• D.I.Y with Nichelle B.

    D.I.Y White Cotton Shirtdress

    Hey Loves,

    As always I’m so excited to share this look with you. You got a look while it was in the process of being made on my Instagram so here is the finished product and all the details! I wanted to make a white shirtdress before summer was over and I did! This fabric is shirting from Joanns, it was on sale at the time for $5.99 a yard and it took about 2 yards to create this. I used the same combo of patterns I used to make my last 3 button ups. Lol It’s a charm, and once you find a pattern or a pattern hack you love its so easy to make different pieces. So I posted the inspo pic behind this shirt on my Instastory and did a poll with this shirt and another shirt and this shirt won. It was really close though, Im glad they have that feature because it really is soooooo hard to decide what to make sometimes! Thank y’all for helping me out! lol

    The winning shirt I recreated.  Keep scrolling to see my version.

    So can I just say that I am extremely proud my myself for making this shirt. It looks so legit and professionally made and my fabric looks all crisp. lol I did prewash my fabric before using it. This fabric is the perfect weight, it has a little stretch and its super easy to work with. All I can say about this shirtdress is, it’s going to get put to good use. Lol

    It was so hot. lol

     

    The shirt is a combination of Simplicity 8416 (as the base of the shirt) & Vogue 9027. I use the Simplicity pattern as the base of the shirt and I just gradually flare the sides out so it creates an oversized effect. I also talk about this hack in my previous posts here. So I flared the sides out, made it a little longer, then I added the ruffle at the bottom. As for the hem, I started to do a rolled hem but I’m so happy I didn’t and just did it the way it is in the inspiration picture. It gives the shirt some stability and allows it to flare out just right at the bottom. Although if I would have did the rolled hem I probably would have been able to wear it as a dress. I think it’s a tad bit too short to do that so I’m going to wear it with shorts or jeans.

    Click here if you want to see the video tutorial I followed to do the hidden placket. It was a quick and easy to follow tutorial, but I do suggest you read the blog post that goes with the video because she mentions some additional tips there that aren’t in the video. I opted for a mandarin collar because thats how the shirt was in the inspo pic and I also wanted to try it. Its so easy. I don’t think I own anything with a mandarin collar and now I have 2 white shirt dresses so I’m pleased with how everything came out. Have you tried to make a button up yet? What are you waiting for?!

    Thanks for stopping by! I appreciate you!

     

     

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  • D.I.Y with Nichelle B.

    D.I.Y Button Up Dress

    Hi Loves!

    Welcome Back! So y’all know ever since I made my first button up I’ve been addicted. I really love the versatility of button ups. I had this cotton and this picture saved in my phone for quite some time. So I decided to recreate it! This is the original version, I saw it on IG first I believe.

    So I wanted to do something very similar. Only difference is, my ruffle is a bit shorter and mines has short sleeves. I’m so happy and pleased with the outcome of this dress. I mentioned I wanted to make some more chill garments so this is definitely one I could see myself wearing dressing up or down. As I mentioned in my last post about patten hacking adding a ruffle hem or an uneven hem to a dress can give it an instant upgrade. In this case, (besides making the dress oversized) the only other modifications I made were an uneven hem and a ruffle. EASYYY! I love this dress.

    Simplicity 8416 and Vogue 8027 are the pattens I combined to achieve this look. What do y’all think?

     

     

  • Uncategorized

    Pattern Hacking/ 1 pattern 5 looks

    Hey loves,

    Welcome back! This post is so exciting to me! I love pattern hacking, but the easy kind, that doesn’t involve too much crazy math or pattern drafting. If you are unfamiliar with the term, pattern hacking is when you take a basic commercially or independently made sewing pattern and use it as template to make your own customizations and inspired designs. I like hacking versus drafting patterns because with hacking the hard work is already done, you’re just making your pattern work a little harder. So today I’m showing 4 ways you can hack a basic A- line dress pattern that involve NO pattern drafting! YAAASSSS! LOL

    This is the basic dress pattern I use. I’ve had it for years and its allowed me to make tons of garments. A basic A-line dress is essential to your pattern stash because it is a great foundation and you can do so much with it! Small adjustments make a world of difference. It definitely does not have to be this exact pattern, choose any basic A-line dress pattern that you like the fit of. This pattern has a view with darts and one without them.

     

    So getting to it, the first way you can hack a basic dress pattern is to add a ruffle to the very bottom of it. This hack could also work for a skirt too. For the dress below I used view C and just made it a little shorter and added a ruffle. Easy, Peasy. This dress is made out of linen and I said I wanted to start making more laid back pieces so this was one of them. I loove this dress. It is perfect for summer and I dig the yellow and navy blue combo.

     

    The second way you can hack this pattern is to do hidden pockets. As you can see the pattern does come with an option for patch pockets, but patch pockets don’t work all the time. I rarely do patch pockets. This dress is a prime example. I didn’t think patch pockets would look good for this so I needed hidden pockets. A very easy hack, pockets are always a good idea.

    The third way is to do a winter version. I made this top like 2 years ago and I’ve worn it lots of ways. You can check that post here if you missed it. All I did to hack the pattern was add a turtleneck, a slit on the side, and I made the sleeves long.

     

    The last way to hack your pattern is to add slits! Be creative with those slits girl! For this hack I just made it a shorter tunic, made the sleeves 3/4 and I added slits on both sides. An Ankara fabric choice could turn your pattern into a dashiki.

    *BONUS the 5th way is to play with your hem! Who says a hem has to be straight across? Play with diagonal and uneven hems to switch it up and give it a pop of ohh la la. I’ve worn this top with jeans, as a dress with thigh high boots, and over leggings. It is one of my favorite makes.

    So there you have it adding hidden or patch pockets, slits, a ruffle, changing the length, and doing an uneven hem are 5 easyyy beginner level ways you can hack a basic dress pattern to make it your own. Did you all like this post? Let me know in the comments! Hope you’ve been inspired to switch up your next A-Line dress pattern!

    Thanks for stopping by! I appreciate you.

     

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  • Pattern Review

    Easy D.I.Y Paperbag Top

    Heyyy Loves!

    This is a quick post to tell you about this paperbag top. You may be familiar with the paperbag waist on pants. If not it looks like the picture below. Its just kind of a ruffled gather of fabric, a fun touch. Normally you don’t see it on tops, as its most popular for the waist of pants but to make a top out of it is SOO easy and very beginner friendly. The straps may take the longest because they are so small and you have to turn them inside out but other than that making this should be a breeze. I recommend using a light-medium weight cotton or linen type fabric.

    Image result for paperbag waist pants

    • Measure around the top of your chest just above your boobs.
    • Double that measurement and add and inch
    •  Cut a piece of fabric that length. It ends up being a big square of fabric mines was 63 inches in width and 24 inches in height.
    • Now cut your square in half because you want to have 2 side seams.
    • Sew the fabric together right where you just cut it.
    • Fold the long edge of your fabric over twice to finish the raw edge. Press and Sew.
    • Repeat the step above on the other long edge.
    • Then fold one of the edges down about 5 inches
    • You want about 2-3 inches of ruffle at the top and enough fabric to make the casing.
    • Press along the folded edge and measure down 2-3 inches (whichever you like) use a ruler and chalk and mark a straight dotted line all the way across your fabric. This will be like a stitching guide. My elastic was 3/4 inches wide and I added 1/8 inch so it would be nice and snug in the casing. So my 2 rows of stitching for the casing were an inch apart. So determine how big your casing needs to be. Whatever size your elastic is just add 1/8 of an inch to it. Below that line make another stitching guide with your ruler and chalk.
    • Sew the two rows for the casing.
    • Then make your straps. Just use 4 strips of fabric that are 4 inches wide . Determine how long you need them to be. Sew them with the right sides together then flip them right side out. Repeat on all 4 straps and press them flat.
    • Attach the straps to the inside of the top.
    • And You have yourself a new top!

     

     

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