Love Notions Classic Tee

I have owned this pattern for five years, and it has become a staple - in my mom's wardrobe!

My first one was a pink-striped poly-spandex from FabricmaniaBoutique on Etsy, with short sleeves for me.

My second one was coordinating blue DBP fabrics from JoAnn's with long sleeves for my mom.

My third and fourth were white jet fabric from Walmart bundles with short sleeves for my mom. I like to use variegated thread in the loopers of my coverstitch machine.

My fifth one was a mod flower print poly-lycra (possibly from JoAnn) with long sleeves for me.

My sixth one was a feather print poly-lycra (possibly from JoAnn) with long sleeves for me.

My seventh and eighth were cotton-lycra and DBP with short sleeves for my mom.

You can find the pattern here.

I will be sure to make this again, some other day!

Pocket Tissue Holder

 Here's a fun and easy project, which is great for using up woven scraps.

I made two a while ago and sent at least one to my mom.

You can see that I overlapped the ends of the opening.

I got the instructions here.

Enjoy!

Cutting out Different Ways

This post is to show different ways of cutting out patterns that are placed on fold for both front and back. Currently, this post is mostly pictures with minimal instructions, but will be updated later. All the pictures are small samples just to show the ideas.

These first pictures show ways to cut out a garment when the print is directional, ie, has a one-way pattern.

If both pieces take up less than the total folded width, the fabric can be folded from both sides and the pattern placed on both folds.

If a flare is wanted for the same situation, a long ruler can be used to add the flare if the fabric is enough.

If a wider flare is desired and there is enough fabric, the pattern pieces can be placed along the same fold and flared with a long ruler.

This set of pictures shows ways to cut out a garment when the print is not directional.

Whether or not the fabric is wide enough for both pieces to fit across from each other, this is the method I use.

One side of the fabric is folded just enough to accommodate one pattern piece, whether it's flared or not.

The other side of the fabric is also folded just enough to fit the other pattern piece. The armscyes are placed as close to each other as possible.

Here is an example with a flare added.

Here is what it looks like after cutting out.

Here is an example of adding more flare.

I will eventually add more information - later!

Rocky Tee by 5 out of 4 Pattern Company

I found this stretchy (89% polyester, 11% spandex) fabric at Walmart and just knew it had to be good for something. When I took it home, hubby said it would make a great sleep shirt.

As it turned out, I had just the pattern for it here, but I had to straighten the sides and adjust the length.

I assembled it with my serger and used zigzag stitching for the hems.

Yes, I attached the sleeves in a method called "on the flat."

Hubby liked it so much that he offered to pose.

I liked it so much that I made the same size for me, but shorter. However, it's in his rotation since I made another one closer to my size (scroll down to see mine).

After a while, I traced this pattern in a smaller size to make a labor-and-delivery gown for a coworker. I added loops at the side seams so she could adjust the unstructured belt I made for it.

I split the front with a Vee shape and added a band before hemming (because I forgot to hem the band first.

Except for closing the turned band, it was made entirely on my serger, including the bands that I added to the sleeves. Here's how it turned out.

At some point, I bought a dark blue shirt in hubby's size which he thought might make a good sleeveless, either casual or for sleeping. I placed the sleeveless template over this shirt and added bands with the gray fabric.

It turned out great, but he eventually disliked the blue fabric and it was donated away.

He wanted more sleep shirts, so I ordered some super-soft bamboo lycra from Sincerely Rylee Fabrics and made him another sleep shirt in a longer length.

I made him another one with the gray fabric, but sleeveless. He's wearing it now!

I made one to fit me in a double-brushed poly (DBP), but I don't recall where I bought it. I had recently gotten a coverstitch machine, so I hemmed the sleeves before I attached them.

Using a fabric that I found in the Walmart bundles section, I made a nightshirt for a friend. She seems to love it, but is camera-shy.

I hope you've enjoyed this tour through my projects.

Pajama Pants by 5 out of 4 Pattern Company

 I use this pattern for my husband because the front waist dips down, just like his!

The first pair I made from this pattern was a pair of shorts with mystery knit fabric from Walmart.

My master patterns have many sizes on them, and I have them printed by an online pattern printing service. I currently use The Plotted Pattern.

The pattern pieces to fit him were so big that I asked him to help trace the pattern.

I then cut out the pattern pieces and put away the master.

These shorts go just below his knees.

Here is the first layout to be cut. It takes up quite a bit of the table!

I added pockets to these shorts. Here is a link to a project which shows how I install pockets.

And here is hubby happily wearing his new shorts.

Now, on to the longer versions.

I added a fly opening to the blue poplin PJs. I winged it, of course. I do not currently have a tutorial to show how to finish this during assembly.

This version does not have pockets, so I stitched the side seams first. By the way, my cutting table is 40" x 72" - wowza!

I trimmed the hem evenly and used my new BabyLock Euphoria coverstitch machine.

After that I sewed the crotch seams, the inseams, and then made the elastic waist. He liked this so much that he put them on and promptly got back to reading.

That's not enough? Almost immediately after the blue poplin ones, I made him some gray and white plaid flannel ones. Since he did not want pockets, I decided to overlap the straight side edges of the pattern pieces to eliminate the side seams.

When cut out, it almost looked like it was hiding on the table.

I added a very basic, rectangular fly at a doubled width, so I had to fold back the fly pieces for more structure.

He was more than happy to pose for me.

He helped me to pick out the most recent fabric from Hobby Lobby.

These were made about the same way as the blue poplin PJs, with side seams, no pockets, and added fly.

I hope you have enjoyed my TED Talk. 😍