Saturday, July 8, 2017

It's Always Autumn Breezy Tee...


It's Always Autumn has some really nicely drafted free patterns, and the Breezy Tee caught my eye because she has a woven version. Her site is full of lovely versions of her free patterns...I highly recommend taking a look. :)   SO - I chose to make what I hoped would be a wearable muslin using a nice sort of batik-tie dyed sort of look table cloth in a cotton blend or all cotton (I really don't know) that a friend had given me a few years back for quilting. The colors are lovely and it has seahorses on it! Fabulous!  Pattern was easy to download, and easy to put together, and had 6 pieces. You can also download a sleeve extension pattern and I did that as well.  I bound the edges of the neckline with self binding and also did that treatment to the sleeve edges.  I forgot to read her directions for altering the sleeves, and she does have those....so my sleeves are more like cap sleeves now. Next time - and there WILL be a next time - I will do it right and make slightly longer sleeves.  I cut it just a tad wider on the side seams because I was doing the woven version, and I found the fit through the arms and shoulders was good except that I will need to make the shoulders less broad - I do have a shoulder template I work with for that.  One of these days I should do a post on the shoulder template. It was the project in a bodice fitting class taught by Shannon Gifford, a beloved teacher on Patternreview.com for many years before she passed away in 2010.  She was wonderful.
Picture here of the top - I did a fussy cut for a seahorse pocket. It doesn't scream out at you like I hoped it would though.  I really enjoyed this project. Turns out to be better than  wearable muslin actually. SO - I went and downloaded the Raglan Sleeve pattern from Always Autumn as well and will be making a long sleeved heavier cotton knit garment for Fall and winter out of some nice heavy double cotton knit I have already got. It is the last of my garment stash.

Here is the link for the Raglan Sleeve!

 A word on sizing. Her patterns are all one size - L for large. However, I think they are very adaptable for several variant sizes.  Easy to alter because the patterns are excellently drafted. If you have a measuring tape and some idea of ease to add, you will be be to grade this well. Plus - the fit can be easy with lots of ease or more fitted. I did lots of ease here because I wanted to see how the basic pattern + about an inch or so on the sides until I hit the armhole level would work.  In a knit you wouldn't need the extra inch or so at all, and it still wouldn't be uber-tight. :)  

6 comments:

LindaC said...

What a pretty summer top! I think you have a real winner there.

catspec said...

Why thank you Linda! :) It was fun to do as well.

glorm said...

That worked out well! This is a nice basic design with which you can do a lot to make each one different. Looks like you will need to start a new fabric stash. :)

catspec said...

HAHAHA...glorm - thanks. I won't start a stash, but I do have fabric for a winter raglan, and I am thinking of making up some fabric I did buy for possible top or a quilt. HHHmmm...good idea. I don't like having a stash of garment fabric because by the time I decide to sew it up I am always changing my mind about into what!! :)

SewLibra said...

Lovely top and such a pretty color combo! Very nice job on the seahorse pocket and binding, too. I will only use a PDF pattern if there are few pieces, and 6 pieces fits that bill. Looking forward to seeing the raglan made up!

catspec said...

Oh thanks SewLibra! Yes, I should think about cutting out and sewing that winter raglan....hard to do in Summer though! ;)