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.
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:
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.
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!
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!!
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.
Great shirt!
Ooh, that fabric really is lovely! Thanks for a great giveaway. 🙂
I’m following both you & Cloud 9 fabrics on instagram. 🙂
I’ll give you two quilt squares for that;)
What beautiful fabrics!
Your top is beautiful. Perfection!
I follow on instagram as @honey81619
This tunic is just lovely. Wonderful job!
I follw you and Cloud 9 on IG. My user name is jlcpowers.
Beautiful fabrics!
You look great! Always looking forward all your creations.
I’ve never made clothing, but your tunic looks great & I love the sleeve detail! Thanks for the giveaway! 😉
You make that placket look so easy! I love how it turned out.
I follow you and Cloud 9 on IG. I’m @mcglen.
Ahhh! This would be amazing!
christina3west@gmail.com
Following you and cloud9
Love your tunic it turned out lovely! Love those fabrics too!
I love the sleeves on the shirt so cute. 3/4 length sleeves are my favorite!
I have that book from my library and it’s quirky for sure! But this is a cute top.
Following on ig.
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!
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!
Adorable- I love your sleeve alteration. I just bought The Magic Pattern, good to know about the measurements.
Beautiful fabrics! Following on instagram : )
Beautiful Fabirc!!!!
Gosh, lovely top! The fabric is amazing!
following you on instagram!
Following Cloud 9 fabrics on instagram.
I would love to win some of Anna’s fabrics! 🙂
Oooh! I love Rain Walk! Beautiful tunic, and great job with the cuff placket!
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.
Sorry about your frustrations with the pattern, but your tunic turned out beautifully. Thank you for the giveaway.
I follow cloud nine fabrics. Thank you for the giveaway.
Really cute tunic!!! Love the fabrics :o)
I follow you and Cloud 9 fabrics on IG.
This shirt really came out nice. It stinks that everything came on a CD though.
Following you both on instagram!
I would love to play with the RainWalk fabric. I follow you and Cloud 9 on IG. Thanks!
Following you on Instagram. Love Anna Graham and RainWalk!
Also following Cloud9!
Love the fabric and the placket.
Great top, I like 3/4 sleeves.
Wonderful fabrics, thanks for the chance to win them.
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!
I’m now following you and Cloud 9 Fabrics on IG!
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.
AKA michiknitter
Lovely fabrics and great shirt!
I follow Cloud 9 on Bloglovin.
The shirt is adorable. Thanks for a great giveaway.
I love this line and your shirt is beautiful! I can see several of these prints being lovely tops or skirts. Thanks!
so beautiful!
following you and cloud 9 on IG!
LOVE your shirt!!! Your did super job!! Love the fabrics in this line too! Thanks for chance to win your Give-a-way! 🙂
I’m following both you and Cloud 9 on IG! (I’m marymarthamama). Thanks for hosting this great giveaway!
Beautiful top, and thanks for the giveaway!
I follow on Instagram.
Dmac5958ataoldotcom
Cute tunic! I love the Rain Walk collection and really want to make a super tote using some of the prints!
great tunic and review, Cloud 9 fabrics are a dream!
Love your tunic and that fabric looks delightful!
New follower on IG! (I’m @missenota.)
Thanks for the giveaway. I am following both you and cloud9 on instagram @afrodite131
Pretty tunic! Really like the packets. Beautiful fat quarter bundle.
I really like this fabric. Your tunic came out wonderful. Great job.
thanks for the cuff tutorial. it really does add a nice touch to your tunic!
Your tunic turned out really cute. Those placket share a struggle but look so cute when they work out.
I follow you and cloud nine on Instagram.
Patterns frustrate me so often, that’s why I like tutorials. Thanks to you and Cloud 9 for the giveaway!
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
Your top is great! You are a brave woman with those plackets! Thanks for the chance to win your giveaway!
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!
Following on IG, @hopefulthreads. Thanks so much!
Love your tutorials I’m new to quilting and need all the help I can get
follow you on Instagram and Cloud 9 fabric
I follow you both on IG ( bluebell bun) x
Your top looks great and thanks for the tutorial x
Cute top. Pretty fabric giveaway.
Beautiful fabrics! Love this collection.
Beautiful fabrics! Your pattern review was very informative, thanks for sharing.
Love this! Thanks for a chance to win.
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!
I love these new prints. And your tunic looks like a fun project.
love the prints!
Love the shirt. Looks nice and cool for summer.
So pretty MQ! I’m keeping my fingers crossed for that bundle.
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.
The shirt is fabulous and the perfect fabric! thank you!!
what a lovely tunic. these fabrics are so pretty
I love your tunic! Thanks for the chance to win Anna’s lovely fabrics!
and I’m now following you and cloud9 on Instagram 🙂
I’m in love with Rain Walk too! And I’m following both of you on Instagram!
What a great shirt and what a great blog. I just found you through Pinterest and I’m thrilled that I did.
Gorgeous fabric!
I love your tunic! Fabulous job!
I love rain walk!
I’m following! Love the tunic.
Love the fabric and great giveaway! Following on Instagram and Cloud 8.
What a beautiful top!
Love these fabrics!!
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 🙂
Love the fabric! Would love a chance to add it to my stash!
I love a tunic!!! Thanks for the giveaway! I am following you and Cloud 9 (under the name Random Jeanius) 🙂
Aaaaahh.. Always love Anna’s kind of style. Love ur tunic too, it sure looks fresh!
Great top and book review!
I am following you and Cloud9 on Instagram and FB!!
I do charity work for Days For Girls and would love these fabrics.Thanks
Cute top, love Rain walk fabric, Sew Fun~~~
I am afraid of clothes.
I follow cloud9
I love the colors of the giveaway fabric. Your shirt is so cute!!!!I follow on instagram with the name shroomfrog.
Love it!
Lovely tunic, thanks for sharing. Thanks for the chance to win this beautiful fabric.
I follow both Instagram accounts (sewittogether)
Following 🙂
Beautiful!
Love this line!!!
Following @beautyoutofdusthandmade
I’m following you and cloud 9 fabrics @ vacaloca02
I have always loved this fabric. Great sleeve explanation.
Ooh! Wonderful fabric! Thanks and God bless! ILuvTheEucharist @ aol.com
Hi! I’m following both you, and Cloud 9, on Instagram. Thanks and God bless! ILuvTheEucharist @ aol.com