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Yesterday we talked about overcoming your fear of sewing knits.  Today, we are giving you one more reason to conquer your fears!  It's time to take a deep breath and start sewing!  And what better way to tackle your fears then to buy an amazing pattern that is quick and easy and looks oh so cute!

The Gretchen Cardigan is the perfect pattern to get your feet wet!  If you've never sewn knits before, then this pattern is for you!  And if you are a knit pro, then you should pick this up too!

Gretchen is a super stylish cardigan that is a must have for fall and winter!  It features a triple ruffle bottom that is an adorable way to showcase coordinating fabrics!  All your girly girls out there are going to {love} all those ruffles!  

Keep Gretchen buttoned up, or leave it open for an easy breezy look!  It is the perfect cardigan for layering with an adorable tee.  

Gretchen is super cute paired with pants or skirts, skinny jeans or leggings.  You can't go wrong with any option!

If you have a super opinionated little lady like I have, she may nix the ruffles all together.  In that case, leave them off for an even quicker sew!

I {adore} the look of the Gretchen sans ruffles!  If has a wonderful boyfriend cardigan vibe, and is perfect for those ladies that want a more casual look!

Gretchen comes in long sleeves with a wonderful knit cuff.  Super warm and really cute, this cardigan is a wardrobe staple that will grow with your lady!

The longer length is on trend this season, so even your bigger gals will be begging you for this pattern!

And since my little one knows exactly what she likes, we decided to forgo the buttons this time!  She likes lots of layers but buttons are too time consuming for her!  A cardigan that slides on and off was the way to go!

Gretchen is the perfect pattern to get your creative juices flowing!  There are so many variations you could make!  The sky is the limit!  Pick up your Gretchen Cardigan today for only $5!  Sale runs through Sunday, 10/4!  We'd love to see your Gretchen creations, so make sure you tag us in your photos and post in the Violette Field Threads FB Group!

Let's get real here.  Knit fabrics can be scary!  I know a lot of sewists who are {terrified} of sewing with knits.  They have heard the horror stories of machines eating the fabric, wonky wavy seams, and seams coming apart.  But I'm hear to put your fears at rest!  

Sewing with knits are not as difficult as it seams {see what I did there???}.  Don't believe me?  Here are 5 reason why I think you should start sewing knits!

All fabrics used were provided by Dear Stella.  All ideas and opinions are my own.  

You know when you are fabric shopping and your eye catches a design you feel like you can't live without?  This is {exactly} how I felt when I saw the Hilltop Collection from Dear Stella.  Gorgeous fall colors, adorable prints, and darling animals!  It was everything I love in one fabric collection!

Hilltop is a fun collection full of adorable owls, foxes and dear in a fresh fall color palette , perfect for this time of year and perfect for your little kiddos!  When my daughter saw these fabrics she flipped her lid she was so excited!

The hardest part for me is deciding on fabrics.  After lots of deliberation, I decided to go with Hearts in Navy, Foxes in Gold, Hearts in Punch, and Fox Heads in Steel.  These fabrics from Dear Stella are amazing quality and were so lovely to sew with!  So soft with amazingly rich colors, I was super excited to work with these!

Next up was deciding on which patterns to sew!!  This is almost as hard as picking fabrics!  My ideal way to sew is to find an amazing fabrics first, and then to look through my patterns to see what {speaks to me}.  I knew the fox heads needed to be a skirt, so the new Lavinia Skirt was a no-brainer.  And I love the fact that this skirt is totally reversible!  The hearts in punch were the perfect contrast for the opposite side!

Since the weather is cooler here in Michigan now, I thought the Molly Jacket would be perfect!  I wanted this to be more of a neutral, so the hearts in navy was exactly what I had envisioned.  And since this pattern can be reversible too, the foxes in gold was perfect for the reverse!  Seriously, you can't beat reversible patterns!  

The Lavinia skirt is a great staple skirt that features a paper bag style top.  Super comfy and super easy to make, this skirt is one you will definitely want to make many many times.  I love it in this adorable fox head fabric for a bit of whimsy!  Flip it inside out and you've got a totally different look!  The hearts in punch are fantastic and more of a {solid} that can pair with lots of tops!  

This skirt is lovely paired with boots, but I can't wait to put some cute leggings and tights under it!  Dress it up or down, its perfect for any occasion.

Lavinia has major twirl factor, your little princess will love to dance and spin around!  My kiddo couldn't stop moving and shaking once she put this on!

The Molly Jacket had been a pattern I have been wanting to make for some time now, but hadn't gotten around to it.  I am so glad I sewed this up!  The hearts in navy was exactly the look I was going for!  My little lady can wear this everyday, but if she wants to be a little more sassy, we can flip it to the foxes in gold side!

The foxes are fun and full of whimsy!  My daughter loves these and it helps that foxes are so in style right now!  I'm not normally one for {animal prints} but this fabric has me head over heels!

This jacket has cute little pockets for tiny treasures!  I think the new Forest Friends Pocket Set would be an adorable addition to this jacket!  

The long sleeves will keep her warm for the next few months, and will probably still work come spring!  I also love to cuff the sleeves a bit and see the coordinating fabric peeking out!  So cute and stylish!

I really enjoyed sewing with these fabrics.  The quality is spectacular!  Thanks so much to Dear Stella for providing me with these fabrics to sew!  

Dear Stella graciously gifted 4 yards of fabric to give away to one lucky VFT reader!  Comment below and tell me what you would use these amazing fabrics for! Giveaway runs through the end of day, October 2nd!  Winner will be chosen at random!  

Thanks so much for reading, and happy sewing!

Every little lady needs a quality vintage skirt in her life, and our newest pattern, Lottie, is the perfect skirt that will absolutely fit the bill.

Lottie with plain straps and straight hem option shown with our Vivienne blouse

The Lottie Skirt is a vintage inspired skirt that ranges from sizes 2-10 years. This skirt is lovely on all ages, from little ones to preteens!  It includes 3 different strap options and 2 hem options, for an amazing mix-and-match opportunity. Keep reading for all the details....This one pattern will give you numerous different looks and promises a look that everyone will love.

Lottie with scalloped straps and scalloped skirt hem shown with our Vivienne blouse

Lottie with pleated straps and straight skirt hem shown with our Adelaide blouse

Lottie with ruffled straps and scalloped skirt hem shown with our Vivienne blouse

Lottie has super sweet strap options, including scallops, ruffles and pin tucks. All three options are lovely and each give a very unique look.  Everyone will find a style they like, even the pickiest of little ladies!

Lottie on left shown with straight skirt hem and Lottie on right shown with scalloped straps and scalloped skirt hem

The hem also has 2 fantastic options.  Make is straight or scalloped, either way you can't go wrong.

Lottie with pleated straps and straight skirt hem shown with our Vivienne blouse

Lotties from left to right: Pleated straps, ruffled straps, and pleated straps

 The flat front and back waistbands are extremely fashionable, while the elastic sides keeps it comfortable for you little one.  Stylish and comfortable, it's a win/win for everyone.

Lottie with a straight skirt hem shown with our Lavinia blouse

Lottie with scalloped straps and a scalloped skirt hem shown with our Gemma blouse

The Lottie is the perfect pattern to use when you want to pair with another VFT pattern.  It looks adorable paired with all the VFT top patterns!  We especially love it paired with Adelaide and Phoebe, along with many others!

Lottie with scalloped straps and a straight skirt hem shown with our Adelaide blouse

Lottie is also adorable paired with our soon to be released Forest Friends Pocket Set.  For a limited time, these pockets are free when you buy 2 or more patterns from our "New Arrivals" section of our shop. Check out the main page of our website for details.

Lottie with pleated straps and a straight skirt hem shown with our Phoebe top

Lottie with scalloped straps and a straight skirt hem (with tulle on top) and our Vivienne blouse

Lottie with pleated straps and a straight skirt hem with our Phoebe top

We adore Lottie and all her options!!  Wear her to school or around town, or dress her up with tulle or other special occasion fabrics for a fancy party look!

If you are looking for a skirt with a vintage feel that will give you the opportunity to make many different looks, then Lottie is for you!  A special thanks to all of our testers!  They once again blew us away with their amazing creations! Thanks so much ladies!  

Pick up your copy of Lottie now for 15% off when using the code: Lottie.  Use this code on Lottie and any other pattern in the 'New Arrivals' section!  Sale runs through Sunday.  And don't forget to pick up some great coordinating tops while you are there as they are also 15% through the end of the Sunday.

When you purchase Lottie and at least one other pattern from the 'New Arrivals' section, as a *special* promotion, you'll automatically get the Forest Friends Pocket Set for FREE! This is a $3.95 value! This pocket set is a pre-order and releases Tuesday, September 29th. We'll email all purchasers their FREE copy then. 

Layering is essential for season changes.  With fall here and the weather getting cooler, we are always looking for patterns that can transition well from one season to the next.  

This season layering is huge, and no pattern layers better than the Alba dress.  Alba is an adorable dress that is perfect for all year round  Wear it layered or alone, both looks are amazing.

Alba features an adorable pleated skirt with large cargo pockets that are perfect for all the treasures your little ones find.  

The bodice features a lovely cowl neck.  So sophisticated and unique, the cowl is not only cute but functional!  Perfect for those cooler days.

The keyhole back with button closure is sweet and simple.  This is the perfect spot to showcase a wonderful button you've been holding onto.

 We love Alba layered for fall paired with boots.  Wear it alone for a totally different but equally adorable look.  The fact that this dress knows no season!  It's perfect for any weather or occasion.

Alba comes in sizes 2t-10 and is the perfect dress for ladies of all ages.  This dress is so versatile, which is why it will become a staple in your little ladies closet.  Make it in knit or woven, or even a combination of both!  The possibilities are endless with this dress!

The Alba dress is a quick sew with easy to follow instructions.  You can't go wrong with this pattern!  Get it through Sunday for $5!  And make sure to show off your creations in the Facebook group

Clara has been a huge hit this summer!  It is sweet and simple and looks lovely on little ladies of all ages!  Everyone seems to adore the Clara, but coming into the fall, patterns with sleeves are all the rage.  This means that we normally put away our summer patterns until next year and find new favorites to make for the cooler months.  We need sleeve options for the change in weather, and versatility in patterns doesn't hurt either.  

Clara is one of my most favorite patterns, so I will definitely be layering my summer Clara with the Phoebe Top.  But after looking through patterns and doing a little brainstorming, a light bulb went off and I knew the Adelaide sleeves would be PERFECT to add to my Clara top!  

Why not take the bodice of Clara and the sleeves of Adelaide and create a gorgeous fall top!!  That's exactly what I did!

I constructed the bodice exactly as instructed until step 3.  At step 3, I sewed along the back middle edges and around the neck, but not around the armholes.  Skip to step 16 and sew the sides together.  

Now it's time to attach your sleeves.  I basted my main and lining fabrics together at the armholes.  Grab your Adelaide pattern and follow the directions for the sleeves.  You will construct your sleeves and sew them onto your bodice just like in the Adelaide.  

My sleeves fit perfectly into the armscye!  Finish the rest of your Clara exactly as started in the instructions.

Your finished Clara+Adelaide mash-up will most likely knock your socks off!  I was SO SO SO excited when I finished and saw how amazing the sleeves looked!

I opted to leave the ruffles off of the bodice on this one, since I was going for a more simple look.  If you omit the ruffles, this is the perfect opportunity to embellish with lace or a monogram!  I also cut straight across instead of on a curve for my front bodice.  

This is a super easy mash-up that you will definitely need to sew up!  It's quick and easy and perfect for those who are not sure how to modify patterns on their own!  

I will be making this mash-up many many more times this fall and suggest you do too!  You won't regret it!

Check out Maya Carithers' amazing Clara/Adelaide!   She did an amazing job, as always!  We love her version so much.

For you lovely VFT fans who desperately NEED these patterns now, both are on sale through Wednesday night for $6 each!!!  We'd love to see your Clara+Adelaide creations!  Please share with us on Facebook!  Thanks for stopping by and happy sewing!

School is back in session.  The leaves are starting to fall and the weather is getting cooler, which means it's the perfect time to start sewing up clothes for the coming cooler months.  We are so excited to share with you our two newest patterns.

Please welcome Lavinia and Adeliade to the VFT family!

Lavinia is a classic button down blouse with a sweet scarf tie collar.  A wonderful take on the traditional button down blouse, Lavinia is such fun with the big bow collar!  

We really wanted to make these pattern work all year round, so you will get both flutter sleeve and long sleeve options.  It's such a lovely top that can perfectly go from being dressed up to being a casual everyday top.

Lavinia is not just a top!  You also get a reversible paper bag skirt!  Yes you heard that right!  The skirt is totally reversible!  Sew this up in super fun prints for two different looks!

The Lavinia skirt is super comfy and such a quick sew!  It will quickly become a staple in your little one's wardrobe.  

 Lavinia looks great with the skirt, but is also the perfect blouse to pair with the Whitney pants!  We adore this fashionable look.  It's a combination that can do no wrong!

But Lavinia can also be dressed down for a more casual look.  Paired with skinny jeans, this top really shines.

Next up, the Adelaide is both a blouse or a bubble dress, and showcases an adorable collared bow neckline that ties in the back.  The long ties down the back are just darling.  

The bow collar is oh so sweet and simple, but such an pretty detail that is sure to turn some heads.

We love the vintage feel of this pattern.  It is the perfect dress for back to school photos or a family gathering!  A wonderful dress for any occasion.

Adelaide includes 3 sleeve lengths to help you transition into all the seasons, making it an extremely versatile pattern.  Sleeveless, cap sleeve, and a cuffed option are all included.  

The dress version has a lovely banded bottom.  It is the perfect spot for a complimenting fabric.

The Adelaide is also darling as a blouse.  So sweet and versatile!  Pair it with Whitney pants or jeans, the possibilities are endless!

As always, a special thanks to our wonderful testers for doing an amazing job on these patterns and helping to make this fall collection spectacular!  

Get your copy of the fall collection 2 pack here, or pick up the 3 pack that includes the Whitney pants!  You can also pick up the individual patterns in the shop.

Thanks so much for stopping by and happy sewing!

Back-To-School season is upon us.  Summer is almost over, or for some, has ended, and it's time to hit the books.  It's also time for back-to-school shopping, or in this case, sewing!

We are so excited to be part of the Riley Blake Designs Back-To-School Blog Tour!

For my little lady, the start of preschool is approaching, and I secretly yearn for the days when skirts and dresses were worn everyday, and people always tried to look their best, even for school.

I knew the Adelaide Dress, which is releasing very very soon, and the Gemma Skirt would be the perfect options for my little lady.

Fabric choice was a much harder decision.  After much contemplation I decided the Wiltshire Daisy Collection, School Days and the Modern Minis were the perfect mix of vintage and modern that I was looking for.

Adelaide is a sweet dress {or top} that includes a darling bow collar that ties in the back.  I choose cuffed sleeves since the weather is getting cooler here.  

For the main fabric of the dress I went with this sweet Wiltshire Petals in Blue fabric.  I knew immediately it would be perfect for this dress.  It's the perfect amount of vintage I was looking for.  I love the colors in this fabric.

And to mix things up, I decided to use Modern Graph Paper in White for the collar, sleeve cuffs, and bottom band of the dress.  I instantly fell for this fabric.  Graph paper fabric?!?!?!  It's genius!   The blue in the graph paper was exactly the same blue in the flower petals.  Luck was on my side, and this dress came out exactly as I had envisioned!

I adore the mix of fabrics while still staying with simple fabrics in the same color family.

This fabric was a dream to work with!  It washes beautifully and I so loved sewing with it!  The softness is amazing and my daughter even commenting on how "comfy" her dress was.  She may have cried when I told her it was time to take it off.

This dress is the perfect picture day dress for any little lady!  It is a must have for your back-to-school wardrobe!

 The Gemma Skirt was the pattern I knew I would have some fun with fabrics.  I decided on School Days Stripe in Mint for the main fabric of the skirt.  I LOVE this fabric!  It instantly takes me back to grade school and watching my teachers use the line maker on the chalkboard!

For a bit of whimsy, I went with Wiltshire Petals in Yellow and Wiltshire Dot in Blue for the pockets.  I am not normally one to mix so many fabrics on one garment, but I wanted this skirt to be fun and playful.

The high waist and pockets are so much fun on this skirt!  My little one loves to hide all her treasures on these pockets!  I love the 3D look to them, perfect for your little one's erasers and crayons!

This skirt has the ultimate twirl factor since it is a circle skirt!  Put a pair of shorties underneath, and this outfit is playground ready!

Both outfits are great transitional pieces into the cooler months.  Pair the skirt with a short sleeve top for now, but add a sweater and tights for both outfits once it's cooler.  The perfect pieces that can get you through all kinds of weather!  My little lady is set for school now!

 These Riley Blake fabrics are, as always, lovely to work with.  We would like to thank them for asking us to be a part of this fantastic blog tour!  Make sure to check out all the other stops on this tour!

We have made it!  There is a light at the end of the tunnel!  Only a few more steps left my friends!  Today we tackle those pesky buttonholes.  Who's ready??

First off, we need to hem the bottom of our blouse or dress.  Press up 1/4in and then a 1/2in along the bottom.  Take that over to your machine and sew that hem!  

Now onto the most dreaded part.....buttonholes.  Measure 1/2in from the top of your blouse/dress and place a pin.  This is where your first buttonhole is going to be.  Continue to measure either 2.5in or 3in all the way down the front.

Before we get to sewing he buttonholes, do a test on a scrap piece of fabric.  I took a scrap of the same fabric I am using for my top and folded it in half 3 times.  I will be sewing through 6 layers of fabric.  You want to make sure your scrap is a similar thickness to your button tab.  Once your test buttonhole looks good, it's time to do the real thing.

Sew your buttonholes at each marking.  I like to start from the bottom and work my way up, starting at the last marking I have made.  That will be the top of the last buttonhole.  I know some of you were a little leery of sewing through all those layers of fabrics, but if I can do it with my $100 super basic sewing machine, I know you all can do it too!

Buttonholes are done!  I like to take my tiny snips and my fray check and snip them open and put a little but of fray check on the holes!  

After you open all your buttonholes you can sew on your buttons.  I like to place a pin in the middle of each of my buttonholes, but you could use whatever you find easiest to mark where your buttons need to go.  I also like to hand sew on my buttons.  Do what works for you!  This is the perfect time to add decorative buttons to your long sleeves if you want!  And if you are making the optional waist sash, the time is now!  Sew that baby up!

Ladies and Gents, button those blouses and dresses up and you are DONE!  Can you believe it??  If you missed any days and need to play catch up, don't fret!  Here are the links for all the posts from earlier this week: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4.   This weekend is your time to finish up anything in the sew-a-long you couldn't get to, but believe me, you are definitely going to want to finish this sew-a-long!

Like always, post your progress in the FB album for today!  Monday we will be doing a drawing to win a pattern 5 pack from Violette Field Threads and a $50 to Hawthorne Threads!  You must have a finished garment photo in the day 5 album in order to be entered to win!  

Thanks for sewing along with us!  We hope you've had fun!

Today is day and we are working on sleeves!  Before we start I have got to tell you all what an awesome job you are doing!  I have been spending my mornings looking through all the photos "ooohhing and ahhhhing" over all your creations!  You ladies are fantastic!

Ok, let's get down to business.  Today I will be working with the flutter sleeves since little miss insisted on those.  I really wanted to make the long sleeves, but those little ladies always win in the end, don't they!

If you too had a little lady who insisted on flutters, then follow me!  If you are doing long sleeves, now's the time to get out your tutorial and take a look.  I will be going through what you need to do a little later in the post!

Take your flutters and head over to your iron.  We are going to prep the hem on these, so iron 1/4in to the wrong side, and then another 1/4in.  Do this for both sleeve pieces.

Take the pieces and sew the hem along where you ironed!  Easy Peasy, sleeve hems are done!

Now we need to do some measuring.  Take your flutter and measure 1in from the end of the piece and place a pin.  This is where your gathering stitch will begin.  Do this for the other side too.  This is where the gathering will end.  Repeat this for the other sleeve piece.  Take to your machine and sew a gathering stitch 1/4in from the top, starting at one pin and ending at the other.  Do this for both sleeve pieces.  

Take those bobbin threads and start to gather your pieces.  Once you have them gathered, pin in place on the armscye, distributing your flutters evenly.  

Once pinned, sew those flutters on!  Make sure to change your machine settings back after gathering.  Don't ask me how I know that..... hahaha  Do this for both flutters.

Once sewn, finish that seam with your preferred method.  I chose my serger.  Seriously, that pink thread makes me happy! lol

Ok ladies, this is where my long sleeve friends jump in!  Since I didn't sew this version this time, I will go through the instructions, but use that tutorial because the photos are super helpful!

Take your long sleeve piece and cuff piece and place them rights sides together, raw edges lining up.  Sew those together and trim off 1/2 of the SA.  Working with the wrong side up, turn your cuff down and iron the SA up towards the sleeve.

Fold the bottom of the cuff up 1/2in.  Take where you just folded and fold it up, wrong sides together towards the sleeve, to cover that exposed seam.  Flip the piece over so right sides are up and sew along where you folded.

Next we need to gather the top of the sleeve.  Transfer the pattern marking to the sleeve if you haven't done so already.  Gather your sleeve between the markings, making sure your stitching line is 1/4in from the top of the sleeve.  Pin your sleeve to the armscye adjusting gathers as necessary.  Sew the sleeve onto the bodice and use your finishing method of choice for the SA.  Repeat this entire process for the other sleeve!

At this point, everyone needs to grab their bodices.  Whether you did flutters or long sleeves, we all are finally back on the same page!  Take your bodices wrong side out and match up the armpit seams and pin.  Pin along the sleeve and along the bodice, all the way to the bottom.  

Sew along where you have pinned and finish that seam.  Repeat for the other sleeve and side of the bodice.

And that's it, ladies!!  We now have bodices with sleeves!  Stand back and admire your work!  Get ready, because tomorrow we finish these bad boys!

If you miss any of the previous days, catch up here: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3!