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The Greer Sweater Dress: Elegant Comfort
When I think about practical luxury, this dress embodies it perfectly. The maxi length and beautiful bell sleeves make it both dramatic and wearable. I chose a taupey-grey wool knit from Denver Fabrics, keeping with my winter palette of black, white, cream, and soft taupe as basics.
Pro tip: Wondertape was my secret weapon for hemming. It's one of those tools that makes a huge difference in the final result.
I love layering this with structured pieces like a wool blazer. For extra warmth, I wear silk long underwear underneath - a practical styling solution that makes winter dresses actually wearable.
Greer Dress PDF Sewing Pattern
The Sage Blouse: Classic with Character
This blouse represents one of my core style principles - investing in quality materials that bring lasting joy. I chose a Liberty Tana lawn in a striking red - perfect for adding drama against winter's grey skies. Liberty prints have been a longtime favorite of mine, and while they're an investment, they're worth every penny for the right project.
I used beautiful vintage mother of pearl buttons from a flea market find. These small details make such a difference in how special a garment feels to wear.
The Joss Pants: Everyday Luxury
This was my fastest make out of everything and so far it’s been my most worn too. I’ve worn these pants at least once a week ever since I finished them. I feel like I’m wearing very fancy, expensive pajamas when I put these on.
The fabric is a black silk charmeuse, which is basically a lightweight silk satin. It feels super luxurious and soft, and silk is actually really warm so it’s a pretty good choice for winter.
TIP: Eliminate Extraneous Details
I eliminated the pockets on these because I wanted them to look a bit more sleek. I think in seam pockets might have been nice, but overall I do like the simplicity of them the way they are.
When it came time to hem, I really didn’t want any puckering or super visible stitches, so I sewed a machine blind hem, which is less visible from the outside. This is a great choice for silk, especially if you’re making something that doesn’t have a curved hem like pants.
The Pepper Sweater: Statement Fabric
Pairing a simple design with a really luxurious fabric is the way to go. And the Pepper sweater is a great option to do that with. This fabric was a bit of a splurge for me. It’s an Italian ribbed cashmere knit from Loro Piana in this beautiful bright red color.
If you want to make something that looks more sweater-like, you have to find the right sweater knit, which can be hard!
The Sage Dress: Dramatic Volume
For this project, I wanted to create something that really represents my personal style - a black cotton dress with lots of length and volume. It's based on lengthening the Sage blouse pattern with a gored skirt from the princess seams. I chose a black cotton poplin with a touch of stretch, which gives it this wonderful swishy texture. Sometimes the simplest fabrics create the most striking pieces.
The Lilliana Sherpa Jacket: Cozy with Edge
This might be my most ambitious project, but I was so inspired by the idea of combining cozy sherpa texture with elegant leather details. I selected an organic cotton sherpa from Nature's Fabrics, paired with a black and white check pre-quilted cotton lining. While a quilted nylon lining would have been more weather-proof, I fell in love with the check pattern.
I added faux leather binding for those sophisticated details that elevate a casual piece. The simple, boxy shape of the Lilliana pattern made it perfect for adding toggles and these special touches.
Make Pieces that Keep You Motivated
Creating these winter pieces taught me that winter sewing is the perfect time to tackle projects that have been on your mind for a while. It's about making pieces that keep you motivated and excited during the darker months.
My creativity tends to dip during winter, so focusing on luxurious fabrics and thoughtful details really helped keep me inspired. These pieces truly became like self-care in wardrobe form.
