Aime Comme Marie Must Have, woven to knit

I made this very early on in my sewing adventures, see here.
I had to print and cut the pattern again as I hadn't saved the pdf pieces.  So I was pretty shocked to discover that it has no seam allowances. WTF?  As a beginning sewist I guess I had no preconceived idea about adding seam allowances and thought it was quite a lark...

Anyway my thoughts were in the direction of making a knit raglan tee without buying a new pattern.
First up I made it in a woven, size S per the size chart.  I added length to the sleeves (about an inch) and about 2 inches or so to the centre back seam. It's not very exciting but it's going to a friend of mine who lives in the desert, and it fits really well.

For the knit version I probably should have taken out some fabric, but I stuck to the pattern.  I folded out the dart and added a neckband. This knit has some linen in it and is quite drapey. 

 

Unsurprisingly, by this point I had kind of lost interest in any further modifications (my attention span is too short!) I remembered that I don't need any more tshirts.  I was not particularly enthused with this one, since it's rather oversized and I already have a bunch of oversized hemlocks, and it just sat around until my photos, at which point I realise I did judge it rather harshly. It is comfortable and simple.  I think I could just take some volume out from the centre front and back seams to get a more fitted top and I would be happier with that.

Grainline Hemlock binge

Welcome to the Grainline Hemlock!  I didn't like this pattern at all when I first made it.  Since then styles have changed, as they do, and I don't know what sounds better than a drop sleeved oversized curved hem top.  This pattern is free and it's one size fits all.  It is better suited to lightweight, drapey fabrics.  Don't be like me and make it out of a stiff sweatshirting weight jersey (here.)

It took a few modifications to perfectly achieve my vision.

Version 1 is shortened 4 inches - this is the original pattern I used a few years ago.  In a drapey silk viscose knit it's fantastic.  I used about 2 inches of the sleeve.  I love this shirt and I think I was insane not to love it before.  If I keep rediscovering my own patterns, I'll never need to buy more!

(Yes those are my new Papercut Palisade pants.  I recycled pictures!)

Version 2 used the short version as the side seam length, and then lengthened (the back) and shortened (the front) using the curve from the Megan Nielsen Briar tee.  I also inspected the sleeve and changed the curve of the body, slightly like the Strata top body-sleeve area, so that it would not bunch up in my armpit as much.  (Interestingly this is the same design feature that I complained about on my first Strata top.  I reserve the right to contradict myself freely.)

Version 3 is the version of my dreams.  I lowered the front curve a bit, and also extended the shoulder seam down one inch.

This is merino blend from Otara in Auckland, land of cheap fabrics.  There may be a lot of blend in there because it's quite lightweight and doesn't feel like merino. 

And then on version 4 so I wouldn't have too many TOTALLY IDENTICAL items in my wardrobe, I added cuffs, but the shoulder seam is back in the previous location, same as the grey one.  This merino is from The Fabric Store, and it feels quite a bit denser than the stuff from Otara.  The challenge is on: is $40 merino better than $10 dollar merino?

I'm done with this now!

Megan Nielsen Cactus Karri dress

This was one of those projects that became an epic before it started and jumped the queue right away.  Because I bought 1. meter. of cactus fabric.  And 1. meter. of silk georgette stretch lining.  Whyyyy?

And why stretch lining, you ask?  Hehe that's because of my recycled black tshirt side panels, of course.
Maybe I should start from the beginning.

Pattern: Megan Nielsen Karri, size XS
Fabric: 1 meter of textured cactus "canvas" (it's not) from Miss Matabi, it's actually dressweight and has got the most amazing spongy texture.
Side panels: three large black tshirts donated by one of my nurses
Lining: 1 meter of Theory black silk stretch georgette from Mood.  I might need to buy more of this and put it on the exterior of a dress too.   This was supplemented by something very similar - a black stretch silk I was saving in my stash for something else.  Well, needs must.

I made an XS.  My waist is 27 ish, but with the stretch I was not worried.  Same about fit adjustments... I just decided all my jersey would save me the trouble.

First of all, don't plan to make it with just one meter of anything even if you are a size XS.  Second, for best pattern continuity, put the front pieces together and cut on the fold instead of cutting four little pieces. 

But after that it came together really well.  Because this was my dream dress, I spent a lot of time thinking about which seams needed to be finished, and where, and how, and wishing I just had a serger!  I didn't finish the seams of the bodice, but I french seamed the lining of the skirt and I bias bound all the skirt seams.  I was going to sew the waist to the lining but then I just decided not to.  I did hand sew the lining onto the sleeves, which was actually easy and left me with a real sense of satisfaction. I notice a theme lately in the projects that matter to me.  Maybe there's hope I won't be a fast-fashion-sewist forever?

So it took ages to make my blog post for this because I was determined to take pictures with some cacti.  (Naturally.)  But when I'm near cacti, which happens often enough in Arizona, I'm not generally wearing dresses, nor do I have photo opportunities.  So finally I gave up but I promise if I get near some cacti and take pictures I will update them!

Initially I freaked out because the black of the three tshirts is, of course, three different blacks.  But I got over it.

I love my cactus dress.  I'm going to make more.  (Karri dresses, not all with cacti).  This dress feels so luxurious because of the silk, and the stretch, and the jersey, and I think it's probably my favourite pattern of ALL TIME.  (finally!!)  I will lower the front neck next time, and I might make one without sleeves...I have ideas.  Just not so much time!

Here are some (ahem, phallic?) cacti pictures from the Cactus Botanical Gardens in Phoenix, where I sadly did not have my cactus dress along.

Upcycled Papercut Anima pants and Simplicity 8228 Madalynne bra

In order to not stand around in just a bra, I figured I'd show these two makes together.

I spend too much time trying to think up things to do with tshirts.  You know the ones I mean - those heavyweight, oversized, shapeless, screen-printed tshirts that we all get too many of for free.  A few of them work to sleep in but they last a long time!  So this pair of Papercut Anima pants was brought about as a trial run to use up some shirts.  Since the pants are sleepwear they are totally allowed to look silly plus I get to wear a bunch of tshirts which I do actually like - I spent six months working with MSF last year - and I've done a bunch of trips with the American Alpine Institute, so both of these shirts have some emotional value to me and I'm happy to make them continuously useful.

The anima pants pattern is my standard one, size XS - I didn't shorten the legs this time, but I have lowered the front waistband by removing a wedge that I tapered out to nothing at the side seam, plus obviously I got rid of the fly and pockets.

In order to use four tshirts for this pattern, I cut each tshirt apart at the sides and across the top, and then I sewed the bottoms together, like this:

Even with this magenta tee, which was a size S ladies cut, I had enough to make an entire pant leg with some room remaining.


I went kind of crazy with the waistband and it was bad, so I had to totally remove something like 5 rows of stitching (I measured my elastic wrong and it was about 5 inches too long...) and then I went for the minimalist waistband with no stitching in it.  The elastic stays in place so I'm content for now.  This version of the anima pants, seeing as it has no pockets, no fly and no string in the waistband - is a pretty minimal version and is easy to make.  It took a few hours including tshirt prep. 

So the bra top!  I bought this as soon as it came out.  After all, lacy bra thingies are so in right now!  I wanted one!  The lace is from merckwaerdigh's etsy store, the cream coloured powermesh is from tailormadeshop.  I used really bad fabric glue to stick the layers together and then the idea of making this bra top faltered.  It was a few months before I came back to it.  There was only one review which mentioned sizing, and the reviewer used her normal bra size rather than following the size chart, so I did that too and cut a 32C.  I marked each pattern piece with the side that should be along the scallops and I found cutting out easy.  Sewing was easy and quick too - just a couple of hours.  I found the instructions to be adequate and not confusing at any point.  However because of my crappy glue, I had to then zigzag all free edges (luckily this is invisible in the lace) because the mesh was flopping around otherwise.

The band is tight enough to be supportive, which itself, in non-stretch lace, is a problem because although I can get this top on, it's nearly impossible to get off.  The back is much lower than the front.  I was debating just removing 2 cm off the spot where the back narrows to see if that helps, although I suppose it's not too important.  Also,  the cups fit mostly ok, but I think I'll take a wedge off the center front piece for my next try.  The lace is also really itchy.

I have a nice kit from tailormadeshop to make another one of these, which I'll do with those two small changes, but I recommend using stretch lace, and not using powermesh on the band, especially if you have wide shoulders or a muscular back like I do.