Hey June Archives - Merritts Makes

January 1, 2020

Joan Trousers with Bonus Sheridan Sweater

Hello! Wishing you all a happy new year! Yesterday, in an ostentatious end to 2019, I finished my first Sew Fancy Pants project: A pair of polka dotted Friday Pattern Company Joan Trousers with accompanying Hey June Sheridan Sweater. Now I’m wondering how I’ve lived my life without a matching set such as this one. Read on for all the details.

Fabric

I’ve had my eye on this Double Face Sweater Knit from La Mercerie since Adrianna of Hey June used it for her Evans Blazer sample. I promised myself that if La Mercerie had a Black Friday sale and this was still available then, I could buy it. Thankfully, the fabric gods were on my side and I was able to purchase 3.5 yards.

What’s that? Oh, you noticed those matching earrings? Why, yes. I did make them specifically to match this outfit.

Sheridan Sweater

Adrianna’s Polka Dot Sheridan Sweater (sample in listing photos) was actually the catalyst behind this entire outfit. Upon seeing it, I was smitten with the bell sleeves and couldn’t get the idea of a matching sweater set out of my head. The shape of the sweater combined with this polka dot fabric feels a little bit 1960’s mod and I am here for it.

This Sheridan is view B with bell sleeves. Size is a 6 graded to a 10 at the hips with 1″ of length added to the bodice and sleeves.

Sewing the Sheridan took about two hours including the time it took me to sit down and eat breakfast with my son. Really, it was that easy. Now I need to hurry up and order more of this fabric to make a Sheridan Dress.

Joan Trousers

Friday Pattern Company describes the Joan Trousers as “treggings” (trouser/leggings). It’s an accurate description of a clothing item I didn’t know I needed in my life. They combine the comfort of pajama pants with the look of tailored trousers (pockets! belt loops! faux button front waistband!) Sure, they look more casual in this particular fabric but, in a nice solid ponte or double knit, they’d be office ready in no time.

This time around I used all the same adjustments made to my first pair. Sewed a size large with 1/2″ added to the front and back rise, and 3″ added to the length (Just FYI: since this pattern doesn’t include a lengthen shorten line at the rise, I simply added the 1/2″ to the top of the front and back pieces as well as the pocket and pocket lining pieces). Again, I chose to slightly taper the straight, wide legs for a slight cigarette pant look. These ones are tapered slightly less than my first pair as I was worried about this particular fabric looking like leggings if too slim.

Construction took somewhere between 3-4 hours. This time around, I paid careful attention to my markings and sewing went off without a hitch. Sewing instructions were straightforward with the trickiest part being the attachment of elastic to inner waistband. Sewing might have been even quicker if I hadn’t worn them around for a few minutes while determining a final hem length.

Final Thoughts

Despite the fact that my son called this outfit pajamas (“Mom! Your earrings match your pajamas!”), I will proudly wear this outfit both separately and together in public. Separately, the trousers will likely be paired with one of my many Nikko Tops for a polished, business casual look. The Sheridan will look just right paired with high waisted jeans or wide leg pants. In fact, I’m just about to try it on with a few pairs of my handmade pants to determine my favorite pairing. Will report back.

Pretty sure this photo was snapped at the exact moment my son said, “Mom! Your earrings match your pajamas!”

This was my second time sewing up a pair of Friday Pattern Company Joan Trousers with the intention of a matching set. The first time they were paired with the Hey June Evans Blazer (read more about that set here). Clearly, I have a thing with pairing patterns from the two companies. Perhaps next time, I should mix it up by sewing a pair of Hey June Pants and wearing it with a Friday Pattern Company top? Now, which ones to choose? Adrienne Blouse and Kendrick Overalls? Maybe a Wilder Top and Bryce Cargo Pants? Let me know what you think below!

Thanks for reading!

November 29, 2019

Wedding Ready with the Evans Blazer and Joan Trousers

Hello! This last week has been filled with all kinds of family festivities. Last Saturday we celebrated my brother’s wedding. Following the wedding, my sister and her children came and stayed with us until yesterday. Having children to play with all week was a dream come true for my only child and spending time with my sister was one for me. There were a few minor hiccups when one child got sick in the movie theater (before we knew he was sick), all three children ended up sick, and I put the turkey in the oven one hour late after not setting an alarm. Despite a wild few days, I’m left feeling grateful for family that is down to roll with the punches and take on life’s bumps together. It was a lovely week overall and we’re missing our family already. Enough about my week. Let’s get down to the reason I’m writing this post: My secret pajamas wedding suit.

Fabric

One week before my brother’s wedding, I still had no clue what I wanted to wear. That is, until I was browsing Stylemaker Fabrics and discovered this Dusty Rose Ponte Knit. Inspiration struck and 3.5 yards were ordered.

Joan Trousers

The Friday Pattern Company Joan Trousers have been on my to-sew list since I wrote a Sew Fancy Pants Fabric Inspiration (Beginner Edition) post in January. Eleven months later, I purchased the pattern and got to work. Based on my measurements, I cut a Large, added 1/2″ to the rise (there isn’t I lengthen shorten line here so I added it at the top), and added 3″ to the leg length at the lengthen/shorten line. Inspired by bluefloralneedles and pinkcoatclub, the legs were tapered for a cigarette pant vibe.

Sewing the Joan Trousers was quick and relatively painless. Most of the sewing took place one afternoon. I was nearing the finish line when I noticed that I’d accidentally placed the belt loops along the wrong markings. One hour of seam ripping later, the belt loops were correctly attached and I was on my way to a finished pair of pants.

Evans Blazer

Since it’s release, the Hey June Evans Blazer has been near the top of my favorites list. This one didn’t turn out quite as well as I’d like (mostly because this fabric is on the lighter side) but, it’s still wearable, just needs a bit of tweaking.

Based on the size chart, I cut a 6 bust, 8 waist, and 10 hip. Added 1/2″ of length to the blazer and 1″ of length to the sleeves. Size wise, all of these alterations seemed about right.

Before I get into the issues I had, I want to clarify that the sizing and instructions were accurate and thorough. The following issues had to do with my fabric choice, not the pattern. I fully intend to make this pattern again in a better suited fabric.

First, my fabric is a lightweight rayon/nylon ponte and has a bit of drape. This means the collar doesn’t stay in place on it’s own. I did hand tack a couple of spots on the collar but, they came undone after a bit of dancing and child wrangling. Now that the wedding is over, I plan to go back and hand tack the entire collar.

Second, also due to the lightweight nature of the fabric, my hem had to be sewn by machine. I spent an hour making a hand sewn blind hem on the blazer bottom and it DID NOT look good. While not sold on the visible topstitching, it’s better than what I had before. Perhaps I’ve lost my blind hemming skills after not using them for a while but the small divots made by the blind hem were extremely noticeable in this color and fabric weight. A darker color would likely not have the same result. The visible stitching makes the blazer more casual than intended.

Final Thoughts

Despite my fabric issues with the Evans Blazer, I’m quite pleased with the overall look created here. Many of my brother’s wedding guests complimented my pink pantsuit while the knit fabric kept me comfortable throughout set up, take down, and everything in between. The trousers are bound to become a staple and with a little work, the blazer will become one as well.

Thanks for reading!

May 16, 2018August 29, 2018

Hey June Handmade Willamette Shirt

Every once in a while, I’ll find a pattern that I want to make over and over again. I’ll see any pretty fabric and think “Hey! that would make a great (insert favorite pattern here).” The last pattern that made me feel this way was the Grainline Studio Scout Tee. I’ve surpassed double digits with that pattern, but have been waiting to fall in love with another pattern the way I fell in love with the Scout. Enter the Willamette Shirt by Hey June Handmade. Although, I’ve since made a third version, today I’ll be talking about my first two versions.

I’m about to say something that may sound blasphemous to some, but this was my very first Hey June pattern. I’ve had the Union St Tee bookmarked in my browser for literally years, but the my introduction to the Willamette is what finally pushed me over the edge. Last May, I invited a few of my sewing friends to join me for a sewing weekend. During that weekend I watched Sara of The Sara Project and Rachel of Little Fish Apparel each sew a Willamette. Admittedly, watching them make their versions gave me a bit of FOMO; so I immediately added the Willamette to my must-make list.

For my first version I opted to sew view A in Rifle Paper Co. rayon. This first one took a total of 7-ish hours to sew up over the course of a few weeks. The instructions were clear, and I found the construction to be fun and just challenging enough to keep it interesting. Due to the shifty nature of the rayon, I spent at least two of those sewing hours attempting to get the placket nicely top-stitched. I must’ve redone it 3 or 4 times before deeming it “good enough.” Despite the placket’s imperfections, the busy floral does a great job hiding them.

What I love about this version: The bold jewel toned floral makes a statement without looking childish. This rayon fabric has just enough drape to make the top feel breezy and balance out the boxy shape. I can see this top looking equally lovely paired with a skirt as it does with the jeans pictured here.

Before I started my rayon version, I was undecided between View A and the cropped View C. I settled on View A but promised myself that a cropped version would be in my future. This cotton chambray was purchased from Fancy Tiger Crafts back in September and sat in my stash until inspiration struck. It was the end of a bolt and I only had a little over a yard and a half so I wanted to be sure that I was making the perfect selection. Once my decision was made I cut the project immediately and waited for sewing time.

This cropped version came together in one morning. I spent somewhere around 3-4 hours sewing this top including the time it took to feed my son breakfast and help him with his online preschool program. I’ll attribute the quick turnaround and ease of construction to a few things. First, this wasn’t my first rodeo and being familiar with the construction techniques was a real bonus as I didn’t have to spend so much time reading and rereading instructions. Second, the cotton chambray was stable and that placket top-stitching was “good-enough” on the first try. Winning! Third, the straight hem took at least 15 minutes less to press and stitch than the curved hem on View A. It’s not often that I complete a sewing project before noon so this one felt like a victory.

What I love about this version: The stiffness of the chambray combined with the cropped length create a true boxy silhouette that I’m all about. The fabric is less busy than my first version and really lets the yoke, cuff, and collar details shine. I love the comfy, casual vibe of this top and can’t wait to experiment with styling over the summer.

Over the winter months, I didn’t get a significant amount of wear from these tops, but I have big plans to make them wardrobe staples over the summer. Now, please excuse me while I go plan another Willamette for every day of the week.

A quick note on sizing: All versions are sewn in a size 4 with 1.5″ added to the length.