McCalls 5241 Pattern Review

This pattern has been at the top of my must sew list and with cooler temperatures on the way I wanted a quick, stylish cardigan to wear around. I thought it would also be great for breastfeeding, a jacket with a built in drape! The pattern is very simple and only has two pieces, but one of them is huge, so you'll need a lot of space for cutting. I used a rayon spandex knit from Joann's (I had a 50% off coupon). This is a one hour pattern, yeah right!, I wish they would just say it's easy and be done with it, what sort of speed sewer is making these patterns? and that can't possibly include cutting time!

I had read several other online reviews and they mentioned that the sleeve hole had stretched. I decided to stay stitch the holes before cutting them out and ended up with the opposite problem, sleeve holes that were too small. I eased the sleeves in by gathering the sleeve cap seam allowances, so putting the sleeves in was a little fiddly, but I got them in. That was the hard part of the pattern, hemming the edges was the most monotonous. I did decide to use a twin needle and I am sooooo glad I did! Using a twin needle is very easy and the results are so professional looking. It gave me two perfect lines of stitching with a small stretch that is just perfect for knits. I absolutely LOVE how this pattern turned out! I love it so much that I was to rush out and buy more fabric to make it in other colors. I would say it's a great addition to my wardrobe and the fiddly sleeves were so worth it! I was fairly easy to sew and I imagine that someone with a serger could really make one of these fast. I have seen this style of jacket in almost every brand of pattern and I also have see directions free online. I, of course, bought mine when it was on sale for a $1.00 and it was definitely a well spent dollar. I would also like to note that I made view C, the longest jacket, in size XXL and it is almost to big (I could take the back in at the center seam). The only thing that I may change the next time I make this pattern is the sleeve, I think I would like a snugger fit and maybe some extra length.

Have a super crafty weekend, see you next week!

Quick, Hide Your Hooters

I never wanted one of these things with Little Miss, we had such a hard time breast feeding (nipple confusion, long story) the last thing I wanted to do was wrestle with another piece of equipment.  However this time around it seems like a really good idea, especially this tutorial from  Southern Institute for Domestic Arts and Crafts (found via luvinthemommyhood).  I have never noticed, so maybe all hooter hiders work this way, but the pocket for the nursing pad and the boning at the top so I can see what I’m doing under there are pure genius! This was super easy to do.  I used the fabric I have been using for all of Little Mans stuff and not a heavy upholstery fabric like the tutorial recommended.  Do yourself a favor and use the heavier fabric or the boning at the top won’t hold the floppy fabric out as well (it is still workable and it matches everything else).  I used a scrap of flannel for the corner instead of terry cloth, I was more interested in a pocket than a towel for milky mouths (although I think the flannel will work for that too).  I’m really excited to use this, I know it will be easier than trying to hold a blanket and a squirming, hungry baby and trying to get everything out and in position without flashing the whole world.

Have a happy Forth of July and have a super crafty weekend!

How to Make a Nursing Top Using T-Shirts

Nursing tops can get expensive once you go beyond a simple nursing cami, so this time around I will be trying to make a few different styles. I have made a tank style, but you can opt to use the existing sleeves and have a nursing t-shirt. I was greatly inspired and influenced by this tutorial on sleepingbaby.net.

You will need two t-shirts, I bought mine new because I really liked this eggplant color. I removed the pocket and then traced around one of my favorite tanks with chalk.

If you are making a t-shirt styled top you can skip this step. I will be making the t-shirt version of this and I like to reshape the neck and shorten the sleeves to make it look more like a top and less like a tee.

Using the other shirt I cut out a matching overlay for the front. I tried the shirt on and marked when I wanted the overlay to end and then used that as a reference when I cut out the bottom. If you are making a tee consult this tutorial. I left the bottom seam of the shirt so I could use it for my drawstring casing. I also cut out two 1 inch wide strips for my ties.

I sewed the overlay on to the shirt at the shoulder seams. I cut two small slits in the bottom seam on the overlay and threaded a strip through the center to the sides. I pinned the right sides together and sewed the side seams, treating the front and the overlay as one piece and catching the ends of the string in the side seam.

To finish the armholes and neck edges I cut 1 inch wide strips of the left over shirt. I folded them in half the long way and pressed them. I put them on the right side of the arm and neck holes and stitched them down. Then I pressed the seams toward the top and edge stitched on the right side. It kind of makes a mini-facing, see the picture.

After it was finished I marked where I wanted the nursing openings and cut slits in the bottom layer of the front. The finished tank looks like a tank with a baby doll tie. It’s super easy to untie the bow and lift for nursing access.

It would be easy to make this style from knit fabric too. If you do decide to make the t-shirt option it would be a lot simplier to start with premade shirts.

This shirt is finished, but I keep thinking it needs something else, some sort of embellishment, so I may have to work on that a bit more. If you have any ideas or tutorials for other nursing tops let me know! Have a super crafty weekend!