Pj Party -5 out of 4 style

Who is still sewing Christmas gifts in the 11th hour? Me! I am so far behind on sewing in general and am just struggling with the motivation to sew at all. I guess sewing with deadlines is a true motivator though because here I am making Momma Mia a new PJ house dress in time to share for the #5oo4pajamaparty. This is also 100% supportive of my motto which is “Pants are dumb.'”

I made Momma Mia a pajama dress so she can feel extra comfy while lounging around this winter. I love wearing new clothing no matter where I am actually wearing them. This is the 5 out of 4 Easy Tee that you have seen me use so many times. This is one of my favorite patterns ever and I have likely sewn it in every combination at this point. Just like almost all of the other 5oo4 patterns, this one comes loaded with options.

• Women’s Sizes XXS-5XL
• Regular, FBA (full bust adjustment) or Maternity bodices
• Top, Tunic, Short dress, and Knee Length Dress options
• Hemmed or Band hem options for the shirt and tunic
• Curved hem option that is in between the shirt and tunic lengths
• Pockets for the dress options
• Optional breast pocket
• Crew neck, scoop neck, or v-neck
• Hoods for both the crew and the scoop neck versions
• Cuffs for all sleeve lengths (sleeveless, short, 3/4, and long), including thumbhole cuffs if you want them!

I sewed the knee length dress with a few extra inches added to make it a bit longer. I used the crew neck line and the 3/4 sleeves. Plus we can’t forget the pockets for snacks. She was a bit shocked and asked if I really put pockets in her PJs. I couldn’t come up with a single reason NOT to put pockets in her PJs, so yes she has pockets in her new jams! lol

My fabric is a festive double brushed poly that was sent to me by the lovely Jessica Cee of JOT designs. When I grabbed it off the shelf, I thought it was horizontal stripes, but was kinda excited that they turned out to be vertical. PS: Horizontal stipes can be worn my any BODY!

So who else is still sewing Christmas or Holiday gifts? I know I am not alone!

If you would like to add the Easy Tee to your collection for either yourself or someone else, here is my afflink.

Easy Tee Pattern

Love Notions 40% off sale and BabyLock Giveaway!

Have you all seen the excitement over at Love Notions? The entire website (with the exception of the Arlington) is 40% off! This is a HUGE sale folks! This will be their last sitewide sale of the year and a rare sale at that! I hope you have a few minutes to go check out the site, but let me show you a few favorites.

Please consider my afflink to do your shopping. This costs you nothing, but I receive a small commission from the designer.

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Now let’s talk about the Babylock giveaway! If you are the winner, you can choose between a Babylock Brillant or a Babylock Victory. All you need to do is comment on THIS Youtube video for an entry from my site!

Here is a link to all the rules.

Afflink here. https://www.lovenotions.com/?affiliates=429

Rapports: Are they plus size friendly?

Today I am doing a little experiment. I recently had the opportunity to sew up my first rapport, which happened to be from George and Ginger. I wanted to know if they were usable for a garment for a plus size body and I am now here to share it with you.

Additionally my video will show you exactly how to install the twist neck detail and facing! Trust me, it is very easy.

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I put together a video to give you the deets and show you what I came up with.

Affiliate Links

George and Ginger Rapport Fabric

Vista Top and Dress

Lucy – Perfect Scrap Buster

I have been looking for some projects that would be perfect for using up some of my large fabric scraps. Today I am using the Lucy pattern from 5oo4 patterns. I picked this pattern because I have an assortment of long semi narrow lengths of fabric which should work well for anything with princes seams. Next photo… the scrap pile! These scraps were left over from this dress hack. I added a solid burgundy 1 yard cut to the pile.

This lovely pattern features princess seams in top, tunic, and 2 dress lengths. I sewed the scoop neck version of the tunic. I didn’t adjust for height which worked out well since I couldn’t locate any comfy pants to wear with and actually match this tunic. I made the 4x FBA graded to the 5x pattern.

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All the options included with the Lucy Pattern.

The Women’s Lucy Top and Dress includes:

• Women’s sizes XXS – 5XL
• Princess seams
• Jewel or scoop neck options
• Sleeveless, cap sleeve, short sleeve, elbow sleeve, three-quarter length sleeve, or long sleeves.
• Top, Tunic, Mini Dress and Knee Dress length options
• Optional Lace Up back

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This pattern came together super easily. I used my serger for everything but the hemming which is always nice. You can always use a zig zag stitch in your regular machine though. My sewing machine is out of the shop and I am not sure it is completely fixed. Still fighting with it at times. Ugg

To pick up the Lucy pattern, please click my affiliate link. https://5outof4.com/product/lucy-top-and-dress/?affiliates=216

More Pattern Hacking with Love Notions

So I know I just had a blog post with a similar title, but this one is a bit different. I tried out several different options when I wanted to work out a fall style hack for my Love Notions Summer Basic. For this hack I wanted to have attached sleeves and it was super easy to do. I looked through the Love Notions site and quickly picked out the Sunday Romper.

The Sunday Romper has a dolman style sleeve which means there isn’t a shoulder seam. The body of the shirt and the sleeves are a continuous pattern piece. Typically if you want to have long sleeves on a Dolman, that is a separate piece to add length. Psst: I will show you tell you how to do it!

The first step of this hack is to print your pattern for the bodice of the Sunday Romper and the Skirt of the Summer Basic. I know the Sunday Romper comes with its own skirt, but the Summer Basic has more flare at the hem. In my size there was only about a 1.5 inch of difference between the bodice and the skirt width. I just added 1.5 inches to the center of the skirt and rolled with it.

Since I was hoping for a fall winter look, I used the lower sleeve cuff from the La Bella Donna pattern to lengthen! Just make sure your Dolman sleeve is the same width as your sleeve extension. Instant Long Sleeves!

Cut your pattern pieces in your favorite fabric! I used Darcey from Stitchin’ Pretties. This is an Alpaca Sweater knit and it is the softest fabric ever. I think I just sat wrapped up in it the entire time I planning this dress. The website notes this should be hand washed and dried flat or on low. I didn’t see those directions and washed in cold and dried for 50mins on normal heat. I didn’t notice anything weird, but I suggest following directions. Don’t forget this fabric is included in the buy 2 yards get 1 bonus yard free. 🙂 I love love love this deal!

All The Links – Afflinks for patterns

Fabric – https://stitchinpretties.com/collections/sweater-knit/products/darcey-alpaca-sweater-knit

Summer Basic – https://www.lovenotions.com/product/summer-basics-tank-dress?affiliates=429

La Bella Donna – https://www.lovenotions.com/product/ladies-la-bella-donna-top-tunic/?affiliates=429

Sunday Romper – https://www.lovenotions.com/product/sunday-romper-ladies/?affiliates=429

Pattern Hacking at Love Notions

Hi Friends! I recently did a super exciting hack over at Love Notions on how to turn the Summer Basics Tank/Dress into a fall favorite! I loved the OG and the new version! If you want to check my blog post, it is here.

I love this outfit so much. My fabrics are from Stitchin’ Pretties. Their buy 2 yards, get a bonus coordinating fabric sale continues!

Loriellen is here – it is the amazing animal print

Sabrina is here – it is the black Jacquard eyelet

Since I was feeling really extra, I also made a video. I will teach you how to change the skirt from a normal skirt to a lapped tulip hem, add picot to give it a pretty finish, and sew the entire dress. This was really fun! Here is the video link.

While there, please show me some love by liking and subscribing to my channel!

Whitney is here – It is the blue floral

Ok Let’s talk pattern links

Summer Basic

Sloane Sweater

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A little bit of Monica in my Life

Next up, I am sharing Monica! This is my third skirt from the collection and perhaps it is my favorite! I love the pleated detailing on Monica. It gives a wonderful fullness to the skirt without added bulk and shockingly, I find pleating way easier than gathering. Plus with pleats, everything is even because the marking is included in the pattern. No fussing with adjusting gathers. Monica, like all of the other skirts in this collection, features a high rise waist and sews up fairly quickly and easily. All of the options in this collection are interchangeable. That includes pockets, waist bands, and suspenders.

I chose the mini length of Monica. I height adjusted 2 inches for my 5’1 frame and my skirt hits just at the top of my knee. I already have plans to make this as a maxi length. It is so pretty and very comfortable! I added the waist ties and made a bow at my hip. I also added in seam pockets because I don’t understand why people don’t want pockets in their clothing. 🙂

Here are all the options for Monica!

• Three Hem Lengths: Mini, Knee and Maxi
• Options include Waist ties and Side Seam Pockets
• Four Waistbands: Basic, Tall, Encased Elastic and Contour
• Tutorial includes a link to an extensive Skirt Fitting Guide to get your best fit!
• Women’s Sizes XXS-5XL (see the last image for yardage and size chart)

This skirt pattern requires a stable knit so of course I had to use some of my precious Liverpool. I chose this vibrant hot pink background print for my skirt! I love the brightness of the colors. Even though it is fall here, I still need bright colors! This beautiful Liverpool is from Zinck’s in Berlin. I picked it up early in the summer and I have been hoarding it for awhile. I thought I would make a blazer with it,  but it makes a perfect skirt! Don’t worry, I still have plenty left for a cropped jacket!

Remember this top from Monday’s post when I said I would be sharing it later in the week? Yeap, another Easy Tee with a slight hack. Only a slight adjustment was made here. I cut the pattern at the scoop neckline and only added a band to the “scooped out” part in front. I then cut the neckband length for the crew neck shirt option and attached it like binding instead of bands. This allowed me to tuck the raw edges inside and then top stitch them in place. Now that I know how this fits, I would change a few things. 1. Start the bonus neckband a little lower so it isn’t right against my throat. 2. Maybe add some sort of stabilizer in the band to keep it from being sooo stretchy. and 3. Do better about top stitching. This beautiful Royal Blue Fabric is from Stitchin’ Pretties! It is a double brushed poly and is a dream to sew with! As a reminder, Stitchin’ Pretties ships within ONE BUSINESS DAY!!

Are you ready to shop now?

Here is the link to buy the pattern for only $25 bucks for the entire (savings of around $14) collection!

If you want only Monica, here is the link. $7.95

If you want only Rita, here is the link. $7.95

If you want only Tina, here is the link. $7.95

If you want to the Easy Tee, here is the link.  $9.95

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.

 As always this blog contains affiliate links which is a small commission I earn when you make a purchase from my blog.

St. Tropez Hack and a 30% off sale!

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.

• Short or Long Sleeve Top lengths
• Optional Long Sleeve Cuffs
• Shorts or Pants Lengths
• Knit Waistband or Elastic Waistband
• Optional Pants Cuffs
• Optional Bum Panel to show off your creativeness

Here is my aff link to the women’s Molly PJ set!

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.

The blue solid Brushed Poly is from Sly Fox Fabrics.

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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.
• You can follow me on Instagram by clicking here.
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This blog contains affiliate links.

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.
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This blog contains affiliate links.

Agility Tank and Dress

Did you know that one of 5 out of 4’s most popular patterns is the Agility Tank? Did you know the Agility tank just expanded its size range? Yep, now it comes in sizes up to 5x which matches the size range of newer 5 out of 4 designs.

For testing, I made my first ever sports bra. I have only purchased one sports bra in my entire adult life and that was because I needed a racer back to wear with a shirt on my blog. I hated it BTW. I don’t like sports bras for general everyday wear because I require a lot of support in the bust area. I ordered some mesh to sew into my bra, but as it turns out all mesh is not created equal. The mesh I received was more of a mesh overlay compared to a supportive mesh even though it was labeled power mesh. If you order mesh for sports bra use, please make sure it is the sturdy stuff.

So let’s talk about my tank dress with built in bra. I used a heavier cotton lycra for the bra portion and added the clear elastic through the straps and neckband as the pattern recommended. This did help somewhat with support, but again a strong power mesh would have helped more. I also did a little height adjusting. I removed 1 inch from the back racer before attaching the back T to the back bra strap. I also removed 1 inch from the front straps to help hold things up and in. My overlay dress fabric it a rayon spandex, I believe. I picked this up on a garage sale table at my quilt guild meeting last month, but I know it is from Joann’s because I have used it before! I loved it then and now. It is super soft, like the softest fabric ever and the colors are so vibrant! Loving that my cone flowers and phlox are blooming!

I made the 4x graded to a 5x as usual with 5 out of 4 patterns. I chose to make the Racer T back style but you could make the strappy option if you prefer. I also choose to make a dress, but you could do just a bra option or a top length. I removed 2 inches from the skirt to adjust for my height. It is still a little longer than the designer intended as it should hit mid knee. I just did a regular hem, but you could choose bands or drawstrings. So many options. I always say that is why I love 5 out of 4.

So here are all the options…

THE WOMEN’S AGILITY TANK INCLUDES:

• T-back sports bra
• Strappy back sports bra
• T-back or strappy back overlay tank with a drawstring or banded hem
• T-back or strappy back tankini overlay (lower cut sides, so skin shows beneath bra)
• T-back or strappy back overlay dress
• Every option can be made with nursing access!
• Maternity pattern pieces

While putting together this tank, I made a video for my readers. This time I am showing you how to use the Stitch in the Ditch foot to neatly hide top stitching lines. Since I am doing this on a sports bra, there isn’t a lot of room to do top stitching so I decided I wanted to hide my stitches. I used a straight stitch slightly lengthen to do this. Here is the embedded clip.

Thanks for watching!

Do you want to give the Agility tank a try? This is the link to the pattern so you can pick it up while it is on sale!!!

This is my affiliate link! I think you for supporting my sewing!

Have you checked 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.