Happy Feature Friday for the Trendy Tunic, perfect for back to school sewing! Enjoy this post from our guest contributor, Katie Grimm, and get inspired by her round up of patterns perfect for kids heading back to school.
Trendy Tunics plus BTS Pattern Round Up
I’m so excited to be sharing a fun hack to the Trendy Tunic in addition to a huge round up of back to school patterns! With fall and Back to School right around the corner, I love having wardrobe pieces that I can throw on and be comfortable, but look put together too. If you don’t have this pattern, today is a great day to add it to your library- it’s a bargain for only $5! You can purchase the girls version HERE or the ladies version HERE. 
One of our favorite Love Notions patterns is the Trendy Tunic! Every year my daughter requests another or two and we just keep sizing up!
It’s a cute tunic length top with fun pockets. Don’t let them scare you! There’s a great video tutorial and it actually comes together quite quickly. There are options for dolman, ¾, or long sleeve as well as a cowl or hood. The neckline is finished with a nice facing, but I’ve also finished it with a neckband with great results. Simply measure your neck opening and multiply by .85 to get your neckband length.
This is a great pattern to really show off your fabric. You can use coordinating prints, upcycle an old beloved t-shirt, use a panel, or play with stripes. I’ve made it with cotton lycra jersey, french terry, and double brushed poly – all with great results.
Trendy Tunic Dress for Kids
For this version, I used the ¾ length sleeve and shortened it to elbow length. I added a neckband instead of the facing, and lengthened it to the knees to make it a dress instead of a tunic. For fabric, I used this adorable ABC print on double brushed polyester from Raspberry Creek Fabrics. While it was originally released as the fabric of the week, you will find it in the shop now and it will stick around for fall! I love the weight of the CLUB double brushed polyester and it’s got a nice soft hand as well. I used a mauve double brushed polyester for the side front and back pieces as well as the neckband.
To lengthen it to dress length, I decided how much length I wanted to add and drew my side seam that much longer. I wanted to add some width at the bottom which is why I didn’t add the length in the middle of the skirt like you normally would with a lengthen/shorten line. Then I redrew the hemline adding the same amount (in this case I added 4”) all the way around. It makes for a fun swing dress with the pocket and color-blocking details.
Trendy Tunic Dress Hack for Ladies
I loved my daughters dress length Trendy Tunic so much I decided to give it a try for me! I used a mauve striped double brushed polyester that’s been in my stash just waiting for the right pattern.
The following are the modifications I made to the pattern. First off, I added 1” at the lengthen/shorten line in the upper part of all 4 bodice pieces. I wanted the pockets to sit a little lower and this helped me achieve that. I am 5’6” for reference. I decided to add 14” length to the bottom of the tunic, but I also wanted to add a little more swing to the skirt. I followed the angle of the side seam down 14” and redrew my hem. Then, to add more swing I used the slash and spread method to add bit more flare to the skirt from just below the original shorten/lengthen line. I then adjusted my side seam to reflect what had overlapped in the side seam when I spread it. I also raised the neckline a bit for personal preference and adjusted my neckline accordingly. I made a slightly more narrow band for the neck (1 ¾”).
Both the ladies and girls version make a great piece to layer with a Boyfriend Cardigan or a denim jacket, or just wear solo.
Love Notions Back to School Pattern Round Up
As soon as I saw this fabric, I knew it had to be a Prisma dress! Nothing says Back to School to me more than a Peter Pan collar. This book fabric from Raspberry Creek Fabrics is so fun! You can stare at all the book titles for hours. My kids especially love that Grimms Fairy Tales are included, since we are descendents of the famous German brothers! The drop waist is a fun style element as well. I actually made a mistake cutting this out and the bodice is slightly shorter than it should be. I whipped up a pair of leggins shorts and we are good to go!
2. and 3. Rockford Raglan and Vanguard Kit
I had some scraps leftover and so made this Rockford Raglan for my favorite elementary school teacher- my sister! My little preschooler adores his aunt and was thrilled there was just enough book fabric leftover for this Vanguard Tee.
4. Tidal Dress
The Tidal dress and top is another pattern that is fun to play with different fabrics. I used another back to school print, the tossed apples, from Raspberry Creek Fabrics for this one and it paired so well with the stripes. We went with a knee length dress, but the shirt and maxi versions of this pattern are darling as well.
5. Maggie Peplum and 6. Leggins
I knew this years wardrobe needed a couple of new peplum tops. These are perfect to pair with leggings in all the colors! For fall, the elbow sleeve is perfect but there are options for short sleeves and long sleeves too. For a little variation, I added a little more flare to the skirt of this one by simply slashing and spreading the skirt pattern pieces. These leaves were a pre-order from Mimi’s Custom Fabric and are a cotton spandex jersey.
For the butterfly top, I used double brushed poly from Raspberry Creek Fabrics. They matched perfectly with the solid fuschia jersey, which I used for Leggins. I sew up several pair of these in several colors for lots of mix and matching!
This is another go-to in our back to school wardrobe! With different hem lengths and sleeve lengths plus options for a hood, cowl, or asymmetrical necklines the options are endless! Again, it pairs so well with leggings or tights and is a quick sew! We made the hooded version out of sweater knit from Sly Fox Fabrics and a fun Halloween tunic out of holiday fabric with an added sleeve ruffle.
The Cartwheel collection is a fun way to show off a coordinating fabric as well. We love this to add a little heat transfer vinyl or a fun print, like the school busses.
No matter your weather, there is a Miss Mary Mack for you! Long sleeves, short sleeves, ruffle sleeves- it’s got it!
10. Sloane Sweater
My go to long sleeved pattern – I’ve made several of these and hacked them all sorts of ways! I’ve added a skirt, shortened the sleeves, added a button placket and also just made some great hoodies out of it. It’s a fun way to show off the pretty fall french terry prints that are out there.
11. Navigator
Perfect for both boys and girls, it’s a great little jacket as we transition to cooler weather. All 5 of my kids have one and they reach for them again and again!
12. Moto Maxx
My boys love to wear pants that are comfortable (ahem – no zippers) and the Moto Maxx joggers are a great addition to their wardrobes. We also love the Moto Maxx shirt and the fun details for both long and short sleeves.
My older boys especially love the Kayak Boardshorts – they look great and have a comfortable waistband!
So, grab some sewing inspiration, some sale-priced patterns, some hack ideas and enjoy the last bit of summer! You can keep in touch with me on instagram @madebykates and on my blog https://madebykates.blogspot.com/.
~Katie
