I am really excited that Tibeca invited me to this tour! I don’t do blog tours often enough, but it’s such good motivation to try something new and then share. The challenge here was to sew something (anything) for someone (anyone) that shows how I’m planning on transitioning me-made items for Fall dressing. The bonus is that Stylish Fabric sent me 2 yards of black stretch denim to try out! Tibeca worked hard to put this together and the prizes are RIDICULOUS! Check it all out at the end.

In terms of my lifestyle, I live in a Los Angeles suburb- 2 valleys north and consistently 10-20 degrees (F) hotter than downtown and significantly dryer air as well. We get 100+ temps consistently from May through September so the transition from summer to fall is long and slow. I work full-time in a business casual environment, and I tend to spend about half my days in skirts and dresses, and the other half in pants and casual Friday jeans. Layers are a must at work, particularly as seasons change because it can be a shock going from AC to the parking lot. I am also a single mom with shared custody of my son- I need to be both comfortable and practical during my time with him- comfy, hardy clothes that fit well and stay in place are important because I never know if I will be running laps, doing airplanes, or cleaning up a potty training whoops. Finally I like to have somewhat more dressed-up options for evenings and weekends when I am free to catch up with friends, entertain, and go out. As usual, the really great photos are courtesy of Marj Dee.

So Long, Sweet Summer

Credit: Marj Dee

These are my Frida shorts, blogged about HERE. I’m pairing them with a Sunset Cami by New Horizons – they make for a nicer-than-yoga-pants casual that’s easy and perfect for a late Los Angeles summer that still hits triple digits regularly. The shorts are a bottom-weight woven with one-way stretch (I think they are mostly poly, but content is a mystery since it came from the Loft); the tank is Deep Sea Sky 95/5 cotton lycra (220 gsm) from Smoogie.

Hello fall!

Credit: Marj Dee

Credit: Marj Dee

This is actually pretty much my year-round work wardrobe. I LOVE the Slim Pants pattern from Wardrobe By Me that are an extension of the Frida shorts- they are everything that I want in everyday pants. Flattering mid-rise and slim fit, comfortable stretch. For my normal work uniform I’m pairing them with a more fitted cami (the Versa by Stitch Upon a Time) and a relaxed library cardigan (Little Lizard King). The pants are a super soft stretch denim from Stylish Fabric, the cami is 95/5 cotton lycra from Sincerely Rylee, and the cardi is a sweater knit from Michael Levine. This my first venture into slim fit structured pants, so I asked for a sample of a bunch of different stretch denims before choosing this one- it’s very soft and has great stretch. Since I’ve never dealt with new denim before, I prewashed on warm with retayne and a color catcher sheet, and have since laundered a couple of times. It’s still shedding a little bit of dye with each wash, which is normal, but so far it has stayed just as black as when I pulled it out of the package, and the color catcher sheets have prevented the dye from getting onto anything else. I confess it’s a little smelly too- but that’s also getting better with each wash. I’m excited to see how these wear over time, and happy that it’s soft and stretchy enough that I don’t feel like I have to “break” these in.

When Life Gives You Lemons 

You squeal for joy and say, “I’ll take 5 yards please”.

I have been looking for the perfect lemon fabric since Dolce & Gabbana launched some deliciously lemony looks a few season ago. I have seen other lemon prints on 100% cotton, but they looked washed out and more vintage-y. I wanted vibrant colors in something that looked light and flowy, and I couldn’t be happier with how this came out. I found this lightweight stretch poly twill at Urban Rag Trader… but it’s sold out now. Sorrynotsorry.

This is the SisBoom Jenny Dress, but I switched out the skirt and used the A-line maxi from Love Notions’s Bluezette (affiliate link). I wanted minimal gathering at the waist and less bulk overall- this was the perfect solution! I sized down 1 size since this fabric has some stretch, and it was spot on. The bodice is fully lined in tricot, and I lined the skirt down to the knee. I made this to wear to my son’s 3rd birthday party- I needed something acceptable for conversing with adults, but also reasonable for corralling tiny humans. I definitely plan on making more (maybe with a pencil skirt) to wear to work.

And Then Add a Layer

The jacket is the Downtown Jacket by George & Ginger – it’s been on my make list for a while now, but Kristi recently posted a hack where she made it cropped, and in knit and it was just too adorable for words! She hosted a sewalong in mid-July to show how she made it and I am in LOVE with my fully-reversible jacket. The solid black side is a floral-embossed techno scuba from Michael Levine Loft; the graphic Love Los Angeles side is a mid-weight ponte de roma with 4-way stretch from Purple Seamstress. This jacket is probably 99% polyester and DOES NOT breathe. It’s super-hot. Like sweaty mess hot, but totally worth it. I love how bold it feels paired with the bright lemons. I still need to add a closure at the waist, but haven’t decided where to place it/ how fitted to make it. So, yup, I’m holding it closed in my pictures to show off how beautifully the circle peplum drapes.

Make sure you head HERE to win some awesome prizes:

AND make sure you visit the other talented seamstresses up this week:

August 1st
Sewing By Ti and Rebel and Malice
August 2nd
Gray all Day
August 3rd
Wild and Wanderful and The Sara Project
August 4th
Doodle Number 5 and Sweet Red Poppy
August 5th
Paisley Roots and Dos Natural Sistas and My Crafty Little Self

August 8th
Made By Melli and Sew Far North
August 9th
Sew Sophie Lynn and Creative Counselor
August 10th
Frivolous at Last and EYMM
August 11th
Lulu and Celeste and Sprouting Jubejube
August 12th
Adventures with Bubba and Bug and All Things Katy and Sewing by Ti

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