Friday, May 23, 2014

Summer Sewing

I'm back in the sewing room after a few weeks of meandering through life's little diversions.  It feels good to make some useful garments and use pieces in my stash.

This first piece is made from one of Marcy Tilton's trios I picked up at a DOL retreat.  I love the way she puts three color coordinated knits together and makes it so easy.  I've used them in tunics and dresses with great success.



This trio is in one of my favorite colors...green!  Acid green to be specific.  A very fun tunic from a great designer, Katherine Tilton.  She's now designing for Butterick.  I've made this three times and wear them constantly.



This time I didn't sew a hem, just left the bottom raw.  Even the double thickness pocket is raw which gave it a great detail, showing both fabrics at the bottom.

I find that the neckband is the trickiest part of knit tops.  Every knit is so different.  The trick is to play with it and don't be too impatient.  I sometimes audition 4 or 5 ways to apply the neckband.  There are so many methods.  Maybe I'll do a blog tutorial on the different ones someday...when I get it together!

This neckband was applied after one shoulder seam was sewn but before the second shoulder seam was sewn.  Sometimes this looks good and other times that seam just bothers me.  In this stripe knit it was somewhat concealed so I went with it.

Here's another tunic from a Marcy fabric that I picked up while visiting her shop (open to the public by appointment.   Keep in mind it is not easy to get there but worth it!).  It's a hanky weight jersey sewn in a self drafted pattern from a friend's RTW garment.


This is the second one I've made.  The first one was so successful I plan to make many.

That's all for now.  But I have two other blogs coming up.  One on an epic fail and one on Marcy's new dress pattern that I love, love, love!

Soon!