The latest pattern from 5oo4 is making me swoon. I sewed this one up thinking 100% of Valentine’s Day. Not only does it include this pretty sweetheart neckline, but there are also pleated and bell sleeves! I am feeling super girlie in this top. Too bad it was like 20 degrees and snow flurries kept popping up while taking pics! I may retake them on a sunshiny day to better reflect how I am feeling about this top.
The Pamela Top, Tunic, and Dress pattern includes the following:
3 Bodice Options: regular, FBA, and maternity
4 Bodice Lengths: crop, top, tunic and dress (short and long)
2 Sleeve Options: pleat or bell/bishop
4 Sleeve Lengths: sleeveless, short, 3/4 or long
3 Neckline Options: scoop, square or sweetheart
Sizes XXS – 5X (see the last images for yardage and size chart)
I ordered this fabric from Sew Blessed. It is brushed poly and such a pretty shade of pink. I adore the colorful poppies. I adore all poppies. Poppies remind me of my granny. She shared her poppy seeds with me when I moved into my first place as an adult. I planted the poppies around my porch. I lived there for years enjoying the beautiful poppies. My granny passed and a year later, I bought her house. The backyard, just under the windows, is a bed of poppies…my granny’s poppies. I enjoy them every spring.
I made the 4x with the included FBA graded to a 5x. This is drafted as a slimmer fitting pattern, but I didn’t find it clingy. I choose to make the 3/4 quarter length pleated sleeves. I immediately said a prayer when I opted to make the Sweetheart neckline. Actually, I cut it first because I knew I wasn’t willing to throw this fabric out and quit on the neckline. I can actually say sewing it wasn’t totally dreadful, but it took a bit of time. You should 100% baste the neckband in place first! My sewing machine eats DBP like it is the best snack ever… yes even with a new needle. I ended up sewing with tissue paper between my needle plate and fabric. It really did help! I had read about that technique before, but hadn’t tried it. So here is proof that it works!
As always this blog contains affiliate links, which is a small commission I earn when you make a purchase from my blog links. Thank you for helping to support my sewing.
Instead of being like a thousand other bloggers, I decided to write my New Years Blog Post for my Birthday! Yep, today I am 38. I am not usually one who gets crazy about turning a year older, except when I turned 25…”It was dark times Harry, Dark Times…” That was a rough one! When I think about the things I have done in the last year, I am pretty happy. I switched positions at my job, I bought my first brand new car, I realized it is ok to do fun things alone, upgraded to a new DSLR camera, took my first photography class and I even had time to sew some awesome clothes. I rediscovered my love for geocaching and hiking as well. Overall it was a good year, but I want to make this year even better.
Puppy Playtime!
I have spent several weeks/months really thinking of the direction I want to take my blog. I am just like every other blogger, I want to grow my audience and reach more people. I have noticed a lot of new faces following my social media accounts and for that, I am so grateful. It feels good to be noticed. I don’t know if the average person realizes how much work goes into being a sewing blogger. Pick a pattern, sew it up at least once (typically more), photos, photo edits, write blog posts, then share. 🙂 I do enjoy it though. I like knowing there is a record of my progress. I often look back at blog posts to remind myself of the changes I made to a garment and if I liked the fit or not. I love that other people will randomly find a blog post and leave me a message or pick up a pattern I haven’t mentioned in months. It makes me feel good knowing someone saw the joy in my blog. It also makes makes me feel good when I see kind comments from someone I don’t know.
Being a sewing blogger isn’t all sunshine and flowers though. Every single post is a risk. That seems a little odd, but it is true. Every post we make, every share we do, puts us up for being judged. Readers, I don’t know about you, but it doesn’t feel good to me. The comments people make shock me sometimes. For the dozens of good comments, there are always some bad ones. “Your shirt is too tight.” “You would look better with heels.” “You would look slimmer if…” “That color was a bold choice.” “Prints make you look bigger.” “Plus size can’t wear stripes.” and the list goes on…it is a long list. Note to crabby readers…your comments about me will never be harsher than my own thoughts. Why do people do this? Golden Rule, Folks. If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all. As a sewing blogger, I have gained some confidence though. Sometime,s I even dare to say my outfit looks cute or nice. Baby Steps.
So let’s talk about goals for the next 365 days.
*Do more quality sewing. I do a lot of quick sews, well in the past I did a lot. I have greatly reduced the number of tests I am doing. I want to sew things on my schedule for what I want to sew.
*Learn new things. Master my fit issues ehm… pants, bras, etc. Somethings scare me to sew…Bras…tried it once and quit! Pants are a work in progress. For me, I need to realize my body isn’t a normal feminine shape. Most patterns account for hips and booty and I lack in both. But I am making huge strides in preparing to sew my own jeans!!
*Write at least 5 blog posts for designers or for blog tours. Always on the look out for blog tours!! Tag me if you start one. I want in!
*Test less, Upcycle more. I have seen several mentions lately that plus size upcycling isn’t as popular as smaller sizes. I do agree with this in a way, but I have been upcycling for YEARS! When I began sewing, I started by thrifting for anything with great fabrics! I made some cool stuff, now I have more sewing skills I should be putting to use! As a bonus, we are saving a little space in the landfills!
*Continue to be a positive influence online. I shouldn’t need to explain this one.
*Learn to say No!
I love dressing in layers! S0 happy Fall is here again!
If I haven’t lost ya yet, thanks for sticking around! This is going to be an awesome year and I can’t wait to update this post on my next Birthday. Don’t forget to give my blog a follow and leave me a comment! 🙂
You can follow my blog by clicking the Follow button on the right side of my blog.
As always this blog contains affiliate links, which is a small commission I earn when you make a purchase from my blog links. Thank you for helping to support my sewing.
The background of these photos are the exact reason this pull over is awesome! The snow means it is cold in Ohio! Not fun! Momma Mia really doesn’t like the cold or the snow, but she loves warm fuzzy clothes! I decided to make the Ascent pull over for her because I hadn’t made the pattern yet, it hasn’t been released in the larger size range, and I knew she would wear it.
I picked out this super fun print while at Joanns. This is Blizzard Fleece and is frequently on sale. Fleece has a bit of stretch for comfort when wearing and turned out to be a perfect fabric for this jacket. The pattern absolutely said to use a thinner knit fabric for the zipper plackets and pockets… I didn’t….I should have. They were difficult to sew because of the thickness of the layers of fleece. Please follow directions…they are written for a reason. I decided to do the solid bodice instead of the color blocked version. Usually when I haven’t sewn a pattern before I go with the most simple version of the pattern. That way I have the least amount of time invested in the project in case it needs some adjustment.
If I make this pattern again I will make a few changes. I will either raise the side pockets up another inch or lengthen the bodice by 2 inches. When the pockets are weighted down, they hang a little below the hem line. I am not sure if this was an error on my part or something else. I guess if I would have top stitched them in place, this wouldn’t have happened. Either way, I am able to remove some of the length from the pocket bag to make them smaller which in turns means they won’t show. Win-Win! The pattern includes a color block options with side panels on the bodice and the sleeves. I choose to add the optional side pockets because all jackets need pocket! Actually, all clothing needs pockets! PS. I used regular zips because I didn’t have invisible zippers on hand in a color that matched.
Included in the pattern are:
-Sizes XS-XXXL
-Solid Pullover
-Optional contrast panels and sleeves
-Two zipper lengths (9″ or 12″) – 9″ is traditional length, but the 12″ can give you a little bit more room!
-Optional on-seam pockets with invisible zippers.
-Breastfeeding option!!! Invisible zippers in the seams for the contrast panels make breastfeeding access quick and easy.
As always this blog contains affiliate links, which is a small commission I earn when you make a purchase from my blog links. Thank you for helping to support my sewing.
Love Notions has tons of great patterns. They are currently increasing the size range of some of their older patterns, but the Tessa Dress in still in the smaller size range. Lucky for Momma Mia, she fits on that chart! I decided to make this dress, because I had these fantastic prints and wanted to make a color block dress.
Let’s start with the fabric! These are my strike off prints from Stitchin’ Pretties. They came with a lovely hand written note saying they would love to become a dress. 🙂 Sneaky hints, yanno. So I decided I would see if I could fill that request. At first, I though I would make a Willow Cross front dress, but was a wee bit nervous because these two fabrics are a notably different weight which made me a bit nervous. I thought I would do one half of the bodice in each color, but talked myself out of it. I decided Momma Mia would get a new dress. I ended up choosing the Tessa because I loved that it was already perfect for some colorblocking.
I knew I would put the heavier weighted fabric at the top and use the rest for the body. That was 100% my plan until I forgot to cut the body as a mirrored pair. Ugg. I could have screamed or cried!! I have talked several times on my blog about how Momma Mia doesn’t like crazy prints. I knew color blocking the back of the dress was going to be a risk, but you can’t uncut fabric! Here we go! Snip Snip, Snip! I have a new back dress panel! This dress actually sewed quickly, as it is just typical sewing, no fancy techniques even though it looks awesome!
So these trendy prints are from Stitchin’ Pretties. I love love love the quality of the fabric I get there. Laura ships within a day and offers great pricing with exceptional customer service. There is almost always great deals to be found in the clearance tab as well. Today I used Jane and Martha. Jane is the brown and blue striped fabric. It is a poly lycra blend which means it has great recovery. Martha is the name of the dots!! This print is a mid weight ITY and sewed up nicely. I love this print because “Who doesn’t love dots??” You can shop here.
Let’s talk more about Tessa. This is a knit sheath dress with loads of options. You can choose from 2 necklines, scoop and boat neck. This is the scoop. There are 5 sleeve length options including this one, which is 3/4. There are two hem length options as well. I choose the long, but there is a knee length dress option too! The back seam allows for some contouring (or colorblocking.) You can also mash the Tessa with the Sybil skirt collection for even more options!
BIG NEWS!!! THIS PATTERN JUST WENT ON SALE FOR 30% OFF!!!
I am still catching up from being sickie… Here we go again!!
I missed Momma Mia’s Birthday and Thanksgiving and work and life…
I was sickkkk. I missed all the fun, but I kept my cooties to myself. For a Birthday surprise, I sewed up a new top for Momma Mia. This is the Annabeth from 5oo4 patterns. She liked my original one so I thought she would enjoy a comfy shirt as well. I even got to dig into my scrap pile for this one!
Remember this gorgeous French Terry from my Constellation Hoodie? I sewed that project at Momma Mia’s and she mentioned she liked the fabric. Lucky for her, I had enough left overs to make her a shirt! I always feel Raglan tops, with their large wonky sleeves, lend themselves well to scraps because the bodice bodies and sleeves are often similar sized pieces. Typically, when I make a shirt that is cut on the fold, I end up with about a 15 inch offcut at the side and it goes into the scrap pile. Momma Mia needs about 15 inches to make her sleeves 🙂 So I used my left over FT for the bodice and leftover DBP for the sleeves, bands, and cuffs. Score! I used this same tan color recently on her Jessie Dress. I hope she liked the color. I think it’s pretty.
I made the XL FBA bust to a 3x waist back to an XL hip. This way, she can layer it up, wear it over leggings or just lounge around the house and be comfy. She is similar to me in this way and comfort always wins! Momma Mia is wearing a tunic length, not shortened for her height. I banded the sleeves and the bottom shirt hem. She got long sleeves, no pocket. Even though this top looks color blocked, I didn’t use the color blocked pattern option which is actually different panels for the sides.
Here are all of the options for Annabeth.
The Women’s Annabeth Top and Tunic Sweatshirt includes:
Raglan style sleeves
Solid or color-blocked options
Hidden front pocket or kangaroo pocket
Short or long sleeves that can be hemmed or finished with a band
Regular sweatshirt top length or tunic length with a lower hem in the back
Hem is finished with a band
Standard cuffs or a NEW thumbhole cuff option
Crewneck or cross over hood
Regular bodice or full bust adjustment (FBA) bodice
Sizes XXS – 5X (see the last image for yardage and size chart)
See the awesome video of all of our tester’s designs here!
The entire 5oo4 website is now 30% off!!! Time to shop, these deals are rare!
So I made this dress a few weeks ago, but hadn’t gotten the chance to photograph it. I sewed this dress up because I was going out to dinner and wanted to look nice. I know I am not the only one who decides at the last minute “I have nothing to wear.” The struggle is real, folks! Finally, I have gotten some photos and now I am writing up a blog post to share with you all and tell you how I got my look! It is sorta a hack…Sorta.
Do you know what pattern hacking is? Do you do it? Are you scared to try it? Pattern hacking can be a lot of different things. It can be as “basic” as using a pattern as a base for a new garment or as “extra” as mashing several patterns together to be your dream garment. Sometimes I love one part of a garment, but need something different for the rest of it. This is all pattern hacking and this year, I have done a lot of it. I think pattern hacking is the easiest way to fill your wardrobe with well fitting items without trying out tons of different patterns. I use to be really scared of hacking mostly because sometimes I mess up and waste good fabric. It happens! Move on and try again. Luck was on my side with this hack though…or maybe I had an insider tip…
Psst: I had an insider tip. I knew that the Gloria top bodice was a perfect fit for the EricaSkirt! The Gloria peplum in its original form is my favorite top. I wear with with leggings and boots a lot, but it is also perfect with jeans and flip flops in the summer. I love that it is fitted through the bust and has a skirt attached with a seam just above the fuller part of my belly. I prefer this look on shirt as I don’t like anything that is tight on my stomach. I love that it comes with tons of options, but I also love that it is versatile with different fabrics. I have used Liverpool, Double Brushed Poly, Interlock Twist Yarn, and even a heavier Rayon Spandex fabric.
So I printed only the FBA Front Bodice, the Back bodice, Sleeves and Neckband from the Gloria and then printed just the skirt portion of the Ericaskirt from the Mambo collection. I chose the lower neckline of the front bodice and the long sleeves with cuffs. I actually wish I would have removed another half inch from these sleeves. I used a short length for the skirt because I knew I was wearing my dress over leggings or skinny jeans.
This beautiful paisley print fabric is from Sly Fox Fabrics. I ordered it last year, I believe and I held on to it way to long. Sometimes I have a hard time actually cutting into fabric I love. I am certain I am not alone in this, but trust me, the fabric isn’t going to run out. Cut the Fabric! Make the Clothes! Wear the Fabric! This is a single brushed poly.
Assembly:
Assemble bodice as usual. Follow the pattern directions if you aren’t sure how to make a basic top. Sew front and back bodices together at the shoulder seams. Sew sleeves in on the flat. Stitch along the sleeves and body of your top. Add neckbands and arm bands. Bodice done! Now the Skirt. Stitch up the skirt side seams. Place the bodice inside the skirt matching right sides together and clip along the bottom of bodice/top of skirt. Stitch together. At this point, I have serged my entire dress. Now you can top stitch around the neck band if you prefer. Hemming your bottom skirt with finish your look nicely!
As always this blog contains affiliate links which is a small commission I earn when you make a purchase from my blog links. Thank you for helping to support my sewing.
The Laundry Day Tee from Love Notions has re-released and it is even more fantastic than the original. First off, it includes sizes 4x and 5x now. The rereleased pattern was redrafted in Love Notions newer design software. Additionally, the arm/sleeve was adjusted for a better overall fit. As a bonus, assembly directions were simplified!
During the retest, I made two versions of the Laundry Day Tee. I made the tunic version first. I have been holding on to the pastel stripes for way too long because I wanted them to be something awesome. I also only had two yards of the print and this fabric was thin, which basically meant I could make a shirt. I used nearly all of the usable fabric for this top. The design has a lot of swing to it, which I actually love. I used the short sleeve option with the scoop neckline…spring will be here soon!
My second top I made sleeveless! I did this for two reasons. I wanted to show another option for this pattern and I wanted to compared the tank to another pattern I really love. I actually like the first of both patterns, but appreciate that this under arm area is higher than the other. So this is a 100% win in my book! I have wore this silky ITY version over leggings a few times since making it. I threw a cardigan over it to make in winter work appropriate. Again, this pattern sewed up quickly and easily.
The Laundry Day Tee has been around for a good while, so I knew when the test popped up, I was on board with it! The top comes together quickly and has several of options to achieve your favorite fit!
Pattern pieces for 3 neckline styles: scoop, v-neck & cowl.
Three hem lengths: shirt, tunic & knee length dress.
Five sleeve lengths
Hi lo hem for the tunic and dress lengths
Both of garments are made from fabric I ordered from Sew Blessed.
The Laundry Day Tee is on sale for $5.00, but you can use the coupon code from the Love Notions Facebook group to get it for free!!!
As always this blog contains affiliate links, which is a small commission I earn when you make a purchase from my blog links. Thank you for helping to support my sewing.
I made the Forte Tunic back in late November when I was down with the cooties. I finally have taken photos of it and am able to share. What I didn’t know was that Love Notions was putting their entire website on sale for the new year. So before we get much farther, this awesome pattern is on sale for 30% off which makes it only $7.00!
I swear this sunset is real, even though it looks too perfectly blended and beautiful.
I sewed up View A. The gathered skirt peplum style is always a favorite of mine as I like to conceal my stomach. I did add 2 inches to the length of the bodice because I prefer a little extra coverage. I also wish I would have add an extra inch to the flounce. I used the 4x with the included FBA and graded out to the 5x. I picked the short sleeve option with the flounce. This is the scoop neck version. I love it! I love that Love Notions has recently expanded to 5x on their size chart and now I am included!!!
In other exciting news, I was recently invited to become a part of the Love Notions team as a Brand Ambassador. It always feels super amazing to be recognized in a community with literally THOUSANDS of other great options! You will see a whole lotta LN in the upcoming year because I really do like their style!
This pattern is rated for confident beginners. I love that the Love Notions team is great at explaining the options and how to sew your best garment! Here is all that is included with just this one pattern!!
Four top views:
A- gathered skirt peplum style with scoop neck
B- waterfall skirt with v-neck
C- classic tee with scoop neck
D- gathered inverted with v-neck
Two dress views: B & D
Six sleeve options to mix and match:
short with flounce
bell
gathered
plain short
plain mid-length
plain long
A full bust piece is also included for ladies with a 4-6″ high bust to full bust difference– no need to do a FBA! The Forte is fitted at the bust with plenty of ease in the waist and hips.
SequoiaLynn Sews 