Confessions of a Craft Addict

I’m not lying when I say that I love Patty’s patterns. The styles are so fun and hip, and the clothes sew up so nicely. I’m never disappointed by the results and Miss L always loves wearing them.

About a year ago, I tried to bring home Patty’s prototype for the Sydney hooded tunic but was foiled. Lucky for me that I can now make one whenever I want — and I’m expecting there to be plenty in L’s closet before too long.

Now, this particular Sydney was made as a sample for the shop but I did let my sweetie wear it before I dropped it off. The two main fabrics are by Alexander Henry and I have to say that I love them just as much now as I did when Sarah ordered them at Market in May. Bright, fun, bold — all the things I love. The green dot is actually one of Paula’s from Summer Soiree. A few of those prints actually look really good with the AH line but the dots won out for me. Why? Because I have a polka dot fixation. (The green corduroy pants, BTW, were a Carter’s purchase and a perfect match.)

I did make one change to the construction of the tunic and that was sewing the front facing over the hood so that the front edge of the hood ends up between the facing and the tunic. I think it makes for a nice, clean line in the front of the tunic and no serged seams to show if the neckline flips open. If you want to try this yourself, follow the directions for attaching and turning the facing but skip topstitching the opening as well as basting the facing to the neckline. Then when you attach the hood, pin the facing so the hood is between it and the tunic, with the wrong side of the facing on the outside of the shirt. Clip the corner and turn the facing back to the inside of the top before topstitching around the hood and the shirt’s V.

I don’t think it took me more than two or three hours to sew it up, and part of that was because I got caught up in the TV show I had on while I was sewing. (Shhh! I have an unhealthy addiction to the SoapNet’s repeats of Beverly Hills, 90210!)

Tags: Alexander Henry, Michael Miller, mod kid, Paula Prass, sewing patterns, summer soiree, sydney, tunic