Fehrtrade XYT tops

I have got some photos of my xyt tops.  I made a muslin initially shown in this post at the start of the year.  I never got to wear it to gym as it was way short on me but I did like the top otherwise. I ordered some supplex and when it arrived I made two more tops - the y-back and the t-back.

I like this pattern and the instructions are very good, particularly the elastic lengths and instructions for finishing the openings.  Note though that I used zig-zag and not twin needle to finish mine as I have never had much success twin-needle stitching over elastic.

The part of the pattern a lot of others rave about is the built in compression bra.  I could not get this bra to work for me.  I made the bra to size and found it was so tight when I tried it on I had to use scissors to get out of it.  It didn't help it was summer here and a slight haze of perspiration from wrestling with getting into the top, meant it wasn't coming off for anyone!

I made a second version with a large fba, increased the elastic length and sewed it into the original muslin I made.  The armholes skewed and pulled horribly and the compression was still too much for me.  I wear crop top style bras to gym and have not found them to compress as much as this bra does.  Maybe I am just not used to the style?  Also I believe as an old girl (with soft tissue) the compression is extreme and not at all flattering or comfortable.

Please don't let me put anyone off this - I do think the instructions are good and well thought out, but it is in the category "did not work for me".  It may work for you particularly if you are a small cup size and young! 

I decided I still liked the top style but gave up on the bra and bought some new ones from my fave gym wear shop Lululemon.

So onto pics...

The same fabric as the Kwik sew top from Runners Fabrics.  I love this fabric!  Stitching just hides in the space dye look too.  Both of these tops have been lengthened by 3 inches but no other changes made.

The y-back...

The Lululemon flow y crop is covered really well by this back.

The next version I made the t-back in a gorgeous kelly green.  This fabric is lovely but doesn't hide the stitches as well as the space dyed.  Maybe I didn't colour match the thread well enough - green is a tough colour to match.

Showing the back detail on Diana.

The top of the "t" didn't come out as well as I would have liked.  I made the triple strap to reflect the bra I wear it with (the Energy bra) and  I used this tutorial to sew tidy covered elastic straps for the three vertical straps.

So truly I like this pattern but the built in bra did not work for me.  I would still like to make more of these tops.  I might try altering the front neckline to change it up and I might look at lowering the back/ underarm line as I think it would sit in a more flattering way on me.

Review is here and I will be back with one more piece soon.... Ciao!

Tessuti Suzy Pant

As an interruption to my posts on active wear, I wanted to post some pictures of the Tessuti Suzy pants.  I made these last year and love them but have only just managed to get  a photo.

This pair is in a beautiful khaki silk crepe de chine bought from Tessuti as well.

I don't seem to have noted any changes I made.  From memory I believe the only real change was to shorten the leg length.

I made a wearable toile before cutting into my silk.  I made the toile in a snakeskin rayon bought at Lincraft.  I love wearing them and they are my every week-end pant as they are comfortable as I made my toile one size larger and put the pockets in.  I didn't add the pockets to the silk pair as I wanted to keep the lines smooth.  

On the day of the photos I wore these pants to a barbeque.  I wore them a few days later out to lunch with a sewing GF.  I wore them a few times at the end of last year to evening functions. Very versatile and comfy to wear.  Light as air in the silk I feel I need to check I have remembered to put my pants on!

I love my silk pants and plan to make more...

Ciao for now... Fehr trade XYT tops next...

Active wear - Kwik Sew 3115

I have been participating in the active wear sewalong on Pattern Review.  I have made a couple of tops and one pair of pants.  I am finally getting some photos taken and will start reviewing what I have made so far.

The first to get a successful photo is Kwik Sew 3115 View A top.

The fabric is a TDF supplex bought from Runners Fabrics.  It isn't cheap but you can get a couple of tops from 1 metre so not bad value.

The main changes I made were to lengthen the pattern by 4 inches and cross the straps at the back.  I did also cut the bra liner a little longer as a cheater fba.  (one size up in length).

To make it more like my RTW gym tops, I sewed the built in bra (shelf bra) from powernet but added pockets in supplex to hold removable bra cups.

I hope you can get a sense of how I did this from these photos.  

This is the top inside out.  The powernet is white as is the elastic.  I cut the supplex pockets from the bra front pattern piece, but trimmed it at the top and the sides.  I sewed it to the powernet with a zigzag stitch (across the top and  a few centimetres from the CF, then trimmed the middle part out.  Probably not absolutely necessary but I was copying my RTW top.

This is the back inside out.

And this shot shows the pocket is formed as the side edge is overlocked shorter than the front bra piece and left open on the side.

The only change I would make if I sewed another one, is to raise the front neckline a little as the top is very comfortable but I realised when wearing it to a yoga class that the top feels too low cut when adopting postures upside down like downward facing dog.  Not a huge issue as no one is really going to be looking at your cleavage as they are all busy being upside down too, but for comfort I would prefer it to be a little higher (about an inch).

Pretty happy with this pattern and I would recommend it.  The built-in bra is fine for activities like yoga or weight-lifting but probably not enough support for cardio or running.

My review is here.

Ciao kittens, back soon with some more successful active wear.

House warming - log cabin quiilt

My DDH comes from a mixed ( is that the right terminology? - two marriages ) family so one of his brothers is much younger than him (considering he is the eldest).  Andrew  (the youngest) is from a second marriage and born about the same time as our first born.  Such a great young man... and he has paired up with a great girl that you can only take to your heart. They live in our local town and have recently bought their first house.  As celebration of this major event I made a quilt as a gift....Log cabin as it is their first house (timber too) but not  in traditional colours via this tutorial

  

Not much else to say - all from stash but bought some more reds/ oranges as did not have them in stash. Very simple quilting following the diagonals. Some more photos...   

Love log cabin style as you can fussy cut blocks...

pieced the backing and it fell in line with the quilting (happy about that)

Loving this quilt and loving when you make a gift that seems to have gone down well. :)  Active wear sewing next....

Brisbane bloggers meet-up

I am going to go to the sewing bloggers meet-up in Brisbane even though I am not a Brisbane blogger :)   

Love to hear if anyone else is going.  Here are the details for anyone who wants to know more about it.

Sewing for a heatwave... Burdastyle 06/2013-117

The extreme weather seems to be affecting everyone, no matter what part of the world you are in.  Here in Australia we are having extreme heatwaves.  Thankfully we have not had such extremes as the bottom part of the continent, but still much worse heat than we usually get. Generally the climate here is pretty temperate, so I do not have enough clothes to cope with the heat we have had.  On one of the days we were predicted to have high temperatures, I had a couple of appointments to attend in town, so needed a presentable but cool option for the day. I have eyed off 06/2013-117 for awhile and this was my opportunity.  The leader for that collection of clothing even says "Keep looking stylish, even in the heat..."

I ended up cutting a 40 through the shoulders and went to a 42 through the bust, waist and hips. I did not want this dress to be too close fitting.

These pictures in front of the orange wall are closest to the true colour.

The fabric is a stretch linen purchased from Gorgeous Fabrics in 2009/10 and is a lovely colour.  However I believed the stretch would help with the wrinkles but I was really wrong.  This dress mega-wrinkles!  However the stretch does make it comfortable to wear.  I am ever hopeful that it may soften and wrinkle less after a few washes.

The side panels are not easy to sew in and probably why this pattern gets the 3 dots meaning intermediate level.  Other than that it came together beautifully.  I was pretty happy with my zipper insertion as I managed to get a reasonable match between the front and back side panels.  

I loved the hand stitching detail and used an embroidery floss for this in brown.  I have a tip I have shown before on how to get even straight stitching - here.   

The only dOH! moment is when I was climbing into the car with this dress on and I could hear the stitching on the hem snap!  I should have known better than to use the stitching on an area the stretch would affect.  For the moment I have dabbed it with fray stopper in the hopes of holding the stitches, but if it breaks again I will remove it from the hemline.  No such issues around the neckline and armholes, which is where you mostly see it anyway.

So far a very useful dress to have in the wardrobe regardless of the wrinkling.  I really need more dresses in more wardrobe - they are so easy to throw on in the morning and go... 

My review is here. 

Ciao for now another heatwave dress next up...

Tessuti Chloe pants (finally)

I made these pants last year, but have only just managed to get photos for you.  The pattern is the Tessuti Chloe pant and the fabric is a very heavy weight linen bought from The Fabric Store in Brisbane.

I made a size 12 and the alterations were pretty much what I normally do for pants.  Shortened the leg length by about 5", took in the side seams at waist level, scooped the crotch (front & back) and took some fabric off the side seam at thigh level from the back piece only.

The only other change I made to the pattern was to put the zip in the CB seam instead of the side seam.  I have put on weight last year and am hopeful I can get it back off and get back to where I should be, so figured that would make taking them in later easier (hopeful?).

I am petty happy with them and really like wearing them.  

 

My only comment on them is they are very high waisted.  The pattern description states it sits on the high hip... well not for me...  

However brilliant instructions and the finish on the facings is really neat.  I would highly recommend this pattern.  BTW the top is the  Mandy boat tee (pattern also from Tessuti).  Review is here  Ciao kittens - more photos of finished items soon.