First Day, First Grade

And just like that my favorite blog distraction is off to school!

Izzy Top -- Free Pattern Summer!

I've been struggling to get my motivation back since returning from a lovely vacation...last month. But I've fallen in love with the idea of sewing free patterns this summer: patterns that can be found around the interwebs and even some new ones floating around in my head. Let's kick this off with the ubiquitous Izzy Top by Climbing the Willow.

Under-Skirt Legging Shorts: Reliable Tutorials & Patterns

I spent my elementary years in a school uniform, in a skirt and knee socks. I never wore anything special underneath the skirt. But these days I prefer to send my daughter out of the house with a pair of, let's call them, modesty-shorts whenever she sports a skirt. But what pattern to use?

Spring/Summer Wardrobe Staples

Last Spring I recreated one of our favorite hand-me-down outfits. All Summer it was the first outfit we reached for every time it was clean. This year, I made two more.

Quick Notes on Summer Sewing

Summer is kicking my newbie blogger butt! I had grand plans all prettily organized on an editorial calendar, and then Summer actually happened. Yikes! All of a sudden it feels very obvious that I've been doing this blogging thing less than a year. Yesterday I had scheduled to share The Peanut's new backpack. It currently looks like this. I'm learning a lot about what NOT to do as a full-time blogger when school is not in session. Hopefully I'll be able to actually apply those lessons in the future. Right now I'm just pushing on until Labor Day weekend. In the meantime I'm also making sure we enjoy Summer: swimming, and train rides, and popsicles, and tricycles.

Why yes, I did sew that swim suit!

In between I've eked out some sewing, too. 

Muse of the Morning Girl's Tee Reviewed

When I started blogging I really thought I'd be on my own island in the vast sea of the internet, sending out messages in a bottle hoping someone, anyone would read them. I still get a thrill just seeing that people are reading (and following!). But when I'm contacted to participate in a blog hop or review a pattern, I'm downright flattered. That's not to say I'm easy, I still choose reviews and group activities carefully and thoughtfully. When I was asked to review a pattern from Muse of the Morning, I admit I wasn't familiar with Chrissy's patterns. So I went and had a look. I immediately saw a great opportunity to mix a utilitarian gray knit with feminine shoulders on the Practically Perfect Girl's Tee Shirt. When something like that pops into my head so quickly and easily, I go with it. I love it when it comes out even better than I first saw in my mind's eye.

Perfect Party Dress? Perfect Play Dress.

I believe the strength of a good pattern is in the flexibility and in the finishing. The Perfect Party Dress has both in spades. That's why I'm really excited to be part of the Tie Dye Diva Perfect Party Dress Blog Hop hosted by Kathy of Handmade Dress Haven. If the hop brought you here and this is your first time visiting The Inspired Wren, welcome! Take a look around and you'll see I sew a lot of clothes for my five year-old Peanut, crochet a little here and there, share a new sewing tutorial every first-Tuesday of the month, and host Inspire Us Thursdays: Sew Needle Stitch Hook, a fiber-niche link party each Thursday. 

But today let's talk about this Perfect Party Dress. It really is perfect. Usually the first time I sew a pattern, I follow the directions exactly. But this is such a classic silhouette with beautifully clear pattern directions that I didn't need to. It’s such a solid pattern, I’ve already sewn it twice.

One pattern. Two very different looks.

We'll Spring Break in France, s'il vous plaît

Today is a special off-schedule post so that I can share my Project Run & Play Week #2, Spring Break Challenge solution. I so wanted to get this posted on Monday, but it snowed (again!) on Sunday (March 30th! Why?!). So I gave myself grace, and time to find some sunlight for photos, and pushed this back until now.

Strolling on the Seine? Or heading for the gangway on the cruise ship?

Project Run & Play Week #2, Spring Break Challenge: Design an outfit inspired by your favorite vacation spot (or day-dreaming vacation spot).