A navy blazer is classic and timeless.  It's also essential to my wardrobe and the reason I needed to feel that hole.  I'd run across this fabulous Theory Uniform Navy Striped Stretch Cotton-Linen Blend from Mood Fabrics.com.  I knew it would be perfect for a jacket.

I selected Vogue Patterns 1439, from designer Anne Klein.  I love Anne Klein patterns.  The styles, especially the jackets and pants have excellent tailored details and classically-chic styles.  

Here is the ready-to-wear version which is currently sold out.

I cut the size 14.  I like to give myself room with jackets.  Even though this is a cotton-linen blend, it's still navy.  I will wear this into the fall and layer it on top of shirts and maybe lightweight sweaters.  I also added an inch to the length at the waist.  

I love the collarless, notched lapels.  Unlike a lot of jacket patterns, this one suggest that not only you interface the facings, but the full front.  And there is also a sleeve cuff interfacing pattern.  Those are significant places where interfacing is needed.

The jacket also has two-piece sleeves with vents and single welt pockets.  Don't you hate when you can't find the perfect buttons in the size that you need?  Yeah, me too.  This pattern suggested four buttons in a 5/8" size.  I couldn't find anything I liked.  So, I ended up picking these 3/4" buttons and I only needed to use 3 on each sleeve.  The pockets are simply decorative, because they aren't deep enough for a single thing. 

The fabric pressed to a crisp finish and it remained pretty polished even while wearing.  Not a lot of wrinkling and creasing.  So that truly makes this fabric a winner.

For the lining, I used Donna Karan Navy Solid Stretch Silk Georgette.  The cotton-linen fabric has stretch, so the lining needs to have stretch too. 

 And I added a touch of spring to the lining with my embroidery machine.

Under my jacket, I'm wearing Burda 6795.  

I cut the size 12, and I added an inch to the length.  This is a really quick top sew, being that it only has 3 pieces.

I also made my jeans a couple of weeks ago.  I used this amazing White Stretch Cotton Blended Denim, and it's super comfortable.  I'm pretty pleased with this outfit.  These are all classic pieces that will get a lot of wear in my wardrobe.

I do believe I that I questioned Mother Nature's intentions in my previous post.  Even though yesterday was the first day of spring, the temperatures sure as hell didn't reflect that.  It was cold!  It wasn't freezing here... it was in the 50s.  But after being in open-toed shoes for a while and having my air conditioner running for a couple of weeks, it felt like I was freezing.  And the wind was no joke. I'm glad I made the wise decision to pull my hair back and not even bother to fight it.  Hopefully, we'll be back to our warm temperatures this week, because I'm so over winter!

What better way to welcome spring and give Jack Frost the finger than with bright and cheerful colors, like this sunshine yellow crepe de chine fabric from Mood Fabrics that demands warm and sunny days.  It's a stretch poly crepe de chine.  Now, they also have a 100% silk crepe de chine in an almost identical color, but I'll tell you why I bought the poly:  For the ease of washing and drying.  I have 2 silk blouses tossed on the shelf in my laundry room right now, because I'm too lazy to hand wash them at the moment and I don't want to spend the dollars on taking them to the cleaners.  So they're going to sit there until I'm pressed to wear them again.  I love silk, Lord knows I do.  It's one of my favorite fabrics.  But I also love things that can go from washer-to-dryer-to-hanger.  And this fabric is pretty darn awesome.  Oh, did I mention it has stretch!

I was inspired by this Etro blouse from Farfetch.com.  It comes with a hefty price tag of $840!  Mine was around $20 to make.

By the time I saw the Etro blouse, I'd already purchased McCall's 7360... so I was going to work with that pattern because it was on my "to-sew" list anyway.  In my opinion, the most interesting detail of the Etro blouse is the sleeve ties.  So, that's what I needed to make happen with my version.

I started out with View C and I cut the size 12.  I removed about 4 or 5 inches -- I don't remember exactly, but I knew that I wanted the sleeve to stop right below the elbow.  I omitted the sleeve cuffs and the tabs.  And I sewed everything else as instructed. 

I absolutely love a shirt with yoke!  It's one of my favorite details for any shirt.  For the sleeve ties, I snatched that detail from old out of print Simplicity 3835 from 2007.  It's a 9 year old pattern, but that sleeve tie style is so of the moment.  So I'm probably going to play with it for a while.

I finished my seams with my serger and it has narrow hem.  The poly CDC pressed remarkably well, so I may order more in another pretty color.  And it wears like a knit top, but with a more luxurious appearance.

This pattern has some amazing variations that could fill a lot of warm weather wardrobe gaps.  It has everything from sleeveless to the possibility of being made into a shirt dress.  This blouse is a great addition to my spring/summer wardrobe and I know it'll be fun to wear.  

Our winters in the South are pretty mild.  But it does get cold enough for me to enjoy winter fashion and all of the coats I've made throughout the years.  So as I'm preparing myself to fully embrace a new season, I just wanted to take a minute to reflect on some of my favorite looks from fall and winter:

1.  Pattern Mixing: Houndstooth and Windowpane

2.  70s Inspired Fall Fashion Style -- How I make it Work for Me!

3.  Vogue Couturier Design 2925 | 1970s Vintage Fabiani Coat

4.  Fringed Benefits

5.  McCall's 7257 | Faux Fur Gilet

6.  Plaid and Flares

7.  How to Wear Velvet Pants for Fall 2015

8.  (OOP) Vogue 8002 | The Car Wash Skirt

9.  Vogue 8956 | The Asymmetrical Wrap Skirt

10.  Vogue 9123 | A Perfect Plaid Coat

Thanks for reading!

I am fully embracing spring.  I hope these amazing temps are here to stay and that Mother Nature isn't playing a joke on us because this weather has been glorious!

For this season, layering is a must.  It's chilly in the morning, warm during the day and chilly again when the sun goes down.  So this long, lightweight cardigan Simplicity 8059, fits the bill. 

I cut the size medium and I didn't have to do anything else.  It's really long, so petites should take notice.  My sweater knit is from Hancock Fabrics.

It's an open-knit, but it's not challenging to work with if handled with care.

I used a Ballpoint needle because a regular needle will catch the yarns while trying to penetrate.  You can use a zigzag stitch, but I found that a straight stitch worked fine with my knit.  And I reduced the pressure foot tension.  If your machine doesn't have that feature, I suggest using a walking foot to avoid stretching the fabric while sewing.

I took special care to match the stripes.  When I set sleeves in knits like this, I find it much easier to do it flat.  I finished my seams with my serger.  And for pressing, I barely touched those seams with the tip of the iron.  The goal is to just press the seams down enough so that they'll be flat.  You don't want to distort your fabric.  And I just hit it with steam while on the dress form to remove any other wrinkles.

I left off the gathering in the back by cutting the back pattern piece a little narrower than it is.  And I also omitted the ties.  I would never tie a garment like this.  I like the carefree look of "just throwing it on".

A denim jacket is always a wardrobe staple that is needed in my closet.  So for this spring, I decided to make one with a twist: a denim military-style jacket.

My jacket is (OOP) Vogue 8301, view B.  This pattern is from 2006.  Yes, it's 10 years old.  I've basically curated a collection of classics that I can pull from whenever my eye catches a trend!

Vogue 8301 is a great pattern to work with, being that my inspiration is from...

Pierre Balmain Button-detail Denim Jacket

Pierre Balmain Button-detail Denim Jacket

For my jacket, I used this beautiful Ralph Lauren Navy Stretch Cotton Denim.  Unfortunately, it's sold out.  All of the great fabric goes fast.  But any stretch denim of your liking will work.

I cut the size 14.  I would normally cut a size 12 in a top or a jacket.  But since this jacket is quite fitted,  went with the 14 so that I'd be able to layer it over other garments.  I also added an inch at the waist for all of the pattern pieces.  I'm always surprised when the sleeves are perfect in patterns.  I didn't have to alter their length.

The jacket is unlined and topstitched with a contrasting white heavy duty thread.

I finished my seams with my serger.

My buttons are these Antique Silver Metal Blazer Buttons.

I also made my jeans. My third version of this one.

I made this pair in this amazing White Stretch Cotton Blended Denim.  It's perfect for this style.