Posts Tagged ‘SheInside’

Sewing!!!!! An Open-Knit Sweater Hoodie

December 12th, 2013
14 Comments

Last week it took a melt down for me to carve some time for selfish sewing. I’ve been really busy with black friday business for I Still Love Calligraphy, prepping for Alt Summit and taking care of kiddos. No complaints though!! We’re flabbergasted at how quickly the calligraphy kits sold out (buying supplies for more kits tomorrow!). Your support has made putting food on the table and a roof over our heads possible. Thank you for keeping us busy!

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In addition to being busy, it’s been cold around our neck of the woods. The chill has been anywhere between -14º and 5ºF. Our furnace chugs nearly 24/7.  Naturally, if I’m going to sew anything, I’m going to sew something cozy and comfortable.

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I found this crochet-like sweater knit several months ago. I can’t remember where, but there were only 3 yards left. I bought all 3. This yardage called my name every day since September, begging to be something warm. It took me until a few weeks ago to figure out how I was going to finish the edges. It’s a really loose knit, so I couldn’t do a blind hem and call it good. It’s also too bulky to use for a cuff. That’s when I found this lightweight oatmeal knit that matched perfectly.

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I used the oatmeal for a lining (this hoodie is technically reversible), for the cuffs and the hood. The hood is technically functional, but it works more like a scarf than anything.

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The briar sweater pattern fit the bill for this piece. I straightened out the hem at the bottom and raised the neckline at the top. I traced a hoodie I had lying around for the hoodie pattern.

This hoodie took some time to complete since I lined it (sewing both inner and outer tops separately, then connecting them with the hems). I also reconstructed the bottom hem. I originally sewed it too loose and long, making the proportions look bottom-heavy. Reworking that hem wasn’t fun, but I knew I wouldn’t wear it if I didn’t make those changes!

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I also sewed the leggings from the block I made back in September (you can get a PDF pattern here, too). They’re made out of a super stretchy brick-patterned ponte knit. They’re really thick, making them more passable as pants than other leggings I’ve made in the past. They’re my new leisure pants. I have enough yardage to make a wiggle dress or some more leggings. Which should it be? Hmmm.

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I just love the striped patterning in the texture!! I’ve seen so many great oatmeal/off-white/angora colored sweaters this season, maybe I can fit in with the cool crowd?

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What are you wearing non-stop this winter to stay warm?

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Outfit details:

 

Looking for similar sweaters? Above is a list of similar sweaters for under $45.

 

Sewing: Sporty Maxi Dress with Leather Details

November 14th, 2013
8 Comments

I didn’t initially plan on making this dress. It happened as I went along. I was hoping to use a knee-length version of this pattern for my ikat fabric.

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Before cutting up the precious yardage, I wanted to test out my vision. I’m glad I did! I love how this dress turned out with the fabric I used, but I don’t think it would’ve made a good fit for my Mood yardage. I’m still trying to figure out my plans for that fabric.

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I used a basic t-shirt block, and cut just above the bust line for an overlapped v-neck with leather piping at the seam. It turned out to be a really nice subtle detail, but if I were to do it again (and I just might), I think I’d create a slight curve to the line so it hits at a more natural spot at my under-arms.

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The fabric itself is a soft knit with silver bumpy dots on it. The texture is really neat, actually. The thin knit is quite stable and opaque as well. I’ve mentioned my need for long sleeves this winter, but I decided that I’d much rather layer sweaters with this dress than tights. I love how it looks with this chunky knit sweater.

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It’s been a really warm fall this year, so it’s been fun to be able to wear long skirts and dresses while out and about.

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Outfit details:

  • earrings: etsy
  • necklace: H&M, Cambria Cove
  • dress: handmade
  • scarf: hand-me-down
  • sweater: c/o SheInside (here)
  • shoes: Forever 21

Check out above for similar grey maxi dresses.

Handmade: Polka Dot Top and Self Drafted Leggings

October 10th, 2013
21 Comments

Two classes I took at Sewing Summit this year was how to make a basic woven tee and drafting leggings from your own measurements. It was great to take the time and draft and cut out the pattern pieces for these babies. Unfortunately, the machine kept eating the delicate polka dot fabric, so I left the sewing for my serger at home.

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The top is Jessica’s Simple Blouse top (pattern coming soon). I wanted it to drape a lot so I used a lightweight rayon woven I scored in L.A.. As mentioned before, it was tough to sew on a machine I wasn’t familiar with. They were incredibly nice machines (the price of a reasonably priced car *cough, cough*), but the functions were waaaay too complicated for me to configure in the time we had to sew. Nice thing was, I had all of the markings and fabric cut out, so sewing it up was a breeze by the time I got to it!

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I cut my pattern longer in the front and the back for a perfect-for-leggings (aka CYA) top. The fit is a little big in the hips. I was going to change it, my laziness and the boxy top trend is winning out at the moment.

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The sheer top is making me wish I had sewn this baby up during the summer. At least I’ll be prepared with more seasonably appropriate clothes next summer!

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Drafting the leggings weren’t nearly as complicated as I thought when Miranda posted her how-to draft a leggings pattern on her blog. We took it one step at a time. Before I knew it I had a perfect block of my leg that I could use as a pattern for leggings! They fit perfectly, but I didn’t draft a high enough rise in the back. It’s an easy-enough fix. Now that I have the perfect draft for leggings, you better believe I’m going hog wild making pants this winter. 

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If I saw this shirt on the rack at a clothing store, I probably would have passed it up for something with more design elements. It’s given me new insight as to what things I could be making and wearing. I know I’ll get a ton of use out of this basic top.

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I’m not sure if this blue is my color, but I’m loving the way it pairs with the black pin-dots.

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Outfit Details

  • necklace: Forever 21
  • blazer: c/o Sheinside (here)
  • top: handmade
  • leggings: handmade
  • shoes: thrifted

What’s your absolute favorite basic right now? Leggings? Tees?

Sewing Style: Handprinted Leather Shift Dress

October 2nd, 2013
11 Comments

This teal fabric was originally going to be a circle dress, but I passed it up for the pink and orange. I second-guessed my decision until the idea for this dress came along.

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However, the plain teal and patch leather pockets didn’t seem exciting enough. I’ve long wanted to do some serious block printing on a garment piece (like my printing idol), so I turned on some Project Runway and set to work.

And work it was! I had the blocks already carved, it was the printing that was hard to do. One of the stamps (mounted on MDF) rubbed my fingers so raw, I couldn’t feel my finger tips the next day. Next time I’m screwing on a make-shift handle to the block for easier to grip.

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The front and sleeves were printed in a cross-hatch pattern and the back was printed with a simple triangle pattern (previously used here). I like the mixture of both. It’s different.

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I used brown leather suede scraps scored from Michael Levine back in LA. It’s the softest, nicest suede I’ve ever felt, and because it’s garment weight, it doesn’t make the dress boxy or bulky at the hip.

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I see the flaws in my printing (so many little white blobs everywhere), but it creates a certain vibe.

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I’ve seen boxy fit dresses and tops go down the runway at NYFW lately, it makes me glad that I cut it a bit on the boxy side. It’s comfortable without, but I can go with the belt for a more structured look.

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This is my new g0-to dress. I think I’ll be making a few of these in the future.

Outfit details

  • earrings: H&M
  • necklace: c/o Tai Pan Trading
  • bracelets: handmade (1,2)
  • belt: handmade
  • dress: handmade
  • cardigan: c/o She Inside (here)
  • tights: H&M
  • shoes: thrifted

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On a related note, it snowed last week!! The first snow of the year had the biggest snow flakes I had ever seen. None of it stuck around for more than 24 hours, but it was quite the awakening that our carefree summer has ended. I still have a lot of weeding and yard prep to do before the real snow hits. And by real, it’s rumored that our neighborhood will get in the range of 10 feet this year. Chris and Penelope are beyond thrilled that they have their skis and gear all ready to rock and roll.

 

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