Tank top binge: Mission Maxi tank & Halfmoon Atelier Super Basic tank

Not heaps to tell here, but I hadn't presented the Super Basic tank before, so it's always nice to have a bit of comparison.

For the Mission tanks, my usual size 6 with the front straps shortened about 1".
I removed a generous 4-6" off the hem as well.
Previously I really loved this finish.
I think it works best on stable knits.  On the extremely floppy rib knit, I overlocked the binding edge prior to folding it over, and the result is that it splays outwards and I ended up doing two layers of topstitching to control it.  None of that happened with the mushroom top, which I did in the usual fashion without extra overlocking.

Yep that's a label pinched off an upcycled dress...

The two layers are thicker and overlap at the shoulder strap because of being overlocked. 

As for the Super Basic tank, I was a pattern tester so I'd already honed into the right fit. I cut a size 3.

I think I shortened the front strap a bit here too, as that's a usual fix for me.  I cut these out months ago and so I was puzzled what was the front and what was the back - they looked the same!  I had to try it on a few times before I chose an orientation. Next time I need to remember to mark the front or back to make it more obvious. My fabric is a super stretchy modal blend. I shortened the neck band about 4" (should have done more) and the arm bands about 3".

I was thinking that overall I find overlocking the edges of neckbands seems to make them bigger. I used to just do a zig zag on the sewing machine and that is a very controlling stitch that doesn't stretch the fabric out - my tees and tanks done in that way have survived since literally my first year of sewing!  Overlocking may feel like it beats RTW but that is just not always the case. With that thought in mind I did the terra cotta tank (another very floppy ribbed item) with a zig zag instead of trying to feed it through my emotional catastrophe of an overlocker.  (There will be a review eventually, but unlike the reviews that I read prior to purchasing, I find the Babylock Imagine to be more like the Babylock Don't Imagine.)

I shortened the bands a lot more on this since it really needs strong bands to make up for the stretchy and floppy fabric. On the Mission since the binding overlaps, it controls the edge really well but with a normal neck binding like this, you need to have enough tension or the whole top won't fit right. I didn't measure very scientifically, just pulled it around the top until I got a sense that I had reasonable tension.  I also tested out a new photo location but didn't quite calculate properly...all the photos with good light had my head cut off. You're welcome.

Onward with knits: trees and stars

Making one project often seems to beget other project ideas. Sometimes it's ways to use up the fabric scraps, other times it's to improve on the first version.  I think that it's a good idea to chase down these ideas because they are the things I get excited about even though they are kind of queue jumpers (and I am way too obsessed with crossing things off lists.)

That happened.

The Geneva tee was a way of using the end of the star fabric, which I love, and the original project was a fail. It was also a way of using my scraps of my totally amazing cashmere merino blend jersey.
Geneva: size 36.

I added cuffs to the sleeves, which helped to stabilise the super fine sleeve fabric.  My second thought on this very fine jersey is that in the future it might be nice to double it up.  I am scared that the leggings are fragile and will get easily worn out.

The Minttu was a way of quickly testing whether there was a way to salvage this pattern. I didn't want to commit too much to it, but I did think that whatever I made would be wearable.
Minttu: size 34, back to full length, no lining or bindings.
I used the end of this lovely star embossed fabric and some navy ribbing for the under arm portions.
I still think the shape is too billowy but at least it's not too short.  I would decrease the exaggerated width at the bottom on future versions.

The mission tank was actually an idea from my first op-shop trip in March. I fell in love with this fabric, even though the original item was a pretty tight dress and therefore not a lot of fabric to work with. I really wanted it to be a Renfrew but I could not make it happen. And as a Mission it has already had lots of wear!

Mission size 6.  Upcycled dress. 

Upcycling and fun with knits

I started to feel stressed in life and the result was a bunch of knit projects and stress-free upcycling.  It was great to get these things taken care of! 

#1: the success
Mission tank top with stretch lace binding.  I widened the straps a bit by eyeing my pattern (I've done this lots of times but never put it to paper) and just zigzagged the lace on.  The ribbing I used for this tank is really heavy, I think it's rayon, so I'm not sure it's going to last long before it stretches too much, but it's a perfect sized, comfy tank top.  I'll keep an eye out for thin rib knits to make more of these, because this is something I often buy to wear under other layers.  Because I'm nice, I sent it to a friend who also wanted some layering tank tops.

that's dirty camera spots, not dirty shirt spots

#2: The Mission dress upcycle:

This started out being a size XL Roxy surfergirl dress - with triangle top and an empire waist and it went on forever, because I guess Roxy surfergirls are all 6 feet tall...and I upcycled it into a Mission.  I wasn't sure how things would go with the ruffles - in fact, I started to suspect quite early that it would be a total fail.  I was curious if I could get the ruffle in the right place to add some volume to the skirt of the dress without it being right on my hips.  And in the end I rather like it although I'm not sure I totally succeeded - I went into this project expecting nothing, which can sometimes be really freeing!

#3: selfless upcycle:
My cousin asked me to upcycle some old sweaters into Plantains.  Here's the first one (the second will be for another Hawaii trip, I suppose...) It's a size 38, no modifications except to use the original cuffs and the neck binding is the original binding cut narrower.  I cut the bottom to the plantain pattern, and then hemmed it with a zig zag which created the ruffle - and my cousin says she loves it!  Here's to lucky design features!

#4: selfless tees x2.
These aren't too interesting as I cut them in Munich last April, so they are exactly the same as versions I made for the same two friends last year : )  I guess I'm on track to give my friends one shirt per year!  The men's shirt is the Strathcona by Thread Theory, and the girl shirt is a Briar, size S, with the high-low hem made more subtle.  In this interlock knit the Briar turned out super nice and I'm considering making me some!

Yes these are mostly fold marks from being packed for nearly a year...

#5: Desigual dress to skirt
I love this dress.  Of course I forgot a before picture.  Ebay has provided instead:

I got the dress in Barcelona when I ran the Barcelona marathon, and so my memories of it are tied up in the pain of that terrible terrible race course, haha.  But the dress, beautiful!  It also had this stupid overlapping triangle top, and it was really tight.  Like, I gave up wearing a bra, no matter how skinny I've gotten those green stripes under the bust were super tight.  And no matter how I tried, I just don't feel covered going out wearing two triangles over my chest, unless I'm at the beach. (In which case no problem, actually all my favourite swimsuits are nothing but two triangles...)  So what to do?  I decided to try and make it a skirt with a fold over waistband.

Lo and behold - it worked!!!  I cut it across just above my hips and left the zip in place, thinking it would help to get it on (doesn't) and made a tube of my green merino, and just sewed it on with a lightning bolt stitch.  I had to shorten the green initially cause my guess of the circumference was wrong, and I was mainly lucky that I can squeeze the dress over my hips - but I didn't want to cut lower and lose the pattern.  Anyway this is a magical save as I love the skirt.