Elegance & Elephants

Knock it Off - Lollipop Garden Crafts

2013-05-24T04:09:00.000-07:00

Yeka from Lollipop Garden Crafts is the talented seamstress behind today's knock off. She has beautifully re-created a Neige dress...love the colours, love the style, and look how sweet it looks on her cute daughter! Head over to Lollipop Garden Crafts for more details.

Knock it Off - If Only They Would Nap

2013-05-22T05:41:00.000-07:00

We're on a roll with another great boys' knock off! Jess from If Only They Would Nap is sharing a tutorial for this easy button-up upcycle plus some other fantastic tips! Don't miss it...head over to her blog for all the details.

Knock it Off - Designs By Sessa

2013-05-21T11:45:00.002-07:00

Double the knock off fun today...head over to Designs By Sessa to see the awesome colour-blocked shorts Vanessa made for her adorable boy!

Knock it Off - Sewing Like Mad

2013-05-21T03:27:00.000-07:00

Mie from Sewing Like Mad joins the knock-off fun today with this gorgeous dress inspired by Bulle de savon. I have recently dubbed her the "Queen of Colour Blocking" and after you head over to her blog to see more of this creation, make sure to browse her other projects, and you'll see why!

Just Sew Series at Mama Says Sew

2013-05-20T06:50:00.000-07:00

Today I'm over at Mama Says Sew for Terra's awesome Just Sew series, with some news about my upcoming pattern release, the Pleated Playsuit. Hop over there for some more pics and best of all, the announcement that this pattern will be offered for FREE!! I've been wanting to do something special since E&E is reaching a big new milestone on Facebook and here, too! A regular giveaway that benefits only a few readers just didn't seem enough to express the gratitude I feel for the wonderful readers who have joined me on this sewing, blogging, and designing journey of mine. THANK YOU!

So, once the Facebook likes reach 1500, watch for this new pattern!

More details at Mama Says Sew.

Knock it Off - Melly Sews

2013-05-20T03:20:00.003-07:00

New week - new set of knock offs! Today's is brought to us by Melissa from Melly Sews, the talented designer behind Blank Slate Patterns, best known for the original creations she makes for her two cute boys. Head over to Melly Sews for a free tutorial and printable for this adorable Snail Pinstripe Tank.

Flickr Group Features and a Winner

2013-05-19T04:27:00.002-07:00

Some really amazing knock offs have made their way into the Knock it Off Flickr group and today it's my pleasure to feature a few of them.

House of Estrela made this adorable romper dress. Make sure to click through to the post and you'll see it really is even cuter than the original.

Love this mini Boden knock off by Handmade Martini...and she made TWO! What little boy wouldn't want one of these shirts?!

Handmade Frenzy made these super comfy & cute shorts. Love those stripes!

I immediately recognized the inspiration for this Adore Handmade knock off. It's this gorgeous gown made by Stefanie (girl.inspired.)

Compagnie M made this beautiful coat and even a free size 2 or 5 pattern to go with it!

I'm a big fan of Tea Collection clothing, and Fish Kopp re-created one of their dresses perfectly!

Thank you for sewing along and uploading your photos. I'd like to feature even more, so keep the knock offs coming!

Last but not least, one bit of business to attend to. We have a winner in Sew Pretty T-Shirt Dresses book giveaway...and the lucky lady is:

Thank you to everyone who entered.

Sew-Pretty T-Shirt Dress

2013-05-18T17:38:00.000-07:00

I recently had some fun putting together the Ship-shape dress from the Sew Pretty T-Shirt Dresses book from Sixth & Spring Books. The result is something really cute and casual that will get a lot of use through the coming months. And of course, I love that I was able to sew it from start to finish during naptime!

Today is the last day of the Sew Pretty T-Shirt Dresses book giveaway.

Click below to link to the original post and enter!

Knock if Off - you & mie

2013-05-17T04:34:00.000-07:00

Wrapping up this week's knock-offs is the incredibly talented Cherie from you & mie who's re-created this adorable mini Boden top. As you can see, she's done an amazing job, and given the option, I'd choose hers over the original easily! Head over to you & mie for more details on how you can make this super cute top!

Vintage May - a little Gatsby

2013-05-16T03:54:00.000-07:00

This post is a part of the Vintage May series hosted by Craftiness is not Optional and skirt as top...

The realm of vintage clothing is, by far, what inspires me most when it comes to designing children's clothing. The textures, the colours, the lines, the construction...all of it speaks to me in a way nothing else does. The only real challenge for me, was how to decide on a particular era when I'm in love with so many! I tend to favour the 50s: the femininity of the garments for the girls, and the little gentlemanly features for the boys. But, I decided to take a different spin, into a place & time I've often admired, but never actually re-created: the roaring 20s.

There has been a huge revival of 1920s fashion, most likely having something to do with the new movie The Great Gatsby that just hit theatres. The stunning costumes for the film were designed by Miuccia Prada.

source

But I also wanted to look further back to the originals for my inspiration and found some real gems.

source, source, source, source, source , source

And from there, I came up with my 1920s, flapper-inspired outfit: a little Gatsby.

The overlay dress is made from a dusty rose coloured voile with a very subtle stripe for the bodice, with an ivory cotton lawn for the drop-waisted skirt. It's simple design is self-drafted, and often tweaked as I sewed. One of my favourite elements of the dress happened by complete accident. When I did my first fitting on Anja, I found the dress a little too tight around her cute, toddler tummy. My solution was to cut the bodice straight down the middle, and add some of the ribbon that I had purchased for the hat. The result was a sheer front panel that created an art deco-like shape that was very typical of 20s fashion. I decided to balance out the use of the ribbon by adding a small piece of it to the back. It serves a dual purpose, not only decorative, but it also giving a bit of hold to the triangular shape of the back.

The slip is very simple and easy to make. It's made from the same ivory cotton lawn as the skirt, and is a lengthened version of this tank top tutorial, with a rolled hem.

This is the pattern I modified for the cloche hat. I love that it's a restored version of the actual original pattern. Did I imagine all the mom's who sewed from this same pattern for their little girls decades ago, as I was making mine? Maybe just a bit! :) The pattern recommended felt fabric, but I changed that by using chocolate coloured velveteen instead. It held it's shape quite well, but I chose to also add a felt lining, for even more stability.

Thank you so much Kristin and Jessica for inviting me to be a part of this amazing series! Skirt As Top and Craftiness is not Optional is where you need to be to catch all of the Vintage May fun.

Knock it Off - Sew a Straight Line

2013-05-16T03:10:00.000-07:00

Here's another fantastic knock-off for you today! This time, it's made by the amazing Sabra from Sew a Straight Line. She's done an entire re-creation of an American Outfitters ensemble for boys that's just perfect for summer. To get more details on how you can make this cool outfit for the little man in your life, head over to Sew a Straight Line.

Knock it Off - SewVery

2013-05-15T03:15:00.001-07:00

The knock-off of the day is made by the super talented Veronica who blogs over at SewVery. She sews such beautiful outfits for her children! Veronica's readers selected this dress by voting for it on her Knock it Off Pinterest board. Great choice, and it turned out lovely, Veronica! Click over to SewVery for more.

Flip This Pattern

2013-05-14T06:23:00.000-07:00

It's a series, it's a competition, it's a sew-along...it's just plain awesome! Flip this Pattern is a YEAR-LONG EVENT hosted by the amazing sewing sisters Ashley and Emily, over at FrancesSuzanne and I am so incredibly excited to be a part of it that I can hardly contain myself!

Here's the idea: twelve patterns have been selected to be 'flipped' (remixed, embellished, made-over, etc.) by three or four guest bloggers each month. Anyone at home who chooses to sew-along can add their own 'flip' to the linky party. Near the end of each the month, YOU will vote on your favourite guest blogger 'flip', and WE, the guest bloggers, will vote for our favourite sew-along 'flip'. Then, those winning 'flippers' will win fun prizes! Sound awesome?! I know!!!

Here's what a typical month will look like in FrancesSuzanne's words:

"Final week of the preceding month: discount codes available for the flipped pattern, giveaways of the pattern, and prizes announced for the guest contributor and sew-along winner
{*offers and prizes will vary each month....}

First Wednesday of the month: sew-along linky party opens

Following 3-4 Thursdays (depending on the calendar): guest contributors share a 'flipped version' of the given pattern

Friday (following the final guest contributor's flipped version): public voting of the guest contributors' creations; sew-along linky party closes

Sunday: public voting ends

Final Tuesday of the month: Winners announced

**And the cycle continues with the next month's pattern!"

Here are the patterns that have been selected:

(Bubble Pocket Shorts makers out there...get ready for June!!)

And here are the guest contributors:

(yes, yours truly will be flipping the lovely yet-to-be-released Tinny pattern

by StraightGrain in August)

Mommy's Apron Strings | Winter Wonderings | doguincho | SoCalSewingMom | nest full of eggs

cathgrace | Welcome to the Mouse House | S is for Sewing | Sewing Like Mad | Elegance & Elephants | Call ajaire Little Kids Grow | Daisy Chain Creations | Once Upon a Notion | Handmade Martini | iCandy handmade | you & mie If only they would Nap | Foster Ramblings | Designs by Sessa | Shaffer Sisters {Jo} | greendoodle | Shaffer Sisters {Al} Siestas & Sewing | mama says sew | Sewing Mama RaeAnna | sewVery | Nap Time Crafters | {lbg studio} Shaffer Sisters {Scary} | Sweeter Than Cupcakes | Once Upon a Sewing Machine | Crafty Cupboard | The Powell Family

Head over to FrancesSuzanne for a more detailed explanation of the event,
and get ready to do some 'flipping'!!

Knock it Off - Sumo's Sweet Stuff

2013-05-14T03:24:00.000-07:00

It's an honour to have the incredibly talented Summer from Sumo's Sweet Stuff participating in the series and sharing her knock-off skills. I just love this beautiful classic eyelet dress she's created. Head over to Sumo's Sweet Stuff to see just how she did it!

Knock if Off - Sweeter Than Cupcakes

2013-05-13T03:55:00.000-07:00

Starting off this new week of knock-offs, is the very talented Courtney from Sweeter Than Cupcakes. She's the mom to two beautiful girls, who taught herself to sew when her oldest was a baby. I'm beyond thrilled to have her sharing this Mini-Boden-inspired skirt for the series. Head over to Sweeter Than Cupcakes for details on how she made it, plus a full tutorial for size 5.

Sew Pretty T-Shirt Dresses Blog Tour and Giveaway

2013-05-12T03:37:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the “Sew Pretty T-Shirt Dresses” blog tour, featuring finished projects and giveaways from Sweet Seams’ latest book. The designers over at NYC-based Sweet Seams wanted to create a collection of fast, fun, and inexpensive dresses to make for their daughters, granddaughters, nieces and god-daughters. The dresses, which all start with a simple T-shirt, were inspired by all the little girls in their lives who feel special in projects that were made especially for them. Crafters can upcycle any T-shirt, maybe even an old favorite that doesn’t quite have the same fit anymore or one that’s stained near the hem. With 28 very different styles to choose from, anyone can find a design that fits the little girl in their own life.

When Sixth & Spring Books recently invited me to participate in this tour, I was eager be a part of it and promote this great book. I love projects that are quick & easy-to-make, and this book is full of great ideas that allow you to not only make use of an existing t-shirt (can't get much easier than that!) but then, to customize the garment with your own fabric choices and embellishments. The designs are for girls ages 2 to 8 and range from party dresses to tunics. There really is something for everyone in this book!

Images from Sew Pretty T-Shirt Dresses by Sweet Seams Studio, published by Sixth&Spring Books. Photography by Dan Howell and dress design and instructions copyright © 2013 by Sixth&Spring Books/Soho Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

One lucky E&E reader is going to receive a copy of Sew Pretty T-Shirt Dresses from Sixth & Spring Books! Enter with Rafflecopter below and earn up to four chances to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Continue the tour (or catch-up on anything you missed) to see more finished projects, reviews, and giveaways:

May 5

Nouveau Stitch will feature a finished project, “Flirty Shirt”

Just Pure Lovely will host a giveaway

The Crafty Princess Diaries will host a giveaway

May 6

Crafting A Green World will feature a finished project, “Cool Water”

Stitched by Crystal will feature a project for her 9-month-old

May 7

Prudent Baby will review and host a giveaway (71,674 UV)

House of 34 will host a giveaway

May 8

Smashed Peas and Carrots will feature a finished project, “Bubble Tea”

Simply Modern Mom will review and might do a project

May 9

Marsha’s Spot will feature a finished project, “Patchwork of Art” and host a giveaway

Sew Spoiled will review the book

May 10

Dollar Store Crafts will review the book

Only From Scratch will feature a project

May 11

Wild Olive will feature a finished project

Positively Splendid will feature a finished project

May 12

On the Laundry Line will feature a finished project

Elegance and Elephants will host a giveaway

May 13

Luvinthemommyhood will review and host a giveaway

My Little Gems will host a giveaway

Knock it Off - Frances Suzanne

2013-05-10T02:55:00.000-07:00

I could go on and on about how much I love the creations made by Ashley & Emily from FrancesSuzanne. It seems everything they make for their adorable nieces is straight out of a high-end, designer boutique. Here's a perfect Mini Boden knock off they've created and not only are they showing how they made this beautifully embellished skirt, they treating us to a free downloadable pattern (any size!), too! Don't miss this one....head over to FrancesSuzanne...now! :)

Hello, Elegance and Elephants readers! What stellar knock-offs shown thus far in the series, and the month is so young....The inspiration is blowing us away, and our sewing to-do list keeps getting longer and longer!!

Today, we'd like to share with you our knock off of the Mini Boden Embellished Summer Skirt.

Head on over to our blog to see how we did it, as well as find a free, downloadable pattern tutorial: our "GIFT" to you...

Knock it Off - Sew Country Chick

2013-05-09T05:36:00.000-07:00

Here's another great knock-off! This time, it's by the fabulous Justine from Sew Country Chick. When I think of chic, classic clothing creations (whoa, there's some alliteration!), Justine always comes to mind. This gorgeous dress is yet another example of why. And is it just me, or are all these knock-offs better than the originals?!? More details at Sew Country Chick.

So cute!!

Knock it Off - Little Kids Grow

2013-05-08T03:43:00.003-07:00

Got a treat for you today. Another boy knock off and it's cool! Like - super modern with a major 70s throw-back style cool! Shannon from Little Kids Grow is an inspiration on so many levels and if you don't follow her blog, you may want to start because she's going to be launching original patterns soon! I just can't get enough of her designs (and her beautiful children!). Little Kids Grow is the place to go for more details on this amazing look!

My favorite part of creating patterns for kids has to be the research. I love looking at clothes from the past up to the present and trying to figure out how I can twist them up to add a bit of today or yesteryear to them. When I saw these coveralls from Blu Pony Vintage, I knew I'd found my blank canvas.

What started out as a mirror knock off, morphed into an unexpected flashback that I'm absolutely giddy about! Come by Little Kids Grow to see how I was able to add my own vintage spin to this super cute jumpsuit.

Knock it Off - CailaMade

2013-05-07T03:28:00.001-07:00

I'm so excited about today's knock it off because it's for boys! YAY! Oh, and of course, because it's by none other than the reigning Sew-vivor champion, Caila (which she won with a boy's look, I might add). I think it's tougher to do a good boy's knock-off since there are a lot less options out there - especially ones that are unique in some way. But Caila's choice of Quiksilver is a great idea. Head over to CailaMade for more details.

Knock it Off - Alida Makes

2013-05-06T03:05:00.000-07:00

A new week, another set of knock offs. Today, it's Alida, who re-creates Mini Boden so well, her version could easily be sold right along side the original. In fact, personally, I like Alida's more! For more details head over to Alida Makes.

Knock it Off - Daisy Chain Creations

2013-05-03T03:06:00.004-07:00

Want to see how Sally knocked off a look from one of the priciest French children's boutiques? You'll want to head over to Daisy Chain Creations to see more...it's fabulous!

And you won't want to miss next week's line-up: Alida Makes, CailaMade, Little Kids Grow, Sew Country Chick, and FrancesSuzanne. What a group of absolute sewing all-stars!

Sally here from Daisy Chain Creations. I'm so excited to be participating in Heidi's Knock It Off series again. It's fun to make something for so much less.

Summer is all about casual and comfortable, so this time around I went with a look that fit the bill.

My daughter requested shorts and a shirt. I found this look at Bonpoint. Go ahead and look...I dare you, and then convert those Euros to dollars.

The shorts and the shirt alone will run you $300!

Now here is my look that cost me about $5.

Head on over to Daisy Chain Creations to see how I managed that and my hack job of a pair of women's size 16 pants to get the shorts.

Knock it Off - My Inner Need to Create

2013-05-02T03:26:00.000-07:00

For Day 2 of the series, Jessica from My Inner Need to Create, shows how she made these incredibly beautiful flower dresses for her girls (yes, she made TWO of them!). I love how despite not choosing the design herself, she figured out a way to re-create it. Head over there to see how.

Knock it Off - Winter Wonderings, Wanderings, and Whatnot

2013-05-01T03:41:00.002-07:00

It's Day 1 of the Knock it Off series here at E&E, and kicking things off, is the amazing Suzanne who's treating us to a beautifully made Gap replica. It's perfection is no wonder, since pretty much anything and everything she makes for her adorable children is flawless! Here's a little peek of what she's sharing over at her blog, Winter Wonderings, Wanderings, and Whatnot:

It is that time again... the time to find something you love and say - I can make that - the time to KNOCK IT OFF!

Come on over to the blog to see how this year I knock off Gap...

Knock it Off Starts Tomorrow!

2013-04-30T07:13:00.000-07:00

The Knock it Off series starts tomorrow, and from what I've already seen from the participants, I can promise that it's going to be an awesome month here at E&E. Be prepared to be inspired to find creative ways to knock off great looks at a fraction of what they'd normally cost you!

So, what is a knock off, anyway? Well, according to Merriam-Webster, it's:

knockoff

\ˈnäk-ˌȯf\

a copy that sells for less than the original; broadly : a copy or imitation of someone or something popular

While we're not intending to sell the items we're making, we definitely like the idea of dressing our children in clothing for less, made with love!

Here are some great knock-offs I've come across recently...

Jojo and Eloise

Craftiness is not Optional

The Crafty Woman

Awesome, right?!

And if you missed the line-up, here are the incredibly talented participants ready to share their expertise all month long:

Don't forget to sew-along!
Here's a button to add to your sidebar

<div align="center"><a href="http://www.eleganceandelephants.com" title="Elegance & Elephants"><img src="http://i1240.photobucket.com/albums/gg498/EleganceandElephants/knockitoffbutton_zps5502802f.jpg" alt="Elegance & Elephants" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

I'll be featuring your creations during the series as well!
Here are some sweet outfits already added to the

Boy, Oh Boy, Oh Boy!

low beam studios

Coco Sews