Greenstyle Creations Laurel Tunic

Greenstyle Creations had a 40% off sale awhile back and I bought a few patterns to try. I have fallen in love with the Laurel Tunic and Dress. It's easy to make. Has several options. And best of all - it's very figure flattering. You can buy it HERE.

I used a winter sweater strike off from PNW Fabrics for the bodice and a solid dark blue I bought from the Dallas Fabric District for the rest. You can purchase PNW fabrics HERE.

Here are all my pieces cut out.

Here is the pattern cover page. It has a cowl neck, but for this top I decided to do a banded neck.

First the bodice front and back are sewn together at the shoulders and sides. I cut the front neckline higher than the pattern.

To do the neck band, I used a measuring tape to measure the length around my neckline. I then multiplied that number by 0.8 to get the length needed for the band. I cut my band 2" wide and by the length I calculated. I then sewed the ends together.

Then I pinned the band to the neck evenly all around.

I then serged it on.

Then I topstitched the seam down with my coverstitch.

Then I sewed the seam of the sleeves.

I then turned the bodice inside out and placed the sleeves inside right side out and pinned them in place.

Then I serged them on.

Now for the skirt. I did the tunic length and I did the pleats in the front and the back. Here I am marking my pleats.

Pleats are marked.

Pleats are folded and pinned into place.

The pleats are then sewn down with a long straight stitch.

The font and back of the skirt are sewn together at the sides. Then the skirt is pinned to the bodice and serged on.  I then hemmed the skirt with my coverstitch and I added a band to the sleeves.

Here is my finished Laurel tunic.

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KZJO Studio - Pattern Test - Cosette

Here's another pattern test I did for Kaysie at KZJO Studio. This is the Cosette and it's a really cute semi fitted top perfect for fall.  Buy Cosette HERE. Use the coupon code "Cosette20" for 20% off the regular price of $9 through October 20th.

The Cosette is perfect for flannel and other fall wovens. It's unique in that the side panels are cut on the bias which adds some stretch and interest to the top. The wide v-neck is great to wear over another top or camisole.

Kaysie had some challenges with this pattern and the pictures that follow are not exactly how the final pattern turned out.

The first version I made was from a gauzy/flannel like woven. I'm not sure where I got this fabric, but have had it a long time, and never knew what to do with it. It was perfect for this top.

Here are all my pieces cut out.

First the front and back are sewn together at the shoulders.

The pattern has 2 options for finishing the neckline - binding or facing. For my first version I decided to do a binding since I had some ready made Anna Maria Horner binding in my stash and it went well with my fabric. Here is my binding pinned in place.

Sewing the binding on.

Sewn on.

Now to trim the excess.

Turned in and topstitched.  The bottom of the wide v neck was a little tricky.

Now to sew on the side panels to the front.

And then sew them to the back piece.

Then to put some basting stitches along the top of the sleeves.

Then I sewed the seams of the sleeves and then attached them to the top.

Here it is before I hemmed the sleeves and the top.

Here I am in the finished top. This one needs a tank top under it.

For the next try - I used a green and white light weight woven I purchased for $1/yard at Golden D'or during one of their inventory sales. Here are all my pieces.

I id the facing on this one. Here are my facing pieces.

Here my facings are sewn together and the front and back of the top are sewn together at the shoulders.

The facing is pinned in place and sewn on.

The facing was then turned to the inside and ironed in place.

Side panels were sewn onto the front.

Then sewn to the back.

Stay stitches on the sleeve tops.

Sewed the sleeve seams and added them to the top.

Here I am in the second try. This one turned out much better. The final version of the pattern includes a few more tweaks that make it a perfect fit.

I made one more Cosette that you don't see here. I'll reveal it later on when Kaysie does the Cosette for the pattern of the month. I already have another Cosette cut out and ready to sew. This is a pretty quick sew and I definitely prefer the facing over the binding for the neckline - but to each his own.

Simplicity 1463 - Zenith & Quasar "Like a Girl"

Zenith and Quasar has another awesome round open for preorder. This round is "Like a Girl" and is all about smart women in many different scientific fields. I think the fabric sends a great message that girls can do all things scientific. The panels offered show a photograph of a woman - for example Sally Ride and has the words "Fly - like a girl". There are 8 women highlighted. For this top I just used the photo collage print of all 8 women.

The Like a Girl prints can be ordered here and preorders are open until October 25th.

For this top I used one of my favorite patterns - Simplicity 1463.

First I gather the back.

Here's the back yoke.

I marked where the gathers should be.

I then lined everything up and pinned it together.

I then serged it together.

Then I topstitched using my coverstitch. I decided to use a grey thread.

The the front and back are sewn together at the sides.

Then the front sleeve pieces are stay stitched at the corners.

The sleeve front is pinned to the sleeve back.

The sleeves are serged together.

Then the sleeves are hemmed. I used my coverstitch.

Then the sleeves are attached to the body.

That corner part on the front is tricky. I use my regular sewing machine to put that piece on.

I also sewed the back to the sleeve using my sewing machine.

The sleeves just barely meet at the underarm.

I then hemmed the top. I rounded the bottom instead of having a point since trying to do the point on the coverstitch is a pain.

Here I am in my finished top.

I love it and will definitely wear it to work. I'm a scientist so I think it's appropriate.

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