Hey everyone, It’s Holly! You may know that I absolutely love the Jarrah tee and sweater pattern. I have made sooooo many versions. But my most made version is actually a really simple hack – a short sleeve tee! Jarrah makes the most perfect slouchy, boxy, drop shoulder tee. And I am obsessed with it. So today I’m going to show you how to make one yourself – two different ways! One with turned under edges, and one with banded edges. So let’s get started, yes?
How to add shirring details to the Floreat dress
Hey everyone, it’s Holly! Is everyone enjoying Floreat as pattern of the month? It is such a versatile pattern! And I recently came up with a version that I am SO in love with. Like, completely obsessed. And I’m going to share the how-to with you today!
Has anyone noticed the shirring trend in the sewing world lately? Have you tried the technique yourself? Do you know what shirring is? If you don’t know, shirring is when you use elastic thread in your bobbin to create gathers that stretch. It’s so fun and SO much easier than you might think! Seriously, you just add some elastic thread, and your machine and thread basically does the rest. So I thought – why not try it out on a Floreat dress? It’s a nice loose fit, perfect for adding some shirring. And if you like adding the included sash pattern piece to cinch in the loose silhouette, this is a fun alternative to create that definition!
Opal Sewalong // Hack Idea – Elastic Hem Joggers
Well everyone, we’ve made it! This is the last hack tutorial for the Opal Sewalong and I think it might just be my favourite – it’s the elastic hem jogger hack!
It’s super easy and creates a whole different look to the tapered leg view of Opal. Depending on your fabric choice the cinched ankle style can range from sporty to chic, and it’s so simple to do! It’s basically the normal hem that we covered in the previous hemming post of the Sewalong, but before the hem is fully stitched, we sneak in with the elastic!
Here, let me show you!
Opal Sewalong // Hack Idea – Drawstring Waistband
Next up on our list of hacks for Opal is the drawstring waistband hack! Drawstrings are such a simple way to add a little extra detail to your waistband and also mean you get to play around with fun things like different types of tapes, cords, ties, and even toggles and tassels if you like! Whether you want to add a functional drawstring to your Opals or just get the look of one with a sneaky faux drawstring, I’ve got you covered in this tutorial. I’m working with the standard elastic waistband of Opal today, but don’t forget, this drawstring hack could just as easily be done on the paper bag waistband too! Everything we go through below will be the same, with the only difference being the paper bag waistband has a couple of extra steps compared to the standard waistband. You can check out the paper bag waistband tutorial here for help with those!
Ready to get started? Let’s go!
Opal Sewalong // Hack Idea – Cargo Side Pockets
So now we’ve gone through all the main construction steps for the Opal pants, it’s time to try something a little different with a few hack ideas! With all of the modular elements of Opal, there are so many opportunities to have fun mixing and matching, and even creating your own looks just by moving things around. And that’s what I’m doing today! This fun cargo side pocket hack uses the patch pocket that is already included in the pattern, but rather than using it as a back pocket, we are going to relocate it to the side of your pants instead! It’s such a simple change, but it can create such a different look!
Wanna see? Let me show you…