A Wilder Gown for Fall

Posted in Fabric Finds, Pattern Reviews by

This post is sponsored by JOANN. It may contain affiliate links but all words, reviews and opinions are my own.

Ever since The Wilder Gown was first released, it has been at the top of my to-make list. JOANN recently released this seriously gorgeous textured dark green crane fabric that is perfect for this pattern. I love the dark, moody colors with the bright contrasting cranes for a very chic, fall look.

This fabric is 100% polyester, and while I usually don’t prefer polyester fabric (like most of us), this print and texture was just too good to pass up. My only complaint is the static cling polyester fabric tends to have- but I used some static guard spray and I was good to go. Just spray some on your finished garment before wearing to eliminate any clinging.

This fabric was great to work with and has a really great thickness and weight to it. I didn’t need to line my dress, (I do have a nude skirt slip on underneath though). I personally like to wear slips under most of my dresses- hot tip to avoid lining dresses that might tend to be a little sheer in certain lighting.

Okay, now on to the wilder gown pattern. I love this dress!! It was a quick and straight forward sew. I personally enjoy using the gathering technique so overall it was an enjoyable make for me. I made the size XS and added 1″ to my bodice length and removed 1/2″ from the bottom skirt tier.

Although this dress is very voluminous, it still looks very flattering. I love the gathered neck detail with the added tie, and give me all the tiered dresses all day, everyday. This dress is a big win for my wardrobe.

The evening I took these pictures, I was headed to a Gala and the attire was black tie. I don’t really consider this to be black tie but throw on some heels and some pretty hair pins and this dress looks more formal. I’m excited to dress it down a little for church or a girls night out as well.

This is a great pattern overall, and I can’t wait to make another one. Thanks for reading along, and happy sewing!!

Cheetah Suede Pinafore Dress with JOANN

Posted in Fabric Finds, Pattern Reviews by

This post is sponsored by JOANN. It may contain affiliate links but all words, reviews and opinions are my own.

I am so excited to share this project with you all today. JOANN stores recently asked if I would make something using their brand new faux suede cheetah fabric and I thought of the Dani Pinafore Dress by Seamwork. I’ve had this pattern in my “patterns to make someday” folder and this faux suede was perfect for it. I don’t usually tend to go for animal prints so I was excited to try something new!

Upon finishing and photographing this dress, I now want all the animal print. I am thrilled with this cheetah print dress!

Now, it does look a little “loose” on me, but it’s made to be that way. This dress doesn’t have any closures so you simply pull it on over your head to put it on. For that reason, it does have a looser fit. You can always add a zipper to this pattern if you do desire a more fitted look.

I sewed up the size 0, my measurements being: Bust-33, Waist-27, Hips-35. I did add 6″ of length to the skirt pieces with no other modifications to the pattern. This dress is fully lined, and interesting to sew. (Interesting in a good way!). The suede fabric was fun to work with, and I felt so professional fully lining the inside of my dress. I used a brown lining fabric from my local JOANN store. Check out the “guts” of my dress below. I found using clips instead of pins to be SUPER handy with this fabric.

I would note that when using faux suede- make sure to use a low heat setting on your iron and lots of steam. I also used some linen fabric (cotton would work too) as a press cloth when ironing on the front side of the dress as to not leave any burn marks on my fabric.

It’s also very important to grade all of your seams really well to eliminate unnecessary bulk in your seams.

This faux suede fabric is machine washable (crazy, right!?). I did not prewash my fabric because I didn’t realize this until the project was finished. I might try testing a swatch through the wash and see how it goes. I plan to wear this to church or special occasions (like a rare fancy date night) so I’m mostly not too worried about it getting dirty.

I styled my Dani Pinafore dress with a black ready to wear turtle neck that I happened to have on hand, although I would have preferred to make the Nikko Top if time had permitted. I want to make a short sleeve turtle neck to pair with this dress for “California winters” ahead. I think this dress would also be super cute styled down with a white tee and black vans. Lots of fun style options here!

Overall, I’m obsessed with this cheetah dress! This fabric also comes in this gray color way. JOANN also has a really pretty cheetah/ leopard silky print and I think I need to go buy for a fun top for fall. Rawr, gimme all the animal print. Also, I really want this sweater from Madewell now, too. I went to the mall recently and lemme tell yah- cheetah/leopard print was evvverywhere. So there you go.

Thanks for being here and happy fall sewing everyone! Now go snag yourself some cheetah fabric!

Wide Wale Corduroy Chore Jacket

Posted in Fabric Finds, Pattern Reviews by

This post is sponsored by JOANN. It may contain affiliate links but all words, reviews and opinions are my own.

Does anyone else jump into fall mode come August? I sure do! For the past few weeks JOANN has been rolling out all of their new fall fabrics and my mind has been racing through my mental pattern catalogue trying to decide what to make with them all!

One thing my wardrobe is seriously lacking is sweaters and jackets. I’m not big on layering, and living in California I don’t need more than a light jacket most of the time. I’ve been wearing my Lonetree Jacket for the past few years and it was finally time to add a new jacket to the line up.

I have a big thing for the chore jacket trend that’s been happening lately. I love the utilitarian look, and they are a wardrobe workhorse; something I know I would wear over and over again. Queue the Julien Chore Jacket by Ready to Sew. This pattern most closely resembled what I had in mind for my jacket so I snatched it up and went to work.

I’ve also been loving the wide wale corduroy trend I noticed last winter and I freaked out when I saw it in JOANN’s new fall line up. There are so many gorgeous colors, but I went with this neutral tan color for a more minimal, laid back fall vibe. I also wanted something I would reach for over and over again and tan goes with most everything.

Okay you guys, so this fabric!!! I washed it on a normal setting, and hung it dry. I threw it in the dryer when it was just slightly still damp. When I pulled it out, it was puffy and soft and ammmazing. I was really impressed. The inside of this jacket is so soft, and it keeps me really warm for being a semi light jacket. This fabric is about 9.5 oz. in weight.

I found all of the other notions I needed for this pattern also at JOANN. I felt so happy when I found these great buttons that match this corduroy fabric almost perfectly.

This fabric has a bit of stretch to it width wise, but this wasn’t a problem for me while sewing up this jacket.

For this pattern, I sewed up a size 35. I took away 3/4″ of length. Looking back now, I still keep going back and forth on what length I would prefer. I probably could have left the pattern as is. I felt like it looked so much longer on everyone else while scouting around on Instagram. I’m am happy with this length though; I didn’t want it to be too overbearing on my small frame.

I also drafted the bottom pocket myself. I wanted to have big, square pockets like all of the traditional chore jackets I’ve been seeing. For reference, my lower pockets measured at 7.5″ wide x 10 1/4″ long including a 2″ seam allowance for the top of the pocket. I also added two breast pockets instead of one. No other modifications were made.

Paired with my jacket are these Nike sneakers, ripped 10-Inch high waist crop Madewell skinny jeans (sold out), and a Madewell Bandana.

I am so thrilled with this project, and I know it will be such a great addition to my wardrobe. I love the texture the wide wale adds to any outfit. Don’t forget to check out all of the other great colors it comes in, too! There’s a color called Atlantic Deep I was also envisioning for this jacket. You can’t go wrong!

Wishing you all the best as you begin to plan your fall sewing projects! You’re definitely going to want to take a stroll though your local JOANN for some fall sewing inspiration!

Summertime On Cloud Nine: Modal Shelby Dress with JOANN.

Posted in Fabric Finds, Pattern Reviews by

This post is sponsored by JOANN. It may contain affiliate links but all words, reviews and opinions are my own.

A few weeks ago I went into JOANN looking for some thread and saw some SERIOUSLY amazing bottom weight fabrics that had just been added to the shelves. There it was. Blue dip dye 100% modal (I can’t find this fabric online but here is the item#156501, and barcode: 1641-5648)- what summer dreams are made of; I’m telling you. It also comes in a peach and white dip dye color way too. I went home and brainstormed what I could do it with it. Kelli of True Bias’s Shelby Dress instantly came to mind- a gorgeous 90’s throw back dress/romper pattern just perfect for this fabric.


It’s just dreamy! The fabric has some great weight to it, just right for this dress. (Any heavier and it would be too heavy for this pattern). I washed and dried it, and got to work. I went with the maxi length to took away 2″ to create a midi length dress. I sewed up a size 2, and just barely took it in on the side seams, and using the regular sleeve option. I also raised the front neckline by 1″, although in retrospect I wish I would have raised it about another 1/2″or so. I get a lot of questions about how to raise neckline, this is how mine looks. First I marked 1″ above the neckline and then I redrew/blended the new neckline.

The dress came together easily and this fabric was fabulous to work with. I enjoyed sewing all of the princess seam panels together, and the bust fit was really good right out of the gate. I thought for sure it would be a little big, but I think it’s just right. I have a little extra room under the arm and side seam, but not enough that it’s too big of a problem for me. It looks looser than it really is in these photo.

This dress is so fun to wear! It’s floaty and shows of my “curves” just right. I feel like it really accentuates the body, especially mine with my lack of curves. My husband commented right away at how flattering this dress is on me. Throw on a rattan bag and some sandals or strappy heels and you’re ready for summer.

My shoes and rattan circle bag are both from Target.

My wardrobe is really lacking in good summer dresses for church and I’m so excited to add this one to the line up. Happy summer sewing!

wiksten shift dress with Telio + a sewing meet up

Posted in Fabric Finds by

Sewing meet-ups are one of my most favorite things. I love meeting with talented makers from all over and especially those I’ve been virtual friends with. Star from Wellfibre recently reached out letting me know she would be visiting California in July and was wondering if I would be in town to meet up. I instantly agreed to meet her. We’ve been friends on Instagram for a few years now, and recently started chatting through Marco Polo, so I was thrilled we would get to meet up in person.

I really love Star’s personal style, and the way she puts outfits together. I find myself constantly inspired by her makes!

A few weeks before the meet up we decided to sew something for the occasion, and agreed on the Wiksten Shift Dress. It worked out that we both had fabric in our stash that paired well together and also worked for the Fourth of July. Her lovely sister photographed us together with our dresses.

This is my first time sewing the Wiksten Shift dress pattern. Worried about how shapeless the pattern is, I sized down one size to XS. I also sewed the side seams at 5/8ths seam allowance. I made the long version and cut off about 1 1/2″ off the bottom (mostly because I couldn’t fit the pattern on my fabric).

The fabric I used is this gorgeous white with red and blue stripes rayon linen from Telio. They recently gifted this fabric to me and I’ve been waiting for the perfect project to make with it. It washes up beautifully and is a dream to work with.

I was so nervous this dress would be huge on me, but add the waist tie and it is LOVE! The design is so simple and yet just right. It’s comfortable, and also flattering. It’s also cute paired without the waist tie but for my smaller frame I feel slightly drowned without the tie.

I played with the stripes a little by cutting out the back yoke and pockets horizontally for a little contrast.

Shout out to Telio for gifting this fabric to me, and to Star’s sister, Breea, for the gorgeous photos! This was such a fun meet up which also included dinner with Elise Joy and Alina of Alina Design Co. down in San Diego.

Telio has very generously offered to give away 3 meters of this amazing fabric to one randomly chosen winner. Head over to my Instagram account to enter! Winner will be chosen this Wednesday, July 10th, at 10:00 am PDT!

JOANN Hemet Store Grand Opening

Posted in Uncategorized by

JOANN recently invited me to help celebrate their brand new store grand opening in Hemet, California. This store was implemented with JOANN’s new store design and it is beautiful! Everything is displayed and organized in such a way that you instantly feel inspired to make something. This store isn’t quite so close to home for me but it was definitely worth the visit!

I was asked to teach a class while I was visiting the store and had the pleasure to work with the Hemet store’s creator studio team (a few employees not pictured). They were so warm and welcoming, showed me around and explained some of the new features of the store. I had a lot of fun getting to know them. What a great team they have there!

Okay, first let’s talk about this stunning fabric display. Isn’t it so pretty!? I also love that they have added a mirror so you can see how the fabric looks against your skin. Genius! So necessary and helpful.

I know a lot of people feel frustrated when searching for interfacing, so I was so happy when I saw a whole aisle section devoted to just interfacing. It’s so organized and very easy to look through.

Is this the most beautiful cut bar you ever did see? It’s so sleek! Check out the updated shopping carts, too! You can also see the new Creator’s Studio in the background.

In the fabric section I noticed this fixture advertising and showcasing all of the solid linen fabric. I love how they show the fabric sewn up into a garment, and also how all of the colors are beautifully displayed. It truly makes me want to sew something up out of linen and “dress to chill”. I really like the idea of the fabric feature fixture.

I never thought a bunch of displayed zippers could make me feel so happy. How clean and fresh does this look!? It’s stocked, color coordinated and so easy to navigate. The thread and other sewing notions are also organized similarly, and it looks so nice.

Okay, so thats my quick tour of just a piece of the store and the things that really stood out to me! Like I mentioned earlier, while I was there I had the opportunity to meet with customers and teach a class. I demonstrated how to make pattern weights using washers and ribbon, and it was a hit.

(Notice how the extension cords come out of the ceiling! So handy for crafting!).

It seemed like most of the class attendees were unfamiliar with using pattern weights instead of pins, and they were excited to make some for themselves. I really enjoyed getting to know everyone that joined us for the class, asking them about their sewing backgrounds and what they enjoy making.

How fun are these!? The navy and gold star ribbon was a class favorite.

I really enjoyed talking with this woman about her sewing background. She told me all about her BERNINA sewing machine, and how she enjoys sewing for some of the young girls in her life. I also got to take some time to help her find a specific sewing pattern she was looking for. How cute is her top, too!?

I felt an excited energy there as customers explored the new store design. I noticed a lot of the customers seemed to know each other from the previous store that closed right before the new one opened. What a neat community of makers in Hemet, CA.

Thanks so much for having me, JOANN! I can’t wait to see what other new stores pop up next! If you get a chance to see the new store design, it’s definitely worth checking out!

Emerson Crop Pants + Key Largo Top with JOANN

Posted in Fabric Finds, Pattern Reviews by

This post is sponsored by JOANN. It may contain affiliate links but all words, reviews and opinions are my own.

It’s the season of linen pants and tie front tops. I’m loving all the linen stripes happening right now and what says summer more than a tie front shirt? There are so many great woven fabrics at JOANN, and these two in particular pair so nicely together!

I used JOANN’s 100% cotton Coral Stripes fabric using the Emerson Crop Pants pattern for my pants and Costal Lagoon Sea Light Wash Lyocell (#157505, bar code: 16396442) using the Key Largo Top for my shirt.

For my top, I made my suggested size and shortened the shirt by 1.5″ for a more cropped look. I also used the wrong side of my fabric for an even lighter blue color. I really love how it looks and I can’t wait to style this top in many different ways.

Now let’s talk about the pants. I cut out my fabric against the grainline so the stripes would run vertically down the leg. The original pattern for the Emerson Crop Pants includes front pleats. I used Megan Nielsen’s tutorial for removing pant pleats to achieve a flat front pant. I removed the pleats because I didn’t want to break up the vertical stripes. I sewed up a size 2 in the high waisted version.

This is what my front pant pattern piece looked like after following Megan’s tutorial for a flat front pant (ignore the blue lines):

My honest opinion about these pants? I’m not sure that this pattern works well for my frame. Maybe I need to size down, but they don’t fit quite the same as they seem to for others. There’s just a little too much fabric in the back. That being said I still love how they look in this fabric. I like the beachy, easy vibe they give and I’m still hoping to make them work in my wardrobe.

I’m excited to try styling both of these pieces together and as separates. Also, I might need to go get more of the striped coral fabric too… I keep picturing a gorgeous summer dress. So many things can be made with this fabric and I kind of need them all. I also think reversing the fabric with these patterns would be cute too. Soooo many options guys.

That’s all for now! Thanks for stopping by and happy sewing!