Friday Pattern Company Adrienne Blouse

So maaaayyyybe you’ve heard of the Adrienne Blouse by Friday Pattern Company? I think I’m the last person on earth to have made it. What can I say? I’m a slow adopter.

This isn’t my first FPC pattern – I made the Garamond top and I actually still wear it almost weekly.

I’ve been wanting to make another FPC pattern as she’s come a LONG way since then, and everyone’s Adrienne was giving me serious FOMO, so I bought it. After the last cosplay project and in-between redoing some slopers, I needed an easy-brain-rest project. FPC fills those niches nicely. Her patterns are stylish but not tedious. I like that.

I picked up a rayon-blend sweater knit to make something more “me,” and naturally it’s in black. It was also very prone to shredding and transparent.

I took some tricot in generic-white-person-nude, and underlined it in the bodice only.

Serging it all together before sewing also had the added benefit of keeping it from unraveling/shredding.

However, this did make it even more bulky, so I omitted the neckbands and stitched under to finish the necklines. It ended up being about the same so I didn’t have any sizing issues when attaching the sleeves. I finished the hem the same way, but I will say, I will have to put horizontal fish-eye darts in the tricot to keep it from sagging out the bottom as it tends to sag more than the sweater knit.

Fun fact: I ironed interfacing to my organza press cloth during the last cosplay project. Twice. So, whipped up another press cloth to use to press the synthetic tricot. (I always keep some organza on hand – best press cloths and interfacing when needing a light but stuff interfacing.)

doing my best Courtney Love impression – all chin

I got done with this project, put it on immediately, and immediately said, “NOPE!” and took it back off. It did not feel like me. Or I did not feel like me. I’m not sure. I even messaged my Sewcialists crew and told them I fell for FOMO and made a terrible mistake.

doing my best Stevie Nicks impression – lost in the lens

However, husbeast to the rescue: I put it on and he said he really liked it. Buuuut then he said I looked like a sexy pirate. Fears of tacky Halloween costumes filled my head…however, it did get me thinking. HOW can I make this more me? The fabric is 100% me… the bodice fit is 100% me…what am I missing?

Frick is scared of my doppleganger

So, while I show you the off the shoulder look, that ain’t gonna happen IRL. However, the regular look, with some snazzy pants, I can get behind this.

The scoopy-back, which is a duplicate of the front, makes me feel a bit exposed… but it’s growing on me.

I didn’t make any alterations to the pattern – this is a straight size Medium. I like to live dangerously.

Have you made something, hated it, but then played around until you really started to dig it? Like… I get it. I’m into it. I’m on the hunt for more sweater knit… I don’t think I could do the jersey look…. but I do dig this.

creepin’ up on Jolene, my dress form

Happy Halloween!

Jolene creepin’ back up on me…

FRIDAY PATTERN COMPANY: Garamond Top

This is the Friday Pattern Company‘s latest top, the Garamond. Do you follow Chelsea on Instagram? You should. Super cute, fresh patterns, she’s adorable, and super amiable. I love friendly, approachable people, and she’s that kind of people.

Chelsea let me get my hands on this pattern before release, and being I’m a total pattern-testing addict, I couldn’t resist digging right in. The PDF was a breeze to put together, and it sewed up REALLY fast. This is the knit top you want to sew if you don’t have, or don’t want to use, a serger. I didn’t touch my serger. This is all machine sewn.

I used a ponte with about…. 10% stretch. You could totally use a stretch cotton woven too. As you can see here…I could have even gone down a size or put in additional lower darts if I wanted to make it more fitted. I cut a large for my bust, graded to a small waist, and a medium hip…I got the curves, what can I say? I like pizza.

Here it is from the back. Plenty of ease…but I’m not swimming in it. It runs a bit short…not quite cropped…like, if I lift my arms, I’m not going to make any children cry…

Here I am, adjusting my waistband, and no wardrobe malfunction.

If you wanted to add a few inches in length, or wear higher waisted bottoms, it would be adorable tucked in. Dolman sleeves make for easy wearing and easier sewing.

Pretend casual walking shots:

Fun, casual shirt. This is one of those patterns where you could easily sew up 5 versions over a weekend, and have that basics slot filled.

Real talk: my teen daughter already has plans to steal it from me. Seriously. I had to tell her to wait until I took photos….and then I’ve worn it 3 times in the last, ahem, 2 weeks since I’ve sewn it.

Bonus: Friday Pattern Company donates 5% of all proceeds to a rotating collection of the top-ranked charities in the world. That’s right. You buy a pattern, other people benefit.

White girl dancing… side notes. These are Colette Juniper pants…unblogged but often worn. Also..I’m playing around with a shooting set-up indoors in prep for the Pacific Northwest Rainy Season…Not quite there yet, but I’m working on it. If you have tips, I’m ALL EARS. Less time in photo processing = more time sewing. Also…need to figure out a set-up for indoor video – if’n y’all like the sewing machine tinkering I do. I’d like to share more…thoughts on that?