Category: Reviews

Erin Backpack Sew Along || Part 6: Final Bag Assembly

Welcome Back to the Erin Backpack Sew Along!  We are now at the FINISH —  Part 6: Final Bag Assembly!  If you missed any of the prior blog posts, you can find them below:

It’s now time to put the bag altogether and add all the dimension.  To make sewing a little easier, remove the sewing machine table to better maneuver the bag around the free arm.  Take time sewing even though the videos are short…most segments have been sped up 4x-6x the normal speed!

ASSEMBLE the exterior

To assemble the exterior part of the bag, click into the video above.  Note the following as you watch:

  • You can always unzip zipper to help ease the bag under the machine
  • Don’t be afraid to  use finger and arm muscles to keep thick layers together.  Move up to a larger needle, if needed
  • Backstitch well over pocket seams
  • Go back and stitch Y-seam corners, if needed.  I have to go back all the time!
  • With Main bottom, trimmed SA in half instead of notching due to thickness of canvas and foam.

ADD LINING To FINISH BAG

Items to note:

  • I added the Craft/Wonder tape to the Lining while it was free and unattached to the bag.  This makes it a little easier than waiting later as instructed in the pattern
  • Trim back any foam or fabric that maybe creating bulk, especially at the zipper ends.
  • When attaching the Lining, fold in the seam allowance  to see where placement should be BEFORE gluing.
  • Again, move slowly for even stitching around the zipper
  • If you are looking for the Jumbo Clips or thimble I use, you can find them on my >> Amazon Erin Backpack Supply List.

If you haven’t added the rivets onto the Back Strap Tabs, you can add them on now.  (I’ve decided to leave them off of my version.)

 

CONGRATULATIONS on your new Erin Backpack!  Make sure to post your pictures on Instagram using #ErinBackpackSewAlong #ErinBackpack and #LoveYouSewPatterns to win the prize pack!  Entries are open until the end of the month!

Thank you to everyone who has joined along for my very first sew along!  I’ve learned quite a bit about video editing while trying to provide you the right content to navigate through this pattern.  I hope you enjoyed it!  Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

 

Happy Stitching!

Cristy

 

This post may contain affiliate links.  Please read here for all of my Disclosures.

Erin Backpack Sew Along || Part 3: Create the Back Panel


Welcome Back to the Erin Backpack Sew Along!  We are now on Part 3: Create the Back Panel.  If you missed any of the prior blog posts, you can find them below:

Time to get started!

MAKE THE BACK SLIP POCKET

Notes:

  • I like to press the lining of the Pocket inward so that it doesn’t show when you look at it.
  • Remember that I’m using a treated canvas, so really, I’m finger pressing all of my seams when I  mention “pressing.”
  • The Snaps I use (and also in my hardware kits are 20 ligne / 12.5 mm Double-cap Spring Snaps. However, you can ALWAYS use any kind of snap on hand. This includes: plastic, magnetic, ring, and even sew-in styles!
  • The Snap was added using a press, but if you need to add them manually, scroll to bottom of this post for resources.

 

ADD HANDLE BASE

As mentioned before, I am making my version of the Erin Backpack with the Permanent Back Strap Hack, so the end result looks different from the pattern instructions.  However, I STILL (yay!) created video to help you visualize these steps if you are sticking to the pattern as written.

If you are following the pattern, you will watch the video from the beginning to about 3:04.  Then you can come back around 3:57 for the hardware installation and watch until the end.

If you are following the Sew-In Back Strap Hack, you will watch the video from about 3:57 through until the end of the video.  Feel free to watch all of it though for extra learning points 😉

 

Click into the video about to watch how the Handle base is made and attached to the Back Panel.  The Slip Pocket is then attached and basted together to enclose.

 

Additional Resources

If you need help with any of the hardware installation.  Check out the posts below:

 

I hope you enjoyed Part 3 of the Erin Backpack Sew Along.  Catch me back in just a few days for an intensive Part 4 where we coincidentally, also make 4 pockets for the Front Panel.

 

Happy Sewing!

Cristy

 

This post may contain affiliate links which help keep this website running .  For my full affiliate Disclosure, click here.

Review: Sirocco Jumpsuit in Luxe Green Scuba

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This post was originally written for the Minerva Crafts blog in November, 2019. Additional edits have been made after real-life wear of the garment.

Intro 

Hi, this is Cristy Stuhldreher from Love You Sew with my very first #MinervaMake as a blog contributor!!!  I was SO excited to be invited to be part of such an extensive team of bloggers here and equally excited to play with so much beautiful fabric.  My first find was this gorgeous Lady McElroy Luxury Plain Scuba Jersey Knit Fabric in Bottle Green.  With autumn (my favorite season!) quickly coming to the States, I knew I would need to get ahead and make some transitional garments with the switch of temperatures that are bound to come.  So, after I saw this scuba fabric I immediately thought of the Deer and Doe Sirocco Jumpsuit (like many other contributors already have!)

Fabric

This Lady McElroy Luxury Plain Scuba Jersey Knit Fabric was such a great find!  I’m a big fan of Ponte de Roma fabrics and knew I would love Scuba just the same since they are both heavy double-knits.  They feel and act very similarly, but are made of different fibers.  Scuba is generally poly and elastane whereas Ponte is generally viscose and elastane.  This soft and smooth Scuba Jersey did not disappoint with its great stretch and nice body which is perfect for a jumpsuit when you don’t want every bodily imperfection to show through.  It is also works SO well for a knit jumpsuit with amazing stretch and recovery.  The last thing I would want after all of this hard work would be a saggy stretched out butt!
It’s always hard to tell how color will come out in person versus on a computer, so I was a bit nervous to see how the Bottle Green would be.  It looked slightly more muted, like a deeper sage green on my screen.  But I was actually delighted  to see that the fabric was more of a deep rich gem tone – a solid “Hunter” green, in my opinion.  With my olive skin and dark hair, I love a gem tone- especially for the colder months ahead!  After a few washes, the color has stayed true to the first day it arrived on my doorstep – love that!
With this fabric being a double-knit, I would recommend using a ball-point needle and your stretchiest stitch found on your machine (zig-zag, triple-zig-zag, lightning bolt, etc.)  I used a combination of my overlocker and coverstitch to allow my jumpsuit the greatest amount of stretch to fit larger hips.

Pattern

Jumpsuits still look to be on trend a little while longer, so I thought it was safe to make the Sirocco Jumpsuit for the fall.  With the short-sleeves and full pant legs (on View A) I figured this was a great garment to wear on the cooler nights downtown with or without needing a jacket.
The Sirocco is a unique pattern in that there are no ties or other fasteners used to get in and out of the garment.  You slip in and out of it all through the faux wrap V-neckline.  This might not pose a huge deal for most, but I have hips which are two sizes larger than my waist –which means I REALLY will need to stretch out the waist to maneuver around.  This is the main reason I chose the heavy Scuba fabric to handle the severe stretching over my hips.  As I was fitting the garment, I honestly thought I would have to put in a side zipper for my hips, but the Lady McElroy Luxury Plain Scuba Jersey Knit Fabric proved to have such amazing stretch and recovery that I didn’t need it!  Honestly, I feel like I could wear this all day long…even after multiple bathroom breaks!
I made a few modifications for my SHORT 5’3″ frame with those aforementioned HIPS:
  • Made a 40 bodice and graded to a 42 in the hips and back to a 40 for the rest of the leg
  • Shortened bodice by 1/2″ and used a chainstitch (from my coverstitch) to secure the seam allowance down since the fabric is so lofty – This allows the lapped bodice to stay secure over your chest.
  • Shortened pant legs by 4″ initially (by just tissue fitting) and then took an additional 3 3/4″ when it was time to hem so that it would hit right above the ankle bone – Next time, I will shorten at the thigh and also from the ankle to get a better fit around the knee.
  • Extended the crotch length 3/4″ on both the front and back pant
  • Deepened the seat on the back pant by 3/8″
  • I wish I took out an 1″ out of the rise before cutting, but was able to take 1/2″ out of the overall inseam to narrow the legs and decrease the rise.
  • Took an additional 1″ out of the ankle and blended up to the knee for a slimmer leg

After these changes, I can’t tell you how incredibly pleased I am with my Sirocco Jumpsuit.  The Lady McElroy Luxury Plain Scuba Jersey Knit Fabricis so chic and the deep green really does make the Sirocco Jumpsuit so “EXTRA!”  Love it!!!
You can find my other makes on the Love You Sew Blog (here!) and more daily inspiration on Instagram @loveyousew_ .

 

Happy Sewing!

Cristy

 

 

Affiliate links are in this post. Check out my Disclosures here. Fabric was provided for review as part of the Minerva Maker Blog Team.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.  

 

Add Puff Sleeve Drama with a Sheridan Sweater Hack

This post was originally published on the Hey June Handmade Blog in January, 2020.  Edits are in italics and additional pictures have been added (since I love this pattern SO much!)

When I first hacked this Sheridan Sweater for the Hey June Handmade Blog, I had no idea it was going to become one of my MOST worn tops. Prior to March, life was pretty normal while we were just starting to hear about the pandemic. My social world was still moving along and was able to wear my Sheridan to Lunar New Year celebrations (as planned!), Galentine’s Day fun with my girls, and was my go-to for a night out.  I knew even back then that I wanted another Sheridan.

After a #sewingfail with the wrong fabric (it was a red and cream colored stripe that clashed and looked HORRIBLE with my skin tone and hair highlights,) I was ready to make another.  This time I wasn’t going to mess around.  I knew I would ADORE my new Sheridan because I used…the same hack…and the same fabric as my OG…just a different color!

 

Back in early December, I knew I needed a new red top.  My one cardigan just wasn’t enough for all of the holiday school parties, concerts, church events and even family get-togethers.  I wore that one piece of red clothing OUT and knew I needed something else to add to my festive wardrobe.  But did I really need a new top???  Did I really want to make one??? Then the Sheridan Sweater was launched and my questions were answered.

All of my internal fighting against wanting “another” knit top disappeared.  After seeing the Sheridan launch, my mind switched and I bought the pattern right away.  Of course, I need  a new red top!  It WILL work through the holiday season, AND into the Lunar New Year AND be useful for Valentine’s Day school parties!  Why wouldn’t I need the Sheridan Sweater in my life?!?

Adrianna did a fantastic job designing the different views and I’m obsessed with the seamless funnel neck, which I haven’t seen in any other DIY pattern.  The Sheridan Sweater also has the big statement sleeves which is on still on trend and I knew both of these features would really stand out in red.  But since this was going to be my all-winter holiday top, I wanted to bring it up juuuuust an extra notch.

FABRIC

I found this beautiful textured waffle knit from Telio fabrics.  One of the reasons this sweater has been on constant wardrobe repeat is the fabric.  As a poly/spandex blend, the color saturation is on point.  After all of the washing and drying I’ve done, the color still looks as intense as day one.  I was concerned that the texture might be lost over time with dryer heat, but it’s all still there!

The Paola Pique Liverpool’s medium weight was a perfect complement to this pattern.  It has great body and really shows off the full sleeves.  The stretch and recovery is also very nice.  When I pull up on the sleeves and adjust the waistband, it  holds it’s size well and doesn’t stretch out over the course of the day.  This fabric comes in so many rich jewel tones that I had to have the Emerald.  The pictures come up more teal, but this color swings more to the green side in-person.

TUTORIAL

I figured if I was going red, I wanted to make the sleeves stand out even more. So….I hacked the sleeves to be more voluminous in the sleeve head for All. Of. The. Drama.  Below is my quick and definitely non-technical way to achieve that extra shoulder poof.

1. Take the sleeve pattern and make a copy.  (I traced the pattern onto some Swedish tracing paper I had on-hand.  I like using this since it’s more pliable than regular paper and can be pinned/sewn without being destroyed.)

2. Divide the sleeve into approximately 4 equal sections by width.  With the nice notch markings already drafted as part of the pattern, I used these as guide when splitting the sleeve.

3. Cut the pattern to separate these sections from the sleeve head all the way down to the cuff, but NOT cutting through.  All of the sections should be hinges and able to move.

4. To start, I added 1” in between each section.  I placed scrap paper underneath the pattern, and hinged each section out by 1” at the sleeve cap.  Then I taped the pattern onto the scrap.  Repeat 2 more times between the sections.  If you would like more volume, you can increase the hinge widths.

5. To get the extra volume at the top of the cap, I added 3/4” to the top and blended the line back to the notched parts of the cap, all while following its shaping.  Again, if you want a little more puff in the sleeve cap, feel free to add a little more to length to the top.

6. At the cuff line, true up the pattern so it is straight again.

At this point, I cut out the pattern and did make a muslin, but only had quilt cotton on hand.  It gave me an idea of the extra volume and shape added to the sleeve.  I did have to consider the extra weight and stretch with the knit fabric.  But it was still good enough for me and I went ahead to cut into the main fabric.

To insert the sleeve, I made gathers between the sleeve notches not exactly knowing how it would all look.  But I ended up marking 3” on either side of the shoulder seam and pushed all the gathers in between those markings.  I basted the sleeve into place and was very happy with the result!  With that, I finished sewing the sweater and have never been more pleased!

This hack turned out exactly like what I wanted and just love how “extra” the sleeves are.  The additional gathers and volume in the sleeve cap really balance out the overall ease in the sleeve and I love the extra long cuff to show it all off.  This top is pretty fancy and ready for every occasion now.  It’s still comfy in a stretch knit, but also so incredibly unique and special!

Project Summary

  • Pattern: Sheridan Sweater by Hey June Handmade; View: B; Size 10
  • Mods: Narrowed shoulders by 1/2″ each, increased the cropped length by 1″, used Puff shoulder hack above
  • Fabric: Telio Pique Liverpool Knit from Fabric.com in Hermes Red and Emerald

This hack can be used on just about any pattern with a set-in sleeve.  I may have to try it on a woven pattern this fall/winter.  Please let me know in the comments if you use this hack!  I would love to hear what you think!

 

Hugs and Stitches,

Cristy

 

This post may contain affiliate links.  You can read my full Disclosure here.

 

Full Zip Hack with the Grace Rashie Pattern

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When I first hacked the Grace Rashie by Swim Style Patterns two years ago, I never documented the process…Big mistake, I know!  It was one of my late night experimentations which you can find here.  I honestly didn’t know if it would work or not and got so wrapped up in the process that I didn’t write down measurements or take photos of my complete step outs.  But luckily, I knew I needed at least a second rashguard for myself and made sure to document it this time!

Supplies Needed

Tutorial

Step 1:  Cut all pattern templates according to instructions.  Pull out the “Front Section” and add 1/4″ to the center-front as shown.  You will cut at the dashed line for just the “Top.”

Note: I made a size M and all measurements for center front, zipper guard, and zipper are ALL for this size.  You will have to adjust as needed for your sizing.

Step 2:  Cut all fabric according to instructions EXCEPT for the “Front Section.”  Instead of cutting the “Front Section” on the fold, you will cut TWO separate mirrored pieces using that 1/4″ you added in.

Step 3: Cut (2) 19 1/4″(length of the center front)  x 1/2″ strips of interfacing and fuse to each wrong side of the  center “Front Sections.”  Set aside.

left side of image is the Bottom and the right side is the Top

Step 4:  Cut (1) 19 1/4″ (same as length of center front) x 3″ strip of Main Fabric for the Zipper Guard.  Fold the fabric lengthwise with right sides together and press with low-heat iron, if needed. Mark seam with 1/4″ at the bottom.  For the top, measure 1/4″ down at the raw edge and then 1″ down on the folded side.  Connect the two points with a curved line as shown.  It doesn’t need to be precise!

Step 5: Sew on the markings you made. (They don’t need to be serged, but I went ahead and serger the seams while my machine was set up.)

Step 6:  Flip the Zipper Guard right side out, pushing out the bottom corner and the top curve.  Press with a low-heat iron.  Match the raw edges and finish with serger or zig-zag stitch.  Set aside.

Step 7:  Prepare Zipper by folding down the excess tape above the top stoppers.  Tack the fold into place approx. 1/8″ away from the edge.  Trim the overhanging tape.  (If you are making size L, you might be able to skip this step and use the full length of the zipper.)

***Follow instructions to complete the Grace Rashie (skipping all zipper steps.)  When you get to the hem, double check that the length of the finished center front matches the length of the zipper.

Step 8: With the wrong side of the Zipper facing up, add Wonder Tape to each long side of the tape.

Bottom

Top

Step 9:  Separate the Zipper and lay one zipper side down on the stitched side of the Zipper Guard.  Pictured is the LEFT side of the zipper (without the head,) but my previous version had the head with the guard.  I honestly don’t know which side of the zipper should sit with the guard, is technically correct.  I was playing to see if there was any real difference in how it wore on the body and I didn’t feel anything different…

Step 10:  Fold the Top of the Zipper Guard over Zipper and tack into place with 1/8″ seam allowance.

Step 11:  Working on the LEFT side of the garment, match the center front of the Rashie with the Zipper Guard, right sides together.  Use a zipper foot and sew itogether with a 1/4″ seam allowance.  Open the Zipper Guard and press seam allowance to the back.  Top-stitch 1/8″ from the edge of the Zipper, going through the Main Fabric, Zipper, and seam allowance.  Repeat with the RIGHT zipper.

Congratulations!  You now have a custom swim rashguard to protect your skin against the sun and elements.  I love having these for the cool winds of the lake.  The best part is when the rashguard gets wet, I can easily zip it off!

Please let me know how this tutorial worked for you!

 

Happy Sewing,

Cristy

 

This post may contain affiliate links.  Please read about my Disclosures, here.