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Make It Perfect

Essential Shorts, Make It Perfect

.Essential Shorts + Kollabora.

I’ve got so much to blog about lately but don’t seem to find the time for it! Today I want to share with you some awesome Essential Shorts made by one of my pattern testers (and friends!) Marnie from Horris & Deedle.
Marnie is a skilled seamstress and her feedback is always valued. She has tested just about all of my patterns in the last two years and is one of the fastest sewers around!
Marnie has recently blogged about her experience with my Essential Shorts pattern and she has some great variations on her blog.
I really love these chevron ones, I thought I had gone off chevron after the sewing world went crazy for it, but these shorts revive my interest!

These floral shorts are gorgeous too, I would never have thought to use a floral print for shorts, but you can totally pull them off on a hot Summer day paired with a plain tee and pair of sandals.

And then she went a little bit further, pulled out some rayon challis and did a bit of pattern hacking incorporating a favourite Harem Pants pattern in her stash and made a gorgeous pair of pants too. Love them!

It’s too cold for shorts weather down here at the moment but I’m sure that someone, somewhere in the world is waking up to beautiful sunshine and might appreciate a bit of shorts inspiration!

While I am actually blogging, I wanted to make you familiar with Kollabora (if you haven’t already been over there for a look.)

I’d heard about and had a little look around the website a few times in the last month or so but tried to stay away from another place to get lost on the web! Curiosity got the better of me and I ended up signing up and think that it is the BEST place to share crafty projects and gain inspiration for your next project. Seriously, if you like to make ANYTHING, get over there and sign yourself up…to sum it up it is kind of like Pinterest for crafty stuff only. You follow makers and brands that you like, add projects to your favourites, form collections of different themes and basically get inspired! I’m loving it and spend way more time there than on Pinterest now. 

You can see my personal page here – It took me awhile to add all of those projects, but I think it’s pretty cool getting a snapshot of everything on one page.

And my Make It Perfect brand page is here. Yep, you can even purchase PDF patterns on Kollabora!

If you join or are already on Kollabora, send me a link to your page so I can follow up and keep updated on your crafty endeavours!

May 16, 2014
Hero Vest, Make It Perfect

.A Hero Vest for Harvey

Out of all of the clothing that I sew, I love making things for cold weather wearing. Not sure why, I think I like being able to create something cosy that will keep the wearer nice and warm.
I love Hero Vests for my kids. The older three always wear theirs (even Oscar, the cold-lover will slip his on from time to time!) and I knew that Harvey would benefit from one now that the weather has turned a lot cooler.

He is getting tricky to take photos of now he moves way to fast!
This Hero Vest is super snuggly. I had a little strip of left-over fleece left over from the kid’s blankets and was able to use it to line Harvey’s Hero Vest.

For the exterior fabric, I used some grey interlock that has been going strong for ages…I’ve also used it to make Tommy some PJs and Harvey some trackies and still have a little left! It is a grey interlock that I bought from Crafty Mamas a long time ago and is lovely quality but I don’t always love interlock. It is great to sew with but I find it tends to stretch out over time. I’m happy to use it when the edges are being bound with ribbing or a jersey band though as it doesn’t stretch when it is being held in place by a more stable knit. It is so lovely and soft though. The green ribbing was also from Crafty Mamas.

 If you’ve got kids to sew for as the weather gets cooler, I highly recommend a Hero Vest. It’s easy to layer over a long-sleeved tshirt, keeping them warm without the restrictions of a big jacket.
The hood is great, but Harvey hates keeping it on! He will learn…

 

I recommend sewing a size bigger than you usually would for this pattern because the vest is designed to be layered over other clothing. This is a size 1 and Harvey is just starting to wear some size 1 clothes. I love the change in seasons…lots of sewing for me to do to update the wardrobes ready for the Winter months ahead!

SUPPLIES:
Make It Perfect, Hero Vest pattern (avaliable as an instant download here) 
Grey interlock knit
Lime green ribbing
Grey chevron fleece

May 2, 2014
Long Boards, Make It Perfect

.Long Boards for the boy who smiles.

Setting the record straight today: this boy does smile. Just not for the camera that often, until I told him that he looks like a boy who lives in a stinky house, with a stinky family. And then I got a little smile.

 

But it didn’t last for long.

Oscar just keeps on shooting up in height. He towers over Lil and is quickly catching up to me. He still ONLY wears shorts, and we added a couple of new pairs of Long Boards to his wardrobe a few months ago.

They always start off extra long, but you need to sew like that for a fast-grower.

 
These are still his favourite shorts with a comfortable ribbed waistband, front pockets, mock front fly and patches on reinforced knees.

It won’t be long until he’s outgrown this pattern, then I might have to start buying shorts at a shop for him. Not sure that I remember how to do that though…I did try a little while ago and it was sad and boring. Does anyone else sew for their boys older than 10?

 

 SUPPLIES:
Make It Perfect Long Boards pattern (avaliable in PDF download here)
Emily Herrick, Technicolor, Braid in Navy
Riley Blake, Hipster, Mirrah Leaf in Blue 

April 24, 2014
Make It Perfect, Shearwater Kaftan

.Mini Shearwater made a long time ago.

It’s not very often that I leave projects unfinished. I am quite methodical in my sewing and make sure that I completely finish off a project before starting the next, it’s just how I do it and works well for me. If I have unfinished projects lying around I feel unorganised and like I am running behind all the time.

After telling you that, I bet you don’t believe that I actually designed and wrote the pattern for the Mini Shearwater Kaftan 2 years ago?! It was never going to be released in my regular pattern range, but time passed and things got busier and I decided that I should get it out there rather than hang onto it for another day.

And here’s the proof – this is little Lil! She was soooo cute (well she still is cute but she is big-girl cute now, not little girl cute.) This kaftan was made using cotton voile fabric, lovely and light-weight for warm weather. Or you can pop a plain tshirt underneath for a bit of extra warmth like we did here.

Don’t forget the the Mini Shearwater Kaftan pattern is on sale for just $9 until Sunday night!

Make It Perfect, Mini Shearwater Kaftan pattern
Anna Maria Horner, Little Folks Voile, Baby Bouquet Sweet

April 4, 2014
Make It Perfect, Shearwater Kaftan

.MINI Shearwater Kaftan – NEW PATTERN!.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After many, many requests over the last four years I am happy to share with you a MINI girl’s version of the original women’s Shearwater Kaftan pattern.

A long-time favourite Make It Perfect pattern for women – Shearwater Kaftan – now comes in sizes for girls!

Brighten up your wardrobe with a sensational Shearwater Kaftan. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With just the right balance between floaty and fitted and featuring lovely front placket detail, the Shearwater Kaftan is comfortable, flattering and practical.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wear your Shearwater Kaftan with long sleeves to provide protection from the sun or roll up the sleeves and secure with a cute sleeve tab if you want short sleeves!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Throw it on over a pair of swimmers and shorts, wear it with a Summer skirt or dress up a pair of jeans – the possibilities are endless…

I am so so so in love with the mini version of this pattern. I put off writing it for so long because I honestly didn’t think the style with suit a little girl, but I was wrong – it is perfect!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Mini Shearwater Kaftan is more than a beach cover-up…although it does do an awesome job keeping the sun off at the beach too! With such simple lines you can really let your favourite fabrics shine as the main feature of the kaftan.

I prefer making my kaftans (both women’s and girl’s) out of a floaty fabric like the double gauze featured here or cotton voile, rayon or lawn although quilting cotton works just as well!

 

The Mini Shearwater Kaftan comes in two size ranges, catering for girls from 6 months – 10 years old. 

Paper copies of the pattern will be heading to shops very soon, or you can easily grab an Instant Download PDF pattern from my website. And, as a new pattern release special The Mini Shearwater Kaftan pattern is 25% off for the rest of this week!

SUPPLIES
Make It Perfect, Mini Shearwater Kaftan pattern
Nani Iro, Fuccra Raukuen Double Gauze 

March 31, 2014