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pattern mash-up: easton cowl-neck tee and kensington knit skirt
Jen is visiting us from the Advisors Circle today to showcase the chic dress she created by combining two of her favorite patterns: the Easton Cowl-neck Tee and the Kensington Knit Skirt. Remember that post about glamorous loungewear? I was thrilled by the concept, and when the Easton Cowl-neck Tee came out, I immediately envisioned it as the perfect mix of comfort and style—a dress that felt both casual and dressed-up.
As I began thinking through the idea, I realized the Kensington Skirt could be the missing piece. It seemed like the ideal match—something that could elevate the tee into a more polished look without sacrificing comfort. The combination gave me that "dressy loungewear" vibe I’d been dreaming of.
I decided to work with a luxurious soft stretch crushed velvet in black for this project. I had been procrastinating on starting it until I stumbled upon Masha’s post featuring her stunning velvet turtleneck maxi-dress. Her creation reignited my enthusiasm, and I finally found the motivation to dive in.
Since I’ve sewn both the Easton Tee and Kensington Skirt before, I already had an idea of what sizes and adjustments worked best for me. For the Easton, I went with a size small, A/B cup, opting for the shortened length and slightly narrowing the waist. [Note: You can check out Jen’s detailed fitting experience with this pattern here.] For the Kensington Skirt, I used a size 6 with no alterations.
To adapt the skirt for the dress, I first folded the waistband in half since I only needed the front portion. Then, I attached it to the top of the skirt, overlapping by 1/4 inch to account for seam allowances. Normally, I’d aim to align the skirt waist with the natural waist of the top, but given that the skirt sits lower on me, I tried on the tee with my existing skirt to determine the best placement. Once I identified where the skirt’s waist met the top, I centered the skirt’s waist on the tee’s front and back pieces, overlapping at the marked waistline to create one continuous front and back piece.
Next, I carefully traced the new pattern, smoothing out the waist curve to form a seamless front-back design, each piece cut on the fold. From there, constructing the dress was straightforward—essentially, I followed the Easton’s instructions but adjusted for the extended length. After initially sewing everything together, I realized the velvet had more stretch than previous fabrics I’d used, so I took in the waist slightly for a better fit. The final result is exactly what I hoped for—it’s incredibly comfortable yet looks effortlessly put-together.
The photos really capture how special this dress feels. It’s perfect for those moments when you want to look polished but still feel relaxed—exactly the balance I was aiming for.
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This project reminded me how powerful it is to experiment with pattern combinations. Sometimes the best ideas come from blending styles you already love. If you’re ever stuck looking for inspiration, consider revisiting some of your favorite patterns and seeing what they can do when paired differently.
I hope this inspires you to give something similar a try! Let me know if you have any questions about the process or need advice on adapting patterns. Happy sewing!
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