My wife is amazing.
We have five kids, and she’s home schooling the lot of them. She keeps our house clean – and we live on a farm with lots of dirt and grass and stuff that gets tracked into the house, so it’s really like shoveling sand into the ocean. There are mountains of laundry, vast quantities of dirty dishes, diapers and runny noses. Kids with markers and rocks and chalk. Messy rooms, bad attitudes, kids sleeping late, places to be, extended family to care for, electronic devices that don’t cooperate, shoes that don’t fit and clothes that are mysteriously stained by pears (yes – pears.) It’s a monumental task to take on – and she does it every damned day. She wakes up every morning and makes the coffee, sees me out the door with a smile, a kiss and an awesome green smoothie, and goes on about the business of the day. And that business is a full time job – and then some. But, it’s a job she loves, and it’s a job she’s unbelievably good at.
On top of all that, she runs LilyGiggle. She makes the patterns, sews the clothes and gets everything in order to deliver the best patterns she (or anyone else for that matter) can deliver. She agonizes over the details. She loses sleep to make sure that everything is just right. It’s another full time job. But, it’s one she loves, and I truly believe that love shines through in the products she puts out there. It’s really the heart, soul and love that she puts into the finished goods that sets LilyGiggle’s patterns apart.
For me, I get to sit back and watch. (I’m a man. I sit back and watch a LOT.)
When I watch her sew, when I watch her create, I’m reminded why I fell in love with Beth. She has a noggin full of great ideas, and when I see her follow those ideas through to a gorgeous finished piece, it’s one of the most beautiful things I’ve been blessed to witness. Her hands move with a purpose, and she knows what she wants to do – and she has the skill and talent to make it absolutely amazing.
She puts that same talent and determination into both her jobs. She’s created a family that I’m excited to be a part of, and with LilyGiggle, she’s created a business that I’m excited to see grow and change and become as beautiful as her ideas. With LilyGiggle, I contribute where I can, but mostly I just sit back and watch her do her thing. With the family, I’m probably worse than the kids, tracking in mud and leaving dishes lying around and breaking things I have no business touching. I get the kids riled up and make too much noise – but, again – I’m a guy. It’s what we do. Beth is the glue that holds us all together, and she’s the driving force behind the success of LilyGiggle.
I’m blessed beyond measure to be able to watch this woman sew and create. It’s exciting to watch her, and it’s gratifying to know that I can support her in some way while she does the things she loves. With the business and with the family, Beth is a creator. She’s a doer. She’s a finisher. It’s just awesome to watch.
Yes – there is thread on the floor, between my toes and in my pockets and hair. Yes – I’ve stepped on bobbins and pins and needles. But it’s such a small price to pay to be able to witness someone doing something they love and something they truly excel in.
So, when you buy a LilyGiggle pattern, keep in mind the love and effort that have gone into them. Keep in mind how hard this incredible woman has worked to deliver the best patterns possible. Think of the sleepless nights, the hard work, the sweat and (yes) the tears that goes into each and every thing that Beth does. She treats these patterns the same way she treats our children – with love, high expectations and with the joy knowing that she’s done her level best to empty herself into everything she does.
Beth is amazing. I’m a lucky dude.
Watching My Wife Sew…
We have five kids, and she’s home schooling the lot of them. She keeps our house clean – and we live on a farm with lots of dirt and grass and stuff that gets tracked into the house, so it’s really like shoveling sand into the ocean. There are mountains of laundry, vast quantities of dirty dishes, diapers and runny noses. Kids with markers and rocks and chalk. Messy rooms, bad attitudes, kids sleeping late, places to be, extended family to care for, electronic devices that don’t cooperate, shoes that don’t fit and clothes that are mysteriously stained by pears (yes – pears.) It’s a monumental task to take on – and she does it every damned day. She wakes up every morning and makes the coffee, sees me out the door with a smile, a kiss and an awesome green smoothie, and goes on about the business of the day. And that business is a full time job – and then some. But, it’s a job she loves, and it’s a job she’s unbelievably good at.
On top of all that, she runs LilyGiggle. She makes the patterns, sews the clothes and gets everything in order to deliver the best patterns she (or anyone else for that matter) can deliver. She agonizes over the details. She loses sleep to make sure that everything is just right. It’s another full time job. But, it’s one she loves, and I truly believe that love shines through in the products she puts out there. It’s really the heart, soul and love that she puts into the finished goods that sets LilyGiggle’s patterns apart.
For me, I get to sit back and watch. (I’m a man. I sit back and watch a LOT.)
When I watch her sew, when I watch her create, I’m reminded why I fell in love with Beth. She has a noggin full of great ideas, and when I see her follow those ideas through to a gorgeous finished piece, it’s one of the most beautiful things I’ve been blessed to witness. Her hands move with a purpose, and she knows what she wants to do – and she has the skill and talent to make it absolutely amazing.
She puts that same talent and determination into both her jobs. She’s created a family that I’m excited to be a part of, and with LilyGiggle, she’s created a business that I’m excited to see grow and change and become as beautiful as her ideas. With LilyGiggle, I contribute where I can, but mostly I just sit back and watch her do her thing. With the family, I’m probably worse than the kids, tracking in mud and leaving dishes lying around and breaking things I have no business touching. I get the kids riled up and make too much noise – but, again – I’m a guy. It’s what we do. Beth is the glue that holds us all together, and she’s the driving force behind the success of LilyGiggle.
I’m blessed beyond measure to be able to watch this woman sew and create. It’s exciting to watch her, and it’s gratifying to know that I can support her in some way while she does the things she loves. With the business and with the family, Beth is a creator. She’s a doer. She’s a finisher. It’s just awesome to watch.
Yes – there is thread on the floor, between my toes and in my pockets and hair. Yes – I’ve stepped on bobbins and pins and needles. But it’s such a small price to pay to be able to witness someone doing something they love and something they truly excel in.
So, when you buy a LilyGiggle pattern, keep in mind the love and effort that have gone into them. Keep in mind how hard this incredible woman has worked to deliver the best patterns possible. Think of the sleepless nights, the hard work, the sweat and (yes) the tears that goes into each and every thing that Beth does. She treats these patterns the same way she treats our children – with love, high expectations and with the joy knowing that she’s done her level best to empty herself into everything she does.
Beth is amazing. I’m a lucky dude.
Jujube Dress Sew Along
Guess what is going on right now? LilyGiggle’s very first sew along! Don’t miss out!
My most favorite right hand lady, Elizabeth, over at CottonBelle Boutique, is going to take you step by step through creating your own gorgeous dress perfect for your girl’s fall wardrobe. What are you waiting for? Hop on over to her blog now and join the fun!
Farewell For Now…
Guess what? I suck at multi-tasking. There. I said it out loud. Too many pots on the fire and I run and hide. Even those who know me in “real life” may be surprised to know this revelation about me, only those closest to me know it. After all, my life is very full of activity revolving around the large family that I am blessed with. I mean, who in the world has 5 kids and can’t effectively multi-task? Well…me.
This has been a growing struggle for a long time. My super squishy oh-so-squeezy and much loved baby #5 has backed me into a self-evaluating corner, though. Since his birth in early August I have been forced to switch gears from so much of my focus on LilyGiggle back to my focus being on my family. Another confession? My kids are SO much happier and so am I. I had not realized how much more of me they truly needed until I was giving them that much more. As I have watched this energy in our home go from more chaos to more peace there has been a nagging little thought that has continually crept up in the back of my mind. At first, I completely squashed this thought, pushing it aside and making excuses for it. It was a silly idea, completely impossible, totally unreasonable and downright out of the question. Darn if that tiny thought didn’t just grow bigger and bolder and more convincing, though.
So, what is that choice I have had to make? For me, it was choosing between being the pattern designer I want to be and being the mom I want to be. It was just that cut and dry. For others it is not and I totally respect that. I never want to come across that you can’t run a a business and be a great mom because I don’t believe that. We are all different. For me, it was obvious that I couldn’t do both right now. It doesn’t mean I believe that I never can. In order to do both the best that I can I need to spend some time re-evaluating, re-structuring and working on my weaknesses until they are strong enough to do this thing right.
Finally, a decision has been made. A line drawn in the sand. Peace in my spirit. I’m taking a break from LilyGiggle.
What does that mean exactly? Well, for you all that have helped me make this business so successful it means a big sale. A very, very big sale. I’m really excited to offer it to you because I think it’s going to make you giddy. 🙂 I’m clearing out the old and shutting down…hopefully, temporarily…but nonetheless totally closing up shop for a few months. I plan to spend this time making sure I’m not missing any of this one precious baby year that little man is blessing us with, reconnecting with my 3 year old who is not having the easiest time transitioning into big sisterhood, making sure that I’m equipping my 8 year old and 11 year old with all they need to move from little kids to tweens and to just breathe. Secondly, I plan to work on a realistic plan for my business, finish up the oodles of patterns that are already in some state of completeness and set myself up to re-launch when my life is ready to take it on again.
LilyGiggle will be closing on November 30. Our patterns will no longer be available for purchase after that until we re-launch sometime next year.You will still be able to log into our website to download the patterns you have purchased via our website previously. After November 30, you will no longer be able to purchase LilyGiggle patterns anywhere. Many of the patterns will be completely discontinued forever. When I do come back I want to put out something fresh. A spare few patterns may resurface along with the new LilyGiggle but they won’t be the same. New refreshed designer…new refreshed work…that’s the plan.
Thank you TONS for all the support you have given me and my family these past few years. Thank you, in advance, for your support as we take this leap of faith into our new phase of life. It’s scary but I believe that doing the right thing usually is.
Now for the sale details.
Beginning tomorrow morning, November 11 until November 30 all of our single patterns will be marked down 30% on our website and whole master collections will be $30!!! Yes, you read that right. You can download all 30 LilyGiggle patterns for $30…a dollar a pattern. Buying them right here on our site will mean that you will continue to have access to them even while we are on hiatus. You can simply sign in to your account and download them whenever you need them. They’ll be nice and safe in one place. I told you it would make you giddy…a crazy sale! You all have been awesome and we want to make it easy for you to have all those patterns you may have wanted but never got around to purchasing. We also want you all to have access to them while we are gone. Hope you feel the love…we appreciate you all so much.
xoxo.
Beth
The Secret Garden Dress 2.0
Ah…the Secret Garden Dress…one of my favorite dresses even 3 years after I designed her. I just love her simple beauty. This is a pattern I pull out over and over. It never gets old to me.
Look how little my girl was back then…
Over time she has evolved, though, and I felt it was time to offer that evolution to you all. Originally designed as a sleeveless dress, she now has options for short, 3/4 and long sleeves as well. Her simple contoured A-line silhouette has become more refined and better-fitting. The choices for finishing her neck have gone from just a simple turned neckline to include thorough details on creating a beautiful traditional neckband and a fun, shabby chic raw edge reverse neckband to mimic the finish of her whimsical cascading flowers.
If you already own the original pattern, I believe you will be especially pleased with all the new details. Several new sizes have been added and it now has a size range from 3/6 months all the way up to 12 years. I’ve been listening to my amazing customers’ feedback and have worked diligently to make it as user-friendly as possible. The new PDF is now divided into 3 different size ranges so there’s no need to print the largest sizes when you only need a baby size and vice-versa. Lots and lots of new details have been added to the tutorial to ensure that sewing up the dress is as frustration-free as possible even for beginners.
Can you tell how excited I am to share this one with you?
[button link=”https://lilygiggle.com/shop/the-secret-garden-dress-two/” size=”large” color=”purple”]Click Here to Buy Now![/button]
For a very limited time we are offering the Secret Garden Dress 2.0 for the crazy low price of just $4. This is to make sure you get a deal even if you already own the original version. If you have never bought this pattern, now is the time to grab one before it goes back up to full price at $9.95. This sale will end next Saturday, May 4 2013 at midnight eastern time.
You can get your very own copy right here. No coupon code needed while at its special price! Yay!
The Tybee Tank Top & Dress
$9.00Cecille Top & Dress
$9.00Brigitte Bow Top & Dress
$9.00Special Note: If you plan to buy a bundle, please be sure and buy the Secret Garden Dress separately or our shopping cart system will charge more than $4 for it. Thanks!
Banded Bottom Leggings Tutorial
Sooooooooooo happy to finally be able to share the Zinnia Dress pattern with you all! There were days I didn’t think I would ever have it ready to get out there but it’s done and I couldn’t be happier with it. I also could not be happier with the sweet photos by 4 Eleven Photography.
We’ve all been ooohing and ahhhing over her precious little model and I’ve been getting request after request for a pattern for the fun leggings she is wearing. I’m pleased to let you know that you just might already have the pattern in your collection of PDFs. The leggings were made from the Petunia Petal Pants pattern with just a very simple little tweak and I’m going to show you how to do it.
Ya ready? Here we go…
2. Measure the bottom of the pant leg.
3. Grab the fabric you want to make the banded bottom from and fold it over so that you can cut 2 pieces at once. Cut a rectangle with the measurement of your pant leg as the width of the rectangle and a length of 6 ½”.
My measurement was 7 3/4″ so I cut a rectangle that was 7 3/4″ along the width x 6 1/2″ long. (Which almost makes a square!)
Be sure the grainline is running parallel to the selvedge edge of the fabric.
4. Set the 2 rectangle pieces aside for now.
5. Follow the instructions for the Petunia Petal Pants until you reach the point where you would normally attach the petal ruffles.
6. Grab those rectangles again and fold them in half (right sides together) bringing the short sides of the rectangle together. Pin and sew. Press seam. You have somewhat of a tube now.
Hope you enjoy whipping up some leggings this fall. I know I will be!