I have three courses to complete at the moment, and not enough time to sew as well, so I want you all to know I’m taking a small break while I work on these courses.

If I start dreaming of sewing, I’ll sew a quick bra and post it, but otherwise I’m on a break.

Happy creating!   

Last year I made the Porcelynne Nicole pants, and I really like that pattern. I would only need to add a bit of length to the rise and they would be perfect! 

However, as much as I love this pattern I wanted to try a new pattern.

So I decided to try the Cashmerette Calder Pants. I really like Cashmerette patterns because Cashmerette has a size calculator. I find that helpful – it gives me all the sizes I need. Actually adjusting my patterns for a 15″+ size difference is something I don’t like.

However, I really want to be able to make some nice pants for myself. So, I will keep working on this.

Here are my first Calder Pants. Sorry for a not great photo. My husband was away, and this was the best I could get on my own.

Here they are on my dress form Catherine. This is a much better photo. 

I think these look great from the front! Great! Perfect even. But there is a lot of bunching at the back. I need a full bottom adjustment there.

Do you see that lovely flat front? That makes these a beast to get on and off. My next attempt will include adding an invisible zipper to the side – of whatever style I make. I love the look of the flat front rather than full elastic, but I need a little more give over my hips.

Still, these are a pretty positive attempt at the Calder pants.

Happy creating!

Unfortunately, after wearing my Laundry Day Tee, the left bicep still doesn’t fit well enough. It bunches up under my arm and I’m just pulling the sleeve down all day. That is disappointing because I love this color, and the tee fits everywhere else. Yes, it fits my right bicep just fine. It’s only the left one that is causing problems.

The good news in the tees I’ve made is I’m not having that problem with the Concord tee. So  I have the Concord top correctly adjusted and I can venture on to the Turner dress.

That’s all for this week. Happy creating!

A little business to take care of first off. I just went through all my blog posts to check for any affiliate links and remove them. The source I was using is no longer offering that service.

Let me tell you, that was a lot of work, and there may still be the odd one I missed. I won’t be adding those back to my posts. And going forward there won’t be any affiliate links in my blog.

The second thing I noticed was how many links I had to remove because blogs, websites, and shops were gone now. A lot!

Lastly sorry for that old post being sent out mid week. I hit the wrong button!  

Now onto sewing. 

I had been wondering just what did I want to make for my April bra. I am getting a lot of wear out of my modified power net Sweet Sixteen that I made a few months ago. When I made this, I didn’t realize I was making Version Two of my modified Sweet Sixteen, but I like this much better than the previous second version I made. This one from a few years ago was in a lighter weight power net, and I didn’t love it. But my most recent one is a heavier power net, and I find that’s the one I’m reaching for when I’m getting dressed to exercise.

So while I was thinking about all this I decided that I would make another Sweet Sixteen in power net. This is a bit lighter power net again, so I went back to version one. And I love it! 

I paired this with a navy findings kit. I have two or three more planned. But I also have another bra all ready to cut out. For this bralette, because I knew from the first one I’d made, I doubled the power net on the back band. I found the first one I made to be a little light around me. Doubling the power net would make this one feel more secure.

I’ll be back in a month with another bra, but I’m still working on clothing fitting and working on getting my cover pro to give me nice stitches.

Happy creating!

I’m revisiting the Love Notions Laundry Day Tee (LDT). Having to deal with Lipedema, I have to accept things like my hips and thighs are disproportionately larger than the rest of me. I don’t like it, but we all have things we don’t like and have to accept.

I had another revelation relating to all of that while making this second take of the LDT. I had measured my left bicep when I redid all my measurements but didn’t even think I needed to measure both biceps. But the tightness in the one arm made me wonder, and I decided to measure my right as well. I was upset to realize my left bicep is 2 inches larger than my right. It’s another aspect of Lipedema and my fitting challenges.

My last LDT was too tight under the arm and across the bust. I had made a size M with a Full Bust. So for this one, I made a size L also with a Full Bust, but for the sleeves I made a 2X. Even at a 2X, the sleeve wasn’t quite large enough for my left bicep, so I added 1/2″ to each side of the sleeve.

I don’t want to ‘fit’ to the extent that I’m making two different sleeves. Or altering the front of the bodice two different ways. I’m happy with one sleeve fitting well, and one fitting loosely.

Now that you have the background, here’s my LDT. And look at that color! I can’t wait to wear my new Pistachio Freja with this.   I’m really happy with the fit of this, and how the arms don’t look like anything is different. You can’t tell there’s a two size difference there because the arm syce is a 2X as well. The sleeve fits perfectly onto the bodice.Doesn’t that look just like a tee should look?    

I watched a great masterclass by Cashmerette – Grafting Sleeves. I used this class and ‘graphed’ the larger sleeve onto the smaller bodice pattern. And it worked. Perfectly. Yes, I’m really happy to have revisited this and found yet another fitting solution.

Happy creating!

I made a few changes to the Love Notions Timbre Peasant Top so I would be happier with the fit for me.

And I am happier with it. As soon as I finished the hem and tried it on, I wore it for the rest of the day! You know a garment is a hit when… Oh I love this fabric! It’s another cotton eyelet, but this time with some gorgeous warm colors.

For this one, I went back to the size M, and used an XL for the hips. I didn’t make any other adjustments to this and I am happy with how it fits. I had just enough of this fabric to cut out a Flirt Skirt. Once I had that cut out, I cut out the bias binding for the neckline on this top. The size M neckline does fit me better, and this was much more comfortable to wear. I was also rather pleased with myself making the bias binding all by hand. Another feature of this blouse is the elastic at the wrist. It’s another pretty feature. Lastly here is the back view. I’m very happy with this and how it’s fitting me. If I want to be really picky, I would add a touch more length to this, but it’s not short on me. I just like a longer top. However, this is hitting right at my hip level, so it actually fits as it should. 

Next, I plan to revisit the Laundry Day Tee again. There are a couple of fitting changes I want to make to that one too.

Happy creating!

I’m working on my plans to go through the Tomkat Stitchery Pattern Fitting 101 course again. It starts with getting your measurements anew, and then picking a woven top.

I had my new measurements. I knew which pattern company I wanted to use. So it was time to look through which patterns I have from Love Notions. The Timbre Peasant Top appealed to me. With the gathered neckline, I thought it might look better with the large hip adjustments I need. I hope so anyway.

I had some gorgeous eyelet in my stash from Fabricville. I washed it and got it ready to cut out.

Because the Love Notions Laundry Day Tee was a bit small through the bust and underarm in a M, I went with the size L for the Timbre with an 2X for my hips. I was thinking because this is a woven top, it won’t have any stretch, and I would need the larger sizes.

Unfortunately, my first Timbre top turned out to be too big – all over. I felt like it was just floating around me.

I do think I’ll be able to take in the sides so it’s wearable, and that will be wonderful. I do like this fabric, and don’t want it to be something I just give away. 

The things I’ll change on this for my next Timbre will be to use a size M with a full bust, and grade to the XL for my hips. That should work out much better.

Happy creating!

I bought the prettiest kit last year from B,Wear. Unfortunately, it’s not available on the website now. Oh, I just love Pistachio. I do hope there are more lovely kits like this in the future.

This was sold as a long line kit, but I chose not to make a long line. I don’t love long lines on me. The bands always flip up. So I chose to simply make a Freja bra. This is so pretty!I adore the hot pink findings that came with this kit and think they really add a pop to the bra. The back is where those findings really shine. This is so lovely, and so Springy. You’d never know it by the weather outside though. It’s snowing and -10C!

Here’s the sample BWear was showing with this kit. I have enough lace I can make an all lace bra like this, but I still probably won’t make it a long line. Isn’t this just stunning? I think I even have a Pistachio findings kit in my stash.

I really hope BWear brings in more Pistachio this year. I think it’s a favorite color of mine.

Happy creating!

I had a real ‘Duh’ moment this year. I know! Already? It’s only March. But I did. I made the Cashmerette Concord tee and I had completely forgotten that I made it when taking the Tomkat Stitchery Pattern Fitting 101 Course.

Here is my tee from 2 years ago.  I really liked this tee. I love the fabric and I wore it often. However, once I started working out with a personal trainer, this wasn’t fitting any more. 

That takes us up to the current time line. You saw the one I just made last week.

After realizing I had already made the Concord, I wondered just what had changed. I pulled out my binder from the course and started to look through it. I found where I had recorded my measurements from 2023 and went and remeasured myself.

I have gone up 3 inches across the High Bust. I knew my shoulders had more muscle on them. And from how my bras fit, suspected there was more muscle across my back as well. I found it really interesting to see what a difference working out on a regular basis has made.

That tee from two years ago was a 12 with the shoulder adjusted to be even smaller, and a neckline adjustment too. Now I’m a solid 14, no adjustments needed. My waist and hip measurements haven’t changed, but my frame size going up one size actually helps. I’m a little more proportioned now than I was.

Also, pulling out my Pattern Fitting 101 binder has made me want to revisit a few of the other items that were covered in the course. Like a woven top, and knit and woven pants. 

When I did the course last time, I chose Cashmerette patterns. This time I think I’ll go through my binder and make Love Notions patterns – I have many of those patterns! And I have the fabric to make them all. This will fit in perfectly with my sew-my-stash goal for 2026.

I haven’t forgotten about working on Sure Fit Designs. My drafting buddy is busy right now with family matters, so I told her I’d wait for her. That will likely be picked up again later this year.

If you’re waiting for a bra, I’ll have something for you next week. 

Happy creating!

My relative success with the Love Notions Laundry Day Tee (LDT) really did inspire me to try again with the Concord Tee. And not because I don’t like the LDT, but because I really love the look of the Turner Dress. So I am working towards making the Turner Dress.

Oh, and the Turner dress has the perfect neckline to make a lovely blouse I saw. But I’ll leave that for another post.

I’m pretty happy with how my Concord turned out this time. Skipping the waist measurement and making it more swing really was the key. I think I could add a little more ease at the hip line. Just so the garment flowed a little more there.

Actually, the pattern curves down. It would probably better suit me if I just made it a complete swing style.    Fitting wise, the bust is fine, and the neckline and shoulders are fine. I did a FBA (full bicept adjustment) for the sleeves and they’re fitting fine. There’s enough room under the arm now. The hip isn’t tight, so it’s pretty good too really. Overall, I’m happy with how this turned out. I see a Turner dress in my future.

Happy creating!