Tie-Front Dolman Top Tutorial (with Free Pattern)


Jamie from Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom is here with us today sharing this adorable Tie-Front Dolman Top Tutorial. You may remember her from the Fitted Apron Top tutorial she shared with us a while back. This cute top can be made using a T-shirt you already have to make the pattern or with her downloadable pattern, which means you could make one for yourself too. If knits make you a little nervous, start off with the Sewing Jersey 101 and the Beginner’s Jersey Baby Dress.

You should also check out Jamie’s Peasant Dress Tutorial with Free Pattern, Boho-Maxi Dress Pattern and Tutorial, and the Rainbow Zipper Pouch. For a little sewing break, try out her Healthy Banana Oatmeal Cookies.

Keep reading for the Tie-Front Dolman Top Tutorial after the jump…

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Blueberry Lavender Ice Cream in a Blender!

Blueberry Lavender ice cream in a blender

We doubted the Blendtec. The recipe book said it could make ice cream and yet we had our doubts. But WHAT IF it actually could make ice cream? With 3 ingredients and the push of a button, ice cream ready to serve. We had to try it. Success! The blueberry ice cream is delicious on it’s own but the lavender gives it an unexpected, unique and elegant flavor. Gordon and Quinn highly approved and asked for more!

Blueberry Lavender Ice Cream in a Blender Blueberry Lavender Ice Cream in a Blender

Read on for this quick and easy ice cream dessert and for the details on how to win a Blendtec Designer Series Blender and Twister Jar. (more…)

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Welcome to Pretty Prudent: The New Prudent Baby!

You may have noticed a few changes around here this week. See that lovely new header, hand painted by my beautiful partner and BFF, Jacinda?

Pretty Prudent: The New Prudent Baby

Prudent Baby has grown so much over the last four years (four years!), and so have our kids. We will always offer the same inspiration, tutorials, and DIY instruction for families, it’s our passion, but as our families grow, so do our interests and yours too we’ve heard. As we add more travel, style, entertaining and home decor content to the site (and to our lives) it made sense for our name to say it all. Jacinda likes to joke that we “dropped the Baby” but that’s just not funny, or true, because we will always have a soft spot (see what we did there?) for the little nuggets.

Pretty Prudent Book Jacinda Boneau Jaime Morrison Curtis

You don’t have to be a mama to want to learn how to block print fabric, or How to Ice a Cake, How to Make a Succulent Wreath, How to Build a Pallet Daybed, or How to Quilt a Plus Sign Throw Pillow, right?


Plus Sign Quilt Square

So we decided to update our name to Pretty Prudent, both on our site and for our upcoming book, Pretty Prudent Home!

We hope you’ll stick around and see what’s to come. Have no doubt that the delicious baby content will continue, just nestled sweetly between Summer’s Perfect Champagne Cocktail recipe and Amazing Girlfriend Getaways, because that’s exactly how life should be, right?

We are excited to see what’s to come and we hope you are too!

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Trend We Love: Plus One

Plus signs are trending and not just in math. The design name for the plus sign is a Swiss Cross. It was adopted as Switzerland’s flag in 1889. Flash forward 124 years, and I’m seeing it trend everywhere. It’s a timeless graphic that is typographically appealing and not fussy, which makes it easy to incorporate into any space.

Emily decorated her living room with a vintage Swiss flag. It’s a huge statement and a great piece of art. This Anthropologie chair is a mint + gold take on the classic cross.

Of course, incorporating this trend doesn’t have to be as bold. You can add this tea towel for a classic look without a huge commitment. This cell phone case mixes the black and white, neon, and Swiss cross to be hands down the trendiest case on the market. How can you top that?

For all you DIYers out there, the cross is an easy graphic to tackle. Whether you update a medicine cabinet with the classic first aid symbol or hide unsightly plugs with this plug cover, you are sure to make a statement.

Add some plus sign textiles to your styling catalogue. You can transform a boring throw with a felt needle and a cross pattern. The quilted plus pillow can be make in whatever color palette works for your space!

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+ + Plus Sign Quilt Square Throw Pillow + +

Plus Sign Quilt SquareThe Swiss Cross, or “plus sign” for us simpletons, is everywhere right now and we are loving it’s bold graphic style. Here is a throw pillow that we designed in the studio. If you are a new quilter, this is a fun beginner project. Make a pillow like we did here or stitch up a bunch of “Plus Squares” to make a gorgeous modern quilt. Here’s how we did it!
Plus Sign Quilt Square
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Prudent Advice: Mother’s Day Edition

My Prudent Advice: You have a garden.
Jaime first shared her prudent advice in her book, Prudent Advice: Lessons for My Baby Daughter. As a follow up, came her book My Prudent Advice: Lessons for My Daughter, which is a fill-in journal for a mother to share her thoughts with her daughter. In honor of Mother’s Day, we asked some of our favorite fellow bloggers to share their own prudent advice with us. Here is what they had to say…

Ashley from Lil Blue Boo, shares advice from her article, Make Good Choices and says…
Make good choices. And if you happen to make a bad one: take responsibility. If you make things right, you don’t have to feel bad about it anymore. You release it: *poof* and then you are free to be and do your best.

Nicole from Making it Lovely says…
Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want. It may not be handed to you, and you may have to work hard to get it, but it all starts by asking.

Amy from Mod Podge Rocks says…
Play outside as much as possible. It’s easy to get stuck indoors, especially with all of the technology we have these days. Some of my best childhood memories are playing outside – I still do it regularly with my dogs today!

Our lovely assistant, Amber, from Wills Casa says…
Never regret time spent on travel and education. These are priceless commodities. Experiences are more important than things.


Pick up a copy of Prudent Advice: Lessons for My Baby Daughter (A Life List for Every Woman) and the fill-in journal, My Prudent Advice: Lessons for My Daughter to give to a special mom this Mother’s Day.

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Last Minute Mother’s Day Gifts


Treat Mom to a day of relaxation by the pool with her favorite book and new oilcloth book cover. While you’re at it, surprise her with a copy of My Prudent Advice: Lessons for My Daughter.

Wrap her favorite bottle of wine in an adorable wine bag. It also makes a great tote for when she is at her favorite BYOB Italian joint.

Speaking of totes, this beginner’s bias tape bag is a perfect addition to Mom’s purse arsenal.

Put together a relaxation package with a pair of fabric slippers and a minkee eye mask.

Last, but not least, sew her up a new makeup bag and have a mini makeover with these contouring tips.

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A Birthday to Remember: How to Make A Tissue Paper Birthday Number Sign

Let’s make a simple and beautiful tissue paper birthday number sign to decorate any party. So gather your materials: Tissue paper (we went with one of our fave color wheel picks, mint green); an artist canvas; some fabric; a staple gun; and a hot glue gun. Now watch the video above and follow along. In under an hour, you’ll be on your way to a birthday to remember with your own beautiful handmade number sign to decorate your party and last all year long.

Lance Crackers is celebrating their 100th birthday (100 years of delicious peanut butter sandwich crackers!) and asked me to help create a birthday to remember with this simple, beautiful tissue paper number sign for your front door, the snack table, or as a centerpiece to your party decor.

Even after the party is over, it makes a pretty decoration you can display until next year! Scarlet insisted we hang hers in her room.

I also made one for Lance Cracker’s 100th Birthday. Maybe I can use it again when I turn 100, 65 years from now (fingers crossed)!

Here is the original tissue paper number Jacinda created for Clare’s amazing bug themed third birthday party. I love her color choices!
Tissue Paper Number Tutorial

Thank you to Lance Crackers for sponsoring this post. Visit Happy100Lance.com for more fun birthday ideas and a chance to win a $100,000 birthday party!

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