Dear Stella Linden

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I love a good raglan pattern, and the Grainline Studio Linden Sweatshirt is definitely one of my faves! I love this hacked Linden from last summer, but I wanted a short sleeve version to wear in the warmer months. I realized I lack tops to wear with my jeans and shorts, so my goal is to make a few more tops this spring to fill in that gap.
IMG_3623I really liked this striped Michael Lauren tee from Nordstrom, but I decided to use this Dear Stella polka dot print knit remnant from my stash. I love this knit, but I haven’t had much luck finding more in the US. It’s slightly thicker than some others I’ve used, but has great stretch and recovery. It doesn’t have the same drape as my inspiration, but I think it still worked well for this pattern. The black is also a remnant from my stash of solid knits that I try to keep on hand because they work so well for necklines and bands.
IMG_3630I made size 0 per the pattern, but removed about 1½” from the sleeve length for it to rest just above my elbow with the band. The sleeve and hem band pattern pieces are included in the pattern, but I chose to measure and cut my own. My sleeve bands measure 1¾” wide and the hem band is 2½” after they’re folded in half and sewn with a ¼” seam allowance on my serger.IMG_3632I’m hoping to find a coral bamboo or linen knit with white stripes to make another version (more like my inspiration) for summer. I think it’d be fun to pair it with a Grainline Studio Lakeside Pajamas Short, which is very similar to the one paired with the Michael Lauren tee. What are some of your sewing goals this year?