The Lexington Nightdress

When I received this fabric from Minerva, I knew right away that it would be perfect for a nightgown or something like that. Then I saw the pattern for the Lexington nightdress and a match was made! The pattern for this make is from Sewing And The City Patterns. It is a downloadable PDF pattern that includes the following:

a short pajama set
a long pajama set
this nightdress/night shirt

The Lexington Nightdress is designed for woven fabrics and could be made from something very luxurious, like silk. It’s described as having a 90’s inspired silhouette that’s feminine and sporty.

The fabric I used was gifted to me by Minerva Fabrics. You can check out my post for this on their site as well here. This is a lightweight cotton that washes and dries well. It’s great for craft projects as well as something like this. The name of the fabric is called “philosophers dreams”. How perfect is that for a nightdress/nightshirt? Quotes from different philosophers are printed on the fabric.

Sewing and the City Lexington nightdress back

I like that this pattern is pretty straightforward and easy to make. I made this in a size based on my measurements. It is a good fit, especially considering it is something that I wouldn’t want to be tight. The only change I made was to move the very last button to the top of the shirt. I made no other changes to the pattern.

Styling the nightdress

But, since I like to style things different ways, I decided to try that with this nightdress/nightshirt as well.

Sewing And The City Lexington nightdress with leggings

This can be worn over a pair of leggings as I did above.

Or you can use it as a cover up for casual loungewear as I did in this photo. In fact, you could make an entire loungewear set with this one pattern (something I might end up doing). I think this pattern is easy enough for a beginner or certainly, an advanced beginner.

Here is a close up of the material:

close up of Minerva fabric for Lexington nightdress

I would definitely recommend this pattern. There are so many options that you can mix and match with the different pieces. And depending on your fabric choices, you can make something really casual or really luxurious.

The Rivington T-shirt

This post is going to have a lot of photos show I can show you some of the many ways I made this top. The Rivington T-shirt is one of the latest pattens from Sewing and the City patterns. As soon as I saw it, I wanted it! I am a sucker for a great T-shirt and have taken to making my own.

If you aren’t familiar, this is a PDF pattern that is both V-neck and crew neck (I do love having both in one pattern).

The first one I made was this golden yellow V-neck. I used an interlock knit I had in my stash for this one.

This one I consider a wearable muslin. I made changes to the pattern to get the perfect fit for me. I added a full bust adjustment. That really gives me the room I need.

This greenish gray T is one of my favorites. The V is made correctly, the FBA works, and the fabric is another stash fabric that’s a lightweight knit. I also raised the neckline on this shirt which makes me much more comfortable wearing it.

*Note: if you make a V-neck top, take your time with the V. It can really make a difference (in a good way).

I also made the crewneck version of The Rivington T-shirt. I did an FBA on this one, of course, since it’s the same size as the other version. But the this one is pretty much the “perfect” crew neck top.

I bought this fabric locally on sale. It’s a lightweight knit. And I just loved the daisy print!

I definitely need to make more of these in solid colors.

The Pattern Hack

The Rivington T-shirt crew neck hacked front with lace

This one is a “hack” of the pattern that I did on the crew neck version. Both of these fabrics I had in my stash. In fact, I’ve had this stretch lace for years! But it matched perfectly with the green interlock knit I had. Instead of using the neckband, I measured around the neckline to determine how long I needed to make this collar. I think the width is about 6 inches (approximately 3″ folded in half). Then I just attached it to the neckline. I wanted the sleeves to have the lace as well.

This one was just a fun project to do.

Conclusion

These shirts can be put together is a couple of hours. While I did use my serger for these, I have made plenty of knit tops without using one. So, don’t let NOT having a serger stop you! I urge you to give this a try. If you want to learn how to sew with knit fabrics but have some apprehension about it, a T-shirt is something I think is a great first project.

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!