Sunshine and clouds outfit

The yellow skirt fabric just looked so summery and fun to me in May that I just had to get it.  I quickly self-drafted a pattern using a RTW Maxi skirt I bought when I was pregnant.  I used the pockets from the Sewaholic Hollyburn skirt pattern to add pockets.

 I started making the grey top the same weekend and I just finished it this past weekend in August.  Oops.  It just wasn't doing anything for me when I finished it. The pattern is a free pattern from Spitups and Stilettos, the Harper Blouse.  It's supposed to be tunic length and it's not.  It just didn't look flattering.

So I left in a my UFO basket for awhile.  I couldn't get out of my head this grey sleevelss blouse with this skirt. So I dug it back out.  Ripped out the side seams.  Did an SBA (small-bust adjustment) to the pattern and modified the side shaping on the pattern to be more similiar to the Sewaholic Granville pattern.  (Do you see a trend here?  I like Sewaholic patterns . .. the only one that I struggled with was the Thurlow trousers, I have an un-blogged pair) I re-sewed the darts and side seams and followed the directions for the armhole edging from the Made-by-Rae Josephine Top pattern. For a free pattern the Harper blouse is good.  I like the half collar look.  It took some fitting and pattern changing but now I've got a nice sleeveless top pattern that looks quite great!

Patterns:

• Skirt - self-drafted with pocket assistance from Hollyburn skirt pattern
• Top - Harper Blouse by Spitups and Stilettos (free pattern), with assistance from the  Granville pattern.

Now I have a great outfit for when school starts again in two weeks!! AHHH  Bring on the Kindergarten kids!

Gathered Front Tank

This is one of my favourite summery knits.  It's knit out of a wool/silk blend that I bought at my LYS years ago.  I don't have the ball bands so I don't know any more than that.

Pattern: Gathered front Tank published by Interweave Knits.

I love the look of the front with the gathers.  I had difficulty with the straps.   I went back and re-did them 3 times before I was really happy.  The first time they were too long.  The second time they were the right length but too narrow.  I wanted to be able to wear this to work and it needs to be 2-finger widths wide to fit the dress code (I'm a teacher!)  I made it in 2011.

It can also work to be worn over a tank top but mostly I wear it just on it's own.