Fancy Cooper Bag-A-Thon is bringing you a load of CUTE!

Kiyomi here, I've been coveting the Cooper Bag by the Walden line of Colette patterns since it came into the shop last year. I had a trip to the northwestern coast planned and I needed something to carry the various layers required and all the fabric souvenirs I would be picking up along the way. Lucky for me Fancy Tiger had a Cooper Bag class that walked me through every step of making this cute backpack!  

The Cooper Bag comes in three versions. The class covers the backpack style but leaves you with the skills to be able to complete any version. As a novice sewer, I'm not sure if I ever would have pursued the pattern on my own. The class was a perfect way for me to pace myself and not get overwhelmed by all the pieces (there are so many pockets!) and gave me courage to tackle the various hardware required for the straps and detailing. 

The hardest part was probably picking out my fabrics. I constructed my bag using Etsuko Furuya's 2014 collection for Echino - it has a very clever "birds and bees" theme. The bag came together pretty easily once the millions of pieces were cut. It was fun adding cute details like the yellow straps and the fussy cut bird pieces. This bag was a great way to showcase this amazing fabric with all the strap details and pocket separators.

One bag wasn't enough though. My partner mentioned how cute it would be if we had matching bags for our trip, and of course I agreed with them! So one bag down, I made a second using a Muddy Works Japanese fabric by Tomotake, and Carolyn Friedlander's Botanics collection for Serina's bag. These bags were perfect for our trip and now continue to be our go to bags for everyday use. The pattern book is well written with tons of pictures, but if you're hesitant about doing a large project like this on your own then I highly recommend taking the summer class!

Hi, it's Nathalie! Like Kiyomi, I've also been dreaming about making up a Cooper bag ever since we got the pattern. I'm a grad student and I didn't have a good bag to haul around my books and my computer, so I knew I needed to make a backpack. I'm a huge fan of Colette patterns (I've made several of their dresses) and I was so excited to see that they are branching out with some cool men's and unisex patterns. This bag is perfect - I love the magnetic snaps on the flap that keep the bag closed without fussy clips or zippers, I love that I can adjust the straps based on how full I fill it, and I love that it's big enough to hold a lunch and my most recent knitting project!

The pieces were a little bit of a pain to cut out because there were so many of them, but once I started sewing it came together really quickly. I've sewn a lot of clothing but I've never sewn anything with hardware before, so I was glad that the instructions for the straps were clear and easy to follow. We sell kits here at the shop for all the hardware you need for each version of the bag , so don't worry about where you'll find the right rivets, magnetic snaps, and slides!

I wanted my bag to be sturdy, so I made the lining and the bottom out of duck cloth. I think if (or when) I make another backpack, I'll add stabilizer to the lining to make it even more robust. I loved the bee fabric from Etsuko Furuya, but I have a little more muted tastes than Kiyomi. Pairing it with black and grey duck cloth gave me the more subtle look I wanted while also highlighting the fun and colorful honeycomb. One of the great things about the pattern is that there are endless possibilities for fabric combinations! You can follow the pattern recommendations for which fabric to use for different parts of the bag, or you can mix it up and use a different fabric for every strap and pocket if you want.

What a perfect comfy and casual bag for bike rides and summer picnics!  

We ♥ Colette's New Moneta Jersey Dress!

Miranda and I couldn't wait to make the brand new Moneta dress by Colette Patterns. We both whipped one up straight away, and boy, did they stitch up easy as pie. I can see us wearing these dresses all spring, summer and fall!

 

Amber's Moneta

Pattern: Moneta Dress version 3 by Colette Patterns
Fabric: Heavyweight Cotton Jersey
Size Made: S - 4/6
Alterations: None!

I made mine out of a beautiful heavyweight cotton knit stripe, making a classic dress that I want to wear every day. I love it so much!

My new favorite thing is the clear elastic used to gather the waistband (a product which we carry here at the shop now). It blew my mind and made putting this dress together a breeze.

The neckline confused me for a second as I put this together, because the back is lower than the front neckline, which is unusual. Then I told myself to trust Sarai. Sure enough, she is a genius and it's adorable! The low back shows just a little extra skin in this otherwise modest dress.

Next, I want to make Moneta in some of the organic solid french terry we have. I love the thicker stretch fabrics for an easy to wear, flattering dress. I imagine wearing these with all my favorite knit cardigans well into spring...

Miranda's Moneta

Pattern: Moneta Dress version 2 by Colette Patterns
Fabric: Floral Rayon Jersey
Size Made: L - 12/14
Alterations: None!

Purple, blurple (ultramarine?), red wine, peach, deep leafy greens - all my favorite colors are in this rayon knit fabric that came in! I'd say that it matches at least half the knits I've made, so I expect to have this in heavy rotation year-round. 

Next time, I'll cut a little more deeply in the back to show all of my sewing tattoo. I think it's better either hidden or on display. Either option would be easy to do when cutting the pattern pieces. 

I'm going to make so very many of these. There is even a free additional booklet that Colette Patterns has released with even more options!

We think you'll be seeing a lot more Moneta dresses popping up around here! ♥

Amber's Mouse-tastic Laurel with Applique Collar Pattern

I'm a big fan of Colette's Laurel pattern. Simple to make and simple to wear, it has an easy, flattering silhouette. I've made a few Laurels, both the shirt and the dress version, and it is a perfect wardrobe staple. You can even whip one up in just a couple hours, so there's really no reason not to make a bunch!

Pattern: Laurel by Colette Sewing Patterns
Fabric: Lizzy House Catnap fabric, 1 7/8 yds + 2 yards of bias tape
Size and style made: Version 4, size 2 at bust & size 4 at waist
Alterations: appliqued collar (downloadable pattern below) & buttons

The Laurel is easy to embellish--I decided to amp up the cuteness of this mouse print from Lizzy House by adding a contrasting appliqued collar to mine, and three peach flower buttons. I was inspired by my dear friend Sara's adorable collared Laurels.

If you want to embellish your own Laurel with this cute collar, just click below for a PDF with easy collar instructions and pattern.

Click here to download the collar pattern

What could be more perfect than a springtime bike ride in my mice-on-bikes Laurel? 

Catnap Dress Contest: A Cat Dress for Caty

Well, Fancy Tigresses, you really pulled out all the stops for this contest. I know there is a lot of competition out there, but we are darned proud of everyone and had so much fun making cat dresses. Thanks, Lizzy for hosting an awesome contest and making the best cat fabric!

Caitlin (Caty) Vannoy

1) Tell us about your dress - which fabric and pattern did you use?  

This is Colette's Laurel stitched up in Lizzy's Cattitude in Cloud. It's my favorite print from the collection, and it pairs nicely with the Smile & Wave print from Rashida Coleman Hale's Koi collection. I shortened the sleeves a bit and brought up the neckline for more of a boat-neck. And, of course, I added an adorable cat face complete with a button nose to amp up the cuteness factor!
  

2) What obstacles, if any, did you have to overcome for this challenge?

Finding a hypo-allergenic cat to model with.

3) How many other cat clothes do you already own? Can there be too many?

This is the first cat garment in my wardrobe! Can there be too many? Probably not. I already have some cat fabric stashed for a top.  

        

4) Do you have cats? How many and what are their names? Do they like your cat dress?

Sadly, I have no kitties at home. I have never considered myself much of a cat person, but I blame my terrible allergies. I do think they are awfully cute, though (from a safe distance, of course)!

5) How do you keep cat hair off your handmade garments?

There is not enough allergy medication in the world for me to cope with this hypothetical situation.  

6) Why should you win the Catnap Dress contest?

There are so many deserving cat dresses out there! I really stepped out of my comfort zone with this one, and I'm so glad I did! 

Catnap Dress Contest: Becky's Cat Whisperer Dress

Fancy Tiger's fourth contestant to enter the heated Catnap Dress battle is an expert crocheter, the maker behind Becky's Buttons & Things and also works at our sister store, Fancy Tiger Clothing. Needless to say, she's got great style and she couldn't be more adorable in her new Catnap Laurel dress.

 Becky Wareing Steele

1) Tell us about your dress - which fabric and pattern did you use? Did you make any alterations?
I made my second ever Laurel dress from Colette using Kitty Dreams as my main fabric and Cattitude for the interior pocket lining. I took in the Laurel pattern on the sides to give it more shape and added interior pockets to add some extra functionality to the piece.

2) What obstacles, if any, did you have to overcome for this challenge?
I learned the hard way that it is important to pay attention when using fabric with a directional pattern. My first dress that I cut out was upside down. The mistake was caught before I started sewing and I was able to start over. I may still make the upside down version of the dress to give me the added motivation to master the headstand.

3) How many other cat clothes do you already own? Can there be too many?
The quick answer is not enough, there can never be too many cat clothes.

4) Do you have cats? How many and what are their names? Do they like your cat dress?
I have two furry babies at home, Charlie & Eva Brown Tail. Charlie is 7 years old and Eva is one year behind at 6. Although Charlie is nearly three times the size of Eva she really runs the household. Both of them are full time Quality Control Kitties at becky's buttons LLC which came in handy when making the dress. We had nightly meetings where they'd pick apart the smallest details and send me back to the sewing machine. The interior pockets were all their idea, they figured it'd be the perfect way for me to always have cat treats on hand. Honestly I've never been worked so hard, although I have the sneaking suspicion that it was all part of their master plan to steal my warm spot in the bed.

5)How do you keep cat hair off your handmade garments?
I think it's less about keeping cat hair off and more about embracing it. If I leave the house without any cat hair on me it's probably a sign that the kitties are upset with me.

6) Why should you win the Catnap Dress contest?
Honestly I already feel like a winner. This is only the second dress I've ever made and just owning this beautiful custom made dress that I'll have for years to come is reward enough. Oh, but yeah I would also really like to win : )

Jaime's Zinnia Skirt & Scout Tee

Sometimes I get really inspired to sew a million things and last week was one of those times. I whipped out 3 tops and a skirt all in a few days - practically an entire new wardrobe! I tried out two new patterns and I love them both! Here is my report on Grainline Studio Scout Tee and Colette Zinnia Skirt.

The Scout Tee by Grainline Studio has been popular in the sewing world for a while, so its a little embarrassing that this is my first time making one. Jen Beeman is the woman behind these amazing sewing patterns out of Chicago. I love them because the designs are simple and classic, but look and fit great - my favorite! The Scout Tee is a basic tee pattern that uses woven fabrics - perfect because there is no shortage of these here at Fancy Tiger Crafts. I actually cut out and made two of these at once, I was so excited. The Scout Tee pictured is sewn out of a Nani Iro double gauze fabric. The double gauze fabric is light and airy and worked perfect for this pattern. The pattern was super fast and easy to sew up. The neck and sleeves are finished with bias strips hidden to the inside. Scout Tee is currently only available as a pdf download directly from Grainline Studio, but finger's crossed for printed versions we can carry here at the shop next year. You are going to see a lot of these from me in the future...

The Zinnia skirt by Colette is a new full-skirt pattern that can be made in several different options - longer or shorter, pleated or gathered, front pockets or side pockets. I choose to make the shorter, pleated skirt. I used one of my favorite fabrics, the Brussels-Washer from Robert Kaufman. This fabric is an affordable, 55" wide yarn-dyed linen/rayon blend. The color is wintery pale blue. The Brussels-Washer fabric is fantastic because it drapes well and the rayon means it doesn't get as wrinkled as a 100% linen.

The Zinnia  Skirt was fairly simple to sew up as Colette patterns go - the waistband is interfaced and the skirt is finished with a zipper closure at the back. Colette always included tips for professional touches in her patterns - on this skirt, the pleats are finished with top-stitching which makes them look great. I really like the length of this skirt - especially great to pair with tights and boots in the upcoming cold months.

I wasn't expecting to wear these two together, but when I finished my skirt and needed a top to pair with it, my new Scout Tee was perfect. A tucked in top shows off the waistband and pleats of the Zinnia Skirt and the Scout Tee fit the bill perfectly.

Better Know Two Crafters: Laurel-Along-ing with Becky and Sara!

Two of our favorite ladies have been spending a lot of time in our sewing studio lately during Open Sew Nights! They've been on a Laurel-making adventure, whipping up cute Laurel dresses and tops left and right. You may know these presh ladies from around town--Becky is one of the Fancy Tiger Clothing folks, and the woman behind Becky's Buttons & Things. Sara is one of our favorite local artists (although Denver stole her away from her homeland of Canada). In addition to their love of making Laurels, Becky and Sara also join forces making miniature illustrated worlds with their collaborative Diorama Lockets.

Becky Wareing Steele & Sara Guindon

Tell us about your crafty selves.
Becky: I am a compulsive crafter. I try to create something every day whether it be something for myself, a gift, or for my business (insert shameless promotion here...) I love to crochet, sew and mainly work with miniatures.

Sara: I'm an illustrator and I like to draw and paint people. I'm new to sewing, but I used to do a lot of felt applique, and I have some English paper peicing for on the go.

Tell us about the Laurels you've made.
Becky: This was my first time sewing with a pattern. Sara encouraged me to try the Laurel pattern from Colette and now I'm addicted.

Sara: I made three Laurel dresses. It was fun adding extra details like contrasting bias tape and applique collars.

How did each of you learn to sew? 
Becky: I came from a long line of crafters. My grandfather taught arts and crafts at a prison in Philidelphia and, even though we never met, he's been a huge inspiration of mine. 

Sara: A long time ago I used to hand sew applique bags. Then I started making small alterations on my home sewing machine. Now I want to learn how to follow patterns--I'm addicted to Colette Sewing Patterns.

What is your favorite animal?
Becky: I love all animals, but I live with two cats.

Sara: My boring answer is dogs. Visually I like giraffes because they have big eyes and long eyelashes. 

Thanks Becky and Sara! Happy crafting!

Amber and Jaime Make Chambray Hawthorns!

-jaime
Amber and I recently finished two Hawthorn dresses! The Hawthorn is the newest pattern by Colette and we've been dying to stitch it up. The Robert Kaufman Chambray Union fabrics have also been calling our names so it was an easy decision which fabric to use.

The Hawthorn has many variations, including a shirt version and a sleeved version, but for summertime action, we both chose to go sleeveless dress. The light weight chambrays are perfect for this dress and feel great to wear.

The dress features front and back dart shaping, a fitted waist and a flared skirt. The button-down front means lots of fun picking out buttons! Amber chose to use the dark indigo chambray with tiny multi-color buttons that pop. What a stunner! I chose to use the dobby dot chambray with mis-matched vintage pearl buttons.

These dresses are sure to be a wardrobe staple, carrying over to the fall when they will be perfect for showing off some knitwear - can you imagine them dressed up with handknit cardigans and shawls? Maybe with some opaque tights and boots?! Yes.

Thanks to Black Eye Coffee for the beautiful photo location.

Railroad Denims & Chambray Union

--amber

Railroad Denims and Chambray Union fabrics are here from Robert Kaufman! We can't wait to make a million classic indigo dresses, shirts and quilts galore!

We cut just a few fat quarter bundles--great for quilting projects--so if one needs to be yours, come on over soon!

The Robert Kaufman booth was very inspiring at Quilt Market, where they showcased these new classic fabrics. They had made up a Railroad Denim sample using the Negroni mens shirt pattern by Colette, as well as Sew Liberated's Esme Top in a Chambray.

Jaime and I have already cut chambrays to try out the newest Colette Pattern, the Hawthorn Dress. I can't wait to stitch it up!