Fall Wardrobe Part 3

So, not to brag but I seriously made the best dress ever. It's cute, it's comfortable, it has pockets and it's black & white stripe. Eeeeeek! It does not get better than that in my world! This is the Gardenia Dress by Cali Faye collections pattern and it is perfection. This is the third pattern of hers that I've made and loved. It so perfectly captures my style of easy to wear and stylish all in one. It helps that I got a really dreamy knit to sew it up with when I visited Bolt in Portland last month. Because I knew that I really wanted to like this dress I actually made a wearable muslin this time. I had some grey fabric that I scored at goodwill in my stash that I used. I will say that said fabric is polyester and doesn't feel great but I really wanted to know if I needed to make this dress true to the pattern or tweak it a bit. Turns out that it was a bit tight across the bust and into the arms, so I added just a little when I cut out the "real" dress. So glad I did, because this one is perfect.

xo

-V

Fall Waredrobe Part 2

I'm continuing on with my Fall wardrobe update. I've been hoarding this black knit with a slight gold sparkle for 1/2 a year now, debating what to make with it. But the reality is that I like and wear simple pieces. I like a little flair but it still has to be comfortable and easy to wear. Enter the Grainline Hemlock Tee. This is a free pattern and tutorial from Grainline Studio. It's a simple boxy top that is easy and open for your interpretation and creativity. For my touch of flair I added a sheer "ruffle" on the bottom. I like my tops a little long so they cover my bum and I can wear leggings under them (because covering your bum is the only acceptable way to wear leggings!).

So I say, bring on Fall. Bring on the apples, the pumpkins, the falling leaves and the cooler temps! 

I am ready!

xo

-V

Building my Fall Wardrobe

On a recent trip to Portland I quickly peeked into my favorite fabric store, Bolt. I love that place. They carry all my favorite fabric designers and lots of good choices for garment sewing. I picked up 3 very different fabrics to make some Fall staples for my wardrobe. First up is the Perri Pullover by Cali Faye. This top is so, so comfy. As soon as it was done, I had it on and didn't take it off for 3 days!

I love the pockets, the hi-low hem and the roomy fit. This is actually the second Perri Pullover I've made. Although the first one turned out pretty good it was a size too big. This time I sized down to a small and it's perfect! I am positive I'll be making another one of these when I find the right fabric!

A Maxi Skirt for Me and Her

I've been meaning to make this maxi skirt for a while and today seemed like the perfect day. As I was finishing up Sage asked if I'd make one for her and it just so happened that I had just enough to make a skirt for her too. Her's isn't exactly a maxi skirt, but it's a skirt and she loves it. So that makes this mama happy.

For my skirt, I traced a maxi skirt that I already had for my pattern.  I pulled out my serger and serged the top band to the skirt for a nice and clean finish. (Pardon the sideways photos - my little helper took these!)

Can't wait for spring so I can wear this skirt with sandals!

Take two...plantain top

I liked this pattern so much I decided to make another. Plus, I had some extra fabric laying around.  I didn't have enough fabric to make the long sleeve version with the elbow patches (which I love) so I opted for short sleeves on this one. I love how easy it is to wear. I had a little trouble matching the stripes up since the fabric is so stretchy but overall I think it turned out pretty good.

Paired here with my favorite new accessory - Ruby!

Plantain t-shirt

I'm on a selfish sewing spree! Yippee! I ran across this new and free pattern by Deer & Doe and was smitten. Who doesn't love a loose, flattering and cute t-shirt?? And those elbow patches, really??? I actually found some super cute knit fabric at JoAnn's. It is reversible - one side sparkly silver polka dots and the other sparkly silver stripes. It's a good thing I got to use both on this shirt because it was hard to decide which side to show. The fabric is super soft and a little bit thick which makes it nice and cozy for these chilly winter days.

As for the actual sewing part - the pattern was really straightforward and easy. I finished it after the kids went to bed one night and I'm super pleased with how it turned out. The fit is flattering, the elbow patches are fun and the neckline is perfect. I'm feeling more and more comfortable and confident sewing with knits, thanks to patterns like this.

Thanks to this little guy for making my photo shoot more fun!

-Vee

Penelope Peplum....for ME!

I've mostly shied away from sewing for myself because I'm super picky about the way clothes fit. It's hard to find patterns that I like and feel like I will actually wear. I've been wanting to sew more for myself and sew more with knits. A New Year's resolution of sorts.... Enter the Penelope Peplum. A pattern using knits and for me! (Which is, by the way, on sale until January 31st).  I couldn't wait to get started. After I got the pattern I visited the Hancock Fabrics in Tacoma and stumbled upon a whole table of garment remnants for $3.95/yard. All of the fabric on this table was better than anything I saw on the shelves and way less expensive. I was thrilled! So I picked out a few with this peplum top in mind, went home and got to work. I am loving the end result. I know I will be wearing these tops (in fact I wore the black one all day yesterday while sewing the cream one!) and I'm sure that I'll be making a few more quite possible after another trip to Hancock Fabrics.
Now - please excuse the bad photos. I'm realizing it would be super helpful to have a tripod and a remote for my camera. My husband had fun taking these pictures but he might have got a little annoyed at all my directions.

Black knit with a subtle herringbone pattern.

Cream knit with a teeny tiny black polka dot.

 If you like to sew and want to make something for yourself - I would highly recommend this pattern. Not only is it on sale right now at See Kate Sew but she is also doing a sew-along. She'll walk you through all the steps on sewing this patterns and soon you will have your very own Penelope Peplum.

What do you think?

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