Yes, it’s true!  In the early hours of this morning, my first email received, I heard from another generous DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER 2018 PRIZE SPONSOR!  (As usual, click on their names for a “bee-line” to their shops!)

Style Arc

Style ARC – donating a gift voucher worth AUS $50

Style ARC joins our other generous PRIZE SPONSORS …

Andrie Designs

Andrie Designs – PDF pattern bundle of 3 bag patterns

Emmaline Bags

Emmaline Bags – one PDF pattern of the winner’s choice

@FiberstoFabric (Instagram)

Fibers to Fabric – gift certificate worth USD $25, along with goods worth USD $25 chosen by Fibers to Fabric

Funky Monkey Fabrics

Funky Monkey Fabrics – gift certificate worth CAN $25

Helen’s Closet

Helen’s Closet – one PDF pattern of the winner’s choice

Itch to Stitch

Itch to Stitch – two PDF patterns for two winners to choose

JCVArtStudio (Instagram)

JCV Art Studio – pack of 10 art cards with envelopes

Sewing Patterns by Mrs. H

Sewing Patterns by Mrs. H – one PDF pattern of the winner’s choice

Named Patterns

Named Patterns – one PDF pattern of the winner’s choice

Nice dress!  Thanks, I made it!!

Nice dress! Thanks, I made it!! – a mystery sewing grab bag

Pauline Alice Sewing Patterns

Pauline Alice Sewing Patterns – one PDF pattern of the winner’s choice

SBCC Patterns

Skinny Bitch Curvy Chick Patterns – one PDF pattern of the winner’s choice

Sense & Sensibility

Sense & Sensibiliity – one PDF pattern of the winner’s choice and one Vintage ebook

Vintage Pattern Lending Library (Etsy)

Vintage Pattern Lending Library (Etsy) – gift certificate worth USD $25

Now, just in case this is the last post you read before you start your Designer me-made Copy, let me go over the details just one more time!

WHAT IS THE DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER CHALLENGE?

We have all seen something we LOVE either in the stores, online or on the runways, but don’t actually want to buy for some reason.  So I propose that we sew that garment that we see/want.  Now if you are lucky and you already have an exact pattern, either an indie pattern, your own self-drafted, or a “Big 4” pattern, that you can use – then go for it!  If you have to alter a pattern that you already have, or draft your own pattern, you can do that too.  Whatever works for you.  Let’s make what we see and want!  (Remember Vintage Designer fashion is allowed too!)  Good luck in your search!  😁👍

Show us your Designer Original photo and how you put together your Designer me-made COPY.

“Why buy when you can make it yourself – better and for less money?”

Looking for more ideas?  Check out my “DESIGNER FASHION” Pinterest board here, OR on Facebook, join the DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER Group (closed group).   (Find it through my Facebook page.).  Where will you find your inspiration?

How to participate in DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER:

• On your blog post a photo of your Designer Original and your Designer me-made COPY, mentioning DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER in your post with a link back to here, so other’s can join in.
• OR on IG post a photo of your Designer Original and your Designer me-made COPY,  tagging it #DESIGNINDECEMBER and follow/tag @nicedressthanksimadeit.  Don’t forget to follow/tag our wonderful PRIZE SPONSORS!
• OR on Twitter post a photo of your Designer Original and your Designer me-made COPY, tagging it #DESIGNINDECEMBER and follow/tag @LindaMNicedress.
• OR send your email address to me at imadeit362436 (at) gmail (dot) com and I’ll send you an invite to join the “DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER” Pinterest board here so you can add your Designer Original  and your Designer me-made COPY to the board.
• OR on Facebook, join the DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER Group (closed group).  You will be able to post your questions, comments, progress, and your Designer  Original and your Designer me-made COPY.  We post inspiration too!
• Don’t forget to leave a comment here on my blog and I’ll post your Designer Original and your Designer me-made COPY for you on my blog in DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER, with a link back to you – whether you have made it already, are in the process of making it, or plan on making it… let me know!
• Don’t forget to share a comment or two with your other DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER Challengers.  Everyone loves comments!

Download this year’s LOGO now and then upload it onto your social media.

How to be eligible for prizes in DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER:

If you would like a chance to win FAB prizes from our generous sponsors, you’ll need to SHARE your Designer Original and your Designer me-made COPY with us like this:

• On my blog:  Follow “Nice dress!  Thanks, I made it!!” and leave a comment that you are joining in and I’ll post your Designer Original and your Designer me-made COPY for you on my blog in DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER, with a link back to you.
• Then on your blog:  post a photo of your Designer Original and your Designer me-made COPY, mentioning DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER in your post with a link back to here so other’s can join in.
• There’s another chance to win on Instagram:  share a photo of your Designer Original and your Designer me-made COPY tagging them #DESIGNINDECEMBER and follow/tag @nicedressthanksimadeit.  Don’t forget to follow/tag our wonderful PRIZE SPONSORS! 
• After DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER, there will be a vote for the blog entries and a vote for the Instagram entries.  Two possible chances to win, one prize per winner.

Only entries using the above two methods (blog and/or Instagram) will be entered into the competition. Closing date for entries is 31st December 2018 Midnight GMT.

Happy Sewing!

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This is going to be a LOOONG post!  This year, I’m so pleased at the number, and the variety, of prize donations that have been offered up by our DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER 2018 PRIZE SPONSORS!  I must admit this is my favourite post of the year – these PRIZE SPONSORS just brighten up my blog!  

No more delay – our DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER 2018 PRIZE SPONSORS in alphabetical order.  (Check out their websites too – click on their names – browse around, pick out the prize you want to win!) Continue reading →

I was so pleased to see so many lovely Designer me-made Copies entered this year!  22 sewists posted on their blogs, 35 on their Instagram accounts, and of those 18 posted on both to increase their chances!  I thank you all for planning and sewing and joining in, and thank you to those who followed along and voted!  A special thank you to our PRIZE SPONSORS!  Didn’t we have fun!  🎉🕺💃🎊

Everyone had the chance for two entries if they followed my blog and my Instagram.  The IG “likes’ were easy to see, but the blog votes were hidden from everyone.  I only just looked myself tonight!  If someone won on both my blog and my Instagram, I gave them the win where they had more votes and then was able to add on another winner – one prize per sewist!

Our PRIZE SPONSORS generously donated ten prizes, which were chosen blindly and randomly, from:

Itch to Stitch – two PDF patterns of the winner’s choice

Vintage Pattern Lending Library (Etsy) – gift certificate worth USD $25

Skinny Bitch Curvy Chick Patterns – one PDF pattern of the winner’s choice

Paprika Patterns

Sense & Sensibiliity – one PDF pattern of the winner’s choice and one Vintage ebook

Named Patterns – one PDF pattern of the winner’s choice

JCVArtStudio

Nice dress! Thanks, I made it!! – a mystery sewing grab bag

Well you have had plenty of time to look over the Designer Originals and Designer me-made Copies so let’s just get right to it!  

Continue reading →

“Why buy when you can make it yourself – better and for less money?”

For an incredibly long time I have been disappointed with the choices, quality and sizing of ready-to-wear.  For years now my idea of shopping, online or in the stores, is to browse or fondle and get ideas for what I can make for myself.  

RTW just doesn’t stand up to Handmade anymore.  The landfills are full of unwanted clothes.  Now I am hearing of textiles that are treated with chemicals (why?) before they are made into RTW fashions.  (What is happening here?)

So now we have the DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER Challenge – find something you like, a Designer Original, and COPY it.  Let’s see your Designer me-made Copy!

Here are our DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER Challengers, in no particular order:

The Petite Cat

The Sewing Goatherd

Steely Seamstress

Sewanneuk

Paisley Pirouette

Kloonpatrone

Fadanista

Vintage Sewing Machines

Elle Gee Makes

Valentine & Stitch

Mahlica Designs

Life in a “Mads” House

Sewing à la carte

Seam Racer

Mumokio

The Pretty & The Kitsch

Belle Citadel

Corecouture

Dream Cut Sew

Emma and her Machine

Mema

Creations by Paula

Who do you think was most successful in making a Designer me-made COPY of their DESIGNER ORIGINAL?  Let’s pick the DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER 2017 WINNERS.

The top five Challengers in this poll will win one of the 10 randomly selected prizes – the other five random prizes will be given to the top five Challengers in the #designindecember Instagram vote.  You might see some entries in both places, on the blog and on Instagram, but it will still be one prize per sewist.

Poll results will be hidden.  The winner will be announced in 1 week, after the poll closes Monday, January 8, 2017.  

I want to say “Thank you” to our generous DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER SPONSORS!

Itch to Stitch – two PDF patterns of the winner’s choice

JCVArtStudio

Named Patterns – one PDF pattern of the winner’s choice

Paprika Patterns

Skinny Bitch Curvy Chick Patterns – one PDF pattern of the winner’s choice

Vintage Pattern Lending Library (Etsy) – gift certificate worth USD $25

Sense & Sensibiliity – one PDF pattern of the winner’s choice and one Vintage ebook

Nice dress! Thanks, I made it!! – a mystery sewing grab bag

Now for the voting:

NOTE:  With the Instagram vote, I am going to re-post each of the 35 Designer me-made Copies again separately and in no particular order – so please wait until you see them all before you vote.

HOLD ON!  You couldn’t get your sewing and posting done before the DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER 2017 deadline?  Let me know and I’ll include you in DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER 2018!  (Yes, I will be back again next year!  Will you?)

REMEMBER: Just by participating in DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER you are already a WINNER because you have a Designer me-made Copy – better and for less!

Good luck!

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to all the DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER CHALLENGERS, SPONSORS and those in the AUDIENCE!  

To our CHALLENGERS, some of whom might be here for the first time and some of whom have been here before, I’d like to say thank you for participating and sharing your Designer me-made Copies!  I hope you have enjoyed it as much as me!

To our generous PRIZE SPONSORS!  I’d like to give you honourable mention and a proper introduction … 

Itch to Stitch has generously donated ONE pattern of the winner’s choice from the Itch to Stitch Shop here.  Kennis Wong says her “designs are really my personal style. They are modern and elegant. Perhaps they are not always simple to sew (because I love details!), but they always have high-quality finishes. Of course I want them to fit well; that’s why most of my designs have many sizes and different cup options.”

Joannas Art and Cards is generously donating a box set of 10 Art Cards (with envelopes) measuring 5 x 7 inches.  Take a peek at Joanna’s Etsy shop here or her Instagram account @jvandervlugt_illustrations.  Joanna has sold her art and cards around the world from Germany, to North Hollywood, California, to Francisco Beltrao, Brazil. Joanna enjoys illustrating vehicles with a preference for European sportscars, but she loves illustrating motorcycles, especially Café Racers. She has had the pleasure of illustrating a professional motorcycle rider from the Brazilian Ruma Na Stradaracing team, as well as the 8th-place finisher in the 2017 BMW GS Challenge, this illustration is a featured card in the set.

Sense & Sensibility Patterns has kindly donated ONE ePattern to the winner.  Their website is here.  Jennie says “Many customers had asked me to sell copies of the patterns I created to make their outfits. At first I wasn’t sure about drafting patterns for a wide range of standard sizes, but I finally took the plunge in 1998, publishing my “Regency Gown Pattern”.  The immediate success of that pattern convinced me that there was a market for wearable, historical patterns that evoke the grace and charm of times past, and that’s when Sense & Sensibility Patterns was born.”

Vintage Pattern Lending Library has generously donated THREE $25 Gift Certificates.  Here’s their Etsy Shop.  Deirdre says “Since 1998, The Vintage Pattern Lending Library has been home to a continuously expanding collection of over 10,000 historic sewing and needlework patterns, rare publications, and other fashion related materials dated from the 1840s through the 1950s. The archives contain materials from countries around the world.  Our mission is to return as many of these items as possible into public access, so that anyone with a love for historic fashion can experience them as close to the originals as is possible.”

Skinny Bitch Curvy Chick Patterns has donated ONE PDF pattern.  Their website is here.  Betsy says SBCC Patterns “gives me an outlet for my own personal expression and OCD of making things. I am fit obsessed and have a general preoccupation with perfectionism. I get a genuine thrill out of grading patterns and studying sizes for practical application.” 

Paprika Patterns has donated ONE pattern of the winner’s choice, take a browse through at their website here.  Lisa and Stef want us to know that “Our patterns are designed with a busy woman in mind. She doesn’t want to feel restricted by what she’s wearing, she needs to be able to move around. Whether she is meeting with friends in the city or feeding the chickens in the backyard, she wants comfort and style. Her clothes are her way to express her individuality.”

Named Patterns has donated ONE PDF pattern to the winner.  Have a browse through their shop for all your options here!  From the website:  “Named garments are a combination of Scandinavian clean-lined simplicity and interesting details. The aim of the collections is to bring a new perspective to making one’s own clothes and to support ethical and ecological consuming in contrast to a clothing industry focused on fast fashion. Self-made clothing also allows for freedom of choice; by choosing one’s colors and materials and by changing garment details, the customer can be part of the design process. If dressing is a way to express oneself then self-made clothes are self-expression at its best.”

Last of all, we have Nice dress!  Thanks, I made it!! (and you know me!)

Good luck to all the Designin’ December 2017 Challengers.  You can cast your vote for the 22 blogger entries (so far) on my next post.  Then I will repost on my Instagram all of the 35 Instagram entries (so far) and you can vote with your “likes” there.  Voting will be open for one week only.

Please note as the #designindecember hashtag is full of lovely photos and ideas, past and present, it might not be clear who is in the running, so I will repost on my own Instagram, tagging the Challenger.  Please also note I will be setting my Instagram account to private so only my Instagram followers can vote.  (Unfortunately, I have had to screen a few unwanted followers lately.)

Happy Sewing and Happy New Year!

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I suppose everyone is waiting for fireworks, like me, or watching them or going home after watching them, depending on time zones, so I will be brief.  I have less than 3 hours to midnight here.

We have another Designin’ December Challenger on the blogs and a new one to me:

Creations by Paula on her blog here and also on Instagram @creationsbypaulamu.  Take a look at her Designer Original and her Designer me-made Copy.

Also on Instagram, we have THREE more Instagram entries!!!

@theladydeejay

@thimble.pleasures

@velvetribbon_sew

Get the whole story on their Instagrams, and on the #DESIGNINDECEMBER hashtag too!

Have you got a favourite designer? A favourite designer garment that you would LOVE to own but would never buy?  Find your Designer Original photo and your pattern, and make your Designer me-made Copy!  

WHAT IS THE DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER CHALLENGE?

We have all seen something we LOVE either in the stores, online or on the runways, but don’t actually want to buy for some reason.  So I propose that we sew that garment that we see/want.  Now if you are lucky and you already have an exact pattern, either an indie pattern, your own self-drafted, or a “Big 4” pattern, that you can use – then go for it!  Are you a fan of Vintage or Historic fashion, or Re-fashioning, you can do that too!  Whatever works for you.  Show us your Designer Original photo and how you put together your Designer me-made COPY.

“Why buy when you can make it yourself – better and for less money?”

HOW TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR PRIZES?

• Follow my blog either by WordPress, Bloglovin, email, etc. and leave a comment that you wish to join DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER.  I will share all entries on my blog in December, for community voting in January, linking back to you.
• On your blog post a photo of your Designer Original and your Designer me-made COPY, mentioning DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER with a link back to here, so other’s can join.
• AND/OR on your Instagram post a photo of your Designer Original and your Designer me-made COPY,  tagging it #DESIGNINDECEMBER and follow @nicedressthanksimadeit.

REMEMBER we especially want to see your DESIGNER ORIGINAL and YOUR DESIGNER me-made COPY!  Only entries shared on blogs AND/OR Instagram will be entered.  One entry, with as many pieces as you like, per sewist.  Only one prize per sewist/winner.

The sewing and posting deadline is December 31, 2017 and winners will be voted on and announced the beginning of January 2018 (dates to come yet).  Winners will be chosen by community vote.  Voters should select the entry that best expresses the spirit of DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER!

5 FABULOUS (randomly selected) prizes for Instagram winners who follow @nicedressthanksimadeit tagging #DESIGNINDECEMBER and 5 FABULOUS (randomly selected) prizes for blog winners who follow “Nice dress!  Thanks, I made it!!” and  mention DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER on their own blogs.

Thank you to our generous sponsors:

Itch to Stitch has generously donated ONE pattern of the winner’s choice from the Itch to Stitch Shop here.

Joannas Art and Cards is generously donating a box set of 10 Art Cards (with envelopes) measuring 5 x 7 inches.  (Joanna apologizes – there was a mis-count and the box holds 10, not 12 Cards as previously stated.)  Take a peek at Joanna’s Etsy shop here.

Sense & Sensibility Patterns has kindly donated ONE ePattern to the winner.  Their website is here.

Vintage Pattern Lending Library has generously donated THREE $25 Gift Certificates.  Here’s their Etsy Shop.

Skinny Bitch Curvy Chick Patterns has donated ONE PDF pattern.  Their website is here.

Paprika Patterns has donated ONE pattern of the winner’s choice, take a browse through at their website here.

Named Patterns has donated ONE PDF pattern to the winner.  Have a browse through their shop for all your options here!

And me, Nice dress!  Thanks, I made it!!  I will be donating a “Mystery Grab Bag” sewing related, of course!

Happy Sewing!

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Designin’ December has found some bloggers that are new to me –

The Petite Cat with her RED Valentino Designer Original …

and The Sewing Goatherd with her Gucci Designer Original …

and their Designer me-made Copies …

Continue reading →