As any proper sewist does before a big trip, I’ve been sewing up a storm. I’m leaving for in Japan in just a few days and excited is an understatement. This will be my first trip to Japan (and Asia!) and I’ll be reuniting with two dear friends. My packing list has been in the works for months and one of the most important components is the travel outfit. The flight is loooooong and comfort is important to me so everything I wear has got to have some stretch in it. But, I also don’t want to wear a sweatsuit so the knit dress is my travel garment of choice.
I wanted to make a knit dress with long sleeves so I decided to use the Neenah Dress pattern from Seamwork Magazine and change the neckline to a classic scoop neck (instead of the turtleneck). I don’t wear a lot of turtlenecks and I think I’ll get more use out of the scoop. I cut a size Medium and added 1.25 inches to the sleeve length. Next time I make it I’d like to make the same adjustment that I did with my Seamwork Mesa Dress and cut the back waist at a size Small.
This dress was so, so easy to put together, which is one of my favorite things about Seamwork patterns. They are so fast to sew, it’s nearly instant gratification. The fabric is a gray sweater knit that I picked up somewhere in the Los Angeles Fashion District. It’s a medium weight and super soft.
When traveling, I also make sure to have plenty of layers because planes can get chilly. So I’ll be pairing my dress with a me-made cardigan. I whipped up this cardigan about a week ago from another super soft, lightweight knit that I bought in the LA fashion district. The pattern is the Blackwood Cardigan by Helen’s Closet, view A. I made a size Large and the only other change was I did not make any pockets. This was my first time using one of Helen’s patterns and I was really impressed. The graphic design of the pattern is excellent, understated in the best way, making it even easier to understand the instructions. It was a really easy pattern to put together and I LOVE the cardigan. I will definitely be making it again.
I had seen on Instagram that other tall sewists were having great success with the length and I did too. The sleeves are drafted extra long for a pushed up look and the length of the body was perfect for me. The fabric is really thin and I was worried about the pockets being too heavy or tricky to topstitch so I just skipped them. I do wish that I had sewn pockets on the cardigan. I keep trying to put my hands in pockets but there aren’t any there!
To finish off my plane travel outfit, I’ll be wearing compression leggings and compression socks to help prevent blood clots. Better safe than sorry! I’ll also be wearing booties that can be easily slipped on and off making security easy and freeing up extra room in my suitcase. I’m very happy to report that I had no problems with either of these patterns and highly recommend both of them. They are both great wardrobe staples that I think would be flattering on most people.
