continuing to work my way through the Grainline Studio pattern library, fangirl-ing all the way, with this blazer.
it’s the Morris Blazer, released last April. i got to see Kelly’s olive twill blazer in person and it was amazing, but it took me a while to get around to making mine. i finally got a kick in the pants when i found this very cool knit at JoAnn, and i sewed my Morris up in an evening. Continue reading
it’s nani IRO month again, yay! was super flattered last year to be invited by miss matatabi to participate, and equally flattered this year. wanting to branch out a bit but remain very selfish with my nani IRO, i decided to use a pattern i’d been meaning to try since the day it was released – the Grainline alder dress.
the fabric i chose was a beautiful double gauze called Spectacle – it’s pink and lime green brush strokes on a light pink background. i love the hand painted aesthetic of nani IRO fabric, it feels effortless and it’s always so pretty. Frances has a great selection of nani IRO listed in her shop and even though she lives in Japan and I’m on the west coast of the US, her shipments seem to arrive impossibly fast! Continue reading
I’ve been intrigued by the moto jacket. It’s one of those garments I’ve heard fans of the capsule wardrobe call an “essential.” It pops up on Pinterest over skirts and jeans alike, and every time I see it I think that the woman wearing it looks fantastic, but I’d never even tried one on myself.
I started thinking it might be the type of piece that I never knew I missed until I had one of my own.
And then, Liesl released her Spring line of Lisette patterns in partnership with Butterick. I was immediately drawn to the B6169 Moto Jacket and knew that if the timing worked out, I’d love it to be my next project as a Britex guest blogger. Continue reading
i’m really enjoying building my wardrobe up with handmades that i can wear on a daily basis. somewhere in the last year or so, the clothes i’ve been sewing became the clothes i reach to wear first – not just because i made them and i’m forcing myself to, but because they’re actually my favorite pieces in the closet!
take this shirt, for example. if you’ve seen me in person in the last few weeks, you’ve probably seen this shirt. i just LOVE this thing and i can’t stop wearing it. i finished sewing on those buttons, put it on, and it immediately became part of my regular rotation. the perfect chambray from Bolt and Grainline’s Archer are just a really good team, you guys.
please head on over to the Bolt blog for more pics and info about my new favorite shirt (i made a few fit changes this time), and hey check it out – Bolt sells Grainline paper patterns in the shop now! go go go! i may even see you there – after i saw this post of their new arrivals, i can’t wait to get all up in that nani IRO (it looks like they have the fabric i made my previous Archer with)!
oh sorry, gotta mention one more thing – the bag i pose with in the photos was made by my friend (and Archer maker supreme) Kelly out of Pendleton wool. she used my tutorial and this thing is awesome and i feel way cooler than i am when i take it out on date nights. thanks Kelly!
> > > check out my Bolt post here < < <
a while back, my buddy Anna from Noodlehead asked if i’d help give her newly revamped Sidekick Tote pattern a once-over as she prepared to re-release it, which she did in late November. i’d sewn the Sidekick Tote before and remembered really enjoying it, so i was game. i didn’t remember the pattern having any stumbling blocks the first time, but PDF patterns have come a long way in the last couple years, so I get why Anna wanted to spruce it up a bit. the diagrams are a little clearer, the cutting instructions and sewing directions are a little easier to follow, that sort of thing. 
this time i thought it’d be fun to try a bit of hand painting on the fabric, inspired by another Portland crafty lady, Anna Joyce. i’ve admired Anna’s work at various craft shows and boutiques around town. i also follow her on instagram, where i noticed lately she’s been doing a lot of simple but graphic handpainting/stamping onto fabric, and it’s the type where i go “heeeeey i think i could do that!” Continue reading
skirt as top 