Sew 'n Style with Lil Luxe Collection: Bright and Bold!
By ari - September 17, 2015
This is going to be a really big, really colourful and hopefully really inspirational post! SO, get your scrolly fingers ready and enjoy!
Lil Luxe Collection. You've heard of it yeh? Well you should have because Jess is one of my favourite pattern designers and I loved her style even before I got to sew up the famous Alley Cat Romper (about 95 times because that pattern rules). The rest is pretty much history, I'm in her test group and get to witness firsthand the epic things she designs but also I get to see what an incredibly driven and inspirational woman she is. She really blows my mind! And she's so nice!
Jess came up with a really awesome idea of inviting a bunch of awesome bloggers (and then there's me lol) in designing mini collections using her patterns. SO FUN. Seriously. So Fun. You can read more about the Sew ’n Style Series and visit the contest page with Link up where there are contest prizes totalling over $350 from our gracious sponsors!
Ever since the Nova Dress (specifically the Junk food one!) I've realised that I've really discovered my style. Of course I knew I had a style that was a bit nerdy and a bit weird and a bit all over the place and not like everyone else in the blogosphere, but the things that make me really happy are BRIGHT colours paired with black or white. Which is something I should have maybe realised a long time ago since I dye my hair fluorescent colours and wear pretty much black all of the time (1, 2, 3, 4)? I've only been dressing myself this way for the last seven or so years... It takes me a while to have a revelation I suppose.
I had wayyyyy too much fun designing and sewing up this collection. I barely stuck to my original plan, which was half the fun really. Once I sat down and did a few sketches, I had two very different mini-collection ideas, I figured I was all ready to go. It wasn't until a month or so later when I looked at the sketches and realised I hated them all. So I did what I do best, I knew in my mind what colours & patterns I liked, so I headed to Spotlight and searched (ALONE! NO KIDS! WHAAAA?) and searched and finally found THE fabric. It's the main rainbow fabric.
It's just the way I sew things most times. I'll have half an idea in my head, but it just won't work until I finally find a fabric that gets me excited just by looking at it. I grabbed a few of my favourite Lil Luxe Collection Patterns and just started sewing. I knew I needed a bottom for a top, then a top for a bottom, and I just kept sewing and grabbing fabric from the pile I had of the fabrics until a mini collection was born! Trust me, it really was that random! And then I'd finish a piece and show Eddie and she would ask for something else, so I'd make it.
I came up with seven pieces, and mixed and matched them into ten looks (but I only got seven photographed heh)! Of course I took about seventy million photos of each, so I'm going to do this here post with a few pics of each look but then do separate posts with more detail and more photos on the outfits because otherwise this post will take FOREVER to load!
There's quite a few additional combinations I could have added but I think after seven you sort of get the idea ;)
Look 1: Metro Crop + Tesla Dot Skirt
Look 2: Reversible Crop + Jupiter Bellbottoms
Look 3: Jupiter Overalls
Look 4: Metro Maxi
Look 5: Alley Cat Crop, Reversible Crop (as a jacket) + Jupiter Bellbottoms
Look 6: Reversible Crop + Tesla Dot Skirt
Look 7: Metro Crop (inside out!) + Tesla Dot Skirt
The first look features the Metropolitan Dress as a cropped top! I lengthened the bodice pattern slightly (is there such a thing as a modest length when we are talking cropped tops?) And then added a band to the bottom of it. The coolest thing about this top is that because it is fully lined, it's reversible. You'll get to see the inside of it for Look 8! I really love the way the back opening that is pretty basic in the dress looks like a feature when cropped!
The skirt is just two rectangles sewn together and attached to a stretchknit waistband with elastic inside. Super simple stuff guys, but always my favourite go-to skirt because it just looks so pretty! Plus it has twirl factor and that is very important in Edison's fashion world!
Look at those pants! LOOK AT THEM! Man they're so cute, but Eddie didn't think so when she tried them on. They fit like leggings but the flared bellbottoms had her all confused. "They're too big!" No baby, they're perfect. They sort of remind me of a pair of work pants I used to have when I was a barista actually. Lol.
I drafted the bellbottoms myself, calling them Jupiter Bellbottoms because of space and stuff. They're quite high-waisted, coming up to her bellybutton but mostly her yummy toddler tummy kinda pushes the waistband underneath her little belly. The top is the Reversible Crop Top and it's fully lined so you know, it could be reversible! I didn't alter the top at all, it's sewn straight from the pattern I just added a fluro green pompom trim at the joining seam. The fabric looks like it is in the same design family as the main rainbow fabric I chose because the colours are literally identical however the fabric content is completely different. While the rainbow paintbrush stroke effect fabric is like a stretch sateen with clearly spandex in it, this colourful tribal print is a printed rayon.
You can get a better look at the back of the Reversible Crop Top down at Look 6.
Oh my gosh I love these so much? I was worried that they would turn out a little like I was designing clownwear, but once she put these on I just fell in love. I love the way they hug her little toddler tummy, I love the flare of the leg and I love that little racerback.
Using the beloved main rainbow fabric which is like a stretch sateen, I drafted up a bib to sew to the top of my bellbottom pattern. Just a few quick measurements to ensure the torso would be the right length (not too long and not too short!) it was really as simple as sewing up the bellbottoms then attaching them to the bib. The bib is fully lined although I think when I sew them up again I'll bring the sides up higher and closer to her armpits. The pointed parts would be more curved too. I'm going to make these up in black stretch denim later!
I hate to play favourites, especially when everything I've sewn for this mini collection has been SO FUN, however. This dress. I started making a regular Metropolitan Dress which hits at about the knee and has a feature hem, however Edison requested a dress allll the way to the floor like a princess so the Metro Maxi was sewn! I used basic purple cotton for the majority of the dress, with black and white stripes from the hem feature and the bodice is also lined in the same black and white stripes.
This was the last thing I sewed and the last thing we photographed and I think it's a really fantastic final piece.
This was my very first idea for what I was going to make and the first three things that I sewed up! I had the pants done and then sewed the Alley Cat Romper bodice as a crop top (there's a tutorial for it here!) and I was liking it but it wasn't until I sewed the Reversible Crop Top that I started to get excited. My original intention was for it to be worn backwards as a little jacket, and then when I sewed more and more things that it got incorporated into a look to be worn the right way (Look 2)
The Alley Cat Crop is made from a scuba knit fabric which is probably my favourite fabric to sew with now. It's very sturdy and thick, the patterns and colours you can buy are just incredible and it's super stretchy!
Like I said earlier, the next few days (or week I guess) I'll be posting each look/piece with more photos and details on each so make sure you check back!
Thank you so much Jessica for not only providing the patterns I used but also being such an inspirational entrepreneurial woman. It's been so great being a part of your test group and watching your ideas come to life.
Don't forget to check out the Lil Luxe Collection site and blog and shop!!
Lil Luxe Collection. You've heard of it yeh? Well you should have because Jess is one of my favourite pattern designers and I loved her style even before I got to sew up the famous Alley Cat Romper (about 95 times because that pattern rules). The rest is pretty much history, I'm in her test group and get to witness firsthand the epic things she designs but also I get to see what an incredibly driven and inspirational woman she is. She really blows my mind! And she's so nice!
Jess came up with a really awesome idea of inviting a bunch of awesome bloggers (and then there's me lol) in designing mini collections using her patterns. SO FUN. Seriously. So Fun. You can read more about the Sew ’n Style Series and visit the contest page with Link up where there are contest prizes totalling over $350 from our gracious sponsors!
Ever since the Nova Dress (specifically the Junk food one!) I've realised that I've really discovered my style. Of course I knew I had a style that was a bit nerdy and a bit weird and a bit all over the place and not like everyone else in the blogosphere, but the things that make me really happy are BRIGHT colours paired with black or white. Which is something I should have maybe realised a long time ago since I dye my hair fluorescent colours and wear pretty much black all of the time (1, 2, 3, 4)? I've only been dressing myself this way for the last seven or so years... It takes me a while to have a revelation I suppose.
I had wayyyyy too much fun designing and sewing up this collection. I barely stuck to my original plan, which was half the fun really. Once I sat down and did a few sketches, I had two very different mini-collection ideas, I figured I was all ready to go. It wasn't until a month or so later when I looked at the sketches and realised I hated them all. So I did what I do best, I knew in my mind what colours & patterns I liked, so I headed to Spotlight and searched (ALONE! NO KIDS! WHAAAA?) and searched and finally found THE fabric. It's the main rainbow fabric.
It's just the way I sew things most times. I'll have half an idea in my head, but it just won't work until I finally find a fabric that gets me excited just by looking at it. I grabbed a few of my favourite Lil Luxe Collection Patterns and just started sewing. I knew I needed a bottom for a top, then a top for a bottom, and I just kept sewing and grabbing fabric from the pile I had of the fabrics until a mini collection was born! Trust me, it really was that random! And then I'd finish a piece and show Eddie and she would ask for something else, so I'd make it.
I came up with seven pieces, and mixed and matched them into ten looks (but I only got seven photographed heh)! Of course I took about seventy million photos of each, so I'm going to do this here post with a few pics of each look but then do separate posts with more detail and more photos on the outfits because otherwise this post will take FOREVER to load!
There's quite a few additional combinations I could have added but I think after seven you sort of get the idea ;)
Look 1: Metro Crop + Tesla Dot Skirt
Look 2: Reversible Crop + Jupiter Bellbottoms
Look 3: Jupiter Overalls
Look 4: Metro Maxi
Look 5: Alley Cat Crop, Reversible Crop (as a jacket) + Jupiter Bellbottoms
Look 6: Reversible Crop + Tesla Dot Skirt
Look 7: Metro Crop (inside out!) + Tesla Dot Skirt
Look 1
Metropolitan Dress as a cropped top
Tesla Dot Skirt self-drafted
The skirt is just two rectangles sewn together and attached to a stretchknit waistband with elastic inside. Super simple stuff guys, but always my favourite go-to skirt because it just looks so pretty! Plus it has twirl factor and that is very important in Edison's fashion world!
Look 2
Reversible Crop Top (and Dress)
Jupiter Bellbottoms self-drafted
Jupiter Bellbottoms self-drafted
Look at those pants! LOOK AT THEM! Man they're so cute, but Eddie didn't think so when she tried them on. They fit like leggings but the flared bellbottoms had her all confused. "They're too big!" No baby, they're perfect. They sort of remind me of a pair of work pants I used to have when I was a barista actually. Lol.
I drafted the bellbottoms myself, calling them Jupiter Bellbottoms because of space and stuff. They're quite high-waisted, coming up to her bellybutton but mostly her yummy toddler tummy kinda pushes the waistband underneath her little belly. The top is the Reversible Crop Top and it's fully lined so you know, it could be reversible! I didn't alter the top at all, it's sewn straight from the pattern I just added a fluro green pompom trim at the joining seam. The fabric looks like it is in the same design family as the main rainbow fabric I chose because the colours are literally identical however the fabric content is completely different. While the rainbow paintbrush stroke effect fabric is like a stretch sateen with clearly spandex in it, this colourful tribal print is a printed rayon.
You can get a better look at the back of the Reversible Crop Top down at Look 6.
Look 3
Jupiter Overalls self-drafted
Oh my gosh I love these so much? I was worried that they would turn out a little like I was designing clownwear, but once she put these on I just fell in love. I love the way they hug her little toddler tummy, I love the flare of the leg and I love that little racerback.
Using the beloved main rainbow fabric which is like a stretch sateen, I drafted up a bib to sew to the top of my bellbottom pattern. Just a few quick measurements to ensure the torso would be the right length (not too long and not too short!) it was really as simple as sewing up the bellbottoms then attaching them to the bib. The bib is fully lined although I think when I sew them up again I'll bring the sides up higher and closer to her armpits. The pointed parts would be more curved too. I'm going to make these up in black stretch denim later!
Look 4
I hate to play favourites, especially when everything I've sewn for this mini collection has been SO FUN, however. This dress. I started making a regular Metropolitan Dress which hits at about the knee and has a feature hem, however Edison requested a dress allll the way to the floor like a princess so the Metro Maxi was sewn! I used basic purple cotton for the majority of the dress, with black and white stripes from the hem feature and the bodice is also lined in the same black and white stripes.
This was the last thing I sewed and the last thing we photographed and I think it's a really fantastic final piece.
Look 5
Alley Cat Romper as a crop
Reversible Crop Top (as a jacket)
Bellbottoms self-drafted
 |
| Clearly telling on her brother :,) |
This was my very first idea for what I was going to make and the first three things that I sewed up! I had the pants done and then sewed the Alley Cat Romper bodice as a crop top (there's a tutorial for it here!) and I was liking it but it wasn't until I sewed the Reversible Crop Top that I started to get excited. My original intention was for it to be worn backwards as a little jacket, and then when I sewed more and more things that it got incorporated into a look to be worn the right way (Look 2)
The Alley Cat Crop is made from a scuba knit fabric which is probably my favourite fabric to sew with now. It's very sturdy and thick, the patterns and colours you can buy are just incredible and it's super stretchy!
Look 6
Tesla Dot Skirt self-drafted
Look 7
Jupiter Bellbottoms self-drafted
Like I said earlier, the next few days (or week I guess) I'll be posting each look/piece with more photos and details on each so make sure you check back!
Thank you so much Jessica for not only providing the patterns I used but also being such an inspirational entrepreneurial woman. It's been so great being a part of your test group and watching your ideas come to life.
Don't forget to check out the Lil Luxe Collection site and blog and shop!!
