Tag: capsule wardrobe

Sewing Into Fall

With August coming to a close, my anticipation is building. Summer is almost gone, and that means Fall is right around the corner! While the temperatures are still reaching well into the 100s, I am preparing (more like dreaming) of the cool days and cozy clothes. Some perfect new fabrics were recently introduced including Ribbing, and my personal favorite, Cozy French Terry. Ideally, what I would’ve done was go and plan out all of my pieces, chose fabric, order fabric, and sew.

Yea right! So what really happened, I got so stinking excited when the Ribbed dropped in store that I ordered about a yard of almost every color. Shortly after, I repeated with the French Terry. Ok, so materials before patterns, no big deal. Spoiler alert though, it worked out and I am so happy with what it all came out as!

The first piece in my capsule was a Valencia Top from New Horizon Designs. I have had this pattern for awhile now and just never quite got around to making it. I did the color blocked version with Navy Ribbing and Navy Rayon Spandex. This top is perfect for lounging around the house or dressing up cute. As a bonus, its perfect for showing off cute sports bras or bralettes!

Next up were a couple of sweatshirts out of the Oatmeal and Light Heathered Gray Cozy French Terry. The “go-to” for sweatshirts in our house is the Greenstyle Creation’s Hudson Pullover. This is a men’s raglan, but that means its super comfy and my husband and I can share sweatshirts! Plus, it is a super fast sew. For the Oatmeal I did a simple pullover with a band and no hood or pocket. For the Light Heathered Gray I did banded, hooded, and a pocket. Also, check out how fuzzy the inside of this is!

After this I started to fill out my capsule with a couple more. Next I grabbed my Light Heather Gray Rayon Spandex and made a Coffee and Tea Cardigan from Annelaine. I did the Short Coffee option with wide bands/

IMG_0818

Next I added a Marbella Tank from New Horizon Designs out of Oatmeal Ribbing and 6″ White Stretch Lace. It is the perfect layer tank and the lace is a beautiful detail.I had forgotten how easy sewing lace really is and will be continuing on sewing lace now that I have sorted through my stash and need some new undies.

The perfect scrap buster for some of the left over Ribbing is the Cozy Toe Socks from Peekaboo Patterns. They go great under boots and are so soft. I did the crew sock option here.

 

The final addition to my Fall Capsule came after the realization that I didn’t own a pair of plain black leggings. So I ordered some Black Supplex and decided on the free Peg Legs from Patterns for Pirates and did the Contour Waistband from the also free Peg Legs Add-On.

It took me a while to get on the Peg Leg train, but these are a super comfortable leggings for me. Likely, they will not be for working out as the fit isn’t quite right for that on me, but they are comfortable for all day wear.

Overall this Fall Capsule was the perfect jumpstart into fall for me (even though its still in the 100s). It was fun trying some patterns that I have had for over a year (the Valencia, Pegs, Marbella and the Cozy Toes Socks) with the new fabrics from Phee.

Thanks for readying along! This post contains affiliated links, that at no cost to you, help fund my hobby of trying new fabrics and patterns. Thank you ❤

 

by Categories: Cozy French TerryTags: , , , , , , 1 Comment

Tween Capsule

My daughter has come into the size range where it’s hard to find patterns that are sized for her, this age range is known as the tween ages. Being a tween is when you’re no longer an age that is a single digit, but also not yet a teen. You’re probably thinking, yeah, I already know that. The other definition of tween is between, and in the PDF pattern world, there are only a fraction of the patterns available for between child and adult sizes.

When searching for designers, I found a lot that said they were tween, but many really only went up to size 12, which in my eyes doesn’t quite make it to adult size. For those who do, there aren’t a ton of different designs available. And with all honesty, if I’m going to buy a pattern for my daughter, I don’t want her to be at the top of the size chart, I want to be able to use the same pattern for a few different sizes.

With my daughter’s clothing she weighs in on these three things equally:

  1. How does it (the fabric) feel? She loves anything soft, everything from Phee checks this box, so I never have to worry.
  2. Do I like it? Sometimes I’ll show her patterns to see if she likes them, other times Pinterest when I see something cute. As long as she likes it, this box gets checked. I also like just going my idea, and seeing what happens, this works most of the time.
  3. Is it comfortable? She refuses to wear anything that isn’t comfortable. I don’t blame her.

When working on her capsule I knew that she needed basics that she could mix and match together as well with any prints that she has. One things she lacks is solids, so adding these solids that don’t look basic are perfect for her.

Jumper and Basic Tee

Violette Field Threads Maddie Jumper in Black Stretch Twill and Hey June City Park Tee in White Rayon Spandex

She said she wanted overalls, but I kept seeing really cute jumpers/pinafores all over, so I really wanted to make one. I chose Phee’s stretch twill (black) because it’s durable and super easy to wash. It also doesn’t wrinkle, so she can change for PE if needed throw it in her locker and when she puts it back on, it won’t look like a mess.

Basic tees were definitely needed, and the City Park Tee was a perfect patch to Phee’s 13oz Rayon Spandex. She will definitely outgrow this t-shirt well before it shows any signs of wear. I love that the fabric is easy to sew because of its thickness, is super soft (which she loves), and doesn’t pill after repeated washings.

Joggers and Basic Tee

Hey June City Park Tee in Turquoise Rayon Spandex and Sofilantjes Domi Sweat Pants in Black Rayon Spandex

Surprise another City Park Tee in you guessed it, rayon spandex. Seriously, the best part of this outfit is these joggers. She put these on and couldn’t get over how soft and comfortable they were! And her favorite part is the pockets. I chose to use some scraps from my leftover tee to bring some color to the joggers.

Overalls and Fancy Top

Abby’s Overalls by The Wolf and the Tree in Charcoal Supplex and Sew a Little Seam Brynn Top in Orchid Rayon Spandex

She got her overalls, but she won’t be wearing these for much longer. Don’t forget to double check measurements before cutting your fabric and sewing. I thought I was using the correct size, but I actually cut out the pattern that I had from months ago. I promised her that I’ll be making her a bigger size though, because they are too cute and she’s not off the chart for these yet.

Phee’s supplex is my favorite when it comes to making bottoms for my daughter. I don’t have to worry about holes, as the fabric is super strong yet really soft.

When the Brynn Top was first released I was excited for all the different options. When we were on a flight I was looking at the pattern and she started oooing and ahhing at the different tester pics. I knew one way to let this pattern showcase itself was to use Phee’s solid rayon spandex and let the design speak for itself. I just love the way these sleeves drape.

Leggings and Knotted Top

Jalie Clara Leggings in Black 18oz Supplex and Sew a Little Seam Brynn Top in Light Heathered Gray Rayon Spandex, with Orchid Rayon Spandex trim

This girl loves leggings from Phee’s supplex, I think because it’s just like the Ivivva (Lululemon’s brand for girls) leggings she has. This also isn’t her first pair of Clara leggings, and I love how fast these are to sew since they don’t have a center front seam.

Another Brynn Top, as she had other feature requests which were too many to do all in one shirt, so I opted for two. I used some leftover of the orchid rayon spandex which works beautifully with this light heathered gray. If you can’t tell I also used it as a contrast on the side knot and the hem facing, which adds a pop of color.

Bonus Sweatshirt

Sinclair Patterns Demi (one of my favorites) in Oatmeal Cozy French Terry, Oatmeal Rayon Spandex, and Medium Pink 2.5″ Stretch Lace Trim

She’s finally in the size chart for Sinclair Patterns! I used the Petite size and shorted all pieces even more in multiple places throughout to get a pattern just right. I couldn’t be happier!

This sweatshirt was a labor of love for me. It all started with a Pinterest picture and I instantly knew I had to make it for her. The new Cozy French Terry is so soft and fluffy, so it was perfect for her list. The oatmeal cozy French terry and the medium pink lace look sooo good together!

There’s a few hacks I made to the Demi, I didn’t just add lace to the sleeves, I cut away part of the fabric from underneath the lace. I used a narrow zig zag to attach the lace while the sleeve was flat.

I also added thumb cuffs, because I know she loves them. I had some oatmeal rayon spandex in my stash, so I opted for that on the neckband, thumb cuffs, and bottom band. I’m so happy with the way this turned out.

Her Favorites

We all have our own favorites, but I just had to ask her what her favorite item was. She couldn’t give me a straight up answer, I think it’s because she likes everything so much. Instead, this is what she said:

  • Outfit: Jumper and Basic Tee
  • Top: Orchid Brynn Top
  • Pants: Rayon Spandex Domi Joggers

If you stuck with me this far, please let me know what your favorite outfit or item is. I can’t wait to hear what you think!

Note: This post may contain affiliate links to products. All opinions and thoughts are my own. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.

by Categories: Rayon Spandex, Stretch TwillTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Fall Mini Capsule, PHEE Style

It’s almost fall again, my favorite time of the year! Each season I make a mini capsule wardrobe to base my wardrobe transition off of and in spring I wrote a whole series covering the processes of using my capsule wardrobe EBook to create the perfect, tailored to me me-made capsule wardrobe.

Usually I go all out and create a bunch of new pieces but this year I wanted to focus of reincorporating a few of may most favorite me-mades into my wardrobe!

If you need help creating the mini capsule of your dream grab a copy of my Ebook on Etsy! PS It’s on sale!

I like to pick a few favorite patterns I love and build around that using quality fabrics. This season I made multiples of the P4P Brunch blouse and PegLeg Leggings as well as the Madelyn Top Pattern.

Both sets of leggings, my black rayon spandex cardigan, and the white Madelyn top are all reincorporated items for this capsule and I am so happy to bring them into fall. You can read more about them in my personal blog.

There is only one item I still am undecided on… What I should make for a layer out of the new cozy french terry! I know I want some sort of cardigan but choosing a color is really hard! What do you think I should make to fill that spot??

Okay enough blabbing lets look at some of the outfits I can out together using the Soduko wardrobe template featured in Sew Your Capsule!

Fabirc Links (Aff Links)

Rayon Spandex

Supplex

Twill

The Soduko capsule wardrobe works really well for me because I can layer the pieces together or wear them separate like I am in these pictures to create the most possible outfits. The graph below shows how many outfits can be made with just the nine pieces using three items at once, look how may different options there are!

If you’re a capsule newby I suggest sticking to a fairly neutral palette with just one or two pops of color like I did fr this mini capsule to make it easier t mix all of the pieces together. Once you have done a few however it gets easier and easier to mix in multiple pops of color. Playing with varying textures is always a good idea in any capsule wardrobe!

Are you making a capsule wardrobe this fall? Leave a message down below telling me where you like to find your capsule info!

by Categories: Dresses, Women's TopsTags: Leave a comment

Ya Basic! And I love ya!

I have been sewing for myself for the last three years and can say that I hardly ever buy anything RTW. A new pattern comes out and I have to make one (or 5) but I often overlook the “basics” – those pieces you turn to week after week either as part of or the entire outfit. A wardrobe full of date night dresses and workout gear is not the most functional when you spend M-F with a toddler 🙂

Recently I was getting ready for a day at the splash pad and realized that I didn’t have a white t-shirt! How could that be possible?!? Then I was looking for a black tank – nope, no dice! I vowed to stop living in my workout clothes, but alas, I had forgotten to make anything else. That’s it! The time to sew those basics had come and you know I would only make them with the best fabric I could get my hands on 🙂

I wanted to make sure that these pieces would fit great and last for a long time and I knew just what to use – my ride or die – Phee Fabrics rayon spandex! Sure, there are lots of pretty colors of rayon spandex on the site –  Turquise, Orchid and Olive, but did you know the basics are there too??? Light and dark Gray, Cream, Bisque and and of course, BLACK AND WHITE!

I was ready to create two staples for my wardrobe – pieces I will wear year round on their own or layered up with some of my other Phee makes. First up, the black rayon spandex tank – I used the fitted tank option from George and Ginger’s Romy Set. I love the v-neck and coverage (no special bras necessary) and now that Phee has that super fluffy french terry, I know what I will be using to finally make the Bolero from the Romy Set to go with the tank!

For the white rayon spandex t-shirt I used the Sweet Tee from Patterns for Pirates. A few small mods – I used the banded option but hemmed the bottom and tacked the bands on the short sleeves up for a little detail.

The rayon spandex is so perfect fro these pieces – it has excellent recovery and will fit the same after hours of wear. They do not fade! I HATE a faded black shirt. And no pilling! No one wants to go through the trouble of making the perfect top only to have top toss it after a few washes because it looks old and ratty.

So these two tops got me thinking – was anything else missing from my wardrobe? The LBD (little black dress)!! From a girl who only wore black growing up it’s hard to believe I have hardly none in my closet now. But I did have a black dress. And I loved the style of it -sleeveless midi with a hi-lo straight hem and a small side slit for a little extra leg. But this one fit like junk! (and sadly has since I bought it years ago but I couldn’t seem to part with it despite).

The old dress
The old dress

So I thought about patterns I had and realized I could recreate this with a few mods to the P4P Essential Tank Dress and Phee black rayon spandex– I used my RTW dress as a base pattern and marked off on the pattern pieces where to cut. I tried on the dress after the basic construction and lowered the side slit a bit.

To say this dress is complete love would be the understatement of the year! I am obsessed and can’t wait to wear it out to dinner this weekend in Manhattan.

As we approach the new season, take some time to figure out what  #notsobasicbasics your wardrobe needs to swing into fall.

Happy Autumn!

Liz

PS- If you love Phee Fabrics as much as I do, please use the  affiliate links in this blog to shop. I will receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you!) I can’t wait to keep sharing my adventures in sewing all of these incredible fabrics and look forward to hearing about yours!

by Categories: Rayon SpandexTags: , , 2 Comments

My official mom uniform

When Melissa said that August was all about capsules, I was a bit overwhelmed. To be fair, I get overwhelmed easily. Here’s a little secret…..I’ve never sewn a capsule! I know, I know. How crazy is that?! However, what the heck do I make?! I’m a stay at home mom and don’t really dress nice very often. Then I realized that all moms need good basics that they can wear ALL. THE. TIME! Clothes don’t fit the same after having kids, so why not make our own? I live in leggings and tanks. And I always need something to keep me warm. So here’s the rundown.

Before I get into the patterns, here’s a little info on fabric. One thing I learned in my sewing journey, is to use quality fabric. Having good quality stuff, makes my work look better, last longer, and easier to make. Phee Fabrics has never let me down. The quality is always amazing! I love that the descriptions are accurate and the fabrics are sourced in the USA.

I bought the Clara pattern from Jalie months ago and finally made them. I have to say, I’m super happy with the fit. The only adjustments I had to make were height adjustments. I will take an extra inch next pair. I wore them to the gym the other day and they didn’t budge. I used black supplex and they feel like I spent a lot of money!!! Not to mention that I can dress them up or down. They can be worn with anything. Also this supplex is so lush, not to mention, durable. I live in leggings made with Phee’s supplex and this stuff lasts! Not to mention, it’s squatproof!

The staple tank from Greenstyle Creations is a pattern thats gotten lots of use. When I got this ribbing material, I knew I had to make one with it. This stuff is so soft, has amazing drape, and great recovery. I’m totally digging it!

The Harper cardigan from Sinclair Patterns Is a free pattern with a few options for length. I did the cropped length with black supplex. I can wear this with just about anything. I can honestly tell say that I will wear the hell out of this

Last but not least..:.The Jalie Julia has become a new favorite pattern of mine also. I love combining the top and the bra into one. I used Rayon Spandex, powernet, 3/8” picot elastic, bra strap elastic, rings and sliders. Oh and I used supplex for the band. I used picot instead of FOE and bra strap elastic instead of FOE for the straps. I cropped the length on this one.

First you’re going to go ahead and put your bra front and back together. I did French seams on this one. I omitted the darts so that I didn’t have to worry about that seam. It’s not that big of a difference. I wouldn’t omit it on the sports bra though. Attach the bottom band. Then we can put it together with the top.

Put the bra into the top so the wrong sides are together. You’ll notice the bra portion is a little smaller. I stretch it to fit, clip and baste. The other thing that needs to be changed is, that back point, where the two pieces of elastic meet….cut off about an inch so it’s a straight line and fold it over. That way you’ll have a clean edge and enough fabric for the picot to be attached and folded over.

Attach the picot like usual. Start with the front, chest edge. Flat side of the picot in line with the edge of the fabric. Attach with a zig zag. Then turn under and zig zag again. The elastic will be the same length in the front. When you get to the sides, you’ll want to add about an inch to the front, so that you can attach the rings. So attach the elastic to the one side, leaving an inch on the front and on the back. Then do the other side.

After than you’ll attach rings to each piece of elastic sticking up. Make your straps with the sliders. And then attach. Hem last and you’re good to go.

So there you have my idea of the perfect mom uniform. Let’s be honest, it’s the perfect capsule for anyone!! All 4 of these pieces will get lots of wear and they have me looking forward to cooler weather. Thanks for reading!

*Note: affiliate links may be used. By using these links, I gain a small portion at no added cost for you. I promise, it all goes to keeping my sewing habit going😊

by Categories: Rayon SpandexTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments