Tag: 5oo4 Diane

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Work It: Edition 12

This is it! This is the last one of the year!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHH! Ok, I’m too excited about the entire outfit to wait to share. This month is all about the party! Whether it is a Holiday party, a New Year’s party, or an “I don’t have to work all week” party, December is a month of celebrations! I wanted to go full bold for this one.

Since this GORGEOUS scuba from Sly Fox Fabrics is so, so bold, I wanted to break it up a little bit by adding a side stripe, but also keep it pretty simple. But first, let’s talk about these fabrics. I used leftover modal from Edition 11 for this stripe. I cut so the more stable direction is running the length of my leg to prevent the less stable fabric from sagging in between the scuba. So far, it is holding up very well! The scuba is vibrant and just lovely to work with and wear. I could not be happier with how the finished pants wear.

On to the hacks. As always, I started with the 5 Out of 4 Diane Joggers. For these, I cut 1/2 inch off each outside edge, so I could have a 1 inch stripe. I cut the stripe at 1.75 inches and just did width of fabric, then cut off the excess after attaching. I also cut the regular, hemmed pants length, and the high rise. The knit band is still my favorite, and I added 2 inches to the cutting height, so it is 1 inch taller than intended in the pattern. When sewing, I did slim the leg slightly on the inseam side. The only other change is the pocket. This isn’t my usual pocket hack! I wanted more of a slanted slat pocket. So, I redrew the shape and deepened the pocket slightly. Because the opening goes further down my leg, I wanted to make sure my phone wouldn’t fall out while I was walking.

That’s it. This one was a SUPER simple hack. I adore the stripe and chose to do the pocket facing in black as well, which I think adds another lovely touch. The pocket lining is out of the scuba, since I wasn’t sure if the black would show through or not. These are comfortable and fun. Plus, I can see so much fun with a solid fabric and a lace stripe or a faux leather stripe. Just so much fun to be had!

So let’s talk about this top. Oh boy! This is the 5oo4 Stella and she is a beaut!! The flounce is what drew me in and adds that party vibe. I chose not to add the optional straps because I have cute bralettes to show off but love the bare shoulder if I feel like donning the strapless bra. This pattern is super versatile though! It has a plain tank, a strappy tank, and shorts! Plus, all of those can mix and match to make a romper! Definitely a great pattern to fill different needs in your wardrobe! Plus, it was a really quick sew.

I considered doing the bra length option only (forgot to list that one!), but opted for the more versatile tank. Mostly because this tank has just enough ease to tie it up and wear it a couple different ways!! If you want to do this, make sure to choose a fabric with great recovery! Something like rayon spandex is going to show that knot after it is untied until you wash it again.

I adore Stella in this SFF DBP. I picked one of the coordinates listed on the scuba. This magenta is currently sold out, but the orchid was my next choice and is still in stock! I can’t wait to make Stella in other colors and dive into some beautiful prints. I think this would be lovely in a lace or mesh as a swim cover!

That’s the whole outfit! It was simple and easy to make and wear! So comfortable and lovely. It also makes me think of spring, while everything around me is brown and a little sad, so double happy! I hope you enjoyed this month’s edition of Work It and be sure to share if you try it!!

Don’t forget to enter to win 5oo4 pattern credit right here (click this link! Really!! Prizes!!! Who doesn’t love winning prizes?!)

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Work It: Edition 11

It is cliched, but I am SHOCKED it is November!! This year has flown by and I can’t believe I am almost done with the first year of this series!! But it isn’t done yet and I can’t wait to share another edition of Work It: 12 Months, 1 Pattern, No Repeats with you!

This month, I wanted to use the 5 Out of 4 Diane Joggers to be prepared for all the holiday stuff. Shopping for presents, decorating the house, basking in the crisp air, holiday get togethers with friends and family. All the fun stuff that the season brings!! To do that, I wanted fancy joggers!! To start, I needed the perfect fabric. Something with a little structure and some body, so it doesn’t drape too much. Something a little bold, with a lovely print, because everyone needs more patterned pants! Myself included. Structure and body means a nice double knit for me, so I perused the selection of liverpool fabrics from Sly Fox Fabrics. I love liverpool. It is lightweight enough that I can wear it all year in Atlanta and not be a puddle of sweat.

This GORGEOUS dusty mauve immediately jumped out at me. It has lovely fall vibes while still being fun and exciting! Plus, I am completely loving the pinks and burgundy tones this season. I want to wear them EVERY DAY!!!! Now I have the perfect fabric and am ready to tackle the hacks!

I had to add the same pocket I’ve been adding almost every month. I just love these pockets. Everything needs them! I also slimmed down the leg slightly, as I did here, so I wouldn’t end up with too much drape over my cuff, since liverpool won’t drape because of that body. I also chose the high rise cut line and added 2 inches to the short, knit waistband. This combo really gives me the exact high waisted look I was going for.

But the real hack to this one is in the cuffs. I cut the pants at the cuffed capri cutline. Then I made an entirely new cuff piece. I measured the height I needed from ankle to where the capri hits. I also measured my ankle and calf to make sure the cuff would fit as I wanted. Then I created this hourglass shape piece…

Then folded it with that angled edge matching. Then folding again, with the top and bottom raw edge matching. Sew along just the angled line and the cuff is made!! I tried it on to make sure the fit was alright and was ready to go!! For my next one, I’ll curve that angled edge just a little, so it stays a little more fitted in that weird area between calf and ankle, but I am super happy with how this cuff turned out!!

I knew when I planned this that I wanted to go bold this month. I wanted that look that makes you feel put together and fabulous, no matter what you’re doing! So, I went for it. All in. And sharing on the internet. After the bikini earlier this year, I didn’t think I’d struggle with a simple crop top! I surely did. I’m also sure I annoyed a few friends while asking for opinions. Love y’all!

The Lakeshore Tank was the perfect starting point for this top. It was so dang cute on Virginia as a full tank earlier this year and I’ve wanted one since I made hers. to make it a crop, I initially cut it a few inches above the banded cut line. Really wanted to give myself wiggle room for whatever length I actually wanted. Then I finished everything except the hem and tried it on. I clipped a few places around the front and lived with it a little bit. Sent a few pics off to get opinions on where it should hit. Then shortened it even more. If I’m doing it, might as well do it big, right?! I freaking love the end result. It is so comfortable and will be ridiculously versatile in my closet!

Part of that comfort is the fabric. I used modal jersey for this one and it is freaking perfect. It is soft and flowy. Has amazing drape and doesn’t stick to itself like DBP. So it sits exactly where I want it to without adjustments. I went for the nice basic black, but will definitely be making more out of ALL THE COLORS!!! Then, as I get even more comfortable with crops, I can venture into the knub jersey and brushed poly fabrics!

Since it is November, I can’t just live in a tank, and a crop at that. Clearly need a cardi to go with that! I knew exactly the pattern and fabric I wanted for this! I wanted the drama of a long Eleanor! Knee length was perfect (maybe I’ll try duster next!) And the ribbed knit was exactly the sparkle I needed. The flow of this in the wind gets me every time. I often leave pockets off cardigans if the fabric is light or fiddly (I tend to forget and just throw my hands in them pretty roughly), but I think I’ll go back and add them on this one. The fabric can definitely handle it and I think they’ll bring this one up a notch from outstanding to PERFECT!!! The burgundy was exactly the right color to compliment these pants. Sly Fox just released mustard though, and I need that in my life.

Basically, I am completely in love with each piece this month. They come together with just a little drama and are quite versatile on their own. I’ve already worn each of them separately and together!! Be sure to check out all the gorgeous fabrics over at Sly Fox Fabrics and all the fantastic new releases and wonderful patterns from 5 Out of 4 Patterns (keep an eye here too, as I’m in a test right now that I can’t wait to share! Shhhhh!!!) And don’t forget to enter to win free pattern credit from 5oo4 right here!

Stephanie xx

PS – My neighborhood has kitties. Apparently years ago, before we moved in, some asshole decided they didn’t want the kitten they adopted, so they just put it outside. Of course it wasn’t spayed/neutered, so now there are kittens. Always. The neighborhood takes care of them, feeding, capturing to spay/neuter, making sure they’re safe and warm, etc. There are three black kitties from the same litter who all hang out, so we named them Tall, Grande, and Venti. This is Tall. She is super sweet and loving. If I didn’t have four cats already, and she really needs a home with her sister, Grande (their brother is much more independent, but still sweet!), she’d already have moved right in. She decided to photo bomb this entire shoot and be adorable. Don’t worry, she got pets and food. But, if anyone wants to add some really sweet kittens to their lives, let me know! <3

PPS – Spay and neuter your damn animals. Seriously. The health benefits are ridiculous and not adopting these cats breaks my heart.

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Work It: Edition 10

Here we go again! It is October, I’ve already argued that it is the best month over on the Sly Fox Fabrics guest blog and I’m still not taking arguments about this. There is a crispness to the air, leaves crunching beneath my feet, and I can finally wear sweaters without sweating. Plus, my birthday, so best month of the year. Anyway, rant over, let’s talk about this month’s sews for Work It: 12 Months, 1 Pattern, No Repeats!

I needed some yoga pants. Not for actual yoga, but for curling up and having comfy, stretchy pants, that are a little bit too long, and easy to take a quick nap in. So I’m sticking a little bit closer to the intended design of the 5 Out of 4 Diane Joggers and just adding some small tweaks to get exactly the pants I’m want!

This is an extra easy hack! Starting with the full length, I added a little bit of width to the outseam of both the front and back leg pieces, 1 1/4″ each, and eased that extra width up to nothing about the knee. The inseam on these is a bit long for me and I did not take that out. I wanted these to be just a tiny bit too long, so when I curl up, I’ve got some extra cozy coverage. That’s it. That’s the hack. I used the same pocket hack I always use (here, here, here, and here), and chose the fold over yoga waistband. Now, I rarely, if ever fold over this style waistband, but I like the option. I also like the extra coverage if I do actually wear these for yoga.

For such a simple hack, I had to have just the right fabric. The Cotton Spandex from Sly Fox Fabrics is PERFECT!! It is exactly the right weight to be comfortable but not stifling when I get toasty. They carry it in some absolutely gorgeous colors, tool, like the Jewel I used on these pants! My notes on working with this fabric are that it is well worth it in the end. But, as with all cotton lycra/spandex blends I’ve worked with, it does stick to itself and curls like mad. It can be a bit frustrating at times. Next time I break it out, I’ll have a glass of wine handy, for sure! The end result is totally worth the extra effort though! Just give yourself a little extra fabric time.

I do have to say, the perks of the Cotton Spandex are that gathering it is super easy! It is stable enough and not at all slippery, so the small gathering I needed to do for this super cute Taylor Tank was quick and painless! The rest of this tank was equally worth the effort!! This is my first Taylor Tank, but sure won’t be my last!! I love the fit, the widths of the bands, the aforementioned gathers in the back. Basically, I love it all! And this Dark Grey CS is the perfect neutral tank to add to my closet. It will look lovely with all the crazy workout pants I already have, too!

Be sure to check out the rest of the Work It hacks, as well as all the gorgeous patterns over at 5oo4, and fabric at Sly Fox Fabrics. And, of course, enter to win the monthly giveaway of 5oo4 pattern credit here.

What do you think of this month’s hack?

Stephanie xx

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Work It: Edition 9

Fall is here, y’all! I am here for it!! This month’s edition of Work It: 12 Months, 1 Pattern, No Repeats has me ready for anything, while being cute and comfortable!!

The 5 Out of 4 Patterns Diane Joggers are now my absolute go to jeans!! I’m down for a pull on, elastic waist jean, and I have been so excited to share them with you!

Let’s start with the bits of the pattern I used. I started with the mid-rise and elastic waistband. I used the same pocket hack for the front from March, (and April, and May. Clearly I really like these pockets), as well as adding the back pocket from February. I cut them out with the leg width in the pattern, then decided to slim them down to a more skinny fit. I really liked them as designed, so if you’re making them and want a straight leg, they are perfect. But I really needed a new skinny jean. And these are great!! I hemmed them just a tiny bit longer than ankle bone, so they’ll be extra cute with sandals. (Georgia is hot, y’all. Sandal season lasts forever. It was 95 degrees this week.)

This fabric though. Oh my goodness. <3 <3 <3 <3 It is freaking perfect!! Sly Fox Fabrics crushes it again. If you need stretch denim, and you do, grab this stuff. It is the perfect thickness. Not so thick that I’m immediately sweaty. But not so thin that it feels like it will wear through the thighs after a month. Plus, the stretch and recovery are AMAZING!!! It seriously just bounces back. They didn’t stretch out and start falling down at the end of the day. WHICH IS CRAZY!!! By the end of the day, my jeans are always falling down. I can’t be the only one with this problem. Well, problem no longer!!

So, as I was sewing this gorgeous, rich blue denim, I had to decide on topstitching. For those that haven’t made jeans before, topstitching is really what gives that classic jean look. When I started sewing, I wasn’t sure if I wanted the classic golden yellow, or a more subtle navy blue. The navy on navy look gives a gorgeous, fancy look to them and this fabric is PERFECT for those sleek date night jeans. The yellow is really classic and simple. As you can see, I chose yellow. I also decided to do a single row of stitching, rather than double (though I am considering adding a double row to the faux fly and back pockets).

I topstitched the top edge of the front pockets, the back yoke, the inseam, just past the pockets on the outside seam, and of course, added the faux fly. Then, added topstitching below the waistband and at the top of the waistband, which also serves to hold the elastic in place so it doesn’t twist or shift while I’m wearing them!

Now I have the perfect jeans that are SUPER comfy and need an equally comfy shirt to wear with them!! (On top of ALL the shirts in my closet, because, jeans.) I went back to my trusty baby french terry! I seriously love the Sly Fox BFT. It is so soft and has just the right stability and flow. This is the gorgeous two tone hunter green, which is currently sold out, but was part of the recent pre-order!! So, I’m hoping it restocks. (I definitely ordered more. They are cutting orders already!!!)

The BFT was the perfect fabric for me to try out the Nancy Raglan. How had I not bought this pattern before the sale last month?! It is exactly the fit I want in a raglan. Perfectly fitted in the bust, and just enough room through the hips that I’m not showing off the tummy, or drowning in fabric. I am right in between the elbow and 3/4 length on this sleeve and it is so damn easy to wear!! Definitely going to be exploring the options included in the pattern, and of course, seeing what I can hack from it!

Overall, this month, the fabric really brought my vision to life. They were exactly what I needed to really create this look and I could not be happier!! As always, 5oo4 is fantastically giving away pattern credit!! Enter to win here! And be sure to check out all the gorgeous new fabrics for fall from Sly Fox Fabrics.

Stephanie xx

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Work It: Edition 8

Summer is winding down, though it doesn’t always feel that way here in very warm Atlanta. The sister and I just spent a wonderful weekend in South Georgia and Florida. We visited friends and explored some lovely beaches and islands. And we played with some cute ass puppies!! But, it was also the perfect opportunity to try out this month’s edition of Work It: 12 Months, 1 Pattern, No Repeats!

These lovely shorts are such a simple hack, I can’t believe I haven’t tried it sooner. I really wanted to hit that luxury cruise look, but be super easy to wear! I just knew that this great jogger pattern would be so, so comfy in a woven. But they aren’t drafted for wovens!! So, break out the measuring tape and go to town!

I checked the finished measurements of the hips (that’s my widest) and compared it to my measurements. I wanted an inch and a half of ease, so I split the difference between the four leg pieces and added it in. I also adjusted the waistband the same amount. Since I added elastic to the waistband, it didn’t need to be fitted to my waist.

This Sly Fox Fabric Bubble Crepe was the perfect choice for this hack! It is breezy and comfortable. Light, but not see thru. And these colors are so vibrant. I was blown away when I saw it!!

Now, I couldn’t just do a woven hack, so I wanted to punch them up a bit more. Once they were sewn together except the waistband, but not hemmed, I laid the legs flat, and curved the hem up to toward the side seam. Then, I serged the edges of the hem, flipped up the serged edge and topstitched. But, of course, I had to add some gorgeous trim to this!

I just love the look of lace trim, but I almost always forget this is a fun option to add a little extra to my pieces! I started at the top of the side seam on the front side, and topstitched close to the edge of the wide lace I chose. I followed the curve along the side, then all the way around the hem. Once I made it back to the side seam, I trimmed the lace so it would just slip underneath the front layer. Then I finished topstitching the back of the side seam, making sure to catch the unfinished end underneath. Boom! Done and fancy!

But of course, I need a tank to walk the beach and be fabulous! The Virginia tank is just perfect!! Simple, easy, and cute. It doesn’t detract or distract in any way from the lovely shorts. And this Blue DBP is PERFECT!!! It is absolutely stunning. I’ve already blogged about it once and I’m so happy both Virginia and I got a cute new tank out of this one.

This is the first month where Virginia not only had to have something out of the same fabric, but wouldn’t let me wait to make her to monthly hack! So, bonus! I did the same hack for her!! She looks so dang cute in this combo! She was also really comfy while we wondered a lovely shopping area on the island after enjoying a few hours in the sun and sand.

Every month is my favorite month for this series, but these shorts are so fun and easy, we both definitely need a few more in our closets. Check out the rest of my favorites and let me know which one hits the high notes for you! And be sure to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for a fabulous pattern from 5 Out of 4 Patterns!!

Stephanie <3