Santa Fe Tops.

I recently tested Hey June's newest top, the Santa Fe top.

I made a size XL.  I measured between the XL and 1X for bust, but per pattern instructions,  I sized down.  The hip and waist measurements aren't *as* important in this pattern being it is nice and flowy.

The top is perfect in rayon blends.  This one is a rayon spandex blend, it is so soft and the drape is perfect.

There are 6 views included in the pattern, two tanks with slim straps, two tanks with wider straps and two tees with dolman sleeves and a cuff.

This is a view C with the center seams omitted, per the pattern instructions.

This is also a view C, I made it exactly per the pattern and used the center seams with the optional topstitching.

The neckband was a new to me method, and I really quite liked it.  I was a little leery of it at first, but I really love it and plan to try it on the Union next.

This is a view F, the blue doesn't have the ideal drape.  I was in a hurry and didn't really think through my fabric choice.  But I absolutely plan to try again, the sides and back are really cute on this one, though I didn't get a picture of them... oops... but since this is where I document all my makes (eventually) it is being included.

Cheyenne Tunic.

I recently helped Adrianna at Hey June test her newest pattern, the Cheyenne Tunic.  I absolutely love this pattern!

This is View A in tunic length and it was made from the final version of the pattern.  I used a nice chambray from the Gertie line at Jo-Ann, I had been holding on to it for way too long, it was time for it to be used.  The fabric worked great for the pattern.  I even found the perfect gray thread in my stash that blended in perfectly.

During testing Adrianna posted an up close shot, I think she was talking about the collar, but we all admired her perfectly straight stitching.  So the conversation of an edge stitching foot came up, I realized I had bought one probably a year ago meaning to try it on an Archer, but that Archer was never made and the foot never tried out.

I should have tried it sooner, the foot is amazeballs.

I am 5'4" and think this is the perfect length for the tunic.  I am not a leggings kind of gal, but I love wearing this with my skinny jeans.

The pattern includes a 5/8" seam allowance and has written the instructions to include french seams.  Of course the pattern can be made without FS, but seeing all these enclosed seams just makes my inner sewing nerd sing with joy.

The pattern also includes a collar with a collar stand.  This happened to be my first pattern to ever have a collar stand so I was a little intimidated, but it was so easy!

This is the shirt length and was an earlier version of the pattern.  Everything stayed the same, except an additional 2" ease was added to the hips. 

The pattern also has another view with different style collar and a partial placket, also included is a long sleeve with a placket.  I am excited to give another view/option a shot!  I love that there can be so many looks in the same pattern!  

Lanes all around.

I recently decided to get rid of all the old clothing I no longer fit or just don't like.  Why let it keep space in my closet when I don't know if I will wear them again, and let's be honest I will just keep making more.

So I cut a bunch of Lane Raglans and sewed them up.  It is really quick when you do them assembly line style. 

There isn't a lot to say about these, but since I want to document all my makes for my notes, here they are. 

This is a gorgeous Art Gallery knit as a hoodie.  

This one is cotton spandex on both fabrics.

These are both french terry.  The gray is a really light weight, so cozy.

The blue is a french terry, the arrows are a cotton spandex.

The abstract is an Art Gallery, and the blue is a french terry.  I modified the hem line to have a slight curve,  I just free handed it.

Basically I now have more than a week's worth of Lanes, if you count my previous ones.  And I actually had to stop myself from cutting out two more at the same time.  I really love the fit of this pattern.  Lucky for me raglans seem to be very 'in' lately.

Hatteras and Halifax.

 A while back I tested the Hatteras Hoodie for the oh so awesome Adrianna at Hey June.  I am just a slacker and haven't blogged them yet.

My original tester call was for the size 7 view A.  That would be for this stud.  I used a denim jegging material and for the accents used the wrong side of the fabric.

As it turns out, I probably should have made him a size 8.  That's what I get for not updating measurements more often, but I really like the slim look it gives a size down.  He wears this one most days to school, so I call that a win.  I really should make him another one...

After that was finished, I decided to try out the view B.  These two were while still in testing, so the fit was tweaked a little for the finished pattern.

I love the slight hi-lo hem on them.

This one is also view B, size 10.  Again, she wears this one all.the.time. I used the rad quilted heart knit from the doodles line at Jo-ann's, and ribbing for the neck and cuffs.

These were made with the final pattern (though before the pattern was released).  Georgie (on the left) is in one that is way too big for her chest size, but since they share and these are meant to be worn over another shirt, she gets to wear Elizabeth's size.  These are both a size 4.

 Abby loved her first one so much she demanded begged for another one.  I let her design this one herself, though I did pick to change up the direction of the stripes.  This one isn't quite as warm as the first I made for her, so it is more of an around the house rather than out in the cold mornings on the way to school.

I thought it would be fun for my niece's birthdays to make them a kitty sweater.  I have two nieces and they play most Sunday nights with the twins at Grandma's house while we visit.  One of their favorite things to do is pretend they are all cats.  I added a toy in too, since I don't want to be the weird aunt that just give clothes when they really want toys. This one is for the younger niece, in a size 3.

This one is for the older niece, in a size 5.  Iz is just about that size, so I had her model for a quick picture.

During testing, we kept pestering, begging, bugging suggesting how awesome this pattern would be in adult sizes.  And, um, it is amazing.

For my tester version of the Halifax Hoodie I sewed up a view A in a french terry from Jo-ann's.  I really love it and am so excited it is finally cold enough to wear it!

Then, last week I made a view B for me, too.  I have been dreaming of one for a while now, and it is so comfy! The mint is a french terry from Jo-ann's and the quilted knit is from Raspberry Creek Fabric.  I have worn this a ridiculous amount of times already.

Again a view B, but this time I copied a few other ladies and used this Robert Kaufman mammoth plaid for the front and a french terry for the body, again both from Raspberry Creek.  I didn't change anything to accommodate the woven since it was roomy enough in my first run through of the pattern.

There are lots more options in the Halifax, five views in all.  Also, the Hatteras includes a zipper option.

I think we may all need a few more of these soon...

Lane raglans.

I am currently in the middle of an obsession with the Hey June Lane Raglan. I love elbow length sleeves, and now that it's *sort of* transitioning in to cooler weather (read: under 100* most days) they can be worn without dying.  I can get the sleeves in just about a half yard, so I have been rummaging through my stash to see what isn't too little kiddy.  

Recently Raspberry Creek Fabrics came out with their own line of fabrics, and they are fantastic.  Diana has a facebook group and she is just the sweetest, also she has fantastic prices, great selection, great customer service and fast shipping.  No, I am not being paid or anything for saying this, I just want her to stay in business so I can buy all the fabric.

Anyways, a gal in the facebook group posted a nearly identical top (her's had a gray neckband) and I knew right then I wanted to copy her.

I love this one, I think it's my current second favorite.

This was actually my first one, I still wear it, but this is a size bigger than the rest so the neck is too big on me and can sometimes show a bra strap.  That's what I get for panicking when choosing a size.

I added a few inches to the length to make up for not doing a hem band as I was trying to quickly make this before a vacation, but it was unnecessary.  Apparently I am short, I should have remembered that.

Not much to say here... just documenting for myself, haha.  Oh, and Riley Blake knits are rad.

This one is my current favorite.  I added a sleeve cuff to this one.

On all of the shirts, I left off the hem band.  I added one to my gray and floral, but it hit me at a weird place, so I cut it off and just hemmed it.

 This is the Raspberry Creek french terry, the top shirt was the jersey.  I should have sized up on this one since this french terry doesn't have a lot of stretch, but it's just motivation to keep up on my exercising, I guess!

The only change I made, was to line the hood.

So, in conclusion, I super love this pattern.

Three new makes.

As I tend to go on streaks, it looks like this week is all about makes for me.  

First up was a Beatrix.  I was a tester for this new pattern from Rae, but up until this week had only made muslin versions.  Not wearable muslins, literally muslin.  So, knowing that I liked the way my tester pieces fit me, I used those for this version from a Cotton + Steel lawn (this stuff is glorious!).  I am pretty sure in the final version the shirt length is a little shorter.

I can see this being a hot, wrinkly mess pretty quickly.  I ironed this perfectly smooth, then picked up Sam for a minute before taking these pictures.  Meh, real life, I guess.

Next up was a Union St. Tee.  I have owned this one for forever, but for some reason the neckline intimidated me a little.  It shouldn't have, it was fairly easy.  I didn't quite nail the 'v', but I am fairly happy with this one.  I have been wearing it all day, this fabric is magical. I have no idea the content, but it is so buttery soft.  Again, from my amazeballs hardware/fabric store, pretty sure I am going back to see if they have anything else like it.  I wasn't sold on the print but I figured this would be my wearable muslin, and best part is it cost less than $8 and the print is really growing on me.

I love that there is a print shop copy included, so much nicer than taping and tracing.  I took it to my local shop, though, and the guy helping me couldn't figure out why I wasn't satisfied with the smaller paper and my 1" box measuring anything less than 1".  SMH.  Sewer's problems, amirite?

So as soon as I finished the floral one, I was cutting this one.  I literally used every last bit, hence the white neckband, there just wasn't enough left.  I even managed to cut one of the sleeves upside down, too bad for me.  I am pretty sure I will be making more of these, they are so comfy!

It's all in the details.

It's all in the details, baby, as my friend Nicole always says.  

As soon as I finished my first Gallery Tunic I started plotting my next one.  I wanted to change a few things up to give it a little different look as it would be my third gingham shirt in my closet, one RTW and the other I made.

So I decided on a larger scale for the body with a smaller gingham and a polka dot thrown in the mix.

Abby is getting better with the camera, though I am still nervous she will drop it- hence the awkward face, I was trying to give her instructions.

At first I wanted to go small gingham collar with polka dot cuffs, but on flickr Masha suggested the collar and cuffs be the same.  I liked that idea better and knowing the placket is more of a hidden or less noticeable detail, I used the polka dot there.

I used a solid black for the under collar, another hidden detail, but I like knowing it's there.

Gallery Tunic.

As soon as Liesl showed the preview of her new Gallery Tunic + Dress I knew I need it in my life- immediately.  I have a RTW shirt that is similar that I absolutely love and wear every time it is clean.  It is in a lightweight slightly textured navy gingham.  It's so comfy and easy to wear, though I am sure soon enough it will be too warm around these parts for it.  Which is also why I wanted to get on this one asap, get as much wear out of it before it turns hot- like in a week or two, ha! 

Our local fabric shop (which hilariously is also a hardware store)  has all kinds of lightweight gingham.  The selection hardly ever changes, nor does the amount of fabric on the bolts, so I sometimes wonder if I am the only one who buys it.  They have different sizes of checks and colors and way back I bought up a large assortment, because you can't beat $4 a yard, I think it may have been on sale too.  I have used the red, yellow and black for the girls in the past, and this one was intended for Abby buuuut I stole it.

I was so excited when my patterns arrived yesterday (go paper!) I got to tracing this one immediately, then life happened so I set it aside until this morning during nap time.  I completely forgot to do the FBA!  Sadly not the first time it has happened to me, and I am sure not the last.  I used a 1/4" SA around the chest to give me a little more room.  It is definitely still wearable, I just know that next time I will be doing the FBA.  In fact, I should go alter my pattern piece now...

I chose to do a contrast placket, or maybe it was chosen for me as I didn't have a big enough piece left of the check.  I didn't actually look at my yardage, I just started cutting, hoping I had enough and knowing there was still plenty at the store if I ran way too short.  Ah, keeping it real here people.  I almost wish I would have done the collar white too, but maybe I wouldn't like it if I did... I am so indecisive, but since I only had enough white out of my fabric room (aka master bedroom, aka place the baby sleeps) for the placket I left it.

It turns out it is rather hard to take a picture of your own backside, the things I do for a pattern review, ha!  So, the front and back length aren't really this drastic, it is mostly the way I am standing, though the back is longer.  Long enough to cover your bum and maybe even get away with leggings, because leggings aren't pants (right my FTF friends?;) ).  

So TL;DR, buy this pattern, it's awesome sauce.  

Recent makes for me.

I tend to get on kicks when sewing for a certain person.  No matter how hard I try to implement Nicole's rota system I just can't, and her sweet Hugo even made me a chart.  (I swear I will put it to use Hugo... someday).  So lately I have been sewing for myself. 

I made myself a few Bento Tees.  I have one more cut out and another one planned.  I added 3" to the length as I prefer my shirts longer.  This is a favorite and I have worn it quite a few times in the week it has been made.  This knit was initially ordered to make something for the twins, but once I made my first Bento (see below) I had to have this for me, no regrets.  I even eeked it out in less fabric than called for with some creative cutting.

This was my test run Bento.  I found a heathered mystery knit at a local shop that I planned to use for a Parachute Polo for one of the boys, but I decided to give it a try for me.  I love it.

This Cappuccino Tunic was made during the sew-along, though I didn't get it photographed until much later so you'll just have to believe me.  I made it in a really drapey fabric I have no idea of the content, though I wish I had paid attention to the bolt because I love it.  I forgot the FBA on this one and it is a little tight across the chest, but I still wear it occasionally.

Last night I got this crazy idea I needed a new dress to wear to church for Mother's Day.  The worst part was I had been thinking about making it all day but was trying to talk myself out of it.  Then as I was putting the kids to bed I decided it had.to.be.made.  So I did.  I made most of it last night and finished up the side seams, hem and sleeve hem this morning (yay for one o'clock church).

Mr. Sam wasn't so happy today so he got to be in the picture too.

I was worried that I would need to lengthen the dress, but I had Ben help me with the tape measure last night and saw that the finished length would likely be alright for my preferences, which was a good thing because I couldn't figure out where to lengthen the pattern and I didn't want to take the time to read through all the instructions to figure it out (because of the time crunch).

 The very first thing Georgia said to me was "Pockets mommy!  You can take my Elsa Barbie to church for me in your pockets!"  I found that pretty hilarious.  This time I remembered the FBA.  I used this fabric and absolutely love it.  I was worried about how much it might wrinkle but decided to go ahead anyways and am glad I did.  It did wrinkle some as the day went on, but not enough for me to be super annoyed.

I can't remember the last time I wore a dress.  Well, I should say a knee length dress, I did have a maxi dress I wore during my pregnancy with Sam.

Aaaand I pretty much want another one of these, it's so comfy.  It doesn't work for nursing, though (obviously).  So it's either a home dress or a short time away from home dress.

I also made two muslins of Rae's new pattern that is coming out later this month and am dying to make a real one now.  It's so cute, and the short sleeve version (with no contrasts) is such a quick sew.  I also tried the view with 3/4 sleeves and contrast hem, sleeve and placket.  But since I literally made them in muslin I am not showing those photos off, ha!  So, sorry to the rota, but I think I may put it off a little while more...

A Washi.

I knocked out two more projects for Selfish Sewing Week, though technically one was finished up today, so after the "official" week, but I still gonna count it because I am a rebel.  And it kind of wasn't totally my fault.  You see, I broke my no night sewing rule Friday night because I had made a Washi muslin earlier in the day and was dying to cut in to my good fabric.  My machine started acting up and making a weird noise but I soldiered on anyways, well... That was a bad idea.  My machine totally jammed and Ben actually had to break the needle to get my dress out of the machine. So Saturday morning my machine went to the man with the magic fixing skills. 

My sewing closet was a sad, sorry sight so I ripped it apart to clean it as Ben took my machine to town.  The guy was super awesome and got it fixed within a few hours (how's that for service?!).  I couldn't sew, though, because between Sam and putting my closet back together there just wasn't any time.  So, today I finished. 

I have had this pattern for forever, as soon as it was released in paper form I bought it up, and it sat and sat.  Now that the baby is no longer in my belly I figured it was time to try it out, so I grabbed up some random fabric in my stash and researched.  I noticed a lot of gals with, ahem, bigger chests found they needed to lower the bodice.  I first made the bodice without lowering, but adding a FBA, and it was too high, so this was my second attempt.  For reference, I added 1 1/2".  I like the fit, but I am not sure I would wear this print as it isn't really my style, but it is a nearly finished shirt- maybe I should just finish and try it out!  

So here is my "real" one.  Side note, have y'all ever felt the Art Gallery prints?  They are amazeballs!  Seriously, such a great feel and a great drape for a quilting cotton.  The lady at my local shop said they are a Pima cotton and 600 thread count.  I used one of their prints for Iz's Library Dress and just loved it, so I knew it would work well for this top.

I added 2" to the length, though I forgot to add it to my front pattern piece when I traced it so I forgot to add it on this one, hence the band at the bottom of the top going side to side instead of up and down.  I think I want to add a bit more length next time to be able to wear it with leggings.

I did a FBA using the method in the Weekend Getaway since it worked so well and was so easy when I made it last.  I can not for the life of me get the darts to not point, it is really driving me crazy. I also had that problem on the muslin.

I felt like a rockstar when I steamed the shirring lines and they shrunk right up, definitely worth the half hour it took to figure out the setting for my machine.  

   

 I used the Tova sleeves as I have seen others do.   They barely needed to be eased in, but when I used a 1/2" SA I found that it restricted my movement too much and made the top pretty much unwearable.  I unpicked (including the serged seams, that was a beast) and used 1/4" instead.  It is still a little tight, but not unwearable.

I think I need me a good kid sewing fix, they are so much easier, ha!  No muslins (for the most part) and no weird body issues that need to be taken in to account.  Plus I have a few baby gifts to make, one for a shower this weekend and one for a birth I missed making for due to Sam being itty bitty and no sewing time.  But, I have caught the bug and will start adding myself to the rotation.