this beautiful pattern is finally been released in English this week! 

The Top Knot Dress & Romper

Today I am joining the Top Knot Tour! It is all about the Top Knot Romper, Dress & Tunic, a pattern by the talented Gabriela of Chalk & Notch. Don't miss all the versions made for this tour (a.m.a.z.i.n.g) and there are some goodies for you at the end of this post! 

The Moiano Coat

This blog post in a single sentence: I have FINALLY found my go-to pattern for coats!

You have no idea for how long I have been looking for a pattern like this! And the-all-amazing An nailed it! (Thank you An!)

Sisters New Knit Outfits - Thread Faction SS2016

Hi! Today I am showcasing new coordinating knit outfits I made for my girls as part of the Thread Faction SS2016 tour.

Do you know Thread Faction patterns? (formerly Hatchlings patterns) 
It's a pattern company owned by the amazingly talented Liz Elliott, who lives in Australia. Believe me, you want to know these patterns! I am so (so!) impressed by their overall quality! 

Thread Faction just launched a new pattern collection. The Spring/Summer 2016 collection presents several knit girls patterns. (But you can hack a few of them into boys patterns! Just check what my friend Diana did here. Super cute, right?)

There's a mix of 7 patterns that make up for the perfect beach/Summer styles: shorts, romper, circle skirt dress, racer back tank & dress, boxy top, etc. They are all super trendy and easy to make! And the best part: Liz makes use of all the proper techniques for sewing with knits. These patterns will take you to the next level on your sewing skills! 

The Miss Polly Dress

Hi! Today I am joining the Miss Polly dress tour, a new pattern by Sewpony Vintage. I can't say enough good things about this pattern. I love it so much! Suzanne has such an eye for designing girls dresses. They are always original! And I love that they are modern patterns with a vintage style.

The Eleena Dress

Hi, again! :) It seems like I keep breaking all the great rules of blogging. I post either too sparingly or, like today, I post twice on the same day. But hey, I have always been a rebel, haha. 

This is the Eleena dress, one of my favorite dress patterns ever! This is the dress I made during the pattern testing and I am showing it today as part of the Eleena Dress Tour. I love the vintage look of this pattern! But I decided to make a modern edgier version of it. (I am a rebel, remember? hehe)

The Holiday Debut Tour

Christmas is just around the corner! Yay! Today I am all Christmas-y here as I join the Holiday Debut Blog Tour. This tour showcases three different patterns from three different designers that debuted this year: Holli of Hello Holli, Gabriela of Chalk and Notch and Saskia of The Wolf and The Tree. These ladies did an amazing job with their first pattern! I am in awe.

I had the chance to test the Blue Ridge dress and the Fishtail Kimono a few months ago and now I have sewn up Abby's Tights. All I can say is that I absolutely love these patterns! I can't wait to see what their next patterns are! The bar is set high, ladies! :) (No pressure intended, ha!)

The Fairport Purse & Clutch

Hi! Today I am joining the 2nd Birthday Celebration Blog Tour of Radiant Home Studio. 
I first "met" Sara Curtis about two years ago, when I was trying my chance at the Sew Mama Sew Giveaway, an online event when several bloggers and designers run small giveaways on their own blogs. I didn't won Sara's pattern then but I got the most lovely email from her. We have been following each other since then and it is always a pleasure to sew her great patterns. I have made the Retro Rucksack here and I am eager to make these adorable house shaped cushions! 

Petit Oiseau

Hi! Today I am one of the stops for the Petit Oiseau tour. I love Mel's (Filles à Maman) patterns - they are some of the best out there - and I was so happy to join this blog tour showcasing her lovely newest pattern, the Petit Oiseau (that's French for little bird). My little (not so little anymore, blah...) ginger birdie loved her new sweater! 

M is for Moto Joggers

Hi! Today I am on the M is for Moto Joggers Tour, or should I say, M is for More Dressed-up Joggers. :) I really don't wear sportswear nor joggers. I am not of a sporty type - I should, I know, look at me and all that fluffiness crying out loud for some calorie burning activities. :) So what I am doing on this tour? Well, first of all I really love trying new patterns from new-to-me designers and I also love to modify patterns just a bit to make them my style or something that I really need on my wardrobe. I always see that as a challenge and I can't say no to a good challenge.

When Elizabeth kindly sent me an invitation for this tour I realized that this pattern could also be made in woven (instead of knit) and in several styles - you have to check all the options! -, so there was hope for my non-sporty self and I accepted the challenge.

Happy 15th Anniversary Ottobre design!

Happy Birthday Ottobre Design!

Just in case you missed the announcement, 15 Portuguese sewing bloggers joined to celebrate the 15th Anniversary of Ottobre Design, a pattern magazine specializing in children's and youth fashion, designed in Finland. 
And what time frame did we choose to have this tour? In October (what else?) :) , and starting on the... 15th, of course. :) 

Back in the Spring of 2014 I was perusing all the craft and sewing magazines on my news stand, which always takes me some good 30-45 minutes... and a huge amount of money... (Sewing magazine addict, anyone? Raise your hand!) 
As I was saying, I was looking through the magazines when I spotted Ottobre's magazine! I might have squealed!... I couldn't believe that Ottobre was finally selling in my country... 

A Modified Paulina Top

Hi! School has started around here three weeks ago and we are all still adjusting to the new routines. There is a 3rd grader that goes to school #1, a first grader that goes to school #2 and a kindergarter that goes to school #3... Good thing is, school #2 and #3 are close to each other and are only 5 minutes away from school #1 so isn't as bad as it sounds, although having them all at the same school would definitely simplify our lives... 

They all start at 9am, come home to lunch (it is a common thing around here, although school canteens serve great healthy food), go back to school, leave at 3.30-4pm and a few days a week there are extra curricular activities (ballet, judo, arts & crafts). Time flies during the day...

Today I am joining the Itch To Stitch Birthday Tour! I have been following Kennis work since the beginning and have tested one or two of her patterns. Her patterns are really good and professional. If you don't know them, well you should! :)

A Summer/Fall transition mini capsule wardrobe for a first grader

I made a mini collection for the first time! It is a capsule wardrobe for my first grader. I can't believe this little monkey of mine started Primary School this week! Eeeek! She is so, so excited! Every day when she comes home she asks "Today I haven't learned to read yet. When will Miss L. teach us how to read?". She will be an avid reader, I can tell you.

I have made seven different pieces that can mix-and-match between themselves to create several different outfits.

Six of those were made (printed, cut and sewn) two days ago in less than 24 hours... Yeah, you read that right. I am that sewing addict (aka crazy). 

Life really got in the way these two last weeks. Between last week of Summer holidays with activities, shopping for school and parents-teacher meetings in all three schools, and the beginning of school on Monday with a new routine (that we are still adapting to...)
So, on Tuesday I finally took hands on this and between pick-ups, cooking meals, cleaning the kitchen between meals, feeding the kids, bathing the kids and doing homework with them, I managed to sew six things. Everything is understitched, topstitched, edgestitched, all seams are finished and all stripes are matching. In all honesty I don't know how I was able to do it all! Well, maybe the fact that I only slept for 4 and half hours that night helped a bit... I am lucky to live well with 6 hours of sleep, so it wasn't that bad. Gladly I am only this crazy once or twice a year. :)

The Ravenna

Hi! Today I am joining the celebration of the 1st anniversary of Straight Stitch Designs at the "Remix The Stitch" tour. I am proud to be part of this journey since I have been testing and touring Kimberly's wonderful patterns since the very beginning. 

You may have seen the children's free Mae tunic pattern I made here. Then the Ballard (knit), the Bellevue (knit and woven) and recently the Greenwood tank (knit). Love them all and they are in heavy rotation on my wardrobe.

Today I am showing off one of my new favorite tops. It's the Ravenna, and you can find it here. I changed the pattern a bit to make it suitable for the Fall weather that arrived last week and I made it out of an amazing navy blue silk crepe with a swallow print. Not an easy fabric to sew but it drapes beautifully... I wish I had a V-blog so you could see it. :) 

The Paneled Sunsuit - Not Just a Sunsuit Tour

Hi! First of all, please excuse all the pink overload on this post. I really hope you don't get... hummm... nauseous... and that you can make it to the end. :) 

This has been a super busy week. Last week we were away on vacation and this week started with the 4th birthday of this little (not-so-little) girl and then lots of sewing and blogging. I guess September really is the month of new beginnings and going back on track, after a long unscheduled Summer. :) (Actually it is still Summer around here, and my kids are still on vacation, at home. Yes, really. Two more weeks to go.) 

I finally posted about this great toy I made last December (!) which helps toddlers learning the different colors. Then I guest blogged over Patchwork Posse with a tutorial on how to make the most quick & easy girls skirt and another tutorial on how to sew French seams. 

Today, I am sharing with you my last making - this cute Summer PJ's - for the "Not Just a Sunsuit tour". When Ajaire (Call Ajaire) invited me to sew her very first pattern I couldn't say no!