Concord tee with statement sleeves

Hi everyone! Can you believe I completely forgot to write a post about my most worn garment of late summer / early autumn? Like always, it started with the fabric.

I found this wonderful eyelet jersey during an early summer sale at the fabric market. At first I wanted to make a sleeveless top but quickly decided this fabric was too good to use for a garment I could only wear incidentally during our chilly summer.

I went through my sewing magazines and although I liked the look of all patterns with statement sleeves most of them had rather high necklines. That's when I brought out my favourite v-neck version of the Cashmerette Patterns Concord t-shirt. I measured the circumference of the sleeve hem and drafted a full circle extension.
Well, maybe it had to do with the white eyelet but everytime I looked down I felt I was wearing my grandmother's lampshades.
When I redrafted the flounce to a half circle the proportions were much better.

I opted for a catch stitched hem for the bodice and narrow hand-rolled hems for the sleeves.

Apparently a white top was just what was missing in my closet as I've been wearing it as often as I could!

During our holiday in Belgium.....(best hotel carpet ever!)

While at work, interviewing the owner of a shoe shop for the local newspaper......

Partying with Joliet Jake Blues....

Getting ready for a walk in the beautiful city of Leuven....

And after said walk. Happy smile caused by the contents of that bag next to me.
Y'all guessed right. Fabrics!

Happy weekend!

Review Knipmode November 2017

I know, I know. I promised to keep up with the Knipmode reviews. Let's just say life got in the way. I did miss a few, although I managed to sew something from the October supplement while it was still September. Will show that in one of my next posts.
Anyway, with chaotic sewists like me in mind Knipmode decided to make the November issue the party special, giving us plenty of time to work on that Christmas outfit. Or plenty of time to procrastinate and get distracted by other shiny patterns of course.

Pattern overview

Looking at the pattern overview I was a little underwhelmed, feeling that this collection of dresses, jackets and pants could easily have been a regular collection for any month of the year. Apparently it's all about the fabric choices.

Lots of shiny jaquards, here used for a bomber jack and matching skirt. On the right the festive looking suit from the cover. Although at first sight the jacket appears to have lapels it is in fact a jacket with asymmetrical closure worn open.

On the left another version of the same jacket, now in velvet. Wrap dress with a slight a-line skirt in velours de panne, a straight skirt version of the same dress in embroidered stretch velours and a kimono style dress. I haven't seen the new fabric collections in real life so I'm really looking forward to finally do some fabric shopping tomorrow. I absolutely love velvet and I'm glad it's back!

Don't you think that jumpsuit looks stunning? Been there, done that in the 80s but I can so see my daughters in this outfit! Not sure about the dress. I think it will look lovely as a summer dress in a floral print but it's looking a rather plain in this silver stretch lamé.

This formal evening dress was a plus size reader's request. Once again Knipmode failed to use a plus size model while so many readers are begging them to do so.

Lovely use of fabrics for a jumpsuit and top in tulle with little golden polka dots and a party dress in sparkly golden jersey with a black print.

This month's designer dress is again very simple and not standing out from the rest of the collection but I do like the style. I may be tempted to make it if I can find a pretty silk.


So far my top choice from this issue is the wrap dress.

I have a, ahem, significant birthday coming up in a few weeks time. Isn't that the best excuse to make a new dress?


Disclaimer: this review contains no affiliate links. I paid for my copy and all opinions are my own. Photocredits: Knipmode

The last of summer sewing?

During a brief sunny spell I finally managed to take a few pictures of my latest sewing endeavours. Warning: haste makes waste. Just remember that when you watch this blurry pics it's not your eyesight that's letting you down, it's mine. The sun caused reflections in my glasses, so I took them off. And then when I checked these pictures they looked perfectly fine to me. Gah!

See what happened? My camera focused on the roses instead of my new top.

I bought this gauzy knit fabric a few years ago because I loved the royal blue colour, but didn't really know what to do with it. It is transparent and rather clingy. Then I saw swing tops popping up all summer and I decided to hack the Cahmerette Concord pattern and add a bit of swing.
I used the midlength with my favourite elbow length sleeves, like I did in this earlier version. For that extra summery feel I changed to a double v-neck.

 I adjusted the neckband in order to make mitered v's instead of folding one end over the other.

I think I could have added a bit more width for more swing, but at least my jeans button is not poking through my top as it would have done with a regular shaped tee.

Although technically summer is over and the garden is already starting to show those beautiful autumn colours I'm still in denial. Luckily the 'no white after Labor Day'-rule doesn't apply here since our Labour Day is on May 1st!

Whatever your season looks like, happy sewing!

Edited to add that the white jeans were refashioned. They had been hanging in the back of my closet for years because the waistband was a bit tight and the legs were somewhere in between flared and straight. I slimmed the legs below the knee and used the extra fabric to insert tiny triangles in the waistband. I'm very pleased with the result, well worth the effort!