The Start of the Epidemic

In late March, early April, I started sewing again. I've shown a few tops already, but it was this next top that really started this epidemic I'm suffering from right now. I have been a non-stop sewing crazy lady and am soooo behind in photographing and blogging about it! I'm going to start with this one, even though I don't have good pictures. I just keep wearing it (and getting it dirty) that I just never seem to have a chance to get a photo. Or, it's one of the many rainy days we've had lately.

It's New Look 6735, and is one of the "*easy" patterns. Yeah, I've been duped by that before. But this one really IS easy, especially if you just trust the pattern and don't over think it. Which is so hard for me to do. Starting with the size. My upper bust is 40" (ooohhh, that's a bit bigger than it used to be), which is size 18, and my full bust is 42" which is a size 20. But I wear a DD cup. And my shoulders are narrow. What size to make?! I didn't want to do a FBA on a knit t shirt (there is no ease at the bust).

I cut a 20 in the body (I might have even graded it out more as it goes down, I think I need a 22 for my waist and an 18 for my hips. Sigh) and 18 from the bottom of the armholes upwards. I used this awesome 100% cotton sheet I picked up at Value Village years ago. I think it's only a twin sheet and was probably $5.99 or so. It's from Wal-Mart originally, so I hope no one sees me and recognizes it as a bedsheet! LOL. There is a back seam, which breaks up the pattern. It annoys my husband, but I can't see it, so who cares.

Yes. A bathroom selfie. I've been busy.

I basted it all together first. Did I? It seems forever ago. I must have. It went together quite well. I didn't follow the instructions, but did it the flat method (sew shoulders, sew sleeve to armhole, sew body and sleeve seam in one pass). There is a section on the front at the bust that you're supposed to do a gather stitch and ease to the back. I just changed the feed dog ratio on the serger and stretched it a bit. I did the neckband as the instructions said, though I serged it to the top. I did not topstitch the seam allowance of the neckband down, since the shirt I was wearing that day didn't have it. I did press it down, but if I let it go too long in the dryer it will flip up. I finished the hems with the twin needle. However, I didn't have it close enough to the edge of the seam allowance, and it tends to fold over the hem. Not a problem at the bottom of the body, but on the sleeves, it is really close to the edge.

I don't feel as fat as I look in that picture when I wear it. Don't know what's wrong with that picture except that it's a bathroom selfie.  I do have a sideview, but it's just as unflattering. Must have been bloated that day and wearing my worst bra. Must get better pictures and better bra.

I love this shirt. Which is why I made a couple more, in other fabric. This one goes with the blue pants I made, and my bright green jeans, my grey yoga capris, and if I can ever find some grey fabric, my new grey pants.