2 years ago
I love my finished Rowan tee! I debated on modifying the height of the turtleneck but I ended up making the neckband as designed. I like that it has some height while still showing your neck as well.
The red skirt in the photos is an Alberta Street pencil skirt by Sew House 7 (a past Minerva project that I made in a rust denim fabric). I love wearing this top with jeans or a skirt. It’s been fun to dress up or dress down.
The idea of making this pattern again in a bodysuit is very intriguing to me. I’ve found that I really enjoy wearing bodysuits. There’s something so satisfying about wearing a shirt that you don’t have to worry about keeping it tucked in. The snaps mentioned in the instructions (for a bodysuit) make it easy access when nature calls.
Lately, I have liked finding ways to use up any leftover fabric scraps from a project. I was thinking headbands might be nice to make with the leftovers (with the ribbing). The pattern shows 6 views included, however, if you mix and match the sleeves, there are even more variations that you could make with this one pattern. There is a Ideas for Customizing section in the pattern with more intriguing ways that you could change up the pattern.
For the sleeve and bottom hem, I went with a lightning bolt stitch on a standard sewing machine. I love that it looks like a straight stitch but include stretch built into the stitch for tighter fitting garments, like this one. If you don’t have a lightning bolt stitch on your machine, you can go with a small zig zag stitch (just adjust the width and length of a zig zag stitch to achieve the same result).
If you haven’t worked with ribbing fabric before, you need to be careful when you’re pinning the sleeve in place around the armhole. That lovely benefit of more stretch in a ribbed fabric can be a negative if you stretch the sleeve as you’re pinning, instead of laying the sleeve in place without stretching the fabric. Again, if you’re new to this process, just take it slow. It’s much easier to move and adjust pins then it is to unpick a seam that you’ve sewn and want to redo. Thankfully you can still fix a seam, it just takes longer.
I’ll also share if you haven’t worked with a knit fabric yet, jump in! I was one of the odd ones that started learning to sew garments with knit fabrics (not with woven). No one had told me that I shouldn’t do that or that it would be more difficult. Sometimes if you start with what you enjoy, you’ll figure things out as you go and it’s more fun in the process.
I have to say, ribbed knit fabrics are so comfortable to wear. The texture of the ribbing can be very smoothing to all body types. You get more stretch, typically, in rib knits then in a jersey or non-ribbed fabric. You have to be careful with rib knits if you pick a pattern to pair with it that isn’t intended for a rib knit. I would love to work with this fabric base again, in another color tone.
The red skirt in the photos is an Alberta Street pencil skirt by Sew House 7 (a past Minerva project that I made in a rust denim fabric). I love wearing this top with jeans or a skirt. It’s been fun to dress up or dress down.
The idea of making this pattern again in a bodysuit is very intriguing to me. I’ve found that I really enjoy wearing bodysuits. There’s something so satisfying about wearing a shirt that you don’t have to worry about keeping it tucked in. The snaps mentioned in the instructions (for a bodysuit) make it easy access when nature calls.
Lately, I have liked finding ways to use up any leftover fabric scraps from a project. I was thinking headbands might be nice to make with the leftovers (with the ribbing). The pattern shows 6 views included, however, if you mix and match the sleeves, there are even more variations that you could make with this one pattern. There is a Ideas for Customizing section in the pattern with more intriguing ways that you could change up the pattern.
For the sleeve and bottom hem, I went with a lightning bolt stitch on a standard sewing machine. I love that it looks like a straight stitch but include stretch built into the stitch for tighter fitting garments, like this one. If you don’t have a lightning bolt stitch on your machine, you can go with a small zig zag stitch (just adjust the width and length of a zig zag stitch to achieve the same result).
If you haven’t worked with ribbing fabric before, you need to be careful when you’re pinning the sleeve in place around the armhole. That lovely benefit of more stretch in a ribbed fabric can be a negative if you stretch the sleeve as you’re pinning, instead of laying the sleeve in place without stretching the fabric. Again, if you’re new to this process, just take it slow. It’s much easier to move and adjust pins then it is to unpick a seam that you’ve sewn and want to redo. Thankfully you can still fix a seam, it just takes longer.
I’ll also share if you haven’t worked with a knit fabric yet, jump in! I was one of the odd ones that started learning to sew garments with knit fabrics (not with woven). No one had told me that I shouldn’t do that or that it would be more difficult. Sometimes if you start with what you enjoy, you’ll figure things out as you go and it’s more fun in the process.
I have to say, ribbed knit fabrics are so comfortable to wear. The texture of the ribbing can be very smoothing to all body types. You get more stretch, typically, in rib knits then in a jersey or non-ribbed fabric. You have to be careful with rib knits if you pick a pattern to pair with it that isn’t intended for a rib knit. I would love to work with this fabric base again, in another color tone.
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