Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Jocole Wide Leg Pants Sew Along

Wide Leg Pants Sew Along

Jocole Wide Leg Pants


Are you ready for a sew along?  We will be sewing the Ladies Wide Leg Pants (but if you want to make the girls version, it is the same process).


Schedule (March 2-4):

Monday:  Print, tape, gather materials, cut fabric

Tuesday:  Construct Legs

Wednesday:  Waistband and hem

Be sure to purchase the pattern on sale (today only 2-25-15) and get your fabric ordered!  See you here on Monday.

XOXO,
Kara

February Designer's Challenge Pattern Revolution

February Designer's Challenge

















Jocole is honored to be a part of the February Designer's Challenge.  There are so many amazing designers in the PDF world, and we are thrilled to be part of a fun challenge.  The challenge for Jocole is always to be fashion forward but also easy and quick.

Jocole accepted the challenge and totally rocked this one out!!!  Go to the Pattern Revolution blog to see more photos and find out more about the challenge.   The Girls Pencil Skirt is ready for purchase. Be sure to enter the giveaway!

Go to the Pattern Revolution blog to read more about the pattern and see more pictures.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Free Valentines Printable Cards


I just designed the cutest ones for my kids, want them? 
Is anyone doing last minute stuff and just wants something to print from home? 
Am i the only other last minute mom? [please tell me no!!]

Included in the downloadable pdf file is valentines for both boys or girls 
(one with the triangle background and one without to save ink for each design)


Enjoy!!  

Thursday, February 05, 2015

Mix & Match dreams DO come true!

How about some Jocole Patterns Mix & Match goodness?!




I love all of the Jocole patterns, I won't lie... but my favorites are the Mix & Match series! I love how customize-able they are. I can literally do anything with my Mix & Match patterns. I love that feeling of freedom (thank you Jodi Jean Baird)!

I recently made a pair of pants for a sew a long Whimsical Fabric is having this month and I needed a cute top to go with them. I looked through all my patterns and I found....NOTHING... that I liked. I'm sure you've been there lol. I started thinking about what i wanted and it had to be something with a nicely fitted bodice but I wanted the skirt part to be more free flowing. The more I thought about it, the more I knew the bodice had to be the Jocole Mix & Match. Cuz, you really cannot go wrong with Jocole, amirite?

I used the Basic Empire Bodice and the Classic Sleeves  to make the basic bodice of the top. I pretty much just followed Jodi's excellent instructions and made a perfect bodice cuz yeah thats how I roll.


Then I took out my trusty Radiant A-line Bottom and started measuring. I ended up with 2 rectangles that were about 24" wide and 10"high? tall? I gathered the tops of each rectangle to match the bottom of my bodice and I sewed them together and attached them to my Mix & Match bodice. Cake! Looks pretty good, doesn't it? :)

Being the completely awesome designer she is, Jodi Jean Baird did all the math so everyone can make this adorable Mix & Match variation for themselves! Voila!!


Tuesday, February 03, 2015

Skinny Minnie Riding Pants Tutorial

Hello! Harmony from 3Giraffes here again. Today's tutorial is taking the Skinny Minnie pant and turning it into a "riding pant". **WARNING This post is picture heavy! :) **



Ready to get started?? What you need :
 ~Woven fabric
 ~Knit fabric
 ~Skinny Minnie pattern (on jocole.net or on jocole.etsy.com)
 ~Sewing supplies
The purple piece is my cut-out from the first pair I made to show you the shape and size.
Use the Skinny Minnie pattern to cut out a pair of pants in your child's size using the woven fabric.
Stack all four of the pieces on top of each other lining up the inseam from crotch to ankle. Then measure approximately 3/4 of the way up the leg - or about 1/4 of the way down from the crotch. This will be the top of your knit inset peak. You want to cut out a very elongated rounded triangle.
Towards the bottom of the ankle the base of the elongated triangle cut out should be almost half the width of the bottom of the ankle. (Just look at the above picture for a reference.) Your pants will now look like this.
You can either toss out all but one of the cut-out pieces (because you need to use one as a pattern piece to cut out your knit), OR you can do what I did and save them all... I plan to use them as tie-straps later.
Use one of the cut-out pieces to cut out your knit inserts. Fold the knit with the greatest stretch going side to side, not up and down. Place the cut-out along the fold.
I used a jersey sheet for this. But a cotton lycra would be ideal.
Do not add seam allowances. You want the pants to be very fitted and since you are using knit for the inserts no seam allowance is necessary...and it will only make the pants fit more tightly.

If you place the knit insert pieces into the cut-out space it will be a perfect fit.
Next sew up the front and back rise.
With right sides together pin the insert to one of the cut-out spaces on one of the legs. At this point it really doesn't matter if you start with the front of the legs or back. Pin from the bottom up several inches. Then pin around the curve. Continue pinning up the straight.
The points of the triangle peaks should hang over the edge just barely. See pic below.

When both inserts are pinned on to either the front or the back, if you open up the inserts it will look like this.
Sew down (either with a serger or with a regular machine.) then top stitch. Pin the other side of the insert to the corresponding cut-out.
After the second side is sewn and top stitched finish sewing together the inseam. If you are going to add any embellishments then now is the time to do so.
See?? Super cute with some embellishment added!
Hem the bottom of the pants, sew up the outer seam, add elastic in your favorite manner and you are done! SUPER cute riding pants!
Want more information on the top? Keep a look out for another blog post!!
Jodi, thank you for letting me come play again! <3 Your patterns are so wonderful!


Sunday, February 01, 2015

Mega Ruffle Pants - Hi-Lo Modification


Want a tutorial on how to use Jocole's Mega Ruffle Pants in a different way??  This is an easy modification and breathes new life into the ruffle pants pattern.  You can do this for the full length, capri length or short length options!! :)

Are you ready?

Print out your Mega Ruffle Pants pattern pieces. (Original pattern piece show in black lines, using the size 5)

The light blue block signifies the new hi-lo amount ... you can make it more drastic or shallow as you like.  I went up the inseam/side seams 1.5" (for the smaller sizes you might want to do less, and for the larger sizes you might want to do more)

From that part that is marker, next you'll want to draw a curved line.  The line will curve up on the front, and down in the back -- shown in RED.


That's *IT* ... seriously. Now you can sew up the pants, exactly as the pattern is written and use the ruffle cutting measurements as indicated in the pattern.

ENJOY!!