December's Sew-cial Calendar!

It is December already?! 2014 you have gone too fast!... Good thing is my favorite season is here... Christmas!! :)
Thanksgiving was just a couple of days ago and since I don't live in the USA we don't celebrate it - I wish we would... - but I can tell you that I have so much to be grateful for! This year is almost to an end now and it has been such a wonderful year so far.

My plans for this month are: to sew a bit and to relax a whole bunch! My kids are starting Christmas holidays in two of weeks from now and then this home here will be full and noisy all day long... :) I still have a few Christmas presents I need to make but I plan to spend most of my time with the kids - they are growing too fast, I can tell you...

Here is the sew-cial calendar for December:



Over The Top Challenge 
Dec. 8th-13th


The Monthly Stitch
All month
Theme: Geek Out!


2014 Sewing For Children Contest @Pattern Review
All month


I will edit this list if something else comes up in the blogland sewing schedule.

In the mean time, happy sewing and have a great Holiday month! :)



Já é Dezembro?! 2014 tu voaste!... O que vale é estamos já na minha época favorita do ano - o Natal! :)
O Thanksgiving (dia de Acção de Graças) foi há uns dias atrás e confesso que tenho pena que não o festejemos aqui no nosso país. (É um dia muito mais bonito e com melhor significado do que o Haloween que já foi importado...) Gosto de cultivar um espírito de gratidão e a verdade é que este ano tenho muito pelo qual agradecer. O ano está quase a acabar e tem sido muito bom.

 Os meus planos para este mês são: costurar um pouco e relaxar mais! Os meus filhos estão quase a começar as férias de Natal - daqui a duas semanas -  e por isso esta casa irá brevemente ficar muito agitada e barulhenta durante o dia... :) Ainda tenho alguns presentes de Natal para fazer, mas planeio passar a maior parte do tempo com eles - estão a crescer rápido demais... 

Aqui vai o calendário de actividades, séries e desafios de costura, da comunidade internacional de sewing bloggers para o mês de Dezembro. (Ver lista acima.)

Entretanto vou editando a lista, se surgirem mais actividades. Este mês espera-se um pouco mais parado pois toda a gente se concentra nas festividades, nas prendas de Natal e em fazer os vestidos e fatiotas de Natal. :)

Até lá, boas costuras e tenham um óptimo mês de Festas! :

Handmade Holidays!

Hi guys! I am rather excited today since I am at Sew Mama Sew as a curator for the 8th Annual Handmade Holidays!

Every year Sew Mama Sew hosts the amazing Handmade Holiday - a daily series of curated posts with great suggestions of tutorials, recipes and printables that you can make, sew, bake, cook, print, cut and frame to give as Christmas handmade gifts! 

The theme I chose is "Star Light, Star Bright"! All the things from my curated list are related with Christmas stars and Christmas Lights. I had lots of fun putting this list together and I hope you enjoy it! 

You can enter an amazing giveaway! So head over Sew Mama Sew!

Edited: Here is the master list for this year's Handmade Holidays!

The All Spice Dress

Hi! Today I am part of the All Spice Blog Tour. I had the chance to test the All Spice dress sometime ago and when Karly invited me for the tour I immediately said yes! On one hand because I admire Karly - she is an amazing stay-at-home mom of five kids! -, and on the other hand because I looove this dress. I have a crush for pintucks... 

Pattern
The All Spice dress, pattern by Paisley Roots. (You can get it here!)

Fabric
Cotton solid in black and emerald green (although it doesn't look like in the photos...).

Details
This pattern is available in sizes 6-12 months to 12 years. It features an adorable square-neck design with (optional) pintucks at the front. The bodice is lined and the seams are enclosed.
It comes with two different closures at the front - zipper or buttons - and it has four different sleeve options - sleeveless, flutter, cap and longsleeve - which makes it suitable for all seasons! 
There is a printing guide so you can choose to print only the pieces you need, and the instructions are very detailled! Karly does a grear job taking you through each step.

I have opted for a sleeveless dress and the button closure for which I have used these vintage glass buttons from my belated granny's stash. 
As always I had a hard time choosing which fabrics to use (from my stash, or my tiny fabric store as I call it... :) )... The version I made while testing this pattern was a floral birds-eye cotton piqué, so this time I decided to make a it... a color blocking dress! Coming from me that is a bit shocking right? :)

I have hand sewn the bodice to the skirt (on the inside) because personally I prefer less top stitching. For the hem I decided to go for a band hem to had some contrast to the black skirt. I really like how it turned out.

This dress is amazing! I really love the details... I mean, how lovely are those pintucks? 
Have a look at all the different versions made for the tour! 

Nov. 24 Sweeter Than Cupcakes | Call Ajaire

Nov 25 Irons In The Fire | Powell Family

Nov. 26 The Life of a Compulsive Crafter | Made by Sara

NOv. 27 Cottington's so Crafty | Sew a Straight Line

Nov. 28 Becca Duval | Froo & Boo

Black Friday sale code and a Giveaway!

Karly is offering a Black Friday sale of 25% off with the code BLACKFRIDAY2014 (valid until Sunday)!

There is also a giveaway for fabric and notions! Enter the Rafllecopter below for a chance to win. 

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy sewing!

Christmas Braided Wreath - a Tutorial

Hi! Today I am over Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop's blog with my monthly tutorial! I am sharing how to make this lovely Christmas wreath. It is a great sewing project for Christmas decorating or for some Christmas gifts! Thanksgiving is just a few days ahead and you still have to time to make a couple of these to give to someone you love. I think I love Christmas wreaths even more than Christmas trees. :) Head over there and if you make one yourself please share it with me! I would love to see it. 

Happy sewing and Happy Thanksgiving!