Category: buy it or make it

Tuesday Project Roundup: Warmest Pants

Karen

When you want to try insulated pants, do you BUY them from Backcountry for $200?

Or do you MAKE them?  

You know the answer if you’re reading this. I had bought Polartec Windpro Stretch and ripstop last year from The Rain Shed to try the Controlled Exposure pants again in a stretchier fabric. But when I saw the quilted Backcountry pants, I pivoted and used my tried and true Brassie joggers pattern and scraps of Thinsulate leftover from my parka.

I quilted the  ripstop to the Thinsulate for the fronts and used the stretch Polartec for the backs. I also used scraps from my magic fleece (Polartec Alpha Direct) to line them–the fronts totally and the backs from gaiter height to parka height:

I went up a size from normal and they fit over my hips no problem–and they are DELIGHTFULLY WARM. I should only need a base layer in the coldest hikes–this test run was about 35 degrees in the sun and 25 in the shade and they were perfect.


The face you make when you spend $0 and get exactly what you want!

Tuesday Project Planning: Thinking About Hiking Layers

Karen

The new trail we found was mostly in the shade and that made me realize I need a flannel-type layer until it’s cold enough to wear my magic fleece. I’ve outgrown the LL Bean “performance flannel” I  bought years ago but it was perfect: a poly blend that was wicking but felt like cotton, cut longer so you don’t have to worry about what underwear you put under your hiking tights:

I’ve had my eye on the Robert Kaufman “Seawool” line, which claims to mix oyster shells (?) with polyester to create fabric that’s “naturally anti-static, anti-odor, anti-bacterial, quick drying, and soft to the touch.” It sounds perfect for a hiking flannel, but I hate the plaid color options and solids are just so boring.

Even Discovery Fabrics–THE source for technical fabrics–doesn’t have performance flannel, and LL Bean doesn’t make that style for women anymore. Maybe I’ll just have to accept a solid in the Seawool. Or start thinking about colorblocking…

Buy It Or Make It: Fashion Fleece

Karen

I got served the jacket below in an Instagram ad and discovered the world of Free People fleece (Free People is from the same parent brand as Anthropologie, so expect inflated prices and questionable quality.) They’re all a high-pile fleece, with a contrast nylon trim and snaps, and I’m sure I could adapt the Green Pepper pattern I used for Doc really easily.

This is “Luxe Fleece” from Joann, so not quite as fuzzy, but with some orange-y red trim I think it could be pretty convincing.

I was really tempted to buy this for the print, but I cannot with $148 for a pullover. Also, I saw this sherpa fleece at Joann–the print is more similar to the jacket above, but the colors are similar, especially with an accent of peach:

I would love to find a placed print like this, but until then, this chartreuse high-pile fleece is name-brand Polartec, and could look really sharp with some neon accents:

Fantasy Fashion

Karen

Sometimes you just have to ignore the Wheel Of Doom and your remote work “style” where you hate even your comfiest pants and think about a fantasy outfit. Like what you’d wear if you went to New York and, after a day in the Garment District, you’d go to the Met Opera. You would clearly wear a brocade coat you made that did not cost $695 like the inspiration. You’d probably line it in sky blue for good measure and wear it with some amazing shoes.

The inspiration, from Francis Valentine
A brocade option from Etsy

 

Another option from Ali Express, which is kind of shopping roulette but fun to browse

 

Let’s not forget the SHOES

 

 

Buy It Or Make It? Knit Set

Karen

After burning all my skinny jeans, I have knit things on my radar and have been seeing “knit sets”–a relaxed sweater and a matching sweater-knit skirt–at fast fashion places like ASOS. (I’m not linking because 1. fast fashion and 2. each piece is $40 and that is highway robbery.)

These look comfy! And warm! And versatile! And like something you could make with this fabric (or this, if you don’t want to buy from Amazon-owned Fabric.com)….

…and this pattern, all for about the cost of ONE piece from ASOS.

Hooray, sewing! And hooray, clothes that don’t leave button marks on your muffin top.

 

Buy It Or Make It: Teddy Coat

Karen

I’ve had coats on the brain for a few weeks–partly because I’m following all of Martha at Buried Diamond’s amazing tailoring, partly because the Everlane coat that’s been my casual option for two years is really itchy. (Am I getting more sensitive to wool as I get older? Maybe.)

After I saw Martha’s latest pom-pom coat I’ve had the idea of a coat with texture or pattern in my head. Sunday morning I was poking around Pinterest and ended up looking at “teddy coats” (furry faux sherpa); then I clicked over to JoAnn and saw some fleece for $7/yard and boom:

Via Pinterest; I think it was a Jessica Simpson design (?)

 

Simplicity 8797

Soon this Muppet-y goodness will get turned into a warm, non-itchy coat–for about $30. Yay sewing!

 

Buy It Or Make It? Party Pants

Karen

You could spend $79.50 on  these pleated velvet pants I saw in a Madewell email:

Or you could buy two yards of this crushed velvet at your local JoAnn for $35…

…and make a quick pair of Emerson pants with a full elastic waist and be richer.

 

(This is just a PSA. I don’t need party pants; I have a party JUMPSUIT planned instead.)

Buy It Or Make It? Statement Dress

Karen

You could buy this J. Crew dress for $248 (! – it’s not even silk!)

Or you could score this cotton gauze from JoAnn on sale for $8/ yard…

…combine it with this McCalls 7925 pattern (you could shorten the skirt tiers by half and remove the skirt placket for an even closer match)….

…and boom–you’ve saved at least $200. (Yes, I bought this fabric.)

Buy It Or (Kind Of) Make It: Disco Sweatshirt

Karen

Last year, fancy handbag company Clare Vivier offered a sweatshirt with lyrics from a disco classic on it:


Honestly, I think the design was less because someone loved Chic and more because the designer googled “French phrases,” but it doesn’t matter because it is sold out (and was $125).

One year later, I’m still listening to disco and will always have a love of niche words on clothing, so when I saw that Everlane had this lightweight sweatshirt on sale, it all clicked into place.

Just get these iron-on letters and pick your favorite disco lyric. Sure, I could copy the exact phrase from “Le Freak,” but why not go even more niche and do “Macho Woman,” as worn by Valerie Perrine in the YMCA scene in the 1980 Village People movie, Can’t Stop The Music?

Never would there be a more Karen sweatshirt in the history of sweatshirts.

 

What’s that? You’d like to watch the entire music video of that YMCA scene? Yes, yes you would: