Recital Frock GIVEAWAY!!!! CLOSED.

For all of you moms who will be attending the avalanche of holiday recitals, church plays and Christmas concerts this dress is your saving grace.

It doesn't 'scream' Christmas so it can be appropriate at almost any time of the year but it does contain the red, green and white holiday colors.

The sleeves are my favorite part. They are slit down the middle and have red trim which extends past the cuff and ties in a bow on either side.

The pockets on either side also bear the red trim. The dress is cinched at the waist by a matching red belt. The collar is slightly different than the traditional Peter Pan as it 'scallops' out. To finish the look, red knobbed buttons fall down the front.

I would say that this dress would fit a 3T-5T:)

Last day for posts is Saturday 12/13/08. Winner will be announced Monday morning!

As usual, if you would like a chance to win this dress just link back to this post. If you have any questions see the "questions and answers" link to the right. If you use blogger just use the "create a link" link at the bottom of this post. If you don't use blogger, that's fine too. Just create a link on your page as you normally would and I will see it using Technorati.

GROSGRAIN STORE UPDATE!!!!
International shipping now available!!

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Join This AWESOME New Flickr Group!!

www.flickr.com What is this? This is a Flickr badge showing public items from the Grosgrain group pool. Make your own badge here.

Okay, this may be a bit shameless on my part BUT the new flickr group that I would love for all of you to join is my own:) Join here: Flickr Grosgrain. Yes, please come sit by the warm glow of your computer screen and share your own sewing stories. I would love to see your own projects, be it child or adult size, Grosgrain clothing purchase or winning. I am constantly perusing your blogs and admiring your work. I thought the flickr group would be a great way for me to see YOUR awesome sewing creations. And whenever I see a photo from a fellow flickr member which strikes me I will be sure to post about it on my blog. I've already added all my Grosgrain photos so the group doesn't look so cavernous but it's also useful for viewing see past frocks without having to reload page after page. And be sure to check out Grosgrain this Thanksgiving. I should be posting a new giveaway!

Strawberry Knit Winter Baby Hat TUTORIAL

Okay, here it is....the Strawberry Knit hat tutorial. From here on out I will try to include a sewing related tutorial every week. This one is a bit of a challenge however, because I think a knitting pattern should be accompanied by a knitting tutorial. Otherwise, for 95% of the readers, the tutorial might as well be in Japanese.

Now, just because this is a 'knitting' project DON'T think you can't do it too! The hat you saw in the Strawberry Puff Costume was the SECOND knitting project I had ever attempted- the first being a scarf. For this tutorial, I'll start off with knitting basics. All you knitting gurus can skip this part, for those of you who might need a little refresher or those of you who've never picked up a needle....read on.

First you must 'CAST ON' your yarn. Don't fret, this is the simplest of all the steps involved.
I think the best way to learn to knit is to WATCH someone do it. When I was first trying to teach myself, I tried to follow step by step instructions and the only thing I learned was the art of frustration.

So instead of having me write a long, boring, eye numbing set of instructions, I included a few videos that far surpasses my technical writing talents. First begin by 'casting on' the yarn on your needle. I recommend using a circular set of needles for a hat. It's just a hundred times easier this way. The second video should teach you how to do the basic 'Purl Stitch'. The third video will instruct you how to 'bind off'. The fourth video will show you how to 'knit two stitches together'. And the fifth video will teach you how to 'slip' two stitches together. To make the videos larger just click on the 'full screen' button on each video. It's next to the volume button.

Okay, now that you've seen how to do the basic stitches. Let me give you a quick reference as to what the abbreviations mean: CO= Cast On STS= stitches K=knit SSK= Slip, Slip, Knit K2tog= Knit two together

PATTERN- Ahh, finally I can get to the good stuff! Size: 6-12 months Yarn: worsted weight Needles: 4.5mm DPNs

On circular needles CO 72 sts. Place marker to indicate the beginning of the round & join, being careful not to twist knit in the round evenly for 25 rounds in red. In round 10 use one black stitch at every 10 intervals. Repeat the black stitch intervals in round 15, 20 and 25. Knit the following directions for the leaves in the corresponding colors. Use a 'Purl Stitch' as shown in the second above video for all the stitches.

leaves: round 26: * K1, K7 * around; round 27: * K3, K5 * around; round 28: * K5, K3 * around; round 29: * K7, K1 * around; round 30: * K7, K1 * around.

decrease for crown: (in green yarn) round 31: *K6, SSK* repeat around (63) round 32: *K5, SSK * repeat around (54) round 33: *K4, SSK* repeat around (45) round 34: *K3, SSK* repeat around (36) round 35: *K2, SSK* repeat around (27) round 36: *K1, SSK* repeat around (16) round 37: *SSK* repeat around (9) round 38-43: Knit remaining 9 sts in brown round 44: K2tog around

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Downtown Holiday Jacket and Pant GIVEAWAY!!!! CLOSED.

I love the way Lily looked in these little pieces. If enough people feel the same I am thinking of offering them as my next store item.

Seeing as we are now approaching December and the temperature is averaging in the mid-30s with steady winds at 20mph, I considered myself lucky on this relatively mild photo shoot. Winds would have ruined the balloons and Lily has no tolerance for the cold. This might be one of my last outdoor shots....at least for a while.

I thought the jacket was so adorable I almost want to include it in the store so I can have one for myself.

It is made of warm red wool with a blue pinstripe lining that can be seen on the inside of the detachable hood which buttons on the back. I made the sleeves 3/4 length and cropped the top as well. The boatneck collar is tall and wide leaving lots of room for a nice warm scarf and the bottom half of the jacket is gathered. But my favorite part is the side button enclosure rather than the tradition front opening.

The pants are made from a dark washed denim. I added white buttons on a slant on either side giving it a 60s 'sailor' feel and cut the pants wider at the bottom adding to the retro look. I added elastic to the back of the waist so it can fit a wider range of ages. The black striped shirt is mine:) I bought it at Forever 21.









Lily was a perfect model for this photo shoot considering the cooler weather. I think the ten balloons has something to do with it. She loved pulling on the strings and watching the balloons bounce up and down. When we bought them at Party City she begged me to buy the SpongeBob mylar balloon when all of a sudden the cashier handed us our candy striped helium bouquet, Lily forgot all about her googly eyed, mustard colored mascot....to my relieved surprise.

In the end I considered trying to get a shot of Lily releasing the balloons. Ultimately, I chickened out. Aside from the ensuing tears and regret I feared a fine. Surely there are laws against wayward balloons in the city. I considered letting Lily take the fall if we got 'made'. It's almost all but certain that a 4-year-old would 'accidentally' let go of a balloon bundle. Right?

If the winning blog also leaves a comment I will include a new pair of the navy gloves that accompany the outfit in the photos.

Keeping in mind that the jacket is purposely cropped, I would say that this jacket and pant would fit a 2T-4T:)




Last day for posts is Tuesday 12/02/08. Winner will be announced Thursday morning!

As usual, if you would like a chance to win this jacket and pant just link back to this post. If you have any questions see the "questions and answers" link to the right. If you use blogger just use the "create a link" link at the bottom of this post. If you don't use blogger, that's fine too. Just create a link on your page as you normally would and I will see it using Technorati.

COMMISSIONED WATERCOLOR PORTRAIT GIVEAWAY UPDATE!
As with my last two giveaways, I've decided to extend this giveaway one more week! From here on out, you can have an extra week to enter!

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Custom Camera Strap GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!! CLOSED.

You all know how much I love sewing. Now combine sewing with cameras and you've hit my sweet spot. Which is why I'm so happy to present my next guest giveaway this week!

Shealynn of Shey[B] has offered to giveaway one of her trendy custom camera strap covers from her etsy shop to a lucky winner on Grosgrain. You can visit her shop at the above link and her blog here.

Shealynn, wife, mother of two beautiful little girls and photographer happens to also share my passion for sewing. I'll let Shealynn tell you a little bit more about the ideas behind her designs.

I am a photographer in Arizona. I found that my strap was really uncomfortable and rubbed my neck raw. That's when I decided to make camera strap covers! Comfortable and stylish! They aren't sewn onto the strap, so they are completely removable and washable! Change them out when you want a different look! All straps fit standard DSLR camera straps! Not sure if my slip covers will fit your strap? Convo me. :)

Wash on cold with like colors and hang to dry. Do not use bleach.




I am extending my contests to two weeks. Last day for posts is Sunday 11/30/08. Winner will be announced December 2nd!

As usual, if you would like a chance to win this custom camera strap just link back to this post. If you have any questions see the "questions and answers" link to the right. If you use blogger just use the "create a link" link at the bottom of this post. If you don't use blogger, that's fine too. Just create a link on your page as you normally would and I will see it using Technorati.

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Strawberry Puff Costume

I sewed this little costume for Lily's second Halloween so it is not a giveaway. I have all these pictures of her in it. There's one of her in the living room, one of her on the sidewalk, one of her in the wagon....and in all of them she is crying. Except for the wagon photo....where she is sleeping. I never got a chance to get a good photo of her on that special day but at least through this blog, I found a chance to get some funny ones of Molly enjoying the suit.

The body of the costume is made of soft warm fleece and stuffed with TONS and TONS of poly-fil. Perhaps too much. Holding becomes problematic.

The hat is knitted. I originally made one for lily and molly. Sometimes when I'm feeling really bedeviled we will go out to a public place and I put them on at the same time. I think in a year Lily might start asserting her independence about the issue.

If anyone would like a tutorial on how to knit the hat please let me know. If enough people were interested I'd be happy to write a tutorial.

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Create a Link!

New Grosgrain Inventory!!

I'm happy to announce that the store is now restocked (with the exception of the red shirts in 2-3). I now have skirts in all three sizes (1, 2-4, 5-7).

So for those of you who had missed out on the chance to purchase a skirt in your little one's size last week, please check out what we have to offer:)

To be taken to the store just click on the link at the top of the page (ie the big white ad).

I'll be posting regularly within the next couple days, including a new outfit which might make a Grosgrain Store appearance. So keep your eyes peeled for more giveaways, updates, tutorials and adorable pictures of my molly in all her Halloween glory.

As you can see the front page has undergone a few changes. I added links to all the current giveaways at the top of the site so you don't have to page down. Links for winners, Q&A, about me and the store can also be found just above that. As you might have noticed after much avoiding, I have been trying my hand at ads. BlogHer ads. I dunno. I like the concept of BlogHer and prefer it over the generic Adsense option but I am sort of wishing that their ads were a little more geared towards my topic. I guess I have a pretty specific audience. If anyone knows of a good network, I am ALL ears! For all my googling, I've come up pretty empty handed.

And please be patient with any more changes that might occur within the next couple weeks. It always takes me a hundred edits until I'm satisfied.

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Commissioned Watercolor Portrait GIVEAWAY!!!! CLOSED.

Shortly after Lily was born, back when she'd fall asleep in her stroller in the middle of the day, I'd spend my weekend afternoons at Border's sipping coffee and perusing 'free' magazines. One of my favorites was 'New American Paintings'. I'd flip through their pages and long to commission an artist to paint my children. I'd always assumed that it was the sort of thing 'a person of means' would do and not a 26 year-old paying off her student loans.

For those of you readers who have shared my longing, I have a special surprise for you! Susannah Rodgers has agreed to host a giveaway for Grosgrain! Susannah is the oh-so-talented artist

behind Sitting Pretty Studios. She offers sweet custom watercolor portraits, block print cards and original paintings. The winner of this giveaway will receive a 9.5" x 11.5" custom watercolor portrait of your child or infant which has a value of $99.

Here is a little bit about the artist....

Susannah Rodgers
I have a new art studio that consumes most of my time and thoughts lately. I'm a mother three children who crawl and climb all over me while I create. I draw much inspiration from them for my art. When I'm not making art, I can be found hosting tea parties, making forts, or playing pirates on the studio floor. Welcome to my Sitting Pretty Studio world!

A few of my favorite things include printmaking, stickers, small books made by hand, memories, being barefoot, thunderstorms, anything green, buttons, receiving letters from dear friends, sending letters to dear friends, monograms, stationary & note cards, photographs, birds, new art supplies, middle eastern food, beads, curly hair, embracing your inner princess...and a soft cardigan.

Commissioning a portrait is a personal, often special decision, but can be a bit intimidating. I am very experienced in taking portrait commissions and I promise to answer any questions you may have and will help guide you through choosing a photograph to the best of my ability. Below are some answers to frequent questions I receive, but I know you will probably have some questions of your own, so please contact me.

As you can see in the photos, I paint head and shoulders. Please note that I do not paint backgrounds as I feel they take away from the subjects. I will most likely paint the background in a green wash, if you prefer a different color, please let me know.





I lightly sketch the subjects face in pencil and then paint your portrait with watercolors on acid free, archival watercolor paper.

I paint all my portraits from photographs e-mailed or snail-mailed to me( these will be returned to you). Please send up close, full face/shoulder shot in size 5x7 or 4x6.

The best photograph for a portrait is taken up-close and lit by natural light. Can you see the color of the eyes? If I can't see it, I can't paint it. Look for pictures where your child is relaxed and natural.
(No professional photographs, please!)

You can expect a 2-3 week waiting period while your portrait is being completed.

UPDATE!!!!!!! Last day for posts is Tuesday 11/25/08. Winner will be announced Thursday morning!

As usual, if you would like a chance to win this commissioned watercolor portrait just link back to this post. If you have any questions see the "questions and answers" link to the right. If you use blogger just use the "create a link" link at the bottom of this post. If you don't use blogger, that's fine too. Just create a link on your page as you normally would and I will see it using Technorati.

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Nordic Bo Peep and Long Lost Sheep Costume GIVEAWAY!!!! CLOSED.

Click on above link to be taken to the store!
(Grosgrain update at bottom)

Well, I didn't know of any fjords in the nearby vicinity but I am so happy I found this little stone bridge and babbling brook. I thought it had a real 'storybook' feel. It was a place you might think of when conjuring up images of Little Bo Peep and her wandering sheep.


The giveaway is for BOTH the BO PEEP costume and LITTLE LAMB costume! So if any of you have children who are about one to three years apart this might work for you too!

I originally made the more traditional Bo Peep costume. But I was disappointed with its pink and blue genericness. So I scraped it and started over with a Norwegian feel in mind. Everything just sort of came together as I perused the local fabric shops. I knew I wanted a leather vest. I then came across these real leather remnants at a
nearby wholesale outlet. I even found the faux fur there. Not to mention the folksy flower trim. Did I ever mention how much fun I get out of searching for the pieces that comprise an outfit?! With the caveat that I find exactly what I'm looking for....of course. The dress is a blue velvet material.

Molly's little lamb costume came together quite well. I found the woolly fabric at JoAnn's. It's so silky and soft to the touch- exactly what I envisioned when imagining the finished look. What I really liked about this outfit was that it was thick enough that she could wear it on a cold Halloween night without having me to worry about adding any extra layers. I always try to keep this in mind when creating a costume, because what good is a costume you have to cover up with a jacket?

This was a bit tight on Lily who is four and thin for her age. So, on the safe side, I would say that the Bo Peep costume would fit a 2T-3T. Molly's costume was a perfect fit with room to grow. So I would say that it would fit a 12-24 mo. child.

ALSO, since the little lamb is a gender neutral costume, all you moms with boys out there can enter too!

This will be my last costume giveaway. LOOK FOR MORE CLOTHING GIVEAWAYS NEXT WEEK! IN THE MEANTIME, I WILL BE HAVING SOME GREAT GUEST GIVEAWAYS TO OFFER! KEEP CHECKING! I might have one more costume to show but not to giveaway. Hopefully I'll be here next year for even more costumey goodness! I'm already thinking ahead. I have big things in mind....big things:)

Last day for posts is Sunday 11/16/08. Winner will be announced Tuesday morning!

As usual, if you would like a chance to win these costumes just link back to this post. If you have any questions see the "questions and answers" link to the right. If you use blogger just use the "create a link" link at the bottom of this post. If you don't use blogger, that's fine too. Just create a link on your page as you normally would and I will see it using Technorati.

GROSGRAIN UPDATE! Well, one of the things I've learned through this process is that to send something via USPS it's nearly the same cost for Priority Shipping as First Class, since the postal service provides you with the Priority envelope. So I've bumped all the submitted orders up to Priority shipping. You should be receiving your order in the next day. And in the future I've set my shipping preferences in Grosgrain to Priority. It's just simpler that way! And you get
your package faster:) Win/Win!

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Create a Link!

GrosgrainStore.com Giftcard GIVEAWAY!!!! CLOSED.

Click on above link to be taken to the store!

Well, it's been a chaotic first day! Thank you to all who purchased from the store! The bird seed skirts in Cranberry Fizz and Creamsicle Monday are now sold out in sizes 2T-4T and the Cranberry Shirt is now sold out in 2T-3T. I will be restocking items in the upcoming weeks and leaving updates in the blog on inventory. If you desperately want an item that isn't in stock please send me an email and I will see what I can do.

To celebrate the first day success I wanted to offer a $56.00 gift card giveaway! This should cover one outfit plus shipping! Your choice!

And if the winning blog also includes a link to the store in the post I will include a pair of knee high socks in your choice of color. Just copy and paste this link: GROSGRAINSTORE.COM somewhere in the post.

If anyone encountered any problems with the site please send me an email! Even if you just have a suggestion, I'd like to make the site as user-friendly as I can.

I thought to give everyone a better idea of what size might be best for you child I included a chart below and added the waist measurements in the description on the site under each separate description.

Size Height Weight Waist Inseam

1T	29-33	22-30	19 1/2	11
2T	33-36	30-32	20 1/4	13
3/3T	36-39	32-35	20 3/4	14 1/4
4/4T	39-42	35-41	21 1/4	16
5/5T	42-45	41-46	22	17 3/4
6	45-48	46-51	22 1/2	19 1/2
7	48-51	51-57	23 1/4	21 1/4

The measurements for the skirts are as follows:

Size 1 16"w 8"l waistband expands to 26"
Size 2-4 18"w 11.5"l waistband expands to 28"
Size 5-7 20"w 13.5"l waistband expands to 30"

Last day for posts is Wednesday 11/12/08. Winner will be announced Friday morning!

As usual, if you would like a chance to win this gift card just link back to this post. If you have any questions see the "questions and answers" link to the right. If you use blogger just use the "create a link" link at the bottom of this post. If you don't use blogger, that's fine too. Just create a link on your page as you normally would and I will see it using Technorati.

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Grosgrain Store Grand Opening!

The shop is OPEN! Click above icon to link! Well, I don't really know how 'grand' it will be, BUT, today IS the opening of the mini online store Grosgrain. Please forgive the Spartan appearance. It's taken me days to figure out how to integrate Dreamweaver with my host provider and I haven't yet gotten around to all the bells and whistles. It's now 3:30AM and I'm finally adding the finishing touches. I hope it's presentable.

See it HERE! http://www.grosgrainstore.com

So far I am only offering domestic shipping. However, I am working on offering international shipping. Please check back in a couple days if you are located outside of the US and would like to purchase an item.

I am offering skirts in sizes 1-6 and shirts in sizes 2-7. Please check site for available sizes.

The little girl to the left is my best friend's daughter, Gracie. She was so happy and cooperative! Not to mention adorable in Grosgrain attire.






Please bear with me in the event of any unforeseeable glitches.

Within the next few weeks I'll be deciding what new item to offer in the store. If you have liked a past piece, please let me know.

I am also looking into offering accessories. Whenever I add something new to the store I will leave a post in this blog. So be sure to look for upcoming addition.




And as always, be sure to check back within the next few days for for giveaways and winner announcements.

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Tropical Tree Frog Costume GIVEAWAY!!!! CLOSED.

I hope you all had a GREAT Halloween and took some fantastic pictures of your little loved ones in their holiday attire! Absent-minded me forgot my camera when we went out Trick or Treating and don't have any photos documenting the event.

Now, I know it's after Halloween but I still have a couple costume giveaways to offer. I'm hoping they may be useful for next year, or just for everyday dress up. I have been thinking about buying a trunk to keep all of our costume clothes in.

I have this Wes Anderson-esque fantasy where my children dress up and act out plays with all their friends. My children, on the other hand, have their own other plans. As exampled this Halloween....

I had wild aspirations of gowns with trains, headpieces and props. Lily, like any independent four-year-old had her own ideas. At least, I had fun planning out the logistics of the pattern. It turned out to be more difficult than any dress since it was a shape I had never attempted to create before. I didn't want the normal hoodie headpiece. I really wanted it 'look' like a frog's head. So I created the head 'around' a hood piece. Brian and I laughed at the thought of the frog devouring Lily with only her head sticking out. But I thought it got the point across.

The hands and feet were the cherry on top. They really gave the costume a 'tropical' appearance. Now, I know these are deciduous trees. Unfortunately, I live in Pennsylvania but at the same time Lily didn't want an average frog costume. It had to be a 'tree frog'. So, please forgive the discrepancy.

I added a pillow of padding to be inserted in the back to give the body a more frog-like appearance. The entire costume is split into seven pieces, the head, body, hands, feet and padding. Non-pill polar fleece material was used.

AND, if the winning blog leaves a comment I will throw in the matching Halloween Trick or Treat bag in the shape of a leaf. We hung it from a long stick to really complete the look.

This was a bit tight on Lily who is four and thin for her age. So, on the safe side, I would say that this costume would fit a 2T-3T.

ALSO, since it's a gender neutral costume, all you moms with boys out there who've wanted to enter can finally do so!

And don't forget November 6th is still Grosgrain's grand opening! Be sure to check back here for a link! I'm so excited!

Last day for posts is Friday 11/07/08. Winner will be announced Sunday morning!

As usual, if you would like a chance to win this costume just link back to this post. If you have any questions see the "questions and answers" link to the right. If you use blogger just use the "create a link" link at the bottom of this post. If you don't use blogger, that's fine too. Just create a link on your page as you normally would and I will see it using Technorati.

Create a Link!

Create a Link!

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