Butler Britches by Brownie Goose

It's not very often that I sew for boys, especially my own son. Nearly ever time we go to the local fabric store, he finds some sort of super hero or cartoon print he wants. He always request pajamas. I'm assuming because that is all he thinks his mother knows how to make for boys.

When Amy asked me to test this pattern, I knew my boy would be super excited that mama was sewing for him. We had to compromise on a fabric though. He's ALL BOY.  If you can't shoot it or shoot with it, it better be something that is dangerous or really fast.  When I found this race car print from Riley Blake I knew it would be perfect for him.  I paired it with Robert Kauffman Chambray for the main fabric and Riley Blake navy gingham for the trim.  

 

  

That cute face saves him from a lot of trouble. :)

This pattern is fun and a bit funky with asymmetrical cuffs and button tabs. The cuffs are fully lined and that little button tab is a cute accent and scrap buster. If you are like me, you have more than a few scraps that need busting. :) Now about this pocket....

 

I love pockets. There are two pocket options on this pattern, so you can have fun with it and choose whichever you like best. There are also two different waist band options. I did the elastic waist but the instructions also include a flat front with elastic in the back only. This pattern comes in size 6 months all the way up to size 10.

The Butler Britches are a great pattern; but that's the norm for Amy. All her patterns are great. Easy enough for beginners, yet refined enough for experts. And her humor will make you want to buy more of her patterns just to read the instructions.

This pattern is available for purchase in the boys BundleUp sale now through August 29. The more patterns you buy, the more you save! 

  The Butler Britches will be in Amy's shop, Brownie Goose around Sept 10.

Jujube Dress

I'm sure this is news to no one now, but LilyGiggle has reopened!  Four new patterns are making their debut this week.  I've managed to find time to make three of them so far.  The only one I have left to complete is the Sassafrass Skirt and I know I'm going to love it.  (Btw, it's featured on Pattern Revolution today in case you want to check that out!) 

If you are looking for a new pattern for fall, look no further.  The Jujube Dress is here and you need it! I can hardly stand how cute it is!  For my first test I used the Arizona line from Art Gallery Fabrics. This fabric---oh my!  I can't say enough about how much I love Art Gallery.  Their knits are so soft! 

  

This pattern has ruffles down the front, but I felt like the style of this fabric was more suited to a simple silhouette. So, I choose to leave off the ruffles.  

 

I love the drop waist!  It's so classic, and yet I haven't seen many patterns with a drop waist lately so I love that this is a little different.  

The Jujube Dress is a quick and easy sew.  From start to finish this dress took me less than 1 hour to complete.  My daughter loves the comfort of the knit bodice.  She said the twirly skirt made her feel like dancing.  

 

 

 One dress down, but I had to try those ruffles.  Thankfully more Art Gallery goodies came last week and they were perfect for this pattern. I LOVE to fish so when I saw this print I knew I had to have it. It's so sweet and girly and again, this knit is so very soft!  This fabric is from the Emmy Grace line from Art Gallery Fabrics.  I ordered it from one of my favorite fabric shops, 

Hawthorne Threads. 

Look at that sweet fabric!

 

And ruffles those ruffles--  We loves ruffles here in the south!

 

LilyGiggle's patterns all have an awesome new feature that allows you to print size 2-12 nested for paper saving. Or, if you only need one size, you can choose the layering option and just print the size you need!  Beth has also added a quick sewing guide in the beginning of each pattern for the more accomplished seamstress. Her patterns are also full of great tips for sewing with knits.  

Go grab your Jujube Dress for 20% off until Friday with code "OHenry2014!".  Happy Sewing!

Nelle Romper

The month of May is going to bring about some changes at Cotton Belle Boutique.  This little business has grown so much over the past year and I am so thankful.  The downside to all these orders is that my family doesn't see nearly as much of me, and I have no free time to play with my kids who are growing up way too fast! I've been praying for a solution to this problem and feel like God is opening some doors lately that will help me change the way I run my business.  So here is what is up........

#1.  Custom orders will be VERY limited.  I will have to see how this goes, but I am thinking no more than 2 or 3 a month.  If you need a custom item, you will want to plan ahead to make sure you can get in.  My turn around time on these will probably be about 4 weeks, depending on the item.

#2.  Starting on May 15th, I will be doing bi-weekly uploads.  Each upload will feature one item.  I will take orders for that item for 24 hrs and then all orders will close and be completed over the next two weeks.  Turn around time will be shorter which I know you are happy to hear! :) This will save a lot of time for me in sewing and shopping for supplies.  Uploads will generally be bi-weekly on Thursday nights at 8pm. 


And now for a sneak peak---

The first upload will be this darling Nelle Romper!  Price will be $40 plus shipping.  Sizes will range from 6-12 months, 12-18 months, 2, 3, 4 and 5.  This romper is made out of knit so it is super comfy and requires NO IRONING! :)  (Excuse the sticker tattoo on her arm and the scribbling on the wall which I did not even notice until I blew up this photo! Do these kids have a mother??!!)

I hope these changes in my business will be great for everyone.  I'm looking forward to a shorter turn around time and being able to make some really fun, creative items for you!

My etsy store will stay open.  I still have my princess dresses listed since they have been so loved by you all!  Everything on my etsy store will still have a 4-6 week turn around time so be mindful of that when placing your order. 

Thanks for all the support!  You are the best customers!

Elizabeth

Sittin' on the dock of the BAY.......

Wastin' Time.....

No, I wasn't really "wastin' time". I was actually working like a mad woman when I got a text that said "Are you in a spot where you can swing a quick turnaround testing for me? It's kinda secretive too."  I didn't even take a minute to think about it.  #1 it's from my favorite pattern designer and #2 I love secrets.  I'm in!  It took about an hour for me to realize I didn't even think to ask what we were testing or how long "quick" was.  Who cares, its BG!  I'll stay up all night if I have to.

That night I opened my email and gasped when I saw what we were testing.  OMG!  Pinch me someone.  I've been sewing Amy's patterns for years and I love everything she does, but this one takes the cake.  I ran upstairs to my sewing room to dig through fabric.  I was torn between two different pieces, but finally settled on what I wanted to use.  The only problem was that I only had ONE YARD! Note to my fabric hoarding self--- buy at least two of everything from now on. :)  I found some eyelet to use in place of the flutter sleeves and somehow I squeezed a size 4 out of that one yard.  Where there's a will there's a way, right?  :)  Thank goodness my girl is short so it was fine that I was a couple of inches shy for the skirt measurement.  A row of eyelet trim on the hem finished it off to be a perfect length for her. 

Introducing the Bay Dress!

One of the other testers and I discussed how much the front looks like the Lazy Susan, which is another one of my favorites.  But that back, oh my!

Have you ever made something that you just loved so much that it made you sick when your child outgrew it?  Well here's the good news.....this dress will last a while in your child's wardrobe.  When she gets too tall she can wear it as a top over some Darby shorts or even some Sleepy Jeans or Lily Rufflers.  This is a fully functioning wrap dress/top so if it gets too tight in the chest all you have to do is move the buttons over to get some extra wear out of it!  How great is that??!!

Now to caution you about a mistake I almost made: I have to confess that when I make a new pattern by a designer I've used before, sometimes I don't pay attention to the size chart.  I almost didn't on this one but Amy stressed to us that we needed to go with chest measurements on this dress so I did.  I would have normally made the size 5 but I did the 4 instead.  Due to the cut of this bodice and the V in the back, you are going to want to size down when in doubt.  If you make it too big, the shoulders will slide off.

This pattern, like all BG, is very well written and easy to follow.  You can make this your own with fun buttons, trims, piping, lace, etc.  The pattern includes options for a straight skirt, which I did, or a curved back skirt.  It also includes top and dress lengths, along with an empire and drop waist option. 

One more of that lovely back....

And now for the good news! You can be sewing your very own Bay Dress/Top THIS SATURDAY!!! The best part?  IT'S ON SALE!  Yay! Here is the scoop on when and how you can get your Bay dress, along with some other great patterns, for a killer deal.  You don't want to miss it!

Now go pick out your fabric while that fun tune is humming in your head.  I'll be singing it all day now. :)

They are here!

The much anticipated day has arrived! I have had many facebook and etsy messages over the last month from you girls wanting to know when the new princess dresses would be ready.  Well, the wait is over.  I've been watermarking these photos for the past hour and everyone I upload makes me change my mind about which one is my favorite.  Thank you to the very talented Donna Hagin from MaddyEm Photography for these great photos! I love to sew, but when it comes to a vision for a photo shoot, I leave it to her.  She knocked this one out of the park. 

Introducing Tinkerbelle, Ariel, Aurora and Belle---

We had so much fun doing this shoot!  I love all of these princesses, but I have to admit that I'm slightly partial to Belle. This dress features flutter sleeves, elastic back bodice and lace trim on skirt.

Don't you just want to eat that sweet girl up?  She's too cute!

Her big sister modeled Aurora (Sleeping Beauty).  I have to be honest and tell you that I looked at this dress hanging on the hanger for two days trying to decide if I loved it or not.  When this diva put it on, it came alive and I fell in love!  This dress is the peasant style with elastic neck and ruffled collar.  It features a tie at waist so you can adjust for a good fit.

Sweet sister love!

Next up is the princess of the sea....Ariel!  I've had the most request for this dress so I hope everyone is excited to see her in the line up!  This is my first halter style princess dress.  It has elastic in the back and a tie at the waist.  It features some hand beading around the neck line and a ruffle at waist.

As most of you know, I'm a hairdresser in my other life and I've always been a little partial to red hair.  God didn't give me red hair, but mine has been red more than any other color.  I love this dress color against her hair.  So pretty!!

Last, but not least, is Tinkerbelle. Tink has always been a favorite at our house.  My sweet girl was a preemie at birth and is our tiny fairy.  She's the cutest Tink I've ever seen.  (Although I could be slightly partial.)  This dress is a one shoulder style bodice and has a zipper on the side.  The skirt is a two layered skirt that features a scalloped edge on the top layer for the Tinkerbelle look.

One more....

I hope you love all these new dresses as much as I do.  You can purchase them here!


Just a few more because they are so cute!!

If you have bought any of my princess dresses, I would love to see photos of your girls wearing them. You can send them to me at cottonbelleboutique@gmail.com.

Back to the sewing room......

Cricket!

If you've ever wondered how I ended up starting this little business, it's partially because of this cool girl named Amy.  She used to be a pediatric nurse and worked with my sister Hannah.  One day Hannah told me how Amy had started making children's clothes and was going to quit nursing and have a boutique full time.  I started following her little business online and watched it grow, and grow, and GROW!  I was inspired to take my love of sewing and open my own boutique.

 Amy's business got so big that she finally quit sewing and started making her own patterns.  If you are a seamstress, you know that awesome girl as Brownie Goose!  She's kind of a big deal now, although I'm sure she would tell me to hush for saying that.  So now for the exciting news......her newest pattern has just been released! The CRICKET!! I was so very honored to be able to test for her, and my daughter LOVES this pattern.  The first time she tried it on she said it was so "cump-ta-ble" and didn't want to take it off.

This pattern has quite a few options on it that you will enjoy.  It comes with a full length and a tunic length option.  You can also make it as a short sleeve or long sleeve dress.  The really fun part is that this pattern is great for lots of different fabrics.  She suggests cotton voile or rayon challis.  You can also use knit or cotton.  I choose to do mine in a black knit.  When I saw this pattern I thought "little black dress".  The boat neck is so classic, and the bishop sleeves add the simple but beautiful wow factor to this pattern.

I almost forgot about the keyhole opening in the back.  Finish it off with the perfect button for a great eye catcher!

The only bad thing I have to say about this pattern is that it only goes up to a size 12, and when you see how cute it is on your girl, you'll be begging Amy for adult sizes!

If you are new to Brownie Goose patterns, I must tell you that even the newest beginner can make these.  Amy does a great job of explaining everything, and she has lots of pictures if you are visual learner like me. :)  If you've been sewing quite a while and like to add your own spin on things, her patterns are great for that too.  One of the testers even did a split bodice on this, and it was adorable!  

So, that's my review.....I love the dress.  I love BG.  I'm thankful that this girl went out on a limb and started her little business that is now huge.  I'm pretty sure there are lots of seamstresses out there who feel the same about her.  Congratulations on your newest pattern, Amy!  I can't wait to see what's next.

Purchase your cricket here!! Happy Sewing!

Be Anxious for NOTHING

I woke up this morning with something heavy on my heart.  I debated about writing about it on my blog.  I thought for a minute about how this has nothing to do with sewing or my business, but then again it really does.  This issue trickles in to every aspect of your life, and then somehow overtakes it all.  There is no way to dress it up. It is ugly and very controlling.  You can try to run away from it, but it always seems to find you.  Some days you feel like you have "defeated it", only to have it resurface with a vengeance. What I am talking about?  ANXIETY!  Worry is a "less harsh" word we sometimes use to make ourselves feel better.  "I'm just worried about so-and-so" or "I just worry something bad might happen".  There is nothing pretty about worry.  I know.  I've been worrying about something my whole life.  I've been using the excuse that I can't help it because "it runs in my family".  I've spend almost 30 years trying to figure out how to get over my worry and to not be anxious about everything.  I've "given it to God" about 2 million times. I've even taken medication for it at one point in my life. I've prayed and cried and prayed some more that God would "deliver" me from anxiety.  I couldn't figure out why it never really worked.  I might feel better for a few days, and then just like that I would be right back into a panic over something.  My husband even started commenting about how he had to "talk me down off the ledge" so much.  I felt like I was getting worse with age.  God finally got my attention with my sweet little girl.  I had been noticing for a while about what an obsessive planner she had become.  Every night she would ask me about our plans for every single day for at least a week out.  EVERY NIGHT.  It started to drive me crazy.  I finally got to the point that I told her we would only talk about 2 days at a time and she didn't need to worry so much.   If any plans ever changed she would be stressed.  She started worrying about her brother and her daddy and his job.  I started worrying about her.  I saw myself in her and I didn't want her to fight this all of her life.  I started praying about what I could do to help her and it was like a light bulb finally went off!  Worry is nothing but a lack of faith!  I knew a lot of things in my mind but I didn't BELIEVE them! I worried about money.  I knew God could provide for us, but in honesty, I didn't really believe that He would.  I thought I did, but I was worried.  And what is worry?  A lack of faith!  Faith is believing that God will do what He says.  He says He will provide for all of our needs.  (But my God will supply ALL your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Phillipians 4:19) I worried that something might happen to my kids or my husband.   Lack of faith again!  God loves my children and my husband even more than I do.  If I pray for God's protection over them, then I have to believe that He will protect them.  They belong to Him and anything that happens to any of us has come through His hand first.  That doesn't mean that nothing bad will ever happen, but that God is always good and He will always be with me and work everything for good in my life.  I have to BELIEVE His word!  For me, it finally came down to what I was teaching my child.  Was I teaching her to trust God? No, I was really teaching her that God can't handle anything so we need to worry what the outcome will be and try to fix it as best we can.  That is NOT what I want to teach my kids!  My attitude about worry has changed.  Yes, I still do find myself worrying.  The difference now is that when I see it creeping up, I start reminding myself of God's promises and thinking about all the ways I have seen His faithfulness in my life already.  Do you know what that is?  It's the shield of faith from Ephesians 6:16.  "Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked."  Those fiery darts in my life were worry and anxiety.  My shield of faith is what keeps them from wounding me!  My sweet girl may be tempted to worry and be anxious just like her mother, but the best thing I can teach her is that faith is her shield.  Faith is what will keep her from living 30 years of frustration like her mother did.