Feature Friday is here again with another Love Notions classic perfect for some spring style: the La Bella Donna. This pattern is packed with options and is a fabulous building block for your entire spring wardrobe. Ladies and girls love the La Bella Donna and as Tami Peterson from Sewsophielynn shows with her latest Love Notions guest blog post, this pattern can work for everyone in the family! No matter the activity or the style you are looking for, the LBD is there for you.

 

La Bella Donna Spring Style

Hi all! Tami from SewSophieLynn here and I’m so excited to be talking about this week’s Feature Friday with some spring style, the La Bella Donna Top and Tunic for girls and women. It’s such a versatile pattern and perfect for sewing right now. I know we just officially hit spring this week in the Northern hemisphere but if your climate is anything like mine, spring can mean anything from snowstorms to 80 degrees and sunny. With so many options the La Bella Donna can handle anything Mother Nature throws at it!

The Many Personalities of LBD

I contemplated calling this post ‘The Many Personalities of Miss La Bella Donna’. When I was dreaming up what to sew I kept coming up with so many possibilities. Short sleeve? Long Sleeve? Tunic? Hood? To hack or not to hack? La Bella Donna is a classic dolman top that can easily be whatever you want it to be. Slim fit hoodie- check! Simple long sleeve tunic- check! I honestly had so much fun seeing just what this pattern could become.

Fabric for LBD Spring Style AND Resolution Bottoms

Raspberry Creek Fabrics sponsored my post this week and as I was browsing their fabric selection I was blown away by all the options. Raspberry Creek is also a sponsor of the Resolution Sewalong and is offering 15% off with code RESOLUTION through today! I knew I would sew for me and my two girls and we have very different tastes and clothing needs. My youngest daughter is my little ray of sunshine and I snatched up this Lemon Yellow Double Brushed Poly paired with this Vertical Stripe Floral Double Brushed Poly for a dance outfit she can move and groove in. My older daughter is wise beyond her years and has just declared she is ‘over’ florals and prefers solids or stripes, please and thank you. I grabbed this gorgeous Pink Peach Cotton Lycra for a simple top she can accessorize and wear with so much in her wardrobe.

 

I’m like many women and like to dress for my mood. I like anything from classic J Crew inspired looks to trendy tops you’d find in your high schoolers closet. I’m on a real stripe kick and found two very different fabrics that will satisfy both my inner teen and my traditional side. This variegated stripe rayon spandex looks straight out of Madewell and this Mint Rugby Stripe Poly Rayon Spandex could have jumped out of Gap ad. So perfect for my own eclectic wardrobe.

With fabric choices selected, I’m happy to introduce you to four very different looks. I bring you the Vintage, Preppy, Classic, and Sporty La Bella Donna’s.

Vintage La Bella Donna: Oversized Ringer Tee

Size Up with Neckline and Sleeve Hack

To achieve this slouchy Vintage ringer tee I did a little pattern hacking. First I sized up two sizes for that oversized look. I fall into a small per my measurements and printed up a straight large. I used Kelly’s neckline hack but used the Classic Tee crew neckline. When sizing up the body of your shirt, you’ll still want to use your regular size neckline to avoid it being too large and gaping. I also used this tutorial to get my sleeve length. I took 4″ off the long sleeve because I knew I’d be adding length back with a band. For the sleeve band you’ll want to cut a rectangle the width of the sleeve minus an inch by 2″. You’ll attach them to your sleeve just as you would the neckband. I wanted a slightly cropped length and cut two inches off the hem band cut line then hemmed it with a 1″ hem.

I’m over the moon in love with this 70’s inspired tee. It’s perfect for those warmer days with my favorite high-waisted jeans and sneakers.

 Preppy La Bella Donna: Dolman Hoodie

My Preppy hoodie was easy to achieve with this pattern. It’s great for those in between days when the sun is shining but there’s still a little chill in the air. I sewed up my normal size small using the long sleeve option and hood. The only alteration I did was to use the banded hem cut line but omitted the band.

This top just screams spring to me. Those wide mint stripes are so pretty and it pairs so well with colored jeans or leggings.

Classic La Bella Donna: Easy Solids for Spring Style

I’m such a print gal that it was such a departure for me to sew up this classic tee. It took all my will power not to embellish or vinyl this top! A peek into our closets reveals that we need MANY more solid tops in our wardrobes but let’s be honest, they’re kinda boring to sew. After seeing how well this works with her printed leggings and jackets I’m convinced I need to go the solid route more often.

For this top, I sewed up a straight size 8. She falls into a 7 chest and 14 height. Most of her height is in her legs and she prefers her tops more cropped these days. This hits her right where she likes. I used the 3/4 sleeve cuff and sewed it up per the pattern tutorial. For the curved hem I used my trusty stretch hem tape. It really is a life saver for knit hems that look amazing.

Sporty La Bella Donna: Wide Neck Hack

This spunky dancer of mine just shines in this sporty wide neck hack. It was another quick and easy modification that created a look that she will love to wear each week at dance class. I used my Cricut to add a little vinyl for a truly personalized top.

Wide Neckline Hack

I measured out 2 inches from the neckline and used my french curve to draw a new wider neckline. I serged the neckline, turned it under and topstitched using my double needle before I sewed the shoulder seams. This created a smooth boat neckline. I used the long sleeve length but hemmed the sleeve instead of using the cuff piece. I also cut the length 2 inches shorter than the hemband cutline then added the hemband. Paired with some Leggins’ shorties she’s ready for her hip hop class!

Make sure to grab your Ladies La Bella Donna and Girls La Bella Donna for some beautiful, classic, easy spring style.