Whether you're new to sock knitting and need something to get you on your way, or you have a box full of socks and are looking for some inspiration for your next pair, I've got a full round up for you! There's a sock pattern for everyone here...I hope you find something you can't wait to cast on!
- Confetti and Cable Socks - I knit this pattern three times during my first year of socks - that's how much I love it! The little cable detail adds just enough interest without making the actual knitting of the pattern too overwhelming. That said, I don't love the heel instructions. Instead, I use either an afterthought or a gusset heel. Includes instructions for three sizes.
- Fine and Dandy Socks - Texture! The dip stitches used in this pattern create such a great texture to the sock. They can be a little tricky to figure out, but if you take it slow and pay attention to the pattern (I definitely didn't at first), you'll be fine! I think it works best for more tonal yarns than highly speckled ones, but the choice is yours!
I'm also planning on knitting the Into the Woods Socks this year, which seems to use a similar stitch pattern. Both the Fine and Dandy Socks and the Into the Woods Socks include instructions for two sizes.
- Memory Lane Socks - There's just something so cozy about cable knit socks. I haven't personally knit these yet, but they're definitely on my list for this year! I love the pattern and the texture. Includes instructions for four sizes.
- Simple Sock 2 - I'm not really sure how practical bobbles on socks are, but I just can't get over how cute and fun these are! Don't worry, I'll knit them and get back to you on how they feel inside my winter boots...Includes instructions for two sizes.
Her site includes blog posts on everything from how to fit a sock to using different types of needles. She is a wealth of information and I definitely recommend reading her posts!
And of course, please feel free to send me any questions you may have! I love helping wherever I can :)
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Mon Manet Light is the perfect lightweight pullover to let the beauty of handyed yarns really sing. Knit in simple stockinette, it can be knit in reversible so that either the knit or purl side is the right side, depending on your preference. We love this pattern for yarns like Sock Lite or Basic Stella that have such beautiful speckles and colors!
We first discovered the Arisu pattern thanks to Autumn and Indigo's beautiful version! The capsleeves and somewhat cropped length are perfect for springtime layers. Plus, the lace details are just gorgeous!
We've been big fan's of Tamy Gore's patterns for awhile now and love this oversized shawl for cool summer nights. The lace eyelets and stripes in Livie create the perfect combination of pattern and texture!
The beautiful solid hues of Sapling Sock from Cedar House Yarns would be perfect paired with some of the fun speckles of Boon Classic for this pattern!
Olive Knits always designs beautiful pieces that are sure to become staples in your closet and Brunswick is no different! The slight colorwork detailing at them hem is beautiful and perfect for beginners who want to dip their toes into working with two colors!
Paleta combines soft and squishy DK-weight with light and airy mohair with beautiful results!
Pair this pattern with Berry DK and Berry Mohair from Woolberry Fiber Co. for the perfect summer pullover that you can take with you all year round.
We knit this pattern over the winter, but it could absolutely transition into a lightweight shawl for the warmer weather we're seeing these days!
Soft Sunday is the perfect project for all those single skeins of fingering weight yarn that you have hiding in your stash. We knit ours in Mars Sock from Nox Yarn Co.
Marettimo is the perfect opportunity to play around with both texture and color combinations! The lacework creates stunningly textured stripes, while giving you the chance to mix-and-match multiple colors in your project.
What are your other favorite knitting patterns for warmer weather? We'd love to hear about them!
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Our favorite quick-to-sew garment is the Linden Sweatshirt from Grainline Studio. From cutting out to hemming, it can be completed in just a few short hours! Our sample is made in the newly released Ivory and Heather Grey Stripe French Terry.
I don't know about you, but we're already getting invitations in the mail for upcoming holiday parties and are making plans for family dinners to celebrate the festivities. This year has been flying by and the holidays are going to be here before we know it! Time to start on some serious sparkly sewing (say that five times fast).
We've rounded up some inspiration and pattern possibilities here on the blog, but if you're looking for more ideas, check out our Pinterest board!
There's nothing that screams holiday more than sequins! Our Geometric Embroidered Sequin Velvet is stunning on its own, but would make a show-stopping outfit.
Because of intricate detailing in the fabric, we recommend pairing it with a relatively simple and straightforward pattern. Lengthening the Scout Tee into a dress would be perfect for last minute parties! For some sparkly bottoms, you could try the Pacific Leggings - how cute would they be with a big chunky sweater?!
Our Shimmer Gabardine is perfect for a little bit of subtle holiday spirit. For pieces that you'll be able to wear more than once, try the Willow Tank. The dress version would be perfect on its own, or pair the tank version with the Cleo Skirt for a 2-piece faux romper look.
If you're feeling adventurous, this fabric would make an amazing bustier. Lengthen the Esplanade Bra into a bustier-style top and layer under a blouse or jacket for a sexy, yet tailored look.
The Crushed Stretch Velvet may be one of the most versatile fabrics we have in this collection! From wrap dresses like the Orchid Dress, to the oversized Lou Box Dress, to the Hudson Pants, this fabric is perfect to dress up any look.
We are so excited to offer not one, not two, but three gorgeous silks in our holiday collection! Not only can these silks be dressy enough for holiday parties, but can also create gorgeous and refined pieces for year-round wear.
The Ogden Cami is a perfect blank canvas to let the silk shine on its own as a statement piece. For a more vintage-inspired look, the Mito Cami/Dress pattern would look elegant and timeless. For a truly show-stopping dress, try the Magnolia Dress! The perfect #sewfrosting match.
For a bold holiday look, make a statement piece with our Gold Floral Brocade. Because this fabric has a little more structure, it's perfect to pair with patterns that create shape and volume. We'd pair it with the Chardon Skirt or Belladone Dress. There's no way this won't be a standout outfit!
What are you planning on sewing this holiday season? Any favorite festive patterns that we missed?
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Hello Everyone! It’s Jessamy from JessamybMakes. Jess has asked me back on the blog today to share my experience sewing with the Micro Wale Stretch Corduroy from the shop. Those of you who know me will not be surprised that I picked the Mustard colorway to work with. I mean, how could I not? Without a doubt, I knew that I needed to have a pair Mustard Ginger Jeans, that from here on out I will call my Golden Gingers.
FABRIC
One of the first things I noticed about the stretch cord was how soft it is. It is a micro wale, meaning it has fine ribs and a slight nap, giving it a velvet-like texture. You will often see corduroy described with a number and wale, for example 16 Wale. The number refers to how many ribs per inch there are in the fabric. Thus, the higher the number, the finer the ribs.
This corduroy has about 20% stretch and is on the lighter side, weighing in at 6.5 oz per yard. In comparison, the ever popular Cone Mills S-Gene Denim in the shop is 11 oz per yard. I was a little surprised by how light and stretchy it was at first. I even considered sizing down one size, because I was worried the finished jeans would be too big/stretchy to stay up. In the end, I decided to go with my regular size and overall I’m pretty happy with that choice!
PATTERN
It is important to think about laying out your pattern pieces on the fabric before you cut. Corduroy has a nap to it, meaning there is a pile to the fabric. This means that the fabric will look slightly different when viewed from a different angle. Due to that difference, you want to cut out all your pattern pieces facing the same direction. You may not be able to follow the cutting layouts given in the pattern. With the Ginger Jeans pattern, the layout suggests alternating the direction of the pattern pieces in the layout. I had to adjust the pattern piece placement to make sure everything was cut properly and in the same direction. Luckily, I was able to nest all the pattern pieces facing in the same direction, but depending on what you are sewing and the size, you may need extra fabric.
SEWING AND CONSTRUCTION
I wasn’t exactly sure how the corduroy would play with my machines, so I decided to do some test stitching before I started constructing my Gingers. As a side note, I always do this before diving into a project. It’s good practice to make sure you are using the right needle, thread and tension settings before you get started!
I initially ran a folded edge through my machine to test the top stitching thread (swatch #1). I did not like how the initial test stitch went! My machine has a tendency to stretch fabric and I feel like I have to resort to my walking foot more frequently than I would like. I then switched to using my walking foot, to see if it would reduce how stretched out the fabric edge would be (swatch #2). In the last example I also interfaced the edge of the fabric, along with using the walking foot (swatch #3). For my machine, this gave me the best results. The Ginger Jeans pattern does call for interfacing on most edges that will be folded over and top stitched, so this last example is a true representation of how the fabric will look stitched up in the pattern.
I think if you can adjust the presser foot pressure (say that 10x fast!) you could skip the walking foot, but I am not able to do that on my machine. I did not feel the need to use my walking foot for the main construction of the jeans, but I did switch to it for all the top stitching.
The other thing I decided to do was sew up a pair of Gingers in the more typical 11oz denim side-by-side. This may have been a bit crazy, but it gave me a good feel for how the fabrics behave. The truth is, not that differently! I will say that my denim was slightly easier to navigate, as it wasn’t quite as stretchy as the cord. The only real difference was I did not need to use the walking foot to get smooth even top stitching as I did with the corduroy.
When sewing pants I always baste fit my pieces together to check fit. I feel this is always worth the extra effort, because once you start finishing seams and topstitching, it’s a lot more work to rip something out if it doesn’t fit properly. It took me about 15 minutes to baste fit the jeans together (waistband and all!). I found that the Golden Gingers fit very well, with no additional adjustments. The fabric is stretchy and soft enough that it is form fitting, without leaving a ton of drag lines. In contrast, the heavier denim was gathering around my knees. I needed to go back and let out the calf seams a bit to alleviate that issue.
I also used the Fly Front Jeans-Making Kit in Gold. I highly recommend getting the kit if you are sewing jeans. It has all the additional supplies you need, including a denim needle. I opted not to install rivets on these Golden Gingers, so now I have some extra for another project (because I can never get those rivets to go in smoothly on the first try!)
WASHING AND WEARING
I am so happy with how these turned out! I was slightly hesitant at first about choosing the right size, and how these would wash and wear, but I was nervous for no reason! They are my favorite new pants, and will be getting tons of wear this winter. We generally have fairly mild winters here, so I think these will be the perfect weight.
I have washed and worn these several times since finishing them. I always wash my handmade on delicate, toss them in the dryer for a few minutes to get the wrinkles out and fluff them up, then air dry the rest of the way. I really think this helps with the longevity of your handmades. I have found that they do tend to stretch out a bit by the end of the day. I’m still happy with my choice not to size down, but I do want to point this out in case that is something that bothers you. I can still wear them multiple times in between washings, which is my normal practice with pants.
I hope you enjoyed this long and wordy exploration into my Golden Gingers! I know that there is limited yardage of a few colors left in the shop, and hope you can snag some of this awesome stretch corduroy for yourself!
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Somewhere around a year and a half ago, I saw the colorblock jacket below from Roolee and was immediately inspired to hack a Kelly Anorak into my own version. I bought fabric to make a muslin, planned my final colors, decided on a bias tape...and then never made it. All of the fabric sat in my sewing room. For over a year. And that project that once got me so excited to sew was pushed to the side in exchange for things that I felt like I needed more in my wardrobe or projects for the shop.
Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago and you'll find me, with a serious lack of sewjo, not having sewn anything in over a month. Nothing was getting me all that excited to pull my machine out. I was surrounded by some beautiful fabrics (hello wools and holiday fabrics coming soon!), but rethreading my serger just seemed like more work than it was worth. Has anyone else felt that way? Sometimes I think you just need a project that makes you happy to get you back in the swing of things. And this was definitely that project.
I had cut out my pattern months ago, so getting started was quick. And once I started, I didn't want to stop! I sewed all day. My husband got home and I barely even looked up. He cooked dinner so I could keep sewing. I think he could tell I was having more fun than I'd had in a long time...probably because I couldn't stop saying "I'm having so much fun!"...
Hacking the Kelly Anorak into a colorblock version wasn't as hard as I was expecting it to be! But it did definitely take a little more time and patience. And organization - this hack essentially almost doubles the number of pattern pieces you have. If you're making the lined version....man oh man. I would recommend figuring out some sort of color coded system to keep everything straight!
I'll admit, I didn't muslin. I should have. That would have been the smart thing to do. But I needed something I was excited about sewing and a muslin definitely wasn't it! If you've never sewn a Closet Case Patterns project before, I would definitely muslin to make sure you know how your body fits in their patterns. However, I love my Clare Coat projects (here and here) more than anything and they fit me perfectly! So I decided to just sew the same size I made those two coats out of and hope for the best.
Basically, I just added a seam 6" below the armpit seam. I guessed that this is where the drawstring casing would hit on me. If I were to make this jacket again, I would probably move the seam down to 7" below the armpit seam, but measure this on yourself to be sure. Don't forget about seam allowance! I forgot to take that into consideration when measuring where the colorblock break should happen.
I took this project step-by-step and did not cut all my pattern pieces out of the fabric at once. I know that I am not a precise sewist, even when I'm trying to be! Because of that, I didn't want to cut the colorblock at exactly 6" below the arm and then sew it a little off and end up with sleeves that weren't even with the body. So I cut out the body, sewed it, cut out the placket, sewed it, and then cut out the sleeves and sewed them.
By doing this, I could adjust for any inconsistencies in my sewing. Which ended up working out well, because I think the colorblock seam on my sleeves was about 1/4" shorter than what I originally measured for the body, just based on how it all came together when I was sewing. I was able to adjust for this difference when I cut out the sleeve pieces, basing the break off of the body instead of off a precise measurement.
So, for that new seam...use your notches as reference points and take your time! I matched up notches on my paper pattern pieces in order to ensure the colorblock seam hit at the same point across the body and the zipper placket. It can sometimes be confusing to figure out how all the pieces fit together when you're looking at them flat on pattern pieces, so the notches are perfect for visualizing where the pieces are matched up.
Make your new seam perpendicular to the grainline. This will ensure that it's straight across your jacket, instead of accidentally following an angled seam. And don't forget to add your seam allowance back in! I wrote myself a reminder on each and every pattern piece to add in the seam allowance along the new edges for the colorblock seam so that I didn't forget.
As I mentioned before, I made the unlined version of this jacket. I love the weight it unlined - it's perfect for these in-between Fall days we've been having here in the Pacific Northwest. I used our Chino Twill in Creme and Golden Brown, but I think you could colorblock with any color and it would be pretty stunning!
I used bias tape to finish most of my seams...there are only a couple that I flat felled. This was the first time I sewed bound seams and let me tell you - they are nowhere near perfect. But I learned a lot along the way and love the way this finish looks. I'll definitely be using it again when a serger finish just won't cut it!
I think this jacket can be super intimidating for some people to tackle. But like most of the Closet Case Pattern designs, as long as you take it slow, I think that even and advanced beginner could handle it! Heather also put together a really helpful sewalong, full of tutorials for the jacket, which I referenced pretty much every step of the way. If you've been thinking about sewing a jacket or a coat, I honestly think this one would be a really great place to start!
And of course, a photoshoot for the blog wouldn't be complete without my sidekick joining in on the fun...I don't think he was nearly as impressed with my jacket as I was!
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Hello, It’s Jessamy from JessamyBMakes, and I am so excited to show you my Fall Hinterland dress!
I often daydream about Fall in the heat of the summer. I start longing for cooler days filled with plaid shirts, sweaters, and dresses paired with boots and tights. So when I saw the new fabrics coming into the shop, my mind was immediately filled with Archer Shirts and Cheyenne Tunics galore. But then I thought…why not a dress? So I decided to use this beautiful Burgundy Windowpane Shirting for a Hinterland Dress by Sew Liberated. The Hinterland has been on my “must make” list since the pattern came out, and I was so excited to finally sew one up in time for Fall.
Let me start by saying that this fabric is amazing! The beautiful burgundy color is what first caught my eye, but the color has nothing on the texture...which I didn’t realize when picking it out. When you get this fabric in your hands, you’ll see that it's woven with a tiny herringbone pattern. The fabric washes up so soft and hardly wrinkles! It was so easy to work with, and is even more comfortable to wear. It’s lightweight, but feels like your favorite soft flannel…what more could a girl ask for?!
The Hinterland is a great staple boxy dress. It comes with a lot of options, making it great for year round wear. From sleeveless to 3/4 sleeves, short to long, you can mix-and-match the styles to make many different dresses.
For this Fall-inspired version, I choose the 3/4 sleeves and to keep it from looking too “Little House on the Prairie”, I went with the shorter length. I used the pattern guidelines for the short style, and I’m surprised by how short it actually is! Just keep that in mind when you are choosing a hem length, make sure to check the measurements before you cut to make sure it will be long enough for you! I typically have to take length out of a pattern, often in the bodice and the skirt, but I did not shorten this version at all. I’m 5’1” for height reference.
I did have to make a few adjustments to the bodice. The pattern is drafted for a C cup, which I am not, so I did my typical SBA. After sewing up a muslin I also noticed some drag lines across my upper chest. I found that the seam lines of the shoulders were hitting me behind the center of my shoulder, subsequently pulling the dress to the back. I decided to do a forward shoulder adjustment to help remedy that. I’ve never done this type of adjustment before, but found it very easy, and I’m very pleased with the overall fit of the bodice now. Even though the Hinterland is a boxy style dress, the top is slightly fitted, and I’m glad I took the time to get the fit right.
Also, did I mention it has pockets? Pockets and boxy dresses go together like peanut butter and Nutella (in my house at least). I love the 3/4 sleeves and pockets on this dress. Something about being able to tuck your hand into a nice roomy pocket makes me think of those cool morning walks in the fall. I think this dress will be perfect paired with tights and boots once it cools off, and it kept me nice and warm on a cool morning at the beach.
I thought it might be helpful to offer a few quick tips for working with plaids, checks and windowpanes if you are new to them. My main tip is, don’t stress too much. No one will ever know if you’re seams are not perfectly matched with the pattern! That being said, here are three easy things you can do to help perfect your plaid matching game.
My first tip is to cut out your pattern in a single layer. This means that if you have pattern pieces that are cut on the fold, you would have to trace out a mirror copy of it and tape them together. It is an extra step, but if you are really particular about your lines matching up, it is a much easier method than trying to keep the pattern lined up with the fabric on the fold.
Secondly, use the pattern markings to help guide your placement of the pieces on the fabric. Most patterns will have the grainline marked on the pattern piece. When I trace off the pattern I often extend this line to run the entire length of the pattern piece. Then, you can use the grainline marking to line up the pieces along a line or bar on the fabric. It is usually best to center bodice and sleeve pieces along a line repeat as well. Follow the same method to line up the hem of the bodice or sleeve on a prominent line/bar repeat.
Once you have a pattern piece placed on the fabric I find it helpful to go along the seam line and mark in the plaid repeats along the pattern piece. This way, when you go to cut the second pattern piece, you have additional markings to help make sure you cut a mirror image of the first piece. This is especially helpful if you are making a dress or a button-down shirt when you have two fronts. If there is any place where you want to make sure you have patterned matched your plaids, it will be here!
Lastly, when you are sewing your garment, make sure to pin! I often skip pinning when sewing something simple like a straight skirt, but in this case I wanted to make sure the bars in my fabric were aligned along the side seems, so I made sure to pin before sewing, lining everything up.
I hope some of these tips help you feel more confident when tackling your next plaid project! It can be intimidating, but if you take your time with cutting, the whole process is so much easier!
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If you've been on Instagram at all the last few months, chances are you've seen the Wiksten Kimono popping up all over the place. And for good reason...it's one of the most perfect layering pieces I've come across so far!
The Wiksten Kimono was originally released in Issue 4 from Making last fall and was a huge hit! I made a version out of a lightweight wool coating (you can read all about it here) and fell in love with the easy, relaxed silhouette. But it was definitely oversized. A lot of people had trouble figuring out what size to make based on their measurements and some found it too overwhelming for their shape.
So a couple of months ago, Jenny Gordy (the designer) released an updated version as a printed pattern, adding multiple lengths to the jacket and altering the fit slightly based on the feedback she received from the initial version.
The updated pattern has a slightly slimmer silhouette, sloped the shoulder seams for less bulk, and adjusted pocket placement and sleeve length. She also changed the collar so that it's made out of one fabric (the lining), instead of two (main fabric on one side, lining on the other).
After making both versions of the pattern, I can definitely say that I love the new version and really appreciate all of the work that Jenny put into updating it! So...here are the details...
In my first jacket from the original pattern, I made a size small and found that it was still a little too big. I probably could have easily gone down to an extra small and it still would have fit! I love it, but it feels very oversized and bulky. Part of that is due to the heavier fabric that I used, but I really do think that the pattern itself was just too big overall.
But this updated version?! OH EM GEE. I love it SO much and have been wearing it almost exclusively since finishing it a couple of weeks ago!
I made a size medium in the longest length option. I knew I wanted this oversized, drapey, and cozy (a.k.a a wearable blanket). My body measurements put me in a size medium, so for this type of look, I think the pattern is true to size.
I used our Avery Slub Linen Blend in Caramel for the main fabric and the Illustrated Floral Viscose Crepe as the lining. PLEASE NOTE: the pattern assumes that you will be using your lining fabric for the collar. I did not do that. If you want your collar in the main fabric instead (like I did here), simply swap the fabric requirements for the main and lining fabrics! For example, I used 3.5 yards of the Avery Slub Linen Blend and 2.5 yards of the Illustrated Floral Viscose Crepe.
I know I'm going to get a lot of questions about this - we are currently sold out of the Illustrated Floral Viscose Crepe. But yes! We are going to be getting more! The manufacturer expects it to come in at the end of September, so I will likely have it in the shop at the beginning of October. We are also currently restocking all colors of the Avery Slub Linen Blend and should have those within the next couple of weeks. Keep an eye out on Instagram and for our newsletter to be the first to know when they're back in stock!
I also chose not to interface the collar of this version. Because the drape of the Avery Slub Linen Blend is so beautiful on its own, I didn't want to stiffen it and change the look of the jacket. If I were using a stiffer main fabric, I probably would interface, just for good measure.
You'll notice that I also changed the sleeves just slightly. I had the sleeve pattern pieces cut out in both the main fabric and the lining, but just didn't want to commit to the lining being seen when I rolled up the sleeves. I love pops of color and pattern, but I like them to be a little more hidden!
I had some scraps of my main fabric left over, so I cut off about 6 inches of the lining pattern pieces and replaced them with the main fabric instead (remembering to add the seam allowance back in!). The result is a pattern piece for the sleeves that is half floral and half solid. This way, I can roll up the sleeves and have a simple and cohesive looking jacket from the exterior, while still benefiting from the more slippery aspect of the viscose crepe so my sleeves don't stick to any layering pieces. It's a win-win!
This really is the layering piece that I was missing from my closet and I would love to make at least one more! I would like to try a more structured version in a size small to make it more of a jacket than a cardigan. I think I would definitely need to size down if the fabric weren't so drapey to reduce some of the volume. Maybe in some sort of canvas, inspired by the Clyde Jacket from Elizabeth Suzann.
It really is a fabulous layering piece. Perfect for those in-between days...late summer evenings or crisp fall mornings, where you need just a little something to cozy up in. I know I'll be living in mine as the seasons change!
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I am SO excited to welcome Jessamy from JessamyBMakes into the La Mercerie family as our new guest blogger! Jessamy and I became friends through Instagram sometime last year and have been swapping sewing trials and tribulations ever since. I LOVE her style...so of course, it felt natural for her to share some of her projects here on the blog! So without further ado...Jessamy!
(As a quick note - since the time that Jessamy started this project, we have since sold out of the exact fabric that she used. However, we do have a lot of other really gorgeous cotton lawns still in the shop!)
Hello! I’m Jessamy from JessamyBMakes. I’m so excited to be guest posting on La Mercerie today. I feel honored that Jess asked me to share my experience sewing the Highlands Wrap Dress in some of the cotton lawn that she carries in the shop.
If you are anything like me, you are probably continuously blown away by the amazing yarns and fabrics Jess sources for La Mercerie. I don’t remember when exactly I first started following the shop on Instagram, but my first purchase actually came after I contacted Jess about helping me put together a fade for a So Faded Sweater. I stepped out of my comfort zone asking for help, and she graciously responded by putting a bunch of options together for me. It was honestly the best customer service I have ever experienced. Since then we have bonded over our love of speckled yarn, Harry Potter, ice cream, peaches, and of course, all things in shades of mustard. So, you can imagine how over the moon I am to be here on the blog today!
So, let’s get to the dress! Perhaps you will all remember the Midnight Rosette Scuba that was briefly in the shop last year? Well, I missed out on that fabric and it has haunted me ever since! When I saw the same print pop up in the shop on cotton lawn, I knew I had to snag some. Those big beautiful blooms deserved to be shown off in a simple but elegant way...enter the Highlands Wrap Dress. I had a few reservations about this style of dress paired with the lawn and my petite frame. But I decided to go for it, and I’m so glad I did! This piece is definitely the highlight of my handmade wardrobe.
The Highlands Wrap Dress calls for a light to mid-weight woven with plenty of drape. For those who might not be familiar, lawn is a lightweight fabric made with very fine fibers that have been tightly woven together. It's often descried as crisp, silky, lustrous, and having a slight sheen. None of those descriptors scream “drapey” but because the fabric is so lightweight it actually has a lovely flow to it.
This particular fabric is about 2.5 oz per yard, where as a lighter viscose or linen may weigh in around 3-4 oz per yard. Due to this some prints may also be slightly sheer. I was lucky that this piece was dark enough I didn’t feel the need to line it, but that is something to keep in mind!
The beauty of sewing with lawn is that it is a dream to work with! It's probably one of the best beginner garment fabrics, because it doesn’t require any special tricks or tools. It is not slippery or finicky in any way. It presses well and holds its shape without stretching or distorting on the cross grain, due to the high thread count.
One of my favorite features of the Highlands Wrap dress is the wide mitered hem. Look at that beautiful finish! I’ve only used this technique while making napkins, so it was fun to apply it to a garment. Keep in mind, it is important to make sure you have the skirt cut at the length you want. Once you hem it with the mitered corner technique it would be very hard to adjust the length!
In that vein, I would strongly recommend making a muslin for this dress. I knew going in that I would probably have to make some adjustments before sewing my final version. I am relatively petite (I'm only about 5’1” on my tall days), so I almost always take length out of patterns. For this version I ended up taking about 5” out of the pattern - 1” from the bodice, and the rest out of the skirt. If you end up adjusting the length on this pattern, don’t forget to make the same adjustments to the front facings!
The dress is drafted for a B cup, which I am not, so I also did a small bust adjustment. Due to the wrap style of the dress you are able to do some slight adjustments in fitting based on where you place the buttons to secure it closed, but I find it's better to be safe and make the muslin.
I sewed this dress to wear to a friend's wedding. The dress really does have some beautiful features that elevate it from your average wrap dress. The high slits and long waist ties give it an elegant flare, making it perfect for fancier occasions.
It uses an elastic waist band in the back, which lends some shaping, but also makes it very comfortable to wear. Pairing it with a statement fabric like the Midnight Rosette, gave me a bold yet elegant look. I can’t have a dress this lovely just sitting in my closet, so I will have to come up with another reason to wear it soon. I’m thinking a nice afternoon at a winery may be in order!
As summer comes to an end most of us are beginning to plan and scheme our Fall wardrobes. I know lawn is an amazing substrate for summer, but don’t overlook it as the weather gets cooler! It is so light and easy to wear...it would be perfect layered under your favorite cardigan! The Midnight Rosette Lawn that I used is sold out but there are still some other amazing lawns and wovens in the shop to get ready for Fall sewing! Do you have a favorite substrate that takes you through the seasons?
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Last week when I posted pictures of my finished Lander Shorts on Instagram, I mentioned some of the fit adjustments that I made and asked if it would be helpful to show you my muslin vs. the finished pattern. And oh my gosh - it was a resounding "yes"!
So let me start off with some disclaimers...I am definitely not a pro at fitting pants! I made a few adjustments that worked for me and my body type, but I don't have much insight beyond that. I would recommend taking a look at the pants fitting guide from Closet Case Patterns - that's what I used and it's so helpful!
These two pairs of shorts are made out of two different types of twill. My muslin pair, the olive green, is made out of a twill that I think I got at Joann's a couple years ago. I don't know if it's 100% cotton or what the weight of the fabric is. My lilac pair is made out of the Chino Twill that we have available in the shop. I LOVE it! It doesn't wrinkle too much after wearing them all day and doesn't stretch out like crazy between washes.
Speaking of - I just washed and dried both of these pairs of shorts. The lilac pair is definitely a touch more snug than usual thanks to my husband touching up the load of laundry on high heat.
Last disclaimer - my muslin pair of shorts is just that...a muslin. I didn't interface my pattern pieces when called for, I barely trimmed my threads, and didn't worry about finishing seams cleanly (I didn't think anyone would see them!). So just don't judge me on my sewing skills when you see those insides!
So first up - my muslin pair of Lander Shorts! I cut the pattern and didn't make any adjustments other than to grade from a size 12 at the waist to a 14 at the hips. I had a feeling the waist would be too big, but I really can't stand it when shorts are too tight!
And yes, I was right...they were WAY too big in the waist! As you can see in the pictures, I have probably a good inch of extra space. My waist is typically a size smaller than my hips, but two sizes was a surprise! I think it's because this pattern is SO high-waisted and I'm used to sizing based on a lower point of my hips.
Here's where things get awkward...let's talk about all that fabric around the crotch area. At first, I couldn't tell if the area was too high or too low. I thought I would need a lot of adjustments by changing the rise somehow and I definitely got worried. Luckily, Kim from Straight Stitch Designs was over for a sewing date and she helped me out...I just needed to do a flat pubis adjustment.
Um, what? How do you even know if you have a flat pubis? Who thinks about that? Like I said...awkward.
Basically, there was a lot of extra fabric in the area of the pattern just below the zip fly. I could pinch out extra fabric. With the flat pubis adjustment, I basically made the crotch curve a little more shallow. This adjustment can have super dramatic results, even if you just change it by an eighth to a quarter of an inch, so start small!
As you can see in the photo below, the second row of stitching is the flat pubis adjustment that I made...about a quarter inch change, but it made such a difference!
So for my final pair...
I decided to use a size 10 at the waist and grade to a size 14 at the hips. I think they're still a little bit tight through my tummy area and when they first come out of the wash the pockets pull. But thanks to the 1" seam allowance on the side seams, I can pretty easily take that out a little if I decide to. I think I'll probably end up letting the side seams out about a quarter inch on either side right around where the pockets meet the side seam.
The flat pubis adjustment made such a huge difference. If I had changed the rise, like I originally thought I would, I wouldn't be able to sit down comfortably...but I have no problem with this pair! They're super comfortable.
There's definitely some other alterations I could probably make to perfect this pair. That said, I really don't want to get sucked down the rabbit hole of over-fitting! I think there's something to be said about accepting that you're close enough without going overboard. I never even think about changing them once they're on my body...I only worry about it when I'm staring at myself in a mirror.
How about you guys? Are you chronic over-fitters or close-enough-ers? How do you know when to say enough is enough?
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Last month, I was lucky enough to get to test out the newest release from Closet Case Patterns - the Fiona Sundress! I had my doubts about whether or not I would like this style on me, but I've worn it multiple times since finishing it and already have pattern hacks going on in my head...so I guess it's a winner!
Now, if you know me, or follow me, or have ever seen a photo of me, you know that I am NOT a fitted dress person. You can find me in boxy dresses all day long, but rarely anything that shows my shape. Like, to the point where it's become a running joke with my husband. So when Heather e-mailed that the newest pattern was a fitted dress, I had some concerns. Fitted? Woven fabric? No stretch? I don't know about all that...
But I'm sold. I feel so sexy and confident in this dress, which are two things I never thought I would say about my handmades. The fit is amazing and so unbelievably flattering! Heather and her team did change a few things after all of the testers gave their feedback, and I'll try to note that where it applies.
After my Jenny Overalls experience when I decided not to grade at my waist, I blended between two sizes for the Fiona Sundress. The top and waist are a size 12 and I graded to a size 14 at the hips (my hip measurement fell right in the middle of size 12 and 14).
If you are in between sizes like me, I would recommend going up to the larger size. It will give you a little bit more room to move around and I find that I don't worry about the snaps busting open with that extra space.
I did end up bringing in the waist after I finished sewing the whole thing together. It probably ended up closer to a size 12 in the bust, 10 in the waist, and 14 in the hips. #curves.
Based on my measurements, I would have been super hesitant to cut this sizing in the beginning, as I would have thought it woudl be too tight in the waist. But the ease is somewhat generous and again, you can definitely play around with the fit as you try it on!
I really like the construction of this dress. It leaves a lot of room for adjustments if needed, especially in the bust and the waist. I would definitely recommend trying it on a lot as you go.
It was a little tricky to get the fit of the straps right and I ended up needing to shorten them afterwards to get the bust to sit correctly. However, the order of construction changed during the testing phase, so I think it will be even better in this final version.
I do feel like the underarms sit a little high for my liking and rub my armpits a bit too much for comfort. I think this is totally my fault though. Part of my decision to shorten the straps and raise up the dress was to get my waist to fall at the right point (and fit a little better through the bust). But I should have known to shorten the bodice a bit, as I always need to do this for any pattern with a waistline. I doubt this will be a problem for anyone else!
I love that you don't need to make any massive fit changes that can feel really overwhelming to get the right fit on the Fiona Sundress. Just take it in a little here and there to get the fit just right.
I used a Robert Kaufman Chambray that I've had in my stash for ages. It's a midweight apparel cotton and it feels like great fit for this dress - not so heavy that it's stiff, but substantial enough to feel like it's holding me in a bit. I haven't seen this color in a really long time, but you can find something similar on Fabric.com. And you wouldn't know it from looking at these pictures, but I definitely ironed this dress before putting it on for photos. Apparently chambray and sitting in cars don't mix well. Who knew?
While reading comments on Instagram about the new pattern, I saw a few people mention that they want to sew this dress after they learn how to tackle buttonholes. I have two words for those people: button snaps. I had never used snaps before and I am 100% a convert. I love them and want everything to snap from here on out.
Not only do you kind of get to feel like a male stripper when getting undressed at the end of the day (score!), but they are so much easier to install than I thought they would be! Much easier than buttonholes, that's for sure. I bought this set from Amazon.
I do sometimes worry that my snaps will pop open when I don't want them to, but so far it hasn't been a problem. The bottom two popped open when I squatted down to grab something off the floor, but otherwise they've stayed shut all long! I will now install snaps on everything.
I'm already planning another version of this dress with the fitted bodice and more of a circle skirt out of something flowy. Or maybe the Esplanade Bra from Orange Lingerie with this skirt for something super sexy.
Yet again, Closet Case Patterns makes such a great basic that can truly be customized into whatever you can imagine.
The paper pattern is still being printed, but we've got our copies on order and will get them in the shop for you as soon as they arrive! Keep an eye out on Instagram for the update.
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Ever since starting the #lamercerieyearofsocks last year, I have gotten A LOT of questions from you guys about sock knitting. Then, after posting a photo a few weeks ago about knitting socks two at a time, I got a whole bunch more questions...so I wanted to address them all here! Let me know if you have any other questions that I haven't answered in the comments and I'll get back to you as quick as I can.
Please note that this post is not sponsored in any way - any product or pattern that I link to is something that I use in every sock project because I truly love it.
The question I get most of all is what type of needles I use for socks. I am a bamboo-needle-user through and through for any and every project...except socks. When it comes to socks, I use metal needles. Specifically, these 40" Red Lace Circular needles from ChiaoGoo. I'm a somewhat loose knitter, so a US size 1 (2.25 mm) gives me the perfect tension.
A friend of mine just used these same needles to knit a sock and as a tight knitter, the resulting sock was too tight for her leg. Her question was, how do I swatch for socks? My answer - just start knitting them. Just like any project knit in the round, knitting a flat swatch won't do any good, as for most of us, our knits and purls have different tensions. Since socks are so small in circumference, you might as well knit a couple inches and make sure it fits over your foot and up your leg.
I typically wear a size 8 shoe and my go-to formula is to cast-on 64 stitches (32 on each needle) and go from there. Perfect fit every time.
When knitting two at a time, you'll need two equally sized balls of yarn. Like a dummy, I accidentally deleted the images I took of this process, so use your imagination a little bit...
You'll wind your skein just like normal into a yarn cake, as you would for any other project. Using a kitchen scale, measure the weight of your yarn cake. For this project, mine was 102 grams. So ultimately, I'll want to end up with two 56 gram yarn balls.
In order to do that, take a bowl or something that will hold your yarn and put it on your scale and reset the scale so that the weight reads zero. Then, place your full yarn cake in the bowl so that only the weight of the yarn is being counted. From there, you will wind a second ball of yarn from the first until the weights are equal. For example, if my original skein was 102 grams, I will wind my second ball until the scale with the first ball reads 51 grams. Then I will know that I have two equally sized cakes!
So knitting socks two at a time! It's actually pretty straightforward once you cast-on. And even casting on isn't too bad, it's just finicky and takes some focus. Keep in mind that in order to knit socks two at a time, you will need to know how to use the Magic Loop Method.
For this example, we'll call the darker red color Yarn A and the light pink color Yarn B.
When casting on to knit only one sock using Magic Loop, you cast on your complete number of stitches (64 in my example) and then pull the needle through to create a loop at the halfway point.
For two at a time socks, you will start by casting on half of the number of stitches in Yarn A (32 stitches) for the first sock. Then, drop Yarn A and pick up Yarn B. Cast on the total number of stitches for Yarn B (64 stitches) for your second sock and pull a loop out at the halfway point with your needle cable.
Dropping Yarn B and using Yarn A again, cast on the second half of your stitches for the first sock. You should now have 64 stitches total for each yarn color and two balls of yarn attached to your cast on stitches on your needles (one for each sock).
When joining in the round, take your time and fully ensure that your stitches aren't twisted around the needles. Patience is your friend at this stage. Join your work and continue working in the round for your ribbing stitch pattern (a 1x1 rib in the example).
Truly, that's all there is to it. From here, you will keep switching back and forth, knitting your first sock with Yarn A and your second sock with Yarn B. When you're ready to switch to your main color, you will follow the same process to split your yarn into two equally sized yarn balls, attach them to your work, and keep on knitting. Heels can be turned, toes can be decreased, all at the same time.
Some tips and tricks for knitting two at a time socks:
Details on these socks:
Main color: Truffle Shuffle from Woolen Boon
Contrast colors: Box of Chocolates and PS I Love You from Woolberry Fiber Co.
Pattern: Hermione's Everyday Socks (I'm currently knitting these while I re-watch the Harry Potter movies, which always feels appropriate). This pattern is free and has great instructions for turning the heel!
Some of my favorite sock patterns:
Let me know if you still have any questions in the comments below! Socks have become one of my favorite things to knit - I nearly always have a pair in the works.
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I've wanted to sew a pair of overalls forEVER. And there were a couple of patterns here and there that kind of were similar to what I had in mind, but none of them really hit the nail on the head. I wanted a pair of farmer's-market-wandering, backyard-gardening, summer-adventures, denim overalls. And then, Closet Case Patterns released the Jenny Trousers and Overalls pattern and all of my dreams came true.
When the pattern came out, I had already started working on our first order of Cone Mills White Oak denim, and I knew it was a match made in heaven. My favorite denim used to make my unicorn project?! The denim got delivered and my cut of the 10.5 oz Broken Weave Black Denim was in the wash before everything was unpacked.
Honestly, I've always found the idea of sewing overalls super intimidating. This coming from the woman who has three pairs of denim pants in varying stages of "finished" and has yet to finish one whole pair yet...I'm not really sure what made me think that tackling overalls was a good idea. I had only given myself a few days of sewing time before photos needed to get taken. Could it be done?
But of course, Closet Case Patterns delivers again with amazing instructions that really break down every single step. It really wasn't intimidating at all and I ended up finishing the whole pair of overalls in two long days from start to finish. I actually think the overalls are a lot easier than a pair of jeans, because there's no button fly to fight with.
On to the details...
I used our 10.5 oz Broken Weave Black Denim for my pair. I would say this denim is on the light side of the mid-weight range. It does feel a little stiff still, but I know that it's going to wear in beautifully. And since I really want these to be a pair of working overalls, I wanted a fabric that could hold up to some wear-and-tear. This one definitely fits the bill. The 11 oz. Vanguard Denim from Cone Mills that we carry would also be a great choice!
I did a bad thing with these overalls...I didn't make a muslin. I should have. And I totally recommend that you make a muslin. Like, a whole pair of overalls kind of muslin. I know, it's a lot and I normally don't say that a full practice project is a must for a lot of patterns. But, because there are so many areas of overalls that can impact the fit, I really would make a practice pair first. And because the construction is so straightforward, it will be 100% worth it without taking too much extra time.
So, I didn't make a muslin. And while I absolutely love love love my overalls and will wear them to death, There are a couple of things that I would have done differently.
I sewed a straight size 14. According to my measurements I should have sewn a size 12 and graded to a 14 at the hips. However, I didn't want these to be form-fitting, so decided to simply make the larger size. Spoiler alert: it's never that simple. Looking back (and looking at photos), I really should have made a smaller size up top and graded to the larger size. See that slight gaping in the photo above? Totally should have stuck to my measurements for the waist. It's like the pattern designer knew better than I did how these should fit...go figure.
I also need to lengthen the rise. See those pulling lines through the hips and crotch? I think I have the straps tightened up a little too much in order to get the waistband in the right spot and it's causing the shorts to pull in places they shouldn't. Adding some length to the rise would help that. I typically have to adjust the torso length on patterns by about an inch, so I should have known better! This will also probably mean shortening the crotch just slightly as well so there isn't too much room.
All of that said, I did try these overalls on a lot as I made them. And I thought everything was going pretty well until the very end. It's just so hard to tell how they're going to fit until they're finished, which is why I would absolutely recommend a practice pair first!
Heather also notes in either a blog post or on the pattern (I can't remember), that they used a different sewing block as the base of this pattern. So if you have some pattern adjustments that you always make to Closet Case Patterns and then just go for it, the same adjustments may not work for this pattern. Moral of the story: make a muslin. Wear your overalls. Be happy.
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If you're in the sewing world and have even thought about sewing a pair of jeans in the last few years, chances are you've heard of Cone Mills denim...specifically that from their White Oak plant in Greensboro, North Carolina. So when the company announced last year that the historic plant would be closing, a shiver ran through the sewing community and people started frantically trying to get their hands on as much of this beloved denim as possible.
But what's so special about White Oak denim? Is it really worth the hype? In short, yes. While there are definitely other quality denims out there, White Oak will always hold a special place in denim history...
Cone Mills was founded by two brothers, who opened their first plant in 1896. Seeing success by focusing on quality, workwear denim during a period of so much industrial development, the brothers opened the White Oak plant in 1905, naming after a 200-year-old oak tree that stood near the site. In a time when many people couldn't afford more than one pair of jeans in a year, Cone Mills set out to produce the highest quality, most hard-wearing denim they could. And for decades, Cone Mills has been known for quality, dependable denim.
Their hard work paid off. In 1915, Cone Mills struck an agreement that the White Oak plant would be the exclusive producer of selvedge denim for Levi's 501 jeans - a deal which has since gone down in denim history as the "Golden Handshake". Levi's continued to use White Oak denim until the mill closed - a gentleman's agreement that was upheld for over 100 years.
The denim production itself was something special at White Oak. Since the 1940's, White Oak produced selvedge denim on Draper X3 looms. In their day, the looms were the most advanced machines available. As the years went on and technologies evolved, newer machines became available that allowed for mass-production of nearly flawless denim. However, White Oak continued to use the Draper X3 looms for a majority of its production. Rumored to bounce on the hardwood floors of the plant, the low-tech approach sometimes created small irregularities in the fabric and, while technically defects, these imperfections give the denim its personality and sense of character.
Cone Mills has seen its fair share of up's and down's throughout the years, ultimately leading to the closure of the White Oak plant last year. The decline started in the 1980's, when the popularity of selvedge denim started to wane. Once an industry standard, selvedge denim was being traded in for non-selvedge, pre-washed (and cheaper) denim.
Then, when NAFTA was passed in 1994, effectively removing the tariffs for textiles and apparel between the US, Canada, and Mexico, many companies started moving their production to our southern neighbor - where production and labor costs were much cheaper than those in the United States. In 2005, the World Trade Organization put an end to textile and apparel quotas, meaning that countries could now import (or export) as much as the industry called for. Because of this, many larger brands started buying their materials from mills in China or Mexico.
In 2004, Wilbur Ross (the current U.S. Secretary of Commerce) purchased Cone Mills through his company International Textile Group, saving them from bankruptcy and hoping to turn the industry around by eventually moving a majority of production overseas. However, according to workers at the mill, Ross had said that he would keep the White Oak plant open, as long as it was making some sort of profit. There was then a boom in the "American Made" sentiment in men's fashion and the mill saw a boost in sales as companies such as Wrangler's and J. Crew placed orders and created lines boasting the White Oak name. For years, the plant was running strong.
Then, in 2016, a year before Ross was picked as the Secretary of Commerce by Donald Trump, Ross sold International Textile Group to a private equity firm in order to follow his political ambitions. Almost exactly a year later, it was announced that the plant was closing. Which just seems ironic to me...that the Secretary of Commerce for a president who ran on the campaign "Make America Great Again", ended up causing the closure of the last selvedge denim manufacturer. There is nothing more "American" than a pair of blue jeans, and now, you can't even get a pair that's truly been made in the United States.
All of that to say, that we're jumping on the denim bandwagon. I've been looking for a quality denim for the shop for quite some time and Cone Mills feels like the obvious choice. While I know we will eventually need to carry Cone Mills that has been produced from one of their mills in China or Mexico, I am committing to bringing in their White Oak denim for as long as I possibly can.
All three of the denims that we are bringing into the shop were produced at the White Oak plant before its closure at the end of last year, guaranteeing a high-quality, US-made fabric. While we didn't get any of the selvedge denim that White Oak is famous for, these denims are amazing to work with and I can't wait to share them with you! Stay tuned for more details later this week.
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Whew, it's been a minute since I blogged last! I'm so excited to be breaking the silence with a post about one of Deer & Doe's latest patterns, the Myosotis Dress!
Camille from Deer & Doe sent me the pattern to sew in anticipation of the release and I absolutely fell in love. If you've been following along here for awhile, you know I have a soft spot in my heart for oversized and slightly boxy dresses. And the Myosotis pattern hits everything love in a dress - minimal shaping, comfortable, pockets, and flattering details. I kind of see this as a mashup of the Fringe Dress from Chalk and Notch and the Carson Dress from Paddleboat Studio (two of my all time favorites - how could this be anything less than perfect?!) Even Nate, who usually makes fun of my love of boxy things, said that it looked great when we had date night last weekend! Winner.
So let's talk fabric. This pattern just begs for something drapey! From past experiences, I knew that I couldn't use any fabric that held its shape with a pattern with gathers like the Myosotis Dress. Even lawns and voiles make me feel like a cupcake when gathers are involved. I decided on our Viscose Twill from the shop because I just can't get over the drape that it has! I will say though, I almost decided on one of the new crepes we got in last week...the Golden Clusters Crepe is calling to me and would be perfect for this dress! Basically, the more drape the better in my book.
Based on my measurements, I sized into the size 42. However, after looking at the finished garment measurements, I decided to size down to a 40 - and it fits exactly how I had imagined! This gave me about 5" of ease through the bust and 4-5" of ease through the waist. It's just enough to get the dress on and off, but not so much that I feel frumpy.
The darts also help to give this dress just enough shaping through the body. I will say, I think it will be important to check the placement of the darts before committing to them! I usually need to do a full bust adjustment on patterns and I didn't need to make any alterations to the Myosotis pattern. If you have a smaller chest, you'll definitely want to check the dart placement!
I only made two very minor alterations to my version of this pattern, and they are changes that I make to nearly every dress pattern that's similar to this. I took out about an inch from the bodice, as my natural waist falls a little higher than the pattern was drafted for. When I'm trying on the bodice, I always have to remind myself that the weight of the skirt will pull the bodice down a bit. If it hits me in just the right spot without the skirt attached, I probably need to take off an inch or so to account for the added weight later on.
I also used the skirt length of the largest size (size 52), which added about 2" of length to the skirt. I tend to like my skirts a little longer than most I think.
This is such an easy dress to just throw on and head out the door feeling put together and cute (I need more of those!). I can already tell I'll be living in this over the summer. Plus, I think it'll get a lot of wear even into fall and winter with some tights and boots! I just love a year-round dress.
We now carry the newest line of patterns from Deer & Doe, as well as a handful of favorites from past collections. These patterns are a joy to sew with, so grab a copy!
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At the beginning of this year, I decided I wanted to get back to reading more books. I used to read all the time and life just got in the way recently. I realized that last year, I barely read more than one book. Things had to change.
So when Ruth from Rainclouds and Sage asked if I wanted to start a sort-of bookclub with her to encourage each other to read more, I had to say yes! I'm always so inspired by Ruth, so of course I couldn't wait to start on this new venture with her. And so, the Transatlantic Bookclub was born.
For our first month in February, we read The Immortalists, by Chloe Benjamin. If you knit, I'm guessing you've probably seen it all over Instagram lately, as Benjamin is a knitter and has done some work with Quince and Co. to promote the book. That said, this book has nothing to do with knitting.
As a brief overview, the book is about four siblings who go to a fortune teller as children and she tells them each the date they will die. The rest of the book then follows each of their lives and how they process this information (or don't).
The Immortalists really challenged my way of thinking, which I always love and appreciate in a novel. I don't think I have really come to any conclusions about what I think, so I have a feeling this blog post is going to turn into a bit of a word vomit as I try to sort through all of my thoughts on it. Be prepared.
PLEASE NOTE - this is meant to be a discussion and will give away parts of the story. If you have not read the book and don't want it to be spoiled, please stop reading! I would love to really hear about what people thought (especially about the ending) so from here on out, it's fair game!
Also - while I wish it didn't need to be said, our world is very polarized right now. On this blog, every opinion is welcomed and accepted. Comments that start to get nasty or mean will not be included. The whole purpose of this book review is to encourage conversation and share our thoughts with one another, not to break each other down.
Of course, the biggest concept The Immortalists brought up for me was the idea of fate vs. free will. Simon's story really exemplified this. Did he die because he went to San Francisco? Or would he have died some other way if he had stayed? Is our path decided for us? I know this is closely related to religious beliefs, so please remember - all opinions are welcome here.
Personally, I don't believe that my fate is pre-determined. I don't think that my story is already written and will turn out a certain way no matter what I do. That said, I also don't really believe in free will. I think that all of our decisions are based on our past experiences. The free will that I might think I have is influenced by my past and how it has impacted me. So I guess, I think that everything that has happened leading up to now will inform my next step. But what does that mean?
There was a section that stuck out to me in Daniel's story about this:
"But perhaps God was nothing like the dreadful, lurid fascination that brought him to the fortune teller, nothing like her preposterous claims. For Saul, God had meant order, tradition, culture, and history. Daniel still believed in choice, but perhaps that did not foreclose belief in God. He imagined a new God, one who nudged him when he was going to wrong way but never strong-armed him, one who advised but did not insist - one who guided him, like a father."
Would Simon have stayed if his father hadn't died? If he weren't gay? If he hadn't gone to see the fortune teller? Or did all of those things lead up to his decision? Then again, if they did, I guess you could say his fate in San Francisco was pre-determined by his past actions. Oof. It's a complicated concept. What do you think? Do you believe in fate, free will, or something else entirely?
There was a small conversation going on over on Instagram on my last post about this book and someone brought up the power of suggestion, which I hadn't even really thought about yet. But as soon as I read that comment, it hit me...yes. The power of suggestion is so real!
I went to school for advertisting, so my ideas behind the power of suggestion are influenced by my education in a big way. But even without school, just think about how advertising influences your life. How many times have you been scrolling through Instagram and an ad for pizza pops up and a couple hours later you want pizza for dinner? No? Just me? My Instagram apparently knows me a little too well...
But seriously - it goes well beyond advertising and into our culture. And here's where I get real deep...what about the power of suggestion when it comes to gender roles? Is it nature or nurture that creates those expectations of gender? Do we suggest through our actions and our words that men are supposed to be strong and emotionless, while women are supposed to be soft and caring?
Varya's stories brings this up as well:
"But Varya disagreed. She knew that stories did have the power to change things: the past and the future, even the present. She had been an agnostic since graduate school, but if there was one tenant of Judaism with which she agreed, it was this: the power of words. They weaseled under door cracks and through keyholes. They hooked into individuals and wormed through generations."
What role does the power of suggestion play in the person we become? If someone tells you that you're stupid over and over again, do you eventually give up trying to be smart? I think this idea is most apparent in Klara and Daniel's stories. Did the date they were told influence them to such a degree that it became reality? Or would it have happened the same way if the date were different?
Varya's story really hit me hard and I found it quite haunting. And yet, I don't know if I can explain why just yet. I might need to sit with it for awhile. I think it's the idea of overcoming this person who you have become, to break out of not only what is expected of you, but of what you expect of yourself.
I have always been hard on myself. I have always had high expectations of who I am, who I will become and what I should be doing. The times of biggest growth in my life are also the times that I realized that life might not be about who I "should" become, and rather who I would like to become. Varya's story is so powerful in this way...seeing her struggle as her past decisions come back to challenge her present.
And really, that takes it full circle for me. Her past experiences have influenced her current situation and will therefore inform the decisions she makes from here on out. But I love what she says at the end:
"She feared that fate was fixed, but she hoped - God, she hoped - that it was not too late for life to surprise her. She hoped it was not too late for her to surprise herself."
A few people have brought up the idea of living every day to the fullest when talking about this book, because you never know which day will be your last. I am probably over-practical, but I don't think that's possible. If you live every day as if it's your last, you wouldn't (or at least I wouldn't) focus on my responsibilities of daily life. I think I would ignore the balance of necessity vs. spontaneity.
To me, this book reminds me to love and value the people I have in my life, because you never know when they'll be gone. The timing of this is also hitting me hard, as my uncle passed away yesterday after a battle with Parkinson's. It's bittersweet - we knew it was coming and I am glad he's no longer suffering with the disease. But at the same time, I am mourning the time I didn't get with him. We weren't as close as we could have been over the last fifteen or so years and I don't feel like I knew him as I became an adult. Most of my memories of him are from my childhood and are blurry.
So for me, I am taking this away from The Immortalists: remember to love. Remember to connect with the important people in your life while you still can. Share your feelings, even if it means getting hurt. I don't want to look back with regret when it comes to the people I love. I want to love fully and openly.
What did you take away from The Immortalists? What did you think? I would love to hear how the book impacted other people too! Please leave your comments and let's start a conversation.
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As soon as I saw the new Avery Leggings that were released by Helen's Closet last week, I knew I needed to figure out a way to make a colorblock version...because why decide between two colors when you can just use both?!
I used the Heavyweight Activewear Jersey that we carry in the shop. As you guys know, I don't carry any fabric that I don't absolutely love and want to use myself - and this is no exception. I love how thick and opaque this fabric is! I actually like it better than a lot of the ready-to-wear leggings that I've seen...because of its weight, it feels more substantial, like it's holding me in. I love that.
After looking at lots of inspiration pictures, I decided to angle the seams to be higher at the outside of the leg. It creates a pretty slimming line and adds a little bit of visual interest.
But some of you might be realizing the challenge...but wait, the Avery Leggings don't have a side seam! How in the world are you going to create a sharp point? Good question.
Unless you add a side seam to the pattern (which is totally doable and not too challenging), you're not going to get a super sharp point. The negative ease in the legging will smooth out the point just a bit, not matter how carefully you sew. That said, after some trial and error, I was able to create a point that I'm really happy with.
For my first pair, I wanted to combine our aqua and coral colorways for a summery version of the Avery's. At the lengthen/shorten line of the leg, I marked the halfway point. I then measured straight up 2" and made another mark. From there, I connected the mark back to the lengthen and shorten line (see image below).
Then I simply cut along this line, making notes to remind myself to add the seam allowance back in when I'm cutting the fabric. I then cut out the top part leg in the aqua and the bottom part in coral.
When sewing the leg back together, I decide to cut a notch in the aqua to be able to sew each side of the V. Don't do it! I found that by sewing one side of the V and then the other (without a notch), you end up with a sharper point. You can see the difference if you compare the aqua pair vs. the black pair - the point on the aqua pair is much more smoothed out and not nearly as sharp.
I will say that because I didn't notch the V, there is a little bit of a pucker. However, the negative ease that's built into the pattern smooths it back out when I'm wearing them, so it doesn't bother me too much. You could also probably sew more carefully and avoid the pucker...I was just too excited.
Once you've sewn the leg pieces back together, you can follow the rest of the pattern as written!
I followed the same process for the black and grey version of these leggings, I just added in another V-shaped cut about an inch and a half about the first. Again, I needed to add the seam allowance back in when cutting out the fabric, so I left myself reminders on the pattern pieces after they were cut.
The only other change that I made to the pattern was to leave out the elastic at the waist. I personally just don't like the feeling of elastic at my waist and would prefer a smoother fit. It's totally personal preference. This does mean that I'll probably be adjusting them more often, as they won't stay up quite as well, but it's worth it to me for comfort.
These are the first of many, many pairs of the Avery Leggings! They are so quick to sew, which is just so satisfying. The addition of the gusset gives them a huge range of motion, making them incredibly comfortable. Maybe they'll inspire me to actually start working out more? Fingers crossed.
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I like to consider myself a boxy dress connoisseur and lover of all shapeless outfits. But as any boxy dress owner knows, there's so much to the perfect shift dress than meets the eye. It's not just "cutting a hole in a square of fabric and calling it good " as my husband so affectionately describes.
That's where the Lou Box Dress 1 from Sew DIY comes in! Yes, it's oversized. And yes, there is minimal shaping. And yes, your husband may say that it reminds him of a burlap sack (in a good way, he added). But it will become your new favorite boxy dress of all time and has the perfect details to make it so much more than a sack. Even Nate admitted he liked it once I had it all sewn up!
The Lou Box Top pattern was an immediate classic when it was released and there have been so many amazing versions of it shared on Instagram. I myself have made...three? four? You know it's good when you've lost count.
So of course, I was literally ecstatic when the Lou Box Dress was released! And obviously it needed to be my first sewn make of 2018. I made View B with the inseam pockets. I sewed mine in some Brussels Washer in Black and it is the perfect drape and weight for this dress. I will be wearing this all. the. time.
Beth from Sew DIY is a genius at paying attention to all of the little details to make a pattern special. The instructions include information about when to finish each seam to make it easier later on in the process or to have a more professional look. They are so straightforward and easy to follow - no questioning what she meant at any step.
But the two details I love the most are the two that take this from oversized dress to something classic and chic. The sleeves and the hem.
The sleeve cuffs have just a little bit of shaping to them so that they almost flare out from the body. It's not something that I have ever paid attention to in past patterns, but it makes such a huge difference. If they didn't have that shaping, I think the dress would look kind of limp and lifeless...but these cuffs add some life and shape to the sleeve. Just that tiniest detail creates an entirely new silhouette.
I also love the curved hem. Unfortunately, none of my pictures manage to really show it off as well as it looks in real life...check out the pattern page for a better idea of what I mean! Having a shorter front hem makes this dress a little more chic and a little less sack or t-shirt dress-like.
I did add about two inches of length to my dress pattern pieces before cutting it out, as I like my dress length a little more modest than most. The length was added to both the front and the back pieces, so that I didn't loose the dramatic curved hemline.
I've loved the Georgia Dress from Elizabeth Suzann for a long time, but haven't been able to justify the price of something that I knew I could make. Now, I'm definitely making one. I'm hoping to find some sandwashed silk for a dressier version and a good double gauze for a summer version! And probably our Hemp Cotton Ticking for another everyday version. Considering I wore this dress for almost three days straight after I finished making it, I think I need to sew some more...
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Today is officially six whole months since Nate and I got married, so I figure it's probably time to get my act together and share some photos from the wedding! Leading up to the big day, a lot of people asked what I was going to be DIY-ing for the wedding. No, I did not sew my dress...but I did make quite a few of the details that made our day special.
Warning - this might be the most photo heavy blog post I've had to date.
I think that the project that had the biggest impact on making our wedding day unique was the napkins for the dinner table. We were going to be sitting at a long, farmhouse-style table under an orchard of trees (does it get any more dreamy?!) and I couldn't get the idea out of my head to have a mix-match ombre of napkins down the length of the table.
Plus, I wanted to make something that would become an heirloom that we could keep for years to come and remind us of our wedding day. A lot of people make wedding quilts and this idea definitely stuck with me. I plan on using the napkins as the fabric for a quilt...call me crazy, I know. I'm thinking about using the Sidewalk Chalk Quilt pattern by Then Came June. I'm hoping to have it done for our first anniversary this summer, but considering that it took me six months to get the blog post written and I still haven't actually printed any photos, maybe I should try for our second anniversary...
My mom and I went fabric shopping and found the perfect shades to make the look. I think the end result is pretty dramatic, but it was actually a simple project...just lots of time and ironing! I think we ended up getting 4 yards of five different types of fabric, 20 yards total to make somewhere around 75 napkins. I cut it all down to 18" squares and serged them with a rolled hem. Then another press and they were good to go! They turned out exactly how I imagined and the table really was the focal point of the venue.
Also for the table, my whole family banded together to make the place cards. My dad cut and stained wood into roughly the size of business cards and my mom and I used my Cricut machine to cut the names out of vinyl. Then we transferred the vinyl to the wood cards. I am SO happy with how professional they look. It took a lot of patience to get the delicate script to come out right, but the it was so worth it!
I also made some special pajamas for my bridesmaids and myself to wear while we got ready. I used a viscose floral from Blackbird Fabrics that's sadly no longer available...it's so beautiful and was just perfect! I made an Ogden Cami (which might be my favorite pattern ever) for the top and used the bottoms from the Carolyn Pajamas to make a summer PJ set.
These were maybe the most time intensive project I took on for the wedding. The cami's are partially lined and the shorts have pockets and I burned my arm while doing a finishing press...that was attractive on wedding day...but all my bridesmaids still wear them and I know they're getting good use. Plus, how cute did they look that day?!
The project that was closest to my heart was the tie that I sewed for my dad. I wanted to give him a little something special to wear while he walked me down the aisle and this was just what I was looking for. It's made from Frou Frou fabric, a cotton from France that I picked up in my local fabric store. It has the look of Liberty London, but feels more like a quilting cotton (and is roughly half the cost!). I'll also use the leftover scraps from this project in our wedding quilt.
Last but not least, we made our wedding favors - strawberry lavender jam inspired by some of our favorite memories. Nate and I have a tradition of going berry picking every summer and the first year we went, we picked over 20 pounds of strawberries! We ended up making strawberry jam, strawberry syrup, strawberry caramel, strawberry lemonade...strawberry everything. Every year since, we've been careful to keep an eye on how much we're picking before it gets out of control.
One of our favorite dates was a day spent out on Vashon Island when we went lavender picking. The farm was closing the next day, as the family was going on vacation to France, so they let us pick as much as we could carry for a fraction of the normal price. We left with a full armload and our house smelled like lavender for months.
We wanted to share the memory of some of our favorite moments in our relationship with our guests and made mini jars of jam for everyone to take home. There ended up being tons of extras, so we're still eating jam for breakfast!
All in all, it was a perfect day. We planned it so that we could spend as much time with our family and friends as possible and everything went off flawlessly. I'm sure there were things that went wrong, but looking back, it was simply the best day we could have asked for.
Photography: Shane Macomber Photography
Venue: The Wayfarer
Florals: Flying Bear Farm
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