Malala Cross Collar Sweater by DIBY

Hello! It's a cool fall day today and I'm so happy I took some time to do a little fall sewing a few weeks ago. I'm so happy with this make as it is sure to be one that will be worn frequently from now through spring. 


This top is the Malala Cross Collar Sweater from the Do It Better Yourself Club (DIBY). I used Modern Jersey from Spoonflower in Sunshine Forest by Crystal Whitlow. Crystal has some beautiful designs and this leaf print caught my eye. I love nature prints and these leaves were beautifully done and the color is gorgeous. 


The Malala Sweater is perfect for the mild Texas fall in Modern Jersey. The fabric has a nice drape that works great for the collar without bulk. 


I made the 3/4 length sleeves as I find I rarely wear long sleeves. If I get a chill, I'm most likely to grab a cardigan or a layering piece. 


I really love the cross collar of the Malala, but wish the pieces had a bit more folds or gathers. There are folds near the shoulders, but they are not as well defined as I had hoped. Many of the photos in the pattern listing showed buttons placed along the collar. I started to add a few and changed my mind. I have some cute wooden leave buttons that I think  would be perfect, but don't want to distract from the beautiful pattern of the fabric. 


I have a few other patterns like the Malala from other designers that I plan to try in the near future. I might try to do a round  up post to do a comparison when I am done. Be sure to check out the designs that Crystal Whitlow has to offer on Spoonflower. Now is a great time to buy as they have free shipping through October 30th!

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. These links provide me with a small compensation if you make a purchase using my link. There is not cost to you when you do this. My thoughts and opinions given in this blog post are mine.

Sonia Estep Designs Lucy Tank

I have had the hardest time blogging. I have no problem getting things sewn and photographed. But here lately I just can't seem to get motivated to blog about my makes. I'll blame it on mask making. At least that sounds like a good excuse right now. The following project was one I started planning on February 29, 2020 when I ordered this Corpse Lily Design by B0rwear on My Fabrics Designs


Needless to say, I bought this fabric before we were in full Pandemic mode. When the Pandemic started my head was filled with visions of all this free time to work on all kinds of projects now that I was working from home 5 days a week. No commute surely meant that I'd have and extra hour or 2 each day to go to my craft room and sew or do something creative. Little did I know all that free time would be spent sewing masks!


Summer comes along and I see my Facebook and Instagram feeds filled with lovely versions of the Sonia Estep Designs Lucy. I had never used a pattern from Sonia Estep Designs before, but the Lucy looked like the perfect summer top and I immediately knew I needed to make one with my Corpse Lily fabric. 


I bought the pattern on August 1. I finally printed the pattern and cut into my fabric on August 30, and sewed it up Labor Day weekend, and got photos the following weekend. Now a month later, here is the blog post. I guess being 30 days behind schedule isn't too bad. 


My Lucy  is made with a Polyester Slub Jersey. This is one of my favorite fabric bases from My Fabrics Designs. It is nice and light weight with a great drape. It holds its shape well with only horizontal stretch. The colors also stay true and vivid even after years of wear. 


My Fabrics Designss allows you to scale the print to the size that you want. I love this feature and often use it. In this case, I did not scaling as I wanted the flowers to be large! The Corpse Lily depicted is 
Rafflesia arnoldii and they can grow to be as big as a meter in diameter. 


I'm thankful that the weather in Texas is fairly mild. It has been warm enough for me to enjoy wearing my Lucy top a few times since I made it. I definitely will make a few more next year. 

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. These links provide me with a small compensation if you make a purchase using my link. There is not cost to you when you do this. My thoughts and opinions given in this blog post are mine.