Salme Playsuit

I finished the Salme playsuit/romper last weekend. I purchased this Saaristo fabric from Kokka at Bolt and love this particular lime yellow colorway. The pattern was pretty straightforward though I did make some modifications and had to think through the pockets instructions. Originally, sewn-on snaps were called for and hidden under the placket, but reviews of the pattern said that the placket didn't lay flat with the snaps. Instead, I purchased some heavy duty snaps and added them. The pocket construction was completely different than what I've ever done and I had to read the directions multiple times to figure it out. I don't think the corresponding pictures totally match either, but it eventually worked. I really like the wide waistband and I opted to forego any kind of elastic. It makes for a less fitted look with a dropcrotch, but I'm liking that style these days.

Esme Kaftan

After an outing to Fabric Depot yesterday, I decided to spend part of today's holiday sewing. I picked up this awesome Kokka cotton/linen fabric, Pebbles, that is part of the Rough Cut line by Ellen Baker. I love the pops of neon with the black. I turned again to Lotta Jansdotter's book, Everyday Style and decided to go for the Esme Kaftan pattern, especially since I had already made a tunic version and knew it was solid. It turns out I didn't have enough yardage to do a floor length kaftan, but that's okay since it would probably be overwhelming for someone of my shorter height. I did make it as long as I possibly could and added about five more inches than the tunic length. In order to keep that length, the only modification I made to the pattern was to do a rolled hem. I love it!

Dip Hem T-Shirt

I finished another Salme pattern over the weekend, this time the Dip Hem T-Shirt. I had this red and purple floral Anna Sui cotton/silk that's been in my stash for years and thought it would be perfect for this project. The directions were straightforward, though I thought the steps for sewing on the sleeve were weird and just did it the way that made sense to me. The back hem was much longer than the front and I ended up altering it to make it the same length as the front. I like this pattern and will probably make another version for summer.

Another Kimono Top

I finished another Kimono Top yesterday afternoon. I purchased this silk from Suno years and years ago from Josephine's Dry Goods and was saving it for just the right project. Having made one Kimono Top already, I knew it would be the perfect pattern for this fabric. I love the geometry of the print and the colors. So good! For this second top, I finished the neckline with a bias tape facing instead of the suggested facing. I also had originally sewed the neckline and hem with white thread, but I didn't like how it looked, so I ripped out the seams and used white for the lighter colors and matched the navy and forest green sections. I also rolled up the cuffs on this second version and like how that looks. Can't wait to wear this!

Silk Kimono Top

I am the kind of sewer that picks out a project, finds an appropriate fabric and then works on the project until completed. I don't often hoard stuff, but I do have a small pile of fabric that I have purchased in the past because something drew me to it, most likely a lovely print. I forgot I had bought these Salme sewing patterns at the last Bolt sale and quickly decided on which shirt to make. I went with the Kimono Top since it was the least complicated. I chose to sew up the top using this great silk, which was also purchased from Bolt years ago. I love the print and the blue and cream colors. The pattern pieces come on a sheet and I traced out a size 6. The top sewed up fairly quick. I really like the wide neckline and the cuffs, which can be rolled up or not. The directions were straightforward, but could have been more detailed and may be hard for a beginner to follow. I didn't like that the directions were printed on the pattern sheets. The huge sheet of paper was sort of a pain to manage while sewing. Another note: the patterns include a 3/8" seam allowance. Overall, I like how the top turned out and can see making this again.

Esme Tunic

Amy gifted me this cool black and white ikat fabric and I decided on the Emse pattern from Lotta Jansdotter's Everyday Style book. Originally, I wanted to make a top and pant set, but thought that may be too much print, so I went for a simple shift dress with set-in sleeves. I had cut out this pattern last week and sewed it up this morning in about an hour. Super quick and easy. I used the fabric against the grainline so that I could utilize the black selvedge as the hems for the sleeves and bottom of the dress. This pattern has several different variations and I may try some of them for summer. You can add front pockets, have a split neckline or go for a floor-length kaftan. Recommend this pattern for some satisfying and fun sewing!

#pdxcarpet Sweater

I wanted a quick knitting project and thought this bulky tweed (from my gifted yarn stash) would work perfectly for a simple raglan pullover. I used the Friendly Fair Isle sweater pattern from Purl Soho, and without the Fair Isle work, this project knit up fast. I wanted to make it a little more cropped in length than called for in the pattern, but that's the only modification I made. It will be a perfect layering piece for fall and winter. As @edarchitech noted in an Instagram comment, this yarn is totally reminiscent of the old #pdxcarpet at the Portland airport!

Fen Dress

On a recent trip to Seattle, one of my stops was Dry Goods Design and I picked up the Fen dress pattern from Fancy Tiger Crafts. I purchased a lovely rayon from the spring sale at Bolt and finally started sewing it up this past weekend. I haven't sewn with rayon in a while and I love the drape and movement it creates in this finished dress. I love the abstract stripe pattern too. I made the size four, which fits perfectly. The directions were very clear and easy to follow. There are so many variations on this dress/top that I know I will be making more versions. Other details I really like: pockets (of course!), low/high hem, interesting bust darts and kimono sleeves.