Swingy black floral open shoulder flutter sleeve dress

6.16.2017

Swingy black floral open shoulder flutter sleeve dress

That's a lot of words!! You can see I tried to cover as much as possible in naming this one.

Feels like almost every Friday night the past few months, getting dressed for dinner out, I've found myself saying, "man, I need more cute flirty date night tops!" Now that we've finally had some nice weather, it's been instead, "man, I need some more date night dresses!" I have lots of cute cotton ones, white and blue and gingham, but not a lot of summer-ey night out-ey ones. So I made this!

I had some of this black knit, the ultimate pretty floral, from this project, and turns out it was just enough to make a short, swingy dress with open shoulder fluttery sleeves.

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My first real sewing project since summer 2016! A flirty floral print dress

5.15.2017

My first real sewing project since summer 2016! A flirty floral print dress

I am so excited for warm weather!!! Spring in Oregon is pretty hit or miss but when we have the nice days I get really happy and start thinking about berry picking, day trips to the beach, and wearing cute dresses on date nights.

Since moving to our fixer upper, my sewing room has been in some stage of packed-ness and I haven't had a lot of access to my patterns, fabric, and tools. But I did set up the machine to make these pillow covers and I do have some room to work. I got inspired for a transitional springy floral dress, and made this one up in only about 2.5 hours of sewing! (Cause I also don't have much time for sewing when there are bathrooms to renovate!)

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New favorite romper! Simple strapless stripe

7.28.2016

New favorite romper! Simple strapless stripe

I am stoked about this romper!! I've made a few before, but never this simple, comfy, or easy to wear. The straplessness takes away the classic romper dilemma of "how do I get this on??" without lots of fastenings or a deep V in the front or back! It also made for super easy sewing. And the elastic at the waist and top make it SO comfy!! I used an organic rib knit provided by Organic Cotton Plus so it feels great, too!

My inspirations initially were these little things. I love the simple stripes.

1) LOFT 2) LOFT, out of stock 3) J.Crew Factory

I used this fine rib knit stripe from Organic Cotton Plus, a natural/charcoal stripe rather than black/white or black/navy.

I used Simplicity 1114, which I am prepared to argue is the easiest pattern ever. Seriously. Also, I skipped the pockets since I knew I was going to cut the shorts shorter than the pattern called for and I thought the pockets might show... so this little gem was 6 pieces plus the bias tape for the upper casing. I made it while husband slept the other Saturday morning. About an hour, maybe an hour and a half. (not counting cutting time). That includes the buttonholes I added for the drawstring! Which I think was a really great touch!

I am just in love with it!! I wore it as a swimsuit cover-up but I would also totally wear it out on its own or with a jean jacket to a farmers' market or other shopping or errands.

Seriously, I just want to wear it all the time! Even like around the house as summer loungewear! A one-piece outfit!

Pattern: Simplicity 1114
Modifications: 

• Made shorts several inches shorter
• Did not add pockets
• Added buttonholes and drawstring at waist

Thanks to Organic Cotton Plus for providing me the fabric for this romper!

If you're not into sewing this summer, shop these similar ones (and totes like my new essential straw carry-all!):

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The perfect simple knit maxi dress and #OOTD book review

5.24.2016

The perfect simple knit maxi dress and #OOTD book review

There's a new garment sewing book out from the publisher of my book, C&T Publishing. #OOTD (Outfit of the Day) Sew & Style: Make Your Dream Wardrobe with Angela is a fantastic overview book about sewing, fabric, and design with handful of basic, customize-able patterns included. Having just spent some time sewing with less-experienced friends, I could immediately tell flipping through this book that this content is needed and valuable for anyone looking to learn to sew!

I tried out the basic skater dress bodice pattern and made a few modifications, like Angela suggests! Each of the styles can be modified with her instructions and the techniques explained earlier in the book.

Click through to read more...

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Perfect floral print wrap dress

2.17.2016

Perfect floral print wrap dress

I've been wishing for a floral like this for a long time!!

I've admired long floral maxi dresses in dark colors this year and last, and wanted to make myself something similar... but the knit fabric selection at fabric stores is so limited and I never saw something I liked. Girl Charlee Fabrics has quite possibly every knit print ever made (and some great wovens, too) and when I scrolled through their selection I found this beautiful black floral/leaf-ey print that I thought would be perfect for a dramatic maxi wrap dress! Girl Charlee sent me this lovely fabric, plus a PDF of the Magnolia Wrap Dress by Seamingly Smitten.

The Magnolia Wrap Dress pattern was quite possibly the easiest dress pattern I have ever used. (I altered it, by the way--I made it full length, made it slightly lower cut than called for, and tapered the long sleeves so they were fitted.) I was a little intimidated before I cut the dress out, since I don't think I've ever made a wrap dress before and it was a lot of fabric (though I think I used only 3.5-4 yards since it was super wide). But the PDF pattern has only TWO pieces--the bodice back/front left/front right and the sleeve. You do simple cutting and measuring to make each side overlap.

I was a little worried the skirt might not be full enough somehow (I just extended the line of the shorter lengths offered in the pattern) but it's actually PERFECT! It's so comfortable and provides a perfect amount of coverage for my legs while walking.

Not including cutting time, I think it only took me about 3 hours to make the whole thing! The instructions were so simple and it's a knit so it was forgiving--it was really fast and fun to put together! Also, I think it works for practically any season, don't you? It feels springy but could also work for fall.

Pattern: Magnolia Wrap Dress by Seamingly Smitten
Modifications:

• Made full length (I measured my skirt length from my waist and lined up measurement with the narrowest point in the dress (waist))
• Tapered long sleeves to fitted
• Cut down neckline slightly for a deeper V
• Used binding on sleeve ends rather than hemming (they were a tad too short before hemming)

Thanks to Girl Charlee for providing me the fabric and PDF pattern!

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New favorite summer dress: super simple organic knit

6.04.2015

New favorite summer dress: super simple organic knit

It's been off and on super hot and super rainy here! Early June in Oregon, what did we expect?

But, I've been ready for summer dresses again with last weekend in the 80's and this weekend maybe up to 90 degrees. I wanted a really simple, comfy, easy dress for this weather, so I pulled out the leftover fabric from this maxi dress--really nice, medium-heavy weight interlock knit from Organic Cotton Plus. I had a super simple pattern, McCall's M6744, and made view A, although I did have to piece the bodice front, oops! Worth it, great use for leftover high quality fabric.

It laid really well at the neckline, which is just a folded-over-once hem.

This weight is great for a dress! And this dress is so comfy and great for hot days!

Jacket: J.Crew via Goodwill. Purse: Nine West (similar). Necklace: Old Navy (similar). Shoes: Report old. Dress: DIY!

I'm ready for the hot weather!

P.S. If you're in Portland this weekend, visit me at my book signing for DIY Wardrobe Makeovers at Lloyd Center Barnes & Noble! RSVP here!

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Navy & white stripes, Anthropologie-inspired tunic

2.03.2015

Navy & white stripes, Anthropologie-inspired tunic

You may remember how sometimes I like to do knockoffs. Like, make a very close copy of something from a store, and see how close I can get my version or make it slightly different than the original but better for me. It may not seem like the greatest opportunity for creativity in sewing, but it does provide a different kind of challenge. (Some fave examples of this: my DIY J.Crew Factory scalloped shift dress tutorial and my grey and lace gathered bodice ModCloth dress.) And of course tons of embellished tees from 2010!

The original for this knockoff is one of last year's Anthropologie tunics (the Anthropologie Sapony Tunic, sold out). And, I guess I'm on a roll with patch pockets, because the technique for the pockets on this was very similar to that of the leather patch pockets in this tutorial/DIY post. But this project was from scratch--a blue and white knit I found at a thrift store--and involved creative pattern modification and a serger!

When I found the fabric, I decided to make it work for this top, even though it's not quite the same weight. I wanted to give my version darts to make it a little more flattering, and I modified a woven dress pattern (Simplicity 2584, which I use a lot, for both dresses and tops because it's easy to modify for length, sleeves, etc.). I probably could have cut down the neckline and lengthened the sleeves even more than I did, but I don't think I was looking at the original when I cut it out... so I just made it what I felt like at the time.

I sewed the long seams at my mom's house on this project--I used her serger! It really helps for sewing on knits like this. The side and shoulder seams are so small and flat compared to seams with bulky or pinked seam allowances.

Check out the leather patch pocket tutorial I did the other week to see how these pockets are made!

I used a lightly textured woven cotton stretch twill for the pockets and bias band at the neck.

Bummer it took me so long to make this, but it's kind of trans-seasonal (or season-less, depending how you look at it) so it still works. Plus, this is the time of year when we see lots of navy, white, preppy, resort-ey early spring stuff in the stores. Perfect!

And the weather's been so nice I don't even need to bother finding a warm coat layer to cover it up with!

Try it at home!

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Black knit print drop waist dress

11.11.2014

Black knit print drop waist dress

This dress was inspired by several others I've seen. A girl at work wore a cute heather grey knit drop-waist dress a few weeks ago that I liked, and then I realized I've seen a lot of black/white/grey dresses in straight up-and-down or flapper shapes this year. Plus this leopard print one I've seen on several blogs.

These lovely party and daytime dresses all have a similar feel, right? Contrast, pattern, interesting skirt or sleeve shapes...

anthropologie, Banana Republic, J.Crew, Kate Spade

And I had this awesome heavy, soft black and white patterned knit I used for this maxi dress. Knits are so comfy, and this one is a sturdy enough weight for a simple dress or standalone skirt.

So I used a pattern I've been using a lot this year, Simplicity 2584 and my cool black patterned fabric for this edgy, swingy dress. The pattern is very plain if you don't give it the neck treatment it suggests, so I just use it as a base with bust darts and slight shaping at the waist. I cut long-ish short sleeves and a modified partial circle skirt.

And gave it an exposed zipper!

Pretty proud of that zipper.

I think it can go to work or for a weekend outing.

Jacket: Ross (similar). Necklace: Jules Smith c/o Favery. Booties: Dolce Vita (similar). Dress: DIY!

(First tights day of the year!!)

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The Hudson Pant! Perfect Pattern Parcel #6

10.23.2014

The Hudson Pant! Perfect Pattern Parcel #6

I made pants!! This may be the first time since... ever? Or about 2008.

But jogger pants are everywhere now, and I love that a blogger/sewist out there came up with a pattern so we can make our own. That means whatever color combinations you want, and you can tailor the fit! Kelli of True Bias came up with the Hudson Pant pattern earlier this year, a very cool DIY jogger pant you can make out of knit, woven, faux stretch leather trim!, whatever. (She's even made them in floral silk - wow!) Kelli invited me to be a pattern tester for this fun pattern but I was deep in book work this spring and didn't have a chance. Happily, I got a chance to try Kelli's pattern because it's part of Perfect Pattern Parcel #6, which I'm blogging about.

It was so fun to do something new, and I don't sew with knits a ton, and almost never with the sweatshirt knit I bought for these.

I chose a warm navy sweatshirt knit and used a contrasting lightweight jersey knit in black for the cuffs, waistband, and pocket trim detail.

Kelli's instructions were very easy to follow and these went together so quickly!

They are so comfy!

I'm trying out the gym-clothes-as-street-clothes thing. I like them with basics like a jean jacket and aviators, but also with this new favorite sweater that I wish I could wear at least twice a week! (Similar/similar.)

If you want to try out the Hudson Pant pattern, check out the Perfect Pattern Parcel that it's a part of, the 6th limited time collection PPP has done (all profits go to a charity). Choose the price you want to pay, and get the rest of these patterns too!

Parcel #6 includes:

• Bronte Top by Jennifer Lauren
• Hudson Pant by True Bias
• Julia Cardigan by Mouse House Creations
• Syrah Skirt by Lauren Dahl (exclusive release!)
• Zsalya Dress by Kate and Rose
• BONUS PATTERN: Odette Dress by Bluegingerdoll (Choose a price of $32 or greater for Parcel #6 and you will automatically also be sent the Bonus Pattern! That's only $5 per pattern.)

How Pattern Parcel Works: Here at Perfect Pattern Parcel, we believe in supporting independent pattern designers. It’s our opinion that indie patterns are just, well, better than big box patterns, and we’re pretty sure our customers think so too. So, we allow customers to show their support in naming their own price for each Parcel. We also encourage customers to allocate part of their Parcel price to the charity Donorschoose.org in order to help classrooms in need. Pattern Parcel donates all profits after expenses from Parcel sales to the charity as well. Together we've raised over $12,000 for classrooms in need!

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