Hey guys! Have you been checking out Sew Geeky Weeky? We're actually extending it until the end of the month so that we and our lovely League of Ladies aren't scrambling to get things done. Being Chill is numero uno with our Sew Geeky game!

This month I knew I wanted to do Star Wars, but I didn't want to do costumes (although I'm sure by this time next year my children will be able to dress up as any character from Star Wars that they could ever want to be!) and I knew I wanted to do a style mash-up. I would have loved to have done a post-apoclaptic Batfam but with post-apocalyptic stuff it's all in the details and I knew I wouldn't have enough time. Hopefully in the future!


So one thing led to another and I came up with Hipster Star Wars. I have a slew of characters planned, but Darth Hipster was the quickest and easiest for me to get started on! I sewed up my leggings pattern for her in the biggest size, but it's getting to the point that she is very nearly completely in size 2 everything so it's time to draft up a few more sizes! A few weeks ago I made myself some black pvc leggings, using my pattern, completely forgetting that my pattern has no seam allowances added. They're were crazy skin tight, because pvc doesn't stretch as much as normal lycra so whatever ease I may have had was now super negative because of the lack of seam allowance! I squeezed myself into them, and they looked like I'd spraypainted my legs ahah! So I tossed them to the side, totally annoyed at myself for wasting so much awesome fabric.

But THEN! I was able to reused them for Eddie's Darth Vader leggings! I was worried they might look a little trashy on her, and while being trashy is a fun look for adults, it's so not appropriate for my little wildling. Fortunately I think she looks AWESOME.


Overall I really do love how wearable her outfit is. She is so in love with Darth Vader right now it's sooo cute, so when she saw the shirt she squealed and got so excited! I told her that her leggings are Darth Vader pants and it was all over after that, it was dificult to get her to hold off putting her new outfit on right away! I've learned my lesson, do NOT let your babies wear handmade goodness BEFORE you take photos!


We got the Darth Vader doll just yesterday, as a companion for our Commander Cody one. When we first saw them, Eddie was the same height as them and just had the biggest crush on Commander Cody but when she saw Vader yesterday? Yeh she's an Anakin lover like her mum! She got all heart eyes at him snaked her little arms around his shoulders and cuddled him for ages. Darth Vader's her main man!

Here's some templates you can use! The first on is for a stencil, so like freezer paper, the other one is reversed so great for iron-on transfers. If you click on them they'll get bigger! I'd love to see your stuff if you use these!



Head over to the Sew Geeky blog at the end of the month for the full round up or check out our facebook page as our epic League of Ladies roll out their awesomeness! Stay tuned for some more Hipster Star Wars coming your way!

Hey guys! Remember this outfit I made Edison last year for Pattern Anthology? Well I gave you a tutorial for painting some skeleton shoes like Vincent's, and today... today I am giving you a free pdf pattern for you to download so you can make your own skeleton pants for your little one!



The Skeleton Pants feature a flat front with an elasticated back for easy sewing and easy wearing! They have a stencilled front (you could also do the back if you like!) and will suit both the boys and the girls!


 You don't just have to make BLACK skeleton pants either. Oh no, those are a true classic and everyone should own a pair (I do! And so does Vincent!), but you can also switch it up and use a different colour pants. OR. Patterned fabric. I used a granny floral for this pair for Edison, although the fabric is thin it still works!


The back has enough room for nappy butt!



It's in size 12-18months only, and it is free, forever! It's only been tested by me, so if you have any problems let me know, okay?




Edison's flower circlet was custom made for her by my sister Betty. If you would like one, flick me an email and I can get her to contact you!

I don't know how I stumbled upon the Amelia & Atticus blog, but it was awesome and I was happy and right away I knew I wanted Thouraya as part of our Sew Geeky fun when I saw her Wonder Woman capelets. It was pretty much a love at first site thing! Awesomely enough Thouraya was on board for some Sew Geeky goodness and came to the party with these Soot Sprite & Princess Mononoke dresses!



Now I am super honoured to repay the favour, but I'm not sure how much of a favour it is because this cape is the BOMB. Such a sweet little pattern, easy to sew up and doesn't really use that much fabric at all!

Of course because I'm in geek mode with the Geek Spectacular coming up, I knew I was going to do something superhero-ish. I contemplated a Robin inspired cape, black on the outside, yellow on the inside, but my lack of yellow fabric is becoming crippling to me! (Better get that fixed) Harley was the next choice, and a very easy one to do. Instead of having the main cape on the fold, I sewed a red and a black section together. The lining is one piece like the pattern.


The hood was also sewn like the pattern, except one red and one black was used for the main outer hood. The Amelie Cape pattern gives you several options! A hood, a collar, and also optional ways of fastening it, ie a button or a tie. I chose to use both the collar AND the hood, sandwiching the sweet collar between the cape and the hood and then sewing it as instructed.


It's fastened with a loop and a big black button. The lining for the cape is some black & red checked drill from Spotlight that has been haunting my stash for a very long time. I have made SO MANY things from this when I was first sewing, it was like my most favourite fabric ever. Partly punk, partly ska? I loved it. Now it just makes me laugh a little because it's just checks really. Perfect for a Harley Quinn inspired piece though!


This pattern comes in two sizes, 1-3years and 2-6 years. I sewed up the 1-3 years size for Eddie, and it's just so, SO cute. This is going to last her a really long time, because even when her head outgrows the hood it will be a super cute little capelet even as she grows!


She got distracted halfway through taking photos to go hang with her boyfriend Percy




You can buy the Amelie Cape right here on Etsy! It's a super simple pattern to cut and sew up, I made this one in an evening! Check out the other girls who've made really adorable capelets on the Amelie & Atticus blog here (especially check out this post for my girl Rae Gun's cool Bat Girl cape which totally works with this Harley one!)

Hey guys! I'm a contributor this season for Kids Clothes Week! This is a HUGE honour because I've been a mega fan of this sewing series since I started blogging (way back in 2009!). Anyway, this season's theme is STORYBOOK which is pretty amazing and there is A LOT of cool ideas and inspiration to get you thinking if you'd like to sew to the theme (remember that it's optional!) over on the KCW blog.

While you're there, check out my post on how turn a book into fabric: IE use the colour palette from a book and be inspired from that! I've chosen four of our favourite books to get you started on how to get inspired. Please check it out and leave me a comment if you like it!

Hey guys! Happy October! I'm pretty excited to show you my brand new leggings!

You know I love leggings, I live in leggings, I get excited over leggings, they're my thing! A few weeks ago I was trying to make something cute to wear to go see You Me at Six and I ended up buying several kinds of mermaid scale lycra (yeh bye bye drinking money?). I made myself a skater dress (there'll be a blog post about that eventually) that I ended up not even wearing (it was too pretty. good thing too because i ended up crowdsurfing that night)(I tell ya, once you hit 30 you go wild). ANYWAY, so I had this beautiful blue holographic mermaid fabric in my stash that I hadn't sewn anything with. I knew I wanted to make myself some leggings eventually and when Andrea popped me an email asking if I'd like to sew up her newest pattern: a leggings pattern... well it was a no brainer what I was going to do!

Now see, I have my own leggings pattern, just for me. I've tweaked and adjusted it until it fits my body just right. I have a little bubble butt and my legs are pretty skinny, my waist is always like 2 sizes bigger than my hips, so my pattern is just right for me and my body (and nobody else!). I was excited to try Andrea's pattern though, for Pattern Anthology, just to see how they measured up! And listen: I spend a LOT of money on quality leggings for myself, and while they're amazing I do have fit issues because I'm not a standard size. Size down for my legs and the waistband is too tight, size up for my waist and the legs bag out around my knees. So DIY was always going to be my shining beacon in the quest for epic leggings! And you know? I'm on the Leggings ARE Pants side of the fence, and I want to show you guys that you can rock leggings too, no matter your shape or your size because if you buy some good quality, medium-heavy weight lycra it's probably the sexiest you will ever feel just running the kids to school!

How did the Go To Women's Knit Pants leggings pattern go against my personal 'perfect fit' leggings pattern? Well, you're about to get a whole lot of gratutious butt shots because I'm about to show you the best pattern for leggings short of tracing around yourself!

I sewed up a size M, with an XS in the legs. Andrea gives you a lovely little guide on how to blend between the sizes.

Adequate rise for maximum booty coverage? Check!

The pattern calls for knit fabrics, anything with at least 30% stretch and while I was a little worried because I know that this holographic lycra is not OVERLY stretchy I ploughed ahead anyway because #sewingrebel. They stretched perfectly, they fit so damn well! I made no alterations, although I think I did have the leggings go back to an M at the ankles just in case I couldn't fit my feet into them. Looking at them now, an XS on my ankles would have been totally fine. However I do like the way they sit on my ankles, less skin-tight and more like cigarette leg pants!


The fun thing is that last week we went to a Pirate Day at the local museum, Vin went as a pirate and I zipped up some leggings for Edison out of the same fabric because her and I went as mermaids! (If you watch closely you can see Pirate Vin -green striped shirt & black vest- and Mermaid Eddie and Mermaid Ari in this video!)


And so every time Eddie sees me in these mermaid leggings she keeps asking for hers. They're a size too big on her because we're heading into a scorching summer here, but she still wants them! Cue cute photo op with my mini me!





You can buy the Go To Women's Knit Pants pattern here, but you should go check out the rest of the collection and think about getting the bundle for a super versatile new Spring wardobe - yeh yeh or Fall ;) . I've got the Neptune tee cut out and half sewn already! I'll show that off maybe next week!

Awww I couldn't forget to give you guys an outtake. Hottie Hubby is still trying to work things out here and I'm just like "Baby why are you taking twenty photos of the ground?" 

Compliment your wardrobe with 4 great sewing patterns.

8 Days a Week Collection is a new collection of women's sewing patterns by Pattern Anthology (I'm one of the designers). This collection includes:

1. The Neptune Tee: A casual tee with optional triangle cutouts at the front and back neckline as well as the sleeves.
2. The Marigold Dress: A button down dress with elastic waist, long or cap sleeve options and even a peplum option.
3. Go To Knit Pants: 3 styles of knit pants including leggings, straight leg pants and relaxed fit pants options.
4. McCartney Jacket: A zip up jacket with fun options and lots of style.

8 Days a Week is available for a limited time at a 40%+ discount.

You can purchase this collection now through October 6th. Get more details HERE.