How to Add a Sleeve & Lengthen a Dress or Top

Sylvan Chore Jacket

If Armani were to design an upscale chore jacket it might look something like this; the Sylvan Jacket from Sew Liberated, sewn in Indigo Houndstooth Cotton Jacquard Denim. This piece reminds Marcy of something Enola Holmes — Sherlock’s equal, his sister — might wear. Perhaps with a matching bucket hat - resonating with the version worn by Bundle in Agatha Christie’s The Seven Dials mystery.A large houndstooth with a bit of the feel of a stripe and a plaid, the horizontal line was matched at the front overlap for continuity. A single version of ‘Judith’s paintbox pocket’ was a design choice given the strong jacquard design. The side tabs are discreet, but add a noticeable shaping at the waist. The tabs on the sleeve are not really necessary - we simply roll up the sleeves instead. I’d recommend checking the sleeve length before finishing.Indigo Houndstooth Cotton Jacquard Denim and it’s sister, Charcoal Houndstooth Cotton Jacquard Denim, are the perfect in-between denim weight for this 3-season jacket. It will also work well for chic pants (wide or narrow, jeans, or a crop pant), a dress, or a vest.A scrap of Liberty Tana Lawn was used for the back facing and loop. We save every bit of leftover or small remnant of Liberty fabric because we love to use it to accent projects just like this one. A deep hem adds weight and vintage shell buttons from a Paris flea market are the perfect finish. Sewing Tips The fabric does not require interfacing. To make the collar lie flat, trim ⅛” from the outer edge of the under collar, then match the edges when sewing. Making the under collar slightly smaller forces the under collar to roll slightly to the inside, causing the collar to ‘cup’ and lie flat. When stitching the curve on the collar, use a small stitch length. This makes it easier to make a smooth curve. Press flat as sewn. then trim close to the stitching - a scant ¼”. Press flat as sewn, then turn while still warm, finger press and favor the seam to the back side of the collar. To easily match the horizontal lines at the front, cut left and right fronts single thickness. Happy sewing!

Artista Dress

Retazo Jacket

Wearing quilted Kantha fabric is an experience of pure cozy pleasure. While sewing with Kantha is not complicated, it does require thoughtful consideration of pattern placement and seam finishes. Traditionally, Kantha was crafted at home from scraps of old saris, creating household blankets by patching together layers with a simple running stitch. The pieces were laid out on the floor, stitched in manageable lengths for easy handling. Contemporary Kantha, like this version, is commercially produced yet still utilizes leftover fabric scraps. Each piece is meticulously stitched by hand into 8-10 yard lengths, backed by a solid fabric. The edges are neatly finished by tucking under the fabric and sewing with a decorative edge stitch, seamlessly integrating into the garment's design.For our project, we chose the Retazo Jacket from Sew Liberated Patterns, paired with Sita Cotton Kantha. This design is ideal for Kantha, featuring raglan sleeves that provide ease over other garments, a flattering flared shape, and capacious patch pockets constructed with a practical method that eliminates the need for topstitching. Sewing Tips: We used a shirting-weight quilting cotton for the under collar and front facing, along with 2" wide double-folded bias strips for the hem facing. No interfacing is necessary; the layered fabric holds its shape beautifully on its own. For a clean finish, we hand-stitched the hem and facing edges in place. To finish the sleeve edge and allow for cuff rolling, we turned the seams under and hand-stitched them 7 inches from the hem edge, then folded under the raw edge by ¾ inch to the right side and secured it with hand stitches. The bright buttons are vintage shell, found in Paris, stitched in a contrasting burgundy thread. Buttonholes are worked vertically, a design detail that worked best with the width of the facing and the size of the buttons. As a final touch, Katherine is adding French knots along the edge of the collar. Absolutely, we would love to create other versions of this jacket! Marcy says, "I’d make the flat collar wider (by maybe ⅘ - 1”, tapering at center front), for a more dramatic effect. I also really like the vest version, which would work beautifully in Kantha or linen or….and serve as a stylish layering piece under the coat. Just remember to adjust the sizes so the pieces nest together easily. The Retazo also would work well with structured fabrics like denim, linen, and wool coatings, and I could see it in brocade or silk dupioni.”  Happy sewing!