Sew-Along #31 - Playtime Outfit - Lesson #1

The Playtime Dress/Tunic & Leggings by Oliver+S

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Note: Links to products within this post are either links to our website or affiliate links.

If you do not have your pattern yet you can purchase it from the shop. It is a PDF so you can print today and be ready to start. You can also purchase a Sew Along Kit from the shop. It has everything you need, other than thread, to make a beautiful tunic or dress and leggings set!

Playtime Dress, Tunic, and Leggings PDF Pattern

Playtime Kits

Before we begin with today's lesson be sure to read all of the patterns instructions. Today, and throughout the entire sew along, you will need your pattern in hand to go along with each lesson. 

Welcome to Day 1

Today we will be cutting out our pattern and our fabrics. With PDF patterns, I like to print out and cut the size I need out of the paper itself, but you are more than welcome to trace your pattern pieces off of the paper pattern. I find it easier for me with the PDFs to just cut out the size that I need as the paper last longer since I use my patterns over and over again.

Important note about notches while cutting out your pattern pieces: On the leggings only, be sure not to cut out the notches as in most O+S patterns. I like to mark mine with a fabric marker. Or you can cut the notches outward from the pattern. The reason for this is that the pants have a 1/4" seam allowance. 

On the tunic/dress only, cut out the notches as marked on the pattern pieces. The tunic/dress has a seam allowance of a 1/2", so this is why we can cut the notches out on the tunic/dress. 

Cut out the pattern pieces as follows: 

      A. Two mirrored images of the Leggings.

      B. Two Skirts (either for the tunic length or the dress length).

      C. Two Sleeves. 
      D. Two Back Bodice pieces. 
      E. One Front Bodice piece cut out on the fold. 
      F. Four Pockets. 
      G. One Front Yoke cut out on the fold. 
      H. One Front Yoke cut out on the fold from interfacing. 
      I. Two Back Yokes. 
      J. Two Back Yokes from interfacing.

Lastly, cut out two more pieces of interfacing for the pockets 1" by 8". 

We are all done for today, so we will see you back tomorrow to sew up our tunics/dresses! 

Happy cutting,
Sharon 
www.whimsicalfabric.com

*If you would like to earn entries into the prize drawing, please make sure to submit a photo of your completed Lesson One to this Facebook Album by 12:00 noon CT, Monday, January 25th. If you have any questions the Facebook Group is a great place to ask. 

Save 10% Off Our NEW Spring Fabrics

Have you seen all the new fabrics we have for spring?

Save 10% off all these lines now through this Friday, 1-22, with the coupon code: NEW 

Happy Creating!
Danielle Storm
www.whimsicalfabric.com 

Alyssa's Favorite Things

Remember the My Favorite Things series we started on the Whimsical Fabric Blog back in October of 2015?  Well, November and December got REALLY busy with Thanksgiving and Christmas, and we decided to forgo the My Favorite Things for awhile. But today we are picking the series back up. Each month in 2016 we will bring you a new My Favorite Things post that will let you get to know some of the team members behind Whimsical Fabric. Today, we all get to learn about Alyssa's Favorite Things.  

Note: Some links within this post are affiliate links

Alyssa Carrion has been working with Whimsical Fabric for about a year now. She brings so many talents and strengths to the Whimsical Fabric team. Alyssa is mega organized (when I grow up I want to be just like her), is very creative (she comes up with some of the BEST games for our Facebook group), has amazing sewing skills, and can always make me smile and laugh with her awesome sense of humor. 

Alyssa does so many things for Whimsical Fabric I'm not even sure where to start. First, she runs our monthly Tutorial Tuesday posts; arranging the projects, ordering the supplies for the tutorial writers, and making sure everything runs smoothly. Alyssa also is our main game coordinator for our Facebook group, Whimsical Fabric & Me, posting many of the games and making sure you all receive your prizes. In addition, Alyssa creates all the order forms for any preorders we run and helps keep those preorders organized. And, to further help me out this year, Alyssa has taken on the task of editing all of our Tutorial Tuesday and Review posts, and all of our Sew-Along lessons. This is a HUGE help for me, and I'm so very thankful for her time and talents in this department. 

I'm quite sure I'm leaving out many more things Alyssa does for Whimsical Fabric, as she is always there to jump in and help out. I am so very blessed to have Alyssa's working with me and I appreciate her more than she probably knows. I not only cherish working with Alyssa, I cherish the friendship we have built over the past year. (And all the giggles we've shared.)

Doesn't Alyssa have the cutest children!

Alyssa's Favorite Things

Favorite Pin on the Whimsical Fabric board:
I have bins and bins of scraps all divided by color family, and I can't bear to part with them, so any pins like this one that give me ideas to use more of them up are very much appreciated!

Favorite in Stock Fabric:

I am a bit of an Alice in Wonderland nerd.... so the Art Gallery Wonderland line is my current favorite.

In fact, now that I've got some here in front of me, I've decided my next project with it will be for me and will be the Straight Stitch Society Have it All Wallet.

Favorite Sewing Snack:

I gave up coffee a few months ago to cut more sugar out of my diet (it gives me migraines) and replaced it with Earl Grey tea with vanilla.  And I know the SweetTarts aren't good for my head, but lining them up in color piles makes me happy.

Favorite Past Sew-Along: 

Here's a bit of nostalgia... These were my first sew along with Whimsical Fabric, and how I got acquainted with Danielle, and I've been thankful ever since that I decided to participate.  I was actually a tester for this pattern, so my kids already had the pairs that I had made them, and I was excited to make them more pants that I knew would fit well....  E+M Pants No. 2

Favorite Books:

I tend to be constantly attached to a book, my kindle, or my headphones with an audio book playing.  I've found that audio books are less distracting for me while sewing than Netflix binge sessions, so I'm a bit addicted.  I easily go through 4 or 5 books a week, though I've given myself a rule that at least one book a week must be a "classic."  I'm rather all over the place with my book interests, so I will try to narrow it down some.

1. Jane Eyre.  My all time favorite book that even 20 years after my first read, I still re-read every few months.

2. Einstein's Dreams.  Another favorite, though, this one I discovered in college, and keep on the small set of shelves in my room to be picked up when the fancy strikes.

3. If on A Winter's Night a Traveler.  This one is sort of a love story between a man and a woman and books. 

4.  Press Here.  My older brother bought this for the kids a couple of years ago, and its still one of their go-to's when we've plunged through all of the week's library books.

5.  Agnes and the Hitman.  This is the audio book I just finished.. its a totally zany, romantic mystery.  Fluff at its best, but entertaining..

6.  The Dark Tower. I'm a big Stephen King fan, and even though the last book of the series made me so mad I threw it out my barracks window when I finished, it's still a fantastic journey.

7.  The 17 Day Diet.  This is actually my fall-back diet, and its pretty easy to follow.  *I am not a medical professional, and check with your doctor before starting a new diet regime.  

8.  Splintered.  This one is part of a YA series, but the whole series is a pretty fast and engaging modernized Alice in Wonderland.  

9.  Phantom of the Opera.  I still think Raoul was the wrong choice...  

10. Left Handed Smocking.  I participated in an Ellie Inspired Sew Along last year and really enjoyed learning to smock, but I found it a bit difficult being left-handed.  This book has been a life saver.

To take a peek at our past My Favorite Things posts, just click here.

Now, hop on over to our Whimsical Fabric & Me Facebook group and play the "All About Alyssa" game!

Happy Creating!
Danielle Storm
www.whimsicalfabric.com

Hurry, Grab Your Playtime Pattern and Kit Today!

 

I'm so excited about our Playtime Sew-Along. 
We start in only a few days.

It's not too late to join in the fun!

Make sure to grab the pattern and a Sew-Along #31 kit now.
Kits ordered before 3:00pm CT are shipping same day.

We will be giving away 6 Oliver+S patterns to participants.  
That's over $100 in prizes you could win!

Use the coupon code SewAlongSavings to save 10%.

The sew-along starts this Thursday, January 21st.
Hope you will join us.

Happy Creating!
Danielle Storm
www.whimsicalfabric.com 

Sew-Along #31 - Playtime Outfit - Preparations

The Playtime Dress/Tunic and Leggings by Oliver+S

Items to Collect 

*Note: Links to products within this post are either links to our website or affiliate links. 
 

1. You must have the Playtime pattern to be able to take part in this sew-along.  If you have not yet purchased this, please do so here. This pattern is an instant download and you will have access to download it as soon as your purchase is completed.

 

2. If you do not have fabric for the project you will want to purchase some.  At the time of this writing we have have lots of fabric kits available.  We also have lots of nice fabric selections on our website.

Note: We greatly appreciate your purchase of patterns and kits from us.  These purchases help pay for the sew-alongs and allow us to continue to offer them, along with the great prizes we give away. Thank you for your support! 

3. The leggings require 3/4" wide elastic. Our Playtime fabric kits all come with elastic. If you are not purchasing a kit from us, please make sure you have some on hand.

4. The dress/tunic requires fusible interfacing for the placket.  All fabric kits come with this.  If you have not purchased a kit from us you will want to make sure you have enough interfacing on hand to complete the project.

5. The dress/tunic requires three 5/8" buttons or snaps.  Again, fabric kits came with buttons, so if you purchased one, you are set.

6. A fabric marker or pen. This will be important to have on hand. We will be using it to mark out the collar template for topstitching on your dress/tunic.

7. You will want a stretch (or ball point) twin needle for sewing. You can find one at most stores that sell sewing supplies or on Amazon.

 

8. And finally, you will need pins, a sewing machine, a good iron (a steam iron is preferable for sewing), a pair of fabric shears or a rotary cutter and mat, and a quilting ruler.

Optional Items to Collect - The following items are totally optional. 

1. I like to trace out all my pattern pieces on freezer paper.  We will not be teaching this step, but you can read more about it here.  Feezer paper can be bought at most grocery stores (by the wax paper and aluminum foil) or on Amazon.

  Things to Do

1. Make sure to prewash and preshrink all of your fabrics. I wash my fabrics on warm or hot and then I dry my fabrics in the dryer with no softeners. I always preshrink in this way when I am using fabric for clothing construction. I would hate to work hard on something only to have it shrink and not fit when I was done.
2. I also prewash my fusible interfacing to preshrink it. This will prevent any wrinkles or waves that might arise when you iron or launder your garment.  To prewash your interfacing simply soak it in a sink for about 5 minutes in very warm water.  You don't want the water too hot to avoid removing the iron-on finish, but you do want it warm enough to shrink the interfacing.  After soaking, just pat it with a clean towel and hang it to dry.
3. Make sure to download the pattern PDF onto your computer, tablet, or smart phone. Your pattern will be located in your order history on our site.  Log into your account, then click on the My Account at the very top right hand side of our site.  You will then see a list of your orders.  Click on the correct order and a download link will be available.  
4. Please make sure to have printed your pattern pieces and taped them together before lesson 1.  We have not included this part in the lesson. Do NOT cut out your fabric yet.  Sharon has a tip about cutting out your fabrics that she will be sharing in the first lesson.
5. Don't forget to join our Whimsical Fabric & Me Group so you can post your progress pictures.

The Prizes

At the close of the Sew-Along we will be giving away 6 Oliver+S PDF patterns as prizes.  Winners will be able to pick which pattern they desire form any of the Oliver+S patterns we stock. Make sure to join the Facebook Group so you have a chance to win! Each prize pattern has up to a $16.95 value.

We will give out entries for the prize pool drawing during the sew-along. There are three different ways to earn entries into the prize drawing.

1. Each day that you turn in an assignment on time you will receive 1 entry per item you create. Thus, the more items you make, the more entries you will receive.
2. We will also award 1 entry for purchasing the Playtime pattern from us using the coupon code SewAlongSavings or from the Sew-Along #31 Category.
3. In addition, if you purchased a kit from the Sew-Along #31 Category we will award you another 2 entries for each kit purchased.  *Note: Patterns purchased within the kit count as pattern purchases outlined in step #2 above.

Happy Sewing,
Danielle Storm
www.whimsicalfabric.com