Pinspiration: Sherpa 1/4 Zip

One of my goals for 2020 was to document and share more of my Pinspirations that I make. A pinspiration is an item I find on Pinterest that gives me inspiration. I get a lot of ideas for makes from Pinterest and find this such a fun challenge. If I'm feeling uninspired or stuck on ideas, I'll browse Pinterest to get ideas. 

Here's my inspiration from Jassieline.com. The original price for it was $60.99 although it's marked down to $24.99. 

Found on Pinterest; originally from jassieline.com

Here's my version:

Now let's get into the details! 

Pattern used: Love Notions Constellation
Hack: 1/4 zip hack from the Sew Along found on the Love Notions Blog
Ease of hack: 1/5
Ease of project: 3/5
Fabric: Mily Mae Fabrics Sherpa available in black, grey or camel 
Fabric Needed: For my size, about 1.5 yards. I purchased 2 yards for $22
Notions needed: Zipper, washaway wonder tape (optional), bias tape

Construction

Normally I would be creating a hack myself but Kelly's hack on the Love Notions Blog was so thorough I didn't see the need to make any changes. I just used what metal zipper I had on hand, which was about 8" long. It wasn't a separating zipper but that didn't matter since this doesn't separate. It was just a bit to finagle and make sure the pieces were laying the right way before basting the zipper in place. 

I opted to not include a pocket because this fabric is so thick, I didn't need extra bulk. I'm really happy with that decision as this 1/4 zip is so warm. No coat is needed when I'm wearing it. It's that cozy. 

Fit

When working with the Sherpa, if you are between sizes, I'd size up. It has some 2 way stretch but not a ton. It's always easier to take in the side seams later than try and make something too small fit. I did cut my pieces a bit larger because I thought I might be taking a larger seam allowance than the 3/8" in the pattern. That definitely happened since the sherpa wasn't always easy to serge consistently at 3/8" SA. 

Tips & Tricks

I've actually had this pinned and waiting to be made for over a month. I was intimidated. I'm still working on zipper installation and this sherpa is thick. The extra fluff from it means it can be hard to catch the seams and get consistent cutting and stitching. 

So here's a few tips I found along the way. 

First, serge the cut edge of the sherpa before washing. Trust me.

Second, when cutting out the sherpa, have a lint roller handy. I use it often to pull up the extra fluff left on my cutting mat. I found cutting with the flat side up was easiest. 

Third, use tape on the fluffy side of the sherpa to flatten before attaching the zipper. This was a trick shared with me in the Mily Mae Fabrics Facebook group and it worked so well! It was more tricky getting the tape off than installing the zipper. 

Fourth, serge your cuffs and waistband with wrong sides together before attaching. I found it extremely difficult to get 3 layers of sherpa to stay together with the bands so only working with a serged band and the bodice was much easier. 

Fifth, use washaway wonder tape to attach the inside binding in place prior to topstitching. 

Final Review

This was my first time making a Love Notions Constellation, even though I have made the kids version. The zipper with sherpa was insanely intimidating to be but ended up not being an issue at all. I'd make this again but maybe with a vacuum following behind me the whole time. The pattern was easy to use, hack was easy to follow and the fit turned out how I was hoping. I'm very happy with the end result. 

As for cost, I don't do this to save money. The cost to purchase the fabric was $10.99/yard and I needed 2 yards for a total of $22. If I had purchased this online, it would have cost $24.99. I saved $3 but had a great time sewing it. 

Happy Sewing!

Katie

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