Tag: top

July Making Journal: A Wiksten Haori, A Libby Shirt, a Peplum Top

Published on by ellegeemakes8 Comments

Although we’ve all felt the strain of the unknown over the past months, for me, there have been some positive things about the quarantine. I’ve truly appreciated the gift of time. It’s been lovely to slow down and savor making things. As Oregon gradually reopens, I hope I can resist the urge to rush!

Denim Wiksten Haori

When considering what to do with several old pairs of jeans, it’s probably no surprise that I reached for my well-used Wiksten Haori pattern. I do  love creating from scraps.

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 My last two versions are soft now and well worn (hereand here).

For this Haori, I mixed and matched the legs of several pairs of jeans, all from different colors of denim.

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To get enough denim for the front and back bodice, I cut pieces from the legs. I also ripped off pockets and added them to the front and inside of the jacket.

To tie it all together, I used white topstitching thread and double stitched where ever possible. For lining, scraps of soft chambray came in handy.  I hardly noticed the time as I ripped and cut and sewed. It’s a lovely weight, perfect for our cooler summer evenings. This will be one of my entries for #joinupjuly on instagram.

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Libby Shirt

This month, I enjoyed revisiting one of the older Sew Over It patterns, the Libby shirt. This easy button-up top is cropped and loose fitting for a modern look. I made both versions from rayon. Even though it’s easy to sew, the pattern has lovely details. I love the vintage collar and cute cuffs.  Rayon is a great fabric for this one. Since the fit of this top is loose, I cut the smallest size.

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McCalls 7052

My last make is a tried and true top that I’ve made so, so many times. It’s a easy-fitting top with a swing-y peplum, McCalls 7052 (also made here). I love this top because you can throw it on and feel put together, even though the style is relaxed and easy. This is project you can finish in an afternoon – -instant gratification! I’ve used different fabrics for other versions, but love the feel of it in rayon.

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The journal/diary format I’m using here on the blog today is new for me.  It seems to make sense when I’m reviewing makes I’ve sewn before. What do you think?

I hope you’re enjoying your sewing projects as much as I am these days.  Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by!

A New Gelato Top for the Holiday

Published on by ellegeemakes4 Comments

Yes, it’s a busy time of year, but I managed to squeeze in a bit of sewing…a Gelato top! This lovely relaxed top might be my holiday attire of choice. I don’t know about you, but on Christmas, I prefer a day of relaxed fun…cooking and eating with friends and family, playing games, sitting on the floor by the fire, maybe even a holiday movie! Given my agenda for the day, relaxed dress isn’t optional, but required. This gelato top in bright poppy and teal will work perfectly.

This pattern is lovely for many reasons, but the detail that caught my eye was the button-up back.

I first saw this top on the blog, Girls in the Garden. Lori’s version was so cute, I had to try to make my own. The cut of the top, is relaxed and loose, but fun and flirty. The Gelato top is designed by Liesl and Company. It comes with two views – – a top like mine or a long shift -style dress.

I quite like both options, don’t you?

I made my version out of a beautiful rayon with lovely drape. Because of the oversized nature of the bodice on this top, you wouldn’t want to make it from a stiff fabric.

Construction: The button back detail looks harder than it is. The tab for the buttons is made by folding the fabric twice and stitching. The toughest part is the buttons and button holes which I made with my machine. Fit was easy because it’s a loose fitting pattern. The neck is finished with bias binding…also quite easy! The top came together in three hours including pattern layout and cutting.

I love my new top and am so glad I squeezed a bit of sewing time into the holiday schedule.

Happy holidays and thanks for stopping by!

My ‘go-to’ outfit: wide leg pants and a safari style top

Published on by ellegeemakes13 Comments
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Each season, there’s one me-made outfit that seems to rise above the rest. This one is it! A pair of cropped, wide-legged pants and a linen Fringe top – -nothing unusual or particularly earth shattering about these makes. Yet,  I find myself reaching for them over and over again.

Honestly, these pants are the best thing I’ve made in a long while!

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Like every other sewing blogger, I have fallen in love with wide legged pants.  They have the double appeal of being stylish and easy-to-wear.  The fact that these were an easy ‘sew’ is the icing on the cake!

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Simplicity 8841 is an easy-to-sew pattern with a elastic waist and huge pockets. There’s a straightlegged version and a wide legged version, cropped or full length. I went for the wide-legged cropped version, a look I’ve really grown to love.

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I chose lightweight cotton chambray for this version. The fabric is so soft, these pants qualify as secret pajamas for sure! There are belt loops and a belt as well, so if I want to tuck something in, the elastic waist is well hidden.

This modified Fringe top is the perfect mate for these pants.

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If you aren’t familiar with Chalk and Notch’s Fringe blouse/dress pattern, I can highly recommend it! It was the darling of Instagram for a while, and I fell in love with the many variations I saw there. Search the #fringedresspattern hastag on Instagram and you’ll see what I mean!

To make my top, I modified View A to give it a bit more of a Safari vibe. I left the upper bodice and neckline as designed (and they fit like a dream!).  Then, instead of gathering the bottom bodice panel,  I cut it to fit the measurement of the upper bodice lower seam, plus a seam allowance. I also drafted darts on the lower bodice to mimic those on the upper bodice. The pattern suggests you insert the ties in the side seams or in the back bodice darts. I chose to put them in the back darts, and I think that’s part of the reason the bodice fits so well. I love the sleeve cuffs and the button tabs.

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The appeal of this pattern for me is the lovely v-neck and spot on fit of the bodice. I’ve already cut a dress version, and am interested in another top, likely another modified version. Yes, I was late to the Fringe dress party, but better late than never. This pattern will be a tried and true that will take me into Fall as well.

Fall sewing is on my mind, as well as a few added wardrobe items for a trip to Italy in September. My sewing machine is fired up and ready for a marathon of projects this month, so watch for more blog posts. There will be a few….:) Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by!

New Pattern Release: Sew Over It Bonnie Top/Dress

Published on by ellegeemakes8 Comments

IMG_1008 3Hi All – – When I saw the sketches of the new Bonnie Top from Sew over It London I was thrilled. If you’re like me, you have a closet full of high waisted pants/skirts, but no tops to go with. I knew that this lovely ‘cropped’ top would fill a hole in my wardrobe. Not only that, but the Bonnie top has pleats! IMG_1005 2The Bonnie has a 1940s vibe with its defined waist, button up front and vertical pleats. It has a cute flat collar and short sleeves with little turn-up cuffs, a design detail that is subtle but effective. I like that the button placket is concealed – – it makes it a bit more polisihed – – a top that can go to a dress up event. There’s a dress version as well that has a knee length gathered skirt and a comfortable elastic waist.  I do love the pleats, but if you want a faster make, there’s a version of the Bonnie without pleats too. I know there will be a version of that view in my future.

I used a lightweight rayon for my version of the Bonnie, and it worked perfectly. Sew Over It recommends rayon/viscose, lightweight crepes, georgette, chiffon or very fine cotton voiles, in other words anything soft and drapey. I’d warn against anything heavier like a stiff cotton. The pleats wouldn’t have a chance to shine. If you are making the pleated version, the wider the fabric the better, as you need lots of room to lay out the front bodice as the pleats make it fairly wide.

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Fit and sizing – – I made my size according to my measurements and it fit nicely, without adjustment. I spent a bit of time fussing about the fit of the waistband, but I shouldn’t have bothered. The buttons don’t extend there so the waistband falls open ever so slightly…the fit isn’t tricky at all.

Construction– -When it comes to the pleats, I found the trick was to carefully mark them on my fabric. From there, construction was simple…. All I had to do is fold, press and sew!  Thankfully, the Bonnie  has very clear markings. I transferred them using a chaco marker. Once I’d accomplished that, pleat constructions was easy and fast. The concealed front placket was pretty simple too  once I had the markings transferred.

IMG_0998.jpegI love my new Bonnie top and plan to wear it with my high waisted skirts (the skirt I’m wearing is blogged here), pants, perhaps even with jeans. I can imagine an even dressier version out of silk or chiffon, and the dress version is on my ‘must-make’ list. Really, the Bonnie is one of my favorite Sew Over It patterns! Thanks to the Sew Over It London team for giving me the opportunity to make this lovely pattern!

Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by!

As a Sew Over It Pattern Insider, I received a download of this pattern for free, but the opinions expressed here are my own. 

The Saraste Shirt, my Me-Made-May Hero

Published on by ellegeemakes17 Comments

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When I completed the Saraste shirt, I wasn’t totally ‘in-love’ with it. In fact, I immediately pushed it to the far right side of my closet, the place where the ‘never to be worn’s’ go. It’s a sad corner and it makes me feel a bit guilty. It’s all the me-mades that were fun to sew, yet, when all was said and done, I couldn’t imagine actually wearing it.

That was the sad story of this recent reject, but everything changed when Me-Made May rolled around. This year, my pledge was a bit different. Since I already wear me-mades every day, I pledged to wear the ones that I abandoned, and try to analyze why. This is one of those makes.

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It might be the fabric that put me off. It’s a floral print and, when I purchased it, I thought it was a random print. When I laid it out on my cutting table, I discovered that there’s a strong repeat….pattern matching would be involved! Ugh. That discovery made me a bit cranky as I wasn’t sure I’d purchased enough fabric to make this work, but I managed to pull it off, carrying the pattern through on the sleeves and the back.

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I do love the fit of this shirt! The Saraste shirt is a pattern from Named Clothing’s book,  ‘Breaking the Pattern’.

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I’ve made several of the patterns in this book now (here), and they’ve all been fabulous. The Saraste shirt is one of my favorites with many elements I love: princess seams down the front, a back yoke, optional sleeves and a small collar that fits my short neck. The surprise detail is small cut- outs at the shoulder, which I love.

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They were a bit of a challenge though. My tip is to be sure to trace the pattern carefully, noting all of the markings accurately. I hadn’t done that and had to go back and add them in. Once I had that accomplished, it wasn’t too hard to make everything work. However, I’m a bit disappointed that the cut-outs don’t show that well in my print. I’m going to have to give this lovely pattern another try in a solid colored linen, so that those slits can shine!

My Me-made analysis – – I do love the print now, but at first glance, I wasn’t too excited about it in this shirt. However, I have worn it many times this month and have discovered that it goes with everything in my closet. The fit is perfect and the shirt is easy to wear. In fact, people compliment me when I wear it:)

Lesson learned…my first take on a make shouldn’t be my last.   IMG_6959

How are you doing with Me-Made May? Any new revelations?

Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by!

A wrap shirt from my first Japanese pattern book

Published on by ellegeemakes11 Comments

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A wrap shirt…Looks tricky, doesn’t it? Actually, it’s all in how the shirt is buttoned up!  If you want to, you button it up the traditional way.

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But why would you want to, when you can do this?

A simple modification makes the wrap possible. You add a loop to one side seam, a button to the other, and viola! You have a wrap shirt.

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I admit it. I bought my first japanese sewing book because this cute shirt was on the front cover. I just had to give it a try.

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I can’t tell you why it’s taken me so long to experience the world of japanese pattern books. Perhaps, it’s because I assumed the patterns would be hard. This book, Simply Sewn, written by Michiyo Ito, shows how wrong I was. It has a variety of patterns in them, none of them especially tricky, but all of them stylish and interesting. collage

 

I’m so intrigued by both the hooded jacket and the cropped polka dot jacket. Now that I’ve tried one pattern and loved it, those are next on the list.

To be sure, when sewing with a pattern book, there are challenges to be faced. You have to trace the patterns (ugh, but I am getting better at it), and you have to select your size, in this instance, either S, M, L, or XL. The sizing is a bit different than what you’d find in a Big 4 pattern, but there’s a chart and a thoughtful explanation of how to choose your size. You also must add a seam allowance, a easy detail to deal with. The good news…unlike some others, this book includes full size pattern pieces and the pattern markings used are straightforward.

IMG_5778Based on my measurements, I chose a size small, and found it to be perfect. There isn’t alot of ‘fuss’ to the instructions, which I often find confuses me more than helps. They were complete and easy to understand. With each style, there’s a pattern layout chart, and construction steps with a few diagrams. Everything was pretty straightforward on this pattern so I didn’t find any challenges. The sleeve is finished with a cuff, the button tab is folded fabric, and the collar is simply drafted and sewn in place.

I really love this book and the styles there, so there will likely be another japanese pattern book in my future. Here are a few I’m considering….

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There are so many to choose from, a huge new world of possibilities.  I’m so glad I took the leap and gave this pattern a try! I know I’ll wear this shirt constantly this summer, both wrapped and buttoned up.

Have you tried Japanese pattern books? Do you have a favorite?

Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by!

 

 

A Burda top you can make in an afternoon and Dior Exhibit

Published on by ellegeemakes8 Comments

A Burda top and Dior….a lovely combination, eh?

First, the Burda top…..My box of precious fabric bits and lacy remnants is overflowing these days, so I’ve adopted a new ‘tidying up’ rule. If I can’t find a use for a remnant within six months of adding it to the box, it must go. So, I was thrilled to find this lovely pattern that seems designed to use up my bits and pieces.

Burda Style 12/2018/103 ticks a lot of boxes for me. Since my daily uniform of choice is a knit top with jeans, this one has the potential to stretch my every day wardrobe significantly.  I also have a thing for peplums (here and here), so I couldn’t resist this assymetrical version. Then there’s the opportunity here to mix fabrics…a big plus when you’re working with remnants.

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Because I could see lots of potential here, I decided it would be worth the extra step of tracing the pattern from the magazine insert (usually a hard sell for me!!). Luckily, this  pattern only has four pieces to trace (a front and back bodice, and a front and back peplum) so it took me less than a half hour – – Score!! Also, since Burda patterns don’t include seam allowances, I’ve taken to tracing a size up to avoid the process of adding seam allowances to each piece. So far, this method has worked well for me.

Recommended fabrics are knits for the bodice, and softly draping blouse fabrics for the peplum. I used a rayon knit for the bodice of both my versions. On the white version, I used a remnant of eyelet lace for the peplum and a remnant of silk for the blue peplum.

 

The blue silk was a bit tricky to work with. It’s sheer and my Bernina wanted to eat it:). I’ve found that to sew with silk, I have to use the right needle in my machine..the sharper the better!

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The sheer fabric really dresses up the top, so the torture was worth it. I used my rolled hem foot to put a narrow hem on this peplum.  I didn’t have enough of the bodice fabric for the sleeves so I cut them from a remnant of solid blue rayon jersey – – another piece from the pile!! I always feel so virtuous when I use a remnant, don’t you?

This top was an easy sew.  The neck is finished with a bias strip, and I used my twin needle to hem the sleeves and the lace. All of the seams are serged, but you could use a zig-zag stitch as well. Instructions on Burda Style patterns can be a bit brief, but in this case, there really wasn’t much of a need to elaborate. One other note…the fit on this top is loose and very forgiving, so I didn’t find I needed any adjustments.

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I was able to complete both of the tops in an afternoon. There’s nothing like a quick project on a Sunday afternoon, don’t you think?

In other news, I visited the Dior exhibit in Denver last week and was completely blown away by the exquisite designs and fabrics and finishings. Here are a few shots to enjoy…

(If only I was a better photographer…) The first dress here is embroidered with branches and leaves and flowers…so beautiful!  The green dress was worn by Nicole Kidman to the Oscars. It has netting, embroidery and fur trim! And let me tell you, this dress is….well, tiny.

The dress on the left is covered with equisitely made tassels. The red dress here is embroidered with flowers and studded with pearls and sequins. The white dress is tassled too. Touching these gowns was out of the question of course, but wouldn’t that be fabulous? We sewists are tactile creatures, aren’t we? After leaving the exhibit, I could hardly wait to get home to sew.

This week, I’ll be working on my look for the Day/Night Dress Challenge.  I’ll be posting my look on February 22. There’s a community challenget too and prizes…join us! dandc2019I

Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by!

 

 

My #Sewing Top Five Misses 2018

Published on by ellegeemakes16 Comments

Each year, I enjoy a review of my #Sewing Top Five Misses almost as much as my best top five. I always learn so much from my mistakes. So without further ado, here they are!top-5-of-2018.

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  1. Vogue top – Okay, when I made this,  I felt pretty clever because I constructed this top from odds and ends in my fabric stash. Ha! It’s such a mashup of colors and textures, I feel oddly distracted when I wear it. What was I thinking? New Motto – – keep it simple. To the donation pile!

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2. Aernite pants. I really loved these when I made them, but the color of the linen turned out to be problematic. It didn’t really work with anything in my wardrobe and it made me feel blah too. Lesson learned….I will avoid peachy beiges and tans in the future.

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3. The Darling Ranges dress by Megan Nielsen is a new favorite (I made three (3) versions!), but this version did not work for me. Again, the issue is the color of the stripes in the linen. It’s too peachy for me. Also, I think the dress is too long(?) so I feel rather frumpy in it. So many problems here. Ugh. The embroidered linen is so gorgeous though…too lovely to part with. I’m going try to modify the dress (shorten it to a top?) or reuse the fabric in some way.

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4. Simplicity Vintage top: What? you say. But this one is Blue! How can it be a miss?

This top is a clear miss because it’s so annoying to wear. I kid you not. Because it’s basically a wrap top with only a front and back panel, it depends on the tie to hold in the sides. That means when the tie loosens as you wear it, you enter the danger zone. If you don’t run off to a private place to re-tie, you will soon be showing all sorts of things best left covered.  Bummer as I made three of these. Thumbs down on this one….to the pile!

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5. Long Kimono top; I should love this one…the fabric, the kimono style…but I’ve never worn it. I cannot seem to find an appropriate venue/occasion. There’s something so awkward about it…maybe the length? A head scratcher for sure because I do love, LOVE this fabric so much and the style gets a big thumbs up from me.  Maybe I’ll shorten it next summer or recut it as something else. Hmmmm. I’ve got some thinking to do on this one.

Lessons learned – –

  1. Fabric in tan or beige-y tones is a no-no for me. (sigh).
  2. Avoid patterns where the design includes an element that might potentially be awkward or where you might be naked if it comes ‘undone’, LOL!
  3. Even though I love the look of a long cardigan or kimono, long isn’t always that easy to wear.
  4. Fabric that isn’t in my color palate is best left behind.
  5. Simple fabric, simple designs…they always work!

Well, that pretty much sums up the good and the not so good of 2018. I have no complaints. All in all, it was a very good year. That being said, I’d like 2019 to look a bit different. I’m hoping for some new creative adventures to sweeten my sewing experience and am thinking a lot about how to make that happen.

A fresh year, a fresh start. How was your 2018?

Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by!

 

 

Kobe Top in Embroidered Linen

Published on by ellegeemakes24 Comments

I know many of you have started your Fall sewing, but I’m still enjoying working through my stash of linen and cotton. It’s just hard for me to switch gears when the weather is still so warm.

Linen is my absolute favorite fabric to wear in the spring and summer, and if it’s soft and a teeny bit worn, I’m in heaven! So, I love to pick up bits of linen (tablecloths, napkins etc) at garage sales, antique stores, anywhere I can find them. I was thrilled at a recent collectible market to find a large embroidered table-cloth that showed no visible damage or stains.

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I knew immediately that I wanted to sew a Kobe top by Papercut patterns, a pattern I’ve been interested in making for a while.

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I was attracted to the Kobe because of the interesting back.  I love the way the pleat falls across the back neck opening.

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When I bought the pattern, I dreamed of making it from a sheer fabric but then, I saw this linen.  I knew it would be perfect. Actually, now that I’ve made the Kobe, I can imagine a whole host of fabric options for it! Sheer silk, chiffon, rayon challis, sheer lace, anything with flow and movement should work well.

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The challenge of course was pattern placement. I wanted the embroidered details to take center stage. Because the Kobe is simple with only a few main pattern pieces, this wasn’t as hard as I expected.  I centered the largest part of the embroidered pattern on the front center of the bodice and did the same with the back. The trickiest part was figuring out how to do the hem, as I wanted to utilize the lovely embroidered edge. In the end, I did a muslin version to make sure I understood where the length of the front and back would fall on me. I’m really glad I did this because the Kobe is likely designed for someone who is quite a bit taller than me (5’4”). So I did a mid bodice adjustment of an inch. This really brought it up to a reasonable length.   

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On the sleeves, I used the same strategy – -I centered the pattern, and used the scalloped edges as a hem. This did make this a fast project – – no hemming needed!

I love my new summer top. Yes, it wrinkles, but hey, linen is worth it. And I’m happy to say, I don’t feel like I’m wearing a old table-cloth when I wear this, LOL. Have you ever made anything from an old table-cloth?

Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by!

                   

A off-the-shoulder look inspired by Theory

Published on by ellegeemakes4 Comments

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As you all know, I love a good designer knock-off, and Theory is one of my favorite designer lines. Last fall, a friend of mine wore the Theory shirt (on the left) to a dinner at my house, and I was smitten. She wore the shirt a bit off the shoulder and I loved the way the the gathered neckline was created by a drawstring.

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To create my knock off version, I used Simplicity 8550 as a template.

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The best news about this pattern is that I found it for a $1.99 at Joann’s!!  I have so many sewing patterns, I can only justify an addition if it’s a bargain. Yes, Indie patterns are great options, but you can’t beat the price when the Big Four go on sale.

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The neckline of the Simplicity top is similar to the Theory shirt in design, but it’s a bit wider. Also, it doesn’t have a drawstring closure.PicMonkey Collage-6To add a drawstring at the neckline: First, I adjusted the neck opening to make it a bit smaller. To do this, I took a half an inch out of the front and back bodice pattern at the center front and center back. Because the cut of this shirt is so loose in the shoulders and bodice, that adjustment did nothing to the comfort or fit of the top. To make the channel for the drawstring (a simple black ribbon), I replaced the neck facing with a strip of bias tape, and inserted the ribbon through that. Pretty simple modification…

Other adjustments: I tapered the bodice a bit by adding two eyelash darts in the back from the shoulders to the waist. Even though the Theory shirt is collarless, I couldn’t resist adding some drama with a big collar.

I was tempted to use Chambray for the top for my knock off, but decided I have too much blue in my wardrobe. It’s time for a new color…red! This cotton is from Fabric Depot and it has just the right amount of body for the collar – yet isn’t too stiff for the drawstring/gathered neck.

 

 

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This top was definitely a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants project, and I feel lucky that it turned out so well:) I love the fact that, with a tug on the drawstring, I can adjust the neckline of this shirt as the mood strikes. The color is nice for a change too. This top won’t be a wardrobe orphan because it works so well with my favorite Ginger jeans and with my denim skirt too.

Well, I think this officially begins my summer sewing. Fingers crossed that I get to wear it soon! Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by!