True Bias Zoey tank x 2

I have known for awhile that I need to get some well fitting tank top patterns into my collection.  I got suckered into this one by Guthrie & Ghani, who had the perfect fabrics in stock, Lauren modelling the final result, and I even bought the double sized iron on sticky tape that she recommended for the bindings.  I did two of these, one of them for a pregnant friend of mine.  Size according to the size chart: size 2, though it's narrower than my hips I thought that wouldn't matter. 

The fabric is the Meet Milk derby ribbed Tencel. 

The tape stuff I am referring to is called Stretch Fix T30. It comes in strips or sheets.  I bought two strip units of it and I have lots more for other projects.  It is basically a dream for fixing curvy hems prior to topstitching them, as it stabilises while holding in place. 

I bought all this stuff from G&G, my friend paid half the shipping as well as paying for her fabric, so it offset some of the costs.  (I will say it's a bit offensive to hear a friend say $100 for a tank top is steep!  Sewist friends should know better!)

For my friend I lengthened the pattern the same as Lauren mentioned doing for her own pregnancy- I think it was 30 cm but might have been more.

Good thing I bought the sticky tape!  The fabric is relatively well behaved and it's so amazing when worn.  But getting those bindings on, and getting them on neatly, was a process that took some learning and was pretty frustrating the first time around.  Without the double sided iron on sticky tape I would have thrown things out the window.  The first version, for my friend, is less neat where the front and the arm bands meet up, but I was smarter the second time around. 

My friend, by the way, said this top was one of the only things that fit her near the end of her pregnancy.  The fabric is excellently stretchy. 

I like the fit of this and wear it reasonably often, but I won't be in a huge rush to make another one until I've tried a few other recommended tank tops.  Still planning on trying the Sommar cami and the Lola racer back tank.  Around these parts summer is only a hazy memory so not sure when that will be.

Elbe Textiles Staley top, variations & review

I bought this pattern awhile ago and had an idea that it was a heavy sweatshirt pattern, which it is not.  I liked it ok but didn't feel much imperative to sew it.  I even printed it out and set it on my pile of to-do-soon but it didn't make the cut for my tshirt binge a few months ago.  (Too many pages, ugh, pdf patterns.) 

Like many patterns now, with so many sizes nested you will invariably have a lot of paper wastage if you cut a small size.  I don't see a great way to fix this, as everyone benefits from a few nested sizes in order to have flexibility - so clumping sizes in units of a few sizes (like Style Arc does) would solve the problem a bit, but would make people sad who are on the limit of one nest unit.

I cut a B.  I initially made view A with no changes, and view B with 3" shortening.  I shortened 1" at the upper lines, and 2" at the lower lines.  I am 5'4".

View A is in a stretchy and ridiculous gold lame stuff from Emma one Sock (still available!) It was fabric meant for a dress, but the dress pattern was from an op shop and it didn't contain all the pieces.  Also very sadly my life doesn't really have a need for gold dresses.  The fabric has a great drape and was easy to work with.  I did actually read the instructions before I made this, and the interesting prep for the side slits is fun and novel.  When I got to application of the hems, I was suspicious.  You do a lot of things that seem like they belong to woven fabrics.  Worth the effort?? Sewing in the ditch? Gahhhhh.  I mostly did what it said for the front to test out the clean finish, but I didn't sew in the ditch.  On the back hem I ditched the effort and, after sewing the sides of my binding and flipping it right side out, I just overlocked it to the hem.  The disadvantage: overlocker ears on the edges.  The advantage: fast and easy.  It's in the back, so I don't notice it, and thought that seems totally worth it compared to the drama of trying to sew knits in the ditch.  

 

View B: hm very short oops.  In a linen knit which is a bit sticky to work with but has a good drape.

  

I loved these immediately and wore them immediately and so I set forth to make a second set. 

View A: flowers from Guthrie & Ghani that I loved enough to pay the postage. It is a tencel rayon sort of knit, very drapey.  It has since sold out. And in fact I bought it planning to make this very top.  This time 1" shortening.  I shortened the sleeves 1" as well, they are very very long otherwise.  I used the quick and dirty hem method and now I am a bit contrite.  You know, that clean finish?  Maybe worth it.  Overlocker ears?  A bit annoying.  Ok you choose.  

 

View B: stripey stuff from Miss Maude.  This time only shortened 1", at the upper line.  I think this is a good compromise length on both of them. Maybe I'll shorten the tee one more inch, but I think on view A I'm happy. The side slits make view A more flexible too so even the long version doesn't seem long. 

 I also read the instructions for view B this time and did my hem coverstitching before I sewed the sides together.  I am still not really comfortable with the coverstitch machine, and doing all the pieces on the flat definitely is easier than stitching in the round.  I guess reading the instructions can be good that way...

Taking photos at 6 am = very good light.  Also in evidence, my dubious new/secondhand jeans from R13.  I have strange strange obsessions and R13 is one of them, but this particular pair seem to be too big.  Lesson learned...I'm about to copy an R13 jacket and one of their silk dress designs. 

I am really happy with this pattern, and it's nice to discover a new tshirt pattern I'm so enthusiastic about.  It has some of the nice features of the Briar, a good fit, two interesting options...I will probably finally commit and use this pattern for some designer fabric I've been hoarding.  Probably.