Game Day Jersey – A Love Notions Sew

Recently, I was contacted by Tami from Love Notions. She was letting me know that they were looking to expand their brand sizing and asked if I was interested. Yes! I am all about companies who are trying to expand sizes and am typically willing to help! I also know that some of my FB friends sew tons of LN stuff and the end products look great! Now it is my turn!

First off the new size range is below. I stole the picture for you. 🙂

Did you notice there is a line there that says there is a full bust bodice piece included!! Yes!! One less adjustment I have to make myself! I added 1.5 inches to the bicep of this shirt.

If you are in the United States then you know it is officially Football season. The NFL kicked off on Thursday night, High school and college season is also going. This is the perfect time to sew up The Game Time Jersey from Love Notions! You could use this pattern to stitch up your teams colors and show your support while being the best dressed at the ball field. Take it up a notch and use vinyl to add names to your jersey. I don’t watch a ton of sports, but I do love a comfy shirt especially when it lends itself so well to color blocking.

Jersey Details:

*Very cool V neck style neckline. I love that it is not your typical V neck and it has this neat little overlap. In my opinion, it was way easier to sew that a regular one!*

• Scooped neck option and V neck options.
• Split bottom hem line. The back is slightly longer than the front
• Jersey Top and Dress lengths included.
• 2 sleeve lengths Short and 3/4 length. I am wearing the short one!
• Optional striped bands for sleeve details. I didn’t use them since I used a striped print
• sizes XS to 5X
• Included Full Bust Adjustment

I auditioned several fabrics for this top before finally settling on floral and stripes. I know this is a big shocker. I love this combo, I use it a lot. I used a scrap of the stripes, which is a DBP, that I used for sleeves on another shirt last year! This time I flipped it so the stripes ran vertical and got a new look.  Those stripes are from Sly Fox Fabrics and I believe they were called Mauve. My floral print has also been deep in my stash for awhile. I was saving it for something I loved. It was perfect for this jersey! I picked it up from Sew Blessed Fabrics.

Overall, I LOVE this style! It is something different than anything in my closet right now! I would feel comfortable wearing it to work or just out and about. It is clearly “Jersey” styled, but is perfect when paired with florals!

You can pick up The Game Day Jersey here while it is on sale for $2.00 off!

The pose you get when it starts raining in the middle of your photo shoot!

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.
• You can follow me on Instagram by clicking here.
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Eleanor Cardigan Hacked to a Jacket

Eleanor Cardigan to Jacket Hack

I am not the least bit sad to see Fall coming to Ohio. The temperature is bouncing between the 70’s and 80’s.  I have been hiking and geocaching mostly every weekend and enjoying the weather. It has felt wonderful to get outside and enjoy nature. The cooler temps in the mornings and evenings are already hinting towards the need for a jacket. When I was picked to sew up and share this amazing fabric I thought I wanted a fitted blazer/cardigan that I could throw on when it got cooler out, but as I got to working on it, it turned into a zip up jacket. So let me share all the info with you.

Fabric first-

This print is called Supernova and the base is Liverpool. Liverpool is a semi structured knit that is perfect for blazers, cardigans, pants, jackets, skirts, dresses and even tops! I have used Liverpool for every single one of the garments and have loved every single one of them! I like that it has a “bumpy” texture and people always want to touch it. It is considered a structured knit which makes it perfect for beginner sewists. It cuts and sews easily with either a sewing machines or a serger. I love that it doesn’t roll up or shift around when stitching it. So Supernova is from Sly Fox Fabrics. Sly Fox has a great selection of all sorts of fabrics and they ship typically within 1 business day which is hard to beat, but important to me. I love that in every single order I have placed with them, they have included a color catcher sheet for washing, a print out of exactly what I ordered, washing instructions and it’s packed neatly when I open it. Customer Service is uber important!

Now for the pattern. Eleanor is a great cardigan pattern because it is easy to sew and well drafted so it fits nicely. I planned to use it as a base for a cropped Liverpool Cardigan. I figured I would wear it over a tank top and jeans and it will look nice. I cut the pattern to my size and according to the directions. I knew I wanted a hood and I planned to line it with a solid black Liverpool. Originally, I thought I would wrap my seams with a seam tape to cover my stitches that would connect my hood to my jacket. The pattern calls for a band to finish the entire front edge from the hem to the hood. So initially I sewed my hood on with the plan to add a band. When at the last minute, I decided I was adding a zipper in place of the band, I had to make some adjustments. I seam ripped off the hood and placed both layers right sides together then serged around the front part connecting both layers and hiding the front seam. Now I reattached the hood with black thread to match the lining so it wouldn’t really show when I wear the hood down. Next came the zipper. Now had I planned this better I would have cut the length of my jacket to be a normal length of a zipper. 27 inches isn’t normal. I needed a 27 inch zipper. I did some minor fudging and I made it work while making a mental note for the next time. I added this super cute zipper pull to my jacket because some days you need a little reminder.

A quick hem of the bottom and the sleeves and some simple top stitching along the zipper and I am calling this beauty finished! I absolutely love it! Now I want to make all the jackets and sew all the zippers! Have you sewn a zipper yet? Let me know.

I love the hood lined in black!

If you have enjoyed reading my blog, please let me know. Leave me a comment and click the like button! I would be thrilled to see your comments.

Do you love this pattern too? Here is my my previous two Eleanor shares

My original one in sweater knit.

This one in light purple modal.

Here are your links.

Women’s pattern link

Children’s pattern link

And this amazing fabric is from Sly Fox Fabrics.

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.
• You can follow me on Instagram by clicking here.
• You can follow me on Facebook by clicking here.
• You can follow me on YouTube by clicking here.
• You can follow me on Pinterest by clicking here.

This blog contains affiliate links.

Diane Joggers and Sly Fox Fabrics

NEWS FLASH: I still have a major obsession with the Diane Joggers. This pair is perfection using Sly Fox Fabrics “Untamed” Techno Scuba fabric. This was my first time sewing with Techno Scuba, but I can see myself absolutely loving it! Since I am crushing so hard on it – Let’s talk about the fabric first!

Techno Scuba has a great weight to it, is easy to cut, beautifully printed, laundered well and serged up neatly. I will admit that my sewing machine didn’t love it as much as me, but I think it was because I only had ‘stretch’ needles on hand and I think a ‘ballpoint’ was needed. Anyhow, I got through it and was able to make these fabulous pants! Lucky for me, the only place I wasn’t able to serge was the stitching on my hacked pockets and hemming the pant legs. Untamed has 60% horizontal stretch, but is stable vertically. This means whatever you sew won’t “grow” while you wear it. It also means it is perfect for pants, skater skirts, and dresses.

I continue to make the Diane Joggers because I love the fit of them! If you are familiar with the Diane Joggers from 5oo4 then you know the pattern comes with patch pockets which are actually sewn on the outside of the pants. If you follow my blog, you will also know I did a pocket hack tutorial on moving those pockets to the inside. If you missed it, click here and you can read it. I think something as simple as moving the pocket from the outside to the inside help make this pants more dressy and acceptable for work. I sewed a 4x mid rise height with the fold over waist with a 2x hemmed leg. Here are all the options:

Women’s Sizes XXS – 5X plus all these options

• 3 rise heights (low/maternity, mid, and high)
• Shorts, Capri, and Long cut lengths
• 4 leg finishes – cuffed, hemmed, drawstring, or elastic
• Information for both hemming and using bands (hello no hemming!)
• 6 waistband options – Encased elastic, drawstring, Knit, Yoga Foldover, Contour, Maternity (underbelly)

My shirt is also from 5oo4. Here are the options for it. XXS-5X

• Top, Tunic, Short Dress, and Knee Length Dress Lengths
• 5 Sleeve Lengths: Sleeveless, Short, Elbow, 3/4, and Long
• Multiple Back Options: High, Low Ballerina, Racerback Insert, and Strappy Back

I feel like 5oo4 patterns is known for the endless options with each pattern! It is one of the things I love about the 5 out of 4 pattern company! I also love that they are size inclusive up to 5x and helpful when you need tips.

Let’s share some links now.

Untamed Techno Scuba is available here. Don’t forget no matter how much you order from Sly Fox Fabrics, your shipping to the US will only be $6.99 and they ship within about 1 business day!

Diane Joggers are available here.

Jessie Top, Tunic, and Dress is available here.

Hazel Top, Tunic, and Dress

Bella Sunshine Designs is back and this pattern is exceptional. I love it so much! I made two during testing and they are both perfect! I love when that happens. I made my dress version first because I wanted to wear it to a quilt show the next day. I didn’t quite make that dead line, but I finished that afternoon. I then immediately began a second one.

As always Bella Sunshine Designs is size inclusive. This means her sizes go up to a Women’s size 30 which is an upper bust and hip of 59.75 inches. This pattern comes in top, tunic, and knee length dress options to fit all of your needs. There are also multiple sleeve lengths available.

Typically, with most patterns I require a bicep adjustment, but not this pattern. This is a very roomy Dolman, even after the drawstrings are added, I still have a great flutter effect. Bonus for me because now it is even quicker to make! Dolmans always sew up sew quickly since the sleeves are cut out with the bodice. Perfect for the last minutes sewist!

First up: The Dress.

I used this stunning floral print from Sly Fox Fabrics to make my Hazel dress. They have a 30% off sale happening right now! This fabric is a very lightweight Rayon Spandex. With my height adjustment, I was able to squeeze this out of a two yard cut of fabric. I did the lower cut neckline which is pretty, but I little wider than I love. Perhaps, if I used something a little sturdier for the band it would have pulled in a bit. I used the matching fabric for the drawstrings. These I sewed narrow tubes, and turned them with a tube turner to make them easy. A bodkin made threading the tubes through the channels easy as well.

Next up: The Shirt.

I have been hoarding this stars and stripes, named Becky, print from Stitchin’ Pretties since early summer I believe. This is also a Rayon Spandex, but a heavier one than the floral print. I would compare the weight and feel to a jersey. I couldn’t decide what I wanted to make with it, until now! I know this would be perfect for a Hazel tunic. I planned to pair this tunic with dark washed jeans for a neater look.

You can pick up a copy of Hazel here Bella Sunshine Designs.

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Also today only is the $5 Sunday Sale on the Emmaline Dress from Bella Sunshine! Here is my orginal blog post review for the Emmaline Dress.

Here is the Aff. Link for you to pick it up while on super sale!

Simple Dress vs.

Chevron Dress

Before I wrap this up, let me guide you over to the House of Curves. We now have a blog that is up and running. Myself and Becky, another curvy sewist, did a review for the BSD Hazel pattern and for some extra fun, We are giving away a copy of the pattern. So go check it out here!!!

As always this post contains affiliate links.

Sheila Top

5 out of 4 has continued with their basics line. The next pattern is Sheila. Sheila is a top or dress depending on which you prefer. I sewed the dress version which turned out lovely. I love that even though this is a basic pattern it still has a few options, one of which is a full bust adjustment. Trust me, if you need one, it really is a game changer in the look and fit of your clothing. 

 

So let’s run through the options first. 

• Regular front bodice OR FBA (Full Bust Adjustment) front bodice
• Two Hem lengths: top or dress
• Three Sleeve Lengths: short, 3/4 or long
• Sizes XXS – 5XL

I sewed up the dress length with a height adjustment for my 5’1 self. I used the 4x bust with the included FBA. I graded out to the 5x waist and hips. I used the 3/4 sleeves for my dress as this fabric is heavier in weight and these colors are putting me in a Fall frame of mine.

So let’s talk about my fabric. I dug deep into my stash to get this fabric. This is a heavier weight knit, possibly an ITY. I ordered it last year from I am Sew Blessed. I love that this fabric is heavy enough that it doesn’t blow up in the wind, it isn’t see through, and is smooths things out a bit. All 3 things are good to have when making a more fitted dress.

• Check out this great highlight VIDEO of all of the Sheila testers!

You can pick up your copy of here while it is on sale. 

Also go check out 5 out of 4’s brand new website! It looks amazing, it is easy to navigate and now has a search feature!

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.
• You can follow me on Instagram by clicking here.
• You can follow me on Facebook by clicking here.
• You can follow me on YouTube by clicking here.
• You can follow me on Pinterest by clicking here.

This blog contains affiliate links.

Sleeve Hack Series #1 – Gathered Sleeves

Maggie has gotten a lot of love on my blog, but Melissa, the designer has been off living her best life for awhile. Good news though, she is back and drafting up a storm. I pulled out one of my most used Bella Sunshine Designs patterns for this series. A few months ago, I discovered that I really like tops with interesting sleeve details. I am working on putting together a series of shirt sleeve hacks to run right here, on my blog. Today, I am introducing you to my first one.

Let’s start with a reminder of the Maggie pattern. Maggie comes in a top, tunic, and dress lengths. I typically cut the tunic length as I prefer my shirts a little big longer. It comes with an included Full Bust Adjustment. There are 3 neckline options as well as 3 sleeve lengths! This version is a tunic, adjusted sleeves with a scoop neckline and pairs perfectly with leggings. I sewed a 24 bust graded to a 28 waist. Bella Sunshine Designs includes sizing up to 30.

Here are some of my previous Maggies.

Maggie Changed My Sewing Game

Filling my Spring Closet with Maggie

This fabric is a beautiful new release from Amelia Lane Designs. It is called Dulce and is on new sale as it debuts. It is a double brushed poly and the colors are absolutely beautiful. You can pick the fabric up here. ALD has great quality fabrics and a wide variety of fabric bases. Also, super fast shipping, which is what is very important to me as a customer.

Maggie sews up quickly, but since this is the kick off to my Sleeve Hack Series, we are switching it up a bit. For starters, we are creating a gathered sleeve. Basically, I am going to show you how to use elastic to draw your sleeve up and create a new look. Sometimes, even simple changes make for a big impact.  For this top, I printed the 3/4 sleeve length even though I only planned to do about an elbow length sleeve. The reason I went ahead and printed the extra length is so I didn’t have to redraft any of the arm even though I wanted a longer than short length. I measured about 2.5 inches down from the length of the short sleeve. I knew that adding the elastic would draw the sleeve up a bit and I didn’t want the sleeves to be too short.  As always with Bella Sunshine Designs, I needed a Full Bicep Adjustment. I have talked about them many times on my blog and have a little video here if you aren’t sure how to do them.

Another new thing I am trying for my blog is more videos!! I am by no means a professional, but I think this gives you a better idea of what you should do. I think a lot of the time just seeing what is happening is helpful. I have recently created a Youtube Channel for my sewing stuff so feel free to like and follow it so you don’t miss any uploads.

Here is the embedded video from my YouTube Channel. Please feel free to give me a follow and a share!

 

Easy enough, correct? I love the slightly gathered sleeve and hope you do also!

Do you need to add the Maggie top to your collection? Here are some links for ya!

• Ladies pattern. Sizes 0-30. Click here 
• Bundle includes ladies and women’s pattern. Click here
• Girls pattern. Sizes 6m – 12. Click here.

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.
• You can follow me on Instagram by clicking here.
• You can follow me on Facebook by clicking here.
• You can follow me on YouTube by clicking here.
• You can follow me on Pinterest by clicking here.

This blog contains Affiliate Links.