Believe it or not, LilyGiggle was once in the business of selling soft soled baby shoes. In an effort, to keep this post from becoming a novel, I will keep the details of the transformation from shoes to patterns to a minimum, but shoes were my first love. I developed a pattern for them soon after the birth of my first daughter and LilyGiggle shoes was born in 2006.

Because of that, my friend, Asher, contacted me after returning from her life-altering first trip to Zambia in 2010 to see if I could help her come up with a shoe. She shared with me what she had seen over there and what she wanted to do about it. I was deeply moved. A simply horrible parasite, that the people call “jiggers”, has a simple cure…closed toed shoes. Asher’s dream was to put closed toed shoes on the feet of all those children. A shoe that would protect them from the awful effects of jiggers that eat away the skin and causes illness. I know that this photo is so hard to look at. What if this was your child’s foot? I can’t imagine.

I was thrilled to offer what little bit of shoemaking knowledge I had to help and, with a newborn baby on my lap, and our collective kiddos running amok, Sole Hope began as 3 mamas sat around on Asher’s living room floor surrounded by upholstery fabric and old tires. Many days were spent that way as we worked desperately to create the very first shoe.

Well, Sole Hope has come a long way, baby! From those first humble beginnings it has grown into an organization fueled by passionate, committed people who are, not only, putting closed toed shoes on African children, one pair at a time, but also helping African men and women by teaching them the simple trade of shoemaking. This gives them a sustainable income and hope for their future. After many attempts and failures we finally created a shoe design that works and is being made in Africa right now. Can you see why this excites me?

Last spring, part of the Sole Hope team made another trip to Uganda and Zambia. I made a handful of baby shoes from my old LilyGiggle shoe patterns for the team members to pass along to some needy children. It was good to make baby shoes again. This photo is so precious to me!

And this one made me just plain cry when I first received it. To think that a darling little toddler in a land that still only exists for me in my imagination is wearing a pair of shoes that will keep her healthy…and that I made them with my own two hands. How cool is that???

After their return, it was decided that we would make more baby shoes. The original design was tweaked and sewn up several times until a fresh new look was created. This new shoe became the Sole Hope Baby Shoe and is now sold here in the U.S. to raise funds for the organization. Made mostly from recycled materials, including a recycled rubber sole, each shoe is unique. They are handmade right here in the U.S. (creating jobs right here at home) and they are loaded with personality! I cannot even begin to describe how amazing it feels to know that the simple little shoe pattern that I made to put shoes on my first sweet baby girl has now been given new life and is generating income to help sustain such an awesome dream!

Here’s my newest baby girl, Hope, modeling the shoe for you. No, I did not name her after Sole Hope (she was born and named Hope just a few weeks before Sole Hope began) but it may make me like Sole Hope even more because of the name.

Look at all those cute shoes!

Okay, so why am I telling you the story of how I became involved with Sole Hope??? Well…so glad that you asked!

I want to give my readers an opportunity to act. It feels SOOO good to give. “We can do no great things, only small things with great love.”–Mother Teresa

Although, Sole Hope has grown by leaps and bounds it still has a long way to go in fully accomplishing its goals. Its potential is enormous but, like any non-profit, it needs money to get there. Right now, it has been given an AH-mazing opportunity to be awarded the money it needs to build a facility in Ndola, Zambia through a contest sponsored by Cultivate Wines. The money would go towards a building in Ndola, Zambia to serve the community there. This building would store sewing machines, materials, and finished shoes as well as provide the space needed to teach shoemaking and sanitation classes.

So what “small thing” can you do to help this cause so very dear to my heart? Well, first of all you can vote. The opportunity is a contest so Sole Hope needs votes to win. Now, the contest is full of great causes so you may find one there that you would rather vote for. I know many of you have your own worthy causes dear to your heart. What I’m asking you to do is just to go check out Sole Hope for yourself, watch the video and decide if you think it deserves to win $50,000. If you do, then, by all means…vote for it! You can vote every day until March 30th. That one minute out of your day has the potential to create long lasting effects for many people and for years to come.

Sole Hope Promo 2012 from jason garris on Vimeo.

If you have read this far…THANK YOU!!! I know this was a long post but I really did my very bestest to condense it as much as possible. I have SO much to say on this subject. Thanks so much for letting me share this with you.

You can vote by going here.

LilyGiggle now has something for Mama to rock, too! Why should the little girls have all the fun???

Introducing the Odelia Skirt!

This listing is for the all grown up version of the popular Rings-of-Ruffles skirt for little girls. This one is designed for a woman’s body with a slimmer fit and looser longer ruffles cascading down into smaller petticoat inspired ruffles at the bottom of the skirt. Why not wear something as one of a kind as you are!

This skirt is so fun to sew! Would you believe that you can create this beauty without a single bit of hand gathering? Whip it up lickety-split even without a serger or any special sewing machine feet!

Plus you get to save those ugly, outdated or messed up t-shirts from the landfill by turning them into something beautiful and oh-so-comfy to wear. These ruffles are made entirely from recycled tees!

Each LilyGiggle sewing pattern is computer drafted and color coded to make them easy to put together and to keep sizes accurate. Each PDF also includes a very detailed tutorial with lots of color photographs and diagrams demonstrating each step of creating the design. A size chart and fabric cutting layout is included. The tutorials are written with beginner seamstresses in mind, not using terminology directed only at seasoned sewists but explaining what it means to say things such as “right sides together”. My hope is to create PDFs that will take away the frustration of using a traditional big box store pattern and put the fun back into sewing. If you do get hung up on a step using one of my PDFs I am only an email away and ready to help you through it!

***This is for the PDF pattern only, not the actual “Odelia” SKIRT.

Size: 12 years-14/16 AND Misses/Woman’s sizes XS-XL

Materials:

• 1 2XL or larger t-shirt for the base (may need yardage above size M to fit)
• 3-5 additional t-shirts in varying colors/prints
• 1” elastic Thread Ball point or stretch needle for medium weight fabrics
• ***1 ¾ yard of stretch knit if buying off of the bolt for the skirt and approximately an additional 1 yard for the ruffles (you may want to break that 1 yard up into various smaller yardages of different colors/prints

The LilyGiggle Odelia Skirt
$9.95 with Instant Download

The Kaleidoscope Jacket
$7.95 with Instant Download

Is it a cape or is it a jacket? Whatever you call it, it will certainly add a punch of cuteness to any little girls wardrobe…the Kaleidoscope JACKET Pattern & Tutorial…perfect for your favorite mini princess! The Kaleidoscope JACKET has a fun swingy silhouette & asymmetrical button closure. It can be finished with one button for a more cape like quality or balance it out with a row of faux closure buttons for a double breasted jacket look. The sweetness factor hits the roof with the addition of the little puffy sleeve. Fully lined so no worries on finishing raw edges or the need for a serger and it all goes together quite simply. Only basic sewing skills are needed to sew this jacket…really!

Materials Needed:

• Sizes 2-4=1 yard (60”wide)
• Sizes 5-6=1-1/4” yard (60”wide) of fabric for outer jacket (sample is made with polar fleece but any heavier weight fabric would work…think about velveteen, corduroy, or upholstery weight fabrics)
• Sizes 2-4=1 yard (60”wide)
• Sizes 5-6=1-1/4” yard (60”wide) lining fabric (sample is made with polar fleece for a warm fluffy jacket but can also be made with a lighter weight fabric for less bulk)
• Matching thread
• ¼” wide elastic
• 1-8 large buttons (depending on the look you want and the size of the coat)

The Dreamy Days Jacket $7.95 with Instant Download

This dude, Jimmy McBride makes these incredible quilts of stellar objects – with the “Pillars of Creation” pictured – and I am IN LOVE.

At 12 large a pop, I probably won’t be sleeping under one of these bad boys – but I can certainly dream about it while I’m snuggled under the beautiful (if somewhat tattered) quilt my Aunt Elaine sent us many moons ago. It’s cosmic in it’s own way…

Check this dude out on Etsy – and check out his blog. It’s got lots of photos of his process, recipes for pickled eggs and tons of sufficiently geeky stuff. Sweet Monday! Have a great week!

The Beehive Bloomers are made to be your “go to” stretch knit pants pattern. They are designed to whip up quickly but still punch a bunch of style! I’ve included 2 patterns and tutorials in one with this one so you can make the cropped length rouchey bottom bloomers or the full length knit ruffle bottom pants…or both! Wide range of sizing from 12 months to 10 years means that this is one that you can pull out and use over and over again. Wear those dresses on the monkey bars!

This is an excellent beginner pattern…only very basic sewing skills needed. This is one of my easiest patterns.

***This is for the PDF pattern only, not the actual “Beehive Bloomers” PANTS. Size: 12months-10 years

Version 1 (Rouchey Bottom)

• 1 XL or larger T-shirt for body of pants
• (sizes above 6 will most likely need to be made from yardage)
• 1 S to XL for the contrast bottom
• Matching Thread
• Elastic Thread
• 3/4” elastic
• 4-1” buttons (optional)

If buying off of the bolt you will need 3/4 yard of fabric for pants (7/8 yd. for sizes 8-10) and ½ yard for bottom rouching for sizes 4-10 and ¼ yard for sizes12months-24 months

Version 2 (Ruffle Bottom)

Materials Needed:

• 1 XL or larger T-shirt for body of pants
• (sizes above 6 will most likely need to be made from yardage)
• 1 S to XL for the ruffles
• Matching Thread
• 3/4” elastic

If buying off of the bolt you will need 1 yard of fabric for sizes up to 6-7 and 1 ¼ yard for sizes 8-10

Beehive Bloomers Pants Pattern 12mos-10yrs $9.95 with Instant Download

Just a few more tweaks to the tutorial and it will be ready to go…yay!

HooLovesYouBaby Winner is….
JENNIFER (3rd Comment…don’t have your last name) !!!

Next up is the Bullfrogs & Butterflies Winner…
JESSICA MARKEN !!!

The lucky Nikki, In Stitches Winner is…
MONICA (25th Comment…don’t have your last name, either)!!!

Who won the Dancing Freckle prize???
SARA UPSHAW !!!

Who gets a Facebook Fan Page Makeover courtesy of my very own super hubby???
SONJA PERTEET !!!

And finally…who gets all those upcoming patterns from me???
IANA !!!

A super great big THANK YOU for all of you who took the time to enter and share…I really do know how incredibly blessed I am to have such amazing customers and LilyGiggle fans. You all are THE BEST!

I will be sending each winner an email so if your name is listed as a winner be on the lookout for it!

Good night…

Each sponsor is in a separate post so that you can choose which ones to enter or go ahead and enter them all…I sure would if I could! I will be adding more as we go along so keep checking back! When I hit 1150 fans I am going to start drawing names…oooooh….gonna be so fun! Guess what? The winner of each prize also gets to pick out a FREE pattern from my own shop as a special bonus…any pattern they want.

Now, we need to get the word out about this awesome Giveaway so that LilyGiggle gets to that magic 1150 number and the prizes start going out SOOOOOO let’s spread the word. The winner of this prize will win EVERY NEW PATTERN I MAKE FOR A YEAR! How do you win this prize??? First you must “like” LilyGiggle on Facebook and SHARE this Giveaway on Facebook to get an entry. Share this Giveaway on your blog and get an entry. Share it on both and get 2 entries. Just be sure and let me know by commenting below! The winner gets to be the first member of the LilyGiggle Pattern Club!