Iconic Patterns Dress #1306

Okay, catch up post number 2. Here I am with an incredibly seasonally inappropriate dress. Ha ha!! Actually if you're in the Southern Hemisphere, where this pattern originated, we're in good shape. 

I really don't know how I found this pattern, it must have been on Instagram. Having never made anything from Iconic Patterns before, I was a little bit hesitant, but the pdf was reasonably priced and I love the design, so I decided to just go with it.

Luckily, I was pleasantly surprised. The pdf went together really well, and while the instructions are a bit minimal, there is a bit of a sew along on the blog that was very helpful. 

Aren't those pockets cool? And the cute little cap sleeves?? 

I made a straight size 12, and then got a little ambitious with the shortening. I took 4 inches off the hem (what was I thinking!!), which ended up being about an 1.5" too much. But nonetheless, I still wore it this summer (with little shortie shorts underneath), and I think with a cardigan and leggings, and boots, it will work for the fall and winter too. 

This fabric is a stretchy cotton that I bought somewhere in London. Maybe Goldhawk Road, or maybe Walthamstow Market. To be honest, I'm not really sure, it's been in my stash for quite awhile. But I love the colours, and its lovely and soft.

Are you blinded by my super white legs? I made this dress back in July and took the photos a few days after I made it. We had a super hot and sunny summer, but I prefer to stay inside with the air-conditioning and my sewing machines. Can you tell? Ha ha!

Hope you guys are having a great Fall so far. I can't believe it's mid-October already!!! Where has the time gone??

True Bias Lodo Dress

Oh my goodness people!! What happened to me? In my last post, I was all, oh yeah, I'm gonna catch up with my blog. I had all these photos ready, and then....I disappeared. Well not completely, I'm always lurking around on Instagram. Ha ha!! Anyway, my poor neglected blog. So let's catch up! I was a tester for the True Bias Lodo dress back in March. Was it really that long ago?? Oh my gosh!!

Anyway, I want to keep this catch up post short and sweet, so here we go. I made view B (the short version) in a size 12 and shortened it at the hem by 3 inches. I used a mystery Ponte fabric which I believe came from my local Fabricland.

What can I say? This is another great pattern from Kelli of True Bias! The instructions are detailed as always, and while it's a knit dress, it has woven facings. The knit this patten calls for, is quite stable, so the woven facings work really well/ Plus they are easy to sew and a great way to use up scraps. I'm sure you all have see this pattern popping up a ton over the summer on Instagram. It's quick and easy to sew, and super easy to wear too. 

Honestly, I wasn't 100% sold on it being my style, but after wearing it a ton over the summer, I was convinced. I have plans to make a couple more, and GASP I might even try the 3/4 length version. ;)

Okay, there we go first catch up post done, now onto the next! 

More Halifax Hoodies!

Heeello!! Told you I made a ton of these Hoodies. Ha ha! I actually have a couple of sweatshirt versions and another cowl neck version too - they just didn't make it into photos yet. Anyway, not too much else to say about this pattern, except that I love it! If you'd like to read a more detailed review of this pattern from me, please see this post.

I made all of the following hoodies out of french terry from L'oiseau Fabrics. it's a beautiful weight and was lovely to work with, and the prints! I love all the prints!! It was hard to narrow it down because they have so many, but I managed to. Ha ha! If you've never ordered knits from L'oiseau, I highly recommend it. They are a Canadian company (local to Calgary actually woo!) and stock some really beautiful fabrics.

Anyway, I'll leave you with all the photos and I'll be back with something different in my next post, I promise. Ha ha!

Hey June Patterns Halifax Hoodie

Okay next up on the blogging docket is the Hey June Halifax Hoodie. I don't know why it took me so long to make this pattern up, because it quickly became a staple in my wardrobe.  I made these two back in March, and then proceeded to make a whole army of them and I wore them for the rest of the winter and right through spring. Seriously, jeans and hoodies were my uniform, and it was perfect. Why is dressing in the cooler months so much easier for me? Anyway I know I'll be wearing them like crazy again when the weather cools down. 

Okay so I have a bunch more of these to share with you, but for now let's talk about the first two that I made.

The Halifax Hoodie is an extremely versatile pattern that comes with 5 different views. I honestly, have nothing but good things to say about this pattern. The drafting and the instructions are great, and I had no trouble putting the pdf together. Plus you can print only the pages you need for the view that you are making, which is a feature I LOVE.

For my first iteration, I decided to make view D, the cowl neck hoodie. I made a size L, and shortened both the body and the sleeves by 2.5" at the lenghten/shorten lines. Remember, I'm short! LOL

This was a quick sew for me, and when I finished it, I was absolutely delighted with the result. It was so comfy, and I did not want to take it off. So I knew I had to make another one right away.

For my second Halifax Hoddie, I decided to try View A. The more traditional hoodie style.

Once again, I went with the size large, but because of the different neckline, this view has different body pattern pieces and I completely forgot to shorten them. So this hoodie is made full length. But that actually worked out well for me and is perfect with leggings for cozying up at home. The sleeve pattern piece is the same though, so they were still shortened by 2.5".

I was a little worried about sewing the neckline of this version, but it worked out just fine and the instructions again were fantastic. Sorry my hood is a bit inside out in these photos.

I put both of these hoodies together with my serger, and my regular machine. With minimal topstitching required, these sew up super quick, and were a great palette cleanser/instant gratification project for me. 

Oh and  guess I should mention the fabric.  Ha ha! Both of these hoodies were made out of a super luscious bamboo french terry from Blackbird Fabrics. It's so soft, and cuddly, yet not super thick, and also quite fluid. It's really lovely to wear. 

I've had a bit of a love affair with Hey June Patterns over the last few months, so you'll see more of them pop up on the blog here (and if you've been following along on Instagram, you'll already have seen some of them there too). If you've ever wondered about Hey June, I can assure you the patterns are great. I've made 3 different ones so far, and all of them have turned out great. The instructions are very thorough, beginner friendly, and usually come with lots of variations, so good bang for your buck. Also, Hey June has recently gone to print, so if pdfs aren't your thing, you can find most of the pattern line now in paper. Woo hoo! Yes, I have become a total fangirl. LOL

Anyway, thank you so much for your comments on my last post, it's nice to know that people are still reading my blog even after a bit of an unplanned hiatus. I'll be back again soon with some more Halifax Hoodies. Woo!

Allie Olson Highlands Wrap Dress

Hey everybody!! How are you? Wow, it's been a long time! I've totally fallen off the blogoshpere. Not only in writing but in reading too. I don't know, I just kind of got overwhelmed by it all, and truth be told, I still am. My reading list is out of control, I just follow so many, and I always try to comment which takes time too. Anyway, I'm trying to get back into it. Hopefully you've found me on Instagram by now and you've been following along with me there. I've been posting like crazy over there - it's just quicker, and there's less pressure to write. #bloggerproblems LOL

Anyway, I thought to jump back into things we could start with something fun (and seasonally appropriate). This is the Highlands Wrap Dress by Allie Olson. I was lucky to be a pattern tester for this pattern, so keep in mind a few changes have been made since the testing process was completed, and after too. For more info on that, see this post on Allie's blog. This style is a bit out of my comfort zone, but I really like it anyway. (Can you believe I made this dress back in February!!! Whoa!)

Let's start with some details. I was kind of all over the place for the size range so I decided to make a quick muslin of the bodice. I chose to muslin a size 10 with fabric very similar to my final fabric, and it looked great. So I proceeded to make the size 10 in final fabric. In hindsight, I really wish I would have made the size 12. I think the back looks pretty good, but you can see that it's a little tight across the bust and the belly, and therefore I don't think the wrap is sitting quite how it should. This pattern also has quite small seam allowances for a woven (3/8") , so that doesn't give much wiggle room.

This pattern comes with two lengths, a maxi and a midi, and  sleeveless or cute little short sleeves. I went for the midi without sleeves, and as you can see, it's much closer to maxi on my short body.

This is the first time I've made or worn a wrap dress, and I was a little worried about it gaping and falling open. While the wrap itself is secured on the inside with a button or snap, and stays secure, for me I didn't feel like it was secure enough across the bust. Now this might be less of an issue, had I made a better size for my bod, but I think I would add some type of closure at the bust, like a little snap or something like that. Otherwise I would be constantly adjusting like in the photo below.

The pattern itself is very well drafted, and the instructions were fabulous. If you are into this style of dress, I would definitly reccommend it. The fabric I used is poly crepe from Blackbird Fabrics. I am not the best at sewing with slippery fabrics, and I feel like the front facing and neckline got a little stretched out. But I'm trying not to sweat it too much. The only way I'm ever going to get good at this is if I keep practicing. LOL

Alright! Done! I have some posts to write so hopefully I'll be back soon. Hope you're having a great summer so far.

The Alina Sewing + Design Co Hampton Jean Jacket

Hey Everybody!! I seem to be moving right along in the blog posts. What is this, the third post in less than a week? Wowsers! I must be procrastinating something else in my life. LOL Just kidding! Or am I? Ha ha ha! When I get the urge to blog and I have the photos, I gotta go with it. Anyway, I'm back with a truly amazing new pattern from Alina Sewing + Design Co: the Hampton Jean Jacket.

I don't know if you guys are like me, but I am addicted to Instagram Stories. I watch them all the time, and when I saw a little flash of a jean jacket on a dress form in one of Alina's stories a while back, I got really excited. I've been a part of her pattern tester group before, so I was crossing my fingers and hoping that she would invite me to test it. I LOVE a good jean jacket and as you probably know by now, I love sewing denim! Anyway, when a message came through a little over a month ago asking me to test this beauty, I jumped on board! And as you can see, I'm pretty happy about it. Ha ha!

Just a quick heads up, this is a pretty picture heavy post for only one new garment, but I'm just so pleased with how it turned out and I have been waiting to show it off for what seems like forever! (Really it's only been about 2 or 3 weeks, but still.) Also, I feel a bit like an 80's Jordache model because of all the denim, but I'm cool with it. 

Okay, first of all. Let's talk about the pattern. Alina describes it as: 

"A nod to the classic jean jacket, the Hampton Jean Jacket pattern is a timeless addition to your handmade wardrobe. This flattering pattern is cut to be close-fitting, yet roomy enough to wear over a couple of light layers or a thin sweater. With welt pockets, in-panel top pockets, two-piece sleeves, and all of the panels you know a jean jacket to have, this pattern is everything you want in this classic piece."

And I couldn't agree more, this is a super classic and timeless piece that I think everybody can use in their wardrobe. One of my favourite ways to wear a jean jacket,  is over a dress. Of course it's much too cold for me to style it that way right now, but I am doing it with a old RTW jacket, here and here. See what I mean? Great with dresses for a more casual look. I also love it over a striped tee or a button down, and it's going look great with my Chi-town Chinos too. I was actually a little surprised at how well it worked over this Toaster Sweater. Hooray for layering! I'm really excited that it's now officially spring and starting to warm up so I can wear this bad boy a ton!

As usual, with Alina's patterns, the pdf went together really well, and the instructions are top-notch. Alina has great diagrams and descriptions, and while this pattern might look a little intimidating, I assure you, it is fun to sew and incredibly rewarding! If you've sewn a button down shirt, or really any garment with a collar, set -in sleeves and button holes, you can handle this. Plus there is also going to be a sewalong coming in the next few days with all kinds of helpful hints and tricks, so not to worry, Alina has got you covered!

And as always, you can email or message me on Instagram if you need help - I'm always happy to talk sewing and help out where I can. I also know that Alina is truly a wealth of information, and she loves helping out too, so don't hesitate to email her. I love being a part of her tester group because she is super hands on, and quick to answer questions and offer fitting advice. I always wind up with a great fitting, professional looking garment, when I make up her patterns, and the people in her group are always fantastic too! But anyway, enough gushing, back to the jacket.

Before I get into my fitting details, I need to mention that this is my tester version of the Hampton Jean Jacket, and there have been a few minor changes to the pattern, so my big advice to you? Make a muslin. I don't like making muslins myself, but I think on a project like this, you really need too. I would have been so sad to put all this work into my jean jacket, topstitching and distressing, and then not have it fit. And you would be too. ;) So I have made a size 12, and 

So anyway, I have made a size 12. I shortened the body by 2.5", and the sleeves by 3.5". I also did a narrow shoulder adjustment of about 2cm, which I should have taken into account when shortening the sleeves, but I didn't, so my sleeves ended up a little short, but I'm okay with that. I also sanded the crap out of this jacket as I was making it. I used a really heavy 80 grit sandpaper, that I found in our garage, and went to town. I sanded all the seams as I sewed, before I topstitched each one, being careful not to sand any previous topstitching. I did a combination of flat felled seams and faux flat felled seams, as Alina suggests in the instructions. There are a couple of areas where flat felled seams would have just been too bulky. Once the jacket was completed, I washed and dried it (in the dryer) twice, and it softened up really nicely.

The denim I used is a 10 oz, non-stretch Cone Mills denim from Threadbare Fabrics. It's the same denim I used for my lastest pair of Morgans, and it's lovely. There are also really great kits for this jacket available from Threadbare Fabrics now too. They feature some really nice hardware in a few dirfferent colours, and some gorgeous White Oak milled Cone denim. It's from Greensboro, North Carolina - made in the USA - how cool is that? Pretty rare for denim nowadays. I was too impatient to wait for my kit, but I have it now and and it's gorgeous!

I should also mention that I made a bit of mistake and didn't topstitch around my welt pockets. By the time I realized it, it was too late and I would have had to do a ton of unpicking to add it without sewing my pockets shut. I'm kind of bummed because I think it really makes the pockets pop, but oh well, these things happen.

The night before I was about to finish my jacket, I was lying in bed thinking about sewing, as I always do when I can't sleep, and I started worrying about the buttonholes. If you've ever sewn a pair of jeans, the buttonhole is probably your nemesis, unless you hand sew. But I am pleased to say that my buttonholes turned out really well. My machine had no problem with them. I think because the button band is so flat and not very bulky, it just wasn't an issue. Phew!

So there it is! I'm super proud of this jacket and how it turned out. It took some time, it wasn't an instant gratification project, but I'm so thrilled with it. (Can you tell?) I know I'll be wearing it a ton! So now that I have this and a couple of other jackets under my belt (see here and here), maybe I can get over my fear of sewing coats. Ha ha!

I hope you guys are all doing well and having lots of fun sewing, no matter what it is! 

Blackwood Cardigan Take 2 (plus an Ogden Cami & the Liana Stretch Jeans)

Hey Guys! I'm back with my second Helen's Closet Blackwood Cardigan in View B (the shorter version), and a couple of other unblogged garments too. So let's get this show on the road!

So for view B, I did exactly the same as what I did for view A. I made a size L and lopped 4" off the body, and 3" off the sleeves. As you can see, it's a little short. I really like it, but it has more of a cropped feel, that what I think was intended. I've still been wearing it a ton, and I think the cropped length will look really cute over dresses as well, but next time I'll add a couple of more inches back onto the length. For this cardigan I used a double brushed poly knit from LA Finch Fabrics. It is sooooo soft, and lovely to wear. It's like wearing a knit flannel. I wish you could reach through the screen and feel it for yourself. It's really awesome! LA Finch doesn't seem to have this exact colour in stock any more, but they have lots of other good ones, including this gorgeous, super trendy dusty pinkish-muave, and this really cute elephant print.

This cardigan layers perfectly over the True Bias Ogden cami. As you might remember, I was a tester for that pattern, and it's a good one. I bet you've seen it popping up a lot on blogs and Instagram, and it will continue to do so over the spring and summer I'm sure. It's just one of those great wardrobe staples. Plus it can easily be hacked into a dress. This Ogden has got to be one of my favourite makes, I mean come on, it's got ice cream cones on it! Ha ha! I got this fabric, which I believe is a some kind of silk, from the Walthamstow Market in London. I was really nervous sewing with it, because it's super slippery and shifty, but I'm so glad I went for it! I ended up using this amazing fabric stabilizing spray that Anya suggested to me, and it worked a dream (if you are interested in it, you might want to check your local shops because I found it cheaper locally)! Anyway, it stiffens the fabric up and then completely washes out. I highly recommend it!

Okay, now onto the jeans. So I've made a number of jean patterns now, and have quite a few pairs of jeans that I love and that fit me quite well, but I'm still searching for that PERFECT pair. Maybe my expectations are too high, maybe l'm just being to picky, or maybe I should really stop throwing my jeans in the dryer and let them mold to my body, as denim was intended. Ha ha! You can actually see vertical lines on this pair from the knee to the ankle that were caused by the dryer. Stupid dryer! I'm just too impatient to wait for them to line dry. I must get over that!

Anyway, I digress. These are the Liana Stretch jeans, by Itch to Stitch. This is only the second pattern I've made from Itch to Stitch, but I can tell you that both this pattern, and the Bonn shirt are fantastic. The pdfs are great, and the instructions are very detailed, and thorough, plus both patterns have fit me really well right off the bat. So win win, win win! Also this jeans pattern comes with a skinny leg, a straight leg, and a boot cut. How awesome is that? It's described as a mid-rise, but I think it might be closer to a low rise. I guess it depends on your comfort level, and what rise you've normally been wearing.  Anyway, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that so far, this is probably my favourite jeans pattern. I still have a few more in my stash to try, and the Ginger jeans will always have a special place in my heart because that's the pattern that started it all for me, but if I was going to make another pair tomorrow, I would reach for this guy.

So this is a straight size 8 (another thing about Itch to Stitch, I'm a size 8!), with no changes. So tall people beware, you will probably have to lengthen this pattern! I am so pleased with how these fit. I've been wearing and washing them now for about 2 full months, and while I do think the dryer has shrunk them slightly, this is the pair I always reach for.  I will say, that while I don't mind the lower rise, I think for my next pair I will raise it by about a 1/2 an inch, maybe even 3/4". I have come to love having my jeans hit just slightly higher than these. I should also mention that I didn't use the included back pocket piece. I went for the back pocket from the Angela Wolf Angel Bootcut jeans because it's my favourite. Maybe I should have tried the included one, but I didn't as it looked a little on the small side. Maybe next time though, because I do like the option of a pocket flap which comes with it too.  So many options! I also when I bit crazy and did a topstitching design on the back pockets. I really love this detail and it was fun to play around with it. The denim I used here is a Cone denim from, you guessed it, Threadbare Fabrics.

Okay, so that's it for this post. I'm so glad I finally got to share these with you. Again, if I've forgotten any details, please don't hesistate to ask! I'm always happy to help!

I hope you're all having a great first day of Spring! The sun is shining here so I'm happy! 

Helen's Closet Blackwood Cardigan

Hello Everybody1 I'm back with a post that I should have written weeks ago, but you know what they say, better late than never right? This is the latest pattern from Helen of Helen's Closet: the Blackwood Cardigan. I was lucky enough to be part of Helen's tester group this go around, and I've been wearing this bad boy a ton since I made it back in January.

This cardigan is close fitting, with long sleeves to keep you nice an cozy. It comes in two versions, a long (about mid-thigh length) and a short (which hits around your high hip). It's super quick to whip up (especially if you have a serger) and it is sure to be a  wardrobe staple. When Helen sent me an email with the design, I just knew I had to have it. This cardigan is exactly what I'm missing in my wardrobe.

When Helen first emailed me the design, I just knew I had to have it. This cardigan is exactly what I've been missing in my wardrobe. I know that oversize and boxy, seems to be the trend lately, but when you live in a cooler climate and have to throw a winter coat over whatever you're wearing, close fitting can be more practical. Plus, I'm short and a a bit boxy myself, so I like a bit more shape to my garments. I also find that when it's cold, I want to feel snuggled, and a more close fitting garment does that for me.

Based on my measurements, I chose a size L. I decided to make the longer version (view A) first, but I knew it was going to be way too long, so I shortened it by 4 inches. I also shortened the sleeves by 3". I'm super happy with how the length turned out.  The sleeves are meant to be on the longer side to help keep your hands warm, but also so you can hold on to them when you put your coat on over it. I think this is genius. I hate when my sleeves get all bunched up inside my jacket. 

The only trouble I had with sewing this cardigan was sewing those pockets on without them going all wonky. I must have unpicked that first one 3 times!! Then someone in the test group mentioned stabilizing the pocket with wonder tape or steam-a-seam, and it worked perfectly. Why didn't I think of that?? (You can also use tissue paper, and Helen has now included how to do that in the instructions). Anyway, I still had to sew carefully, but I know if I had done that in the first place I would have avoided A LOT of unpicking. Other than that, this cardigan sewed up super quickly, and is definitely an instant gratification project. I love those, especially in between more intense projects. 

I should also mention that the pdf went together super quick, and the instructions are awesome. Helen's graphics are fantastic, and she also has lots of great little tips included too.

The fabric I used for this version, is an amazing sweater knit from Blackbird Fabrics. It's a rayon-cotton-modal blend, and it's so soft and so cozy! It's a medium weight, but it really feels like a sweater. Sometimes you get sweater knits and they're thin, but this stuff is really nice. And guess what, it's just been restocked. How's that for timing? I don't think this colour (Ivy) is available any longer, but there is still black,  mellow mauve (I love that name), dusk (which is like a dark navy) and steel grey.

Anyway, it feels good to have this post written, phew! I don't know what it is, but I've just not been into blogging lately. I'm definitely still into sewing, but blogging always seems to be waaaaay back on the very back burner. LOL. And I've been really awful with reading other people's blogs too. Ugh! Anyway, I have also made the shorter version of this cardigan but I haven't properly photographed that one yet. Hopefully I'll get around to that soon. I hope you guys are staying warm!