I'm Sew Fancy Silhouette Raglan

I'm sew excited to share this project with you! (See what I did there?)

A couple weeks back, Zulily had a sale on the Silhouette.  (There is actually another sale going on for 2 more days!)  I called the hubs, told him, and he gave me the green light to buy whatever model I wanted.  Say what?!  I got the smaller Silhouette Portrait for a fairly deep discount, added on some heat transfer vinyl, and I waited very impatiently for it to be delivered to my door.

Before it even got here, I knew what I wanted to do for my first project.  I've always wanted a shirt that professes my love for sewing in some awesome way.  I just never wanted to spend all that time hand cutting some freezer paper to make a stencil because I'm lazy and I need sewing projects with instant gratification.  Obviously.  Insert Silhouette.

First thing's first, I'm the realest.  Drop this and let the whole world feel it. 

My Silhouette came with a $25 gift card to the Design Store so I bought this sewing machine image for a whopping $.50 and designed this shirt in the Studio software.  It was superbly simple.  Then, I used the GreenStyle Centerfield Raglan pattern and cut out a panel for the front of the shirt. (I need to review this pattern soon, it's my absolute favorite fitting women's raglan).  I weeded out all my heat transfer vinyl, ironed it to my shirt and then I promptly realized I had no more white on hand for the back of my shirt.

Excuse the grainy cell phone pic.  It was the only progress pic I took.

So, I got a little crazy with the back and used this awesome Girl Charlee fabric from the March KnitFix.  Disclaimer: I didn't actually buy the KnitFix but when I saw everyone posting this fabric in the Facebook Group, I decided I needed it and bought if from someone else who didn't love it as much as I did.

It's a brushed cotton spandex knit that's super soft and super bright.  I LOVE it!  I also added a band to the bottom of my Raglan because I'm a rebel and I like to do things like that.  (And because I'm taller than the average woman so I usually have to add 2 inches to all my tops anyway.)

Are you dying over this shirt yet?  No?  Maybe it's just me.

Do you also have a fancy Silhouette?  Do you want to sew your own fancy shirt?  Click here to download the Silhouette graphic that I designed and you can make one too!  Happy sewing friends!

Pattern Review: Brassie Joggers

If you know me then you know I'm a fake pants enthusiast. You know, yoga pants, leggings, lounge pants; pretty much anything but jeans.  Like a lot of other work/stay-at-home-mommies I live in lounge pants. I like to be comfy when I'm home cleaning, cooking, chasing kiddos, and doing other mom things.  So, in the spirit of super comfy and cute pants, I bring you the GreenStyle Creations Brassie Joggers.

This pattern has been out for a while and I've always admired it from afar, but with spring coming, I bought the pattern and whipped these bad boys up.  I needed some capris (you can make these in shorts, capri, and ankle length), and this is one of my favorite fabrics of all time.  The fabric I chose is a poly/rayon/lycra jersey (say that 5 times fast) with an amazing drape and a beautiful hand.  It's so soft and washes up perfectly.  I throw everything I make into the washer and dryer so I need my fabrics to be high quality.  I never hang dry or do any of that nonsense.  Ain't nobody got time fo dat.

You can find the fabric I used here, at Cali Fabrics.  While you're browsing, I'd also recommend these other fabrics for the Brassie Joggers too.  That black on green will totally match my running shoes and I'm digging all the modern florals that are really on trend right now.

L to R: Black on Green, Tonal Black Stripe,Colorful Feathers, Pink & Aqua Floral

I did the joggers in an XS based on my measurements and I did not have to adjust even one thing.  I just went with it as drafted and they fit perfectly.  The waistband is elastic and a drawstring so they are really comfortable and secure on the waist.  

My favorite part about these are the pockets!  The construction was super simple and I even got to whip out my coverstitch machine to give these an awesome detail.  You can, of course, make these without a coverstitch if you don't have one, I just like to kick things up a notch sometimes. :)

It's always nice to be rockin' a cute new pair of capris even when you're just at home cleaning in your mismatch socks.

Here are all the details:

Pattern	Brassie Joggers
Pattern Designer	GreenStyle Creations
Sizes Included	XXS - 3XL
Skill Level	Beginner
# of Pattern Pages	20
Attributes	YES	NO
A4 Printing		"
Fabric Requirements	"
Finished Measurements		"
Finishing Options	"
Labeled Pattern Pieces	"
Length Options	"
Line Drawings	"
Materials List	"
Nested Pattern Pieces	"
No Trim Pages	"
Pictures of Finished Garments		"
Print by Size (Layers)		"
Printing Guide	"
Rise Options	"
Size Chart	"
Suggested Fabrics	"
Table of Contents	"
Tips and Tricks	"

 

Pattern Review: The Katie Dress and Peplum

Source

Ah, Kate Middleton.  She's gorgeous, she's a real life Princess, and she has impeccable style.  She's far more polished and chic than this stay at home mommy could ever be, but now I can pretend!

Angelyn at GreenStyle Creations has done it again.  She's come out with a totally innovative and figure flattering pattern that'll make you feel like you've stepped your wardrobe up a notch.  I was invited to test The Katie Dress and Peplum pattern and I'm so excited I was included in the process!

I made three of these in testing and I can't wait to make more spring versions to round out my wardrobe!  This one was a Michael Miller cotton/lycra (4 way stretch).  I did size XS and the 3/4 sleeves.  (For reference I'm 5'8'' and 115 pounds).

The side ruching in this pattern is so great.  It easily flatters your shape (no matter what shape that may be), and a peplum looks amazing on anyone.  I love this pattern in a stripe, and how the stripes are gathered at an angle.

Throw your (unwashed) hair up in a top knot, add some skinny jeans and wedges for a cute spring look for day or night!

Because I couldn't just make the top and that's it, I also made the Katie Dress.  Here's I did View A (A line skirt).  I made this one out of a gray jersey sheet from Target.  I chose to leave mine with a long hem for a cute church dress, but you could also shorten it up for a more spring look.

The solid color really shows of the ruching well, and I even decided to put it on the other side this time.  (Depending on how you cut your pieces, you can put the gathering on the left or the right side).

The neck is done using knit interfacing which helps it lay perfectly flat and gives it a really professional finish.  It's especially easy if your dad sent you a Coverstitch machine for Christmas ;)

For my third shirt, I chose the peplum with the short sleeve option.  I did this one in a lightweight lace/floral print and I adore it with my white capris.  Now, I just need spring to actually show up so I can wear it!

As always, I really enjoyed working with Angelyn on this test.  She really really listens to the testers and makes adjustments based on our feedback.  She adds things to the pattern to make it easier for the sewist and her final products are such a high quality.  She even has amazing customer service and is easily accessible if you need anything at all.  Join her group on Facebook to stay up to date on everything GreenStyle.

You can get the pattern on the Greenstyle website or Etsy for only $7 for the rest of the day (it'll go up to $9 after today so act quickly!)

And, here's a handy dandy chart with all the details:

Pattern	The Katie Dress & Peplum
Pattern Designer	GreenStyle Creations
Sizes Included	XXS – 3XL
Skill Level	Beginner
Number of Pattern Pages	28
Attributes	YES	NO
A4 Printing	"
Fabric Requirements	"
Finished Measurements		"
Finishing Options	"
Labeled Pattern Pieces	"
Line Drawings	"
Materials List	"
Nested Pattern Pieces	"
No Trim Pages	"
Options for Custom Fit	"
Print by Size (layers)		"
Printing Guide	"
Size Chart	"
Sleeve Length Options	"
Suggested Fabrics	"
Table of Contents	"
Tips and Tricks	"