Sewing – Page 9 – Sew Beach Life

GreenStyle Studio to Street Top

Change the fabric, change the look!

I am always excited when I am chosen to test a pattern. I don’t apply to test that often, and I only apply when the pattern looks like a style that I would wear. You’re generally expected to make two or more of the item, so there’s no point in applying if it’s not something you want in your closet!

I’ll be the first to admit that I am not a “trendy” person. I tend to choose clothing that is classic, simple, and that I can wear for years. My career wear leaned heavily toward suits, and dresses with a jacket. Athletic wear now dominates my wardrobe. I go to yoga class 4 (or more) days a week, so other than my weekend shorts, tops, and dresses, you’ll generally find me in workout wear. Which brings me to the GreenStyle Studio to Street Top.

I’ve stopped by the grocery store on my way home from yoga class on more than one occasion. While it generally doesn’t bother me to walk around in workout wear, stores in Florida, and grocery stores in particular are cold. They seem to keep the A/C cranked down towards refrigerator level. While I appreciate that they are trying to keep the food fresh, I don’t like freezing while shopping. So the Studio to Street Top is perfect for popping on after class, looking “put together” and completing your errands in comfort.

My measurements put me in a size Large, so per testing guidelines I made a size Large, adding 1″ to the length to account for my height. For my first test version I used some rayon spandex from JoAnn Fabric that I had in my stash. I chose the V-neck split-band bottom with a crew neck back. (This pattern has so many great options!)

It could have been the super stretchy fabric, but the size of this trendy style felt a little too slouchy for me. (Hey, I lived through the ’90’s already, the Flashdance look just isn’t my personality!) So for my next two tops I sized down to a Medium. That, and using high quality fabric, was just the change I needed to fall in love with this top.

Winter white rayon spandex from Phee Fabrics is the perfect fabric for the V-neck, split-band front, full length V back version. It’s a trendy, yet classic top that fills a hole in my closet. I can throw it on over my workout wear to run errands, and it’s long enough to cover my “assets” if I want to wear it with leggings.

The pattern has sleeve options to cover all seasons. Long sleeves, 3/4 sleeves, short banded sleeves, or you can just hem the sleeve openings. Since it’s usually warm in Florida, I decided to go with the banded sleeves for my third version. I wanted a dressier top that I could wear to church or out to dinner. Circular knit from Phee Fabrics gave the V-neck, deep V back, full length top the perfect element of dressiness. It’s super comfortable and breathable, with just the right amount of sexiness.

The deep V back looks sexy (but can be worn with a regular bra!) Or you can totally change the look by wearing a fun strappy bra (hello, Power Sports Bra!) I will wear this with skirts, shorts, or thrown over my yoga wear all summer long.

I didn’t make a cropped version because it isn’t my tall girl style. But a cropped sweater knit version would look adorable on my daughter or one of my nieces who live in colder climates! With so many options (hmmm, I didn’t make a crew neck front yet..) and clear, easy to follow directions, the GreenStyle Studio to Street Top is a pattern worth owning. Using different types and weights of fabrics will give you so many fun styles it will become a staple in your closet!

As an interesting side note, both the skirt and Super G Tights are made of Phee Fabrics Supplex. Obviously it is my favorite fabric for workout bras, tops and multiple styles of bottoms!

*This post may contain affiliate links. This means that at no extra cost to you, I may receive a small commission if you purchase through my links. As always, I only give my honest opinion. After all, it is my blog, which represents me! Thank you for reading and supporting my love of sewing!

GreenStyle Power Sports Bra Workout Top Hack

How I Made A Good Bra “Workout” Better

I was lucky enough to be one of the GreenStyle Power Sports Bra pattern testers. As soon as I made my first Power Sports Bra, I knew that I was eventually going to hack it into a workout top. I like pattern testing. It gives you a chance to try a new pattern, give your feedback on the fit, construction, and pattern directions. At the end you get to show off your beautiful creations, so you feel like a model wearing something that you made. I like the fit, style and multiple options on the pattern, and knew that it would make a cute workout top!

I used gray Supplex from Phee Fabrics for the bra portion of my top. Since the bra needs to be comfortable, supportive, and able to withstand sweaty workouts, your fabric needs to be moisture wicking with good stability and excellent recovery. Supplex is my go-to fabric for workout wear. I used tricot for the body portion and straps because it comes in fun colors, and is also moisture wicking and abrasion resistant. It is important to use powernet when making a bra. The support and smoothing provided by powernet is, in my mind, essential to achieving a high quality finished product. An added bonus is that I don’t have to use bra cups when I use powernet! It’s that good at keeping “the girls” in place.

Omitting the band, I cut out my bra per pattern directions, as well as cutting a layer of powernet for all the bra pieces. I trim the powernet about 1/8″ smaller on all sides (which is much easier if you have a rotary cutter). Doing this will cut down on the bulk in your seams. I then baste the powernet to my lining pieces, and treat them as one piece moving forward.

Other than the straps, I sewed the bra together per pattern instructions. While I love the look of the double straps, they are more time consuming to construct. So I still cut out four strap pieces, but used them flat (as main fabric and lining fabric) rather than as double straps sewn to each shoulder. I used powernet in my straps rather than adding elastic.

Once you’ve sewn your main and lining pieces together along the top, try the bra on, adjust the straps to length, then push the straps through the openings and stitch.

To avoid bulk, be sure to trim the seam allowances at the back strap openings on an angle before turning the bra right side out. It’s important to press as you sew. It helps everything lay more smoothly, and gives your projects a more professional finish. See the difference pressing makes between the left and right straps in the photo below?

Now you’re at the part where you would normally add the band, but are instead going to make it a workout top. I used the GreenStyle Lille Tank as the tank portion of my workout top.

I literally used a Lille tank that I had made previously, but never wear because I didn’t do a good job on the binding. Since it was just taking up space in my workout wear drawer, I decided to upcycle it by cutting the top straight across below the arm openings. The extra length gave me the opportunity to add ruching to the sides.

The Lille body was wider than my bra. If I were making the body out of Supplex, and wanted it more fitted, I would have slimmed the top of the body a bit. Since I was going for a drapier fit with ruching, I just matched up my quarter points and eased the body to fit the bra.

I could have added a band with elastic on the inside at this point, but wanted to try something else. I used 3/8″ swim elastic cut to fit me at the snug yet comfortable length (just like you would trial fit the wider elastic in the band). I overlapped the elastic and stitched it together making a circle. Then I matched up my quarter points, and zig zagged the elastic to the seam allowance. After that, I flipped the seam allowance toward the bra, and top-stitched it in place.
To ruche the sides, I cut two pieces of swim elastic a couple of inches shorter than my side seams. I zig-zagged the elastic to the side seams and ta-dah, instant ruching!
When I go to the beach to get photographs in my makes, sometimes silliness overtakes me. But we’ll just say I was jump testing the workout top to ensure that everything stays in place!

This workout top passed the jump test with flying colors! 😉 Working out is more fun when you wear cute, comfortable, me-made outfits. 🙂

Happy Sewing!

GreenStyle Super G Tights

Workout Wear Within A Yard

I like yoga. I love sewing. Combine these two statements and the logical conclusion is sewing workout wear. If you’ve looked through an Athleta catalog, or wandered through Lululemon or any other high-end workout wear store, you have probably been a little taken aback by the prices. There is some justification to their price because high quality performance fabric isn’t cheap. And you want fabric that is anti-microbial and moisture wicking if you’re planning to work up a sweat while working out. However, $98.00 yoga tights aren’t within my budget, and the fabric isn’t that expensive!

I go to yoga 4 or 5 times a week, so I need a lot of workout wear. I’ve made workout leggings out of swim and “Loungeletics” fabric from JoAnn Fabrics, and they are cute and comfortable at first. But the fabric gets a bit baggy and stretched out after wearing them all day. And they certainly aren’t moisture wicking. Which brings me to Supplex from Phee Fabrics. This is the high quality fabric that the high end stores use for their workout wear. It is 18 oz./linear yard (400 grams per square meter)! It holds everything in place, and has wonderful 4-way stretch with excellent recovery.

I recently bought the GreenStyle Creations Super G Tights pattern and was excited to add a new style into my rotation. I chose the Super G’s because there is a side panel with pocket option. And we all know that pockets are life! 🙂 Especially pockets that are big enough to hold a large phone in a sturdy case. I like capri length workout tights because I live in Florida, and Ashtanga yoga is sweaty! The Super G’s have a gusset that gives the tights excellent stretch and flexibility without irritating seams in sensitive areas.

However, the gusset pattern piece is longer than 36 inches, and I was working with a yard of fabric. I turned this potential problem into a design element by color blocking my fabric about 3″ at both ends of my gusset piece. It gave me a fun triangle accent on the inside of my calves. I used white powernet for the color-blocking and side pocket panels. It gives my legs a little bit of ventilation as well as being a great accent.

I added an inch to the rise of my tights because I am tall and a little curvy. Could I have gotten away without the extra inch? Absolutely! But I’m sure I’m not the only one who likes a little extra coverage on the tummy! I also decide to curve in the center back seam a little bit before adding the waistband. I made sure to alter my pattern piece for future use.

I took larger seam allowances on the contoured waistband to make it a bit smaller as well. Adjusting patterns to suit your body shape is one of the reasons we sew. We can customize the fit, and design fabric and color combos that work for us. The simple gray and white color scheme of my workout tights means that they will match nearly every workout top I own. And since I only used a yard of Supplex, they are well within my budget!

If you haven’t tried yoga, I encourage you to try a class or two. It’s not only great exercise, but the steady breathing helps bring calmness and focus into your life. And if you haven’t tried sewing workout wear, give it a shot! The Super G Tights are a great pattern, and Supplex is a wonderful fabric. You’ll end up with workout wear that looks like a hundred bucks, but costs you a whole lot less. And it’ll probably fit you better too!

Now I need to make some strappy workout tops out of Supplex (and perhaps some Tricot). This ready to wear top with sleeves was way too hot for yoga class! What is your favorite workout pattern?

P4P SOS Pants Contoured Waistband

Long Distance Pattern Hacking

I received a text from my daughter, “Mom, you’ve completely ruined me for regular leggings! It’s so much more convenient to have pants with pockets.” Hahahaha, so true! I’ve made her Patterns for Pirates Peg Legs with the side panel, pockets and contoured waistband, as well as the SOS (skinny or straight) Pants which have pockets. While she likes the SOS skinnies, they are a bit too low rise for her comfort. But she does like the dressier look and convenience of four pockets.

I had ordered some Twill Polartec Powerstretch from Phee Fabrics because it sounded like an interesting fabric, and I thought I would make myself some cute pants or joggers. But since my daughter actually needed new pants (and I really don’t!) I knew the Twill Powerstretch would be perfect for SOS Pants.

I’ve seen comments on the P4P Facebook group page that the SOS Pants pattern is being updated, but it’s cold now, so I went ahead and cut out her pants. I decided that making a contoured waistband would be the simplest way to change the rise for her. It would be easier for me if she lived nearby so that I could measure her, make a waistband, have her try it on, and alter as necessary before attaching it to the pants. But since she and her family live in another state, I just went with her measurements and requests.

She wanted the pants three inches higher in front and one inch higher in back. The P4P Peg Legs add-on pattern has a contoured waistband, but are designed with much more negative ease than SOS Pants. It is a good reference though, to help visualize how to make a contoured waistband. I laid the pocket on the pants front, and the back yoke on the pants back pattern pieces to help me figure out my waistband shape.

That helped me get the bottom curved shape of my waistband pieces. The SOS Pants pattern calls for a 5″ high rectangular piece, which when folded over and sewn gives you a 2″ tall waistband. Note: I like to use a 3/8″ seam allowance on the waistband, rather than the 1/2″ the pattern calls for, so add 1/4″ to my measurements below if you want to stick to 1/2″ seams. Since my daughter wanted the front 3″ taller, I made the center front of the waistband 5-3/4″ tall. She wanted the back 1″ taller, so I made the center back 3-3/4″ tall. I tapered both pieces to 4-3/4″ tall at the side seams.

Since you are not folding over like a standard waistband you will need to cut out two front and two back waistband pieces on the fold. One set will be your main waistband and one will be your waistband lining. I sewed up the pants per the pattern directions, then sewed on the new contoured waistband and sent the pants off to my daughter.

Ta Da! SOS skinny pants with a contoured waistband and pockets galore! It’s just what a busy wife and Mama needs. You can use this hack on other pants patterns as long as you use a quality knit fabric with appropriate stretch and recovery. I recommend trying your waistband on and making any tweaks before you sew it onto your pants. Unless of course you are mailing the pants to another state like I did! 🙂

Happy sewing and hacking!

Phone Sized Pockets

Because Pockets Are Life!

GreenStyle Creations Brassie Joggers are a quick sew with a comfortable fit. But they have a small problem- modern technology! Most women will comment about clothing that “Pockets are life!” Ready to wear women’s clothing rarely has pockets. Or if they do, they are tiny little decorative pockets. About the only RTW clothing item that consistently has pockets are denim jeans. Real women need pockets!

Menswear has pockets, and I get it that men have to carry wallets, and most women carry purses. But you can’t carry your purse around all day. When I go for a walk, I take a house key and my phone (and my water bottle, I get thirsty!) So I need pockets for my stuff. And if you have little ones, pockets are a necessity. “Mama, look at this pretty rock. Hold it for me.” Toy cars, snacks, rocks and sticks, you name it, Mama is expected to carry it in her pocket.

The real necessity of course, is your cell phone. Modern technology has conditioned us to feel lost without our mini-computer. And if you prefer a larger screen so you can see all those cute photos on your Facebook feed, forget it! That phone isn’t going to fit in most pockets. And adding a phone case makes it even more of a challenge to fit.

The Brassie Jogger pocket is a decent size, it just doesn’t feel deep enough to hold my phone securely. Altering the pocket may sound challenging, but really, it’s an easy modification. The opening at the top of pocket pieces is around six inches, to give you room to take your hand (and stuff) in and out of the pocket. So however you alter the shape of the opening, you need to maintain that six inch opening.

I wanted the pocket opening to start about two inches higher than it does. The purple pocket edge line shows the original shape. I lined the pocket pattern piece up under the pants front to maintain the proper hip curve. Then I took my measuring tape, held one end two inches up from the original spot and curved it up toward the waist. I maintained the six inch opening for my hand, and traced my new pocket opening. The new opening is shown in turquoise.

Since I also wanted a higher rise (I am tall, and low or mid-rise pants don’t fit well) I added an inch at the top of my pattern pieces. The pattern currently has layers for low and mid-rise. I think I’ve read that GreenStyle plans to update the pattern to add a higher rise, but I want to make this pattern now. I could have used the slash and spread method to add an inch to the rise, but adding it at the top worked. Bonus- it also made the pocket an inch deeper!

I also traced my new pocket curve onto my fabric and made a one inch wide pocket facing. I prefer a facing to just turning the top edge under and stitching. I think it adds crispness and stability to your pockets. I lengthened the inseam of my shorts to six inches, as it’s a good length for me. Other than these simple modifications, I simply followed the pattern directions.

When Phee Fabrics started carrying Polartec, I wanted to try some. It is an interesting fabric, NOT the bulky polar fleece stuff you might be visualizing. It’s a technical anti-microbial fabric with a moisture wicking “power grid”.

The power grid design also makes it super easy to see your grainline and ensure that you are laying out your pattern pieces properly!

The Polartec Powerdry fabric is lightweight and breathable, so I knew that I would be able to make cute and comfortable shorts out of it. I hope I have enough of this fabric left to make some joggers or lounge pants, because it is comfortable!

If you’re interested, the top I am wearing is made of Phee Fabrics rayon/spandex using the P4P Essential Tank pattern with the curved hemline.

So go ahead and add some pockets to your life! 🙂

GS Sunday Cardigan and Sinclair Sienna

When pattern companies note under fabric choices that you will need “Any knit fabric like cotton Lycra, double knit, ITY, sweater knit, French terry, etc….with at least 50% 2-way stretch”, I’m sure they must realize sewists are always going to push the boundaries of the intended fabrics! The listed fabrics for the GreenStyle Sunday Cardigan are generally pretty stable knits, which is why they are great for cardigans.

Which brings me to my fabric choice- a pretty navy blue rayon/spandex from Phee Fabrics. I live in Florida, so a thick, heavy knit cardigan isn’t likely to get much use by me. There are chilly days, and restaurants and grocery stores always seem to blast the A/C, so cardigans are a must! Rayon/spandex is light enough to keep me comfortable without being too warm. I knew I wanted the duster length cardigan because it would look nice no matter what length of dress I wear, and equally as nice with pants or leggings.

I’ve mentioned before that Phee’s rayon/spandex is much more substantial than average, so I knew it would work for this cardigan, even in duster length. The GreenStyle Sunday Cardigan doesn’t have bands, all the edges are simply pressed under and stitched. This makes it a simple sew with a clean look. I wanted to ensure crisp edges, especially since I wanted the side slits. My simple solution was interfacing. I cut 3/8″ wide strips of a light to mid-weight interfacing. It was probably Pellon Shirtailor, but since all my various weights of interfacing are just in a bag and not individually wrapped with their respective strip of directions, who knows? It wasn’t featherweight and it wasn’t a stiff heavyweight, so light to mid-weight will suffice!

I ironed the strips along the front edges and along the curve of the neckline, (which was the only place I actually traced the pattern shape). I just used my rotary cutter and ruler for cutting the long strips. I also used strips along the low slit edges. I didn’t need to use it, but it made it super easy to press over the edges without having to use a hem guide and pin all along the edges. I didn’t bother with it at the hemline, as the fabric hems beautifully.

Other than adding two inches to the sleeve length for my long arms, and ironing on the interfacing, I followed the pattern directions and ended up with a soft, cute, comfortable cardigan that will get tons of use!

My other make was the Sinclair Patterns Sienna drawstring dolman top. I have owned this pattern for months, and this is the first time I’ve made it. Why did I wait so long? Probably because every time I’ve tried on a dolman top at a store, I’ve thought they just looked baggy and sloppy on me. I have got to say that I am really growing to love the genius of Sinclair Patterns fit! I’ve previously blogged about the Sinclair Kai tee shirts I made for my husband and son. And I love that Sinclair patterns come in short, regular and tall. I think that having the pattern in tall is part of what makes this fit so well. The patterns are also drafted with a shaped hemline, and the design makes them lay well on a real body.

I made the short sleeve version for myself, and wore it with the drawstrings fully extended as a dress. The winter white rayon/spandex top looks equally as cute with the drawstrings pulled up to tunic length. In fact it’s so cute, that I texted a photo to my daughter and asked her if she wanted a top. Her answer? “I love dolman tops! I think they’re cute and give the illusion of a smaller middle.” Not that she’s implying I don’t have a small middle. It’s pretty obvious that I am not a small person! 🙂 She actually is a small, slender woman, which is why I can’t model the Sienna I made for her. She lives in a colder climate, so I made hers with the 3/4 sleeves.

Since I didn’t think I’d have quite enough fabric to make the sleeves per pattern (which has the sleeves drawn as part of the body), I cut them at the short sleeve line. Then I added the seam allowances at the top of my sleeve pieces. I think it would be easy enough to hack the sleeves to be long using this method. Since I didn’t have my daughter here to measure for that, I stuck to the 3/4 sleeves.

I sewed the sleeve pieces to the front and back pieces, then just followed the pattern directions. Her top turned out just as cute as mine and I can’t wait to see her in it!

I really like both of these patterns, and want to make them in all the colors! And I wonder how my sewing list gets so long. Hah!

May your patterns and fabric be plentiful, and your sewing time enjoyable!

The Little Black Dress And 5 Ways To Style It

How To Play Dress-Up As An Adult

Every girl needs a “little black dress” in her closet. It’s that basic wardrobe piece that you can reach for again and again. If it’s a simple design, all the better because you and how you wear it will be what stands out, rather than a “trendy” design. Packing for a trip? Throw it in your suitcase and you can wear it for all sorts of things without taking up all kinds of space. Not that I would know anything about over-packing! 😉 Ahem! Anyway, let me tell you what I used to make my LBD and we’ll get on with the fashion show!

A LBD should be something you can wear year round, so a comfortable fabric that won’t overheat you is a must. I chose rayon/spandex because it is soft and light-weight. High quality rayon/spandex is key though, because the cheap “big box” fabric store stuff will wrinkle and pill and cling to you in all the wrong places. The rayon/spandex from Phee Fabrics is 13oz., much more substantial than standard and with great drape. I used the Women’s Mya pattern from Made For Mermaids. It is a great pattern with the perfect amount of shaping and flowiness. It’s slightly fitted at the bust, but not too form-fitting on the rest of your body. If you choose a pattern and fabric that flatters your shape, you end up with a little black dress you will wear for years!

Headed to the beach? Picnic in the park? Or just running up to the grocery store? You’ve got the perfect summer dress!

Headed off to work? Meetings and business travel? Throw on a jacket and low heels and you’re ready to go.

Is there a chill in the air? Did you say snow? Boots and a cozy sweater are the way to go! This sweater is a ready-to-wear, but there are so many cute cardigan patterns out there, not to mention Polartec, that sewing a cardigan or two is definitely on my to-do list.

Cocktail party? A hot date with your love? Killer heels and pearls, and your little black dress has you covered. I have to say that this was my husband’s favorite look. When your husband good-naturedly agrees to be your photographer for a blog, you’ve got to like it when he gives you a whistle when you ask him to take your photo! This look had me feeling fierce!

Ready for the weekend? Tie off your LBD at tunic length, add some leggings, slide on some flats, and layer on a shirt. Casual and comfortable at it’s best!

It was fun to play “dress-up” and ham it up with all the different looks. Suffice it to say that I will wear this dress a LOT. What’s your favorite way to style a little black dress?

Grandma For A Year

There’s nothing like being a Grandma!

There is nothing like being a Grandma. I’ve always heard people say that and wondered what they meant by it. I love being a Mom. We were blessed with great kids who are truly wonderful people that we always enjoy being around and spending time with. So of course I would love being a Grandma, as it’s our baby’s baby.

Dan and I were fortunate to be at a stage in our lives that allowed us to be close by at the crucial time. We had sold our house in Michigan, and hadn’t yet found a new home in Florida. So we rented an apartment for three months that was about 12 minutes away from our daughter and son-in-law’s home. We were able to help with some last minute baby preparations, and to be there with Jennifer through 3 days of labor. The excitement of our granddaughter’s birth was topped off when I finally got to hold her in my arms. Her warmth, her smell, her soft baby skin, still covered in birth fluids. My heart was overflowing with love.

I made breakfasts and dinners, and cleaned and did laundry, and waited impatiently for my share of baby snuggles. Baby Lila wormed her way deeper and deeper into my heart. The daily visits ended when we moved back to Florida. But I am so grateful that we had the opportunity for that early bonding time.

We fly up for visits every month to six weeks or so, and Lila is always happy to see us. We’ve watched her mature and grow, and seen the milestones and developing talents in person, in photos, and via Facetime. It cracks me up how she tries to reach out through the phone or iPad to touch us. The first year has flown by.

When Jennifer started planning Lila’s first birthday party, I was hoping that Lila would be able to wear the dress Jennifer wore on her first birthday. Unfortunately, there is a stain on the front of the dress that I don’t think will come out after 30 years! Since I like to sew, I knew I could make her something pretty to wear instead.

Jennifer chose a “She’s a wild ONE” jungle theme for the party and I instantly knew what fabric I was going to use. I had ordered the palm print leaf matte nylon/spandex from Phee Fabrics intending to make a dress for myself. But I hadn’t decided on the perfect pattern yet, so the fabric was stashed and waiting for me. I thought it would be fun to make something for all three of us to wear on the special occasion. I also thought that I had three yards of fabric stashed, but in reality only had two. Yikes!

That ruled out the possibility of making dresses for all three of us, so Lila got a birthday dress, and the two of us got tanks. I have made my daughter tank tops before, and have three different patterns cut out in her size. Her favorite seems to be the Patterns for Pirates Essential Tank, so I chose that for her. Its flattering, simple, yet shapely design is also great for layering, so I knew she would be able to wear it year round. I debated between the Essential Tank and the Made for Mermaids Women’s Mya pattern for myself. I decided on the Women’s Mya since it’s a bit roomier, I knew it would be a busy day, and there would be snacks and cake involved!

The birthday girl’s dress needed to be flowy and pretty and work with a knit fabric. Jennifer and I both liked the Ellie and Mac Be Dreamy dress, but I had a few concerns. Since Lila is a busy baby and a beginning walker, a floor length dress was out of the question. The high-low hemline is cute, but still not practical for a one year old. So it had to become a knee length dress. This would be an easier fix if they lived close by and I could compare the pattern to her and her other dresses to judge the fit. But she doesn’t, so I had to work off measurements. “No longer than seventeen inches” was the answer I received to “How long from her shoulder to hemline?” So I overlapped my pattern pieces by the seam allowance, measured down from the shoulder, added a hem allowance and drew my new hemline.

Now to fit all these pieces onto only two yards of fabric! I always take my time with pattern layout and cutting. Everything needs to be perfectly on grain, and I hate wasting fabric. Talk about your fussy cutting! Fortunately, the palm leaf fabric is a true 60″ wide, so I was able to cut all the pieces facing (what I considered) upright on the fabric. Since the leaves go in all different directions, it isn’t an obvious directional fabric and I could have made life easier by flipping things to fit, but that’s not how I roll!

The tank tops and dress sewed up easily, if slowly, since I just use a basic Brother sewing machine. I like to finish my neck and arm band seams with my machine’s overcast stitch, followed by topstitching to get a clean, professional look. (Someday I’ll get that fancy Babylock serger/coverstitch on my daydream wishlist!) 😉

The full circle flutter sleeves on the Be Dreamy dress were my other concern. They needed to be light and fluttery, and preferably out of a solid, since the underside of the fabric shows. Jennifer didn’t want to mix in a color with the palm leaf print, so that nixed the circular knit and tricot I had on hand. My solution was white powernet. I always use it to add support to the bras and workout tops I make, but it’s a versatile fabric. I’ve added powernet side panels to workout capris, and have an idea percolating for a top with powernet insets. Since it doesn’t fray, careful cutting with my rotary cutter was all the finish the fluttery sleeves needed. I carefully tacked on some organza ribbon rose trim around the bottom of the bodice and along the hem and the birthday dress was complete!

Let the “She’s a wild ONE!” party begin!

There is indeed nothing like being a Grandma! Lila fills my heart with joy and is a spectacular gift from God. Her big blue eyes with mile long lashes, her laughs and saucy little grin, her backward waves, and heart-stopping desire to walk up and down the stairs, the way she practically runs while pushing her walker, and her undeniably fun personality all combine into one beautiful bundle of wonder that has completely stolen this Grandma’s heart.

Happy 1st birthday Lila! I love you!

S.U.A.T. Brazi/Calista Mash-Up

Mash it, and hack it, and make that dress your own!

I love the Stitch Upon A Time Brazi pattern. I was so intimidated to try making my own bra that I eyed it for a month before I finally bought the pattern! Since then I’ve made several workout bras for myself, a nursing bra for my daughter and a Brazi dress that I wear all the time. I’ve hacked it for straight straps and removable bra cups and decided, why not mash it with the S.U.A.T. Calista? Once you feel comfortable with a pattern and know the best fabrics to make it with, it is easy to branch out and try something new with it.

Please note that out of respect for the designers, and protection of their intellectual property, I will not show full pattern pieces. I bought the cross-front add-on when I bought the Brazi pattern because I love the look and knew that it would be the most flattering for my body type. But you can do the straight strap hack on the original pattern. I simply marked my pattern where it curves from cup to strap, and folded it under 1/2″ above that. I folded the back straps under and cut out my modified pattern pieces. I cut four 2″x13″ rectangles out of my fabric as my strap and strap lining pieces.
Choosing the perfect fabric is always the fun part of sewing. And using high quality fabric is key when making a supportive and functional bra. I love using Phee Fabrics circular knit, nylon/spandex, and rayon/spandex for my Brazi’s. But the not-so-secret part to being successful at supporting “the girls” is powernet. And I’m not talking the decorative looking mesh stuff I’ve seen at a national fabric and crafts store. Phee Fabrics powernet is legit! It holds everything where it belongs.

I cut out my pattern pieces using the same fabric for the main and lining pieces and also cut all my pieces out of powernet. I trim the powernet 1/8″ to 1/4″ smaller on all sides except the side seams.

Pin the trimmed powernet pieces to your lining pieces and baste in place. Do not baste along the side seams! To make the pocket for your bra cups, lay your cups on top of the bra front and mark the height. Sewing a horizontal line across the height mark will keep your cups from shifting out of place.

Sew your main and lining front pieces right side together. The pattern tutorial recommends using elastic along the front edge of the cups. Using the elastic adds another layer of security if you are concerned about anything showing when you lean forward.

I marked and pinned my back pieces together and left the center 4″ open when I sewed the top seam so that I would have room to insert the straps later.

Open up your front main and lining piece and match it up with your back main and lining. Here’s the tricky part: sew the outer main fabric together, sewing down about an inch into the lining and then sew the bottom inch together. Pull the lining fabric of the bra front out of the seam line and tuck it out of the way as you pin the powernet and back lining pieces together. You may need to use your finger to hold the fabric out of the way as you sew the other 3 layers together. This will give you the opening on the inside of the side seam for you to insert and remove a bra cup.

Repeat the process with the other side seam. At this point you can follow the pattern directions about matching your center front notches, adjusting strap length, sewing on your bra band or skirt and adding the elastic.

Since I was adding the Calista skirt to the Brazi top, and the bottom of the two bras are different shapes, I knew that I might need to make some adjustments. You might like the look of the dipped hem my mash produced, but I am kind of old school, and like my hems to be level with the floor. I had an easy fix for my problem.

I laid the skirt pattern on the skirt, pivoted it up from the center front fold to 2″ above the side seams. I flipped the pattern over and repeated the process on the skirt back. I hemmed the skirt and my Brazi/Calista mash-up was complete!

In hindsight, I should have just traced the top curve of the Brazi skirt instead of following the straight edge of the Calista skirt. But since the skirt was already sewn on, and I didn’t feel like seam ripping, cutting the bottom worked. I’ll definitely use the Brazi skirt curve in my future makes!

Although I can add bra cups if I want, I wore my new dress all day and took these photos without using any cups. THAT is how well quality powernet works! So hack and mash and sew away! And enjoy wearing your comfortable, personalized creation.

Sewing for Men

Man Up!

Do you sew for the men in your life? I used to sew cute shirts, shorts, and pants for my son when he was little, but haven’t made him a thing in over 25 years. I made my husband a bathrobe a good 15 years ago, but that’s it. I sew for myself and my baby granddaughter all the time, and have made quite a few things for my daughter. But the men in my life seem to get left out, until now.

I decided it was time to let them be the beneficiaries of my makes. Since my husband now funds my fabric and pattern budget 🙂 and tolerates all the time I spend sewing, he deserves something nice. My son was kind enough to help me finish setting up my website (as I am definitely not a technogeek) and deserved a reward for his help and patience.

So I decided to make my husband and son Sinclair Patterns Men’s Kai Tee Shirts out of Phee Fabrics rayon spandex. Wow! Normally I am not a fan of rayon spandex. It’s not that I don’t love the softness of rayon spandex, but generally speaking it is not a fun fabric to work with. It’s thin and flimsy. It gets all wrinkly. It stretches and gets bagged out of shape. It’s slippery and a pain to sew.

Since I really like Phee Fabrics and have always been impressed with their quality, I decided to give their rayon spandex a try. Wow! It is so much nicer than your typical rayon spandex. It’s way more substantial (13 oz.), has beautiful recovery, doesn’t come out of the dryer as a wrinkly mess, and even makes great bands on your tees. I am using their rayon spandex for all kinds of makes now!

My next question was what pattern to use? Some of my favorite “go-to” pdf pattern companies have shirt patterns, but most of them seem to be raglan sleeve styles. Also, my son is tall, and my husband is not. It’s not that I’m not used to having to lengthen patterns, since I am tall, but really, who wants to use their precious sewing time having to adjust their pattern? Enter Sinclair Patterns. Their patterns come with height options! Regular, Tall and Short. How amazing is that? So I bought, downloaded and printed off the Men’s Kai in Tall and Regular. Traced off my husband and son’s sizes and got to sewing.

The shirts came together quickly and easily, and the neckband lengths in the pattern were perfect. I don’t know about you, but I always wait until I have my shoulder seams sewn together to cut my neckbands. I measure the opening and calculate the appropriate length, and frequently have to make longer bands than a pattern suggests. It drives me crazy, but I have been burned too many times by a tight, gathered looking neckband to trust most patterns. The Kai pattern neckband was perfect on both sizes. It makes me confident that I will have the same success with their other patterns.

All that was left to do was photograph my makes. Getting my guys to agree to be photographed took a minute, but they had fun at my quick photo session. And I snuck into a selfie, since who wouldn’t want to be photographed with these two cuties? So give new patterns and fabrics a try, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed! Happy sewing!