Black History Month Pattern Designers

This year for the #bhmpattendesigners challenge, I used Simplicity 1945. It is a Khaliah Ali pattern. If you are not familiar, the Black History Month Pattern Designers challenge was started by Nateida (of SewNaturalDane on Instagram). The purpose is to showcase Black pattern designers, both past and present. And, the challenge is open to all! This year, Keira (of IslandSewcialist) is cohosting the challenge. All that is necessary is to sew up a pattern from a Black designer. You can read about it here.

Here is the pattern I used for this year’s challenge.

Simplicity 1945 pattern envelope, Black pattern designers — Simplicity 1945 (from 2011)

I was able to make three pieces from this pattern (this pattern is designed for knits only). The fabric used is from my stash (I’m really trying to stick to my goal of buying as few pieces of fabric as possible). So, I consider this an outfit of coordinating pieces.

S1945 knit outfit-for Black history month pattern designers challenge

The top is a tie-dye print knit that I fell in love with when I saw it. This was purchased locally last year. The wine colored pants are a ponte knit and the black cardigan is jersey knit.

If I were to make this again, I would have like to have matching fabric for two pieces. The pants fabric is so nice and I think that it would be an awesome cardigan.

I raised the neck on the top about 2″. I made my usual pants adjustment (wedge to lengthen the center back seam). The pants fit great, but I think the material may have been a bit off grain when I cut them out.

Do you have plans to join any challenges or competitions this year?

I generally don’t do challenges or competitions myself mostly because I tend to change my mind about what I feel like making. This challenge is a bit different in that I could choose a pattern and whatever material I wanted. So, I was glad to be able to get my pieces done before the last minute.

Let me know in the comments what you’re working on and if you’ve ever sewn an outfit (more than one or two garments) from one pattern. That is actually something I want to work on this year.

The Bleeker Sweatshirt

I got this PDF pattern from Sewing and the City. The Bleeker sweatshirt is loose and oversized with dropped shoulders and ruffle details. It is easy to sew (it took me maybe two hours total to get this done). This is a pattern that I saw and knew I liked right away. The simplicity of the style with a bit of a design detail, the ruffle, really makes this more than the average sweatshirt.

woman wearing Bleeker sewatshirt front view

The Fabric

My fabric is from Mood Fabrics and it’s a lace print sweatshirt fleece that is very soft. Although I used the same fabric for the ruffle, it is suggested to use a lighter weight fabric with sweatshirt fleece. I wanted to make the ruffle more discreet as well as use material I had on hand. It turned out fine.

woman wearing Bleeker sweatshirt back view

Because The Bleeker sweatshirt is so oversized, I actually used the finished garment size to determine which size I would make. I sized down two sizes and got a perfect fit! It’s still oversized and comfy.

Some easy changes for the Bleeker sweatshirt

The ruffle can be made from contrasting or coordinating fabric (cotton, chiffon, etc).

The sleeves can be color blocked (I think about color-blocking more now that I made this jacket).

The ruffle can be made in one layer and the edges could be serged to make a scalloped edge.

And lastly, rib knit can be added to the sleeves and/or bottom of the shirt for a different look.

Whatever the case, I definitely recommend the pattern. It’s stylish and easy to make. I’ll make another one but I’ll probably use one of the variations I stated above. The Bleeker is an easy make for beginners.

Bleeker sweatshirt front view in gray and white

This fabric is super soft. Various knits can be used to make the sweatshirt too. Click here to check the pattern out for yourselves!

Red Blouse Project With McCall’s 6436

When I purchased this fabric (a polyester spandex blend that feels fantastic!), I knew what I wanted to do with it right away. I wanted to create a blouse that would flow and move, as well as have some style. For my red blouse project, I made McCall’s 6436. The paper pattern is no longer available, but I see that you can purchase it as a digital download (you can check it out here).

Have you ever made a button front blouse/shirt?

When I posted some pictures online, many people responded that they have never made a shirt. I understand that it does look more complicated than it actually is (trust me on this). With most sewing machines having automatic buttonhole attachments, it’s so much easier than it used to be.

It seems that one of the hardest things is to try to get the spacing right on the front of the shirt. Making sure your buttons are evenly spaced from each other is important because it’s noticeable if they aren’t. Also, making sure that the shirt stays closed in the front, especially at the bust when you move, is also important. But don’t let any of this dissuade you from making a shirt. At the end of the post I’ll share some of the tools I used to make this easier.

Another thing I did which I often talk about is making a muslin. I made one (I usually just attach one sleeve) to check the fit since I’ve never used this pattern before. I took my time and made sure to follow the instructions so that I wouldn’t skip a step.

Making a muslin/mockup for fit can save you time & trouble!

So, if you haven’t tried doing this before, I encourage you to give it a try. Like most things you sew, it gets easier the more practice you have.

Here are some of the tools I used to make this shirt: