Holyoke

Line drawings
from Cashmerette

Aside:  I was doing so well blogging again and then I ran out of vacations to talk about and already photographed garments.  So, let's try this again - shall we? 

I am a pattern tester for Cashmerette - and I love it!  When the call was sent out for testers for Holyoke, I jumped all over it!  While I can't really see myself wearing the dress - I can absolutely see me wearing the maxi skirt!

The Holyoke has 2 views and both have:

• Princess seams which are super curve-friendly and allow for easy adjustment; 
• faux button placket down the front; 
• elastic at the back waist; 
• super swooshy maxi length - with is easy to shorten; and 
• pockets

My test garment was made from some long stashed rayon that has brightly colored buildings all over it.  I love it!  I think I have a green that will coordinate to make a better top than the white I've been wearing it with.  Other notions include elastic, stabilizer and some long stashed and not sure how I was going to use them square green buttons.

I made absolutely no changes to my pattern pieces for this garment!  The only thing I did different than the instructions is to stitch the pockets to the skirt front - I just like that better than the pockets flopping around loose inside my garment.  Bonus - on anything that has a pull on waist - it's really easy to see which side is the front - just sayin'

I've already got another maxi skirt cut out of a quilting cotton and I might consider making the dress if I added a "football' sleeve to it. I also bought some red twill during our Fabric Mart trip to make another - this skirt is a winner!

I can also see this being added as a middie skirt into my closet, in denim as a tribute to Carolyn.

All photos, in this blog post and for the next few are thanks to Carolyn.  If you have trouble getting great photos for your blog - I suggest you find a friend who will make you very uncomfortable and then take the most flattering photos of you ever!  

I was laughing so hard in this one!  Then we pulled JB into the pics and you can see his most recent new shirt - very food themed with knives, forks and spoons all over it!  

So - if you have been looking for the perfect button front skirt, no matter what length you make it - I don't think you can go wrong with this one.  I'm not sure I'll ever make the summer sundress, but as a skirt - it's sure a winner! 

Next Up - the L O N G Sew Camp Review!  

Revisiting Until It's a TNT

Are you a pattern revisitor?  Or are you a once and done kinda sewist?  I'm curious.  I know that Carolyn is the queen of the TNT and Gillian can hack a TNT like nobody's business.  But, while I feel like Megan tries a lot of new patterns, I also feel like she has some TNT favorites.  These three ladies seem to be my style and inspiration go tos these days. 

Where am I in the TNT or One and done range?  Well, it depends.  If we're talking about the ESP dress or the Appleton I'm darn close to TNT.  ESP still needs a few tweaks. 

If we're talking about the perfect outfit - I'm always losing my mind over the newest shinny pattern.  I mean, I was super inspired by a guest in loose flowy wide legged pants.  She looked fabulous, comfortable and really put together.  So, what do I do?  I made one pair of McCalls 7757.  They were meant to be a wearable muslin, but they were just all around too big.  I took them in, altered my pattern, made one more pair and haven't even taken photos in that pair to see if they are closer to hitting the mark. 

Pants are from Lilly P

This weekend, I send Carolyn a message to tell me I didn't need to buy the Love Notions Summer Caye pants - because basically I HAVE IT!  And I believe Gillian has a tutorial on making pants have a flat front and elastic back.  But - have I revised my pattern yet?  Nope.  

And then I get stumped by what to wear with full legged pants like that.  Is it just a tee?  Have a played with Concord enough to just be able to pull it out and sew it up?  Why not?  There's not a single piece of fabric I own that's too special to use.  

I also want a button down shirt.  And let me tell you, I have patterns for button downs. But then I get stuck and can't decide which pattern to use.  Do I want a fitted shirt or a really loose shirt?  Long sleeves, short sleeves?  It gets to be so overwhelming for me that I make another shirt for JB!  

So talk to me - share your process from getting from a pattern to a wardrobe staple.  Clearly, I need help.