I still haven’t caught up with blogging about all the Christmas sewing projects I made. So here is the next one! I sewed up the Keeley Cardigan for my cousin, Heather. Each year for Christmas my dad’s side of the family does a family gift exchange. We draw names around Halloween and then spend a few months finding a great gift. Around that time, I had just tested the Keeley Cardigan and I loved it. I knew my cousin Heather would also.
I ordered this pretty mint green and gray sweater knit fabric from Ksews AKA The Material Girls on Facebook. I knew that Heather would love the pale green color and the softness of this fabric. If I am being honest I had to force myself not to keep it for myself and green isn’t even “my” color. It was just lovely.
I decided to make hers a midi length which is half way between both the included pattern lengths. She frequently wears her clothes in layers so it really was an easy choice. To get this length, I just printed the full length pattern and added 10 inches to the shorter length. Cut your pattern (and fabric) at this length. You will also adjust your front band length the same way. Patterns are really very easy to customize. Just think about what you want it to look like in the end, and go for it. Sometimes you will mess up, but
just move on. Why didn’t it work? How can you save it? Don’t quit!
This pattern comes together very quickly when sewn in a more basic version. I decided
to not add front pockets since this sweater knit is a lighter weight. If you are using a lighter weight knit, you could always interface at the corners of the pockets to give more support to your stitches. This pattern has an option to add buttons to the front as well.
I took a few pictures of this pattern on a mannequin before the wrapping it, and a few quick pics after gifting. I think she liked it and hope she has enjoyed wearing in all winter long!
Hi! Welcome to my stop on the Working Out with Rebecca Page Blog Tour. If you are a regular reader here at SequoiaLynn Sews, “Howdy!” If this is your first visit, “Welcome!”
You may be thinking I don’t look like the typical person who shares clothing geared towards “Working Out,” and that is ok. Exercise comes in all styles and at all levels. Some people run marathons and some people may park farther from the store to gain a few steps as they walk inside. No matter where you are in your level of fitness, you deserve super comfy clothing! Some people find yoga pants and a tank to be their happy place, while I love sweat pants and comfy shirts. Don’t worry, all week long you will see some great clothing on the blog tour! So make sure you click all the links and see what Rebecca Page has to offer you! Oh yeah, there are also prizes!!! Keep on reading, Folks!
I picked a couple patterns that you may not even associate with any type of exercise, but they are perfect for it. Outside of sewing, I am obsessed with Geocaching and I love being in the woods so these two hobbies go great together. I made an ultra comfy cozy outfit for a walk in the woods. Let’s start with the Celine Trousers.
The Celine Trousers can be made from knit or woven fabrics which is kinda awesome! In case you didn’t know, there are a lot of Rebecca Page pattern that are drafted for both. I knew I wanted to use this super soft and cozy French terry to make my pants. I had not made these pants before, but I jumped right in anyhow. I always suggest making a muslin before you cut your “good fabric,” but I didn’t have time because I am a procrastinator. If you have been a regular reader at my blog, you know that this year one of my goals is to master pants fit issues. These pants bring me one step closer. I can see a few adjustments that I want to make on my next pair, but am overall pleased with how these pants turned. I did a full belly adjustment because that seems to be one of my issues with pants fitting properly. I should have used a smaller size for the legs and used the belly adjustment to correct the fit. Next time, I will have these babies perfect! Another option that comes with the Celine Trouser is the stripe down the outer leg seams. With a lot of patterns, I am guilty of skipping the “options” because I am sometimes lazy and usually wait until the last minute to sew. I used a coordinating French Terry for this feature. I cut the stripe slightly wider than the original pattern suggestion because I wanted to be sure to have solid white stripes on the outside of my strip. I folded it in half wrong sides together (because the seam will be hidden and I didn’t want to turn the tube.) then serged the long sides together. I adjusted my tube so that there was white on stripes on the outside edges and pinned it in place covering the side seam of the pants. I stitched it in place using a lightening bolt stitch being careful not to pull or stretch my fabrics to prevent waves. These pants took me about 2 hours to make from start to finish. Not a bad evening project and so so comfy!
This plush French Terry is from Ksews AKA The Material Girls on Facebook! Honestly, Kailynn is awesome! I contacted her in a pinch last week because I was behind and I needed fabric ASAP! She shipped same day! I suggest you look her up on Facebook!!
My Paris top has already made an appearance on my blog, but it has been awhile and in a totally different context! Last time I paired the Paris Party top with the beautiful Arabella Skirt and was super adorable and dressy. Now I am wearing the SAME shirt with French Terry pants and looking oh so casual and cool! I love adding versatile pieces to my closet! I love that I can pair these two pieces together and look great, but it is still winter in Ohio and it can be cold so I always pack my Circle Cardigan in case it gets chilly!
The Circle Cardigan alone has tons of options, but as a core piece in my closet is an all purpose cardigan! I wear it with jeans and tees, over sleeveless dresses, layered over tunics and leggings. I made this one more than 2 years ago and still wear it at least once a week because it is so comfy.
I have one last staple that I need anytime I am heading out. I need a cute bag to carry all my stuff in. Extra chapstick, a bottle of water, and my hairbrush are always on board and fit perfectly into the Toiletry Bag that recently released. It is actually still on sale!! This bag was quick to make, easily customized by endless options of quilting cotton prints, and just flat out fun! This pattern also comes in a 2 larger sizes which would make room for a change of clothes and sneakers!
Be sure to check out all the bloggers Working Out with Rebecca Page:
As always this blog contains affiliate links, which is a small commission I earn when you make a purchase from my blog links. This doesn’t change the price at all for you, but gives a small amount of the pattern price to me. 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.
Here is another outfit that got lost before it got blogged. I shared with you the first time I sewed up the St. Tropez Swing pattern for Momma Mia here. She loved that one and wears it frequently. Her one complaint was that her hair would get tangled in the button at the back. I can relate and my hair is only half as long as hers. She asked if I would make her another one without a button. Actually, if I remember correctly, she asked if I could make her another one before the weekend, removing the button, so she could wear it to West Virginia in 3 days. She really is good at sneaking in rush orders. So of course, I agreed, because #Whatmommawantsmommagets.
So really the only pattern piece I needed to adjust is the back yoke. I needed to make this one solid piece of fabric thus removing the need for a button and loop closure. I took my pattern piece and added 1/2 inch to only the part that extends to the center back. Next, I used my newly altered pattern piece to cut the back yoke on the fold…TA-DA one solid piece of fabric – no need for buttons! Now you can sew your St. Tropez Swing as usual skipping all steps involved in the button closure process.
Look Ma, No buttons!
I am happy to confess that this dress took much less time than the first one I made. I think that one took like 8 hours. This one came together much quicker because I had a better idea of what I was doing and I am way more comfortable with knits. I even made my own binding tape to match this time! I sized down to a XL Bust, XXL Waist and an L hip. This made her dress a little less flowy and not as full. I wasn’t concerned about downsizing since I had already sewn this pattern once and it was a bit too big. Plus this time, I used a brushed poly knit which is more forgiving than woven.
I couldn’t let Momma Mia go on vacation without pants so I sewed up a quick pair of Molly pants from 5oo4. Remember our matching Puppy PJs? Yep! That was Molly! By changing the fabric and slimming down the legs, they no longer look like pajamas! We have really worked on dialing in a perfect fit for these and finally nailed it. She likes them fitted, but not tight. She wants them to ride high on her belly, but not have a baggy crotch. Elastic to keep them in place, but not tight elastic. Pockets because all pants should have pockets. #Whatmommawantsmommagets
Don’t forget there are children’s as well as men’s patterns, so the entire family can have new jammies! Christmas morning anyone? These are the options included with the Women’s Molly PJs.
Here is my aff link to the St. Tropez Swing top. This pattern is currently on sale 30% off with the code SALE-ABRATION. RP is celebrating the launch of their brand new website! Everything except the brand new Bra Set is on sale with this code!
The green Brushed Poly print is from Zinck’s in Berlin Ohio.
As always, I thank you for using my affiliate links. If you purchase this pattern using my link, I will receive a small thank you commission from the designer. This helps me to purchase sewing supplies and keep my blog going. Thank you.
You can follow all of my sewing adventures through the links below!
You can follow my blog by clicking the Follow button on the right side of my blog.
I was lucky enough to be a tester for the Rebecca Page Madeleine Maxi Dress. I loved the style as soon as I saw it even though I had no clue where I would actually wear it. I loved that it was a long flowing maxi dress and really loved that it had two different strap options. One of those strap options will even cover real bra straps! Thank you very much!
Madeleine comes with detailed, step by step directions which includes pictures. This pattern is fairly involved and requires some work, but it is so worth it when finished. I was able to use my serger to assemble most of the dress and it took about 8 hours from printing to hemming. Several of the techniques were new to me, but after doing them, I think it will be faster for the next one. I would really love to hack this to a shorter length for a flowy tunic to wear over leggings. Momma Mia also states she wants one.
I would rate this pattern as a confident beginner to intermediate level based on techniques that some people may not be familiar with. The directions are super helpful and if you ever need help the Rebecca Page team is always around.
I used this beautiful Double Brushed Poly that I picked up from Stitchin’ Pretties. This print is called Annella. Aqua and Orange is my favorite color combo so when you add in the pretty floral hints, I become obsessed. I am so glad I had 4 yards of this on hand! Double brushed poly really does have a wonderful drape needed for the full effect of the Grecian look. Be sure to stabilize the neckband and straps though like the instructions say! There is a lot of fabric in this dress so DBP will need the extra support of the interfacing to hold it in place.
Madeleine comes in sizes XXS to 5X. I sewed up the 5x with only height adjusting the skirt portion. I am only 5’1 so this proves that short girls can wear maxi lengths when they are fitted correctly. I hope you give this beautiful dress a try! It is pretty amazing! I also hope you tag me when you make yours. Here are the links to pick up this fabric and this pattern.
So I made this skirt last month, took photos, and hated them. Before taking the photos, I really did struggle with how to wear the two things together. The shirt I was wearing didn’t flatter my skirt at all. The proportion was wrong. My skirt was long, my shirt was long. I tried to tie it to one side, but there wasn’t enough fabric. I tried to fake tuck it by folding it up, but it looked bad. A pencil skirt really isn’t overly flattering on my body. I have odd shape for a plus size gal. I have zero hip curve and zero booty. I am round especially from the side view. I am described very much an apple shape.
According the Wiki, if you have an apple–shaped body, then your body is “top heavy,” meaning you have a wide torso, broad shoulders, and a full bust, waist, and upper back. Apple–shaped bodied women also tend to have thinner arms, legs, and hips, and tend to gain weight at their waistlines.
This sounds pretty accurate, except I also have large arms. Hence the Full Bicep Adjustment I am always harping about.
Pencil skirts can be a little tricky to wear as an apple shape. I strongly feel that curvy hips make pencil skirts look way better. Also being a little taller helps, which I am not. At 5’1, wearing shoes, I am no where near being considered tall, but it is ok. I feel that sometimes you just have to do with it.
So I ended up styling my pencil skirt with a tank top. By exposing my arms, this already feels way less stuffy. Here are two photos side by side. I am wearing the same skirt obviously, but with different styles of top. You will notice the blue top makes me look very rectangular. This isn’t a very good look for most people and definitely not the look I want. The pink tank top exposes my shoulders and arms and is also shorter in length. The shorter length helps to break my body up into proportions. Overall, the look of the tank top and pencil skirt appeals to me more. The lower neckline of the pink tank, draws attention upward, hopefully making me appear taller. Also notice where the skirt is hitting lengthwise in both photos. The blue top outfit, the skirt is landing at the widest part of my calves while in the pink top, I have hiked my skirt up a bit, exposing more leg. Again, creating the illusion of being taller. I think that also with the shorter tank top, I could also wear a longer cardigan because the tank top would still create a line of proportion and give my outfit balance.
So now that we have talked about how to wear a pencil shirt if you have an apple shape, let’s talk about this pattern. This is the Peggy Pencil Skirt from Rebecca Page. As always the size range is up to 5x. I am wearing 3x in a Liverpool fabric. There are two fit options for this skirt. I made the regular pencil skirt, but there is also a body con fit. I also made the back vent for easy when walking. There are 3 length options and I made the knee length version, not height adjusted.
The Sew Free For Summer Blog tour is winding down, but I am sharing one more pattern hack with you. I used the FREE Pillow Bed Sewing Pattern to create a Pocketed Travel Pet Bed. I am also going to walk you through inserting a zipper to create a pocket. Be sure to read all the way to the bottom to find out how you can WIN so prizes!!
I used the same size pieces that were give in the original directions, but only cut 4 backs instead of the 8 as directed. I also cut one additional piece which becomes the zipper placket. I cut it 4 inches by the 28.5 inches. I used a heavy quilting cotton for my project. Warning there are a lot of photos coming at ya! I often need a lot of pictures to help me when I am sewing something so I tried taking them step by step.
Step 1
Stitch front pieces together at the long edges to create one long piece. You can also finish the outer edges if you like. I wish I would have just for ease of not doing it later.
Step 2
You will need the extra placket piece you cut. I serged the edge to finish one side. This can 100% be done on a sewing machine with an overcast stitch or a zig zag. You can also double turn it and hem if you prefer not to see a stitched edge. I was lucky enough to find a 28 inch zipper in my stash and the color sort of matched so I went with it! Pin the zipper WRONG SIDE down to your unfinished fabric edge. This is a large zipper. With smaller zippers (on other projects) I recommend using wash away wonder tape to hold it down. Attach your zipper foot. My foot is double sided, but most are just one skinny foot. Stitch the zipper in place with a straight stitch. I butt the edge of my foot up against the actual zipper to keep my straight line. Sew slowly and it will be even. Also notice here, I have sewn over my pin. DON’T do it! It is dangerous and I have broken pins. I wanted to show you that I pinned it in place. Sew the entire length of the zipper down.
Step 3
Next flip your zipper over the fold, press and pin, then topstitch in place using a regular foot. I like to use this open toed foot when top stitching because I can run the outside edge along the zipper teeth or the inside of the ‘toe’ along the folded edge to give me something to use as my guide for straight lines. I often increase my stitch length to 3.0 when doing this. Also I usually use a thread that either blends in or complements the colors in the project. This is the same process I use for top stitching on garments also.
Step 4
Now we will attach the zipper placket into our pillow bed. I folded my placket in half along the length of it and pressed to create a memory hem to use as my reference line. I then used that pressed line and pinned it in place along the seam line where the middle two front panels are sewn together. Your pieces will be laying right side of the placket to the wrong side of the front pieces. Pin in place then stitch along the memory line and middle seam line. I stitched from the outside, so I could stitch in the ditch.
Step 5
Time to attached the second side of our zipper. Lay your project out so that the zipper placket is folded over as you will see it from the right side of your project. This will ‘point’ you to the side where you will attach the second side of the zipper. Fold that front panel piece over to your zipper half that is installed. You will now have two front panels laying right sides together. You should now see how the pocket is coming together. Lay your zipper right sides together along the edge of the front piece. Pin in place and use the zipper foot to stitch. When sewing zippers with a larger pull you may have to raise your presser foot and zip the zipper out of the way to finish stitching in place.
Step 6
Flip and top stitch in place using regular open toed foot.
You should now have a project that resembles this… Pocket (with open edges still) on the right with two unfinished pillows on the left.
Step 7
I folded under my edges and top stitched. You could also open the zipper and fold it inside out and stitch around the edges. Then turn out again. Your choice. Be aware of your zipper. You CAN’T sew through a metal zipper! Sew up to it and stop. Then jump over the zipper and begin sewing again.
STEP 8
Ok, Let’s sew the pillow backs. You basically follow the original directions here with the exception of I just top stitched my finished edges along the seam where the pocket is. I also sewed in one of my handles at this step. The other handle goes in the original place at the opposite side of the pillows. You pocket will hang freely on the front of your travel pet.
STEP 9
You can now return to the original directions and finish your bed. TA-DA!!
IN USE
When traveling, the pocket will hold toys, leashes, and treats. When laid out, it becomes a mat to set her food bowl on.
At this point, Millie was 100% over me making her ‘stay’ and ‘sit.’ She promptly took a nap on her new bed!
We will be giving away a pattern bundle of choice each day PLUS an overall grand prize of a $50 pattern credit. To stand a chance to win, all you have to do is comment on each blog, each day so stay tuned to the Rebecca Page Sewing group for updates from our bloggers!
Sometimes, I like a easy simple sew! This is totally it! This is the second stuffed animal from Rebecca Page pattern group! I followed the pattern almost completely! I made a solid pieces of dino scales for mine! I used a button for the eye and painted on a mouth. Here are some photos!
Talia Twist Top by Rebecca Page is a great addition to any closet. This is one of the newer patterns from Rebecca Page. It is a very good play off those dresses that keep popping up in my newsfeed from Zulily and other fast fashion sites. The reason this is better…You custom fit your body. Nothing makes me feel better than great fitting clothing! As a bonus, no one will be wearing the exact same item as you! You pick the prints, colors, and options!!
This was a super easy sew and not at all a fabric hog. I created my top with just over a yard of fabric. The front bodice is a double layer to enclose the seams. I used the 5x pattern and did a full bust adjustment. The FBA directions were a FREE download from the website and are easy to follow and give great results. I added 2 inches to my bust and actually wish I would have added just a bit of length as well. When I raise my arms, my top tends to drift upwards just a little. This also may be because I used French Terry instead of a more stretchy knit like Double Brushed Poly. I think I will try this top in a less stable knit before adding length. Another thing I love about this top, all of the seams are enclosed. I feel like that is something Rebecca Page is very mindful of. Neat finishes are always a bonus and the more I sew her patterns, the more I appreciate them!
Speaking of French Terry, I picked this one up from Stitchin’ Pretties! When I ordered it, I thought I would be making a pair of shorts, but this is where I ended up and I am not at all mad about it. I love that French Terry is a little bit muted or softer in its tones. I am usually all bright and bold colors, but sometimes, I just want to be calm. French Terry is calm. This is more of a dark charcoal gray then a black because of the way French terry looks. The name of this FT is Delilah. Here is the link. I love the great selection at Stitchin’ Pretties, but especially love their lightning fast shipping! Today actually marks the one-year anniversary of SP so join the Facebook group to follow all of the fun!
The Talia comes with a partner pattern. That means you can bundle it with a dress or tank as the bottom layer. This dress was drafted to be a perfect complement to the twist top. It features two length options and thin straps that can be made easily with Fold Over Elastic. It would also make the perfect night dress or tunic to layer when the weather is cold. I love when I can use a pattern a little different than its actual purpose because it allows more bang for my buck!
The Talia Twist Top Options include three sleeve lengths – short, three-quarter, and long
I am wearing the short sleeves here.
Talia Tunic and Dress Options include – Tunic and Dress Lengths
I am wearing a tank top I already had on hand.
These patterns are sizes up to 5x.
Here are all the links you need to pick up the pattern or fabric! Feel free to give one of my Rebecca Page Links a click. This helps support me as a sewist and blogger. I earn a small commission on sales that happen via my links. It doesn’t change the cost for you at all.
Another lovely skirt pattern from Rebecca Page. This one features a hi lo hem line in the front, optional pocket, and a decorative sash. The skirt is made up of 5 fabric panels which give it some extra ooommph!
I sewed my Hayley from a vintage sheet! I picked this one up at a thrift store some time ago. I actually really like using old sheets for full skirts because they have already been washed to softness, come in great prints and patterns that you aren’t likely to see someone else wearing and they tend be to cheap! This sheet has a tag in it labeled 100% muslin. Full skirts like this often take 4-5 yards of fabric in my size depending on how wide the fabric is even though I am short. That would make for 30-50 bucks worth of fabric. If I spend that on fabric, it better be on something super special that I plan to wear for a long time. Like a coat or boots or bras.
These sheets can be picked up for usually less than 5 bucks each at yard sales, flea markets and thrift stores. My aunt recently replenished my sheet stash when she cleaned out her closet! There are some fantastic prints in there and I can’t wait to show you!
Since not all height requirements are created the same, Rebecca Page doesn’t include a line marked on the pattern for this. Thankfully, there are full details for height adjusting in every Rebecca Page pattern. This one suggests splitting your pattern and the ¼ mark from the top then overlapping and redrawing the line to go shorter. J This worked well for me as I had to remove a few inches. Be sure to do this to all of the panel pieces in the pattern.
I used my serger to sew nearly my entire skirt. The serger makes it difficult to turn the corners for the pockets so I did return to my sewing machine for this. I also top stitched with my sewing machine. Even though the serger provides a neat and clean finish, I really to miss the French Seams from my Arabella. I think, in the future, I will stick to that technique.
Rebecca Page patterns are always sized to Women’s 5x which makes them inclusive to many sewists. Hayley includes a sash and pockets but they are both optional. Adding them is easy with the well written directions, but without them this sews up quickly. After cutting my fabric, I spent about 3-4 hours completing my skirt.
