2016 Top 5

It's that time of year! Gillian of Crafting a Rainbow is hosting her Top 5 sewing round-up again! Here's my take on it...

Named Sointu Kimono Tee

An all ponte outfit is pretty much the definition of secret pajamas, non?

Style Arc Adeline Dress in Linen

Yaaaassss... my new favorite cocoon dress! And maybe my new favorite dress, period.

Itch to Stitch Holiday Blog Tour: A Sparkly Bonn Dress

It's my turn on the Itch to Stitch Holiday Blog Tour!!

Non-Holiday Holiday Batik Maya Top

It's been a while since I've sewed anything from one of my favorite patterns, Marilla Walker's Maya!

Bento Tee x Two

The Bento Tee: so nice I made it twice!

Wearable Muslin: Itch to Stitch Bonn Shirt

In which I regret my fabric choice because I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be out of place on a lounge chair cushion on the Golden Girls' lanai...

Daisy Designer Pants in Linen

The comfy bad boys are my take on Style Arc's Daisy Designer Pants.

Neon Rose Gypsy Top

Some neon roses to brighten your Friday...

Testing, testing: Cashmerette Turner Dress

Today I've got my tester version of the brand new Cashmerette pattern, the Turner Dress, to share with you!

Elsie in Cotton Lawn

In honor of the Curvy Sewing Collective's Shirtmaking Month, I've made myself another Style Arc Elsie Overshirt!

Organic French Terry Jasper Sweater

I sewed fluffy, snugly, green hoodie!

Perfect for hiding in until the election is over and I can unclench my jaw and sleep again...

Purple Polly

A project from last year finally making an appearance on the blog!

Megan Nielsen Dove Blouse

I was jonesing for Megan Nielsen's latest, the Dove blouse, from the first sneak peeks. 

That v-neck, the extreme curved hem (with a hem facing!), those pretty angled bust darts...

Cowl Neck Groove Dress

For my niece's birthday in August, I made her a beautiful green floral Groove dress... my fourth version of the MadeIt Patterns Groove dress for kids (I've also made 3 of the adult version!).

Elsie Overshirt in Les Fleurs

I'm jumping on the Cotton + Steel/Rifle Paper Co. Les Fleurs bandwagon with this blouse, the Style Arc Elsie Overshirt!

Josephine for Mom

My mom loved the last Made by Rae Josephine blouse I made her a lot, so I made her another...

Funnel Neck Halifax

My sister liked the striped Hey June Halifax Hoodie I made for myself a few months ago, so much so that she actually commented on one of my posts (shock and awe! older sister guilt tripping!)! I knew a comment from her meant it was true love, so I decided to make her one for her birthday.

Magazine and Pattern Review: My Image Elsa Sweater

The folks at Made by Oranges, based in the Netherlands, recently reached out to me to see if I wanted to try some of their sewing magazines, My Image and B-Trendy. 

Basketweave Alexandria Peg Trousers

My friend Colleen is an avid supporter of my crafty endeavors... when she requested that I make her something, I jumped at the opportunity!

Testing, testing: Closet Case Patterns Kelly Anorak

Woop, woop! Sound the alarms: the latest from Heather Lou is here!

Yarn Dyed Harrison at Imagine Gnats

I've got a post up at Imagine Gnats with my yarn-dyed Harrison Shirt... check it out!

Tilly and the Buttons Rosa Dress

Rosa, oh Rosa...!

Metallic Kielo

Kielo, where have you been all my life?!

Curvy Coats and Mila Dresses

I've written a couple posts over at the Curvy Sewing Collective worth sharing here, in case you hadn't seen them yet!

A few weeks ago I did a pattern round-up of coat and jacket patterns for curvy ladies (lots of the patterns come in smaller sizes, too, though!). Tons of inspiration for fall/winter sewing... winter is coming, y'all (ok, not for me, but for some people!):

Today I have a post about the Style Arc Mila Designer Dress (you might remember I made one a few months ago). It's a Same Pattern, Different Bodies post, so I showcased versions of the dress made by different curvy ladies, who are all killin' it in their Mila dresses. Check it out!

Classic White Harrison Shirt

Wow, for some reason it feels like for-e-ver since I posted anything! It's not been that long, but there's been a lot of sewing that I haven't been able to post about and I've been itching to! So satisfying to click publish on this one!

Continuing on with my quest for more solids and basics in my wardrobe, I give you my classic white buttondown! Buttonup? Whatever. You know what I mean. Collared shirt with buttons.

Kollabora Meet the Maker

Hooray! I've got a Meet the Maker interview up over at Kollabora... check it out!

Margot Pyjamas for Holly

One more piece of clothing for my friend Holly. Not as dramatic as her yellow bird dress, but quite wearable! And it's got a story behind it...

Style Arc Olivia: Sisterhood of the Traveling Dress

When my friends Meghan and Liz came to visit and travel with me a few months ago they both complimented me on my oh-so-comfy Style Arc Olivia dress. I offered to make them each one of their own. Twinsies!!

(Don't worry, they live halfway across the country from one another, so are unlikely to show up to an event accidentally wearing matching dresses!)

Colorblocked Jalie 3350 Swimsuit

I love my first Jalie 3350 swimsuit so much that I was itching to make another. Luckily I had scraps from my Seamwork Aires leggings that juuuuuuuust fit the swimsuit pattern pieces! Yeehaw, scrapbusting!

A Springfield Top Trio

After making my tester version of the Cashmerette Springfield top, I knew I was destined to make a few more of this wardrobe staple... today I've got three for ya!

Brussels Washer Lottie Dress

Today I've got a post over at Imagine Gnats about my awesome green Lottie dress. Have a look!

Put a Bird on It: BurdaStyle Shift Dress 04/2016 #115

Put a bird on it! More specifically, put four red-crowned cranes (Grus japonensis) on it!

(thank you, PepperReed for the bird ID!)

Batik Print Mixing: McCall's 6044

I've got a whole list of fun things to make for Tim (a blazer, a workout top, some pants, a couple of buttondown shirts), but I keep coming back to this pattern for him...

Designer Stitch Jenny Dress Review

I've got a review of the Designer Stitch Jenny dress up at the Curvy Sewing Collective today... go check it out!!

BurdaStyle Shift Dress 04/2016 #115, a Wearable Muslin

Some unselfish sewing coming off my machine and onto the blog today, folks! This is the first of a whole mess of unselfish sewing that I've done in the past few months...

Block Print Georgia Top

Block printed and color blocked...

Testing, testing: True Bias Emerson Crop Pants

Does my face in this photo accurately portray how much I love these pants? Methinks yes.

Testing, testing: Springfield Top

This is my tester version of the latest wardrobe workhorse pattern from Jenny at Cashmerette: the Springfield Top!

Style Arc Blaire Shirt Dress

It seems these days that Meg : Style Arc patterns as everyone else : Pokémon. I gotta catch 'em all!

Groove Dresses for All!

A Groove dress for everyone, today here on Cookin' and Craftin'.

Diana Wrap Dress Review

Today I'm over at the Curvy Sewing Collective with a review of the Wardrobe by Me Curvy Diana Wrap dress... check it out! 

Here's a sneak peak:

3 for 1: Lottie and Beth

You get a 3 for 1 deal with this blog post... 2 Lotties and a Beth!

Swimsuit Sewing Resources

In case you missed it, June was Swimwear Month at the Curvy Sewing Collective! I just want to share some of the posts I worked on for Swimwear Month here, as they're applicable to curvy and non-curvy sewists alike! Lots of great resources for anyone interested in sewing a swimsuit...

Style Arc Nina Cardigan

Waterfalls and sweater knits...

Sew House Seven Tea House Top

Pretty in pink?

Waffle Patterns Vanilla Asymmetrical Top

Call me Stripey McDraperson!

Dude Sewing: A Tale of Two T-Shirts, Metro T-Shirt and Jalie 2918

Recently Tim asked me to sew him some v-neck t-shirts. I took this request and turned it into an opportunity for a side-by-side men's t-shirt pattern comparison... However, I only had one v-neck pattern in my stash, so it's not a truly apples-to-apples comparison.