Toaster Sweater & Tabor V-Neck Mashup Tutorial

Hi there. I hope you are happy and healthy.

{mahlica’s note: Hey, if you are not seeing photos, please try clicking through to the post (click the post title) instead of reading on my home page. Bear with me as I figure out this glitch}

Last week I made up a pattern mashup using the Toaster Sweater and Tabor V-Neck patterns from Sew House Seven. My goal was to recreate a GAP tee from my “Stripes” pinterest board. I think I got there with the design lines, but with the irregularly striped fabric I used from my stash, I’d give myself a 9 out of 10 based on not having the stripes matched up on the raglan seam.

 

 

Here’s how I did it.

Supplies needed:

Toaster Sweater Version 1 and Tabor V-Neck patterns assembled and cut to your size, tracing paper, 3 different colored pencils/pens, fabric, and basic sewing supplies.

Alter the Toaster’s front bodice.

Fold the Toaster sleeve piece in half lengthwise lining up the underarm seams. Mark your fold for several inches at the upper edge of the sleeve pattern to denote the shoulder line.

Trace off the Toaster front bodice. Leaving about 8in of paper below the bottom cut line and 10in above the top of the neckline. (Set aside for a minute.)

Line up the front bodice and sleeve pattern pieces along the raglan seam. Overlap the pieces by 5/8in to remove the seam allowance and temporarily tape the pieces together. They need to line up along the upper part of the seam near the neckline. They won’t line up further down the seam.

Reposition your tracing over the front bodice/sleeve. Using a contrasting colored pencil (orange), trace along the extended neckline and upper edges of the sleeve. Mark the shoulder line for several inches. These traced lines will be your points of reference for future steps.

 

To draw the v-neck line, place the Tabor front bodice piece on top of your tracing. Line up the Tabor with the Toaster’s shoulder and make sure the Center Front fold lines are parallel. Trace along the Tabor’s v-neck line. (Keep your pattern pieces under the tracing paper for future steps)

 

Lengthen the Toaster bodice to eliminate the bottom band. I added 6.5in below the original cut line and extended the side seam down. You may need more length depending on your height. I’m 5’4″. Keep in mind that the Toaster is a semi cropped style, so if you need room at the hips, you’ll want to curve that side seam, instead of extending it straight down.

Alter the Toaster’s back bodice.

You can trace off the Toaster back bodice piece leaving extra paper above the neckline or simply tape on a scrap piece of tracing paper like I did. Overlap the Toaster back bodice and back portion of the sleeve along the seam allowance. Like the process for the front, you’ll be able to overlap the seam allowances close to the neck line, but they won’t match up along the lower portions. Using a contrasting colored pencil (blue), trace around the upper portion of the back bodice to create reference lines. Set the back bodice aside for a minute. Extend the Center Back fold line up, then free hand or use a curved ruler to draw in a new, higher neck line that matches up with the curve on the sleeve (Gray lines in the pic below). Tape on a scrap of tracing paper and trace over the new neckline curve you created. Lastly, add length to the back bodice piece just as you did the front.

 

 

Alter the Toaster’s sleeve.

No need to trace off a new sleeve. Lay your sleeve piece over your tracing paper, lining up the upper edges with your traced reference lines (orange). Fold down the front triangle point along the line you traced for the vneck (green area) and add a small triangle at the back edge to fill in the gap (green area).

 

Lay the Toaster’s cuff piece over the bottom edge of the Toaster’s sleeve, lining up the two pieces to make a smooth cutting line along the side edges of the sleeve. Temporarily tape together.

 

Alter the Tabor’s neckband (maybe).

I used the wide lapped neckband from the Tabor pattern. In the end, I shortening the neckband by 1in to get my rayon jersey to lay flat. This may not be needed for more stable fabrics. I suggest basting in the neckband and determining if you need to shorten it. I took out the extra length from the center back neckband seam.

Now you can cut out your new lengthened Toaster bodice with a v neckline pattern piece and the back and sleeve pieces if you traced those off.

Sewing overview:

Apply the small piece of interfacing to the bottom of the Vneck and stay stitch according to the Tabor’s pattern/instructions.

Assemble the bodice and sleeves according to the Toaster’s instructions.

Sew and insert the neckband according to the Tabor’s instructions.

Hem your sleeves and bodice according to your liking.

You’re finished with your Toaster Tabor Mashup! I hope you love it. Tag mahlicadesigns on Instagram, so I can see your version.

As always, thanks for reading today.

You can follow me on instagram, Bloglovin, or by entering your email in the right side bar.

You might like to see my Toaster with Tapirs, Toaster in sweater knit, Tabor vneck, Tabor layered vneck tutorial.

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Layered V-Neck Tutorial from mahlicadesigns

I ran across a picture of a v-neck tee a while back that had a double layered neck band and added it to my collection of interesting clothing details to try someday. Unlike most things in my little collection, I did spend some time working this one out using the Tabor V-neck pattern and I’ve put together a tutorial to share with you.

For my layered V-neck I used oatmeal Baby French Terry from Simply By Ti. The baby french terry is light enough to drape nicely in the Tabor and there’s barely any bulk in the double layered neckband. When choosing fabric for your project, experiment by folding layers together to see if you like how they look.

I’m really happy with the overall look I achieved with the layered neckband and this color has been a very useful addition to my wardrobe. If I were to do it again though, I might not use the Tabor pattern combined with this technique. The V on the Tabor is pretty deep and using a narrower band than the pattern calls for at the center front makes me feel a little exposed.

Maybe, but probably not, I’ll put on the wider band that the Tabor calls for (because I love this top) and make another layered V-neck using another pattern.

Layered V-Neck Tutorial

The measurements provided are based on the Tabor V-neck size 8. As a guideline, the outerband should come down and cover approximately 2/3 the length of the front of your v-neck, shoulder to center front. My innerband starts at the shoulder and goes to center front. You can also cut the inner band to fit the entire neckband if you are not concerned about bulk.

You can adapt the technique to your favorite V-neck tee pattern, but you’ll need to adjust the band lengths I’ve given to fit.

Cut your custom bands:

Innerband cut 2:   2.25in X 14in    (3/4in finished width)

Outerband cut 1:   3in X 25in    (1 1/8in finished width)

Interface the center V on the bodice of your tee and sew the front and back together at the shoulders.

Apply fusible web along the short ends of the outerband piece. Fold back the short ends wrong sides together by 1/2in and press to secure with the fusible web.

Mark the center (center back) and mark the shoulder seams 5in away from center back on the outerband.

Sew the innerband pieces together forming a V at center front. Using a 3/8in seam allowance, insert and baste the innerband into place along the V. Don’t baste the entire length of the inner bands, just a few inches around the center V.

Starting at center back, leaving the outerband unfolded, pin the single layer of the outerband in place along the neckline. Stretch the outerband slightly as you pin in place from center back to the shoulder seam. The bands don’t need to be eased in from shoulder to center front.

Next, pin the innerband in place along the bottom portion of the neckline up to the shoulder seam. The innerband should overlap the single layer of the outerband.  Trim away any excess length of the inner band that extends past the shoulder seam.

Lastly, fold over the outerband, sandwiching the innerband within and repin all layers as needed along the entire neckline. Remember the outerband is eased slightly between the shoulders and center back.

If you want to check your proportions first, baste the entire neck band into place (innerband and outerband now functioning as one unit) using a 3/8in seam allowance.

Sew/serge your layered neckband into place using 3/8in seam allowance. Complete the construction of your tee per the pattern instructions.

As always, thanks for reading today.

You can follow me on instagram, Bloglovin, or by entering your email in the right side bar.

You might also like: Tabor V-Neck and Lander shorts

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CHENILLE Sweater for Minerva

My fabric stash and my dresser drawers can attest to the fact that charcoal grey knit is my spirit fabric. I’m sticking to what I love with the grey sweater knit fabric that I chose to make a Chenille Sweater from Kommatia Patterns (now Studio Calicot).

Today you can read about the Chenille that I made for the Minerva blog. You can see the full details here.

Until next time,

Melissa E of mahlicadesigns

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Tessa Sweater Dress- featuring DG Patterns Ribbed Knit

The Tessa Sweater Dress I made to share this week helps me get close to having all the winter wardrobe pieces I need this year. I really like wearing dresses, but it can be hard to feel warm enough in the cold months, so I’m hoping a nice sweater dress will do the trick.

When Daniela listed this ribbed sweater knit in her shop, I knew I wanted to try sewing with it and hoped it would work for a sweater dress. I’d not sewn a dress with sweater knit before, so I was a little concerned that the length of the piece would cause the fabric to stretch and lengthen when worn. In this case I believe the structure that the ribbing offers and the smaller weave keep things in nice shape.

My plan was to sew up the Tessa Dress last minute to wear for Thanksgiving. I’d look nice, be comfortable all day, and have room for an expanding belly. I came down sick just before the big day and only just got the meal prep I was responsible for complete with the help of my husband- thanks my dear.

Sewing was not happening when I just wanted to crawl into bed, so the Tessa and I missed Thanksgiving. No worries though, I got to wear her to my office Christmas party last week and had a wonderful time.

The Pattern: I used the Tessa Sweater & Dress Pattern from DG Patterns in a size 10 based on my measurements. Through the hips I graded down to an 8 for a closer fit. Depending on the stretch of the fabric, I could easily sew up a straight size 8 next time.

The Fabric: Striped ribbed sweater knit (similar) from the DG Patterns shop.

As always, thanks for reading today.

You can follow me on instagram, Bloglovin, or by entering your email in the right side bar.

You might also like the Lazo Trousers I made in the DG Patterns’ Organic Tencel.

Save For Later: Pin this image, so you can come back when you’re ready to start sewing your version.

*As a DG Patterns Fabric Ambassador I receive complementary fabric from the DG Patterns fabric shop to use for a project in exchange for sharing it with you.

Sail Away Tank featuring Simply By Ti Fabrics

I’m coming at you today with my Sail Away tank hack made with Simply By Ti fabric** My intention was to show my Sail Away outfit together, but I goofed and didn’t get pictures of the tank and Landers together.

See all of my Sail Away outfit inspiration here.

The Pattern The free Durango Tank modified as described below. Size 10. Also shown are the Lander shorts from True Bias.

The Fabrics Navy with ivory stripes rayon for the tank and khaki stretch twill for the shorts. Both from Simply By Ti** Rayon jersey is great for its drape and that’s what I really wanted for the tank to lay well over my hips. The stretch twill is the perfect fabric for shorts. The stretch is great for making a trim fitting pair of Landers, doesn’t bag out, and the weight is just right for bottoms.

The Hack

Durango Tank in size 10. I shortened the tank by 1in at the waist line and did a 1/2in sway back adjustment to fit my particular shape. I also dropped the neckline by 1 in at CF and CB. Next, I traced the full front bodice to draw my contrast piece.

To make my S-curve contrast piece, I measured 9 3/4in up from the CF hem line to mark my natural waistline at the CF and at the left (as worn) side seam. On the right (as worn) side seam I marked 4 1/2in up from the CF hem line. I used my french curve to draw a convex curving line from the left side flattening out at the CF, then curving in a concave curve from CF to the right side.

Grab another piece of tracing paper and trace the bottom of your bodice piece marking the S curved line very clearly. Mark a notch at the CF of the curved line. Make sure you have space above the curve on your new tracing to add a seam allowance. Add your seam allowance to the top of your piece and transfer the CF notch to the new cut line. I use a compass to add seam allowances to curved lines. Be sure to draw your grain line marking and the perpendicular bias line marking if you are going to switch up your stripes like I did. Trim away excess paper from your new pattern piece

Go back to your main bodice piece and add the same seam allowance below the original curve line you drew and mark the CF notch. Trim away the excess paper below the new curve line you’ve drawn.

Now cut out your fabric. Attach the lower portion of the bodice to the top bodice piece before continuing with the pattern instructions as normal.

Make yours even better by making your curve more S-shaped than mine.

As always, thanks for reading today.

You can follow me on instagram, Bloglovin, or by entering your email in the right side bar.

**As a Simply by Ti Ambassador I receive complementary fabric from the Simply By Ti shop to use for a project in exchange for sharing it with you.

You might also like Sail Away Lander shorts.

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VS Pattern Showdown: 5 Women’s Tank Patterns Go Head to Head

Welcome back to VS.

An occasional series here at mahlicadesigns with the aim of pairing similar style patterns against each other in a friendly showdown to see which pattern better suits me, all while working through my pattern stash.

 

Today I’m comparing 5 knit tank tops:

Dahlia Tank from Leala Jeyne

Durango Tank from Hey June Handmade

Greenwood Tank from Straight Stitch Designs

Idyllwild Tee from Itch to Stitch

Lago Tank from Itch to Stitch

The Dahlia Tank is “a well-fitting tank top for use with knit fabrics in cup sizes A-E. The scoop neckline is finished with bindings, not bands, for a professional look. Hip and crop lengths.”

The Durango Tank is a “casual sleeveless shirt with a center back seam and longer flared hem… is fitted at the shoulder and bust and loose through the waist and hip for an easy fit.”

The Greenwood Tank features “a wide open neckline and two back options.”

The Idyllwild Tee is a “fitted t-shirt and dress pattern… jam-packed with options… you can literally make 42 garments with different looks!”

The Lago Tank is a relaxed fit racerback tank with slightly scooped neckline.

For all my tanks I used the 10oz cotton lycra solids from Simply By Ti. I’ve used this C/L in many projects as I love the weight and quality (here & here & here & here & here). As a Simply by Ti Ambassador I received complimentary fabrics for this post from the Simply By Ti shop to use in exchange for sharing it with you.

Now let’s compare.

Left to right: Dahlia in Cobalt, Durango in Eggplant, Greenwood in Tomato Red, Idyllwild in Fuchsia, Lago in Turquiose

Instructions.

Dahlia: Beginner friendly and easy to follow. I still managed to finish the neck and arm opening with a band instead of a binding by mistake.

Durango: Beginner friendly and easy to follow.

Greenwood: Beginner friendly and easy to follow. Link to video demonstrating binding technique.

Idyllwild: Beginner friendly and easy to follow. Pattern notches included to line up curved side seams and position the bands.

Lago: Beginner friendly and easy to follow. Pattern notches included to line up curved side seams and position the bands.

Left to right: Dahlia in Cobalt, Durango in Eggplant, Greenwood in Tomato Red, Idyllwild in Fuchsia, Lago in Turquiose

Fit.

Dahlia: Size small graded to medium at the hip per my measurements. A little bit of bunching at the shoulder seam area.

Durango:  Size 10 per my measurements. Dropped shoulder adjustment of 3/8in was critical to reduce gaping. I don’t think I stretched the binding around the armscye, enough as you can see there is still gaping going on there.

Greenwood: Size 10 per my measurements. Shortened front and back straps by 1/4in and then did a 1/4in dropped shoulder adjustment.  Shortened 1/2in at hemline.

Idyllwild: Size small graded to medium at hips. Shoulder seam sits back about 1/4in from my shoulder point. A 1/4in dropped shoulder adjustment to the front bodice should fix that. Neckband pattern piece seems a tad too long around the CF curve. It will need to be shortened 1/2in.

Lago: Size 6 graded to 8 at the hips. No shoulder adjustment needed (due to racerback shape?) Bands fit perfectly.

** For all these patterns I’ll need a sway back adjustment and to grade the back piece a little larger at the hip to account for my full seat.

Left to right: Dahlia in Cobalt, Durango in Eggplant, Greenwood in Tomato Red, Idyllwild in Fuchsia, Lago in Turquiose

Style.

Dahlia: Standard and cropped options. I like the gently curved hem.

Durango:  CB seam allows for easy swayback adjustment if needed and potentially easier to use up your remnants. Swing style minimizes the need to grade for wider hips. Racerback bra needed.

Greenwood: Wider scooped neckline. Straps give great coverage.

Idyllwild: Sleeveless style gives more coverage across the shoulders.

Lago: Cute racerback curves, but racerback bra needed.

Left to right: Dahlia in Cobalt, Durango in Eggplant, Greenwood in Tomato Red, Idyllwild in Fuchsia, Lago in Turquiose

Investment.

Dahlia: $11  Two length options included.

Durango: $0 One view included.

Greenwood: $10-$12 Two neckline options included.

Idyllwild: $10 includes multiple sleeve, neckline, and length options.

Lago: $0 One view included.

For me, the Durango is the winner. I like the fit through the body and the pattern just needs a little tweaking to adjust for my swayback.

As always, thanks for reading today.

You can follow me on instagram, Bloglovin, or by entering your email in the right side bar.

This post contains affiliate links, if you purchase through my links I get a small commission to help pay for my sewing hobby.

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Georgia Top and Alyse Slim Pant featuring Simply By Ti Fabrics

Ladies and gents, today I get to share my first project as a Simply By Ti Ambassador.

You may be pleasantly surprised to see me wearing color and a bold print. I love my cold weather color pallet of all greys, but when I can’t tell one garment from the other in my drawer, it’s time to add in some color.

A few months back I made a pair of the Alyse Tapered Leg pants from Designer Stitch* (unblogged) but they were a tad loose and I didn’t love the silhouette on me. I thought the Slim Leg version might suit me better and wanted to try again. I chose the stretch twill in burgundy from Simply by Ti for this go around. The color is so rich I knew it would make a great wardrobe piece.

For my second pair of Alyse pants I pinched out a little from the center front rise but it looks like I need to do a little more work to eliminate some wiskering. Even though I sewed the same size as before, the slims are a bit snug around my curves, but I’m going to roll with it.

To top off my Alyse Slims, I returned to my TNT Georgia Top from Blue Dot Patterns in a chevron stripe cotton/lycra. I don’t do large prints, so I was worried about if this would overwhelm my frame. I really like how it turned out. The stripe is bold but not overwhelming, makes interesting shapes along the Georgia’s shoulder seam, and gives me a dramatic look.

The outfit is just what I was hoping for.

The Patterns: Alyse Slim Fit Pant from Designer Stitch* in size 4. A 1/2in adjustment to the length of the front rise was done. The Georgia Top from Blue Dot Patterns in size small. 2in added to the length of the arms.

The Fabric Stretch twill in burgandy has great stretch and recovery. It’s just perfect for bottoms and jackets. Chevron stripe cotton/lycra jersey has a great wieght to it to minimize curling and clinging.

As always, thanks for reading today.

You can follow me on instagram, Bloglovin, or by entering your email in the right side bar.

 

As a Simply by Ti Ambassador I receive complementary fabric from the Simply By Ti shop to use for a project in exchange for sharing it with you.

*This post may contain affiliate links, if you purchase through my links I get a small portion to help pay for my sewing hobby.

 

Laela Jeyne Summer Collection has landed

After making my two sets of the Comfy Cozy pajamas, I knew I wanted to try more from Laela Jeyne patterns. Then she started giving hints on instagram of a new collection including a cool looking swim suit. Can you guess what’s next? Oh, yes. I’m hopping on a blog tour to show off the new Summer Collection from Laela Jeyne.

I’m not ready to take on sewing a swim suit yet; but, inspired by Mallory of the Self Sewn Wardrobe I decided to take a big step out of my comfort zone and chose to make the cropped Dahlia tank top and Rose circle skirt*. Did you see me say cropped?

The axiom with cropped tops is balance your coverage: If you show a little abdomen, then have more coverage elsewhere like with a higher neckline or sleeves on your top. Full coverage on your bottom half; like a maxi skirt or pants is a good counter balance too. I’ll be honest, I had a big fear about showing too much skin and I was pretty anxious that a cropped tank top and a knee-length skirt was not going to give me enough balance between reveal and coverage.

Well, sometimes you just don’t know until you try. I made up the tank first and was elated at the fit and coverage. Yes-coverage in a cropped tank. First off, the Dahlia tank comes with cup sizes A-E, so you’re saved an FBA to avoid a tight fit across the bust, the front and back hem line scoops very nicely for a more subtle cropped look, and a good neckline and sleeve width give good coverage up top.

With the tank complete, I moved onto the Rose circle skirt. The skirt partners perfectly with the cropped tank since you choose your skirt size by measuring where you want it to sit on you. Wear it low on your hips if you like or wear it high for more coverage. I made my Rose to sit right at my natural waist. I’m showing less skin this way and most of my mommy tummy is hidden.

The Rose comes in quarter, half, and full circle options; as well as multiple length options ranging from mini to maxi. I went with the quarter circle and the 20in length and it’s just the look I like. I’m so glad to have this versatile pattern at the ready. A circle skirt pattern is a wardrobe basic that I’ve been missing.

I love how the outfit turned out and my fears about being too revealing where resolved by the design of the Dahlia tank and the fit options of the Rose skirt. I can’t believe how fast these patterns sew up and how little fabric I used. I think I spent about an hour on each of them and about 1 yd x 30in for each pattern.

So are cropped tops for you? I didn’t think they were for me, so maybe you should give it a try. If you don’t like it for streetwear, a cropped tank would be great for summer sleepwear.

Please, would you take a minute to look at what the other bloggers in the tour have made up from the Summer Collection? I’m sure they’d love you to stop by and share your thoughts.

Monday Anna’s Heirloom Boutique – Swimming in a Sea of Estrogen – Olive Ashby

Tuesday MahlicaDesigns – Pear Berry Lane – Sewing with Sarah

Wednesday Sewn at Seams – Nini and Ash – The Crafting Fiend – Sew a Piece of Joy

Thursday I am Mami de Sofiona – Sew and Tell Project – My Heart Will Sew On

Friday LoveThings! – Idle Sunshine – Lovely for Life – Neva Couture

 

As always, thanks for reading today.

You can follow me on instagram, Bloglovin, or by entering your email in the right side bar.

*Laela Jeyne provided the Dahlia and Rose patterns to use for my post. These are my straight up opinions.

This post may contain affiliate links, if you purchase through my links I get a small portion to help pay for my sewing hobby.

Bronte Top – Who Made It Best

Welcome back to Who Made It Best, a new series on mahlicadesigns.

Who Made It Best is a friendly challenge where one of my blogger friends joins me in making up the same pattern to see Who Made It Best. The challenge rules are simple: 1. We agree on a pattern to use 2. sew it up to suit our personal styles 3. share it with you and ask you to vote. (Oh, and we keep what we’re up to a secret from each other)

Rachel from Sew RED-y has joined me in making up the Bronte Top from Jennifer Lauren Handmade for the challenge and you can check out her version here.

This is my first try at making a Bronte Top and I’d say it’s only a so so try. I was between sizes and accidentaly cut the size smaller instead of the size up. I’m getting pulling and bunching on the shoulder overlap and the shoulder seam is pretty wonky. After I snapped these photos, I noticed I completely missed the instructions to tack them down to prevent this very problem.

I’m not sure if I can get over the snug fit on this one. I feel like I prespire a lot, so tops that are snug under my arms make me very uncomfortable.

On the bright side, I’m very pleased with this outfit. I’m a chicken when it comes to mixing prints, but I think these work well together.

So, who do you think made the Bronte Top best? Please visit Sew RED-Y for more pictures and details on her version, then place your vote for Who Made It Best. The poll will be on both sites, so you can see both versions before you choose your favorite. Voting open for one week and results will be posted on Instagram.

VOTE HERE

You can follow me on instagram, Bloglovin, or by entering your email in the right side bar.

As always, thanks for visiting and voting today.

If you’d like to join me in a challenge this fall, shoot me a message at mahlicadesigns@gmail.com

ALENA and NICKI Show Your Stoff

Welcome to day two and my stop on the Show Your Stoff blog tour. We’re featuring  Zierstoff Patterns throughout the tour and I have a discount code for you below.

I’m really excited to Show My Stoff today, but before I jump in, please be sure to stop by today’s other Show Your Stoff bloggers.

Musings of A Seamstress, mahlicadesigns, Anna’s Heirloom Boutique, FABulous Home Sewn

Now, back to me. 😉

The ALENA top was an easy pick for me with its slight kimono sleeve and high and wide neckline, both of which work really well to deemphasize my round shoulders and balance out my pear shape.

Finding a match for ALENA did take some thought and I finally settled on trying the NICKI capris. My one try with rtw capris in the past looked pretty awful on me;  I know there’s some magic formula for where cropped bottoms should land, but I didn’t use it. I took a chance with what felt comfortable and am super pleased that the NICKIS look good on me.

I made the ALENA in size 40 using 3/4yd of a very lightweight jersey knit from Finch Fabrics. The fit is perfect and the construction was quick and easy. My sewing machine is no fan of tissue weight knits, so I stabilized my sleeve opening with Pellon Knit-n-Stable before folding it over to hem.

I made the NICKI capris in size 36 using about 1 yd of a brushed poly from Sew Vagabond. Using the brushed poly was a bit of an experiment. I knew the fabric would give me some nice stretch but wasn’t sure how it would work for the pocket and fly details on the pant. It sewed up wonderfully. The faux fly and front slash pockets look neat and tidy and the stretch makes these oh so comfy. Take care pressing multiple layers though, it took a couple washings for the press mark to come out.

I did make some of my usual adjustments for pants: adding a full seat adjusment and shortening the legs for my 5″3′ frame. I also topstitched the pockets closed and cut out the pocket bags. In the brushed poly I was getting pocket seams showing through.

The ALENA is going to be a Tried and True pattern going forward and I have a plan in the back of my mind to do a pattern hack with the NICKI capris. In the mean time, I’m going to get good use out of this outfit for an upcoming trip to New Orleans and any other time I want to look smart this spring and summer (and secretly be really comfortable).

Thanks to the ladies at Zierstoff for supplying the patterns to enable me to make todays outfit, gving you a discount code,  and thank you for stopping by today.

Use code MahlicaDesigns30 to save 30% through the end of April.

Did you miss yesterday’s bloggers? Here’s the full tour.

Monday April 10- Anne-Mari Sews,  Inspinration, Tenille’s Thread, Sew Cucio, Embrace Everyday

Tuesday April 11- Musings of A Seamstress, mahlicadesigns, Anna’s Heirloom Boutique, FABulous Home Sewn

Wednesday April 12-  Thread and Scissors, Kaleidothought, Idle Sunshine, mahlicadesigns

Thursday April 13- Very Blissful, Sew A Piece of Joy, Zowie Zo, Nina Makes, Thread and Scissors.

Friday April 14- Tales of a Tester; Bless, by Tone; Life Sew Savory; Needles to Say, Adventures with Bubba and Bug

Saturday April 15- Musings of A Seamstress,  Anna’s Heirloom Boutique, Ronda B Handmade, Glitter in my Coffee, Anne-Mari Sews, Stitches by Laura; Tea, Dust and Stitches

As always, thanks for visiting the bloggers on the tour.

 

Modern Stripey Boatneck featuring Simply By Ti

I’d like to thank Marta of doguincho for posting her beautiful Miss Marlene top and fueling the flames of inspiration for today’s Stripey Boatneck top. Inspiration often languishes on my pinterest boards for lack of pattern or just the right fabric. Not this time though. I have my TNT boatneck pattern (Butterick 6084 oop) at the ready and Simply by Ti Fabrics let me pick this wonderful rayon in ivory and black stripes to feature in a blog post.

The Fabric: Rayon Spandex in ivory and black stripes from Simply by Ti. I love the drape of rayon, but it comes with the drawback of being a little clingy, a bear to sew, and I’ve been burned by instantly piling fabric. What I like most about the rayon from Simply by Ti is that it is a little heavier than the other rayon spandex blends I’ve used. The heavier rayon knit is a just a smidge easier to sew and press, is not as clingy, has the opacity I want in a light color, and still drapes nicely. I think with every rayon I’ve used before, the fibers start to lift or pill right away- very annoying. The surface of Ti’s rayon is still perfect after washing and manipulating. I’m very pleased.

The inserts are a super stretchy, shiny cotton blend that I saved from shortening some rtw pants. I thought they looked like faux leather, so I kept them for a time such as this.

A very simple pattern hack, some scrap busting, and viola; I have a modern twist on a very classic look.

The Pattern: Butterick 6084 oop. To make space for an insert, I dropped the shoulder seam point by 1/2in on the front and back bodice pieces and smoothed out the neck lines on the pattern pieces.

I folded over the hems for front and back necklines stabilizing with knit-n-stable from Pellon. Next I positioned my shoulder inserts, leaving 1 inch between the front and back bodice at the shoulder and pinned in place. I then stitched my necklines through all layers and proceeded to finish the tee according to the directions.

Next time, I would sew the inserts in differently, as the neckline tends to stand up and roll forward along the inserts, but I can live with it.

As always, thanks for stopping by today, and join me next week for the Breaking Ground Blog Tour.

*Simply by Ti provided the fabric for today’s creation. These are my honest thoughts on the fabric.

Sew Your Zierstoff with the ALIZIA Tee

I made a whole outfit!

Sure, that phrase shouldn’t need an exclamation point, but since I am notorious for sewing pieces with barely a thought given to what I’m going to wear it with: I made a whole outfit!

The pieces for my casual outfit are simple enough, but I gave thought to pairing fabrics that would work together and that’s a big step in the right direction.

Firstly, I made the SVEA Pants (see details here)

My second piece is the ALIZIA Top.

The Alizia is easily constructed; but if you’ve not inserted a V shape before, I’d recommend watching the V neckband instructions from Hey June as a good guide to successfully making a smooth insertion.

So, once completed, I put on my Alizia to see my handiwork and realized I made a tunic. How on earth did I do that? I still need to go back and figure out how I made it so long. I did fit checks along the way, but I was focusing on how the sleeves and width of the bodice fit and didn’t even look at the length. Geesh.

On the positive side my Matilda leggings are a perfect match, since I used remnants from them as the accent pieces on the Alizia. This is not at all the outfit I was aiming for, but it is lemonade out of the lemon of making a way too long shirt. I do like how slimmer I look in this pairing versus the Alizia plus Svea pants combo I originally planned. Loose fitted top plus loose fitted bottoms just doesn’t do it for me.

So, I made an outfit! It’s not what I planned, but I’m still going to call it a success. I’m pleased with the fabrics I chose, but just need to pair patterns that balance each other better. Lesson noted. Let’s see how long it takes to sink in.

Are you sewing up anything from Zierstoff Patterns for the Sew Your Zierstoff contest?

There are prizes to be had, plus you get new wardrobe pieces.  (details here)

To help you along, Zierstoff Patterns are 40% off with code VALENTINE40 until 2/28/17

As always, thanks for stopping by today.

 

Georgia On My Mind. I hacked the Georgia Top again

I made my first Georgia Top for the Creative Sewing Challenge back in November and when putting together a post to inspire creativity with the Georgia pattern, I just had to put another version on my “to sew” list.

I used the Georgia Top from Blue Dot Patterns in a size small again and modified the pattern by adding length to the sleeves and making a new cutting line for the lace piecing (tutorial below).

I used a stable jersey knit from my stash paired with a lace purchased from Fabric Mart. I’ve not sewn with lace before, but since the lace I chose is not as fine and sheer as some lace can be, I just treated it like a knit and constructed the whole project with my serger. No problems.

I’m just as pleased with my second Georgia, but have to laugh at myself for making two versions that have built in ventilation.

Get my look (tutorial):

Let’s draw a new pattern line on the front pattern piece. I marked my outside shoulder at 4.25in from the neckline. I made a bust mark 4in down from CF neckline and 5in over (next time I’d make it 6in over to cover more of my chest). I marked the side 4in up from the bottom. I used a French curve to draw my new cutting line; keeping the line through most of the body vertical with a slight curve up to the shoulder and a dramatic curve at the waistline.

**I had the benefit of having a Georgia already made that I could use to determine the placement of my markings.

Cut along your new pattern line. Take a moment to label your new piece. Use your new front piece to trace your line onto the unmodified back piece. Cut your new pattern line on the back and label.

I added 7.5in to the sleeve to make it long sleeve on me ( I’dd add more next time). I recommend you do some measuring to figure what will work for you.

Tips:

• Label your new pattern pieces.
• Add seam allowance to your new cut lines: I marked the cutting line on my fabric with chalk; you can trace off new pattern pieces if you want.
• Make sure you’re ok with the amount of exposure the lace will give. I plan on wearing a cami.

A modified Georgia top should take you 2 hours to complete. Add about 20 minutes to draw new pattern lines.

Fabric $3  Pattern $0*  Total Cost $3

I received the Georgia Top Pattern free as a gift for hosting the Creative Sewing Challenge

Lane Raglan VS Easy Tee Raglan: Pattern Showdown Series

Welcome back to VS.

A series here at mahlicadesigns with the aim of pairing similar styles against each other in a friendly showdown to see which pattern better suits me, all while working through my pattern stash. (Overview here)

Today we’re comparing raglan sleeve tops.

Lane Raglan from Hey June Handmade

 Easy Tee Raglan from It’s Always Autumn

The Lane Raglan has fitted sleeves, shaped bodice and a wider neck-band. The Lane comes with thumb hole cuff and a hoodie option. I made up my Lane in a rayon jersey for the bodice and a cotton jersey for the sleeves and bands. I forgot to do my normal sleeve adjustment for my skinny arms.

The Easy Tee raglan is the 3/4 length raglan sleeve version of the free Easy Tee pattern. I used a cotton jersey for the bodice and a stable cotton jersey for the sleeves. Instead of making a pieced sleeve, I cut the sleeves as one piece (removing seam allowance at the top edge and cutting on the fold) and sewed in a shoulder dart where the pattern piece curved in toward the neckline. I also made the sleeves full length by adding 6in but didn’t need to slim them down like I normally do.

Let’s compare

Instructions.

Lane Raglan: Overall very good. The instructions for the fabric origami needed to make the thumb hole takes you through it step by step, but you really need the instructions and pictures to get you there. The pictures would be more useful if the fabric used had a different color wrong side.

The Easy Tee: Basic instructions are there on the website, but you have to go back and forth from page to page from the basic tee tutorial to the tutorial for the raglan. I just skipped them. Not a fan of a pieced raglan sleeve, I modified it to one piece with a shoulder dart. Further drafting can be done to remove the dart, but I didn’t feel like it.

Fit.

Lane Raglan: Used size Large. I don’t know what I was thinking when choosing my size, I need to be using the medium. Crazy long on me too. I’m going to shorten it by about 4in. Despite my miss on the sizing, I do love my Lane. I have smallish hands, so I would alter the thumb hole cuff for a narrower fit.

The Easy Tee: Pattern comes in Large only, but fit my 35.5in bust just fine. I would need to trim it down a bit for a fitted look. Pretty good overall fit.

Style.

Lane Raglan: The banded waist and cuffs give the Lane a sporty, casual feel to me. I like where the shoulder and bodice lines meet. It just looks more balanced to me.

The Easy Tee: Good basic raglan if you don’t mind the extra sleeve seam.

Investment.

Lane Raglan: 2 hours to make, fabric $7, pattern $6.95*, about 1 1/4yd @ 60in wide

The Easy Tee: 2 hours to make, fabric $8, pattern free, about 1 1/2yd @ 60in wide

Opportunities.

Lane Raglan: The pattern has lots of built in options. Cuffs, hoodie, etc.

The Easy Tee: Basic color blocking options.

For me, the Lane is the winner. The pattern is just so much easier to use out of the box and comes with styling options.

 

• $6.95 is the price I paid though UpCraft Club.

Shoreline Boatneck VS Butterick 6084: Pattern Showdown Series

Welcome back to VS.

A series here at mahlicadesigns with the aim of pairing similar styles against each other in a friendly showdown to see which pattern better suits me, all while working through my pattern stash. (Overview here)

Today we looking at two boat neck tops.

Shoreline Boatneck from Blank Slate Patterns

 

 Butterick 6084 (OOP)

The Shoreline Boatneck full pattern comes with sleeve length options and top or dress lengths. I downloaded the free short sleeve tee version before the extended pattern was released for sale. This stripes rayon jersey knit from Girl Charlee just called for a boatneck tee in my mind. The light weight knit is more suitable for spring and summer, so I kept the sleeves short. The fabric is a bit sheer also, so I omitted the neckline facing for a folded over neck band. I used my 1/4in foot to topstitch the folded over neck band in place and it worked really well to keep my top stitching even and it also helped keep the neckband tucked under as I sewed.

Butterick 6084 is an out of print 2 Hour Fast & Easy pattern in boatneck or V neck and half or three quarters sleeve lengths. This Halston top is the inspiration for my colorblocked version. I made my color line 3in up from the marked bust point for the bodice. For the sleeves I simply added about 8in to the bottom of the 3/4 sleeve. The instructions have you sew your side seams, sew your sleeve seams, baste and gather your sleeve cap, and insert into the arm scythe. Save yourself the trouble by inserting your sleeve cap flat, then sew up your side seams and sleeves in one shot. So much easier.

Let’s compare.

Instructions.

Shoreline: I had no instructions. I downloaded the pattern for free; the tutorial and free version were removed from the website after she released the full pattern for sale in her shop. I’ve used other Blank Slate Patterns, so you can be assured the instructions are good.

Butterick: Overall very easy excepting for the sleeve insertion being needlessly complicated. No need to gather the sleeve head and insert into the closed arm scythe. I sewed my sleeves in flat instead.

Fit.

Shoreline:  Used size small. Feels great. I may remove the smallest bit of extra width at the sleeve hem next time.

Butterick: Used size 12 Great fit overall. I need the bodice just a little longer.

Style.

Shoreline: The curved side seams and curved hemline give extra feminine look. I’d like the boat neckline a little wider across the shoulders

Butterick: The traditional, wider  boatneck shaped neckline is just what I like.

Investment.

Shoreline: 2.25 hours to make, fabric $4 pattern free, about 1yd @ 45in wide

Butterick: 2.25 hours to make, fabric $3, pattern free, about 1 yd @ 60in wide

Opportunities.

Shoreline: Pretty easy to colorblock and change sleeve lengths. Drafting into the dress version would be fun to.

Butterick: Pretty easy to colorblock and change sleeve lengths.

For me, the Butterick 6084 is the winner. I like the wider neckline and easy sleeve length options. A mash up adding the curved sideseams of the Shoreline would make the perfect tee.

Aurora VS Georgia: Pattern Showdown Series

Welcome to VS.

A series here at mahlicadesigns with the aim of pairing similar styles against each other in a friendly showdown to see which pattern better suits me, all while working through my pattern stash. (Overview here)

Today we have two dolman tops.

Aurora Tee from Hey June Patterns

 Georgia Top from Blue Dot Patterns

The Aurora Tee features a pieced dolman sleeve, slouchy body, and inserts option. I was drawn to the extra room at the upper arm that a dolman provides and the skinny lower sleeve. I fell between small and medium on the size chart, so considering the slouchy fit and 3in of pattern ease, I chose the small. I’ve never done facings on a knit item and frankly don’t see why I would on this one. I substituted the neckline facings for a neckband instead. I think the fit is spot on for the chest and arms. I’m a big fan of skinny sleeves and these are a perfect fit and length for me. I shortened the bodice just above the inserts by 2in and the top is still plenty long. Shortening it this much shifted up the point where the top starts to flare out though and I think it makes it wider around the waist than I like. If you need to shorten yours and to be a TNT for me, consider reshaping the side seams.

The Georgia is a loose fitting dolman with 3/4 length sleeves and options for colorblocking, banded sleeves and waist, and fabric choices. The small was a perfect fit. I really like how the slouchy look of the top is balanced by the banded waist line. I made my Georgia as part of The Creative Sewing Challenge, so a little extra time was spent being creative with the sleeves. To be a TNT pattern for me, I just need to tweak the sleeves a little bit. Making them a couple inches longer and snugging up the cuff will keep them from riding up above my elbows or shortening them a couple inches so they hit right above the elbow.

Let’s compare.

Instructions.

Aurora: No finished measurements, but 3in ease stated. No lengthen/shorten lines. 1/4in seam allowance is a bit fiddley. Easy to read instructions.

Georgia: No print guide, but pieces numbered helps. Instructs to sew neckband and cuffs first instead of piecemeal throughout=more efficient. Easy to read instructions.

Fit.

Aurora: Had to shorten bodice by 2in. Slim fit sleeves.

Georgia: Great comfy fit and good bodice length. I need sleeves a bit longer.

Style.

Aurora: I like the dolman shape plus skinny arms. Don’t like loose fit around my waist.

Georgia: I like the fitted waistband as contrast to looser fit bodice.

Investment.

Aurora: Time; 2.5hours Cost; Yardsale fabrics $0.50  pattern $6.95* About 1yd @ 60in wide

Georgia: Time; 2.5 hours Cost; fabric $6  pattern free*  1 1/4yd @45in wide

Opportunities.

Aurora: Colorblocking of inserts and sleeves. Version with insets is a difficult shape to alter.

Georgia: Lots. See my post. Easy to alter.

For me, the Georgia is the winner. I like the fit so much better through the body and the pattern would be more easily adapted to add the skinny sleeves I like.

 

*$6.95 was my price through Up Craft Club for the Aurora Tee. I received the Georgia pattern for free as part of hosting the Creative Sewing Challenge in December of 2015.

Introducing VS. A Pattern Showdown Series

I started making a list of patterns from my stash and my Up Craft Club membership that I wanted to try in 2016. If I own it I should at least sew it once; right? Well, maybe. My list ended up having a lot of tee patterns, which to be honest, can make for some boring posts.

So, to spare you from excessive droning on about all these knit tee patterns and to give you something useful, I’m putting similar patterns together in a head to head showdown and will declare a winner. I just may find some TNT (Tried ‘N’ True) patterns too.

I’ll be comparing dolman sleeve, boatnecks, and raglan sleeve style tees. And for a little twist I’m through in some leggings too.

Week 1: Aurora Tee by Hey June Handmade VS Georgia by Blue Dot Patterns

Week 2: Shoreline by Blank Slate Patterns VS Butterick 6084(oop)

Week 3: Lane Raglan by Hey June Handmade VS Easy Tee Raglan from It’s Always Autumn

Week 4: Matilda Legging from Spit Up & Stilettos VS Sloan Leggings from Hey June

 

Be sure you’re following mahlicadesigns so you don’t miss what I’m doing next. (Over there on the right side bar)

 

Tonic 2 Tee pattern hack by mahlicadesigns

As part of the Sew With Me challenge in September to make four coordinates, I used some of the remaining fabric from my Matilda leggings, to make a color blocked version of the Tonic 2 Tee from SBCC patterns. (Previous Tonic 2’s here & here & here )

I made a size small with a few adjustments to the pattern this time. I raised the neckline  by 1in at center front, narrowed the neckline by 1/2in at the shoulders and drew a new neckline curve. I also shortened the sleeves to about 17in finished length to make a 3/4 sleeve.

For the color blocked portion, I used one of my previous versions to determine where I’d like the new sewing line to be, retraced pattern pieces and added seam allowances. I also noted where my center bust point was so I could slightly curve the color block line down from center bust to about 1/2in lower at the sides.

It didn’t quite come out as hoped. Next time I’ll move the sewing line up a little more above my bust and redraw the curve to be more noticeable. I also learned to consider stretch more carefully. The stretch in the top fabric is much less than previous fabrics used and pulls across the top of my shoulders.

The Tonic 2 Tee should take you about 2.25 hours cut to finish, plus time to redraft your pattern.

Fabric $5  Pattern $0   Total $5

I also entered my Tonic 2 into the Sewing Indie Month contest.

Kirsten Kimono Tee and the Lindy Petal Skirt for Indie Pattern Month

I’m diving into the Indie Pattern Month contest over at The Monthly Stitch. This weeks contest is all about separates. Hey, that’s what I do! This time though, I’m aiming to make them play nicely together. Let’s see.

I’m putting together the Lindy Petal Skirt from Itch to Stitch in a size small (blogged here) and a new work up of a personal favorite, the Kirsten Kimono Tee from Maria Denmark with a small modification, in a size medium.

The Lindy was made using a wonderful French terry in charcoal gray from Raspberry Creek, one of my Core Wardrobe colors. I made a size small and shortened the length by 1in. Next time, I may slim down the hip area to reduce some of the lumpiness there. The pattern is well put together, with easy instructions for making alterations. The Lindy is easy to make, a great stash buster at less than 1 yd (for me anyway), and looks so smart.

For my second try at the Kirsten Kimono I sized up to a medium. (first version here). I like my summer tees a little looser, so this fit is better. For something a little different this time I wanted to add a 2in bottom band. I reduced the tee length by 4in when cutting as it was looking pretty long, and then added on the 2in band. The Kirsten Kimono pattern does not include seam allowances, argh, so I trace mine with 3/8in seam allowances for serged seams. The sleeve has a 1in hem allowance added and is sewn down with a stretch stitch.

I used a light weight mystery knit for the Kirsten Kimono, a prize from Elizabeth Made This during Sew Mama Sew’s giveaway day. It’s a bolder color than I would normally choose but I’m so glad I got to try it out.

I like the two pieces together, but tucking in the tee gives a little bit of lumpiness under the skirt. Untucked is fine, but only just fine.

Take a look as I pair it with my Cobalt Shorts. I like these two together.

You can check out what others are making for the contest over at The Monthly Stitch.