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​Pattern Reviews, Easy Projects, Tips, & Sew-a-longs 

2/25/2022 0 Comments

The Hooded Princess Raincoat by Charm Patterns

Gertie's sewing pattern charm patterns Hooded princess raincoat

My Little Red Raincoat

Do you ever find yourself needing a garment, but you can't find one out there that suits your style? This is that garment. I have a few hooded coats but, they're wool or fleece. Not really a raincoat per se. And, I have two obsessions: coats and shoes. I need all the coats and I need all the shoes. Ha!

​I think coats and jackets are the best accessories because they add warmth- especially if you're always cold, and fabulous-ness to your outfit. Imagine yourself wearing a t-shirt, jeans, flats, and red lipstick. A normal little everyday outfit, right? But, then add a black velvet coat with a faux fur collar and your outfit gets a major upgrade! 

That's what coats and jackets do for me. I guess they're my jewelry. So, when Gertie came out with her Princess Coat pattern, I had to grab it. Then, a month later she rolled out her Patreon expansion pack to make a raincoat. I was sold! I needed a raincoat.


Fast forward 2 years and I still hadn't made my beloved raincoat. First of all, rainwear fabric was something I had zero clues about. And, second, I sew on a budget. I didn't have hundreds of dollars to drop on fabric for a coat I would wear maybe twice a year. Thanks Southern California for never raining. Living in the desert, we don't get a lot of rain but, when it rains, it pours. Hello flash floods. And, hello Little Red Raincoat.

"It never rains in Southern California"
Gertie Charm Patterns The Hooded Princess Coat
Tracing and cutting the outer fabric. The kitchen table was my best friend for this process.
This post isn't a How-to because it's an expansion pattern for Patreon only. Gertie is gracious enough to spoil her Patrons with all her marvelous patterns. If you're interested in making a vintage style raincoat, Grab the pattern here. Then, join her Patreon here. It's definitely worth it. We get a new pattern each month and honestly, it's too many for me to keep up with. But, I pick and choose which patterns are "need to sew now" and which ones are in the "someday" category. 

Anywho, I did have a few little areas I ran into trouble with so, I'll share my input on those. But, other than that, enjoy all the photos of my Little Red Raincoat. Yes, I named it. :D
Sew a raincoat for yourself.
No rain but, it was a frigid day in February.
Why did I start sewing the raincoat after 2 years you ask? Well, remember this post on January Jeans? My sewing friend on Instagram was still talking with her jeans sewing group. They decided to do a #JacketJanuary. I was invited and thank goodness for those ladies! They welcomed me and I made new sewing friends. Yay!! 

One gal finished her jacket on time and a few were waiting for the last touches by the end of January. We met every Monday for a fun Zoom call. the group kept me going and I was finally able to get my coat finished. It wasn't finished on time because I was undecided on whether to use buttons or snaps. In the end, I decided on snaps. Buttonholes and water don't go together so nicely

Snaps are usually easy but not this time. I put the first one in upside down. Cried (not really but, I wanted to). Then, put another one in wrong. Ha! I don't like snaps (anymore) or buttons. Face-Palm! 
Fully lined raincoat. I love sewing my own clothes.
Isn't my pink lining fun? This coat can double as a Valentine's Day Coat.

Let's Talk Fabrics


One of the ladies in the sewing group told me about trench coat fabric. We had a quick chat about that and I had an a-ha moment. It was mind blowing, believe me. I ended up buying trench coat fabric and it was wallet friendly too. I found some beautiful red polyester twill from Mood Fabrics. They shipped quickly too. According to my measurements, I needed 8 yards. Well, technically I needed 7.5 but, when you order online, you can only order in whole amounts. Fun story, I ended up with almost 4 yards leftover. So, no clue what to do with all that leftover rain resistant fabric. Ugh! I think camping table clothes and bench covers?

The fabric itself is nice. It was a dream to sew with but, it wrinkles very easily. When I'm running through a hurricane looking fabulous, I probably won't mind my wrinkled mess of a raincoat, though. 

The lining is poly china silk I found online from Wholesale Fabric Direct. It's a blush pink color and I ordered 8 yards of that as well because... well measuring. I have tons leftover, over 4 yards. The leftover lining fabric didn't bother me because I can use it to line wool pants or anything else in the future. Plus, it only cost $2 a yard. LOL! No tears were shed over that. The rainwear fabric was a different story though. ;)
Gertie Charm Patterns The Princess Coat
Tracing the lining pieces.

Notions & Potions

No potions except coffee. Lots of coffee.

​The thread and needles I used were simple and nothing fancy. 
  1. I bought 3 spools of all purpose red polyester and 1 spool of all purpose poly pink thread. I read other peoples comments about how much thread they used for the Princess Coat and I didn't want to run out. Well, I didn't even use a whole of spool of the red. Ha! I always use red thread because it's the best color in the whole world, so no worries on that. 
  2. I sewed my outer coat with a regular 80/12 universal needle. It sewed through the rain resistant fabric flawlessly. This fabric held onto the holes it was given so, I was cautious but, in the end just went for it. Backstitching on every seam was fine, no issues there.
  3. For the lining, I knew better. I used a Microtex needle to sew all the pretty pink seams. When it came to sewing the outer and lining together in a few spots, I used red thread and the universal needle. No issues, no skipped stitches, and no birds nests. Yay for nice, cooperative needles. 
  4. I used a tracing wheel and wax paper for the outer and lining pieces and cut everything with scissors. It was nice to open the leaves on my kitchen table and lay out the fabric and pattern pieces. My cutting table in my sewing space was not quite long enough for this project. 
How to sew a coat by Gertie

Adjustments

  1. After making my muslin, I decided I wanted a little more room in the tailored sleeves. I used a 1/2" seam allowance instead of the recommended 5/8". I graded it up when I got to the armpit area. This kept me from having to make other adjustments in the armscye area. 
  2. I measured at a size 8 for the coat but graded down at the side seams, to a size 10 in the waist. I love that Gertie gives us different cup size pieces. The fit was exceptional. I love sewing for my own body. Talk about body positivity. :D
  3. I also adjusted the length as I cut out the skirt pieces. Instead of shortening the skirt length at the shorten lines, I simply cut the length at size 2. This was probably the incorrect way, but it worked for me. Sometimes I like shortcuts. 
  4. I added a hanging loop in the back. Cut a 2" wide by 4" long piece out of the outer fabric. Fold in half RS together and stitch with a 1/4" seam. Turn it inside out and baste it to the hood. A hanging loop for a raincoat is a must, right?  
  5. I topstitched all of my outer seams. I sewed the center back seams to the left and the other ones to the right or left, depending on each seam. I thought this would help with the rain seepage as well. 

​
Gertie Charm Patterns The Princess Coat
Pink pockets make the world go round.
Gertie Charm Patterns The Princess Coat
Clips in the seam allowance
Add a loop to any jacket sewing pattern

Issues I Ran Into

  1. The Instructions were a little wonky in areas which isn't normal for Gertie. She's usually spot on. However, I did run into an issue with pattern piece #15, the skirt front facing. Her video says she skipped the hem facings, fine. But, she still had the front facing on her raincoat and it didn't say in the extension instructions how to add this. The booklet instructions were on page 44, but were different. So, I unpicked some of the waist area and attached it to the bodice lining unit, albeight the wrong way, but I got it done. 
  2. I had trouble figuring out how to add the neck facing because I hadn't had enough coffee or something. Below, is how it should look. The collar facing is cut with the outer fabric and sewn to the lining bodice at the back collar. It went on sorta upside down. Like I said, maybe I didn't have enough coffee. 
Gertie Charm Patterns The Princess Coat
Bodice lining is done.
Gertie Charm Patterns The Hooded Princess Coat
I attached the long front facing pieces to the bodice facings. I was winging it at this point.
Gertie Charm Patterns The hooded Princess Coat
I ended up unpicking an inch and sewing the strips to the skirt fronts. Then, going back and sewing it back to the waist seam.
Gertie The Hooded Princess Coat
The neck facing is clipped and ready to sew.
How to sew a raincoat
The neck facing and back bodice lining.
Gertie Charm Patterns The Hooded Princess Coat
I used muslin for the back facing and serged the edge. Easy peasy, lemon-squeezy.

Hemmer Time

Okay, when it's time to hemm, be sure to let your outer and inner hang for 24 hours before you hem them. Fabric cut on the bias is no joke. My outer didn't stretch out but, the lining did need a little trimming and evening up. 

After hemming 4,000 yards of fabric and removing approximately 300 wonder clips, your hem will be done. Gertie preferred a narrow hem for the raincoat. The way she does it is nice too. Sew along the raw edge with 1/4" seam allowance, flip it up and under, sew again. Super easy. It is also nice for a circle skirt hem, you don't have to worry about any puckers. ;) I hemmed the outer and lining before I put them together. I liked hemming the outer and lining separately. Easy and no stress. 

I went back and shortened the lining hem length another 1/2" inch. I didn't want to get caught with my lining hem showing. Could yo imagine!? Gasp!  If you read this before you make your coat, hem the lining 1" shorter to begin with. 


The sleeve hems were easy to do too. I didn't attach them how Gertie recommends. Hand sewing, no thanks and on rainwear fabric especially. I prefer the bagged out sleeve hem method. You take the sleeves and pull them inside out, fold over the lining cuff 1/2" or so, match seams up and then sew. I didn't take photos but, here's a website that shows you how. It is my favorite way to sew sleeve cuffs and if you look at your RTW coats and jackets, they probably did it this way. 

Gertie Charm Patterns The Princess Coat
Isn't the lining pretty? It's a Valentine's Day coat.
You can see ripples in the bodice in the photo below. The water resistant fabric didn't take well to interfacing. I decided to leave it but, might rip it out later in life. We'll see.
Gertie Patreon The Hooded Princess Coat
Hang baby, hang!
Gertie Charm Patterns The Princess Coat
The back before the hood was attached. I top stitched over all my seams. I am hoping it will help keep the water out of the seams.
Hooded Princess Coat by Gertie
Large, roomy hood
Gertie Charm Patterns The Princess Coat
Everything was clipped together, sewn, and bagged out. Almost ready for wearing.

Final Thoughts

I'm so happy with how my Little Red Raincoat turned out. It was such a fun sewing project. Thank you to the #JacketJanuary sewing group, you ladies rock! I can't wait to sew up a few more jackets and coats using The Princess Coat pattern from Charm Patterns. Gertie, you really outdid yourself with this beautiful pattern, as usual. If a hooded coat scares you, don't let it. The hood was the easiest part. It's a nice roomy size so my vintage style hairdos will fit inside without getting messed up. Yay for that! 

She gives quite a few sleeve choices. I want to make a mustard yellow coat next. I need some fun tweed to make a cropped jacket with a dare I say, faux fur collar! Perhaps some light pink boiled wool with a black fur collar too. Hmm...

I have no clue what to do with almost 4 extra yards of red rainwear fabric. Any ideas? Share them in the comments below, please. I need ideas. LOL
Scroll down to see more photos of my glorious coat without rain. 


Thanks for following along with my coat journey. Now, if you could all send some rain my way so I can try it out, that'd be great. 

Happy sewing,
Annette

​
Sewing rainwear fabric is easy
I love this oversized hood! It can fit whatever hairstyle I throw at it. Yay!
Sewing a raincoat with water resistant fabric.
Back view of my Little Red Raincoat.
Gertie sewing pattern the princess coat from Charm patterns.
Oh Hey! I'm just twirling in my raincoat, waiting for rain.
How to sew a raincoat
I love the waist tie but, plan on sewing 2 belt loops on the sides.
sew the hooded princess coat by Gertie charm patterns.
Saucy!
0 Comments

2/5/2022 2 Comments

How to Sew an Ironing Board Cover in 1 Hour

How to sew an ironing board cover

Recover your ironing board, yourself!


There's one thing almost every sewist says, "I only iron when I sew." That rings true for me 95% of the time. I'm not a big fan of wrinkles so, I do iron the occasional laundry basket of clothes. However, my ironing board lives in my sewing space. Unless we have people over, it hangs out in sewing land.

There's nothing fun about pressing open seams on a musty crusty ironing board, amiright? I've bought countless pads for my board over the years. They've worked fine enough until they flatten and get ugly. It was time to make my own cover.

After going down the rabbit hole that is Google, I discovered people using felt blankets on their boards or Insul-Bright. You're going to use both for your new cover! No more wimpy covers that leaves board indents on your project or, dare I say, laundry. 

Your new board will be thick and lofty, oh and it'll look cute too. Yay for pretty things. :D 
Are you ready to re-cover your ironing board? Let's do this.
DIY your ironing board quick and easy

Items You'll Need:

  1. 2 yards of pretty cotton fabric, you may end up with some leftover 
  2. 2 1/2 yards of elastic, 1/2" wide at least 
  3. 1 wool blanket (buy it new, thrifted, from a military surplus store, or an old one in the closet)
  4. 2 yards Insul-Bright
  5. Thread
  6. Sewing Machine
  7. Pins or clips
  8. Iron and ironing board, of course 

Ironing boards come in all shapes and sizes. 2 yards for the fabrics should be more than enough. Measure your board length to be sure, don't forget you'll need extra for the seam allowances.

This whole project takes about an hour. You'll be pressing those seams open on a pretty new cover in no time. 
Recover your ironing board, an easy sewing tutorial

Let's get Started

Start by removing your old cover and after you've washed it, stuff it inside this floor pillow. ;)
​Use the thin foam piece as a cutting guide for the wool and Insul-Bright layers. If you don't have one, just eyeball it. This is an easy project, and it's all about winging it here.
  • Cut 2 layers from your wool blanket
  • Cut 1 layer of Insul-Bright batting
I cut the wool and Insul-Bright pieces one inch larger around. Set aside.
Sew your own ironing board cover. Great for beginner sewers.
The bumpy piece was the thin foam that came with my ironing board. I used it as a template for cutting the Insul-Bright and wool. I cut the new layers about 1" larger all around.
Add wool and Insul-Bright to your ironing board for better pressing.
Insul-Bright and wool layers for the ironing board.
Place the 2 wool layers onto the board, then the Insul-Bright layer on top. Iron over the layers to smooth them out. Look at those wrinkles. Yikes!
Make an ironing board cover.
2 layers of a thick wool blanket and 1 layer of Insul-Bright will go under the cotton fabric cover.
Sewing fabric for your ironing board
Isn't this fabric cute? I love it. It's from Joann.
Drape your cotton fabric over the board. You'll want it to hang 4" all around. Give everything a good press, sliding your iron back and forth over all the layers. 
Recover your ironing board.
Roughly cut your fabric leaving a 4" for turning under.
Sew your own cover for your ironing board.
I cut a little too rough. Yikes!
Renew your old ironing board with an easy DIY cover.
Even out the rough cutting by folding in half and trim the jagged edges.
Cut your fabric, it doesn't have to be perfect but, make sure your edges are smooth and not jagged. I'm speaking from experience. ;) Haha
How to recover an old ironing board.
Fold the fabric corners onto themselves to create curves. Pin. Do the same thing for the nose of the board as well. Then, pin the long edges 1/2" under.

How to recover your hand me down ironing board.
You could pin the whole cover under 1/2" or not. I found pinning helped but, it's upto you.

Sewing Time

Take your fabric cover to the machine. You're going to sew with a 1/2" seam allowance. Use a 2.5 or 3mm stitch length. It doesn't have to be perfect, the seam will get covered.
Easy beginner sewing project
Sew with a 1/2" seam allowance. Just eyeball it.
Now, grab your elastic. You're going to sew a zigzag stitch over the seam you just sewed with the elastic on top. 
Pull the elastic taught with one hand while gently pulling the fabric behind the machine with the other hand. Use a zigzag stitch and sew. You want to pull the elastic tight enough so it will make the cover fit nice and snug over your board.
Sewing elastic with a zigzag stitch.
Sew the elastic on with a Zigzag stitch. Place the elastic over your raw seam edge and sew, pulling the elastic as you go.
How to sew easy projects.
It's not perfect but, it's an ironing board cover. Nobody will see it.
How to sew
The elastic covered the raw edges.
You will have something that looks like mine up above. If not, grab that seam ripper, grab a cup of tea, and start ripping. 


If your fabric doesn't fit snugly enough, clip a piece of elastic and attach it on the underside along a long edge. Clip. Then, pull it toward the other side to get a snug fit. Clip or pin. Take it to the machine and zigzag over both ends. You may have to slide it on and off the board a few times to get a perfect fit.
​
My old cover came with elastic straps that fir like this, except they had a button. That's where I got the idea. I added two elastic strips under the cover. One at the nose and one at the bum. ;)


Yay!! You just made a cute ironing board cover and it will work much better than any store-bought one. 
How to fix your ironing board cover
Add a crosswise piece of elastic to tighten the cover if needed.
Find the love of doing laundry again
Maybe I'll like doing laundry again with my new, pretty ironing board cover. Nah, probably not!

I've wanted to recover my ironing board for a while, and I'm so happy I finally did it. With the multiple layers, everything presses nicely and quickly too. 

Are you excited to make your ironing board cover? Or is it something you'd rather not make? I'm curious, so tell me in the comments below if it's something you're excited to make.

​
Thanks for hanging out with me today. Now go sew something fun. :D


Happy ironing,
Annette

Looking for something else? Read below


Have a ton of fabric scraps? Want to use them up? Sew a floor cushion.

New to sewing and want to jump right in? Read this Budget-Friendly sewing post here.

Is your machine not working properly? It might need a quick cleaning session, find out how, here.

Do you love vintage style and want to incorporate it to your everyday wardrobe? Grab this easy free pattern for a vintage headscarf. 

Do you have chickens? Yes! Well, you need an egg apron. Grab the free pattern and tutorial here.

2 Comments

1/23/2022 0 Comments

DIY Floor Cushion: Filled with Fabric Scraps

Use up all thos fabric scraps with this DIY floor pouf
Do you save every fabric scrap you've ever cut in hopes of using them for something? If you're like me, you don't save them all but, you do save pieces big enough to use for a pocket. Because... pockets! Right? I've discovered the best fabric-busting project of all time. It uses all your fabric scraps up. Okay, it doesn't technically "use" them but, it does put them to use. You're going to sew a simple floor cushion and store all your scraps inside! ​

​You'll want to plow through that list of sewing projects so you can cut into fabric and have more scraps to fill the floor cushion. Whew! Trust me, I'm speaking from experience. ;)

Cozy Meets Functional

How to sew a floor pouf sewing project.
Big and cozy floor pouf to sit on or use as an ottoman.
The floor cushion itself is not a good scrap buster. You might need to buy fabric to make it. But, it'll free up space in your sewing area, I promise. 

I was lucky enough to have leftover grey chenille from my pop-up trailer makeover, so I used that. You'll want to use an upholstery weight fabric or something similar. This cushion is going to take a beating. 

If you have upholstery thread, you can use it here. If you don't, good ole polyester thread works fine. This whole project takes 2hrs give or take. It's a quick sew and gives a huge reward! 
DIY ottoman how to tutorial
My son uses it as a foot rest while playing videogames.
If you're still on the fence about making one, think ottoman, pet bed, kid's seat, etc.

My cat claims it as his bed when my son isn't using it for his feet. It gets carried from room to room and makes a great coffee table game chair as well. I'm surprised it hasn't been involoved in a pillow fight yet.
How to make a floor pouf ottoman sewing project
All these scraps and much more will fit inside this floor pouf.

Supplies

  • 2.5 yards upholstery fabric or similar weight fabric (you'll have a little bit leftover) 
  • Thread
  • Clips or pins
  • 14" Zipper 
  • That huge pile of fabric scraps
  • Sewing machine
  • Scissors, ruler, marking tool, etc. 
Sewing blog

Let's Sew!

Wash your fabric if you want. I didn't. When I need to wash it in the future, it'll shrink a little and be fine. 

You're going to sew a large cube and fill it with your fabric scraps. Hooray!
​
1. Cut ​2, 21" squares. Cut 4 rectangles measuring 15.5" by 21". Serge or zigzag over the raw edges. Upholstery fabric loves to fray. 
Scrap busting project for sewers
A rotary cuter and ruler were nice to cut the large pieces with.
How to sew a floor pouf
Serge or zigzag over all those raw edges.
2. Clip or pin the rectangles together along the short sides, right sides together. You're making a loop. Sew up the short sides using 1/2" seam allowances, backstitching at the beginning and ends.
DIY bean bag
Clip the sides of the rectangle pieces together, forming a large loop.
How to use up fabric scraps
See the edges fraying? I ran everything through the serger after this photo was taken. Yikes!
3. Lay one square right side up on your table. Clip one side of the loop you just made from the rectangles, onto the square, RST. It's easiest to clip the corners of the square to the side seams first. Then, ease the side seams in. Your upholstery fabric might have some stretch in it but, you tell it who's boss!
​

​If you don't want to insert a zipper, sew along the edge using 1/2" seam allowance.
Sew your own floor pouf cushion
Clip the corner sections to the flat square first. Then, clip the sides.
How to sew a bean bag
After it's clipped, it will look like this.
4. Here's where you'll insert your zipper if you want one. This is a little different than inserting a zipper into a bag so, bear with me. 

Clip/pin one side of the zipper to a rectangle edge. Sew the zipper with a zipper foot. 
Open the zipper and clip the zipper tape to the square bottom edge. Sew using the zipper foot. You might have to sew one side of the zipper tape facing down which feels awkward but is totally fine.

Switch back to your regular sewing foot to sew around the whole square. Start at one end of the zipper and end at the other end of the zipper. Open and close the zipper to make sure it's lined up, if it isn't smooth, unpick one side and resew it. 

*It's easier to sew with the flat piece down and move the rectangles out of the way as you sew.
How to sew a bean bag flood cushion
I ended up sewing the second side upside down. It worked just fine.
To get the seam and zipper area to match up nicely, sew an extra 1/8" inside the zipper seam allowance when you get to the zipper.

​It's a little trick that's used when inserting invisible zippers. 
5. Now that the hardest part is over, it's time to sew the top square on. Clip the top the same way you did with the bottom square. Start with the corners first, then clip the sides. Sew all around using 1/2" seam allowance. 

This might look tricky but, take your time. Go slow and make sure you're only sewing over the 2 layers. 
How to use up fabric scraps
Sew the top on all the way around.
6. Turn the cushion right side out and pop out the corners. You don't have to worry about trimming the corners unless you want to. I left them alone. Press the seams open as well as you can. 
​
Ta-da! You've made a floor cushion, bean bag, floor pouf, or whatever you want to call it. You made one!
DIY stuffed floor cushion
Pull it out gently. This was my first zipper I used and then realized I needed a much bigger one. LOL
7. Stuff it with all those fabric scraps inside. It's very therapeutic. If it feels empty still, toss some extra yardage inside if you'd like. I had yards of fleece, minky, and faux fur from my baby gift making days and that really helped to fluff it up.

You can even fill it with those random pieces of interfacing you're probably saving.  ;) 
How to make a bean bag
Stuff it. Fill it. Shove everything inside it! Haha
How to sew and use those fabric scraps. Fabric busting tutorial
Dig out all those fabric scraps. Big and small.


​All that's left to do is use it. Who gets to use it first? The kids, your kitty, or you?
DIY pet bed for a Ragdoll cat. How to sew a pet bed.
This is Captain, he loves the new pet bed I made him.

Read Below for Extra Tips:

  • Use a long enough zipper to get your hand in and out. Originally, I used a tiny 6" zipper thinking I'd never need the scraps again. Haha!! It was quickly ripped out and replaced with a longer 14" one. It's fun and easy to add more scraps. And, if you need a pocket or other scrap sized piece of fabric in the future, you can look through them easily. Dump everything out onto a table and sift through them all.
DIY floor pouf
Sewing fail!
Simple home sewing project
Itty bitty zipper. So cute and not helpful for this project.
Sew your own floor seat.
I was barely able to pull the fabric through. Face-palm!
Sew your own furniture
Ripped it out and replaced with a long purple zip.
  • This is great for using up fabric that has been sun faded. If your fabric has fading in areas, use that piece for the bottom. Or, use it to stuff your floor pouf. It's a perfect use for what would normally be unusable fabric. Win-win! 
What to do with sun faded fabric.
This was used for the bottom of the cushion. Nobody will know. ;)
  • If you have random pieces of heavy weight fabrics, use them to make the cushion. Use a different piece for each side, top, and bottom. It'll give it an eclectic and lively look. Faux fur would be fun too!
         
You can make a set if you have buckets and buckets of scraps laying around. Oh, a set would be great for a kids room or game room as well. 

Now I'm off to tackle that sewing to-do list. I need more scraps!! 

How to sew a cube shaped floor pouf
Happy floor cushion sewing!
So, are you ready to put all those scraps to use? Well, store them in a fun way at least? If you do, tag me on Instagram @sewingtothemoon so I can see them all.
Happy stuffing!

​Annette

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Sew a pet bed DIY floor pouf
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11/18/2021 2 Comments

Crossbody Bag Review

Clarendon crossbody wallet
I have found the holy grail of bags and I'm shouting it out from the rooftop!

This bag is the biggest-little bag I've ever laid eyes on. It's a game-changer for sure and everyone needs to have one or two! It's honestly the best travel bag I've come across! You can fill it with everything except the kitchen sink. This day-use crossbody bag is perfect for walking around museums, theme parks, concerts, national parks, etc.
I'm not getting paid for this post, I am just in love! Haha!

I've always carried my regular handbag whenever we ventured out and after a few hours, my shoulder would hurt something fierce. I eventually bought a tiny crossbody bag from a big box store for $5 because it was $5! Oh, and it was in the shape of cherries. Super cute!!

Well, my newest phone is too big for the cherry purse. So, I searched Pinterest high and low for a crossbody sewing pattern and nothing came up. Is it me or is Pinterest extremely lackluster nowadays?

I wanted pockets and the bag shape to be more horizontal than vertical. My next stop was Etsy. Thank you Etsy, for coming through. I found the best pattern and I'm sharing it with you today. Hold on to your teacup because she's a doozy.

This bag has so. many. pockets! It's comfortable to wear (aren't all crossbody bags?) and will hold allllll of your things. I'm not sharing a step-by-step tutorial in this post because the bag creator has Youtube videos and an extremely detailed PDF that comes with the pattern. This post is more of a pattern review. 

I made this one for myself so, it is full of bright colored fabrics. If you know me, I'm the opposite of a neutral person. Ha! 


Clarendon Crossbody Wallet

​by: Hold It Right There Bags

Cross body purse sewing pattern DIY
This bag has tons of pockets and card slots. It's the perfect weekend purse.
Grab the downloadable pattern here. 
I want to start off by saying this bag is not great for scrap-busting. It takes a good amount of fabric. You'll also need a couple yards of interfacing because everything needs to be interfaced. Don't skip the interfacings, bags really do need all the pieces to be reinforced. 
After you print and cut out all the PDF pattern pieces, trace and cut the fabric pieces, and interface everything 'til the cows come home, you'll be ready to sew!
Whew! 

Holy moly. This pattern has sooo many pieces. I suggest cutting and interfacing everything one day and saving the sewing for the next day.  Like I said, she's a doozy.

​The bag does come together quickly when you start sewing though. Yay for that! 
Easy to sew crossbody bag
Clarendon crossbody wallet with tons of pockets.
The inside zipper pocket is big and roomy.
Bag with lots of pockets sewing pattern. DIY weekend purse for beginner sewists.
This bag has pockets galore!
I wore the bag all day on a family adventure to an aircraft carrier. It was full of all my things and a few of my kids thing. I walked up and down stairs and spent a lot time standing, reading signs, and listening to the volunteers talk. The weight would usually have hurt my shoulder and back but, I didn't have any pain. I could have worn this bag for 3 more days without batting an eyelash. Winner-winner!

It held everything I needed for the whole day and was comfy to use/wear. 

The following weekend I was invited to go away on a girls trip. I left my regular purse at home and only took the crossbody bag. It was perfect. It held my money, masks, cards, and everything else I needed for a whole weekend. 

I do like a full size handbag for everyday use so, when I got home I emptied everything back into my bigger bag. But, this was perfect for a day out.
Easy to sew crossbody purse pattern.
The outside zipper pocket is perfect for my phone.
Assembling the bag is fairly easy. Follow the PDF directions and/or Youtube videos. There are a few added steps to help with things like zipper installation, which is great for beginners.

You don't need rivets to make this bag. You can sew across the seam easily enough. Heck, you don't even need the swivel hook or D ring. Sew one long purse strap into the bag seams. 

​Okay, here are a few changes I'd make:

Tips For Next Time

  1. I wouldn't add the lining pocket. The bag is small and has a whole lot of pockets already. The main body portion is small enough and doesn't need the extra pocket (read: save your fabric).
  2. I made the purse strap twice as thick. I always prefer a thicker strap so, if you're the same way, use a 1" swivel hook and double the width of the fabric strap. I still used a .5" D ring and didn't have any issues with the different hardware sizes. 
  3. Next time, I want to use vinyl for the back and bottom. I didn't use any this time because it's a cross body bag. I usually don't let my crossbody bags touch the floor, they stay on my body throughout the whole day. But, I might try it in the future. 
  4. I would make zipper tabs next time. This will allow the front flap to lie flat and look nicer. Yes, adding zipper tabs adds extra time but, it'll be worth it. 
  5. Read through the pattern instructions first. The instructions are extremely detailed. Almost too detailed in my opinion. But, if you're brand new to bag sewing, extra details are a good thing. If you're more familiar with inserting a zipper, snap, etc.) some steps may feel a bit tedious. 
  6. I would topstitch the front flap and around the main opening. The instructions don't have you do this. I suggest you do it though. Topstitching holds all the layers in place and gives it extra reinforcement.
Clarendon crossbody wallet purse bag
Front of the swivel hook strap connection.
bag with lots of pockets to wear for a weekend trip.
Backside of the strap.
Views of the Clarendon crossbody wallet
Backside of the bag.
Comfortable crossbody wallet sewing pattern
Plenty of space for your cards.
Clarendon crossbody wallet
The inside lining pocket. Great for separating a tissue packet, car keys, etc. from the rest of your items.
Crossbody pattern for easy sewing
Top and side view.
Crossbody purse with pockets and card slots
Fits comfortably for a weekend of wear!
Cute crossbody sewing pattern
Here's what it looks like on, with the top flap up.
Crossbody sewing pattern
Back view of the bag.
So what do you think? Are you excited to make a Clarendon Crossbody Wallet? I highly recommend this pattern and bag. I plan on making a few for friends to give as Christmas gifts this year. But, shhh, don't tell them. ;) 

Happy Sewing!
​
XO,
Annette 

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Looking for something easy to sew? Make a fun zip pouch. 

Or, make a headband to match your new bag. Wide hair scarf or thin one.

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9/9/2021 2 Comments

Simplicity 8505 Caftan Sewing Pattern


Have you ever dreamed of floating around the house in a 70's caftan? What about your beautiful backyard? I vote yes to both! Way back in high school, I borrowed a caftan from my mom's friend to wear to a dance. The 70s wasn't the theme but, I wanted to wear it. It felt so silky and soft while I wore it and danced all night long, with friends. 
When I saw this pattern via an Instagram friend, I knew I had to snag one for myself. She looked so fabulous in hers, and I knew I needed that pattern in my life. I hope you grab the vintage reproduction pattern and make a caftan, too.
simplicity sewing pattern caftan 8505 dress
Oh hey there! I'm just living my 70s dreams.
I ordered the Simplicity #8505, 1970's caftan pattern from an Etsy shop. And after searching my local sewing shops for the perfect fabric, I decided to order that online too. If you make this, I recommend looking at fabric in person first, to give you ideas. It's fun to feel the drapey fabrics. Who doesn't love touching all the fabric? Are you ready to make the comfiest dress ever?
Let's get started.
How to sew a caftan with a sewing pattern.
Here's what you'll need. I also wanted to share a few tips and ideas for you to try, if you want.

Supplies: View B

  • Simplicity Pattern 8505
  • 3.5-6 yards of fabric (depending on your size)
  • Interfacing Scrap
  • 2 yards of twill tape or ribbon, 1/2" wide
  • 1  1/2" button
  • Matching thread
  • Microtex or Sharps sewing needle
  • Sewing machine + all the notions (scissors, clips/pins, rulers, etc.)
  • *Optional: Fleetwood Mac playing in the background ;)



Tips for making this pattern:
  1. ​This pattern doesn't have pockets, but I would add some. Use another in-seam pocket pattern from a pattern you already own. Try the dress on after you sew the shoulder seams to see where you'd like your pockets to be.
  2. When you sew the front to the midriff, to the yoke piece, make sure to match the center seams. I didn't pay close enough attention and wished I had. Use a water-soluble marker, Frixion pen, or another writing tool that will disappear to mark the centers. 
  3. Measure, measure, measure! I measured myself and made a Large. It fit like a tent. I cut the side seams smaller, but it fits bigger than I'd like. You might need a smaller size than you'd think. ;) 


Simplicity 8505 vintage 1970s caftan reproduction sewing pattern
Match 5 and 5A pieces to join together with tape. Repeat with 8 and 8A pieces.
1970s vintage caftan sewing pattern
Use a large dining table or the floor to trace and cut your fabric.

Instructions:


Measure yourself
and write your measurements down. Read the finished measurements on the pattern tissue to help decide the correct size for you. The big four pattern companies usually give a ton of ease in their patterns. You want a caftan, not a tent. 

Cut out the pattern pieces. Trace the pieces onto fabric and cut them out. It's a lot of fabric so, a nice big workplace such as the floor is great for this part. 
I usually trace onto pattern paper but, this style is very loose and I knew I wouldn't need to make fitting alterations.

**You will have to tape the front (5 and 5A) piece to an extended piece. Match the stars and tape together. You'll do the same for the back piece (8 and 8A).
​
The pieces were very large so, I used pattern weights and cut the fabric without tracing.  Gasp, I know! Trace the neck-facing piece though.
Simplicity 8505
Sew reinforcement stitches at the corners, then stitch the twill tape ties in place.
Simplicity sewing patterns
Clip to the stitching but, not through it.
Time to sew.
Attach twill tape ties and sew reinforcing stitches at the corners of the front pieces. Clip to the corner but, not through the stitching.
​
Sew the front center seam.
Sewing blogger caftan tutorial
Sew the front center seam. I serged the seam after and pressed it to the side.

Gather those tiny ruffles.
​
Sew 2 rows of gathering stitches using a 4-5mm stitch length, between the notches across the front. Pull the bobbin thread to lightly gather the front. It helps to leave long thread tails to pull the gathers.

Press down along the fold line on the front. This will become your front V neckline.
1970s style caftan
Sew gathers at the waist area. Then, sew center seam.
Simplicity 8505 caftan dress
Sew the front yoke piece to the gathered area.

This is where I had the most difficulty. Gathers are easy but can be a pain in the you know what. So, go slowly, check twice, then sew.

Pin the yoke to the front pieces matching all the notches together. Sew and press the seam downwards.

Serge or sew the edge 1/4" under on the midriff pieces. Press along the fold line.
How to sew a 1970s caftan dress
Pin the bottom yoke edge to the front pieces. Use all the pins. Match up center front seams.

Pin the front midriff and yoke piece to the front pieces. 
​
Make sure to match the center seams. Sew the bottom part of the yoke to the gathers first, then sew the sides. I didn't do this and found it a tad difficult to fit. Again, make sure you line up the center seams. 

How to sew a 1970s style dress
Pin, then sew the yoke seam.
Simplicity 8505 vintage caftan
Pin, then stitch the front pieces to the midriff.


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    Hi there, I'm Annette and I love eating and sewing. I usually have a cup of coffee or tea with me, but not next to my machine because I'd probably spill it. I am the reason we can't have nice things.

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