I was very excited when I opened my mailbox and saw that my latest StyleARC patterns had arrived…. I am going to be a top making fool before too long!  For this round I settled on the latest shirt patterns: The Lolita, Sunny, Maggie, and Rosie.

While we’re on the topic of StyleARC (and because I can’t quite make up my mind which top I want to start first), let’s talk a little bit about the upcoming Sew Along featuring…. The Ziggi Jacket. That’s right, we’re teaming up with the fabulous Sew Maris for this great jacket stitch up!

If you plan on joining  and you don’t already own this pattern, you’ll want to order very soon. Even though this Sew Along isn’t slated to start until late February (24th) the companydesigner is located in Australia, it takes several weeks for your order to be processed, shipped, and in your mailbox.  Ordering now give you plenty of time to check out the pattern, ordershop for fabric and notions, and prep your materials before we start!

If you’ve never ordered from StyleARC before, there are a few things to keep in mind:

• The patterns are not multi-sized. You’ll need to take your measurements to determine which size works best for you. I have found that they run very true to their measurements and fit very well. StyleARC has great customer service so if you’re not sure which one you should order or have questions, be sure to contact their team and they can help you.
• Directions to their patterns are limited (think BurdaStyle magazine). While they are well written and there are some illustrations included, most patterns have all the information included on one page. There are no pattern layout guides or in-depth descriptions of techniquessteps. Of course, we’ll cover some of that as we work on our Sew Along so have no fear if something is new to you!
• The Ziggi is labeled as ‘Experienced’. My guess is that it’s marked this way for several reasons: The fabric (leather will be more difficult than a wool or denim), the number of pieces (you can see from the line drawing that there is a lot of construction involved), the addition of zippers (sleeves, pockets, and front), as well as the optional stitching along the shoulders and arms. Changing the material you work with (opting for wool or denim instead of leather which can leave permanent holes if you need to rip out stitches) and eliminating ‘extra’ details can make this one a bit easier. Of course, the nice thing about a sew along is that we’ll be talking, sharing, and discussing how we’re working with this pattern as we go along – which also makes this one easier to sew as well!
• Don’t forget your freebie! Every month StyleARC includes a free pattern that you can include in your order – this month it’s the Rosie Top. Do not add this to your cart, instead put in the comments the size you’d like them to send you.

Once you order your pattern, the real decision happens: What material(s) are you going to sew your pattern in?