Filling in the gaps

Here I am in early Fall (or the last days of Summer) in a skirt that I started with intentions to wear on my beach vacation to Tulum in July. I am a procrastinator ya'll, but it doesn't matter because it is still hot here so I can wear my beachy skirt for a while. Besides, my priorities for vacation were in the right place and I finished three new swimsuits for that trip. I took photos of this skirt a couple of weeks ago wearing the same sad black t-shirt that I wore with my Flint pants. I finally forced myself to sew up some much needed knit tops, three in quick succession by the way.
 

Both of these pieces came together after some changes and fixes and make it work type scenarios. The skirt was intended to be a self drafted 1/4 circle skirt with a button placket down the front. That did not work. I went back to Joann for more of the rayon challis (those are always hidden amongst the poly in the silky prints fyi) and added another panel to make a 1/4 circle wrap skirt. It is a pretty easy diy. Just use a circle skirt calculator to draft a 1/4 circle skirt based on your measurements. For a wrap version you would add another half of that pattern. I made a seam so it is basically a full 1/4 circle skirt with another half of that added on. Then just a long waistband, long enough to wrap around and tie in front with a buttonhole on one side to slide the waistband through. Hem both edges and the bottom, attach your waistband and you are good to go. I however, had a crazy hard time trying to hem this thing. I either cut it way longer on the added piece, and or it grew by about a foot. I don't have a dress form so hemming anything uneven is really hard. That is why this never made it into my luggage and with me on vacation. I had to wait for my mom to help me straighten the hem out while I wore it. I really do need to invest in a dress form! I think this needs a belt loop on the center back to keep the waistband from traveling but otherwise I love it.
 

The top also was an adventure. I wanted a boxy, cropped top. I started with Simplicity 1366, which is designed for woven fabrics. I cut a size 12, straightened the side seams to make it more boxy and shortened it. I serged up side seams and shoulder seams and was in love with the fit. So excited. Then I went to add sleeve bands and sewed one on with the serged seam facing out, but only one. Cut both off and had huge, gaping armholes. I was so sad. My fix was to take the top way in under the armholes, angling out to meet the bottom of the side seam. It worked out pretty well and I still love this top. This gorgeous brick pink is my new neutral. I am happy with the outcome, but still want to make more tops hopefully without that "fix" needed. This was just what I was missing in my wardrobe, and I still need more tops.
  We spent last weekend in San Marcos visiting my parents and working on our 1976 Serro Scotty Camper. I am thinking about adding a link to photos of our progress if anyone is interested. The trailer lives there for now and we don't get there as often as I would like, but it is a great excuse for us to go visit them more often. I also spent a good portion of Saturday doing eco and indigo dyeing with my mom and will post photos of what I made soon.

My Flint Pants and Introducing Pearl

Meet Flint, my swishy, sassy, wide legged pants.
I love them.

This pattern hardly needs introduction and my version is certainly not groundbreaking in any way. But look at them in all their swingy, 70s vibe glory.
Did I mention that I love them?



Frank said they were fancy, and they do have a certain glamour to them. However, I think the tencel chambray dresses them down. I am noticing gaps in my wardrobe with both non-winter closed toed shoes and tops that work with high waisted bottoms. I am trying to remedy both of those things right now, though my shoe budget and taste don't often jive.



The fit is spot on. I cut and sewed a straight size Small. 
I originally cut these in a size Small but took them in at the side seams only to an XS. My note to self on the pattern suggests cutting between an XS and S next time. Goodness, those notes really do come in handy. I think they fit nicely on my booty, if you don't mind me pointing that out.



I should be over hear screaming from the rooftops that I MADE A PAIR OF PANTS. AND THEY FIT. AND I LOVE THEM. I have never found success with pants fitting and several misguided attempts to radically alter pants patterns had scared me off for years. This was the perfect pattern to ease myself back into pants sewing and helped me find my confidence in that realm again. My past mistakes have always included taking a big 4 pattern and trying to make it into something it was not. Starting with a well drafted and loose fitting indie pattern is, I believe, a much smarter choice. Try this pattern if you dig the style. I think you will love it. They could be totally different in various types of fabric. A denim or twill would give a much more structured look, and a rayon challis or silk would be even drapier than these. I am a bit obsessed with the wide leg, cropped pant look now and am debating between the Republique du Chiffon Gaston and the Papercut Nagoya patterns. I can't find versions of either to sway me.

Now meet Pearl, our now four month old bundle of love and energy, who we are totally obsessed with.

This tencel chambray was from Joann and I also purchased it in the lighter blue version that I made my Charlotte Kan Tie dress in. They also carried it in olive green, which I recently snatched up the end of a bolt of and a tan color that I never was drawn to but now want to add to my stash because it is such an awesome base fabric for dyeing or some other type of surface design. Have I mentioned my mom does eco dyeing with two business partners slash friends? Check out their work here.

Are you participating in Sew Photo Hop over on Instagram? I am and I am meeting so many new sewing friends. Check it out.