Welcome AllFreeSewing fans!

I am so honored to be the featured designer in AllFreeSewing's Sew It Up newsletter today! Normally I'd make some home made lemon cake or chocolate gooey butter cookies for company but since I can't share with you all and would end up eating the whole batch myself and getting my monitor all smeary in the process, how about some quick links to my free tutorials here on the blog and a coupon code for my downloadable sewing patterns?

That's what I hoped you'd say!

FREE TUTES:

Photo Pocket Flag Banner Bunting Tutorial

Free Baby Knot Hat Pattern and Tutorial

Free Sewn Armwarmers Tutorial

Free Christmas Stocking Pattern and Tutorial

How to Make a Petal Tee with a Die Cut Machine

How to Dry & Store Lavender/
How to Sew Quick Lavender Sachets

How to Add Chin Straps to Your Tie Dye Diva Sunny Day Sun Hat

How to Add Reindeer Antlers to your Tie Dye Diva Fun Fleece Animal Hat + Pattern

And for downloadable sewing patterns for baby, children, home and more, all with computer-drafted, full-sized printable pattern pieces and step-by-step photographed and diagrammed instructions, please visit www.tiedyedivapatterns.com and help yourself to a helping of discount code GOOEYBUTTER for 15% off any PDF sewing patterns, through Sunday 8/28.

What a feelin' ... it's the comeback of the Handkerchief Hem!

OK, say "handkerchief hem" to most people and they will wrinkle their noses and sing something from "Flashdance". But I started seeing them everywhere, now and again just turned a little and called sharkbite hems. I was intrigued by the playful style with its beautiful movement. The pattern designer in me started dreaming of a new pattern and this is what I made.

Photo by A Hope and a Wish Photography

I added a second layer for modesty and extra poof, and ran with the romantic theme by adding a lace-up bodice and big sash bow that also serves to fasten the shoulder straps. So if you've been wanting to know how to sew a handkerchief hem, or needed a handkerchief hem dress pattern for your little girl that could be worn without leg warmers and an off the shoulder sweatshirt, here you go. I hope you love it as much as I do.





And because if I had a dime for every time I've been asked what fabrics I used, I could outfit my entire town in legwarmers, they are Michael Miller's Sweet Flower Fairies Roses print and Kaufman Pimatex dots in Sky.

You can purchase my Fairytale Dress handkerchief hem dress pattern in downloadable PDF format at www.tiedyedivapatterns.com.

How to Tie a Sash Bow

A few of my designs include sashes that look best when tied in a proper sash bow. For years I have been referring people to the Ann Taylor website for their fabulous diagram showing how to tie a sash bow. Recently, the link ( http://www.anntaylor.com/catalog/e ditorial.jsp?pageName=StyleAdvice
&) has ceased to work. I hope it is helpful if I repost the diagram here, as it originally appeared on the Ann Taylor website. This diagram is not my creation, it is from the Ann Taylor website.

Image from Ann Taylor website

This week's Tie Dye Diva Patterns Designer Spotlight!

Twice a month, the Diva turns the spotlight on a few of the talented designers who start their creations with Tie Dye Diva PDF sewing patterns. I am in love with this week's designers and their creations!

Lil Liza Lou is a regular sewing machine! I love seeing what she comes up with nearly every day. This is one of my favorites made with the Ruffled Baby Bubble Romper. Trés chic, no? She makes the hairbows too, this one from Birdsong Bows' mini boutique bow tutorial. So talented! See the rest of her creations and give her some Facebook fan love at her fan page: Lil Liza Lou.

Photo by Lil Liza Lou

Kim from Eggo in the Oven does such a great job of mixing and matching fabrics! I adore the oversized button on this girly-camo Open Back Baby Dress pattern and Ruffled Diaper Cover pattern set! She sells directly from her Facebook fan page Eggo in the Oven.

Photo by Eggo in the Oven

CookYouSomeNoodles on etsy has me beaming! How much fun did this little guy have posing for the photos of this dino/dragon hat made with my Animal Chinstrap Hat pattern? This designer also makes the chicken-style chinstrap hat, and sews with my ruffled nappy cover pattern and ruffled baby romper pattern. Her etsy shop is chock full of other beautiful goodies for children.You can see the full dino hat listing here.

Photo by CookYouSomeNoodles

Thank you so much to these designers for sewing with and crediting my patterns. I'll be scouting Facebook, etsy and beyond for more super designs made with Tie Dye Diva patterns. The Designer Spotlight is for designers who credit my patterns in their listings. Feel free to give me a shout out via the Tie Dye Diva Facebook Fan Page if you sew with Tie Dye Diva Patterns and credit my patterns in your listing and would like to be included!

Discount Code for Instant Download PDF Patterns!

If you've purchased PDF patterns from my etsy shop, you know I promise 8-hour delivery of your PDF patterns but often I send within an hour, or even minutes if I happen to be at the computer when your order comes in! And there's a good chance of that, ask my family.

For a few days August 8 - August 12 I'll have intermittent internet access and though I will still send etsy orders within 8 hours, I won't be my usual speedy self. So, for patterns NOW, be sure to visit my instant download PDF sewing pattern site, www.tiedyedivapatterns.com. The site has my full range of PDF patterns for baby, child, home and more, and your PDF arrives in your inbox immediately upon purchase. To sweeten the deal, here's a discount code for 15% off, good 8/8-8/12: SEWNOW15. Coupon expires midnight EST 8/12/11. Feel free to share! To be clear, this code is good on my instantly downloadable pattern site www.tiedyedivapatterns.com only, not on etsy.

Snooze while you wait for your etsy order this week, you'll have time.
Photo by Butterfly Chaser Photography