Crafting Body Appreciation

I don’t think I mentioned it here, but we did a little house remodel this summer. The beloved three-season porch got a year-round glow up. It also happened to become the new office location and headquarters for my nutrition practice, Whole You Nutrition.  

If you have ever remodeled a part of your home, I don’t need to tell you how disruptive it is. If you have ever relocated a business office, I don’t need to tell you how time consuming it is. Doing both at the same time? Oof! Needless to say, sewing wasn’t really the focus for a few months.

I did manage to complete a couple of garments that time but photographing them and writing about them just wasn’t happening. However, the remodel is done. The office is moved and functional. And I once again have the mental space to think about hobbies like sewing!

 So, what did I manage to finish?

June Pants (Round 2)

As mentioned way back in the spring, I thought Helen’s Closet June Pants had real TNT energy for me. I tested that with my second pair in August. I stuck with the same size I used in April, 26 without grading or blending sizes, but I did add a couple of inches to the length to make them full length rather than cropped at the ankle.

The fabric for this pair was a linen blend that I thrifted (because some things never change). I call the color khaki (but I understand there might be disagreement around that term both for color and fabric) with little white pinstripes. They are flowy and comfortable and worked perfectly for that summer shoulder season where it is still hot, but we all want to pretend it is fall.

I do have a third pair cut out in a darker color that I do still plan to sew-up this year. Even though the pattern gives summer vibes overall, I think a darker pair will work well in my work from home life. They have the comfort of pajamas but with a bit of polish and could easily be paired with a cardigan for a casual work look.

Bardon Dress, Hacked

My second make was a hacked version of the Bardon Dress from Peppermint Magazine.  I originally made this dress last summer but decided the gathered tiers just weren’t for me, but I loved the fit of the bodice.

My first Bardon dress hack was to put that top on to the Helen’s Closet Orchard dress for a bit more sun coverage. This version was to keep the idea of the Bardon Dress but remove the tiers and instead have just one long gathered skirt. I also played with strip directions which was fun.

This dress needs some adjustments but that can be spring of 2026 Amber’s problem. My plan is to move the skirt up to more of an empire waist which will help address some of the length which is just too long to be practical in its current state. I may also hem it further to a more midi-length but I will decide that after I move the waistline up. Look for an update when the days start to get longer and the weather is warming rather than cooling!

English Paper Piecing

The other project I have been working at here and there is my hexie English paper piecing (aka my TV watching project). I have decided I would like to hang a mini quilt of these cute little hexagons on the wall in my new office space so that has given me a renewed push to work on that. I picked up a few cute fabric scraps at the thrift store and invested in a few supplies (better needles and thinner thread) to start assembling.

Plus, I’ve got fall sewing plans that I will share more about soon!