Chevron squiggle overload: the updated Cake Patterns free Tee pattern

I actually made this Tee a month ago while I was working on the updated envelope art, but couldn't share officially until the pattern was out in the wild (available now as a free PDF via Craftsy, or a printed (and of course not-free) paper pattern via Etsy.

As you all know, I illustrate for Cake Patterns and thus have access to the patterns for free, so this isn't an objective review or anything, but I don't get paid to sew Cake and I made this for fun and my opinion is my own, and etc. So when I tell you I love this Tee pattern—I mean it!

The basics

Pattern: The Tee, Cake Patterns Riff No. 2224. A knit custom-fit and custom-length T-shirt with cut-on sleeves, hem band, V-neck or round neck options and micro pocket options. I made the single-pocket V-neck version in a 26" length (I wanted an almost tunic-length top):

Fabric: 1 yard of a really uncooperative (if totally fun) thin chevron printed rayon-spandex knit from Tex Styles in Austin, Texas. The pattern wasn't even SLIGHTLY close to on-grain at all, so I cut it to make the lines look as straight as possible. And I used a bit of chevron for the pocket to look like an "M" for "Mikhaela."

Size: I made the size 35, with 38" bust and 39" hips and a 26" length. I normally would do a snug waist with negative ease, but since this fabric was so tissue thin I only brought the waist in to 33" at the fit check step.

Modifications: No modifications, except those directed in the pattern (bringing in the waist slightly for a closer fit during the fit check stage).

Construction notes: This is a very quick and satisfying make—no sleeve setting required. Cutting out the recalcitrant fabric was probably the hardest part.

The round neckline version would have been quicker, but I love a V-neck and have never made one before, so decided to try it out and am happy I did. I just followed the written instructions, but Steph recently posted a step-by-step photo tutorial for mitered V-necks that breaks it down more clearly for beginners.

The pattern also comes with a little pressing template that makes getting perfectly shaped little pockets much easier.

Wear: I've been wearing this versatile basic constantly—with jeans, skirts, whatever. Next time I might make it a little longer to be more tunic-length for over leggings. I probably SHOULD make a solid-colored one as I need some plainer Ts, but I'm sure I'll go for a pattern again.

So what are you waiting for? Get yourself a free Tee pattern!

A chevroned Hummingbird joins the flock (with dickey! and cuffs! and buttons!)

Yes, I have a peplum problem passion. This is my third Cake Patterns Hummingbird knit peplum top (after the polka dot one and the hummingbird colors one) so I guess it's now my official tried-and-true top.

Not much new to report. I cut the same bust size as before (the 35), but went with the elbow-length sleeves and the deeper neckline with dickey and bias cuffs. I basted the dickey in place carefully before topstitching it to the neckline binding.

I've always loved the look of knit tops with dickeys—they have all the comfort of a knit with a touch of the polish and crispness of a woven.

The chevroned knit fabric is a wonderful rayon/spandex jersey from Mood, and the woven fabric is a sheer black cotton swiss dot lawn from Fabric.com four years ago (but similar still available). The iridescent buttons are from M+J, leftover from a sweater. They are BEAUTIFUL but I could not get a decent photo of them.

Er, what's this? Why are there four button holes for two buttons, you ask? Well, either I am the WORST at buttonholes or my buttonhole sensor foot hates me, because this ALWAYS HAPPENS. And yes, I stabilized the area with plenty of interfacing and carefully marked the buttonhole placement and practiced on scrap fabric...

Moving on. I apparently also cannot photograph my own back properly, as this weird hunched-over blurry shot was the best I got.

Finally, I should note that this is actually another finished object formerly known as an unfinished object, almost the LAST one in the pile (and oh, it feels AMAZING to finally finish something and clear that mental space). I started her during the Hummingbird 30 Minutes a Day Sewalong last year, but then my sewing machine went beserk on the shoulder seam...

... and I got discouraged and abandoned the top.

Now I love it. I love it so much I even wore it out for Mother's Day before I attached the dickey: here I am with my daughter at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (my husband took us to the mind-blowingly AMAZING Charles James exhibit at the Costume Institute for Mother's Day and all three of us just LOVED it.):

Which is especially fitting, because Charles James' famous 4-leaf-clover skirt design was one of Steph's inspirations for the Hummingbird peplum's shape.

I like this version much better with the dickey, though—the scoop by itself was a little too deep to be decent workwear.

I think the best part about finishing UFOs is that they feel like they were sent to me in a time machine by Mikhaela from the Past. I often find that cutting fabric is the hardest and most annoying part of the whole process, so it's awesome to just be able to open a bag of neatly cut and marked and notched fabric pieces all ready to sew—like someone else did all the work!

How's your Me Made May going?

Finished: The Not-Red-or-Velvet Red Velvet Knit Dress, Joan-Style (Cake Patterns 0369)

This dress makes me feel fancy and relaxed at the same time—like I'm secretly wearing a nightgown at a cocktail party. (Except I'm just drinking apple juice because I took these photos at 8 in the morning, and I have the alcohol tolerance of a thimble).

There are so many things about it that make me happy. And now I will list them:

• It's a former UFO. I cut this dress out in September right before I got computer-induced carpal tunnel... and I actually finished it less than a year later. Go me!
• I got this awesome fabric for free from a fabric swap. I THINK it belonged to Clio or Nettie but I'm not 100% certain (ladies, who was it? I love you and THANKS).
• The fit is AMAZING and barely required any work on my part.
• These colors and print are out of control. Just big enough to be fun, just small and squiggly enough to hide any mistakes (not that there are any) and not require print matching.
• It goes perfectly with all those accessories I bought for the Joan Mad Men Challenge dress I never finished two years ago. (The fitting was just too much trouble, oh well).

The pattern: Cake Patterns Red Velvet Knit Dress 0369, with envelope/instructions illustration and graphic design by me and my husband.

My original plan was to go for a solid colorblocking thing in ponte/doubleknit, and I even went fabric-hunting at Mood:

But in the end I was worried the scissor pleat detail might be a bit bulky in the ponte, and this blue/purple/black splattery fabric was just calling my name.

Pattern Description: Knit dress with a faced circular neckline, optional petal collar and pleated underbust seam. I went for the scissor-pleated skirt, but there is also a flat boxy-pleat option. I left out the optional hidden zipper pocket because I was in a rush.

Pattern Sizing and Fit Adjustments: The pattern is sized for a 30-59 inch high bust, 25-55 inch waist and has bust proportion sizing A-D. Fit adjustments were easy, and minimal (unlike with my ill-fated Joan dress):

• I have a 34.5" high bust and 38.5" full bust, so I went with the 35C and did a simple 3-inch "Deep Bust Adjustment" as advised in the Red Velvet Sewalong to add needed length over the bust. I also shortened the pleats accordingly, to come to about 1.5" below the bust apex. (Please note that 35C is a special proportionate Cake bodice sizing and not a bra size — in bras I wear a 30F or 32E, depending on brand).
• For the skirt, I cut my actual waist size—29.5".

Fabric: As I said, I'm not sure who the original owner of this lovely, midweight ITY jersey bold print fabric was, but I thank her kindly for swapping her away to me. The only slight downside is that the pleats are a bit hard to see—can you spot the scissor shape here?

Notions: As advised in the instructions, I used stay tape in the shoulder seams. And I used fusible web tape to create quick, perfect and stable knit sleeve hems and stick down the neckline facing. LIFE-CHANGING, people. I used the 1/2" Steam a Seam 2 Lite, but it doesn't seem to be easy to find these days—Clover Fusible Web is another similar option.

Instructions: Once again, surreal following instructions that I helped draw myself. I mostly just stuck to the printed instructions, but did take a few peeks at the sew-along here and there.

Pattern alterations: I left off the optional collar and pockets. They are awesome but I am just trying to get back into the sewing game at all and finding any spare moments I can, and if that means leaving out the cool details, so be it. Otherwise unaltered.

Construction notes:

• I didn't bother finishing the seams (or hemming), since this fabric is so stable and not-at-all prone to unraveling.
• I used the sewing machine only, for speed, and just a simple narrow zig-zag stitch (the lightning bolt knit stitch on my particular machine does not a happy knit seam make).
• It all came together pretty quickly—I cut it out a year ago, but the actual sewing was just two evenings late at night—maybe 3 or 4 hours at most (and I am SLOW).

Wear for: Work or a date with the husband—or even to a wedding. Or a cocktail party, if my life were such that I actually went to such things.

I am SO making this dress again! For Me-Made-May, it's all about the UFO (and TNT) patterns over here.

P.S. This is obviously not an objective review, since I do artwork for Cake Patterns... but I don't get paid to sew Cake or blog about Cake. I just love me some Cake—which is why I draw for them!

P.P.S. Isn't that purple purse wonderful? She's real 1960s vintage, from Etsy, and was actually still in the ORIGINAL original box with her price tag on.

The Red Velvet Collection Presale is on!

 

Oh hello... you know you want to sew me! I'm only $15.91 USD for a limited time or you can download me as a PDF right away for $14.47!

 

And I just know you want to make all of my friends too... get all five of us as paper patterns for just $46.29 USD or download us right away as PDFs for $36.26.

Phew! I am so excited for the launch of these babies I can't even stand it. My husband Masheka and I are really proud of our work on the art and illustrations, and personally, I just can't wait to sew every one of these lovelies... maybe twice or three times, too!

Three of the PDFs from the Cake Patterns Red Velvet collection are already available for download, and the paper patterns will all be shipping in 2-3 weeks—at which time this lovely presale will be over.

Get the full details on the collection and lots of pretty photos over at Steph's blog.

Sewing pattern fun at the Small Press Expo!

With my cartoonist husband Masheka Wood at the Small Press Expo last weekend, selling sewing patterns, comics and my new children's book, Susan's Mess. (Note: Wearing the Tiramisu knit dress was a good sales move!)

Ok, I'm not sure if FUN is exactly the right way to describe sitting behind a table at a comics convention worrying that no one there will actually be vaguely interested in either children's books or sewing patterns and randomly yelling out "Hi there! Do you sew?" or "Hi there, are you interested in children's comics?" with a perky smile.

Luckily it turned out that many comics and cartooning enthusiasts DO sew, including a number who sew costumes for cosplay, and some of them were interested in learning to sew everyday clothes. They loved that I was wearing a dress that matched the Tiramisu pattern envelope, too.

As I suspected, the Bonny sailor knit top was the hottest seller. Here's Rachel, an illustrator who loves sewing and hockey (hence her hockey-fabric dress, made from a Simplicity Project Runway pattern):

And there were a decent amount of small children about who were interested in my new children's book (more on that later when I have it properly and available for sale on Amazon!)

So despite all my nervousness, we had an amazing day at the convention, bringing in twice as many sales as I'd ever made in all my years of cartooning conventions, and actually more than covering the cost of the table and bus fare. And in the evening, I had the honor of presenting the Ignatz for Outstanding Series at the awards ceremony.

And it was great to hang with cartooning pals from way back like Matt Bors and Robert Kirby.

I even got a little time to finish sleeve one of my Delancey cardigan... the cartoonists around me found it very amusing ("That woman is knitting a sweater WHILE SHE IS WEARING IT!")

In DC area Sept. 14/15: Selling Cake & Comics at the Small Press Expo in Bethesda, MD

Selling comics and soft stuffed doodles back in 2011, the last time we tabled at a cartooning convention as a family

Just a heads up if you're in the DC area: Masheka and I (and the little one) are going to be tabling at the 2013 Small Press Expo in Bethesda, Maryland this coming weekend on September 14 and 15.

I'll probably be doing a lot of toddler chasing, but I also plan to have a children's comic book to sell... and I'll be wearing some Cake and selling a selection of Cake as well, including a few that are currently out of stock in the US and waiting to be reprinted. (Plus: if you come by my table and mention you're a regular Polka Dot Overload reader, I'll give you a 10% discount!).

Here's the official poster for the event. I have no idea if anyone else attending this thing will be of the sewing persuasion, but we'll see!

Please come by and say hello!

Finished*: Candy Striped Tiramisu! (And why I am knit dress obsessed!)

Sweeter than candy: I finally made my striped Tiramisu knit dress!

Seriously, I have been planning to make a candy-striped Tiramisu with this fabric since last August, when I was still illustrating the first Cake Patterns envelope cover! And I'm so glad I finally sat down and did it, because this dress in this soft, stretchy knit is pure happiness.
The pattern: Cake Patterns Tiramisu Dress 0144.

Pattern Description: Knit knee-length dress with front mock wrap neckline, cut-on sleeves, customizable midriff and flattering half-circle skirt. Pattern Sizing: The pattern is sized for a 30-54 inch high bust, 25-50 inch waist and has bust proportion sizing A-D.

• My high bust is between 34" and 35", my full bust is 38.5" and my underbust is 30", so I initially chose to make a 35D (see muslin post here and wearable muslin top here). That turned out to be a bit large in the bust and back for me, especially since I was using a very stretchy knit and I prefer a really close fit with plenty of negative ease.
• For this dress version in my fancier fabric with plenty of horizontal AND vertical stretch, I went with a 30D wide bodice with a 1" FBA but cut just the 30A length (I based this length on measuring some well-fitting RTW surplice knit tops I had that hit me exactly at the underbust). And I used the size 30 back bodice.
• This worked GREAT but if I use a fabric with only horizontal stretch for the next one I will need to make it longer over the bust (maybe the 30C or 30D length).

Sweet sweet candy-colored peppermint back chevrons!




Fabric: This fabric is out of control awesome. It's a light-weight, yet substantial red and white cotton-spandex knit with good recovery that I bought on a sewing club outing to NY Elegant Fabrics for $15/yard.
At the time I felt guilty paying $45 for a hypothetical me-made dress, but this fabric is amazing. It is softer than soft, has stretch in both directions and is drapey (but not TOO clingy). Also: candy stripes. So... worth it!
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Most. Definitely. And I should know, I drew it myself...
Were the instructions easy to follow? Obviously I'm quite biased, but I followed them almost exactly and was quite pleased with the results!

Pattern thoughts: So. Knit dresses. Lately I have been wearing knit dresses three days out of five. Because they are the perfect garment — no mixing and matching, just throw it on, pick some shoes and a necklace (and maybe a cardi) and I am DONE and I even look FANCY when I am chasing my toddler around the farmer's market or playground.

Most importantly, knit dresses ALWAYS fit. My weight fluctuated a lot when I was ill and on oral steroids for months, and has fluctuated even more since I stopped nursing four months ago, so my jeans and non-elastic woven dresses all hate me... but my knit dresses always love me and never complain. (Heck, I wore some of my non-maternity knit dresses 6 and 7 months into my pregnancy a few years ago! So there you go.)
However, the Tiramisu has one thing that almost NONE of my other surplice-style knit dresses have...

... a no-gape neckline! NO cardigan needed for bra-hiding modesty! Thanks striped neck binding!
Pattern alterations: I did leave off the pockets on this version, but only to make sure I had enough fabric left over to recut the bodice if necessary (which it wasn't).
Construction notes:

• I cut the fabric on a single layer to make sure the stripes were just so.
• I made this on a mix of sewing machine and serger as recommended in the pattern instructions.
• My walking (aka dual feed) foot helped a lot in keeping the jersey from rippling out of shape and in pattern matching at the seams.

Successes:

• Great fit! So flattering!
• Stripes! Stripes! Chevrons and stripes!
• Lovely binding that is NOT in any way stretched out of shape.

Recommended Reading:

• Tiramisu 30 Minutes a Day Sew-Along.

Wear for: Work or a date. I love it so much and the fabric is so nice I am a bit afraid to get it grubby at the playground. So I might make a second version in a less fancy knit for weekend wear.
Obligatory half-circle skirt twirly photo:

Outfit details:
Cake Patterns Tiramisu knit dress, me-made
Coral necklace from craft fair
Vintage-inspired blue and aqua leather watch
Comfy red leather Mary Janes

*So the asterisk in the post title is because this dress isn't actually hemmed yet. BUT one of the hemming options recommended is to leave it raw... either permanently or just for a few wears until it settles. So it is finished ENOUGH. For now. I do think I will do a twin-needle hem to even things out, as it seems a bit shorter in the front than the back (though that might be a bad posture thing).

Bits and Pieces from a Mini Sewcation

My daughter is off visiting her grandparents in Massachusetts for a few days, and I'm managing my severe toddler cuddles and kisses deprivation by taking a little sewcation for myself each night when I get home from work. It is kind of amazing how much sewing you can get done when you don't have to start at 11:30 p.m. and stop at midnight each night... and when you can actually leave out the ironing board, sewing table and cutting mats!

Above you see two separate items in progress: the bodice of my Tiramisu dress so far (finally! I made the muslin back in May!) and a self-drafted "Insta Skirt".

The Tira is the one I sketched for my Spring Sewing Plans, it's got a red and white bodice and skirt just like my envelope illustration:

I picked a smaller bodice size this time (30D with a 1" FBA, instead of a straight 35D) and she is fitting great so far! I should have the skirt attached tonight. (And I know she doesn't fit my crappy sewing form at all, so just trust me on this).

The "Insta Skirt" is the one-piece half-circle skirt and midriff I drafted for this McCall's knit dress I made a while back:

I've always wished I could wear the bottom bit as a separate skirt, and it took me only about 15 minutes to sew (just two sides seams and an elastic-free knit waistband—magic!). FIFTEEN MINUTES FOR A SKIRT, PEOPLE.

...But it's not REALLY an Insta Skirt, because my serger temporarily crapped out on me for three hours of swearing and rethreading and crying... and now that the skirt has hung for a day it has grown by four inches and needs a severe hemming. Having no clue how to evenly hem a half-circle skirt, I suspect there is some online tutorial hunting in my future.

Finally, I have my Hummingbird Blue top pieces sitting around since the sew-along, since I was too busy moderating to actually make anything!

I think this little sewcation may almost be as fun as splashing around on the beach, and I'm getting 100% less sunburned as a result! (But I am also counting the seconds til I get to cover little Z in kisses ... on Friday!).

So readers: When was the last time you really got to sew (and leave all your sewing mess all over the place) with no interruption?

Inspiration: Pretty, Pretty Peplums!

"Pretty Pretty Peplums" inspiration featuring a Modcloth striped dress and top and a Stop Staring dress

With the Cake Patterns Hummingbird Sew-Along humming along on day 2, it's time to cut my third Hummingbird top, and I was on the hunt for a little inspiration on what I might do differently this round. Man do I love a peplum...

You might guess I was leaning towards a dress version... maybe with stripes...

And I was. Until I remembered that my daughter's third birthday party is this weekend and I only have two actual sewing evenings before both my parents and my husband's mother and young cousin come to stay in our little apartment for several days...

So I think another top it is—probably View Blue, which has a deep wide neck, with a woven dickey and cuffs. (A little step towards making my first button-down shirt, but way less commitment!). Here's Steph's version for an example.

I'm doing mine in a nice chevron jersey from my recent trip to Mood:

And the dickey and cuffs in some scraps of sheerish black Swiss dot lawn from the Stash that Must Be Busted, left over from my self-drafted reversible shirred skirt:

I hope sheerness won't be an issue here... we shall see!

P.S. On another note, this just made my day. I have a bad case of laryngitis and have been very cranky about not being able to talk properly. I got home today and my husband had washed a recent fabric purchase (sorry, can't tell you what it's for! sssssssh!) and put it on my sewing cabinet with this little note:

So are you pro or anti-peplum?

DONE: Short striped & piped Hummingbird skirt (Cake Patterns #0289)

Until I made this skirt, I hadn't inserted an invisible zipper in EIGHT years. It's probably been just as long since I wore short skirts regularly, too—I got into a rut in 2005 when I decided all skirts MUST BE KNEE LENGTH.

But that is old news now because I LOVE my new Hummingbird Orange denim skirt AND I inserted the invisible zipper with no issues on the first try with help from a little video tutorial linked in the pattern.

But screw zippers. What I really love about this skirt is the fit. Which is, well, PERFECT.

And now that I have a perfect fitting woven skirt, it just emphasizes how ill-fitting most of my RTW woven skirts are—gaping at the back waist, droopy in the rear.

In fact, while wearing my Hummingbird peplum tops (and now the skirt) I've had a number of people spontaneously ask me "Did you lose weight?"

While the body image warrior in me wants to be cranky and ask why that should be a compliment, I do think it points to the perks of wearing well-fitting, flattering clothing. (And no, I haven't lost weight—in fact I've gained quite a bit thanks to oral steroids I had to take while I was ill. But thank you anyway.)

I also love:

• The smartphone-sized panel pockets, just right for my so-old-it-can't-run-any-apps first generation Apple iPod Touch. Of course I lined my Hummingbird Orange pockets in, well orange:
  
• My striped piped seams (try saying that five times fast)—they look like a dotted line! Yes I should have made them more even and no, I don't care. I cut 1 1/2" wide strips, pressed them in half, and basted them to one edge of the fabric (raw edges to raw edge) before stitching the seams:
  

Anyway, on to the juicy details:

The pattern: Cake Patterns Hummingbird Peplum Top and Straight Skirt 0289. (Disclosure: I draw illustrations and flats for Cake, but I don't get paid to sew, blog or otherwise promote Cake!)

Pattern Description: Hummingbird view "Orange" woven skirt with no gape panel pockets sized for smartphones, back zipper and simple straight waistband. Optional back flounce, aka Hummingbird "Pink". (There's also a knit top with sleeve and neckline variations and optional dickey and cuffs which I have made twice already.)

Pattern Sizing: Full hip sizes ranging from 35"-57", with waist size cut by actual size. I cut the size 40" with a 30" waist. (My full hips are 38.5" and my waist is 29").

There is a "fit check" step in the instructions where you baste the side seams to check and adjust fit, and I ended up taking in the waist by about 3/4" on each side (or 3" total), the hips about 1" (4" total) and the waistband about 3". This is mainly because I was working with a stretch woven—I think in a plain woven I would have taken out half that. After that, it fit PERFECTLY and I made no adjustments to the darts or anything else.

The skirt is designed for this side-seam adjustment, and can be taken in up to 1" on each piece (4" total) without distorting the pocket design. Here's a photo of me pinning the waist and hips in to fit—can you see the chalk and pins?

Fabric: All from the stash, aren't I a good girl?

• Dark pinstriped black stretch denim I've had since high school—less than a yard.
• Scraps of orange stretch cotton sateen for the pockets from a $1/yard FabricMart sale three years ago.
• Bits of gray and white cotton/lycra blend knit, $6/yard from Spandex House a long time ago (also used for panties and my Tiramisu test top).

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: I added flat knit piping to the front and waist seams to create a dotted line effect. If the piping hadn't been so uncooperative and shifty I would have gone all out and done the pockets and side seams too, as in this lovely Milly skirt.

Wear for: Work (with flats or boots) or weekend (though maybe not going down a slide on the playground or riding a bike?) and definitely for a date with the husband.

Successes:

• My first invisible zipper in EIGHT years. Smooth and perfect!:
  
• First time attempting flat piping—it totally works, even though it's not perfectly even.
• Second waistband EVER. (I used a hook and eye closure).
• First time sewing with stretch wovens. I used a small zigzag stitch (1 mm wide, 2 mm long) for most seams to prevent popping.

References used (in addition to instructions of course):

• Marcy Tilton's The Easy Guide to Sewing Skirts. LOVE this very thorough book and the whole series.
• Claire Schaefer's High-Fashion Sewing Secrets from the World's Best Designers. For piping instructions.
• Sandra Betzina's More Fabric Savvy. For tips on sewing with stretch wovens.
• Steph's invisible zipper video tutorial and straight waistband photo tutorial.

I can't wait to make my next pencil-style Hummingbird "Pink" with fancy back tailfeather flounce during the sewalong (join us! orange envelopes are in my House!), in a nubbly turquoise linen blend from ancient stash.

So, do you wear short skirts? How short is too short for work (or equivalent social settings?)

P.P.S. Notice the new red flats, after my agonized blog post on my search for bright and comfortable shoes? Little Z calls them my "Dorothy shoes!"