Bow Button Fabrics Brushed Dritex My Fit Leggings

I can always use more pants for work that are as comfortable as pajamas. I got some Navy brushed Dritex Athletic fabric from Bow Button Fabrics and knew it would fit the bill. I got 1.5 yards - I'm short at 5' and this is typically enough for a pair of pants for me. However, the first pattern I picked (If you follow me on Instagram you might have seen my post) was for pants with a wider leg and they would not fit no matter how hard I tried on only 1.5 yards. I am still working on using patterns that have been sitting in my stash. A few months back I bought the My Fit Leggings from Apostrophe Patterns and had been intimidated to use it. The pattern is made per your measurements and the options you choose. I decided a straight leg pair would be perfect for work pants.

I took my own measurements and probably got a few wrong by a small bit. These fit pretty good, but they are not a perfect fit. I think I have a little too much fabric at the top of my thighs right below the crotch. I'll probably try to trim a bit off in that area and sew them back together. I definitely need a sewing buddy to help me with measurements before I attempt the pattern again. The pattern requires so many measurements and some were hard to get on my own.

The Navy brushed dritex is amazing! It was nearly impossible to tell the right side from wrong at a glance. I assumed it was brushed on the wrong side - but I might be wrong. Either way - I but the brushed side to the inside as that is what I thought would feel best against my skin.

The Navy brushed dritex has a slight sheen on the smooth side. I thought it gave my pants a dressy appropriate for office look. This fabric is 300 gsm making it perfect for pants & leggings. However, I did feel like it emphasized the cellulite on my upper thighs and I put on some knee length shapewear on under these to help smooth things out.

The brushed dritex is an athletic fabric. I find myself making more and more of my wardrobe with athletic knits. I love that athletic knits tend to be wrinkle free. When I travel, I tend to pack only items made with athletic knits so that I don't have to worry about looking like a slob in wrinkled clothes.

Athletic knits are also moisture wicking. This is great when you live (or travel) to places that are hot or rainy. Sweat just disappears and if you find you self in a rain shower, you won't be soaking wet for long. Athletic fabrics also seem to hold up better to thigh rub and don't get all pilly from the friction.

I'll definitely wear this outfit to work. My top is the Sinclair Patterns Sienna Top. I love this top and wear it often. I really need to make another one.

Bow Button Fabrics carries this dritex fabric in a variety of colors. I might need another pair of work  pants in the graphite and black colors are these are seriously so comfortable! See all the colors available HERE.

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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.

Sinclair Patterns Nova Raglan

Sinclair Patterns are amazing! Each pattern comes in petite, average, and tall sizing. It's so nice to be able to print a pattern and not have to make adjustments for my height! Their newest pattern is the Nova Raglan. The Nova Raglan is a relaxed fit and has a couple of options that make it the perfect cold weather raglan.

For this version, I made the drawstring  hem and did the neckband.

I used cotton lycra for this Nova. The mustard is a solid cotton lycra from Made Whimsy and the Goldfish & Waterlily print is from Jumping June Textiles.

For my next Nova, I decided to try a few other options. I used the cowl and did a band for the hem.

I used Mud Pie Athletic Brushed Poly from Zenith & Quasar Fabric and a distressed reverse french terry from Mily Mae. Mud Pie is in the current Marble Preorder at Zenith & Quasar.

I LOVE how this Nova turned out!

This Nova is so comfortable and cute and I am dying to wear it! The day I took these photos it was 100 degrees! As soon as it is cool enough, I am wearing this top!

The Nova Raglan is on sale for $7.99 through September 18th. While you are there - be sure to grab the Sunset Lounge Pants to pair with it. They are free and amazing - see my photo below! Use the code SINCLAIR to get them for free.

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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.

Zenith & Quasar Butterflies

I have already shown this top before, but now that this Butterfly print is at Preorder at Zenith & Quasar, I decided to show it off again.

I used the Sinclair Patterns Shelby Tunic. It's one of my favorite patterns. I love that it comes in petite sizing and that it's a loose fit and covers my behind.

These Butterflies are just gorgeous and I love the subtle watercolor background. My Grandmother loved butterflies and I think of her everytime I wear this top.

I love the athletic brushed poly from Zenith & Quasar. It's the perfect fabric year round, but I love how it keeps me cool & dry in the Texas heat. It wicks away moisture so fast leaving me dry and cool.

The preorder also has Yoga Swim Spandex (YSS) as an option and I love it as well. The preorder closes on June 29th! See all the prints at preorder at https://www.zenithandquasar.com/product-category/preorder-r34-reprints/

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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.

Zenith & Quasar Plaid Hybrid Knit

I'll give you a break from my Zenith & Quasar Reprint posts to show you a "new" fabric that is at preorder. As I write this - there are only 2 yards left! Hybrid Athletic Knit in PLAID!

I've posted about my undying love for the Hybrid Athletic Knit before. I've made an amazing Hoodie with it and Pants.

The Hybrid Athletic Knit feel like supplex, is a heavy weight (250 gsm) and it's only $10 per yard (at preorder)!

So when Lilly showed me this fun plaid - I HAD TO HAVE IT! She sent me a sample of it and I sewed it up before I packed up my sewing room. I've been so busy packing, that I have not had time to blog about it.

I am closing on my "new" home today and will be moving in very soon. I can't wait to get my new sewing space set up and to be back to creating.

I made the Sinclair Patterns Bianca Shrug with my sample yard and ordered 2 more yards to make a coordinating dress. I think this will be perfect to wear to the office.

The Hybrid Athletic Knit is available in this cool plaid and in Berry Pink, Electric Purple, and Grass Green. My Hoodie I made below is the Grass Green. It is lined with the Secret Garden print - which happens to be at preorder.

Here are my pants I made with the Grass Green Hybrid Athletic Knit. They were a test of a pair of pants. They ended up a bit too roomy in the crotch on my first go - hence all that bagginess. I still wear these pants a lot though as they are so comfortable. I really need to sit down and seam rip them, fix them, and put them back together.

You can't go wrong with the Hybrid Athletic Knit. At $10 a yard it is a bargain. It's a great weight for leggings, pants, jackets, and I think it will be amazing as a dress, It's too heavy for a loose fit top, but would be great for a fitted top or even a sports bra. It's at preorder through the end of the month.

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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.

Zenith & Quasar Botanist's Notebook

Zenith & Quasar is reprinting some past designs that are popular from past rounds. The preorder runs through June 29th. I've sewn many of the prints at preorder and will be showing off a few makes new and old over the next few weeks.

First up is one of my all time favorites - Botanist's Notebook. This is a vintage Ernst Haeckel illustration. I pulled some of my hoarded stash off my shelf and made 2 new items with it.

 

I've had the idea to make a maxi dress with this print forever and decided to wait no more.

This is the Ellie & Mac Be Dreamy Dress. I recently made this dress for the first time and fell in love with it. You can read my initial post on the Be Dreamy Dress HERE.

I've been buying from Zenith & Quasar since inception. My dress is made with 2 different fabric bases. The skirt and sleeves are the original base that had 2-way stretch. The bodice and neckband are the athletic brushed poly with 4-way stretch.

The one modification that I made to the Be Dreamy Dress is that I cut the back skirt wider and gather it. I feel like this gives me plenty of room for my behind and gives a beautiful silhouette.

 My bodice was made out of a different knit because I did not have enough of the original base for the entire dress. I actually didn't have enough of the fabric for the skirt and had to cut the skirt a few inches shorter than I normally would.

To keep as much length as possible, I hemmed my dress with a rolled hem. I also used a rolled hem on my sleeves.

Since I had cut into my athletic brushed poly base for the bodice of my dress, I decided to go ahead and make myself a tank with it while I was at it. This is the Sinclair Patterns Shelby Tunic.  This is my go to loose fit sleeveless top. I'm wearing it here with Greenstyle Creations Everyday Yoga Pants made with modal jersey from Sly Fox Fabrics.

Since I was taking photos, I thought I'd share my previous makes with "new" photos. I started to wear my Shelby Tunic with my Itch to Stitch Paro Cardigan and my A Sparkly Baby Woman's Palauchos. But thought that might be too much and you wouldn't see the neckline of my cardigan.

I love the back of the Paro Cardigan. And no - I have never actually worn both of these pieces together.

So here are my A Sparkly Baby Woman's Palauchos on their own.

This outfit I have worn. My top is my other go-to sleeveless top, the Halla Patterns Agnes.

And this last photo is from July 2015. My first time sewing this print. I finally let this top go last year. So I only have this old photo of me to show you.

Be sure to check out all 24 prints at preorder. https://www.zenithandquasar.com/product-category/preorder-r34-reprints/

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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.

5 out of 4 Nora Bolero

I really love Bolero style cardigans. I was excited when 5 out of 4 had a tester call for the Nora Bolero. I don't think I could have too many cardigans in my closet.

The Nora Bolero has two different options. There is lined (which can be made reversible) and unlined which is finished with a band. I made the unlined version.

This is the first one I made in testing. The pattern was changed very slightly from this version. I made this Nora Bolero with Purple Cactus Flower Tactel from Zenith & Quasar.

 Last year I made these Designer Stitch Shakti Pants in the Purple Cactus Flower Tactel and made several Sinclair Patterns Shelby Tunics that matched. Ever since I have wanted to make a matching bolero to wear over the Shelby Tunics since they are sleeveless to make them more work appropriate.

 When the final version of the Nora Bolero was released to the testers, I decided to use a bright blue rayon french terry that I bought at the Dallas Fabric District. It was only a yard, but that was all I needed for the Nora Bolero.

I paired this Nora Bolero with a Halla Patterns Agnes (this one is sleeveless).

I'm wearing the Style Arc Barb's Stretch Pants made with Pink stretch Twill from Simply by Ti.

Here's a view of the Nora Bolero from the back.

I wore my Nora Bolero with this top to work recently and got many compliments. It's very comfortable on, but I do find that it slides down my shoulders a bit over the course of the day.

The Nora Bolero goes together really quick. I do think I will try a rib knit for the bands when I make it again. I'm also thinking of making the lined version with elbow length sleeves. It has a different shape in the front that I think I would like on me better. Grab the Nora Bolero for $3.95 through April 21st! There's also a kids version. You can bundle both and save.

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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.

Sinclair Patterns Lauren Knit Top and Dress

I really loved testing the newest pattern from Sinclair Patterns. This is the Lauren Top and Dress and I love how flattering it is. Sinclair Patterns provides petite, regular, and tall sizing for all of their patterns. That was especially helpful to have for this pattern. It can be exceedingly difficult to remove (or add) length to patterns that have odd shaped pattern pieces and still get them to fit together properly with the removed or added length. I made the Top version of the Lauren.

This is the first version that I made of the Lauren. I used a cheap poly knit with 2 way stretch. I was concerned that the silhouette was not going to look good on my pear shaped body and I was hesitant to use any of my "good" fabric to make one.

But, I had nothing to fear. After I took these photos, I loved how I looked in the Lauren. I thought it was very flattering on me.

This initial version is hemmed and I did feel like adding a band for just a little more length would be better style wise for me, but a band was not offered as an option in the initial pattern test.

The Lauren has a series of pleats at the shoulder and opposing side at the waist. I think it helps accentuate my curves in just the right way.

I feel like the pleats coming from the waist help minimize my fluff in that area.

I feel like it has a very slimming effect.

Right after the photos above, I jumped right in to make another Lauren. This time I grabbed a rayon spandex blend jersey. This fabric had some vertical stretch where the poly jersey above did not.

The Rayon jersey hangs a bit more and is a bit clingy. I'm wearing a heart monitor for the entire month of January. I had the neck strap tucked into my bra in the photos above and below. In the photo below you can make out the rectangular shape of the monitor hanging by my belly. You could not detect it in the poly jersey version above.

I still love this version too, but will probably try to adjust the under layer a bit so that it sits higher above my bust as intended.

I added the bottom band to this Lauren. As you can see, it is noticeably longer. This is partially due to the band and partially due to the fabric having vertical stretch.  I really love it this length.

 

The Lauren is on sale for $8.99 through January 23. 

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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.