Pattern Review: My Relaxation Robe With Simplicity 5364

I like to keep things casual in the fashion department.  With homeschooling 3 kids and do my blog/freelance projects out of the house I wear robes A LOT.  In the morning, in the evening, when I'm cold.  I'd probably wear them out of the house if that was acceptable.  I saw girls wearing pajama pants and blankets at a coffee shop last week, so we're not that far from it these days.  

Obviously with this level of robe-wearing, they get worn out fast, so I told myself I'd make my next one.  I saw this vibrant fleece print and figured it would be cute enough to not look seasonal and the variety of colors would look ok with lots of my pajamas.    

I'd gotten this Simplicity 5364 pattern back in 2008. I'd only ever used it to make robes for my husband.  This version was one of my earliest sewing projects.  So boring!

But the pattern itself is handy.  It's one of those sized for the whole family patterns, which works well over the years as the kids grow and items need replacing, so I'm going to use it more often.  It includes pajamas pants too.  Picking the right fabric makes a big difference as you can see.

Sewing-wise, it's a good easy-win kind of project.  Simple for a beginner, a total auto-pilot relax project for anyone else.  The shape works well for all body types, and is loose enough to wear pajamas under, but doesn't look super bulky and shapeless.  That is key for us ladies:

I did narrow down the sleeves a bit, since the pattern had them being super wide, almost triangular at the ends, which wasn't a look I wanted.

I also just sewed the waist tie on at the back so I wouldn't have to fiddle with loop holes or worry about losing it:

There are nice deep pockets on both sides too:

I love that in an afternoon (with multiple interruptions) I had a fun new robe.  I've already worn it more times than I can count, so I'll need to keep my eyes open for more fun fleece or cuddle prints to make more.  Maybe one for every day of the week is a smart move...I may need to start wearing them to the coffee shop after all ;)

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!  

Free Pattern Finds: Women's Blank Slate Blank T-Shirt Pattern

To celebrate the start of summer, I'm kicking off a new feature here at Sew Can Do that I'm pretty excited about.  I'm calling it my Free Pattern Finds.  It's a simple concept - I share details on free patterns I've found in my internet travels and add my experience trying them out.  No sponsored or biased reviews, no blog tour addition that's really just an advertorial to buy a pattern.  No secret agenda, just stuff to share.  Some will be recent releases I've discovered, like today's, others will be oldies, but goodies.  Either way these are patterns that don't cost a thing, so you can go grab 'em yourself for FREE!    

Today's inaugural freebie pattern find is the Blank Slate Blank T-Shirt Pattern.  When news of it pop up in my email a couple months back, I jumped on downloading it.  I've tried a lot of knit women's shirt patterns and had mixed results, but this one looked pretty flattering.  And heaven knows I needed to thin out my knit fabric stash - why not on something I could actually use?  

Feeling like a superstar for finally using this fabric for something I'll actually wear.

I must confess, a while ago I was kind of addicted to buying knit fabric.  It got to the point where I had loads piled up, but no idea was to make with it.  So my new focus has been making things to wear to use up my knit fabric hoard.  I've been really good about not buying a bunch more patterns or fabric too.  I almost don't recognize this sensible woman who's not binging at the craft supply store on a regular basis!

Pattern details:  It's just two pieces to sew together and finishing (or not) on the edges.  It's good for jersey & interlock, as well as heavier stretch fabrics like French terry, sweatshirt and sweater knit.  Sizes XXS-3X.  It's super simple to make, which is a big plus for the busy sewing ladies out there.  30 minutes - even for a beginner.

I used this multi-hued Famous Maker Chevron Knit Olive fabric I'd bought at JoAnn Stores last year.  It was inexpensive and a fairly lightweight, drape-y jersey.  I thought the scale of the print was perfect for a top, but I'd been procrastinating cutting into it.  Waiting for the "right" pattern.  I think it totally works with the Blank T-Shirt pattern - it's airy, but still has a feminine silhouette.  It looks more stylish than a typical t-shirt.  Can be casual or dressy depending on the fabric & accessories, which is nice. 

I hemmed mine with a twin needle, but I like that you could leave the sleeves and hem unfinished if using a knit that doesn't curl much.  I also like that the neckline hits at the right spot.  So often they're too wide, show bra straps, or gape/look weird.  

My only issue, if you could even call it an issue, is finishing the neckline.  This is always my picky spot of sewing tops for myself - often that's the giveaway that it's homemade because it doesn't lay right.  This pattern has two options: the usual fold edge under or using bias tape then folding that under, then stitch down.  I used the second method and the firmness of the woven tape made it stick straight up, away from the body.  I softened it by pressing it on a tailor's ham to give it more of an inward curve.  Hopefully that'll hold after it's washed again or I'll just have to press it that way before wearing.  I think next time I'd just fold the edge under and stitch or even consider making some bias tape with knit fabric to use instead.

All in all, I think this is a good pattern and love that it sews up quick.  Even though I have the skills to sew more intricate stuff, I'm just not into fiddly sewing these days.  The Blank T-Shirt pattern definitely gets a thumbs up in my book.  Got a freebie pattern find you love? Share it in the comments so we can all try it out!


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New Fashion Patterns & 50% Off from Seamingly Smitten

The costume making season is winding down and that means one thing: more time for selfish sewing!!! I have been missing it big time, so today I'm sharing a few new patterns that are a great for whipping up stylish women's fashions in next to no time, so we can sew for ourselves a bit.  I already bought one of these and am sharing my results with it below.  And I've got a code for saving 50% off ALL pattern purchases at:

Looking for a top pattern that is ultra flattering and beyond easy to make?  Check out the new Dolman Sweater pattern.  It's asymmetrical, oversized collar gives it a stylish shape that looks great on any body type.  It's an item that can easily be worn with leggings, jeans or skirts, so it's a good go-to wardrobe addition. I L-O-V-E it!!

It's also a great way to sew up medium or heavy weight knits, pontes or sweater knits that are extra comfy.  Added bonus - there's just one pattern piece to cut out (the sleeves are built in), so this is a super quick sew!!

I couldn't resist this pattern - it seemed ideal.  Uses lots of fabrics, easy to make and looks shop made.  Usually loose fit tops look ultra baggy and shapeless on me, but this has a great fit in all the right places.  I bought & made myself one in the very same day.  I used some nubby sweatshirt fleece I had in my stash.  This looks way nicer than the boring sweatpants I'd planned to make with this fabric:  

I totally love how put-together it looks (yet it's crazy comfortable) as well as how unbelievably quick it was to make.  I made the small and only needed 1.5yds of fabric.  Despite me being a slow sewer, it only took me 90 minutes from print to finish.  I'm totally making more of these!!

And there's the Pleated Swing Dress pattern.  It features a pleated neckline, modest coverage racer back and simple straps for a flowy silhouette.  Perfect on its own in warm weather or paired up with a jacket, leggings and boots for cooler climates.  

Since you can use either drapey wovens like voile or knits like matte jersey, cotton lycra, jersey silk, peach skin or stretch lace, there are lots of fabric options.

       

Why Try Seamingly Smitten Patterns:

• Tons of detailed photos
• Easy-to-follow, step-by-step directions
• Photos for each step (no more guessing what the wording actually means!)
• Tutorial-style directions & extra tips to save time
• Sizing charts to get the right fit - including petite & tall
• Instant downloads so you can start sewing right away

For the next week you can save 50% on all Seamingly Smitten patterns by using the code SAVE50.  

It's a perfect time to stock up on some classic styles:

            

Drop Shoulder Top pattern

Yoga Pants

Or something for the kiddies:

               

Maddie Peplum Top

Belted Cargo Pants

I find I wear items I'e made with Seamingly Smitten patterns over and over, which is sign that their good additions to my pattern library. And they're always quick to sew up, which is critical when you don't get a lot of time to sew (which applies to most of us!).  Whether you're just learning to sew or have years of experience, these patterns are fun & easy to use. Check out Seamingly Smitten today and get yourself sewing for you!

I purchased the Dolman Sweater pattern myself.  Seamingly Smitten is a paying featured advertiser at Sew Can Do.  The opinions are completely my own, based on my honest experiences using & purchasing patterns from this shop. For my complete disclosure policy, click here. 

Custom Sewn Clothing, Made To Order: A Review of eShakti

I like to make clothes for myself as you can guess from the theme of my blog.  Most of the time it saves me money and it means I can get a better fit.  But on more complicated things like dresses that take yards & yards of fabric or items that have a lot of piecing or details it can be a hassle & still cost a lot.  And being just 5 feet tall, I usually have to alter the length on just about everything - whether it's self-made from a pattern or bought off the rack.  It can be a real drag. So my ears perked up when eShakti asked me to try them and I saw what they offered.  

Their clothing is different from anything else I've come across.  It's made-to-order.  You select your item and then they make it.  They offer a wide range of women's sizes (0-36), but what really caught my eye was they would custom make to your measurements and preferences.  That's right - custom made for you.  And the styles are cute and work for a wide age range.

I was really curious - was it too good to be true?  Could they truly be pretty, a perfect fit and reasonably priced? My grandpa had his suits custom made in Hong Kong back in the day, but I assumed custom clothing today would be crazy expensive so I never considered that would be an option for me.  eShakti items are all about the same price as off the rack clothes and they have sales & coupons pretty regularly to make it even cheaper.

So here's how it works.  Select your item.  This is the dress I chose: 

Then choose a standard size using your vital statistics or select custom.  I went custom because I'm so short & have non-standard proportions and I wanted to see if it really would fit me specifically.  I liked how simple the process was to custom order.  Input your measurements and height:



Then decide on any additional customizations offered, like changing the neckline, length, pockets, sleeve style, etc. Not every item has options to change every detail, but there's a lot of more choice than anywhere else I've seen.  I left the neckline and sleeves as shown, but changed the length to be above the knee.

And once you've registered and input your measurements, they'll be saved so you don't have to input them every single time.  It's also free to customize on your first item (normally $7.50 extra).  Here's how the dress I picked looks with different customizations.  I love getting so much choice - doing that much variation in my own sewing would take me ages in pattern re-drafting. 

eShakti's site says it usually takes around 18 calendar days for an item to arrive.  Since these are custom made for you & ship from India that didn't seem unreasonable to me.  I was pleasantly surprised that my dress was completed and at my door in less than two weeks. Some other reviewers were impatient about the timing, but obviously with made to order you need to plan in advance, not order right before you need it and as someone who custom sews & ships internationally this is totally normal timing.

I did need to be home to sign for my delivery, but the tracking info told me all that & when. I'd seen other reviews complaining about clothing arriving in just a mailer bag.  I'm not sure why they'd expect something fancier - most clothing I order arrives that way, but my dress arrived packaged in a trim little box inside my bag.  It also came with a free tape measure which was a nice little extra:

Ok, now the real question, how was the dress?  The cotton fabric is unbelievably soft, as is the full cotton lining and the quality is very nice.  Most importantly, the fit is great.  

It's just the right length and feels perfect at the waist, neckline and sides.  

It also came with a matching tie belt and had nice hidden pockets.  The waistline is a tiny bit high, but with a belt on it looks just as I'd hoped. I'm keeping it real here so you can see our elaborate photo staging set-up (a closet door) since it's way too snowy to attempt photos outside.  The dress got the seal of approval from the little fashion maven in the corner, so I knew it was a win.

It looks really cute with this cardigan I already had too.  I'm thrilled because it means my Easter ensemble is already sorted and ready to go so I can focus on making fun things for the kids instead:)

One thing I did notice is the items offered change frequently on the site so you should get your order in right away if you see something you really, really like.  This makes sense given that they won't know how much fabric will be used until orders come in, so they may sell out of something quickly.  I hope one day they'll offer pants in addition to their current dresses, tops, skirts & jackets.  I wear pants a lot and would be all over some that custom fit.

I definitely plan to order from eShakti again.  It was amazing to put on a dress and not have to think about what I'd need to fix to make it fit right.  It was perfect right out of the box because it was made specifically for me and that felt pretty awesome!
  

You can find out more about eShakti, & find out about their current special offers, on their Facebook, Pinterest & Twitter.



I was not financially compensated for this post .  I received the above dress, of my choosing, from eShakti to review.  The opinions are completely my own based on my experiences.