A Green Grass Print for Sisters of Grass

For my project for this round of the Literary Sewing Circle, I went with the overall impression I got from this book. Right from the title onward there is such a strong sense of place, of the grasses and sunlight and the landscape that the story is set in. I had been thinking about a print I've had in my stash for a few years now, a lightweight knit that has a grass-like print. I knew I really wanted to use it, but couldn't quite come up with the right pattern match for it. 

But then I put this sense of grass together with an almost throwaway moment near the end. Margaret is shopping for new clothes in Kamloops in preparation for her travels to New York. 

Margaret found the shop where she had bought trousers the previous May -- John T. Beatton, Clothier -- and bought dresses to supplement her rose muslin gown, one of dark blue and a simple green one of soft wool. The saleslady showed her some collars, one of lace, one of beaded silk, that could be worn with the green dress to make it versatile.

While my dress isn't wool, it is green(ish) and it is versatile. I've used my TNT knit pattern, KwikSew 3559, which I can wear in a variety of weather depending on the jacket or sweater I pair with it. I might not be wearing collars but the neckline is a great spotlight for jewellery! This is definitely a daily wear dress that will get much use, likely just as Margaret's green dress would. 

This pattern is pretty straightforward. I am very used to making my adjustments to it, as I've made about 8 tees and 2 dresses from it already. I add width to the hips on the front and back pieces and both narrow and raise the neckline by about an inch. This time I also added pockets to it, although with the very light weight of the dress I'm not sure they will sit right -- but I'll wear it a couple of times and decide. I can always snip them out and sew up the pocket openings if I find I don't like them! 

Since I had some leftover fabric I whipped up a sash as well. It adds options to how I can wear it. Lightly tied it gives some shape to the silhouette but on days I want more swish I'll wear the dress loose. It's super soft and comfy and I'm so pleased to have finally used this fabric that I've had for a long time and have always loved the feel of. And also pleased to have used it in conjunction with such a truly lovely book.  

TNT + Blue & Yellow

This week I whipped up another of my favourite tops, from my most used TNT pattern, Kwik Sew 3559. I know this one fits me and it's so easy to make up now that I've made nearly a dozen of them in both top and dress views.

 

This came about because I was in the fabric store and my eye fell upon this very cheery blue and yellow knit print. It's so bright and fits right in to the blue and yellow sewing I've been doing over the past few months. I knew I could whip up this top and wear it almost immediately. This is a light stretchy poly knit, and there is plenty left over to make a matching Drew headband also! 

I chose to make this with mid-length sleeves so that I could wear it alone into fall, or under a jacket later on as well. Many of my jackets have 3/4 sleeves so this had to have shorter sleeves to work with them. 

Because I wanted to make this one quickly, I just turned under and stitched the neckline and the hems. After a quick press they all looked fine and I'm sure they'll last as long as this fabric does. I did notice, however, that the many times I've used this pattern has resulted in tattered pattern paper (I was using gift wrap tissue paper for tracing back then). So before I put it away this time, I think it's time for a retrace using the proper tracing paper I use now (medical paper). That way I won't be guessing and pinning rips together as I go ;) 

Have you ever worn out a favourite pattern with multiple making? If so, which one?

Floral TNT: Kwik Sew 3559

Sometimes you try out new patterns and muslin things and get frustrated at the changes and the difficulties you're having.... so you pull out a TNT as a refresher!

This floral dress was a quick sew made from my favourite knit pattern, Kwik Sew 3559. I've made it many times -- six times as a top and three times now as a dress. It's a simple pattern with nice lines and fits me really well. The only catch is no pockets. Though I add pockets to everything, I didn't to this one, mostly because my recent sewing streak was a series of fails, so wanted to be sure this would fit right first!

I did get it to fit properly, using my usual adjustments (cutting a M at the shoulders and bust and adding to each side by the hip level to make it just a touch larger than the L size line).  I pulled this pretty poly knit out of my thrifted stash, and was planning on making a tunic length, but fortunately had enough to make it dress length instead. And I have enough bits left to make up some pattern-matched patch pockets for the front that I'll be adding shortly.

I love this pattern for its easy fit and the shape. I like the little gathered front yoke and the way that the cut-on sleeve fits (although I did add an inch to the length of the basic sleeve on this version).

I've made in everything from a t-shirt weight jersey to this stable poly knit, and it works each time. Sometimes it is nice to make something that just works! One more piece from my stash used, as well -- I bought it because it was so pretty, so I am glad it's now out in the world.

Little Black Christmas Dress

Happy Christmas - even though black is so hard to photograph!

I unintentionally made a little black dress for Christmas! Well, because it wasn't really made FOR Christmas as much as AT Christmas. And then I wore it to our holiday dinner.

I have been feeling that I needed a basic black dress that could be dressed up or down for work or events for a while. A few weeks ago I was rummaging through my stash and found quite a lot of a lightweight black matelasse knit that I'd completely forgotten I had.

a bit fuzzy but an attempt to show you the texture of the fabric, at the yoke seam

And in addition, someone had asked on PatternReview if I'd ever made my TNT t-shirt pattern (KwikSew 3559) in dress format as it was originally designed to be made. Nope, I wasn't sure a dress would suit my figure. But when I saw this fabric I thought it would be a perfect match. So I tried it.

Wow! This dress is fabulous! It has no waistline, but neither does it hang like a sack. It's fitted but not too much so. I *love* it. The only flaw is that I didn't add side seam pockets as I wasn't sure about this fabric being able to support them, so I'm going to add on some patch pockets instead, now that I know I love this in dress format.

You can really see my glittery tights in this picture!

If I use a slightly heavier knit with a bit more body next time I'll probably add the side seam pockets. There always have to be pockets in order for me to really like a dress ;)

I'm glad I tried out my favourite pattern in dress length. The only change I made was the same one I make when using this as a tee -- I cut the neckline at medium and grade to large between the waist and hip line. I did the same for the dress but followed the large all the way down and didn't flare any extra at the bottom. It turns out that this is exactly the basic dress I was looking for. Hurrah for TNT patterns!

A TNT "Tea" Tee

This month's Monthly Stitch theme is "Cheers for New Years!" -- making anything inspired by your favourite drink.  While I had initially thought about doing something a little more flashy -- hmm, maybe a martini-inspired cocktail frock, or perhaps a hot chocolate inspired sweater knit tunic -- I found this immensely soft piece of fabric on the sale table and snapped it up.

Well, my actual favourite drink is tea, all kinds of tea, at all times of day. And this print looks like tea leaves, or tea bags, in every colour of tea, Assam, Darjeeling, Green, Oolong or White. Perfect!

And I even have a "Matcha-ing" sweater! :)

Since there was only just a yard in this remnant, I went with one of my only TNT patterns, Kwik Sew 3559. I love this pattern. While it's a dress pattern, I've only used it to make t-shirts, 3 in total now. I'm already looking at the next one, and planning on cutting the neckline a little higher. I'd forgotten that with a light and thin stretchy knit the neckline scoops a little lower when you are wearing it. The second version from a heavier knit doesn't have the same effect.

first version

second version

It's a quick and easy pattern, with only three pieces if you don't make a facing for the neckline as called for in the pattern. I just turned under & stitched, but am thinking about a contrast neck binding next time for variety.

It's a soft, lightweight tunic that it forgiving to the figure and in its short-sleeved version especially, it sits nicely under a sweater or jacket. I never blogged my second make, and don't have too much new to say about the construction details this time either. Read the original review if you would like my first thoughts on it -- my current thoughts are just that the type of knit that you use really affects the way the final product fits. Again, a softer and more stretchy knit will, not surprisingly, stretch a bit when you wear it. So be aware of necklines and shoulder widths; mine both need to be adjusted a little, which I will remember to do next time round!

I took these photos at my local tea shop, Distinctly Tea, run by a mother & daughter team of tea sommeliers. They are wonderful; friendly and knowledgeable, and they've partnered with me for the last two years to produce an Evergreen tea which supports both the Evergreen Award (a provincial reading program) and my local library. What goes better together than tea and books, after all? PS - this tea can be shipped to the US, and with our exchange rate, it's a steal! Just saying :)

Hope you've enjoyed this little tea break with me.