WBM half zippered sweater and sweatpants

 

I recently tested for Wardrobe by me's half zippered sweater and sweatpants and halfway through the testing, I caught the covid virus and was practically down for 11 days or so. Thankfully, during the really feverish period of the illness, I was able to recover in comfort wearing this. 

In fact, I think I lived in this exact combi of top and bottoms for about 3 days... oops. 

I don't own a lot of cold weather clothes so this test came just at the right time. I love the fit of this. The ease is perfect for lounging around. And that inseam length for the shorts is really great - not too short and not very long either. 

This was the first time I attempted a half zippered pattern. I took my time with the zipper application and I'm really proud to say that I managed to do this on my first try! The key is to go slow, pin pin pin and use the correct zipper foot! I'm usually a clips-person but for this, I really pinned the entire length of the zipper down and took my time. 

The hardest part was probably aligning this such that when the zipper is fully zipped, the necklines are aligned. Again, this is where pinning a lot helps!

I used a plastic zipper with a fancy zipper pull and I saw others use metal ones too. I think the choice of the zipper can greatly change the look and feel of the sweater so do play around with the combination and have fun! 

When I finally recovered from Covid - which was after the release of the half zippered sweater, I also went ahead to make my second pair of the sweatpants. This time in full sweatpants length but in ottoman knit and hemmed without elastic so that I can make secret pajamas.

And secret pajama pants they are indeed. Here's the pants paired with my Mirri top and I think the combi is definitely suitable for work! 

This is my first time working with ottoman knit fabric and one thing I realise about it is that it can be quite drapey! I am thinking of what else I can make with these lovely knit fabric that's so easy to work with. 

My favorite part about this pants pattern are the way the pockets are constructed. I love that the construction meant that the pockets stay put and will not be pulled out easily. The pocket opening also looks really nice and neat. 

Half zippered sweater link

Sweatpants link

IVL Hecho Dotty Jacket

I just love my new jacket. It's giving me a very couture vibe. This is the Dotty jacket by ivl_hecho and it features a tailored and cropped bodice with set in sleeves that are contoured to fit - they come in 2 pieces! 

The jacket is fully lined so technically, you can make the jacket reversible - I didn't cos I chose to line this with voile in a colorful print. 

The pattern has 2 different sleeve lengths, full and 3/4 length and patch pockets (which I omitted) and also an option to make it sporty with a zipper closure. 

The Jacquard I used had lovely raised designs which I loved and the white made the jacket really classy. One thing to note though - jacquard frays like crazy! I had to serge all the edges to keep it from disintegrating as I sew! 

All worth it though. Don't you think? I added a rose brooch which belonged to my mum and I think it fits really nice too! I like how I can wear this with a fitted dress or a pants/ top and both will look elegant and professional. The addition of the brooch also helped elevate the outfit. 

If I were to make it again, I will prob hack a pocket along the contour seam on the inside of the jacket. That would be such a lovely detail! 

Here's the direct link to the pattern:

https://www.ivlhechoconamor.com/listing/1182355030/women-short-jacket-sewing-pattern-short

Designer Stitch Cherish Wrap Dress

 

Designer Stitch Cherish Wrap Dress

I was happy to be back testing for Designer Stitch. So far the patterns she has are really flattering on me and I know my adjustments for her block which makes it so much easier to make new patterns of hers knowing exactly what I need to do to make the dresses I sew from her patterns fit me. 

Just look at the back of that dress! 

Now this Cherish Wrap dress is a true wrap dress and what that means is that technically I can gain some weight or lose some and it will still fit me. That said, we all know the worry when it comes to wrap dresses - does it fly open and reveal your legs? 

Well, I'm happy to report that this wrap keeps you covered well even on windy days! 

Here's a close up look of the wrap. there's a small opening on the side for the wrap ties to go around ur body and it is long enough for me to tie a pretty bow or even go 2 rounds if I wish. In this closeup, I wrapped it a little lower - great for date nights! While, in the photos I took outdoors, you can see that I wrapped it a little higher cos running around with children means I rather be sure that I will not reveal too much when doing mummy things. 

You can't really see it here - I blame it on my choice of fabric print, but the skirt is actually pleated and darted! That helps with the shaping alot and you can see how it really wraps ard beautifully. This version I made is with Rayon Spandex - I forgot from where since I have had this fabric in my stash for a while now - I guess I meant it for Cherish and just didn't know it till now! 

The actual dress pattern has sleeveless and also sleeved options. The sleeved options include short, 3/4 and long. The dress length I selected was the longer version and there is also a slightly shorter one for those who prefer it above the knee. 

I also saw a tester who did a top version which was SO CUTE. 

Thank you for reading my review of the dress. If you would like to purchase it with my aff link it is here below:

https://designerstitch.com/shop/cherish-wrap-dress/?affiliates=227

Sewing jeans - WBM men and women jeans

I pattern tested for my first pair of Men's Jeans and my third pair of women's jeans! These are jeans from Wardrobe by Me. This pattern company has many lovely Men and Women sewing patterns that are both stylish and very classic. They also recently ventured into pattern making for children! 

I've made many sewing patterns from them with very very good outcomes so I was really excited about these jeans.

Let's talk about the patterns itself and the fabric first. 

These are non-stretch jeans. That means you need to find denim that is not stretchy or at most only slightly stretchy. Because of the nature of non stretch jeans, the overall fit isn't skinny - it cannot be!

The Men's version is a pair of classic, five-pocket jeans with a relaxed fit and boot-cut legs. The Women's version is a pair of classic, five-pocket slim jeans with straight legs. They are not the usual jeans you get in shops that are stretchy and therefore tight, these are very comfortable jeans that you can wear all day. In fact, my husband finds them even more comfortable than his Levis. 

The non-stretch denim that is required should have a weight of about 10-13 oz and other similar weight wovens can also be used e.g. corduroy/ canvas. I live in Singapore, my first pair of jeans were made with 10 oz denim I bought from taobao (online) and the second pair was from Teoh Huat Textiles in Chinatown. If I were to compare the two fabric, I will definitely recommend Singaporeans to just buy from Chinatown because you can feel the fabric and it really makes a difference - also, it is not that much cheaper buying from taobao! 

My husband is modelling the first tester version I made below. 

You can see that the fit is not tight but it isn't too loose either. It's really a very comfortable fit all the way down - and I think that's part of the reason why this pair of jeans is much loved! 

I took my time with the topstitching. I didn't actually use twin needles, instead, I simply used a topstitching needle and topstitched twice. For the thread, I used Rinata jeans thread (cos that is what I could buy from my neighborhood sewing shop) It's also the same shop I bought the rivets! If you live in or near Ang Mo Kio, the shop to look for is Elsie Departmental Store. To help the stitching look nicer, I also increased the stitch length and tension and went really slow. 

Lemme show you all some in progress photos!! 

That design has a special geeky meaning actually! It's a nod to our background in Physics - this is a Feymann diagram! hehe. Both me and my husband are physics majors and when making your own jeans, the best part might just be personalizing the back pockets! hehe. 

I followed the instructions on how to topstitch the coin pocket and I really liked the look! The topstitching this way also meant that the coin pocket is kept firmly on the front pocket bag. And it is, in itself, another lovely detail that sets this jeans apart.

And for those interested to see how the zipper fly looks like, here it is!

It looks really really nice doesn't it! The construction wasn't difficult and it was really easy to follow the instructions to do this. In fact, there is even a video to help you with the entire construction including the fly construction for the visual learners. 

Here's the pair I made for me:

 

As you can tell, the legs fit slightly slimmer than my husband's version but it isn't tight. It's a straight leg and also just as comfortable to wear. 

The waistband of the women's jeans actually differ from the men's jeans. The men's one is a straight waistband while the women's one is contoured. I'm not a pattern drafter so I don't know why. But I do know both patterns fit beautifully on our different bodies. 

I didn't want any designs on my pockets cos I kinda like it simple and clean instead so here's how the jeans would look like with no pocket designs. The thread I used here is a grey thread too. I like how it looks a little different from the usual gold/yellow thread of retail wear jeans. 

I'll end the post with some flat lays of some of the jeans I made and also photos of the other pairs but before that, some final words...

During testing, I made a total of 4 pairs of jeans. 2 for me and 2 for my husband. The first pair took me about 2 full days of sewing but as I got better and more experienced, each pair takes about a full day to complete. I would say, if you are a beginner trying to sew jeans, GO FOR IT! But do go slow, take ur time, read the instructions carefully and give yourself a few days to sew (sewing a few hours each day). 

Sewing jeans is well worth the effort, especially when at the end of the sewing, you have a pair of really good looking jeans that are fitted just for you. 

These set of patterns are well drafted and definitely well worth buying! 

So here's my (aff) links again:

https://bit.ly/WBMmenjeans

https://bit.ly/WBMwomenjeans

Release sale: with the code "Jeans ninja" u can get 25% off till 21/22 jan 2022

Looking to sew Kids jeans? Here's my review on 2 great kids jeans pattern

Wanting a more tapered leg? Or need a bigger size than what's offered for WBM? Here's my review on another great adult jeans pattern from Rad Patterns.

Sewing Jeans (Kids)

I'm not all that new to sewing jeans anymore. Afterall, I sewn the Mountain View Jeans by Itch to stitch, the Kelly Jeans by Rad Patterns, both Adult jeans patterns too. So kids jeans should be easy. Right? 

Well, thankfully, it is! Small sizes are slightly harder to make cos smaller pieces of fabric are just harder to manipulate at the sewing machine but other than that, the jeans making went really smoothly! 

All it takes is proper needles (I used jeans needles (for jeans, schmetz 90/14 for construction, Topstitch schmetz 100/16 for topstitching with jeans thread which are slightly thicker than the normal thread) and going slow - take ur time!! 

I made 2 different types of jeans for my kids. There's a pull on pair with faux fly and elastic waistband for my youngest and a 'real jeans' with zipper and proper metal snaps for my eldest. Both patterns are from the very lovely pattern company Designs by Call Ajaire. They participate in Project Run and play which releases curated pattern collections for children that are really beautiful and I learnt about them when testing another pattern for them quite some time back. 

Let's talk about the first pattern here: Prancer Pull on Jeans:

As the name suggest, this is a pull on pair of jeans which is great for those that want an easy on easy off option. Both jeans pattern goes from newborn sizes to 16 year old which is perfect for us to make many many pairs for our kids as they grow up. 

I especially like that it is a pull on because it helps her with her independence phase - i want to put it on myself mummy! 

The leg on these pair of jeans is 'stove pipe' legs. There's also a skinny jeans option that comes with the pattern which of course would be more fitted but seeing as my kid is still learning to put pants on, stovepipes were my ideal choice. I love the fit on her and I think she loves it too. 

The denim I chose for her is about 450gsm stretch pink denim with a stretch of about 20%. The stretch ensures that she's comfortable wearing the jeans all day and it has enough stretch for her to run and play and jump in these too. 

I like that the pockets are a good size for her and she enjoys stuffing her little hands in the pockets all day long too. 

Making custom jeans also means that we can do whatever we want for the topstitching and of course I took the chance to play around with my sewing machine fancy stitches with a line of hearts and another 2 lines of your usual v shape. I love how the topstitching gives the jeans a professional touch. 

And for my boy, I wanted him to practice his motor skills, zipping and unzipping his jeans zippers and buttoning his jeans himself. So a pair of "real jeans" it is. 

Now, it is very very worthwhile making jeans for this little guy because as you probably can tell, he is very very slim and really tall too. It's near impossible to find retail wear jeans that would actually fit him. Most of the time, jeans that fit him in the waist will be inches too short and also too tight around the crotch. And jeans that are long enough would frequently be too big at the waist, even those with adjustable waist are too baggy for him. 

I have long given up buying jeans outside for him.. so I am more than happy to make the Bacca Bootcut jeans for this little guy. Don't get me wrong, it's still a lot of effort to make jeans for him. His waist, hips and height falls in 3 different sizes spanning more than 4 sizes apart. Blending takes a lot of effort and time and experience to get right. (Thankfully, following the instructions carefully really helps in this aspect!)

For my first attempt with the Bacca Bootcut jeans pattern, I would like to think that I did really really well don't you? The fit is a bootcut so it is slimmer at the knee then flares out just a touch at the bottom. I happen to think that this is a very flattering cut on my boy - he looks even taller than he is! 

While I technically could use jeans buttons for him, I decided that he is better off using metal snap buttons which I installed with a hammer and anvil. I also happen to like how the metal snaps look with the almost black denim. and I used proper metal jeans zipper also for a professional look - you really can't tell that this is mum made! 

For the topstitching on his backpockets, I went for his initials since it is so custom-made, I doubt I could pass it down to anyone's kid once he is done with them - I don't know anyone else with kids so tall and slim! Again, I went with stretch denim with about 20% stretch but this one is slightly lighter in gsm - probably closer to 400gsm. 

Comfort level 100% 💗

I really do enjoy the fact that I can sew my kids clothes that fit them perfectly and they look really good as a result. It also builds their confidence up knowing that their clothes fit properly and they are not too thin or too tall but just right. 

Thank you for reading my post on sewing jeans for kids. If you want to try your hand at sewing some jeans for your kids, i highly recommend both jeans patterns from Designs by Call Ajaire. Depending on your kids, you can chose either the Prancer pull on or the Bacca Bootcut and you know you are going to get really good professional finishes either way. 

The waistbands and finishes of both patterns are interchangeable which means if you like the fit of the stovepipe (Prancer) but also want proper zipper fly (Bacca), it is really easy to switch it up! Just get both pattern and use the relevant pieces! In fact, the bundle is on sale now so it is really worth it!

Here are the links to the patterns again:

Bacca Bootcut jeans

Prancer Pull on Jeans

Pattern bundle

Children top patterns (unisex) my kids have tried and loved - part 2

Here's a continuation of the Children's top patterns my kids have tried and loved post part 2 - the paid patterns worth buying. Part 1 - free patterns can be found here.

Now I have made ALOT of children's tops for my 2 children. This post will mainly feature the unisex ones I made and loved. There are plenty more which I made mostly for my little girl which are traditionally feminine which if I were to feature, would make this post too long - another day, another post perhaps? 

Perfect Panel Tee by Winter Wear Designs

I love how I can fit a really slim panel in the front and make the shirt without any side seams so the back wraps around. The effect looks super cute and I have been making many t-shirts for him with remnants and kid panels - the left flatlay is a remnant from a destash and the right is a kids panel. 

I like to size up for this cos then he can wear his shirts longer cos panels can be expensive =p hahaha. It's really a great pattern for upcycling as well. There's more color-blocking option than is featured here so it is even possible to use really slim panels or (with a little creativity) adult underwear panels even and you can also choose between slim or regular fits too. 

Read about how I hacked this pattern into a muscle tank here!

Additional info: 

Fit: slim fit or regular fit
Sleeve options: short, knotted short, 3/4 or long set in sleeves
Neckline: crew neck
Sizes: 1 year old to 14 year old

Others: Front panel with options for Plain, shoulder yoke, curved yoke and bottom band. No side seams. 

Fabric requirement:  30% stretch for the bodice and sleeves and >50% stretch for the bands.

Suggested fabrics: CL, Jersey, Ponte, interlock etc.

Format: A4/letter Layered Trim; projector file (new) , A0 available

Hip 2 B Square Tee by Goober Pea Designs

This one is yet another color block tee that you can buy. There's a few difference between the one earlier and this one. Mainly in the way the tees are color-blocked - while Perfect panel tee has a back piece that wraps ard to the front without a seam, this one has the option of side seams with side panels (blue dino shirt) or just a side seam with a big centre panel. (red lego shirt)

There's also a version with a stripe down the length of the sleeves and another one with a square cut out. In fact there is so many options for this one, you really should go to the listing to see what I mean! 

I made the long sleeved tee with a glow in the dark woven centre panel. I think what's absolutely fantastic about this pattern is that the centre panel can be made with wovens (u will need the side panels to be knit) so you can use up even your woven remnants. It's also really good for using "diaper panels" (which are usually smaller than the kid panels) for t-shirts. The lego fabric was a free remnant I got from a destash which was just too small for most projects but turned out absolutely great for Hip 2 be. 

Additional info:

Fit: regular fit or flared fit
Sleeve options: standard, striped or vented sleeves in two lengths - short and long
Neckline: crew neck
Sizes: 0-3 mth to 20 year old

Others: basic or color blocked body with 2 different color blocking options. Centre front panel can be woven!

Fabric requirement:  Any jersey knit fabric with at least 40% stretch will work for this garment, but it looks best in a structured jersey with spandex, like 95/5 cotton lycra or French terry.

Suggested fabrics: 95/5 cotton lycra or French terry.

Format: A4/letter Layered Trim/trimless; projector file , A0 available

Blueberry tee by Sinclair Patterns

Sinclair Patterns is known for their adult patterns but has recently forayed into making children pattern and I absolutely adored every one of their kids patterns. In fact, my kid who is really slim finally fits into a size chart without a need for me to blend - that is a game changer for me! I always have to blend for this little one because his height would fall in about 3 sizes bigger than his chest size but with Sinclair's Slim chart, I didn't need to. They also have a regular size chart which is perfect for my little girl. Win! 

Ever since this one came out, most of my boy's t-shirts are sewn using one of Sinclair's patterns simply cos it is so much easier and faster. 

Fit: Semi-fitted at the shoulders, relaxed at the chest, waist and hips classic tee
Sleeve options: short sleeves/ longer short sleeves, long sleeves, bands or hemmed, 
Neckline: crew neck or scoop neck with bands and neckline binding
Sizes: Regular size chart for heights ranging 56-164 cm (0 Months - 14 Years) and Slim size chart (for slim kids, does not mean slim fit) for heights ranging 80-164 cm / 31.5-64.6 in (12 Months - 14 Years)

Fabric requirement:  Light to medium weight, knit fabrics with at least 20% horizontal and 10% vertical stretch like Cotton jerseys, Cotton Lycra/Spandex, Cotton Interlock, French Terry, light weight double knits and other light to medium weight knit fabrics with natural fibers. Your fabric for the main body can have low or high recovery. Choose fabric with good recovery for the neckline band, cuffs and bottom band.

Format: A4/letter Layered ; projector file , A0 available

There's also a raglan sleeve version (Cloudberry Tee) by Sinclair which I blogged about here.

Berlin Tee by Toby K Patterns

Toby K is a gem of a pattern designer that does mainly men and boy patterns which I found out about through sewpdf showcase. I have had the chance to try their Berlin tee and I found the asymmetrical hem really fun and unique. This one has a matching adult version (straight fit size chart) for those who wants to do matchy matchy tees. And while I haven't tried the hoodie option yet, it is something that is on my list. One thing to note though, if you are sewing the thumbhole cuffs to the long sleeves, you may wish to remove some length from the sleeves before adding them, if not, it will be too long =)

I also find that the neckband length needs to be lengthen a touch if you are not using very stretchy ribbed knits. 

Additional info:

Fit: slim / regular
Sleeve options: short, long and tank (sleeveless)
Neckline: crew neck/ v neck / tank scoop
Sizes: 2 year old to 10 year old

Others: optional oversized zipper hood with 1/4 length angled zipper for a fun accent, optional asymmetrical hem, optional thumb-hole cuffs.

Fabric requirement:  knit fabric with at least 40% stretch

Format: A4/letter Layered Trim/trimless; no projector file , large format available

Game day Jersey by Love Notions Pattern Co.

This one is named Game Day Jersey cos it is great for making in your favorite team colors to wear on game day. But of course you don't have to. I made my version with a color changing knit and this top got a lot of wear from the boy. What's great about this is that the entire family can wear the same tee out cos it comes with Men and Women patterns too! 

The sleeves have instructions on how to put in stripes for those who want to make tshirts for going out to the games. 

Fit: regular fit
Sleeve options: short, 3/4 set in sleeves
Neckline: lapped v neck or scoop neck
Sizes: 2T-16

Others: There are men and women versions so the whole family can wear it. Split hem. 

Fabric requirement:  knit.

Suggested fabrics: light to medium weight knit

Format: A4/letter Layered Trimless; no projector file , A0 available