Hooded Princess Coat by Charm Patterns
Gertie’s hooded princess coat sewing pattern review and tips. I love the pattern and it sews together beautifully. With rain resistant fabric and the added hood expansion, it makes the cutest vintage style raincoat. It’s a little red raincoat. Not beginner friendly, but a seasoned sewist won’t have any problem making one.
My Little Red Raincoat
This coat is a Patreon expansion pack of Gertie's Princess Coat sewing pattern. Sew your own raincoat to keep yourself dry and cute. It starts with the Princess coat, then you add the expansion pack for the hood.
Do you ever find yourself needing a garment, but you can't find one out there that suits your style? This is that garment. I have a few hooded coats but, they're wool or fleece. Not really a raincoat per se. And, I have two garment obsessions: coats and shoes. I need all the coats and I need all the shoes. Ha!
I think coats and jackets are the best accessories because they add warmth- especially if you're always cold. And, they add fabulousness to your outfit. Imagine yourself wearing a T-shirt, jeans, flats, and red lipstick. A normal little everyday outfit, right? Then, add a black velvet coat and your outfit gets a major upgrade!
That's what coats and jackets do for me. I guess they're my jewelry. So, when Gertie came out with her Princess Coat pattern, I had to grab it. A month later she rolled out her Patreon expansion pack to make a raincoat. I was sold! I needed a raincoat.
Fast forward 2 years and I still hadn't made my beloved raincoat. First of all, rainwear fabric was something I had zero clue about. And, second, I sew on a budget. I didn't have hundreds of dollars to drop on fabric for a coat I would wear maybe twice a year. Thanks, Southern California for never raining. Living in the desert, we don't get a lot of rain but, when it rains, it pours. Hello, flash floods. And, hello Little Red Raincoat.
“It never rains in Southern California”
Tracing and cutting the outer fabric. The kitchen table was the best place for this. It’s a lot of yardage.
This post isn't a How-to because it's an expansion pattern for Patreon only. Gertie is gracious enough to spoil her Patrons with all her marvelous patterns. If you're interested in making a vintage-style raincoat, Grab the pattern here. Then, join her Patreon here. It's definitely worth it. We get a new pattern each month and honestly, it's too many for me to keep up with. But, I choose which patterns are "need to sew now" and which are in the "someday" category.
Anywho, I did have a few little areas I ran into trouble with so, I'll share my input on those. But, other than that, enjoy all the photos of my Little Red Raincoat. Yes, I named it. :D
No rain, but it was a frigid February day.
Why did I start sewing the raincoat after 2 years you ask? Well, remember this post on January Jeans? My sewing friend on Instagram was still talking with her jeans sewing group. They decided to do a #JacketJanuary. I was invited and thank goodness for those ladies! They welcomed me and I made new sewing friends. Yay!!
One gal finished her jacket on time and a few were waiting for the last touches by the end of January. We met every Monday for a fun Zoom call. the group kept me going and I was finally able to get my coat finished. It wasn't finished on time because I was undecided on whether to use buttons or snaps. In the end, I decided on snaps. Buttonholes and water don't go together so nicely
Snaps are usually easy but not this time. I put the first one in upside down. Cried (not really but, I wanted to). Then, put another one in wrong. Ha! I don't like snaps (anymore) or buttons. Face-Palm!
Isn’t my pink lining fun? My coat can double as a Valentines Day coat/outfit.
Let’s Talk Fabric
One of the ladies in the sewing group told me about trench coat fabric. We had a quick chat about that and I had an a-ha moment. It was mind-blowing, believe me. I ended up buying trench coat fabric and it was wallet friendly too. I found some beautiful red polyester twill from Mood Fabrics. They shipped quickly too. According to my measurements, I needed 8 yards. Well, technically I needed 7.5 but, when you order online, you can only order in whole amounts. Fun story, I ended up with almost 4 yards left over. So, now I have no clue what to do with all that leftover rain-resistant fabric. Ugh! I think camping table clothes and bench covers?
The fabric itself is nice. It was a dream to sew with but, it wrinkles very easily. When I'm running through a hurricane looking fabulous, I probably won't mind my wrinkled mess of a raincoat, though.
The lining is poly china silk I bought online from Wholesale Fabric Direct. It's a blush pink color and I ordered 8 yards of that as well because... well measuring. I have tons left over, over 4 yards. The leftover lining fabric didn't bother me because I can use it to line wool pants or anything else in the future. Plus, it only costs $2 a yard. LOL! No tears were shed over that. The rainwear fabric was a different story though. ;)
Tracing the lining pieces. Again, at the kitchen table.
Notions and Potions
No potions except coffee. Lots of coffee.
The thread and needles I used were simple and nothing fancy.
I bought 3 spools of all-purpose red polyester and 1 spool of all-purpose poly pink thread. I read other people’s comments about how much thread they used for the Princess Coat and I didn't want to run out. Well, I didn't even use a whole spool of the red. Ha! I always use red thread because it's the best color in the whole world, so no worries about that.
I sewed my outer coat with a regular 80/12 universal needle. It sewed through the rain-resistant fabric flawlessly. This fabric held onto the holes it was given so, I was cautious but, in the end, just went for it. Backstitching on every seam was fine, no issues there.
For the lining, I knew better. I used a Microtex needle to sew all the pretty pink seams. When it came to sewing the outer and lining together in a few spots, I used red thread and the universal needle. No issues, no skipped stitches, and no bird nests. Yay for nice, cooperative needles.
I used a tracing wheel and wax paper for the outer and lining pieces and cut everything with scissors. It was nice to open the leaves on my kitchen table and lay out the fabric and pattern pieces. My cutting table in my sewing space was not quite long enough for this project.
Adjustments
After making my muslin, I decided I wanted a little more room in the tailored sleeves. I used a 1/2" seam allowance instead of the recommended 5/8". I graded it up when I got to the armpit area. This kept me from having to make other adjustments in the armscye area.
I measured at a size 8 for the coat but graded down at the side seams, to a size 10 at the waist. I love that Gertie gives us different cup-size pieces. The fit was exceptional. I love sewing for my own body. Talk about body positivity. :D
I also adjusted the length as I cut out the skirt pieces. Instead of shortening the skirt length at the shorten lines, I simply cut the length at size 2. This was probably the incorrect way, but it worked for me. Sometimes I like shortcuts.
I added a hanging loop in the back. Cut a 2" wide by 4" long piece out of the outer fabric. Fold in half RS together and stitch with a 1/4" seam. Turn it inside out and baste it to the hood. A hanging loop for a raincoat is a must, right?
I topstitched all of my outer seams. I sewed the center back seams to the left and the other ones to the right or left, depending on each seam. I thought this would help with the rain seepage as well.
Pretty pink pockets.
Issues I Ran Into
The Instructions were a little wonky in areas which isn't normal for Gertie. She's usually spot on. However, I did run into an issue with pattern piece #15, the skirt front facing. Her video says she skipped the hem facings, fine. But, she still had the front facing on her raincoat and it didn't say in the extension instructions how to add this. The booklet instructions were on page 44 but were different. So, I unpicked some of the waist area and attached it to the bodice lining unit, albeit the wrong way, but I got it done.
I had trouble figuring out how to add the neck facing because I hadn't had enough coffee or something. Below, is how it should look. The collar facing is cut with the outer fabric and sewn to the lining bodice at the back collar. It went on sorta upside down. Like I said, maybe I didn't have enough coffee.
Bodice lining.
Neck facing is clipped and ready to sew.
Neck facing and back bodice lining.
I used muslin for the back and serged the edges.
Hemmer Time
Okay, when it's time to hem, be sure to let your outer and inner hang for 24 hours before you hem them. Fabric cut on the bias is no joke. My outer didn't stretch out but, the lining did need a little trimming and evening up.
After hemming 4,000 yards of fabric and removing approximately 300 wonder clips, your hem will be done. Gertie preferred a narrow hem for the raincoat. The way she does it is nice too. Sew along the raw edge with a 1/4" seam allowance, flip it up and under, and sew again. Super easy. It is also nice for a circle skirt hem, you don't have to worry about any puckers. ;) I hemmed the outer and lining before I put them together. I liked hemming the outer and lining separately. Easy and no stress.
I went back and shortened the lining hem length another 1/2" inch. I didn't want to get caught with my lining hem showing. Could you imagine?! Gasp! If you read this before you make your coat, hem the lining 1" shorter to begin with.
The sleeve hems were easy to do too. I didn't attach them as Gertie recommends. Hand sewing, no thanks, and on rainwear fabric especially. I prefer the bagged-out sleeve hem method. You take the sleeves and pull them inside out, fold over the lining cuff 1/2" or so, match seams up, and then sew. I didn't take photos but, here's a website that shows you how. It is my favorite way to sew sleeve cuffs and if you look at your RTW coats and jackets, they probably did it this way.
The pretty pink lining.
You can see ripples in the bodice in the photo below. The water-resistant fabric didn't take well to interfacing. I decided to leave it but, might rip it out later in life. We'll see.
I top stitched over all the seams in hopes to keep the rain out.
Let it hang for 24 hrs.
Ooh la la, I love my lining.
Final Thoughts
I'm so happy with how my Little Red Raincoat turned out. It was such a fun sewing project. Thank you to the #JacketJanuary sewing group, you ladies rock! I can't wait to sew up a few more jackets and coats using The Princess Coat pattern from Charm Patterns. Gertie, you really outdid yourself with this beautiful pattern, as usual. If a hooded coat scares you, don't let it. The hood was the easiest part. It's a nice roomy size so my vintage-style hairdos will fit inside without getting messed up. Yay for that!
She gives quite a few sleeve choices. I want to make a mustard yellow coat next. I need some fun tweed to make a cropped jacket with a dare I say, faux fur collar! Perhaps some light pink boiled wool with a black fur collar too. Hmm...
I have no clue what to do with almost 4 extra yards of red rainwear fabric. Any ideas? Share them in the comments below, please. I need ideas. LOL
Scroll down to see more photos of my glorious coat without rain.
Thanks for following along with my coat journey. Now, if you could all send some rain my way so I can try it out, that'd be great.
Happy sewing,
Annette
DIY Floor Cushion: Stuff Fabric Scraps Inside
Sew your own floor pillow, they are great for game rooms, kids rooms, or even the pets. Sew one and use fabric scraps as the stuffing. These are fun and easy. Floor poufs are the coolest scrap busting projects!
Are you a fabric scrap saver? Do you have dreams of using them up for something? Yes, of course you are. Maybe you don't save them all but, you do save pieces big enough to use for something special. My rule is if its big enough to use for a pocket, it gets saved.
I've discovered the best fabric-busting project of all time. It uses all your fabric scraps up. Okay, it doesn't technically "use" them but, it does put them to use. You're going to sew a simple floor cushion and store all your scraps inside!
You'll want to plow through that list of sewing projects so you can cut into fabric and have more scraps to fill the floor cushion. Whew! Trust me, I'm speaking from experience. ;)
Cozy Meets Functional
The floor cushion itself is not a good scrap buster. You might need to buy fabric to make it. But, it'll free up space in your sewing area, I promise.
I was lucky enough to have leftover grey chenille from my pop-up trailer makeover, so I used that. You'll want to use an upholstery-weight fabric or something similar. This cushion is going to take a beating.
If you have upholstery thread, you can use it here. If you don't, good ole polyester thread works fine. This whole project takes 2hrs give or take. It's a quick sew and gives a huge reward!
My son uses it as a foot rest while he plays videogames.
If you're still on the fence about making one, think ottoman, pet bed, kid's seat, etc.
My cat claims it as his bed when my son isn't using it for his feet. It gets carried from room to room and makes a great coffee table game chair as well. I'm surprised it hasn't been involved in a pillow fight yet.
All these scraps are going inside the poof.
Supply List:
2.5 yards upholstery fabric or similar weight fabric (you'll have a little bit left over)
Thread
Clips or pins
14" Zipper
That huge pile of fabric scraps
Sewing machine
Wash your fabric if you want. I didn't. When I need to wash it in the future, it'll shrink a little and be fine.
You're going to sew a large cube and fill it with your fabric scraps. Hooray!
1. Cut 2, 21" squares. Cut 4 rectangles measuring 15.5" by 21". Serge or zigzag over the raw edges. Upholstery fabric loves to fray.
2. Clip or pin the rectangles together along the short sides, right sides together. You're making a loop. Sew up the short sides using 1/2" seam allowances, backstitching at the beginning and ends.
3. Lay one square right side up on your table. Clip one side of the loop you just made from the rectangles, onto the square, RST. It's easiest to clip the corners of the square to the side seams first. Then, ease the side seams in. Your upholstery fabric might have some stretch in it but, you tell it who's boss!
If you don't want to insert a zipper, sew along the edge using 1/2" seam allowance.
4. Here's where you'll insert your zipper if you want one. This is a little different than inserting a zipper into a bag so, bear with me.
Clip/pin one side of the zipper to a rectangle edge. Sew the zipper with a zipper foot.
Open the zipper and clip the zipper tape to the square bottom edge. Sew using the zipper foot. You might have to sew one side of the zipper tape facing down which feels awkward but is totally fine.
Switch back to your regular sewing foot to sew around the whole square. Start at one end of the zipper and end at the other end of the zipper. Open and close the zipper to make sure it's lined up, if it isn't smooth, unpick one side and resew it.
*It's easier to sew with the flat piece down and move the rectangles out of the way as you sew.
To get the seam and zipper area to match up nicely, sew an extra 1/8" inside the zipper seam allowance when you get to the zipper.
It's a little trick that's used when inserting invisible zippers.
5. Now that the hardest part is over, it's time to sew the top square on. Clip the top the same way you did with the bottom square. Start with the corners first, then clip the sides. Sew all around using a 1/2" seam allowance.
This might look tricky but, take your time. Go slow and make sure you're only sewing over the 2 layers.
Sew around the top.
6. Turn the cushion right side out and pop out the corners. You don't have to worry about trimming the corners unless you want to. I left them alone. Press the seams open as well as you can.
Pull it through the opened zipper. At first, I used this tiny 4” zipper. Ha! It was too small. I had to rip it out and use the purple one.
Ta-da! You've made a floor cushion, bean bag, floor pouf, or whatever you want to call it. You made one!
7. Stuff it with all those fabric scraps inside. It's very therapeutic. If it feels empty still, toss some extra yardage inside if you'd like. I had yards of fleece, minky, and faux fur from my baby gift making days and that really helped to fluff it up.
You can even fill it with those random pieces of interfacing you're probably saving. ;)
All that's left to do is use it. Who gets to use it first? The kids, your kitty, or you?
Read Below for Extra Tips:
Use a long enough zipper to get your hand in and out. Originally, I used a tiny 6" zipper thinking I'd never need the scraps again. Haha!! It was quickly ripped out and replaced with a longer 14" one. It's fun and easy to add more scraps. And, if you need a pocket or other scrap-sized piece of fabric in the future, you can look through them easily. Dump everything out onto a table and sift through them all.
If you have random pieces of heavy-weight fabrics, use them to make the cushion. Use a different piece for each side, top, and bottom. It'll give it an eclectic and lively look. Faux fur would be fun too!
I used the sun faded piece for the bottom.
You can make a set if you have buckets and buckets of scraps lying around. Oh, a set would be great for a kid’s room or game room as well.
Now I'm off to tackle that sewing to-do list. I need more scraps!!
It’s waiting for more scraps.
So, are you ready to put all those scraps to use? Well, store them in a fun way at least. If you do, tag me on Instagram @sewingtothemoon so I can see them all.
Happy stuffing!
Annette
Crossbody Bag Review
Sew the world’s best crossbody bag. It has tons of pockets, a long strap, it snaps closed, zippered pockets, and more pockets. You can fit everything you need for a full weekend getaway inside.
I have found the holy grail of crossbody bags and I'm shouting it out from the rooftop! Make this crossbody bag today, you won't regret it.
This bag is the biggest-little bag I've ever laid eyes on. It's a game-changer for sure and everyone needs to have one or two! It's honestly the best travel bag I've come across! You can fill it with everything except the kitchen sink. This day-use crossbody bag is perfect for walking around museums, theme parks, concerts, national parks, etc.
I'm not getting paid for this post, I am just in love! Haha!
I've always carried my regular handbag whenever we ventured out and after a few hours, my shoulder would hurt something fierce. I eventually bought a tiny crossbody bag from a big box store for $5 because it was $5! Oh, and it was in the shape of cherries. Super cute!!
Well, my newest phone is too big for the cherry purse. So, I searched Pinterest high and low for a crossbody sewing pattern and nothing came up. Is it me or is Pinterest extremely lackluster nowadays?
I wanted pockets and the bag shape to be more horizontal than vertical. My next stop was Etsy. Thank you Etsy, for coming through. I found the best pattern and I'm sharing it with you today. Hold on to your teacup because she's a doozy.
This bag has so. many. pockets! It's comfortable to wear (aren't all crossbody bags?) and will hold allllll of your things. I'm not sharing a step-by-step tutorial in this post because the bag creator has YouTube videos and an extremely detailed PDF that comes with the pattern. This post is more of a pattern review.
I made this one for myself so, it is full of bright colored fabrics. If you know me, I'm the opposite of a neutral person. Ha!
Clarendon Crossbody Wallet
by: Hold It Right There Bags
Grab the downloadable pattern here.
I want to start off by saying this bag is not great for scrap-busting. It takes a good amount of fabric. You'll also need a couple of yards of interfacing because everything needs to be interfaced. Don't skip the interfacings, bags really do need all the pieces to be reinforced.
After you print and cut out all the PDF pattern pieces, trace and cut the fabric pieces, and interface everything 'til the cows come home, you'll be ready to sew!
Whew!
Holy moly. This pattern has sooo many pieces. I suggest cutting and interfacing everything one day and saving the sewing for the next day. Like I said, she's a doozy.
The bag does come together quickly when you start sewing though. Yay for that!
I wore the bag all day on a family adventure to an aircraft carrier. It was full of all my things and a few of my kid’s things. I walked up and down stairs and spent a lot time standing, reading signs, and listening to the volunteers talk. The weight would usually have hurt my shoulder and back but, I didn't have any pain. I could have worn this bag for 3 more days without batting an eyelash. Winner-winner!
It held everything I needed for the whole day and was comfy to use/wear.
The following weekend I was invited to go away on a girl’s trip. I left my regular purse at home and only took the crossbody bag. It was perfect. It held my money, masks, cards, and everything else I needed for a whole weekend.
I do like a full-size handbag for everyday use so, when I got home I emptied everything back into my bigger bag. But, this was perfect for a day out.
This bag has all the pockets! It’s the greatest bag pattern I’ve ever sewn.
Assembling the bag is fairly easy. Follow the PDF directions and/or YouTube videos. There are a few added steps to help with things like zipper installation, which is great for beginners.
You don't need rivets to make this bag. You can sew across the seam easily enough. Heck, you don't even need the swivel hook or D ring. Sew one long purse strap into the bag seams.
Okay, here are a few changes I'd make:
Tips for Next Time
I wouldn't add the lining pocket. The bag is small and has a whole lot of pockets already. The main body portion is small enough and doesn't need the extra pocket (read: save your fabric).
I made the purse strap twice as thick. I always prefer a thicker strap so, if you're the same way, use a 1" swivel hook and double the width of the fabric strap. I still used a .5" D ring and didn't have any issues with the different hardware sizes.
Next time, I want to use vinyl for the back and bottom. I didn't use any this time because it's a cross body bag. I usually don't let my crossbody bags touch the floor, they stay on my body throughout the whole day. But, I might try it in the future.
I would make zipper tabs next time. This will allow the front flap to lie flat and look nicer. Yes, adding zipper tabs adds extra time but, it'll be worth it.
Read through the pattern instructions first. The instructions are extremely detailed. Almost too detailed in my opinion. But, if you're brand new to bag sewing, extra details are a good thing. If you're more familiar with inserting a zipper, snap, etc.) some steps may feel a bit tedious.
I would topstitch the front flap and around the main opening. The instructions don't have you do this. I suggest you do it though. Topstitching holds all the layers in place and gives it extra reinforcement.
Back view of the bag.
So what do you think? Are you excited to make a Clarendon Crossbody Wallet? I highly recommend this pattern and bag. I plan on making a few for friends to give as Christmas gifts this year. But, shhh, don't tell them. ;)
Happy Sewing!
XO,
Annette
Simple Sewing Projects
Sew some simple projects. These make great gifts, stocking stuffers, or beginner sewing patterns. Beginner-friendly and great for teaching how to sew.
This list is chock full of simple sewing projects. Need to sew something that doesn't take a lot of fabric or pattern pieces? This is the list for you! I've compiled some sewing projects that are easy and great for beginners. These are great for scrap-busting and make wonderful gifts, too!
Projects to Sew:
Keychain
Headband
Zipper Bag
Apple Watchband Scrunchie
Fabric Basket
Pillow
Small Purse
Advent Calendar
Hair Scrunchie
1. Keychain
We all need keychains for our keys or extra sets of keys. You can increase the length of this to make a wristlet or lanyard as well.
Supplies:
Fat Quarter or large strip of fabric
Lightweight interfacing
Matching thread
Metal key ring
Iron + ironing board
Sewing machine + notions
Cut a rectangular piece of fabric that measures 8" long by 4" wide. You can always cut this shorter if you'd like but, this is a good starting size for a pocket key fob..
Apply interfacing according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Fold the fabric in half, wrong sides together, lengthwise, and press.
Fold one long edge into the center crease you've previously made. Press.
Do the same with the other side. Press. Fold the edges in again and you should now have one long strip. Give it a good press once again.
Top stitch 1/8" using 3mm-3.5mm stitch length, from the folded edge starting from the top. Repeat on the other side, starting at the top. (This will help with any puckering that may occur).
Grab the ring and slide it onto the fabric strip. Pick which side you want on the outside.
Fold one end over the ring about 1/2".
Add keys and go!
Bring the opposite edge up and under the folded edge. You'll hide the raw edge under the folded edge. Use a clip to keep them together.
Sew a few rows of stitching making sure to backstitch at the beginning and end. That's it! You're done!
Add your keys and show off your new keychain. Sew simple, right??
You can make this into a neck lanyard as well. Drape a measuring tape around the back of your neck and bring the end to the front to get your desired length. Add 2" for the folded edge.
You can also make this as a wristlet keychain.
2. Headband or Hair Scarf
Choose between a thin Rockabilly headband or a wide Pinup style headband to sew. Or, make them both. A gal needs options, right?
Click the link above to take you to a tutorial.
3. Zipper Pouch/ Makeup Bag
Follow this blog post for an easy zipper pouch. Increase the size and length to make it larger. These make great essential oil pouches, pencil cases, wet bags, etc.
4. Apple Watchband Scrunchie
Click here for the blog post and directions to give your Apple Watch a little more personalization. You can find the watch magnets on Amazon. These are very easy to sew. Make one of these for yourself or as a gift along with a new Apple watch.
5. Storage Basket
We all have stuff. Too much stuff. And, all that stuff needs a home. Storage baskets and bins are perfect for small items that need some organization in their lives. You can customize these by increasing the size to accommodate larger items. Click here for a smaller size that's great for a beginner basket.
6. Pillows
Make a pillow for your bed or couch. Make some small pillows for kids to use too. Pillows are as easy as pie to sew. Follow this Blog post and make all the pillows your little heart desires.
These aren't great scrap busters because they do take larger pieces of fabric. However, you could use a different front and back piece to use up the scraps you have on hand.
7. Purse
Make a small or large handbag custom to your wants and needs. This tutorial will walk you along with a “choose your own adventure” style bag.
8. Advent Calendar
Countdown to Christmas
Get a head start on holiday sewing with this easy tutorial for making an Advent Calendar. It's a good scrap buster to use up those holiday fabric pieces. You could alter this to make a Birthday countdown calendar or countdown for a wedding, other holiday, etc. It will take a large piece of fabric for the front and back main panels but, you can use scraps for the smaller pieces.
9. Hair Scrunchie
Is it scrunchie or scrunchy? My daughter even calls them a "scrunch". Either way, we all love them! They are comfortable to wear and claim to be healthier for your hair than rubber bands alone. A handmade scrunchie will accessorize your outfit and put a smile on your head. Not really, but just go with it. ;) They also keep the hair off your neck while sleeping, cleaning, or sewing. ;)
As with most things that are mentioned above, you can increase/decrease the length and width of the fabric strip to make these larger and fluffier or shorter and thinner.
*I personally like this exact size. I've made a few in different lengths and widths for my daughters but, they love the fluffier size too.
Fabric for the scrunchies.
Supplies
1/4" elastic
Fabric measuring at least 23" long
Sewing machine + notions
Safety pin
Cut a fabric strip measuring 4" by 23". You can use satin, cotton, viscose, rayon, or anything that is lightweight and has a drape. You wouldn't want to use canvas or something that is thick and stiff. You're basically creating a ruffle, so it needs to be able to... ruffle. :)
Fold the long strip in half, like a hot dog bun, RST (right sides together). Sew a seam down the long edge using a 1/4" seam allowance. Backstitch at the beginning and end. You now have a long skinny tube.
Turn the tube right side out using a turning tool or safety pin.
Cut your elastic piece 6-7" long. Feed the elastic through the tube using the safety pin.
Tie a simple knot in the elastic or sew the ends together by overlapping them.
Fold one short end under. Tuck the other end inside the folded end and clip or pin.
Topstitch the opening closed with a 2.5mm or 3mm stitch. Make sure to backstitch.
Cut elastic 6-8” long depending on how thick your hair is.
Sew 2 rows of stitching across elastic ends. You could also tie in a knot too, but you’ll need a longer piece of elastic.
Hooray! Now you can make tons for yourself or as gifts for everyone you know. Yay for hair scrunchies!! The 80s and 90s knew what they were doing.
I hope you've enjoyed these Simple Sewing projects. Share this post with your other sewing friends. These are all pretty easy which makes them great beginner sewing projects.
Thanks for hanging out today. If you make one of these Simple Sewing projects, tag me on Instagram, @sewingtothemoon I'd love to see what you create.
Happy Sewing!
Annette
Simplicity 8505 Caftan Sewing Pattern
Have you ever dreamed of floating around the house in a vintage 70's caftan? What about in your beautiful backyard? I vote yes for both! This Caftan sewing pattern is the only one you need, it's vintage and authentic.
Way back in high school, I borrowed a caftan from my mom's friend to wear to a dance. The 70s wasn't the theme but, I wanted to wear it. It felt so silky and soft while I wore it and danced all night long, with friends.
When I saw this pattern via an Instagram friend, I knew I had to snag one for myself. She looked so fabulous in hers, and I knew I needed that pattern in my life. I hope you grab the vintage reproduction pattern and make a caftan, too.
Oh hi there! I’m just over here living my best 70s life.
I ordered the Simplicity pattern 8505, a 1970s caftan pattern from an Etsy shop. After searching my local sewing shops for the perfect fabric, I decided to order that online too. If you make this, I recommend looking at fabric in person first, to give you ideas. It's fun to feel the drapey fabrics. Who doesn't love touching all the fabric? Are you ready to make the comfiest dress ever?
Let's get started.
Here's what you'll need. I also wanted to share a few tips and ideas for you to try, if you want.
Supply List for View B
Simplicity Pattern 8505
3.5-6 yards of fabric (depending on your size)
Interfacing Scrap
2 yards of twill tape or ribbon, 1/2" wide
1 1/2" button
Matching thread
Microtex or Sharps sewing needle
Sewing machine + all the notions (scissors, clips/pins, rulers, etc.)
*Optional: Fleetwood Mac playing in the background ;)
Tips for making this pattern:
This pattern doesn't have pockets, but I would add some. Use another in-seam pocket pattern from a pattern you already own. Try the dress on after you sew the shoulder seams to see where you'd like your pockets to be.
When you sew the front to the midriff, to the yoke piece, make sure to match the center seams. I didn't pay close enough attention and wished I had. Use a water-soluble marker, Frixion pen, or another writing tool that will disappear to mark the centers.
Measure, measure, measure! I measured myself and made a Large. It fit like a tent. I cut the side seams smaller, but it fits bigger than I'd like. You might need a smaller size than you'd think. ;)
Instructions:
Measure yourself and write your measurements down. Read the finished measurements on the pattern tissue to help decide the correct size for you. The big four pattern companies usually give a ton of ease in their patterns. You want a caftan, not a tent.
Cut out the pattern pieces. Trace the pieces onto the fabric and cut them out. It's a lot of fabric so, a nice big workplace such as the floor is great for this part.
I usually trace onto pattern paper but, this style is very loose and I knew I wouldn't need to make fitting alterations.
**You will have to tape the front (5 and 5A) piece to an extended piece. Match the stars and tape them together. You'll do the same for the back piece (8 and 8A).
The pieces were very large so, I used pattern weights and cut the fabric without tracing. Gasp, I know! Trace the neck-facing piece though.
Time to sew.
Attach twill tape ties and sew reinforcing stitches at the corners of the front pieces. Clip to the corner but, not through the stitching.
Sew the front center seam.
Sew the front center seam. I serged the seam after and pressed it to the side.
Gather those tiny ruffles.
Sew 2 rows of gathering stitches using a 4-5mm stitch length, between the notches across the front. Pull the bobbin thread to lightly gather the front. It helps to leave long thread tails to pull the gathers.
Press down along the fold line on the front. This will become your front V neckline.
This is where I had the most difficulty. Gathers are easy but can be a pain in the you know what. So, go slowly, check twice, then sew.
Pin the yoke to the front pieces matching all the notches together. Sew and press the seam downwards.
Serge or sew the edge 1/4" under the midriff pieces. Press along the fold line.
Pin the front midriff and yoke piece to the front pieces.
Make sure to match the center seams. Sew the bottom part of the yoke to the gathers first, then sew the sides. I didn't do this and found it a tad difficult to fit. Again, make sure you line up the center seams.
Grab the back pieces and neck-facing pieces.
Stay-stitch the back neck.
If you haven't already, apply your interfacing to the neck facing at this point.
** I left the button off and sewed a solid back seam. You can sew the button closure or not, it's your choice.
After the back seam is sewn, sew the neck facing onto the back matching the seams. Press open or to the side.
Yay, you're almost done!
Sew the shoulder seams, and press.
Then, sew up the side seams. Start from the hem and go up to the notch/dot.
Try it on at this point to see if you want your armholes smaller. I ended up sewing 7" from the top for my sleeve opening. This was a perfect amount for my arms.
Hemming the caftan.
Last but not least, it's hemming time.
If you're on the shorter end, you'll need to whack off some serious length on the bottom.
Hem the sleeves. Fold and press 1/4" under, then 1/4" under again, and topstitch.
The bottom hem was an issue for me. I measured (I usually just eyeball it) and, it came out wonky. I don't have any magical words of advice for you on hemming. Sorry. :( I used my dress form to pin the hem and then sewed it. And it was perfect in the back but several inches too long in the front and sides still.
So, the caftan dress sits in the timeout corner for now. I could hold it up while I walk around but, that's frustrating and not very chic or glamorous. Some day I'll rip it out, cut it, and re-hem it. Maybe next spring when I get the itch to float around in the warm sun, in my backyard again.
Meanwhile, enjoy some photos of my too-long caftan. :)
Thanks for hanging out today! As always, if you make one, please tag me on Instagram @sewingtothemoon. I'd love to see your fabric choices.
Happy 70s sewing,
Annette
