Rainbow Threads and Cozy Vibes
Weekend project: Sewing a cozy rainbow fleece lounge set
When I arrived in New York for my summer stock job, I hadn’t considered how different the weather would be compared to Texas. To my surprise, it snowed the very next day! I hadn’t brought any warm clothes, but fortunately, I had packed plenty of fabric – including a few yards of fleece, which turned out to be a lifesaver.
I picked up this fabric just a few days after hearing Joann’s Fabrics was closing. I always wanted to make myself a pair of pajamas, but could never find a fabric print that felt just right – until I saw this one. The bright rainbows instantly made me smile, and even though it was sad to say goodbye to such a beloved store, this fabric felt like a little burst of joy.
I had a general idea of what I wanted to create, but I still needed to sketch a design to understand what the pattern would require. With that step complete, I could dive into the technical side of bringing my creation to life.
The first step was taking my measurements to create a pattern. It had been a while since I’d made any blocks for myself, and with the changes in my body, I needed to start from scratch. Fortunately, this design didn’t require darts or any other complex shaping techniques, so I was able to work with some simple measurements and build from there.
For the top, I measured my front and back shoulder to shoulder, chest and back separately, waist, sleeve, wrist as well as the center front and center back. For the bottoms I took measurements for my waist, front and back crotch depth, thighs, inseam and waist to floor length. Then I mapped the lines onto the pattern paper, connected the lines, trued the pattern and added the seam allowance. I always add extra to my pattern because I’m always afraid of making it too small.
Even though I’ve been pattern making for years, that first cut of fabric always gives me a bit of anxiety. It took me a few minutes to calm my nerves and reassure myself that I had it right, Once I did, every subsequent cut was made with confidence.
After everything is cut and laid out, I always take a moment to study it and mentally walk through the sewing process. I plan the order in which to sew the pieces, determine the appropriate stitch size, and visualize how it will all come together. Once that’s settled, I begin stitching.
For this project, I began with the bottoms since they would be quicker to make. I first serged the pieces, then assembled each pant leg, adding the pockets before stitching them together. Once that was done, I attached the waistband. The first challenge I encountered was with the thighs. The extra inches I added turned out to be too much, so I had to trim them down. The second hurdle was with the waistband, specifically getting the right amount of elastic. When I first inserted it, it was too loose, so I had to make a few adjustments. Once that was complete, I finished the hem and moved on to the top.
After serging the edges, I attached the front and back shoulder and side pieces, then tried the garment on to make any necessary adjustments. I always fit the bodice first before adding the sleeves to minimize fitting later. As it turned out, I had added a few extra inches there also. The shoulders needed to be taken in by one inch and the sides by two inches. The only area where I didn’t add enough inches was the hem, but I decided to make do and simply adjust it with the waistband instead. Once this was figured out, I moved on to the sleeves.
My favorite part of this design was the cuff. I adore a beautiful, gathered cuff. It really adds a lovely touch to any top.
The final step was adding the neckband to the top and adjusting the hem, which I extended from half an inch to one and a half inches to add some extra length. This project took a total of three days to complete. I started the patternmaking process on a Friday, spent Saturday washing and cutting the fabric, and began stitching the bottoms. By Sunday, I finished the bottoms and focused on the top.
The main takeaway from this project is that I need to trust myself more when it comes to patternmaking. I often assume I’m wider than I actually am, which leads me to add too much extra fabric to the sides of my garments and occasionally, the armholes. It’s something I’ve struggled with for a few years as my body has gone through some changes. However, the more I design for myself, the more confidence I gain in getting it right the first time.
That said, I’m really happy with how it turned out and can’t wait to wear it on those chilly rainy nights we so often have here in New York. I also love that I can wear the pieces as separates as well.