Dressed-Up Loungewear

January 07, 2021

This is Kristin from @isewbestaftermidnight and I’m excited to be back on the blog sharing loungewear that you won’t mind wearing out of the house.  It’s January, and where I live, we still have a few more long months of winter.  All I’m wanting to wear these days is warm and cozy loungewear. But, real life also requires me to sometimes leave the house, and the sweats I’ve been wearing for three straight days aren’t going to cut it.  

The Fleece: This leopard print fleece sweatshirt knit is perfect for looking put-together without sacrificing comfort.  If you haven’t tried the RCF club fleece, do it! It is so soft and warm, and just the right thickness. It’s also really stable and easy to sew.  I paired it with the charcoal grey bamboo cotton spandex ribbing, which is perfect for cuffs, waistbands, and neckbands.  This ribbing is also very soft and pairs well with the fleece.  

The Stretch: One thing about fleece is that it has less stretch than other CLUB fabrics that you might be used to, such as cotton spandex and French terry.  So, you will either want to size up in a pattern that calls for more stretch or choose a pattern that is made for less-stretchy fabrics.  Fortunately, the Brunswick Pullover from Hey June is drafted specifically for sweatshirting fabrics with little to no stretch.

The Pattern: The Brunswick is a tried-and-true pattern for me.  I’ve made it several times, and I love the dolman sleeve and relaxed fit.  It has enough details and variation that you can make an everyday hoodie or a dressed-up pullover. I chose the version with button plackets on the side to add a little something extra and set it apart from my everyday sweatshirts.  The button placket calls for a woven fabric, so I used some black/grey chambray I had in the stash.  

Crew Neck Hack: I also altered the pattern just a bit by using a crew neck opening, rather than the hoodie or cowl included in the pattern.  To do this, I made the neck opening a little smaller by raising the front neckline by ¾ inch and bringing in the sides of the neckline on the front and back pattern pieces by ½ inch.  Then, once I sewed the shoulder seams, I measured around the neckline, and cut a neckband that was 80% of the neck opening length by 2 inches wide.  

The best part of this pullover is that it can be used post-pregnancy.  I can unbutton the plackets to accommodate my (currently 8 months pregnant) tummy, or leaved them buttoned up post partem.  

I hope you love your CLUB fleece as much as I do! 

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