Still Kicking

It seems like my posts have become rather sparse lately. Sorry about that. It’s not that I don’t have anything to babble about. It’s just that instead of babbling, I’ve been doing. Although my cough has not yet abated after 2+ weeks, I have a wee smidgen more energy and enthusiasm so I’ve been taking advantage of it. There’s also been several incidents of drive-by attacks of Grandbeasties. Everything stops while I spend some quality time with them. And their parents too of course. They aren’t old enough to drive by themselves yet.

I also went on an expedition to Dressew yesterday and surprised myself by not buying much beyond the notions that I needed to finish a few of the sewing projects. I did get some green sweatshirt fabric (with a lovely soft fleecy back) to make a modified version of this tunic:

I’m making the short-sleeved version, minus the collar and welt pockets - although I reserve the option to add patch pockets of my own design later on. I thought this would work as a wearable muslin for the heavy charcoal gray poly/lycra that I’ve already cut out for the longer-sleeved dress version. BTW do you notice in the line-drawing:

 

that the shorter tunic and longer dress versions are the reverse of the photo? Of course you can make them short or long, short-sleeved or long-sleeved as you like but it might be a little confusing to someone!

This pattern is out of print now but you can still get it as a download from BMV here. I think it’s really cute and very wearable which makes it rather rare in my estimation! I did end up making some fairly serious adjustments to the size 12: a 3/4” FBA to the front pattern piece, extended the side seams out starting with a little at the underarm but more at the hip, moved the shoulder point forward 1/4” which of course necessitated moving the dart and seam at the top of the 2 sleeve versions over the same amount. For the dress version, I left the collar and the cute button tab detail alone but moved the welt pocket placement up 1” and 1” out toward the side-seam. I also tapered and shortened the 3/4 sleeves somewhat. Several reviews of this pattern say the sleeves are wider than they liked and I have short skinny arms anyhow. Sleeves always need to be shortened.

Since this pattern calls for moderate stretch fabrics there is no need for a zipper. But the collar and pocket details mean that it’s not a simple quick sew. Anyhow I think it always pays to take your time, sew and press carefully, and you’ll be much more likely to end up with a really nice garment. The latest term I’ve heard (which completely cracks me up) is you don’t want it to look “Becky Home-Ecky”!

Back to my finds at Dressew. Some backstory: I’ve given up my monogamous relationship with the Abotanicity Tunic and started knitting a hoodie sweater for Rosebud using this pattern (Ravelry link) and the alien…er, spring green yarn that I bought before she was born. I had already decided that instead of the ties I was going to insert a zipper but wasn’t going to buy it until I’d finished knitting the sweater. Well, I saw the most perfect 10” separating zipper at Dressew:

Isn’t it cute? Note the little green heart on the pull. Colour match is perfect too and I didn’t even have a yarn sample with me because I wasn’t planning on finding a zip right then. That match was completely from memory. So of course I bought it and now will have to make the sweater to fit the zip instead of the other way around. I’m just at the end of the yoke where I need to separate for the armholes and body. Baby things are sure fast to knit!

Which is a good thing because I also bought some yarn to knit Rosebud more of the bibs like the ones I made for her during our vacation last fall. She’s such a drooley-baby that she goes through several bib changes per day. I should have bought some fleece fabric too to make her a couple of sleep sacks but by that time I was tired and my pack was full. There’s always another day. She won’t need the sleep sacks until our Fambly Campout at the end of June.

However right now my green Muse tunic is calling me to finish sewing it, so I’d best get my plants schlepped out to the greenhouse for the day and get on with it. It would be totally cool to actually finish One Single Garment, wouldn’t it? I haven’t completely finished anything for what seems like ages!