A HAPPY STITCH

creating a mindful wardrobe

Rain Walk Tunic, Cuff Placket Tutorial and a Giveaway

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Rain Walk Tunic

Oh hey! It’s been a little while since I posted something with me in it! And, I have so much to share….scroll down for information about the giveaway if you want to skip my blathering on.  I think I’m pretty interesting but, hey, I get it!

I have been in love with the Rain Walk collection of prints from Cloud 9 Fabrics since they were released.  Designed by one of my sewing heroes, Anna Graham of Noodlehead, they exude her great grace and quiet but energetic style of classy. So, when my friends at Cloud 9 asked me if I wanted to play with them I was ecstatic.  After a GREAT DEAL of deliberation (It’s so hard to pick!), I chose the Reflect print in Blue.  I just love the colors in this print, it has just the right amount of mustard and such delicate lines.  It’s scrumptious.  The base fabric is unbleached and super soft and just plain lovely.  I wanted to make a tunic. I know, you are shocked.  Me and tunics, what can I say.  I chose to lengthen The Charlotte top from the book Magic Pattern by Amy Brickman of Indygo Junction fame.

Rain Walk Tunic

I’m going to be really honest, I am thrilled with how this top looks but I was frustrated with the pattern.  For starters, all the patterns in the book come only with FINISHED garment measurements and no standard sizing measurements. Considering I don’t always know exactly how much ease I want in a garment this made choosing a size really difficult.  I went with small and it worked out but it easily could have been too tight.  Secondly, even though it is a book all the patterns are on a CD.  I spend so much time printing, taping and tracing pdf patterns that when I buy a book I expect to avoid all that work.  No luck with this one.  And, last, the book uses thrifted clothes in some of the patterns and at first I thought that was great! Wonderful to encourage the re-use of old clothes.  But, as I realized with the Charlotte the patterns using thrifted clothes actually rely on features of the thrifted items for parts of the garment making.  What am I talking about, you ask? Well, for the Charlotte top I could see in the example picture that it included a cuff placket and I was very excited about that detail.  I knew I wanted hints of chambray on my top and a cuff placket would be perfect. As it turns out, the cuff placket is only a part of the shirt if you are using a thrifted item and cut it such that it takes advantage of the existing cuff placket.  There are no instructions for how to make the cuff placket if you don’t use thrifted material.  Some of these things are a little persnickety on my part but they made the process frustrating for me.

The cuff placket was such an important part of the look of the shirt that I just couldn’t let it go. After a bit of research I was able to come up an easy way to make the plackets myself (this was before this great video tutorial on Sew Mama Sew popped up).  Here was my down and dirty technique:

How to Make a Cuff Placket the Easy Way!

a. Cut a rectangle of chambray fabric 3 1/4″ by 3 1/2″ and fold it in half making a crease at the middle.  Place the middle crease at the middle of the sleeve right-sides together and stitch a rectangle sized 2.75″ deep and 3/4″ wide through both layers of fabric on the LEFT-HAND side of the midway crease.  Snip a y-shape through the middle of the rectangle.

b. Fold the left hand side of the fabric over once and then again being sure to capture the raw edges (above the y) in the fold.  Pin in place.

c. Repeat with the other side.  One side will be bigger than the other. Stitch both the left and right-hand sides of both plackets as close as you can to the base of the rectangle you snipped in step a.  Basically where the pins are in the picture.

d. If you flip over to the wrong side of the cuff placket you should see your little triangle peeking out. Be sure it is pointing up so it gets caught in your next stitch.

e. Back on the right side of the fabric, place the larger-sized placket over the smaller one. Fold the bottoms of your placket up until it is secure, about 1/4″.  Now you can stitch the classic X in a box and you are done.

Rain Walk Tunic and Cuff Placket Tutorial

Finish the hem with a bias strip of chambray and Ta-da! A lovely cuff placket. No doubt an adorable feature and I’m the better off for struggling through it.

Now for the giveaway! Who doesn’t love free fabric? The amazing folks at Cloud 9 have offered to give away a set of fat quarters of all the Rain Walk prints!

Rain Walk Tunic and fabric giveaway

I’m holding the giveaway open for one week! Leave one comment here before noon EST on September 17th and you are entered! For an extra entry, follow me on Instagram and follow Cloud 9 fabrics.  Be sure to come back here and tell me you are following! US entrants only, please. Good luck my friends!!

Rain Walk Tunic and fabric giveaway

Note: We have a Winner!  Ginny was lucky #17 (according to random.org) with her comment:

Love your tunic it turned out lovely! Love those fabrics too!

Thanks Ginny! Check your email for details.  This contest is now closed.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  21. Erin says

    I love Rainwalk! I made a small purse from a couple of fabrics from the collection. I was already following Cloud9, which is how I heard about your giveaway, and now I’m following you!

    Reply

  22. Cheryl B says

    I’ve been sewing for years and I don’t recall ever making a cuff placket so it was really interesting reading about your experience with it. Thanks for the chance to win such a pretty bundle!

    Reply

  31. Anjeanette says

    Fantastic detail! Good to know about the patterns in the book. That really is something you want to know before you decide to make something from the book. Thanks for the giveaway.

    Reply

  44. duchick says

    I enjoyed all your “blabbering” and the details of the book/CD. I especially like the sleeve detail that gave you so much trouble…but worked out in the end. Great looking bundle of fabrics…keeping my fingers crossed!

    Reply

  46. Carol B says

    I am following you on instagram and Cloud 9 on instagram. Love the fabrics and love the patterns. Woul like the opportunity to make something.

    Reply

  53. Lori Morton says

    LOVE your shirt!!! Your did super job!! Love the fabrics in this line too! Thanks for chance to win your Give-a-way! 🙂

    Reply

  68. Rebecca H says

    tunics seem to be my thing this year and I hope to add some fabric to the bottom of a top and make it a tunic. Love, Love that fabric. thank you

    Reply

  70. Kristy says

    I LOVE your tunic!!! Sorry it was frustrating to make though….I understand. I have a half finished dress that I cut up 5 fabulous yards of fabric to make and have tossed to the side because it was such a pain. One day maybe I’ll finish!

    Reply

  80. Pam says

    I love this tunic! Thanks for the pattern review and the chance to win these beautiful fabrics. And thanks for all the other inspiration on your blog!

    Reply

  85. diane b says

    Hello Melissa Q! It’s great to meet you and relish in your blog. Anna is my pattern hero! I have many of her patterns and am sewing a basket right now w/one of the canvas prints from Rainwalk. Certainly am anxious to quilt for a soon to be grand child w/the Rainwalk organic cottons.Thank you for the cuff placket tips, surely I can do that! The blouse is beautiful.

    Reply

  99. Jeanette Chia says

    Love the Tunic and the fabrics. I followed Anna (Noodle-head) website ever since I started sewing 3 years ago and love her simple combination of colors and solids. Needless to say, I would love to sew with her Rainwalk collection one day 🙂

    Reply

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