This month, we have a total of three patterns that together make one really fun look. You’ll find a dress (or is it a romper?) with a bunch of different versions. You’ll also find two accessories bundled together in one pattern to complete your look. Let’s meet all three.

Meet the Wallis Dress and Romper

Be your own athleticwear designer with this fun, mix-and-match pattern that includes options for a dress or romper.

The Wallis dress and romper is a playful, flexible design that leaves the styling options up to you. Show off an athletic print (or two or three), or choose a casual rib knit for an everyday outfit. With this pattern, you can make something comfy to work out, wear around the house, run errands, or live out your cosplay dreams. Again, the design possibilities are up to you and your style!

If you want one more garment out of this pattern, download the member bonus to get a waistband to create a skort.

Fabric & Fit

Fabrics to shop: Look for medium-weight knits with 4-way stretch and at least 75% stretch, like cotton spandex, bamboo jersey, rayon jersey, or nylon spandex. Get adventurous and underline some power mesh with a solid color for a designer athleticwear lookalike. Or color-block prints and solids to create your own unique look.

Fabrics to avoid: Avoid thin fabrics or knits that do not have at least 75% stretch. If you need help calculating your fabric’s stretch percentage, here’s a tutorial.

Fit: This pattern is very fitted and relies on negative ease to conform to your body’s curves. Here are some tips for fitting!

Tips for Sewing Wallis

• Measure the leg opening for the shorts and use a stitch that has good stretch.


• To adjust the romper's length, place the pattern at your waist and adjust above and below the waist. Pay attention to the rise and the length of the torso.


• If you’re making the romper, don't raise the neckline. You have to step through it, so it needs to fit over your hips.


• 
  How to Sew Athletic Wear: Make athletic wear at home that will perform with your body, by Alyson Clair.


• 
  Sewing Knits Without a Serger: Simple tips for using your home sewing machine to sew knit fabrics.

Meet the Rey Bag and Bucket Hat

The Rey belt bag and bucket hat are the perfect accessories to kick off your spring and get you ready for summer—and they are both so fun to sew. These two patterns come as one and make great gifts. Let’s take a closer look at each.

The Belt Bag

For a total palate cleanser, shop for playful buckles, webbing, and 14” zippers for the belt bag. This bag has a fully lined pouch with darts and a gusset to store more of your stuff, and an adjustable strap to cinch it around your waist. It’s scrap-busting, and it also helps you learn some new sewing skills, like sewing a reverse corner.

Fabrics to Shop: This bag is lined, so you’ll need a main and lining fabric.

Main fabric: Look for heavyweight woven fabrics such as canvas, twill, denim, linen, linen blends, duck cloth, waxed canvas, and faux leather. Or pair interfacing with medium-weight woven fabrics such as quilting cotton, chambray, oxford, or madras.  

Lining fabric: For the lining, look for medium-weight cottons such as quilting cotton, chambray, oxford, or madras.

Fabrics to Avoid: This bag won’t work with lightweight fabrics, knits, or woven fabric that has stretch.

Notions: Get creative with the notions on your bag! You can find colorful options on Etsy, Wawak, or check your favorite local fabric shop.

• It’s important to use a 14” (35.6 cm) zipper for this project.


• You’ll also need a 1” (2.5 cm) adjustable side release buckle) or parachute clip and coordinating slider.


• Get 1 1/8 yards (1 meter) of 1" (2.5 cm) webbing. If you can’t find the right color to match your buckle, get white and use dye appropriate for polyester to make your own shade.

Fit: The belt bag has an adjustable strap, and we provide a formula to get the right length of webbing for your body.

The Bucket Hat

Make the Rey bucket hat if you need a little break from sewing clothing. Wouldn’t it be great to say that you made your own hat? This hat is reversible, lined, perfect for scrap-busting, and comes in three sizes. Use contrasting or matching topstitching along the brim, and if you plan to be outdoors, pick a UV protective fabric.

Fabrics to Shop: This hat is lined, so you’ll need a main and lining fabric.

Main fabric: Look for heavyweight woven fabrics such as canvas, twill, denim, linen, linen blends, duck cloth, waxed canvas, and faux leather.

Lining fabric: Shop for medium-weight cottons such as quilting cotton, chambray, oxford, or madras.

Fabrics to Avoid: Avoid lightweight fabrics, knits, and woven fabrics with stretch.

Fit: Choose from three sizes-small, medium, and large. You’ll find finished garment measurements for the hat’s height, circumference, and brim sweep, so grab a buddy if you need some help measuring your head.

Tips for Sewing the Rey Belt Bag and Bucket Hat

• There’s a tricky step in the belt bag pattern that you might want to practice first. You have to sew reverse (or 90-degree) corners. Carefully clip the corner diagonally (rather than perpendicularly) and sew slowly. Once you get it right, you will feel so powerful.


• Both patterns have opportunities for topstitching—so use a topstitching needle and thread if you are using thick fabric.


• For the hat, alternate directions of your topstitching along the brim to avoid draglines. This is similar to how you alternate directions when you shirr fabric so that the fabric doesn’t become twisted.


• If you need some extra help on your hat’s brim, here are8 Tricks for Perfect Topstitching.

Get the Rey Belt Bag and Bucket Hat

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