Jersey Love Blog Tour - The Downtown V-neck & Giveaway!!

Welcome to my little corner of the blogging world. :) I am so excited you are joining me today on Day 4 of the Jersey Love Blog Tour!

I have never hidden my love for Fishsticks Designs patterns, and these Jersey Love patterns are no exception! I never have to guess if I am putting the neck trim in correctly, or if I am joining the correct pieces together. Bonnie always includes fabulous, step-by-step instructions and even a clear photo to go along with EACH step. And that, my dears, isn't always as easy to find in a PDF or paper pattern as you may think!

Our little minions in their Downtown V-necks!
(This one is going on the wall!)

I haven't used many jersey fabrics before, and even fewer stretch jersey fabrics, as they just aren't available locally. I'm also what I call a "touch and feel" sewist. I don't like guessing what a fabric will look and feel like "in real life". And I don't like it when fabric shows up at my door that was called "mid-weight" and it turns out that it will need another layer under it (thereby foiling my plans for it completely) because I can see skin through it! 

The littles running at full speed, while the tween ambles behind them!

This new stretch jersey fabric from Riley Blake is absolutely fabulous! The colors and prints are enough to make you drool. And fresh out of the dryer it is just buttery soft and I may *cough* have snuggled with it a bit because it was just so soft! Admit it, you would have too! ;)

Even better is the fact that they so very sweetly mailed us the fabric needed to sew up our goodies for the blog tour for FREE! Can we get a huge round of applause for the fabulous Riley Blake please? Thank you so much, I LOVE this fabric!

Thank you Riley Blake!

And for all the sewists out there, like me, who are nervous to order jersey fabric online...you don't have to have any of the fears I usually have, not a single one! This stretch jersey a great weight, isn't sheer, has wonderful recovery, the colors don't fade or run, and it sews up like a dream! Worth every single penny!

The boys look so cute in their matching V-necks! The trim being a different color on each of their shirts was just enough difference to make big brother happy, and for them to still look utterly adorable together. 

Honestly the most difficult part of this whole experience wasn't sewing 3 Downtown V-necks, or even mastering my twin needle for all the hems, as those two were easy..yes, even the twin needle! It was getting all 3 children to co-operate in one photo, all at the same moment! And because it was a weekday I couldn't even beg hubby to help me prep and wrangle children. *feeling a lot more gray than when we started this shoot*

Don't you just love cute little toddler toes?

Our yard is suffering from a bad case of Texas heat and lack of rain, so we went into town in search of green grass and cute photo spots. Thankfully the first place we tried delivered on both! Surprisingly our wild little toddler who normally tries to jump off everything in sight, wouldn't stand on the bridge's railing without some serious coaxing and help from Mom and big brother!

Happy bare-footed kiddos!
The kept professing their love for their new shirts that were "so comfy Mom!!".

Another wonderful thing about Fishsticks Designs patterns, is they are incredibly easy to adjust to fit your child! All of our children have had growth spurts recently, so I decided to sew their sizes without any alterations to length or width.
As you can see, the 3T on Little Man is as good as spot on. His toddler chubbiness means that I often need to shorten the length of clothing, but it appears his new height is evening things out.
Missy's size 5 is going to be great and fit for a long time, but for as petite as she is I could easily have shortened it to a 4T length in the body and sleeves.
JBug's size 10 is spot on, but as you can tell with the next tween growth spurt his sleeves may quickly become too short. I have to sew a size 10 for him because he's a tall bean pole kind of boy, but I need to remember to cut it to a size 12 length from now on to accommodate his ever-growing length!

And just as I typed it, is as easy as it will be to adjust the pattern to fit your precious child! Really! Bonnie's patterns are all nested (think Matryoshka dolls here) biggest on the outside, and inside are all the smaller sizes one at a time with the smallest in the center. Need longer arms for your tall guy or gal? Simply cut them to the next length line. Need a wider body and arms? Simple cut one size up in the width, and the regular size in the length!

The perfect portrait shirt pattern!

Let's go home, it's really getting hot out here.

Little man had to make sure Missy was going to be coming too!

Missy dashing to join her brothers.

As you can see these V-necks are fabulous for running and playing around, and looking cool at the same time!

Be sure to join us for every stop on the Jersey Love Blog Tour!

Tuesday, 8/13: Call Ajaire & Rock the Stitch

Wednesday, 8/14: imagine gnats & Busy, Beautiful and On a Budget

Thursday, 8/15: Shaffer Sisters & Blue Susan Makes
Friday, 8/16: Rooibos Mom & Mama Says Sew
Tuesday, 8/20: Designs by Sessa & Hopeful Threads
Wednesday, 8/21: Making More with Less & Sew Can She
Thursday, 8/22: Crafty Hour & Winter Wonderings ... Wanderings & Whatnot
Friday, 8/23: Little Kids Grow & Max California

GIVEAWAY!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**I did receive free fabric and a free pattern for this blog tour, but the views expressed are 100% my own!