Jarrah, Erin, and Briar

my top: Megan Nielsen Patterns Jarrah tee (without sleeves, bands around the armholes instead)

my skirt: Megan Nielsen Patterns Erin maternity skirt

Penny’s tee: Megan Nielsen Patterns mini Briar tee

fabrics: cotton jerseys from D&H Fabrics

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First ever real maternity make, and I’m in love! Especially with this color palette! An elastic ruched skirt like this is a must for any pregnancy, and I can’t believe I never made one when I was pregnant with Penny. Super easy and quick sew! I paired it with my favorite type of Jarrah tee to make - a short sleeve version. I just leave off the sleeves and either turn under the raw edge, or in this case, add bands around the sleeve hem. Just scrunched it up and knotted it and it sits perfectly over my bump.

Penny of course needed something to match, and the last Briar tee I made her no longer fits. So ta-da! We’re really into this lighter shade of purple lately, and it pairs so nicely with rust and brown colors.

Handmade Wardrobe // mommy and me

my dress: True Bias Ogden cami hacked into tiered dress with tie straps

Penny’s dress: self drafted

fabric: all colors of double gauze from Mood Fabrics

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Are these not the ultimate mommy-and-me looks? I’ve done a lot of matching looks for us, but wearing these dresses with her just makes me melt.

My dress is a simple hack for the Ogden cami - just cut in a very cropped length, and then 3 gathered rectangles, each one longer than the other, to create the tiered look. And of course, I’m obsessed with tie straps. So I just lengthened the strap pattern piece and cut 4 instead of 2. I went back and forth a lot about which colors I wanted to use, but these ones definitely make me happy. And double gauze is my favorite fabric, so the combo is just soooo good.

Penny’s matching dress is just 3 rectangles, with the top one having an elastic casing along the top edge. Easy peasy!

Handmade Wardrobe // rio Daisy

Mine and Penny’s tees: True Bias Rio Tee and Mini Rio Tee in a floral knit from Style Maker Fabrics, ribbing from Isee Fabric

Penny’s shorts: self drafted

my jumpsuit: Mimi G free pattern with her Sew Def magazine (old) in a viscose linen noil from Blackbird Fabrics (old)

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Well look who has a new favorite pair of matching t-shirts! It’s the latest pattern from True Bias- the ringer style Rio tee. Super cute and has a vintage-y vibe. The only issue I had i that I found it to run a tad bit small in sizing. I cut my usual size, and its a bit tight in the arm. I’m going to go up a couple sizes for the next one. Penny’s size 4 is perfect, though! And the ribbing binding was actually pretty easy and came out with a nice clean finish.

My jumpsuit is something that I’ve made two other times before, I just love this style so much. This time i lowered the neckline because I just want it to be a layering piece over cute tees. I also widened the leg by 1.5” each, and changed the length too. Oh yeah, and everyone always gets confused as to where to find this pattern. Click the link above to take you to the exact issue of the Sew Def Magazine. You have to pay for the issue, but the pattern is included free. (And yes, its the right one, even though it doesn’t list the free pattern in the description).

HANDMADE Wardrobe // new swim

fabric: sport Lycra from Spoonflower, print is by Erin Kendal

Penny’s swimsuit: Megan Nielsen Mini Cottesloe swimsuit with added skirt (hack tutorial here)

my swim top: self drafted

my swim bottoms: Megan Nielsen Patterns Cottesloe swimsuit

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Its that time of year again, time for some new handmade swimsuits. As if I didn’t make enough last year. While I love all of my Cottesloes, I wanted to try something different this time- a bandeau style with long tie straps.

If you’re looking for a basic bandeau style sewing pattern, the Edgewater Avenue Flynn top is pretty much exactly the look I ended up with. I almost used the Flynn pattern, but I was lazy and didn’t want to get my computer out and print the pages. And I figured, it was a simple enough shape, I can self-draft that, right? So I did. And by self-draft, I mean not very technically. I basically just took some measurements and drew the shape I wanted by hand, and then went through a few trials for fit. It was my first time making a swim top without elastic (Cottesloe uses elastic along the neckline and armholes). So like I said, trial and error. The first one I made was way too tight, especially once the lining was in. The second one’s shape was funny, it dipped slightly in the front and drove me crazy. But the third was spot on!

For the straps, I just cut 4 long strips, sewed them in half wrong side together to create long tubes and then turned them right side out. I placed them 3.5” in from the side seam on each side, sandwiched in between the outer fabric and lining.

For the underbust band, I used the pattern piece from Cottesloe, just adjusted the length measurement to match this suit. And that’s it! It was actually pretty simple once I had the pattern figured out. I also sewed two layers of lining on the front of the top so I could add removable bust pads. This is something I do often, and I will have a tutorial for how to do it on a Cottesloe top (but applies to any swim or bra) up on Design Diary soon.

Penny’s swimsuit is my absolute favorite style to make her. It’s a mini Cottesloe with added skirt/peplum overlay at the waist. I wrote a tutorial for this last year (linked at the top of this post). It’s my favorite style on her, and she loves to twirl!

Handmade WARDROBE // Dove, Hacked

my top: Megan Nielsen Dove blouse, hacked with cap sleeves in a polka dot lyocell linen from Joann Fabrics

Penny’s top: self-drafted

my jeans: Megan Nielsen Patterns Dawn jeans

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Eeeeeeeeek! I’m so excited to finally share this one! If you haven’t heard, Meg recently re-released her Dove blouse pattern in her extended sizing, as well as in Curve sizes! With the re-release, I created two hack tutorials -one of them being this sleeveless/ little cap sleeve version. I looooove it. Probably my favorite woven blouse in my closet right now. You can find the hack tutorial (as well as the other hack for a rounded neckline) on Meg’s blog - Design Diary.

Also, how cute is Penn’y matching outfit this time?! I saw someone on Instagram (ack, I can’t remember who!), make a similar little dress/top in this fabric with tan colored gauze bloomer shorts to go with it, and it was so cute! Penny already had some thrifted bloomers in the same color, so it was fate <3.

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Handmade wardrobe // Retro Spring

my top: Megan Nielsen Patterns Jarrah top, sleeveless with bands, in a striped cotton jersey from Blackbird Fabrics

Penny’s top: Megan Nielsen Patterns Mini Jarrah top, sleeveless with bands, in same fabric

my shorts: Peppermint Mag Spring Shorts in organic french terry from isee fabrics

Penny’s shorts: Lowland Kids Shorties in same fabric

Penny’s turban: self drafted (find more in my Etsy shop Nelly Lou)

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Soooooo, I’m in love with this outfit. This is giong to be my summer uniform, I’ll call it right now. The shorts are one of my favorites, of course - this is my fourth pair I’ve made. And although its a woven pattern, I took a chance and made this pair in a cozy french terry. They’re like cozy sweatpant shorts and its everything I could want or need right now, haha. Penny’s matching shorts are so cute, and make her little legs look so long. Silly me cut a size 4, ya know, because shes about to turn 4, so I though maybe she’d be moving up a size this summer. But they’re actually pretty big on her. Which is fine, becasue that just means they’ll probably fit her for multiple seasons. But for her next pair, I’ll definitely be cutting a size 3 .

And now for our tees! I’ve been trying out a few different tee patterns lately, and this is by far my favorite. Just the right amount of boxy and slouchy. And the shape combined with this stripe makes it feel like it came straight out of Madewell. It’s actually a Jarrah sweater, but just without the sleeves! No need to adjust the pattern - because it’s a drop-sleeve pattern, you can just turn under and hem the sleeve edge if you want. But for some added stripe play, I added some bands at the sleeve hem. And Penny’s is an exact mini copy!

Handmade wardrobe // solee

my top: DIY Solee top, instructions by Nataile Ebaugh

Penny’s top: DIY using the same method, just no elastic at the waist

fabric: rayon cotton voile from Blackbird Fabrics (no longer available)

straps: velvet ribbon from Mood Fabrics

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So, funny thing : my top originally started out looking like Penny’s - loose and wide and floaty at the hem. I already had it finished and everything. But then I saw Natalie post her DIY Solee top on Instagram (and Star’s version, too!), which was a similar style, just with elastic at the waist too. And I fell in love. I decided I NEEDED THIS to have elastic at the waist. But I already had this cut and finished at an almost- cropped length, not enough to turn up the hem even more to add in the elastic. So instead, I simply took some scrap strips of fabric and made a separate casing that I stitched to the inside of the top, and then threaded the waist elastic through that. Voila! It worked!

It worked out fine for me in the end, but if you want to do it the easy way, Natalie has step by step instructions in her Instagram stories.

P.S - I love how mine turned out, but I’m OBSESSED with hiw cute Penny’s is. This is one of my favorite styles to make her, and its also one of the easiest since its just a rectangular piece of fabric with some elastic. Easy peasy!

Handmade Wardrobe // i made a raincoat

Pattern: Lara Sanner Truffle coat

fabric: water repellent raincoat fabric from Fabric Godmother UK (no longer available) Lining is just a black rayon I had in my stash

tee: older handmade Megan Nielsen Patterns Rowan bodysuit

skirt: H&M

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I made a raincoat! I made a raincoat! I don’t know why I was so nervous about this one. Ive made a cold-weather coat before (for Miverva Crafts that hasn’t been posted yet) in cotton and sherpa, using the same pattern. So I knew what I was doing. But I think something about this slippery, almost plastic-y water repellent fabric kind of scared me. That, and I’d never applied snaps like these before. But the fabric was actually a breeze to sew and the snaps were easy to install. So there was nothing to be worried about.

We’ve had so many rainy days lately, so this is perfect timing getting this done. For a minute there, I thought I was going to have to hold off finishing it until mid-May! I had ordered the wrong zipper, and by the time I realized and went to re-order one, the shipping was saying it wouldn’t arrive to the second week in May. Cue tears, because I already had the coat started and I hate leaving projects half done. But then by some magical mystery, the zipper ended up showing up on my doorstep only a few days later anyway. A miracle! (the zipper was just ordered from Amazon, btw. And the snaps are just basic ones from Joanns).

Handmade wardrobe // thirty three

dress pattern: McCalls 8036

mask pattern: by Craft Passion

fabric: scribble dot by Erin Kendal on silky faille from Spoonflower

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Today’s my birthday, and obviously, it looks a little different this year. Some birthday stand out more than others, year to year. For example - I’ll always remember my 30th birthday because we got to spend it in Maui. And now I’m sure I’ll always remember my 33rd as the one where we had to stay home all the time and where face masks to go outside at all. But I was still determined to make myself a pretty dress and take pictures in front of this mural. So I whipped up a face mask to match and off we went.

I’ve been dreaming of a white with black dot wrap dress for awhile now, but I was pretty determined to find a specific dot print. I wanted black dots on white, but not white white. I wanted off-white/ivory/cream. And I wanted tiny dots, not big polka dots. And I wanted them to be scattered, and slightly farther a part, not uniform and close together. I told you - specific. And I was having trouble finding exactly what I wanted. I'd fond a fabric that was the right color and dot size, but uniform and close together. Or I would find one that actually had everything I wanted, but it was in a sheer chiffon, which I didn’t want. So I turned to Spoonflower, because you can find anything on Spoonflower. It’s not the most exciting print to have custom printed on fabric, but it’s finally what I wanted! I went with the silky faille, because I’ve worked in that substrate twice before and I was familiar with it and it was close to the weight I wanted (although I almost went with double gauze!).

I decided to go with McCall’s Sasha dress for the pattern, and went with the shorter, ruffled hem view. I didn’t alter anything, so this is pattern as-is. I only have two complaints: 1. it is shoooort. Or atleast for me. Maybe I’m just not used to wearing this length. But where it wraps in the front does make me feel like the slightest breeze will cause a wardrobe malfunction. and 2. I don’t think I love the shoulder pleats on the front bodice. I think I would definitely prefer for it to be laying flat there. Especially with the poof in the sleeves, the extra poof at the front feels a tad excessive. But I l do ove the big poofy sleeves! And all the ruffles! And overall its a very wearable and cute dress and turned out really well!

Handmade wardrobe // Denim blues

my top: Friday Pattern Company Adrienne blouse in a cotton modal jersey and embroidered cotton eyelet, both from Style Maker Fabrics

my jeans: Megan Nielsen Patterns Dawn jeans in bleached non-stretch denim from Sew Me Sunshine

Penny’s top: self drafted in same fabrics

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Weeeeell, I think its safe to say that I’ve been pretty productive during this pandemic/time at home. I have now finished another pair of Dawn jeans (my fourth pair!), and another Adrienne blouse (also my fourth!).

Even though this is my fourth version of this knit top, it is my first time using a woven for the sleeves. The color of this embroidered cotton matched perfectly with the coordinating knit, so it was a perfect opportunity! I also created this look with the sleeves by simply creating the elastic casing a couple inches above the hem, using bias tape, instead of the casing right at the hem. I love how extra poofy it makes them! And of course, I used the leftover of the embroidered cotton to make this cute little top for P. It’s made the same way a basic elastic skirt is made - two rectangles sewn at the side seams, and an elastic casing along the top edge. I just simply added some tie straps to make t a top instead of a skirt!

Now, these jeans. Do they look a little tight? Because they’re a little tight, ha. My other three pairs were also tight to start, but broke in eventually after a few wears. So hopefully the same happens here. But these are a fun denim! Its not actually a white, even if it appears to be in the photos. Its more of a really really really bleached blue. Barely blue/grey-ish tint. It’s something different , and I love it. I stuck with the gold topstitching and hardware for contrast (although I haven’t added rivets yet. or even ordered them yet, whoops).

P.S for anyone that might be wondering - We take these photos in a spot close to our house where its quiet and there are no other people. If we expect to pass by or even see other people when we are outside, we wear our masks.