The Work From Home Module Sewalong

I've become a big fan of vlogs (although I have no interest in starting one!) and follow quite a few on YouTube.  One of my favorites is definitely Whitney at TomCatStitchery.  She is beyond talented and seems like such a genuinely nice person too.  For her fall module, she's doing The Work From Home Module Sewalong on IN (@tomcatstitcherycarmel) and I instantly knew this would be a challenge I would enjoy.  Because despite being home for six months, I have almost no casual clothes.  I spent most of the spring sewing a "Back to Work Wardrobe" only to find out the last week of June that we're working from home through the end of the year.  And here's the deal  I do need some cute tops and dresses to wear for Zoom meetings when I have clients and vendors attending. But those meetings are 1-2 times a week. So what I really need is casual clothes. Sigh.

If you're not familiar with a sewing module, it consists of:

• 1 topper
• 2 bottoms
• 3 tops
• optional: dress or jumper/jumpsuit

Without further ado, here are my inspiration pieces and pattern selections.

Topper

Inspiration 

I think I like everything about this cardigan.  It is long (I don't do cropped anything. Ever!) it has pockets (if I'm not on a zoom call, and for some reason, I'm stuck on having a hood on my next cardigan.  The pockets are a must because I pace when I talk on the phone - and I don't actually want to hold my phone!  And it looks cozy. Plus I feel like the shawl collar is more professional should it be cold (ahem, Houston doesn't really know what cold is!) in my home office. 

Pattern Choice:

The line drawings on this Heidi Hooded Cardi from StyleArc are spot on to the inspiration. I also feel like I could make this look dressier with the right fabric. Bonus, I already own this particular pattern.  I haven't looked it over, but directions for their patterns are light. I'm still confident that I could make this up easily. 

Bottom 1

I am in love with corduroy for this fall.  I don't even care if someone told me it's a fall faux for 2020 (seriously I don't think I know anyone except my husband who hates corduroy). And while I have hated every midi skirt I have ever tried I'm still convinced that I need a corduroy midi skirt in my wardrobe.  

Inspiration:

Be still my heart!

Midi skirt?  check

corduroy? check

PLUM corduroy?  Is there any better fall color than plum?!?!

And it's as if the sewing fairies heard my plea.  Look what released today:

Pattern:

This is Sawyer by Seamwork.  Tell me this isn't the perfect match?!  So of course I went online tonight to find the fabric to complete my inspiration.  Tons of plum-colored corduroy which I've ordered and should have by the end of the week. Clearly a winner!!  I think I need some chunky buttons marching down the front. Wooden buttons...decisions decisions. 

Bottom 2

For some reason this fall. I'm stepping WAY outside of my comfort zone and really embracing colors and styles that I don't usually look twice at.  For example.  Mustard.  It's a color I normally detest.  And it doesn't look good on me.  But I'm a firm believer that you can wear any color if you have the right shade. Or even better, you wear it on the bottom half of you so that it never clashes with your hair or skin coloring. And these pants are really lovely. Shockingly, I have a pattern for these as well....

Pattern:

I think I bought these on a Wacky Wednesday sale back in April.  It's the Ellie & Mac Paperbag Pants Pattern. They're very similar to the inspiration photo.  The leg is narrower on this pair, which I will actually need to modify.  I have a few wide leg patterns, like Joss from Seamworks.  I might frankenstein the two patterns to get exactly what I want. In mustard colored linen...

I do want to read some reviews as I've only made a couple of their shirts so far.  Pants can be my nemesis and will require a muslin.  That being said, I do have the Loveotions Summer Caye pants, which I've muslined and already sewn up in a yellow sateen twill (seriously, I hate yellow, what is wrong with me?!) that I could use to morph as well.  Choices are good.

Tops

And now we've reached my weak point. My second favorite thing to sew is a good top. There are easily 55 summer tops hanging in my closet right now. I wish I could say I was joking. I'm not.  And more than half have been made since March. So telling me I only get 3 may not ultimately work out.  I don't need inspiration photo's for tops, I know what I love.  Sometimes this is where I let my fabric choices dictate my final decisions.  Sometimes I just choose what I think mixes well with my other choices! Here is what I've narrowed them down to:

This is the Galaxy T by Pattern.Scissors.Cloth and it's almost identical to one I found at a chain store called Maurices. The store had it in a soft pink or a soft grey, neither of which are colors that really flatter me. However, I have some great cream colored jersey I got from Fabric.com recently and this will make a fantastic "basic" t-shirt for my collection that is a little dressier, but can still be paired with jeans. Since I haven't sewn this designer before, I will probably muslin this.

For some reason, I'm really drawn to the Skipper sweatshirt by Seamwork.  The drop shoulder really appeals to me and I love that neckline. I will absolutely skip the patch pocket as that is the last thing I need on my bustline, but I know someone like my daughter would adore it  This is one of the few patterns I've chosen that I don't already have a fabric in mind, so more to come on this. 

My all time favorite cardigan is the Blackwood Cardigan by Helens Closet. So when she came out with the Elliot Sweater and Tee, I instantly fell in love and knew I needed this in my winter wardrobe.  I'm 90% positive I'll be making the sweater, but again, this is not one I have fabric for. I've got a color palette worked out (more on that in another post) so I don't think I'll have any problems finding something I love to make this up in.

The neckline on this Malala Sweater by DIBY Patterns is fabulous!  DIBY Patterns recently had a sale and I scooped up several patterns, including this one.  She also has an excellent tutorial on YouTube for this cross collar.  Ultimately I think it was the tutorial that convinced me I needed to buy this.  This is another one I will need to buy fabric for. My feelings are not hurt at the thought.

I know the module is three tops.  But what if I"m not 100% committed to just the three?  What if I need more tops (ahem...I don't)  Let's just call these the wishlist/backup plan.

Also by DIBY Patterns, this was another one I picked up during the sale. I think this would be super flattering on me.  The only reason I didn't make it one of my top 3 is I think the length, which I normally love, will hide the cute waistband on the pants and make me look like a rectangle with the skirt. I can absolutely see this with jeans and my cowboy boots, so clearly I need this one too, but maybe as an add on piece with another bottom option. 

This is a super cute top from Ellie & Mac. I like the two fabric options and that it's short sleeved (I've been known to turn the a/c on for Christmas day) and those buttons down the back are a great detail!.  But I have some concerns about where that empire line is for the two fabrics. I'm not sure right in the center of my chest is the best or most flattering look. I think my daughter would look fantastic in this top and I will most likely make it up for her. 

This pattern might already be sitting on my cutting as I type. I'm a sucker for the vented sleeves and they're perfect for our hot fall weather in Houston. Since this pattern is already in the works, I didn't feel it should count towards my module. The pattern is Lucky Girl, another one by Ellie & Mac and I'm super excited to finish this up.

Here is all of Whitney's contact information if you want to find out more:

Blog: http://www.tomkatstitchery.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tomkatstitc... Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tomkatstitch... Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/tomkatstitc...

I've never met Whitney (and she has no idea who I am!!) but she's #1 on my top 3 sewing vlogs!!