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I am so excited to share my first project for the Minerva Maker Team with you guys today! I got this ultra-snuggly flannel from Minerva Crafts which I used to make this 90’s inspired Jessica Dress from Mimi G Style. You can check out my full review here, but I just wanted to pop in and share the quick and dirty deets about this make for a bit.

 

 

Honestly, when I first got this fabric I had no idea what I wanted to do with it. But the more I looked at it, the more the flannel kind of reminded me of those 90’s shows like My So-Called Life and The Secret World of Alex Mac (I was a young child in the 90’s) where it’s perpetually fall for some reason and everyone is always wearing plaid flannel. Then I asked myself what Clarissa Darling would do, and wearing a midi button-down flannel dress with jeans and a beret seemed like the right answer, so off to work I went.

 

 

See? Any girl who wears contrasting bell sleeves and 2 pairs of shorts obviously approves of the dress over denim trend. I rest my case. In Clarissa, We Trust.

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This project was really fun to work on because I really didn’t have a clear vision for it at all. In fact, I wasn’t even sure I liked it until I put on the completed piece and thought “ok yeah, this is cool!” It just goes to show you stuff.

 

  

 

QUICK + DIRTY DETAILS:

PATTERN: The Jessica Dress by Mimi G Style

FABRIC: Plaid Flannel from Minerva Crafts (gifted)

NOTIONS: Black buttons from my stash (similar)

SIZE: I made a size M based on my measurements:

• B: 38”

• W: 31″

• H: 40″

• Height: 5’4″

ADJUSTMENTS: Doubled the strap width to make it more bra-friendly

KNOWLEDGE OBTAINED: That it’s more important to place buttons where you actually need them, then figure out spacing instead of just placing them where they look aesthetically pleasing. I totally could have avoided some serious bust-gaping otherwise!

Check out the full post on Minerva.com!

Happy making!

-XO-

C

It’s November which means one things- it’s officially sweater season! As someone who has lived in areas that experience all 4 seasons my who life, I have developed a healthy sweater collection in my closet over the years. However, I’ve also experienced my fair share of unintentional sweater sacrifices to the Dryer Gods on several occasions. I’m sure that I don’t have to tell you about how bad it sucks when you go to pull your cozy cardigan from the wash, only to find it mangled in a shrunken, matted mess. Luckily, I’ve picked up a few tips over the years on how to properly care for my garments, and I thought I’d help you avoid my past heartbreaks by sharing them with you today!

**Please note that all of these tips and tricks will help preserve any sweater, vintage or not, but with vintage pieces there can be excess wear or unknown fiber content which will change your approach a bit when it comes to your handling.

 

 

GENERAL WEAR:

All garments are going to face general wear and tear over years of use. This can help them become softer and more snuggly, but it can also break down the fibers in a way that leads to holes or pilling. Here’s what you can do in those situations:

• Clear away any pills using a defuzzing comb. This can be time-consuming, but the “new sweater” look you achieve from doing it is so worth it!

• Protect “high traffic” areas. Some garments may benefit from the addition of elbow patches or should not be tucked into waistbands if you notice small holes forming near the bottom hem of the garment.

• Wash sparingly. Washing takes a heavy toll on the fibers and weakens them (which is why they become softer). Save washings only for when the garment is soiled. You can sanitize your sweater between washings by using a steamers or iron (be careful with heat, though!) or by placing it in a plastic storage bag and setting them in the freezer overnight. This will kill any odor causing bacteria, but will not remove stains. For that, you’ll need to wash it:

 

 

WASHING:

How you’re going to wash your sweater depends on what it’s made of. Most sweaters don’t like heat regardless of their fiber content- so it’s safest to only machine dry on the lowest heat setting or lay flat to dry. Sweaters made from wool, cashmere, and cotton are likely to shrink with heat, so hand wash those or have them dry-cleaned. There’s also synthetic blends to consider. If your vintage sweater is from the 1970’s and later (and is blended with a synthetic fiber), it’s probably fine to machine wash and dry on a low heat setting. If your sweater is from the 1960’s and earlier, OR you’re unsure of the age or fiber content of your sweater, it’s best to follow these steps:

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• First, do a spot check. Wet a hidden spot on your sweater and add a bit of mild detergent. Using a cotton swab, gently rub the area and check for color transfer. If your swab picks up color, take it to the dry cleaner. If not, you’re likely ok washing at home. If your sweater is embellished, be sure to do the same test on any threads as well. Unless your sweater is a sensitive material like cashmere, you’re usually fine washing it in the machine with cold water, inside out, or in a garment bag. You can also add a cup of white vinegar directly into the washing machine to help preserve the color.

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• To hand wash your sweater, fill your sink with cold water and a very mild detergent or wool wash. Gently agitate stains with your fingers (do NOT rub the sweater on itself), then drain the sink and refill it with clean water to rinse. Continue to do so until the water runs clear.

• Animal fibers, like wool, are weakened when wet, so it’s important to handle with care at this stage to prevent it from becoming distorted, stretched, and misshapen. Do not rub, wring, or ball up your sweater to dry it.

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• Gently place your clean sweater on a dry towel and roll it to absorb excess water. Repeat until your sweater is no longer dripping. Place the sweater on a flat surface away from direct sunlight or heat to air dry.

• NEVER machine dry unidentified sweaters, or pieces labeled “hand wash” or “dry-clean” only. The heat from the dryer, even on the lowest setting, can cause shrinkage, felting (where the fibers mat together in a felt-like texture), and can even melt synthetic materials

STORAGE:

For the most part, you’re going to want to fold your sweaters as opposed to hanging them. Hanging your sweaters makes them susceptible to gravity and can lead to lengthening or misshapen shoulders or necklines. Some lighter, more tightly woven sweaters may be fine being hung, however. If you choose to hang your sweater, be sure to use a soft padded hanger and keep them out of direct sunlight. That said, just fold your sweaters, ok? Once folded, follow these guidelines to store:

• When hanging, store with like materials and never near anything embellished or with buttons/zippers to prevent snagging

• Keep them out of direct sunlight and away from heat. Sunlight can cause significant fading, which may unevenly “bleach” your garment. Depending on the fiber content of your sweater, the heat may cause some shrinkage as well.

• Take note if your sweater is comprised primarily of animal fibers (wool, cashmere, alpaca, etc.) since that can attract moths. Though they might not be tempted by pieces blended with cotton or synthetics, you may want to store these sweaters in air tight containers such as plastic storage bins.

• Make sure your sweaters are cleaned before storing them if you purchased them second-hand. Soiled clothing can attract pests (like moths) or even contain them if you thrifted the piece.

• If you’re really concerned about moths, store your sweaters with cedar blocks or in a cedar-lined drawer. You can also try a sweater spray.

• Keep your closet and drawers tidy and organized to prevent pest infestation or to at least make it more noticeable if it does happen to prevent significant damage.

 

 

I hope you found this helpful! I’d love to do more posts like this on other articles of clothing in the future, but if you have any further questions about your sweater collection, or if you have any other tips + tricks you’d like to share, let me know in the comments! In the meantime, whatever you’re up to, I hope it makes you happy.

-XO-

C

*This post contains affiliate links. Learn more here.

 

 

Celebrating Halloween at home this past weekend with my little family had me seriously appreciating my coziness. We binged movies (and candy), made lots of popcorn and hot chocolate, and I pretty much lived in my fluffy sweaters under my favorite blanket with knitting needles in hand. Life doesn’t get much better than that if you ask me.

 

 

With the whirlwind of Holiday Season fast approaching, I wanted to take the month of November to hold onto that cozy feeling in order to remind me to slow down, enjoy my family and my environment, and practice some self care. So, I wanted to share a few of my crafty plans for the month to hopefully remind you to do the same!

 

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I just finished knitting my very first sweater and I am in love! I’ve been itching to get something else started on my needles ASAP, so when I cam across this vintage pattern, I pounced. I’m not sure what yarn I’ll use yet, but I’m thinking of trying to achieve the same marled look in the photo by doubling up lighter weight yarns. Maybe something like this chainette yarn from Lion Brand amber and cream for Christmas time?

I have been dragging my feet when it comes to sewing a jumpsuit because I juts can’t decide which pattern to try first. But as hard pants (aka jeans) become harder and harder to wear with the temps dropping, I caved and decided I should just get on the Zadie Train already (especially after seeing one layered with a turtleneck underneath on IG. TOO CUTE!)

 

 

Another knitting project, this time a beret (get the pattern here). I mean, c’mon. JUST LOOK AT IT!!

 

 

I love this mini mohair knit your own scrunchie kit, but I don’t think my skills are ready to handle such a small knit just yet. Plus, it’s got me thinking of the GIANT scrunchie trend, so I think I may be coming up with my own pattern to super-size this type of style. Hmmmmm….

 

 

I had actually attempted the Hinterland Dress from Sew Liberated earlier this year (the longer sleeved version), but for some reason cut out my pattern and fabric pieces about 4 sizes too small? IDK if I was possessed or drunk or what could have caused me to completely overlook the huge size discrepancy, but it was enough trouble to put me off for a while. *SIGH*. Oh, well, I’m over it, and I think I’m ready to sew up a new one to layer under a few of my chunky sweaters and cardigans on days where I’m not leaving the house at all (which is most of them at this point haha!)

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This is the one I am most nervous for because it will be my biggest project yet, but I am beyond excited to finally dive into the world of coats! I just received my lovely fabric (gifted from Minerva) and have settled on the Soho Coat from Tessuti Fabrics. I think this will be a good pattern to start with. It says it’s for intermediate sewers, which I definitely don’t consider myself to be (“confident beginner” hey-yoooo!) but since it’s a more relaxed fit with only one button closure and unlined, I think it’ll be fine. Wish me luck!

I probably won’t get to all of these projects since I’m also starting several Christmas gifts this month, but if I can completely finish at least one of these I’ll be happy. And a girl can always dream, can’t she?

What projects do you have in the works this month? Have you already started on your me-made gifts? Whatever you’ve got going on-

Happy Making!

-XO-

C

*This post contains affiliate links. Learn more here.

 

 

Y’all, I am into knitting in a big way these days! Obviously the cold weather has got me all kinds of jazzed about all the comfy-cozy things, but with everything being so wild these days (you know what I’m talking about!) I really appreciate having a craft I can do on the couch while I unplug. It’s the best combination of meditation and mindlessness- keeping my hands busy and still feeling productive while I tune out in front of the TV. What could be better?

 

 

I am still incredibly new to knitting, and have only fully completed 3 small projects so far. 1 being a simple cowl that I finished back in February, and the other 2 being hats that I’ve completed in the last week or so. However, I had actually started another hat that I’ve been working on for months that I think I’m finally going to let go of. All three of these beanie projects have taught me so so much about knitting in general, as well as given me some great insight about what sort of projects I want to be working on right now, and what I want to be wearing based on my personal style. So, I thought I’d share some of the unlocks I’ve had with you guys today!

 

 

1. INSTANT GRATIFICATION IS ESSENTIAL IN THE BEGINNING.

My cowl scarf knit up pretty quick since it was a simple stockinette stitch worked in the round. Then I started on this cap. It’s a beautiful pattern and honestly not very difficult to follow (just rib stitch all around), but with the thinner yarn and a new-to-me technique, I find myself constantly losing track or whether I just knit or purled, and I’m s l o w as hell still, so the project was taking me a long time. I found that I would knit for a few hours, think I was close to almost being finished, then realize I definitely was not. Honestly, it felt very discouraging. After I set this one aside to make room for a project I completed in just 2 Netflix binge sessions, my spirits were immediately lifted and I was ready for more.

 

 

2. I NEED IT TO BE A PLEASURABLE SENSORY EXPERIENCE RIGHT NOW

The yarn I was using for cap #1 is ok…soft, but not very snuggly. And I was using cold metal needles that kind of grind when I knit (think of the sound you hear when sharpening knives). When I started my second hat, I used metal needles but cozier yarn…which I liked better. Then I had my Goldilocks moment and started on my third beanie using this squishy yarn and warm bamboo needles. Juuuuuuuuust right. The combination made for a more pleasurable experience and made me enjoy the process so much more than my first two. I know practice helped improve my knitting a lot, but I think being happier with my needles and yarn made me want to “stop and smell the roses” while I worked, resulting in a higher quality make.

 

 

3. BIGGER IS DEFINITELY BETTER

Bigger yarn makes for bigger loops which makes it easier to see what you’re doing. It also knits up a lot faster. Yes.

 

 

4. PRACTICE MAKES PROGRESS

My first beanie makes me a little sad when I look at it, because she is just loaded with mistakes. I’m not mad at that fact necessarily, because making mistakes is how we learn, and I definitely learned some things while working on this project. But, there’s enough of them to make me not want to wear the hat for fear of it falling apart due to low quality. I am glad, though, that when I line the three projects up, I can see my improvement and progress. It makes me excited to fail again and learn some more, and I don’t feel my time has been wasted, even if this project will never see the finish line.

 

 

(lol at this dumb photo of me and my yarn bb 🤣)

What are your favorite things to knit once the colder weather hits? Any advice you’d like to pass on to a beginner such as myself? I’ll take all the help I can get!

Happy making!

-XO-

C

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Today I am beyond excited to share my very first knit sewing project – the Freya top from the Tilly and the Buttons book Stretch!

 

 

Sewing with knits is something that I’ve literally been telling myself I want to try while simultaneously dreading for the past year now, and I decided to finally bite the bullet since this pattern was absolutely perfect for my Sabrina look. I learned so much from this project, and I picked up a couple of helpful tips and tricks along the way!

 

 

I don’t have a serger/overlocker, so I made this on my standard sewing machine using a zig-zag stitch. This was ultimately the biggest source of my fear since I had no idea how my machine would handle stretch fabric. I used this bamboo rib knit that had a decent amount of stretch and directional lines (the ribs), so I was very nervous about uneven feed causing rippling or distortion. BUT- I will say that the book has SO MANY helpful tips for sewing knit fabrics on any machine, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much a good pressing with the iron really helped out. In some cases, there was a distinct night and day difference between how my seams looked after they were pressed.

 

 

I also made sure to do a few test stitches on a scrap piece of my fabric before going for it on my pattern. I didn’t end up needing to adjust my thread tension at all, but I did mess around a bit with the spacing of my stitches and the tightness of the zig-zag. I also tested pressing here to see what I could get away with, so I would highly recommend trying that on your test swatches as well!

Although I didn’t run into too many headaches with this make (can I get an “AMEN”?!), I immediately realized that I would need to add 2 things to my sewing supply stash for future knit projects. The first being a walking foot for my machine. The feed was definitely uneven between my fabric pieces when sewing, and that caused wobbly seams that a walking foot would have solved. The other is fabric clips. The pins I used to secure my fabric didn’t damage it or leave tiny holes, thankfully, but using them did distort my fabric, making it a bit bumpy and uneven. I think the fabric clips would have gone a long way in helping my project to lay flat for a cleaner finish.

 

 

My biggest struggle with the pattern was the neckband. My first attempt went in great, but was way too big and stuck out. I unpicked it and took off about an inch from the neck. Then I just could not get it back in after that. I think I ended up unpicking and resewing it about 5 or 6 times. This tutorial on Tilly’s IG helped a lot, but it was still tricky. I’m not too mad at it though, because I know my biggest obstacle was the learning curve from never having done it before. I know the more I do it, the easier it will get, so I haven’t sworn off knits, yet!

 

 

I also ended up taking about an inch out of the sleeve width and length as well since they were just slightly too big and long. Looking back, I’ll probably sew a size down next time and just do a full bust adjustment, since the size 5 fits perfectly in my bust, but is baggy everywhere else (my measurements are below if you’re curious). This top is incredibly comfortable and easy to move in as is it, so although I would prefer a size down, I have no problems with the roomy fit.

 

 

I was honestly surprised by how smooth-sailing this project went. I’d built up sewing knits as nearly impossible in my head for so long that once I was done I was like “all of that anxiety for nothing?!” Ain’t that just the way? I still have a lot of practicing to do before I’d consider myself a knit pro, but I feel a lot more confident in trying more stretchy makes in the future after doing this project. And just in time for cozy season, too!

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I am so in love with this pattern and how the silhouette looks on my body. It has a timeless, vintage vibe and is a wardrobe staple that can be matched with so many pieces already in my closet. Can you believe that this is the only long-sleeved top I own right now?! It definitely fills a gaping hole in my wardrobe, and I already have plans to make other versions in black, white, and possibly bright red. I’d also love to try the dress version, but it’s getting so cold here now I think I might wait until the spring to try that one.

 

 

Have you tried sewing with knits yet? If you have, what’s your favorite knit sewing pattern? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to get some suggestions for my next project!

Happy making

-XO-

C

DETAILS:

PATTERN: The Freya Sweater + Dress from Tilly and the Buttons book Stretch

FABRIC: Bamboo Rib Knit in the color Redwood from Stone Mountain and Daughter Fabrics

SIZE: I made a size 5 based on my measurements, but would size down with a FBA in the future:

• Bust: 38”

• W: 31″

• H: 40″

• Height: 5’4″

ADJUSTMENTS: 

• Took 1 inch out of neckband and sleeves.

• Shortened sleeves by 1 inch

KNOWLEDGE OBTAINED:

• I should probably get a walking foot and clips for future knit projects

• Test pressing your fabric as well as sewing machine settings to get the full effect

• Show no fear and you’ll do great

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