The Tie-Front Cardigan

The pattern modification is straightforward, raising the neckline, changing the V-neck into a rounded neckline, reducing the shoulder, and drafting longer puffy sleeves. I decided to put my spin on it, skipping the peplum!

Sewing stretch knit fabric can be challenging, especially when it’s open-weave and prone to stretching out. I was intimidated by it, but once I began sewing, I was pleasantly surprised by how manageable it was. I sewed with a zigzag stitch to catch as much fabric as possible, preventing stitches from popping when stretched. Since the fabric doesn’t fray, I could have sewn two rows of zigzag stitches for extra security. Instead, I chose French seams to encase the raw edges, providing additional strength and a cleaner look.

I finished the neckline and front with black bias tape to create a contrasting bias binding. For the tie front details, I had a quick (and lazy) solution for the ties. I folded a black bias tape and fabric glued them together. I then attached 6 pieces to the top, creating 3 pairs of tie front details. While they look stylish, the ties don’t feel as great because I might have gone overboard with the fabric glue, making them a tad stiff.

The Matching Shorts

I have some fabric left over, and I thought it would be fun to make matching shorts that you can wear over your bikini at the beach. I used the Rosery PJ shorts pattern by Janelle from Rosery Apparel but shortened it by 2 inches. Because of the open-knit fabric, I also skipped the pockets.

I think the matching set is so cute! The top is versatile enough to dress up any outfit, but paired with the shorts, it transforms into a perfect beachwear set!

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The post Make a Cardigan and Shorts Set Using Free Patterns first appeared on Chelle's Happy Corner.

The Pattern Modifications

I raised the neckline and opted for a rounded shape. For a shorter look, I shortened the length of the top skirt panel (tier 1 skirt). For the pockets, I used a free pocket pattern from Soften Studio.

The Sewing Process

Sewing this dress is pretty straightforward! First, I sewed the bodice together and finished the neckline with a cute pastel gingham bias tape I snagged from Daiso a while ago. I then gathered the top sleeves and sewed them to the bodice. Once the sleeves were attached, I sewed a channel and threaded the elastic through. And for the last few steps, gathering the tiered skirt panels, stitching up the pockets, and attaching them to the bodice.

I followed Soften Studio’s helpful tutorial to attach in-seam pockets using French seams. It’s incredibly satisfying to see those neat French seams when you turn the dress inside out—pure sewing magic!

The Finishing Touch

I put those leftover fabric scraps to good use by sewing front bow ties for an extra dose of cuteness!

The modified dress has such a cottagecore vibe—adorably cute and made for spinning and twirling! If I use this pattern again, the one tweak I’ll make is to raise the neckline a tad more. I find it a bit too roomy. I’ve worn it out a few times on casual strolls in the park and brunch dates with friends. I think this is a lovely dress that you can wear all through summer, spring, and fall!

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The post Hack the Mal Dress by Mood Fabrics (Free Pattern) first appeared on Chelle's Happy Corner.

I’ve hacked the Nikko pattern by True Bias to make a fit and flare midi dress before and I love the fit of it. I ended up making a mini dress version because I didn’t realize there wasn’t enough fabric after cutting the front piece (thrifted the fabric, got excited, started cutting, and then panic sank in haha). Learn from my silly mistake: always double-check/triple-check you have enough space for all your patterns on your fabric! So change of plans! I also thought it would be cute to add lettuce hem details at the neckline and the skirt, and learn a new skill along the way.

Sewing the Dress

To create the lettuce hem, I sewed over the folded hem with a zig zag stitch while stretching the fabric. I used a short (1.2) and wide (2.5) stitch length to make sure to catch the folded edge. Since I’m using the same colored thread, I don’t have to worry about making it look extra neat. If you are planning to use a contrasting thread, I recommend using a much shorter stitch length so they’re not too wide apart, revealing too much of the fabric. Easy peasy! The lettuce trims made the dress look feminine!

This will be my go to black dress that you can dress it up or down. A nice addition to my memade capsule wardrobe.

Styling the Dress

Here I’m styling the dress with an open knit/lacey tie front cardigan that I made (blog post coming soon). It’s an elegant chic look and can be worn with a nice pair of heels.

You can also dress it more casually with a loose-fitted white blouse, and wear it with a pair of sneakers.

The dress is so simple but you can create timeless outfits with it! I want to make more in different colors next time!

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The post Make my Little Black Dress. Easy Hacking The Nikko Dress Pattern By True Bias. first appeared on Chelle's Happy Corner.

In my quest for more summer dress patterns, I stumbled upon the “Summer Dress Charley” by This is Kachi. The pattern immediately caught my eye with its flattering neckline, structured bodice, puffy sleeves, and gathered skirt. I also have the perfect yellow floral fabric for this, thrifted at my local creative reuse store.

The dress is not only my style but also challenges my sewing skills. I’ve never sewn bust cups and bonings before. I didn’t realize this until I finished sewing the garment, but the pattern is labeled for advanced sewers. I’m pretty stoked that I managed to make it look decent! Does this mean I’ve leveled up from confident beginner to intermediate? Hehe..

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means that while I am not paid to promote certain items, I may earn a small commission should you purchase items through these links at no cost to you.

The Pattern Modification

I love the bodice from this pattern but want to combine it with the maxi panel skirt from The Anthea Milkmaid Dress (free sewing pattern by Mood Fabrics) because I love the fit of it on me. To make the puffy sleeves, I took the lazy route: I gathered a large rectangle with elastics at the top and near the bottom!

I initially made a toile for the bodice (thankfully) and discovered it wasn’t providing enough coverage for my bust. The fabric around the bust area also wants to flop forward (wardrobe malfunction alert haha). This is why making a mockup is important! I had to increase the height of the neckline and decrease the width of some front panels to accommodate my bust and hug me better at the waist.

The Materials

For this project, I had to purchase Rigilene boning (you can sew right through it), foam for the bust cups, and fusible interfacing (to make my lightweight floral fabric a bit stiffer). I thrifted the fabrics and notions.

The Sewing Process

After cutting the front and back panels for the main fabric and lining, I labeled the pieces with a fabric marker and arranged them in order so I wouldn’t mix them up.

When sewing the bust foam cups, I had to push the outer and inner pieces towards the center tightly to avoid stitching through parts of the foam cross-sections. Securing the foam cups to the fabric was the trickiest part for me and I ended up sewing them by hand.

Sewing the boning directly onto the fabric was surprisingly easy, but intimidating as I always worry about sewing through the plastic part.

I also decided to sew a long narrow ruffle strip to attach to the neckline just like what Katrin (This is Kachi) did for her dress.

After finishing the bodice (yay!), I moved on to the skirt and tried to align most of the seams of the skirt panel and the bodice panels. I then installed the invisible zipper and puffy sleeves. I hand-sewed the bodice lining at the waist to hide any raw edges.

The Final Touches

When I tried it on, I noticed the bottom of the bodice kind of sagged down because of the bonings so I hand-sewed a lace trim at the waist to hide it. Maybe I had to sew the boning on the lining fabric next time? A lace-up corset style at the back might help as you can do a tighter fit.

The Dress Reveal

I got so many compliments for wearing this dress! It is a very dressy garden/picnic dress that I enjoy twirling in haha. I would love to make other versions of this dress or top (lace-up corset!) using this pattern soon.

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The post Make the Summer Dress Charley by This is Kachi first appeared on Chelle's Happy Corner.

I came across the Nikko pattern by True Bias at a local creative reuse store and it looked completely new and unopened. The pattern has 4 views to make a knit top or dress out of it and sleeves are optional. The dress pattern has a semi-fitted silhouette, straight through the waist and hip, featuring a racerback detail, a mock neck, and a leg slit. I wanted to make a similar knit dress so I used this pattern as a base.

Hacking the Pattern and Sewing the Dress

I altered the pattern (view C) so it’s narrower at the waist, flairs at the bottom, no mock neck, and a midi length. Once I got the fit right on me, the entire sewing process was super quick and easy.

The fabric I used is gorgeous burnt orange, also thrifted from the same store. The fabric also has a 75% stretch, which was recommended by the pattern. To determine the stretch percentage, place 2 inches of fabric alongside a ruler, aligning one edge near the 0-inch mark. Gently pull the fabric to the right; it should reach the 3.5-inch mark without the top and bottom edges rolling too much.

I sewed my knit fabric using a narrow zigzag stitch. Since the knit fabric shouldn’t fray easily, I only hemmed the bottom, neckline, and leg slit, while leaving the remaining edges raw. Be mindful not to stretch the fabric while sewing to prevent it from becoming wavy or rippling. I accidentally stretched one of the sleeve facings and you can see that one side is kind of puckered.

This dress is so simple but chic! I thrifted a few knit fabrics recently and I am excited to sew more dresses using this pattern again!

Update: I’ve made a shorter dress version with a fun lettuce hem detail—swing by this blog post to check it out

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The post Easy Pattern Hack with the Nikko Dress by True Bias. first appeared on Chelle's Happy Corner.