A quiet blog usually means we are B.U.S.Y. – which is pretty much life, huh? We spent the last couple weeks in Maui and it was just the unplugged, family fun that we all needed to power through the end of the school year. I spent the week before we left sewing for myself, something that I haven’t found as much time for in the last few months. Packing for a tropical beach vacation can be quite easy – as long as you have a great swimsuit and a few easy things to throw over it, you’re set. I, unfortunately, was in need of a new swimsuit. I had heard about the Bombshell Swimsuit sewing pattern and decided to give it a go. I figured nothing could be worse than swimsuit shopping, am I right?! 
So…I sewed the suit. And I wore the suit. All day, every day of my trip. I’m not even sure where to begin raving about this pattern. I’M POSTING PICTURES OF MYSELF IN A SWIMSUIT ON THE INTERNET! Doesn’t that say it all? You guys – this is a must-sew for ALL body types. The classic 1950’s silhouette is super flattering plus modest plus sexy. From where I’m standing, it’s the trifecta of swimsuit styles. As the pattern maker describes it: “With flattering ruched seams, a booty encasing seat and a skirt-like front, the Bombshell swimsuit hugs your curves while providing full (but sexy) coverage.”
This was pretty much my uniform my whole vacation. I felt comfortable and stylish and pretty damn proud of myself for sewing my own swimsuit. SO much better than trying to find something that fits my exact shape on the store rack!
I purchased the sewing pattern through Closet Case Patterns – it was an instant pdf download and printed out without any trouble. There are a couple different styles – I went with the halter top for something new, though my other swimsuit (store-bought) has the “gathered bust maillot” top available as one of the other pattern variations and I looooove that style. (planning on sewing up the alternate variation asap!) She also provides very detailed and well-photographed step-by-step information in a sewalong on her blog – so check that out if you’re struggling with a step.
I used a combination of serger and sewing machine for the suit, but you can absolutely get by with just a sewing machine. In fact, I did most of the finishing with the sewing machine and mostly did basting with the serger. I did appreciate the quick and extra reinforcement of serging the final side seams together and attaching the bodice to the bottom, but other than that, I’ll probably skip the serger all together next time.
I did not ruche along the back center seam of the seat, but I think I’ll give it a try on the next go-around. The back is fine without the ruching – just simple. It made it quicker to sew without that step and less intimidating on the first try. The back of the swimsuit provides full coverage – the fabric stays put and it’s totally comfortable – no riding up, no tight elastic. Although the instructions for sewing in the elastic around the leg holes looked complicated, I found it easy to follow with both the pattern and my fabric in front of me at the sewing machine.
The gathered side seams and the front “skirt” panel just makes this swimsuit! It’s so stylish and modest in just the right places. You end up with three layers of fabric over your stomach, which is especially nice when you’re over the age of, say, had a baby or three. The halter top/bust portion came together easily also. There is elastic sewn with a slight tension down each side of the bust pieces and this helps everything stay put. I did rip some cup liners out of a super old swimsuit and added them to this halter version, even though it wasn’t included in the pattern. A little lining makes me feel more comfortable – I just did a quick stitch around the perimeter of the cup to sew it onto the inside of the lining piece before sewing together the lining and the main fabric of each bust piece.
As you can see, the suit was good for swimming, beach strolls, and cradling cute kiddos poolside. Alrighty! So, nothing but glowing recommendations for this pattern.
PATTERN: Closet Case Files Bombshell Swimsuit
FABRIC: paisley lycra from Joann Fabric & Craft, polyester thread, ball point needles
MACHINES: Baby Lock Aventura Sewing Machine & Baby Lock Evolution Serger
Have fun!
One of my top wardrobe requirements for the summer is having an easy pair of comfortable shoes that I can wear daily. They have to be comfortable, stylish, and also stand up to the elements for trips to the pool, the park, and barbecues. I don’t like to spend a lot of time planning outfits for our summer activities and I love the ease of having a pair of shoes that will carry me through whatever we’re doing each day. When I got a peak at Crocs new line of shoes, I thought that they just might fit the bill for my summer shoe needs. Today’s post pairs a tutorial for a casual summer skirt with these fun wedges! 
These A-leigh Shimmer Leather Wedges kind of blow my mind. They have the incredible “sink your toes into marshmallow pillows” feel of all the Crocs shoes I’ve tried on and they are so stylish! I pretty much haven’t taken these off since I got them! You know when you walk in your door after running the kids to school or running errands and the first thing you do is kick your shoes off to let your feet be free? Not with these shoes! They’re more comfortable than walking around barefoot! I’ve never worn wedges that didn’t feel hard under my heels, and I really love that these are so wearable. The uppers are black shimmery leather – they look nice, but I’m not worried about getting a little dirt, grass, or water on them. The strapping also feels flexible and soft around my toes. My only issue was that the strap was a bit loose, but I just punched an extra hole and now they’re fine! 
The bottoms of the shoes have traction, making them suitable for many of the outdoorsy places we like to go in the summer. I pictured wearing them lakeside and needed a flowy summer skirt to go with them. So, naturally, I rummaged my knit stash and came out with this yummy blush knit. For a flowy skirt without a bunch of bulk around the waist, I decided to sew a long circle skirt with a dropped waist. Let’s see how to do that: 
Choose a fabric that is very lightweight – tissue weight – and has some slink in it. Begin by folding your fabric into fourths and then creating your circle pattern. There are oodles of circle skirt tutorials out there if you need more help creating the pattern. It’s quite simple once you have your fabric folded. You can see more details in this circle skirt tutorial if you’d like. Cut out the hole for your waist. If you have larger hips and want to make sure the knit falls loosely over the hips with a dropped waist, you can use your hip measurement here. Then, measure down to the desired hemline; there’s no need to hem this fabric, so you don’t need to add extra length for hemming. 
Next, make the waistband. Cut a strip of fabric the length of your waist (or hips if that’s the measurement you used for your skirt opening) and 8″ wide. The stretch of the fabric should run the lengthwise. Join the two raw edges together (right sides together) and serge or sew. 
Now, grab some 1″ wide elastic and cut a piece the length of your waist measurement. Sew the two ends together and try it on to make sure it’s snug but comfortable around your waist. Now place it around the loop of fabric that is your waistband and move it to the center, as shown in the middle picture above. Fold the waistband down around the elastic so that the elastic is encased inside. Pin the raw edges of the waistband together. Now your waistband is ready to attach to the skirt. 
Slip the waistband over the waistline of the skirt so that all the raw edges are facing up. Fit and pin the waistband to the skirt and serge (or sew using a zigzag stitch) together. 
Flip up the sewn waistband and wiggle the elastic to the very top. 
You can leave the skirt as is or add a narrow zigzag stitch all the way around the waistband to hold the elastic snug at the top. 
And that’s it! A breezy summer skirt! It’s lightweight and comfortable – easy to wear, but still looks pretty! 
Paired with my new wedges, I feel ready to get outside and explore with my family this summer, while also feeling put together. I love creating outfits like this! 
Now, it’s your turn to create a summer outfit that will keep you feeling good! Click here to check out all of the new shoe styles that Crocs.com has to offer! How would you style your favorite pair?
I am pretty darn excited about today’s post because I was able to work with one of my favorite brands to put together a functional, stylish outfit AND give one of YOU a $250 gift card for ECCO shoes! Pretty great, right?!! One of the simplest things that we can do to change our clothes is to sew a new hem and I’m going to show you just how easy it is today. I paired my newly cropped jeans with a handmade blouse, a pair of casual ECCO flats, and the most scrumptious ECCO shoulder bag. The outfit is casual, but definitely put together, and I think it will work well for shopping, a lunch date, and skipping over to all of the kids’ school functions that tend to pop up this time of year. 
I took a pair of jeans from my donate pile and decided instead to turn them into useable capri pants for the spring. The jeans fit just fine, but the style was bulky and heavy around my ankles, not to mention too long. 
To hem your jeans into capris, you will need just a few supplies:
First try them the jeans on and mark where you want your new hem to be. I find it easiest to scrunch the leg up around your knee until you find the right length and then put a pin at that same height on the other pant leg. 
Once you have the new finished length marked, the hemming is simple!
I am thrilled with how my new capri jeans turned out – they’re lighter and easier to move around in – perfect for spring. Also, they go great with these adorable ECCO Ballerina Patch flats. The shoes feature soft leather uppers, a breathable full leather lining, and foam insole for added comfort. The outer patchwork design is sewn from a variety of rich leathers that are light and flexible. My ECCO boots that I wore daily this winter (including hours of touring through Paris last Fall) have proven comfortable and these flats seem to provide the same stylish comfort. I love a pair of shoes that I can wear throughout the day. 
I also added this ECCO Sculptured Shoulder Bag to my outfit and let me tell you, it is divine! It’s made from cow leather and features water-repellant Baby Ottoman lining. The gunmetal hardware blends so nicely with this subtle Woodrose color and I kind of love that it will coordinate with lots of looks so that I can use it daily. Nice and big and ready to stash whatever this busy mom needs! The inside has a dedicated phone pocket, zip pocket, and key ring strap – nothing’s getting lost in the bottom of this baby, but I’m pretty sure it will fit all the things!! Dreamy! 
My blouse was handmade by me. It is the top version from the Marigold Dress Pattern and I love the elastic waist and pretty neckline. I used gold buttons on this one to dress it up some and the big bow tied sash gives it some added style. Cap sleeves make it great for the warmer weather! The fabric is a polyester I picked up at Britex last Fall. 
Alright, friends! It’s time to give away the most awesome prize!! $250 for some ECCO shoes of your very own! Can you already smell the sweet smell of that real, supple leather?? What’s your favorite spring shoe trend? Tell me below in the comments for a chance to win an ECCO shoe card worth up to $250!! Eek!
You will need:
