Sew Geeky: Anatomy Nerd

Do you know the Sew Geeky Series? Kat and Ari started this sewn clothing series to celebrate their geekiness. From Star Wars to 8-bit to classic anime, these amazingly talented ladies take a monthly theme and blow it up. Because everyone has such diverse geekery, October is Sew Geeky Spectacular and I'm here to join in!


I love skeletons. You all know that. No big surprise there. I am not sure when this love affair started exactly. Or even where it came from. As a kid I used to be afraid of a model skeleton in my Nana's basement. His name was Mr. Bones and he was perched on an overhang of her basement stairs. My brothers and I played down there often and I would rush down the stairs for fear that one day Mr. Bones would jump down on me.

Try as I might, I can't seem to recall when my fear of skeletons turned into love. I'm sure it had to do with my changing to public schools and embracing science classes. Biology and the human body have always captivated me. I want to know how it all works. And now, I get to see inside of you. I seriously think it's so freaking cool to look at a person's insides moving around in real time. Like, it's so awesome. You don't even know.


Loving skeletons is all fine and dandy, until Halloween comes around. Don't get me wrong. I love Halloween. It's a most excellent time of year when partnered with Dia de los Muertos to add to my skulls and bones collection. I just find it a bit embarrassing to be swearing skeleton things in late October. I don't want people to think I'm only wearing them for the season. (Which is highly stupid, because, hi, what do I really care?)

In any case, I had this idea twirling around in my head to use some of my great grandmother's vintage lace to make bones. I have just inherited a large box of her lace (along with her treadle Singer!) I wanted just a simple line of vertebrae running down my back. Clean. Architectural almost. Minimalist skeleton.


I sketched out the cervical, thoracic and lumbar vertebrae shapes onto a thin paper then sprayed a temporary adhesive to the back of it. This let me stick the scraps of lace in order to make sure they were aligned right and stayed flat while I sewed them. Next I pinned the paper to the back of my hoodie the appliqued away.



I have to admit to feeling defensive about my Sew Geeky post this time around. Mostly because it's October and I'm not sharing a costume. But this is the month of free for all Sew Geeky Spectacular, and I'm a super geek for science and anatomy. Last month we had a school project to make a life sized replica of the human organs. Most people used a metric ton of modeling clay or crap felt. I just couldn't. I may have drafted patterns for each organ and sewed them all with scraps from my stash. And made a super sweet rib cage that unzips at the sternum.


So here I am. Feeling like an awkward fourteen year old, but so super loving my new skeleton hoodie. Eh, I'm a geek. I'm a nerd. Deal with it. (zips up hoodie and stalks out)

My Meridian Cardi Hoodie

Every once in a while the stars align and magic happens.


A few days after Christmas we went to the Natural History Smithsonian with my brother and his family. While wondering about the dinosaurs my eye was drawn to a woman wearing a brightly colored Southwestern pattern cardigan. I probably stared at her a bit too long like a nutter, but I really liked the look of her sweater and found it especially odd because I normally dislike Southwestern patterns. In any case, she was lost into the crowds within a few seconds and my attention turned else where.

I was perusing my Instagram feed later that week when I wasn't sleeping well and lo, and behold, there was that sweater again! Thanks to the commenters I found it online at LuLus.com. When I showed it to my husband he thought I had lost my mind. A) He thought it was ugly, and B) he was surprised I was in love with it. To be honest, I was still surprised I was in love with it, but who am I to argue with love at first sight?

I continued contemplating dropping fifty dollars on the "ugly" sweater until the fateful day arrived. I had spent the afternoon taping together my copy of the Meridian {for women} cardi pattern. As I was browsing through my knit fabrics for inspiration, lightening struck! There, on buried under newer fabrics, was the most fabulous Southwestern patterned fabric that I had bought as part of a Girl Charlee Bargain Lot. Not only was it the same bright rusts and teals, but the most perfect aqua thermal knit was stacked right with it.

Fast forward a few hours of sewing (with kids) and I present to you my Meridian:


I made some very slight edits to the pattern for style sake only. I squared out the top corners of the Meridian to mimic the original cardi that I loved. I cut my thermal sleeve lining a few inches longer so I could roll them up for contrast. I drafted a quick hood because I love hoodies. To add a hood, assemble the hood and lining, sew them together along the font face seam, turn them right sides facing and pin it in place before you do the final sewing around the outside edge of your Meridian.


The Meridian cardi for women is a great pattern to use if you are new to knits, or a pro. While it does require a good amount of fabric yardage, it is yardage well used. Who doesn't like to be swaddled in soft and lovely knits? The pattern fits well and make a garment that is quite versatile. Throw it on over jeans and a tshirt. Wear it to dress up a basic shift dress for work. You could shorten it up to just under the bust for an adorable shrug, too. Make a basic black one and wear it with just about everything. I'm thinking my next Meridian will be unlined with sweatshirt knit.



I am completely in love with my Meridian. I may wear it often, and by often I mean almost every day. I really need to get going on a second one so I can wash this one. Ha!

How would you make your Meridian?

Now through the end of the month, you can get 20% off all imagine gnats patterns using the code "januarytour". Rachael has also graciously offered to giveaway one imagine gnats PDF pattern of the winner's choice. Make sure you enter the Rafflecopter giveaway below. And, as always, thanks for stopping by. I appreciate it.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Winter Wonderland Collection

If you have little ones to sew for this holiday season then you should consider getting yourself a copy of the Winter Wonderland Collection of sewing patterns by the ladies at Pattern Anthology.


The collection is everything from hats and capes to a blazer and party dress and all sorts of garments in between. It's everything you need for your little ones to take you through the holiday seasons. The pattern collection will have you dreaming of crisp cool air, warm holiday baking, sparkling lights, and cozy evenings with family.



For Jimmy, I sewed him up a Johnny B. Good Hoodie (it also comes with a hood collar option) and a Trapper Hat (which also has a pilot style hat option too.) The Trapper hat sews together so quickly and easily. I'm in love. I would recommend sizing it up if you are going to use a fluffy lining fabric, like minkie, fleece or fake fur. Jimmy loves his Trapper hat. I see many versions of these to come.

The Johnny B. Good hoodie shirt is an adorable retro style shirt. I just love my little man in a collared shirt. This pattern makes it super easy to make too, with less pattern pieces than a normal collared shirt pattern. But I've got to tell you my favorite part about this pattern is that it includes instructions on how to upcycle a men's dress shirt into one for your little dude! I used one of my husband's old shirts that he had gotten a stain on, then added the contrasting front and back yokes. The pattern has pieces to make your own cuff plackets, but I just used the ones on my husband's shirt sleeves. So much easier than sewing a dress shirt from scrap, and you get to have nice shirting fabric for your boys without paying an arm and a leg.



Jane looked through the Winter Wonderland Collection and chose the Juliet Capelet. All of a sudden she has decide she is big enough to be deciding what I will make for her. I sense trouble. We decided on the rounded hood option with no ruffle. I lined the hood and capelet with creme minkie for extra warmth. To make this piece more cape than capelet, I cut the neck of the pattern at her true size, but cut the bottom hem at a size larger. The toggle closures are from Joann's. I think they finish the look off nicely and bonus points that they are kid "I can do it myself" friendly.



The Winter Wonderland Collection is a good deal because you're getting a bundle of patterns that you can use for years. The sizes span from 18 months on up to 8 years. The patterns are great styles than can be easily remixed to reflect whatever look you (or your opinionated kids) are going for. Plus, you're getting the patterns for 25% thank retail once they have been bundled. You can even snatch up a Mini Bundle of just the girls or boys patterns.

The Winter Wonderland Collection is only available for a limited time and you only have two days left! Do not delay. You can have adorable outfits for your kiddos for each holiday through the cold weather season. And that means no ugly polar bear dork sweaters have to be worn.

Click the image below to be taken to be taken to the Winter Wonderland Collection site.


Disclosure: I received a copy of the Winter Wonderland Collection in exchange for my making something to share with you all. All opinions and ideas my own. End of story.