#SewPink 2021 Blog Hop with the Christine Sling

It’s October again and I’m so pleased to be a part of By Annie’s Annual #SewPink Initiative for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  This is my second year in a row participating in the blog hop to help bring attention to this initiative within the sewing community.  If you want to check out what I made last year, you can find my 2020 post here.

With this past year, I feel that the effects of Breast Cancer are hitting even closer to home ever than before.  I made the milestone birthday of 40 years and made sure to get an appointment for a screening.  But the harsh reality of getting older is also seeing more friends diagnosed with breast cancer and then seeing them go through treatment.  The story that hit closest to me this year was hearing about my “big sister” from my college sorority start her fight to battle breast cancer.  We are the same age and she has four young children to care for.  She is such a strong and beautiful person inside and out who is staying so positive through her care.  It’s truly amazing to see what she is overcoming.

 

For the #SewPINK blog hop, I wanted to make my latest pattern, the Christine Sling (which was released just less than a month ago!)  You can read up all about her features here.  And of course, I couldn’t help but pick out some fun PINK fabric for the project!  I found this gorgeous Crane fabric by Teresa Chan and it’s symbolism really spoke to me.  In Chinese culture, the crane is the prince of all feathered birds only second to the Pheonix.  It symbolizes longevity and peace – which is what everyone is searching for when struggling through cancer.  They want a long peaceful life and these cranes will hopefully bring that to my “big sister.”

Since I’m using quilt cotton (and NOT following my very own fabric recommendations) for the bag,  I had to make some construction adjustments.  Luckily, I knew I could use some Soft & Stable foam to help build in some pliable structure to the Christine Sling.  I fused woven interfacing on all the quilt cotton before basting it onto Soft & Stable, and then cut out my pattern pieces.  In addition to Soft & Stable, I used the following By Annie products in my bag:

I love all of the black accents to contrast with this soft pink fabric.  The strapping is wonderful to speed up the making process and is durable for everyday wear.  Who doesn’t love how easy nylon is to keep clean as well?!  The antique hardware helps to bring out that ochre outline of the cranes and brings depth to the bag.  I think these elements all help to keep the Christine Sling fresh and modern.  What do you think?

The Christine can be worn over-the-shoulder and across the body.  But for those whose chests maybe tender post surgery, it can also be worn as a fanny pack!  The strap just needs to be adjusted to reflect your waist size when you make it.  I love wearing the Christine this way and the wide strap makes it so comfortable!

The Christine Sling is a great compact bag to carry all of the essentials — especially for doctor appointments and running errands.  In addition to the use of Soft & Stable foam and using the nylon webbing for the strap, I also omitted the back zipper pocket since I knew this bag would be worn more around the waist.  But to add visual interest, I added a 3/4″ accent stripe with faux leather on the front and the back of the Christine.  I also used the same faux leather to bind the front slip pocket.  With the use of quilt cotton, these little additions help to keep the bag elevated.  What’s your favorite detail from this bag?


Don’t forget to check  out all of the other #SewPINK Blog Post participants listed below:

✂ Oct. 1 (Fri):Fat Quarter Shop – The Jolly Jabber

✂ Oct. 2 (Sat):Sallie Tomato

✂ Oct. 4 (Mon): Hugs ‘N Kisses

✂ Oct. 6 (Wed): Sewfinity

✂ Oct. 11 (Mon):Beyond the Reef

✂ Oct. 13 (Wed): Great Heron Thread Co.

✂ Oct. 15 (Fri): Love You Sew [You are here!]

✂ Oct. 15 (Fri): Emmaline Bags

✂ Oct. 16 (Sat): Meadow Mist Designs

✂ Oct. 18 (Mon): OklaRoots

✂ Oct. 20 (Wed): Suzn Quilts

✂ Oct. 20 (Wed): Teresa Coates

✂ Oct. 22 (Fri): Knot and Thread Design

✂ Oct. 23 (Sat): Shannon’s Studio

✂ Oct. 25 (Mon): The Littlest Thistle

✂ Oct. 27 (Thur): Mister Domestic

✂ Oct. 27 (Wed): Sookie Sews 

The #SewPink Initiative was created by ByAnnie.com LLC to raise awareness for breast cancer throughout the year. Our efforts culminate in an annual blog hop during October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month to promote self-care, awareness, early detection, and support for those affected by breast cancer. 

To learn more and see the calendar of events visit: https://www.ByAnnie.com/SewPINK

To find screenings available near you: 

In addition to participating in the #SewPINK Initiative, Fat Quarter Shop invites you to support the National Breast Cancer Foundation with the goal of raising $10,000. 

To find the Fat Quarter Shop fundraiser visit: https://fundraise.nbcf.org/FatQuarterShop

To learn more about the Breast Cancer Research Foundation visit: https://www.bcrf.org/ 

I hope you all take the time to check out these links and check into your own health.

 

Happy Sewing,

Cristy

 

All By Annie’s products used were gifted as part of participation in this blog hop.

 

Introducing The Christine Sling Pattern

2 Comments

The Christine Sling is definitely the bag I’ve worked on for the longest time.  For many reasons, the development would keep getting pushed, but I always knew it would have some kind of compact cross-body silhouette.  This bag first started off as a very slim phone holder, but with the passing of time, phones kept getting bigger and styles kept changing.  But when bags were being worn more across the chest and mid-back, I knew the sling had to be re-tooled a bit.  I made her a little larger than just a phone holder but still small enough for life on the go.

View B with added Piping

Inspiration

View A with rivet embellishments

With the slowly world opening back up with COVID-19, I knew I still wanted to have a small bag  to run in and out of stores quickly.  But now, our essentials of keys-wallet-cell phones have expanded to include masks and lots of sanitizer.  The depth of the bag had to expand with our needs.

View A with angled tab

On top of this, belt bags are definitely sticking around and I just love the sling look — especially with the accessory strap.  All of my bag patterns teach a different way to make/use a strap and this pattern is no exception.  With everyone using their phones and earbuds, I wanted to keep a quick pocket to hold a phone and the accessory strap to hold a Tiny Sophia Bag with either earbuds or that sanitizer!

Namesake

View A

As with all of my bags designs, they are named after my nieces.  Early on, I knew that Christine’s bag would always be a sling.  One – because it works with her name so well!  And two – when I started designing her bag, she was still in college.  I wanted to design a bag that could be a part of that care-free lifestyle while still being modern and on-trend.  That bag would also HAVE to  work with a busy lifestyle (Christine is also a nurse!) yet, would always be fun and cute like her <3  This bag is a perfect representation of my super funny and incredibly caring Christine.

Features

View A with chain strap

The Christine Sling is a small compact bag perfect for everyday.  It follows what I love in bag design — simple, clean lines with versatile styling and a modern twist.  As the “Sling” part of the name entails, this bag is meant to be worn across the chest or swung around the mid-back.  However, with a quick change of the accessory strap, the Christine can go to a full cross-body or even as a belt bag with adjusted length.  I am ALL about bag versatility!

  • Two Views – This bag includes instructions for two separate views.  View A includes piping and accent fabric for some fun raw-edge contrasting looks.  View B uses the same main fabric throughout for a sleeker look and comes together very quickly without the piping. 
  • Pockets – Both views have zipper and slip pockets which are the same for the exterior and the lining.  They are the perfect size to keep your phone or keys accessible. You can even omit the pockets altogether on the exterior for a classic look or double up the zipper pockets for extra security. 

View A inside out

  • Lining –  The lining uses bias tape to keep seams clean while also providing extra structure.

View B Strap

  • Strap -Both views also include a wide accessory strap for comfort and a D-ring to hold your ear pods or sunglasses. Use contrasting fabric or even some pre-made webbing for a fashionable statement strap!

Assorted Webbings

 

Fabric

View A + View B

Fabric Requirements:

  • 3/4 yd Main Fabric
  • 1/2 yd  Lining Fabric 
  • Scrap Accent Fabric
  • 2 1/2 yd  Woven Interfacing (e.g. Pellon SF101)  
  • 1/2 yd  Firm Stabilizer (e.g. Vilene or Pellon Decovil light)

This pattern is written for home decor and/or bottom-weight fabrics such as canvas, duck cloth, and denim with weights of ~ 6 oz per square yard or more. The lining is based on quilt cotton and any other fabric with the same weight (~4 oz) can be used such as linen, chambray and twill.  The accent fabric in View A is intended to be left with a raw edge, allowing you to use leather, suede, vinyl, cork or another non-fraying substrate.  This allows you to add some high-end details to elevate your bag.

In my samples bags for the pattern, I used Kokka canvas and Art Gallery Fabrics quilt cottons as my lining and bias tape for View A.  For View B, I used faux leather from BigZ Fabrics.  I like the thickness of this for bag making with pliability and it’s the same product I used for the Megan Bucket Bag.  The interior lining for View B is from Teresa Chan and I’m a big fan of her designs. Be on the lookout for many future projects with her fabrics 😉

I feel a little behind on the times, but I finally got the chance to try out some interfacing I bought from a little while ago*.  Let me tell you, this stuff is A-MAZING.  I used Vilene Decovil light (which is similar to Pellon Decovil.)  Let me tell you, the quality and adhesion is really nice.  I’m definitely a fan from the jump-off and have already ordered more!  But if you can only get material from the big box stores, Pellon products are fine but they won’t have as much structure and strong fusing as these other interfacings.  I say all of this, but it’s all to your own preference.   Always make sure to test other interfacing mixes with fabric swatches to see what you like before cutting.

*You know I always love to share where I source products, but it has recently come to light (11/2021) that this interfacing business has some polarizing views which I do not support in any way.  I have deleted mention of them from this post.

Hardware

Requirements:

  • (2) 1/2” Swivel Clasp
  • (3) 1/2” D-Rings
  • (1) 1 1/2” Slider
  • (1) 1 1/2” Rectangle Ring
  • (10) Sets of Rivets (8 mm post length) + Setting Tools
  • (2) Sets of 12.5 mm Snaps + Setting Tools

The pattern requires the following hardware listed above.  You can grab full kits in my shop here.

If you need help setting rivets, check out my video here.

If you need help setting the snaps, you can head over here.

View A with strap connectors

As a BONUS add-on to my Christine hardware kits, I’m also offering these incredible screw-in strap connectors.  I found them when I was ordering hardware for myself and thought they would be a great thing to introduce to you!  A video to install will follow, but essentially you completely finish the bag minus the (2) D-ring tabs at the zipper.  Once you turn out the bag, you punch holes right below the side gusset stitching and screw on these connectors, adding a little glue to the bolt.  That’s it!  This is a great way to have a professional looking bag.

Notions

View A uses piping which I think really finishes a bag nicely and instantly takes a bag up a level.  Although it take a little more time and patience to sew it in, it’s worth the effort, especially if you can just purchase it.  These ready-made packs are great from your big box stores or from my favorite place for notions, Wawak.

With the Christine, the lining is finished with bias binding which is a first for my bag patterns.  I went through several construction techniques and this is the best way IMO for this type of bag.  With the piping, you want to sew each side separately to feel where you are sewing.  A drop-in lining is possible (I tried it!) but it’s very difficult given how small the bag opening is.  I want you to have a good experience making this bag and I’ll save you the pain!  While sewing the binding takes longer, it is the easier method overall.  The pattern calls for 3/8″ bias tape and you definitely need to use this size because anything bigger will obstruct your zipper opening.  However, you can still purchase the ready-made 1/2″ double-fold packages seen above.  The beauty of this manufacturer is that not all parts of the folds are 1/2″,  so you can open up the tape and re-press so the long sides meet at the center crease.  This will give you 3/8″ double-fold bias tape!

Zippers

I am a HUGE fan of metal-look nylon zippers.  They have the high-end look fo metal teeth, but have all the ease of nylon –which means you can easily cut and sew right over the teeth!   My Handmade Space is one of my favorite spots for zipper kits and Wawak just started carrying them as well, but not with as many color and zipper pull options.

But the only finish I don’t like in nylon is brass.  (For some reason, it’s just way too bright yellow for me.)  I always go back to metal and like these long pull zipper from Wawak.  To make the double pull zipper,  you do need to buy a coverall zipper (that zips in both directions) and I replaced the pulls to match.

I hope you enjoy making and wearing the Christine Sling as much as I had designing it!  Please tag me on Instagram with your makes and post with #ChristineSling so we can enjoy all of these bags!

 

Happy Sewing!

Cristy

Summer Swimsuit with Pinecrest Fabrics

Right before we leave for vacation, what do we, as sewists, always do?  Pack???  Nah, that makes too much sense….we just sew more clothes!  Isn’t there always one more garment we desperately need to have or else it’ll ruin our trip?  😛  Okay, it may not be that dramatic, but I still wanted a new swimsuit for the family vacation this summer.  There was some extra motivation too, since I received my package from Pine Crest Fabrics riiiight before we were about to leave.  Who can leave gorgeous fabric just sitting there!

 

FABRIC

I am very fortunate to have worked with Pine Crest Fabrics before with some Athleisurewear and with other swimwear fabrics.  With every make, I’ve been incredibly impressed with these high-quality stretch fabrics.  They are durable, silky smooth and have great recovery with the stretch.  This Pastel Tie-Dye Jungle print is no exception.  It’s a departure from what I would normally wear, but swimsuits are meant to be fun, right?  PCF has an incredible library of prints and can even do custom prints for wholesalers.  I love this indigo-purple color and that tie-dye is SO on trend right now. The scale of the print is perfect for form-fitting apparel…I absolutely love it and can’t wait to make a few extra separates from the scraps I have!

As a repeat maker, testing the feel of all the different base cloths they manufacture is a special honor, especially those which are more sustainable like with this fabric that uses  80% recycled Greenlon (TM) Nylon.  I love to thrift, upcycle and use sustainable fabrics when I’m making new garments, and knowing that Greenlon (TM) uses recycled plastics using in the fibers is just amazing!  On top of that, PCF also meets the following to be eco-friendly:

  • Global Responsibility Standards (GRS) –  This means recycled materials are verified and the production process meets responsible practices.  You can read more here.
  • OEKO-TEX certified to test for harmful substances to human health.  You can read more here.
  • HIGG Index – This is part of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition for moe standardized measurements in the the textile and apparel industries.  You can read more here.

On top of feeling good about all of these certifications, this fabric is STILL absolutely amazing in its weight, hand and feel.  The four-way stretch is strong which allows for full movement, but also has great recovery and compression.  The fabric is completely opaque, so if you wanted to make leggings or bike shorts, they would be squat-proof too.  I like the cool feel from this base cloth and it’s silky enough that I don’t worry about chafing…especially during a long day in a wet suit!

Mystery deadstock fabric with Pine Crest Fabrics solid lining

I’ve sewed with a lot of spandex fabrics with good experiences and some that didn’t live up to my expectations.  I made a swimsuit (picture above) using some deadstock fabric I purchased a few years back, so origin and content is a mystery.  I loved the print and was happy to buy something that was overstock from a manufacturer.  However, I did a lot of indoor swimming over the winter and my lap suit was ravaged by the chlorine.  You can see that It went from navy to orange in the center of the print!  But if you check out that solid navy lining — it’s Pine Crest!  The navy blue is still as saturated as day one.  This is a true testament to the quality and high chlorine resistance!  It’s just a bummer that I have to toss this suit before the construction and/or fit deteriorated…

 

PATTERN

After having my babies, I mostly wear full bathing suits during the hot months.  It keeps me covered where I like to be covered, but still allows me to easily play and swim with my kids.  After finding the Violet Swimsuit by Laela Jeyne Patterns, I knew I wanted to try it out first with the plain V-neck (and then later with a ruffle.)  I used this suit as my wearable muslin/toile while I tried out this pattern for the very first time.

The Violet Swimsuit has two views featuring a faux crossover neckline with and without a ruffle.  There is also a cut out variation at the side of waistline for some extra style.  All edges are bound and the suit is fully lined.  You can select from a high or low scooped back and I opted for the lower style…Can you tell I don’t usually wear one with that tan line???  I love the construction technique for removable pads and love that this suit has different templates going from A-E cups.  The pattern fits up to a 49.5″ bust and up to a 47″ high hip.

Details and Modifications:

  • I measured 10 in the Bust and Waist; 12 in the Hips – graded out the pattern to fit
  • Used the same fabric as the lining
  • Raised each leg opening by 2″ – Since I’m short, I prefer suits to not cut off my leg at it’s widest point (making me look even shorter.)   So, I prefer a higher leg to give an illusion of extra length.
  • Added 1″ to each leg elastic since the leg opening was now larger
  • Increased the seam allowance  1/8″ at the shoulders and at the crotch for a more secure fit
  • For the binding, I sew it to the lining side of the suit first and then flipped it over to the main fabric so I could better control the placement of the topstitch.
  • You will notice in the flat-lay of the suit that I inserted the elastic the wrong way but didn’t catch it until it was too late.  Instead of picking out the seams I let it be and the suit still wears wonderfully!

All of the other swimsuits I’ve made before used elastic to secure the edges and I was so happy to try out this binding method.  Like most suits, you do NOT need a coverstitch machine and can sew one with the basic stitches (and a ball-point needle!) on your domestic machine.  I used a zig-zag stitch and some washable Wonder Tape (aff link)  to help hold the binding evenly as sewed.  *’Just remember that you have to then wash the garment prior to the final fit since it inhibits the stretch.

The faux crossover feature of the suit does require top-stitching to hold it in place and I was pretty stoked to use my “lightning” stitch for the first time.  Yes, I do own a coverstitch, but I certainly don’t always want to spend the time setting it up for 8″ of stitching!  This is a great low-profile stretch stitch and I’m so pleased with how it looks and holds up.

Overall, I’m very pleased with this make.  The fabric and print are phenomenal and I appreciated the cool hand and quick drying after a long day on the lake with my kids.  With new makes, I appreciate lots of notches and that’s the one thing I wish the pattern had….especially with the binding not centered at the back as you would intuitively think would happen.  I also wish the pads sat more evenly in the suit, but once on, it does stay in place.  Buuuut, these little things won’t stop me from making another!  I’ll post up my ruffle version soon!  Have you made any new swimsuits this year?

 

Happy sewing!

Cristy

 

These fabrics were gifted to me by Pinecrest Fabrics in exchange for this blog post.  I purchased this pattern to use with the fabric.  All opinions are my own.  

There maybe affiliate links used in this post.  You can read about my disclosures here.

 

 

Review: Fibre Mood Joy – Sweatshirt Dress

If you are like everyone else, you’ve been finding that that sweats and pajamas are the go-to wardrobe staples of this past year.  I was in a pretty good funk for awhile and found that I needed to “get dressed” in order to be somewhat productive during the day.  With a work-from-home lifestyle, I definitely go back and forth with a “real outfit” and just staying in my sweats.  Well folks, I think I found my answer to wearing a sweatsuit (all the time) during this pandemic.  To “change” things up, I’ve found the glory of the sweatshirt DRESS in the Fibre Mood Joy!

PATTERN

Fresh out of Fibre Mood Magazine #14 is Joy.  She is fun and sporty, but looks good in a dress!  If you didn’t think your wardrobe routine could get any easier, a sweatsuit became a dress!  There is only one piece to slip over your head and the quick adjustments of the waist toggles gives you some definition.  This is why I HAD to make this dress — comfortable casual all in one garment!!!

I measured a medium in the bust and large in the hips.  After looking at the finished measurements, I thought I would go with a straight medium, but decided to go large in the skirt since last issue’s Paulette came in slightly smaller than anticipated.  Next time, I will go with a large waist and grade to a medium hip to actually take the hip curve out of this pattern.  The cinching of the waist provides the needed shape, but I think the curve of the hip made it a little too “flappy” for my body.  Leaving the skirt more straight would also allow you to wear the dress relaxed and un-cinched.

As with out of my me mades, I had to make a few modifications 😉  My #1 must-have change was to add pockets.  Honestly, I can’t wear any dress without pockets anymore…so I will always add them even if the pattern authors leave them off (why would they ever!?!)

Fresh off making the Sirocco Jumpsuit, I used the large pocket template to make sure I could anchor the tops into the waistband.  This is just a guide since the pocket also needs to true-up with the side seam and the top of the skirt.

Another change I made was to add cuffs to the sleeves.  I do love the look of the relaxed wide sleeves, but since I’m short (5’3″) I know that some features will swallow me up.  I added 3″ long (6″ total) and 9.5″ wide tapered cuffs to fit around my forearms and give me some shape.  I left the sleeve length as drafted and ended up with the perfect 3/4″ sleeve!

With the skirt, I made a split about 10″ up from the bottom edge.  I drive a mini-van and I know getting up and down from the seat is MUCH easier if I have side slits.  Next time, I would definitely add in a wider seam allowance but luckily the weight of the sweatshirt fleece keeps the opening straight.

TIP:  For the waistband, I added some knit interfacing before making the buttonholes.  Knits can get easily torn up (at least with my machine) when making the openings, so I made sure to reinforce the areas.  This will also help with wear overtime from the elastic stress.

Speaking of elastic…I couldn’t get out to the store in time for this post and the Fibre Mood Link Party #18.  So instead of navy elastic cording, I improvised with metallic gold drawstrings I bought from Maker Mountain Fabrics.  (Who doesn’t say it pay to have a stash, right?)  Once I have a chance to get out, I’ll sub out the drawstrings for elastic.

The cord locks are left over from mask-making. I found a lot of deals online and came across a nice multi-colored pack awhile ago.  Fortunately, I have exactly two navy ones left to match my fabric.  Even with strings instead of cords, I’m loving the ease of wear with the locks.  I can change how high I want to wear Joy on my body…whether high waisted or lower on the hips.  It’s a nice feature to change around!

 

FABRIC

Sweatshirt knits can be pretty expensive and the initial ones I found were a bit pricey, but also at a heavier weight that what I wanted.  If I was making a plush winter top, they would work, but with a full dress, I didn’t want a fabric that would be too thick and weigh me down.

After some late night online shopping, I found this SUPER soft ORGANIC cotton sweatshirt fleece from Fabric.com.  It was perfect with the signature sweatshirt look (knit on one side and soft fleece on the other) and came in classic navy!  I think this sweatshirt fleece was a GREAT find at a very reasonable price AND it’s organic.  If I’m buying new fabric, I definitely look for ones that are from the USA and/or are environmentally friendly.  I’ve only washed it once so far, but there has not been any initial pilling and the inside fleece still feels amazing!  If you are looking for a midweight sweating shirting fabric, I would highly recommend this one!

Overall, I really love this dress.  I imagine wearing it All. The. Time. for something easy and comfortable while looking pulled together.  I didn’t even want to take this off after photography.  Only a cold weather front made me put on pants – ha!  It’s the perfect transition piece to take me out of my indoor work-from-home sweats!  Are you into the Joy sweatshirt dress look?  Tell me why in the comments 🙂

 

Happy Sewing!

Cristy

 

I am a Fibre Mood Brand Ambassador and affiliate.  This pattern was provided in lieu of a social media post, but a blog post was not required.  I purchase my own fabrics and notions.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.  For my full disclosures, click here.

Review || Fibre Mood Paulette Blouse

When I saw the previews for issue 13 of the Fibre Mood Magazine, I was awestruck with the flirty and fun nature of the Paulette Blouse.  This button-up top has a ruffle starting from one princess seam running around the back to the other.  The hem line runs straight and hits right at the high hip.  With a band collar and two-button cuff, this blouse has all of the features of a classic shirt, but has that feminine touch with all the ruffles! We’re still in a life of Zoom calls, so statement blouses are all on trend.   That means the prairie influence of last year is hanging around even a little longer than trends generally go — YAY!  I know not everyone is into that “cottage-core” style, so updating it with the right fabric can make the look last a little longer than the all-out trend.

FABRIC

I LOVED the sample version of the Paulette when I first saw the stock photos!  Is anyone not surprised it made the  cover of Issue 13?  There was just something with the directional play on stripes and the classic mix with softer ruffles that just really worked for me.  But, of course, I wanted to make this blouse with my own spin… While in the middle of deep Ohio snow, I knew I needed to start thinking about warm weather and spring clothes.  This cheerful green and white striped lawn came up in one of my late night searches.  While I initially found it on Fabric.com, I was worried about delayed shipping times (due to COVID-19) and not being able to make my FM ambassador deadline.  PRO-TIP ->  I checked  Amazon to see if they carried the same fabric (since they also own Fabric.com.)  If you have a Prime Membership, many times you can get the same fabric cheaper AND faster than if you purchase through Fabric.com.  I even have a business account with Fabric.com and it turned out Amazon + Prime was still a better deal!!! #winning I chose to use lawn since it’s very lightweight and breathable — perfect for warm weather.  However, it also tends to be semi-sheer.  So lawn is great for blouses and other tops….but you will definitely need a lining for a dress or pants.  The other great feature of lawn…especially 100% cotton version, is that it holds great structure while still having a soft hand.  While the fabric is light, you can really get great body and volume that won’t cling onto every curve and still make  some gorgeous statement ruffles!  If you like the look more of the FM cover sample, something more drapey like a rayon challis or light tencel twill would give you that look. This fabric purchase was made on a whim since I loved the green and white stripes.  And…I’m happy to report I would definitely buy it again.  It washes and dries well since the fabric is 100% cotton (and I do NOT like to line dry if I don’t have to!)  It sews up easily without shifting issues like your typical quilt cotton.  Since the fabric is lightweight, I did drop my regular needle size down to 70, but used my normal all-purpose Gutermann white thread for construction.

PATTERN

Fibre Mood sells their patterns either as a full set through their magazine (definitely a great deal if you want 3 or more patterns) or digitally, a la carte.  The instructions are available to any registered user through the website (in 5 different languages!) which is a really generous feature.  So, you can read through the complete instructions and understand the steps BEFORE buying the actual pattern! I printed the Paulette pattern at home and loved being able to uncheck the other tiled sizes I didn’t need.  While it’s definitely more labor intensive to print and assemble the pattern at home, I was working against the clock and with bad weather conditions, I didn’t even want to send the A0 copy shop version out to the local printer. For this Fibre Mood pattern, I measured as an 8 in the bust and waist, while also being  a 12 in the hips — which is typical for my body.  Construction went very well with the ample amount of notches (I do love them!) and the great instructions.  I have made many other blouses with button plackets like the Archer and Aida tops, so I knew what to expect. Overall, I stayed true to the pattern and made only the following modifications:
  • Graded the waist out to a 12 in the hip
  • Used a 1/4″ hem instead of 3/4″ to lengthen the top.  Next time, I may add an extra inch for more coverage to tuck in…and I’m only 5’3″!
  • Increased the overall bust by 1/2″ by letting out 1/8″ from each princess seam.  The finished measurement of the blouse is suppose to be ~40″.  But when I tried on the blouse, it was pressing against my chest as I moved and didn’t have nearly the ease as it should.  Even after releasing that 1/2″ from the princess seams, the finished bust measured at 39″ and not 40″ as stated.  My pattern pieces and seam allowances were correct, so I would highly recommend a muslin and/or sizing up if you are in-between.
This Fiber Mood Paulette was a great sew and I love the final results!  This is a nice fresh take on the ruffle blouse and makes me long for some sun and warmer temperatures!  What’s on your spring maker list?   Hugs and Stitches, Cristy
Please note, I am on the Fibre Mood influencer team and an affiliate member. I received this pattern for free but was not obligated to write this blog post.  This post may also contain affiliate links.  Please read my disclosures here.