DIY Colorblock Sweater with Made for Mermaids Oaklynn Pattern

I had scraps of 3 perfect match (and purchased seperately fabrics) and knew they just needed to become something.

Finally, I found the Made for Mermaids Oaklynn and it was perfect.

Oaklynn has so many options: it is a dolman pullover with several options. Choose from a crew neck or v neck. The crew neckline has a wide neckband and an optional hemmed hood. The v neck also includes a banded hood option. Choose from a solid or colorblocked option. Includes a high hip, full hip, banded top and curved hemline. Plus 3/4 roll up cuff sleeve, cuffed long sleeve or hemmed long sleeve. The 3/4 roll up sleeve and the curved hemline are for the solid option only. Both long sleeve options are extra long. (Description is direct from their website)

Includes 3 paper printing sizes- US paper, A4 paper and A0 copy shop size.

As I was using up scraps I decided to go with the first view (color block, crew neck with long sleeves)

Also I’ve had this look pinned on pinterest for over a year and really wanted to make it happen.

It was a surprisingly fast sew. I graded for my daughter according to the chart (she is a 5 width and a 6 height)

Sometimes she’s a tough customer. But she absolutely loves this sweater.

I left her to do the camera work and I love it!

Coming soon…the adult version of Made for Mermaids Oaklynn

THE NITTY-GRITTY:

Pattern Description: Made for Mermaids Oaklynn
Pattern sizing: 1/2 size Children’s to 5x (19″ to 60″ chest size) in two size packets.
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern when you were finished sewing?Yes
Were the instructions complete and easy to follow? Yes
Fabric used: waffle, french terry and distressed french terry
Did you use the recommended fabrics in the pattern: NA
Did you alter the pattern in any way? no
Was there anything you disliked or would change? No
Would you sew it again? Yes (I already have)
Would you recommend it to others? Yes
Do you consider the pattern beginner/intermediate/advanced? Beginner
Seam allowance used in the pattern? 1/2″

SOS Pants from Patterns for Pirates

Patterns for Pirates revamped and re-released the SOS Pants a little over year ago and after nearly a year in maternity clothes (plus post partum) I felt really ready for real pants. Or at least pull-on pants with a little stretchy forgiveness.

I made 3 pairs in stretch twill and one pair in stretch french terry.

I’m really happy with the fit straight out of the package, my only alteration here is for height, I can see that I probably need to remove more, but I am trying to be less nit-picky with my makes.

The white pair was my first muslin and the orange was maybe my second? This was during testing, so the fit is improving from the changes to the pattern itself and also to me taking height out more accurately.

I decided after this pair to try using stretch mesh to line the pockets to prevent lines showing from the pockets.

The stretch mesh pocket lining was a success, as you can see the pocket lines are much less visible on this stretch French Terry pair.

Speaking of French Terry, I usually shop in Fashion District in LA. If you are a local or are heading to the area, you definitely want to check the tips for navigating the district. If you are ordering fabric you are going to need: as little as 1 1/2 yards to as much 2 5/8 (depending on options you choose and your size)

P4P is always great at beautiful, quick construction patterns and I love that! It really helps for boosting your handmade wardrobe quickly.

The SOS Pants are an intermediate sewing pattern in knit with skinny and straight leg option! Skinny leg option is fitted throughout leg to ankle. Straight leg option is fitted through hip/booty, then loose/straight through leg for a flattering and dressier option. Both options include knit/enclosed elastic waistband, back yokes, front and back pocket options. Suggested fabrics are ponte roma and medium/heavy weight jegging denim knit.

For the detail oriented seamstresses out there: I determined my size using the pattern chart, I am an XL waist graded to L in the hips and M in the legs (My current measurements are 36 Overbust, 41 Bust, 33 High Waist, 41 hips). I did my standard height adjustments to account for my 5′-2″ frame as the pattern is drafted for 5′–5″.

I’d love if you would stay tuned here, or follow me on IG @clothed.in.vermillion so that we can share our sewing projects, tips and tricks with each other.

And please join the community and be inspired by all the Patterns for Pirates creations over in the Patterns for Pirates Facebook Group.

THE NITTY-GRITTY:

Pattern Description: Pattern for Pirates SOS Pants
Pattern sizing: XXS-3X
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern when you were finished sewing? Yes
Were the instructions complete and easy to follow? Yes.
Fabric used: Stretch Twill and French Terry
Did you use the recommended fabrics in the pattern: Yes
Did you alter the pattern in any way? I am 5′-2 and took my standard height adjustment
Was there anything you disliked or would change? No.
Would you sew it again? Yes
Would you recommend it to others? Yes
Do you consider the pattern beginner/intermediate/advanced? Beginner Pants Pattern, especially as it does not require any zip or fly construction.
Seam allowance used in the pattern? 1/2

Beaded Lace Alley Cat Leo from Lil Luxe Collection

I have written about the  Lil Luxe Collection Alley Cat Romper  here and here.

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But my favorite option for the Alley Cat is the Leo and it’s perfect now that my little one is starting gymnastics.Although this one is just for play as I’m not sure her coaches would appreciate a beaded train for class. haha! The Alley Cat has lots of great options. I bought the full pattern collection, which includes Romper, Leotard and Dress.  To best suit your needs, you can buy the collection as a complete set, just the leo and top, just the romper and dress, or just the romper and leo.  All options include long sleeve, 3/4 sleeve, short sleeve or sleeveless and the bodice is fully lined.I can’t remember where I got the teal cotton/lycra for this long sleeve leo. But I know I bought a bunch of these beaded lace scraps from Fabric Merchants Retail in LA more about Fabric Merchants here.The beaded lace is pretty heavy so I gathered and attached it to a piece of 3/4″ elastic (leaving about an inch of lace at the top) to help the bodice hold the weight of the lace and then when my Leo was fully constructed I just attached it by top stitching with a zigzag stitch from side seam to side seam. Maybe not the best method, but it got the job done and it looks beautiful. In the smaller sizes, the Leo is a great scrap buster! I used the little bit of lace for the bodice and appliquéd the extra little bits to the front and side of bodice. For the detail oriented seamstresses out there: I determined my daughter’s size as 3T using the pattern size chart .  Chest 20.5″, Waist 20.5″, Hips 21. She is 36″ tall. I opted to sew a straight 3T. I’d love if you would stay tuned here, or follow me on IG @clothed.in.vermillion so that we can share our sewing projects, tips and tricks with each other.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I highly suggest joining the Lil Luxe Group on Facebook to be inspired by all the beautiful creations others are making with this pattern.

THE NITTY-GRITTY:

Pattern Description: Lil Luxe Collection Alley Cat Leotard
Pattern sizing: 18 months to Girls 10 (size chart available here)
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern when you were finished sewing? Yes
Were the instructions complete and easy to follow? Yes. Detailed information and line professional line drawings were provided for each step.
Fabric used: Cotton Lycra and Beaded Lace
Did you use the recommended fabrics in the pattern: Yes and No …pattern suggests Medium Weight 2-Way knits with good recovery. But judging by the tester photos and others in the group it seems people are using Cotton Lycras and Brushed Polys with success.
Did you alter the pattern in any way? I added the lace train and applique. Otherwise this is an exact to pattern 3T.
Was there anything you disliked or would change? My daughter loves it, so I am happy.
Would you sew it again? Yes
Would you recommend it to others? Yes
Do you consider the pattern beginner/intermediate/advanced? Beginner
Seam allowance used in the pattern? 3/8″ throughoutSee you next time!

The Dynamic Duo

This blog post could also be called the “Dynamic Duo”, “How to Make the Most of Your Custom Knit Fabrics” or  “When Custom Fabric Cost is Worth It” …although, full disclosure, I bought this knit second hand at a discounted price from the Knit Destash Facebook Group.

These two are fire and ice, but they both agree on one thing:

How to Train Your Dragon. A funny thing to bond over, but I’ll take it! So, when I saw this fabric posted. I knew my kids HAD to have it and I knew I had to make less than a yard of it REALLY stretch.

First, I pulled out one of my favorite kids patterns, the Yo Ho Henley from Patterns for Pirates. It is my favorite basic tee for kids.  (Info on Moto Pants)

I made this 100% true to pattern, so there is not much to say here. He sizes into a size 6 with size 7 length, so all I needed to do was cut a six and add some length. I love making him tees. Ready to wear shirts are either too broad for his thin/tall frame or too short.

I knew I wanted to color block this and I don’t have a vinyl cutting machine (plus my embroidery option on the Brother SE400 is pretty small) so I pulled out some fabric iron-on paper and just made a quick little iron-on, with a quote that I love.

Adding a border to an iron-on like this gives it more definition so that you don’t have a weird white square or an awkwardly cut out quote. It turned out awesome! (and it helped me use less HtTYD fabric)

For my daughter, since I am loving the Alley Cat Romper from Lil Luxe Collection right now, I knew that the short bodice would be perfect for conserving fabric. I checked in with the Lil Luxe Facebook Group for inspiration first. (at the end of my fabric Tetris I had just enough for the leg cuffs, so that was an added bonus, I didn’t plan for that)

 

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I did a full review of the The Alley Cat with info on sizing and fit here: Alley Cat Romper by Lil Luxe Collection

Both times I have made the romper version I have needed to add back ties to keep the neckline from slipping. They are super cute and I love them, but the romper does not seem to want to stay put (I even tried adding clear elastic this time.)  However, in the Leotard option I have not had this issue. This may be an exclusive issue to my daughter’s shape as I have seen other littles wearing it just fine without the ties.

At the end of the day, she is happy. So I am happy and little fit issues don’t bother me.

 

I’d love if you would stay tuned here, or follow me on IG @clothed.in.vermillion so that we can share our sewing projects, tips and tricks with each other.

I highly suggest joining the Patterns for Pirates and  Lil Luxe groups on Facebook to be inspired by all the beautiful creations others are making with this pattern.

 

THE NITTY-GRITTY for the Yo Ho Henley:

Pattern Description: Patterns for Pirates Yo Ho Henley 
Pattern sizing: 3 months to 14
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern when you were finished sewing? Yes
Were the instructions complete and easy to follow? Yes. Detailed information and photos of construction are provided.
Fabric used: Cotton Lycra
Did you use the recommended fabrics in the pattern: Yes
Did you alter the pattern in any way?  No, I added length for his height only.
Was there anything you disliked or would change? No, we really love it!
Would you sew it again? Yes I’ve already made it 10 times or so.
Would you recommend it to others? Yes
Do you consider the pattern beginner/intermediate/advanced? Beginner
Seam allowance used in the pattern? 1/2″ throughout

 

See you next time!

Alley Cat Romper from Lil Luxe Collection

Lil Luxe Collection is a beautiful modern-classic clothing pattern design company from a self-taught garment designer with a serious background in the areas of Architecture, Interior, Graphic and Fashion Design. Her background in Architecture really shows with her “Urban Princess” looks. Read her full bio here (I love when designers make the time to let us know more about themselves). The Alley Cat Collection is my first purchase from Lil Luxe and I’m sure it will not be the last (she has some truly swoon-worthy dresses).  I selected it with my little casual, acrobatics loving, girl in mind.

And it did not disappoint. She clearly loves it.

The Alley Cat has lots of great options. I bought the full pattern collection, which includes Romper, Leotard and Dress.  To best suit your needs, you can buy the collection as a complete set, just the leo and top, just the romper and dress, or just the romper and leo.  All options include long sleeve, 3/4 sleeve, short sleeve or sleeveless and the bodice is fully lined.

I usually shop in Fashion District in LA and both of these fabrics came from downtown. If you are a local or are heading to the area, you definitely want to check the tips for navigating the district. Bonus: In the smaller sizes, this project is also a great scrap buster!

I have made this pattern in the Leo option twice with no issues (once in crushed velvet and once in Cotton Lycra), this is my first time with the Romper and I did have some issues with the neckline not wanting to stay put. I think it is a combination of too stretchy fabric and using my serger for the neck seam for the first time. I am positive if I had used clear elastic, it would have held fine. To fix it for my girl, I added these little ties after and I totally LOVE them, so I absolutely consider this a win.

For the detail oriented seamstresses out there: I determined my daughter’s size as 3T using the pattern size chart .  Chest 20.5″, Waist 20.5″, Hips 21. She is 36″ tall. I opted to sew a straight 3T and did not do any grading as the legs are loose anyway. In ready to wear she usually wears a size 3T.  I had the cutest little ballet flats picked out for this outfit, but she had other plans and I totally love her cowboy boot look. 

I’d love if you would stay tuned here, or follow me on IG @clothed.in.vermillion so that we can share our sewing projects, tips and tricks with each other.

I highly suggest joining the Lil Luxe Group on Facebook to be inspired by all the beautiful creations others are making with this pattern.

THE NITTY-GRITTY:

Pattern Description: Lil Luxe Collection Alley Cat Romper
Pattern sizing: 18 months to Girls 10 (size chart available here)
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern when you were finished sewing? Yes
Were the instructions complete and easy to follow? Yes. Detailed information and line professional line drawings were provided for each step.
Fabric used: Cotton Lycra (maroon: bodice, sleeves, leg cuffs) and Double Brushed Poly (floral legs portion)
Did you use the recommended fabrics in the pattern: Yes and No …pattern suggests Medium Weight 2-Way knits with good recovery. But judging by the tester photos and others in the group it seems people are using Cotton Lycras and Brushed Polys with success. However my Maroon may have had a touch too much 4-way stretch as the neckline didn’t want to stay put and I had to add the back ties (which I LOVE). I have made this pattern before in the LEOTARD option with no issue, so I have to assume it was a fabric/user error.
Did you alter the pattern in any way?  I added the back ties post-construction, otherwise this is an exact to pattern 3T.
Was there anything you disliked or would change? My daughter loves it, so I am happy.
Would you sew it again? Yes
Would you recommend it to others? Yes
Do you consider the pattern beginner/intermediate/advanced? Beginner
Seam allowance used in the pattern? 3/8″ throughout

 

See you next time!

RagDoll Raglan from Patterns for Pirates

Patterns for Pirates  has got us covered with the changing seasons and the cooler weather. The new RagDoll Raglan is just MADE for cozy coffee drinking, and book reading. But I also love a slouchy tee or tunic to get me through basically EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.

I’m in the stage of life where I am a mom of 3 little ones, so I can use any extra ease a pattern will give me.

If you love pattern mixing, you are going to LOVE this pattern for showcasing beautiful fabrics and unexpected pairings.  This new pattern is described as “straight through the body and loose fit throughout, besides being fitted at the lower arms. It has a wide, low neckline … with a thicker than average neckband. If you use a very stretchy fabric you can pull the wide neckline off one shoulder…” and it is perfect for styling with slim fit pants, leggings, or pencil skirts.

I am unashamedly in LOVE with rayon spandex fabric and the RagDoll is perfect for it! When I started getting serious about sewing my own clothes, I checked the tags on all my favorite store bought items and basically everything was a Rayon Spandex blend. So I started stocking up.  I usually shop in Fashion District in LA. f you are a local or are heading to the area, you definitely want to check the tips for navigating the district. If you are ordering fabric you are going to need: as little as 1 1/2 yards to as much 2 5/8 (depending on options you choose and your size)

P4P is always great at beautiful, quick construction patterns and I love that! It really helps for boosting your handmade wardrobe quickly and the RagDoll is also Capsule Wardrobe friendly. It is a great go-to that you will wear all the time.

The RagDoll has lots of options so that you can stock your closet without looking like you are on repeat.  Half sleeve, 3/4 sleeve, long sleeve with or without cuffs. Shirt and tunic length come with a curve and there is also a banded top length (that hits between a shirt and tunic length). Lastly there is dress length for a casual t-shirt dress look. The open back option is a really nice way to take my mom uniform (a black or grey tunic) up a notch and I really like how it finishes.

For the detail oriented seamstresses out there: I determined my size using the pattern chart, I am an XL graded to L in the hips (My current measurements are 36 Overbust, 41 Bust, 33 High Waist, 41 hips). I did my standard height adjustments to account for my 5′-2″ frame as the pattern is drafted for 5′–5″. 

Hurry and checkout all the RagDoll Raglan sale and view photos of all the options available. Don’t forget to checkout the mods, that will give you even more options for this cozy top at Patterns for Pirates

I’d love if you would stay tuned here, or follow me on IG @clothed.in.vermillion so that we can share our sewing projects, tips and tricks with each other.

And please join the community and be inspired by all the Patterns for Pirates creations over in the Patterns for Pirates Facebook Group.

***You will find some affiliate links in this post. Click them before you purchase your patterns if you would like to see more reviews at Clothed in Vermillion. Affiliate links will help me pay for more patterns and fabric, of course. ***

THE NITTY-GRITTY:

Pattern Description: Pattern for Pirates RagDoll Raglan
Pattern sizing: XXS-3X
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern when you were finished sewing? Yes
Were the instructions complete and easy to follow? Yes, I especially like the finish for the open back option.
Fabric used: ITY (the plaid sleeves only) and Rayon Spandex (everything else)
Did you use the recommended fabrics in the pattern: Yes
Did you alter the pattern in any way?  I am 5′-2 and took my standard height adjustment from the midriff.
Was there anything you disliked or would change? For my personal shape and preference, I might take it in more from waist to hip in the future. Thankfully this is a personal alteration that can be done post-construction.
Would you sew it again? Yes
Would you recommend it to others? Yes
Do you consider the pattern beginner/intermediate/advanced? Beginner
Seam allowance used in the pattern? 1/2″

Here is how I am styling them in my everyday life. haha! I am also wearing a pair of Hey June Mountain Pose pants in stretch French Terry, learn how to get this pattern free here on the Hey June Handmade blog.