Handmade Wardrobe // Pink on Pink on Pink

I'm so excited that Megan Nielsen released two new patterns today - River dress and top, and the Ash jeans! I've been working with Megan the last few months to create the sewalongs for these two patterns (coming soon!), and I've been dying to share with you all of the goods I've made along the way! I made four Rvers and one pair of Ash jeans!

We'll start out with one of my River dresses. What's great about this pattern is the versatility. It can be a dress or top, made from woven or knits, belted or loose, has optional pockets, and is reversible from v-neck to rounded neck! Here, I've made the woven dress version in linen. I chose to do contrasting colors for the raglan sleeves, and included the pockets and belt loops to have the option of belting it.

If you scroll all the way down, you can see that I have two sets of photos. The second set is from right after I made it back in February. I wore it belted. Since then, I've raised the hem a tiny bit and cuffed the sleeves a little more, too. Which is what you see in these photos up top here. I also opted to skip the belt the second time around, which I  think I love it this way the most! But I like having the option to belt it if I want to. 

What do you think? Do you prefer the belted or unbelted style? And who has already bought themselves a River pattern of their own!?

Keep and eye out over at Design Diary within the next few weeks for the sewalongs I created for both River and Ash.

Handmade Wardrobe // Moana and Me and P

I'm so happy with the way this Papercut Patterns Moana top tuned out! I previously made the dress version (here) and fell in love with it, and have been waiting for the perfect fabric to make the top version. 

Bonus at the end of this post: a cute little Penny babe wearing some new Nelly Lou ;).

-rest of my outfit:

jeans: Old Navy

purse: Old Navy (old)

shoes: Target

-Penny's outfit:

jean jacket: thrifted

skirt and turban: Nelly Lou

socks: June and January

shoes: thrifted

Nelly Lou Spring/Summer 2018 - Foxes and Fossils

I'm so happy to announce that my new spring/summer collection for Nelly Lou is live in the etsy shop! I call this one Foxes and Fossils - there are dino, foxes, and a couple of other fun prints. And of course some super cute solid colors!

Oh yeah, In addition to the usual turbans, headbands, and tees, I now also have suspender skirts! I'm so excited for these, you guys! They come in 3 solid colors, go up to a size 2/3T, and are offered 'Made To Order' just like the tees. 

I hope you love this collection as much as I do! Don't forget to follow along on Instagram (@shopnellylou) for updated info, discount codes, and other fun stuff. Psssssst- there may be a giveaway soon, so definitely make sure you're following there! 

Handmade Wardrobe // Kyoto times two

I mentioned the Papercut Patterns Kyoto tee in my beginners resource guide as one of my favorite beginner patterns. And here's proof how much I love it! I've made two versions so far, this medium weight matte black one, and the pink one below. And I have a short sleeve one in my queue for this summer!

Also - the overalls are from Thelma Dean and they are so perfect. 

This next set is actually from last October, that I thought I blogged but apparently didn't #whoops. The fabric is a really lightweight french terry knit from Fabric.com. Bonus - I used the leftovers to make Penny a matching peplum tee!

DIY Roundup

Remember when I used to do DIYs her all the time? I've been thinking about starting back up posting some again. I mean, don't get to excited, it will only be once in awhile HA. But it's something I want to try again. 

So I thought I'd I do a little round-up of some of my past favorites! I'll link every one to their original post. 

DIY Cat Eye Mask

I was so proud of this one! I loved making them so much, I even started making them to sell in my Etsy shop. Since Nelly Lou has started to take a different direction, I'll no longer be offering them for sale. So now is the time to re-visit the DIY and make one for yourself! 

DIY Game Board Beach Blanket

Zach and I used to use this blanket all the time at the beach! I'm thinking I might eventually make a larger circle one with a more toddler/small child friendly game. I'm not sure what that game would be though, so if you have any suggestions let me know!

DIY Simple Knit Bodycon Skirt

I've made a lot of these. I mean, this one pictured and the one in the DIY are both way too short for my lifestyle now, ha. But it can be made in whatever length you'd like. 

 

DIY Shibori Dyeing

This one was a hit and one of my all time favorites! I used the left fabric in this dress, but this could also be used for pillows, tea towels, etc. 

DIY Hand Warmers

An easy DIY for those colder months. Stick em in your pockets and then put your hands in there and you'll be toast warm!

DIY Off The Shoulder Dress

I actually did this DIY post for Megan Nielsen and it was a HUGE hit. It's an easy garment to make because its just a few rectangles, no actual pattern required. You can check it out over at Design Diary. 

DIY Transparent Clutch

Kind of a random one and not for everyone, but I think it turned out pretty cute! Good for heading to a stadium that only allows clear purses. 

DIY Passport Cover

This is a real oldie, and the post isn't formatted for my current blog format. But I remember a lot of people liking this one at the time, so I wanted to include it!


Those are some of my favorites! You can find some more in the DIY category on the left. 


Handmade Wardrobe // Jumpsuit Besties

I looked and looked and looked for a jumpsuit in this shape, and I finally found one! It is a free pattern download with the purchase of Mimi G's may 2017 issue of Sew Sew Def. You can see her post here. I had to make a few adjustments to accommodate the really stretchy jersey knit that I used (pattern calls for woven), but I love how it came out! I've been obsessed with this shaped jumpsuit lately, so I'm sure I'll be making a few more of these for summer. 

P.S - fabric is from Cali Fabrics

Also, how cute is P?! I didn't originally intend to include her in these photos, but she was just too cute in her jumpsuit like Mama not to. And just before we walked out the door, I put on my sunglasses. And she looked up at me, pointed at her eyes, and pointed at herself. She wanted to wear hers too like me. I mean, seriously, this girl <3.

My shoes: Swedish Hasbeens

baby turban: Nelly Lou (color coming soon!)

Penny's jumpsuit: thrifted

Penn'ys boots: OshKosh