Sis Boom Super Fan Tangled Blossom Designs

Talented Fiona Kelly makes vegan-friendly bags among other things for her business, Tangled Blossom Designs. Her lovely bags have popped up on our Instagram feed several times and we had to know more! Make sure to visit her website for Sis Boom fabric and follow her on Facebook, Instagram and Etsy (Etsy shop on vacation as Fiona prepares for a craft market in May). Thanks so much for sharing what you do with us, Fiona!

I’ve been into sewing for as long as I can remember. One of my favourite things to do as a very young child was to sit on the floor with a pile of paper, my scissors, glue and sticky tape and make clothes for my dolls and myself. As I grew older the paper was replaced by fabric and the glue and sticky tape was no longer needed when at the age of about 7yrs my parents bought me my very first sewing machine – a little hand crank black and gold Singer. My love of sewing and textiles continued to grow throughout my teens and culminated in my completing a Bachelor of Design Degree in Constructed Textiles in 1993. I studied knitting, weaving and tapestry during my degree and won the Rowan Yarns Designer knitting competition in my first year for a cable look sweater I designed. After graduating, I worked in the knitwear industry for a time before starting out on my own making my own range of clothes and bridal wear on request but when our first child came along I quickly realized making big dresses with little ones around was not going to be very practical. All those sparkly beads, silks, satins and lace are just too tempting for little fingers to touch, so in 2006 I decided to take a break from my sewing business and just sew for us as a family instead. In May 2012 my hubby, I and our now 2 children emigrated from the UK across the Atlantic to Nova Scotia, Canada and it wasn’t long after our move that I started to feel my sewing mojo come back! After struggling to find the fabrics I wanted to sew with anywhere in Nova Scotia I took the plunge and started my current business Tangled Blossoms Design. So now I get to look after our family in this beautiful part of the world, sew my new passion of making handbags in all the fabrics I love while selling it by the yard to customers all over the world.

The two lovely carpet bag shown below are made with Sewing Patterns by Mrs. H, Emmaline Bags hardware and of course fabric by Sis Boom.

Fiona’s first stunning bag is in Melody in green on the outside and Linky Love on the inside from the Beauty Queen line.

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Second bag is Bonnie in purple on the outside from the Caravelle Arcade line and the inside fabric is by Tula Pink. Fiona has an eye for the little details and fussy cuts the fabric so the fabric prints match up or cuts to mirror image the print on bag gusset bottoms if it’s a directional print like Bonnie in purple. Just lovely!

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Instagram Inspiration – Kids’ Edition

I LOVED seeing all your spring and Easter creations recently. You guys are a talented bunch. Thanks so much for sharing with me on Instagram and Facebook. Here is a run down of a few of our favorites this month.

mick_rose_handmade: we love this romper with the intricate tribal beading accent in Daisy from the Caravelle Arcade line.

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laneyclaire: stunning navy dress using Charlotte and Melody from the Beauty Queen line.

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qwirkykreationsboutique – great dress in Isabelle from Good Company with a contrasting white and black belt.

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lolly.and.me – some bunny was pretty lucky to wear this dress in Daisy from the Caravelle Arcade line for Easter!

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danilittletreasures – it’s a sunny shiney day every day when you are wearing a dress in Melody from the Good Company line.

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sewvolution – we’d be jumping for joy if we had on a dress in Eloise from the Happy Land line too.

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alliegraycreations – We love seeing old lines dug out of the fabric stash and come to life. Sweet romper in Siobahn and Lisa from the Poodle line.

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summer.lillies – this little fashionista is rocking a dress in Hillary from the Nostalgia line.

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Instagram Inspiration

It’s always so fun to scroll through instagram and see all the #sisboom and #jenniferpaganelli hashtag love. You are all such a creative bunch, and we are giddy seeing older lines like Girlfriends and so So St. Croix come out of your fabric stashes and used for special projects. Thanks, as always, for sharing with us!

melisajanehandmade – lovely scalloped detail on this purse with matching wallet made from the Crazy Love line.

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handmadebyemily – cute wristlet in Daisy in Blue from the Caravelle Arcade line.

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summer.lillies – Sis Boom fabric looks great on adults, kids or throughout your home but we are especially partial to this Beauty Queen neckerchief on this sweet pup.

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southernyankeect: Nancy from the So St. Croix line looks perfect matched with a vintage linen from 1976 to make the sweetest bag.

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sugar_bowl_crafts – lovely pillow with a touch of Good Company.

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dresdenlane– we love these foxy blocks with lots of colorful Sis Boom Fabric!

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144collection – darling pouch to hold all your goodies in Vickie from the Good Company line.

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tamaraharrisondesigns – we love this fabric hoop art using the hard to find but fabulous Girlfriends line.

 

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Guest Blogger: Baby Hobbes Design and the NEW Sally Dress Part II

Merav of Baby Hobbes Design is back with Part II of her take on the new Sally dress, this time with long sleeves. Sally is the perfect year round dress and super simple for the beginner sewist. We hope you give her a try and don’t forgot to share your creations with us on Facebook and Instagram!

Sally Part II, Long Sleeves for the Win

I am so happy to be back with part II of the Sally Dress tour, and this time I am here to share with you an easy trick for a year-round dress. I am always in the market for new and easy beginner patterns-and, as we discussed in last week’s post, Sally is just that! But how about Sally with sleeves?

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I adore the tank style, pull-over Sally dress! Here in the Windy City, we are still in LONG sleeves for a few more months. And a versatile pattern means ‘A Win’ for me-to sew year round.

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This week I let Hobbes play around with my beautiful Sis Boom fabric collection, and I was in heaven when she pulled out Caravelle Arcade’s Jessica in Blue and Beauty Queen’s Katie stripe in Pink. My head (and heart) went straight into Valentines mode, and we decided this will be her dress for our big Valentines fundraiser next month.

You are going to love how easy it is to take Sally and change her up to meet the demand of the weather. To achieve this look, you will need the Gabriella Fae pattern for its bodice and sleeves. Also, if you are a sucker for lace like me, check out my November Blog here for adding these pretty darling details.

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Once you have both the Sally and Gabriella Fae bodice pieces cut out to size, go ahead and follow the steps here in order to change the arm cycle of Sally to adjust for the sleeves.

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Looking at the pictures above, from left to right. First, cut your pattern size in both dress bodice to size. Next, lay the Gabriella Fae front bodice on top of the Sally front bodice. Match the shoulders at the arm cycle edge. For this quick transformation, I am not changing anything else in the pattern–just the curve of the arm. As you can see, I shaded/colored in the difference in arm curve directly on the Sally for easy cutting. Once you have your markings on the front (repeat with the back bodice), go ahead and cut off the markings so your Sally can accept Gabriella Fae sleeves.
***Please note that you can do this trick with most of your patterns. Always remember to change the arm-cycles and note the difference in the shoulder alignment.

Next, sew your sleeves. You may choose to follow the Gabriella Fae directions to add your sleeves. Because I have experience sewing that pattern, I decided to change it up a bit and add a pleat at the top shoulder instead of a gathered puff. I’ll be honest, it was an experiment, but I had nothing to lose–it’s all in the pinning.

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It’s so easy to add this small detail. First, fold your sleeve in half and stick a pin in the top middle. Then, starting from the edge, pin your sleeve to the bodice until you are at the halfway point/reached your shoulder seam on the bodice. Then move to the other side of the sleeve, starting from that end, pinning till you reach the middle of the bodice.

Looking at the pictures above, from left to right: grab your excess sleeve material in the center (bout 3-3,5 inches) and make sure that the sleeve is pinned perfectly up to the shoulder seams. Next, you will want to flatten the access sleeve and perfectly align it with the center seam on the shoulder. Pin in down and check it on both sides to make sure the pleat center is aligned with shoulder seam. Once you are happy, sew it up to the bodice.

Once you have added on your sleeve, continue with the Sally directions. Just remember when you are sewing your front and back bodice closed, you are starting at the sleeves and sewing down.

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And that’s how I got Hobbes this new Sally. It’s an easy beginner, pullover darling dress pattern.Now show me how you transform your Sally dress. Get your copy of Sally and Gabriella Fae here.

Special thanks to my talented friend Julie over at the Little Sparrow Bows for her perfectly made to match hair halo.

Like my backdrop? Temperatures have been in the teens here and I just didn’t have the heart to ask Hobbes to pose outside. Loving my new Big Time Prints (formally Bubblegum Backdrops) for a quick and warm photo-shoot.

Till next time, happy sewing!
~Merav @ Baby Hobbes Design

Instagram Inspiration – Kids’ Edition

It finally feels like winter here in the US – brrrr. If you’re on the East Coast, a big storm is probably headed your way. Hope you have a fun project to keep you busy while you are snowed in. As always, share with us on Facebook or Instagram. We love to see what you are up too!

summer.lillies – this cutie is rocking a sweet pleated top in Melody and shorts in Phyllis from the Good Company line.

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whatbellawears: darling bloomers and head wrap in Vickie from the Good Company line.

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thebabybirdboutique: this cutie is sitting pretty in a dress made of fabric from the Jenny Eliza line for JoAnn Fabrics.

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dottiemoonhandmade: we are smitten with this dress in pink gingham and Jessica from Caravelle Arcade.

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bubbymakesthree: darling romper in Taylor from the Circa fabric line.

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lilpeaak: does this come in my size? Loving this outfit with cute ruffled bloomers in Priscilla from the Crazy Love line.

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Sis Boom Super Fan: Sew Joyful

Joy Morgan out of Townsville in Queensland, Australia runs the Sew Joyful company making lovely bags and wallets. Thanks for sharing your creations with us, Joy. As always give us a shout on Instagram or Facebook and let us know what you are making with your favorite Sis Boom fabric.

Joy made the Backgammon bag designed by Betz White using fabric from the Caravelle Arcade line.
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A lovely bag called the Epiphany bag designed by ChrisW Designs and sewn by Joy also in Caravelle Arcade.

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Emmaline clutch pattern in Candice from Happy Land.
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Nappy bag with lots of pickets inside and out made in Austin from the Circa line.

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Sis Boom Guest Blogger: Mandy Fulton

We swooned in delight when this lovely bag showed up on our newsfeed one morning. Mandy Fulton won our Caravelle Arcade fabric give away on Facebook this fall and turned it into something amazing. The outside is Jessica in Ivory and Ruby in Pink, and the inside uses Abby in Gray. Thanks for sharing your bag with us, Mandy!. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, you never know when the next fabric giveaway will be.

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My name is Mandy Fulton. I’ve been sewing for about 4 years, and it has developed into a great hobby! I love having a creative outlet, with a useful and beautiful end product. I sew mostly for myself and two young daughters, as well as my friends and family.

I needed a bag with lots of pockets and dividers to hold sewing gear and allow me to transport it to sewing group, the local quilt store, or on road trips. This bag has a place for everything, and zips closed in such a way that the contents stay put while on the go. I love that when unzipped, there is a tray with a lip to keep my stuff from migrating as I work. I use the little zippered dumpling dish to hold buttons. The fabric dish snaps in place and holds my wonder clips perfectly.

The pattern, called the Bionic Gear Bag Notions Tote, is on Craftsy, and won their 2014 pattern design contest.

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Instagram Inspiration – Kids’ Edition

Thanks for sharing all these amazing creations with us on Instagram! We love seeing them.

Nostalgia should be arriving in stores this week. Keep a look out and lets us know what you are making.

magicvalleylastella: cute romper in Priscilla from the Crazy Love line.

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nelliejanes: Another darling rumpers with a cute ruffled tush in Jessica from Caravelle Arcade.

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twinklestardesigns: Loving the button details on the back of this dress in Isabelle from the Good Company Line.

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gillietime: Maggie in green is perfect on this sassy little one from the Circa line.

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tillis.pretties: we could dance all night is this twirly skirt in Jill from Lucky Girl.

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feelingpeachycreations: Loving the sequined hanger and this romper in Daisy from the Caravelle Arcade line.

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izzynivydesigns: Chic boho dress in fabrics from the Caravelle Arcade line.

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lolly.and.me: we think this dress in Lindsey in yellow from the Circa line fits this girls sunny personality perfectly!

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applesandsoda: another amazing romper in Charlotte from the Beauty Queen line.

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sweetlittleshandmade: Loving this baby wearing momma doll sporting a dress in fabric from the Jenny Eliza line for JoAnns.

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Guest Blogger – Baby Hobbes Designs

Chicago blogger and seamstress extraordinaire, Merav of Baby Hobbes Design, and her lovely daughter, Hobbes, are back for the this second story on our series of transforming the Sophie. Enjoy!

Sis Boom Sophie, Part II-Sewing for an indecisive month

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Hi again and thanks for joining me for Part II: Sophie Tunic Sewing for an Indecisive month.

I just adore the relax fit and ease (I like to call it dress-ability) of the Sophie. I consider it a win in our house when Hobbes can come out of her room dressed in the morning without asking, OK, yelling for me to help her get dressed. And that’s such a nice break for me, since most mornings I am chasing my 19 month old son around the house.

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After sewing the original tunic (Sophie Tunic Part I), my wheels were still turning and I just had see how the Sophie Tunic worked as a dress. Because Hobbes is petite at 41 inches, I decided I wanted to add an external casing and create a waist line on the dress. I used Sis Boom beautiful Daisy in Blue, it’s my favorite print from Caravelle Arcade.

Remember how I mentioned that you can get creative with your keyhole, I am just swooning over this combination.

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And check out the back:

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I must stop and mention my friend Julie Crigger’s amazing ability to match Sis Boom’s fabrics with her gorgeous hair pretty. My heart melted when I received this Silk Sari Tie-back, created especially for this look. You can find her shop Little Sparrow Bow here.

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I really love how the Sophie Tunic transformed. Keep reading to find out how I achieved this look.

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Before you can start the transformation, you need to figure out the length to extend the pattern. For mine, I needed to add 4-5 inches to the tunic to get the length above the knees. I also wanted to allow for an approximately extra 2-3 inches so the dress can have a pillow-effect over the waist-with kids, it kind of happens naturally that dresses rise up. I concluded that 7 was my magic number and crossed my fingers!

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To adjust the tunic into a dress length, I first eliminated the flaps (Please skip over page 11-12 in the Sophie tunic directions) and added 7 inches to the bottom of the pattern. See picture below.

When drawing the extension, start at the external arm hole and drew down a straight line, keeping the angle and curving at the bottom.

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Once you have your dress sewn per directions (skipping the flaps) go ahead and hem the bottom of your dress by folding it up 0.5 inch then pressing. Fold again another 0.5 inch up, press and sew your hem closed.

Now we can begin making the external waist casing. There are many different ways to create casing, and you can choose to make it thinner or ticker then mine. You can even use pre-made bias tape for the same results, just remember to adjust your elastic size so it will fit inside your casing once it’s edge-stitched on. For my dress, I had a specific look in mind. I wanted to sew it in a way that only the blue from Abby in Blue and the rings will show up.

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I choose to cut a 3 inch strip by the salvage width. I will later adjust it around the dress and cut off the extra fabric.
Go ahead and fold in half, with the right sides together sew along the strip. You don’t need to finish the ends.

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Flip your casing right side out. As you can see from the picture below, to achieve my design, the seam will run down the right side of my fabric-in the middle. I figured it wouldn’t be as noticeable once it’s cinched in.
You may choose to have your seam on the side or hidden underneath. Now iron your casing and set it aside.

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Place the finished dress on a flat surface as seen in the picture below. With a ruler, go ahead and draw a straight continues line, marking the placement of the casing. I choose to mark the line 6 inch under the bodice facing, to create a drop-waist and allow for the pillow-like effect.

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Once you made your marking, go ahead and pin your casing to your dress. Be sure you are only pinning through one layer at a time. As you can tell from the picture below, I started pinning from the dress front right edge. Since I cut my casing at salvage width, I left some of the excess fabric on the edge. Later I will use this fabric to close my casing.

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Go ahead and edge stitch the casing. Remember to leave 1.5-2 inch opening on either the top or the bottom of your casing. This opening will be closed after the elastic is fed through the casing.

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Once your casing ALMOST sewn all the way around, go ahead and trim the remaining fabric, tuck under and sew your casing closed as pictured below.

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You are almost done!!! Remember that 1.5-2 inch space we left? time to get your elastic out. For my dress, I used a 3/4 inch width elastic, measured out to 19.5 inches-Hobbes waist is 20.5. For this dress design, I didn’t want it to be to tight-just to have enough pull to cinch the dress to the body. I inserted the elastic, catching the two ends together and sewing with a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Now all that is left is to sew your casing closed.
YOU ARE DONE!!!
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What did you think of the Sophie Tunic transformation into a Dress? I love finding patterns that allow me so much versatility, especially sewing with October’s weather indecisiveness.

I would love to hear your thoughts and comments here, or stop by and say Hi to me over at Baby Hobbes Design
You can also follow me on Instagram @Babyhobbesdesign
Beautiful Sari Tie-back made to match Daisy in Green, by the talented Julie Crigger over at Little Sparrow Bow
Lastly, my genius friends Thomas and Tiana over at TK Photography Chicago for their amazing ability to capture my design creations and beautifully feature their movements and elegance. I couldn’t be more impressed! Oh, and thanks for letting Hobbes and her little brother have some fun in-between takes.

Instagram Inspiration: Sis Boom’s Got the Blues

So many blue stunners have been popping up on our Instagram feed this past week, I just had to share them! What’s your favorite blue from Sis Boom? Jennifer has designed so many over the years. As always, thanks for sharing. XO

billyandrose:a sweet little blue floral summer dress in Lindsey from the Circa line.

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paisleyavenue: adorable bloomers in Jill from the Lucky Girl line.

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jaed92: we are drooling over this romper in Isabelle from Good Company.

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hickitypickity: a bubble and twirly dress look amazing in Caravelle Arcade fabrics.
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micki_rose_handmade: loving this style of romper in Isabelle from Good Company!

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millaruby This sweet girl is rocking a dress made in Daisy from the Caravelle Arcade line.
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lovebdesigns a bib & burp cloth bundle in Jessica from the Caravelle Arcade line.

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