It's a Pajama Party!

 A few years ago, I read Madame Chic by Jennifer Scott, and thoroughly enjoyed it. You can find all 3 of her books HERE. I've read them all and enjoyed each of them. 

In her first book she talks about going to France and being an exchange student(something dear to my heart). Not long after she arrived, she had given her clothes to her host mother to wash. Her host mother took 1 look at her pajamas, at least what she was wearing for pajamas, I think they were an old pair of sweat pants that had belonged to her sister, and an old sweatshirt. They were full of holes. Her host mother was horrified as she thought that she may have done something in the wash to cause the holes. Jennifer told her that no, the holes were there. Her host mother just couldn't understand why she would want to wear something like this. The conversation prompted her to go out and purchase a proper pair of pajamas, and she said that she was amazed by how much better she felt, and how much better she slept.  

This prompted me to take a closer look at what I was wearing to bed. Not the best. So, I have been on a mission to revamp my bedtime wardrobe, and find pieces that feel wonderful, that I enjoy wearing, and will keep me warm in the winter. I thought I would share my makes as they are simple, comfortable, and I actually look forward to putting them on at night.

I have found that I REALLY love wearing leggings to bed, at least in the winter. They stay in place, and aren't riding up my leg during the night. The legging pattern that I have used over and over again is the Loveland Legging pattern from Sew News. I can make these in less than an hour. The top that I am wearing below is a free pattern from Fancy Tiger Crafts. It's their One Hour Top pattern, and you can find it HERE. I lengthened the top a bit, and lengthened the sleeves. Love it!     

I recently made a pullover out of a wool fleece blanket that I love wearing. I used an old Great Copy Pattern that is out of print. It's their New York Style Pullover. I looked on Etsy and found a number of Great Copy patterns, but not this one. But, if you are persistent, I'm sure that sooner or later it will pop up. For cold mornings, it's just the perfect pullover to wear with my pajamas.   

This pair of pajamas is exactly the same as the pair above, just in a different fabric. 

I absolutely love the dolman style sleeves.  

The pajama pants that I am wearing below are another free pattern from Martha Stewart. I have used, and used this pattern, for pajama pants to street wear pants. You can find the pattern HERE. I've paired it with another fleece top, the La Megeve Pullover from Naughty Bobbins Patterns.  

Underneath the pullover, I'm wearing my favorite pajama top, the Molly Tee from Pattern Union. 

The next 2 pairs of pajamas are both made with the Loveland Leggings pattern and the Molly Tee. This has become my standard pajama outfit.

My friend Cennetta of The Mahogany Stylist makes pajama pants for her family for Christmas. She loves the idea of the leggings and tee shirt. I told her that if she makes these for her family, she is going to create a monster as they are going to want more and more. Leggings and a tee to bed is just the best!!! :)

Happy Sleeping!!!

Rhonda

Coming Into October/The 1 Year Challenge

A somewhat funny story...

I have been in the mountains of Colorado for the month of October. I always love being here. But, it has been quite troublesome as the forest fires have been devastating. A few nights ago, we could see the flames along the horizon as they licked the sky. Due to the direction of the wind, we felt we were safe, but we also felt it prudent to prepare to evacuate. I packed my laptop, but you most likely won't guess what I packed next. I packed every pair of shoes I have with me!!! My thought was that my shoe collection has been one that has come about over many years. I can make new clothes, but replacing my shoes would be virtually impossible. There's more to my shoe story that I will share in my next 1 year challenge post. There is a story behind the story. Kind of sad, but the now is what matters :)

        ______________________________________________

Starting with September 25th, I wore a favorite, my Robson Trench that I made for a Sew News article and sew along. The fabric for the trench is actually a home dec fabric. One thing I know, maybe all too well ;), is to never bypass the home dec area. There are treasures to be had!!! Since it was one of those days where I needed a jacket to begin the day, but the latter part of the day would be warm, I wore a top that I did for a Sleeves on Saturdays post, and the black pants I made using a free Martha Stewart pajama pant pattern.

This orange tie-dye dress is another that I made for a Sew News sew along. I so love this pattern. It's the Fashion In Harmony Magic Bias Dress. I think that most of us stray away from bias garments as they can tend to be difficult to cut, wear, etc. But, the way that this dress is cut makes it fairly fail proof. I have 3 in my wardrobe and I love them all. 

It seems that I get into a kind of a rut with colors. I wear a color one day, and then again the next day. The skirt I'm wearing is another Fashion In Harmony pattern, the Lantern Skirt. Super easy to make. It's basically 2 circles, with a drawstring waist. It's kind of an artsy skirt, so it's fun to wear. The fabric that I used for the outfit is a reversible linen gauze. Such a great fabric. I used the opposite side for the top, and I used the free Chelsea Linen Raglan Top from Fabrics-Store.Com 

You've seen this dress earlier in the summer. It was a free pattern from Marilla Walker. Sadly, it's no longer available. I had a little fun with the dress by pairing it with a pair of tights that are black on 1 side, and cream on the other. It's always good to have a little fun with your clothes :)

Another repeat. I do love my cargo pants! Great for year round wear. It was a cool day, so I paired the pants with a jacket that was a gift. The top is the Molly Tee from Pattern Union. I must have a ton in my wardrobe by now. I used an out of print Simplicity pattern for the pants, Simplicity 5102. It is available on Etsy and Ebay, but cargo pants are nothing more than pockets, so just use your favorite pant pattern and have fun with lots of pockets.

The top I'm wearing is a favorite as I love the neckline. It's Simplicity 9017. So very easy to make. Has a little bit of an asymmetrical aspect to the side seam. I paired it with a basic knit skirt that I self-drafted.

We're finally up to October! 

The jacket I'm wearing is one that I made a number of years ago, and for the life of me, I have no idea what pattern I used. I paired it with a white Molly Tee and the black Martha Stewart pajama pants that you saw earlier in this post. I do love these pants! 

The fabric was pre-quilted. To finish the seams, I used a red bias tape. Really makes the jacket look special when I take it off.

I do love my shoes!!! Whenever I see something that I think will be fun, I try and buy it. These shoes came from Payless, and I think I paid about $10.00 for them. Hey, I love them and that's all that counts!!! Again, it's all about having fun with your wardrobe :) 

This is a second make of the Ellie and Mac Off Shoulder Romper pattern. I absolutely LOVE this pattern. so very comfortable, truly athliesure at its best!

Another favorite is the Yuki Dress from Tessuti Patterns. Easy to make, easy to wear. It's a pattern that would easily translate to a tunic. I paired mine with a lightweight wool tee. Another favorite tee is the  Londa's Terrific 'T' from Londa's Creative Sewing. 

I don't wear this skirt very often, only in the fall. With the falling leaves, it is a fall skirt :) I used a free pattern to create the skirt, but it's another that is no longer available. There is a free swirl skirt available from Lekala, and you can find it HERE. I have not made it yet, but plan to.  

October 6, 2020, at least I am in the same month now!!!

I absolutely love the pants I am wearing. Sadly, the pattern is not available. I sweet friend of mine is working on her masters degree. She wanted a pant to wear to school that felt like pajama pants, but didn't look like pajama pants. She was so inspired by the movie Black Panther. When I went over to visit with her, she had the movie bookmarked so she could show me things that had inspired her. I love how she designed the pant. It basically wings out, and then comes around the knee and is caught in the inseam. Such a cute, fun pant to wear.   

So that's it for my little dog and pony show today. If nothing more, I hope that I inspire you to wear your wardrobe, and too, to have fun with it. We spend so much time putting together our makes, why should we allow them to languish in the closet?

Rhonda 

There Are Patterns That Deserve To Be Made Over and Over

 Do you remember the old 'That Girl' sitcom that Marlo Thomas starred in? Well, there's a channel that has been playing the reruns on Sunday evenings. I was still quite small when it came out, but I loved it. Even as a little girl I always looked forward to see what she would be wearing. Some of the costumes are very dated, but some are just as adorable today as they were all those years ago. In my next Monday Morning Inspiration post, we'll take a look at some of my favorites. But,for today, please bear with me while I try to catch up on my 1 year challenge posts. 

Today's roundup takes me from September 15th through September 28th. As you'll see,there are a few patterns that I love so much that I have made a number of times. But I guess that if you love it, then why not? ;) 

                     ______________________________________

I so love a rectangle, so when I found out about the Envelope Dress pattern from Cris Wood, I had to give it a try. I loved it so much that I just had to make another. For this dress, I used a border print, and was so pleased with how it turned out. The Envelope Dress is not an actual pattern, but instructions on how to make your own. So easy, and well explained. It's one that you just can't mess up! :)  

 

I have so enjoyed this dress. It's one that proves that a pattern can be super simple, and yet fun to wear. Of course the red ponte knit adds to the fun! The pattern is from Sew News, and it's the Estes Dress. I paired the dress with a little pair of boots that I got from Muck Boots. I so love the red buffalo plaid on the sides of the boots. Super fun for winter :)

ellie

Another repeat make. I initially made Vogue 9237 this past summer in a fun orange floral linen. Once I got the first made, I knew I wanted another. I was going through a drawer and found this fabric that I have had forever. Loved the floaty quality of the fabric, and thought it would be cute in this pattern. I changed the sleeve to mimic the floaty quality of the dress. I was really happy with how it turned out!

The top I'm wearing below is the Easy V Express Top from Islander Sewing. It had languished on my sewing table for longer than I would like to admit. But I finally got it finished. Paired it with an out of print pattern from McCall's, McCall's 6081. I so love the skirt, and I really like the top, but I won't be putting the 2 together in the future. That's one of the many benefits from doing this little challenge, I get to really see what I like and don't like.  

This skirt and top have been a long time favorite of mine. I made the skirt for a Fabulous Free Pattern Friday post. You can see it HERE. The top was done for a Sleeves on Saturdays post. You can find the sleeve HERE. 

The skirt is one that will swish when you walk. It's all about being a very happy skirt ;)

This romper pattern from Ellie and Mac has become another new favorite. At this point. I've made 2, and I'm hoping to make another. I really love it. So comfortable, and I think the neckline is especially pretty. You can find the pattern HERE. 

If you've been following along with my 1 year challenge, you've seen these pants before. I really love them. Self-drafted, so no pattern. A friend gave me the jacket. Just made for such a fun outfit. 

The top I'm wearing under the jacket is the Presto Popover Top from Naughty Bobbins Patterns. This is the perfect under a jacket  top!

Some days, ya just gotta clean the house ;) Especially when it's warm out, I love to wear a dress made from those pre-gathered dress lengths from the fabric store. Just 1 seam and 2 shoulder straps and you have a garment! I look decent, and the dress is super easy to just throw in the washing machine once I've finished my cleaning! 

 

Jeans and a t-shirt is a true staple in our wardrobes these days. As you've heard before, I absolutely love the Ginger Jeans pattern from Closet Core Patterns. I have no plans to ever purchase another pair of jeans. Another pattern that has become a true staple in my wardrobe is the Molly Tee from Pattern Union. It fits SO well, and it's so easy to make. Once you've made 1, you'll make a ton!!!

We've finally made it up to September 24th! And, what I began this post with, I'm also ending it, another Envelope Dress from Chris Wood Sews. I had gotten this fabric from Tessuti. It was a remnant, and I thought it was so pretty. when I received it, the print kinda threw me for a loop as I had no idea what I would do with it. I was going through my "collection" of fabric, looking for another piece of fabric and came across this piece. As I looked at it, I realized that I just might be able to get an Envelope Dress out of the piece. It worked!!! There's a seam down the front and back, and I was able to match the pattern. So, what initially stumped me has become an absolute favorite!    

Before I go, I just want to thank all of you who cheer me on. It really is such a gift. I have now been blogging for 10 years. There are times that the road has been bumpy, and times when I've wanted to give up. But, as I said, so many of you continue to cheer me on, and it's you that gives me to desire to carry on. 

Thank you so very much!!!

 Rhonda

Feeling Beautiful Each and Every Day

Whenever we set a challenge, I think it's important to give ourselves a little leeway. After all, we aren't perfect, and then there's life. All in all, my 1 Year Challenge is going well, but I have missed 2 days. I was a little disappointed, but in the overall scope of things, this is hardly a problem. I think the most important thing is to just keep going.

Wow, how things can change in a month. I wore this outfit on August 12th. It was a super warm period in Chicago. A month later, we're having a high of 63 degrees. I actually bought the fabric for the skirt at Walmart!!! It came with the print laid out for a circular skirt. All I had to do was figure out the mathematics for the circumference of the waist. I've had this skirt for years,and I take very good care of it as I love it!  

The following day was a flight day. I made this outfit last summer. The top is the Chelsea Raglan Tee from fabrics-store.com The pants are the free pajama pant pattern from Martha Stewart. Just a nice, basic pant pattern.

I flew to Lexington, Kentucky that day. This was just before leaving and coming back to Chicago.

I absolutely love this t-shirt. You've seen it before. I had scraps of both the solid blue and the ruffles. Thought I could get a tee, and it all worked out. I used the Molly Tee from Pattern Union. 

Be sure to watch the video to the end. You'll see just how human I really am ;)

Because I love a rectangle, I wanted to give the Envelope Dress from Chris Wood a try. Super, super easy piece to do. Just 3 rectangles. It's not an actual pattern, but instructions on how to draft it out. As I said, super easy.

This little dress is STILL puzzling me. I was looking for fabric to make the Envelope Dress, and thought this would be so cute since it has a border. Pulled it out to find that I had already cut it. I have absolutely no memory of cutting it, and I have no idea what pattern I used to cut it. So, all I had was a front and a back, but I decided to make it work. Added some darts, made shoulder straps. and called it a day. So happy I found it as I really love the dress now that it's made up.

This dress has a fun story. I had gone to a luncheon. A woman 

came up to me and told me how much she liked my dress, and then asked, "who are you wearing?" I replied that it was my dress. She then said, "Oh Rhonda, I know the dress belongs to you, but who is the designer?" I replied, "Me!" She was shocked to say the least. Best compliment ever!!!

 

Another flight day. When there's a jet on the tarmac, I just HAVE to have my picture taken :) Hey, a girl can dream! I'm wearing a top that I made for my Sleeves On Saturdays series, the Square Shoulder Sleeve. I so love this sleeve in a stripe. The pants are another pair made from the free Martha Stewart pajama pant pattern.  

I made this dress back in April and I absolutely love it. It's Vogue 9112, a Marcy Tilton pattern. So perfect for a hot day. A little shorter than I typically like. I'll just lengthen it a bit next time around :) 

Another flight day, and it was cool for a change. In the video you'll see that I am wearing one of my most coveted garments, a jacket that was a gift. I'm wearing a pair of pants made from Simplicity 9017. It's just a great, basic pant pattern, and works beautifully with ponte. I paired it with a long sleeve Molly tee from Pattern Union.

I think that just about everyone who sews has made this Donna Karan Vogue pattern, Vogue 1250. It's out of print. For the life of me, I don't know why because it's just such a great pattern. One that's truly a classic.

We're finally up to August 22nd. I've had both of these pieces for quite some time. I was in a grocery store in Houston, my favorite, Central Market. I had just walked in, and was looking around the produce section when a man came up to me and said, "You are absolutely beautiful!" I stood there rather shocked. He then said that he just had to tell me, wished me a great day, and walked off. I thought, "Wow!!!, I think I need to wear this outfit EVERYDAY!!!" Truly made my day :)

The skirt is nothing more than a rectangle. I will do a tutorial on it soon. I just purchased a tool that will make doing tutorials so much easier. If all goes as planned, once I get it, watch out!!! ;)

    

So, that's it for the dog and pony show today. 

A number of you have sent notes telling me that I have inspired you to not only start enjoying your wardrobes, but I've also inspired you to do a little more sewing. Oh my goodness, that makes me so very happy. Life is so short, much too short to not celebrate each and everyday. By all means, wear your lovely makes, and allow yourself to feel beautiful each and everyday :)

Rhonda 

A Challenge Worth Pursuing

Well, once again, missing in action. I could easily say that I have been too busy, but the truth of the matter is that I can always find time. Yes, I'm still working on my friend's estate, which takes up a lot of my time. Thankfully, the biggest jobs will soon be over. I sold her house(SO HAPPY!!!), but now there's the issue of the furniture, and clearing it out for the new owner. I have just a little over a month to make it all happen. I'm determined ;)

I love setting goals for myself. But, like most, some get accomplished, and then others languish. Last year, I set a goal to read the Bible from cover to cover. No studying, just read it as a book. It was something I have always wanted to do. I found a guide online that I could print out. It prompted me with how many chapters I should read each day, and I could mark off my progress. It was great for keeping me on track. While I learned a lot, and discovered things I had never known, the greatest gift was the accomplished dream. I did it!!! And what I have found a little strange is that it gave me a tremendous sense of confidence in what I am capable of doing. A little secret to the success was having that daily reminder. Since I write each and every morning, I kept my goal sheet in my notebook. So, when I opened my notebook to write, there was my sheet reminding me that I had chapters to read. 

I had another goal last year that did not get accomplished. It may seem quite silly, but I wanted to do a year...a complete year of a me made wardrobe. I broke my arm, and I just seemed to lose steam in regards to that goal. When this year rolled around, I thought of it once again, but just didn't move forward. Then, participating in Me Made May this year reignited the desire to make this goal happen. But, I think that I allowed all that is going on to stifle me. I'm so very fortunate to have a friend that I talk to every week. We use our time to encourage each other. Since we begin the year by sharing our goals, it's easy to help each other stay on track. But, this goal I had not shared, and yet it somehow came up in our conversation. She strongly encouraged me to go for it. Her words played on my mind until I finally gave in!

I decided to give myself a running start, by beginning June 22. My friend had encouraged me to begin July 1st. So...here goes!!!  

Anytime that I want to feel a little floaty and free, these are my go to pants. My own design.

Another piece that just floats about the body is this super simple little skirt. It's just a rectangle that has an elastic waist. The outer skirt is gathered and twisted into the underskirt. I think this one needs a tutorial as it's so easy to do, and yet looks special. I actually took Berkley for a hike in this skirt!!!

On June 24th, we met friends at a wonderful Irish bistro here in Chicago, Chief O'Neil's. They have an amazing outdoor garden. It was the first time I've been to a restaurant to eat since March 14th. I was beside myself with excitement! Like, ball gown excited ;) But, I opted for this self-drafted dress.

The following day, I had a number of errands to run, so I slipped on the ruffle skirt, and shimmied through my day. You can find the tutorial on the skirt HERE.   

I made these pants a few years ago. For some reason I had left them in my laundry room. Decided to give them a go, and I am so happy that I did. The pattern is from Colette Patterns, the Clover Pants. I lengthened mine, and added a cuff. I paired the pants with a basic purchased tee.  

The top I'm wearing was made with scraps. I had the ruffled fabric and the matching knit left over, and felt that it was enough to possibly make a top. It worked! The pants are the Barb Pants from Style Arc Patterns. 

The next day, I was out at the airport. I wore another pair of Barb Pants, and a stylized tee. This is another piece that I should do a tutorial on. It has an inset of chiffon down the back making it another fun, floaty piece :)

  

The following day was June 29th, and I had to be up and out quite early, so I pulled on a pair of linen pants with a gathered leg and a Helen's Closet Elliot Tee.  

It was a hot, sweaty kind of  a day, so once I got home, I jumped in the shower, and changed my clothes. I made this fruit dress quite a few years ago, but just keep pulling it out every summer. It's cotton, so it washes well. By the way, I never put it in the dryer, and I think that is what has saved the fabric. A sheath dress is so perfect for summer. This one reminds me a little of a Lilly Pulitzer piece.

June 30th, the last day of my gearing up. It was hot, so I pulled on my Closet Case Patterns Amy Jumpsuit. The fabric was a gift from Becky of Trial Balloons. If you have not checked out her blog, by all means, do!!! She will truly inspire you.  

I kicked of July with a pair of Ginger Jeans from Closet Case Files. I will never buy another pair of jeans. I LOVE this pattern. The tee I'm wearing is from iCandy Handmade, the summer tee. I modified it a bit, but just at the hem. It's a free pattern by the way :)    

My second day of July was spent in a pair of border print pants and another self-drafted top. I started doing videos as I think it's nice to see how the clothes move. The top is yet another piece that deserves a tutorial. It's easy to make, and easy to wear. A winning combination in my book.

The following day was spent in a pair of Helen's Closet Winslow Culottes. Such a fun pattern. I love that you have the ease of a pant and the look of skirt. The top is another self-drafted piece.

On July 4th, I went kayaking for the first time this summer. It felt so very good to be in the water. After I came back home, I just wanted to be in something nice, but easy. This sarong style skirt fit the bill!

I miss Sunday's being Sunday. I miss going to church. It would be easy to just wear my pajamas all day, but I like to get dressed just as if I am going out. I did not wear those pumps all day! But, just like Sundays, I miss wearing my heels. It was fun to have them on for a while. The dress is the Magic Bias Dress from Fashion in Harmony. I love this dress!!! 

On Monday, I was back out at the airport. I wanted to wear this pair of cargo pants that I made last summer. I usually wear the long sleeve Molly Tee from Pattern Union with the pants, but I knew I would burn up. Thankfully, I had enough scraps to make a short sleeve version. You can see the post I did on the pants HERE.

I did a video of the dress I wore yesterday, and I'm having a problem with downloading it, so it will come in my next post. So far, so good! I'm a full week into my 1 year challenge. 

As we all are too aware of, things can happen that truly throw us off track. But, this is something I really want to accomplish. It feels a bit like a journey, a journey that is going to teach me so much. 

I am using Instagram as my daily reminder of my goal, as I post my outfit there, and keep myself on track. But, if you are not on Instagram, my plan is to do a weekly round up here on the blog. And who knows, maybe I'll inspire a few of you as well :)
Rhonda