Category: Reviews

Birch Fabric + Straightgrain Patterns Blog Tour

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It is certainly a match-made in heaven when you combine beautiful organic cotton fabrics with fresh and modern clothing patterns for kids.  So when Birch Fabrics and Straightgrain Patterns teamed up for this blog tour, I was in!  The new Whistle collection by Jenny Ronen is such a sweet and whimsical collection that inspired me to make a Nova dress….probably my favorite of An’s dress patterns.

Out of the Whistle fabric collection, I chose to use Birch’s organic quilt poplin.   However, there are so many great jersey knits available too.  I had such a hard time deciding which patterns I wanted to use.  But then I remembered how much my SIL loved the Nova Dress I made for a niece and I wanted to make one for her daughter.  I chose a simpler small scale print like this Tiny Steps in Blush which would help show off the smocking and then chose Treehouse for a fun surprise lining.

What I love about Straightgrain Patterns are the number of options with each of her patterns.  This Nova Dress, alone has 140 different combinations!  They make for such an incredible value and I love how I can make a unique dress for all of my nieces.  Now that it is officially fall, I made this version of the Nova dress with long sleeves so it can be worn with bare legs right now, but can go into the winter with some thick cable knit stockings and boots later.

This pattern has 4 different types of pleating and the honeycomb smocking is my favorite.  I tell everyone to learn dress-making techniques on little girl versions and I completely learned to do this following An’s thorough instructions.  I just love all of the texture and visual impact.

The smocking does take extra time and there is hand sewing involved to tack the pleats together.  But it is all worth it!  I like using contrasting thread to highlight the design and to complement the fabric.

For the blog tour, I inserted an invisible zipper versus the ribbon tie I used on this version. Considering the seasons, a fully covered back was more appropriate and I love the ease of a zipper for dressing.  I happened to just buy an invisible zipper foot for my machine and of course, don’t know why I waited so long!  With the right foot, you can hardly tell there is a zipper at all!

Another special feature I added to this dress are the buttons.  I had an old kit for making covered buttons stashed away and knew these little birdies would be perfect for them.  I used light interfacing to help stabilize the fabric and cut them to size.  It was so easy that I know there will be many more covered buttons in my future.

Birch Organic fabric handled and washed very well.  It has the same weight as other designer quilt fabrics, but that GOTS certification gives you so much peace of mind.  I’m so happy to send this dress off to my niece and know its all organic 🙂

To follow along on the rest of the Birch Fabric x Straightgrain Patterns Blog Tour, check out of the blog links below:

Birch – Knee Socks and Goldilocks – Petrol & Mint – The Crafty Kitty – Christinaa – Just Add Fabric
Love You Sew (you are here) – My Petite Sophie – While She Was Sleeping – StraightGrain – Made By Sara

 

Project Details:

 

Happy Sewing Friends!

 

Cristy

 

Fabric and patterns were provided by Birch Organics and Straightgrain Patterns for this post.  As always, all opinions are my own.  I’ve bought products from both companies before this post and definitely will following it.

Amalfi Dress with Indiesew

My family and I traveled quite a bit this summer.  With two boys and a pop-up camper, we have been driving all over the midwest (with another adventure planned later this fall!)  We just got back from camping along Lake Ontario (close to Niagara Falls) and every sunset reminded me of this Retro Striped Cotton Linen fabric from Indiesew.  It has such a gorgeous soft palette with a 70s vibe which made it a perfect pairing with the relaxed fit of the Amalfi Dress designed by Hey June Handmade.

Linen is perfect for these dog days of summer with its breathability and soft feel.  This blend with cotton gives it a bit more structure so it doesn’t wrinkle as easily as 100% linen does. The best part of linen is how it gets even softer with each wear and washing, not to mention it’s an easier woven to sew versus a rayon challis or crepe.

With the Amalfi dress, I decided on the flutter sleeves with the throwback feel of this stripe print.  I debated for awhile whether to make the midi or short skirt length and since I’m short with wide calves, midi lengths cut me at my widest point and make legs looks larger than they are.  So I opted for the short length and hemmed it a full 1″ to get it to the right spot above my knees.

With the fabric being described as “semi-opaque,” I wasn’t sure how that would translate for  dress.  But sure enough, It’s fine!  After washing, the fibers contract closely together and only the cream parts have the slightest bit of transparency.  I made sure to have the darker parts of the striping across my rear, just in case.  With nude colored undergarments, you can’t see a thing!

Any dress pattern with pockets gets and extra star in my book.  I LOVE these deep in-seam pockets!  With the fullness of the skirt, you don’t have to worry about odd bulges when you are made to carry your kid’s actions figures and Pokemon cards.

You know I made sure to match my stripes 😉  It takes more time, so much more patience and lots of extra pins, but this is the beauty of home sewing.  I love how the skirt looks and you can hardly tell there are pockets at all.  When matching the bodice, I did match the stripes at the armscye.  But with the bust dart, it throws off the pattern just a little bit…but that’s what your arms cover!

Since I am petite, V-necks tend to lay low on me and I was very happy to see I didn’t have to make any adjustments to this neckline.  It’s the perfect depth to fit over your head while still being modest and keeping the “ladies” hidden.  I like the neck facing to keep these lines nice and crisp.

The elastic waist is such a great feature.  I love the shaping and this dress will move with weight fluctuations.  I happen to be a bit heavier right now (thanks to all of those campfire hotdogs and s’mores,) so I’ve been making garments with a bit more ease or have elastic.  Thank goodness for  stretch!

I received so many compliments with this Amalfi dress already.  My husband even said it was such a pretty print!  I hope you enjoy making this dress or just pick up some of your own Retro Striped fabric!

Project Summary:

 

Happy Sewing!

Cristy

 

Fabric was provided by Indiesew for this blog post.  All thoughts and opinions are always my own.

Highlands Wrap Dress

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Yay!!!  I knocked off one of my 2018 “Make Nine” goals with this Highlands Wrap Dress by Allie Olson.  I haven’t blogged about all my completed projects, but I’ve sewn 6 out of the 9 patterns I selected the beginning of the year.  With just under five months left, I think I’ll be able to make everything on my list!  You can read all about my 2018 garment goals here.

I made the Highlands dress earlier in the spring, but just haven’t had a chance to blog about it until now (blame it on my kids and other sewing commitments!)  This dress has been worn on so many occasions already and has lived up to my expectations for sure.  The slim column silhouette makes my 5’3″ frame look so tall and the length adds to the sophistication.  I love how the Highlands dress covers the body, but still has a bit of sass with the high slit skirt and deep v-neck.

For the fabric, I chose this Telio stretch chambray with a crazy cute pineapple (!!!) print from Fabric.com.  You can see this dress, plus read up about this substrate on the original Fabric.com blog post I wrote for them here.  After a few months of wear, I can say the fabric still feels great and still has nice stretch and recovery.  However, I did have to wash it twice to get all of the extra dye out of it.

My wardrobe doesn’t have many short-sleeved dresses.  They are mainly long or sleeveless altogether.  So, I wanted to make the sleeved version so I don’t necessarily have to bring a cardigan with me everywhere!

I’m heavy in the calve area and I don’t like dress hems to hit me at one of the widest parts of my legs, so I’m not a “midi” length lady.  That’s why I also chose the maxi length.  After following a few people on IG who made this dress, it was safe to say I would need to shorten it by 5″.  But beware – There are two shorten/lengthen points on the skirt (one for the rise and one for the leg length.)  Make sure to shorten at the lower of the two lines or you end up raising the slit like I did. (Doh!)  That was one mistake I made which I didn’t realize until I had a slit high up my thigh!  Since I already sewed on the facings, I had to hand-stitch the slits together a few inches.  That was a hard lesson learned!

What I love about this wrap dress pattern are the two button tabs (one inside and one right under the ties) to keep the bodice secured.  If you have ever worn a RTW dress that just uses ties, you know that they will end up untying at the most inconvenient…er..most embarrassing times…even when you double-tie.  I know I’m not alone here, right?  With the two tabs AND the tie, this wrap dress feels VERY secure.

Project Details:

  • Pattern:  Highlands Wrap Dress by Allie Olson
  • Fabric:  Telio stretch chambray
  • Sizing: I measured 6 in the bust and 8 in the waist/hip, but made a straight 6 so there wouldn’t be as much bunching around the back elastic.  I also used a 10% stretch fabric.
  • Alterations:  Shortened skirt by 5″
  • Thread: Gutermann Polyester
  • Machine: Juki TL-2010Q

 

Happy Sewing!

Cristy

This post may contain affiliate links.  If you make a purchase, I could receive a small commission which helps to keep this website going.

Summer Day Top Review

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I can’t believe the “unofficial” end of summer is near!  My kids are starting school in less than a month and all of a sudden I’m thinking about all things fall.  But I’m trying to hold onto the warm temps, lazy mornings with my boys, and days at the pool for as long as possible.  The Summer Day Top by Dana Willard is helping me do that.  I can wear “Summer” all year now!

First off, I want to mention how well written and thorough the instructions are in this pattern.  If you are a beginning sewist and new to garments, Dana walks you through the whole sewing process – from printing the pattern to selecting the right fabric to explaining all the technical terms.  I was very impressed!  The graphics are clean and simple to understand, but there is also a good bit of further explanation into adjustments and why the construction is the way it is.

The Summer Day Top was drafted for both woven and knit fabrics (bonus!)  I decided to use this Observer quilt cotton by April Rhodes for Art Gallery Fabrics for my make.  I’ve been sitting on this fabric for such a long time and knew it could be a striking garment.  But, I had to find the right pattern with it being a stiffer substrate.  Plus, I didn’t want a pattern with gathers that would distort the shibori’s composition.  I really wanted the fabric’s design to really shine through.

Quilt cotton is a wonderful substrate for a beginner.  The non-stretch nature makes it easy to sew and iron.  However, it holds more body which I love around the torso, but didn’t want in the sleeves.  Granted, I could have selected a fabric with more drape like a rayon or gauze, but I was pretty keen on sewing what I had. (Cheers for sewing my stash!)

You can see (on the right) how the sleeve holds shape with the quilt cotton.  My arms make me a bit self-conscious so I don’t like them highlighted (unless it’s to cover them up!)  So I tried to change the shape of the sleeve as if it were a more drapey fabric, as seen on the left.

What did I do?  I just added a few 1/4″ pleats centered at the shoulder seam. I played around with the number and width of the pleats until I was pleased with the shape, but still allowed the same movement around my arm as before.  I’m so pleased with the look of drapey sleeves, the body around my torso (more forgiveness after dessert!) and the ease of sewing quilt cotton.  You can’t beat that!

The Summer Day Top is a quick sew as well.  The neckline is finished with bias tape, which I made out of the same fabric, but you could buy pre-made tape from your local quilt shop to save even more time.  I chose the short-sleeve version, so everything else was finished with a hem.

Are you ready to make your Summer Day Top?  I’m already getting lots of use out of this top and love how I look put together…even in my ripped up jeans!

Project Details:

Happy Sewing Friends!

Cristy

The pattern was gifted but blog post was not required. I thought this pattern deserved a review though 🙂 All opinions, modifications and fabric are my own.  Please also note, there maybe affiliate links in this post, which helps to keep this website going.

Tillery Skirt Review

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When I went to Texas a month ago, I was hoping to make this Tillery Skirt for the hot weather ahead.  Unfortunately, I ran out of time and did not make it then.  But, I was able to finish this skirt now that central Ohio feels like Texas…at 93*F!  I’m so glad I was able to get this made for our first of many heat waves this summer.

Sometimes shorts just don’t cut it.  My wardrobe was in need of more casual skirts to get me from swim lessons with the kids to date night with the hubs.  So when I saw this digital pattern by Blank Slate Patterns, I knew I had to make it.  The Tillery is a great high waisted skirt with a 70’s vibe making my Boho fashion heart flutter.  Who doesn’t love the look of the flat felled seams?!?

I recently had the opportunity to visit the Imagine Gnats shop and instantly gravitated to this J.Crew overstock stretch twill in Brick.  This rust color is definitely my summer color to go with all the denim <3  It is so rich and complements my coloring.  I can always use the extra comfort of Lycra, so the extra give in the twill makes it perfect for a skirt or pants.

As mentioned earlier, these flat felled seams give the skirt so much design character.  It maybe a little intimidating sewing eight panels to make the Tillery, but it is all worth it.  I never made these kind of seams before, but after watching Melly Sews’ video, the instructions all made sense. TIP:  Baste all panels together to check fit. I ended up grading in a size around the waist.

With the seams visible and lots of top-stitching ahead, I used my rolled hem foot to give me an even edge to sew along.  Many machine have an edge or top-stitching foot.  My Juki only came with a few feet and this foot works great to get even spacing.

Look at those beautiful skirt guts!  Or maybe lack thereof…  The flat felled seams gives the skirt such a clean inside, so it’s soft and smooth all around.  I used some Wanderer fabric by April Rhodes left in my stash for this extra pop around the waistband.  The little hints of black and mint really bring out the brick color of the fabric.

As you can imagine, the hem of the skirt can get pretty thick when doubled over against these flat-felled seams.  My regular foot didn’t even want to go over all of this bulk, so that’s when I broke out my hammer to help flatten them out for stitching.  TIP:  Make sure to test your fabric and hammer to the inside of the hem so you don’t create any “shine” on the front of your skirt.

Another beautiful feature of the Tillery are the use of metal snaps.  There are instructions within the pattern with a link to video to help you, if needed.  Fortunately, I already had the snaps and the correct dies for my hardware setter (as the bag-maker you know I am.)  I was able to add these snaps quickly making the skirt look so professional.

The next time I make this skirt, I think I will grade back in from the hip down.  The waist and hip fit perfectly, but with the A-line cut of this pattern, I feel like I have a little bit too much flare going outwards.  It’s hard to tell in this photo, but the skirt A-lines at every angle (not just the front and back) thanks to some extra booty…

I ended up skipping the belt loops and even contemplated the pockets.  But the pockets really make the skirt and break up the high-waisted silhouette…AKA looking like old school mom/dad jeans!  Who was I really kidding?  Always add pockets.


I’m in love with this skirt and love how it all came together.  The solid fabric really brings out the seams and this brick color is a definite wardrobe staple.  My Tillery will be on repeat all summer long with it’s casual style and it will go with tanks and tees.  This piece will definitely be worn into the fall!

Project Details:

  • Pattern:  Tillery Skirt by Blank Slate Patterns
  • Sizing:  6 in the waist graded out to an 8 in the hip
  • Length: Mini
  • Fabric:  J.Crew Overstock stretch Twill from Imagine Gnats
  • Machine:  Juki TL-2010Q
  • Hardware:  Gold Star Tool Hardware Setter with in-house snaps. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend their snaps.  They bend a little when opening, but not enough to make me remove them all.  Going forward, I’ll only use Tandy Leather Snaps.)

 

Happy Sewing Friends!

Cristy

 

This post does include afflilate links for which I would be compensated only if you make a purchase.  All of it goes to keeping this blog as ad-free as possible!