by Sherri Sylvester | Jul 13, 2015
Today is the first day of the Thanks to YOU Week Giveaways! I am SO EXCITED to begin and can’t wait to see who will win these fabulous giveaways. Don’t forget to come back, there will be 2 prizes each day this week and 3 on Friday! (Find out more or Link to all of the giveaways)
Today’s giveaway is from Mad about Patchwork. I put them first on the list because they are the shop that started it all. I think they were one of the first Canadian Shops I ordered fabric from, and they were the first shop I interviewed here on the blog!
“Shop by collection, colour or designer from our awesome selection of modern fabrics. With over 200 bolts of Kona solids in stock you can find almost any shade you need for your project. Every month we feature a different spectrum at 10% off – your chance to save on Kona cotton all year long. For fans of the Cotton + Steel collective, there’s still time to join our Spring 2015 Club, expected to start shipping later this month. Get all the details here.” ~ Mad about Patchwork
Pam’s Sewing Tip: Use the best thread you can afford. We tend to spend a lot of money on fabric, but forget that the thread is going to have to hold it all together. My favourite is Aurifil.
This giveaway is open to International readers, from July 13 to July 20 at midnight EST. Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter – and if you don’t have Facebook to sign in with, just use your name and email address. There’s a “click to enter”, no social media login entry too!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Don’t Forget! Discount Weekend coming July 18/19…
by Sherri Sylvester | Jul 11, 2015
It’s finally here! I am so pleased to introduce Thanks to YOU Week at Thread Riding Hood! Today I am celebrating Thread Riding Hood’s 3 Year Blogiversary. Exactly 3 years ago today I was writing this. Crazy to think how far this blog has come since then – and YOU have been right here with me. Amazing, and so humbling.
I have so many moments when I stop to think about the readers I have never met – the ones following along week after week. Moments of disbelief. Are they really there? Is Google Analytics just messing with me?! Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that “shy Sherri” would be able to share this journey with so many people. Lots that I can now call friends! YOU have made it all possible.
Thank you so much for coming back. Reading more. Commenting. (LOVE the comments the most!) Buying the patterns and downloading tutorials. Sharing your projects. (SHARING is my second favorite thing!) Emailing – really anything – comments, questions, encouraging notes. It all exists Thanks to YOU! (Voila, the title of the week)
And now I get to give back a little with this amazing Giveaway Week that ends in a grand finale with a 15 shop Discount Weekend!
I’ve had the idea for this week in the back of my head for about a year now. And I am so grateful to all of of the fabric shops that have made it possible! (Round of applause for them please?!) I have worked previously with these 11 amazing shops and they graciously provided all of the amazing giveaways. They also all happen to be , and I am so proud of Canadians and our growing sewing presence.
Enough of me being sappy?! Here’s how it works:
- Everyday this week (Monday – Friday) I will be posting 2 or 3 giveaway posts.
- Each post has a new giveaway from one of the (amazing!) shops listed below (You’ll have to come back to see what they are giving away! I know, suspenseful right?!)
- Grab some great sewing tips! Each shop told me their favorite and they’re GOOD, I’m
stealing using them all!
- Enter for your chance to win the giveaway.
- One new person will win each prize and I’ll be posting the names next week.
- COME BACK and grab your discount codes! The 14 shops participating will be revealed at midnight on Friday, 17th. Save up this week and treat yourself on the weekend!
Ready for it?! I will be posting each giveaway here or link to all of the giveaways here.
Come back often so you don’t miss anything! Enjoy!
by Sherri Sylvester | Jul 10, 2015
I made another First Day Top! If you’ve been around for a bit you know that’s nothing new (it’s my favorite!)… but this one is extra special. It’s made so I could take photos for the very first post I’ve written for the Craftsy Sewing Blog!
When they contacted me a few months ago I was thrilled to say yes. You’ve likely heard about their online classes or downloaded a pattern from one of your favorite makers there. When I checked out their blog I found it full of tutorials and great information. They even have Free Fabric Friday!
I’m am beyond pleased to be writing for Craftsy! I thought I should write my first post about something I had promised to all of you. A tutorial on how to exactly match your fabric pattern across a zipper opening. I’ve done this quite a few times now and it looks so professional.
Using it with an invisible zipper along with the pattern matching almost makes the seam disappear too! You can see more examples on these dresses and my Violette Field Threads Ginger as well!
And so, we come back to me making this peplum top. I bought the gorgeous floral fabric from Country Clothesline for my oldest a Creativ Festival last spring. My oldest is IN LOVE with floral fabrics and I can guarantee this will be worn so much this summer.
I have to admit, though, that it was tricky to get her to try on her sister’s Cotton + Steel Mustang Top before she’d agree to the style – now she’s hooked! These little tops are easy to wear, fast to make and use up those perfect 1/2 yards (or so) of stashed favorites.
And of course, since is is summer, face paint is allowed in the photos. Her aunt did such a cute job on this rainbow!
I love the more relaxed photo shoots we can have when there isn’t as much of a schedule. This spot is near a park, which was fun, though next time I will have to remember to bring running shoes. The slippery soled dressy sandals just don’t do a good job when you want to go up the slide “the wrong way”!
I’ll be back this Sunday with the most amazing week in Thread Riding Hood history! Want a hint? Head over to the Thread Riding Hood Facebook page to get the latest updates.
by Sherri Sylvester | Jul 8, 2015
Before I get started today, I’m super happy to be able to spill the beans on something I’ve been planning for over a month… drum roll please? Mark your calendars – the most amazing 8 days in Thread Riding Hood history are coming up next week! Hint… It involves giveaways and discounts from more than 13 Canadian Online Fabric stores! (Not Canadian? Don’t worry! Most of the giveaways and discounts apply internationally!)
Ok… now on to our regular programming! (Eeek! I’m so excited about next week!)
Summer is here! Of course, our summer has been a bit rainy and not so warm – but school is out and we’re enjoying our more laid-back mornings. Oh, and my favorite – not making lunches everyday! In the process, somehow my kids have managed to get a whole year older.
Of course summer means juggling what I normally do here with making sure the kids have something to do. A tad scary for me really. The 6 hours I usually have while the kids are at school are gone – I think there’s going to be a lot less sewing happening in the next two months!
I’m so glad there has been a movement with bloggers recently to unapologetically slow down in the summer. Not be a super mom, not post at the same rate – because it’s impossible to do without a lot of prep. I wrote to a blogger friend yesterday that creative people tend to have a genetic predisposition to procrastination. Having experienced a me-made insanely crazy and stressful summer last year, I fit that so well. (Argh) I used my prior knowledge to make this year’s survival kit.
Sherri’s Top 5 Summer Survival Tips!
Tip #1: Things are Better when they are Planned!
Last year we put up a large weekly calendar in our front hallway. It worked so well – the kids love knowing when certain things will happen. It helps to get them excited and to be able to anticipate special events. It’s not gorgeous – not even remotely interior-design-approved, but it helps us to get through the summer in a more organized fashion. We write our major events in first, then we add to the calendar daily/weekly as needed. At the end of the summer it is a really fun record of what we did.
Tip #2: Pre-think about it.
If I travel through the summer without a plan, we won’t do anything! I really dislike leaving my house, so we stay in all day. If I try to plan the day before every time I don’t have great ideas and we put 4 or 5 ideas on repeat all summer.
This year I decided to print out a whole bunch of low-cost and special occasion ideas on label paper – ready to stick to our large calendar from Tip #1. I plan to have them all in one place along with the coupons and gift cards we’ve accumulated. A 4×6 piece of paper FULL of ideas took me about an hour. (The amortized value on that is amazing!) Then I typed them all out and they are now ready to go – complete with multiple copies of labels we’ll use more than once.
And yes – I spent way too much time perfecting making the labels – I’m pretty sure I will be able to use the list next year too!
Tip #3: Re-think your spaces, especially the ones outdoors.
It really helps to have a few great spaces you can move yourself to so you can be with your kids, even if you have work to do. Our backyard got cleaned up this past week so I feel better about moving out there to do some sewing handwork or idea drawings.
I also have plans to clear out our garage so it can be an outdoor play space – with a table I can sit at while they paint, draw with chalk on the driveway or ride their scooter. Then we can be outside when it rains too!
Tip #4: Get the kids to do some of the work.
This past week I already got tired of hearing – Can I please play my tablet now? Can we watch TV now? and Can we play video games now? So I decided to make a points system so the kids can earn their screen time. They do some other stuff, they get screen time. Amazingly it’s working really well! I have to tweak the list, move the reading up to the daily slot and adjust the points for a few things. But I plan not to print out more than two weeks in advance to allow for the list to change as needed.
The kids really like it. Now they know when they can watch something, and I’m happy because I don’t get asked all the time – perfect! I’m also really happy that they are accomplishing important tasks and helping keep our house in order. Good skills for them to learn too.
Tip #5:) Make a Plan B (or 5)
When I am caught between an unexpected deadline and bored kids I usually react badly. Either I ignore the kids, which is impossible – or I ignore the work – hint: very bad idea! I also can’t think straight and end up getting frustrated and making really bad decisions.
This year I have come up a pre-thought-out Plan B to get the kids occupied quickly so I can get the work done and get back to them. It does involve screen time – but I’d rather they do that for a short while than deal with the alternate reality! I also try not to plan as much work during the summer and to work in the evening so I can avoid having to use my Plan B too much.
My go-to Plan B this year? Pop some popcorn, pull out the fancy bowls and healthy drinks and start a movie – oh, and cut up fruit. (To make it more healthy and make me feel better about the additional screen time!)
I want to hear from you! What plans do you have for the summer?
Disclaimer: Photos used in labels might be under copyright and are for my personal use only. All other photos are my own.
by Sherri Sylvester | Jul 2, 2015
Today I’m so pleased to be posting a project with Birds and the Bees fabric by Tamara Kate. It is her latest collection for Michael Miller and it’s just gorgeous! The multiple colours made great Fat Quarter Skirts for my girls – lots of pretty colour to match their summer t-shirts!
I had already seen (and loved) this collection while I was following Quilt Market on Instagram, so I was happy to agree to use it when I got an email from Tamara not too long ago! When I had to decide which fabrics to use for my project, though, I had a really hard time – SO many colours and patterns!
My absolute favorite is the Love Bug print – the little hearts are “interrupted” by ladybugs every so often – and there are multiple colourways. I’d love to use the uni-directional “All the Wee Beasts” or “Honey, Honey” for a super-cute quilt back too. You will be seeing these skirts a lot on Instagram this summer! (Get the tutorial below.)
You can see lots more Birds and the Bees projects on the Tamara Kate website and Tamara’s blog.
This project was inspired by my Simple Fat Quarter Skirt tutorial, and the desire to use as many different prints from Birds and The Bees as possible. I had such a hard time picking my favorites! Since the tutorial uses 2 fat quarters per skirt, I was able to use 8 different prints. When they arrived it was so fun to mix and match them into these easy skirts my girls love to wear all summer.
The Fat Quarter Skirt PDF Pattern is Now Available!
Purchasing this fully tested skirt pattern gives you access to 5 sizes, child’s 2-6, to create a skirt that is 9-11 1/2″ (23-30cm) long. Expect lots of tips and tricks throughout, a glossary of terms, recommended best practices and instructions geared towards an absolute beginner. This pattern is truly a quick sew – allow yourself just 1-3 hours to finish, including your fabric cutting time. It’s also a great stash-buster, requiring only 2 fat quarters and a length of elastic… things you probably already have in your stash! To find out more about the pattern, click here.
Purchase the Fat Quarter Skirt PDF Pattern – $8.50 CDN
Thank you for your support!
I always regretted not adding shorts to last year’s batch of skirts, so this was the perfect opportunity to make some more. (A bit longer this time, since the girls are growing!) I am grateful that Lauren from Baste + Gather made a multi-sized free pattern for Summer Shorties. This free bike shorts pattern (sizes 12m-8) works perfectly as an add-in to the original skirt tutorial I wrote last year.
This project was extra fun because my mom helped me sew the skirts! Since my parents live quite far away, it is rare that we get to sew together. She finished the outside of each skirt and I worked on inserting the shorts – teamwork at it’s best!
Step 1: Follow the directions to make a Fat Quarter Skirt up to Step 4b. Also make a pair of Summer Shorties up to step 3. (It is recommended that you read through each tutorial so you are familiar with all the steps before beginning.)
Step 2: Use pins to mark the top edge of the Shorties and the bottom edge of the skirt casing in quarters.
Step 3: Turn the skirt and the shorties inside out. Place the shorties inside the skirt, matching the backs and fronts. The wrong side of the shorties will be facing the right side of the skirt.
Step 4: Pin the top of the shorties to the bottom edge of the skirt casing at each quarter mark.
Step 5: Match and pin the top edge of the shorties, stretching to match the width of the skirt casing. Working in quarters, I used 2 or 3 pins per quarter marking.
Step 6: Serge or stitch the pinned edge with a 3/8″ seam allowance. You do not need to use a stretch stitch. Finish the edge with a zig-zag stitch if you have not used a serger.
Step 7: Turn everything right side out and fold the casing down into the skirt.
Step 8: Pin the casing to the skirt four times – again at each quarter mark – this will be the front/back shortie seam and the side skirt seams. Pin on the outside of the skirt to make sewing simpler. Pin carefully to make sure the casing will lay flat once it is sewn.
Step 9: Stretch the top of the shorties to match the width of the skirt. Pin around the bottom edge of the casing, 2 or 3 pins per quarter.
Step 10: Stitch around the skirt to make the casing, leaving a 2″ opening for the elastic. The seam allowance will be about 1 1/2″. Stretch each pinned section as you sew. Sew from the right side of the skirt. This will catch the bottom edge of the casing and possibly the top of the shorties, depending on how large and accurate your seam allowances were throughout.
Step 11: Finish the skirt top by inserting the elastic and closing the opening – Fat Quarter Skirt Steps 5 & 6. Hem the bottom of the shorties – Summer Shorties Step 5 (omit instructions for the elastic). Attach a piece of ribbon or a tag at the back, so your little one will know how to wear it.
Hooray, You’re finished! Enjoy – Go ahead and hit the playground in style.
