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Sew Liberated Arenite Pants with Raspberry Creek Fabrics

Disclosure: The fabric used for my pants was provided to me by Raspberry Creek Fabrics. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Two blog posts in two days? Who even am I? The truth is I’m trying to squeeze in every bit of work in before my son starts summer break tomorrow. It’s been such a blessing this last school year to have a couple of hours (kindergarten is only half day here) to myself to sew and work in the middle of the day instead of late at night. It’s allowed me to connect and collaborate more without completely burning out. I don’t know what the summer holds but, hopefully I’ll still find some time to be active around these parts. Speaking of summer break, my wardrobe was in serious need of pants that don’t look like pajamas, coordinate with almost anything, AND keep me cool even when I decide to cover my unshaven legs. Enter my latest make…the Arenite Pants by Sew Liberated (I purchased my pattern through Indiesew here). Ready for all the details? Let’s do this.

Fabric

After a bit of internal debate and some time spent scouring the Raspberry Creek Fabrics website, I knew what I had to do. Is there anything that screams summer more than a good pair of linen pants? The sewist in me says “No.” For this pair I selected the Brussels Washer Linen in Leather Brown. I would characterize the actual color of this as a golden brown or toasted marshmallow, if you will. If you’re unfamiliar with the Brussels Washer Linen, it’s a lightweight rayon/linen blend. Most of the colors (check out all the colors RCF has available here), including this one, are made with two different color threads woven together which give extra dimension to the look of the fabric. It’s weight feels breezy and cool while still having just enough substance to be opaque (kind of important for pants). After the first wash it gains a perfect crinkly texture and is less scratchy than most 100% linens. Fabric spiel over. Let’s talk about this pattern.

Pattern, Sizing, and Alterations

The Arenite Pants as drafted are a bit oversized with huge slouchy pockets. I love the original design but personally don’t love too much extra bulk around my hips. Several ladies in the sewing community have been slimming down the pattern pieces and hacking them to resemble the Elizabeth Suzann Clyde Pants. THIS was a look I could get behind. Thankfully, I didn’t have to do too much in the thinking department because Meg of Sew Liberated has added the slim leg hack instructions in her Instagram highlights (find the instructions on her IG profile here).

These are the tired eyes of a mom who has been sick for a week hence, the sunglasses in most of the other photos.

I followed Meg’s hack instructions almost to the letter and it worked a treat. As per her instructions, I sized down 3 sizes (from a 12 to a 6), removed width from the side panels and pocket linings, and added length back in where needed. I made a slight deviation in adding 1.5″ to the top of the front pant, back pant, and pocket panel pieces. This raised the waist of the pants so it fits centered over my belly button and perfectly high-waisted. Long gone are my days of low-rise pants. To account for my height, I also added 1.5″ to the length at the lengthen/shorten line. I’m thrilled with the overall fit of this pair although I may opt to slim the calves just a touch more on my next pair.

Construction

I’ll admit that unless I’m unfamiliar with a technique or testing a pattern, I rarely follow instructions. For ease of construction, I opted to skip the flat fell seams and instead simply serge the raw edges and topstitch all seams down. I intended this pair to be an ace wearable muslin and didn’t want to spend twice as long making the pants if they ended up not fitting correctly. If I do use a rayon challis or tencel, I may try flat felling those seams for security. Since I didn’t flat fell the seams, these pants came together in about 3 hours. It was easy and relatively fuss-free. Perfect for a pair of pants that I plan to make again and again.

Final Thoughts

I’m currently sitting in bed still wearing my Arenite Pants. The comfort level is extreme. In fact, I could very likely sleep in these. My only qualm about the entire making process is that I definitely should’ve chosen to get 2.5 yards instead of the 2 I had. It took an epic pattern tetris battle and waistband pieced from scraps but, I made it work. The remaining fabric scraps fit in one hand. Next time I’ll save myself a bit of trouble and just order a bit more fabric.

Other than shorting myself on fabric, the process was seamless and I’m pleased with the finished product. The only slight changes I plan to make in my next pair will be slightly slimming the ankles and raising the top of the pockets by about 1 inch. I love this pair and have full faith that with the next pair I can achieve summer pant perfection.

Curious about the shirt I’m wearing here? It’s one of my tester versions of the Perkins Shirt made in a Black and White Stripe Rayon Challis that I purchased last year from Raspberry Creek. Read more about it here.

Thanks for reading!

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Marilla Walker Isca Shirt with Indy Bindy

Disclosure: The fabric and pattern used in this post were provided to me but, all opinions are honest and my own.

Hello! I think I’m officially at the stage in life where everything feels like a whirlwind. May has been wild. Between family celebrations, Mother’s Day, our wedding anniversary, learning to care for our yard, and a week spent sick in bed, this month disappeared in the blink of an eye. My son’s last day of kindergarten is Friday and I can hardly believe it. How did I become the mother of a school-aged child? Ok, enough lamenting about the quick passage of time. Let’s get to talking about this shirt and especially THIS FABRIC!

FABRIC!!!!

Used an excessive amount of exclamation in that header because these fabrics deserve it. These prints from Indy Bindy Co. are designed by Manri Kishimoto of the Mannine brand and from the ‘Adorable’ themed line. They’re the Sakura Green and Sakura Owl prints which are not yet available on the site (will update links when they are) because they’re being released first to newsletter subscribers (sign up at the bottom of the page here). The fabric is 100% cotton and feels not quite as thin as a lawn but smoother than a quilting cotton. Practically perfect for semi structured tops and dresses. The entire collection is filled with bright colors and quirky characters but I just couldn’t resist using these two coordinates. The print and colors are an unexpected combination that feels worthy of a runway or Anthropologie window display (thinking of you here Katie Kortman).

Pattern

I’ve been eyeing the angled front details of the Isca Shirt Dress by Marilla Walker (the shirt version is a free add on to be used with the dress pattern) since its release, anxiously awaiting the perfect color blocking opportunity. Other pattern features include back contour darts, a curved hem, and 3/4 sleeves (which I opted to make shorter). There are just enough details to make the shirt feel special without going overboard.

Construction

I took my time sewing this shirt and sewed it up in small increments of time over about a week. There are a decent amount of steps, but nothing too complicated for an intermediate sewist. The directions called for lapped seams, but I opted to sew standard straight seams and serge the edges instead. I did, however, use french seams on the sides. I made a slight deviation from the instructions and decided to sew the shoulder reinforcement pieces to the outside (instead of the inside as instructed) for an added contrast detail.

Perhaps my favorite part of the assembly was the collar construction. I’ve inserted somewhere near forty collars over the last five years and never come upon the method used in this pattern. Don’t get me wrong, this method was new to me so the collar is far from perfect. Trying something new was intriguing and I think I’m going to practice this same method next time I construct a shirt collar.

Sizing and Alterations

According to the measurement chart included in the Isca pattern, my bust size was a 3, waist between a 4 and 5, with size 5 hips. Grading between sized was a breeze. I did, however, keep the back darts a straight size 3. I added 1″ to the bodice length and cut the short sleeves at the lengthen/shorten line. With these minor adjustments, the fit is probably the closest to perfect I’ve achieved yet. There are a few small drag lines around the arms that I could probably stand to do something about. Overall, I’m pleased with the fit and don’t know if fixing those lines would be worth the trouble.

Final Thoughts

This shirt feels like one of those pieces I’ll put on whenever I need an extra boost of confidence or a great conversation starter. In fact, I liked it so much that I used my scraps to make my son a coordinating Oliver and S Sketchbook Shirt. Now I think we might have to start our own Indy Bindy bowling team. I also experimented a bit with the styling and think my favorite way to style this is tied in front and paired with Persephone Pants. I contemplated just making a cropped shirt but, kept it long so it will have versatility and become a staple for years to come.

We certainly look like we could bowl away the competition, right?

Now that you’ve made it this far, I’ll leave you with a couple bloopers. Trying to figure out new poses and, well, it’s not going quite as I hoped but makes for a good laugh.

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Helen’s Closet York Pinafore

Hello! The last few weeks have been a whirlwind and, although I’ve been sewing, I haven’t had much time to document it. I fully intended to sew up a York Pinafore during Sew Bibs in March until other sewing plans got in the way. One month late, the Helen’s Closet York Pinafore is finished.

Fabric

Mmm…This fabric. In early March, I took a little day trip to my favorite local-ish fabric store, Suppose. It’s one of those beautifully overwhelming places where the project possibilities feel endless. I often spend over an hour browsing and dreaming up ideas (much to my son’s dismay) until reminding myself that my sewing time nor my wallet size are unlimited. This time I was smitten with the subtlety and dimensionality of this print. Designed by Carolyn Friedlander for her Polk collection, this cotton/linen blend has enough weight for the York while still being light and breezy enough for summer wear.

I’ve been a fan of Carolyn Friedlander’s designs since her Doe line released years ago. Although I liked Doe, the line that endeared me to her work was Carkai. I made my favorite Scout Tee and two shirts for my son from Carkai fabric. A tear or two may have been shed when my son finally outgrew those shirts.

Carkai and Doe were both printed on quilting cotton which somewhat limited my pattern choices at the time. Then Carolyn and Robert Kaufman did something phenomenol in her next few lines releasing prints on cotton/linen blends, lawn, and knits. Since then, I’ve used her fabrics for a Farrah Top, Ronja Dungarees, and even included her first cotton/linen blend prints (the overalls and jumpsuit pictured below) in a children’s clothing collection I designed to show at Utah Fashion Week in 2017 . I guess you could say I’m a fan.

Sizing and Alterations

Ok, I know, you probably aren’t here for the trip down memory lane. You’re here to talk about the York so we’ll get back to it. Using the size chart, I determined that I would need to make a 6 at the bust, graded to a 12 at the hips. That is exactly what I did and it seemed to work perfectly. Helen’s closet recently updated the sizing on the York to include a wider range of sizes and I think this made size selection more accurate than the previous S-M-L-XL sizing. Since I didn’t make the previous version, I can’t be sure of that but, it’s an assumption I feel somewhat justified in making. My only other sizing alteration was adding four inches to the length at the hem.

Two other non-sizing alterations were made. One intentional and one not. Tiahna of Ammon Lane made her first York last summer and her self-drafted angled pockets persuaded me to give the York a try after initially overlooking it. So, I copied her almost exactly in making these angled pockets.

My unintentional alteration was the addition of a center back seam. Unless I’m testing a pattern, I almost never look at pattern layouts or cutting instructions, paying attention only to grain lines. This time, my haste and haughtiness caught up with me. I was laying out the pattern pieces on the fabric when I realized the only way the pattern pieces would fit on a folded 45″ wide piece of fabric was if I added a seam allowance to the center back, not cutting it on the fold. I cut out the fabric, silently wondering why the fabric requirement chart didn’t note the need for more fabric. That is, until I went back to the instructions and realized the pieces were meant to be cut in one layer on 45″ wide fabric. Lesson learned. Perhaps next time I’m feeling puzzled about pattern layout, I’ll actually check the instructions before cutting.

Construction

Sewing the York took the better part of one afternoon. In fact, making the bias tape may have taken almost the same amount of time as the rest of the construction. It really is almost as easy as attaching the pockets, and then sewing the front and back together. The most difficult step: Attaching the bias tape. That’s it. If you’ve never attached bias tape, I promise you it’s nothing to fear. The bias tape adds a polished look to the insides and provided a fun opportunity to play with a contrasting print. I used other prints by Carolyn Friedlander for a fun, scrappy bias finish.

Final Thoughts

I just might become a pinafore person. You know my undying love for overalls and this pinafore fever feels like an extension of that. My favorite part about this pattern is the simplicity of it all. Clear instructions and a straightforward sew make this a pattern I will gladly recommend to my beginner sewing friends. It was a quick sew that, paired with the right fabric, feels casual enough for daily wear and dressed up enough for church or family events. Yesterday the deep pockets came in handy for hiding snacks, safeguarding my phone, and carrying small toys. All necessary things at this stage in my life. Now, how long do I wait before sewing another one?

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Sweaters for Spring

Hello! It’s officially spring here in Utah which usually means t-shirt weather one day and snow the next. I’m someone who is perpetually cold and pretty much wear long sleeves or jackets 9 months of the year. As such, I spent the first week of March sewing a crop of brightly colored sweaters. Ready to talk spring sweaters? Let’s do this.

Helen’s Closet Elliot Sweater

Last fall I was lucky enough to win a copy of the Elliot Sweater pattern. The PDF file sat on my computer just waiting for the right fabric to come along. Luckily, on Super Bowl Sunday (aka: Super Sew Sunday), Sewing Studio had a sale on several colors of bamboo/cotton french terry. I took it as a sign that my winter attire needed a bit of color and scooped some up in heather and ruby. The fabric is lightweight with just a slight amount of drape. Perfect for tees, lightweight sweaters, and cardigans. It arrived promptly but, due to other obligations, I had to wait to work with it until early March. Worth the wait.

I chose to sew up a size Small graded to a Medium at the hips. In order make long sleeves, I added 8 inches to the sleeve length. It still wasn’t quite enough length but, I didn’t have enough fabric to make the sleeves any longer. Instead, I added cuffs to give it the extra length. My only other deviation from the pattern was to sew the side slits closed two inches lower than instructed. With alterations ready, I got to sewing.


Like most knit tops, sewing the Elliot Sweater was quick and easy. It came together in an afternoon without mishaps. Upon finishing, I tried it on immediately. Despite having a purple prom dress and the fact that it’s my mother’s favorite color, I’ve never actually worn much purple. As such, I decided to give it a chance and am glad I did (My love of this sweater is what inspired me to choose the purple tencel used for my Jean Paul Coverall).The color is cheery enough for spring and the fabric is lightweight and just right for those in-between weather days.

Megan Nielsen Jarrah Sweater

I’ve wanted to make a tie front Jarrah Sweater since making my first one (here) in December. In fact, I ordered this grey and pink stripe cotton ribbing with a second Jarrah in mind. I visited Suppose and fell in love with this Pink Avalana Sweatshirt Fleece. It’s a deliciously soft cotton/polyester blend. I tried to resist its siren song but was powerless upon feeling its soft hand.


Like my first Jarrah, I used a size 4 at the bust and graded to a 6 at the hips, adding 1.5″ to the length of the front and back. This time I did add an extra 1″ to the sleeves for a total of 2.25″ of added length. These minor changes have me digging this second Jarrah even more than my first.

Did you notice my one mistake? That’s right. The tie is on the opposite side. I laid the pattern piece on the fabric right side down and didn’t notice until after cutting. Luckily, this pattern is one of those forgiving patterns that makes this mistake no big deal. Perhaps I’ll need to sew a third Jarrah to achieve Jarrah perfection. Now to find another lovely ribbing…

True Bias Nikko Top

Finally, my bamboo/cotton french terry Nikko Top. This is my third Nikko and I’m honestly wondering why I only own three. My other two Nikko tops are worn at least once a week during the winter months. The fabric used is the same ruby bamboo/cotton french terry mentioned earlier in this post.

The Nikko is one pattern to which I don’t need added length. My only fitting adjustment is using a size 4 at the bust and grading to a 10 at the hips. Cutting and sewing the pattern is just as quick and easy as the minimal alterations making this one of my most satisfying sews. It makes a strikingly bold combination when paired with my rainbow striped Persephone Pants, an outfit that feels just right for transitioning seasons.

Final Thoughts

Most of my winter wardrobe is either grey or black; possibly due to the way I usually feel about the winter months. Adding these three brightly colored sweaters to my cool weather wardrobe has made getting dressed much more fun this spring. In fact, I took all three of these tops on our recent trip to the Pacific Northwest because they seamlessly combined both comfort and style. Thanks to them, I plan to add more color to my winter wardrobe once fall rolls back around. Now, bring on all the summer sewing.

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Retro Inspired Tops with Indiesew

Hello! Today I’m sharing my second post as part of the Indiesew 2019 Blogger Team. After making four pairs of Persephone Pants over the last year, I decided that I needed some retro inspired tops to wear with them during spring and summer. With a couple yards of fabric, two great patterns, and a little bit of hacking, my retro wardrobe dreams are beginning to come true. Ready for all the details? Let’s do this.

Grainline Studio Lark Tee


The Grainline Studio Lark Tee has been a staple in my wardrobe since the pattern release in 2015. Over the years I’ve sewn every sleeve length and neckline option. This time, I wanted something a little different. Initially I had planned to make a button front hack, decided against it, and then thought I’d try a lettuce hem. I haven’t spent quite enough time practicing a lettuce hem to feel confident using it in an entire garment just yet. Hopefully with a bit more practice I’ll have a lettuce hemmed top before the end of the year. Eventually I settled on using a contrasting ribbing on the sleeves, neckline, and hem.

Fabric

This green stripe waffle knit (also available in ice, pink, and blue) has been on my radar for a while now. I could never quite decide on a suitable project. In the end I decided to just order the fabric and let it tell me what it wanted to become. The 100% cotton content makes it breathable and easy to wear. The only drawback to this fabric is the lack of spandex which means there isn’t great recovery once the fabric has been stretched. To remedy that and keep the shirt fitting in the neckline, I used a rayon/spandex rib knit for the bands. Together they make a vintage inspired tee that’s sure to keep me cool and put together all summer long.

Fitting and Alterations

I love a good loosely fitted tee. To achieve a looser fit with the Lark Tee I always sew a size 4 instead of the 2 (where my measurements land). With the sizing sorted, my modifications to achieve this look were quite simple. I chopped 1″ of the short sleeve length and added 1/2″ (finished) bands to the sleeve hems. Originally, I hadn’t planned for the bottom band and cut the shirt pattern as is. Upon trying it on, I didn’t love it so I chopped off 6.5″ from the bottom and added a 2″ band. That’s it. Easiest pattern hack ever. Perhaps next time I would chop an extra 1″ or 2″ off the bottom for a more cropped look. This version toes the line between cropped and regular length.


Construction

Nothing makes me feel more productive than sewing a banded tee or sweatshirt. Deciding on how to hack this tee took longer than the actual making of it. Once I made a decision, sewing this tee took me just over an hour (including interruptions to help or talk with my 5 year old). Such a quick, satisfying sew!

Seamly Jersey Popover

THIS. This Seamly Jersey Popover hack is what has me really feeling all the vintage, retro vibes. After pinning a couple of collared tees to my Apparel Sewing and Inspiration Pinterest board, I knew that I had to make something similar happen. I turned to Indiesew’s large pattern catalog to find a pattern match. When I saw the Jersey Popover, it felt serendipitous. This would be the simplest pattern “hack” I’d ever done.


Fabric

A retro inspired look called for a fabric with an equally retro appearance. The colors and texture of this Blue and White Stripe Pique Knit practically scream 1970’s dad style weekend wear. I’ll be honest and say that I had no idea what a pique knit (apologies to my college Textiles professor) was until I started googling and saw lots of polo shirts made from pique knits. Sold! This fabric had to be mine. I paired this pique knit with the same rayon/spandex rib knit mentioned above for a match made in Brady Bunch heaven.

Fitting and Alterations

According to the sizing chart, my measurements fell right between an extra small and a small. After looking at the finished measurements, I decided to size down to the extra small for a closer fit. With the size determined, I made two small alterations to achieve this hack. First, I cut off the bottom curve for a straight hem. Second, I cut the sleeves 4″ above the sleeve lengthen/shorten line. That’s it. No intense “hacking” necessary.

Construction

Sewing the Jersey Popover was simultaneously simpler and more difficult than I thought. The instructions were great and easily guided me through each step of the process. My difficulties lie in the rib knit used for the plackets and collar. Topstitching it was not an easy task and I opted out of topstitching the collar as a result. I attempted it a couple of times and just couldn’t get a nice looking topstitch on the rib knit. My other issue with the rib knit was that it’s quite thick where several layers are sewn together around the plackets. With some grading and trimming I was able to achieve a passable result.

This was also my first time sewing a knit placket. I’ve sewn plenty of woven plackets in the past, but sewing one in woven is a whole new ball game. With a little bit of patience, Interfacing, and my trusty seam ripper, I made it work. Next time I think I would just use a self fabric instead of the ribbing for plackets with less bulk. Overall, it’s not the worst first attempt so I’m just proud to be honing a new skill.

Conclusions

When my husband saw these outfits he said, “Oooh! very retro.” and then proceeded to ask me if I was headed to play tennis at the country club. Those two responses are a good indicator that I’ve achieved my styling goal with these tops. I mean, who doesn’t want to dress like they’re about to hop in the station wagon and head to the country club? Ok, maybe I’m the only one with that specific style goal in mind. Over the coming months I plan to pair these with my Burnside Bibs and Phillipa Pants in addition to the Persephone Pants seen here. Perhaps I’ll even make a Monarch Jacket to wear over them? hmm… Now, if I start describing things as groovy, someone please snap me back to reality. Until then, I’ll be living in a vintage inspired world of my own creation.

Disclosure: These fabrics and the Jersey Popover pattern were provided to me by Indiesew in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own.

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Deer and Doe Sirocco Jumpsuit

Hello! What a week it’s been! I’ve been hosting Nicole’s Birthday Jumpsuit Bash over on Instagram and it’s felt like a whirlwind of giveaways, jumpsuits, and sewing. Yesterday was my actual birthday and I wanted something extra special to wear for a night out. After hemming and hawing for a few weeks about the perfect outfit, I saw Sweet Shard’s Sirocco Jumpsuit Review. I was sold. The Deer and Doe Sirocco Jumpsuit would be this year’s birthday suit.

Fabric Choice

Once my pattern decision was made, I set out to scour the internet for the perfect fabric. Honestly, I didn’t have to look far because I had seen Tessa of SewSpoke (on Instagram) make a stunning jacket using a Lady McElroy floral scuba. I went to her source, La Mercerie, and decided this Bold Botanical Scuba was the one. I purchased 2.5 yards and anxiously awaited its arrival. I usually steer clear of anything containing polyester (except for swim) but make the occasional exception for vibrant scuba knits and a beautifully printed polyester crepe. When this fabric arrived, I knew it was worth making an exception. The dimensionality and details of this fabric are nearly impossible to capture in a photo. It’s beautiful and comfortable although the polyester content will restrict this to a spring/fall or evening outfit as I would wither from the heat wearing a polyester jumpsuit in the summer.

Construction and Pattern Details

The Sirocco Jumpsuit features a crossover front, large pockets, a pleated bodice, and a small waistband. There are no closures making it a fairly quick sew. I printed and taped the pattern on Tuesday, cut it out on Wednesday morning, and did most of the sewing on Wednesday afternoon. I did spend about an hour yesterday morning ripping out a bit of the front waistband seam and adjusting the front pant darts for a better fit (they were angling out odd; something I will explain when I discuss fitting in the next section). I spent more time adjusting the fit (due to my own mistake) than actually sewing this jumpsuit. Next time I make this pattern, I’m assuming that it should come together easily in an afternoon or evening.

Fitting

Ah, fitting: The reason I sew and also my least favorite part of the sewing process. First, I made my usual adjustments: Added 1/2″ to the bodice and rise and another 1″ to the leg length. According to the Sirocco measurement chart, my bust is a size 36 with my waist and hips being a size 42. I was nervous about the negative ease in the waistband and the scuba not having enough stretch. As such I decided to size up to a 38 in the bust graded to a 44 at the hips and grading back down to a 36 in the legs. This turned out to be wholly unnecessary.


Once I sewed up the side seams, I found that the jumpsuit was huge! I started taking in the side seams 1/4″ at a time until I achieved the correct fit. The fit was better after taking in the first 1/4″ but still looking proportionally wrong for my body. Again, I started at the top of the side seam tapering to another 1/4″ in (for a total of a 7/8″ seam allowance) at the waist and hips. In the end, I also took an extra 2″ out of the legs (1 and 3/8″ seam allowances at the leg side seam and inseam) before calling the fit good.

Overall, I was happy with the fit but left with one dilemma: the front pant pleats were angling out towards my hips creating a triangle shape. It was not a shape I personally wanted so I set out to fix it. I determined that all of my tinkering with the fit had messed with the position of the pleats. In an effort to remedy this, I ripped out the waist seam just above each of the front pant pleats and pulled the corners of the pleats up into the seam until the pleats were straight down instead of angled out (the corner of the pleats nearest the pocket openings ended up pulled up into the seam by about 1″). With that minor fix. My birthday outfit was complete.

Final Thoughts

After wearing my Sirocco for a night out I think it’s safe to say that it was a hit. I got quite a few compliments, was extremely comfortable, and was able to fully enjoy the chicken and fries I ordered at the comedy club without the worry of my pants feeling too tight. That is always a win. I’d like to try this pattern again in something with maybe a cotton or rayon content for more breathability in the summer. My one qualm is that the waistband does pull a bit in some parts due to the weight of the fabric. I’m wondering if securing it with clear elastic (like the waistband on a knit dress) would help with this issue at all. If you have any tips for that I’d love to hear them. Overall, the pattern was great and worked well with my chosen fabric. It’s certainly one I would recommend and plan to try again.

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Jean Paul Coverall by Ready to Sew

Hello! If you follow me over on Instagram (@nf_merritts), you may know that I’m celebrating all week with Nicole’s Birthday Jumpsuit Bash. I’ve loved the idea of jumpsuits for years but, wasn’t able to wear ready to wear jumpsuits without serious discomfort due to my long torso. Two years ago I sewed my first jumpsuit (an Anza Jumpsuit) and fell in love. Since then my handmade jumpsuit collection has grown by a few each year. This Ready to Sew Jean Paul Coverall is the fifth addition to my growing collection. I was enamored with the pattern upon its release last year and have been patiently biding my time until I could make a spring/summer appropriate version. The time has come and I’ll probably live in these for the foreseeable future. Are you ready for all the details? Let’s get to it.

Fabric Choice

When planning this make I had a vision of spring and summer days spent outside with my son. As such, I needed a fabric that would be light and comfortable. After a bit of deliberation and some help from Erin (@erinalwayssews) I settled on this Tencel Twill in Ginger from Imagine Gnats (they were kind enough to provide this fabric for me as part of my Birthday Jumpsuit Bash). The fabric turned out to be everything I was hoping and more. The fabric has beautiful drape, is slightly easier to sew than rayon, and the color is even lovelier in person. All the online raving about tencel twill is true. This was my third time working with the substrate and it’s a dream every time.

Pattern Details and Construction

The Jean Paul Coverall and its expansion are jam packed with interesting details. In fact, this was probably one of the most time consuming clothing items I’ve ever sewn. There are large pockets on front and back, button plackets, a front and back pleat detail, front fly, ample topstitching, a drawstring waist (from the expansion),and a collar. Making this was equivalent to the work it takes to make both jeans and a button up shirt. The effort was 100% worth it as I plan to never take this off.


While this jumpsuit was a ton of work, it was also a satisfying sew. Topstitching is one of my favorite sewing tasks and I got a decent amount of practice as almost every detail is carefully topstitched. It also made fixing my mistakes take a bit longer. I got cozy with the seam ripper a few times redoing the collar and fixing the button plackets. I’ve made at least 30 collars and button plackets over the years and occasionally still make mistakes. Honestly, neither looked awful before but they weren’t quite to my standard either. I debated leaving my mistakes but with a project this time consuming, it was worth the extra minutes to redo those imperfections and love the final product.

Speaking of imperfections, there is one on this jumpsuit that I couldn’t correct. That issue is the twisting on my right leg. My left leg is just fine without any real twisting so I know that the issue lies with me and not with the pattern. Twisting usually occurs in pants when the legs weren’t cut on the proper grain. As careful as I try to be this does occasionally happen when cutting in a double layer. Note to self: Always cut pants in a single layer. The issue wasn’t noticed until one of my later try-ons and by then it was too late to do much about it beyond completely scrapping those pieces. It doesn’t affect the comfort of this outfit and likely won’t be noticed by anyone who doesn’t sew so I won’t let it bother me too much and just chalk it up to a lesson learned.

Fitting

According to the sizing chart, my measurements put me at a size 38 bust, and size 42 at the waist and hips. This made grading fairly simple. Just below the bust darts I began grading the pattern to a 42 waist. On the pattern pieces it seemed like a steep angle but ended up looking just fine in the final product. Other fitting adjustments I made were adding 1/2″ to the rise on the front and back pants and 2″ to the length. I also added 1/2″ in length to both the front and back bodice pieces. Being able to add length is what drew me to sewing my own jumpsuits. Nobody deserves to be left out of jumpsuit wearing because their torso is longer, shorter, rounder, or thinner than the “standard” sizing for ready to wear clothing.


One last fitting modification was tapering the legs a bit. My calves and ankles are a good 2 sizes smaller than my waist and hips. It used to be something that made me quite self conscious as I was sometimes teased about walking on toothpick legs. Once I became an adult and realized a person’s body shape or size has exactly zero to do with thier worth, those kind of comments stopped bothering me. Ok, back to the leg tapering. I first basted the pant sides as is. Honestly it didn’t look bad but was a bit frumpy due to my proportions. Starting just under the front pockets I ended up tapering the seam until I had taken it in an extra 1/2″ at the bottom of the legs. This extra 1/2″ taken out of a seam meant that the bottom of the legs were taken in by about 2″. The taper isn’t so extreme as to make the pants uncomfortable but, just enough to feel proportional to my body.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I’m happy with this make although there is some noted room for improvement in my next version. Next time I’ll budget more time for the construction, cut the leg pieces in a single layer and pay more careful attention to the fly (it looks nice, just not quite perfect). Next time I sew this pattern I plan to make the dress version possibly in a rayon/linen blend. Although I honestly wouldn’t be opposed to sewing this same version in a rainbow of tencel twill (I have my eyes on this Mallard color from Imagine Gnats). After sewing for years and making a myriad of projects, it’s nice to make something that humbles me again. Sometimes I overestimate my skill and underestimate the time something will take. This was one of those times. This project doesn’t actually take significant skill, just a willingness to slow down and take your time while sewing. My mistakes don’t make me like this garment any less, in fact, they make me thankful for the lessons learned and I still plan to wear the heck out of this thing.

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Five Points Blouse

Good morning! Today I’m here with a quick post about my Five Points Blouse. The pattern was designed by my friend Jennifer (@peppermintcreek on IG) who joined me in celebrating the Coat Making Party in January of 2018. She asked me to sew up this pattern which is featured in the Feb/March issue of Sew News Magazine (Follow this link NOW to download the templates for free until March 31st). Alright, let’s get down to the nitty gritty.

Initial Adjustments

Once the pattern was released, Jennifer noted to me that there were a few pattern corrections that were missed before printing/publishing. Namely, the finished pattern measurements listed were about 1″ larger than the actual finished measurements. With this noted, I decided to size up and sew the medium.

The second issue Jennifer pointed out was the arm band/cuff being a bit too small. For the size medium, I ended up cutting a piece 3″x19″ to use as the cuff.

The third issue needed no adjustments, just some attention on my part. The notches on the front and back pieces were incorrectly marked. The double notched side of the yoke should attach to the back of the top and the single notched side to the front despite the double notches on the front.

Fourth, and final issue was one I noticed when cutting the top. In the cutting instructions, it directs you to cut a bias strip that is .5″x34″ for the neckline binding. This would be way too thin to work properly. Instead, I cut my bias binding 1.25″ x 34″ and used the method outlined in this Made by Rae blog post to attach my neckline binding. The only deviation I made from that blog post was to understitch the binding before topstitching it down.

Finally, as a matter of personal preference, I left off the front zipper. I had a zipper picked out for the project but, didn’t love it paired with my fabric once it arrived.

Construction

I found the construction to be straightforward and fairly quick. Overall I spent somewhere around 2 hours making this top including pattern assembly and cutting. Honestly, it probably would’ve come together even quicker if I hadn’t stopped several times to try it on. The pattern uses 1/4″ seam allowances which doesn’t allow much room for alteration. Since it’s a boxy style, this isn’t really an issue.

The only modification I made during construction was slightly tapering the seam where the front bodice meets the yoke. To do this, I used a 1/2″ seam allowance at the neckline and tapered it back to a 1/4″ seam allowance at the sleeve opening. This brought the neckline up just a bit higher since it was previously a bit low for my preference.

Fabric

This fabric is a cotton/rayon blend I purchased from Blackbird Fabrics. It’s currently sold out at Blackbird but, I was able to find some of the same fabric available here at Stonemountain Fabric. It doesn’t have a ton of drape, just enough to keep this top from looking too boxy. My favorite part about it is the way it crinkled when washed, giving it a cloud-like feel and appearance. Thanks to the light, breezy nature of this fabric, I can see it becoming a staple during the scorching summer months. I’m imagining this top will primarily be worn tucked into a pair of linen pants or shorts. Guess I had better sew some of those soon.

Conclusions

Despite a few changes made to the pattern, I actually enjoyed sewing up this top. I opted to write a blog post outlining these changes because knowing the alterations beforehand was a factor in making this sewing process mishap free. It’s always easier to go into a project knowing beforehand if there are any necessary adjustments. In making this top a second time, the only change I would make would be narrowing the neckline a bit. It works fine as is but, does lend itself to the occasional bra strap peeking out. Overall, I’m happy with this top and do see it being worn regularly once it warms up a bit.

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Suit Up for Summer with Raspberry Creek Fabrics

There may be snow on the ground, but we’re already dreaming of summer and days spent in our favorite swimmers. Thanks to the Raspberry Creek Fabrics 2019 Swim collection, I’ve gotten a head start on summer sewing. Initially I couldn’t wait to get my hands on swimwear fabric and get to making myself a new suit. A few days later, however, the insecurities set in. Did I really want to share my body in a swimsuit with the internet? Should I get a spray tan? It’s been years since I last made myself a swimsuit, what if it’s a colossal fail? This. This is why I blog and give myself deadlines. If I hadn’t made the commitment, I would’ve let these doubts get the better of me. Despite my doubts, I’m always thankful that blogging pushes me out of my sewing and style comfort zones. Alright, enough about my insecurities, let’s talk about these suits.


My Son’s Palm Euro Suit

My 5 year old has been wearing this style of trunks since 2017 when I met Rachel of Little Fish Apparel. I purchased a pair of her trunks and since then, my son hasn’t worn any other style. Last spring Sew Like My Mom released the Palm Euro Suit pattern and I fell in love with the style and quick construction. My son fell in love with the fully lined inside and options to have his favorite style in a variety of fabrics. There was no question that this would be the pattern for my son’s newest suit. I got this Flamingo Vertical Stripe swim fabric and got to work.


When I say construction is quick I mean that a pair of these can literally be whipped up in the time it takes to get my child ready for the day. I sewed this pair one morning last week in about an hour including interruptions like getting oatmeal for my son, reminding him to get dressed, and answering approximately 100 Minecraft questions. My son wasn’t thrilled with the suit when I first finished it but, was sold after putting it on for these photos. In fact, he opted to wear it under his clothes for the rest of the day. Calling that a win.

This pair is the brief length, fully lined in a size 5. Sizing was spot on when compared to the size chart.

Do we look cold here? We might be a little cold.

Opian Pilatus Swimsuit

The last time I made myself a swimsuit was in 2015 (here). Back then I wasn’t blogging and had a following on Instagram that was mostly limited to family and friends. I shared the photo on Instagram and remember being only slightly nervous. This time I was again nervous, but more so since I planned to also blog about my suit. Upon finishing the suit, my nerves lessened because I realized that this body made a freaking swimsuit which makes me feel pretty good about it. Life is too short to not show your body love for the things it can do. Stepping down off my tiny soapbox because it’s time to talk about this suit.

Fabric and Pattern Choice

With over 30 Raspberry Creek Fabrics swim prints (plus a nice selection of stripes, dots, and gingham), picking my favorite design was a daunting task. Originally I planned to use a Watercolor Palm Leaf print until a moment of inspiration had me changing my mind to this bold Vertical Multi Stripe. Some sewists choose a pattern and then look for the fabric. In my case, I generally choose the fabric first and allowing it to tell me what it should be. This fabric was begging to become an Opian Pilatus. With a cut out back, tie front, and high waisted bottoms, the Pilatus swimsuit combines the fun of a two-piece swimsuit with the security and functionality of a one-piece. Now that I’ve sewn it I can echo others and say that it’s a good one. I did however, make a few changes for my own personal comfort.


Sizing and Alterations

According to the measurement chart, my measurements put me at a size 2 bust with a size 6 waist and hip. Based on this I traced a size 2 top and size 6 bottoms. The pattern is drafted for someone approximately 5’6″ in height so I made a couple more initial adjustments to fit my 5’10” height. To address this, I added 1/2″ to the top of the bottoms, and a total of 1″ to the bodice pieces (1/2″ added to each the top of the straps and bottom of bodice pieces). Finally, I needed to address the coverage on the back bottom pieces. My initial muslin showed much more of my buttocks than I’d like to share with the world. I have no issue with others wearing a suit fitting this way, it was just more than I personally felt comfortable showing. After a couple more muslins, I ended up adding 1 and 1/2 inches at the fullest part tapering to the original pattern lines at the top and bottom. With fitting sorted, I was ready to start sewing.

Construction

I sewed in bra cups but otherwise followed the pattern as written and found it straightforward. Construction took around 4 hours (including lots of try ons between steps because I was loving it). I used my machine’s lightning stitch for the seams and hemmed the waistband and leg openings with neon green thread and a double needle. Upon completion, my bottoms were gaping slightly at the back waist. Begrudgingly, I ripped out the top hem, removed the original back elastic, and replaced it with a piece 1″ shorter than recommended. This fixed the gaping and with a new hem, my suit was complete.

Final Thoughts

What more can I say? Clearly we’re already enjoying our new suits over here and I can’t wait to make more over the next few months. We’re heading to a Great Wolf Lodge next month and my goal is making a new swimsuit for both days we’ll be enjoying the waterpark. Will it actually happen or will I get distracted by other projects? Hoping that typing it here will keep me accountable but not making any guarantees here.

Ready for more swimwear inspiration? The Raspberry Creek Fabrics Suit Up for Summer tour is happening all week. Make sure to check out the other talented ladies included.

Friday: Its Liesel / Amber Lauren Boutique / Violette Field Threads / Confetti Unicorn

For this week, March 11-15, 2019, our readers can enjoy 20% off SWIM ONLY from these sponsors!
Wardrobe By Me code: Raspberry Creek
Simple Life Pattern Company code: SLPCO-RCSWIM
Titchy Threads code: SUITUP19
5oo4 code: RCFSWIM

A huge thank you to all of our sponsors!


Boo Designs / Sew A Little Seam / Titchy Threads / Simple Life Pattern Co. / Jalie
Little Lizard King / Made for Mermaids / Love Notions / Striped Swallow Designs
Patterns for Pirates / Violette Field Threads / Wardrobe By Me / 5oo4 / Sew Like My Mom

Thanks for reading!

Fabric for this post was provided to me by Raspberry Creek Fabrics but all opinions are my own.

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A Menswear Inspired Look with Indiesew

Hello again! Today I’m sharing my first post as part of the 2019 Indiesew Blogger Team. Inspired by Shirt Month and Menswear for Everyone, I decided to create a look that was a bit of a departure from my usual. Using the Grainline Studio Archer Button Up and Closet Case Patterns Morgan Jeans patterns, my goal was creating a look that could plausibly be pulled from my husband’s closet but instead fits my unique body shape. Alright, let’s get to it.


Archer Button Up

After seeing this Navy Tropics Rayon Challis fabric restocked on Indiesew, I knew it had to be mine. The fabric is opaque, has a nice drape, and is a bit more stable than a traditional rayon challis which makes it easy to work with and perfect for a collared shirt. As I was undecided on whether to sew short or long sleeves, I ended up ordering 2 yards and have about 1/2 yard left.

One thing I’ve tried to do over the last few years is slow down the process of sewing and take the time to carefully and properly finish each item. In December, I made an Ikat Archer opting to finish the inside by using french seams. The inside of that shirt is almost as lovely as the outside so I knew I wanted to do the same with this one. The result is a shirt with no exposed seams that will hopefully last years. Through sewing I’m slowly learning to trade speed for precision and quality over quantity.

Morgan Jeans

It’s no secret that I love a good pair of pants (evidenced by #sewfancypants). Boyfriend jeans have always seemed out of reach for me. I’ve loved the style for years, but never found a ready to wear pair that fit well. When I found the style in women’s sizing, the rise was always just a bit short. I’ve even spent my fair share of time over in the men’s section trying on jeans with hopes of finding a perfect pair. The problem with the men’s jeans was they all seemed to assume that the wearer would have a flatter buttocks and wider legs. These issues with ready to wear jeans made me hesitant to try the boyfriend jeans style but, seeing hundreds of fabulous Morgan Jeans, emboldened me to give them a try.

My measurements put me squarely between a 10 and a 12 on the pattern size chart. Upon reading reviews and doing a bit of research, I decided to sew a 12. This turned out to be a great decision as the 10 would’ve likely been a bit snug. I cut a straight size 12 with my only alterations being an added 1/2″ in the front and back rise as well as 1″ added to the leg length. Once my pieces were cut, I basted the pants together. The initial fit wasn’t bad, but I had a bit of gaping at the center back. Going back to my sewing machine, I removed an extra 1/4″ from the top of the center back seam allowance and angled back to the regular seam allowance just below the back yoke. With that, I decided to call the fit good enough.

I’ve had a decent amount of jeans/pant sewing experience over the last year, so construction went smoothly. This time, however, I decided to try something new (for me) and use a contrasting thread for topstitching. This prompted me to slow down and take my time on each step. My favorite topstitching detail is on the pockets. I was inspired by an Anna Maria Horner woven to make the pocket stitching pattern using simple straight lines and x’s. Topstitching went remarkably well, until it didn’t.

This hefty 14oz Dark Olive Denim from Sewing Studio is the same denim I used last month for my Jenny Overalls (I was completely surprised to have over a yard left over). Both of my sewing machines did well sewing this denim while making my overalls so I assumed these would come together without a hitch. On Friday, I was patting myself on the back for a topstitching job well done and had one step left to complete my jeans: attaching belt loops. After several attempts, it seemed that these belt loops were not going to happen so I went to bed. In the morning, I woke up with a clear head and decided to try again. This time I flattened the ends of my belt loops with a hammer and miraculously, my machine decided to work. That is, until I got to the center back belt loop. Eight layers of 14oz denim is apparently the limit for my domestic machines and I nearly broke my machine trying to remove stuck needle. In the end, the pants got finished and I think the belt loops look ok. I did learn that next time I need to sew eight layers of 14oz denim, I should probably call upon someone with an industrial machine to assist.

Menswear and Me

While I recognize that both the Archer and the Morgan Jeans are women’s patterns, both have silhouettes and details inspired by menswear. Both of these pieces will surely find their way into many outfits over the next few years and, thanks to careful sewing, hopefully hold up to whatever I may throw at (or spill on) them. However, my biggest takeaway from sewing these items was the confidence needed to start sewing for my husband.

Twice while sewing this outfit, my husband remarked how he would like similar items in his wardrobe. First, when I finished the Archer, my husband said, ” I wouldn’t want gold buttons, but, yeah, I’d wear a shirt like that.” Second, when I was trying on my Morgan Jeans, my husband asked “Do you think you could make me jeans that fit me the way those fit you?” These comments reassured me that my goals for this outfit had been achieved.

Overall, I’m quite pleased with the end result of this menswear inspired outfit and I see more menswear sewing in my future. Whether that menswear will actually be made for my husband or for myself remains to be seen. Anyone else sew some menswear during February or have some planned for the future?

The rayon challis and jeans pattern used in this post were provided to me by Indiesew, but all opinions expressed here are my own.

Thanks for reading!