SewKyrsto

When velvet first came into the fabric lovers world, I was not it's greatest fan. I thought that the fabric was outdated and just ugly. Well I've since changed my mind. When I saw this green stretch velvet I knew it would be the perfect compliment to my  Drama Dress  by G+G. It's such a simple yet sophisticated piece for a cool night out. The Drama Dress has a great draping effect. There are two fit options; slim or full. I went with the slim fitting version. I like that this dress shows off the right curves but is not too tight and revealing. I can still feel glamorous even when I'm not feeling my lightest. With the Drama Dress,  G+G  has given us many options. There are 4 different neckline options; collar, keyhole, bowtie, and basic. I wanted a basic dress so I went with the basic neckline. There are also 4 sleeve choices; long 3/4th, short and sleeveless. I wanted to include some dramatics to the drama so I added 6 inches to the long sle

I love a good maxi skirt!! You can dress it up for a special occasion. You can also wear it with with a t-shirt and still look great.   The Sage Skirt  by The Sewing Addiction is an easy to sew, high waist maxi skirt that is flawless!!!  This maxi skirt with the high waist is a unique twist on a classic design.  If you're running low on time and are in need of a statement piece to make  then this maxi skirt pattern is for you. From cut to wear it took me a total of about 2 hours.  The instructions for this pattern are so easy to follow and has illustrations to go along with each step.  The Sage Skirt requires at least 2 yards of knit fabric.  Sly Fox Fabrics  provided me with this beautiful fabric.   Bourbon Street in Black  is the name of this golden and unique double brushed poly plaid. This pretty fabric is extra soft to make this maxi skirt the ultimate comfort. This pattern also requires 2" wide elastic for the waistband. Tip: To get the b

My summer style consists of clothes that are cool, comfortable and flattering.  The  Starc Top  by G+G is hitting all of the marks!! Wait until you check out the back of this top! The strappy back design makes this top one of my most charming garments! The split strap design of the Starc Top is such a unique concept. I'll be honest, applying the straps to the diamond and top was not the easiest process. G+G pattern instructions are clear and precise. There are also pictures to go along with each step. It may be a little harder than most, but it is totally worth it in the end. I made the Starc Top using 1 yard of bamboo lycra from  Twisted Needle Textiles . This bamboo lycra is the best, hands down, for a summer top. It's thin, has a lot of drape, and is very easy to work with.  This fabric, called Mint Filagree, is TNT's round 5 pre-order that ends on July 6th. TNT has quite a few choices of fabrics with their pre-orders and they are always co

Rompers, you either love them or hate them. I absolutely love rompers!! A romper with pockets is my weakness!! The  Stella Romper  by  5 out of 4 Patterns  is such a perfect romper for those who love and   hate them. There are options to make this pattern as a stylish romper or two separates: a cute tank and awesome shorts. One of my favorite options for the Stella Romper is the awesome off the shoulder flounce. Of course if you haven't noticed, I love showing off my shoulders. Bare shoulders, and pockets, so far this romper is winning!! If flounces are not your thing, there is another option for that too, a scrappy tank with two choices of backs. The shorts come in 2 lengths. I am sporting the shorter version. If you're not into the one piece romper, add the optional waistband.  The pockets are also an awesome addition to these shorts. The romper can be made with the waistband or an elastic casing. I opted for the casing. But wait t

It's officially hot here in Bossier City, La.  Though while it isn't summer yet, we are in the season of pre-summer. It's time to bring out the practical, cool, and comfortable apparel. The Lollapalooza Top  by  George + Ginger  is all of the above!! This breezy top is sure to be one of your favorites this hot, hot spring! The Lolla Top is an off the shoulder top, which I love, with beautiful accentuated flared gathered sleeves. This off the shoulder top is designed to be one of the most comfortable tops. With 3/8" elastic in the neckline, this shoulder showing top does not slide down, it stays in it's place. I can totally appreciate a  top that I don't have to fight with all day. The flared gathered sleeve  is just so charming. I'm an adult who would wear ruffles everyday if given the chance.  The gathered sleeves of this peasant style top gives it such a dainty feel. Don't be intimidated by the ruffles, it is really easy

I am actually wearing a crop top and showing off my mommy belly!! I have faced my body fears and now I can conquer the world! When I got the assignment to test the  Women's Be the Leader Top  by  Ellie and Mac  I had a total moment of panic. I wasn't sure that I could pull this off. But the name of the pattern is Be the Leader so how can I not stand up to this challenge? Can you see my mommy belly? It's not too bad, is it? The Women's Be the Leader Top is an off the shoulder top with a beautiful flounce accent. This versatile top comes in several different lengths; crop, shirt, and tunic length. The flounce comes in two lengths. I made the longer flounce and of course, the cropped length. I still can't get over the fact that I am actually wearing a cropped top!! The available sleeve lengths are; short, 3/4th, and long. I chose to make the 3/4th length sleeve. It's totally my favorite length sleeve for this top.  I paired the pink

 I have this weird obsession with showing off my shoulders. They are my best features, to me.  I always favor sleeveless, off the shoulder or cold shoulder tops. The split sleeves of the new  Gloria Peplum  by  5 out of 4 Patterns  are such a unique feature to such a great pattern. I was extremely excited to test the Gloria Peplum pattern. This awesome high/low peplum top presented a fashionable reason to show off my shoulders. The Gloria pattern has so many length options; peplum, short and long skater skirt, peplum, short and long high/low skirt. I was impressed with all of the options that come with the Gloria pattern. There is something for everyone. I decided that I would test the Peplum high/low option. The flattering fitted waist really complements the high/low peplum. This gives the silhouette of a super dainty figure on all body types. There are so many sleeve options to choose from. The sleeves can be made in the traditional option or there is a s

A couple of months ago, I would have totally shied away from wearing any type of fitted top.  I've recently lost almost 20 pounds, so I've gotten a bit of a confidence boost. The Jessie Tunic/Dress  by  5 out of 4 Patterns  is the perfect fitted tunic to make my debut of my new level of self love. This tunic accentuates my curves that I've worked hard for.  I feel as good as I look!! The Jessie pattern features top, tunic, short dress length and knee dress length. I will usually chose the tunic length of a pattern when I test it. I love the fact that tunics are long enough to cover my 'mom butt' when I decide to pair it with leggings.  I paired this tunic with a pair of my favorite skinny jeans and girly heels. I think that this outfit is sheer perfection. (Mom butts are beautiful but our kids don't think so:) I think that I need to make more of the racer back version of this pattern.  The racer back insert is such a beautiful featur

When I was asked to sew up a Floral Heroes custom panel for  KNITorious Fabric , I contemplated which pattern that I wanted to use.  When I got the 30x36 panel I definitely knew that I needed to make the Going Home Sweater by  Ellie and Mac .  I had to do the Floral Heroes justice by using the whole panel. The Going Home Sweater can be shirt, tunic, or dress length.  I chose to make the tunic length.  I had no problem cutting the tunic length from this panel.  There are three different sleeve lengths short, 3/4th, and long sleeve.  The long sleeves can be made with cuffs, which I love.  I'm also a fan of the hem band, anytime that I don't have to hem is a plus. How much do you love Storm from X-men?  She just happens to be my favorite X-man and overall hero.  There weren't very many heroes of color when I was growing up so when I saw Storm, I was  in love.  Her awesome powers and beauty were really inspiring to me as a pre-teen.  I wanted to be her. Thi

I'm not always comfortable with wearing a crop top. My belly is a secret that I would like to keep to myself. When I was approached with the challenge of making a crop top, I wasn't thrilled, but I took it as an opportunity to shine. I decided that the new George + Ginger  RuLo  Crop  Top would be great with a pair of mid waist  Chelsea  Pants by Greenstyle Creations. The RuLo's full bell sleeves with ties really compliments the flair of the Chelsea pants. This ensemble is sheer perfection in my eyes.  Not only is the RuLo an awesome crop top, it can also be a regular length, tunic, dress and an over-sized  dolman. These fabulous sleeves has the options to be a full bell, with or without ties, single, double, triple bell, or a basic sleeve. But wait there's more.  There is even an option for shoulder ruffles. The RuLo top can be made with a two-way stretch sweater knit. You will need about 2 + yards of fabric.  I got my sweater knit