More running gear!

I had so much fun making my Cora Tights and Dolman Top (both by Jalie) that when their new patterns came out so very recently, I had to try both of these.  Aren't they just cute and flattering looking?


The top is the Pika.  It is described as a modest tank with a built in bra.  The inside looks as good as the outside when you're finished and I am sorry, but I didn't get a photo of that.



The pants are the Isabelle.  I love the styling, how the back wraps around to the front.  That color-band option is super cute as well!  I made capri length and had fun with my fabric choices.




The pants went together super easy.  There is even a little pocket in the front right where that little bit of the super colorful front waist is.

                 

Look at this colorful fabric I choose!  The print is from my stash so is the pink.  The dark navy is new from Fabric Mart.

In fact, I believe that all my fabrics were once from FM.

The bra portion of the tank snugs right up to your body.  The blue is much looser and I had so much fun playing with which fabrics would go where.

I didn't use the hem band for the bottom of the tank.  It gathers and has a blouson type effect.  I didn't like that look in the 80s and I don't think it works for me now.

You can see a bit of my sports bra under the tank.  I went for a run very shortly after these photos and I always need extra support.

See how cute the band is in the back?  I topstitched those seams just because I wanted to. 

I really love how this tank went together.  The hubby caught me trying to make sure everything was in the position it should be.

These two patterns are winners!
Thanks for reading!
Sue

StyleArc Lucy Dress!

Ruffles are everywhere this spring and I have had this dress and fabric for a few months now.  I was waiting for the right time to make it because as soon as I had it done, I knew I'd want to make it!



How cute is this dress?  The pattern is from StyleArc and is the Lucy Knit dress.

                  

I just love the fabric.  It was a kit from Craftsy. It was super easy and awesome to work with.  It wasn't a wimpy knit at all but had some body, drape, and stability to it.
Does that make any sense?

I made a test garment and decided I needed an FBA, swayback adjustment and sloping shoulder adjustment.  

I also made the sleeves somewhere between bracelet and 3/4 length.  

There is a lot of shaping with this pattern.  If you purchase it and have taken it from the package, you will know what I mean.  

Wow, do I love how this fits!  

I used my rolled hem on my serger for the ruffles.  I am still working on getting a magnificent finish.  My finish is pretty good, but dang it, I want magnificent.  I just need to practice more.

I really love this dress.  I wore it today and received many compliments!

Thanks for reading!  I love your comments!
Sue

A girl needs some gold....

My daughter Katy has discovered she has something in common with her momma: her love for leggings!  Aren't they awesome?  So comfortable and they make so many great outfits!
Katy asked for GOLD leggings and we found this gold performance fabric at JoAnns.  It was really nice to work with.

The pattern we used was one that I just picked up.  I purchased it for the adorable tunics, but we also decided to test the fit of the leggings.  Here it is:




I am totally in love with the back of B and C.  But I digress so back to the leggings.

               

On the model they look more like stretch woven pants rather than traditional leggings so I knew we'd need to make alterations.  After I stitched them together and held them up, I realized that two of my daughter could fit into them!  I took these in no less than 4 inches everywhere.

Katy is 5'3" and the length was also too long,  We chopped off at least 3, if not 4 inches from the bottom.

                 

We made a swayback adjustment as well.

DD2 loves these!

If you are wondering about the lace top, I made that as well, for myself but DD snatched it.  The pattern is from Jalie and is the Raglan Top and dress.  I wanted a simple design for the lace. The lace was purchased from Hobby Lobby.  They have a few gems once in a while.  

                 
                            

I just used the dress length and added about 2 inches to it.  This pattern goes together really well.  If you haven't tried it, what are you waiting for?

                   

Thanks for reading!
Sue

Just in time for the cold...the Mavis Tunic

I've had this pattern for a while and just didn't have the right fabric(s) for it.  I'd made it once and figured out very quickly that fabric choice is paramount.  Have you seen the Mavis?
This pattern is by StyleArc.


Look at those design lines!  So clever!

This is a designer sweatshirt knit from Fabric Mart.  The designer is Thakoon. 

This is sold as panels.  I purchased three panels for this top.  Figuring out where to place the motifs was the most difficult part of the project but also the most fun!

The ribbed inserts were matched with a fabric from my stash.  That was purely accidental, but a happy discovery!

I made my usual alterations: FBA, sloping shoulder adjustment and swayback adjustment.

That wonderful seaming and inserts are continued on the collar, side seams, and lower sleeves.

Make sure you get that collar seam matched precisely with the top's center seam.

Even though this fabric has embellishment, it was super easy to sew and work with.

I wore this to work today and received many compliments!

I will be making more of these, as soon as I find the right fabric combination!

Thanks for reading!
Sue

Some new workout wear

I really like to run, but every dang year, I loose my motivation to stay a runner in about December. That is when it gets cold outside and the treadmill can be a bit boring.  It doesn't help that in January I had a sinus infection and strep throat!  So, when February came around, I knew I had to start getting my rear end in gear!

I went to a local sporting goods store and found a super cute pair of running tights for a shocking price of $150.00!  I kid you not!  I thought maybe 45 but $150?  The top to match was over $60 so that was just NOT going to happen.

So any sewer will tell you, make it!  And that's what I did!

I found the gray/black combo at JoAnns.  This is part of their performance wear and at 17 bucks a yard, it was some of the nicest fabric I've ever worked with from JoAnns!  You can tell it is made for active wear.  It is lightweight, somewhat moisture-wicking, and holds up to me running on the treadmill for 4 miles!

I tried to get the hubby to take photos outside, but at 9 degrees with the wind chill and snow coming down in a crazy amount, we had to resort to the kitchen.

The pants are made from the uber popular Jalie Cora pattern.  I had previously made the shorts but this is the first time I had made the full-length tights.  Isn't the seaming super cute?  I will not give you a full-butt shot, you don't want to see and I don't want to show it to you!

I just love the gray/black and pink together!  The pink is some active wear from Fabric Mart.  It is a bit lighter weight than the gray/black but behaves really well.  

For my top, I had a different pattern out but decided I wanted something with full-butt coverage.  I used the Jalie Dolman top to make a color-blocked running top.  It is longer in the back than the front.  I cut the front into three sections, added seam allowances and put it back together.  I made the neckband wider--1.5 inches instead of 1.  

I love my new running gear!

Thanks for reading!

Sue

sewing for spring StyleArc Daphne Duo

Hey all!  I hope you are enjoying some lovely weather where you are at!  The unseasonably warm weather we've had lately made me want to sew something up for spring.  Well, that being said, right now we are having unseasonably cold weather, so my timing for photos was just perfect. 😒

  

I used two really nice fabrics for this project.  I had other plans but when the fabric arrived and I made a sample garment, I knew that what I envisioned in my head wouldn't happen!

So then the drama of figuring out what would be awesome with these fabrics became my focus.  In fact, I had a completely different fabric chosen for the top but it had too much weight and this needs a gauzy fabric, much like the one I used.  It's also from FM and the color, while a neutral light gray, seems to tone down my bright pink pants!

Doesn't every girl need a bright pink pair of pants?  I think so!

Here are the patterns I used from StyleArc. The Daphne Duo Tunic and Pants Outfit:





Both fabrics behaved exactly as they should for garments such as these.  I used french seams on the top.  The pants I used my serger and regular sewing machine.  I opted to hand hem the pants and the neckline of the top.

The pink suiting fabric has a bit of lycra in it and this fabric is soft yet holds structure.  See those awesome pleats below the knee-line?  They look just like the pattern design.  I didn't have to use a different fabric for the waistline.  Like I said, there is just the right amount of Lycra in the suiting to have these pants slide easily over the hips yet still lie flat at the waistline.  

I made a rear upper leg adjustment that I talked about in this post: pants alteration

I had mentioned I thought that instead of a 1/2" adjustment, I would try a 1/4" and for these pants, it was just what I needed!

               

Thanks so much for reading!  I can't wait for the weather to warm so I can wear these comfortably.  If you want to see what it was really like taking photos, here is a parting shot!  It had been snowing off and on and the wind chill was 14 degrees F.  That's a tad cold!

Thanks for reading!

Sue from Ilove2sew!

A new dress!

So, I've seen so many cute versions of this dress, mainly View C, the one the model is wearing.  

However, being different, wanted to make E, or what I call my all-occasion dress.  

You know what I mean, right?  A dress you can pull out when you need something more than casual, but less than black-tie or formal, that just-right dress?  

                 

So, I decided on view E.  And, I am totally in love!  I must make View C or B because of that adorable collar and side tucks!  

                  

I chose a stretch designer suiting I picked up from one of Fabric Mart's amazing sales.  I know that gray can be rather boring, but I knew that with a classic dress that you can wear just about anywhere (yes, funerals, weddings, job interviews, etc.,) it couldn't be red and I didn't necessarily want black. My other go-to color is gray and so now I own another gray article of clothing.  Maybe I need to branch out a bit?  Maybe winter has been too long in the tundra?  

                   

Fitting this dress required help from DD2.  I cut the dress out using flat-pattern measurements and allowing for some ease.  In some areas, I cut my usual 14, some in between a 14 and 16 and some a 12.  Don't you love multi-sized patterns for that reason?  

After cutting it out, I pinned it on me and DD2 and I went though some repins until we got a much better fit.  In all honesty, if you used a ponte with some stretch and used your regular size or went down a size, it would probably fit great--that is unless you have some fitting challenges like I do.  

                    

The biggest issue with this dress was the swayback adjustment.  I still don't think it is perfect or even close by any means but I do need to move and be able to sit down without feeling like a sausage stuffed into a too small casing.  

                  

Not only did I make a bit more than usual swayback adjustment to the pattern tissue, but I also ended up pulling up the upper back to try and reduce the amount of puddling in the small of the back.  I know I need a much less flat booty, and I am working on that but the amount I pulled on the fabric was sort of astounding to me--more than an inch, not including the swayback adjustment!  Beware!  

   

I decided to line this dress and picked up the funky printed stretch poly blend at JoAnns.  I certainly hope this holds up!  And, more importantly, why didn't I order something to line the dress with when I ordered the fabric?  

       

I do think I have some additional fitting issues to work out--bust and darts, but all in all, I have a very wearable dress.  It  is comfortable and can be worn with different jewelry and accessories.  I do really love the sleeves.

  

                     

And, would you look at that zipper? 

                   

Thanks for reading and yes, I will be making this again!

Sue