Sweatshirt Dress for Me // My Creative Process

If you read my last post, you already know that I've put myself on a fabric buying freeze.  I've decided I have way too much fabric and I need to use some of it up before I'm allowed to buy anything new. 

I had the itch to sew something for myself and grabbed this green sweatshirt fleece off my shelf.  I have a few yards of this and it's the same fabric I used to make a cardigan for my son over 2 years ago!!

Right now I pretty much live in leggings, boots, and long sweaters or tunics.  This particular sweatshirt fleece has a super soft underside and much more stretch than is typical.  I contemplated making a Lola Tunic.  I have the pattern cut and ready to go, but it just isn't quite what I want.  It looks a little oversized in it's fit.  Which brings me to my "creative process".  I have trouble following patterns because I find myself wanting to go in my own direction.  Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't.

 image source

 I searched around and found this picture for my inspiration.  I think the result is not too far off, though I'm not sure my fabric drapes quite the same.  Here's what I did.

 I wanted the top to be fitted but also a little slouchy.  I grabbed a dolman style sweater and traced it for the top and sleeves. 

 For the skirt, I used my Dress Pockets Tutorial and Pattern.

 Because this fabric is kind of thick, I cut one of the pockets out of a lightweight knit to make it less bulky.

I also didn't want to topstitch the pocket opening, so  instead I understitched it.  If it's not a technique you're familiar with, there's a great tutorial and explanation here at Sewaholic.  The purpose is to keep a lining from peeking out without having to topstich.  Essentially you sew the seam allowance to the lining or in this case the pocket.  I'm not sure why it works, but it definitely holds the lining in.

Once I put the bodice and skirt together, I had to do A LOT of tweeking.  By the end of the night I was pretty sure my "creative process" had failed me.  I ended up having to add darts to the front and back and also took the sides in so much that the pockets openings are pretty tiny.  Good thing I have small hands, because they still fit in.

I topstitched a little triangle a the neck on the front, tried the dress on, and was pleasantly surprised.

 It's far from perfect.  The white thread from my serger (I always only use white because I hate changing the thread) peeks through in spots and some of the seams are a little wonky, but it's amazingly comfortable.

 And I kind of love this side view.

 I'm happy that so far I've managed to not buy new fabric and now have a new dress!  Win, win.

Girls Bow Back Tank Top TUTORIAL

 

 I've been trying to work through my fabric stash and in the process, make some new clothes for my kids.  And, if I'm being totally honest, I'd love to make room for some new fabric!  I'm trying not to buy anything new, until I use up some of the old stuff.  So I cam up with a little pattern hack to help the process.  I bought a cute scoop back tank from Old Navy for my daughter and decided to recreate it with a little bow in the back.  I started with a free tank top pattern from Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom.  Mine is a size 8.

 I used the pattern to cut a front and a back, but on the back piece, I cut an extra deep scoop.

 I do my finishing/binding a little differently than the tank top tutorial shows.  I cut a strip of fabric that is 1.75 inches wide, iron it in half and then sew it to the raw edge of the neck, stretching it slightly as I go.  Whether you do it my way or bind it like the original tutorial shows, you'll have to cut the binding longer.  I didn't give a measurement because it depends on how deep you cut the scoop.  I always make my binding longer and then just cut off whatever extra I end up with. I sewed the shoulder, then added binding to the arms.  You'll want to add your bow before sewing the side seams.  You can do it after, but it's a little harder to manipulate.

 To make the bow, cut 2 pieces of fabric that are 8x6 inches for the bow, and 2 pieces that are 1.5x4 inches for the center.  With right sides together, sew along each raw edge with about 1/4inch seam allowance.  Turn right side out.

Fold the center piece in half lengthwise and sew with a 1/4 inch seam allowance.  Turn so that raw edge is on the inside of the loop.

 Pull the bow fabric through the center piece.

 Adjust the center piece to make a nice bow.

 Pin the bow in the back scoop neckline (I forgot to take a photo of the pinned bow).

 Top-stitch around neckline, making sure to catch the edges of the bow in the stitching.  Sew the sides seams and hem.  Super easy!

 I made 3 in about an hour.

 And the girl loves them!  Really cute and helps her stay cool.

Girls Capri Leggings - Free Pattern and Tutorial

I'm so excited to offer my first tiled PDF pattern!  As I mentioned in my last post, I'm finally teaching myself Adobe Illustrator and hopefully opening up a whole new world of pattern drafting.  I'm thinking about taking this course, but I'm not fully committed yet.

My first pattern is for girls capri leggings in size 8.  Get the pattern HERE.  Make sure you select "actual size" when you print.  Your assembled pattern should look like this.

 You'll need about a yard of stretch knit fabric, and 20 inches of 3/4inch elastic.  I would recommend a cotton spandex/lycra knit.  The lycra keeps the pants from "stretching out".

Use the pattern to cut 2 pieces that are mirror images of each other.  The easiest way to do this is to fold your fabric in half and trace and cut the pattern through both layers.

With a 1/2 inch seam allowance and right sides together, sew each piece along the leg.  Turn one leg right side out and place it inside the other, so the right sides are matching.  Sew along the curved raw edge with a 1/2 inch seam allowance.

 Turn it right side out, voila, you've got some capris!

 Turn each leg hem under by 1/2 inch and sew with a zigzag stitch.

 Cut a piece of 3/4inch elastic to be 20 inches.  Sew the ends together (overlapping about 1/2 inch) to make a loop.

 Mark the halfway points on the loop and match and pin those points to the front and back seam, on the wrong side of the top edge of the capris.  I like to pin the elastic so that it sits flat in the front and then stretch it as I sew it along the back.

 Sew the elastic in place with a zigzag stitch.  You can see here how I didn't stretch the elastic in the front, but did in the back.

 Fold the elastic to the inside and sew a zigzag stitch along the bottom edge of the elastic/fabric.

I like to sew a little piece of ribbon into the seam in the back since for whatever reason, my kids can never seem to tell the back from the front on these kinds of things. 

 I will be making lots more of these for sure!  This pair took me probably 30 minutes or less start to finish.

 Cute and comfy.  Perfect for a little baton practice in the yard.

Let me know how if you give my pattern a try and how it comes together.  This is my first tiled pattern and I'm sure it's not perfect and could use some tweeking.

Another Simplicity 2226 - Summer Skirt for Me

 I recently got an email from a reader who'd seen this skirt I made and was wondering how I'd modified the pattern.  I used Simplicty 2226, and actually made a muslin, something I almost never do.  I've learned that for me, store bought patterns never fit right.  The muslin was really, really poofy, too big even though I'd used and followed my measurements, and altogether unflattering.  But, I thought that I might be able to make some simple modifications and in the words of Tim Gunn, make it work!

 I love this skirt and it's probably the first thing I made for myself that I actually wear a lot.  So, in case it helps, here's how I modified the pattern.  
  I cut a size 12, but ended up using a size 6 band.  I cut about 3 inches out of the center of the front, which ends up being 6 inches since it's cut on the fold.

I did the same on both back pieces. Since I took a lot of the poof out of the skirt, it needed to be wider at the bottom so I cut the sides to be more A-line rather than straight.

I kept the gathers just in the front middle, and very little gather in the back.  The invisible zipper always gives me trouble.  Anybody know of a good tutorial for putting in invisible zippers? 

I love, love, LOVE my new skirt!  And if it ever gets warm here in MA, I'm sure I'll wear it a ton.

 I bought this fabric last summer when my husband and I were in NYC with this skirt in mind...almost a year later, here it is. 

Lastly, the requisite photo with my face.  Trying not to laugh at myself....