After I made my last dress, I had about a yard and a half leftover of that amazing stretch crepe. I normally keep the amount as close as possible to the amount needed for a project, but I bought extra because I liked it just that much.

McCall's 7750 was a great way to use up the rest of my fabric. I cut the size medium and I didn't have to make any other alterations. It's very generously sized.

The sleeves are open really wide, exposing the entire sides. So you would need to wear a cami (preferably a racerback style with thin straps) or a bandeau like me.

The only thing about this top is the way the sleeve is tacked. I went the extra mile on that part, because I could see that easily snapping apart if you're lazy about it.

The back has a keyhole opening with a chainloop closure. If you need more of a visual for how to do this, here is my tutorial.

Overall, I like this top. I questioned whether I would after I was finished, but then I saw that I am SUPPOSED to wear it layered over something and it all made sense then. So, this will be something that I reach for often, because of how easy it is to just throw on and wear.

I am always inspired by ready-to-wear. I'm always perusing fashion magazines and ripping out pages. Or scrolling through my favorite high-end retailers such as Net-a-Porter.com or IntermixOnline.com. I never forget to explore some coupons from CouonsMonk.com while doing a bit of shopping or just surfing. By the way, these high-end retailers have great photos and always provide a detailed description of fabric content.

I discovered this outfit while looking on IntermixOnline.com. And I loved both the top and the pants. 

I love separates and these are such basic and cute pieces that I know I'll wear to death all summer. And I'll wear the pants all year with our weather.

I picked Simplicity 8385 and 8389 as my patterns. I sketched the pieces together just to see if it would look the same and I loved it. So, next was the execution.

For the top, I used Simplicity 8385, view C. My fabric is a White Rayon Challis from Mood Fabrics.com.

I cut the size 12 and graded out to a 14 at the hip. The flounce is finished with a narrow hem.

And the inside has French seams.

I love the cold-shoulder detail. I use to not get why a custom top would have adjustable straps. My thought was I'll just adjust the fit while constructing it. Made sense to me. But I've learned that even if it is customized, you still need to make adjustments.

The pants are Simplicity 8389, view D. And these pants are amazing! I cut the size 14 and lengthened them by 3 inches. My fabric is this Black Textural Blended Silk Double Cloth from Mood Fabrics.com. I love this fabric. If you're not familiar with double cloth, it means that two different fabrics (or sometimes the same kind) are fused together. These have a textured, crinkly silk on one side and a twill on the other. I would love the opportunity to buy more of this fabric and utilize both textures in a single garment.

Here's a close up so you can see it. The fabric has zero stretch, so it works really well for a relaxed fit.

These are such fun piece that'll be in constant rotation.

I very rarely forget to review something I've sewn. I don't remember the last time this happened. I do remember that I sewed this top back in August. I was on a sewing roll at that time. My mojo was on fire!🔥 And at the same time, we were preparing Mikaela for her sophomore year of college. I got caught up in the chaos of shopping for her new residence and this piece kind of fell by the wayside and it ended up buried in my closet. 

I rediscovered it back in December. I'd planned to wear it during the holiday season but I never got around to it. But with Valentine's Day around the corner (don't forget about my giveway) I was searching to see what I have that was red. Bingo!

My pattern is a classic! It's Vogue 2064 - Donna Karan from 1997. That's right, it's 20 years old! Styles are so cyclical that this pattern is relevant today. Shoulder-baring one-arm silhouettes are currently a fashion phenomenon. Throw in that cold-shoulder cutout detail and you have a fashion killa!

I read the reviews on this top recently and I'm glad I just opened up the envelope and started sewing as if this was a brand new pattern that had never been sewn before. A lot of people had a lot of things to say. And I'm so glad I didn't have that "noise" in my head during the cutting and construction. Because I found this top to be extremely easy and quick to cut out and sew, considering it is a designer Donna Karan Vogue Pattern.

I cut out the size 12 and sewed this straight from the envelope with not modifications. My fabric is Scarlet Stretch Poly-Rayon Ponte de Roma from Mood Fabrics.com. I like the weight of this fabric for this type of top. It's no overly stretchy and slinky like an ITY would would be. It has a great combination of stability and give that keeps this top in place while allowing it to be comfortable to wear.

What keeps this top in place around the neckline and back is elastic in a casing. I feel secure and I know that it's going to stay in place without falling down or gaping anywhere. And the insides are serged just like I would finish any knit.

There is elastic even at the cold-shoulder cutout area.

For the back, I used D-rings and cotton twill for my closure.

I love this top! I don't know what took me so long to make this and wear it. And now that I have, I will probably make another in black or a white one for spring!

So in 2017, the cold shoulder trend is still going strong and according to the runways, it's not about to let up anytime soon. That's why I decided to add this fabulous cold shoulder sweater dress to my wardrobe.

My dress is Butterick 6425. I modified mine, slightly.  My fabric is this gorgeous Black/white Abstract Ribbed Knit from Mood Fabrics. It has such an interesting weight to it that I would call it more of a sweater knit. 

As with most garments I sew, I needed to lengthen this dress. I added 4 inches to the length. I wanted my hemline to fall at the knee. 

This pattern was meant to create a loose fitting dress with a self tie. I wanted something more body-con because I felt it would fit the weight of my fabric a lot better. With a knit this beefy, I might as well take advantage with a form-fitting garment.

I cut the top of the dress in a size 12 and graded to a 14 at the waist and through the hips. I tapered in the waist and also the hem. So a belt was unnecessary.

This fabric is a panel print. I ordered 2 panels just to make sure I had enough to lay out the print like I wanted to. It sewed really well, basically like a heavy weight ponte knit. I used a ball point needle and finished it with my serger.

The neckline and the sleeve openings are just a 5/8" hem. I typically like a bound finish in these areas, but this works fine. I feel if you don't over manipulate these areas you can get a lovely, clean and neat finish without it looking stretched out and wonky.

I absolutely love this dress. I think the abstract print plus the knee length hem makes this dress look pretty high-end. I'm going to enjoy wearing this!

I'm taking advantage of this weekend's springlike temperatures.  I love an all-white ensemble.  It looks so fresh and so clean, no matter if it's summer or winter or months in between.

My white Vogue 9032 pants have been a constant wardrobe staple for the last year.  As soon as I find another cut of perfect white fabric, I'm going to make a second pair.  

I wore it with is great Cold Shoulder style sweater c/o Shein.com.