Fall is my absolute favorite season! And the weather this week matches. So, I'm having a great time planning cooler weather looks.

My skirt is Threadymade Painted Stripe Sunburst Monroe Skirt kit. I shot a review video on IGTV.

What I love most about this pre-pleated skirt kit is that it came with the option of a fixed waistband and an invisible zipper.

I love these pieces. This top will look great with a pair of jeans or high-waisted pants. And I can't wait to wear this skirt with tall boots!

I've been a blogger for a long time. I've always wanted to keep the "aesthetic" of my platform purely about sewing and only sewing. I hardly even talk about my own family UNLESS it's sewing-related. I haven't discussed anything political since Barack Obama was elected, because that was just monumental and my ancestors' wildest dream. I had to shout about it from the rafters. The only time I've "acted up" was when a troll needed to be dealt with swiftly. I'm always going to advocate for myself. There's no taking the high road when you're being openly disrespected. You have to let them know... train people how to treat you. I've witnessed a lot of things happening in the 15 years that I've been taking up real estate on this little corner of Al Gore's internet. A lot of unrest... a lot of unfair treatment of disenfranchised folks. And I kept it strictly about sewing, even when I've noticed systemic racism and implicit/unconscious bias within our sewing community, because my sewing has always been my peace.

I'll just start by saying that I love this top so much. McCall's 8043 is unlike anything I have in my wardrobe and I love the fact that its designer style is so dead on the nose. 

This design is inspired by the Orseund Iris Night Out Top. McCall created versions with both the ruched midriff and a smooth one, like I made. And I like that they lengthened the ties so that you can tie them to the front also.

I cut my version is a 14. I didn't need to make a FBA, because without wearing a bra, it fits like it's supposed without any adjustments.

My gorgeous floral crepe fabric is from Joann Fabrics and so are the matching buttons. It cut and sewed beautifully.

Both the front and the back openings have facings which keeps the openings laying nice and smooth.

I love how well the ties work in the back and the front!

This is such a great wardrobe addition that I think I need to add another one in a solid, basic color.

I can't believe it's already July 1st! We're halfway done with this year. Wow... time is flying by. I've been feeling like I haven't been sewing a lot as compared to my prior years. But that just tells me that I have nice and full wardrobe that's efficiently working for me. I've added some really cute pieces this season, but I have a lot of things from previous seasons that are still in major rotation. Cheers to effective wardrobe building!

So, with saying all of that, I can guilt-free enjoy sewing things I like rather than sewing things  I absolutely need. Which leads me to this really adorable two-piece outfit. As with suits, sewing matching sets just increases your wardrobe by adding new amazing separates.

I found this amazingly fun fabric at Mood Fabrics.com. It's the Jadeite and Bright Orange Floral Cotton Twill. It's a lightweight twill... a little heavier than a poplin and it sews like a dream. I prewashed and pulled it straight from the dryer and it smoothed out with the iron perfectly.

The top is McCall's 7929, view A. Right off the bat, I know that the button-up back wasn't going to work for me. Trying to button up the back and twisting the top round, and working my arms through the sleeves really didn't appeal me to me... at all.

So, I decided to modify the back by created a center back panel of shirring. This way, I can just pull it over instead of struggling alone or needing an extra set of hands.

A couple of years ago, I made Mikaela a shirred bodice dress and created a tutorial. You can check it out here.

The skirt is McCall's 7725, view C.

I finished my seams with a Hong Kong finish. And a button and buttonhole instead of a hook and eye.

And I added an inch to the length of the upper part of the skirt. I left the hem of raw because I felt the skirt would would hang better.

I love a good coordinated outfit. And this one is so perfect for a good play on stripes. I'd had this fabric for around a year. It was a purchase from Fine Fabrics in Atlanta. I'd held on to it because every time I pulled it out, it wasn't quite right for what I had in mind. 

The fabric is a bold, red and white lightweight canvas, denim or twill. The fabric descriptions at Fine Fabrics are extremely vague, so you're never completely sure of compositions. I know this one isn't 100% cotton. It had that synthetic smell while pressing. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, because when I wore it, I wasn't all creased and wrinkled from sitting in the car.

This pattern is Simplicity 8927. I knew going in, I'd need to make pattern alterations.

Here's the FBA I made to the bodice.

I modified the should straps by adding buckles and eyelets.

For the skirt, I cut view C. There's no way that the other view would've been long enough for me, so I went with the midi length.

I needed to make a full seat adjustment.

This is such a cute pattern. I love how the top meets the skirt's waistband. It almost looks like a dress. I think it would look just as nice in a solid color as well.