If you'd ever told me that a performance fabric could look this chic, I would have thought, "Yeah. Okay. Not on me..."

But then I met supplex...

If we're connected on Instagram, then you know 2018 has been a year of firsts for me. And many of those firsts have been sewing-related. I made a bikini... I made activewear... I made underwear... I made outerwear! So many garments that I never even thought about making before. All inspired by the fabrics that I've found at Phee and the drive to stretch my self-imposed boundaries.

So, when I saw this peacock supplex, I knew I had to cut into it! So often, when you work with knits, you wrestle with the texture of the fabric fighting against you. It can be too stretchy. It can be slippery. It can be too thin. It can have poor recovery.

Not supplex.

This dreamy fabric is heavy enough to make any garment - pants, dresses, jackets... even sports bras! I went for a pattern that has been in my collection for some time, the Wiggle Dress by Patterns for Pirates.

All-in-all, this dress came together beautifully. The supplex was a dream to cut and sew. I struggled a bit with the zipper and ultimately wound up hand-sewing it in. That additional effort took this very form-fitting dress from looking cheap to chic.

I tend to be very self-conscious and I was very worried about showing off the ten pounds that I've gained this year! But, I have to say that I feel pretty sexy in this dress!

The supplex has a great compression factor and helps to smooth out some of the areas that I was most concerned about. Whether or not I actually find the confidence to make it out of the house is another matter.

But should the occasion arise this holiday season, I am party ready!

What better way to round out this year of sewing firsts than with one of my most challenging makes-to-date... the GreenStyleCreations Sundance jacket.

I lead a very physically active life and this garment fits in perfectly, whether I'm pounding the pavement on a chilly morning or running errands around town. It is a very chic addition to my activewear wardrobe!

I used Polartec Powerstretch and supplex in peacock blue from Phee Fabrics. Both were fabulous fabrics to work with... high quality and very easy to sew.

I was incredibly intimidated to get started on this jacket. Primarily due to the zippers. They honestly are the bane of my sewing existence. I really, really had no interest in tackling THREE in one project.

But I did it! And quite successfully, I think.

I mean, they all work...

Another daunting factor was the number of pattern pieces to assemble. But I took the same approach as eating an elephant... one bite at a time. And, eventually, it all came together!

My favorite features are the overall fit and the yoke details. They are all so flattering! There is absolutely nothing frumpy about the fit of this activewear.

All-in-all, this wasn't a difficult project. I would absolutely make another one. I would advise anyone to make a muslin for this jacket, simply to have a better understanding of how to execute each step. 

My jacket isn't perfect, but it's a pretty darn good first attempt. And I will wear it all season long.

Grab all of the Polartec your heart desires while it's on sale at Phee Fabrics. It is so soft and snuggly warm! There are weights and textures to meet all of your cold weather needs.

If you've made the Sundance, please share your pics in the comments below. I'd love to see your personal interpretation!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Everyone loves to maximize the impact of a single yard of fabric... amiright??!!!

Fall sewing is in full swing and I started dreaming about ponchos at the first sign of falling leaves. I pinned this beauty for inspiration and started planning my next make.

I couldn't wait to get my hands on some of the new Polartec Wool from Phee Fabrics. I've never sewn with any Polartec fabric so I was excited to try something different.

The design that I worked up for this poncho is something that anyone can make. It could not be simpler!

The first step is to square up the yard of fabric. The polarwool is ribbed on the wrong side so it was very easy to square up the edges.

Next, I created a 1" decorative top edge and added hem tape to better reinforce the edge and prepare it for snap closures.

I knew that I wanted my poncho to hit just below my hips so I measured from shoulder to hip and decided on a length of 26". I created a lower cuff detail by turning up the difference in length to achieve the desired length.

After securing with a twin needle finish, I hemmed the short ends of my yardage.

I then added snaps, starting 15" from the edge of the poncho.

Here's a video tutorial for how I added the snaps:

And here's the finished result!

The Phee polarwool is so soft and warm... absolutely perfect for a poncho. What makes this garment even more fun was taking a performance fabric and turning it into something so chic! And it came together so quickly.

This would be a perfect make for Christmas gifts. One yard of fabric... one size fits most... classy and functional... perfection!!

After all of these years of making, I have never sewn a costume for myself. I've just never had much of a reason to dress up on Halloween or for any other event. However, this year, my brother nearly had me convinced to attend DragonCon in Atlanta. I wasn't able to attend, but the invitation started my brain thinking about creative costumes.

I'm personally much too practical to invest my time and energy into garments that can only be worn once or twice per year so I began searching for ideas that I could incorporate in my regular routine.

That's when I remembered Pearl, from a Cartoon Network show called "Steven Universe." My kids used to watch it... I have no personal affinity for the show or the character. I felt, though, that her character could easily translate into multifunctional additions to my own wardrobe.

{Not only that, her character seems pretty high on anxiety... she may actually be modeled after me!}

All I needed to sew was a cute peplum top and a pair of tangerine shorties. I matched it with a pink wig and socks, both purchased from Amazon, and attached a little yellow felt star with double-sided fashion tape.

I made the top by mashing together the Made for Mermaids Mama Fiona and Mama Joy. I gathered the peplum, rather than pleating. I self-drafted the funnel neck by increasing the neck binding by three times the width of the pattern.

I used a dreamy circular knit from Phee Fabrics for the top. It was my first experience with the fabric that everyone adores. And, I have to agree, not only does it feel amazing, it worked up like a dream. It is the perfect fabric for activewear and daily wear alike!

The pants I'm wearing here are also me-made... Vogue 1517 by Anne Klein. These pants really deserve their own post. MAJOR learning curve to share!

For the shorties, I used the Patterns for Pirates Peg Legs pattern and lengthened the inseam by two inches. I actually made these twice... the first time with a gusset. And, holy moly! The fit was so terrible on me that I was embarrassed to look at myself in the mirror. Thank the sewing gods that I had just enough fabric to complete a second pair - sans gusset!

I used a gorgeous nylon/spandex tricot in tangerine for the shorties. This is the perfect performance fabric! As a runner, I will definitely get a lot of use out of these cuties! This was my second project using tricot and it won't be my last! Word of advice when making these shorties with tricot - size up, ladies! This is a compression fabric.

My last accessory was my very own little Steven Universe. He was super excited to channel the energy of his character and decided that bubbles were a must have in our quick photo shoot.

I really couldn't be more pleased with the outcome of this month's sewing challenge. I loved the opportunity to think creatively about how to assemble a costume that will blend into the everyday.

And, who knows, it may get to make an appearance at DragonCon 2019.

What's on your cutting table for Halloween this year? Please tell me all about it!

Years ago, I joined a healthy living/weight loss challenge at work. The organizer knew me personally and was short on team leaders so she asked me if I would lead a group.

{I have a hard time saying "no."}

Within one minute of meeting with my team, one of the ladies asked me what my qualifications were to lead the group.

Once I recovered from being put on the spot, I confessed... None. I had zero qualifications. She was greatly displeased...

So, here we are today to discuss making underwear and I confess to you - I have precious little "expertise" in making undergarments! But I can sew and this is truly a super simple make. Two pattern pieces... a bit of elastic and lace... and voila! You have a pretty perfect pair of underwear!

{This is me... wearer of underwear, but neither expert maker nor model of underwear. You get flatlays today. Haha!}

I was part of the testing group for the Made for Mermaids Mama Vicki pattern and had a great time trying out different ways to customize the pattern. While they are all hipster-style briefs, it offers high-, mid-, and low-rise options. I'm going to show you a few different ways to dress them up, using the low-rise style.

The pattern directions are incredibly simple to follow so I won't be sharing a step-by-step for making the garment itself.

Lace

For these two versions, I used Phee Fabrics' rayon spandex. Rayon spandex is the softest, silkiest, dreamiest knit fabric I've ever worked with. It makes an amazing pair of underwear!

I was inspired by my favorite style from Soma Intimates and decided to add a pretty lace detail to the front.

There is no right or wrong placement of the lace detail, but you want to make sure the sides mirror one another. I measured in 3.5" from the top edge and 3" from the leg edge to ensure identical placement.

I attached the lace with a small zigzag stitch and trimmed the top and bottom to match the curves of the garment.

The pattern instructions direct you to add the trims - be it picot, lace, or standard elastic - and "join" them in the side seams. Here's how that process looks:

Stretch the lace to fit the length of the entire leg opening!

Then, sew up one side of the brief. Repeat the process with the waistband elastic. Sew up the second side of the brief.

And here's why I don't like this method...

It's tough to match up the fabric and trim. However, if you look at any of your RTW undies, you'll see the same method used.

I prefer to join in the round - meaning sew a circle from your trim or elastic and attach once the brief is already assembled. It's a little more work, but it makes for a much cleaner look. That's what I've done with this pair.

I'll demonstrate joining in the round with my next pair.

Once you've attached your lace, you'll want to trim your fabric to match the curve of the lace.

I love these!!

Fold-over Elastic

Fold-over elastic (FOE) is a great way to finish the edge of an undergarment. It's very easy to work with! Just fold over and sew with a zig-zag stitch.

I really "went fancy" with this make and added some wide lace to the sides. To do so, I basted the edges of my briefs together.

I then attached the lace by lining up the center of the lace with the side seam and sewed the edges with a zig-zag stitch.

I trimmed the lace to match the curve of my brief and then cut out the fabric behind the lace.

I prepped my trim for joining in the round by sewing the seam allowance of my FOE to create a circle... Matched the quarter points of my brief with the quarter points of my FOE...

Then attached with a zig-zag stitch.

So simple! And such a clean look all around.

Mixing Fabrics

I consider this fabric match both a win and a fail.

I swore I'd use every scrap of my beloved oatmeal rayon spandex from Phee and I had just enough left for a front panty panel. I paired it with Phee's camo powernet and did a simple black picot elastic trim.

The pair didn't photograph very well, but I decided to share anyway! They aren't as wonky as they appear here.

Why a win? Talk about lift, ladies! Powernet is as awesome for lifting the backside as it is the girls...

Why a fail? Size up when using powernet. This experiment resulted in a VERY cheeky pair of briefs, which I will totally wear, but will definitely be sizing up for my next pair!

I think the biggest lesson that I've learned in prepping for this panty party is that it's okay to experiment with different design ideas when you have a winning pattern. And panties are the ULTIMATE use for leftover scrap fabric. When I think about how much I've spent on underwear in the past, it's exciting to know I have the ability to make a better fitting garment with supplies I already have on hand.

Now, I just need a bigger underwear drawer...