Have you seen the fancy sweatshirt trend?  Or maybe you’ve heard it called the dressed up sweatshirt?  Well, I’m officially on that train.  As a mom at home with my 8 kids, looking pulled together while still being comfortable are about as high as my priorities get!

For this dressed up sweatshirt, I used the most elegant flocked scrollwork on white floral lace for an overlay on the softest gray french terry on the planet.  Yes, I’m using superlatives when referring to this sweatshirt.  I almost feel like I should give it a name, it’s that near and dear to me!  (The grey french terry I used is sold out, but this one or this one is similar.)

I grabbed my favorite pattern with raglan sleeves, the Lane Raglan by Hey June Patterns.  I wanted to use a raglan sleeve to emphasize the lines of the lace overlay and echo the shape of the black flocked scrollwork embellishments.  The other change I made to the pattern was to double the width of the cuffs because when you have arms as long as mine, extra length is always a good thing.  Plus it adds to the whole fancy feeling.

It’s really easy to do a lace overlay.  You just cut out your pattern piece from each fabric (the grey and the lace in my case) and use the two pieces as one.  You can also baste them together on the edges before sewing them, but I was too lazy this time!

Now that I had my sweatshirt, I needed a fancy skirt to wear with it!  One thing on my sewing list this year is to make the Runway Skirt from Savvy Patterns from a woven fabric rather than the knit fabric it recommends.  I didn’t sew one size up from the last time I sewed this skirt as is recommended in the pattern when using woven fabric instead of knit fabric.  This is because I’ve lost some baby weight since making my last one.  But if that hadn’t been the case, I totally would have sewn one size larger.

To make the elegant Runway Skirt, I chose black brushed poly modal peachskin fabric for the main fabric and black chiffon for the godets.  The brushed modal peachskin fabric is so soft and silky.    This skirt is EVERYTHING I hoped it would be!  I feel as if I’m strutting down a runway while wearing it, and the compliments really fly.  The chiffon godets are perfectly lightweight and just swirl around my ankles as I walk.  It’s just so amazing to be able to sew your own fashion goodness that makes you feel incredible!

Now here’s the happy ending to this story.  Or at least I’m trying to be happy about it!  I made this sweatshirt for my little sister and actually managed to ship it to her.  She has been really busy lately and hasn’t had time to sew for herself, plus I’ve already sewn myself a couple of sweatshirts this winter like this peach floral one and this brown turtleneck one and a couple more.  And if I begin to regret it too much, I can always grab some more of this gorgeous black flocked scrollwork on white floral lace fabric.