I recently tested for Made for Mermaids for the first time ever!  Unquestioningly, testing the Sloan Sweats is a major milestone for me as this was the company who brought me into the online sewing world and the world of PDF patterns. (More on that below.)

Testing the Sloan Sweats

I participated in the Made for Mermaids Sloan Sweats test. As a thank you, Made for Mermaids gave me a free copy of the final pattern for my time. 

Truthfully, I have never had pants fit this well with no modifications except adding an inch to the rise and shortening the legs 3″.  After all, my legs are short and my torso is long. 

Without a doubt, only doing basic length adjustments is saying a lot for a pattern because I have practically earned a PhD in geometry trying to fit pants to my body. 

Sloan Sweats Options

I made the size orange with inseam pockets, a flat waistband and elasticated cuffs. This screaming purple ponte is from my deepest stash. Furthermore, I have another pair cut out of some brown sweat fabric ready to be sewn up. I can’t wait to try the cargo pockets on those!

The entire site is 30% right now if you’d like to get them.  Additionally, there is a youth Sloan and straight fit Silas Sweats version of the pattern, too. I cannot recommend them enough.

Before the Sloan Sweats…

The first PDF pattern I sewed was the Made for Mermaids Mya and sewing knits just clicked.  Before that, I was a catalogue thumping, big 4 sewist. Although nothing is wrong with that, I just wasn’t finding a lot of success with their instructions and some of them were downright mystifying for sewing knits. (Why sew a knit like a woven?  But, I digress.) Overall, I felt like my skills weren’t growing and I was starting to have trouble finding patterns in my size.

Milestones

I checked my Made for Mermaids account and that was in 2018. Along the way, Made for Mermaids was there for me on my wedding day with custom Vicki Hipsters so my underwear wouldn’t show through my wedding dress.

Additionally, Made for Mermaids was there for my pregnancy. Specifically, I wore this Corinne hacked dress to my baby shower and I wore these Willows at least four times a week! What is more, The Bryn Brami and the Oaklynn that I hacked to have a zipper for easy access have been here for my nearly 2 year nursing journey.

Made for Mermaids was even my first step into body positivity with their colour coded sizing.

Where I Am Now

Five years later, I’m sewing more than ever, have grown so much in my knowledge and ability, and have started my blog and pattern testing!

And to toot my own horn, my photos are in the listing twice with even one #sewnshownseated! This is only the second time my photos have been used in a pattern listing, too. A big deal to me because I am not a very good photographer but I have been trying to learn. Also, it was -1 degree Celsius when I took these photos, so they were hard won.

Thanks for everything, Made for Mermaids, here’s to many more!

Have any good news to share?  Achievements? Dreams you’re working towards?  I’d love to hear in the comments!