It is bittersweet to share this news with you. Over the last seven years, I have worked so hard to build this business, and I am so proud of myself and this shop and the sewing community, we have all come so far in that time.

I truly never imagined how successful this shop would be or how much I would enjoy being a little part of all of your handmade wardrobes.

I have had the pleasure of working with some extremely talented makers, and have made many friendships and connections that have certainly influenced my life for the better. The pattern designers who have shared their designs and aesthetics with us, the contributors who have taken beautiful fabrics, paired them with patterns, and wowed us over and over, all of them have inspired us in so many ways.

My team has grown from just me back in the day to include a group of women to whom I will always have affection, admiration, and so much more. I adore you all and working together has had a profound effect on me.

Over the last year, my family has been through a lot. I’m sure that’s true of many of you reading this. The world is hard and helping our children and loved ones navigate it is challenging on the best of days. Over the last months, I have thought about what is really the right choice for me professionally, and then an opportunity presented itself to me that just made sense for me and for my family.

This is an exciting and scary time, taking a leap to try something new, writing a new chapter of my story. I am so grateful to all of you who have been on this journey with me! So many of you believed in this little shop that could and I can’t even put into words what that means to me.

I promise to not be a stranger, and hey! I might even have a little time to sew ;) Sale details below, and more information will be coming your way later this week.

Thank you. With everything I am, thank you. 

xo, R

Important Notes:

The last day to purchase digital patterns in the shop will be February 29th. ALL digital patterns must be downloaded by March 31. 

Sale begins February 27. We recommend using any gift certificates or sale codes before the sale starts. Sale codes will not work in conjunction with any gift certificates or other codes.

Sale prices are not valid on previous purchases, and discount codes cannot be combined with any other codes or sales. Please allow up to three weeks for order shipping and receipt.

Sale Schedule:
2/27 – 10% off site-wide ( use code “TENOFF”)
2/29 – last day to purchase digital patterns
3/5 – 20% off site-wide
3/12 – 30% off site-wide
3/19 – 40% off site-wide
3/31 – final remnant sale (date subject to change)

Hi Gnats readers!! I am really excited to be here today sharing my Modal Rib Knit Dionne Duster with you!

I was beyond excited when Rachael decided to carry this fabric in the shop. I love rib knits; I love modal fabric, and add in the amazing color choices, this fabric is to die for!

I chose the pumpkin colorway for this project, and it is absolutely perfect for fall, but will work well all through winter for sure!

The fabric is deliciously drapey but doesn’t have too much vertical stretch, so you don’t need to worry about it stretching out of shape when sewing or wearing it.

It was quite easy to sew with my serger, but as with all drapey knits, you’ll want to be careful not to tug or force your fabric through your machines or you can definitely distort it. A good dose of steam can do wonders on wavy seams though, if need be. Be cautious of using too much heat! On modal fabrics, especially, it’s easy to cause some shininess if you use high heat to press and steam your seams.

I made the new pattern by Sew Altered Style, the Dionne Duster, and y’all. It’s a goodie!!

Cardigan patterns can feel a bit redundant after a while, but this one has some really fun features to mix things up and create a really fun, new cardigan to add to your wardrobe!

The pattern comes in two views, with 3 length options, and 2 sleeve variations. The options are all interchangeable.

I chose to make View A, which includes a paneled front with sewn-in pockets. If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you’ll know I love me some pockets! Especially in my cardigans.

I made a size 8 at the top, graded to a 6 at the hips. My measurements are: B:36″, W:29″, H:38″.

I made the midi-length option, but I preemptively shortened the pattern by a few inches to accommodate my height (5’3″), and also mistakenly assumed the fabric would relax vertically because of the drape.

I view the fabric not stretching out vertically as a good thing, but in the case of this cardigan, it meant it was just a bit too short for the look I was going for! So, happy accident, I ended up adding a band to the bottom of the cardigan to make up for the length I had removed.

I’m so thrilled with how the whole look came together!

I haven’t mentioned the sleeves yet, but THE SLEEVES. Billowy, drapey, ribbed goodness. What more could you want!?

Have you seen enough drool worthy fabric pics of this modal rib knit Dionne duster? Hurry and grab some while you can! :)

Hi everyone! I am so excited to share my modal rib knit penny raglan with you today. This is not a fabric I typically use so I enjoyed getting to work with it.

This rib knit is so soft and squishy. It’s like a cozy dream to wear. This is the soft mint colorway, and it’s such a pretty soft color that also works great for winter layering.

I found that it cut out just like a typical knit blend- you definitely have to watch yourself to keep the fabric straight but it doesn’t shift as much as I thought it might.

I sewed the entire thing on my serger except for the hems, and it serged like a dream. So easy. Do be careful and put your iron on low for pressing though.

I used the Penny Raglan by Grainline studios for this top. Anyone else super into the oversize tee trend right now? I’m loving it and have wanted an excuse to try this pattern.

This is a super easy and quick pattern! Just 4 pattern pieces and a few hours of sewing gets you your finished garment. It is majorly oversized though. I knew this and considered sizing down a few sizes but decided to go ahead and sew the size 8 per my measurements.

I’m glad I did sew the regular size. It’s a fun and floaty tee. I do think I might try another one sized down a few sizes if I want the same shape but a little less oversized sometime.

One other change I made was to cut out the top along the largest size hem line- just to add another inch to the length. I like a little bit cropped but not fully cropped where you can see my stomach when I lift my arms. I think this ended up the perfect length, so I’m very happy with that change.

All in all it was a fun little project, and I’m excited to wear this little modal rib knit penny raglan under my cardigans all winter long!

If you’d like to try out some of this glorious fabric then now is the perfect time to do so! You can take 15% off of all of the Modal Stretch Rib Knit with the code RIBKNIT15 at checkout. The coupon is good from now until Sunday, November 24, while supplies last!! Enjoy!!

I am not typically a turtleneck person, but with the seemingly sudden onset of frigid temperatures, I had to admit that a turtleneck layer would be a warm and welcomed addition to my wardrobe. But it had to be JUST the right fabric. Nothing too heavy or restrictive. Enter the delightful Modal Rib Knit Nikko Turtleneck made from modal stretch rib knit from Imagine Gnats Shop.

The Fabric: Modal Stretch Rib Knit in Eggnog.

This stretch rib knit is an ideal fabric for a lightweight turtleneck. It’s 90% modal, which means that it is incredibly soft and has a beautiful liquid drape. But the 10% spandex means that it springs back into shape beautifully, and you don’t have bagged out elbows or anything weird like that. It drapes down my body but doesn’t feel like it’s growing on me, which is just right.

The rib is really interesting too. It has a slightly flat wider rib pattern on the front and a narrower rib pattern on the backside. Also, this Eggnog color is the best version of an ivory that is just slightly leaning towards blush, and I love it. It looks great with warm colors, looks great with cool colors, looks really great with black. :)

There are a variety of beautiful colors available in this fabric, see them all here. But truthfully I already have a black version of this exact pattern cut out. And I have my eye on this teal color.

The pattern: Nikko Top and Dress pattern by True Bias

The Nikko Top and Dress pattern is not a brand new pattern, but a helpful one to have in your pattern collection. The pattern gives a long sleeved and a sleeveless option, in addition to the option of a turtleneck dress or top. You have to love a pattern with seasonal versatility, and I do. It also is available as a PDF or printed in the Imagine Gnats Shop.

The Nikko is a slim fitted turtleneck, but since I wanted one to wear over my pants (as opposed to tucked in), I sized up two sizes. This gave me just a little more room in the body but still clings in a flattering way around my hips. As you can see in the above picture, the fabric drapes nicely down my body instead of giving that more tubular look that I would have had if it was a stiff fabric. I love it.

I also opened up the neckhole by 1/2″ to give me a little more room around my neck because I have been so tentative about turtlenecks in the past. Truthfully it probably made little difference on the fit, but seems just right to me.

When I’m wearing my higher waisted pants, I have been wearing my turtlenecks with a half-tuck in the front and the back out. With my mid-rise pants I tuck in the front, pull the excess around to the back, and tuck it in there, like the above picture. I love it.

What about you; are you Team Turtleneck? If you are, I really couldn’t recommend this fabric any more. And if you are not, you must give this Modal rib knit Nikko Turtleneck a try and see if it doesn’t change your mind. It did for me!! :)

If you’d like to try out some of this glorious fabric then now is the perfect time to do so! You can take 15% off of all of the Modal Stretch Rib Knit with the code RIBKNIT15 at checkout. The coupon is good from now until Sunday, November 24, while supplies last!! Enjoy!!

Hi sewing friends! Leanne from Thready For It here, back with more silky noil goodness. I know most people are moving on from lighter weight fabrics to more fall appropriate ones, but…I live in the desert. Yummy linen blends like this black silky noil are my go to year round when more days than not it’s over 70 degrees outside. And this silky noil box top dress is perfect for my desert winter.

Imagine Gnat’s silky noil might be my favorite linen blend I’ve gotten to work with. Unlike the linen blends I’m used to working with, this blend has a really satisfying texture and drape to it. It’s not heavy weight, but it feels nice when you hold it. Depending on how you style it, I think you could make both casual and dressy garments with this fabric and they would both look beautiful.

I always find myself gravitating to the neutral/earthy colorways of fabric, but there surprisingly isn’t a lot of black in my wardrobe. I know it may seem like a ‘safe’ color, but I love that I can throw this dress on, and it will go with any accessory I pair it with.

The noil feels nice on, and it gives me an extra boost of confidence on the days I have it on.

Just like was the case for the Lou Box Top I made with the taupe silky noil, this fabric works just as beautifully for a Lou Box Dress. I opted for dress #1, which is a cocoon relaxed fit dress with pockets and a(n) (optional) button detail on the back.

The Lou Box dress #1 has a short sleeve option as well as an elbow length sleeve option. If you have both the Box top and the Box Dress patterns, the sleeves from the dress are interchangeable between with the top pattern, and I love the extra options that gives you.

Beth has been working to expand her patterns to her new size range, so the Lou Box Dress now goes up to a size 32. Prior to the expansion, I couldn’t fit into the Sew DIY size range, so it makes me so happy that I can now rock Beth’s patterns with the rest of the sewing community.

My measurements are: 54″ full bust/50″ waist/59″ hips, and for the Box Dress #1, I made a size 28 bust and graded out to a 30 for the waist and hips. I would usually grade out to a 32, but with the loose fit of this dress, the finished measurements showed a 30 would be more than enough ease for me.

I just love this silky noil Lou Box dress together. I was recently on a 2 week Eurotrip, and I made sure to pack this beauty with me. It was light enough for warm days, and on days where it was a bit cooler, I just paired it with a cardigan and was good to go.

Much to my mom’s horror, I’m not big on ironing (sorry mom!). I found that this was fine rolled up in my suitcase while traveling. I’m not sure if it’s the blend or what, but I didn’t find that it wrinkled as much as some of my other linen garments. It was the perfect travel companion!

Have you guys picked up any of the silky noil? If so, what have you made with it? Are you a year round linen lover like me? The shop has some really beautiful fall colorways of it that I’m dying to get my hands on. Grab some in plum, charcoal, wine, or marine blue and join me in the “linen lover year round” club!

Until next time…happy sewing y’all!

Leanne

I’ve seen some amazing versions of the Sew Liberated Estuary skirt pop up since its release. After seeing Meg’s striped version I knew I needed to find a similar fabric for my own vintage chambray Estuary skirt. I made view B in a size 26 based off my current measurements: 54″ bust, 45″ waist, and 54″ hips.

I am leaning into pants and skirts that include elastic because my measurements have been fluctuating over the past year. I particularly enjoy the combination of a flat front and elastic back. It adds an interesting detail that also allows me to tuck a blouse into this skirt.

I think the Estuary is designed to sit a little lower on the body, but I prefer my skirts to sit pretty high on my torso. For this reason, I could use a shorter piece of elastic in the back or one size smaller for my next version. That hasn’t stopped me from wearing the skirt at all; it’s just something to keep in mind when I’m styling it.

I really love the end result of this skirt. This is something I can wear for multiple occasions. I’ve dressed it up for work and left it casual for a weekend grocery run.

This silhouette has a vintage flair that pairs well with t-shirts in particular. I am also very excited to continue wearing this skirt in the cooler months with additional layers for warmth. Once I finish my first knitted sweater, I am definitely going to wear it with my chambray Estuary skirt.

This fabric was really great to work with. I didn’t have any issues while cutting, interfacing, pressing, or sewing the fabric. This chambray is pretty sturdy yet lightweight at the same time.

It has just enough drape to compliment the skirt’s shape. The stripes emphasize the gathers in an interesting way. It would be fun to rotate the fabric for horizontal stripes on the patch pockets. The selvedge edge could also be used for a fun pocket detail.

Although this fabric is intended for button up shirts and other tops, I think it is an excellent choice for lightweight bottoms. I could see this chambray looking great as a pair of flowy wide leg pants or even a jumpsuit.

It is a versatile fabric with a subtle pattern that can be paired with a variety of colors. This fabric and sewing pattern combination work very well together.

Do you ever see a garment in a store and instantly see a pattern? That’s what happened to me when I saw this J.Crew dress. I looked at and saw the perfect double gauze Kalle Shirtdress in the Atelier Brunette in Stardust, Ochre Color. I knew it was meant to be (just add a wide belt!).

The Fabric

If you hang out on sewing social media channels, you’ve likely heard of Atelier Brunette, the French fabric company. We love their fabrics for being high quality, beautiful, and in a cohesive range of color palettes with patterns that are modern and fresh. (I also love that they sell coordinating bias tape, zippers, and thread! It makes online ordering so easy!).

What is double gauze?

Double gauze is just what it sounds like: two layers of gauze, delicately tacked together to make a single layer. It’s both lightweight and insulating because of the nature of the fabric.

When you think gauze, think of the baby blankets that people call “swaddles” or “muslin” blankets. That fabric that is almost always used is actually gauze, not muslin. It has a bit of loft to it, and double gauze has extra loft because it’s doubled up.

It makes a perfect fabric for a Texas fall where temperatures can fluctuate during the day from quite cool to warm in the afternoons.

What is double gauze used for?

This fabric is great for dresses and skirts (it would make a beautiful Sew Liberated Estuary skirt!) and shirts with a simple silhouette, like the Lou Box Top.

I love it for the Kalle; although there are parts in the collar that are a bit bulky because of the loft in the fabric. I just graded my seams accordingly.

The Pattern:

Gah, I love the Kalle! It’s such a versatile pattern. I made the dress version with the full button placket and box pleat. There are SO many variations of this garment, and they are all great.

This is a modern take on a classic shirtdress. The sleeves are “grown on” meaning they aren’t a separate set in sleeve. This gives the dress a boxier, casual look. The signature feature of Kalle, however, is the scoopy hem.

I love that it’s hemmed with bias tape, making it easy, clean, and fast. (To make it easy, all Atelier Brunette fabrics have coordinating bias tape available in the shop!).

Did you see Meghan Markle’s white shirt dress on her South African tour? It’s the Kalle hem! It’s classic and also very on trend.

The Inspiration: J.Crew

My Measurements & Pattern Size:

Bust: 36

Waist: 29/30

I sewed the double gauze Kalle Shirtdress up in a straight size 8, per my measurements. The scoop on the hem can be quite short, so I lengthened the dress by 7″ so that the height of the scoop would hit me about the knee, rather than mid-thigh. Other than that, I didn’t make any changes.

The Kalle Shirtdress by Closet Case Patterns is a favorite in the sewing community and for good reason. It’s versatile, has great instructions, and is great for all seasons.

Sew a short one for a summer swimsuit cover up. Sew a midi version for fall! It’s so great, and I especially love my J.Crew inspired version. This is why we sew, right? To be able to make anything we want and customize it for our own preferences.

Hi Gnats Readers! Now that it is September, I am excited to start sewing for fall. My latest project, the jersey Samantha Swing dress made in rayon/spandex jersey, has me ready for cooler temperatures and falling leaves.

When the collection of Laela Jeyne patterns were added to the shop, I immediately loved the Samantha Swing dress and tunic. It is a great style for fall. I thought it would look great layered over leggings with flat or booties, and it will be perfect under a cardigan with knee high boots.

Samantha has so many options included in the pattern! There is a racerback tank bodice, a sleeved bodice with short, elbow, or long sleeves, tunic and dress length, regular or hi-low hems, and a cute knotted front. I chose the long sleeve dress with the regular hem.

The pattern has a great size range, from XS – 4XL. The size chart includes busts measuring 31-59″, waists 23-47″, and hips 34-58″. There are also separate bodice pieces for cup sizes A-E.

With all of those options in the pattern, I was so happy that there is a detailed chart which shows exactly which pages need to be printed for each available view. There are also very helpful diagrams showing how to assemble the pattern, which I referenced when I thought I’d missed printing a page I needed.

This was my first time sewing a Laela Jeyne pattern, and I was impressed with the detailed instructions. I was also very, very excited when I realized that this is a no trim pattern!

It was my first time using a pattern with this feature. The pieces overlap in a way that doesn’t require cutting off the edges of the paper before taping or gluing them together. That was such a time saver!

The fabric I chose for my dress is this pretty Dakota rayon/spandex floral jersey. The plum color is beautiful and perfect for Fall! I love wearing rayon/spandex jersey knits because they have such nice drape. It was the perfect match for the swingy shape of the Samantha dress.

The fabric has a lot of movement and is really soft. I found it to be easy to work with; it doesn’t curl after being cut and wasn’t shifty or slinky.

I’d recommend using some sort of fusible hem tape designed specifically for knits when hemming rayon/spandex knits. It really is a lifesaver! It gives the hems a bit more structure and keeps everything lined up without having to use pins.

The crosswise stretch of this fabric is listed as being 40% and the pattern requires knits with 50% stretch. My measurements (37″ bust, 32″ waist, and 44″ hips) put me in a size M at the bust, L at the waist, and XL at the hips. Since the pattern has negative ease at the bust, I decided to size up to the L at the bust and grade out to the XL at the hips.

The fabric turned out to have enough stretch that I should have cut the M at the bust. The top of the dress was a bit too loose, so I took in the side seams about 3/8″ on each side. Next time I’ll size down to the M to narrow the shoulders a bit, but I’m very happy with how this fits with my on-the-fly adjustments!

I made a few other adjustments to get a great fit on this dress. I did a 1/2″ forward shoulder adjustment and a 3/4″ full biceps adjustment. My upper arms are full, and the adjustment gave me the perfect amount of ease. The sleeves are comfortable but still slim enough to balance out the fullness of the skirt.

I also raised the scoop of the neckline by 1.25″ based on personal preference. After I assembled the dress, I shortened it by 2.5″ so the hem would be right at my knee.

My jersey Samantha Swing dress is so cute and comfortable! I know it’s going to be a staple in my fall wardrobe. Have you started sewing for the new season?

Hi sewing friends! I’m so excited to share my silky noil Lou Box Top with you. Since it’s my first contributor post with Imagine Gnats, I thought I’d do a quick intro to kick this blog post off.

My name is Leanne, and I’ve been sewing for about 3 years. I live in Phoenix with my adorable husband and our 2 equally-as-cute cats. I’m a big advocate for size inclusion in sewing, so I like to highlight those companies with a broader size range.

Which brings me to the Lou Box Top pattern from Sew DIY. This pattern is a loose fitting box top that can be made in woven or knit. It has 3 different hem views: straight hem, dip hem, and curved hem. Along with the 3 different hem options, there are also two neck views: scoop and crew.

The Lou recently expanded sizes and now goes up to a 58″ hip, which is right at my measurements.

I made the scoop neck version with the straight hem. Since my measurements put me in the size 28 bust and a 32 hip, I graded between the two accordingly. This pattern is drafted for 5’10; since I’m 5’9, I didn’t have to do any height adjustments to it.

This silky noil Lou Box top is a fantastic pattern if you’re a beginner sewist, and even if you’re an advanced sewist, it’s a quick sew that is great for filling in your wardrobe with staple garments.

For my box top I used this dreamy silky noil in taupe. It’s such a great fabric for the Lou box top, because it’s mid weight but it has a beautiful drape to it. It was such an easy fabric to sew with. No pesky sliding around or stretching out as I sewed it, which is always a plus.

The taupe color of this silky noil is perfect if you’re looking for a versatile fabric that would be easy to match with other garments. I find that this taupe leans more towards the gray side versus brown, and I seriously love it.

I think it goes perfectly with the Lou Box top pattern because you’re taking a staple pattern and pairing it with a very versatile fabric. I’m bringing it on my vacation and am planning on wearing it with different bottoms to create a bunch of outfits from one shirt.

I know the silky noil has been selling like hotcakes, but there are currently so many good color options available. I personally think any of the colors would make a gorgeous Lou top. In addition to the taupe, I’m really loving the mustard, charcoal, and marine blue.

I have too many colors of the silky noil on my list, and I want to make everything with it. Did you pick some up yet? What are you planning to make with it?

Thanks for reading my first blog with Imagine Gnats and happy sewing y’all!

Leanne

The moment I saw that Silky Noil viscose/linen on the Imagine Gnats Instagram…I knew I had to have some in my wardrobe. I had been eyeing the Hinterland Dress v-neck hack for a while, and I knew right away that that I needed a silky noil Hinterland dress!

When you know, you know, right?

The Pattern

Earlier this summer I was sitting at home with my 2 week old baby when I saw an email from Meg of Sew Liberated all about her new Hinterland Dress hack. The v-neck, full button placket, and elasticated back waist all made it my perfect dream dress.

But when I read through the long list of pattern alterations necessary, I immediately emailed Meg and asked if she would consider an expansion pack, because there was no way I’d be able to make time for all those alterations.

Well….a few weeks later I just couldn’t get this dress out of my head, so I started altering the pattern pieces and making muslins. I found the perfect fit and anxiously awaited my silky noil to arrive in the mail.

For reference, my measurements are:

Bust: 36″

Waist: 29″

I sewed a size 8 and made modifications as listed out in the Hinterland Hackathon Blog post (except I didn’t change the sleeves at all, as I liked them how they are in the original pattern).

The Fabric

This fabric is lovely! It’s such a great blend of linen and viscose. It has just a slight handfeel of linen but has the relaxed drape of viscose (also known as rayon. I was surprised by the texture of this, even though I knew it was a noil.

I expected it to have a bit of a slub, like all noil, but I was surprised to see that it *almost* has a diamond pattern to it. Maybe my eyes were playing tricks on me? Whatever it was, I thought the texture of the fabric was subtle and beautiful.

From a sustainability perspective, I like that this is made of all natural fibers. (Viscose is made from celluse, wood, fibers, and is considered a semi-synthetic fiber because of the intense processing required, even though it comes from natural materials. Linen is made from flax plants).

I always wash and dry my fabrics, even if I plan on hand washing or hang drying later (it’s better to be harder on your fabrics during pre-wash than you ever plan on being later, just in case!).

This washed beautifully. There was a good bit of dryer lint the first wash, and then hardly any later. It didn’t wrinkle (hooray!) and draped nicely even without pressing.

Paired with this pattern, this silky noil Hinterland dress feels like summer (light and airy!) but also feels like fall (sleeves, button plackets, and those gorgeous fall colors).