Well, it’s been a couple of big months for me as I’ve had some improvements done to my website home page and some work on the back end too.  I’ve released my Learn to Love Your Serger online course and released my new Overalls for All Seasons pattern in both the 18 inch American Girl and 18 ½ inch Cabbage Patch sizes.,,,whew!  I’ve got another pattern on the drawing board but I have a heap of special orders that I need to get done first.

It’s great to see so many of you joining in the activity in my Sew and Share Facebook group by sharing photos of your creations, asking questions, giving advice and encouraging others on their sewing journey.  Many of the photos I share here in my blog have come from this group and I must say how proud I am to be part of this wonderful community.

I’m super excited to release my latest Doll Clothes Pattern for 18 ½ inch Cabbage Patch Kids. These Overalls have been designed so that you can make them either short or long and from cool cotton or warm corduroy which makes them perfect for All Seasons.

The pattern pieces also show cutting lines for a plain hem or a cuffed hem on both the short and long overalls. The contrasting colour of the cuff not only looks cute, it gives the overalls a more casual country look.

I’ve often been conflicted when I release a pattern for summer in Australia, as it will be winter in the USA and all my American customers will be wondering why I’m putting out a bikini pattern when they’re all snuggled up inside beside the fire.

So today I’m so excited to be releasing my new Overalls for All Seasons pattern for 18 inch and American Girl dolls. Because it has options to make the overalls either short or long and from cooler cotton or warmer pinwale corduroy, making them perfect ‘For All Seasons’!

Although these overalls are designed for the 18 inch dolls such as American Girl and Our Generation, there’s cutting lines for the taller Australian Girl dolls too.

Do you have a serger? Or if you’re an Aussie, do you have an overlocker? Is it still sitting in its box in the cupboard because you just don’t know how to use it or are too scared to change the threads?

Then my new Learn to LOVE Your Serger online video course is for you! My goal with this course is that by the end of the 2 ½ hours of high quality, in depth instructional videos you will no longer fear changing threads or adjusting the tension dials, and be well and truly on the way to ‘Loving your Serger’.

When I was designing my Fun ‘n Frilly Top I had so many variations swirling around in my head and this one just wouldn’t go away. So instead of working on my new pattern, I pulled out my Sports Shorts pattern and my Fun ‘n Frilly Top pattern and started to play.

And I can’t believe just how easy it was to get the cute little Playsuit that I was dreaming of. With only one trial outfit, a few adjustments and the result was perfect!

Rather than create a new pattern to sell on my website, I wanted to show you how easy it is to adjust patterns to create something new and encourage you to get adventurous with your existing patterns. You’ve got to love a ‘free pattern’!

The following shows you exactly what I did to create this super cute Playsuit.

Wow, it’s been wonderful to see so many of you enjoying my new Fun ‘n Frilly Top pattern and I’m so glad that I included the bonus dress pattern as it seems that many of you have been making the fun ‘n frilly dress.

Within hours of the pattern being released, Joan had bought the pattern and made her first dress. She then made another 3 dress I think it was that day and the cat print one shows how she has added a pretty pink belt made from Fold Over Elastic to complete the look and the next one shows how she has substituted wide lace for the frill. This makes it a lovely feminine dress.

‘Purchased your pattern a few hours ago….love the style. Very easy and quick to make. – Joan’

March Madness was so successful last year that I have been encouraged to do it again.

‘Sew’ that means that for the whole month of March you will save a huge 20% on all purchases….Yes, that’s 20% off my How to Make Doll Clothes Video Course – either online or DVD set, and 20% off ALL my 18 inch American Girl and 18 ½ inch Cabbage Patch Doll Clothes Patterns….absolutely EVERYTHING in store!

I’m so excited to be releasing my new Fun ‘n Frilly Top for 18 ½ inch Cabbage Patch Kids. The feedback from my 18 inch American Girl size pattern has been awesome with everyone agreeing that it is a super easy pattern to make.

The top has an elasticized neckline with a pretty frill, or ‘ruffle’ for my American friends. It can be worn with the frill around the neckline or off the shoulders and looks a little like a peasant top. There are 3 Top Options for you to choose from and a BONUS Dress Options too!

I had so much fun creating this Fun ‘n Frilly Top that my daughter had to tell me to stop playing around and get the pattern finalized!  I was constantly coming up with different options and then mixing up the look by adding trims and embellishments and using different fabrics and color combinations.  My last count was 15 tops….I think I was getting a little too carried away!

‘Sew’ the final pattern has an elasticized neckline giving it a feminine, peasant look but without the sleeves.  It can be worn with the frill around the neckline or off the shoulders and I’ve provided 3 Top Options for you to choose from.  Which one will you make first?

Option 1 is the short top that finishes at the waist with an elastic casing for a clean, cool look.  Or you may prefer to leave it loose.

Welcome to the new year and welcome to my first Share and Tell blog for 2018. Hope you have all recovered from the Christmas rush and managed to get everything sewn that you needed to.

The first photo is from Helen, an active Australian member of my Facebook Sew and Share group. She was super busy leading up to Christmas sewing for a friend’s two beautiful granddaughters who live in America. She’s not sure how many doll clothes she made but there were two of everything, plus shoulder bags, beach bags and headbands. As someone in the group said, ‘Looks like the girls hit the motherload!’ I agree Helen, it sure looks like a lot of clothes and I’m pretty sure they were a hit.

The second photo shows a dress that Helen made adding extra to the skirt piece of my Summer Dress pattern to make the skirt fuller and omitting the hem and waist trim. Notice how she carefully cut out the bodice to ensure the pretty mermaid is the central feature.