Oh Man!!! Sorry for the late post! Friday was my Church's Winter Camp, and as I'm the one running the program, I was unable to take pictures of this weeks look until today (yesterday I was just soooo tired from running around all weekend and sleeping on the ground I needed a day to recover.) So I'm a little late, so what! So this is my second to last of the Sewing Box Challenge, I'm going to be sad once its done. But no worries, I have lots of fabric and will continue to share my design journey with you all!!!!
This weeks fabric was this beautiful navy cotton with stars printed all over it! I had 2 1/8 yards of fabric, at 45 width. My initial thought was to make a dress, but then I felt like since I would be camping over the weekend, I should make a camp inspired look!
I know the last couple weeks I drafted/ altered patterns to make my vision come to life! But this week I was tired from planning and prepping for camp. And I just didn't have the energy to do that, instead I used these commercial patterns, just to make life a little easier on myself.
Here's the fabric, isn't it pretty!!! Unfortunately even though I had a good amount of yardage it really wasn't enough to make all the things you see above. I riffled through my hoard and found a basic navy cotton that I had been saving for a halter top. That day had arrived!!!
I went to work cutting out all my pieces, I wanted to do a three piece set, Jacket, halter, Jamaica shorts. I did the halter out of the solid navy and the shorts out of the galaxy print. The Jacket I ended up shortening the sleeves (not enough galaxy print to make long sleeves) but I added a 1/2 inch seam allowance and cut the rest also out of the solid navy.
I actually started with the jacket, sewed the sleeves together where I had made that extra seam (I was actually wearing a sweater that was done this exact way while cutting out this jacket, and that's where the idea came from!) before sewing the the upper arm sleeve together.
As you can see in the picture the jacket is all one fabric except for the ends, which are made out of a solid navy. (I am working on getting better about photographing as I go, had you noticed?) The next step were side seams then putting in the facing. Next I had to make a couple buttonholes in the bottom front, this pattern calls for a casing a drawstring to make the jacket fitted at the waist. I followed all those steps, which were laid out easy enough, I highly recommend this pattern to anyone, it was so simple any beginner would enjoy.
Lastly I faced the sleeves, front and back neckline, followed instructions for making the casing and Lastly, marked and made the buttonholes. Did I have the perfect buttons for this Jacket? No I only had two, and I needed 4. On the upside I did happen to have the matching buttons in the correct sizes for both the shorts and halter. A quick stop at Joann's got me the right buttons and the Jacket was done!
I then moved onto the shorts, I really like this patter for shorts because it removes the side seam. Not that I don't already do that with some of my patterns, I just found it interesting. The shorts easy, darts, inseam, crotch seam, zipper application (I had the perfect colored zipper in the right size in my hoard so no trips to the store yay!!!) add the waistband, make the buttonhole sew the button.
OMG so cute!!!! The halter, I want to say it was surprisingly easy, but I don't know if it's easy because its easy, or because I know how to sew? It's difficult to say. It was my first time making the halter pattern, it went very smoothly, I found it simple and will probably be making myself on in every color that's how easy I found the pattern, and very attractive as well.
I almost feel bad I don't have more to say about these two patterns, I cut and stitched all three garments in probably under 8 hours, I had no problems, no mistakes to headaches. This was by far the easiest of all my sewing challenges.
So for those of you interested I've got the completed look down below! If interested in purchasing this outfit over to my shop!!! I've only got one, although I can always make a custom for you, thanks for stopping by, and follow @Madsencreations on instagram to follow along on the design process!