{Sewing for Kids} New Horizons 11th Hour Gear and Swiss Army Shirt

Two blogs in a row with sews for someone other than me! I’ll remedy that really soon.

Today I’m sharing a super cute outfit I made for my oldest son. But first – a super cute story. When I told him I was making an outfit for him, I said “See these pants I’m wearing?” as I twirled in my faux denim joggers, “I’m making you a pair!” To which he said “Cool! Those are awesome.” If you’re a mom of a tween, you know this is a big deal. I marked the calendar. I know those days are limited.

So here are the 11th Hour Gear Joggers I made (with extra length added because this kid grows like crazy). My favorite thing about this pattern is that it comes with TWO pairs of pants (a wide leg that can be made with woven and the joggers) plus a shirt (tank, short sleeve and long sleeve with a super cool front pocket). I made these joggers with a faux denim knit from Simply by Ti and it’s awesome – soft and stretchy but pretty sharp looking.

And since he had such a resoundingly positive response to the joggers, I decided to make a shirt for him too (also matching a shirt I’d made myself this week). That said, the Swiss Army Shirt is one of the coolest shirts around. I love the panels and the options for color blocking – plus it can be a henley, a polo, or just a cool kid t-shirt. It’s super cool – even for older kids. I used some cotton thermal knit from LA Finch Fabrics and blocked it with some scraps from the joggers. It’s rad. (Also, the sleeves aren’t short – I just rolled them up for the photo shoot – to up the cool factor!)

Hope this offers some inspiration for cool tween sewing!  Thanks for stopping by!

Find the patterns here: 11th Hour Gear & Swiss Army Shirt

Find two of my favorite fabric shops here: Simply by Ti Fabrics & LA Finch Fabrics

“Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Don’t worry – it doesn’t change the price you pay! Regardless, I only recommend patterns and fabric I believe you will love.”

{Pattern Test} Men’s Fleece Jacket from Wardrobe by Me

If you follow my blog at all, you know I rarely sew for anyone but myself, but my husband lucked out recently and got a nice new Men’s Fleece Jacket thanks to the new pattern release from Wardrobe by Me. We have plenty of winter months left here and a fleece shell like this is a great layering piece for most of the year in the mountains.

I couldn’t resist testing this pattern when I saw the line drawings – it’s so professional looking! The kind of thing that probably costs $100+ at those fancy outdoor stores. I love the look of the topstitched pockets and when the testers requested a hood – voila – hood was added (even though I didn’t choose that option)!

I love the fit – it’s slim but not too tight. Perfect for layering in the winter or as a stand alone layer during fall and spring – plenty of room for a long sleeve shirt underneath. I also had the adventure of doing my first invisible zippers – for the side seam pockets as well as an inner chest pocket (which I think is awesome for things you want more secure like money/credit cards). The zipper instructions were great and link to an awesome tutorial on the Wardrobe by Me blog. It’s so fun to learn new sewing skills!

Pattern is on sale for the rest of February, though, as with every WBM pattern, it’s worth every penny at full price for the great drafting, perfect fit, and professional finish. My husband loves it to (despite what you might think from his faces during these photos – he was sick AND it was freezing cold). Grab the pattern HERE!

New Horizons Valencia & Marbella Blog Tour

Happy last day of this awesome blog tour!  I had to jump at the opportunity to join in – my love for Marbella and Valencia are well known and I’m so excited to share a few new versions with you! Make sure you read to the end to enter the rafflecopter – lots of great prizes!!!

Also! Both patterns are on sale through February 10th for just $7 each! One of my favorite things about all New Horizons patterns is how loaded with options they are! Versatility in a pattern really wins me over. Check out all the possibilities!

Find the patterns here: Marbella Tank and Valencia My newest Valencia is made out of a soft lightweight sweater knit I got from Sincerely Rylee. She’s got awesome sweater knit boxes and I’m never disappointed. This had just the right drape and will be worn a lot!  I’ve also discovered that I like wearing the Valencia with the drape in the front too! Yay for more options!

And of course I had to sew up a new Marbella too. I think I’ve sewn a dozen of these by now and keep finding new ways to hack it and new reasons to love it. I added a shelf bra to this version. I realized afterward there’s a post HERE on the NH blog on how to do this – I didn’t follow this tutorial, but it’s pretty much the same! I did a strappy back instead of a lace back and I’m pretty pleased with how it turned out! This is gorgeous custom printed cotton lycra from Piccadilly Textiles. It’s one of my favorite prints and I’ve been saving this for a special project. I can’t wait for warmer weather so I can wear this ALL THE TIME.

To check out all the other great Marbellas and Valencias on the blog tour, check out:

Monday Feb 4th BigFlyNotions
Tues Feb 5th Meadow Sews
Wed Feb 6th Inspired Indigo
Thurs Feb 7th Liviality
Thurs Feb 7th Sew Bee Loved
Fri Feb 8th Hazelnut Handmade

Some awesome discounts:

New Horizons Designs
Sale from Monday 2/4 through Sunday 2/10 Marbella Tank and Valencia Top on sale for $7 each, find them here Marbella and Valencia

Surge Fabric Shop:
15% off code for these pretty bundles with code NHBUNDLES15 These bundles are specially designed for you to create your own beautiful Marbellas and Valencias and can be found HERE

AWESOME Rafflecopter prizes, enter here:  a Rafflecopter giveaway

 1 Grand Prize:

• Bundle of choice from Surge Fabric Shop
• $35 Gift card to So Sew English
• $40 Gift card to Mily Mae Fabrics
• a Marbella Tank and Valencia Top bundle

  4 Marbella Tank and Valencia top bundles

HAPPY SPRINGTIME SEWING, MAKERS!

Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a small commission to help support my fabric addiction. I mean, blogging. This doesn’t change the price for you and you can know I only recommend products or services I believe will add value and benefit to your sewing life.

{Pattern Test} Men’s Boxer Briefs from Wardrobe by Me

I don’t always sew for other people, but when I do, it’s because it’s a guaranteed great pattern from one of my favorite designers. That is to say, I usually only sew for myself but every once in a while, I come across a pattern for my husband or kids and know that “me-made” will be better than “ready to wear/store bought.”

I’ve long been a fan of sewing my own underwear – my favorites are the Love Yourself Hipsters from Wardrobe by Me – so it make sense that when the opportunity arose for me to test men’s boxer briefs from the very same designer, I seized it!

The Boxer Briefs Pattern is a classic pair of fitted underwear with legs, back comfort panel, and an exposed elastic at the waistline. The brief can be made with a double front lined crotch (view A) or with a fly crotch (view B). Choose from two inseams or add bands to the hem.

I sewed up one of each view,with the longer inseam. They came together quickly and only used about 1/4-1/3y of fabric, plus some plush elastic for the waistband. My husband assured me they were comfy and fit well. He said the only awkwardness was the length, as he’s used to wearing are longer.

There’s also a great tank top to match the new boxers pattern – perfect for the gym, layering, or sleep. I don’t think my husband has ever worn a tank like this, but it fit him well and he said he would definitely wear it to bed.

As with all Wardrobe by Me patterns, you can expect full size range (2XS to 3XL), layered pattern pieces, no-trim pages, and impeccable drafting. The patterns are true to size and result in a great finished product!

Now my husband can join the me-made underwear club! To find the pattern and join the club, check it out here: Wardrobe by Me Boxer Briefs

Perfect Fall Pair – New Horizons Tanacross and Pattern Emporium “Every Me” Tank

This is going to be short and sweet because I’m not feeling 100% today, but I had to share this perfect fall pairing! Links to everything at the end of my post!

I recently tested the “Every Me” tank from Pattern Emporium. It was my first ever test for PE and it was a great experience. I love a racerback  – both for exercise and for daily wear in the summer – it’s always been a flattering cut on me. The idea behind the “Every Me” is that this is a tank you can wear for every mood and every “you” – from the gym to the office to a night on the town. It comes in a top, tunic, and dress length with regular tank cut, sporty tank (cut out low under the arms) and racerback. The possibilities are endless!

Here’s my “sport” version – so you can see the different shape, though they aren’t my best photos by any stretch.

I knew my days for wearing a tank were ending in September – but I figured I would layer it up and wear it through fall as long as I could. I found the perfect match in the Tanacross sweater from New Horizons – I love this shape and the fit is perfect straight away. The option of wearing it open to show off the great hem line or to wrap up and get cozy – all in one sweater. This will be sewn many times!

Unfortunately, Fall here in the mountains of the high desert southwest seems to have come and gone in a matter of weeks. We had our first snow last night and temps won’t be out of the 50s for the foreseeable future. BRRRR. Time to make some more cardigans and bundle up!

Link to:

Tanacross Cardigan

Every Me Tank/Tunic/Dress

Dress fabric – Poppies from Piccadilly Textile

Sweater Fabric – olive sweater knit from Sincerely Rylee Fabrics

“Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, we only recommend products or services we believe will add value to our readers.”

 

Capsule Wardrobe Staple: New Horizons Marbella

Today I thought I’d share my love (again) for the Marbella Tank from New Horizons. You might recall my previous love here {Pattern Hack} Capsule PJs Featuring NH Marbella Tank and RP Pippa Pants or these two lace back versions I made here (which are both options included in the pattern:

 

You might recall the lace back options look smashing under the Valencia Top pattern – so pretty:

 

Well, I found myself in need of some basic tanks at the end of summer. My old store bought, ready to wear standbys were ready to be replaced. Luckily, the Marbella comes with a solid back option and makes for the perfect basic tank. It’s a slim fit, so I will use it as a layering tank most often (though I wore one yesterday with joggers, so maybe not!) It’s basic, it’s fast, and it’s true to size. Best of all – it covers my bra straps! I use my coverstitch to hem arm and neck  openings as well as the bottom hem – a quick and professional finish.

Front view:

 

Side view:

 

Back view – I did plain back for all but the strip, which I ended up “color blocking” because of the size of the piece of fabric – I love how it turned out! :

 

In just a few hours and with minimal brain power, I had FIVE new tanks in some neutral colors (inspired by #necessaryneutrals Sew Alongs & Sewing Contests FB Group).  Fabric was all from a scrap or clearance box from one of my favorite fabric shops, Sincerely Rylee. In case you missed it in the first paragraph, here’s the link to the pattern: New Horizons Marbella Tank

“Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend patterns or fabric companies I believe will be appreciated by my readers.”

 

Rebecca Page Blog Tour – Sewing for the Changing Seasons

I’m excited for my turn to share on Turning the Page: Sewing for the Seasons Blog Tour for Rebecca Page! I used this opportunity to sew a mini fall capsule wardrobe (using ONLY Rebecca Page patterns). I’ve been a capsule wardrobe sewist for several years and I’m hooked for life. The simple premise is to make pieces that mix and match and coordinate/layer to decrease the number of times you will yell “I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR!!!” at your full closet.

I’m sewing for fall here in the Southwest United States (Northern New Mexico). I live in the high desert mountains which means, we might have a few more days where we get close to 90 degrees, but most likely we will have a two months of 70s and 80s before we could potentially start seeing snow around Halloween. The mornings are cool and crisp and we’ve had an abundance of monsoons in the last month that’s made the desert bloom. It’s beautiful. But the leaves will be turning soon enough!

One of the keys to dressing in this climate is to utilize layers – since it’s chilly in the mornings and warm in the afternoon (and always cool again after the sun goes down). I built my fall capsule with some beautiful colors and some basic neutrals that can be mix and matched together and with almost anything else in my wardrobe. I also picked fabric with different textures because I’m crazy like that (and by crazy, I mean the satin and the chiffon drove me totally bonkers – I love how they turned out but they were a huge pain to sew).

Outfit #1 – Chloe Cami in satin and Peggy Pencil skirt in gray ponte.

Outfit #1 with my Rebecca Page Kingston Jacket as a layer. Because a classic denim jacket is the perfect all seasons layering piece. Classic. If you don’t have one, you should.

Outfit #2 Chloe Cami with my woven jogger hack using the bottoms from the Cerena Romper. They are made out of a navy midweight crepe of some sort (which I got for a steal while fabric shopping years ago in LA with my dear friend Lindsay Heath Holder).

Outfit #3 Woven joggers with chiffon Neve blouse.

Outfit #4 Neve blouse with Peggy Pencil. I should note that I usually make my pencil skirts above the knee length, but I thought I’d play around with this longer midi length – party because it’s fall and I thought more coverage would be better, partly because I have this vision of styling it in a sporty way with tennis shoes and a knotted over-sized tee. And probably my denim jacket. Stay tuned.

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed my makes – if you are looking for these patterns, check out the Rebecca Page site HERE. I also hope you enjoy the rest of the blog tour – check out all the posts below, visit our sponsors, and don’t forget to enter the rafflecopter!

Please visit all the stops on the Turning the Page: Sewing for the Changing Seasons Blog Tour with Rebecca Page. Don’t forget to comment on the blogs each day and enter a Rafflecopter giveaway for a chance to win some fantastic prizes from our fabric sponsors!

1. August 20: Rebecca Page (Intro), Sewjourns, Soul fed on Thread
2. August 21: Sarcastic Sewist, PatchWitch, Flaxfield Sewing by Anca
3. August 22: Princesse et Tresors, Bellephant, The Scatty Sewer
4. August 23: BigFlyNotions, Stitched by Jennie, Millie’s Place Handmade
5. August 24: Sweet Sprocket, Australian Sewing, Advice & Inspiration, The Sewing Unicorn
6. August 25: LIVIALITY, Diskordia’s Curvy Sewing, Simply Kyra
7. August 26: Seams So Lo, Middle River Studio, Jot Designs

 

{Pattern Hack} Dublin Dolman Tank and My New Linen Lander Shorts

I cannot believe it’s been more than two months since I wrote a blog post. Please know that I’ve been sewing like crazy. So much that I haven’t had much time to write about it all, I guess. Hopefully you follow me on Instagram (@sewingsarah23), so you know what I’m up to, even when I’m not blogging.

That said, I’m super duper excited to share my Dublin Dolman tank hack today. You may or may not have seen my guest post over at the New Horizons blog in June – here  . What I can tell you, nearly two months later, is that I’ve worn the heck out of this shirt. It’s definitely my favorite casual make of the summer.  I want a dozen more in all the colors. I love, LOVE the gathered front and v-neck details – it’s perfectly flattering and is easy to dress up. Get the pattern here: New Horizons Dublin Dolman

From the moment I made my first Dublin two months ago, I’ve thought about how to make a tank top using this pattern – keeping the neckline and the gathered front that I love so much and turning it into a summer tank. I think I’ve confessed before that I think about sewing as I fall asleep at night, sometimes pondering the technical details of what I’m going to sew next. After weeks of, quite literally, dreaming about this, I sat down this past Friday afternoon to see if I could accomplish this hack. Spoiler: it worked. Confession – I’m still a bit giddy about it.

I’ll share my pictures below.

First of all, make sure to interface ALL the neckline pieces – it really makes a crucial difference and it’s worth the extra few minutes. As far as modifying the front and back bodice pieces, I think this shape probably varies from person to person and size to size. Basically, I cut off the sleeves and shoulders of the front and back pieces. On the back piece, I drew from the shoulder seam, down to directly under the arm. On the front bodice, I used the notch on either side of the neckline as my starting point and drew out to the side seam, directly under the arm. Make sure to add at least 3/8″ to all cut lines, which will be folded under to finish the edges. It’s always better to cut more conservatively and then cut more if you need to! You could just clip/pin the pieces onto the neckline to make sure you like the coverage and don’t need to take any more off before finishing the edges.

Second, do NOT attach the front and back neckline pieces at the shoulders. Work with the front and back separately for now. Front pieces RST and sew around the outside from the edge to the notch on both sides. Sew all along the inner part of the neckline as per the instructions. Clip curves per the instructions to reduce bulk and help curves lay flat. Turn right side out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sew the inner part of the back neckline pieces together. Clip curves per instruction. Place the back neckline pieces to the front neckline pieces, RST, as pictured, and stitch at the appropriate seam allowance (as shown in second picture below). This is the shoulder seam you are working with and this method will ensure that the seam is enclosed, as it is in the original pattern. Turn back neckline piece right side out and press neckline flat. It should look like my final neckline picture when you are done. Raw edges all along the back outer neckline and the front outer neckline where it will attach to the bodice.

Set neckband to the side.

Apply gathering stitch on neckline per tutorial (make sure to note the center notch). Hem all of these modified unfinished seams (where the shoulder/sleeves would have been on the original pattern) – from the back neckline, under the arm, up to the edge of the front neckline whether the gathering stitch starts. Gather the neckline to match the raw edges on the neckline.

Attach the front bodice piece to the front neckline per the tutorial, minding the center notch so that your v-neck point is nice and sharp. Attach the back bodice to the back neckline per the tutorial. Attach front and back bodice pieces at side seams. Hem per the tutorial.

ENJOY YOUR TANK. IT’S AMAZING.

Perhaps pair it with a nice pair of Lander shorts as I have. Everyone needs a pair of teal linen Landers, right. This is the ultimate summer outfit for me.

Tank fabric from FabricMart, shorts fabric from Joann, I think (years ago).

Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a small affiliate commission, which doesn’t change your cost at all. Regardless, I only recommend products I believe will add value to my readers and your sewing life. 

{Pattern Test} North Shore Swimsuit by Greenstyle

My first confession is that I almost had to write this blog post from the ER. My oldest son was acting a little off and my mama/nurse instinct said he needed to be checked out before the long holiday weekend. Luckily it’s not appendicitis and he just needs some rest and time to recover. Which is a huge relief for all kinds of reasons, including the fact that it means we will get to go to the opening of our community pool tomorrow!  This is perfect timing, since I just finished sewing this awesome swimsuit!

North Shore Swimsuit by Greenstyle

The North Shore Swimsuit released this week from Greenstyle Creations. I can’t adequately describe the number of options in this one pattern, so I’ll just share the line drawing. Find more details or purchase the pattern here: North Shore Swimsuit

So… this was an amazing testing experience. Testers asked for options to be added and the designer listened. She managed to pack every one of our requests into this awesome pattern. A pattern which, by the way, looked SO GOOD on every tester – every body shape and size. It almost brought tears to my eyes to see how good everyone looked. And felt. In a suit that really fit them. It really was amazing.

So, without further ado, here is my suit.  I made a modified tie back top with the fuller cup option, and low rise banded bottoms. The coverage on both the top and the bottom are absolutely perfect. I’m comfortable and supported in all the important places!

GS North Shore Swimsuit

GS North Shore Swimsuit

GS North Shore Swimsuit

Here are a few closeups:

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Needless to say, I don’t think I’ll ever need another swimsuit pattern again. This one completely covers all of my basic needs!  It’s on sale for a few more hours, but it’s worth every penny, even at full price!  Find the pattern here: North Shore Swimsuit by Greenstyle

Capsule Wardrobe Undergarments Part 2

I’m going to start the way I started my first  Capsule Wardrobe Undergarments post, like this: “It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of capsule wardrobe sewing.  I spend a good amount of time each season planning the colors and the pieces that I want to make to round out my closet. Plenty of people stop their capsule wardrobe at that point – and that is totally fine – buying shoes, purses/handbags, workout gear, pajamas, undergarments, and socks.

Well, I’m a maker.  I can’t make shoes (yet), but I am making all of those other things for my capsule.”

I wrote that post in December and have since joined the #rtwfast2018. I’ve taken a pledge to not purchase any ready to wear clothing in 2018. There are exceptions to those guidelines – socks, undergarments, etc. But I’m going cold turkey and not buying any of those things.

My first undergarments post was inspired by the beautiful Bella Bralette from Daydream Patterns. It seems appropriate that this blog post was inspired by another awesome pattern from Daydream Patterns as well!  The Nora Knickers pattern just released and is on sale through Monday (20% off with code NORAKNICKERS) but even at full price, it’s worth every penny!  Find the pattern here: Nora Knickers and if you want to make a matching bralette, here’s the Bella Bralette Pattern

Bella Bralette Plunge

Nora Knickers in both styles

 

The Nora Knickers feature two versions – one hipster that is more of a “cheeky” cut and a high waist version, which is more like a traditional cut (still below my belly button). Both have cute lace accents and a super professional finish.

I made a pair of knickers to match my Marbella tank (which I wrote about here {Pattern Hack} Capsule PJs Featuring NH Marbella Tank and RP Pippa Pants) in awesome fabric from Piccaddilly Textile Corp

Marbella Tank from New Horizons

Highwaisted Nora Knickers

Also, since that post in December, I have a new favorite every day undies pattern, which somehow didn’t get its own blog post!!!  The Love Yourself undies from Wardrobe by Me, pattern here. What I love most about these is, when I use high quality/good weight cotton lycra, they don’t require any elastic. I just hem on my coverstitch and DONE! No added bulk at the seams, super fast, super comfy.

WBM Undies – Both Styles

WBM Hipsters

I consider these undies to be my very most favorite every day undies. I’ve made probably 10 pairs and always reach for them first!

Hope this helps give you some ideas for sewing your own undergarments – it’s not hard and it’s super fun!