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??

Republique du Chiffon Lucie dress v.2

 I made this dress many years ago. I was so confused by things - a lined dress, with a gathered lining!  I really worried about how floofy it would be.  I therefore used silk for the skirt lining and that dress was oddly one of the most amazing things ever, despite quite heavy initial misgivings.  Eventually I gave it away thinking I could surely improve on it...(?!) and I landed on this heavy textured viscose as the victim of such high hopes.  It has languished for a long time in the stash, vaguely united with this pattern.  

Finally got around to it, and realised I didn't have enough fabric to self line the bodice.  I found some black poplin and used that.  Size is 34 and this time I didn't line the skirt, that was the whole point of using a heavier fabric. 

Here was the original.  It is oddly anticlimactic to pull out the pattern pieces that caused me such angst, and see a super basic lined tank dress.  I guess I have learned a LOT in my self-taught sewing journey since 2015.  

 

No thrills in this construction.  I stay stitched, I burritoed, (I did NOT do the Vogue method that caused me trouble the first time around)  I overlocked all the skirt bits, and added pockets, of course.  The only drama is that the poplin is a weirdly stable feeling fabric in comparison to the viscose so the bodice feels like too much.  Hopefully it will calm down with wear.  I like this, I really love the low cut of the back, and summer was a good time to try it out - but after a couple of wears I just wasn't feeling this one so I gave it to a friend who loves it.  Weirdly I think I prefer the full silk lining, gathers and all.  It adds something.  I also don't really like the solid feel of lining the top with a different textured fabric.  I could see myself making this again but I would do a full silk lining as on the original dress (shocking!)  though of course still with pockets.

Greenstyle Stride tights x 2 and adventures with sports knits...

 My friend Tessa has been in love with her Greenstyle stride tights for long enough that I thought I should try out the pattern.  I have a lot of leggings, but the ones I've made have been Megan Nielsen Virginia, which I have made many times, but apparently been silent about as no way was this leather pair my first rodeo, and Jalie Clara.  And honestly the secondhand shops keep providing me with such great Lululemon that it's hard to keep in mind my goal of increasing the handmade ratio in my wardrobe.  

So I had a look over this pattern.  Went with size D as I thought a bit smaller would be the better choice. Tessa told me they are true to size.

I have these sports knits I got awhile ago, the patterned fabrics are from Mood, and the contrast are from a shop in the States, but I'm not sure where.  Something with expensive shipping, and I think they are Repreve which is a recycled nylon blend with old PET bottles in it.  

I made the pocket side version, medium rise, capri length for my first attempt.  I initially froze when I realised the yellow is kind of transparent, but decided it's not really anywhere important enough to double layer it.  While sewing these tights my coverstitch machine was still behaving relatively well, though it's gone to the dark side since then.  It's very annoying when a machine you already don't like stops working well.  

Putting these together was quite fun and satisfying once I got past the finicky pocket finishing, but I noticed right away as I sewed the curved panels that the two fabrics went through the feed dogs at VERY different ratios.  I think on one side I had an offset of about 2 inches when I finished, and I was not pulling at the fabrics.  On the other side, I had less. I followed the instructions regarding order of sewing and the backs matched up perfectly.  

I tried them on and discovered that I had the worst leg twist known to man.  They were twisting about 100 degrees, and both in the same direction (I think the twist is to the right).  One leg (probably the one with that big offset) was super skewed and very loose at the hem.  I engineered a fix by overlocking off the hem unevenly (a big chunk of pink and not much yellow) to bring it slightly back out of skew.  This was like a 2" or wider chunk.  It still is very obvious when they are on the floor, and the hems are a bit uneven because of that fabric twist.  However once on my body they are ok.  

 

And once on my body I noticed that the pockets are absurdly low.  They like, aren't within reach of my hands.  The pockets should be right where the side piece widens (according to Lululemon anyway) - so functionally they start where they should end.  Having said this, I took these for a trial run to work in Thames, and wore them on a 12km adventure trail run and I had my phone in that pocket, and it was snug in there the entire time.  So they still work fine. 

I went on with the prettier fabric and this time did the high waist and the crop length, without the pockets.

I changed the order I sewed things in to see if it would fix leg twist - sewing both side seams the same side up.  I also didn't sew the backs together right away, and the result is that they don't line up as well.  Seems that in this case you are *well served* by actually following the instructions!  Imagine!  

The leg twist is slightly less and I didn't need to do any crazy fixes this time.  It's not gone by any means.  Unfortunately, the high waist is totally ridiculous.  I have no waist.  The midrise was high waisted on me.  I should have known better.  So this waistband is at my ribs and it's very tight, I will have to do something about it but I thought I'd wear them a few times first to figure it out.  

 

Both of these pairs of tights are a little bit loose right at the top of the crotch, which is the most important spot for them to be snug.  This makes me think I need to tighten up that area - it's much worse on the black pair so I will almost certainly have to deal with the waist and then see about adjusting them further to improve the fit.  I believe the Jalie Clara were better in this area because of their gusset, so next time I feel like making leggings I might do those again.

 

 This experience has left me very wary of sewing with sports knits.  I didn't expect them to be any different from regular knits, but they are far more slippery and finicky. My experience was not improved because at the same time, I decided to quickly sew a Patterns for Pirates basic tank top with the super curved hem to match my new sportswear.  (Beware of "quick sews?")

 Putting the tank together was easy but then I went to the coverstitch all planning to hem it in one go, without ironing it in place or pinning or any prep, and that was such a bad coverstitch hem that I had to undo it.  I tried to redo the hem, but it's too curved, and actually I just killed it and had to CUT OFF the entire hem and have now zig zagged it which is way uncool. So the PTSD regarding these sports knits is real, but is kind of my fault for thinking I didn't need to prep.  

I don't think the leg twist is a fault of the legging pattern.  I don't think I cut my pieces out off grain.  I think it happens because of that curve across the butt with that stretchy fabric having variable stretch as it crosses the grain.  The way I think you could try to fix it is by basting the pieces together with a sewing machine first, using an exceptionally wide stitch, and going from the hems up.  I'm not tempted to make more of these to see, and although it's frustrating to have resulting clothes that feel "imperfect" they definitely look good on, I've already gotten compliments!  And they work.  Getting away from that RTW perfect mindset is such an ongoing struggle.