As a continuation of my post last week, I wanted to show you what else I’ve been sewing this holiday season–specifically, matching Christmas outfits for my girls! I created these dresses from the Olivine dress pattern, using the only the lining pieces (Lining Front Bodice, Back Bodice, Lining Front, Skirt Back) instead of the outer pleated pattern pieces. Omitting the pleats and the sleeves from the Olivine sped up my sewing and, gratefully, freed up more time for Christmas shopping and eggnog sipping.

As you surely know by now, the green collars are separate pieces created from our Peridot look. The patch pockets at not part of the original Olivine pattern but were added because my girls have a pocket obsession and I thought the dress itself needed more of that lovely green velvet. Styling the dresses over a simple white long-sleeved t-shirt gives it all a seamless look.

The dress fabric was the find of the century… one gem in a sea of aging polyester from a little old lady’s house Erin and I raided a few years back.  It is a cotton pique embroidered with green starbursts.  I scored about 5 yards, and had just enough left over from other projects to create these two dresses.  The green works perfectly with the velvet and the season.

In addition to the dresses, I had a few moments to put together a new Kestrel Coat, featuring the same wonderful velvet.

The only modification I made was turning the two-piece sleeve into a one-piece, again in the interest of time.  The coat has been worn nonstop since it came off the assembly line and every time my daughter wears it I think I really need to make an adult-sized version of this coat.  Maybe in the new year….

Happy holidays to all and happy sewing!

~Carla

Last week we announced a new collar for the Kestrel Coat, which we are calling the Spring Collar, to be used along with our original Kestrel Coat pattern.  I am happy to announce the pattern piece* and instructions are now ready for free download.  Print it at home onto 8.5×11″ printer paper–no piecing together necessary!  Just click on the button below to access it.

What’s that you say? You don’t yet have the original Kestrel pattern?  Well, now’s your chance to get it at 10% off–it’s on sale in our shop now through the end of the month!

*Note: The graded pattern piece is for the solid pink collar piece pictured above.  We’ve gone the extra step in this version to add a 1/2″ ruffle to the stand-up collar by sandwiching the ruffle in between the main and lining collar pieces when sewing those together.  Let us know in the commnents if you’d like to see a short tutorial on this added embellishment!

It is March, and we are thinking spring around these parts!  Today we are announcing the upcoming release of a free new pattern piece for our existing Kestrel Coat pattern–a new collar piece perfect for milder days ahead.  The Spring Collar pattern piece can replace the pointed collar in our original Kestrel design (seen here). For added fun, we’ve styled it here with a little 1/2″ ruffle.  

For the coat shown here, we have used a cotton pique in coral pink (similar to this), and a colorful polka dot polyester lining and vintage buttons from our archives. We’ve also styled this look without the gathered, two-part sleeve, just for something a little different.  Remember when Kristin showed us how to do that?

But don’t worry, we’ve left that beautiful back untouched:

The new pattern piece and modified instructions will be are now available for free PDF download in the next week or so, so be sure to check back soon.  Click Here. 

Happy Sewing!

~Erin

Doesn’t this Kestrel Coat look ready for a night to the symphony?  Though the name itself is a bird fitting to the Clever Charlotte girl who wears it, I have always fancied the name because it conjours in my mind a night on the town via open carriage (a la an 18th century opera coat).

Anywho, I have been itching to show you this latest Kestrel Coat that I sewed for Art Walk at Murray Hill Bolt & Spool a few weeks ago. The coat features two beautiful fabrics from Nan’s shop–a gorgeous teal wool coating paired with an Anna Marie Horner’s “Little Honey” voile. Both were tremendously rewarding to work with and made for a tremendously rewarding finished coat.

Living in a northern climate, wool coating has been something I have been wanting to sew with for some time. It was unexpectedly forgiving to work with–it didn’t unravel and took to the coat’s shaping fabulously. I was worried it would be a little thick to gather at the back and sleeves, but my fears were unfounded. The wool produced a very structured garment but not at the cost of comfort–the coat still drapes smoothly and isn’t stiff at all. The cotton voile is a great choice for the lining as it has a very smooth, light hand that facilitates getting the coat off and on, even over bulky winter sweaters.

The seams of the coat were a little bulkier than they would be with, say, a corduroy, but I dare say even the topstitching went smoothly.  See here, you can see one of the collars with topstitching and other without.  Makes quite a difference, wouldn’t you say?

I made the coat in a size 3T (my daughter’s short arms probably warrant a shorter sleeve, but I took it to be a perfect opportunity to let a little of the lining peek through).  Since both my fabrics were extra wide (about 54″), I needed only about 1 yard of each (slightly more for the wool since I chose to make both sides of the collar in the wool).  I used 5 silver filigree buttons from our shop for the front.

Interested in sewing up a Kestrel Coat of your own? Nicole of Mother of 5 has just put together a step by step tutorial for the coat on her blog, so be sure to check it out!
Happy Sewing!
~ Erin

Last weekend was the Murray Hill Art Walk in Cleveland’s Little Italy neighborhood.  We were delighted to be invited to present a trunk show at our friend Nan’s shop, Murray Hill Bolt & Spool located in the Old Schoolhouse.  If the flattery in the invitation wasn’t enough to make us giddy, we were positively ecstatic to see the Clever Charlotte looks that Nan put together.

In the year since it opened, Nan’s shop has become one of my favorite places in Cleveland.  It is always bright and sunny, even when the weather outside would dictate otherwise.  The charm of the space is equaled by the quality and variety of the fabrics–you will find something for every sewing need here:  Liberty cottons, fantastic wools, linens, corduroys and other apparel fabrics, fine silks, velvets and gorgeous ribbons for fancier occasions, fun quilters cottons and lots of lots of sewing books and patterns.

The looks that Nan put together from our patterns really showcase her taste in colors, fabrics and design details.  Doesn’t this flannel shirt version of the Chickadee Blouse look positively cozy?  She paired it with the Chickadee Skirt fashioned in an olive-y~brown corduroy and lined in a fun tiny floral print. The Kestrel Coat to the right of the Chickadee is in black velveteen with a very sophisticated gray/yellow damask print quilters cotton.  Devine!

Now for the first look above–Nan’s creativity really shows through here, no?  She’s used green grosgrain for the contrasting tie on the navy Raven Hoodie.  LOVE how she’s carried the ribbon through to the pockets and pantlegs on the coordinating pink corduroy pants.  Isn’t this a perfect 3-season look?? So fresh and girly.

Carla and I also had plenty of our own looks on hand to show off this weekend.  Remember this one?

We’ve got one more Charlotte look to share with you next week and then some non-apparel Christmas-related projects.  Thought we’d change it up a bit before the holidays.

PS Be sure to visit Nicole’s blog this weekend for a Kestrel Coat giveaway!

Happy Sewing!
~ Erin

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  Carla and I have many things to be thankful about this year, Charlotte being one of them.  So we thought a special shout-out to you, our readers, followers, customers and fellow sewing enthusiasts, is particularly in order today.

We also wanted to highlight some of your wonderful fall Charlotte creations from around the www.  To see even more, head on over to our Flickr group.

Skirt As Top + Pattern Giveaway!

Kristin of skirtastop is graciously hosting a pattern giveaway to accompany her first Clever Charlotte project–the Kestrel Coat.  She even gives us a mini-tutorial on how to modify (i.e. simplify) the sleeves from 2 pieces to 1.  While you’re there, be sure to enter the giveaway by leaving a comment on her blog by this Sunday. Gobble gobble!

Charming Charm Stitch

A great eye for fabrics is just one of Laura’s many sewing talents.  She seems to produce new looks on her blog in her sleep.  So far, she’s sewn up 2 Chickadee skirts and 2 Raven Hoodies!  See them all on her blog and make sure you check out her great online fabric store for a lovely selection of Japanese imports and other designer fabrics.  [PS She's got a 10% off sale going on right now.]

Madame Mother of 5

Nicole of Down Under has sewn up every one of our spring/summer patterns at least once for her (count them 4!) daughters and has many well-photographed tutorials to go with each look.   She just finished up 2 posts detailing different ways  to line our Starling Dress and she’s already scheming her look for the Kestrel Coat.  So stay tuned and visit her site often!

Queen of the Flies

Melanie from Queen of the Flies tries her hand at the Eider Tunic.  She does tiny prints so well, the Eider was a perfect choice for her.  Seems Melanie has also learned the critical photography skill of candy bribes for photo shoots!

Thank you all for a great inaugural year and have a great Thanksgiving!

Happy Sewing!
Erin, Carla and Charlotte