Sew fantastic blogs: mirid

Today I'm very pleased to welcome my real-life sewing and blogging friend and neighbor Miriam from mirid. As amazing it is to get to know other sewing fanatics online, it still is even better to meet on a daily basis, to go fabric shopping together and to spend nights sewing and chatting together. If you want to know more about how Miriam and I met, please read this post. Here, I only want to say how extremly happy I count myself to call such a fun, open-hearted and creative woman my friend. Miriam is super talented. She has written severalsewing (and crafting with paper) books, constantly thinks about new sewing projects and has fabric and trim in every colour and material. She even was in the finals for "Germany's most creative blogger". She loves to sew bags – even though she already has more than enough - and the details that she includes in each of her makes are fantastic. Here are my favorites.

Wolf bag, Skirt and matching clutch, beautiful bag

Mara blouse pattern tour and Coachella Shorts pattern test

 

Today I have a non-romper-romper for you. Marte from Compagnie.M invited me to take part in her super big blog action, for which about 70 bloggers sew their version of the Mara blouse pattern. Go over there, to check out my post about the blouse and my pseudo-romper, but not before you have read my musings about the shorts that I sewed to go with the blouse!

Sew fantastic blogs: Vera Luna

The moment that I discovered Saskia's blog some time last year, I was hooked. Her blog is simply fantastic. Whenever I see that she has written a new post, I go there right away! Her t-shirts, sweatshirts, shorts etc. are always unique. Stamping, sun-printing, color-blocking, freezer paper stenciling, bleaching, dip dyeing – just name a fun technique: Saskia will have done it. And not just done it, she will have made something amazing with it! Since I and she hosted Secret Squirrel we have been in loose contact, connected through our love for everything Astrid Lindgren and Scandinavia. She is such a warm and friendly person with an amazing style. Here are my favorites.

 

Amazing triangle sweater, secret squirrel outfit, surfer shorts

First things first: Please introduce yourself (who are you, tell us a little bit about your family, which country and maybe city do you live in, are you originally from this country, do you work or are you a stay at home mom, etc.)!
I’m Saskia from the Netherlands. I live together with my partner and our three children (6, 4 and 1) in a city in the middle of the country. I work four days a week as a scientist (inventor) at the research lab of a big tech company. So during the day, I’m surrounded by technology-loving nerds (mostly men) and at night I’m part of the low-tech (and entirely female) sewing blogosphere. Quite a contrast! The main ingredient of both activities, however, is the same: creativity. When I’m not working or sewing, I love to spend time outdoors with my family; walking, cycling, playing and enjoying nature.

Sew fantastic blogs - special edition: Elsie Marley and Kids Clothes Week

Today, we're having a special edition of Sew fantastic blogs. I asked Meg from Elsie Marley and the creator of Kids Clothes Week to tell us about her blog and about Kids Clothes Week which is going to happen next week! I'm so pleased to have her here. Especially in the english-speaking kids sewing world, Kids Clothes Week is something each and everyone tries to participate in and the projects that pop up every day in the project pool are just amazing. If you haven't taken part so far, make sure to join the fun this year!
Meg started a "sew-along CENTRAL" where you can subscribe to a monthly email that informs you about on-going sew alongs! Besides this her personal blog Elsie Marley is also full of fantastic makes. Here are my favorites:

Jacob pants, Coastal cargos, triangle pocket dress

Spring Sewing Swap

This year I participated in the Spring Sewing Swap over at Kestrel Makes. How fun is it to get to know a new blog, to pack something for that person that you think she'll like and also to receive something beautiful yourself? I was paired with Louise from Thread Carefully, who loves to sew dresses. Head over to her blog to see some seriously impressing and fun makes. She was much faster in blogging what I sent her. Check out the polka dot beauty that headed her way. 

Dieses Jahr hab ich beim Spring Sewing Swap von Kestrel Makes mitgemacht. Ist doch einfach klasse, einen neuen Blog zu entdecken, etwas schönes für die Person auszusuchen und selbst voller Neugier auf das eigene Paket zu warten. Meine "Partnerin" war Louise von Thread Carefully, die wunderbare Kleider näht. Schaut bei ihrem Blog vorbei um einige beeindruckende und witzige Kleider zu sehen. Sie war wesentlich schneller darin zu bloggen, was ich ihr geschickt habe. Schaut euch die schönen Punkte hier an.

And how i loved her parcel. A fun geometric jersey that will surely soon become a fun summer dress (or top or or or - too many possibiliteis), together with jersey needles (perfect timing as I just run out of these) and four (yes, four!) spools of matching thread in a super sweet vintage box! Perfection!
Thanks a lot, Louise, for this great parcel.
So, will you join next year?

Und ich hab auch etwas tolles bekommen. Einen witzigen Jersey mit geometrischem Print, der sicherlich bald zu einem Sommerkleid oder Top wird, außerdem Jerseynadeln (perfektes Timing, da ich keine in den kleineren Größen mehr da hatte), und vier Rollen passendes Nähgarn in einer superschönen Retrometallbox. Perfekt!
Danke Louise, für dieses tolle Paket.
Na, seid ihr nächstes Jahr auch dabei?

Sew fantastic blogs: Do Guincho

Today the sew fantastic blog series travels all the way to Portugal where Marta from the blog Do Guincho sews classy and often vintage inspired clothes for her beautiful daughters. They are extremly well done and each detail is perfection. Her pics always "glow", you really feel the portugese sun when you watch them. As far as I know Marta has so far mainly sewn with woven fabrics (though she just posted an amazingly beautiful Cosi swim suit yesterday), so I'm really curious to see what her signature style tee will look like. Here are some of my favorite creations by Marta:

Debbie's birthday dresses, romper, swing skirt

First things first:

Please introduce yourself (who are you, tell us a little bit about your family, which country and maybe city do you live in, are you originally from this country, do you work or are you a stay at home mom, etc.)!

Hi! My name is Marta, I blog at DoGuincho and I am delighted to be part of Annika’s new series!

I have lived in Lisbon, Portugal, all my life but, a few years ago, my family and I moved from the city centre to a seaside place called Guincho just about twenty minutes from Lisbon. I am a freelancer architect and I’ve two little daughters: Teresa and Ines. I love to windsurf and Guincho beach is one of the best windy beaches in Europe. Lucky me! 

Vote for your favorite Secret Squirrel outfit / Wählt euer Lieblings-secret-squirrel-Outfit

Do you all remember my secret squirrel outfit from March? This weekend (until tomorrow 12 noon Central European Time) you can vote at Straight Grain and Sew Pony for your favorite secret squirrel outfit from the last year. Please go to these sites and vote for your favorite. I'll be really glad if you choose me. There are some amazing prizes...

Thanks anyways to An and Suz for organizing such a fun series! This really was an amazing year!

Könnt ihr euch noch an meine secret squirrel outfit vom März erinnern? Dieses Wochenende (bis morgen Mittag) könnt ihr bei Straight Grain und Sew Pony euer Lieblings-secret-squirrel-Outfit vom letzten Jahr wählen. Schaut doch bitte kurz dort vorbei und wählt für das Outfit, das euch am besten gefällt - sollte eure Wahl auf meines fallen, würd ich mich riesig fallen. Schließlich gibt's richtig tolle Preise zu gewinnen...

Egal ob ich gewinne oder nicht: Ein herzliches Dankeschön an An und Suz, dass sie diese tolle Serie organisiert haben! War echt genial!

Weekend sewing #21

So, how is the weather this weekend at your place in the world? Rainy? Perfect, I got you covered! Today another bunch of sewing inspiration is heading your way :) Also check out this post by Megan Nielsen about not writing a book. Perfect reminder to what is really important in our life. Plus, if you know any german, you should check out this post about being a girl.

Na, wie ist bei euch das Wetter dieses Wochenende? Regnerisch? Na prima, denn ich hab massig Nähinspiration für euch! Lest euch außerdem diesen Post von Megan Nielsen durch in dem sie schreibt warum sie kein Buch schreibt und daran erinnert was wirklich wichtig ist. Und für die wenigen unter euch die den Post auf blogbook noch nicht gelesen haben, lest euch doch mal durch wie das so ist, wenn man ein Mädchen ist.

Tutorials

Over at Melly Sews the whole month of June was dedicated to free sundress tutorials and patterns for girls and women. Here, I have my six favorite ones for you, but make sure to head over there to see the other 24!

Bei Melly Sews hat sich den ganzen Juni alles um kostenlose Sommerkleider und Tutorials gedreht. Ich hab hier meine sechs Favoriten für euch, aber schaut unbedingt bei Melly vorbei und euch die anderen 24 an!

Sundresses by Caila Made, You and Mie, and Sew Caroline / Sommerkleider von Caila Made, You and Mie Lexi Made und Sew Caroline

Sew fantastic blogs: Bienvenido Colorido

Today's interview guest is Nell from Bienvenido Colorido. Most of my german speaking readers will definitely know her, but I guess that most english readers will get to know a fantastic new blog today. Bienvenido Colorido is one of the most amazing sewing blogs that I know. Nell comes originally from Austria, but lives in Spain. She writes in both German and English and sometimes even Spanish. Her sewing and pics are really special. I would recognize a pic of her within hundreds of others! And her sewing for her daughter is just so cool! Plus she doesn't just sew, but she also designs cool patterns, fabric (her wonderful "In the kitchen" fabric is available since June 21st) and has lots of freebies and tutorials on her blog.  Told you she is amazing, didn't I? Here are three of my favorite creations by Nell from the last 4 months - I didn't get further back as I already had too many possible pics... You have to check out her blog yourself!

Nell's own trousers pattern, foxes everywhere, be my star

First things first: Please introduce yourself (who are you, tell us a little bit about your family, which country and maybe city do you live in, are you originally from this country, do you work or are you a stay at home mom, etc.)!

Hey there, my name is Cornelia, but most people would call me Nellie. Originally I am from Austria, but for quite some I live (most of the year) in southern Spain on a big finca in the middle of nowhere.

You wanna know what brought me here? Most likely the only thing that can drag you out of your compfortable central-heated and “tonight let’s order some pizza” life into a very far away wilderness: the crazy thing called love. With my degrees in history and journalism I was very well equiped for being in the campo and so I spent my first years studying the art of making fire (in a woodburning stove), repairing the generator (which always broke when I was on my own) and getting the hang of cooking, bakeing and gardening. It was quite an exciting time, but still it felt like something was missing... about nine months later Rosa was born, our beloved daughter.

So that’s us: Rosa, her grown-up half-brother Alexander, Fred and I. We share the finca with quite a few animals, at the moment two dogs, three cats, a bunch of chickens, ducks and peacocks.

We have about 100 orangetrees, loads of plums, apples, lemons, tangerines, pommegranates, almonds, figtrees and always a kitchengarden supplying us with nice organic veggies.

We try to live a green life as far as it is possible, using solar energy most of the year, water from our own well...

I miss my friends and family back home, I miss the city, I miss Vienna, sometimes. But I guess I would miss this little paradise even more...

Teepee / Tipi

Yey, I sewed a Teepee and not just a teepee, but the biggest teepee that I can imagine ;) The pattern is from Burda issue 7/2013 (or online here). When Susanne first showed her wonderful Fly fabrics, I thought right away that they'd be perfect for a teepee and when I asked my children wheather they'd like to have a teepee, they obviously said „Yes“ right away.

Juhu, ich hab ein Tipi genäht und zwar nicht irgendein Tipi, sondern so ziemlich das größte Tipi, das ich mir vorstellen kann. Der Schnitt ist von Burda //2013 (or online). Als Susanne zum ersten Mal ihre tollen Fly Stoffe zeigte, hab ich mir gleich gedacht, dass die toll für ein Tipi wären und als ich dann meine Zwerge fragte, ob sie ein Tipi wollen, kam das "Ja" wie aus der Pistole geschossen.