Spring Dress Mash-Up

After a few years of t-shirts and sweatpants, it felt good to break out the dress patterns again. It took me about a month to sew this one up, and I enjoyed taking my time to make something nice. 

Pattern: McCall's Meadow Dress M8105 with McCall's Dawn Dress M8104 

Fabric: 2+ yds rayon

Cost: free

This dress is a mash-up between M8104 and M8105, mostly because I got the two mixed up in my head and thought it was one pattern. Once I dug them out and realized my mistake, I couldn't help but try making my vision a reality. The dress is mostly M8105 with the cut-on sleeves and sleeve ruffles of M8104. 

McCall's M8105 is actually a pretty clever pattern. The base is a simple strappy dress, but there's a tie overlay that attaches to the neckline and wraps around the body, giving it a faux-wrap style. It makes it very easy to fit but with a sophisticated draped look. 

What was not so easy was adapting it to have cut-on sleeves. That, and making it out of just 2 yards of fabric. I used every scrap of the fabric and puzzled through some fitting issues with the sleeves and the ties. Admittedly, I probably wouldn't recommend this mash-up, as the ties can pull a bit on the sleeves. But it ended up looking pretty good and even gives me enough movement for dancing. 

But I can't quite make up my mind about the sleeves. I love the flounce in theory, but on my body it feels like it overwhelms my frame. For our second wedding this month, I took the sleeve flounce off to try it the other way. What do you think? This is the second time I've sewn a project with the sleeves from this pattern and the second time I've taken them off, so there might be a lesson in there. 

As a bonus, the Mr. got to finally wear this coat I made for him way back when we thought we were going to a wedding in March 2020. 

Jaws Jacket

Maybe it was the chills that ran through my body as we sat at yet another outdoor hangout, maybe it was just the effects of my COVID booster shot, but I knew I needed another cozy, fuzzy jacket in my closet. I wear my teddy-bear-lined parklet jacket all the time, so there was no denying the utility of a second variation on the concept.

Pattern: Simplicity Misses' Lined Bomber Jacket #8418

Fabric: 2 yds upholstery remnant + minky lining

Cost: $80

The star of this jacket is really the fabric. Aside from being ridiculously soft and fuzzy on the inside AND out, it's a fun texture and nice color with lots of dimension. This is not the sort of fabric you can dream up in your head and go out and find. Rather, I walked into the store with an open mind and, after perusing the fur aisle, I found this beauty in the section of upholstery remnants and knew it was the one. The ribbed texture even makes it look like a quilted jacket

Because it was a 2-yd remnant with a few flaws I wasn't sure I'd have enough for this project, but at about $12 there was no harm in trying. And while the outer layer was cheap, I spent another $30 on minky lining and nearly another $30 (!) on ribbing. But look at that shark lining! Isn't it perfect? I may have a new obsession. 

Aside from getting fuzzy fabric everywhere, it actually wasn't that difficult to sew with. I made sure to match the ribs where it mattered but otherwise it came together just fine. I even accidentally placed the flaw (a big hole!) in the middle of one of my sleeves but was able to sew it shut by hand and it completely disappeared. It did help that the whole thing was lined - imagine trying to finish those bulky seams! 

The ribbing is fancy Merchant and Mills ribbing that sells for $14 a yard. It is admittedly a bit lightweight for this project (would be better on a t-shirt of light sweatshirt) but it's really hard to get ribbing, especially locally. 

The pattern is Simplicity which I bought because it includes instructions for lining. I then of course promptly ignored all the instructions, but it was nice to know that I had all the pattern pieces I needed. I also wanted a raglan sleeve as I already have similar jackets with a set-in sleeve. 

Unlike my parklet jacket, this one is a bit more snug and feels a bit bulky in all the layers. But it is delightfully warm and good enough for dinner or a drink out. Now I just might need fuzzy pants and I'd be all set. 

I'll leave you this parting shot from the beach :) 

Avocados and Houses

In 2017, an Australian millionaire remarked that many millennials couldn't afford a house because they were spending all their money on avocado toast and expensive lattes. "Shouldn’t they be economizing by eating at home? How often are they eating out? Twenty-two dollars several times a week could go towards a deposit on a house," he opined. These remarks spawned a million memes and, rightfully, some harsh criticism for his words. 

In the United States at least, my generation (currently those between 25 and 40 years old) has faced a stagnating minimum wage, the deterioration of workers' rights through a gig economy, the Great Recession, the rising cost of college (and corresponding rising debt), and continued racial and gender barriers in a system that is decimating the middle class. The idea that small-scale, individual decisions could fix these problems, or that a great many millenials could even buy these small luxuries to begin with, was laughable. While I'm all for smart money decisions and saving, if you're scraping by on a minimum wage job (or jobs), hoarding your pennies will not buy you a house where I live. 

So of course when I saw this avocado toast fabric at Stonemountain I knew what I had to do. A quick search revealed that they sold a houses print from the same company, and my 'avocados and houses' shirt was born. I'm not sure everyone will get it, but it's funny and just a little bit snide. 

Pattern: McCalls Misses' Dresses #7920 as a top with ties

Fabric:1 yd each of Dear Stella in Avocado Toast and Holiday Village
Cost: $30

It took me a while to decide the best way to combine these two fabrics into one shirt, but I eventually settled on a simple button-up shirt. The pattern is McCall's #7920 (originally a dress pattern) that I've made before and like the fit of. I added the ties from McCall's #7976, which on its surface appears to be a very similar top but is much more over-sized. 

The darts give it a nice shaping in the back and the front. 

The patch I ordered from Etsy full the full millennial effect. 

Admittedly it's a very bright shirt in a novelty print. But I finally wore it out today and got compliments at both the yarn shop and fabric store, so I think it will be a fun one to wear. Maybe I'll find a good outdoor brunch spot and can get some avocado toast. ;)

Made It Through 2021!

This is my tenth sewing year in review. It's become somewhat of a tradition--a little something I do in that lazy time between Christmas and New Year's to reflect on what I've been making. In some years I've run the stats; in others I try to learn something from my mistakes. But as the years go on I'm also just content to make things as my heart desires. Last year I made a lot. This past year I made less. I like to just make things as the mood strikes. If I wear it, that's great. And if I don't, hopefully it at least makes me smile or challenges me in some new way.

One big difference from ten years ago has been the rise of social media, especially Instagram. It seems hardly anyone reads blogs anymore. But I've been doing this so long I'd hate to part with it. So below is a little roundup story I made for Instagram along with some notes about where you can find each project. It's a nice little index of the year. And if you want to watch the video, I'll add it below. 

My favorite project of the year was this embroidered jumpsuit. It was a technically interesting project with lots of fitting and time spent learning new embroidery skills. It used fabric from my stash. And it was a celebration of sorts for getting vaccinated and being able to see more friends, mostly outside in the warm, welcomed days of summer. I loved making it and I loved wearing it, and if there's one memory I want to hold on to from this year it's this one. 

Many of the other things I made this year were well-worn, made me smile, or both! They include:

Most Worn:

• My Parklet Jacket was by far my most-worn item of the year and kept me warm at many an outdoor eatery
• The Watermark Sweater rose from the ashes of a previous sweater project, but it was all worth it. I wore this on most cold mornings at my desk
• Bathing suit, rashguard, and shorts set for a week-long river trip and kayaking the bay
• Elastic-waist pants (no explanation needed for a pandemic year)
• Ruby Star Warp and Weft Top - when it's popular on Instagram, it's usually for a reason and I couldn't take this top off for like a month 

Other Favorites:

• My Perfect T-Shirt pattern, sewed up in two new prints - sharks and stripes
• Women Shirt - there's just something about this top that feels right - it's fun, put together, easy, and I wore it to get my vaccine!
• Seabright Swimmers were a fun one-piece suit with great sun protection for kayaking
• October Days Sweater was a real triumph for me in knitting a beautiful, complicated light-weight sweater that I actually wear
• Exaggerated shoulders were a new look this year and made both my favorite and least-worn lists
• The Green Blazer was something I didn't wear at all, but I still like it! Maybe there will be more opportunities this year? (probably not)
• Railroad Denim - the jury's still out on this particular pair of pants, but I really loved trying out the custom fit of Fayma patterns

There are also a few things that probably won't make the cut: 

• My Myosotis dress fit better than the last version, but has gotten a lot less wear. Maybe it just feels too prairie? 
• Lawren Bathing Suit - despite having a lot of fun choosing the fabrics and loving the cut of this suit, it was still a bit short on me and the neckline was too high. I may try this again with a few adjustements
• Party Cami was an experiment in converting an old thrifted Halloween Costume into something wearable, but I'm not sure it's made the cut
• McCall's #7976 Tie-Front Top - this was an interesting experiment in buying two nearly identical-looking McCall's patterns with very different fits. I like the #7920 better

By far my biggest project this year was moving in June. After feeling a bit priced out of the SF bay area, we took advantage of an opportunity to move a few hours south to Santa Cruz County to a new (old) house and closer to family. The change of scenery has brought me a lot of joy, and I'm also trying my hand at seeing how far some paint and a screwdriver can take me in fixing up our place. It's been fun to balance these new skills with sewing projects. 

I hope the new year has something bright in store for you! I don't know where this year will take me, but I'm so ready to be done with 2021!

My Perfect T-Shirt

Probably more than a decade ago, I bought a cute striped shirt with cut-on sleeves. I wore it all the time (still do) and eventually decided I needed to make myself a pattern. I sewed myself one and wore that one all the time. So I guess it was time to make two more. 

Pattern: self drafted t-shirt with cut-on sleeves 

Fabric: Modes4U Dear Stella shark knit and Art Gallery coral stripe knit

Cost: sponsored

One of the best parts about making your own t-shirt is picking out a fun fabric. As opposed to a coat or a special occasion dress, I feel like I can be a little bit more playful with a t-shirt. Modes4U, who specializes in cute prints, was nice enough to send me a yard each from two brands I'm obsessed with: a Dear Stella shark knit and an Art Gallery coral stripe knit. 

How great is this shark print!?! Fun fact: that ocean behind me is VERY sharky. 

This top has some nice features that I think make it a favorite. For one, the cut-on sleeves are easy to wear and make it very fast to sew. I also make it with a hem facing that gives the top a nice weight and prevents any curling hems. The hems of the sleeves and neckline are serged to give them a bit of weight, too, and then just folded under and stitched with a zig-zag stitch. 

I've always loved Art Gallery knits because they have a nice weight without being too bulky, and they're buttery soft. The Dear Stella print has a bit less stretch and feels more like a traditional t-shirt weight, which also works well for this top. 

If you'd like to make your own, this is probably the most common shirt pattern I've seen on the internet, so choose your favorite pattern brand and see if they make one. And check out the Modes4U knits to get yourself something fun. 

Happy holidays everyone!