Happy first day of fall! Not only is today the first day of my favorite season, it is also the official kick off of our biannual Style Tour. The past couple of months have truly been a whirlwind for me and for Style Maker, so it has been nice having this to look forward too.
With all the prep for our fall collection, our big move that is still coming (various hurdles keep delaying it), and a very special project we have up our sleeve, I have had zero time to sew. Horrible, I know! This tour stop gave me the perfect excuse to take a break and sew up something special to wear this fall. I also got to try two patterns that have been on my make list for a while now!
The patterns I picked out are the Jarrah Sweater from Megan Nielsen Patterns and the Joan Trousers from Friday Pattern Company. Both are patterns call for knits making them relatively fast sews, perfect for fitting into my hectic schedule. They are also two garments that I will totally wear and be put to good use in my fall wardrobe. I’m all about stylish comfort!
For fabrics, I had a horrible time choosing! With so many amazing options in our fall collection I just couldn’t pick. I kept going back and forth and finally settled on this gorgeous digital print sweater knit for my pullover. You know me, I love a good print, and this one is AMAZING! I love the depth of color and the sweater knit base is just the right weight for a fall sweater. For the pants, I kept things simple and picked a classic navy ponte knit that complements the digital print while still allowing it to be the star of the show.
I sewed both pieces over the course of three afternoons. I cut out on one and sewed each piece on the other two. I sewed both patterns without making any major changes. Based on the sizing charts of each and the forgiveness of knits, I figured I was pretty safe with a Large for the Joan Trousers and a size 10 for the Jarrah Sweater. Also note that I picked View C of the Jarrah, with the fun waist tie.
There weren’t any surprises along the way in sewing both garments together, which was definitely welcomed! The instructions were clear and concise and there was only one step on each pattern that proved to be a bit difficult. For the Joan Trousers, it was adding the 3/8″ piece of elastic to the top of the waistband facing. This elastic give you a great fit around the top of the waistband and prevents any gapping, but it isn’t the easiest thing to attach. I’m wondering if it could be sewn onto the waistband facing before sewing the two waistbands together. That seam allowance kept getting in the way!
The hardest step on the Jarrah Sweater was hemming the ties. I wanted to do mitered corners for a nice clean finish (mentioned in the pattern but not included in the instructions) but could not wrap my head around mitering a non-right corner. After trying to work it out myself, I headed over to Megan Nielsen’s blog and found a few photos that only half helped.
Rather than risk screwing up my otherwise perfect sweater, I cut out another tie shape from my scraps and did a practice run. I ended up folding the point in half RST and stitched across the end to the would be finished tie point. I trimmed the seam allowance close (but not too close!) and carefully turned it right side out. I finished pressing the rest of my hem in place and I was ready for cover-stitching!
You’ll notice in the photos that I used my favorite fusible bias stay tape. Not only does it stabilize the hem (before and after it is sewn), it also acts as the perfect fold guide while also preventing that dreaded tunneling that you can get when the hem starts stretching as you fold and press. I like the super fine—it is so light weight you don’t even notice it is there! You can usually curve the tape nicey around any edges but if needed, just trim and overlap slightly when you change direction, as I did on the tie points and at the top of the curve, shown below.
I cover-stitched my Jarrah hem in place and went around the neckline for the finishing touch. I also cover-stitched the hem on my Joan Trousers and they were just about finished as well! I did do a bit of hidden hand stitching at the overlap on the waistband to help keep the two sides lined up and better hold them in place. The single button just didn’t seem like enough!
All in all, I love how both pieces turned out. The Joan Trousers are a bit higher rise than I normally like but they are super comfortable and stretchy so I’m good with it. I might experiment lowering the rise on a future pair just a bit, maybe an inch or two. The high rise of the pants pairs great with the Jarrah Sweater which hits just above my hip. I love the combination for this outfit but for future cozy Jarrah sweatshirts I will probably lengthen the body a couple of inches so that it hits mid-hip. Both pieces fit well into my handmade wardrobe and bring a bit of that moody floral and saturated jewel tone vibe I’m loving this season.
As I mentioned, there will be future versions of both of these patterns! I definitely need a classic pair of black Joan Trousers in my life (maybe using this subtle dot ponte!) and I’m dreaming about all the different cozy versions of the Jarrah I can make. This Eco Fleece and floral French terry are calling me…
Thanks for joining us for Stop #1 of our Fall Style Blog Tour! Cassie will pick things up tomorrow over on the Lily Shine Creates blog. You can find all the details about our fall launch and get the full tour schedule in our blog post HERE. Enjoy all the fall sewing inspiration!
~Michelle
PS Did you notice the little detail I added to the side seam of my Jarrah? I’ve been looking for more ways to incorporate the cheeky labels from Kylie and the Machine and I love this addition! Check out all the label styles, including two limited edition packs, available in the shop HERE.
How deep are the pockets on the trousers? Deep enough for a cell phone? You look fabulous. Love that sweater knit.
Definitely deep enough for a cell phone. They are very roomy pockets!
Lovely! The sweater print is terrific!
Right?! Digital print sweater knit, how could it be bad! Thanks Tammi.
Very, very nice! Love the tutorial with the bias tape stabilizer! Colors and fabric is super with your red hair! How lucky are you!!? Great work!
You are too sweet! Thanks Linda!
That is the nicest Jarrah I’ve seen yet!
Thanks so much Shelley! I love it!!
Oh wow, I love this combination. Everyday wearable but very romantic. I have the Jarrah pattern but have yet to sew one – hemming those points intimidated me, especially because they could show when tied! I love how clean and pretty this technique makes them!