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November 12, 2021
Hello, RCF fam! I’m Jessica from Hygmalion and I’m so happy to be sharing with you on the blog today! I combed the website for the lushest cold-weather fabrics I could find, and was able to put together this cozy sweatshirt that was everything I could have hoped for and more!
Let’s cover fabric choices, first! I’m well into my fourth pregnancy, which means that lately I’ve been feeling like I really deserve to be draped in decadence. (I know you know what I’m saying.) It also means that I want that decadence to come in the form of cozy comfort. (I KNOW you know what I’m saying!) I was up for a challenge! The whole maternity-clothes-conundrum is a real pickle for me--I want to wear my cute clothes whenever I want, especially when they’re my handmades, and I don’t want them to be limited to 40weeks of body change! My favorite “maternity” pieces are actually just regular (albeit slightly roomy) items that are made from fabric that has great stretch and recovery. And if I can roll right into that post-partum/nursing phase without making a big wardrobe switch, all the better!When I came across this bamboo cotton spandex sweatshirt fleece, I knew I was on the right track. It is some of the softest, warmest, stretchiest fabric that I’ve ever worked with. Honestly, I can’t stop touching it! The hardest part was selecting this deep mauve color (instead of the really gorgeous mustard or dusty pink…yum!), but even in that decision I had excellent help from the team at Raspberry Creek! Of course, with sweatshirt fleece I’m sure to make a sweatshirt, and a half zip seemed the best choice (because...nursing). So I started looking for a patterned fabric that would pop from the solid bamboo fleece nicely. I found this Robert Kaufman flannel and my heart started to sing! The colors are really luscious and the flannel itself is so thick and soft. It is by far the highest quality flannel I’ve ever had the privilege to use.
My all time favorite half-zip pattern is Love Notions’ Constellation Sweatshirt. (BONUS: it is on sale today for Feature Friday!!) It’s drafted for knits, so I made just a few slight changes to the pattern to accommodate for the mix of wovens and knits. I sized up one size for the upper bodice pieces (those which would be made from flannel), making sure to use the included full bust piece. I cut all the other pieces according to my normal non-pregnant size, but I was careful to blend out to the larger size for the collar piece, shoulder seams of the back bodice, and front of the sleeve cap, so that they would match the larger upper bodice pieces. I basted a muslin together before cutting into my good fabric, just to be sure that everything would work the way I expected. I ended up putting a small bust dart in my final version, and that was that. It was so much easier than I expected, and I love how it turned out!
Since I had just a little bit of my flannel left over, I made a quick zipper pouch and topstitched it onto the sleeve to secure it. It adds a nice custom touch and gave me a chance to utilize even more of that gorgeous flannel! I’ve had a roll of this rose gold zipper tape hanging around for a few years, and I love to mix it in with fabrics that are deemed worthy. These RCF beauties definitely fit the bill!
I really couldn’t be happier with how this sweatshirt turned out! I’m sure there are more RCF decadent/cozy pieces in my future, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to top this! With the quality and wearability of these fabrics, I know this is a piece I’ll be able to enjoy for years to come. That’s a win for sure!
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