This pattern is the Sia Dress from Taree Marsh and I absolutely love it. 

I was drawn to this dress because the silhouette reminds me of McCall's 7974. But there are enough differences to justify me making this.

I cut the size 14. Her pattern has quite a bit of ease and I probably could have cut the size 12. She uses 3/8" seam allowances, except for the center back zipper installation which is 5/8"... so I just went back and stitched everything using a 5/8" and pulled the center back in a little more.

The bodice is generously drafted, so I didn't need to do a FBA. But in case you need to make a bust adjustment, she has great instructions for it. 

Her pattern is drafted for a height of 5'8", so I only needed an inch of length and I made my normal swayback adjustment.

The dress has two sleeve options, I chose the one with the sleeve ties and two to lengths. I love the midi. And it has pockets, of course!

The bodice is cut extremely low. It's open to the midriff. I closed mine up several inches so that it would still show some cleavage, but be bra-friendly.

The dress has a faux placket. You can add buttons, but I decided to leave them off. And it also has side slits.

Fabric: White Tencel Twill from Mood Fabrics.com

I'd always wanted a sewing machine with the embroidery feature and lots of good decorative stitches. I had a lower end, big box model in the past. But it just wasn't advanced enough for my liking and I never gave it more interest than adding a design or so to my linings in coats and jackets. When I got my Baby Lock Aventura II a few weeks ago, I was determined to learn about embroidery from the ground up... starting with the decorative sewing. I did my research because I wanted to use decorative sewing and embroidery in a sophisticated and polished way. I want my garments to look high-end and not like a craft project.

I wanted an easy-to-make summer suit, one that I could wear together or mix the pieces into my wardrobe. I picked Simplicity 8891. The thing about "easy" is that it can possibly mean painfully plain. And that's how I felt about this pattern. It's simple, but it has good details. I knew it needed some zhushing up.

My fabric is this incredible Italian Canary and Moonstruck Double-Faced Stretch Cotton Twill. This fabric is super soft and has a real comfortable amount of give. It feels like a double knit and it has a really good bottom weight. Really good for a body con dress or fitted pants. I pre-treated the fabric in the washer and dryer. It came out pretty wrinkled. But after a good pressing, it was beautiful.

For the jacket, I cut the size 14 and graded out to the 16 at the hip and added 1 inch to the length. I decided to use the decorative stitches instead of basic topstitching.

I picked this diamond looking 7mm satin stitch which I felt would really pop using embroidery thread.

Using the Edit/Stitch switching key and selecting the elongation key to make the pattern shorter and the single/repeat key to indicate that I wanted this to be a continuous stitch and not just a single pattern. I pressed the memory key (the pocket) to save it, so I wouldn't have to go through all of these adjustments each time, because I was going to be using this stitch throughout this project.

I'm really loving the detail that it added to the jacket.

I used the decorative satin stitching to tack down the pleats in the front and the back.

Additionally, I created a belt. I'm not the biggest fan of self tie belts, so I wanted to make a real belt. I interfaced with weft fusible to give it body and carried out the decorative stitching too.

I've seen the eyelet stitch before, but I never thought to actually use it or what it was for. 

The 7mm width is perfect for stabilizing metal eyelet installation.

For the shorts, I cut the size 16 and made a 1.5 inch full butt adjustment. I really like the length that they are straight out of the envelope.

This is how I used the decorative stitching on the shorts.

I really love both of these pieces and I can't wait to work them throughout my wardrobe.

One thing I can always appreciate is that fashion is super cyclical. What goes around, always comes back around. I can guarantee that! That's why I pulled out McCall's 6279, that's currently out of print and from years gone by. Because for Spring 2019, "Utility Dressing", and trench styles falls under that -- is one of the major trends. And even though I would always think of a trench style as classic, the fact that it's considered a trend gave me a reason to dig out a pattern that I've planned to sew for years, but never got around to it. 

See all the details over on the Mood Sewing Network Blog!

I love the look of the high collar with the keyhole opening. But I plan to wear this into the spring, so I used the view with the neck bias binding and the hook and eye. And even though I added the hook and eye, I doubt I’ll ever actually close it because I love the deep v.

I shaved the cuffs down by 1.5 inches, because they were swimming around my wrist.

The alteration made them fitted and that's the way I like to wear my sleeve cuffs.

When I lengthened the bodice, I lowered the waist also. 

So, I moved the casing and the elastic down one inch.

This was an excellent top to add to my wardrobe and end the year on!

Separates are so necessary in building my home sewn wardrobe.  They’re interchangeable and can be rotated throughout so many looks. I'm always adding low maintenance tops to my wardrobe, because it seems like I never have enough. Also, each cool weather season, I gravitate towards a faux leather legging. It's one of my wardrobe staples. A couple of years ago, it was faux leather jeans that I was obsessed with. This year, it will be these faux leather high-waist tapered leg trousers that will look amazing with everything from heels, flats, ankle boots and sneakers. Go on over to the Mood Sewing Network to see how I created Kwik Sew 3555 Button Front Shirt and Simplicity 8749 Faux Leather Pants.

Over on the Mood Sewing Network, here's my newest Chanel-Style Jacket.

It's been 11 years since my first one... see the details how I made this one.

What's summer without a fabulous sundress? Meaningless for me! See the details on this dress over at the Mood Sewing Network blog!

I made this dress a while ago. My husband suggested it would be perfect to save for the Memorial Day Weekend, based on the colors. His suggestion was on point and that's exactly what I did. My dress is inspired by a fabulous $1,700 Gucci dress with web trim that I feel in love with and had to create my own version. For the details, go on over to the Mood Sewing Network!

A good shirt dress is a classic wardrobe staple. And based on how many shirt dresses I've sewn over the years and a couple are still in my current wardrobe, they're a favorite of mine. 

I wanted something this time that put a different spin on the classic dress. This one is McCall's 7351, view C. And my fabric is Jet Black Stretch Cotton Poplin from Mood Fabrics.com. I prewashed my fabric and pulled it straight from the dryer and smoothed it out with the iron prior to cutting. The fabric cuts, sews and presses beautifully.

This is one of those great patterns that has cup sizing -- meaning no FBA for me. I cut a straight size 14, with the D cup.

I lengthened the bodice by an inch, which is an alteration that I make to practically every single pattern I sew. And anyone with a substantial sized bust knows the feeling of getting a great bodice fit on a button up top with no gaping and pulling. So kudos to the cup sized pattern and this amazing poplin with it's slight give. I plan to make this again in a bright white, and when I do I'll lower those pockets probably about .5"-.75" inches.

Since my fabric is lightweight, I needed a comparable interfacing. I used Black Weft Fusible Interfacing. It is the perfect weight for the front bands and the collar.

I sewed the skirt straight from the envelope. I like the length as it is. 

This poplin drapes beautifully. And just like with any bias cut, I allowed the dress to hang for 24 hours. Even though stretching can still occur in bias cuts, this handkerchief hem will hide any unevenness.

I am pretty impressed with this fabric. There was minimal wrinkling even after riding in a car.

I can tell you now, this dress will be in high rotation this season. I love the simple and quick style and the versatility. Shoe options are endless and all I have to do is add a great belt for waist-cinching style!