Sewing Pattern Review- Sew Caroline Sewing Patterns- Out and About Dress

Sew Caroline Sewing Patterns Out and About Dress

Waaa-aaay back in August, Caroline H. (the brains and beauty behind Sew Caroline Sewing Patterns) asked me to review one of her PDF sewing patterns on All Things Katy! I chose the Sew Caroline Sewing Patterns Out and About Dress. 

Then, life got in the way... you know, just your run of the mill start of school (for Lil' Miss), full time work (for me), sprained ankle and X-rays (for Hubs) and an incident with a deer vs. car (for Hubs) that resulted in the purchase of a new car... you know, just normal, ordinary stuff called LIFE... ;-P

I purchased this lovely red, sparkly ponte roma from JoAnn's (also) back in August when I was visiting my out-of-state aunt. I just KNEW I had to have a Christmas dress out of it! The Sew Caroline Sewing Patterns Out and About Dress was the perfect PDF sewing pattern to bring my me-made Christmas dress vision to life!

Sew Caroline Sewing Patterns Out and About Dress

Let's start with some Sew Caroline Sewing Patterns Out and About Dress pattern basics:

-The Sew Caroline Sewing Patterns Out and About Dress is sized for XS-XL.

-The Sew Caroline Sewing Patterns Out and About Dress includes two hemlines (knee and maxi) and two sleeve lengths (elbow and long).

-The Sew Caroline Sewing Patterns Out and About Dress includes a pattern piece for optional in-seam pockets.

-The Sew Caroline Sewing Patterns Out and About Dress is written for KNIT fabrics (something with a stretch).

-The Sew Caroline Sewing Patterns Out and About Dress includes a pattern sizing, finished garment and yardage requirement charts.

-The Sew Caroline Sewing Patterns Out and About Dress includes step-by-step photographs and written instructions.

-The Sew Caroline Sewing Patterns Out and About Dress pattern pieces are nested (but not layered) and pages must be trimmed before assembling.

I sewed up a size medium, knee-length, elbow length sleeves, no pockets dress. Because of my *ahem* short stature (5'-0"), I made the following alterations to the pattern pieces before cutting out fabric and sewing:

-I subtracted 1/2" length from the top of the skirt pattern piece.

-I subtracted 2" length from the bottom hem of the skirt piece.

-I subtracted 1" length from the bodice, 2" up from the waist.

*Neckband, cuff and elbow length sleeves were cut as directed in the pattern.*

*I was told that The Sew Caroline Sewing Patterns Out and About Dress is drafted for an average 5'-6" tall woman.

Sew Caroline Sewing Patterns Out and About Dress- Back

The Sew Caroline Sewing Patterns Out and About Dress came together quickly and easily. The pattern pieces lined up perfectly- there was no "fudging" to make things fit. The notches in the sleeve pattern piece were really helpful in constructing the bodice. Plus, the sleeve of The Sew Caroline Sewing Patterns Out and About Dress is an actual pattern piece- with a different back and front- not just a pattern piece cut out on the fold. This helps create an overall, better fit. The pictures were clear and complimented the written instructions. I never hesitated or wondered how to proceed while sewing up the The Sew Caroline Sewing Patterns Out and About Dress. It took me less than three hours to sew up The Sew Caroline Sewing Patterns Out and About Dress (from printing to final try-on).

Sew Caroline Sewing Patterns Out and About Dress- Scoop neckline detail

The scoop neckline of The Sew Caroline Sewing Patterns Out and About Dress is just right- not too low, and not too high... Just riiiiiight for any holiday event from office Christmas party, date night or Christmas Eve church service.

Sew Caroline Sewing Patterns Out and About Dress- Cuff sleeve detail

I LOVE that the elbow length sleeves are finished with a cuffed hem!! For some reason, it's just so much easier to just sew on a cuff instead of folding up, pressing and sewing. Plus, the cuffed hem adds a nice design element- it's the perfect opportunity to add a complimentary fabric, a button accent, etc.

Sew Caroline Sewing Patterns Out and About Dress- Skirt detail

I took out a total of 3 1/2" of length from the pattern pieces. I've always been told to take out 1/2" for every inch you are shorter than the pattern is written for (The Sew Caroline Sewing Patterns Out and About Dress was drafted for the average 5'-6" tall woman). In retrospect, I realize that I could have stood to take out even more length in both the bodice and the skirt. Even with my alterations, the waist seam (where the bodice and skirt met) still hit me at a funny height (hence, the belt ;-P). The skirt hit just below the knee caps. Also, the sleeves hit me more like 3/4 long sleeves (than elbow) and personally, I prefer them this length.

I love how versatile The Sew Caroline Sewing Patterns Out and About Dress PDF sewing pattern can be. Dress it up with fancy fabrics. Or, dress it down with casual jersey knit. With  multiple sleeve and hem lengths, you could potentially sew multiple variations of the same dress for all seasons of the year- love that!

In conclusion, The Sew Caroline Sewing Patterns Out and About Dress was a fast, simple sew that resulted in a fun, festive dress. I love the different options included in the pattern and I appreciate how well everything went together. I know I'll be sewing up more Sew Caroline Sewing Patterns Out and About Dresses!

Would you like to learn more about Sew Caroline Sewing Patterns?

-Website- http://sewcaroline.com/

-Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/sewcarolineblog

-Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/sewcaroline/

-Pinterest- https://www.pinterest.com/sewcaroline/

***Disclosure: "I received a free pattern in order to review this pattern for Sew Caroline Sewing Patterns . The opinions expressed here are my own."***

Wordless Wednesday- The Jolly Man in Red #NLTD

Building Christmas Memories

Katy and Ted constructing her Shopkins Cookie House

from Aunt Julie & Uncle Rob

❤ Check ya' Later ❤

Sponsored Post by At Home and MomSelect- At Home Stores #MyReason #AtHomeStores

**Disclaimer-I received a gift card for free from the sponsor, MomSelect and the manufacturer. At Home Stores. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of MomSelect and the manufacturer. At Home.**

Mason Jar Gifts

Decorative Pillows

Thanksgiving is over and Christmas is in FULL swing!! As any busy family knows, holidays also mean gift giving- teacher gifts, after school care gifts, mail carrier gifts, neighbor gifts, hostess gifts.... Just a little something to show those special helpers in your (or your child's) life that you care and appreciate them! At Home Stores is a veritable treasure trove of all things holiday, home and organization! #MyReason #AtHomeStores

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I started out with a set of four Mason Jar Glasses (found in the glassware section of At Home Stores). I loved the fact that the Mason Jar Glasses included a chalkboard label on each glass- a great way to personalize your gift!

My first Mason Jar gift idea was to create "Southern Wine Glasses." I found some small glass candle stick holders (located in the candle section of At Home Stores). Then, I had my husband epoxy the candle stick holders to the bottom of two of the Mason Jar Glasses. After letting the glasses dry overnight, I filled them with jingle bells and personalized the labels. Pair the "Southern Wine Glasses" with a bottle of wine (or, beverage of your choice) and you've got a great hostess gift!

Start out with this....

...and end up with this...!

Southern Wine Glasses

Since I was only able to find two small glass candle stick holders and I had a set of four Mason Jar Glasses, I wanted to find a special way to gift the remaining two Mason Jar Glasses. While waiting in line to check out, I saw some bags of Lindor Chocolate Truffles. So, I grabbed a couple bags of truffles and filled the remaining two Mason Jar Glasses with Lindor Chocolate Truffles. I plan to personalize the labels and add a festive ribbon- tada!- a perfect gift to give a neighbor!

Neighbor Gift

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Now, because I love my sewing machine (as most regular readers of All Things Katy already know;-), I also wanted to find a quick and easy way to gift something (semi) sewn. I found this set of four burlap holiday place mats for $14.99 (located in the holiday linens aisle) and I knew they'd make cute decorative pillows.

Holiday Place mats

I already had some soft polyfil leftover from a previous project, but At Home Stores also sells bags of polyfil.

Once I got the place mats home, I flipped (one at a time) them over and located the seam at one of the bottom corners.

Then, I used my trusty seam ripper and ripped out a couple of inches of seam. By doing so, I created a empty pocket between the muslin backing and the burlap place mat front.

Next, I filled the place mat will polyfil. I filled the place mat pretty full, but still soft enough to get under my sewing machine presser foot and needle. After filling the place mat, I stitched the opening closed with my sewing machine. 

Voila! (Almost) Instant, perfect decorative pillows out of burlap Holiday Place mats from At Home Stores! I loved these pillows so much that I just *might* keep them for myself! Heehee!

Burlap Holiday Place mats turned Decorative Pilllow from At Home Stores

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#MyReason to decorate and give to others this this holiday season? It's simple; I want to help create memories with my family and give those that have touched my life a tangible expression of my gratitude. Merry Christmas!

Wordless Wednesday- Eskimo Pie

Sponsored Post by Moms Meet- Blake's All Natural Foods Pot Pies and a GIVEAWAY!

**Disclaimer-I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms MeetSM program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms MeetsSM blogger, I agreed to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of the product.

I am pleased to review Blake's All Natural Foods Pot Pies here on All Things Katy! today. 

Blake's All Natural Foods started with one family and a farm back in Concord, NH 1929. It started with Grandma's Pot Pie recipe and the fine art of a hungry family gathering together around the dinner table. Blake's All Natural Foods believes that while the times have changed, the notion of family time and quality food has not. Blake's All Natural Foods offers a whole line of organic, natural entrees such as Turkey and Beef Pot Pie. You can read more about Blake's All Natural Foods here.

Blake's All Natural Foods

We decided to try Blake's All Natural Foods Pot Pies on a busy weekday. We just popped the meals out of the freezer and into the oven while we went about unpacking from the day and getting ready for the next. Forty minutes later, we were ready to sit down and dig in! We sampled the Chicken Pot Pie, Shepard's Pie and Macaroni and Cheese because that was what was available to us, at our local grocer. To find Blake's All Natural Foods near you, please refer to the store locator on the Blake's All Natural Foods website.

First off, prep was a breeze- literally, remove contents from box, remove plastic cover and bake. No mixing, transferring or mess. Love that! Hubs, Lil' Miss and I all took turns sampling the Blake's All Natural Foods Chicken Pot Pie, Shepard's Pie and Macaroni and Cheese so that we could give a full report. 

Blake's All Natural Foods

The Chicken Pot Pie had a great, flaky crust. It cooked to the perfect golden brown and had the right amount of crunch when we dug in. Yet, it was soft enough for my (front) toothless six (almost seven!) year old daughter to eat comfortably. The veggies inside definitely tasted fresh and crisp- not over-cooked and mushy. The pot pie sauce was flavorful and light, but not overly salty or bland. My only complaint was that the Chicken Pot Pie lacked a lot of chicken chunks. Of the three pieces that we did get, the chicken was all white meat and not fatty. 

Blake's All Natural Foods

The Macaroni and Cheese had a nice, crunchy crust that added to the overall dish. The Macaroni and Cheese was cheesy and creamy without being fake. The noodles were firm and not mushy at all.

The Shepard's Pie included ground beef, corn and a mashed potato crust. The ground beef tasted fresh and not mealy, fatty or oily. The corn was sweet with just the right amount of crisp 'pop!' The mashed potato topping was light and definitely tasted homemade!

After sampling (and finishing!) our meals, we concluded that we all enjoyed the pot pie the best! It had the best overall flavor, texture and contents. Our second favorite was the Macaroni and Cheese. Overall, we had a very favorable opinion of the Blake's All Natural Foods line of foods and we will definitely be scoping out more Blake's All Natural Foods products next time we go grocery shopping!

Blake's All Natural Foods

As a mom, I love that  Blake's All Natural Foods is made with all-natural, organic ingredients. I appreciate that  Blake's All Natural Foods products are free from artificial colors, preservatives and hormone-free. I enjoy the fact that the family behind  Blake's All Natural Foods believes in fade-from-scratch, small batch cooking- it is evident in their meals!

Would you like to connect with Blake's All Natural Foods?

Website

Facebook 

Twitter

Pinterest 

Instagram 

Now for the fun part- a GIVEAWAY! Enter below to win a Blake's Natural T-shirt and tote:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The giveaway will end 11/30/16 and one winner will be chosen and contacted after that. Good luck!

Wordless Wednesday- Halloween Retrospective

Halloween 2016

Wonder Woman!

Lil' Miss decided that she wanted to dress up as Wonder Woman, this year! Not quite sure how she settled on this costume as she's never really seen the cartoons/comics. No worries, though, this was an easy costume for me to sew up because I had the perfect PDF sewing pattern to use- Made for Mermaids Everyday Princess, Jasmine (as Wonder Woman)!

We'll be trick-or-treating around our neighborhood, this evening. Katy's best bud and his family will be joining us in the festivities. Should be a nice night weather-wise, too! Now, the trick is, can we get the kiddos to bed at a reasonable hour because Halloween is on a SCHOOL NIGHT...?!! :-P

Edited to Add Pictures:

Our SUPER WONDERful little family!

It's a bird, it's a plane, no, it's SUPER DAD and WONDER KATY!

Sentence of the Day- Masterpiece

While Ted and I were in the office filing paperwork this afternoon, Katy called from the kitchen where she had been painting. Ted went to see what the "emergency" was. Failing to see a problem with the pumpkin painting Katy had been diligently working on, Ted complimented her on her artwork. Without preamble, Katy declared, 'This isn't a masterpiece! It's a DISASTERpiece!!!"

Ahh....the life of an artist.... we just about died of laughter!!

Sponsored Post by Moms Meet- MegaFood

**Disclaimer-I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms MeetSM program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms MeetsSM blogger, I agreed to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of the product.

It's no secret that my six and a half year old Lil' Miss is something of a veg-a-phobe. She's a great, adventurous eater- she'll try just about anything off of our plates! However, she just prefers anything BUT leafy greens come dinner time (don't we all??!!)! While she's gotten better as she's gotten older (Or, perhaps she's just resigned to the fact that Mom is always going to require veggies?) I'm always looking for ways to get more real nutrients into her.

So, when Moms Meet asked me to review Fresh from Farm to Powder Megafood, I was all in!

What is Fresh from Farm to Powder Megafood? (from their promotional information) "Fresh from Farm to Powder™, MegaFood is as real as it gets. Since 1973, MegaFood has been committed to making products that use real food from family-owned farms to make a real difference, and has produced some of the most effective and award-winning supplements available today. A pioneer in the natural products industry, MegaFood was one of the first companies to make their FoodState® vitamin and minerals from scratch starting with farm fresh whole foods. MegaFood continues to innovate by manufacturing more than 36 individual FoodState Nutrients™ using their proprietary Slo-Food Process™, all in their own facility in New Hampshire."

I was provided with the following three samples:

• Kids Daily Multi: Kids Daily Multi promotes well-being and healthy development, with organic turmeric, carrots, fresh fruits and 23 essential vitamins and minerals per serving.

• Kids Daily Immune: Kids Daily Immune, featuring oranges from Uncle Matt’s Organic and elderberry and echinacea, promotes and helps to strengthen a healthy immune response year round. **I am all for something that will help support my elementary school aged daughter!**

• Kids Daily B-Centered: Kids Daily B-Centered featuring Lundberg Family Farms organic brown rice, provides daily support for mental focus, cognitive function, and a sense of calmness.. Formulated with a full spectrum of FoodState® B Vitamins, this blend supports healthy mental and physical energy levels.

First of all, and from a purely asthetic point of view, I love that the Fresh from Farm to Powder Megafood come in real glass jars. The glass perfectly fits with the organic, reduce, reuse, recycle lifestyle. Each glass jar is contains proprietary powder and a small scoop.

As a mom, I love that Fresh from Farm to Powder Megafood contains real ingredients; such as tumeric! You can watch them harvesting ingredients for Fresh from Farm to Powder Megafood here. I love that there are no added sugers, sweeteners or preservatives in the Fresh from Farm to Powder Megafood. So many of the main-stream children's (and adult!) multivitamins out there are full of added sugar! Plus, Fresh from Farm to Powder Megafood is gentle on the stomach and easy to digest- even on little one's empty stomach. Fresh from Farm to Powder Megafood is gluten free, vegetarian, pesticide free, soy free, dairy free, non-gmo and certified Kosher. Whew! That's a win for any diet!

Peanut Power Bites using Kids Daily B-Centered Nutrient Booster Powder #megafoodies

For the sake of this blog post, we decided to make some Peanut Power Bites using Kids Daily B-Centered Nutrient Booster Powder. The recipe is found here.

Lil' Miss was my willing sous chef!

She helped me gather ingredients (chocolate chips are missing in the above picture).

We mixed.

We poured.

In the end, Lil' Miss couldn't wait to taste her Peanut Power Bites using Kids Daily B-Centered Nutrient Booster Powder creation! I'm happy to report that she LOVED them! They were sweet (honey) and easy to make and eat. There were no complaints- that's a #momwin in my book! The Peanut Power Bites using Kids Daily B-Centered Nutrient Booster Powder will definitely be put into our usual weekday breakfast rotation. We're always looking for quick, nutritious grab-and-go food for school days!

Yummy Peanut Power Bites using Kids Daily B-Centered Nutrient Booster Powder!

In conclusion, I love that  Fresh from Farm to Powder Megafood includes good-for-you nutrients. It's easy to use and incorporate into everyday foods and drinks. With it's non-gmo ingredients and commitment to supporting other farmers and organic companies, I feel confidant about using  Fresh from Farm to Powder Megafood and serving it to my family.  I believe Fresh from Farm to Powder Megafood is a great addition to my daughter's overall health.

Want to connect with Megafood?

Web: megafood.com/kids-boosters

Facebook: facebook.com/MegaFoodFans

Twitter: twitter.com/MegaFood

Pinterest: pinterest.com/megafood

Instagram: instagram.com/megafood

Cardigan Round Up Tour- Featuring Mouse House Creations- The Julia Women's Cardigan and Love Notions- Boyfriend Cardigan

Hello and welcome to the last day of the Cardigan Round Up! I'm pleased to be one of your stops, today. I'll be featuring Love Notions Boyfriend Cardigan and Mouse House Creations Julia Women's Cardigan.

I don't know about you, but I'm ready for fall.... cooler weather, boots and pumpkin spice EVERYTHING...!! One of my favorite things about fall, though, is the chance to wear cardigans. Cozy, wrapped up, layered, warm CARDIGANS!

Since really getting into sewing and sewing for myself, one of my favorite things to sew for myself is a nice, comfy cardi. There are so many PDF sewing patterns for cardigans out there and I've definitely sampled a bunch of them. The Jalie Cocoon Cardigan, Little Lizard King Library Cardigan and others... Cardigans are easy to wear, fun to style and they instantly pull an outfit together!

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Mouse House Creations Julia Women's Cardigan

First up, I sewed the Mouse House Creations Julia Women's Cardigan. I have wanted to sew this pattern for the longest time and this Cardigan Round Up Tour seemed like the perfect opportunity.

-The Mouse House Creations Julia Women's Cardigan is sized for XS-XXXL.

-The Mouse House Creations Julia Women's Cardigan includes three sleeve lengths- extended cap, 3/4 and long.

-The Mouse House Creations Julia Women's Cardigan is written for knits and has two finishing techniques- hemmed or doubled over/no hem.

-The Mouse House Creations Julia Women's Cardigan PDF sewing pattern includes finished measurements, fabric requirement chart, sizing guide, glossary of terms, print layout,  printing instructions.

-The Mouse House Creations Julia Women's Cardigan PDF sewing pattern includes step-by-step written instructions and accompanying photographs.

Mouse House Creations Julia Women's Cardigan

I sewed up a size small, long sleeve, doubled over/no hem Mouse House Creations Julia Women's Cardigan. Because I am 5'-0" tall, I shortened the body of the cardigan by 1 1/2" and the sleeves by 1/2". The body of the cardigan hits directly below the seat and the sleeves are wrist-length. I used cotton lycra for the body of the cardigan.

Mouse House Creations Julia Women's Cardigan

The doubled/no hem option makes it quick and simple to finish the Mouse House Creations Julia Women's Cardigan. I've already worn it to work and gotten many compliments on it. The metallic animal print is a bit "loud" for me, but it does add a bit of interest to a basic black cardi! Sew fun!

Mouse House Creations Julia Women's Cardigan

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Love Notions Boyfriend Cardigan

The second cardigan that I sewed up for the Cardigan Round up Tour is the Love Notions Boyfriend Cardigan. 

Love Notions Boyfriend Cardigan

-The Love Notions Boyfriend Cardigan is sized for XS-XXXL.

-The Love Notions Boyfriend Cardigan  PDF sewing pattern features no-trim, layered pattern pieces. That means that you only print the size that you need and there is no need to trim the pages before you assemble them- one of my favorite PDF sewing pattern features!

-The Love Notions Boyfriend Cardigan includes two views- shawl collar or hood.

-The Love Notions Boyfriend Cardigan PDF sewing pattern includes fabric requirement chart, print pages, size chart and layout diagram.

-The Love Notions Boyfriend Cardigan PDF sewing pattern includes step-by-step written instruction with shaded diagrams.

Love Notions Boyfriend Cardigan

I sewed up a size small shawl collar Love Notions Boyfriend Cardigan. I did NOT include the pockets in my garment. Also, I deducted 2" of length at the included lengthen/shorten line to account for my height. The cardigan hits mid-thigh. I used sweater knit from my personal stash (I believe I originally purchased it at Hancock's before it went out of business).

Love Notions Boyfriend Cardigan

The Love Notions Boyfriend Cardigan is a great layering piece. It's so comfy and easy to sew up!

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For more cardigan inspiration, please visit my talented fellow sew sisters as they share there favorite cardigans and other fall weather wardrobe staples. :-)

Cardigan Blog Tour September 26-30

Monday 26 Creative Counselor

Tuesday 27 Vicky Myers Creations

Wednesday 28 Doodle Number 5

Thurdsay 29 Pearberry Designs AND Mahlica Designs

Friday 30 Sewing By Ti AND All Things Katy AND Lulu and Celeste

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***Disclosure: "I received a free pattern in order to review this pattern for Mouse House Creations. The opinions expressed here are my own."***

****This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small percentage of the sale.****