Fall Sewing with the DIBY Mae in Buffalo Plaid

Hi friends! Do you ever put on a piece of clothing and instantly feel pretty? I tried my first pattern from the Do It Better Yourself Club (DIBY Club) recently, and I am excited to review it for you today in this post! I am also going to include some words of encouragement at the end so if you have had a rough season or day, hopefully my post will encourage you!

The Pattern

I chose the Mae Poncho Sweater* as my first DIBY pattern to try out. I have been eyeing it since I saw the beautiful version that Sarah Connell sewed when the pattern released last fall. I didn’t get to it last year before the cooler season ended, so I had it at the top of my list for this fall.

Sizing and Fit

The Mae* comes in sizes 00-36, which covers full busts ranging from 31 to 63 inches. I made size 00 based on my overbust. My full bust, waist, and hips were in the next size up, but I knew that the sweater has a lot of ease, so I did not bother doing an FBA or grading. Picking based on my overbust means that the neckline, shoulders, and arms fit well.

I LOVE the oversized look, but I think oversized can look sloppy when it is falling off your shoulders or sliding back and choking you! Look at all this comfy and cozy ease!

I think the fit is really comfortable. It feels like I am wearing a blanket that has sleeves and stays perfectly on me. After I took photos, I went out to grab burgers with the family for dinner. My daughter told me that I needed to wear this to Thanksgiving because plaid is perfect for the holiday. I agreed, thinking about all the pie and turkey that this will hide for me. 

Once we got the kids in bed, I stayed up catching up on Outlander, and this sweater was so cozy to wear while snuggling up to my hubby on the couch! If you have been following my blog recently, I have been talking about slowing down, spending more time resting (and watching Outlander!!) and taking on quicker projects. This one really fit the bill. I cut it out one evening and sewed it the next. I think in total that it took 2 hours. There wasn’t anything particularly complicated or not straightforward about it. If you are a beginner, this is a great project to get your feet wet, and if you consider yourself more advanced, you will find this project satisfying to make.  

The Fabric

Since this pattern has so much ease, you really need a fabric with a soft drape. Sweater knit and fabrics like bamboo or rayon with spandex will give you the right amount of drape. I used the black and heathered grey buffalo plaid Hacci from Raspberry Creek Fabric for my version. Hacci is a type of sweater knit, and I would describe this one as a medium weight that is very stable to sew. Some of the more light or overly stretchy sweater knits take a lot more patience and skill to work with. 

This fabric is really soft and cozy and has nice drape so it is just perfect. I have been obsessed with plaid lately and do not have any in my stash, so I was so glad to find they had this one in stock. I even started a Pinterest board just for plaid. Maybe I have watched too much Outlander?? My jaw was wide open half of season 2 because the French fashion was absolutely stunning. I had to pause it so many times just to admire sleeves!! I need to make more things with impressive sleeves.

I love that the buffalo plaid is printed on the grey Hacci that Raspberry Creek carries, it means that my wrong side is still pretty and matches when I have my hood down. It also means that their grey Hacci is a great coordinate if you want to use it for cuffs or a cowl.

I received 2 yards of this fabric, and it was just enough to make the Mae Poncho Sweater. I considered doing the cowl, but the cowl takes up so much more fabric, so I would have needed 3 yards to get in a cowl. I am loving the way it looks with the hood, though, so I am glad I did not order the extra!

I did buttonholes on my hood but did not run a drawstring through it. I don’t plan on using the drawstring, but I still wanted to have the option in the future just in case I change my mind. Here is my best hood-loving pose. Romantic, right?

My daughter asked me how I felt in my poncho when she was taking photos, and I told her I felt super pretty and like a bat. She asked me what I meant by that, and this was my response.

And, because you can’t take yourself so seriously, here is a blooper of me pushing the wall. Not sure what that has to do with anything, but I was thinking that maybe we bloggers need to show more dance moves to liven the place up a bit?

Words of Encouragement

Sewing is my hobby, and as such, I find it great therapy. It is amazing even in the busiest of seasons what a few minutes in my sewing room will do for me (and for my attitude!), especially when the whole house is quiet. I put on an audiobook or a podcast and just lose myself in my personal space.

SO I told you at the beginning of this post that hopefully I could encourage you. If you have made it to this post, I am sure you happened upon it because you wanted to read my sewing tidbits or you were looking for inspiration to figure out what to do with some sweater knit. I hope that I also leave you with more than just seeing the project I made, but also feeling hopeful for whatever circumstance you are in.

I don’t think you will ever meet a person who “has arrived.” Even before the digital age, you would meet people who had the family, the car, the money, or whatever you found valuable and think “wow, I would really be happy if I had what they had.” I think this attitude grows even worse in the digital age because we are constantly shown a newsreel of everyone’s highlights and what they want us to see from their lives. It’s so easy to compare yourself to how you imagine others. DON’T fall for it. I think comparison is a trick to make us feel not enough. That somehow when God made us that he forgot to give us gifts or forgot to give us the features that we want. It’s a trap!!! There is only one you. You are the only one who will ever take your journey and have the particular nuances you have.

I spent so much time despising my freckles, crazy hair, short self, and even though I sewed for quite some time, it took me so long before I had half the guts to take a photo and show everyone. I am still amazed at my lack of photos of myself for such a chunk of my life. I finally got over myself (or at least still try to) because I realized making connections, having memories, and being grateful for who I am and where I am at are so much more important than my pride of where I wished I was.

I want you to see that happiness will never come by some station in life. Yes, you should push yourself towards your goals, not give up, and go for whatever it is that makes you feel passionate, but don’t let your insecurities hold you back. You never know what is waiting on the other side of your biggest fear. God has a purpose for you, and it’s big. Only you can do it. What you are passionate about may look silly and like a waste of time to others, but that is just because that it is not for them. It’s for YOU!

Resources

• DIBY Mae Poncho Sweater* and you can find a gallery of testers photos specifically for the Mae here.
• Raspberry Creek Buffalo Plaid Hacci

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*Disclosures

I received this pattern for free so that I could post a review on it. I also received this fabric for free so that I could show you how it looks sewn up. Furthermore, this post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small compensation when you purchase via my link. This does not cost you anything, and I genuinely appreciate the support. Any and all opinions expressed are still my own.

XO