Inspiration...A-Line Midi Skirt

 It is time to start looking toward fall and winter wardrobe considerations.  Here is a cute little skirt:

This is the Check Wool A-Line Mid Skirt by Akris Punto. Price tag: $775.00.  Details:  Stretch wool, high waist, angled side slant pockets, a-line silhouette, hem falls below the knee, walking vent front, invisible side zipper, lined, dry clean only.

This would be a great day-to-day skirt but not the dry clean only label.  Here is my first thought for a pattern:

This is the Merchant & Mills The Penna pdf pattern.  It is a very simplified version of the inspiration photo.  It is more of an a-line with a front slit and side seam pockets.  A perfect little pattern. Honestly, if you are interested in a closer representation, then you need to look more toward older patterns.

Hope you are inspired to create something wonderful. 

Happy Stitching!

Inspiration...Denim Jacket

I am looking toward fall/winter wardrobe planning.  I always plan more than I can execute.  Here is a great denim jacket:

 This is the Three Pocket Cotton Denim Jacket by Lafayette 148 New York.  Price tag: $1,298.00.  Details:  22-inches from shoulder to hem, notched lapels, button front closure, long sleeves approximately 32 1/2-inches long, front patch pockets, relaxed fit, cotton, dry clean only.

Yes, it is a cute jacket and well worth duplicating.  I suspect a jacket like this would be worn a lot.  Here is a look at the jacket on a model with matching jeans:

This gives you an idea of the of proportions and what it would look like as a two piece set.  Here is a pattern that gives a similar look: 

This is the Merchant & Miles The Ottoline.  This pattern might be a little more casual than the inspiration photo but maybe it is just techniques used to make it.

Hope you are inspired to create something beautiful. 

Happy Stitching!

Inspiration...Straight Skirt

A good day-to-day skirt is wonderful in the wardrobe and this skirt could be year round depending on the fabric chosen.  He is a glimpse:

Skirt in Navy Blue Cotton-Hemp Herringbone Canvas with Caramel Stripes by Jacon Cohen.  Price tag: $690.00.  Details:  5 pocket midi skirt.

Here is another version:

This is the Midi Skirt in Caramel Suede by Jacob Cohen.  Price tag: $1,350.00.  Details:  5 pocket style,  knee-length pencil skirt, ultra-soft suede leather, flat snap buttons in leather, slit front and back. 

Same skirt pattern with different fabrics.  The descriptions are slightly different but I zoomed in on the denim skirt on the Jacob Cohen website and it has a back slit as well.    You know that I have the perfect pattern:

This is the Merchant & Mills Clementine Skirt.  It is almost a perfect duplicate of the inspiration pattern.  What's missing?  That front slit.  How easy is that feature to duplicate?  If you already have a similar pattern fitted or not, use it.  Save that money for the fabric.  Of course, you the stash before purchasing fabric as well.

I know you are thinking about fabric now.  Cali Fabrics has the Jacob Cohen denim is stock.  Kiki Textiles (affiliate) has a faux suede that would be perfect for this skirt.  (PS...here is a code for 10% off DARLAELSKEN)

Hope you are inspired to create something wonderful.

I am an affiliate of Kiki Textiles.  If you purchase via one of my links, I will receive a small commission.  Thank you!

Happy Stitching!

Inspiration...Bib-Detail Dress

 This dress is a very casual every day sort of dress.  I fell in love with it:

This is the Bib-Detailed Dress from Poetry.  Price tag: $278.00.  Details:  100% linen, machine wash, long-line relaxed silhouette, collar and stand, bib-detail with placket and pleat, full length sleeves with gathers into cuffs, cuffs with single-button fastening, pockets at the side seams, back yoke with gathering.   

I really want this dress.  However, I am a little leary of what I might have to pay in tariffs.  This makes duplication my best bet.  I looked high and low for a pattern and finally found this one:

This is The Niven dress/shirt pattern from Merchant & Mills.  Folks it is almost identical to the inspiration photo.  I will need to figure out the collar and straighten the hem.  That is pretty good for locating a similar pattern.  I do not have linen hanging around in the stash but I do have some light weight denim.  I purchased it with the intentions of making a shirt dress.  

Hope you are inspired to create something wonderful. 

Happy Stitching!

Another Pattern...

 Yes, I have added another new pattern to the pattern collection.  Here is the line drawings:

This is the Merchant & Mills The Niven.  It is a classic shirt dress or  shirt featuring a bib, granddad collar, cuffed sleeves, and side pockets. It has a very generous amount of ease.  It will take a bit to figure out a size that I am willing to use.  

Honestly, I am going to need a lot of luck to get this one accomplished this year.  I think I have the perfect hiding in the stash. Using a stash fabric would definitely be a win-win.

Happy Stitching!

Inspiration..Collared Dress

 This collared dress has vintage feel because of the sleeves.  I have not seen a dress pattern with this feature in a long time.  Here is the dress:

This is the Collared Silk-Linen Midi Dress by Lafayette 148 New York. Price tag: $998.00. Details:  Pick-stitch detailing, center front seam, approximately 48 1/2-inches from shoulder to hem, stand collar, short sleeves, hem fails below knee, a-line silhouette, slip over style, silk/linen, unlined, dry clean.

Folks, I love this dress style.  It is the perfect dress for a long, hot summer day.  Unfortunately, I can not find a perfect pattern match.  Here is a couple of dresses that I thought might give you the general feel of this dress:

This is Vogue 1777.  This is a loose-fitting, partially lined dress with dropped shoulders, short sleeves with turn back cuffs, bust darts, waist pleats, welt pockets.  This dress pattern gives you the collar and the loose feel of the inspiration dress.

This is the Merchant and Mills Factory Dress.  This is a slip over dress with cuffed shorts sleeves, and pockets.  With this pattern, I think you could length the top pattern into dress.  This would give you the center front seam, the collar, and the fullness of the inspiration photo.

I think this would be wonderful in a blue gray linen/cotton blend.  Hope you are inspired to create something wonderful. 

Happy Stitching!

Go To Patterns...

 Do you have go to patterns that seem to always be in rotation?  I seem to have collected a few.  Here are my favorites:

1.  Liesl & Co Classic Shirt pattern. The hard part was fitting this pattern.  Once the fitting was accomplished, I have made a couple of long shirted shirts and a popover dress.  I need to make a couple of shirts for warm weather.  

2.  Fabrics-store.com Phoebe Tank.  This is a freebie for registered people.  Once the fitting is finished, you have a great warm weather top.  I have made at least seven of this tanks.  It really is time to mix up a little bit by making some minor changes.  Every time I make new tanks, I evaluate the fit and make tweaks.

3.  Pamela's Patterns The Magic Pencil Skirt.  Oh, this one is a quickie.  Need a skirt in a flash?  This one is it as long as it is a stretch fabric.  I have at least four versions of this and one is hand sewn in the Alabama Chanin style.

4.  Love Notions Allegro Bottoms.  This is another quickie once it is fitted. I've made at least four pairs of pants and one skirt.  No doubt, there will be more in the future.

5.  Merchant & Mills Camber Set.  I purchased this pattern to make the top but have yet to do it.  However, the dress is wonderful.  I have three versions and love them all but the linen one is my favorite.  Maybe next year the top will get made.

I am still looking for a good t-shirt pattern, a blazer jacket pattern, trousers, woven tops that are different from the classic shirt and the tank.  

What are your favorite patterns?  Are they quick items to make or are they a classic pattern for you?

Happy Stitching!

Inspiration...Vest

 I have been hearing a lot about a vest being the thing for fall.  For inspiration photos, go to neiman marcus website and search for vest.  There are just too many variations.  Here are a few patterns to consider:

1.  Butterick - 6901 and 6902 - These are Lisette patterns and also include shorts/pants.  

2.  Merchant & Mills  - The Billy - This is a unisex pattern.  

3.  Venturing to the Simplicity website and searching for vests will result in a large variety of vest styles for the entire family.

4. Style Arc has a variety of vest patterns.

I think that might be a nice start to look for a vest of some sort.  I am going to go through my 100s of patterns and see what may or may not be stashed in there.  Maybe I will find a vest and some fabric.  A vest should be a quick and easy item to stitch up for an up to date look.

Happy Stitching!

A Look Back At 2023 Sewing...

 As I look back at my sewing for 2023, I found that I did not do much sewing.  My sewjo really took at vacation.  It did slow down my purchasing both fabric and patterns. Here is what I found:

Most sewn patterns:

1.  Fabrics-store dot com Phoebe Tank.  This is easily the most sewn pattern I have ever owned and it was free.  

2.  Love Notions Allegro Bottoms.  This is a great elastic waist pant pattern with pockets.

3.  Liesl & Co Classic Shirt pattern.  This is a great basic.  Designer has tons of information on the website about this pattern.  Definitely will change over to short sleeves for spring.

Most loved patterns:

1.  Merchant & Mills The Camber Set.  I have made this dress multiple times.  Quick and easy.  The dress that I made this year with it was a linen blend.  The linen was definite perfect for the pattern.

2.  Itch to Stitch Taroko Skirt.  This is another great basic.  This is not as quick and easy as item 1 but still a good one. 

Most disliked item that I made:

1.  Blue-gray Phoebe tank.  Not sure why I did not love this top.  I thought for sure that I would love this but the fabric was a little different with this one and I just did not find myself reaching for it very often. In fact, everything else had to be dirty for me to even considerate it.  

2023 Sewing Reflection:

I realized that I did not do as much non-apparel sewing as I had intended in 2023.  As much as I love sewing apparel, other things are more creative. Maybe that was what caused the sewjo vacation.  I also realize that I did not come close to accomplishing my list of goals that I made for 2023.   All I can do is keep trying.

How did your 2023 sewing end up for you?  Were you happy with what you accomplished?  

Happy Stitching!

Inspiration...Linen Dress

 I do love a good dress and wear them almost exclusively when it is hot.  This is dress is pretty good for the spring and fall.

This is the Heathered Elbow-Sleeve Midi Dress by Lafayette 148 New York.  Price tag: $898.00.  Details:  length approximately 49-inches from shoulder to hem, v neck with spread collar, elbow length sleeves, hem falls below the knee, shift silhouette, pullover style, linen, unlined.  For refer, the model is 5'10". 

Even though I stated spring and fall above, this might be a good hot weather dress as well because of the fit.  My first thought for a pattern was this one:

This is the just released Amarena Dress pattern by Liesl & Co.  It is not exactly the same but it has the same feel.  You can also make a top with this pattern.

To get a little closer to the inspiration photo, you might consider this pattern:

This is the Merchant & Mills Factory Dress pdf pattern.  This pattern has the collar of the inspiration.  I would think that removing the skirt portion and lengthening the bodice would be a pretty good likeness to the inspiration photo.  

It all depends on how you interpret the inspiration photo.  Sometimes small changes to a pattern can make it seem completely different.  Hope you are inspired to create something wonderful.

Happy Sewing!

Inspiration...Pintuck Linen Popover Dress

 There is nothing better on a hot summer than a loose fitting dress.  This dress is just that:

This is the vintage Linen Pintuck Popover Dress by Lafayette 148 New York.  Price tag: $998.00.  Details:  relaxed silhouette, jewel neckline, dolman above elbow sleeve, cuffed sleeve, button-loop half placket, seam pockets, pintuck and ladder stitch detail, shirring at side waist cutline, below knee length, semi-sheer, 100% linen, machine wash cold or dry-clean. Here is a close-up of the top:

Close-up of the pintucks, the entredeux, and the button placket.  I love seeing thiese heirloom techniques on modern dresses cause we can do it too.  The pintucks and entredeux is also on the back.  

If I was making this, I would make the center panels, button placket (front only), and then stitch the entredeux.  I am not sure if I would keep the dolman sleeve.  The dolman sleeve would make it easier to sew if you had a pattern with those details.  Of course, you could make the pattern have those details by cutting on the sleeve but there could be more to it than simple aligning the sleeve with the body of the pattern.  

I would be tempted to change up a pattern that I have used a few times. 

This is The Camber Set by Merchant & Mills.  The dress would need some minor changes to get it to look like inspiration dress.  First, you would need to decide whether or not to keep the dolman sleeve.  Here's a tutorial for changing to a dolman sleeve.  Here is a video to get the loop button placket started. Looks easy.  Next, I would split the dress starting at the mid-shoulder to the hem using the fold as a straight edge.  The fabric for the center panel will depend on how many tucks you want and how deep.  

Hope you are inspired.

Happy Stitching!

Merchant & Mills Camber Set Dress...

 So, I planned this project almost two years ago.  Here is the original fabric order post. Here is the fabric:

This is a linen/cotton blend which should be very nice for the hot weather.  This fabric has an interesting selvage and I am thinking about applying it somehow.  Here is the selvage:

For the pattern - Merchant & Mills Camber Set:

I have made this dress twice before (Version 1 and Version 2) and love it but realize that it is a little big for me through the shoulders.  I have modified the pattern using the tutorial at Helen's Closet and removed 5/8-inch from the shoulder.  Here is the results:

Sorry for the hanger picture but the photographer is away.  This pattern has become one of my most used patterns.  I really should do a complete refit on it is a little bit big but still very comfy.  As you can seen I chickened out on used the selvage edge on the dress.  

Happy Stitching!

Camera man returned.  Here's a picture with me:

Inspiration...Camp Shirt

 This shirt is heading toward early to late fall (at least in my area) with the elbow length sleeves.

This is the Elbow-Sleeve Cotton Camp Shirt by Lafayette 148 New York.  Price tag: $598.00.  Details:  approximately 25 1/2- inches long, point collar, partial hidden button front, elbow sleeves, back yoke, side slit hem, relaxed fit, pull-over style, unlined, topstitching detail.  

There are several things that I like about the top - it's woven, relaxed fit, pull over styling, elbow length sleeve, topstitching detail.  I came up with three different patterns that kinda give you the same feel:

This is the Merchant & Mills The Factory Dress pattern.  Did you know that there is a top tutorial?  Check it out here.  You do not get the button band with this one but if you have the dress fitted why not make a top?  Lengthen the sleeves is fairly easy change to make.

This is the Liesl & Co Galley Tunic + Dress pattern.  This gives you a pleat on the front.  No doubt you can figure out how to remove the pleat, if you do not want it.  Use the one-piece collar instead of the collar stand, shorten the sleeves, and maybe shorten the length.  It also appears  a little more fitted than the inspiration phot through the shoulder area.

This is the line drawing for the Donny Shirt pattery by Friday Pattern Co.  It has the pull-over styling and the relaxed fit.  The collar is different. To me, the general feel is the same.  You might need to lengthen the sleeve.

I have given you lots to think about today.  Hope you are inspired to create something wonderful.

Happy Stitching!

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions...

 I am having such a hard time deciding what to do next in my sewing list.  Usually, I just move from one project to the next happily.  Unless I have made the pattern before, there is always a muslin of some sort.  Here is the projects the I am pondering:

This dress pattern with the following fabric:

The pattern is already fitted kinda.  There may need to be some tweaks.  The only decision is to line or not.  Since this is a stretch fabric, I may not line it but I will definitely do the one piece facing.  Next item:

This is the  Taroko Skirt pdf pattern by Itch to Stitch.  I found a piece of khaki fabric that I think will work.  Stash reduction is always good, right?  Then there is this skirt:

This is the Merchant & Mills Clementine Skirt and I am planning this fabric:

The next project that I am considering is this dress:

with this fabric:

This pattern needs to be refitted as I misplaced the fitted pattern and the pattern which resulted in my finally repurchasing the pattern.  Then this pattern:

with this fabric:

 This pattern needs to be refitted as well.  

Folks, there is more planned projects.  I need to quit planning new projects and work on the projects that I already have planned.  I think you can see my dilemma.  It is just so hard to chose.  I want all of these projects.  All patterns need fitted.  One needs minor changes.  Guess I will pick one and go.  You will see what I picked soon.

I am an Itch to Stitch affiliate.  Should you purchase anything from the provided links, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you.  Thank you.

Happy Stitching!

More Purchases...

 Even though my stash is overflowing, I just can not resist a sale at The Confident Stitch.  Through March 25, 2023 there is a 20% off sale.  I took advantage and purchased a couple of things.  Here they are:

I purchased another copy of the Merchant & Mills Factory Dress.  I have looked and looked for the copy that I had fitted but it seems to be lost.  I have continued to purchase fabric to make more dresses so it was time to purchase the pattern again.  This is a great dress pattern.  Perfect for hot summer days and can be embellished.  You can see the one I made here.

This is the Liesl & Co Hollywood Trousers pattern.  I have been wanting a pair of denim trousers and this is perfect.  On the Oliver & S blog, there are various tutorials.  Different look, same pattern.  I hope this pattern will get a lot of use.

I got 2 1/4 yards of the Essex Speckled Linen in Dolphin.  My intentions is to make a Merchant & Mills Clementine Skirt.    I have denim to make the skirt already so I think I will get it fitted and make two skirts.  

I have gotten really good at the planning stage and not so good at the follow through on the projects.  I am working very hard at correcting that issue.  We will see how long it takes me to get there.

Some of the links on this page are affiliate links.  I am an affiliate of The Confident Stitch.  Any purchases through these links would result in a small commission at no cost to you.  Thank you!

Happy Stitching!

Inspiration...Chore Jacket

 A new jacket for spring sounds good to me.  This jacket is a typical chore style jacket.  I really think it is the fabric that drew me to it.

This is the Boden Chore Jacket.  Price tag: $160.00.  Details:  100% cotton, semi-fitted shape, length ends at high hip, front patch pockets, full length sleeve, and button fastening at cuff.

Here is the line drawings of a pattern that I think would be perfect:

This is the Merchant & Mills The Ottoline pattern.  There are differences between the inspiration photo and the pattern.  I think that the Merchant & Mills pattern are very well drafted.  It is the fabric that needs to be located.  

Links on this page are affiliate links.  Should you use one of the affiliate links to make a purchase, I would receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you!

Happy Stitching!

A Look Back...2022 Sewing Winners

 The year of 2022 was incredibly busy which limited my sewing a little bit.  I did manage to finish one long term ufo - a quilt:

There are multiple posts on the blog regarding this quilt.  You can read a little about it here.  

Just a blurb - some of the links may take you to pages that contain affiliate links.  If you purchase anything through these links, I will get a small commission.  Thank you!

Now, I'm going to say that most of things that I stitched this year were winners but not everything.  Here are the winners:

This Merchant & Mills Camber Set Dress was a winner.  It was worn weekly after it was made.  You can read about it here.  I think I need a couple of tops made with this pattern as well.

This Itch to Stitch Celeste Dress is a winner as well.  Once I figured out how to fit for this pattern company, it has been easy.  You can read about it here.

 This is the Itch to Stitch Soller Dress and Top.  These items were made late in summer and were fabulous.  Both made it into fall weather with a sweater when needed.  Loved and worn just about weekly.  You can read about it here.

This is a McCall's Camp Shirt pattern from the early 2000s.  It is the only shirt I made for my husband this year.  It is very much hobby themed and has been worn a lot.  You can read about it here.

This is the Love Notions Allegro Pant.  These pants have been worn a lot.  When the temperature gets in the 90s and above, I tend to wear dresses more but it is a great pant pattern.  You can read more about this pattern here. 

So, that is my short list of winners for last year.  Hope you enjoyed reading about the my winners.

Happy Stitching!