Jaime's Polly Top

We recently started carrying the beautiful By Hand London sewing patterns. In addition to their line of women's patterns we carry here in print, they also have a free downloadable pattern - the Polly Top! It only takes a couple of 70 degree days and I'm thinking summer. I want to knit linen shirts and sew tank tops. The Polly top is the perfect tank to kick off my summer sewing.

Pattern: Polly Top by By Hand London
Fabric: Liberty of London Betsy Ann print: 28", Robert Kaufman Union Chambray: 5/8 yd
Size Made: 6/10
Alterations: I took in 2" on the shoulder seams to raise the neckline. I also did an invisible bias by pulling it to the inside of the garment.

The Polly top features a cut out front. The pieces are eased together to create bust shaping so no darts are used. This feature means the tank can be made with endless variations: all one fabric, two different fabrics, a hidden bias binding on the neck and armholes or a contrast bias binding. I choose to use a Liberty of London floral with a Union Chambray voile for my contrast fabric. Yes, I did say Chambray voile. These new fabrics from Robert Kaufman come in 4 different chambray-denim hues and are oh-so light and soft. They pair perfectly with the Liberty of London lawn fabric. I made my bias binding out of the chambray voile as well so as not to waste any precious Liberty on a hidden bias.

In general this was a simple pattern to whip up - especially if you are familiar with a bias binding finish on arms and neck. The most difficult part of sewing this top was step one - easing the cut-out into the main part of the top. It takes a lot of easing and I had to go very slow to get it right. Some tips for this part would be to carefully clip into your fabric pieces 1/2" before sewing the seam and pin your seam at 5/8" where you will be sewing. 

When I finished this top, it was too tall in the shoulders so I had to take my shirt in at the shoulder seam a good 2" on each side to make it fit properly. This was an easy alteration to make and now the top fits great. Summer 2014 wardrobe staple: done!

If you need help with your Polly top, you'll be pleased to know we are offering it as a class and there are still spots in the upcoming session on May 4th. Download the Polly top here and get started sewing - summer is right around the corner!

Möbius Madness 2.0!

It's that time of year again, when we dream up a holiday gift for all of the amazing Tigresses that work here at Fancy Tiger. Since we recently added Pendleton to our inventory, of course they were getting a sweet woolly gift! We love infinity scarves and decided to make an updated rendition of our 2010 holiday gift, the Möbius Scarf (tutorial included!) with our beautiful Pendleton Wool Shirting. We couldn't resist adding a coordinating Nani Iro or Liberty to each of these beauties, as well!

The best thing about these lux and cozy handcrafted gifts is that they take only about 15 minutes to make. You can make a slew of them for your family and friends in no time! One scarf takes just 1/4 yard each of 60" Pendleton and coordinating Liberty. If using 44" Nani Iro for your coordinate, purchase a 1/2 yard, cut in half longways and seam end to end to make a longer strip. Get the full tutorial for the Möbius Scarf here.

Our staff has been happily keeping warm and cozy in these little delights! If you want to make one for yourself or a dear friend, do stop in the store, we have plenty of Pendleton shirtings to choose from! Happy Holidays! 

New Liberty Tana Lawns!

Eeek! Gorgeous seasonal Tana Lawns are here from Liberty of London! These prints are limited edition, so if you see your dream fabric below--and I know I do, mister bronze crosshatchy print--come in and see us soon!

Liberty Pillows for Fancy Folks!

Every year, Amber and I make a special gift for our hardworking staff here at Fancy Tiger Crafts. This year we again decided to use Liberty of London fabric - a staff favorite, but also a splurge. We created patchwork pillows for everyone out of Liberty of London fabric and they turned out great!

We used 5" strips of every Liberty print we currently carry (that's 20 different prints!). We cut these into 5" squares and sewed them together in strips of 4 using a 1/2" seam allowance. The fun part was putting these strips together so that each pillow is unique with all different prints.

We used the Essex linen in natural and charcoal to back these lux pillows. Ta da! Sweet gifts from us to all our our lovely staff. Merry Christmas!

Darling Ranges is Darling to the Max!

I love this dress!

The moment I saw this navy blue Liberty Lifestyle print I knew...I must make a dress for fall.

The pattern I've been dreaming of is this adorable Darling Ranges dress from Megan Nielsen. I love the juxtaposition of the modest elbow length sleeves and the saucy neckline. ...and I adore the parade of buttons for closure.

The dress came together quickly with just one little stumbling block. I made the size XS, and had trouble with the sleeve coming together. The sleeve was too small for the armhole, so I ended up letting out my sleeve seam allowance to a scant 1/4" to make it work.

Now the dress is one of my favorite ever! I read from other sewists about similar issues with the sleeve, so next time I'll add an inch to the sleeve when cutting.

When winter arrives I'll be keeping cozy and cute, wearing this dress with tall boots, jackets and cowls!

Jaime Takes a Trip to Tova Town

I recently went Tova crazy! I have loved this shirt since I made my first one last February. It is the perfect fall shirt so as soon as the weather turned cold, I decided to whip up a couple more. The Tova pattern by Wiksten is a flattering, but loose fitting shirt with 3/4 length sleeves. It is an advanced beginner pattern - it will be easy for you if you have experience with gathering.

For my first Tova, I choose this beautiful, limited-edition Liberty of London print. This haberdashery print is very vintage-inspired and pairs perfectly with the Tova pattern. I decided I wanted a more demure look for this top, so I finished it with some sweet little black rose buttons. The result is a feminine top that makes me think of Jane Austen, so naturally I love it.

I took my new shirt out to the brand new Humble Pie Store to try some pie during our photo shoot. The results: cute and delicious!

My second Tova is made out of the new Denyse Schmidt Chicopee Corduroy prints. OMG, I love these corduroy's so much! They are a featherwale which means they have the tiniest wales to make the softest, most velvety corduroy. The fabric is fine enough for garment construction and did great even with all the gathering. The result is a cozy and warm Tova, perfect for crisp fall days. I love closures high on my neck so I added some snaps on the inside of the front placket to make the neckline. Result = perfect!

If you want to make this shirt, but are intimidated, we are offering it as a class this winter! Check out the deets here.

Liberty Lifestyle Fabrics + Blog Giveaway!

We just peed our pants--Liberty quilting cottons are here!

I don't even know how to say in words how excited we are. I hope you are excited, too, because we are doing a blog giveaway--you can win a swatch book of the entire collection and a screenprinted Liberty of London tote made with Liberty corduroy! Deets at the end of this post!

If you are familiar with Liberty fabrics, you know they are among the most coveted of fabrics for sewists! The new Liberty Lifestyles quilting cotton fabrics are the same classic prints that Liberty is known for, but printed on a lovely 100% cotton at a much more affordable price. Have you dreamed of crafting an entire quilt or a dress out of Liberty prints? Your dreams can come true without breaking the bank!

Now, for some gratuitous Liberty photos...

All these pretty babies are here waiting for you! They are sure to fly out of here so be sure to hurry in!

Now for the giveaway! The winner will receive one Liberty tote bag and a box of fabric swatches. All 55 fabrics from the new collection are in this adorable box-o'-swatches! These little 5 1/2" squares would be perfect for a quilting project or patchwork! Enter to win by commenting on this post by 5pm on Friday, September 14th. In order to win you must include in your comment:

1. Your email address (important!)
2. What you would make from the new Liberty fabrics
3. Your absolute favorite color combination!

Winner will be chosen at random and announced on Saturday, September 15th. Best of luck!

***UPDATE: Thanks everyone for commenting and sharing your favorite color combinations! Carol who likes "yellow and brown like aspen leaves when they change" is our lucky winner--we hope you enjoy your Liberty goodies Carol!***

Wiksten Tank-a-thon 2012

Amber and I recently had a sewing Tank-a-thon! The tank pattern from Wiksten is a totally hot and easy pattern to sew! This tank is just two pieces plus some bias binding strips and a pocket. After you make a couple you'll be whipping these up in less than 2 hours a piece! Perfect for all these amazing fabrics and cute summer outfits. 90 degree days, here we come!

Here are the results of our Tank-a-thon 2012:

Tank 1 - Jaime: I made the first tank out of Liberty. That's right. First time making this and I just jumped right in. I've been in love with this dark floral print from the moment it arrived and knew I wanted a top out of it. Results: A+

Tank 2 - Amber: I've been dreaming of making a simple top out of this Japanese linen sheeting. I love this tank and want to wear it every day! As soon as this easy-peasy sewing project was finished I knew I needed to make tanks-a-plenty for summer...and so I cut three more of my favorite fabrics and got to stitching! Results: A+

Tank 3 - Amber: The very next day as soon as I got home I whipped up this light breezy tank from our organic voile in Smoke with a contrasting pocket in a teeny-tiny pinstripe organic voile. Perfect for steamy days and summer bike rides. Fantastic! Results: A

Tank 4 - Jaime: I made my second tank out of a soft vintage-y floral from Cabbages and Roses newest collection for Moda. I just got these striped jeans from Fancy Tiger Clothing and needed a colorful top to go with them. I'm always obsessed with these Cabbages and Roses print so this was my chance to finally use one. Results: A

Tank 5 - Amber: For my third tank, I figured I deserved a little treat--a treat in the form of a yard and a half of Liberty fabric! This Liberty print has been calling my name and I couldn't resist it anymore! Oh Liberty, you make me feel like a princess. Results: A+

Tank 6: Amber: Ok, I admit I'm going a little overboard with these tanks, but they are just so quick and gratifying to make! I mean, I've made 4 in a week now! So...you'll most likely see me wearing a Wiksten Tank every day this summer, but that's not too awkward right? 'Cause I love my new summer wardrobe! Tank #4 is made with an amazing Japanese rose print in the deepest teal. A little prairie/goth and a little oh-so-ladylike. Results: A

Tank 7: Surprise! Jess was already sucked into our tank-a-thon before she left for L.A. so it was easy to bring her in on our tank sewing frenzy when she visited us for a day. She made the tank dress out of a beautiful organic cotton yarn-dyed plaid. Total win! Results: A+

Overall Tank-a-thon 2012 score: A+!

Jaime's Liberty Tova Blouse

Liberty of London Fabric + Wiksten Tova pattern = ♥

I've had my eye on this Liberty print ever since we received our last Liberty shipment. I knew I wanted to make a top out of it, but have been waiting for the perfect pattern. When I saw the Tova pattern by Wiksten it was true love!

This Tova top by Wiksten is a beautiful, hand drawn sewing pattern by designer Jennifer Gordy out of Iowa. I ordered the pattern directly from her website (you will have to do the same as we cannot carry them at this time...) It arrived in a vellum sleeve closed with a Liberty of London sticker - it was meant to be!

I was a really bad seamstress and did not make a muslin or anything. I was so excited to make this top, I just went for it - and it worked out wonderfully. The top is flattering and feminine with gathering detail around a front placket as well as on the 3/4 sleeve cuffs. The piece went together great and it fits perfect!

Of course, since it is Liberty, it is super soft and the drape of the lawn fabric works splendidly with this design.

I also have the Wiksten Tank pattern in my possession and am already scheming which fabric to use for it!

Amber and Jaime's Summertime Violet Shirts

Summertime is here!! We love sewing in the summer. So many cute skirts, dresses and tops to make and wear while playing games in the park, riding bikes, or picnicking. We are really inspired by the newest shirt pattern from Colette, the Violet. It is a simple and stylish button-down blouse that can be made with short sleeves or a puffy 3/4 sleeve.

Jaime 

I've already made two of these cute shirts--I love the Violet pattern so much! My first was made in a My Folklore print by Lecien. The sweet and small floral design and the burnt gold color give this blouse a vintage French feel. Slightly mismatched shell buttons add some unique character.

Once I knew I loved the fit of my first Violet top, I decided to splurge and make one out of a Liberty of London fabric. I've had my eye on this graphic print for a while and the lightweight lawn fabric is perfect for this shirt. Sweet little cream corozo flower buttons lend a feminine touch. I love it!

Amber

On a recent trip to Portland I visited the adorable fabric shop, Bolt. I had fun meeting Gina, the sweet shop owner, and spent the afternoon perusing their fabrics and seeing both familiar fabrics and fabrics that I hadn't seen before. I fell head over heels for this Yuwa print in coral, cream and blues--and when I brought it home decided it would make an adorable Violet.

My favorite thing about this button-down is the darling Peter Pan collar. I chose an ivory Kona cotton for the collar and skipped the interfacing--the quilting weight cotton is heavy enough that you don't need it. Seven sweet mother of pearl eyelet buttons finish it off adorably!

This light weight blouse is perfect for a day of croquet in the park!

We are winners!