Category: Styling My Handmade Wardrobe

Tweed Yarn Sweater Vest

The sweater vest. It was on my radar but did not become an item I dreamed of until I saw a lookbook from Steal the Spotlight styling Friends-inspired outfits, inspired by Chandler, the sweater vest king. I continued down the rabbit hole and to Katie’s K-pop Comeback Fashion review and I was done for. K-pop fashion, Korean fashion, and the sweater vest were a layering piece I knew I was going to make. Maybe it is the color combinations or the accessories, but how these sweater vests are styled across different boyband concepts just got me. It felt fresh and fun, not preppy or stuffy.

A year later, I was ready to tackle this project. After making a few sweater projects, and learning how to pattern from garment construction, I felt like I had a good understanding of the shape needed to make the sweater. At Joann’s, I found a non-wool tweed yarn and I knew this was the yarn I wanted to start with. It looked like garments I love from Irish Aran Jumpers and was a way to bridge my heritage and this new world I was exploring through K-pop. I like the garments I design to have a story and intentionality behind them.

The New Technique

With US Size 8 needles in hand and one skein of Big Twist tweed yarn awaiting a new form, I began by casting on 65 stitches. Working my way up I did the basic knit-purl stitch and gradually binding off on either side when I reached my desired length for the armhole. I chose to make a cropped sweater vest to accentuate my waist and break up my long torso. The big moment though came when I did some research and made the decision to branch out and knit the shoulder and neckline on two sets of needles. This required knitting, casting off in the middle, and continuing to knit on a second set of needles. It worked!

Learning new techniques is always worth the time and the trial because eventually it clicks and you have something new, you didn’t think you could do, but you can!

Making two instead of four pieces on my straight needles was a time-saver! Honestly, I see why having a teachable spirit is important in all aspects of life because I thought I had a good technique before, but dang, two pieces are such a better experience. Four pieces was a mental game, and I got bored. Hence why my previous sweater projects have taken months and months, and months because I distract myself with palette cleanser projects and then avoid finishing the four-piece projects.

Afterward, I sewed the two pieces together and knit two 65-stitch pieces of ribbed trim for the bottom. I liked how rustic the sweater looked without the ribbing on the neckline and armholes. It looks like an old-fashioned piece, and a bit like armor. Which is cool.

Sweater Vest Fits of 2023

This is how I have styled the finished garment so far! I like it over my black flannel and charcoal jeans for a moody look. It styled surprisingly well over this DIY project where I added a flared skirt to a cropped graphic long-sleeve shirt. This is where I saw the armor aesthetic come through. In 2024 I look forward to playing around with it even more!

Some things I plan on either finding or making, are basic layers I can wear under this vest. Currently, I have my flannels, that random diy-tunic, and maybe some long-sleeve tees but I’m not certain if they are long enough to layer out the bottom of the vest. This is the struggle of adding a brand new item to your wardrobe – how do you integrate it and style it well without buying a bunch of new things? Yeah, I’m figuring that out and until I do it’s going to be some time before I think I can make a truly amazing outfit with this piece. But I’d rather do this responsibly and be a patient person instead of draining my bank account for instant gratification. (Age has done me well in that respect because I used to do the opposite!)

2024 Project Update:

Since finishing the garment, I have either lost weight or the vest has stretched a bit from wear and one wash. It was not sitting well on my waist anymore but ballooning out so I took it in. I took it in at the arm hole seams and gradually took in the waist at the back so the garment has a back center seam which is not the look I was going for but the fit is on point again. Lastly, I knit another section of ribbed trim to lengthen the garment to keep it from riding up, in doing so I made the ribbed trim addition of 60 or 55 stitches, I forgot to take note when I made it, to pull the waist in even more. I like the fit and plan to make another version of this garment with a smaller adjusted pattern.

A Gilmore Stripey Scarf

I smell snow. An iconic line from a one-of-a-kind character, in a show that successfully captured the magic of winter despite being filled in southern California. They have me fooled every time!

Gilmore Girls has some of the most inspiring winter fashion of any show I’ve watched! I get excited as the temperature drops each fall because I know it’s almost coat season, hat season, scarf season, etc. From season one onward, Lorelai’s love for winter is magnetic! She has a passion for the flakey white accumulation, wrapped up in the atmosphere of cozy nights, and of course her cold weather accessories. She shares this dynamic winter wardrobe with Rory who can rock a good scarf with the best of them.

These items are not just layers or bulk, they are a canvas upon which to paint and express who the characters are by what they wear. They are sentences without words. Personality in yarn. A conversation starter, or simply a colorful way to brighten the gloomy and the gray. A bright point in our day. When I was thinking about adding a new cold-weather accessory to my wardrobe this was my ethos. It had to be special, something I would treasure and wear until it fell apart.

The Plan

My goal for this winter season was to make a striped, colorful, skinny scarf in the early 2000s, aka prime Gilmore style. To accomplish this I thought I would need a myriad of colorful yarns. You can see from my inspiration photos above, there is a lot of color. In my extant garments from that time in my life, there was also a lot of color. My skinny scarves from Aeropostale in the early 2000s were blended with a myriad of shades, but to my surprise, when I began to work on this project, a small color palette of three produced the most impact.

The Pattern:

On US 8 needles with worsted weight yarn, knit for 40 stitches, purl 40 stitches, and swap colors every 2 rows. To a desired length, I believe my finished product is around 48 inches. If you make one, I wish you happy knitting!

Wearing a Full Potato Technology Outfit

What I’ve wanted since I started my sewing journey was to be able to wear a head-to-toe outfit of my designs. Now have I technically done this before wearing a dress I made? Yes, but a higher level of skill is needed to wear an entire outfit of sportswear separates, crafted with my own self-drafted patterns. This was the level up in my sewing I wanted and in Fall 2023, I achieved it!

Lightweight Corduroy Trousers

In Trying Something New – Hot Pink Scuba Fabric I mentioned I was working on a trouser pattern, and although the pink scuba pants didn’t work I learned an important lesson about designing pants – fabric choice! I revised my trouser pattern, referencing the dimensions of one of my existing pants in my closet and chose a better fabric. This paisley pattern corduroy is lightweight and strong, with a bit of stretch. This fabric took the stitches far more effectively than the scuba. The weave is different and therefore the stitches did not have to cut through and pull through the fabric as it did with the scuba’s texture. Lightweight corduroy gave me the drape I wanted with the opacity and structure I was looking for. Hopefully, the longevity too!

I’ve worn these pants three times and they are going strong. I’ve even altered them to take the waist and add a zipper fly and they fit excellently. In addition to the trousers, I crafted a matching belt and belt loops to adjust the waist as needed.

Recreating a VS Cowl Neck Sweater

I had a favorite sweater in college from Victoria’s Secret. It was a black drapey knit sweater, boxy shaped, and featured an exaggerated cowl neck that could be worn off the shoulder. I wore it for a long time until I lost it and I haven’t quite found another one like it. I wanted to make a 2023 version of it that bridged the gap between sweater and sweatshirt.

Enter this cranberry stretch fabric that was warm but with a texture that looked like a sweatshirt. I went into the unknown and decided to make a cowl neck for the first time and I’d say it turned out just as I wished. I don’t like wearing things off the shoulder anymore therefore I made the cowl neck opening smaller than the inspiration piece. I added cuffs as a cuffed bottom to encourage the garment to hang in a boxy fit but not ride up as I move through out my day. It does as it is asked. I’ve worn this piece with jeans, leggings, and these corduroy pants and I have to say it’s pretty dang versatile.

The only thing I wish I could change is the few sections of seam where I was fighting with my sewing machine. I had a mishap with a stitch and had to stitch rip the seam. Unfortunately I caught a small piece of the fabric and caused damage to the cuff. Other than that unfortunate event, I’m properly chuffed. These two pieces moved my sewing skills and design portfolio in the direction I am aiming for – tailoring, construction, bigger projects, head-to-toe looks.

Merry and Bright: Styling Colorful Pieces in Dark Winter

In mid-December and January, I tend to drop off into cozy land where all I want to wear are leggings, fuzzy socks, and hoodies. I feel unproductive and I don’t know what to wear. This is odd because, in terms of fashion, this is my favorite season for fabrics, garments, and occasions. I love layering coats, hats, scarves, boots, mittens, etc.

To fight the slump, I’m leaning into bright colors and bold prints.

I’m pushing myself this year to rediscover the love I used to have for dressing up when it got cold like I did in college. I still indulge a bit when I can pair cozy pieces with more polished items but they have to have more personality this year! I am setting a hard line with my clothing choices to break out of the athleisure slump.

To accomplish this goal, I’ve found myself reaching for my colorful knitwear! I’ve spent the time making the items, I need to wear them. This sweater dress is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. It is just as comforting as a hoodie but looks like a dress and can be worn over jeans or leggings depending on the occasion.

Going into the fall, I knew I wanted more knitwear and accessories but I was dubious about my design choices. Would they work together to form cohesive outfits? Well yes and no, it depends on a matter of taste.

To someone who wears neutrals and classic accessories, this might be a bit ugly. But to a maximalist, like myself I enjoy the color palettes and pops of color these pieces bring to the brown and gray landscape of early winter.

I prefer having that neutral coat and having that punch of accessories to bring the look together. Hats and scarves can say a lot in an outfit yet are easy to mix and match, it’s a hit of creativity for minimal effort.

I’ve been reaching for my cat-ear beanie like a staple which I have to be honest I was not expecting. I get some stares, good and bad, but for every weird look, there are two expressions of joy at the sight of the cat beanie. If I can dress to bring people joy by the color and unusual design then that is a win for me.

Another style I am dabbling in is the academic style of a collared shirt and a vest. In this version, I styled a mini dress over a long flannel (from the men’s tall section) to create what I say is a Chandler Bing outfit. This was an insanely comfortable outfit yet mixed up my casual style for the winter. Because the colors are a bit unusual for the academic silhouette I felt playful and more like me.

I’m happy to say I’ve reached for some of my handmade pieces on those cozy days I may have opted for leggings or sweatpants like this laundry day outfit of a flannel “cardigan” over a thermal crewneck and the patterned corduroy pants that drafted myself. It was an odd combo but the colorful patterns truly brightened up a gray and dark snowy day.

That’s not to say that I haven’t reached for the cozy staples but with more polish, like this Aran Jumper style sweater that my mom knit for me. It’s a stunner!

How do you dress in December and January? Like me, in this dark winter do you struggle to find the joy in getting dressed?

Styling My Wardrobe: Late Fall 2023 Edition

These outfits are a mix of handmade pieces and things I’ve picked up. Where I live it was a chilly fall, complete with snow and blustery, rainy days which is fine by me because I love cozy clothing. The weather provided the chance to get more wear out of my sweaters and knit accessories before winter even began!

Fall and Winter are my preferred seasons to build an outfit in simply for the textures, silhouettes, and possibilities. I like patterns, obviously. But I like pattern with darker colors which is not the best for those hot summer days when a lighter color is best. It’s been fun to build a wardrobe with a color palette this year. I’ve paid more attention to my silhouettes, particularly when it came to adding pants to my closet. I prefer options – baggy, flared, tailored, skinny, athleisure, etc. Give them all to me so I can play around with a new look.

Little Black Top

I love finding a good deal on fabric, and this one was a remnant – score! I got 2 yards of this heavy-weight knit jersey in pinstripe for either 6 USD or 8 USD. My original plan in the store was to try my hand at making a hoodie. Then I pivoted to a flowy jersey dress for winter. I cut the pieces out and began to drape on a form to see what this idea was going to turn into. I liked the drape but I was concerned it was too boxy for my frame, hitting mid-thigh.

In shaping the sleeve, I noticed this fabric although a jersey more kin to athleisure portrayed the weight and image of a suiting pinstripe of the classic menswear blazer. Especially if I straightened out the curve in the shoulder. And that got me thinking, should I go for a jacket?

I drafted some lapels for a collar and cut open the front of the dress. It was going well, looked like an interesting coat silhouette. But the fabric’s drape from the knit jersey began to betray the design. It was droopy instead of structured, like a cardigan? So I went back to the drawing board.

Today I decided to trim the bottom off, and then I trimmed a bit more because I cut it wrong. With the lapel collar pinned and one sleeve sewn in, I tried it on and reflected on the length. The long cardigan shape now a cropped hip-skimming garment, stopped and pondered. It needed something.

I looked through the pieces, discarded on the table from my cuts, and began to play with options.

If I was going to make a blazer I would need a button placket on either side for the buttons and button holes to be anchored securely. The lapels needed mitigation from the awkward state of their current appearance. I began to place the collar in different postures along the neckline opening and down the front.

I hemmed the bottom and sewed in a possible placket onto the opening of the jacket. As I re-situated the collar, I realized I could make this a blouse with the placket and drape the collar to change the posture of the garment from a structured piece to a more flowy and relaxed garment more in line with the fabric’s character without losing menswear blazer inspired look.

With this in mind, I attached the second sleeve and sewed up the front, connecting left to right with the bridge of that placket piece. By using the stripes in a contrasting way, the centerpiece and collar flow together like a false scarf sewn into the top. It retained the elevated chic attitude I was looking for in a blazer but with the comfort of the cardigan. I think I will get a lot of wear out of this piece. I tend to gravitate towards dark and cool-toned colors in the fall and winter.

As Chanel declared the little black dress as a wardrobe staple of any woman’s closet, I believe a little black top that you can dress up and dress down is just as important because 100 years later, sportswear separates are the gold standard building blocks for our wardrobe. What is one of your favorite colors to wear? Do you have a staple piece in your wardrobe? I tend to gravitate towards dark and cool colors in the fall and winter.

Bunny Hat (Loverboy Hat Recreation)

This is a project purely inspired by Stray Kids and their Los Angeles shows from their 2023 Maniac Tour. I was fangirling hard for these hats, and so are a lot of people because even with a high price tag the hats have been sold out. I really wanted one that would emulate the joy that these hats create in my heart and so I decided to try making one. Now, I’m recreating what I can see in the image and because I am not using a pattern, I have no idea if my dimensions are correct at all. That part actually makes me feel better about recreating the Loverboy Bunny hat because I will have to put my own spin on it!

The Inspiration

Adorable, right? Their stylist killed it. I love how cartoonish the hat is yet at the same time it feels wearable and is warm. A casual staple for a maximalist. The middle photo is from the Maniac M/V which I forgot Seungmin wore this hat in the video. I probably have been wanting this hat for a year and a half without realizing it because I was obsessed with the fashion of the Maniac video in 2022.

The Process

This was not an easy thing to figure out. I referenced photos of Stray Kids members on stage and the actual photos on Loverboy’s site. I made the mistake of including the Amazon knockoff as a reference because the ears are far skinnier. I used the knockoff ears as a guide for my first attempt and finished two ears before realizing they were too narrow. Therefore I cut the knot and frogged my way back to a ball of yarn. Three attempts later I determined the correct ear width. Yes, four attempts. At times this project felt cursed!

I decided to rib knit the ears for two reasons, it was accurate to the original and I would not have to double layer the ears because the tension of the knit would help the ears to lay flat instead of rolling and losing the bunny ear effect. I wanted the ears to have a lightness to them so that they would move with me and even blow in the wind behind me like Lee Know. I have wanted to be a Leebit through this project, maybe that’s why this project was so chaotic.

The hat itself was a different story! This was the easiest process I’ve ever had with the hat and it by far took the least amount of time and fits me quite well. I made note of how wide the pattern was to be able to replicate this style of the hat again in future projects. Possibly another Loverboy hat.

Wrap Up

Overall I’m thrilled with how this turned out! It’s exactly what I was imagining and I am so happy when I wear it. Bunnies are a favorite animal of mine, especially lop-eared rabbits. I like the chaos of the ears and how they drape from the hat crown. I think I will get a lot of wear out of this. I’m looking forward to the cool weather to continue to style this into a look. Because of the reference, it also feels like a piece of merch from the band. I still regret not finding a way to see the Maniac world tour but it just wasn’t the time to go. The Oddinary comeback was my first experience and it remains a favorite for me.

If you have a crazy idea, go for it. You may just make something or make a memory that you will absolutely love. Now I’m going to try to make a mooncake for the first time. Until we meet again.

My First Buttondown Shirt

I’ve been sewing for three years as a full-time apprentice after being laid off. I’ve mentioned this before in #1 – Welcome and #3 – First Sewing Project and it’s been a quick learning curve from hand-sewing, paper patterns, pattern drafting, and machine sewing, but one skill has eluded me for three years. That is the working buttonhole with professional-looking buttonholes! Not my crappy buttonholes that look like an animal chewed a hole through the fabric and I hastily sewed some thread around it, no I’m talking about secure, there for the long haul, even button holes. Well-anchored and secure fasteners of fashion! Well, I figured it out thanks to YouTube and I am incredibly happy!

This shirt has a working placket of buttons and buttonholes, with a self-drafted shirt front and back panels, collar, and sleeves with a gusset for a more fitted sleeve shape. I finished the sleeves with a cuff for added pizazz. This shirt is made from buffalo plaid flannel from Mood Fabrics that sat in my fabric stash for 11 months waiting for the right project. At first, I bought it to make a two-piece pj set, which then was revised into matching pj pants for Kyle and me, and was further revised into pj pants for Kyle and a flannel shirt for me.

I love this print because it has Canadian Geese, Caribou, and Elk. Elk hold a special place in my heart because of where my husband is from, Caribou makes me think of the song Long Time Running by The Tragically Hip, the red plaid makes me think of my Canadian heritage, and Canadian Geese are my comfort animals.

I’m sure that sounds weird but I will elaborate. When I was 10, my mom had this amazing opportunity to go to Ireland through her work. Although it was only for 10 days, it really scared me because I had never been away from her that long. I was used to not seeing my dad for months, but my mom was always there for me. On the day her trip began, my grandparents took me mini-golfing and while we were there this little baby Canadian Goose, gosling I guess, followed me around through our entire game. It was my little buddy. I named it Popcorn. The owners of the course said they had never seen this happen before. If it hadn’t been a wild animal, I would have asked to adopt it.

Fast forward fifteen years later and I’m living in Savannah, Georgia. I moved closer to get to know my dad who lived in Savannah and I had a falling out with my mom in the process. My grandparents are now sick and I’m feeling lost. Each time I went to prayer meeting at Compassion Christian there was a flock of Canadian Geese in the parking lot. It was July and August, not prime migration time. It was odd, and I felt like they were there for me. A reminder that God was with me even when I was feeling lost and homesick.

Two years later, my grandpa passed away, the world was shut down and I felt lonely and lost in Meadville, unsure of how to feel home again. My grandma was now a widow and grieving, we didn’t know it yet but she was starting to move towards heaven, as she would in December of that year. I began to notice something each day at 4 pm, a lone goose or a flying V of Canadian Geese will fly directly over our house. Every day. This continues for a year. I even moved to a new place within that year and it still happened. When that goose or group of geese approached my house, I would hear the honk and I would run outside to watch it fly. In that moment I felt a feeling of comfort, like I could feel God’s presence with me so intensely. Just like a parent’s presence can make you feel safe, I felt that.

I’d say this is probably my favorite item in my wardrobe right now. Thank you, dear reader, for hanging out with me today. I hope you feel safe and loved today.

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