Ponte Knit Alyssa Dress

Pattern: Alyssa Dress - Spit Up & Stilletos (formerly Sewloft)
Fabric:  Ponte Knit Fabric - Remnant from JoAnn's

I sewed this dress in a day way back when before Easter but never got around to posting it until now. This was a really straightforward pattern - just two pieces - and I sewed my standard size 8 grading out to a 10 in the hips. I should say this was also a free pattern! Spit Up & Stilletos used to be Sewloft Patterns but they decided to make the switch from women's patterns to children's patterns and as a result all of their old women's patterns are free pdf downloads. Needless to say I downloaded just about all of them and based off of how this dress turned out I think it was a pretty good idea.

Since I used a ponte knit this is a bit tighter/slimmer fitting and it's easy, depending on what I pair with it, to dress it up or down. I think it would be interesting to make this again in a knit fabric with more stretch because I'm pretty sure the fit would be more sundress and less bodycon.

All in all it's a nice addition to my summer wardrobe, I used up some fabric I had laying around, and I felt like a sewing champ after making it in two hours. In other news I've been working on my 'muslin' ginger jeans for the last two weeks and I'm pretty sure I'm going to be finishing them up today - so excited to be able to wear them and get started cutting into my fancy raw denim.

Pattern: Alyssa Dress - Spit Up & Stilletos (formerly Sewloft)
Fabric:  Ponte Knit Fabric - Remnant from JoAnn's

I sewed this dress in a day way back when before Easter but never got around to posting it until now. This was a really straightforward pattern - just two pieces - and I sewed my standard size 8 grading out to a 10 in the hips. I should say this was also a free pattern! Spit Up & Stilletos used to be Sewloft Patterns but they decided to make the switch from women's patterns to children's patterns and as a result all of their old women's patterns are free pdf downloads. Needless to say I downloaded just about all of them and based off of how this dress turned out I think it was a pretty good idea.

Since I used a ponte knit this is a bit tighter/slimmer fitting and it's easy, depending on what I pair with it, to dress it up or down. I think it would be interesting to make this again in a knit fabric with more stretch because I'm pretty sure the fit would be more sundress and less bodycon.

All in all it's a nice addition to my summer wardrobe, I used up some fabric I had laying around, and I felt like a sewing champ after making it in two hours. In other news I've been working on my 'muslin' ginger jeans for the last two weeks and I'm pretty sure I'm going to be finishing them up today - so excited to be able to wear them and get started cutting into my fancy raw denim.

Navy Blue Eyelet Strip Granville Button Down

Pattern: Granville Shirt - Sewaholic Patterns
Fabric: Navy Blue Cotton Eyelet Stripe Shirting - Colorado Fabrics 

I was super  excited to take pictures this morning because I realized over the weekend that my old-school point and shoot digital camera had a timer option that would take two pictures in a row. After figuring out the perfect height to place the camera, what spot in the room I got the best light in, etc. the batteries died. Of course we're fresh out of AA batteries. Blah - why do Monday's always inevitably not go quite right. Anyways it was back to the laptop pictures, but I did manage to figure out how to turn the exposure up. So even though the pictures might be a little bit grainy you can see the fabric!

The Granville top is a new pattern release from Sewaholic Patterns. Way back when I first started this blog one of my first projects was the Minoru Jacket. I was excited when I saw this pattern release because I love the look of a fitted button down. I feel like this can transition from work wear to everyday wear depending on what you wear with it. Not to mention that this fabric makes me think of spring and summer. I love the texture and the tiny little eyelet hole strips (not sure what the technical term is sooooo I'm going with that).

I based my size off of the finished measurements included on the pattern envelope and ended up cutting a 8 through the top, a six through the waist, and I graded back out to an 8 through the waist. I like the way this ended up fitting through the bust and waist but I don't like how exaggerated the hip flare is. I know part of that is the design of the shirt which is supposed to be curvy and not straight but I think I would prefer and could just sew a straight 6 or keep the 8 in the bust. Alternatively I think I could just take a half inch off of each side on those two front pieces right at the seam. I also have some major swayback going on which I think I'm actually going to try and fix and make the adjustment on my pattern piece so that it will be fixed forever. I just really want this to be very fitted and streamlined that way if I ever wear it under anything I won't look lumpy.
 

I got the buttons from JoAnn's and they're LaMode Style 27673. I was originally going for a nautical vibe but I feel like it ended up looking more cowgirl. Ahhh well. I also spent a lot of time making sure my sleeve plackets were perfect only to end up sewing one sleeve on completely inside out - which somehow resulted in the placket not only being wrong side up but also on the top of my arm instead of on the bottom. I thought about picking it out and reattaching but for once in  my life I actually took the time to flat fell all of the seams of the shirt so I wouldn't have any raw edges exposed inside and that meant I'd have to unpick that seam too. Way too much work for something only I'll notice but also very frustrating to have happen after spending a ton of time being careful with every other part of the shirt. 

All in all once I get things in order with this pattern I feel like this will definitely be a wardrobe staple. Now in the meantime I will get some batteries so I can show off the dress I made a week ago and wore to Easter! Next up on the cutting table....jeans!

Pattern: Granville Shirt - Sewaholic Patterns
Fabric: Navy Blue Cotton Eyelet Stripe Shirting - Colorado Fabrics 

I was super  excited to take pictures this morning because I realized over the weekend that my old-school point and shoot digital camera had a timer option that would take two pictures in a row. After figuring out the perfect height to place the camera, what spot in the room I got the best light in, etc. the batteries died. Of course we're fresh out of AA batteries. Blah - why do Monday's always inevitably not go quite right. Anyways it was back to the laptop pictures, but I did manage to figure out how to turn the exposure up. So even though the pictures might be a little bit grainy you can see the fabric!

The Granville top is a new pattern release from Sewaholic Patterns. Way back when I first started this blog one of my first projects was the Minoru Jacket. I was excited when I saw this pattern release because I love the look of a fitted button down. I feel like this can transition from work wear to everyday wear depending on what you wear with it. Not to mention that this fabric makes me think of spring and summer. I love the texture and the tiny little eyelet hole strips (not sure what the technical term is sooooo I'm going with that).

I based my size off of the finished measurements included on the pattern envelope and ended up cutting a 8 through the top, a six through the waist, and I graded back out to an 8 through the waist. I like the way this ended up fitting through the bust and waist but I don't like how exaggerated the hip flare is. I know part of that is the design of the shirt which is supposed to be curvy and not straight but I think I would prefer and could just sew a straight 6 or keep the 8 in the bust. Alternatively I think I could just take a half inch off of each side on those two front pieces right at the seam. I also have some major swayback going on which I think I'm actually going to try and fix and make the adjustment on my pattern piece so that it will be fixed forever. I just really want this to be very fitted and streamlined that way if I ever wear it under anything I won't look lumpy.
 

I got the buttons from JoAnn's and they're LaMode Style 27673. I was originally going for a nautical vibe but I feel like it ended up looking more cowgirl. Ahhh well. I also spent a lot of time making sure my sleeve plackets were perfect only to end up sewing one sleeve on completely inside out - which somehow resulted in the placket not only being wrong side up but also on the top of my arm instead of on the bottom. I thought about picking it out and reattaching but for once in  my life I actually took the time to flat fell all of the seams of the shirt so I wouldn't have any raw edges exposed inside and that meant I'd have to unpick that seam too. Way too much work for something only I'll notice but also very frustrating to have happen after spending a ton of time being careful with every other part of the shirt. 

All in all once I get things in order with this pattern I feel like this will definitely be a wardrobe staple. Now in the meantime I will get some batteries so I can show off the dress I made a week ago and wore to Easter! Next up on the cutting table....jeans!