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Wiksten Shift Dress and a Birthday

Note: Just here for the Wiksten Shift Dress info? Go ahead and skip to the bottom of this post and it’s all there.

Hello! I hope this post finds you and yours well. Today I turn 29. My 20’s turned out to be nothing like I expected and it looks like the last year of my 20’s still has some curveballs. Usually I love to make a big deal out of birthdays. You see, I grew up with three siblings which made birthdays extra special. Every year, my birthday felt magical because I’d usually have a brand new outfit for school and my mom would cook my favorite meals for lunch and dinner, usually followed by an ice cream cake. I always felt loved but, on those days, I felt truly seen.

This year, however, I haven’t felt much like celebrating. I’m tired. We’re all tired and life feels heavy. In spite of the heaviness, the memory of one previous birthday kept coming back to me this week. Obviously, it wasn’t anything like this year but, it was a birthday where things kept going wrong. Every time my parents tried to make something special, there was a hiccup. It could’ve been remembered as the worst except that it wasn’t. In fact, it was one of my favorites. Whenever that birthday comes up in conversation, I can’t help smiling. I’ll circle back to that in a bit but, for now, here’s the story of my 9th birthday.

My 9th Birthday

Humor me, if you will, and let’s travel back in time twenty years to April 2000, about a week before my 9th birthday. It was the day of my birthday party (we only had “friend” parties every other year so this was a big deal). I woke up feeling awful. I tried to hide it and excitedly listened to my mom as she showed me the cake she was planning for my party. Of course my mom noticed that something seemed off however, I assured her I felt fine and was going to school. I was NOT fine. Before lunchtime, my teacher noticed me repeatedly putting my jacket on, taking it off, and looking extra pale. I tried to fight it when she sent me to the nurse’s office but when I went to the nurse and got a temperature read of 103 f, my mom was called and I was sent home. My party was postponed and I was devastated.

The following week was my birthday. Dad had a job interview in the small town of Spencer, Iowa, a six-ish hour drive from where we were living in the Quad Cities. The interview was on my birthday so instead of being away from us on my birthday, he suggested we make it an adventure and the whole family should come along to check out the town. I don’t remember much about the drive there as it was mostly uneventful. The next day, however, was my birthday which I remember well.

As a kid, being in a new place seemed exciting. As a parent, I now feel for my mom who had the sole task of wrangling four children for most of a day in an unfamiliar town (my dad was at his interview). In the days before everyone owned a cell phone and you couldn’t simply google local activities, this must’ve been a daunting task.

Here’s how the day went down: one sibling was in need of an ice pack for pain due to a prior medical issue. So, my mom loaded us up and took us to Shopko which happened to be an anchor store for the local mall. While in Shopko, she suggested that I could have a look at the toys. She found the ice pack and came to collect us from the toy section. Upon hearing that she wouldn’t be getting a toy from the toy section, my four year old sister began melting down. She was four, this is normal but I was nine and unable to see that. Honestly, thinking about this moment and how I was likely also not being the most cheerful, I just wish I could go back in time and give my mom a big hug. We got out of the store as quickly as possible and headed back to the hotel.

We watched television in the hotel room until my dad got back. I don’t remember much of what we ate for dinner (possibly pizza?). However, I DO remember the cake. My parents had always made our cakes at birthdays so when my dad suggested we go buy one, this seemed like a luxury. We headed to the food court of the small, local mall and picked up an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen. It didn’t take my parents long to realize we had no way of cutting such a cake. The plastic knives at the hotel just wouldn’t cut it. So, my dad asked the Dairy Queen employee how to cut such a cake in our situation. Being in an apparently trusting midwest small town, the employee proceeded to loan us a large knife with which we could cut the ice cream cake (we made sure to return it the next day). Maybe it had to do with the fact that the day was kind of hard or maybe I just loved ice cream that much but, this cake felt life-changing. Ice cream as your cake? Nine year old mind blown. Oreo crust with a fudge center sandwiched between both chocolate and vanilla ice cream? If this wasn’t a dream, I don’t know what is.

At some point that evening, we swam at the pool and my mom left the younger siblings with my dad so she could take my older sister and I to Claire’s where I picked out a blue choker necklace.

The next morning, we packed up and headed home. Dad decided to take us on a detour to visit the Jolly Green Giant statue in Blue Earth, Minnesota. It would add about an hour or so to the already 6 hour drive but seemed like a fun activity. Instead, about an hour into the day’s adventure, another of my siblings began feeling sick (remember that I’d had a fever and flu like symptoms the week before). We made it to the statue, snapped a quick picture and tried to get home as soon as possible. I don’t remember much about the long drive home except for my poor sister looking miserable. Truly a birthday and trip to remember.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve made it this far, thank you. I don’t regularly share personal anecdotes here but figured, if any day was a day to share something different and rambling, my birthday was that day. Is there a purpose or a moral to this story? About that I’m unsure except that I felt like sharing it. Pondering on it throughout this week had me seeing it from my parents’ perspective and feeling so much gratitude for their efforts. Despite the hiccups, they rolled with the punches and managed to make me feel their immense love. Life is hard, things go wrong even when they’re as trivial as a postponed party, a sibling meltdown in the store, or as difficult as our current situation. Things we can’t control will always come. However, our efforts, intentions, love, and ice cream cake won’t be forgotten.

Wiksten Shift Dress Info

The dress worn in this post is the Wiksten Shift Dress. It’s a fast, easy sew with simple lines that let this fabric do the talking. I left off the pockets and optional belt for an unstructured, 1970’s house dress feel. Fabric is a Ruby Star Society rayon purchased from Suppose. I sewed a size 4 graded to a 6 at the hips and below, added 1 inch to the length, and sewed the side slits one inch lower than indicated on the pattern.

Thanks for reading!

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2019 Summer Favorites

Most mornings, my son and I walk to school. Over the last few days, I’ve started to feel the cool, crisp air of fall. The appearance of fall weather has me reflecting on summer and the handmade pieces that I found myself wearing again and again. Are you ready for a post with very few styled photos? Yes? Okay! Here’s a rundown of the handmades that got me through Summer 2019.

Pants

You might have noticed that I’m a fan of pants (#sewfancypants, anyone?). I don’t have anything against shorts, I just haven’t made the time to sew some yet. Maybe next summer. The following pants are just so good that I haven’t felt the pull to make shorts.

1. Chambray Willamette Shirt and Arenite Pants 2. Striped Perkins Shirt and Arenite Pants
3. Hacked Fringe Top and Arenite Pants 4. Scout Tee and Arenite Pants

For me, the pattern of the summer was the Sew Liberated Arenite Pants (with slime leg hack). In May, I sewed my first pair (the ones pictured above) in a rayon/linen from Raspberry Creek Fabrics. I found myself wearing them multiple times each week and reaching for them immediately after they’d come out of the wash. My love for Arenite Pants was compounded when I made my second pair out of a textured Tencel. That pair was worn almost as much as the first. I just don’t have photos because I apparently took less of them as the summer progressed. My go-to styling method was wearing them with a woven cropped top and Saltwater sandals.

1. Tied Mila Shirt and Emerson Pant 2. Fringe Top Hack and Emerson Pant

When I wanted to dress up my summer looks a bit, I often found myself reaching for these high-rise True Bias Emerson Crop Pants. I first blogged about this pair during Sew Fancy Pants in January (original post here). In the winter they looked effortlessly cool paired with a Nikko Top and booties. During the summer, their wide leg shape and the breezy fabric kept me feeling cool. My go-to summer styling for the Emersons was pairing them with a slightly fancier rayon top and shiny flats.

1. RTW tee and Frisco Pants 2. Jersey Popover and Frisco Pants
3. Five Points Blouse and Frisco Pants 4. Cottesloe Swimsuit and Frisco Pants

This pair of pants hacked from the Threadbear Garments Frisco Jumpsuit pattern were an unexpected favorite (more info posted here). Considering the fact that I made these halfway through the summer, these babies got some serious wear. You may notice in the photos above that I didn’t really have a go-to styling method for these pants. Wearing them was more of an “anything goes” situation which was a ton of fun. First, you see my #momstyle. Second, I’m channeling my grandpa. Third, this one feels the most “me.” Fourth, I’m ready for a day of boating. You can see why they got plenty of wear. The possibilities with these pants felt numerous.

Jumpsuits

When it comes to ease of dressing, a jumpsuit is second to none. There’s just something about only having to throw on one clothing item that can’t be beat. I know, I know, you might be thinking, “What about the fact that you basically have to undress to go to the bathroom?” My answer: The all-day comfort of a good jumpsuit is 100% worth the inconvenience. Also, I have a child. Very few things embarrass me anymore.

1. Hampton Jean Jacket and Zadie Jumpsuit 2. Wiksten Haori and Zadie Jumpsuit
3. Zadie Jumpsuit

I grabbed this rayon/poplin Paper Theory Zadie Jumpsuit whenever I wanted to feel stylish and a little extra confident. It’s versatility proved useful as I wore it on an anniversary date, to my son’s school program, my son’s birthday party, and even to an outdoor work party in 90 degree heat. The pictures above illustrate that versatility. While I enjoyed playing around with styling, I most often found myself just throwing on the jumpsuit and wearing it with a simple pair of sandals.

1. Loominous Zadie Jumpsuit 2. Jean Paul Coverall

I don’t have a large amount to say about the two jumpsuits (Paper Theory Zadie Jumpsuit and Ready to Sew Jean Paul Coverall) pictured above except to say that I love them and both were also worn regularly. I pretty much styled them the same every time (straw hat + jumpsuit + sandals) so I don’t have many different photos. They also share the same bonus: not having to think about what to wear. I mean, there’s really not much more that I can ask for from an outfit except for style, ease of wear, and comfort.

Dresses and Skirts

Dresses and skirts were a staple of my summer wardrobe in previous years. This year I relied heavily on lightweight pants so these items didn’t get quite as much wear or photographs. Despite the limited amount of wear, they’re still summer favorites worth mentioning. Here’s what I love about them in photo order:

1. Fringe Top Hack and Justine Skirt 2. Scout Tee Swing Dress Hack
3. York Pinafore 4. Tea House Dress
  1. This Ready to Sew Justine Skirt (original blog post here) pairs well with at least half the tops in my wardrobe. It’s casual enough for most any activity and the big pockets are ideal for holding my phone, snacks, a water bottle, or my son’s rock collection.
  2. This Grainline Studio Scout Tee swing dress hack has now kept me cool through four summers (made before I was blogging). It’s not the most well made item in my handmade wardrobe but, easily in the top 10 most worn. It’s been to the amusement park, zoo, church, and even to the pool as a cover-up.
  3. The Helen’s Closet York Pinafore (original post here) is the only skirt/dress item I sewed this year that made the summer favorites cut. Most of the time I paired it with a simple tee shirt and sandals for a cool, casual vibe. The cotton/linen fabric kept it cool and the nice big pockets held everything I needed, eliminating limiting my need for a bag.
  4. The Sew House Seven Tea House Dress (original post here) is possibly one of my favorite dresses I’ve ever made. It has all the ease of a sack dress combined with a tie to add subtle shaping. I feel pretty every time I slip it on. Despite all these details, my favorite one is, you guessed it: the large pockets. Sometimes you just need some “Mary Poppins bag” style pockets.

Swimsuits

1. Cottesloe Swimsuit 2. Pilatus Swimsuit

Two swimsuits were added to my handmade wardrobe this year. Each proved to work well for different situations. The Megan Nielsen Cottesloe (original post here) in ribbed swim knit proved to be the ultimate suit for practicality. I wore it when I knew I’d be running around chasing my son or doing higher intensity water activities like tubing behind a boat. My rainbow striped Opian Pilatus swimsuit (original post here) turned out to be my “fun” swimsuit. I wore this one more often when swimming activities included a lot of laying or sitting around. It made me feel cute, confident, and NOT wanting to hide my body in the water. I didn’t swim a ton, but both have held up well with the use they have gotten.

Most Worn of Summer 2019

Pants, jumpsuits, swimwear, etc. are all great but, my most worn make of the summer is one that I didn’t even sew until July. Since then, my Helen’s Closet Suki Robe (original post here) has been worn almost daily. I throw it on the moment I wake up and wear it until I can no longer delay getting dressed. Honestly, this robe makes me feel like a freaking queen. It’s the first robe I’ve owned since childhood and owning one again seems luxurious. Splendidly, wearing it even makes me enjoy cooking breakfast.

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Friday Pattern Company Wilder Gown

Hello! While the calendar says September, the Utah heat has me feeling like summer may stick around indefinitely. With temperatures still in the 90’s I figured I could squeeze in one last summer project. Cue the Friday Pattern Company Wilder Gown. Getting this project out of my head and into my closet was just what I needed this week. Alright, let’s get to the details.

Fabric

I saw this rayon crepe(currently sold out) fabric on the Indiesew website back in January. At the time I was having a seriously rough week and something about the pattern and colors of this fabric brought a smile to my face. The next day, Allie showed this fabric on Instagram stories and I knew it was meant to be. So, I did what any fabric lover would do and panic bought four yards. A couple of days later it arrived and then sat brightening my shelf for the next eight months.

This particular rayon crepe is lightweight and surprisingly opaque. Unwashed, it was smooth and felt much like a standard rayon challis. Upon washing, however, it developed this lovely crinkled texture. The texture of the fabric is a great complement to the tropical print. It did, however, present some challenges for cutting. Some of the pieces didn’t turn out quite straight but, the pattern is forgiving enough that I just straightened them after each sewing step.

Sizing and Alterations

Based on the size chart, my bust measurements fell under a size small. The Wilder Gown pattern includes plenty of ease, so I decided not to grade up for my waist or hips. I also decided to add a bit of length. I added 1/2″ to the bodice length and 1″ to the length of each skirt tier.

Sewing and Construction

The gown was constructed over the course of two afternoons. The sewing itself was quick and enjoyable. It probably could’ve been finished in one if my machine had gotten along with my thread choice. I found some cheap matching thread in my stash and decided to forego a trip to the store and use it. Bad choice. My machine clanked and whined even after a thorough cleaning, rethreading, and a needle change. In a last ditch attempt to avoid sending my machine in for a tune-up, I changed the thread. Magically, my machine decided to work perfectly once again. After about an hour spent on troubleshooting I found that the machine really just didn’t like my chosen thread in the bobbin. In the end, I solved my issue by using the cheap thread on top and a better quality (not perfectly matched) thread in the bobbin.

Final Thoughts

I wasn’t initially sold on wearing this particular silhouette. Perhaps the issue was that my first try on was over my clothes in my unorganized sewing room. However, I put on make-up, grabbed some favorite earrings, and paired the dress with clogs for photos. Turns out that styling made all the difference for me. Now, I can’t wait to put this dress on again. It’s comfortable, breezy, and feels like a nightgown in all the best ways. I mean, look at my expression in the photo below. That girl clearly loves what she’s wearing.

The only drawback to this dress? The bees seemed drawn to the bright colors and I had one follow me for most of the walk back to my car last night. After landing on my dress, it finally recognized that I was not a plant and left me alone. With that being the only drawback, I’d call this Wilder Gown a win and the perfect way to end my summer sewing. Now, it’s been raining all morning and I’m itching to get started on some fall projects. Anyone else?

Thanks for reading!

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True Bias Shelby Dress/Romper

Hello! Today’s post has been months in the making and I couldn’t be more excited to finally share. I was fortunate enough to be a tester for the True Bias Shelby Dress/Romper. For obvious reasons, I chose to sew the romper view. This romper was sewn way back in February, hung in my closet waiting for a final hem until May , and was finally photographed at the beginning of this month. Was it worth the wait? To me, absolutely! Let’s get to the details.

Fabric

I purchased this teal sand washed rayon from Raspberry Creek Fabrics over a year ago, intending to use it for another project. Instead it turned out to be the perfect fabric for a Shelby. It’s soft, lightweight, and has a price that can’t be beat (especially when a project requires several yards).

Sizing and Alterations

(please note: This was my tester version so some aspects of the final pattern have been changed)

I’ve used several True Bias patterns and generally found Kelli’s measurement charts to be accurate so I chose my sizing based on the chart. For this version I used a 4 at the bust, graded to an 8 at the waist, and a 10 at the hips. I added 1″ to the bodice length (which I don’t actually think was necessary here) and 2″ to the length of the legs. Next time (which I’m planning on), I will address the tightness in the arms which is likely due to my need for a full bicep adjustment and not a pattern issue. This particular fabric is actually quite forgiving so the sleeves are still plenty comfortable as-is despite looking quite tight.

My one other alteration was adding inseam pockets. I drew my own pockets and accidentally made them a bit small for my liking. Next time I’ll make them bigger and place them about 2 inches higher. They add some bulk at the hips, which is likely why pockets aren’t included in the pattern. If you’re a pocket lover, don’t let that deter you from the pattern as adding inseam pockets is a simple alteration with plenty of great resources available to walk you through the process.

Construction

I think it’s been mentioned in previous posts but, I’m not actually a quick sewer. Although my efficiency has improved over the years, there are just some things that can’t be rushed. Assembling the pattern took a good 45 minutes, cutting it took about 1 hour, and sewing took approximately 6 hours. The most difficult part of construction was attaching the facing without stretching the neckline or center front pieces. As long as you’re not using a terribly difficult fabric; it’s a feat that’s mildly simple to achieve. With that, I would recommend this pattern to an advanced beginner or intermediate sewist.

Final Thoughts

Why has a pattern like this just now entered my life? This Shelby Romper combines the breezy feel and feminine style of a dress with the practicality of pants. I wore it to church a couple weeks ago and have never felt more comfortable while teaching a class of three year olds. This was perfect for keeping me covered while allowing for the movement and fun that comes with entertaining young children. Mothers of my class gave compliments on the style and practical use of such a garment. It’s gold, I tell you, pure gold.

Wearing and writing about my Shelby has me daydreaming of my next version. I’m thinking knee length with some sort of hacked long sleeve. Paired with booties and possibly tights it would be a 90’s dream come true. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to source the perfect fabric…

Thanks for reading!

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Coffee and Thread Madrid Dress Tour

Disclosure: Although the pattern was given to me for participation in this tour, all words and opinions are my own.

Clearly I can’t get enough of Ace and Jig inspired makes because here’s my second one in less than a week (Check out my A+J inspired Zadie Jumpsuit here). Joining the Coffee and Thread Madrid Dress Tour was the perfect opportunity to sew up my own version of a dress I’d been ogling for months (use code ‘madridtour’ for 25% off any Coffee and Thread patterns through June 28th). This required a bit of hacking but, I was up to the challenge. Are you ready for it?

Inspiration

Last fall I was watching Ace and Jig’s Instagram stories when my jaw dropped at upon seeing this version of their Ellis Dress. The pattern mixing and play on scale had me instantly hooked. I saved the photo, vowing to someday make one of my own. Time went by and I had all but forgotten about the dress until I saw Olga’s release of the Madrid Dress. Seeing the pattern reminded me of my dream dress and reignited the fire.

The Madrid Dress pattern isn’t an exact match for the A + J dress, but comes pretty darn close. There are two main differences:

  1. Madrid Dress is a faux wrap style while the A + J dress is a true wrap.
  2. Madrid Dress pattern actually has three tiers for the maxi length (hack details coming later in this post) while the A + J dress has 4.

Difference #1 was actually preferable for me as true wrap dresses sometimes leave me feeling like I’m just one wardrobe malfunction away from accidentally exposing everything to the world. Difference #2 was an easy fix that just required a bit of math which we’ll get to real soon. Overall, they’re pretty similar and the Madrid made for a great starting point.

Fabric

After singing the praises of Anna Maria Horner’s Loominous fabric lines in my last post, I’ll just cut to the chase here and say these 100% cotton yarn dyed wovens are incredible. Dreams are made of these fabrics. This dress uses two fabrics from her Loominous II line. The first is Dotted Line in Cobalt Blue (purchased from Graciebelle Fabrics on Etsy) which has black and pale coral lines stitched into the fabric. This specific fabric was actually the inspiration behind the hand embroidered stitches I added to the back of my Hampton Jean Jacket (here). The second fabric is Tribe in Algae (purchased from Hawthorne Threads), a mint green with stripes of cobalt, forest, and bits of pale pink woven throughout. Together they mimic the play on scale and bold fabric choices included in the inspiration dress.

The only thing that isn’t ideal about these two fabrics is the fact that they’re only 44″ wide. The narrow width meant that I had to order 9 yards of fabric (5 of the blue, 4 of the mint) to determine that I’d have enough of each. Honestly, the price of ordering 9 yards of fabric kept me from making this dress sooner. I hemmed and hawed over spending the money on a dress that likely wouldn’t get as much wear as most practical items in my wardrobe. I spent hours scouring Etsy and online fabric stores looking for the absolute best deals on these two fabrics and was lucky enough to find both for less than $10/yd. In the end, I decided that the dress wasn’t worth making at all if it wasn’t something I loved and that made the cost worth it. This time I threw caution to the wind and sewed a little frosting just for the fun of it.

Sizing

According to the size chart, my measurements fell into a 4 bust, 8 waist, and 10 hip. I started with a size 4 at the bust and graded to an 8 at the waist and below. There’s enough ease in the hips that I didn’t have to worry about grading out to a 10. I also added 1/2″ to the bodice length. As a side note here, the front bodice facing is missing a lengthen/shorten line. add this in by lining your facing piece up with your front bodice piece and marking the lengthen/shorten line. Then add the same amount of length to your facing piece. Since the rest of the sizing alterations happened in the hacking of the skirt, it’s finally time to get down to it.

Hacking the Skirt

Since the maxi version of the Madrid dress has three tiers and I wanted four, it was time to do a bit of math. My exact calculations here are based on a size 8 with a skirt length of 45″, I’ll include the formulas however, so you can do the math for your own custom size.

  1. Determine your desired length by measuring from your waist to the floor (mine was 45″).
  2. Divide the desired length by 4. (Desired length/4) Mine ended being 45/4 coming out to approximately 11.25″ per tier.
  3. Add 3/4″ to the desired tier length to account for 3/8″ seam allowances on top and bottom. I ended up with a total length of 12″ for each tier.
  4. Keep the width of the first tier as drafted, with the only change being to cut off length to fit your new desired tier length.
  5. Measure the width of the 1st tier. To account for seam allowances remove 3/4″ from that width. (1st tier width – 3/4″ = finished 1st tier width). Take the first tier width and multiply this by 1.5. This will give you the finished width of your 2nd tier. Divide the finished width by the width of your fabric. This will tell you how many (desired tier length) strips to cut. Add 3/4″ to the width of each strip to account for seam allowances.
  6. Follow the steps in #5 above to calculate for the 3rd tier, this time using the finished width of your 2nd tier multiplied by 1.5. Again, divide this number by your fabric width to determine the number of needed (desired tier length strips). Don’t forget to add in 3/4″ to the width of each strip for seam allowances.
  7. Again, follow the steps in #5 above to calculate for the 4th tier, this time using the finished width of your 3rd tier multiplied by 1.5. Again, divide this number by your fabric width to determine the number of needed (desired tier length strips). Don’t forget to add in 3/4″ to the width of each strip for seam allowances.
  8. It seams like a lot, but once you get the hang of it, the math is pretty simple. For reference, here’s what I cut out for my size 8 tiers: 2nd tier- 2 strips 12″x 46 and 1/8″ (the blue had to be cut down the length of the fabric instead of the width), 3rd tier- 4 strips 12″ x 34 and 3/4″, 4th tier- 3 strips 12″ by 69 and 7/8″ or 6 strips 12″ by 34 and 3/4″.

There you have it. Three tiers have now become four. Follow construction as instructed in the pattern directions (I did end up attaching the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th tiers to one another before attaching them to the finished bodice and first tier).

Final Thoughts

Gosh, it feels delightful to have a dress fit for twirling. It’s been a bit since I made a truly twirly dress and my inner 10 year old girl was squealing with joy while taking these photos. Gathering took approximately a million years but was 100% worth it. I’ve also had my fill of gathering for a bit so I’ll probably stay away from it for a few weeks at least.

Overall, I’m thrilled that this dress turned out how I envisioned. This is not always the case and I took a big gamble purchasing 9 yards of fabric for something that I wasn’t sure would work. My version is fuller than the Ace and Jig inspiration dress but, that just ups it’s twirling factor which is fine by me. Will I make this hack again, probably not because I don’t need more than one bright, fabulously twirly, pioneer chic dress in my wardrobe. Am I satisfied with the end result? Yes, 100%! That’s all I got for you today. Hope you’ve enjoyed reading about this dress as much as I enjoy wearing it!

Want to see more Coffee and Thread Madrid Dress inspiration? Be sure to check out the tour on Instagram by following the hashtags #ctmadriddress and #madriddresstour.

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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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Breaking the Pattern Ruska Knot Dress

Happy Monday! Taking a small departure from #sewfancypants to throw my hat in the ring for #sewtwistsandties by sharing my Ruska Knot Dress. This is another pattern included in the book Breaking the Pattern written by the ladies of Named Clothing. The Kaste Dress is what convinced me to buy the book, but projects like this Ruska Dress make me want to try everything.

Fabric

Back in December, I was fortunate to work with the ladies of Merritt Makes to share my Archer Button Up. When they asked me if I’d like to collaborate again and use some of their new sweater knit, I happily agreed. I had swatches of the fabric (they offer free swatches if you just ask), and knew it was something I’d like to use. This fabric was provided to me, but I also purchased 1.5 yards of another color to make a Nikko Top because it’s that good (see the Nikko I made in this post). The combination of rayon/modal/cotton/spandex in this sweater knit makes it feel lightweight and cozy all at the same time. The weight is perfect for a layering piece like a Nikko or even a t-shirt during transitional months. For this dress, I chose the charcoal color, and it’s opaque enough that I don’t feel a need to wear any type of slip underneath. Honestly, I should have bought a couple yards of each color because I’ve worn my Nikko in the mink color at least 3 times a week for the last 2 weeks and this dress for the last two days. In short, I’m a fan.

Preparation and Alterations

In general, I prefer the convenience of PDF patterns to paper patterns or books but, when a book includes so many beautiful options, I have to concede. A sweet former co-worker of mine introduced me to Pellon 830 or Easy Pattern years ago and it’s become my go-to for tracing patterns. It’s more durable than tracing paper, can be sewn (I often baste it together to check fit before cutting main fabric), and even ironed on a low setting when my pieces inevitably become crumpled due to my poor pattern organization. If I’ve convinced you to give it a try it’s usually available at JoAnn Fabrics and on Amazon.

I spent an evening tracing the 5 pattern pieces and cutting fabric. Like most people, I’m not a straight size and had to do a little bit of grading. I used a size 2 at the bust, graded to a 4 at the waist, and a 5 at the hips. I also added 4 inches to the length, but after trying on the nearly completed dress, decided to cut off 3 of those extra inches before hemming. Lesson learned. Next time I’ll just add 1 inch to the length. Other than minor grading and adding some length, my only other alteration was to use the long sleeves instead of the short sleeve length.

Construction

Unfortunately, I never quite keep an accurate count of the time spent on construction due to the regular disruptions that come with sewing and parenting at the same time. Nevertheless, I do know that this was a fairly straightforward and quick sew. I spent one evening constructing the dress and part of an afternoon hemming it. The trickiest part of construction was hemming the ties, but I pressed them well, used lots of pins and took my time with the double needle. As long as you’re not trying the rush the process, I think success can be yours. To sew the seams, I just used the lightning stitch on my regular machine. I then pressed them open and finished all the raw edges with my serger. Since this is a knit, finishing the edges isn’t necessary and you can complete this project without a serger. Adding twill tape at the shoulder seams provided necessary stabilization and was much easier than the clear elastic often recommended for the same purpose. Constructing this dress was a breath of fresh air in the middle of this month’s pants frenzy, a reminder that mixing things up once in a while is a welcome idea.


The Why Behind Making the Ruska Dress

When planning this dress, I had a date night outfit in mind. I don’t own a basic black dress and wanted something that was simultaneously comfortable, simple, and sexy. My day to day look includes little to no makeup, a top knot, and a simple top and pants. It’s rare these days that I get a chance to dress up and feel like an adult apart from my role as a mother. Earlier this month, my husband turned 28 and I wanted something extra special to wear for going out.

My husband’s birthday is always an extra special occasion because it also marks the anniversary of the first time we spent time together outside of school classes. Twelve years ago, he left his own 16th birthday party to come hang out with me and my friends at a high school basketball game. Afterwards, we went to Wendy’s where we got chased out of the restaurant after Marshall (my husband) and a couple of his friends attempted to go through the drive through with a shopping cart. We got in our respective cars and regrouped at Burger King before deciding that maybe we should go home before getting into any more trouble. I still remember going home that night and giggling with my sister Amanda and friend Teisha about this goofy boy that got us kicked out of Wendy’s. I’m sitting here smiling at the memory of my 15 year old self slowly falling for the boy who wooed me by knowing the nickname of Iowa (I moved to Utah from Iowa at 15) and left his birthday party to spend time with my friends and me.

Final Thoughts

Honestly, I’m unsure of what to say that hasn’t already been said. This sweater knit and the Ruska Knot Dress seem destined for one another and I don’t want to ever take this off (currently wearing it as I type). Perhaps this spring or summer I’ll even find the time to whip up a short sleeve version of this dress. It would look equally lovely in the marine or oxblood colors of this knit also available from Merritt Makes. The fit, fabric, and design are exactly what I was looking for and, while not 100% perfect, I don’t think there’s anything I’d change.

Thanks for reading! Leaving you with a photo that’s a more accurate representation of what taking blog photos usually entails.

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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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Hacking the Hey June Willamette Shirt into a Dress

Remember when I said (in this post) that I was already planning a fourth Hey June Willamette (pattern here)? Between painting and packing, I managed to squeeze in just enough time for a Willamette Shirt to dress hack. In my last Willamette post, I mentioned that the Willamette is my current pattern obsession. Every time I fall in love with a fabric I think, “Wouldn’t this make a great Willamette?” This was the exact scenario that played out when I set eyes on this fabric from Anna Maria Horner’s Loominous II line. Weeks ago, I was desperately searching Etsy for a continuous 12 yards of another Loominous II fabric I intended to use for curtains. Once I found the desired fabric from La Antigua Textiles this large plaid fabric somehow jumped into my cart as well. When you’re buying 12 yards of fabric, it’s pretty easy to justify the cost of an extra 4 yards. Besides, I had an Etsy gift card that covered the price of this fabric so I can basically pretend it was free, right?

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Now, let’s get on to talking about this dress hack. I was inspired by the shape of this dress from Roolee. The boxy shape and minimal gathering are both elements I wanted to include in my latest summer dress. Once upon a time, I regularly wore shorter and more fitted styles but then; I had a child and realized that limited movement was no longer my jam. If I can’t wear something as a house dress, to the park, and to church, then it’s unlikely to find it’s way into my closet. I decided to hack the Willamette for this dress because the collar, cuffs, and yoke detail add interest to the dress and keep it from looking too much like a sack. I, for the record, love a good sack dress, just didn’t want that look for this one.

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The actual “hacking” of this pattern was quite simple. Let’s start with alterations made to the top. I removed 3 inches from the length of the cropped version so that the beginning of the skirt would hit around my natural waist. I opted for a button front instead of sewing the the front pieces together at the placket (Tori of The Doing Things Blog talks about her button front version here). One of my favorite details is the box pleat at the back of the dress. Originally, I just pleated the top of the back bodice piece near the yoke. After attaching the skirt, i realized the back needed a bit more shaping to achieve the desired look. The solution was to repeat the box pleat at the bottom center of the back bodice. It was a simple fix, but required some time with my seam ripper. I considered not fixing the issue, but realized it was worth the extra effort to make something I would be proud to wear. I sucked up my pride, made friends with my seam ripper, and got to work removing the skirt. This fix took about an hour to execute and was worth every minute.

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Moving on to the skirt. This was such a simple “hack” that it feels almost blasphemous to call it one. Since I wanted only minimal gathering I multiplied the finished width of my front and back bodice pieces (both were right around 20″ with that added back pleat) by 1.4. This gave me 28″. I cut two rectangles 28″ x 34″. I then added inseam pockets to the side seams and sewed the side seams together with a 1/2″ seam allowance. There are approximately one million tutorials for adding inseam pockets, but if you’re unfamiliar with them, this is a good one to check out.   Using a basting stitch at 3/8″ and 5/8″ gather the skirt to fit the bodice. Then attach the bodice and skirt right sides together using a 1/2″ seam allowance. Hem the skirt to your desired length and that’s it. You’re done. Seriously, this hack is one of the easiest I’ve ever completed.

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In the midst of all the (good) stress and craziness of the last month or so it felt good to sit at my machine and sew this dress purely out of a desire to create. I thoroughly enjoyed squeezing in a bit of time here and there to reconnect with my machine. Two more weeks and we have no choice, but to be done with this moving madness (because our apartment lease will be up). A little time simply creating for pleasure was just what I needed to get me through the next weeks. Looking forward to sharing more with you in my new space.

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Thanks for reading! Want to see a different Willamette Shirt to Dress Hack? Check out Michelle’s here. Can’t get enough of Anna Maria Horner’s fabrics? Me either! I’m a total fan girl. Check out other items I’ve made with her fabrics like the Highlands Wrap Dress, Fringe Dress, Butterfly Blouse, Bonn Maxi Dress, and Bonn Shirt.

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Named Clothing Gemma Dress

Today I’d like to introduce you to my Named Clothing Gemma Dress. My inner 90’s girl jumped for joy when stretch velvet started making a comeback a couple of years ago. I first fell in love with the sweatshirt version of the Gemma pattern, but have yet to find the perfect fabric combination for it. When my cousin got engaged earlier this year and announced that she’d be married in December, I knew this was the perfect excuse for making a new winter appropriate dress.

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I snagged this olive colored stretch velvet and the Gemma printed pattern from Stylemaker Fabrics during their Black Friday Sale. I ordered on Thursday and had the goods in my hands by the following Monday. Michelle currently has a great selection of stretch velvet available and I’m doing my best to convince myself that I don’t need it in every color of the rainbow.

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Styling this dress presented me with a bit of a conundrum.  You may have noticed that I always wear the same few pairs of shoes. Almost two years ago, I decided to purge and scale back my shoe wardrobe. I had nearly 30 pairs of shoes that were rarely worn or falling apart because they were poorly made. I love a good pair of shoes, but these were just feeling like a waste of my space and money. I made a list of shoes that were necessary in my wardrobe (snow boots, athletic shoes, a pair of dress shoes, etc.) Eventually I whittled my collection down to 8 pairs of shoes. This system has worked quite well for me over the last few years. It’s encouraged me to be more intentional about shoe purchases and creative with my styling. I’m not great at scaling back in many areas of my life, but this one has brought me a little peace of mind. Here’s my little soapbox of the day: You don’t have to Marie Kondo your entire life to feel peace of mind. Find one thing that you can live with less of  (decorations, shoes, pants, t-shirts, pens, etc.) and start there. Maybe you’ll be surprised with what you can live without, or maybe not. I’m really no expert here.

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Now that I’ve presented my little soapbox, let’s get back to my styling conundrum. After seriously considering purchasing a new pair of shoes, I decided to dress the outfit down a bit by wearing my Teva ankle boots. While not the prettiest option, they were certainly my most practical when presented with the thought of walking on ice and winter slush. In order to make it work, I decided on a slightly boho vibe. I selected a pair of simple dangle earrings, patterned tights, and decided on a crown braid for my hair styling. The thought of a crown braid presented me with another issue: I cannot braid to save my life. Enter Vienna: My kind and beautiful friend Vienna of The Late Sew offered to braid my hair and assist me in taking photos. Sewing friends are some of the freaking best, seriously.

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Overall I couldn’t be more pleased with this dress and can’t wait to invent a million occasions to which I can wear such a lovely thing. Who am I kidding? I totally wore this to the grocery store, cooked dinner, and while sewing last night. I might never take it off.

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As always, I’ll leave you with a little note on sizing: I sewed a 38 graded to a 40 at the hips. My only other modifications were adding 2 inches to the length and sewing the slit closed an extra 4 inches for a bit more coverage on the back.

Want to see another Named pattern sewn up? Check out my Ronja Dungarees here.

Love the Gemma pattern? See my Gemma Sweater here.

Need a some more Gemma Dress inspiration? Check out Sara’s gorgeous maternity version here.