Pattern Review: The Piper Misses Top & Dress

I can't remember where or when I first saw this top, but I was hooked at first glimpse of that adorable big bow on the back. This is the Piper Misses Top & Dress pattern by Violette Field Threads and you can find it here.

This is the third garment I have made, the first two being the Wiksten Tank and the Flirting the Issue Skirt which are very simple, so I thought it was time to step up my game with gathered sleeves and bust darts.

This pattern was definitely more complex than the other garments I've made, but overall I'd still call it easy. 

The pattern calls for regular seams (vs french seams) and to finish the raw edges with a zig zag stitch, if desired, or a serger. There is a simple gather on the shoulder and you use 1/4" bias tape around the neckline, which was tiny, but lots of pins and a slow stitch speed did the trick.

I made a muslin in medium to check the sizing and found it a bit large, but I was worried the small may be too small so I went with a hybrid in-between size. In the end it still came out a bit larger than I wanted, mostly in body width, so I will try a regular small next time but may need some adjustments in the armholes and placement of the bust darts because of my height and long torso. That being said, I think the pattern sizing runs a tad large. 

It isnt meant to be form fitting but the problem I found in having the width slightly too large is the shoulders are more likely to slide down because of the wide open back, so even though the fit throughout the body isn't as important, getting the proper width in the shoulder area seems to be.

 

I made this top using a polyester for the body with lace collar and bow accents. NEITHER were easy to work with, though I am very happy with the drape and feel. The polyester was slippery, similar to working with rayon, so it was hard to cut accurate pieces and required lots of pinning. Same went for the lace.

I wasn't able to finish the edges of the lace on my machine so I'm not sure how it will stand up to washing, but I did prewash the lace before making the top and I think it will hold up pretty well.

I found adding the sleeves to be the trickiest part for me. The technical skills required weren't difficult, but I did have a little steam coming out of ears trying to figure out the proper way to lay out all the pieces and attach the sleeves. Ultimately it's not complicated, but the photos in the pattern are too close up to see what you're actually looking at. At this step, the front is one piece but the back is in two pieces and they are attached at the should seams. It just takes a little logic and maybe simply more garment experience!

I made a couple minor changes along the way. First was the collar. The pattern includes a cute peter pan collar but I wanted to use the pretty scalloped edges of my lace so just did a little improv there and am so pleased with how it came out. I also shortened the top several inches. I found the length for the top as written in the pattern to be much too long for my preference and a little awkward. If I had made the length as specified, I would have had to modify the width at the bottom to fit around my hips and rear as it was tight before I trimmed and hemmed it.

The pattern includes a long sleeve option with gathered cuffs as well. I made the short sleeves as written though may shorten them to more of a cap, which is just a personal preference. Also, as the name indicates, the pattern includes instructions for making a dress, which I may just try!


Overall I am very happy with my finished top and will definitely be making another. I recommend checking your size with a muslin first, as this top was time consuming enough to want to get it right the first time! If you are unsure, try sizing down first. Between cutting and all the assembly steps, you can expect to spend the good portion of a day, if not a full day, working on it.

I love the look, feel and drape of the polyester and lace, but it was hard to work with. I wouldn't recommend a stiff or thick cotton because I think the body needs some movement, but any quilting cotton or voile would probably be lovely. The collar and bow also lend themselves wonderfully to creative fabric choices.

If you are adventurous and have experience with bias tape, this would definitely not be too difficult to attempt as a first garment pattern.

If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below or shoot me an email nicole@lillyella.com.

Happy sewing!

A new tote for Quilt Market

I had to do some selfish sewing yesterday to keep my mind of my horrible cramps and pounding headache (the joys of being a woman!), so I made a new tote to take to Quilt Market in October!

Overall this bag was fairly quick and easy to make, but it did take me all day because I was figuring most of it out as I went. If I were to make another it would probably take half the time, if even.

The design is based off the tutorial by Sara Lawson (Sew Sweetness) for the Sawyer Bag, which you can find here. I changed the size, interfacing/lining and added a front pocket (specifics below).

I wanted something big enough to hold my camera, a bottle of water, food for the monster (my belly), as well as whatever else I pick up along the way, but I didn't want to carry a beach bag on my shoulder all day. This bag ended up being about 13.5" square by 4" deep.

I cut my main panels 18"w x 17"h and increased the corner seam distance to 2" for a slightly deeper bag than the original. I cut the lining panels to the same width but 1" shorter on height so it wouldnt be bunchy inside.

I wanted it to be strong and sturdy so for the main outer panels I fused fusible fleece to my body fabric (robert kaufman rustica chambray) and then basted it to a layer of canvas. I used shapeflex interfacing on the lining and used a piece of peltex in the bottom of the bag. 

My old necchi handled the bulk like a champ, so as long as you have a machine that can handle thickness, it was easy to sew. No tricky corners or awkward maneuvering, just long straight seams. I'm very pleased with how it came out and would not change anything about the lining or interfacing next time.

I made the straps slightly wider and set them in 3.5" from my outer edges before assembling the bag. I wanted to see a little more body from the front (the original has the straps at the edges of the bag.) I also adjusted the length to my preference.

I only added an outer pocket on one side, mostly because I wanted to finish the bag in a day, but I also like the simplicity of it without a pocket. Realistically I'll always have one side against my body so wouldn't use it much anyways.

I had the metal rings on hand and love how they look but you could use different shapes (such a D rings or rectangle rings) or even leave them off completely and make one long strap without the split for the ring.

I used two fat quarters I had on hand (fabric is Harmony by Jessica Swift) for the lining and added a divided slip pocket. If I had more time or patience I may have added a zip pocket on the other side of the lining, but for the purpose of this bag, I don't think I'll miss it.

I'm just in love with this chambray. I want to make all the things out of it and a skirt is definitely next on the list. The outer pocket fabric is from the Botanics line and the strap is Indelible. The combination of patterns and textures just makes my heart sing.

What do you think? 

Have a great week friends!

Name it & Win > My Vintage Pyrex Cozy Pattern

Boy, I've been busy. I know, what else is new? So many fun things are coming soon including a new line of jewelry designs and my first line of sewing patterns! I'm working on dividing lillyella into two 'divisions' (I feel so important), working on new logos, new websites, a new blog.

But in the meantime I'm just gonna jump right into a peak at my line of patterns to make insulated carriers for vintage pyrex dishes. I've wanted to create these for awhile now and am so excited to finally be here. 

As usual, I'm stumped on a name, so who remembers my Name Game? it was always so fun (and successful!) so, let's get it on! 

Read on to learn more about the pattern and leave a comment below with your name idea or ideas (limit 2 per person). If I pick your name, you'll win copies of the entire line of patterns and maybe even a piece of vintage pyrex :)

These carriers are made with an insulated inner layer, like a pot holder, so they keep hot food hot and cold food cold and are perfect for transporting to a picnic, potluck or dinner party. They fold up flat for easy storage and snap together tight on the sides and top to securely hold the dish.

The first pattern released will be for the 475 and 474 round casserole dishes and then for the 043 and 045 oval casseroles, the 024 bowls with two lid styles, the divided one and a half quart casserole dish and the rectangular space savers.

I have a handful of ideas but none have really screamed at me yet, so I'm excited to see what all your creative brains come up with! The contest will be open thru Friday, August 29.

If you have any trouble leaving a comment from a mobile device, you can email me your entries to nicole@lillyella.com or you can enter on my instagram post starting tomorrow (Aug 26). 

Thank you and have fun!

In the Kitchen: Crockpot Tikka Masala

I'm a HUGE fan of indian food. Especially in the form a buffet when I can consume copious quantities of a variety of dishes. This recipe is one of my favorites, but even if you haven't tried much indian cuisine or think everything is overly seasoned with curry, be adventurous and give this a try. Trust me, it's different! The longer my husband and I are together, the more adventurous he gets with his eating, but even he, who would never willingly go to an indian restaurant, has this recipe close to the top of his favorites list.

The ingredient list may look daunting, but this recipe is easy and I love the flexibility. When the husband is around, I make it with chicken, vegetables and potatoes and that is how I have shared the recipe below. When it's just me, I typically leave out the meat. You can also make it with just the chicken alone and no vegetables.

Ingredients

1 medium yellow onion, diced

4 - 6 cloves of garlic, minced

2 T fresh ginger, minced

1 (29 oz) can of tomato puree

1 1/2 C plain yogurt

2 T olive oil

2 T garam masala spice mic

1 T (slightly heaped) cumin

1.5 t paprika

2 t salt

1/2 t cinnamon

1 t black pepper

1 t cayenne pepper
~

6 skinless chicken tenderloins, cut into large chunks* (optional)

2 -3 potatoes, diced (optional)
2 bay leaves
~

1 cup frozen peas (optional)

1 cup chickpeas (drained and rinsed, optional)

~
1 cup heavy cream

2 T cornstarch

~
chopped fresh cilantro, for topping

Place the first twelve ingredients (thru the spices) into your crockpot and stir to combine. If making with chicken and/or potatoes, add them now (raw) and stir gently to mix in. Add the bay leaves and push down into mixture.

*The chicken will get very soft while cooking and start to shred apart, keeping the raw pieces a bit large than 'bite sized' helps keep them together better. 

Cover and cook for 8 hours on low (or 4 hours on high).

When done, whisk together the cream and corn starch and pour into the crockpot along with the peas and chickpeas and gently stir. Cook on low for an additional 30 minutes.

Serve over basmati rice with fresh cilantro and a side of naan and enjoy!

This meal makes a ton of food, but we eat it two or three times over a couple weeks and I freeze the rest. The consistency is a little different after freezing and reheating, but it doesn't affect the taste at all.

> Click here for a printable recipe card

tutorial: modifying a two way metal zipper {perfect for the noodlehead cargo duffle}

I've been doing a really good job accomplishing the goals I set for myself lately (probably because they have all been crafty and fun, but… still counts for something in my book). I saw the nooodlehead cargo duffle bag pattern last year and immediately put it on my to-do list. With holiday gifts finished and the encouragement (and 24/7 on-call help) of my friend, Sandra, it was game on!

I hope to finish my bag this week (update: finished my first one, pics below, more to come!) and will write more about the project then, but in the meantime I wanted to share a little tutorial. While browsing pictures of other peoples' bags, I came across this post on Thread Riding Hood on how to modify a two-way zipper to open from the center, but it only applied to a plastic zipper and mine was metal.

Since I had extras, I decided to try an experiment which happily ended in success! (Those are the best kind of experiments, aren't they?).

The cargo duffle I'm making calls for a 26" coverall zipper, but this tutorial would work on any length two-way zipper for any type of project, as long as the teeth are the same on both sides.

A coverall zipper is made for just that, coveralls, and is a two way zipper designed to unzip from both ends. Since I'm not usually hangin' out in coveralls, I most typically see this type of zipper on coats (which I think is SUPER handy, by the way).

But when it comes to a bag, it's much more convenient to have the zipper open from the center, so here's how to do it. You'll need a pair of side cutters, or similar small wire cutters with a pointy end, and needle nose pliers. (Click on any photo for a larger view.)

I was able to modify this zipper because the teeth are the same on both sides, as I mentioned. I'm no zipper expert, but it's my understanding that this is not the case with all zippers so be sure to check before tearing one apart.

The first step is to remove the stoppers from both ends.

They are clamped down pretty darn tight (which I guess is a good thing) so this was harder than I expected it to be, but it just takes a little elbow grease and patience.

Start by carefully wedging the tip of your cutters under one side of the metal stopper and clipping off little bits of metal at a time. Be careful not to snag or cut the fabric tape.

Keep snipping away until you loosen the clamp enough to pull the stopper from the tape. Once it is free on one side, you should be able to slide it up and off the other side. If it is too tight, repeat the same process of clipping the metal away until it's free.

The stoppers on the other end are thicker, but are also easier to pry off. First wedge the tip of your cutters underneath and try snipping. If the metal is too thick for your cutters, a bit of wiggling and prying should loosen the clamp enough to be able to pull it from the tape.

Repeat on the other side.

Once the stoppers are removed, move the sliders toward opposite ends so the zipper is closed and pull one slider off as shown above. It doesn't matter which one.

The opposite end of your zipper will still have the other slider attached. Keep it on and pull it down to open the zipper a bit.

You will now put the loose slider you removed onto this end (toward the slider still on the zipper) by inserting the ends of the fabric tape into the channels of the slider and pulling it down until it catches the teeth, making sure they are lined up.

And Voila! Both your sliders are back on and your zipper now opens from the center.

Depending on your use for the zipper, this may be your final step, but be aware that the sliders are free to come off either end. If you are not sewing your ends into your project or if you have large gaps, you'll want to make a tack stitch at the ends of the teeth or sew a piece of fabric onto the tape ends.

In the case of the cargo duffle that I'm making, one huge bonus of this modification is that I can take my zipper apart and sew the two sides on independently without having to maneuver around the sliders or deal with the bulk. Go ahead, pump your fist in the air and yell awesome!

If you do this, I recommend marking the ends of your tapes so you can put them back together properly. Technically, the teeth will go back together either way and there is no top, bottom, front or back with this specific zipper, but the length of the fabric tape is different on the two ends so they will be uneven if not matched up the same.

Once you're done sewing, you just slip your sliders back on either end toward the middle and huzzah! Magic.

I hope you find this tutorial helpful! If you have any questions, just leave a comment below and I will do my best to answer them.

Thanks for visiting and happy sewing!

{UPDATE}

Since writing this post I have finished my first cargo duffle, hooray!

I certainly hit a few hiccups along the way and learned some important things to change and modify on the next one, such as adding zipper tabs on the sides, reinforcing the handles and using sturdier interfacing, but for my first bag project EVER I'm so thrilled with the results! I'm almost finished with my second duffle so will share more then.

p.s. I'm lillyellasworld on instagram if you'd like to follow and see my progress!

{Fabrics used: Main body, bottom accent and pocket flaps are Tim Holtz Eclectic Elements - Melange and Ticking Stripe. Pockets and handle accent are Robert Kaufman Quilters Linen in taupe}

2nd Annual Lillyella Secret Santa Gift Exchange!

The thing I love most about the holidays (besides snow!) is giving gifts. I get so darn excited I can hardly contain myself! I hosted this secret santa gift exchange for the first time a couple of years ago and it was tons of fun, so now that I'm settled and back to blogging, it's time to make this an annual event!

So here's how it will work — From now until November 20, I will collect the names and addresses of anyone who would like to participate. Guys and kids are welcome, too (with the assistance of a parent)!

I will then randomly assign each participant the name of a person you are to send a gift to and you will receive a gift from someone else. Only myself and your secret santa will have your information and everything will be secret until gifts are received!

Gifts can be handmade or purchased, should be valued around $20 (before shipping) and gift wrapped. If you'd like to spend more on your gift or if the item you make is valued at more than $20, that is no problem at all as long as you understand that you may receive something smaller.

Please keep in mind you will need to ship the item and I'll ask that items be shipped by December 16. Since international postal rates changed this year, it is more costly to ship internationally than it used to be, but it's not difficult to do if you don't mind paying a little extra. 

TO PARTICIPATE:

Please email your name and mailing address to nicole@lillyella.com, subject: Secret Santa. Please also include what country you are in and whether or not you are willing to ship internationally, and if so, to what countries. Feel free to also include information about yourself — likes, dislikes, favorite colors, favorite Etsy shops, your personal style, hobbies, interests etc, or you can just leave it up to your secret santa to totally surprise you!

I will email you the name of your gift recipient, along with all the important details by or before November 28.

Feel free to contact me anytime or leave a comment below with any questions. And invite your friends to join in, too!

Happy Holidays, everyone!

photos © Anthropologie

In the Kitchen: Caramel Apple Mini Pies

For the past ten years or so, my husband and I have gone apple picking on my birthday. The timing is perfect for us (October 15) because our favorite, braeburn, are pretty much the only thing left on the trees. We pick a lot of apples, so many we can hardly carry them all. I think we usually go back for more, too.

I spend the next few weeks making apple butter, apple sauce and apple jelly (my dad's favorite), but we've actually never picked enough to leave room for making pie filling. Honestly, I'm not really a huge fruit pie fan, will the exception of cold soggy tart cherry pie, which any family member of mine will attest to.

This year we will not be picking apples on my birthday, because I've been picking them from my very own trees for the last two months! There are still a few left hanging and I still have buckets around the house and bowlfuls in the fridge, but I've already processed more apples this year than the last ten combined. That meant my first attempt at pie filling! It was almost a debacle. Actually, I think it does qualify as a debacle, but a salvaged one. In the end all it meant was the quarts I intended to have became pints. I've since been on a mission to come up with some mini dessert recipes that someone could easily make with a smaller amount of pie filling, and here's my first! Did I mentioned those are marshmallows on top?

Ingredients
pie crust dough (homemade or store bought roll)
apple pie filling (homemade or store bought can)
caramel baking bits (in the baking aisle with the chocolate chips)
mini marshmallows

Aside from being quick and easy, the beauty of this recipe is you can make just a few or a whole baking sheet worth at a time. Leftover dough and filling can be stored in the fridge to make something else or bake more fresh later.

Preheat oven to 400°. Cut 4" to 5" circles from the dough, depending on what size you'd like the finished pies (I cut about 4.5"). Spoon one to two tablespoon of filling in the center (you can cut up the apples if you'd like or need to). Sprinkle the caramel bits on top of the filling (as few or as many as you'd like), then fold up and crimp the edges.

Bake for about 10 - 15 min until the crust edges start to brown. Remove from the oven and cover the top with the mini marshmallows. You can also cut up full size marshmallows if you happen to have those. I wasn't sure if too many would make the pie's too sweet so I went light on them as you can see in the photo, but they were amazing and next time I'm totally piling them on!

Return to the oven for about 3 - 5 minutes until the marshmallows start to puff and brown.

As hard as it will be, I recommend waiting about 10 minutes before serving for the marshmallows to set and the pies to cool a bit because they will be bubbling!

I made a few without the caramel bits and they were excellent as well. You can also drizzle caramel (or butterscotch) sauce over the top in lieu of baking with the bits. Hope you enjoy!