Textured Knit Sweater Simplicity 8738

While the rest of the country is freezing, I'm sorry (not sorry) to say that sweater weather in my neck of the woods is nearly over. I got this one done in time to get a few wears though before I pack it away until our next cold season. 

I used Simplicity 8738 to make this very simple, over sized pullover sweater. The fabric is a gem I came upon at Joann Fabrics. I really should get better about taking pictures of the end of bolts but I don't. I'm not sure about the content but it isn't itchy. I'm assuming it's nearly all acrylic. I really liked the diamond shaped texture. And who doesn't love gray? It goes with everything!

As for construction, I sewed it up quickly on the serger in less than an hour. I sewed the hems down with my newish Janome CoverPro! Woo-woo! I sewed the size recommended by my measurements. I knew I wanted to wear this to the office so I shortened the sleeve length and left off the thumb holes. I also ended up taking a few inches off the length of the sweater itself. 

This was a very easy, instantly gratifying project. It is comfortable yet stylish. I received several compliments the first time I wore it!

~Jenny 

Wax Print Dress McCalls 7774 Pattern Review

I made this one last year but didn't get to writing a blog post until now. I've been stalking wax print for quite some time. I love the vivid prints and colors! This print is from a shop on Etsy called Tess World Designs. I've had it in my stash for quite some time, trying to think of the perfect garment to make with it.

I finally settled on McCalls 7774, which is a sleeveless sundress with a full skirt. The pattern has some cool design line options. Because my fabric design is the star of the show, I eliminated the bias cut bodice and bottom band- it would just have been lost in the print. I added the little neckline slit, which keeps it from being too Little House on the Prairie Gets Her Wax Print On. I tissue fitted the bodice. The Big 4 always run a little large for me right under the armpits. I took the sides in about 3/4 inch just under the armpit and graded out to my size by the time the bodice hits the skirt. This was a quick and easy make- nothing earth shattering to share.

I love this dress! The print can be a little overwhelming all by itself. I think it has a bit of a laid back, hippie vibe with my Blackwood Cardigan (another one I've yet to blog) and my black booties. 

~Jenny

Oversized Sweatshirts McCalls 7688

I couldn't let my kids have comfy cozy sweatshirts without getting in on the action myself. There are so many choices for french terry prints out there! Check out my previous post for more information on these fabrics.

For my version, I used McCalls 7688. I love the options available for this pattern. For my versions, I went for the simple, classic sweatshirt. Although I usually size down in the Big 4, I really wanted the look of an over sized sweatshirt so went with an XL, normally would have made a L. It turned out over sized, by not overly so. The sleeves are a bit long. I like the look of the dropped shoulders. These went together in about an hour a piece, entirely on the serger. 

Keeping it real in these photos. You will usually see me in baggy sweats and tops on cold weekend days with the kids. I would love to look stylish and put together at all times but then again, I just don't have the motivation or energy. What do you like to wear on your days off?

~Jenny

Thread Theory Finlayson

Five years ago, I made the Albion coat for my husband. It was time to make him something else and I think the Finlayson Sweater from Thread Theory should keep him happy for another five years. One of the reasons I don't sew for him more often is he is a Big and Tall kind of dude. Finding RTW for him is difficult enough. Except for his business casual for work, he likes his comfy-cozy clothes for home and weekend wear. I love the look of the Finlayson- I knew it would fulfill his comfy needs while giving him a bit of style.

As for sizing, his measurements were a bit all over the size chart. I ended up going with the largest of the sizes. I measured some of his RTW tops and sweaters to ensure I had enough length and shoulder width and was surprised to find out that the only change I needed to make was to grade out a bit at the waist. The top is drafted to taper in at the waist, so instead I redrafted the sides to extend straight down, giving him a little more room in the area. 

The instructions were very easy to follow and well illustrated. I sewed this up in a couple of hours on my serger. The trickiest part is the collar insertion due to the squared lines in front. But if you take your time, pin pin pin, and follow the directions, it comes out perfectly.

The fabric is a grey french terry knit from Fashion Fabrics Club. I didn't want to make anything to heavy or sweater like. We live in the desert and have a very mild winter. Still, the temps do warrant some light jackets from time to time. 

My husband loves it and it fits very well. He is 6' 4" and I didn't need to make any changes to the length. Keep that in mind if you make this for someone not so tall. In fact, he mentioned that the sleeve length is a little too long for him so if I make it again, I will be shortening it by about one inch. 

Do you sew for your significant others? Do you do it regularly or are there long intervals between garments?

~Jenny

Holiday Sewing Roundup

2018 was a good year for making. We have settled into our new home in Phoenix. I've developed a good balance between my career and family life and I feel like I have more time for sewing than I have in a long time. I didn't post all my makes, not even half of them but I was fairly productive. I only started keeping track of my makes partway through the year but I tracked 39 items made this year. Not too shabby!

For this first post of 2019, I am bringing to you a round-up of the holiday gifts I made for the kids. I was ambitious, didn't get everything that was planned made. But when you make Christmas gifts for people, you wait until the last minute, right?

For starters, I made these 2 french terry sweatshirts using the Classic Sweatshirt pattern from Peek-a-boo Pattern Shop. I love Peek-a-boo patterns for their wide array of children's patterns for both girls and boys. The patterns are both simple and modern and my kids always love what I make from them. Instructions are very straight forward and well illustrated. The blue floral is from Koshtex on Etsy. The camouflage is from Stylish Fabrics, also on Etsy. I love both of these prints and of course got enough to make myself matching sweatshirts.

Next, are their Christmas outfits. Logan, my son, has been obsessed with The Boss Baby movie and show. Believe it or not, his big gift from Santa this year was a briefcase. So he needed to look the part. I used the Little Gentleman Suit Jacket pattern, again from Peek-a-boo. The suiting is grey pinstripe from Fashion Fabrics Club. The jacket is fully lined AND has welt pockets! How cute is that? I used the free pattern and tutorial from Patterns for Pirates to make a bow tie using the fabric from his sister's dress. The little pocket square is just a small remnant I folded and stuffed in there. The jacket was probably my most complicated garment out of the bunch to make but still not bad! I think an adventurous beginner could go for it.

My daughter's dress is made from a beautiful red plaid from Fabric.com. The little jacket is made from a black polyester shantung, also from Fabric.com. I got the little red rosettes from Hobby Lobby. I used OOP Simplicity 8025, maybe you can find it on Etsy or Ebay if you try. I love the lines of the dress. The bodice is pieced and I cut the main part on the bias to give it a little bit of interest. Nothing much to say about the pattern. It went together smoothly and the little one loves it.

And another one for my daughter is the Little Girl's Skater Dress from Kitschy Coo. A few years ago, the adult version of this dress was all the rage, I made one for myself. A little later, the girls version was published, and I've made a few for Parker so far. This one is a pink floral double brushed polyester from Fabric.com. If you haven't felt DBP yet, you're missing out! This fabric is used to make the infamous pyramid scheme leggings that have a cult following. It is uber soft, stretchy, and rebounds beautifully. This is a cinch to make on the serger. 

Are you sick of my kids yet? I'll forgive you because I get sick of them too. That's it for the holiday round-up. That should last them for another year and I can get promptly back to sewing for myself! 

~Jenny