Spring Outfit Progress Report + A Coco Top!

Hi there! I’m popping in here for a progress report on my spring outfit project and some show-and-tell.

Spring Outfit Challenge Update

At the beginning of spring, I challenged myself to make an outfit that coordinated, and where every part except the shoes were made by me. I’m working away on that over here, and it has been a great challenge. I usually work in batches, but not batches quite this large, and not usually coordinating. This has been really fun and has made me so excited to get creating! Here’s what is happening right now:

All patterns have been traced and cut out.

All patterns traced!

Piles of fabric ready to cut

The plan is still to make a top, pants, undergarments, socks, a windbreaker/pullover/sweatshirt thing, and a knitted hat (even though it’s a bit warm for that now).

Tilly and the Buttons Coco Top

The shirt is finished, and I love it. I modified a Coco Top using inspiration from this picture I found on Pinterest years ago.

I’m not sure of the source of this picture.

My Coco in progress, inspired by the picture above

The Oslo Hat–Mohair Edition from Petite Knit

The hat is in progress. It’s a bit warm to wear it now, but I plan to finish it since I know I’ll wear it next fall and winter. So far, it’s really pretty, really soft, and should be really warm, but…it’s a little boring to knit. Endless knitting of the same stitch in a fingering weight isn’t the most exciting. Oh, well.

Out of Print McCall’s 5303

I’m currently working on the windbreaker using this pattern from 1991. I’m making it in woven Supplex and Taslan. It’s been really enjoyable. I like the colors I picked and the pattern is very interesting and good. It’s just the right amount of hand-holding and problem solving.

Folkwear Patterns 229 Sailor Pants

The pants are cut out of an old sheet so that I can make a muslin before cutting into my denim. Every pattern company has their own block and not every company’s crotch curve fits well without modification. I haven’t tried Folkwear patterns before, so I want to test the pattern before committing. I hope to straighten the legs a bit and potentially lengthen the rise. I want them to fit a bit more like modern 13-button sailor pants, which I have a pair of for reference.

Sew It Forward Socks from Ellie & Mac, etc.

Other than that, socks and undergarments are all cut out and waiting to be sewn.

Cutting out my socks; the funny-looking glove on the bottom is a Kevlar kitchen glove and protects my non-cutting hand from my rotary cutter–it’s one of my best sewing safety hacks ever

I’ll probably tackle those next and save the pants for last. I’m really hoping to have this done with enough time to sew another couple of things while it’s still spring, but I’m not holding my breath. Luckily the other patterns I have my eye on could easily transfer into summer sewing as well.

Coco Top Show-and-Tell

When I originally planned my spring outfit, I decided I would make a Tilly and the Buttons Coco Top in a coral and white lightweight sweater knit. Well, I did that, and then also made the one I mentioned above. Since I’m saving the modified one, I can share the coral and white one now.

The Tilly and the Buttons Coco Top is a quick and easy sewing pattern designed for low stretch knits.

I made this as a top a long time ago in a very stretchy rayon knit and as a dress in ponte, but haven’t used the pattern since. I like to try lots of different patterns, which is exciting, but admittedly not very efficient since I don’t always make a pattern more than once. Anyway, it was nice to circle back around to this pattern. I cut a 7/8 for the bust and waist (I just traced between those two sizes) and an 8 for the hip.

This coral and white sweater knit (60% polyester, 40% cotton, now sold out) is from Fashion Fabrics Club. It’s listed as a sweater knit, but is very lightweight–about the same as a t-shirt. The price was great, and it was easy to sew and is nice to wear. The sewing was pretty straightforward. I changed a few things, such as using my serger for construction and a zigzag stitch for my hems and neckline. The pattern suggests using a twin needle and although I have figured out how to do that on my machine, it tends to unravel over time. I must be doing something wrong, but I usually just skip it now and use a zigzag. I also used a fusible tape in my neckline to help stabilize it.

I’m pretty happy with this shirt! My stripe matching is ok-ish, and that’s fine. The shirt is great for spring, and I like it tucked or untucked.

It was also a good warmup for my second shirt, and a nice quick project to get the sewjo revved up. (Sewjo=sewing mojo) 😉 Every spring, I want all the striped tops, so this is definitely scratching that itch!

I hope to be back soon with another update and more finished projects!

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Tilly and the Buttons Coco Top in Striped Rayon Knit

Hi, friends!  It’s back to sewing this week.  I have a nice little backlog of sewing projects to share, but the weather hasn’t been cooperating for picture taking.  When the clouds started to brighten on Wednesday, I rushed outside to take pictures of this shirt.

This is the Coco Top from Tilly and the Buttons.

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I made the dress version around the time I began sewing regularly, but I had never made the top.  The fabric came from Haberman Fabrics in Royal Oak, Michigan, and I’ve been holding onto it for over a year trying to figure out the best use for it.  It’s a great substantial rayon jersey that is actually reversible:  blue and white on one side and orange and white on the other.  I really wanted to make a reversible garment, but in the end, the mental gymnastics became too much and I decided to go with a Breton-style shirt where I could incorporate both sides of the fabric.  The Coco pattern was just right since it had the little pocket and it wasn’t hard to color block (stripe block?) the sleeves.

As far as details, I made the size 5 (Tilly has her own sizing system that is different from other patterns and ready-to-wear) in the long-sleeved shirt view with the pocket.  I used the 3/4 length sleeve line as my color/stripe blocking placement line and just added in seam allowance.  I used a jersey needle and a walking foot as well as polyester thread.  I did try out fusible stay tape for my neckline as suggested, which worked out well.  Instead of zigzagging the neckline, however, I used a twin needle, which I also used on the sleeve edges and bottom hem.  And I opted to zigzag my side seams instead of using a straight stitch.  I used to use a straight stitch on knit seams that weren’t going to stretch a lot, but after wearing those garments for a while, a lot of my stitches popped and I had to resew them with a zigzag, so I went right for the zigzag this time.

I liked sewing this pattern.  Tilly’s directions are very easy to use, and she includes helpful tips here and there.  Her pictures are really clear, and I’m a big fan of her color scheme, which makes all her images fun to look at.  I would certainly make this again–maybe in the dress version.  🙂

Recommendations

• • I recently watched the movie “Queen of Katwe” about a girl living in poverty who learns to play chess and how it changes her life.  It was excellent.
  • Itch to Stitch just released the free Lago Tank pattern.  It looks like a great basic for summer.  I’ve never tried any patterns from this brand although I’ve been tempted.  This might just be the project to start with.
  • Speaking of free sewing patterns, the Curvy Sewing Collective posted an EXTENSIVE round-up of free patterns with a great size range.
  • And to give you a laugh this week, here is a video that reimagines an important part of the Sleeping Beauty story.  😉