time for the yearly tshirt binge - and surprise shorts addition -

 First tee is the most important, the long awaited: Elbe Staley, view B, size B, and about 2" shortened - I thought my longer version was too long but the short version was a tiny bit too short, so this was the compromise.  And yes, this is the designer fabric I was considering, and yes, I've been considering it for a LONG time.  It was really scary to make this!  From the 1m of Versace knit I don't even have scraps left to make underwear.  Everything behaved, and I'm really happy with the result.  I wear the short one running all the time.  With the side curve, this one being slightly longer works well with most of my clothes and I love the design. I didn't put a pocket on it.  I thought that it just wouldn't look great and the pattern is busy enough without it.

Made for Mermaids Logan - take 3 - size purple

I had made a linen version of this for a friend, which I do think I blogged, but I can't find it.  I wanted more linen knit to make one for me.  Finally had the knit, which is a big heavier than the original black.  I wasn't sure whether in the past I made this longer by both using the full length (crop) tee pattern PLUS the band, or the banded tee.  (The first version adds an extra inch.)  Anyway, this time I did the longer option and I think it's too long.  Maybe after thinking about this for so long, my vision just couldn't match reality.  Or maybe now as cropped things are coming into fashion my tolerance for shorter has increased.  Either way, I didn't quite like this and have given it to a friend.  

The new Closet Core tee came across my radar when I was browsing their site. I was just in the mood for something a bit loose and cropped.  Perfect timing!  Went with size 4, crop version, no other mods, using this great blue fabric, I think it might be part bamboo. It has a fantastic feel but is not particularly drapey.

 

I was really happy with the result, although it does continually sit on top of my bust like you see in the photos, why?  That kind of makes me like it less.  I'm also annoyed with my stitching, since this was where my coverstitch machine pretty much gave up.  I hate my coverstitch machine and when it's not working I really don't have the bandwidth to deal.

But anyway, I decided to experiment and make a swimsuit fabric tee from this fabric.  The inspo was something I tried in a shop which was similar.  The tee was just as easy to make (swim fabric does NOT behave like sportswear fabrics and I find it relatively easy to sew.)  Amazingly, I had matching coverstitch thread but sadly, the coverstitch machine is a mess these days so who knows how long that hem will hold, as it's got a lot of gaps on the back.  Having tried this new tee, I'm really not sure my wardrobe needs clothing items made of swimsuit fabric, (I tried it running and I was overheated immediately) but it's a fun fashion experiment.  Maybe I'll try to wear it when I have the chance to get wet in it. -- I'll try to get some photos of that eventually.

Around the time I made the Core tee I decided to finally make these Pattern Runway paper bag waist shorts from Peppermint Magazine (free pattern!)  I think I downloaded and printed this pattern about 2 years ago.  I made size 10.  I was willing to do a quick job on these to see what would happen, and the results are what you would expect from that attitude.  These have the look, on paper, of a veeeery long crotch which is too flat.  And?  Same in person.  It's like being a middle aged American man with no fashion sense.  Since a mere 30 min of redrawing the crotch would have given me possibly a way more wearable result, it was kind of stupid to skip that.  These feel hugely oversized in the leg, and the pockets are oddly small considering how much room there is for pockets.  They were pretty fun to make though!  I might come back to them but I have a few other shorts ideas I want to test out before summer ends. 

The free Elise tee pattern 

Came across this recently and I actually had a vision for it involving aqua coloured, loose merino.  Found the dream fabric in Otara and went forth!  I made size S. 

 My friend Tessa had made this and wasn't very keen, she said on herself it was too short.  Because of that I didn't shorten the pattern.  I could have - it's too long and the dimensions are a bit weird on me.  It is very wide across the shoulders, and very narrow at the hips.  Good if you want it to fall off your shoulders and you are narrow in the hips, and long waisted.  I was thinking of what to do with it and so I left the hem raw while I thought, and then a friend said she wanted it as is.  So off it's gone - but truthfully I don't think I'm interested enough to make this again. 

I also made about a million versions of the Strathcona tee for friends and for my partner, but I can never be bothered sharing stuff I make for other people.  Reports have come back that everyone is happy with their new tops!  I only make the Strathcona because I have it - I do not really like the pattern and I'm considering an upgrade to the Sage tee by Elbe textiles.  The Strathcona has a weird cut line for the short sleeve, and a bad sleeve fit on most people.  Though of course it's nice that it is cut flat, it's also a pain because the pattern pieces are huge, and why cut it flat??

Made for Mermaids Juniper Jumper review

I bought this pattern without planning ahead of time, and sent it to the printers with a bunch of other patterns.  Then equally rushed I cut it out of beautiful scuba fabric from Blackbird Fabrics.  And then it sat on the floor and collected dust because I wasn't sure I cared that much.  I got rather sad to have used this gorgeous fabric on this as other ideas came and went. 

Size: purple.  Matches my waist/hips, and my bust of 33 as the "high bust" seemed fine, the bust measurement was 34-35 and really I would not have wanted this style to be tighter, though I see many of the pattern testers preferred a snug fit.

 

I used the high front, low back, but as you see, it's not particularly high front or particularly low back though the armholes are quite cut out towards the front.  I expected to need a top under this, and instead it's a dress all on its own! 

I'm not sure there were marks on the skirt for where to put the pockets (could have been me since the pieces sat for a few months.)  I put them 1.5" down. 

I got annoyed by the dust bunnies and summer is basically here and dresses are great, finally inspired me to get on with it.  I actually sewed this entirely on my sewing machine except for the waist seam and the hem seam (to make it prettier.)  I didn't finish any of the other seams because of the scuba fabric.  The top is fully enclosed. I understitched the neckline, but the SA is 1/4" which is too little to snip into and in the scuba even with understitching it rotates outward.  For the first time I get the appeal of the larger SA on this spot.  The SA, other than the neck and armholes, is 1/2" so beware! 

The scuba from Blackbird - bought probably last Feb or so, so I'm not sure what it is.  Maybe bamboo.  It has a standard scuba look on one side, and a paler, matte on the other which is so beautiful.  I used that matte as the exterior.  This scuba has more drape than usual scuba fabric, less body, and is a bit thinner.

1" hem. 

To my surprise I love this little dress.  It's so cute and simple and in a fabric like this that doesn't need finishing, the innards are so very neat.  The pockets are a stupid shape, there's no reason to not make them into Elbe Textiles Bardon pockets (the platonic ideal of pockets) or reshape them deeper, because the skirt billows out enough to hide all.  I knew this and didn't do it.  Live and learn.

Spring tshirt binge sew

I'll just jump right in. 

 Ebony by Closet Core Patterns, raglan tee, size 2, which is what I've used before and liked the most.

-in pink interlock knit: I like this! 

Then I made a dress for a friend by lengthening the raglan pattern as much as I could to fit my fabric.  It was fine but I thought there's way too much fabric in the back, so I decreased the amount of hi-lo in the hem and took out a wedge from the back - not at the centre back but slightly to the side of that, starting at the bottom of the armscye which is where it starts to hang freely on me.  And that was fine but then I lost interest.  I gave version two to my friend as well (she's pregnant) - if I make this again, it needs pockets.

Finn Tee by Petite Stitchery size XS. I found it suspicious that the front and the back are the same!  But it does work.  The sleeve somehow seems to have extra fabric in it but I think in rayon or a more drapey fabric it would be fine. I was debating changing the armscye and sleeve to the Sasha Secondo Piano InstincTee though, still not sure if I need more shirts and want to spend the time frankenpatterning a perfect tshirt...yet.  Though last time I was pawing through my patterns I did kind of pause and think it would be a great combination.

 

 

Briar tee in 3 sizes and 3 lengths -
I made the briar in S (white) and XS (purple) of the old sizes, and then in 4, going to 6 at the waist of the new pattern. This is the same as XS according to the size charts.  I had never made the tunic length top before and surprise!!  I don't love it!  I hacked off a large chunk of the back hem.  My new cover stitch machine gobbled up this top after behaving fine on everything else, go figure.  I do like the longer length post trimming.  Then I caved in and made the size 2 (new pattern) with 4" added to the cropped length - out of some silk jersey. This is great and I like the tighter fit a lot -  but the jersey unfortunately gapes a tiny bit at the front neck, enough to irritate me.  I think once I'm wearing it a lot I will not care.

 

 

 

 

Made for Mermaids Avery - size is called purple - I did not end up liking the back feature. It does indeed flip out.  Overall the construction was straightforward, but this type of very long top are seldom my style and I didn't go on to make the dress. I am not sure what I think of this pattern company so far.

Patterns 4 Pirates Tulip front (or back) tee - in green merino, and I love it!  This was one of my favourites of the binge, as I kind of expected.  I have a top similar to this.  This type of top has a lot of caveats - it gathers funny at the front because the sleeves are attached.  The back swings open in unreliable ways.  I love all of it.  I will eventually make the tulip front version.  Not soon.

Pixie tee (or dress) - made in organic cotton from Alabama Chanin - very firm stuff.  I thought this was stupendously boring until I saw the pictures and noticed it has a subtle flare to it.  Hm.  Maybe in a drapey knit?  Also really needs pockets.  I cut my size according to the chart - it's meant to be a pretty breezy top with a lot of ease, and I think that's true.  It fits me well, other than being too long.

tilly and the buttons Agnes - decided to make a short sleeved tee and this time use a better length binding! Well, that was fine and good but it's so tight I can barely breathe.  Oops.  

Hemlock in black - with various modifications that I had applied last year - a bit of curve to the hem, a dropped sleeve...this silk jersey just isn't good for me here.  It makes it into a heavy, oversized top and the pattern would be cute on a dress but does not work.  Silk jersey is funny - sometimes it is amazing but because of the weight and drape it can behave very differently to other jerseys.

 

 

Made for Mermaids LOGAN

Ooh, this is an absolute winner. Surprise winner!  I made a tshirt version to check fit (note to self: add a hem band, even in my photos I wanted to hug my belly out of view...) and then I made one in interlock jersey, and I adore it.  Except for the colours.  I will definitely make this for myself.  Do note: the front pieces are not mirrored.  Don't be like me and accidentally cut some of them wrong side out.  That's what led to the blue in the tshirt, as I didn't have enough greens to re-cut.

 

Luckily I have some new colleagues imported from the US with a teenage daughter keen on cropped items so a lot of these went to her.  This binge was during hard life times when I needed the simplicity to keep me going, but it was good food for thought on why I sew, and also on what results I want.  It's inspired me to stop binge cutting (I have a tendency to cut a bunch of projects which then sit around) - but rather to work on a single project at a time beginning to end. I have a bunch of things I really want to make that I never start because they will be a bit more work, so hopefully this will move me to do those instead of easy things.