Alana & Kathy E are our Blue Dot Patterns giveaway winners. Diane will be providing them with a Blue Dot Pattern of their choice.
Thanks again Diane (gatorbunnysews) for the pattern sale, the giveaway, and providing patterns for our bloggers to have fun with.
I have plans to make a Margo and another Georgia myself, which you will see here on the blog. I hope to see what you make too. Drop me a comment here, facebook, or tag me on instagram @mahlicadesigns so I can see.
Ok, you have just a little more time to take advantage of the Blue Dot Pattern sale and enter the pattern giveaway. 40% off is a great price, don’t wait.
Special thanks to all the bloggers that came with their A Game to inspire us all. Click through their links to see their project.
Take a look at these Georgias we made:
How about these Margos:
And look at the Dover that Diane of gatorbunnysews whipped up as a surprise:
With all this inspiration going around, I hope you’ll be sharing what you make with your Blue Dot Patterns.
When I’m looking for inspiration, Google and Pinterest and sometimes Etsy are my tools. I really wanted to nail it for my Creative Sewing Challenge project, so I gathered lots of ideas for myself and to share with you.
Today, let’s take a look at ideas for the Georgia Top from Blue Dot Patterns. At first look the simplicity of a dolman top can lull you into thinking there aren’t many design details to work with, but there are lots of ways to amp this girl up.
First up, I’m looking at the dolman sleeve itself. We can do some interesting things with an insert along the shoulder. How about using some lace, a sheer, twisted tucks, chevrons, or even leather?
I made my Georgia with a rectangular cut out with crossbars.
You could do different cut out shapes and use some interesting closures too; like chain, leather toggles, button tabs, or bows.
For the bodice area, the Georgia already includes a view with color blocking. Don’t limit yourself to the design lines that come with a pattern, you can make lines every which way on most patterns to do colorblocking. Don’t forget colorblocking’s design cousin, fabric mixing. Here’s an awesome idea of using lace on the sides in a curved shape that I’m itching to knock off. I’ve also had this zippered neckline in my pinterest boards forever that would look great on the Georgia.
What are you imagining for the Georgia?
SALE:
Be sure to visit Blue Dot Patterns to take advantage of the 40% off sale (for a limited time).
GIVEAWAY:
Blue Dot Patterns is sponsoring two generous giveaways. Leave a comment here with which pattern you would like to make and be sure to click through to get entered:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Next, visit the Blue Dot Patterns blog, gatorbunnysews, for another giveaway.
Diane (gatorbunnysews) of Blue Dot Patterns and I asked sewists to let their creativity flow with their choice of the Blue Dot Patterns. Be sure to click through to see the details of these projects. Then be sure to visit Blue Dot Patterns to take advantage of the 40% off sale (for a limited time).
Melissa (that’s me) from mahlicadesigns added cut outs along the shoulder to make my Georgia a little edgy. I have a quick tutorial if you want to hack the Georgia like I did. I feel pretty cool with my Georgia and my leather look skinny pants.
Cindy from CindyParrett.com modified her Margo to make it dress length and added a gathered full length sleeve. Cindy styled her Margo with dress pants for work or leggings and boots for fun around town. Cindy already has a request from her daughter for a Margo of her own.
Amy from That’s Sew Amy liked her first Georgia so much, she took on the challenge of pattern matching to make another one. Once you get a handle on a crazy print on a four-way stretch knit you can quickly have another Georgia for yourself or to give as a gift.
Wanting to modify the Margo from Blue Dot Patterns? Let’s break it down.
Sleeves can be altered for lot’s of looks. Sleeveless, banded, a peek-a-boo slit, A gathered cap, layers of lace, a simple sheer, or an added bow are all ideas to start.
The yoke on the Margo is a prime opportunity for your creativity. Mix fabrics by using a lace, sheer, or dramatic print up top. Wouldn’t encrusting the yoke with pearly buttons be cute. The scoop neckline could also mean you can eliminate the button closure, replace it with a keyhole opening and tie, or a split neck opening.
Something I always forget is that you can modify a pattern to be a dress. You can layer sheers for a cool transparent effect and layer lace over anything for an extra feminine touch. Using a woven for the yoke and a jersey knit for the body would be an interesting mix. How about a big switch up by moving the button placket to the back?.
What can you dream up for the Margo?
SALE:
Be sure to visit Blue Dot Patterns to take advantage of the 40% off sale (for a limited time).
GIVEAWAY:
Blue Dot Patterns is sponsoring two generous giveaways. Leave a comment here with which pattern you would like to make and be sure to click through to get entered:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Next, visit the Blue Dot Patterns blog, gatorbunnysews, for another giveaway.
Diane (gatorbunnysews) of Blue Dot Patterns and I asked sewists to let their creativity flow with their choice of the Blue Dot Patterns. Be sure to click through to see the details of these projects. Then be sure to visit Blue Dot Patterns to take advantage of the 40% off sale (for a limited time).
Ashley from Sewn by Ashley took a tee shirt from a local establishment she calls home and used the Margo to make it so much more memorable. A once oversized tee has been transformed into a stylish way to sport her favorite tavern’s logo. Ashley looks like one of the family, but in a way that is all her own.
Wear the Georgia at hip length or more like a tunic; the choice is yours with an alteration that Kyla from Life By Ky shows us. Kyla found inspiration in her Knit Fix and loves her Georgia.
Sarah from Musings of a Seamstress took the Georgia from a top to a dress in a show stopper print. You know you have a winner when you get lots of compliments and already have plans for another version.
Stay tuned to see more Creative Sewing Challenge projects next week from:
Melissa of mahlicadesigns
Cindy of Cindyparrett.com
Amy of Thats Sew Amy
Are you ready for some ideas for the Dover jacket from Blue Dot Patterns?
You can personalize your Dover with embellishments. Some pearly beads around the neckline with a hidden closure would look really posh. Hand stitching details would look nice around the edges or as a motif on the back yoke. Add ruffles along the button front, ’cause who doesn’t love a ruffle? You could attach a wide ribbon as a closure if you dropped the waistline down.
With a few alterations to the pattern, you can change up Dover’s look for a little variety. Instead of gathers, you can add width to the back piece to make some knife pleats. If you dropped the gathering line down on view B you can do the ribbon tie at the waist like above, or add a tab detail at the center back. Instead of buttons how about a zip up Dover, and make me happy by making it asymmetrical.
How would you make the Dover special for you?
SALE:
Be sure to visit Blue Dot Patterns to take advantage of the 40% off sale (for a limited time).
GIVEAWAY:
Blue Dot Patterns is sponsoring two generous giveaways. Leave a comment here with which pattern you would like to make and be sure to click through to get entered:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Next, visit the Blue Dot Patterns blog, gatorbunnysews, for another giveaway.
Welcome the the first week of the Creative Sewing Challenge. I’m glad you’re here.
I’ve paired up with Diane (gatorbunnysews) of Blue Dot Patterns to host the Creative Sewing Challenge. We’ve asked sewists to let their creativity flow with the patterns. I’ll be featuring these creative projects for you over the next couple weeks. Be sure to click through to see the details of these projects and get ready to put these at the top of your To Sew list. Then hop on over to Blue Dot Patterns to take advantage of the 40% off sale (for a limited time).
Michelle from That Black Chic has this amazing rendition of the Margo pattern. The Margo is a great pattern to showcase a beautiful print. By creating a sleeve add on and a simple skirt, Michelle gets a variety of looks out of her Margo.
Taking a pattern from good to great is so easy with a thoughtful use of fabrics. Amy from That’s Sew Amy found a soft lace to make Georgia just her style. Wear it with jeans or funky pants to look all around awesome.
Shannon from Shanniloves used lace and pintucks to make her Margo in a sweet boho style that suits her. To make her Margo extra special Shannon used a vintage lace from her stash, inspiration from a RTW garment, and a soft rayon fabric that drapes beautifully.
Stay tuned to see more Creative Sewing Challenge projects next week from:
Ashley of sewnbyashley
Sara of musingsofaseamstress:
Kyla of LifebyKy
I have partnered with Diane (gatorbunnysews) of Blue Dot Patterns to host the Creative Sewing Challenge. We’ve asked sewists to let their creativity flow with the patterns. I’ll be featuring these creative projects for you over the next few weeks.
Please visit our creative sewists to learn more about them and maybe get a sneak peak of their project.
Stay tuned to see the Creative Sewing Challenge projects beginning next week, enter the Blue Dot Patterns giveaways, and watch for another surprise.
In a couple weeks (Dec 1st), I’ll be hosting the Creative Sewing Challenge with Blue Dot Patterns. Today, you get a sneak peak of how I altered the Georgia top pattern for the challenge.
The Georgia is a dolman sleeve tee that has a soft look and comfy fit. I wanted to add a little bit of edge to my look by adding a cut out with cross bars.
I won’t do a repeat of this look as I have other plans for the Georgia pattern, but next time I would make the cutout narrower. It’s gapes a little.
I like my edgy Georgia and its a perfect transitional piece that fits in with my Core Wardrobe.
I used an interlock knit from my stash that is just the right weight for fall and spring. The cutouts do make this cold all the time girl a little chilly, so it won’t see the rounds come winter.
Get my look:
When cutting out the pattern, I simply folded down the shoulder edges of the front and back bodice pattern pieces by 2in to create a 3in finished opening. At the neck line and just above the cuff, I added inserts to cover my shoulder and hide the cuff’s seam.
I sewed and turned a long tube to create the cross bars and spaced them 2in apart measuring up from the lower insert.
I used a 1/2in seam allowance throughout. I pressed the serged edge of the opening to the wrong side and topstiched to keep that seam allowance in place.
Be sure you’re following me on bloglovin or by email to see what’s coming up for the Creative Sewing Challenge.
See ya next time.
mahlicadesigns 