Category: sewing

A couple of months ago, I was pondering trying the Greenstyle Flare Leggings again. What made me do it? I bought the Nooworks “Cropped Kick Flare” pant (about the only place I buy RTW now) and I realized I could crop the Greenstyle pattern and get exactly the same thing.

Nooworks (yes I bought this whole ‘fit, even thought the pants don’t have pockets):

Cropped Flare Leggings by me, hot off the serger:

I took about 4 inches off the bottom hem and also narrowed the flare by about half an inch on each side. I used the last of a Nerida Hansen designed by Lilian Farag (last seen here, and wow if I really want to bring back the 2000s, I could layer them).

Anyway, those alterations and the print made me really love this pattern. It might me the summer equivalent of the joggers I live in all winter, since I’m already planning more.

I made another dressy, drapey blouse for…all the Zoom calls I’m having, I guess? Maybe it’s just part of the urge to wear shirts with a collar that I mentioned last week.

Anyway, I wanted to test out the Closet Core Patterns Carolyn Pajamas before I made a whole set, and thought that if I left off the piping I could get a shirt that wouldn’t look too much like nightwear. I believe I was correct:

The Closet Core drafting on a notch collar is really, really nice–it comes together precisely and there’s a wonderful roll to the undercollar that keeps everything in place. This was pretty fast to make without piping and without any fancy seam finishes beyond serging.

I used a deadstock rayon bought with Matt’s tigers back in 2021. The colors on the koi are giving me 80s vibes and I’m not mad about it.

I guess if I worry about where I’ll wear this, I can always wear it to bed like actual pajamas!

It’s not a dress but it feels spring-like and fancy and I wore it to a celebration,  so I think it fulfills the same purpose as an Easter dress.

I mostly wanted an excuse to sew up this deadstock rayon twill from Fabric Godmother (from last year; sold out), and the idea of a dressy button up seemed really appealing after two years of tshirts or fleece.

I mean, that print is so great. I didn’t have enough fabric to really get the repeat evenly distributed (on the back there’s a lawn chair and a cow!) but the overall effect is still good. This is the Grainline Archer buttonup (not linking since they refuse to expand their size range) and I went up two sizes for maximum drapiness. That made the sleeves a little long but I’m ok with it.

Where will I wear this Easter dress next? Maybe to a new job interview? Let’s hope.

I made Doc another cat print shirt, the traditional gift for an eighth anniversary (well, it is for us):

This is the tried-and-true McCalls 6044 in a Japanese oxford from Neko Neko Fabric. I thought I’d finally alter the pattern pieces and add al little length to the lengthen/shorten line of the front and backs—but then I re-attached the bottom of the fronts BACKWARDS so the shirttail hem curve was reversed, and I didn’t notice while cutting out.  So I ended up having to cut the curves off and do a straight hem, which isn’t ideal for a guy who’s 6’4″, but the added length helped.

No other notes on this, except to say that those Catagonia labels are getting used:

I’m still sewing custom fleeces, so that’s about all I have to feature for sewing content. It’s ok, though, because look how cute this is in the kid version:

This is for a former coworker and her little daughter and I squealed out loud when the tiny one was finished (and yes, I held it up to Toby). The fleece is the Joann “Luxe Fleece” and it is definitely luxe–soft and thick and plush.

Maybe I need to pivot to sewing only children’s clothes? (I’m actually done sewing for money for a bit, once I wrap up a couple more fleeces. I’m feeling the spring urge to sew new things all for me.)

I finished these three custom fleece, have three in the works, and two more to cut out–but then I think I’ll wind this down since the weather is getting warmer and I have things I want to sew for me.

Can you tell I try to do these in batches according to what thread is in the serger?

I’m pretty proud of that leopard fleece–it’s the first order I took from a genuine stranger (!), not someone in my wider circle of friends or that I’ve known on Instagram for years.

I’ve needed a better technical base layer for a couple of seasons now. I’ve had fabric for a better technical base layer in my stash for a year now. So I finally sewed it up:

The pattern is the Jalie Marie-Claude Raglan and it fit beautifully in my size with no adjustments, not even for arm length. (Check out those thumb hole cuffs!) I think Jalie might be giving Greenstyle a run for its money as my favorite pattern company.

The technical fabric is Polartec Alpha Direct and it is truly magic fleece. As the fabric description says, it’s “a more efficient fabric for regulating warmth and transferring moisture. This advancement increases thermal adaptability in changing conditions and different phases of physical activity.” What that means is I can be hiking uphill or standing still in the wind and I’m just…magically the right temperature. It’s also super light and compressible, if I ever decide I want to thru-hike.

The weather was warm enough on Sunday (and the fleece was magic enough) that I didn’t even need a jacket over my base layer, just a vest (another Polar Pullover for me sneaked in between orders) and my fleece lined tights from a few years ago.

I think Doc needs a Magic Fleece Base Layer next!