Stashbusting Girl's Raglan Shirt

This summer my sewing & crafting output has taken a nosedive.  With so many personal and business demands on my time, making things for fun just hasn't been possible and, truthfully, my crafty mojo has kinda been on empty too.  Thankfully necessity stepped in and a bit of sewing finally happened!  It started with this girl's raglan top for my daughter's birthday this week.

Budget, time and uncertainty of how well store bought stuff would fit were all factors in making this top.  She's had a big growth spurt this summer & we're entering the challenging-to-please (and fit) tween zone.  Like shopping wasn't hard enough with 5 kids & Covid insanity?!?  I decided to just try to make something with what I had here.  Luckily I remembered how much she loves the wearing hand-me-down raglans I'd made for her brothers with McCalls 7379, so I knew the style & sizing would work for her.

I also lucked out with sifting through my fabric bins and re-discovered several beautiful knit prints that I'd been hoarding.  This pegasus mom & baby fabric by Znok seemed just perfect.  It's still sweet for my mommy's girl at heart, but it's a nice larger scale for older girls & the colors aren't babyish:

I only had a yard, so I needed to search my stash for a good color match for the sleeves and neckband.  I found a boucle fleece remnant left from making this dolman top for myself several years ago.  It looks a bit purple-y outdoors but it's actually more of a wine color.  

Side note: the pattern is by Seamingly Smitten.  I'm glad to not be pregnant again this fall so I can finally wear it
- I forgot how much l liked it until I saw this photo!

The color match was ideal and it was medium weight so it wasn't too heavy to pair with the lycra knit:

The only downside was the amount of stretch was a bit lacking for the neckband.  I usually use rib knit, which is ideal to fit the neck hole, but this fabric wasn't as cooperative so I had to cut a 1 inch extra piece to sew in to enlarge the band enough to fit.  It's a chunky textured fabric so you can't see the additional seams at the back and it should hide the neckband not laying as flat when it's worn.

  

I'm excited to give this and hope she like it.  Until 2 1/2 yrs ago she was my youngest, and the only girl and really liked being both those things.  Now with 2 more little ones, she's smack in the middle and entering that awkward, wanting to be like the older kids, but still wanting to be small sometimes phase.  Maybe a cozy shirt that reminds her she's still my special girl will help with this transitional time and make this age a more fun one for her ❤️    

Ultimate Summer Maxi Dress: McCalls 7405

In the 90+ degree heat this week, I've found the perfect maxi dress pattern to keep cool in: McCalls M7405 from their Learn to Sew For Fun series.  For the record, I'm always skeptical about Big 4 patterns that promise to be easy.  Either they aren't at all or it means they'll just look unflattering and be a waste of time.  This one totally surprised me by being exactly what it said!  It was totally fun to do too.  

The pattern has options for an above-the-knee length, curved mid-length hem and full maxi. Side slits and elasticized waist are other options.  Recommended fabrics are Challis, Cotton Knit, Crepe and Gauze.  Basically, fabrics with a soft drape and a bit of give.  I went with cotton knit.  I'd advise checking the length against your height before you buy the fabric.  Since I'm pretty short at 5', I only needed 2 1/4yds instead of the suggested 3 1/2yds (that's a BIG cost difference!).   

I've also got a handy introduction to my very best tips & techniques for sewing with knits HERE:

To put my own spin on the dress, I did a color blocked hem.  I used the new Dear Stella Scallop Dot knit fabric in Fossil for the main dress and the same Scallop Dot in Guava for the hem and neck drawstring for a pop of color and to coordinate with the maxi dress I designed for my daughter that used the same DS Guava knit for the shoulder ties and hem (and their coordinating Flamingoes knit in Bay blue).

Her dress was done with my new Any Size Maxi Dress tutorial: 

The Easy Any Size Maxi Dress design would totally work in an adult size too, but I'd bought this McCalls pattern at the end of last summer for just 99 cents, so I figured I should actually try it at least once.  I'm glad I did!

The drawstring neck ties in the back so it doesn't look too twee and has a stylish partial slit there to make it easier to get on.

I will say that it is necessary to either do the elasticized waist variation, make a removable waist tie like I did or wear a belt.  Otherwise this dress will look too blowy for most figures.  On the plus side, that aspect could make it a good maternity dress option.

The directions are simple, so this really is a quick sew.  I made some shortcuts to make it even easier.  When sewing knits and dealing with patterns that have fold under areas like this does in the arm area and hem, my go-to for making it frustration-free is paper backed fusible tape.  I used some 1/4 inch wide for the bodice area and 1/2 inch for the bottom hem.  

This made it very easy to double fold the thin underarm areas and also made quick work of the neck casing.  It guarantees everything stays put and is folded perfectly evenly.

I also recommend taking up the side seam under the arms a few inches (unless you have a very long torso).  My bra easily showed on the sides until I took it up 3 inches above the pattern.

The dress is SO comfortable and easy to style up just by adding a few accessories.  I also love how we've got a Mommy & Me outfit vibe going, but it's coordinated, not cutesy, since they're not exactly the same.  

For a chance to win TWO yards of each of these fun Dear Stella knit fabrics to make your own maxi dress, visit my giveaway HERE.

I was not financially compensated for this post.  I received fabric, to use as I wished, from Dear Stella.   The opinions are completely my own based on my experiences.

Easy Cardigan Making: McCalls 6996 Pattern Review

Well, despite it being February, it feels almost out of season to be showing a wintery sewing project right now.  I'm going for it anyway because this may be the coldest it'll be until next Fall at this rate.  Mainly because of the crazy warm springtime weather we've been experiencing.  It's been in the 60s & sunny, despite the normal temps for this time of year being about 30 on a good day and with a foot of snow on the ground.  I feel like I'm somehow behind on my Spring sewing...It's weird....

Anyway, I made this little number for myself and am trying to get a few wears in before it's time to break out the tank tops in March (I'm only half kidding).  I really like that it's comfy like a robe, but looks pulled together to wear out.  I also like that it's the perfect length to wear with pants or leggings.  It seems really hard to find tops that meet that target, so I figured it was worth sharing.

I used McCalls 6996, view D.  I'd tried view A first but that ended up in the donate bin because the fit was so bad.  Like unfixable bad.  I think using a less floppy fabric for D made a difference, as well as the fact that I made an XS instead of M.  McCalls sizing is whack and, in my experience, should be ignored.  I've noticed this with several of their women's patterns.  They say my measurements are a Medium and it's always MASSIVELY big.  Like I was a kid trying on mom's clothes.  I made this one in the XS and it was perfect, so moral of the story is go with what letter size you normally are and forget their numbers.  

This was made from sweater fleece - basically sweater knit with a fleece wrong side.  It's very forgiving to sew and feels cosy, so good for top layers like this cardigan.      

While I love that it's not boxy & bulky like a lot of similar shapes, making the belt is key.  It's got a flared shape so it'll make hips look larger if just worn open.  Dear McCalls, most women aren't looking for clothes to make hips look wider.

I liked that this was an easy sew - just an afternoon.  The neckband/collar was fairly simple to do and has a ruching at the nape so that it lies just right.  

The medium/heavy weight of the fabric really works with the style.  Anything lighter would tend to bunch or cling to whatever is layered underneath, but this doesn't.  

I bought the pattern on sale for 99 cents and as it doesn't take a lot of fabric, it made it pretty economical.  I think the fabric was on sale too so it cost less than $15 total.  Definitely worth making.  

Mommy & Me Leggings, a Free Pattern Find & DIY Matching Top

This winter I'm getting totally into making & wearing fun prints.  Nothing helps get rid of the dullness of the cold & clouds like putting on something that makes you feel good inside and out.  It's even better when you can do it together!

I think this may even be the first "Mommy & me" outfits I've ever made.  My daughter really likes the idea of us wearing matching things, so making them was a lot of fun and pretty quick since leggings are a simple sew.

And with a DIY'd matching top we've got a complete look going on:

I'd bought a yard and a half of this awesome reindeer cotton lycra knit when it first was released (it's Golden Dreams by Sahara Fabrics BTW).  I'd planned to make a shirt with it, but making leggings for both of us ended up being a better idea.  The combination of gold, yellow, black and white in the print means we can wear them with lots of different wintery tops and sweaters too.

To make my pair I used McCalls 6173.  They were quick to make and fit pretty well.  I just lowered the rise about 5/8 inches out of personal preference.    

Ready for the FREE pattern part?  This is where I share details on a free pattern I've found and add my experience trying it out. 

For my daughter's pair I used the Classic Leggings Pattern from Naptime Creations.  It covers sizes 18 months - 12 yrs and is super easy to use.  I've tried and bought a number of girl's legging patterns, but none was just right.  This one is ideal for the rise, fit, waistband width and, most importantly, the leg holes.  Big gold star.  I was just a couple of inches short to make hers full length, so I ended up using some of the scrap fabric to make cuffs that gave us just the right amount of length and with the busy print you can't even tell. 



At the last minute I decided a wanted to upscale the basic black long sleeved t-shirt I had for my daughter.  I searched for reindeer embroidery files and found this pretty one (it's called Inky Christmas Reindeer) that was pretty close in style to the fabric design. It stitched beautifully thanks to my new best friend, my Brother PE-770 embroidery machine.  I used gold embroidery thread to really make it really pop: 



Throw in the felt hippy hat we got her for Christmas and my little miss has a total wintertime chic look going on:

The shirt & leggings look so nice together - like an outfit I'd bought in a boutique instead of something I made myself for a lot less.  The shirt alone was only about $5 total, which makes my thrifty self proud.  I feel a DIY leggings & top addiction coming on for 2017.  And I'm planning to share all my machine embroidery know-how in a series of upcoming posts so you can do 'em too and get in on the fun!  

Fave Raglan Shirt Patterns + Spooky Cats for Halloween & Beyond!

Halloween season is usually one of my craftiest times of the year, but there barely seems time to get it all up here on the blog before the big day has passed!  I'd planned to show lots of fun photos for today, but the weather had other ideas, so I've got to settle for the few snaps I took beforehand.

With my kids getting older it's sometimes harder to do holiday sewing.  A lot of prints are too babyish or are so gender specific that I can't use it for both my sons and daughter.  And realistically, I can't see spending loads on fabric that will be in-season for about a month and then be out of season and outgrown by next year.

For Halloween this year I was determined to find my perfect fit and I think I found it.  One of my favorite places for great knit fabric, Sahara Fabrics, released this awesome Spooky Black Cat Cotton Spandex and I knew I had to buy some and make some fun shirts for the kids:

It's got the Halloween vibe, but can still be worn long after the pumpkins get put away and the solid Lime knit I also bought was a perfect match to those green cat eyes. Most importantly, it's a print both my little 7yr old daughter and older 10 and 14yr old sons can wear and enjoy:

Custom print knit fabrics like this are typically more expensive than the stuff you can get at the chain stores or bigger fabric websites, but the quality is hands down better.  I'll admit I used to only buy the cheap stuff, but it was temperamental to sew with and the weight was always super flimsy or too heavy.  Lesson learned? If you want to make nice knit clothing, get the good stuff.  I bought 1.5 yds of this fabric and, by pairing it with some less expensive green solid for my daughter's and some basic black rib knit for my guys, I was able to make 3 shirts.  I even have about 1/4yd leftover I can use to make undies or doll clothes or some other small projects, so it made it pretty economical.  

To make things easy I turned to one of my new favorite shirt patterns, McCalls 7379, which is quick to sew and really versatile for the bigger kids.  I used it to make this Harry Potter print shirt a while back too:

Fun prints look so good with the style and the cut it makes it easy to match up the sides and seams of directional prints like this one.

I drafted my daughter's smaller shirt pattern myself, modifying my previous Raglan Cowl Dress:

I just shortened the length and switched to a neck binding instead of the cowl.  Next time I'll probably cut the binding a little shorter so it stretches more and lies flatter (neckbands that stick up drive me crazy) - I've notice that's needed when not using rib knit, like I did here:



Now we've got some fun shirts that look spooktacular and will still be fun to wear the rest of the cool weather season too:)



I was not compensated for this post.  Although Sahara Fabrics is an advertiser, I purchased this knit fabric myself and was not required to review or promote this fabric or their shop.  The opinions are completely my own, based on my experience. For my complete disclosure policy, click here.