Winter of Wearable Shirts: #1

Welcome to the first garment of the winter of wearable shirts! I need tops that are easy to wear, don't look sloppy, and are easy to clean. I've got six planned in total and am excited to throw out the holey, stretched, and pilled shirts that they will be replacing.

I've always loved eyelets, but they can end up way too cutesy for my liking. In need of inspiration I turned to google with the search term 'edgy eyelet' and found this beauty. Then The Fabric Store sent out an email showing all their stunning eyelets and I had to have some. I found this geometric, blue cotton beauty. I wanted white, but I wanted something with straight lines to make adding the insets smoother so navy it is. The insets and lining is light silk-cotton, also from The Fabric Store. Then I saw Pattern Review's Bargainista Fashionista contest and moved this project up to the front of the queue.

I used Simplicity 1366, but I belled out the sleeves and added more room at the center to make room for my ample bosom. The finished measurements on the pattern felt a bit...suffocating. I eyeballed where to add the insets, but I find when one's chest is larger, higher insets give the impression of perkier boobs. I actually had a lot of fun putting this together, it was all a big experiment. I wasn't going to add an inset to the back, but after cutting I found a huge imperfection in the eyelet and was worried that the shirt wouldn't last past a couple of wearings which would have rocketed me into a fit of depression.

I was going to make the insides so beautiful with bound seams but I ended up running out of the lining fabric because I had to double-layer it for modesty so only the shoulder seams and sleeve seams are bound, the armcycles and side-seams are pressed open and serged in navy. The neckline is bias bound as part of the pattern.

I adore this shirt. I love the dropped shoulders and the boat neck and the loose fit. Its one of the few woven shirts that actually fit without making me feel like the Hulk about to rip every seam. How awesome would this look with a pair of high-waisted white Gingers?

New Patterns: Vogue Spring 2015

I'm traveling for work and have long, lonely nights to myself. Judgements!

This batch of patterns is kinda dishwater dull, but there are two that I really like.

Vogue 1440

This yoke gives me life! I'm making this with a white front/yoke and a black back to really emphasize that point. I could leave the rest of the pieces though.

Vogue 1437

Love this whole outfit...almost. That top is fantastic, I adore loosely draped tops and with a wrap too, sign me up! This skirt is fantastic, color block, slit, weird-ass ties. Wait, weird-ass ties? Fiance thinks they look like the orthodox jewish string-things and I think they look like they could blind a child standing close if you turn around too fast. I know fringe is a trend this season, but you need more than two 'fringes' to really count as fringe.

So if I buy anything from Vogue, I'll buy these two.

Onto the, 'let's just say these aren't for me.'

Vogue 1435

She's so pretending she's Nicole Kidman right now.

Vogue 1432

Whoa, gotta respect that seaming detail, musta been a bitch of a pattern to draft. Have fun adjusting this for different bust sizes.

Vogue 1434

For all the fanfare Vogue was making about Mizrahi's first pattern in a long time, this is bad. So so so juvenile. Photoshop out the model and put in a child and this is a lovely Easter dress. But for an adult women who is legally allowed to consume alcohol, this is sad. Also after Mizrahi's 'is the moon a planet or a star' moronic drivel, I can't even.

Vogue 9096

For the distinguished karate madame.

Vogue 1431

This looks like a fitted drum major uniform, I should know, I was a drum major. Band nerd forever!

Vogue 9077

I actually really like this one, but only with the contrasting bands, without them its just a shirt-dress. The extension of the constrast into the collar makes this really special. I have a feeling this is a ripoff though, it looks familiar.

Vogue 9091

Incontrovertible proof that Vogue follows Lily Sage & Co. (I love her fearless style)

Vogue 1442

She got her dress caught in her underwear and they forgot to photoshop it out! Heads are going to roll in the Vogue Pattern offices.

Vogue 1438

Back that thing up, gurl.

Vogue 1433

Ok so I have this weird thing where a movie comes out and I could swear up and down that it came out a year or two ago. I can remember the red carpet and the commercials for it, but people just call me crazy. This dress has already come out right? Fabric and all? I'm from the future, shhhh

Vogue 1436

So boring I'm falling asleep.

Goodnight!

GARGANTUAN

Originally conceived as a light summer sweater to wear while watching the sun set in the cool evening breezes of the Hawaiian islands, this monstrosity holds none of that poetic promise.

Gargantuan is loosely based off Pickles Good-Morning Sweater, I say that because they only offer one size for free and being the cheap fuck I am, refused to buy my size. Now I'm pretty good at sewing, I can riff pretty well, hell I can even pull off some baking improv, but I do NOT have the experience under my belt for knitting improvisation. So I went for it, like the idiot I am. No fear! The first incarnation of gargantuan ended up being about 4 times my circumference, yes gargantuan was preceded by colossus. Colossus was frogged for that reason and there was no yarn left for sleeves. Just the world's biggest sleeveless sweater.

I used Blue Sky Alpaca worsted cotton which feels amazing, like velvet. I purchased from Jimmy Beans which has the best customer service ever. Brick and mortar yarn stores always seem to be manned by the snarliest women so I generally buy all my yarn online. Plus if Jimmy Beans does not have a picture of a certain color, they put up a picture of one of their dogs. That makes them good people in my book.

My main problem with gargantuan is the neckline. Nope not the giant sleeves, I like those although they ended up a tad or two bigger than intended, nor the giant body, its the neckline that really gets my goat. Its too high and too tight. Being a lady who likes sweaters that don't choke me, I'm going to do something about my predicament. I wanted to get pictures up before I ruin this thing because I'm performing never before attempted (at least by me) sweater surgery. I have grosgrain ribbon which I'll sew to the sweater at the neckline I want, cut away what I don't want, then turn and sew. I'm essentially bias binding the sweater.

I'll probably ruin gargantuan and I've already thought of several reasons why this won't work, but its better than never wearing my beautiful behemoth.

Oh yeah, I went to Hawaii almost a year ago, so that didn't work out.