Scraptember Inspired Polly Tank Top

Yes that's a goat, her name's Connie. Also it's weird to see myself in the exact same pose with the exact same facial expression

Pattern: Polly Tank Top - By Hand London
Fabric: Scrap fabric leftover from a kimono I made and a disaster shirt I took apart

I had a little modeling session this morning, it was more that I couldn't figure out what I wanted to wear this shirt with. As you can see on the left I started a little more casually, but then I decided I didn't really want to wear that to work so I changed and then decided to take a few more pictures. Connie, one of our backyard goats, decided to help me model. I think she thought I was hiding food. After I made my first Polly, I knew I wanted to make another one and this is sort of what I was envisioning. Last week Morgan from Crab & Bee posted this gorgeous triangulated scrap dress she had made in honor of Scraptember, and it was my inspiration for this top.

 

I used leftover scraps from a Renfrew top I had made last year back when I really didn't know what I was doing (I still don't know what I'm doing half of the time, I'm just a little better nowadays) and made a knit pattern out of a chiffon like fabric, and from the kimono I made earlier this spring (both links are listed up top!). It was kind of fun trying to get the pieces I needed out of the fabric I had on hand. You can't see it in the picture above but the cream fabric that's supposed to be cut in one piece had to be cut in two because of the shape so it's seamed together up the center. I had to also sew the back in two pieces down the center for the same reason. That's sort of where the fun ended for me, I realized while I was making this that I don't really have a lot of practice sewing silky, shifty, easy fraying fabrics. I kind of hate them, a lot. They're a pain in the ass to cut out, there's no ease, and just super fiddly all around. Most sewers seem to be afraid of sewing with knits, but the majority of the things I've made since I started this blog have been with knit fabrics and so I feel confident making those. I know the only way to become more comfortable is to continue to sew with these types of fabric just like I did when I was starting with knits. Still, yuck. All in all it came out okay. One of the shoulder straps is more narrow, and the hem was originally uneven but I fixed that up easily enough.

Surprise! Completely different fabric in the back

Speaking of the hem, I don't think I will sew it the same way the next time I make another of these tops. The instructions have you sew a line of stitching at 5/8ths of an inch, then press it up, and then fold it again. It was hard for me to hem such a big rounded hem. I think I will sew a line of stitching at 5/8ths of inch, press up and trim the excess to about 1/8th of an inch and then use my rolled hem foot to sew a tiny hem. Because this fabric frays intensely I finished all of my seams using french seams. I sewed and 8 up top, graded down to a 6 through the waist, and back out to an 8 in the hips. Last time I had noted a little bit of a swayback issue, but this fabric has a lot more drape and I don't have that issue with this top. Can you guys believe it's already going to be October???

Yes that's a goat, her name's Connie. Also it's weird to see myself in the exact same pose with the exact same facial expression

Pattern: Polly Tank Top - By Hand London
Fabric: Scrap fabric leftover from a kimono I made and a disaster shirt I took apart

I had a little modeling session this morning, it was more that I couldn't figure out what I wanted to wear this shirt with. As you can see on the left I started a little more casually, but then I decided I didn't really want to wear that to work so I changed and then decided to take a few more pictures. Connie, one of our backyard goats, decided to help me model. I think she thought I was hiding food. After I made my first Polly, I knew I wanted to make another one and this is sort of what I was envisioning. Last week Morgan from Crab & Bee posted this gorgeous triangulated scrap dress she had made in honor of Scraptember, and it was my inspiration for this top.

 

I used leftover scraps from a Renfrew top I had made last year back when I really didn't know what I was doing (I still don't know what I'm doing half of the time, I'm just a little better nowadays) and made a knit pattern out of a chiffon like fabric, and from the kimono I made earlier this spring (both links are listed up top!). It was kind of fun trying to get the pieces I needed out of the fabric I had on hand. You can't see it in the picture above but the cream fabric that's supposed to be cut in one piece had to be cut in two because of the shape so it's seamed together up the center. I had to also sew the back in two pieces down the center for the same reason. That's sort of where the fun ended for me, I realized while I was making this that I don't really have a lot of practice sewing silky, shifty, easy fraying fabrics. I kind of hate them, a lot. They're a pain in the ass to cut out, there's no ease, and just super fiddly all around. Most sewers seem to be afraid of sewing with knits, but the majority of the things I've made since I started this blog have been with knit fabrics and so I feel confident making those. I know the only way to become more comfortable is to continue to sew with these types of fabric just like I did when I was starting with knits. Still, yuck. All in all it came out okay. One of the shoulder straps is more narrow, and the hem was originally uneven but I fixed that up easily enough.

Surprise! Completely different fabric in the back

Speaking of the hem, I don't think I will sew it the same way the next time I make another of these tops. The instructions have you sew a line of stitching at 5/8ths of an inch, then press it up, and then fold it again. It was hard for me to hem such a big rounded hem. I think I will sew a line of stitching at 5/8ths of inch, press up and trim the excess to about 1/8th of an inch and then use my rolled hem foot to sew a tiny hem. Because this fabric frays intensely I finished all of my seams using french seams. I sewed and 8 up top, graded down to a 6 through the waist, and back out to an 8 in the hips. Last time I had noted a little bit of a swayback issue, but this fabric has a lot more drape and I don't have that issue with this top. Can you guys believe it's already going to be October???

Chambray and Batik Polly Tank Top

 

Fabric: Chambray Quilting Cotton - JoAnn Fabrics (same fabric used in my Archer)

          Batik Quilting Cotton - JoAnn Fabrics

Pattern: Polly Tank Top - By Hand London (Free Pattern!)

Happy Monday everyone! This is also the 'first day of school' here at CSU; however, since I'm in graduate school I've been here every day this summer. Doesn't really feel that different just much more crowded. Over the weekend I sewed up this fabulous tank top, which has been on my list of things to make for a couple of weeks now. This was my first time sewing a By Hand London pattern and if this pattern is representative of their whole collection I'm a devoted shopper. The nicest part is that this is a free pattern, and not just some stick figure drawing hack of a free pattern. They treated this just like any other pattern that you'd be paying for with complete step by step instructions, pictures, and some funny quips here and there.

The fabric is much more vibrant in person

I had originally planned to put the batik fabric on the front panel and use the chambray for the top and back. After cutting out the pattern I realized I wouldn't have enough of the chambray to do that. I made the mistake of cutting out the front contrast batik piece first and I layed the pattern piece out in a weird way to fit better with the pattern on the fabric. In doing so I didn't have a piece big enough to cut out the back in one piece. Whoops, newbie mistake. I ended up cutting out the back piece in two halves and sewing them together to make one piece. At that point pattern matching was out of the question, and I was a little annoyed but because of the randomness of the pattern and all of the colors the pieces actually don't look too badly unmatched. I cut an 8/12 on top, graded down to a 6/10 in the waist, and back to an 8/12 through the hips. It fits great in the top and hips, I like the fit and length overall, but I'm wondering if I should have graded down a bit more in the waist for a more fitted look. I'm always worried that if I grade down too much it will be too tight, but I might take a risk and experiment next time.

1 point for top stitching like a pro. -1 point for not matching up my bias seam with the fabric seam

I really like how the chambray blends in nicely with the fabric. From the front this shirt seems more business casual but the back is definitely all party. I've realized that I actually like sewing on the bindings on the neckline and armholes, it's one of my favorite parts in the whole process. I think it's the attention to detail when top stitching it down, not to mention it looks so polished once that step is done. I still need to work on making sure my seams match up though, luckily this is under my armpit so no one needs to know. I have some leftover scrap fabric that I might use to whip up another one of these in the next couple of days, it was such an easy sew. I've currently been watching House of Cards and have been using sewing as an excuse to binge watch episodes. I've seen some Poly dresses around the blogosphere as well, and I can envision a bodycon black one with a lighter contrast panel. The curves of the contrast panel really accentuate your bodies natural curves which is always an added bonus. As always thanks for reading!

 

Fabric: Chambray Quilting Cotton - JoAnn Fabrics (same fabric used in my Archer)

          Batik Quilting Cotton - JoAnn Fabrics

Pattern: Polly Tank Top - By Hand London (Free Pattern!)

Happy Monday everyone! This is also the 'first day of school' here at CSU; however, since I'm in graduate school I've been here every day this summer. Doesn't really feel that different just much more crowded. Over the weekend I sewed up this fabulous tank top, which has been on my list of things to make for a couple of weeks now. This was my first time sewing a By Hand London pattern and if this pattern is representative of their whole collection I'm a devoted shopper. The nicest part is that this is a free pattern, and not just some stick figure drawing hack of a free pattern. They treated this just like any other pattern that you'd be paying for with complete step by step instructions, pictures, and some funny quips here and there.

The fabric is much more vibrant in person

I had originally planned to put the batik fabric on the front panel and use the chambray for the top and back. After cutting out the pattern I realized I wouldn't have enough of the chambray to do that. I made the mistake of cutting out the front contrast batik piece first and I layed the pattern piece out in a weird way to fit better with the pattern on the fabric. In doing so I didn't have a piece big enough to cut out the back in one piece. Whoops, newbie mistake. I ended up cutting out the back piece in two halves and sewing them together to make one piece. At that point pattern matching was out of the question, and I was a little annoyed but because of the randomness of the pattern and all of the colors the pieces actually don't look too badly unmatched. I cut an 8/12 on top, graded down to a 6/10 in the waist, and back to an 8/12 through the hips. It fits great in the top and hips, I like the fit and length overall, but I'm wondering if I should have graded down a bit more in the waist for a more fitted look. I'm always worried that if I grade down too much it will be too tight, but I might take a risk and experiment next time.

1 point for top stitching like a pro. -1 point for not matching up my bias seam with the fabric seam

I really like how the chambray blends in nicely with the fabric. From the front this shirt seems more business casual but the back is definitely all party. I've realized that I actually like sewing on the bindings on the neckline and armholes, it's one of my favorite parts in the whole process. I think it's the attention to detail when top stitching it down, not to mention it looks so polished once that step is done. I still need to work on making sure my seams match up though, luckily this is under my armpit so no one needs to know. I have some leftover scrap fabric that I might use to whip up another one of these in the next couple of days, it was such an easy sew. I've currently been watching House of Cards and have been using sewing as an excuse to binge watch episodes. I've seen some Poly dresses around the blogosphere as well, and I can envision a bodycon black one with a lighter contrast panel. The curves of the contrast panel really accentuate your bodies natural curves which is always an added bonus. As always thanks for reading!