#sewrtwstyle

Showing posts with label #sewrtwstyle. Show all posts

Leopard Print Union St. Sweater // Sewing For Women

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Hello friends!!

I am in love with my new Hey June pattern-mashup! The Union St Tee is a definite staple pattern in my stash. I love using it to make regular tees of all kinds, but it's so easy to hack as well!! Click HERE to see all the versions I've blogged in the past!

{For a full link list - scroll to the bottom of the post}

Today I'm showing you only one of four Union St. Tees that I have made in the past few weeks. You saw my DIY Ciao Tee on the blog a couple of weeks ago, now here is one of the three versions I hacked/mashed with other Hey June Patterns!

This sweater was of course inspired, #sewrtwstyle, and I was mimicking a J.Crew version. Which is now sold out of course, but not for those of us who sew! 😉

This hack is so simple! I used my size medium tee pattern, crew-neck, long-sleeve options. Then I printed out a size medium hem band and sleeve cuffs from the Halifax Hoodie pattern.

To mash the patterns together, I simply shortened the shirt and sleeve hems to account for the added hem bands.

I would make a couple of small changes next time, one is to keep the sleeves a bit longer. 1 - 1 1/2 inches would be good, since when moving my arms around they tend to creep up on my wrists a bit. I guess I like my sleeves to be a little extra long. 😊

The other thing I would do is to narrow the hem band a little more. I didn't compare the measurements of the hoodie bodice to the tee bodice, and I'm guessing if I would have the tee would be narrower.

I also used a very lightweight rib knit for the hem band, which contributed to it being looser than I would have liked. Yes, I could probably unpick it and resew, but... 😏 If it bothers me enough, I will fix it, don't worry! But for now, I'm okay with it!

I can see, however, if I decide to layer shirts under, that I would like for it to be more fitted. So now, I think I'm talking myself into fixing it! 😆 Stay tuned. Lol.

The fabric I used is from fabric.com {Telio Knit Knack Sweater Knit - affiliate link}. I just absolutely loved the print!! It's so good in person. It has decent stretch and really great recovery. I pre-washed and dried the fabric and it held up great! I've worn it for an entire day and I see no signs of pilling, especially under the arms, where things tend to pill the quickest.

I definitely grabbed enough to make at least one more thing with it, and I can't wait to get it sewn up soon!

The rib knit is from Walmart, and was on one of the 5yds for $5 bolts, so expect to see more of this too! 😃

I think I've covered all the details, but be sure to contact me if you have any more questions!

LINKS:
*Thank you for using my affiliate links! It allows the wheels to keep turning on this blog!*

Patterns:

Sweater: Hey June Handmade // Union St. Tee and Halifax Hoodie
Skirt: Itch to Stitch Danube Skirt // *Blogged HERE*

Sweater Fabric:

Telio Knit Knack Brushed Sweater Knit Animal Print Brown - fabric.com
This particular fabric is also available in quite a few solid colors as well as a grey version of this print and a gray snake print which I love too!! Click HERE to view them all!
And if your order is not enough to get you to free shipping and you hate to pay shipping like I do 😉, here it is on Amazon!

Shoes: No longer available, but linked similar options below: *Can we talk about the leopard accent keds??? 😍*

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Crew Trousers // Sewing For Women // Sewing Pattern Review

Happy Thursday, friends!

I'm so excited to share with you my brand new Crew Trousers!! This is the latest pattern by Chalk & Notch, just released this week. The pattern is on sale through Tuesday, 10/15, no code needed!

The pattern comes in two variations, a tapered trouser length, and a loose fitting short.

Features of the pattern include:

Front pleats
Back Darts
Optional belt-loops and waist tie
Front Slant Pockets
Side Lapped Zipper with waistband closure; choose between hook & eye and buttons
Lengthen and Shorten lines included on the pattern in several places

The instructions for this pattern are exceptional, like we know from all of Gabriela's patterns. Her interactive pdf is great for jumping from section to section if you need to find something specific in the instructions. She has also created a few very helpful videos for some of the trickier steps in the construction, such as the lapped zipper, but I have to say, the written instructions and illustrations are wonderful as well!

She also has a very helpful fitting post on her blog HERE.

I was privileged to be one of the testers for this pattern, but even if I wasn't testing I would have taken the time to muslin a pattern like this. I'm so, SO glad I muslined it first.

According to the size chart I am a size 6 hip, and 8 waist. So for my muslin, I graded between the two sizes, and kept the length as is so I could determine exactly how much length I needed to remove.

The muslin fit very well from the beginning. The hips fit well, and the waist fit well, but I discovered I needed a little bit more room in the high hip area just below my waist. I also needed to remove 1/2" of length from the front rise, but not the back. This is typical for me.

I also needed to remove 1 1/2" in length from the legs to get the hem to hit me at the intended length, which is cropped just above the ankle.

I'm so glad I have this data from my muslin, because when I made it up in my fashion fabric, it ended a completely different size!

I used the most delicious Caramel Silky Viscose/Linen Noil from Imagine Gnats. I purchased this fabric with this exact style of pants in mind, and in the end it is exactly what I was hoping for!

However, this fabric grows exponentially when sewing it into a pair of pants! Even with all of my adjustments to my pattern before cutting, I ended up taking in the hips, and removing a HUGE amount of length from the crotch. It was so low, it was comical. For some reason I didn't take any pictures at that stage, but I really wish I would have!

After these photos, I actually decided to remove another 1/2" from the crotch and I also took in each leg 1/2" through the inseam all the way down to the hem. Like I said, this fabric grew and grew! I even washed them in the washer and dryer just to make sure it wouldn't shrink and that I wasn't removing too much.

Even after removing all of that length from the crotch, the hem still ended up being too long. So rather than cutting off from the bottom of the pant, I decided to hem and then cuff.

Y'all. This is a hack I was planning to make on a future version, but I've gotta say. I'm so happy it worked out with this pair, because it's one of my favorite details!! Next time I will construct it a bit differently, but this is the overall look I was after, and I love it.

But I've gotta say, all of the details on this pair of pants are pretty great!! I mean, just look at that lapped zipper and tiny buttons on the waistband! Swoon.

So as I'm sure you can tell. I'm over the moon about my Crew Trousers. This style of pants is new to me, but I can't wait to wear them all fall! I've got so many ideas of ways I want to style them. And you can't beat the comfort.

You may be asking based on my thoughts above, would you make them again in this fabric? The answer is YES. I'm absolutely thrilled with the outcome. That COLOR. 😍 Next time though, I would definitely size down my pattern before cutting into it. The waistband even turned out a little large, even though I had block fused my interfacing to it before cutting. It just grew. The waist tie helps with keeping it in place, but I would size down at least one size for the whole pattern if I used this fabric again.

I hope these tips are all helpful, and be sure to check out the Chalk & Notch blog for more fitting tips and inspiration!

Pattern & Fabric:

Tank linked here // almost sold out

Outfit links:

Friday, October 4, 2019

DIY Anthropologie Inspired Ciao Tee // Tutorial // Sewing For Women

Happy Friday, friends!!

I am bursting with some exciting news for you today. First of all, I finished up this adorable Ciao Tee earlier this week, and I get to post about it!

I used the Union St. Tee pattern by Hey June Handmade {aff link}, a linen blend jersey knit from Imagine Gnats, sold out, but there is currently a similar knit in the shop HERE.

I made a size medium for a more oversized fit, shortened the bodice 1 inch, and otherwise sewed as per the pattern. My sweet spot with the Union St Tee is a size small for drapier knits, such as rayon or bamboo spandex jerseys. For knits with less stretch such as this linen blend jersey, or cotton knits with little to no spandex, I prefer to sew a medium and tuck or tie at the waist.

For reference, my measurements are B: 36", W: 29", H: 38". I could probably stand to grade down at the hips in a size medium, and that would eliminate the need to tuck or tie, but I'm a huge fan of that look so I'll probably just keep making them more oversized. 😊

For the letters, I used scraps from another Union St. Tee that I will post about a little later (IT'S SO GOOD). I fused the letters to the tee using EZ-STEAM II {aff link}.

This brings me to the second part of my exciting news. I put together a little video to show you how to stitch around the edges of the letters in a way that won't pull and distort your delicate knits!

You can watch that on my IGTV channel right here in the post, or you can click HERE and watch it on the Instagram app!

View this post on Instagram

Sew with me! I'll walk you through the steps to applique letters onto any tee! Outift Details: Handmade Tee (@heyjunehandmade #unionsttee ) Whole outfit, plus links to RTW items 👇 : #LTKunder50 #LTKstyletip @liketoknow.it http://liketk.it/2FvOH #liketkit Music by: Ikson Official

A post shared by Heidi || Handmade Frenzy (@heidi_handmadefrenzy) on Oct 4, 2019

Bear with me as I'm still learning with these IGTV videos. 😉 I feel quite amateur putting them together, but I'm finding out exactly what info I need to add/record/photograph, etc. So hopefully they will get better with time!

Regardless of all that, I'm super pleased with how my tee turned out! And I can now twin with my good friend, Teri! 😄 Click HERE to see what I mean!

The third and final piece of exciting news is that I now have a LIKEtoKNOW.it page!! This is a place where I can post all of my daily outfits and link to the items I'm wearing for easy shopping for you all, if you are interested!

I get a lot of questions about where I purchase my shoes, accessories, and other items that I wear that are not handmade, so this is a place where I can easily gather all of that information for you!

To view my outfits, you simply need to find my account on LIKEtoKNOW.it (My name is Handmade Frenzy) and click on the pictures for all the info. HERE is the link to my account!

I will still be linking all the info in my blog posts here as well, and it will look a bit more polished as you can see below! Simply click on the little icons to shop.

I'm really excited about this little addition, and I hope you all are too! I cannot express how much it means to me for you to support my blog through these links. Thank you!! 😘

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

This post may contain affiliate links. All reviews and opinions are my own.

Happy Tuesday, friends!!

I am so excited to be here with a slightly different kind of post today! Over on Instagram, my good friend Teri and I are teaming up to bring you each a style session showcasing our newly finished Evans Blazers.

You can check out our videos on IGTV by clicking HERE! We each styled the blazer 6 different ways, so you have a huge selection of styles to glean ideas from!

I decided to write this post to provide you with sources for everything from all 6 of my looks! Happy reading and clicking!

LOOK #1:

Evans Blazer {HJ Aff Link} // Kind Tank // Crossbody Bag (Similar Black) (Gray) // Liana Stretch Jeans - Fabric: Cone Mills S-Gene (Same) // Heels (similar) (similar)

It sure is hard to pick, but I think Look #1 might be my favorite! I love the pairing of a graphic tee with heels. Maybe not super practical for my mom-life, but for girls' night or date night, I'm all in!! :)

LOOK #2:

Nikko Top // Scarf (similar) // Bag (similar) // Ash Jeans - Fabric: Stretch Modal Denim from Joann (no longer available) // Booties

LOOK #3:

Portia Woven Top (Blogged HERE) // Round Woven Bag (similar) // Cali Demi Boot Jeans (Mine are sold out - linked to current styles) // Sock Booties (similar) (similar)

Again with the favorites! But Look #3 is in the Top 3, for me. I love simple, and this outfit has all those simple pieces that are elevated by little details. My fave.

LOOK #4:

Union St Tee (hacked - blog coming soon!) // High Rise Skinny Jeans (similar) (similar) // Crossbody Bag (Similar Black) (Gray) // Suede Block Heels (similar)

Well, here's the third favorite in my personal Top 3. What can I say? Animal print has my heart right now! And in a bold black & white it is just perfect paired with the navy blazer.

LOOK #5:

Lightweight Ribbed Sweater Tee (sold out) // High Rise Skinny Jeans (similar) (similar) // Pink Crossbody Bag (similar) (similar) // Leopard Print Loafers

LOOK #6:

Trevi Top (Mash-up; blogged HERE) // Scarf (similar) // Crossbody Bag (Similar Black) (Gray) // High Rise Slim Boy Jean (Mine are sold out - linked to current in stock styles) // Woven Mules - Black sold out (similar) (similar)

There you have it! Thanks so much for taking the time to read and for shopping my links. I appreciate you so much!!

Friday, August 23, 2019

Trevi/Taos #sewcialmashup // Summer to Fall Style // Sewing For Women // Style Session

Hello friends!!

I am so happy to be sharing my #sewcialmashup make with you today!!

The full tutorial for mashing the Trevi Top & Taos Top patterns together is over on Imagine Gnats today, so hop over there to READ ALL ABOUT IT!

**Sources and Links are included at the bottom of the post**

I wanted to share a bit more over here about why I love this top so much, and just a few simple ways to style a base outfit by switching out accessories and layering so that this one piece can be taken from #seasontoseason.

Season-to-season is a fun hashtag that my new IG friend, @BudgetandBrunch started using recently. She also happens to live in NC, and I love following her for outfit inspiration that relates a lot to the way I dress for the seasons here! The idea behind that hashtag is that you don't always need to SHOP or MAKE for each and every season. Instead, lets make/shop and build our closets with pieces that can be transitioned throughout the year. LOVE IT!

This Trevi/Taos Top is also #sewrtwstyle inspired... I mean... How many hashtags can I cover with one make? Lol. Not that I was trying, but it sure checks a lot of boxes!!

Now if I'm being honest; just seeing these images online would not have sparked any ideas or inspiration, but I saw it in person in store and just KNEW I had to make my own version using two of my favorite TNT patterns! Psst; I like my version better. 😉

I also chose to make it in a beautiful creamy white, because I'm still building up my workhorse staple pieces in my wardrobe. I will always be doing this. Having a closet full of well-made, quality basics that work well together is a constant process. And that's just one reason why I love this craft so much!

Moving on to how I styled the top in this post. I kept the base outfit super simple. A pair of wide leg crop pants in a season-less color, and of course, the Trevi/Taos Top which also works as a season-less staple!

During these super hot, dog days, of summer, I keep things really simple with minimal accessories, like this woven circle bag and a pair of woven mules to pull the outfit together.

Transitioning into a little more fall appropriate look, I swapped out the circle bag for my Kelly Waist Bag (blogged HERE), a pair of heeled faux-suede mules, and added a hat for warmth and more depth to the outfit.

This outfit is absolutely perfect for fall days in NC. In the mornings it's cool and crisp, but in the afternoon we heat up into the 80s, so LOOKING like fall, but keeping the outfit cool enough so I'm not completely melting is key. 😉

For those cool mornings, it super easy to throw on another layering piece to keep things cozy! And of course, easy to remove when it get warm again later in the day.

Chunky cardigans are my absolute favorite thing in cooler weather! I love layering them over tanks and shirts, and even layering under jackets for optimum warmth.

It's just as easy to throw on a denim jacket with this outfit as it is a cozy cardigan. I put on my Hampton Jean Jacket with this ensemble and was struck with just how "worth it" it is to put time and effort into making somewhat "boring" pieces!

It feels insanely good to wear the three pieces on top proudly, knowing that I worked on them with my own two hands and that they'll be with me for years to come!

I hope you enjoyed another styling session with me today!! Leave some feedback in the comments if you have a moment, I'd love to hear your thoughts! ~xoxo

Some of the links below are affiliate links (Amazon), by shopping through these links you are supporting this blog and me and making it possible for me to continue providing content for you! Thank you! xoxo

SLIDER

Leopard Print Union St. Sweater // Sewing For Women

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Crew Trousers // Sewing For Women

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Pattern & Fabric:

DIY Anthropologie Inspired Ciao Tee // Sewing For Women

Friday, October 4, 2019

Evans Blazer Style Session // Fashion For Women

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

This post may contain affiliate links. All reviews and opinions are my own.

Trevi/Taos #sewcialmashup // Summer to Fall Style

Friday, August 23, 2019

Links: