I’m excited to share about this make today on a couple of fronts: 1) It’s made with a special fabric that I bought when I first started learning how to sew last year.  And 2) It’s my first make from Itch To Stitch, which I’m now obsessed with.

This is ITS’s newest release, the Sabalito Top, which I think means “little flavor”. No, not really. Google says it’s a small town in Costa Rica!

Here’s the fabric story. In November last year, I attended the SQL PASS conference in Seattle and had the opportunity to visit Dry Goods Design in Pioneer Square. What a great place!  I was kind of thrilled to see paper patterns by Closet Case hanging on the wall. What: Their patterns exist outside my computer??

They had a rack of clothes in the front of the store that were sewn by students, for sale at $15-$20 (if memory serves).  An hour earlier I was browsing Anthropology and had photographed this very simple shift dress that was $130.  I guess 5th Avenue shoppers don’t know they can find the same thing — in better fabrics and prettier seam finishes — down at Dry Goods 1/10th the price!

Anthropology: $130 ??

I browsed Dry Goods for about an hour with a goal to spend at least $50 on one gorgeous fabric. This was an ambitious goal as my spending target up-to-then was usually $5/yard.  I landed on an army green cotton slub with blue flowers. Three yards came to $50 — goal achieved.  The clerk suggested the 101 Trouser by Merchant & Mills.  They posted a pic of it on Instagram a couple days later.

When I returned home, though, I did not make the 101 Trousers, thinking it prudent to wait a few months until my skills improve, so I could do justice to this lovely fabric.

Fast-forward three months to now, and my skills are in a place where I most likely won’t completely destroy a common fabric. When I finally cut into it for the Sabalito, I could tell the blue flowers were not woven in, but painted on! The paint is raised and smooth over the fabric.  I wish I had written down more details about it, but maybe Dry Goods can fill me in.

This photo really shows off the slubby nature of the fabric. It’s quite light and a little see-through, which is why it makes a great topper and probably would not, in fact, make great pants.

Now that I’ve gushed about the fabric, let me just gush about Itch To Stitch!  This was my first make from her line and I’m really wowed.  Karina from Lifting Pins and Needles on YouTube did a review of the Sabalito and called it “ingenious”. She’s absolutely right.

Just trying on the muslin, I knew this designer had a ton of talent. I ran to my computer and took a close look at every one of her patterns and decided on the next four I would make:

• Mountain View pull-on jeans – Which also got gushing reviews from Myra Lorraine and TomKat Stitchery (“I was so overjoyed with this pattern”) and Lifting Pins and Needles.  Karina on Lifting Pins and Needles says this is a perfect first jeans pattern — done!
• Danube Jean Skirt – I have some non-stretch black denim earmarked for this. I’ll try the stretch jeans first.
• Hvar Jacket – I found some rayon and flax tweed that looks exactly like the picture for 70% off at fabric.com for this.
• Cape Code Capelet – In dusty pink tie-dye stretch rayon, as soon as I learn how to sew knits…

Am I the last to the party for Itch To Stitch?  I’m sure everyone must know how great these patterns are. Stayed tuned for a lot more posts about them!  -rp