Showing posts with label scoop-neck tee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label scoop-neck tee. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 02, 2013

Packing for summer vacation


Skirt, check.  Shorts, check.  Dresses, check.  Swimsuit(s), check.  Tops, check (and then some!).   One thing missing from the suitcase: capris pants.  Done and done, with a new tee thrown in for fun!  We're heading across country to visit family, which has been the driving force behind some of my sewing frenzy.  (That, and knowing I won't have the sewing room at my disposal for a few weeks).
For these grey capris, I used a well-loved pattern (used here, here, and highly modified here).  Working with a tested pattern is so nice...just sew and it fits.  I narrowed the legs a bit, and as I've done in the past, added single-welt pockets to the back to break of the vast expanse of fabric in that area (necessary, in my opinion!).
It's funny, in person they don't appear so wrinkly.  This time, I'll blame it on the lighting :)
There was a small amount of the gorgeous mermaid fabric left, so I used it again for the waistband facing and pocket bags.  This cotton is so silky smooth that it's noticeably enjoyable to feel the texture when I put my hands in the pockets.  Okay, that sounds weird.  Anyhow...the bias tape came out again for the waistband and to neaten up the fly (plus, it made using a white zipper from my stash less jarring :)
The slim-ish fit of the capris and neutral color had me scouring through my closet to find tops with which to wear with them...like this one (blogged here), which I wear infrequently due to lack of appropriate bottoms:
But I actually made another Scoop-neck top the same day I finished the pants, for a more casual capris-based outfit.
It's a nice basic tee, good for vacation.  Or cleaning the house (which is what I was doing before snapping these photos).  You know, whatever!
Happy summer, everyone!  The kids will be getting some experience with the phenomenon called "rain".  Poor CA boys!

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

One yard, two tops

The day I made my Plain Jane Shorts, I also whipped up a fun variation on Kristin's now-infamous Scoop-neck Tee.  I had a tiny bit of some super soft, taupe-colored bamboo knit fabric (bought locally here), some lovely peach narrow-striped bamboo knit from Michael Levine, and an idea to make a color-block version.
For the pattern, I folded and traced the original pattern where I wanted the color break, adding seam allowances to both newly "cut" pieces.  I serged the seams (I've been using a 4-thread mock-safety stitch since sewing my bathing suits) and used my the coverstitch machine for the hem.  I'm having some beef with my new machine, but I need to talk to the store before assuming it's anything but user-error.
Since the pink portion of the shirt didn't use a lot of fabric, I had *just* enough to manage a second shirt with tiny cap raglan sleeves.  The original pattern is from Burda Style, but I completely removed all the gathering on the sleeves by slashing and reducing (and lots of measuring of arm-scythes!).

The neck and armholes are binding-bound and then top-stitched with a single-needle chain stitch (using my coverstitch machine) to keep it stretchy.  Next time I'd like the arms a tiny bit bigger all-around--I feel like a beefcake in this one!  It sure is comfy, though.
I don't mind having multiple shirts in the same fabric, and I'm seriously pleased with getting two tops out of a single yard.  Woohoo!
Photo-bombed by my little helper.  Next time: use the iron and buy a t-shirt bra.  Sheesh!