Hello everyone! This post will outline my experience using Dressy Talk Pattern #5110 to make a pink cropped sweatshirt with a heart print rib knit trim. It was a pretty easy and quick project to complete, and I'm fairly happy with the result. Read below for more details and a review of the materials used.
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TIK TOK
Before jumping right into the blog post, I recently started a TikTok account! While I don't use it very much at the moment, I'm planning on making a few sewing videos to accompany my projects. If you're interested in seeing them, my blog account is @readytoswear, and my personal account is @akatemason.
MATERIALS
With the exception of thread, I purchased all of the materials used online. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find a good pink sweatshirt fleece (or ribbed knit trim) anywhere near me. But I don't think I would have been able to find these materials in the US either.
The pink sweatshirt fleece is from Neotrims, purchased on Etsy. It's a standard sweatshirt fleece with a smooth knitted outer surface and a fuzzy, fleece-lined inside. I highly recommend this fabric; it's very high quality, is very wide, and is super easy to work with. The fabric isn't too thick to make it difficult to sew on a standard home sewing machine or put buttonholes in. I sewed the seams with a normal lockstitch, and zig-zagged within the seam to make it more secure. I bought 4 meters at once, and I've been able to make two other complete projects with it (with some left over for accessories). I'm working on blog posts for those projects as well!
One important note: When I washed this fabric, I dried it in a dryer. I had no issues with loose fuzz or shedding. My friend, who bought the same exact fabric (but in a few different colors) hang dried her fabric and found that it sheds quite a bit. So, it may be best to use a dryer during the prewashing stage.
The pink heart ribbed knit trim is also from Etsy. I was so smitten when I found it! It's pretty difficult to find cute and unique ribbed trims, so finding this was perfect. Especially how it matched the rest of my wardrobe so well. I don't know anything about the company Albstoffe that manufactured this trim, but I'm very happy they exist, and I'll gladly continue to support them for future knitwear endeavors.
My one gripe with this trim is that it is a little bit narrow, so I can't double it up to hide the seam where it's sewn together. As I don't have a serger at the moment, I zig-zagged the seam, which doesn't look as neat as I would like. In the future, I would probably open the seam and topstitch the pieces down.
Also, one other note about the trim- it was not quite as stretchy as other knit trims I've used. This is no problem at all, but you may need to alter pattern pieces somewhat. I had to elongate my cuff and neckline pieces, so they were able to stretch enough to fit around the fabric openings.
PATTERN
I chose to use pattern #5110 for this project. It had been sitting in my Etsy favorites for some time, and after recently using one other Dressy Talk pattern (post coming soon), I decided to give it a go.
The pattern is an oversized fit sweatshirt with a flat knit collar sewn into the neckline. The bottom and sleeves of the sweatshirt are finished with a knit piece stretched to give the sweatshirt a voluminous appearance. The pattern comes in US sizes 0-18 (bust size 31 1/2" to 45 5/8"). However, given the very oversized fit of the sweatshirt, it may be able to fit someone slightly outside of this range.
I made a couple minor changes to the pattern. I swapped out the collar for a ribbed trim collar, shortened the overall length of the top (after the fact), and I lengthened the cuff pieces. None of these changes were difficult or changed the overall fit much.
While this pattern is simple to construct and is listed as an easy pattern, there are no construction instructions included within the pattern files. Dressy Talk is upfront about this, so this is not a problem, but I would not recommend the pattern for complete beginners. However, if you have sewn a flat collar, knit cuffs, or set-in sleeves before, this pattern will probably not present any challenges.
As for the PDF itself, it was easy to use and well-organized. I liked that I was able to filter out unnecessary sizes for printing, and I didn't face any challenges choosing A4 paper or finding the correct scaling. I would definitely recommend this pattern, and I'd like to use it again at some point to make the cute collar.
With the exception of thread, I purchased all of the materials used online. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find a good pink sweatshirt fleece (or ribbed knit trim) anywhere near me. But I don't think I would have been able to find these materials in the US either.
 |
| Available here. |
The pink sweatshirt fleece is from Neotrims, purchased on Etsy. It's a standard sweatshirt fleece with a smooth knitted outer surface and a fuzzy, fleece-lined inside. I highly recommend this fabric; it's very high quality, is very wide, and is super easy to work with. The fabric isn't too thick to make it difficult to sew on a standard home sewing machine or put buttonholes in. I sewed the seams with a normal lockstitch, and zig-zagged within the seam to make it more secure. I bought 4 meters at once, and I've been able to make two other complete projects with it (with some left over for accessories). I'm working on blog posts for those projects as well!
One important note: When I washed this fabric, I dried it in a dryer. I had no issues with loose fuzz or shedding. My friend, who bought the same exact fabric (but in a few different colors) hang dried her fabric and found that it sheds quite a bit. So, it may be best to use a dryer during the prewashing stage.
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| Although the listing I bought this exact color from is no longer available, here is a similar listing from the same seller. |
The pink heart ribbed knit trim is also from Etsy. I was so smitten when I found it! It's pretty difficult to find cute and unique ribbed trims, so finding this was perfect. Especially how it matched the rest of my wardrobe so well. I don't know anything about the company Albstoffe that manufactured this trim, but I'm very happy they exist, and I'll gladly continue to support them for future knitwear endeavors.
My one gripe with this trim is that it is a little bit narrow, so I can't double it up to hide the seam where it's sewn together. As I don't have a serger at the moment, I zig-zagged the seam, which doesn't look as neat as I would like. In the future, I would probably open the seam and topstitch the pieces down.
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| It was fun to try to match the hearts up! |
PATTERN
I chose to use pattern #5110 for this project. It had been sitting in my Etsy favorites for some time, and after recently using one other Dressy Talk pattern (post coming soon), I decided to give it a go.
 |
| Available here and here. |
The pattern is an oversized fit sweatshirt with a flat knit collar sewn into the neckline. The bottom and sleeves of the sweatshirt are finished with a knit piece stretched to give the sweatshirt a voluminous appearance. The pattern comes in US sizes 0-18 (bust size 31 1/2" to 45 5/8"). However, given the very oversized fit of the sweatshirt, it may be able to fit someone slightly outside of this range.
I made a couple minor changes to the pattern. I swapped out the collar for a ribbed trim collar, shortened the overall length of the top (after the fact), and I lengthened the cuff pieces. None of these changes were difficult or changed the overall fit much.
While this pattern is simple to construct and is listed as an easy pattern, there are no construction instructions included within the pattern files. Dressy Talk is upfront about this, so this is not a problem, but I would not recommend the pattern for complete beginners. However, if you have sewn a flat collar, knit cuffs, or set-in sleeves before, this pattern will probably not present any challenges.
As for the PDF itself, it was easy to use and well-organized. I liked that I was able to filter out unnecessary sizes for printing, and I didn't face any challenges choosing A4 paper or finding the correct scaling. I would definitely recommend this pattern, and I'd like to use it again at some point to make the cute collar.
OUTFIT DETAILS
I had so much fine styling this make! It fits well into my current wardrobe, as I've been wearing a lot of black, pink, and hearts as of late. The pants I'm wearing in all of these photos are from Minga London (a super cute English brand I only recently discovered). The black and pink heart sandals are from the Lazy Oaf and Doc Martens collaboration a few years ago. Side note: these sandals are super comfy and durable! I wore them on a (spontaneous) hiking trip through a hilly and slippery Japanese island last summer, and they held up super well. (Although they are truly not designed for hiking, so I wouldn't recommend it.) The heart design is sold out at the moment, but the durability of these is a testament to Doc Marten's enduring quality. This is my first pair of true Docs, and I'm now a solid believer!
I also paired this outfit with a pair of pink rainboots I recently acquired from Sugarthrillz at Dollskill. The rainy season is almost upon us here in south Japan, so these will come in handy very soon! The slight heel makes them a little more fun too. I did, however, discover that they run ever-so-slightly large, so I'd recommend wearing them with thick socks to fill them out.
Finally, the heart makeup I'm wearing comes from a Milk Cosmetics stamp. As far as I know, Milk Cosmetics was the first company to produce these stamps, at least in a widespread manner. But some other brands, including Dollskill, have also produced some fun stamps.
I also tried to match my nails and glasses to the outfit. My nails were done at Crystal Nail at the large Aeon mall in Nobeoka (I love the two nail artists I see there!! Hi Misuzu-san and Saya-san!). The glasses are prescription from Eyebuy direct. The raspberry tone is perhaps a little too dark for most of this outfit, but I like to think it matches the darker half of the hearts in the rib knit.
Overall, I had fun with this project. It really didn't take much time at all, and the final result is comfortable and easy to wear.. It's a shame I only got to wear it out once before the weather here got a little too warm for it (but maybe there will be another chance!). If this type of project appeals to you, I'd recommend all of these materials. My one takeaway is that I recommend checking the required stretchiness of your rib knit trim, and making any necessary adjustments before cutting your pattern.
This June it will have been three years since I started this blog. I can't believe that! I haven't always posted as much as I would have liked, but I've enjoyed making progress and keeping detailed tabs on all of my projects. The last three years have been interesting. I transitioned from being a university student to finally moving to Japan! We'll see where I end up in the next three years.
As always, if you have any questions or comments about my post, please let me know down below!
To see my other heart-themed projects, click here.
To see my other knit projects, click here.
I had so much fine styling this make! It fits well into my current wardrobe, as I've been wearing a lot of black, pink, and hearts as of late. The pants I'm wearing in all of these photos are from Minga London (a super cute English brand I only recently discovered). The black and pink heart sandals are from the Lazy Oaf and Doc Martens collaboration a few years ago. Side note: these sandals are super comfy and durable! I wore them on a (spontaneous) hiking trip through a hilly and slippery Japanese island last summer, and they held up super well. (Although they are truly not designed for hiking, so I wouldn't recommend it.) The heart design is sold out at the moment, but the durability of these is a testament to Doc Marten's enduring quality. This is my first pair of true Docs, and I'm now a solid believer!
I also paired this outfit with a pair of pink rainboots I recently acquired from Sugarthrillz at Dollskill. The rainy season is almost upon us here in south Japan, so these will come in handy very soon! The slight heel makes them a little more fun too. I did, however, discover that they run ever-so-slightly large, so I'd recommend wearing them with thick socks to fill them out.
 |
Finally, the heart makeup I'm wearing comes from a Milk Cosmetics stamp. As far as I know, Milk Cosmetics was the first company to produce these stamps, at least in a widespread manner. But some other brands, including Dollskill, have also produced some fun stamps.
I also tried to match my nails and glasses to the outfit. My nails were done at Crystal Nail at the large Aeon mall in Nobeoka (I love the two nail artists I see there!! Hi Misuzu-san and Saya-san!). The glasses are prescription from Eyebuy direct. The raspberry tone is perhaps a little too dark for most of this outfit, but I like to think it matches the darker half of the hearts in the rib knit.
CONCLUSION
@readytoswear stay home and sew ❤︎ here’s my pink cropped sweatshirt with heart trim ##sewing ##diyfashion ##stayhomeandsew ##sewcialdistancing
♬ Bubblegum Bitch - MARINA
Overall, I had fun with this project. It really didn't take much time at all, and the final result is comfortable and easy to wear.. It's a shame I only got to wear it out once before the weather here got a little too warm for it (but maybe there will be another chance!). If this type of project appeals to you, I'd recommend all of these materials. My one takeaway is that I recommend checking the required stretchiness of your rib knit trim, and making any necessary adjustments before cutting your pattern.
This June it will have been three years since I started this blog. I can't believe that! I haven't always posted as much as I would have liked, but I've enjoyed making progress and keeping detailed tabs on all of my projects. The last three years have been interesting. I transitioned from being a university student to finally moving to Japan! We'll see where I end up in the next three years.
As always, if you have any questions or comments about my post, please let me know down below!
To see my other heart-themed projects, click here.
To see my other knit projects, click here.
Hi, Anna! I don't know how I found your blog, but I am so happy that I did!! First off, your projects are so inspiring and your taste is A++. I definitely miss reading blogs with lots of thoughts and details (as much as I love a good and quick-to-read IG photoset haha) and am grateful about what you share. I'm just starting out with sewing again and normally wear Japanese fashion and was curious myself how I could incorporate that while using, well.. non-Japanese patterns I guess hahahha. I hope you continue to share your thoughts and findings on your blog :) The hearts in this outfit are too cute! I'm impressed by how closely the pinks match (or complement, for the knit trim)!
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