handmade wardrobe // #sewbibs

my overalls: Megan Nielsen Patterns Flint pants with bib add-on (tutorial here) in tencel twill from Blackbird Fabrics

my top: Megan Nielsen Patterns Rowan bodysuit

Penny’s top: Butterick 6342

Penny’s pants: Gymboree

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My second pair of Flint bibs, and I’m obsessed (see first pair here). And also my contribution to the #sewbibs challenge put together by Heidi, Teri, Meg, and Jessamy!

Unlike my first version, which was made out of a more traditional twill, for this one I chose a really lovely tencel twill from Blackbird Fabrics. It’s so drapey and soft and perfect. And while I love the look of my other stiffer-hand pair as well, this fabric with this pattern is just soooo dreamy. Now if only I remembered to apply interfacing to the waistband, because all I can see in these photos is the seam allowance crease through the center. Doh! But I think I’ll survive, and the overalls will survive, and I’ll wear them over and over and over. And if you want to make a pair yourself, don’t forget that I wrote the tutorial for bib over at Design Diary!

I had a little bit of fabric left over, so I was able to squeeze out this little ruffle top for P, as well. Because, duh, I will always take an opportunity for her to match me, Ha!

Handmade Wardrobe // Mommy and Me, Forever and Ever

my top: Simplicity 8636

my jeans: Megan Nielsen Patterns ash jeans

Penny’s pants:  Hello Dear Kids frill suspender pants

Our fabric: blush slub linen blend from Measure Fabric

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I know I say this a lot, but this is one of my favorite makes eeeeeever. Its just… It’s just exactly what I pictured. And the setting for the photos is exactly what I pictured, too.

So it all started with this blush linen from Measure Fabric. I’ve had an idea for this Simplicity top in a blush color for awhile, just hadn’t picked up the right fabric yet. Well this one is actually a twill suiting. So I asked the ladies at Measure if they thought it would work for this kind of top, and not only did they tell me theyre opinion, but they even sent me a video of them holding the fabric and letting it drape so I could see for myself. Above and beyond! SO yes, it is a twill suiting, but the weight and drape is so beautiful, it actually works really well for this voluminous blouse. And you can’t really see in these photos, but the slub texture is so lovely, too! And it has a bit of stretch, so could work for so many different garments, too.

So. this top. Love. Well, mostly. If I were to make it again, I think I would just lengthen the top yoke sections a bit. I fell like where the yoke seam hits right at my shoulder edge, it kind of flares out a bit and gives me really wide shoulders. Perhaps if the yoke section was a bit longer, it would drape a little nicer.  But still, not too bad, and still so pretty.

Once I had my top planned out, I obviously had to make something for P as well. I became stuck on the idea of these suspender pants from Hello Dear Kids. They are an Etsy shop that sells so many cute PDF kids patterns. And cheap, too. I don’t necessarily love the instructions. But it didn’t really matter for me (I really just did the construction my way, anyway). It was a tight squeeze, fitting it in on the rest of the linen yardage. But I juuuuuuust made it fit. Except for the waistband lining - I used some of my Grandma’s old fabric scraps, which you can kind of get a little peek at in one of the photos below. The end result was so, so good. Fit her perfect, and now I’m convinced I need a pair in my size.

Anywho, check out some of the detail shots below!

handmade wardrobe // more Dawn, and Romy too

top: Romy top by Tessuti Patterns in a mora slub from Stone Mountain & Daughter Fabrics

pants: Dawn jeans by Megan Nielsen Patterns in a bleached wash denim from Harts Fabric

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I love my other pair of wide leg Dawn jeans so much, I needed to make another pair! This time in a light bleached wash denim. I’m definitely more of a lighter to medium-wash denim girl, as opposed to dark denim. Just like before, this is straight from the pattern, size 0. No adjustments! I love this pattern so much. I did add a little extra touch to the back pockets. Originally, I didn’t plan on any decorative stitching. But just before I was about to attach them to the pants, I decided to just start stitching. Blindly. After a few stitches, I thought, Sure! that looks ok. HA. so I quickly mirrored it onto the other pocket and ta-daaaaaa. Oh, and the pocket bags are so, so special too. I used fabric that used to belong to my Grandma. I inherited her sewing machine and a bunch of supplies, and scraps of this kitty fabric were hiding in there. I’ve kept these scrap pieces for years, not sure what I would ever do with them. But i was so lucky that I was just able to squeeze out the pocket bag pieces. These jeans have so many special touches.

The top is my very first Romy tank. I made the XXS. I love love love the shape of this top, but I think I will make a few small changes for the next one. For one, I think the top is just a smidge too wide on me. So I plan on bringing it in on each side just a tiny bit, as well as raising the underarm a little, too. Oh, and this mora slub viscose/linen fabric? A new found love. I already ordered 2 more colors in it and I really want more. Soooo soft!

handmade wardrobe // ogden scalloped

dress: True Bias Ogden cami hacked to dress length with scalloped neckline, in a viscose twill

top: Megan Nielsen Patterns rowan bodysuit in a slub jersey knit

jacket: very old Forever21

So, I’ve had this idea for this scalloped v-neck slip dress in my head for a very long time now and I finally decided to make it happen. Well, if you follow me on instagram, you may have saw that it wasn’t exactly going how I had planned. I have done scalloped hems on shorts and skirts before that have come out beautiful. But for some reason, maybe because its a lighter drapier fabric and not a bottomweight that I worked with for the previous ones, but these scallops were just not coming out perfect. In fact, I re-did them 6 times. Six. They’re uneven and imperfect, which was making my eye twitch a bit and made me consider scraping the whole thing. But in the end, I decided I still liked the overall look of the dress, and you can’t really see the imperfections unless you’re right up close and personal. I’m just committed to never looking too closely at that neckline every again, ha!

handmade wardrobe // one for me, one for you, Darling

my top: Megan Nielsen Patterns rowan bodysuit

my skirt: Megan Nielsen Patterns wattle skirt

Penny’s pinafore: Jilly Atlanta macy pinafore

Fabric for both of us: Cotton + Steel checkers cotton gingham from Fabric.com

Penny’s turban: Nelly Lou

I’ve been teasing these outfits on Instagram for a little bit now, and have been dyyyying for a warm enough day to wear them out and get pictures together. Well ewe got an amazingly warm 63 degree day last week and I was so happy!

My skirt is the gathered version of the Wattle skirt with tie waistband. I also added an extra ruffle to the hem in a larger scale of the same gingham print. And of course, I made a matching pinafore for P from my favorite kids patterns (they have so may cute options!). I mean, come ooooooon. we’ll be wearing these all spring and summer, for sure. Penny has recently really started to notice when we match (and thankfully likes it lol). When I put an outfit on her that matches what I’m wearing, she’ll lean in really close to me and put her shoulder against mine and say “look Mama, we match!”. Heart. In a. Million. Pieces.

Penny's handmade wardrobe // yo mama made this

I recently set aside some time to do some sewing just for Penny. I mean, I did use fabrics that were left over from my projects (that turban fabric is from my Rowan bodysuit from my last post), so she’ll still match me, but the time and the projects were just for her.

The top and jumper are actually from the same pattern - Simplicity 8706. Which is technically a baby size pattern, the largest being about size 18-24. Penny is between a 2T and 3T. So I just cut all pieces roughly a little larger than the largest size, and it worked perfectly! I’ll even be able to extend those straps a little longer for more length as she grows into it, giving it a longer life.

Turban is my own pattern that I use for Nelly Lou, and boots are from Target.

handmade wardrobe // Pink Flint

top: Megan Nielsen Patterns rowan bodysuit with self-drafted added ruffles, rayon/lycra slub knit from Fabric Mart

pants: Megan Nielsen Patterns flint pants, pink corduroy from Blackbird Fabrics

I’ve been dreaming about wide leg pink corduroy pants since the first moment I laid eyes on this fabric back in the fall. It had to sit in my to-do pile for awhile while other projects took priority, but I’m so happy I finally made it happen! I was originally torn between the Flint pants or Dawn jeans, but ultimately went with Flint because I just can’t get over that tie detail. Granted, this non-stretch corduroy is probably just a teeeeny bit too thick for that tie, maybe better suited for the button waistband option. But it still works and I’m still in love.

I paired it with yet another Rowan bodysuit, which is my ultimate me-made obsession. This is Rowan number 6 for me, and I’m not stopping making more! I added little ruffles to the shoulder seams on this one, and I might add a little how-to on my Instagram stories soon if you’re interested! Follow along with me at @hollydollydarling.

handmade wardrobe // jarrah and wattle, x2

sweatshirt: Megan Nielsen Jarrah top, sweatshirt fleece from Style Maker Fabrics

skirt: Megan Nielsen Wattle skirt, rayon challis from Fabric Mart

Oh look, another Jarrah and Wattle combo, ha. After making a couple of Wattle skirts in shirting/quilting weight cottons, I’m absolutely loving how this rayon challis version turned out. So light and airy and floaty. It was a little bit difficult trying to match stripes perfectly for this bias cut version, with such a slippery fabric, but I’m pretty proud of how well it turned out. Another make that you’re sure to see again once spring and summer hit - its just screaming to be paired with an easy breezy tank!

But for now I’ve paired it with this Jarrah sweatshirt - view D. It has a funnel neck and split sleeve hem. I had to add a band at the hem because of a cutting error (whoops!), but it was a happy accident becuase I love it with the band! It’s made in a dreeeeeamy sweatshirt fleece. Seriously soooo soft and comfy on the inside. Funny - I never thought I was a funnel or cowl neck type of person. But out of all the Jarrah versions I’ve made, the two funnel neck ones are my favorites and most worn.

snapshots // ice castles 2019

Another year, another ice castles trip in the books! It’s so much fun to see P enjoy it more and more with each year. When we left, I asked her what her favorite part of the ice castles was. Her reply? “the ice castles!”. Haha. She loved all of it. Playing in the snow, feeling the smooth ice, going through tunnels, having hot chocolate, and meeting the princesses. Ok fine, maybe she didn’t looooove the princesses (not a princess girl). But she did love the prizes they were giving out so she reluctently took a photo with them. Whatev, at least I got the photo ;)

Last year I wrote a post with tips for visiting yourself, and you can find that here. And you can see all of our past ice castle visits here!

Handmade Wardrobe // Flint Bib Overalls

I’m so so excited to finally share this Flint trouser hack with you! When Meg first proposed this idea to me, I jut about jumped through the roof. THIS is my type of trousers. I live for overalls and jumpsuits, and this is no exception. they came out so perfect. I made these back in September, and wore them out to a local festival and again later for a night out, and they were so comfy (and got a few compliments!).

I made mine from a rust-y brown twill from fabric.com. And I chose to do the tie closure instead of the button closure, because I love little details like that. But the bib works for either option. You can get the pattern add-on and view all the instructions for the hack over on Design Diary here, as well as a few ideas to change it up and make it your own.

P.S - my top is a Megan Nielsen Patterns Rowan bodysuit in a striped jersey from Califabrics. Shoes are Swedish Hasbeens.