sewingnomade

Libby Blouse Pattern by Sew Over It

I really like blouses and shirts yet I do not sew many of them. Even though my last three posts are about blouses, don’t get fooled. I like sewing blouses, but I need variety in my sewing so when I make one blouse I go for the next best thing and by the time I get to making another blouse a lot of time goes by. But I really do like the ones I make and wear them a lot.

One of the blouses I made last spring during quarantine is the Sew Over It Libby blouse. I like this pattern a lot. I like the collar and the grown on sleeves. It somehow looks laid back while still being a blouse. Perfect!

The way this collar is constructed is new to me and it is a bit challenging. I am not sure if the part of the challenge had to do with the fabric choice, but the construction for sure needed a bit more of my attention that the regular collar construction. SOI have a good blog post about the construction of it which is a great extra help alongside the instructions. It is doable, but for me it took sometime to figure out what exactly I need to do. My recommendation is to read the instructions and blog post several times to really understand the steps and go slowly. My insides look a bit messy but I figure it makes no sense to be bothered by it since nobody will ever see it. Life is to short!

I sewed down the facing to the main fabric and the stitches are hidden under the collar. The facing was peeking out in few places before which was annoying and since the stitches are hidden below the collar it is the perfect little trick to make life (and wearing this blouse) easier.

I love the fabric and how bright and happy it is. I mentioned before but I will say it again – sewing made my fabric choices bolder and style so much more versatile and well, just better. That transformation is very welcome! Did sewing have the same effect for you?

Adrienne Blouse – The Sleeve Heaven

In my opinion Adrienne blouse by Friday Pattern Company is your perfect every day blouse. Why, you might wonder. Well, first of all, it is some sort of a cheating blouse (and I say this in the best possible way) because it is designed for knit fabric meaning it is really comfy to wear. And then there are the sleeves. Sleeves have been a big thing last few years and this pattern sure has plenty of those.

I like the bodice on this pattern since it is slim yet comfortable and the neckline is really cool. I would recommend to use fabrics with right amount of stretch as suggested in the pattern. The first fabric I used is almost the correct stretch and I made it in the smallest size as per my measurements. It is comfortable to wear but I would prefer if I made it a larger size. Now it feels a bit too clingy and I would like to have a bit of ease in this area. Not sure what the fabric is exactly (cotton jersey?) since I got it from a friend, but it looks as good quality. Of course I could have sized up and it would have been perfect. But, sometimes you just have to learn from your mistakes.

For my second version I used this lovely cubist jersey I bought from Minerva. Isn’t this fabric amazing? I had it for some time and was looking for the perfect dress pattern but then realized it would be better suited for a top and Adrianne blouse is the perfect match. I sized up for this version and I like it better this way. I love how this blouse looks with high waisted pants and It would also look really good with overalls.
Mental note: make overalls.

And of course, it is great for layering under dresses. I love any outfit I saw styled like this and this reminds me I should wear this more often. This way the sleeves really pop even more and make any outfit perfect.

Thank you for reading!
Ana

Roscoe blouse

I looked at the Roscoe blouse pattern by True Bias for a long time thinking how it is the perfect breezy blouse. And it is exactly that!
I finally went and sewed it last spring during quarantine and it was love at first sight. And then after finishing the first version I went straight ahead and made two more. That’s how much I liked it.

The pattern is wide and has a lot of ease and that is exactly what makes this pattern so good – it is supposed to be big and breezy. It is really easy and fast to sew with no fastenings and with a bit of gathering around the neckline and sleeve hems. The sleeves are not set in sleeves but raglan style which makes this pattern easier and faster to assemble. The nice detail I like about it is it has long ties that go down from the neckline binding and they look equally good untied and tied into a bow. I mostly wear mine untied because I like the relaxed look of it. But with colder days ahead I will probably tie it more often.

The first version is this rust one made in Atelier Brunette viscose and it is dreamy. It is so soft and breezy and gives me such strong 70’s vibes. I made this one in size 2 which is maybe a bit too big for me, so with later versions I cut out the smallest size (size 0). The sleeves are long but do not reach all the way so the wrists are out. I do not mind that in a blouse although I do think the length is a bit weird. I did think of maybe shortening them but haven’t gotten to it yet. Will see how I feel after wearing it more this autumn.

The second version is again made out of a viscose and yes, again Atelier Brunette fabric. What can I say, I like their designs. I made this one in size 0 and shortened the sleeves so they get to above elbows. I like it much more with this sleeve length although it does mean it might not be really good for wearing in the colder days (at least for me). But I really like it made up in this fabric and I feel great when wearing it.

For the third version I stepped away from viscose and made it in a less flowy fabric. I used this colorful cotton (lawn? – it has been a while and I don’t remember the exact fabric components) and I love it. I did not have enough fabric to make it as long as the pattern suggests. This means I can’t really wear it tucked in but I like it like this as well. The sleeves are also shorter on this one and it is made in size 0. I also made the neck opening at the front a bit smaller so it does not gape. It is just at the right spot now to get it over my head, phew! I had this fabric for so long in my stash not knowing what to make from it and I think this blouse will give it the right kind of life.

Am I thinking of making more Roscoe blouses? Yes. Is there such thing like too many Roscoe blouses? No. This pattern is just too good for that to be true.
Did you make the Roscoe pattern? What do you think about it and do you like it as much as I do?

Thank you for reading!
Ana

Black vs Yellow – The Blackwood cardigan; pattern by Helen’s Closet

Who doesn’t like cardigans? I wish I could knit and make all the dreamy cozy cardigans available to humans who know how to knit, but as I don’t I am settling for the ones I can sew. Thankfully, Helen designed the Blackwood cardigan to make a life for someone like me easier so I can still make my little heart happy and make what I imagine in my head a reality.

Blackwood Cardigan by Helen’s Closet comes in two variations but you can always play beyond limits and make it longer, shorter, wider, prettier, unique. I made two very different cardigans from the same pattern and in the same type of fabric. One is long, dark, shielding. The other is short, bright, entertaining.

I love both black and colour at the same time. Black feels safe and powerful in its own way. I wanted to sew a long cardigan for a while and I finally made one. I went to a local store and got 2 meters of black Ponte di Roma fabric. I came home, prewashed it, cut it, sewed it, and voila!

I cut it out in a size M. I sized up from previous versions (I made my first two in lighter stretchier fabrics so it was fine to cut size S for them) and that was a good decision. I wanted a somewhat fitted but at the same time loose cardigan. Not sure if I pooled it off but I like it. I made the front band double the width, lengthened the whole thing by as far as I could to use up all the fabric I had, and shortened the sleeves by 3 or 4 cm as they are extra long, at least for my arms. I added pockets from version A, because – pockets!

Then I instantly felt I needed some colour on me, asap. So I went back to the cutting table and cut out a short version (variation A) in yellow Ponte di Roma fabric. With this version, I again cut the front band double the width, shortened the sleeves by 2 cm, and cut the sides of front and back straight (not curved as in the pattern). I wanted to see if this would give a looser (oversized?) feel. I have another precious fabric I want to sew into a cardigan and I was testing this option for it. If I decide I don’t like it I can easily take it in.

I like this shade of yellow. It really is a happy colour. I actually bought these two fabrics on the same day in the same shop with the idea to make the same pattern from them. Funny how different pattern variations and colours give a different feel to the whole outfit.

For those interested, you can see my first two versions here and here.

Thank you for reading,

Ana

Paola Workwear Jacket – Free Pattern by FabricStore.com

I found my go-to spring jacket pattern. It is simple to make, great to style for all spring outfits and (drum roll) it is free! Yep, you can find it on the FabricStore.com website.

I had it ready for a while but as with many patterns, I first wanted to find the right fabric and get in the right mood. I did have this cord fabric in my stash that I wanted to use for my first version. I made myself think of it as a muslin in case it did not turn out good, but I was hoping it would be wearable. And it is. Smile.

Usually, I follow pattern instructions. As I have been sewing for years now I sometimes only skip over instructions but this time I did not even bother looking them up. For some reason, that felt unnecessary and one extra thing my mind would have to cope with at these times. So I just went for it step by step and sewed the whole jacket over a weekend. I did make several coats and shirts by now so I knew all the steps that were needed. This gave me a good feeling because I felt I had something under control unlike with everything else that is currently happening outside.

P4060985 — Bonus points when your garment matches your walls

This jacket pattern has a collar, button up front and 4 patch pockets. I ended up putting only 2 lower pockets. One reason is that I did not have enough fabric for all 4 pockets but then the third one on only one side just looked silly. On one of the pockets, I added the Hand Made tag (I wanted to use it like this on a garment for a while). But then each time I forgot. Well, this time I made sure it was next to my machine ready to go when I started working on the jacket. I also skipped the topstitching in the front since the facings are caught in place with buttons and buttonholes.

I would say this is a fast sew, especially for those of you who can sit through a full project from start to finish in an afternoon. I usually break it in more sittings so a weekend was the perfect timeframe to finish it. I recommend it as a great pattern to try your skills and make a cool spring jacket, especially since you only have to invest in the fabric in case you do not already have something in your stash.

Thank you for reading,

Ana

In The Fold Peplum Top – Gingham Satisfaction

I love gingham fabric and if I could get my hands on all colors that is a pattern I would be wearing ALL THE TIME. I got the fabric at a local store near me a while ago and I was so in love with it that I bought as much as I could. I made this dress form it and was left with some remnants that kind of were big enough for something but I was never sure what. And then the In The Folds Peplum top came to play in one of the Peppermint Magazine issues.

I like how this top is at the same time simple and yet has some interesting details like straps as a separate pattern piece and the peplum. The fabric is some kind of cotton so it was on the stiffer side. This meant that the peplum was way more statement like than I had imagined it. To workaround that I added side ties so I can tie them into a bow and I love how that looks. There are two ties on each side and they are just sewed down to the bodice left and right from the side seam.

The pattern has a round neckline in the front and v in the back. I like this and it is ideal something something (different drummer kind of thing) for summer. I am interested in seeing how I can pair it with my existing wardrobe but also how I can wear it in non-summer weather. So I had a rummage through my wardrobe and saw this rust Paola turtleneck I made some time ago and it was instant heart eyes. I will have to search for more combinations like this.

The pattern instructions are great as always with In The Folds and the pattern is easy to construct. I would recommend any of their patterns made for the Peppermint magazine as a great addition to your wardrobe but also for beginner sewists looking for something simple yet very wearable and beautiful. I would like to make one in a floatier fabric next time.

Thank you for reading!

Ana

All the faces Kalle Shirt – Pattern by Closetcase Patterns

When I first saw this fabric I was in love and had to have it. I was very lucky to win one sewing challenge on Instagram at the same time meaning I got a voucher from Material Girl Laura. So you know what this girl did. She went online, redeemed the voucher, added a bit extra to get decent yardage and waited for the delivery. I loved the fabric so much I never felt like I had the right project for it. I knew I wanted a shirt but just could not decide on a pattern.

With time I decided to make it into a Kalle shirt by ClosetCase Patterns. Having done one recently (blogged here) and seeing many versions of it on Instagram I was confident this would be a good match. In fact, I dare to say this is one of the most popular fabric and pattern combos out there. When I posted about it on Instagram stories I got several replies from people saying they made a Kalle out of it. And even if you scroll down the hashtag you will see several of them made in this fabric. It was a sign!

I decided on a standard button placket and a popover collar. I prefer a popover collar over mandarin collar, just feels better suiting for a shirt.
As for the buttons, I knew I wanted white ones but had several options in my stash. I did not have enough of the ones I decided to use so I went with a seethrough one on the collar stand (on the right in the photo below).

IMG_20200220_170552-01 — Deciding on button options

Like last time, construction and instructions were clear and straightforward. I decided to add sleeves to this one and did so with a bit of hacking and pattern frankensteining. I did not use sleeve cuff pieces that come with the pattern and attached the sleeve directly to the bodice. I used the Zadie jumpsuit long sleeve pattern piece. I already used this sleeve for two different pattern hacks but I am yet to use it for Zadie (one day). I first measured the sleeve opening on Kalle bodice and the Zadie sleeve top opening to see if they would fit. And measurements were almost perfect – the Zadie sleeve opening was bigger by about 1 cm so I just chopped that extra bit off while cutting.

I cut the sleeves as per pattern on top and went wider towards the bottom (kind of a bell shape) to get more volume. I did not have enough fabric left at that point to make them wider but they turned out good like this as well. I lengthened them also by about 5 cm and finished them at the hem with elastic – easy and quick.

I used the cropped version to cut it out but lengthened it so I could tuck it in high waisted pants. I wish I had cut it longer because it does ride up on the sides occasionally, but I will survive. I skipped the hem facing and finished it off with a satin bias binding that just looks a bit more luxurious.

I think this might be my new favorite shirt!
For anyone interested in the white pants and cardigan in the photos, you can click here and here to read more about them.

Thank you for reading!

Ana

The Anna Mac Coat – pattern by Sew Over It

When Sew Over It released their second e-book I was playing all hard to get and was telling myself that I do not need it. How long do you think I was able to stick with it? I think it was for about a week. Bravo Ana!

But seriously, when you have a pattern like this mac in it AND it is called Anna (for those who do not know me my name is Ana!), what else do I need to say? Now I just need to work on making more patterns form the book because there are some lovely ones in there.

I love a good collar and this mac really does have it. It is the right amount of statement yet not too much. Well, for me at least. The one thing I am not too excited about is a side seam pocket so I decided to skip them and put on patch pockets. And I love how they look and the vibe they give. I feel either safari chick or 70s detective cool. I think I prefer the second one more. The second change I did is shorten it to the hip level. Originally it was supposed to be a mid-calf length but boy did that look bad. So chop, chop to save what I could.

I had to make the sway back adjustment. I make this adjustment on most top patterns so I should have guessed I would need it with this one as well. But I was in a hurry to have this jacket done and skipped that step. So, of course, I had a lot of gaping in the lower back. Since the whole thing was already cut and sewed I made the adjustment directly on the garment. I simply pinned the excess fabric where the gaping was and took in about 4 cm in the middle of the back going to 0 cm at side seams. Good, this is that I have the belt which covers it up because the seam is visible.

Remember how I said I was in a hurry to have this jacket finished? Well, by the time I got to the finishing touches it all just sat there a few weeks. I am sure it had to do with the weather turning colder so I knew I would not be wearing it out any time soon. But I can’t wait for Spring! Anyhow, I finished the hems at one point and now it is ready for a walk in the park. Or city. Or safari excursion in a 70’s detective show!

The fabric is a home decor fabric. It is a bit on the lighter side but it is so satisfying how crisp it is after ironing. I liked the oatmeal colour and knew right there it would be a perfect mac.

Thank you for reading,

Ana

White Persephone Pants – yes or no?

White pants. Dream or doom? I love white pants on others and have always dreamt of having a pair. One step closer to my dream style and wardrobe. But how long will they remain white? Is this just a pipe dream?

Who knows, but I finished them and I am happy with how they look and fit. I made my pants! These are not the first pants I made (I already blogged about first Persephone’s here) but when you get used to making something and it starts being the norm you forget to celebrate it and stepping back to think – I made these freaking pants! Not many people can say that and I always love how well I know my clothes – from materials, construction, the thread I used, steps I did to get to the finish line and how each and every garment has an origin story I was part of from start to finish. Does that not make it even more special? I think it does and I wanted to tell that to myself today.

So, white pants. A good idea? No idea, but let’s try it. I will probably not ever feel 100% secure sitting in them just for the phobia I will sit on something and get them dirty, even if I am in a totally safe indoor environment. But I am pushing myself to do what I want and live my life how I want and if one small step of wearing white pants will get me there than that one small step in white pants will be a big step in getting my butt where I want it to be 😀

Sewing has opened a new world to me, not only in craft and knowledge I did not have before but in freeing my mind and allowing me to wear colour first and now white. I never wore either in my teenage years. It was too visible and too out there for me. But I learned that wearing the garments I create makes me feel more confident. And I like that. So white pants it is. I just hope I won’t be too conscious of being in white pants, although I understand some settling in will have to happen in the beginning.

Pattern and Construction

Now for the technical part of it all. The pattern is the Persephone Pants by Anna Allen Clothing. I already used this pattern before and this is my 5th pair, so I was confident in constructing them. The only difference this time was that I used stretch denim. This pattern is drafted for non-stretch fabrics, so using stretch meant I had to think about what size to make it in. I made my earlier pants in size 2 in the waist and grading to 4 in the hips, although this changed a bit with each pair I made. Here I knew I would have some gapping or just bad fit if I went with the same size so I decided to construct them in the smallest size available (this meant going one size down in waist and two in the hip). In the end, this did end up being a bit too tight so I made the seam allowance smaller in the inner leg seam by 0.5 cm. This gave me more room and now they are tight but comfortable.

The construction of this pattern is straightforward and it was the first pants pattern I ever made that was successful. So if you are reading this and are thinking of making a pair for the first time – go for it. There is nothing to lose but a few hours that will teach you a lot in the long run. The pattern instructions are great and with illustrations, you can make these pants with no problem. If I did it so can you.

The fabric is the 10oz Cone Mills S-gene stretch denim in white from Threadbare Fabrics my sister got me when she was in the US a while ago. It is a great fabric but be ready it will show every bump (but also almost every pair of underwear in your wardrobe). I have to see how to wear these bad boys or I have to get an invisible pair of underwear – do these exist? It is not really see-through but it is a white fabric after all. I was inspired by Charlie and Beck to use this fabric and basically copied them all the way. Thank you, ladies, for all the inspiration!

And one last thing I adore about these is I got to sneak some colour in after all – with buttons hidden in the fly! They are all the same size as required in the pattern but they are all different colors and were left all alone in my button stash. So it was ideal to use them in this project and do a bit of stash busting – my favorite activity after sewing!

Overall I am in love with these pants and happy I pushed my self forward with getting a more stand out piece into my wardrobe. I am now off to see how long I can go without getting coffee, food or mud on them. Wish me luck!

Thank you for reading!

Ana

Kalle shirt – pattern by Closet Case Patterns

I love wearing shirts more than I love sewing them, but I definitely do not like ironing them. But that is the irony of life, ey? I love a crisp collar, buttons (yet buttonholes being probably one of the reasons why shirts are not my favorite from the garment sewing realm) and also how a shirt lifts up an outfit. I feel more “ready” when wearing one, isn’t that interesting? I just look down and think to myself – sh** I a wearing a shirt, I can do this!

I was looking at all the Kalle’s on Instagram and wanted to do my own version for a while. I finally decided to make it and use up this remnant I had from an earlier project I still have not blogged about (there seems to be more of these sneaky bastards by now, I should flex my fingers on the keyboard more). It is a viscose fabric I got a while ago in a local shop. It irons very well, let me tell you. If only all the shirts were like this (please?).

The pattern comes in three variations and I decided to make the cropped shirt. Other variations are tunic and dress. I made a dress before and love, love, love it (and wrote about it on Minerva Crafts blog). From back then I knew I needed a swayback adjustment so had this already adjusted on the pattern. This adjustment is a saver for me – you do not know how many bad fitting tops I made over the years before I found out about this little gem.

The hem is finished with a facing. This little piece of fabric gave me so much headache during construction. The problem was probably in the fact that I cut out the pattern sometime in April and had it lying on the table until October so this pattern piece stretched out. My bad, but boy did I lose my mind a few times. Sewed it two times with no luck and too many puckers so left it for a week. Then I came back to it and just figured I should lay the bodice piece over the facing and just cut the excess fabric from the facing that stretched out. This worked a treat and I could sew the two together with no problem. Victory. But this part is a bit tricky to sew, especially for any fabric that has a mind of its own (read: slippery).

This was my first time sewing a hidden button placket. This also boggled my mind for a while until I realized I was holding it the other way around than it is instructed. I have bright moments like this from time to time, don’t be jealous. Don’t use your head and you can have them, too. Easy peasy. Ok, back to the construction. The other parts of shirt construction are easy and straightforward. The instructions are great and there is also extra help on the CCP blog to hold your hand.

I realized that the collar stands really high on this pattern. I had not really noticed it from looking at the pictures but when I made it, it felt higher than I would like. At first, it felt strange. But after wearing it, it felt good and not constraining in any way. And there is always the option to wear it open and I like to have both options at hand.

The front bodice is really cropped so good thing I have several high waisted pants in my wardrobe by now so I have something to wear it with. I think they look really good together, don’t you think? I am interested to see if I can also combine it with a skirt, not sure I have seen a combo like that on the old gram so far.

I now have only the tunic variation of this pattern left untouched. I do have a fabric I want to make it in, I only need time. From my experience, it will take a long time to get it out and then a few months more to get it on the blog. But patience will bring me far, right?

Thank you for reading,

Ana