Hi Darlings, I am working on a new sewing project today for an awesome indie pattern company so I am going to go focus on that and leave you with an awesome look at Kelly’s jumpsuit from my DIY JUMPSUIT TUTORIAL. The best thing about these TUTORIALS is that you can make them for any shape and size because we draft from scratch in a super simple way. You can read her JUMPSUIT HERE. You can also read her review on the EASY, SEXY DRESS TUTORIAL HERE

Hi Darlings and Happy Friday!! Today I am taking a minute to answer questions I am continuously asked about learning to sew. I am so blessed to gain so many new followers daily from word of mouth and tagging on social media that this topic comes up daily. I thought I would update the “Wanna Sew” page with new info and links. If you have ever wanted to learn how to sew or have recently (or not recently) found me and now think you want to give sewing a try this post if for you! This post will give you everything you need to get started. So let’s begin with the Q&A… 1. CAN ANYONE LEARN TO SEW? YES, now granted some may learn faster than others and for some it may be something they didn’t even know they could do and become really great at BUT what I don’t like hearing is “I don’t know how to sew” having not even tried learning, lol and often I wonder if people realize that at one point I didn’t know how to sew EITHER. I was TERRIBLE when I started but I had a desire to learn it and so after several and I mean SEVERAL terrible, ill fitting, poorly made, hideous attempts I finally started to get the hang of it. BUT!!!!! I didn’t have a “Mimi G Style” when I was learning….meaning I didn’t have Step by Step Video Tutorials to sew along with, someone who taught in layman’s terms, and I didn’t have someone that I could see was using sewing for fashion as opposed to crafts. NOW!! you have the ability to learn using all of those things I didn’t have to help speed up the learning process but most importantly make it FUN! 2. DO YOU NEED A TON OF STUFF TO START? No not really. With any hobby you start to accumulate tools as you go along but initial to start you need a sewing machine a basic sewing kit and guidance! You need a BASIC SEWING KIT $9 along with the following: Scissors (one for fabric) HERE and use the one in the BASIC SEWING KIT for paper, Chalk Roller (my personal fav) or Marking Pen, Clear Ruler. 3. WHAT SEWING MACHINES DO YOU RECOMMEND? Sewing machines are not as expensive as some may think now and days and you certainly don’t need an expensive sewing machine to get started. My first machine when I started sewing again in my 20’s was a $160 Brother Machine which is still my number one recommendation for newbies. I started sewing on the Brother CS6000i and used it for 7 years and then for another 5 years by students I took on. I have a complete list of sewing machines I recommend for beginners HERE but this is My Top 5 List: Brother CS6000i $143.00 HERE (Sewing speed control, which is SUPER helpful, comes with a carrying case so you can take it to classes or travel with it, has easy threading guide, built it free arm sewing) Brother XR9500 $165 HERE (Computerized, has a sewing speed control which is SUPER helpful, has needle position option which is also a nice feature to have) Janome HD1000 $299 HERE (has a good automatic 4 step buttonhole maker, has stretch stitches for working with stretch fabrics, the body is made of cast aluminum, has a free arm for sewing cuffs, pant legs etc.) Janome 8077 $349 HERE (Computerized, Stop/Start button so you can sew without the presser foot, Easily adjust the stitch width or length by just pressing the plus or minus button, ONE step automatic buttonhole maker) Brother PC420PRW $359 HERE (850 stitches per minute, metal frame construction, with easy-to-use LED display for stitch selection, 294 built-in stitches with 10 styles of one-step auto-size buttonholes and 3 lettering styles, easy threading, built in thread cutter, adjustable sewing speed control, 11 presser feet including a non-stick foot for working with leather, plastics etc) You need a BASIC SEWING KIT $9 along with the following: Scissors (one for fabric) HERE and use the one in the BASIC SEWING KIT for paper, Chalk Roller (my personal fav) or Marking Pen, Clear Ruler. 4. IS A SERGER NECESSARY? No, not to start with. A serger is great for sewing knits and finishing off your raw seams and hem lines because it gives you a clean and professional look but it’s not something you have to have to start sewing. You can use the zig zag stitch on your sewing machine to finish off the raw edges. If you do want one HERE and HERE are a few I think are great. 5. WHAT PROJECTS DO I START WITH? There are a ton of great beginner projects and if you want to make pillows and aprons you can find those on youtube BUT if you want to learn to sew wearable garments then you want to start with some of my free beginner projects. Below is a list of “START HERE” projects. FREE Sewing 101 “Start Here” Videos: (these are pretty old and I am going to be updating them soon but they are VERY good to start with and understand the basics) Class Intro, Class One, Class  Two, Class Three, Class Four Part #1, Class Four Part #2, Class Four Part #3, Class Four Part #4 I also have GREAT Beginner Sewing Tutorials where I walk you though every single step from start to finish so it seems like I am in the room with you. Here are some of the most popular for Newbies: Mermaid Maxi, Strapless Jumper, Off Shoulder Maxi Dress, T-shirt Maxi, Fall Dress after those I recommend the Cocoon Sweater, Regal maxi Skirt, Double Peplum, Front Slit Maxi Dress, Baddie Skirt. Mimi G Sewing Patterns are available HERE and also come with step by step videos sew-alongs so you can navigate the paper pattern and sew successfully! 6. MUST HAVE BOOKS? I love reading so here is a short list of some of my favorite books to help you learn fitting and construction: Fit For Real People Fast Fit The Perfect Fit Singer Complete Photo Guide 7. OTHER RESOURCES? The internet has a wealth of knowledge and if you want to learn something there should be nothing standing in your way. I am fan of a site called Pattern Review. Pattern Review is a great place for anyone who sews because if you have ever wondered about a sewing pattern and wanted to see what others who have made that pattern think, you can log onto PR, and search for pattern reviews. Now you can get an idea of what others thought, any modifications they ended up making, and you get to see what it looked like when finished. If there are any key elements they thought to share you will find it in the reviews. I am big fan of YouTube, there are a ton of channels to surf through including MINE which hosts monthly FREE sew-alongs as part of my collaboration with Michael Levine Fabrics. 8. WHERE DO I BUY FABRICS? Fabric Shopping is another scary thing for newbies so I often suggest buying fabrics I link to in my posts and tutorials and most of the time I am linking to Michael Levine Fabrics who is a huge supporter of Mimi G Style and gives my readers 10% OFF their entire purchase! Use code “MIMI10” at checkout. #SEWINGISSEXY #DIY #LEARN #SEWNG

Hi Darlings! I am off to enjoy the long weekend so I am leaving you an AWESOME TUTORIAL SALE… staring now until midnight Tuesday ALL TUTORIALS ARE ONLY $5.99! Yep you read that right. No code needed just head over the TUTORIAL SHOP 😉 and please SHARE, PIN AND REPOST the ads below for me. Thank you!! xoxox

Hi Darlings, you should recognize this top right away…especially if you made last weeks FREEBIE TUTORIAL on the LITTLE BLACK SWEATER DRESS. This is the non-modified version of that pattern. I love this top! I can wear it over anything 😉 I went ahead and wrote a pattern review for it below and if you need help just follow the SEW-ALONG video for the dress and skip the modification. The leggings are old from TARGET I think and the booties are from STEVE MADDEN (HERE or HERE are really cute options) and my necklace was a recent purchase at H&M. The fabric I used for this top is AMAZING and drapes like a dream. You can find the fabric HERE and remember to use my code MIMI10 at checkout for 10% off (online only) Pattern Description: Misses Tops Pattern Sizing: I made the small Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes Were the instructions easy to follow? This is such an easy pattern to sew up and there are only a few pieces so it sews up quickly. What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I love anything that is drapey and wraps, lol Fabric Used: Grey knit HERE Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: None Would you sew it again? YES! and I gave you a dress option and video 😉

Hi Darlings, Happy Wednesday! Thank you so much for all the messages I got yesterday about my FLORAL SCUBA TWO PIECE I am so glad so many of you were inspired to try mixing two completely different patterns to create something new. ICYMI (In case you missed it) you can read that post HERE. I am currently traveling…again… but I wanted to make sure I didn’t miss a post this week. I have another #DIY for you tomorrow 😉 Today’s #OOTD is this fab dress I bought while I was in NY last. It was a tiny boutique in Soho who’s name escapes me at the moment. I tried looking through my receipts so I could at least give you the name but I had no luck. The shoes are from STEVE MADDEN and can be found HERE. The sunnies are old from TORY BURCH. What I love most about this dress is how you can wear it alone or add a denim jacket for a casual feel, if I had my black and white ADIDAS with me I would have changed into them and added that look too but I didn’t pack them.  My denim jacket is old from Forever 21 and that amazing FLOWER PIN is going to be available soon 😉

Hi Darlings, I couldn’t wait to wear this two piece I made a few weeks ago. It was so fun to make and since the fabric is just so cute I was excited to get it finished and photographed. I have pattern details and info below for you but just in case you wanna know my awesome shoes are from Steve Madden and can be found HERE. I loved the bottom of M6988 and since I had already made the dress and reviewed it HERE I knew I could easily cut the pattern at the waist and treat it like a skirt pattern vs a dress. I also wanted to make a matching cropped sweatshirt style top so I took pattern V9026 and cropped it, created a smaller band for more shape at the waist and added the two large pockets to the front and shortened the sleeves. The fabric is a floral neoprene I found at Hancock’s some time ago and had just stared at it in my stash waiting for it to speak to me, LOL! This is what it said… “Girl you need to make me into a super fly two piece” ha! Some scuba fabric options for this can be found HERE use code MIMI10 at checkout for 10% off (online only)

Hi Darlings, It’s funny to me that no matter where I am I can always find something cute to wear, lol during my weekend trip to Big Bear earlier this summer with my girlfriend Tieko we stopped into a Kmart to grab some supplies and somehow ended up in the clothing section, lol! We ended up buying this jumper which is so comfortable! It’s the perfect “throw it on” sort of outfit and since my ADIDAS are so dope it just makes the jumpsuit look even better…ha! It’s never about how expensive your clothes are, its about how well you can rock them. Kmart Jumpsuits HERE / Adidas HERE / Necklace Gifted / F21 Earrings / Charming Charlie Sunnies Kmart Jumpsuit / Adidas HERE / Necklace Gifted / F21 Earrings / Charming Charlie Sunnies #adidas #jumpsuit #kmart

Hi Darlings, this past weekend I got the chance to attend a really cool Google Photos event featuring the CoolHaus ice cream truck (OMG)with my daughter Lexi and we had such a good time. We played the #PayWithAPhoto game where these cards are flipping really fast and then stops on a word like “Mountains” and you have to look in your photos for a picture of a mountain (not by google image searching) lol that would be cheating. I of course got mountains and was like “I don’t have picture of a mountain on my phone”…since you only get 20 seconds to locate your pic I looked to my left and snapped a pic of the mountains lol!…#winning Once you win you get to choose what cookie you want and what ice cream you want and they make you the yummiest ice cream sandwiches! I picked chocolate chip and salted caramel ice cream. It was delicious! The google photos event was a lot of fun but what I enjoyed was learning the cool features that help keep the million and one pics I have on my phone organized and searchable.  Having all my images from all my devices accessible all the time is amazing to me especially since in my profession my photos are everything. Another cool feature is the search…I can search for a pic that may have pizza in it…so I can search pizza and my pics will appear. Another cool feature is the search…I can search for a pic that may have pizza in it…so I can search pizza and my pics will appear. The most important feature for me is the ability to edit my pics, share them and even create animation. Its so easy to use and so functional that I cant imagine not having google photos as my number one pic app. You can see some of the features I mentioned HERE I have so many apps on my phone so having one place that stores my images, where I can edit, share and even create movies is simply fantastic.

Hi Darlings! I made the top version of this last week (have yet to post it) but after making it I thought it would be awesome as a mini dress so for this months Mimi G for Michael Levine Tutorial I did just that. Head over to the Michael Levine blog for the tutorial, fabric links and coupon code 😉 I used this awesome sweater knit (linked on the ML blog) and it feels amazing. I wore it pretty simple with some nude heels I picked up at Steve Madden (HERE). The pattern for the tutorial is super simple so make sure to get some fabric for the weekend and tackle this baby. xoxo Steve Madden Shoes / Necklace (gifted) / Tory Burch Sunglasses #9111 #sweater #sewing #vogue #DIY #Dress

Hi Darlings! I hope you had a good Monday. I meant to tell you guys yesterday that I am now on Periscope and plan to be doing one a week to talk about various topics. If you don’t know what Periscope is you can read about HERE but in essence it’s a LIVE broadcast so you can see me and ask me questions about whatever topic I am covering…it’ so much fun! You can download the Periscope app and follow me @mimigstyle. I will be broadcasting tomorrow (Wednesday 8/26) at 6pm PST sharing my initial thoughts on the 21 Day Fix which I started last week. Okay now on to my pattern review of NL #6346… I bought a similar skirt a few months back and during my move I seem to have lost it. Since I couldn’t remember where I bought it I decided I would just replicate it using this pattern which was very similar to my ready wear skirt. I walked over to Michael Levine Fabrics and picked up this awesome TWILL in a buttery yellow color (more color options HERE) The original skirt had pockets and since this pattern didn’t I simply made some and added them to the side seams. I sketched out on a piece of paper the shape of the pocket I wanted and just used that, but you can use another pattern that has side seam pockets and use the pattern piece and instructions for the pockets then continue with NL #6346 Pattern Description: Misses Skirts Pattern Sizing: I cut the 8 Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes. This is a pretty basic skirt pattern, it had several length options and the instructions were pretty straight forward. What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? Well like I said in my blog post I wanted to replicate a ready to wear skirt I had and this pattern was perfect, I didn’t like that the pattern didn’t have side seam pockets but they are so easy to add that it really wasn’t a big deal. Fabric Used: I used a twill fabric in a butter yellow color found HERE. (Make sure to use my online code MIMI10 for 10% OFF your fabric purchase) They also have a ton of color options HERE Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: I added side seam pockets and one more button along the front because I wanted to use smaller button holes. Would you sew it again? Yes, I think I want to make one with a print. Would you recommend it to others? Yes. Urban Outfitters Jacket (old) / F21 Necklace (old) / ZARA Shoes / MK Watch / Tom Ford Sunglasses #review #sewing #pattern #newlook #skirt

Hi Darlings, Happy Monday! I hope you all had a good weekend. I spent most of it working and getting some sewing done, I cant wait to show you the last few things I have made which means there will be a some pattern review posts this week. Todays #ootd is my basic go to uniform….Jeans and Tee. I can wear jeans everyday of my life so when I don’t feel like dressing up I know I can throw on denim and a white t-shirt and just add accessories. Todays “accessory” is my army green vest I got from ZARA. The vest is a great way to dress up the denim, add a little interest and freshen up your look. The necklace (J.Crew) adds the sparkle 😉 and the Steve Madden heels add the sexy (shoes old from the Blond Salad collection) My sunnies are also Steve Madden from a few seasons ago and the jeans are from Forever 21. Here are some options to get the look. My Vest HERE, other option HERE and I love this one HERE. Denim option HERE and shoe options HERE.

Hi Darlings! I am really excited to share this post today because as you know anytime I learn something new, have good information or something just sparks my interest I have to share. Over the last year my body has gone through some serious changes due to my work schedule, my travel, my eating habits, lack of sleep and all of it has started affecting my health. I noticed that I get the least amount of rest when I travel because I am in a strange environment or I am catching up on work that I put aside when I am at home so I stay up late and I eat the worst when I am out of town too! Part of my journey to better over all health and wellness is to change all of the things in my life that I feel will greatly improve how I feel daily.   This is included a trip to my local SLEEP NUMBER® store. I came across an article that stated we sleep for approximately 26 years over our lifetime!! That is a lot of time so it made complete sense to me that the time we spend resting our bodies should be a priority. I often find myself being cold as soon as I get in bed and covering up but I always wake up hot and sweaty, my mattress would become a hot spring, lol! After visiting the SLEEP NUMBER® store I was so excited to find out about the DualTemp™ layer; which is a temperature balancing layer that can be added to the bed. It features active air technology that heats or cools each side of the bed so you can select your temperature with a touch of a button. Making this perfect for couples that have different body temperatures. The other thing I learned during my visit was how important it was that I choose a mattress based not just on comfort but on support. Honestly every time I bought a mattress I based it on how “comfy” it felt when I laid on it at the store not realizing that although comfortable when I lay on it, after 8 hours of sleep, if there is no support in the specific pressure points on my body I am not getting the rest I am suppose to. I also learned that I sleep in the worst position possible, LOL! I sleep on my stomach when in fact I should start training my body to sleep on my side or back so I can keep my chest and heart free from any pressure. I also learned that my pillows at home pretty much suck after trying out the pillows at the SLEEP NUMBER® store! I made that change asap. Having the ability to select the perfect setting for your body without having to compromise with your significant other is amazing. You both get exactly what your body needs. I see why the SLEEP NUMBER® bed was named best bed for couples by a leading consumer magazine. Before leaving the store I had to find out what my Sleep Number setting was so I took the test… It was amazing to be able to visually see in the screen that is above you while you lay just where the pressure points in my body were. It lit up in the areas that I was lacking support and as the sales rep adjusted my Sleep Number setting I could see the pressure points disappear! It truly is amazing and worth every penny. Before I leave you I MUST tell you about my new obsession. This is the x12 bed and when they say probably the best bed in the world they are probably right! The SleepIQ® technology on this bed lets you know exactly how you slept…yes you read that right. After sleeping all night you wake up to a full list of how well you slept, how your body responded during the night, if you reached you REM sleep and so much more so you can make adjustments as you need them. The truly awesome thing about this mattress (aside from the other 50 amazing things) is that the mattress gives you a massage! I laid in that bed getting a massage on my side while the other side of the bed was completely still. I don’t think I would ever leave the bed, ha! The SleepIQ® technology couldn’t be easier to use. Nothing to wear, nothing to turn on…all you have to do is sleep and the sensors work directly with the DualAir™ technology inside the Sleep Number bed to measure average breathing rate, average heart rate, movement and bed presence to show you the quality of your sleep. If you are able to visit your local store I would suggest you jump in your car right now and go experience the SLEEP NUMBER® difference. My Sleep Number setting is 40…What’s yours? Stay tuned next week when I share my nutrition and workout changes.