SPRING is here, winter is gone, and bright colors and florals are ready to break out of the closet again! I couldn’t be happier! When Michelle of Style Maker Fabrics asked me to be a part of the Spring Blog Tour, I was thrilled – one of my favorite ways to celebrate anything, especially great weather, is with a great new me-made outfit.
My original dilemma is that there were too many beautiful fabrics to choose from. Looking through the photos of swatches, I planned out at least 5 different outfits in my head. I narrowed my options down to two of these outfits, and even though I likely will still end up buying the fabric to make the other outfit, I couldn’t get this beautiful floral tencel twill out of my head. I had to work with it!
I wanted a cohesive springtime outfit based around this floral tencel twill (it is really the star of the show here), so I started thinking about patterns. Springtime in Texas means warmth and sunshine – it has been in the 70s the past few days!! – so my first thought was shorts. I’ve been planning to make a pair of Lander Shorts this year, but I didn’t think that was quite the style I wanted for this fabric. I had more of a loose, high-waisted, paper bag waist type of thing in mind. I remembered my Sew Caroline – Weekend Style book that I’d purchased when it released a couple of years ago (and since then has made a really cute accessory on my shelf!) and started flipping through, when the Boardwalk Shorts caught my eye. With a few tiny changes, it was a perfect match (also – #sewthatpatternnow!!!). I made the pattern one size larger than my measurements suggested, and cut my waist elastic shorter than suggested (I cut mine at 21”) in order to make a more full, emphasized paperbag waist. I wanted them a bit shorter than the original pattern, so I hemmed mine by turning under 0.75” and then 1”, rather than the suggested 0.25” and 1”. I love the way they turned out with these couple of alterations!
I hadn’t worked with Tencel Twill before, but thanks to the lovely Instagram community, I knew it would be appropriate for a pair of shorts. What I didn’t know was that I’d fall MADLY in love with this substrate. This fabric is incredible. It is the perfect weight, and could be used for anything – top, dress, bottoms, the list is endless – and still has great drape and flow. This is the pants fabric I’ve been looking for for quite some time. The colors in this floral version are absolutely gorgeous, and totally encapsulate the spirit of spring! There is a bit of a tropical vibe, and the colors pop so beautifully on the warm ivory background (it’s actually called vanilla on the website, which is the perfect description!)
Shorts: handmade by me
Pattern: Sew Caroline – Boardwalk Shorts (from the Weekend Style Pattern Book)
Fabric: Style Maker Fabrics – Watercolor Tropical Floral Tencel Twill – Vanilla
I wanted a bright tank to tuck into these cute shorts, and the Rosalinda Top had been catching my eye for quite awhile. This yellow stripe cotton jersey was a great pick – I love pairing subtle patterns together, so this stripes and floral combo made me super happy! One thing I didn’t think through fully with the stripes, though, is that this top not only has side seams to be stripe matched, but also a center front and center back seam!!! I did my best to stripe match to all four seams, and I think I can give myself a pat on the back for this one. I made the pattern in a size small, despite the fact that I know by now that Rosy Peña Patterns always run large on me! Next time, I’ll make an extra small for sure – I ended up taking a total of 2 inches on side and 2.5 inches on the other from the top of the underarm when they ended up too gapey initially. (The reason for the discrepancy from one side to the other is that my bust is a little lopsided, thanks to being a nursing mom. I’m super interested to see if this sticks around in the future when my baby is no longer nursing… It’s kind of a pain!!) It still isn’t quite as fitted as I’d imagined throughout the body, but it is cute and comfy so no complaints here.
This fabric is by Art Gallery fabrics, so as expected, it is such a comfy and squishy knit. The color is not something I would normally gravitate to – I’ve always found yellow to be hit and miss on my coloring! The more blonde my hair is, the more I tend to stay away from yellow tones. However, I’ve been leaning a little more brunette lately, and I was surprised how much I love the color in person! It is such a bright, cheerful color, it looks fantastic with the colors in the shorts, and it has actually inspired me to add a little more yellow to my wardrobe in the upcoming months!
Top: handmade by me
Pattern: Rosy Peña Patterns – Rosalinda Top
Fabric: Style Maker Fabrics – Solid Stripe Jersey Knit Lemon
The last piece in this outfit is my Blackwood Cardigan. I wanted a layer that could be added on for chillier spring evenings, that could also tie in another bright color. I ended up choosing this bright pink cotton velour – which was quite a wild card for me. I was pleasantly surprised by this fabric when it arrived. I think I was expecting more of a lightweight stretch velvet of some sort, and ended up finding that it is much more like a towelling or french terry! It has a smooth side and a looped side, and as soon as I saw it I knew it would be so much fun to play around with both of the textures on my sweater. I went back and forth about which one to use as the main body, and ultimately chose the smooth side, with the loopy side as details on the cuffs, bands, and pockets. I love the texture play, and I still can’t decide if I chose the right sides or if it would’ve been more fun if I’d switched it!
Sweater: handmade by me
Pattern: Helen’s Closet – Blackwood Cardigan
Fabric: Style Maker Fabrics – Soft Cotton Terry Velour Solid Pink
I’ll be honest – I love all three pieces a LOT, but I’m not sure I love the outfit with the cardigan! I wonder if I’d have loved it more if I had made the shorter version of the Blackwood? But I did feel like a beautiful, bright flower wearing the full outfit together. I can’t wait to wear these all through these warm months!!
So there you have it, guys! Three awesome fabrics that you can find in the spring / summer arrivals over at Style Maker Fabrics. Each of these come in a handful of different colorways, so if you see something you like, go check it out and find the color that suits you best. I personally have a shopping cart filled with some of the beautiful spring tencel twills!! For a little more information, Michelle has a blog post about the spring fabric launch and coordinating style tour. The shop is also offering $5 domestic shipping and discounted international shipping through April 1st. Though the fabric used for this outfit was generously provided to me by Style Maker Fabrics, all opinions expressed are my own, as always!
If you’d like to see these fabrics in closer detail, Lindsey of Inside the Hem did an incredibly comprehensive swatch review over on her YouTube channel – all of these fabrics are shown there. While you’re at it, don’t forget to check out the other great bloggers involved in the Spring Tour! Alina of Alina Design Co. is up next tomorrow, and I can’t wait to see what she’s made!
- XX Elizabeth
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