Kasey’s Corner: Celebrating Birthday Style with a Mini-Wardrobe Plan

Burgundy has emerged as the must-have color for Fall 2024.  Embracing this trend, Kasey has created a beautiful three-piece collection to celebrate her birthday in style.  Happy Birthday Kasey!

 

I wanted to write Birthday Burgundy Mini-Capsule… but maybe that’s too much of a mouthful! It’s my birthday next month and once again we are going to Moody Gardens. We first went for my birthday two years ago, when I made a white ponté top in a fun new pattern. This year we’re going again. (Did you know? MG has a spa and golf course, as well as being beach adjacent. With all the other things to do on Galveston Island, it’s actually a very nice couples’ getaway.)

My new mini capsule features ponté, rib knit, and rayon jersey – all in burgundy. While it’s sold out in ponté, and backordered in rib knit (now in stock!) there are other pontés and rib
knits currently available. As well as many other jersey knits too, including heathered burgundy.

I wanted something quick to sew up, so TNT’s it was, with my poor old Blue Ginger Doll Bonnie top (OOP) getting a makeover cross with McCall’s 6963. Then I used Bonnie to create my own turtleneck, using my boatneck version and measuring the neckline to create a “turtle”.

 

And next was Kwik Sew 4137 (OOP), for a simple-yet-elegant-in-ponté skirt. For pockets, lately I’ve been using (and liking much better) “sportswear” style pocket insertion. This photo from Palmer Pletsch’s Pants for Real People shows the difference: on the left is a traditional, simple in-seam pocket; on the right is the “sportswear” version.

McCall’s 6963 is also a Palmer Pletsch, but I have to say, I had trouble the first time I made it using the “alter as you would a woven” instructions. The top was too loose fitting for my taste, so I wound up just tracing the cowl and shoulder shape over my TNT Bonnie top. But if you’re interested in trying the PP technique, try baste-fitting it before final sewing to see if you like the results.

As always,  stay tape for everybody! And don’t forget your matching threads (I remembered to get two this time….) In addition to the shoulders, both pocket edges also have stay tape. Another hint, try pre-pressing the hem in the flat before assembly, it keeps you from having to fight the fabric trying to press it in the round after you’ve sewn it up.

Now I have two looks for my upcoming birthday trip – one for day (hope its cool enough for boots!) and one for evening.