Folks, these sleeves are like crack! I'm completely addicted. It is truly all about the sleeves this season and I can't stop!

For this top, I was inspired by the...

Roksanda Truffant Bell-Sleeve Top, and here's mine:

I used Simplicity 8061 for my base pattern. This pattern had the perfect boxy-shape and the horizontal underarm dart. 

My fabric is this beautiful rayon crepe from Mood Fabrics.com. 

The sleeves are the main ingredient detail that make this top special.  

I've captured this look before. I've admired Roksanda Ilincic for a few years. I made my purple version of the famous lantern sleeve dress about 3 years ago. And here is a black version I made also.

For the modifications, I lengthened the sleeve pattern to right above the elbow. I created the sleeve ruffle which is basically just a rectangle. It's about 10 inches long and 38 inches wide. The width is calculated 3 times the sleeve opening for fullness. I've been admiring the Roksanda sleeve for years and I've yet to discover what gives their sleeve its poufiness. So I had to work this out on my own.

I knew that the sleeve ruffle would need to be treated in the same way as I would if I were making a poufy set-in sleeve -- it needed support, a sleeve head so to speak. Since the way the sleeve hangs and it's unlined, I needed to go with something that would barely show. I used nylon netting. You can find this with the tulle fabric. I don't remember how long I cut it, but it's 4" wide and folded in half. I made it it significantly longer than the sleeve opening so that I could pleat it for the fullness.

It's sewn onto the seam where the ruffle and the sleeve met.

And to give it even more structure, I folded the seam allowance over and stitched it down. 

I'm not saying this is the "right" way, but this basically achieved the look I wanted. And next time, for even more structure and poufiness, I'll underline the ruffle with silk organza.

My insides are serged and the neckline is finished with a facing.

And I used a 22" metal exposed zipper.

For my pants, I wanted a slim-fitting cigarette style with a front ankle slit since these sleeves are serving up a huge amount of volume on their own. I went with McCall's 7098. But they would need some work for the silhouette I was shooting for.

My inspiration is the Tibi Slit-detailed Woven Pants.

My fabric is a Black Stretch Cotton Sateen. I cut the size 14 in view F. But these pants are drafted with an overly generous amount of ease. And they are in no way as tapered as the envelope would lead you to believe. In a way, I guess that's a good thing so that you can customize the fit on the side front and side back seams. I made a 3" length adjustment. My goal was a 32" inseam.

I put the pants on inside out and commenced to pin fitting on myself. I compared the leg opening to other slim fitting pants I own so I knew how wide I wanted the leg opening. I had to take the pants in a lot. What the pattern does not tell you is that these pants are high-waist. My waist is 12.5 inches smaller than my hip measurement. So I should've cut the waist in the size 12. But I worked it all out, with a lot more work than I've put into a pair of pants in a long time.

The pants have a mock fly and I always interface the zipper area. And for the pocket, I underline it even though the instructions skip advising you to.

Here is the waistband open...

and closed.

And the front ankle slit.

This is the detail that drew me to this pattern originally.

I absolutely adore my top. But I wouldn't sew this pants pattern again if my life depended on it. No pattern that I have to work on that hard is worth my time. I've yet to find the Holy Grail tapered pants pattern. But when I do, y'all will be the first to know!

I simply can't get enough of the denim-on-denim trend.  This time it's chambray and white denim.  There is something so crisp and fresh about the combination of blue and white denim.

For my top, I went with an off-the-shoulder style, of course!  That's my thing right now and the obsession is not waning anytime soon.

My inspiration:

TIBI Cotton Twill Off-the-Shoulder Tunic, Moda Operandi, $295

HotPatterns HP 1196 Metropolitan Urban Gypsy Blouse is the most perfect pattern doppelgänger that I've seen for the most popular TIBI tunic.  I happened up on it last week from a HotPatterns newsletter.  I immediately purchased it, downloaded it, printed it out, and started taping it together.  Who has time for snail mail!

I cut the size 12 and it was perfect without a single modification.  I used a chambray from my stash. What I love most about this pattern unlike other similar styled patterns, is that this one has the exact same fitted front neckband with the elastic starting at the sides and continuing through the back.  And it also has the nice shirt-tail hem, which is perfect for wearing untucked.  There is an option for a shelf bra.  I didn't use that because I've never had a problem wearing strapless bras.  But if you need the extra support, that option exist.  And another excellent detail:  It has bust darts!  That makes a huge difference on the way it hangs over the bust.

Since both sides show on the sleeve ties, I took extra care in creating a narrow hem that I wouldn't mind being seen in a contrasting white thread.

This top is a winner for me and I'm so glad I found it.

Meg from Colette Patterns reached out to me and asked if I wanted to try their new pattern that was soon to be released and I was like, "Sure!"  I've never sewn a Colette Pattern before, but I've always admired their tutorials and I've collected quite a few on my Pinterest.  So when I received the new Selene, I was ready to get started!

I really like the packaging.  And included in the instructions are links to their helpful tutorials for certain techniques.

My wardrobe was missing a casual white skirt.  So I picked a great machine-washable white stretch denim from Joann Fabrics.  And since this skirt is lined, I needed a stretch lining to match the fabric's give.  

Based on the Colette Patterns' sizing chart, I cut the size 12.  Looking at the pattern pieces, I knew I'd have to lengthen.  I added 3 inches to the length so that the hem would fall right above the knee.  And since I fall slightly between sizes, I had to take in the waist a bit.  And as a general personal preference, I like for my pencil skirts to be tapered at the hem.  My ideal sizing is that the hem on my skirts should be 4" smaller than the widest point of the hip. 

Here is how the lining looks.

And this skirt has a lapped zipper.  Even though I can install an invisible zipper with one eye closed, I've only done a lapped zipper only a few times in my sewing career, so it's not something that comes natural to me.  It's not that different from putting in a zipper fly, but I did use the Colette Lined Lapped Zipper Tutorial.  And to keep the lining from creeping up, you're instructed to secure it to the skirt with a thread chain.  If you've never done one, here's the Thread Chain Tutorial.

All in all, I'm quite pleased with both new wardrobe additions.  And I'll be using both patterns again!

We had an absolutely glorious day on yesterday.  One that was meant to be spent out doors soaking up sunshine and mild, spring-like temperatures.

For me, that meant my go-to casual uniform: A white shirt and jeans.  

For my white shirt, I went with the White Long Sleeve Off The Shoulder Blouse c/o Shein.com.  I feel like I've been so chilled to the bone for the last few weeks.  It felt so good to bare my shoulders in the warm sun and shrug off the winter blues!

What I love about this top, is that it's a fabulous "look-for-less" dupe of Tibi's Satin Poplin Off-the-Shoulder Tunic which debuted on the runway for Spring 2015.  It was a definining fashion moment. 

Tibi S/S 2015

Here is their new blouse for this year:

Tibi S/S 2016

What I love about this trend, is that almost everyone who likes it can wear it.  It's a great way to add sex appeal (if that's your thing) to an outfit, without exposing cleavage and also covering your arms if you wish.  Almost everyone has cute shoulders!

The Spring/Summer 2016 Runway: Paul & Joe, Peter Pilotto, Chloe, Michael Kors, and Francesca Liberatore (from Fashionista.com)

Bared shoulders were prominent on the spring/summer 2016 runway.  You'll be seeing variations of this everywhere.

Can I just tell y'all how much this sleeveless blazer has become one of my favorite things to wear?!  Oh... I did... my bad.

Well, I'm wearing it again.  To my chagrin, it has at least been a week since I wore this last... I know that's not a long time, but I really want to wear this thing everyday!  Have you ever made (or bought) something that wasn't majorly "special", but you just kind of fell in love with it and wanted to wear it often?  Well, that's how I feel about this sleeveless blazer.  I've decided that I MUST make a white one too.

And another thing that I'm loving right now is McCall's 6707.  I knew I'd want to make these over again and I had this most amazing lightweight wool gabardine from Mood Fabrics in my stash.  It's great because these pants are light enough to wear all throughout the summer and they also have stretch.  And who doesn't love the comfort that a stretch woven offers?

One of my new Spring polishes:  Essie "Madison Ave-Hue".

Wearing:  sleeveless blazer:  Simplicity 1756, or similar here and here; tank (old), similar here and here; pink trousers: McCall's 6707; black raffia and leather clutch (old); shoes: Shoemint.com.