Grand Revival Designs

Wallpaper by Tanya Whelan coming soon!

The BEST way to line a sleeveless bodice, no, seriously, the BEST!

I recently worked out this way to line a sleeveless bodice. I think it's honestly the best most straightforward way I've ever tried and I've done it many different ways, so I wanted to share it. If you already knew about this way to do it, you're a smarty and also why didn't you tell me sooner?!!

Tanya Whelan interchangeable patterns for download coming soon!

Tanya Whelan wallpaper coming soon!!

 

Flea Market Bag instant download

Figured out how to add instant PDF pattern downloads right here :))

Flea Market Bag instant download

$9.95

More PDF Patterns Coming Soon

Coming soon to tanyawhelandesign.com

 

 

New PDF Patterns Coming Soon!

New pdf sewing patterns coming soon and a sneak peek at Sadie's Dance Card coming in July. Check out tanyawhelandesign.com in the coming weeks for details.

 

tanyawhelandesign.com and PDF Patterns

 

 

 

These patterns and more are now available for instant download on my new site tanyawhelandesign.com. Come take a look :)

 

Paper collection for Craft Consortium available now :)))

For more information please contact Craft Consortium.

Sneak peek of Zoey's Garden coming in March

And a little more Lola...

you guessed it, more Lola!

more Lola...

Lola etc.....

More Lola

 

Lola coming soon :)))

Flamingo Toes Giveaway of Sew Many Dresses, Sew Little Time!

 

The wonderful Beverly from Flamingo Toes, an absolutely wonderful blog packed with creative inspiration for sewing, cooking, crafting, and home decor is giving away a copy of my book right now! Hurry on over to enter :)))

Kari Makes a Dress from Sew Many Dresses, Sew Little Time

Check out Kari's, from That's-Sew-Kari, great and thorough review of Sew Many Dresses, Sew Little Time on Pattern Revolution (an absolutely awesome site and Facebook group)! Could that dress or Kari be any cuter?

Informative reviews for Sew Many Dresses, Sew Little Time

Just wanted to let you know about a few very informative reviews of Sew Many Dresses, Sew Little Time. These reviews really explain what the book is all about :))).

First is Elliesmom from Taking It Up a Notch. It's a really great blog full of useful tips from a very experienced sewer. She does a very thorough review of the book and she has already made a dress from it.

This is a video review from Kristin of the Yargasm podcast discussing her impressions of the book and what she wants to make from it. Her review starts at minute 30:29. I just found this podcast but it looks really fun!

This review is from the Knitmore girls podcast, an adorable mother daughter podcast about sewing and knitting, a really fun listen as well. They really explain well what the book is about, how it works and their impressions of the book. Their review begins at 47:12.

Sew Many Dresses, Sew Little Time is here!

My new book is finally here available in bookstores including Barnes and Noble and on Amazon. My goal with this book stemmed from the same goal I have for all my work which is to offer sewers a good value for their money. It's why I love designing quilting fabric which is affordable compared to other fabrics and is also so very versatile as it can be used for so many things. 

For this book I wanted to not simply offer sewers patterns and instructions for 5 or so dresses that I designed but instead give sewers a way to actually design their own dresses. The interchangeable bodice and skirt patterns in the book make that possible. 219 unique dresses can be made using the patterns and templates included in the book. Hundreds more can be made with the instructions for easy pattern design techniques. The book also includes a guide to fitting and altering the patterns to fit your figure. 

I hope you like it :)

Free Spirit is giving away a copy right now on their fb page along with 5 yards of apparel fabric from Dena Designs. Just leave a comment there for a chance to win.

Another Facebook giveaway

Another chance to win! I'm giving away a copy on the fb Sewing group. I think you have to be a member to leave a comment but it's a really great inspiring group so well worth joining, plus you might win a book :))

 https://www.facebook.com/groups/2413823996/?fref=nf 

 

Win my new book, Sew Many Dresses, Sew Little Time!

There will be lots of chances to win my book on Facebook over the next week or so. Here's the first chance to win a copy of my new book! Go here for details and good luck! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sweet-Gracie-Originals/834452839940147?hc_location=ufi

Check out my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/tanya.wendelken and the Sew Many Dresses, Sew Little Time Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/sewmanydresses?fref=ts find out when the next giveaway will be :)))

Sew Many Dresses, Sew Little Time

    

Just a few dresses from my new book Sew Many Dresses, Sew Little Time. You can create up to 219 unique dresses with the interchangeable patterns and templates included with the book. You can create hundreds more using the pattern modification techniques included in the book. Available June 16th, 2015. Available for pre order now! 

Chloe is almost here...

 

 

My new fabric collection Chloe will be shown to shop owners in the next couple of weeks and will be available in stores in July. I'm having a lot of fun sewing with it if you couldn't tell...

 

Lulu Roses

 

Lulu Roses is here! I'll have a tutorial for this easy wrap skirt up soon.

xoxo

t

Petal Quilting Giveaway

Free Spirit is having a giveaway of 30 fat quarters of Petal, due to be released in April. Just leave a comment on their facebook page by tomorrow for a chance to win!!

xoxo,

t

Petal Home

Had some fun photographing my new fabric collection Petal today. It'll be available in the fall some time. It's my first home dec collection for Free Spirit. Cotton sateen for upholstery, bedding, bags, etc. Works for structured clothing as well. These were just test shots so I wasn't paying too much attention to wrinkles and lumpy pillows but I really liked them and after all life comes with lumps and wrinkles and can still be beautiful. It's a bit more grown up then my recent fabric collections. It's for big girls I guess though I can still see some pretty holiday dresses and hats for little girls. I seem to always see a little girl somewhere in every collection. Crossing my fingers that you'll like it. Will put up some more pics soon with more of the designs.

Hope you're having a wonderful Labor Day!

xoxo

Umm, can I ask you for a favor?

I Love You Necktie

Camille Pleated Skirt

Tiered Skirt

I hate to be a pain and ask but shameless as I am I will...Would you mind terribly reviewing my book on Amazon? You don't have to have bought the book there, you can even have gotten it from the library, but if you've read the book, like it, feel like others might too and possibly have a couple minutes to review it, I just would be so extremely grateful, like seriously, totally, forever, grateful...

Even if you've just bought it and never get around to reviewing it, can I just say, from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU! 

Everything I do, design, just "put out there", including this book, still feels like the first time I walked into that little shop in Monterey CA where I was living, with my baby girl wearing a little cloche hat I had made her, and asked in a stammering (and sweaty) way, "um, I make these hats, would you maybe want to buy them for your shop?". And every time someone says, "ok, I'll give that a try" I still feel the same way, which is to say, incredibly, sincerely just grateful...

xoxo

t

Barefoot Roses is back! and a giveaway...

My first fabric collection, Barefoot Roses, is back! The twelve most popular patterns and colors will be released in March. I must admit I've missed her! The fabric cycle moves so fast now and I don't get to spend as much sewing time with each collection now so it's fun to have this one back. Can't wait to sew with it which I did alot of when it was first released as you can see. Must say, it makes me nostalgic... My kids were so much smaller when it first came out. Anyway, I'm excited about it so....

The giveaway! 

-the prize: 12 fat quarters of the collection and a signed copy of my book Sew What You Love

-one comment enters you to win 

-a comment letting me know you "shared" the Amazon link to my book (just click "share" under the shopping cart) on facebook, twitter, pinterest or your blog enters you 3 times (3 times greater chance). Friend me on facebook if you link there so I can confirm (you can de-friend me right after, I promise not to be upset!).

-a comment letting me know you "shared" the Amazon link to my book (just click "share" under the shopping cart) in 3 places (eg. facebook, twitter and your blog) enters you to win 10 times (ten times greater chance). Friend me on facebook if you link there so I can confirm (you can de-friend me right after, I promise not to be upset!).

-and don't forget about this "share" promotion where I'll email you a free bag pattern pdf for a link to the Amazon page for my book.Friend me on facebook if you link there so I can confirm (you can de-friend me right after, I promise not to be upset!).

The random number generator will determine the winner.

Wishing you a very rosey Wednesday!

xoxo

t

 

Giveaway Winner! finally

I know, this is way overdue. The random number generator says the winner of the giveaway is number 64. Congratulations to Melody J. 

Thank you so much to everyone who participated. Especially thank you for taking the time to say something sweet. Those comments honestly keep-me-going! They seriously do. There will be lots more chances to win the book over the next few weeks which I'll let you know about as they come up.

xoxo

t

Yvestown & me

Many of you will already know Yvonne Eijkenduijn through her gorgeous blog Yvestown. She inspires so many with her perfect, spare, light, vibrant and pretty aesthetic as expressed through her decorating, home remodeling, gardening, craft and even her recipes. She has a really unique, immediately recognizable style that is completely her own, it's just Yvestown. I've been a huge fan of hers for years, and then I got the honor to work with her on my book! Many of the photos in the book were taken in her home, many by Yvonne herself. It was incredibly fun to work with her, just hang out with her and her wonderful husband Bo, and eat her seriously delicious food!! You can see more of Yvonne's inspirational style here. She's having a giveaway of my book and 2nd prize of a downloadable pattern. Just leave a comment on her blog to enter. Here's my little interview with Yvonne, questions I've been wanting to ask her for a long time, about her style, inspirations and tips...

 

Q. Your style is so recognizable Yvonne. Where did it come from? Has it evolved over time? How would you say it's changed over the years?

A. After reading an interview with the, then, infamous Cath Kidston I fell in love with how she used floral patterns on a fresh and modern canvas. I wanted that for my home so I made a colour scheme for myself and stuck to that. I only use white, blue, red, pink and green and it works. Even when I go shopping I stick to these colours so I instantly know what goes and what doesn't. As my house changed from a small cute home to a large scary home I had to mature my style a bit, robust and smooth lines have replaced the nursery cute.

Q. Is there a particular culture or mix of cultures that have influenced your style?

A. I love Sweden and England, both countries are largely present in my decorating style. I love the swedish philosophy of using a lot of white to let the sun in and I love all the charm of the English countryside. I try to mix that up.

Q. You mix modern, streamlined, and inexpensive Ikea pieces with older, more flea market pieces and floral patterns with such ease. It's a mix that feels so fresh and authentic. Do you have any tips for how others can make this blend work in their home?

A. I just have one rule; don't go for just cheap because eventually it will look cheap. Try to mix classic design furniture with antiques but don't go for anything heavy or frilly. As designer furniture and IKEA furniture are streamlined you'll have to streamline your antiques and flea market finds as well. Don't be scared to paint or recover anything as you can do it again if it doesn't feel right. Try to balance well and always, always customize your IKEA purchases.

Q. I love that your blogging for IKEA Live! Can you tell us a bit more about this?

A. I'm really excited about this writing opportunity as I'm a big IKEA fan and I feel strongly affiliated with their philosophy and designs. I like that I don't have to contribute a whole lot of contents as I don't want to neglect my blog. I love all the opportunities that are be given to me all thanks to me blog and the people who read it. It will always be my number one the place in the world.

Q. One thing that always amazes me about you is that you're totally unafraid to change something you've done to your home. Even when it's already gorgeous you go and change it to something gorgeous in a different way. It seems like you almost treat your home as a canvas...I really admire this as I tend to be afraid to change anything once I've got it looking pretty good. What's your philosophy about this?

A. I keep changing rooms until they are right and then I sell my home LOL. Well this seems to be my trend. I always feel I can improve a room and I will keep improving it until it's right and then I don't touch it again. In a way it's a blank canvas I can throw all my ideas and creativity at. My home is my art project.

Q. I always love your crochet designs so much. What role does crafting play in your life?

A. It's everything to me, if I haven't been making anything I get nervous. To me4 a day without craft is a day without sun.

Q. What is your favorite shade of white paint for a room?

A. All White by Farrow & Ball

Q. Best gardening tip?

A. Don't wear gardening gloves, feel the dirt.

Q. Do you have any projects coming up that you feel like sharing?

There are so many great things I'm going to do this year but I'm strictly forbidden to talk or write about them.

 

Sew What You Love giveaways

There are a couple of giveaways of Sew What You Love, Sugar Hill and a free project from the book I wanted to let you know about. Just leave a comment at Sewmamasew and Craft Gossip for a chance to win.

xoxo

t

Sharing is nice, right?

Sharing is nice, right? Share the book and
receive a free bag pattern download!

Here's how. Go to Amazon.com, then click the share button on the right side of
the Sew What You Love Amazon page to share it on your Facebook
or Twitter account, or your blog or website. Then email [email protected], let
me know you shared, which pattern you'd like and your email and
I'll send you the pattern download. Easy as that. The pattern choices are below.