I always get a little overwhelmed in spring with all the new things I want to sew; clothes for kids, clothes for me, all the ideas and designs in my head, all the new patterns online getting me inspired. It happened again this year: last month I felt really overwhelmed by work and life, and it wasn’t great, and I can’t say I figured out a great way to deal with it so this isn’t a personal victory story or anything like that. However, I managed to attack a few things on my WIP pile, including a Ruby top with a black lawn yoke and pink voile bottom that I had started just after Hugo was born, tried on, decided that I looked like a cow in it (oh ye post partum body issues, le sigh…), and abandoned. I took off the black yoke, sewed a new divided/lined yoke from the pink main fabric, and hemmed it so it has a cropped length (about a 3″ hem allowance instead of 1″). Can’t believe how much more I love this thing now.

The fabric is Pickering Voile from Dry Goods Design, and it’s super sheer and fairly wrinkle resistant. They won’t have it anymore, but if you keep an eye on that shop, I promise you’ll find some gem apparel fabric. The rose pink works well with my white jeans (I got fistbumped by a homeless lady the other day who told me they were — and I quote — “White, tight, and right”) and my decades-old Gap jean jacket. Oh and my new haircut! So easy! So quick to dry!! Looks good with my glasses!!! Haircut for the win.

I’ll post a how-to for the divided yoke Ruby soon. Meanwhile you can check out my past Ruby posts and tutorials on the Ruby Page, or just get yourself started with the Ruby pattern from my shop.

Anyway, I hope you’re full of spring sewing mojo! But if you’re suffering from Spring Sewing Idea Paralysis, try taking something off the WIP pile instead. It might work for you too!

Rose Ruby with Divided Yoke

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