Posts Tagged ‘sewing’

Sewing A Muslin That I Love

0 Comment

I sewed! I’ve had a few projects in the queue, it’s just a matter of building up the courage and carving out the time to actually execute. But in the mean time, I’ve been sewing muslins and tailoring clothes to fit me and/or the kids in the cracks. 

One of those big projects in the queue is a romper I want to make. Harts Fabric sent me some fabric and the Toaster Pattern from Sew House Seven to try out. I’ve been so hesitant to cut into the fabric, that I wanted to sew up a “muslin” first out of some cheap fabric I found to make sure it fit right. And oh my I’m pleased with how the “muslin” turned out, I wear it constantly. I’m excited to work on my romper, but I just haven’t had the time or mental space to do it yet. It’s more of a fall/winter piece, so I hope to be done with it before the cooler temperatures hit. 

The toaster pattern itself is a dream to sew up. It’s the perfect beginner top to start, especially if you’re just starting to sew knits. The arms and hem can be done in a straight stitch because the pattern is meant to be slouchy, you don’t need stretch there. And there’s no hemming needed for the neckline! It’s a beginner’s dream! 

One of the things about indie patternists is that you never really know how good it is until you bust into it. This pattern is fantastic. It’s easy to piece together (if you’re purchasing the PDF version) and the instructions are clear and logical. It’s a great base for manipulating and making all sorts of fun things as well. I’ll be using this pattern for years to come, I can already tell. :) 

The split hem is a great, contemporary detail. It’s a short-er boxy top, but the perfect length for pairing with mid-rise jeans/pants. I’m 5’6″ and sewed up a size small. Hopefully that helps you with gauging if pattern alterations are necessary. 

To pair with this top, I’ve been loving lighter, pastels! This necklace sent to me by Ash Jewelry Studio has been a staple with this top. Scratch that, it’s been a staple with every darn thing in my wardrobe lately. Blush pink is the new nude, amiright? Earrings are also by Ash, and the perfect lightweight “hoops”. Actually, I don’t own a pair of hoop earrings, but these make the cut because they’re minimalist and light-weight. Seriously, If you’re looking to invest in some fantastic accessories that will go with everything, check out Ash Jewelry Studio.

Outfit details:

Have you made anything recently? Share your favorite things you’ve seen/made in the comments below!

Products were donated, no payment was made for this post or product placement. I just love supporting small businesses that are making and providing their customers with great products. All opinions are my own.

Simple & Quick Easter Outfits

0 Comments

Time hasn’t been a luxury for me lately, but I wanted to take time out to do something this Easter for the girls. It’s a tradition my mom held with us when we were kids to make Easter dresses. I love that tradition. I’m sure at some point, Pen & Junie will dread it, but for now they just lit up when I showed them their new skirts. 

I didn’t go sophisticated with their outfits at all. I just made two simple circle skirts and called it good. Junie is in the middle of a growth spurt, so I made her skirt fairly long so she can grow into it. Need some pointers? Check out this tutorial.

Making a woven circle skirt is quite easy. You just have to make sure that you’ve cut the opening wide enough for the hips to fit through and then you put the elastic in the waistband and gather it to fit the waist. Finishing the skirt is simple. If you’ve got a rolled hem foot, it’s even easier. 

Add some fun shoes a chambray shirt and I called it a day for these two munchkins. 

Poor Felix didn’t get anything made. But he doesn’t care quite like the girls do. He had plenty of fun playing with the Hot Wheels cars that the Easter Bunny brought. 

OMG aren’t these little Mary Jane Moccs the cutest things ever?!? They went perfectly with Junie’s outfit!!

Outfit Details: 

skirts: handmade

chambray: H&M and Gap

Penelope’s boots: Zara

Junie’s Moccs: Freshly Picked (c/o)

Leather-Detail Lightweight Sweater

0 Comments

I’ve had this sweater on the cutting table for months, but I finally finished it! 

I scored this fabric from Girl Charlee a while back.You may notice that you can see a little bit of the buffalo check through the sweater. It’s a great light-weight knit for layering, though!

You might recognize the material  from a sweater I made for Junie a while back. The knit was a little trickier to work with because of the loose knit, but it’s perfectly slouchy and cozy. I brought this on my trip to San Francisco (as evidence by the photos) and it was the perfect extra layer for the chilly weather. 

Sewing details: 

  • I used a large version of the Lane Raglan tee.
  • I modified the pattern to make it longer and added a tunic-style hem with split sides and a longer back panel.
  • I added structure to the shoulders with leather pieces (that was the hardest part because of how structurally different the two materials are)
  • I hemmed the edges with a machine blind hem (using my BabyLock Elizabeth, I just did a zig-zag blind hem), it looks nice and allows for the hem to stretch with the fabric.

Outfit details: 

Huge shout out to Maria Castelli. Everywhere I go, someone asks me where I got my bag. It’s made from the best leather and it’s the perfect size for touring around town or running errands with small kids. It’s perfectly chic and perfectly sturdy. It’s simply fantastic. 

When I opened up the beautifully packaged box when my bag first arrived, I had Chris come in the room to smell the wonderful leather aroma. And gawk with me at the gorgeousness that laid before me. It truly is an incredible purse/backpack in person. 

I took this everywhere with me on our trip; including museums. The straps on the backpack are versatile that you can wear it like a purse or wear it like a backpack! Huge win. If you’re looking for your next everyday bag, get one. You won’t regret it. 


My hair was out of control while in SF. My sister braided it in dutch braids the night before and it held its volume all day. But, let’s be honest. I don’t miss the humidity of the city. Not a bit. ;) But SF is my fave. I wouldn’t mind going back on a monthly basis.

Slouchy Sweater for Junie

0 Comment

Girl Charlee approached me to see if I wanted to sew something with their fabric. Uh DUH. Yes! It’s about darn time that I turn on the freaking sewing machines. So thanks to them for the extra bit of motivation. :) I love their fabric.

melissaesplin-juniper-sweater-sewing-girl-charlee-1

melissaesplin-juniper-sweater-sewing-girl-charlee-2

I chose this heathered specialty hacci sweater knit. It’s a light-weight, ultra-soft sweater knit that’s perfect for the weird transition to fall where it’s hot one minute and cold the next. And it washes and wears so beautifully.

melissaesplin-juniper-sweater-sewing-girl-charlee-3

I made up the pattern for this sweater. I haven’t yet perfected the pattern, but once I do, I’ll share that with you. It’s only 2 pattern pieces, plus binding. It’s similar to the Cocoon Cardigan from True Bias. It’s a little smaller than I had originally planned, but it looks so darn cute on June anyway.

melissaesplin-juniper-sweater-sewing-girl-charlee-4

 

melissaesplin-juniper-sweater-sewing-girl-charlee-7

Junie is too cute. She didn’t want me to take photos of her, so I had to bribe her with phone time. But when it comes to painting her nails, she begs me to do it! She’s such a cute girly-girl. I can’t handle it, total cuteness overload!!

Outfit details:

  • bow: handmade
  • sweater: handmade
  • top: H&M
  • denim: Target
  • shoes: c/o Freshly Picked

 

melissaesplin-juniper-sweater-sewing-girl-charlee-9

Sewing, Weight-Gain & Le Tote

0 Comments

This post is in partnership with Le Tote. They’re like Netflix for clothes. Borrow clothes, wear them, try out new styles and return them. They do the laundering and help with styling and fit! Try it free for 14 days with this special link.

melissaesplin-letote-sewing-1

I’ve talked about depression before. It’s not a big deal when it’s under control with lifestyle, diet and medication. But lately, I’ve been frustrated by one of the most common side effects of my medication: weight gain. It’s like I have no self-control. All I want is sugar and carbs and I’m always hungry.

In the last 2 months, I’ve gained nearly 5% of my body weight. It may not seem like much. And to be honest, it’s not as big a deal as many other medications out there, but it’s significant enough that I don’t feel comfortable. I have a rather healthy body image, so I really don’t mind what I see when I look in the mirror when I get out of the shower, but I don’t feel like I belong in my own clothes.

WEIGHT DOESN’T MATTER, but confidence does. 

Over the last three months, Le Tote has “grown” with me. As I’ve fluctuated, I’ve always had something fabulous to wear. Going through transitional weight phases sucks. It’s happened every time I’ve had a kid. I have a conundrum of wanting to look and feel beautiful, but not wanting to buy clothes in that transitional size for fear that it won’t fit later on. What a waste!

melissaesplin-letote-sewing-2

Le Tote has had my back. They’ve been there to make me feel beautiful inside and out, no matter what my size.

melissaesplin-letote-sewing-3 melissaesplin-letote-sewing-4

melissaesplin-letote-sewing-5

This month I wanted to challenge myself to sew. I’ve had this shirt half done on my cut table for nearly a month, it was time to finish it. I literally used the leftover scraps from two projects (this skirt and this shirt) to piece together this top. I had barely enough fabric! There’s something satisfying about keeping great fabric from going to waste.

melissaesplin-letote-sewing-7

I had a fun time getting back into the sewing game. I made a scout tee and added a ruffle bottom to it. I found the print in the L.A. fabric district and the plum at JoAnn.

melissaesplin-letote-sewing-8

Outfit Details:

 

mobile site