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True Bias Salida Skirt

Hello! Today I’m thankful that I can finally show you my test version of the newest True Bias pattern, the Salida Skirt. The hardest part about pattern testing is always waiting to share my finished make. This skirt is no exception. The Salida includes two views. View A is fitted to the knee and View B is fitted through the hips and mid-calf length. During the test, I made View A, but have been dreaming of View B ever since. 

If you’ve read my Justine skirt post, you may remember that I actually don’t own or wear many skirts. When I found out Kelli’s newest pattern would be a skirt, I was initially hesitant. I did, however, decide to take a leap of faith and I’m exceptionally glad I did. The line drawings really sold me on this pattern. It’s hard to photograph and see in black, but the style lines on this pattern are ace. The front and back both include a v-shaped yoke with center and side panels. Coupled  those with slash pockets that are a surprisingly decent size and you’ve got a winning combination. 

Let’s take a quick minute to talk about this fabric. I used a Black Micro Wale Corduroy from Style Maker Fabrics. When I purchased this fabric last January, I planned to use it for a Lander Pant overall hack that never came to fruition. I cut everything out and then lost steam. Thankfully, the paneling of this skirt makes it easy to cut out of scraps and odd shaped pieces of fabric. It feels fitting that although this corduroy didn’t become a pair of Lander Pants, it found a way to become another True Bias pattern. The softness and structure of the corduroy turned out to be just what this skirt needs. In fact, I think Kelli used the same fabric in a different color for one of the pattern cover samples. 

Over the last few years, I’ve grown to love top stitching seams which made  sewing this skirt all the more enjoyable. The panels and yoke seams are all top stitched; a detail I wish showed up better in this version. Despite the decent amount of top stitching, the Salida came together rather quickly. I sewed it up over the course of 2 or 3 evenings without having to pull any crazy late nights. The zipper insertion is the only area where I made a mistake (zip fly is on the wrong side), but even that wasn’t noticeable or really simple to change so I decided to call it a “design choice.”

Let’s move on to discussing fit. My waist and hip measurements put me right in between a size 10 and 12 on the size chart. Based on this, I made the decision to cut a size 12 and adjust from there. After basting the front and back skirt pieces together, I ended up removing about 3/8″ from each of the outer side seams. This is an adjustment likely due to the fact that I was between sizes, not an issue with the pattern sizing. The only other adjustment I made was to add 3″ to the length above where the back slit begins. In retrospect, I probably only needed to add 2″, I was just nervous about the slit beginning right below my bottom (perils of sewing tall). With those simple adjustments, the fit is pretty close to perfect. 

After not wearing them for so long, I’m still getting used to styling a skirt. Luckily I think I found the perfect formula in pairing this corduroy Salida Skirt with a favorite striped Lark Tee, the ever-versatile Hampton Jean Jacket , and a pair of booties. Now I just need to find a good pair of tights and I’ll be set for the cold months ahead. Wearing my skirt styled this way gives me hope that I may once again add skirts to my regular wardrobe rotation. 

Thanks for reading! 

Want to see more of my True Bias Patterns makes? Check out my Lander Pant, Roscoe Blouse, or Yari Jumpsuit posts.

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Kaste Dress from Breaking the Pattern Book

HAPPY MONDAY! Shouting this from the rooftops because this is a make that makes me want to scream “SEWING IS THE FREAKING BEST!” Today I’m part of the D & H Fabrics Blog Tour. You can check out more about this dress and this luxurious Tencel Twill I used on their blog by clicking this link. Below I’m going to discuss the Named Clothing Breaking the Pattern book and the process of fitting this dress. 

The moment the ladies of Named Clothing announced that they were writing a book, I knew it would become part of my sewing library. I’ve made a few Named patterns and am an admirer of their unique, modern style. My pre-order copy of the book arrived this last Tuesday and it does NOT disappoint. It begins with a beginner-friendly bag and ends with a lined coat. There are dresses, skirts, tops, and pants with options to mix and match some patterns for seemingly endless possibilities. The Kaste Dress with butterfly sleeves caught my eye and the rest is history.

Muslin and Initial Fitting

Since I had a limited amount of fabric and not enough time to order more in case of a fitting emergency, I opted to make a muslin first. This is a rarity for me, but you know that I’m really serious about something if I start making a muslin. The last time I made a muslin was for these bold pants I completed in September. Also because of limited time, I decided to use my Pellon 830 Easy Pattern as my muslin “fabric.” Once I traced the pattern pieces onto the Easy Pattern, I simply cut out the required number of pieces. Then, following the pattern instructions, I quickly basted the darts and pattern pieces together. This resulted in a lovely 3D paper-like version of the dress that I could very carefully try on to assess fit. Since fitting the butterfly sleeve portion wasn’t necessary, I didn’t worry about that piece. The photo below shows what my muslin looked like. There are no photos of it on me because it’s a bit sheer. 

Initial fit adjustments:

  • Started with a size 3 at bust graded to a 4 at waist and a 5 at hips
  • Added 1/2″ to front and back bodice length just below bust line.
  • Added 1 1/2″ to length at hips. 

To my delight, The muslin fit was nearly perfect. I knew there would be other necessary adjustments with my final fabric, but the muslin gave me a good idea of where the darts would fit and if any changes would be necessary in that area. With the fit somewhat sorted, I cut out my main fabric. 

Sewing the Dress

Due to time constraints, deadlines, and an unexpectedly hectic week, I had one day to sew up this dress before meeting up with Sara for photographs. For the record, I don’t recommend sewing this dress in a day. I did not get more than a few hours of sleep. I made one mistake where I thought I was smarter than the instructions and inserted the zipper before attaching the facings. Spoiler alert: I am, in fact, not smarter than the instructions. By the I noticed my mistake, I had the dress nearly finished with the exception of the side seams and hem. I did not have time to correct this by ripping out the zipper and going back several steps. Instead, I used the method described in this video to attach the facing to the armholes. It worked, but next time, I’ll just follow the pattern instructions. 

My favorite part of the construction process was sewing the diagonal seams and contour darts. It’s been quite some time since I last sewed a contour dart and I’ve never sewn one that overlaps a seam line. Each step felt like putting together an elaborate puzzle. That end result though? 100% worth it. 

The dress was nearly finished, when I noticed that my serger needles were getting dull and starting to snag the fabric. Unfortunately, it was late at night and the allen wrench required to change the needles was nowhere to be found. I basted the hem in place and called it good until I could buy a new allen wrench . In case you were wondering, That’s on today’s agenda. Headed to the store for the correct sized wrench and properly finishing the last few seams in my dress. Fixing this properly ASAP so I can get lots of wear out of this baby. Just your friendly reminder that sewing isn’t always sunshine and rainbows, but I could probably benefit from a little more organization. 

Final Fit Adjustments

Once the dress was sewn up, I noticed some excess fabric in the mid-hip area and towards the hem. Starting at the upper hip, I slowly tapered the seam allowance to remove excess. At the lower hip, I took in the side seam by 1/4″, by mid-thigh, the side seam was taken in by 1/2″ and, by the hem it was taken in by almost 1″. This achieved a fitted, but unrestrictive skirt. I wanted to avoid the “so tight I can’t sit down” dilemma that sometimes happens when I wear woven bottoms that are too tight. With these final adjustments, my dress was complete.

Final Thoughts

I’m thrilled to have taken the time to sew a little bit of frosting. My sewing as of late has leaned heavily towards basics and getting out of that headspace for a moment was exhilarating. Honestly, I don’t have a lot of places to wear a dress like this, but it felt good and isn’t that sometimes the point of a hobby? Wearing it makes me feel special which is also a fantastic bonus. Feeling especially thankful for the opportunity to participate in the  D & H Fabrics blog tour as it pushed me creatively and brought me this gem of a dress. I’m also feeling inspired by this new book and trying to eke out all the time I can to stitch of a few more of its projects. 

Thanks for reading! Be sure to follow the tour happening all this week on the D & H Fabrics blog.

Want to see more of my Named Clothing makes? Check out my Ronja Dungarees, Gemma Dress, or Gemma Sweater. 

Interested to see other things I’ve made with D & H Fabrics? Read about my rayon Mila Shirt. 

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Coffee and Thread Lana Color-block Hack

Hello! Today I’m happy to be part of the Coffee and Thread Lana Tour. The Lana pattern (grab it here) comes with a ruffle sleeve and top or dress options. At the request of many tour participants, Olga has also added a long sleeve option. Winter is quickly approaching here in Utah and since I’m always freezing, sewing a long sleeved version was a no-brainer.

I hemmed and hawed over fabric choice for weeks. My indecision was made worse by the fact that I felt conflicted over buying new fabric. With the holidays approaching, I’m trying to save some of my fabric budget for gifts. Indecisiveness turned out to be a good thing in this situation because I realized last Friday that it was too late to be ordering fabric and  would have to come up with something from my stash. Upon opening my bin of large knit scraps I found navy, burgundy, and oatmeal french terry (all from Raspberry Creek Fabrics). Jackpot! One problem: I had about 3/4 yard of the navy, 1/2 yard of the oatmeal, and 1/4 yard of the burgundy. There wasn’t enough of any of them for the entire top.

This turned out to be one of those “make it work” moments that made me thankful for Pinterest. I searched “color-block long sleeve top” and came across this pin of an Abercrombie top that immediately won my vote. Recreating it seemed simple enough so I laid out my fabric and got to work. Ready to make your own? Let’s do this!

Preparing the bodice:

  1. Cut a straight line across the front and back bodice pieces 3/8″ below the armscye. Add a 3/8″ seam allowance to the bottom of the bodice top and the top of the bodice bottom.

(FYI: I didn’t actually add the seam allowance to the pattern pieces. Instead I threw caution to the wind and just eyeballed cutting an extra 3/8″ where the new seam allowances should be added.)

Now, let’s prepare the sleeves:

2. Cut a straight line across the sleeve about 2.5 inches below the sleeve top. Now your sleeve is in two pieces. Add seam allowances (as directed in bodice instructions) and set the upper sleeve piece aside.

3. At 4.5 inches below the top of your lower sleeve piece, cut another straight line. Add seam allowances.

4. If you want to add cuffs, straighten out the bottom of the sleeve piece that is angled in and out for the hem. Here your just omitting small bit that angles in from the bottom of the sleeve. just cut straight down instead. 

5. Cut two cuffs. My cuffs were approximately ( 7″ x 5.5″) for a size six.

That’s it. Now we’re ready to sew. 

Assemble color-blocked pieces:

6. Using a 3/8″ seam allowance, stitch the front bodice top and front bodice bottom right sides together along the line you cut in step 1. Repeat for back bodice pieces. 

7. Again, using a 3/8″ seam allowance, stitch the top sleeve piece to the the middle sleeve piece along the line you cut in step 2.

8. Use a 3/8″ seam allowance to stitch the bottom of your middle sleeve piece to the top of your lower sleeve piece along the line you cut in step 3.

Finishing your color-block Lana:

9. Assemble top according to pattern instructions. If not adding cuffs, hem sleeves. 

10. Using a 1/4″ seam allowance, stitch cuff to itself along short edge. Repeat for second cuff. 

11. Fold cuff in half and attach to sleeve using a 3/8″ seam allowance. If you’ve never attached a cuff, check out this post for some photos and more detailed instructions. 

You’ve done it! Put on your cozy new Lana and enjoy!

I’ll leave you with a few notes on sizing for this specific top and what I’d do differently if I made this again. First, the inspiration picture shows a slouchier look than the one I’ve achieved here. I was between a 4 and a 6 in sizing and opted for a 6. Next time, I’d try an 8 or even a 10 for a true slouchy fit. I did end up adding 1 inch to the bodice length and think it turned out just right. Second, due to fabric restraints, I ended up adding a seam down the center of the lower bodice back. It’s not too noticeable, but next time I’ll make sure I have enough fabric to avoid this. 

Overall, I’m happy with the outcome of this top and see it being worn regularly throughout the coming months. The french terry is just warm enough to be comfortable for winter layering without the worry of overheating once I’m back inside a heated space. It was a quick, satisfying sew that made me feel good about using up some decent scraps. Since I usually use knit scraps for baby sewing, finding a way to use them for myself was quite rewarding. 

Thanks for reading! I’ll be back real soon with new makes and projects that have me feeling all the excitement.