More Grainline Studio Love: The Linden Sweatshirts

I think it's pretty obvious by now that I am pretty much completely in love with Grainline Studio. I haven't made all of Jen's patterns yet, but I do have most of them in the queue, and I am happy to say that the Archer and the now the Linden are definitely tried and true for me. Jen has such great, classic style and a real talent for drafting patterns (have you seen the sneak peeks of her latest pattern on Instagram - I can't wait!). Her pdfs are easy to assemble and her instructions and sew-a-long posts are amazing. I don't have much to say about this pattern, that hasn't already been said. It's simple and quick to sew up, it fits like a dream, and can be made with an array of fabrics. Did you see this version Kelly made in a woven? Wowsers!

Both of these are a size 8, and I made no fit adjustments except to shorten the sleeves by 2.5". What can I say I have petite arms. LOL . And I am also running out of creative poses (please excuse the mess of sheets in the corner, it's laundry day - Oops!).

The fit is great and super comfy. I love how this shirt has a slight hi-lo hem, the cut is very flattering. I cut a little triangle detail out of black ribbing to give the colourful one more of a sweatshirt look. It was pretty easy to sew on with a zig-zag stitch, but I would recommend interfacing it to give it stability before you sew it on.

This colourful fabric is a sweater knit and the black and white is a sweatshirt fleece. Both are from Girl Charlee. I only had 1 yard of each fabric, which proved a challenge. I cut the colourful one's sleeves on the cross grain which means very little stretch (which makes it tough to push up the sleeves) but the fit is still comfy. The black and white one has plain black french terry sleeves, as I thought it would look a bit weird with the patterned sleeves. The black ribbing is nice and soft and is also from Girl Charlee.

I didn't really plan the pattern placement (or worry about pattern matching), but luckily it worked out and I didn't wind up with any awkward bullseyes.

I actually first made the Linden pattern for my Mom for Christmas. I made her a gorgeous floral one, and she wears it like crazy. Unfortunately,  I don't have any photos of it to share with you.  It is great pattern to make up for someone else as it doesn't require much fitting, and is super comfy and snuggly for the colder months - I felt like I was gifting my Mom a big hug.

Anyway, I am really happy with the way these turned out and they are both getting weekly wear. I will definitely be making more.

What's your winter wardrobe staple?

Top 5 Hits of 2014 (+ reflections & goals)

This was a tough list for me to make. I have been lucky to have a number of hits this year, although a lot of them have come in the last six months or so. I really love making a garment that fits me well and looks nice, but that I also wear a lot. So anyway enough blabbing, here are my top 5 hits of 2014:

1. Self-drafted Beetle Blouse - before you get too excited, I drafted this blouse with a pattern-maker template, so it was pretty easy. It was the first button down shirt I ever made, and I still love it to death. I wore in once or twice a week all summer and it still gets a bit of wear this winter with a cardigan thrown over top.

2. Sleeveless Moneta - the sleeveless part of this dress isn't the greatest as there is a lot of gaping, but throw a sweater or a jean jacket on top and you would never know. I wore this dress a ton in the summer and then I paired it with boots and tights for the colder months. It is super comfy and so easy to throw on. Plus I find it goes with everything. 

3. Grainline Studio's Archer - Dudes!! So far, this is my all time favourite pattern - to make and to wear. The buffalo check one was my first attempt - a bit of a wearable muslin. And then my Crazy Cat Lady version is where I really perfected the fit. I have made this shirt up 5 times for myself already (with 2 more in process right now) and once for my Mom. Now that I have my pattern altered perfectly, it is a cinch to make up. I have done an FBA and added a bust dart for my TNT version. I know some of you don't like bust darts, but it make a world of difference in the fit and look of a garment - I promise you it's worth the effort to add one. Someday I may try a dart less FBA, but for now I'm quite happy with how this baby turns out.

4. Ginger Jeans - I have made 2 pairs of Gingers so far (here and here) and I love both of them. I wear them all the time. I honestly can't rave about this pattern enough. It fit me pretty much perfectly right off the bat and the instructions are fantastic. I see many, many more pairs in my future, and I have a really hard time seeing myself buy another pair of RTW pants again.

5. Holiday Party Anna - okay, so this dress isn't really a wardrobe staple, but I absolutely love it. And everybody needs a good party dress, right? I felt so amazing wearing this at my husband's work Christmas party, and I was so proud that I made it myself. I think the colour really suited me, and the border print worked out amazingly. (If I do say so myself LOL.)

So as I said before, this was a tough list for me to make, so I also wanted to include some honourable mentions. I love my Nettie bodysuit and Chardon skirt, I love my Sutton blouses, and I love my Hudsons (see below). I have actually made 4 pairs of Hudsons and they are my go to lounge pant.

I also have to mention my Pyjama Eaters. I had so much fun making them (and posing them, photographing them, and writing about them), and every time I look  at them I smile.

Okay, time for a recap and some goals now: I have had a ton of fun sewing this year and I have learned a ton. I really feel like I have found my calling. It seems I have been searching and searching for a hobby my whole life, and this is one of the first times that I have stayed really passionate and thrilled about something for such a long time (well a year anyway but I'm just as excited about it, or maybe more than the day I started so I think that's pretty good). I look forward to fine tuning the skills I have learned so far and also tackling more complex patterns this year. I am trying really hard not to be intimidated by anything (especially patterns labelled intermediate or gasp! advanced), because I am one of those people who has to do it to learn it. I would also like to attempt making a coat or a jacket this year (hello #rigelbomberjacketjanuary!), and I would really like to make more jeans and some shorts. I am hoping to eventually have a complete handmade wardrobe, but we'll see.  I would also like to make my husband some things - maybe a shirt or two and some lounge pants. I'm trying not to set lofty goals as that seems to make me want to do the opposite - apparently I have a thing about rebelling against rules.

So there you have it - I am finished my wrap up for 2014. I have a bit of a backlog of projects to show you, so I'll get on that soon too! Hope you had a fabulous 2014 and I look forward to sharing my 2015 with you!

Handmade Christmas Part 2: Dude Sewing

So I have fallen super behind in blogland. I contracted the plague and spent close to 5 days cuddled up in bed with the pugs and Netflix. I wouldn't say it's the worst cold I've ever had, but it is definitely the most persistent (and I'm a huge baby). I thought I would spend 2 days in bed and feel better, but I actually felt worse after the first two days and decided to spend a couple more days in bed. Yuck! Anyway, I have just finished catching up on reading everything in my feed, so now it's time to update. I really want to do a year-end post, but first I wanted to share the rest of my handmade Christmas gifts with you. First off, the shirts I made for the boys:

Don't they look handsome? I had so much fun making these shirts. John and I picked out the fabric last spring on Goldhawk Road. The boys love to have matching shirts for some reason, and when we saw this map fabric we both thought it would be perfect. I used McCall's 6044 and I made them all the same size. Matt's could stand to be size smaller, but otherwise I am super happy with the fit right out of the envelope. The boys were thrilled to, and impressed that I actually made them. I'm thinking it may end up being a bit of a tradition!

Next up, I made a shirt for my Dad:

For this shirt, I used Jalie's Men's Polo Shirt pattern, and I opted for a collared long sleeve version with no pockets. I have never made a collar or button placket in jersey, and I have to say, it was difficult. I unpicked the button placket twice, and to be honest, I'm still not thrilled with it. The fabric is a super soft, and super stretchy cotton lycra from Girl Charlee. It's really nice and the colour is gorgeous, but it was tough to work with for this type of project. Next time, I will interface all the placket and collar pieces which I really think would help. Anyway, my Dad is thrilled with it, and has worn it a ton already.

Next up I thought I would show you the shirts I made for our little Shanny. They weren't really for Christmas, but I think they go along with the unselfish sewing theme I have going here. Shanny had to have a couple of lumps removed from her chest/neck, and the best way to keep her from scratching at the stitches was to have her wear a little shirt. The first one I made her fit pretty well, but it didn't come up far enough, so I had to make her a second one.

Both shirts are made from super soft jersey remnants that I bought from Girl Charlee. I have no idea why I bought them, but I thought they worked really well for this project. Both shirts sewed up super quick and they did their job, plus Shanny really doesn't mind wearing them. I am also happy to report, that while one of the lumps was cancerous, they got it and she is now cancer free. Hooray!

That's pretty much it for the Christmas sewing. I made my Mom a Linden Sweatshirt too, but I somehow didn't get any pictures of it.

How is your holiday season going?

Ginger Jeans Take 2

First off, thank you all so much for the comments on my last post, for all the helpful tips and support, and also for reading my blog. I have never had so much feedback and I am super grateful for it! Best blogging/hobby community ever! Yay Sewcialists!! Secondly, I have to apologize for these photos. Not my best photography, but the day I took them it was cold and I was having troubles with my tripod, so I took them inside. The colour/contrast is not as good as it usually is but I think you can see well enough to get a good idea of how these Gingers fit!

So as I mentioned last time, I decided to go down to a size 10. This was a great decision as I think the fit is even better now. I also decided to make the legs a bit slimmer as this time of year I mostly wear boots, and skinnies are so much easier to tuck in. I took a 1/2" off of each side of each leg, grading to nothing about mid-thigh. So that takes a total of 2" off each leg. I used this tutorial and it worked really well.

The denim I used is from Girl Charlee and I am really happy with it. It's got a nice stretch and it recovers really well. I have been wearing this pair for about 3 days now and they haven't bagged out. They stretch with wear for sure, but not so much that it's noticeable to the outside eye and not so much that I feel like I have to wash them again to get them fitting properly.

I used a different colour for the top-stitching thread this time too. It's more of a coppery-orangey colour. I like the gold, but I though it would be fun to switch it up. I was debating doing red or blue topstitching too, but I chickened out and went with something more "regular". I don't have much to say about construction this time. The pattern instructions are still very straight forward, and I found things went more smoothly and faster the second time around because I had done everything once before. I really like making jeans. It's so soothing and satisfying; challenging but not overwhelming. I also love wearing jeans so I'm sure there will be many more pairs to come.

Check out that fit? (I can't believe I am posting a photo of my butt on the internet again, yikes!) I was a tiny bit worried that by going down a size the fit might change, but I am happy to say that I think it just got better. There are still a couple little wrinkles in the front, so for my next pair I might try to lengthen the front crotch just a smidge as Katie suggested in the comments of my last post. But other than that, I don't really want to mess around with them too much.

I'm not sure if I mentioned this last time, but I had a heck of time getting the topstitching around the fly to look right. I unpicked it three times before I was happy. On this pair, I only unpicked it once. You know what they say, practice makes perfect. Also, I used barracks to sew on the belt loops this time. My beautiful Pfaff actually has a barrack function, so it makes it really easy.

I also took a few shots during construction, so you could see the insides this time.

I know Heather Lou suggests having the right side of your pocket fabric showing, but that just didn't seem right to me. I had some kind of mental block about it for some reason. This way if my pocket turns out you see the right side of the fabric.

I love this rainbow variegated thread with denim (well really, I love it with everything, but it looks extra awesomesauce with denim). One of my favourite things about sewing my own clothes is being able to add little details like this. I love having a unique piece of clothing that no one else will ever have. I can't believe it's taken me so long to really start sewing my own clothes. I can't imagine all the craziness I would have come up with when I was younger. I do remember cutting my jeans up the side seams and adding a strip of fabric. Did you ever do that? A couple of older cool girls at school were doing it, and I loved my pair that I did it to and wore them to death. I wonder why I stopped there? I was probably just too intimidated by fancy patterns. If only I had had the internet back then. The things I would have gotten up too...oh well, I am happy that I am doing it now!

I obviously haven't worked up the nerve to try flat fell seams yet. The serger/overlocker way is just working out so well for me, and it looks pretty too! As you can see, I skipped out on the rivets again. It's not because I don't like rivets, it's because I couldn't find any locally. I have finally ordered a bunch so I will give installing them a try on my next pair. Or I might even add them to this pair, we'll see when they get here.

So there you have it, Ginger Jeans take 2! I have been wearing them pretty much non-stop since I finished them. I can't wait to make more!

What is your favourite thing to sew? Are you doing any handmade Christmas gifts this year, and if so, have you started making them, or are you procrastinating really hard like me?

And just in case you are going through pug withdrawals, here is a picture of Quincie checking out my butt:

Happy Sewing!

The Sutton Blouse: Numbers Two and Three

Hooray for multiples! Right? You guys like seeing multiples right? I really wanted to make the coloured blocked version of this blouse, and while I was cutting it out, I thought, why not make a second print one too. And so I did. (Both these blouses are made with the Tester version of the pattern - Kelli has since removed about an inch of width wise ease - so keep that in mind - again.) I made a straight size 8 again. Let's start with the printed version. I made this one with a gorgeous floral crepe from Blackbird Fabrics.

Speaking of which, have you checked out Caroline's new shop? I was so excited when she announced the opening, that I jumped on my computer and ordered a bunch of fabric from her. We don't have a ton of great online fabric shops in Canada (and finding apparel fabric in Calgary is a huge challenge), and it costs a small fortune for shipping from the US, plus you sometimes have to pay duty and customs fees on top of that. Yikes! So needless to say I was thrilled to have somewhere to shop in country and I wanted to be sure to show my support. Caroline really knows her stuff, and she has a great selection of apparel fabrics.

This crepe was really lovely to work with, and it feels really nice against the skin. I think I must have stretched the neckline out a little while sewing, because it lays a little wonky at times. I didn't really notice until I saw it in pictures, but it tends to lie a bit weird. Oh well!

I am really loving this blouse. It's so easy to throw on with jeans, and it's nicer than a plain old t-shirt. It also goes really nice with a big chunky cardigan over top, and I'm wondering how it might look over top of something long-sleeved, but I haven't tried it yet. I love how it's loose but also how it curves in at the sides to flatter my shape. And I am totally digging the length of the kimono sleeves.

Okay, onto the colour-blocked version.

This is probably my favourite one to wear (can you tell? Why do I look so unimpressed?), but it was definitely the most difficult to sew (ohhhhhh...). It has nothing to do with the pattern, and everything to do with the fabric.

The solid navy fabric is a gorgeous Rayon Challis from Fabric.com. It is actually amazing; super soft and flowy and almost a bit brushed looking. I want to order yards and yards of it in every colour. The colourful sailboat fabric, which was a huge pain to work with, is a crepe de chine from Girl Charlee. Why do you always lure me in with your gorgeous prints Girl Charlee, why?!?!  I love the colours and the print is adorable,  but it was super slippery and crazy difficult to cut, and to be honest it's really thin and feels quite - dare I say it - cheap. It looks really lovely though, and it has the perfect drape for this blouse.

I am not sure if you can see it very clearly, but there is a seam in the middle of the yoke that should not be there. I made a huge mistake with this one. Somehow I twisted the yoke (after I had completed the gorgeous neckline) while I was seaming the front. I was so happy with how my french seams turned out until I noticed my mistake. This fabric is way too delicate (and it had already been fraying like crazy) so I didn't think it would survive unpicking. That left me with two choices: a) toss it and start over, or  b) cut the yoke in half. I went with option b.  Unfortunately, the seam isn't dead centre, but I can live with it, and it's totally not going to stop me from wearing it.

I love how this blouse looks with a contrasting yoke. I think there are a lot of colour-blocking opportunities with this pattern. I have visions of a printed yoke with a solid body, or even making each front side a different colour (would that be too 80s?). I am also starting to wonder how it might work in a lightweight knit. It would have to be drape-y but I think it would look really great. I think that's one of the things I love most about sewing, you can take a pattern and really make it your own based on your colour and fabric choices. I love that I can make something, and no one else will ever have the same thing.

Anyway, I am off to do some christmas sewing. I'm actually sewing for someone else, can you believe it? I'm really excited about giving some handmade gifts this year - so keep your fingers crossed for me that they all turn out.

Are you sewing/making any gifts this year? Have you started yet?

The Nettie Chardon Conglomerate

Get ready for a pretty picture heavy post guys! I thought I would give the blog an Archer break and share something a little different. Well different for me anyway. The Deer & Doe Chardon skirt and the lovely (what will I ever wear that with, but now I can't live without) Closet Case Nettie!

I say a little different because I hardly ever wear skirts (and I have never worn a bodysuit). I'm not sure why I don't really wear skirts, as they seem like a pretty versatile item, but for some reason, I have always thought that they don't really suit me. That being said, I really like this one! I think the highwaisted-ness suits my petite frame and I love the pleats and belt loops too! Plus it has pockets - woo hoo!

Hey look, I still have pink in my hair!

I've seen a bunch of Nettie/skirt combos popping up online and I thought that a Nettie paired with this skirt would be perfect! I wouldn't have to worry about always tucking in, or that my top was riding up and/or becoming untucked and I think it worked out splendidly.

For the Chardon, I used Kaufman Brussels Washer Linen Blend (say that three times fast) from Fabric.com. I think it has the right amount of drape and body and it holds the pleats well. I made a size 44 and I used the length of version A without the contrasting piece - what can I say, I'm short. I used store bought bias tape for the hem and I love how that worked out too. I'm all about the bias tape hems lately.

For Nettie I used a striped cotton jersey from Girl Charlee, and I made the version with 3/4 length sleeves in a size twelve. I ended up shortening the bodice by about 1.5" and I did a small sway back adjustment as well. The leg bindings are supposed to be finished with self fabric, but I decided to do something a little different, and I finished them with lingerie elastic. I have never applied lingerie elastic, but I think it turned out pretty well. This pretty pink came from Sew Sassy, and it's super soft and not pinchy at all.

I first attached it with a zig zag stitch and then used my coverstitch machine to topstitch it in place.

This is the first project I have ever made that involved snaps. And I was a little naive about it. I thought, how hard can it be really? Well...here's what it looked like on my muslin.

Snap fail!! (If you follow me on Instagram, you would have seen this already, with the caption Nailed it! My husband didn't understand the reference until I pointed him here. We had a really good giggle, and it still makes me laugh whenever I think about it).

I think my first mistake was using a scrap of jersey for the gusset. In my experience so far, setting snaps in jersey and having them look good is really, really hard! I think my second mistake was trying to set them through so many layers of fabric. After doing this, I re-read the pattern instructions and discovered that you are supposed to a) use a woven scrap of fabric, and b) set the snaps through one layer of fabric, then fold it over and stitch. My second try turned out so much better! When it comes to sewing, I tend to be one of those people that refuses to be discouraged by fails. I think you learn so much from your mistakes and I was so determined to master snaps, that I just kept trying. I have a couple more projects to share that involve snaps and I am so happy that I just kept on trying, because the effort really paid off.

Here's a look at my second attempt:

Hallelujah! Not perfect, but much, much better. You are supposed to slip stitch, but I am way too impatient for hand sewing, and no one's going to see this but me, so I just machine stitched as well as I could around the snaps. It works. My cover stitching looks pretty messy too, but in sewing, it's not what's happening on the inside that counts, it's how in looks on the outside that's most important. Right?

Anyway, I was a little bit worried about what I would wear Nettie with, but I think she goes perfectly with skirts and will be a great layering piece during the colder months. She could be worn under cardigans, sweaters, Archers and perhaps even under an Alder Shirtdress. (Btw: Did you hear that Grainline is releasing a new sweatshirt pattern on Monday?? Eeeeee!) I am a little bit confused about how to wear this bad boy when tights are involved though. Do the tights go over or under Nettie? But I'll figure it out I'm sure, it's probably wearer's choice LOL.

What have you been up to lately? Have you had any epic fails (sewing or otherwise)? Did it discourage you or were you like me and even more determined to conquer the task?

PS: Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian peeps!! Hope you get lots of yummy turkey and remember all the wonderful things to be grateful for!

The Grainline Hemlock and Espresso Leggings

Have you ever had one of those days where you just feel blah? Well that was how I felt all day today. I woke up and my stomach felt yucky and my arms and hands really hurt. I've been having lots of trouble with them lately - too much sewing (and knitting and putting together pdf patterns) I guess. So I laid pretty low and didn't do much of anything. Lucky for me, my only boss is my husband and he's pretty lenient with me. So I spent most of the day surfin' the net, catching up on sewing blogs and watching Netflix (am I the only one who cried watching Leslie Knope and Ben Wyatt's wedding? I'm the biggest baby ever). I always end up feeling really guilty when I'm sick or if I spend the day doing nothing (there's always so much to do!), so I decided I should at least do some blogging.

I have wanted to make Grainline Studio's Hemlock tee for quite some time, and I finally got around to it yesterday. I was hoping for a nice boxy oversize tee to wear with leggings, and while that is what I got, I'm not sure it suits my figure. I think I might be a bit too breasty for it. Is that a thing? I can't complain too much as it's a free pattern and only one size. I actually really liked how it looked in the mirror, but I'm not loving it on me in these photos. The pattern is a free pdf, and it all goes together quite nicely. Instructions aren't included but Jen has a great tutorial on her website to go with it.

I decided to go with a colour-blocked version, and I'm happy with how it worked out. The blue fabric is from Girl Charlee. It's a tissue knit and it's super soft. I wasn't overly impressed with it when I first took it out of the box, but it grew on me. The grey is a lightweight knit I got from the guy in front of Sainsbury's at Walthamstow market in London (if you ever go to London, let me know and I'll tell you all about shopping at Walthamstow - it's great!). It is also incredibly soft.

Can you tell I took these photos myself? I balanced the camera on the retaining wall of our garden, so some of them are a bit off kilter. The leggings are of course the Espresso Leggings by Cake - my go to pattern for leggings. I love being able to make custom fit leggings for myself and it's a bonus that I can make them out of funky patterned fabric.  This is another fabric from Girl Charlee (I just can't seem to resist Girl Charlee, damn you adorable prints and great website!). I'm a bit of a sucker for galaxy prints, and while the crosses might be a bit much, they really spoke to my inner 90's grunge-rock teenager (what can I say, I'll always love Wayne's World, Pearl Jam, plaid shirts and doc martens - it's my curse).

Anyway, this fabric is nice and soft with fairly good stretch, but it's a little bit on the sheer side for leggings, and after wearing these guys for a few hours they started to bag out a bit (no recovery). Plus the colours have already started to fade after one washing, and I bet next time I wash them they'll pill. They were great for lounging around today though. I probably would have been better making a t-shirt out of this fabric, but hey, I play by my own rules.

Sweet pose right? I'm trying to show you the underarm seam - I'm a pattern matching genius, no? LOL. And it wouldn't be a legit blog post with out gratuitous pug shots, would it?

Both of these projects were super quick and easy. I used my serger to put them together, and because the leggings were made pre-coverstitch machine, they got the double-needle treatment, but the Hemlock got treated right and I was thrilled to have no tunnelling using a lighter weight knit in my new machine. Knit projects are great for instant gratification.

Oh and just in case you are wondering where my third pug is, she stayed in the house napping. She's not a big fan of the paparazzi.

How do you feel about one-size fits all patterns? Or one size garments for that matter? Have you tried the Hemlock tee?  Also have you planned your Fall sewing yet? Based on the crazy blizzard that's happening back home right now, I think I better get my but in gear and sew some warm stuff.

The Tale of the Plantain and the New Janome Coverstitch Machine

Yep, you read that right, I got a coverstitch machine! I had been contemplating one for awhile, and every time I sew with knits I think, what am I doing? I always struggle with my double-needle, I am never happy with how hems look with it (and sometimes they pop) and I always end up thinking that the garment would look so much better if I had the proper tool. After making all those t-shirts with ripply hems, I chatted with my amazingly wonderful and supportive husband, and he agreed that I needed to add this machine to my sweat shop and so off I went to the sewing store.

I had already picked out (read: fondled) this machine last time I was at the store, so I knew exactly what to buy. I have a soft spot in my heart for Janome. My first real sewing machine, John bought me back in 2007 was a Janome and it still runs like a top. My serger is also a Janome, and I love it too. (The regular sewing machine I use now is a super amazing Pfaff, the Creative Performance, and it does everything but the dishes. There now you know all my secrets.) I read a bit about coverstitch machines on the internet too, and was happy to discover that this baby got some good reviews. I ended up buying a clear foot, and a seam guide to go with it.

You might be asking yourself, what exactly is a coverstitch machine? Don't worry, I had no idea what it was either. I thought a serger could do what it does, and some combination serger-coverstitch machines can, but that's not what I have. Basically, a coverstitch machine hems knit garments with one or two needles. You can use it on wovens as well, but usually it's used on knits to create that stretchy hem. Take a look at the hem on a RTW t-shirt and you'll see what I am talking about.

Of course I was pretty anxious to make something with this bad boy, so I turned to the Deer & Doe Plantain. I've made about 3 Plantains so far (two are blogged here) and been really happy with them all. I had been dreaming of making one with contrast sleeves and a large pocket, so off I went. The coverstitch machine uses the same thread as my serger, so that's pretty handy. And it's really not difficult to thread. It only has one looper and then the needles - easy peasy.

I picked up some more serger thread while I was shopping and I just couldn't resist this rainbow variegated thread. It's so pretty, and I know that I will be the only one to see it, but it makes me happy. There's a secret rainbow party going on inside my shirt. LOL

I used the coverstitch machine to top stitch around the neckline and it worked beautifully. You can see the grey thread I used above and here it is on the right side of the garment.

Doesn't it look beautiful? Here's a look at the sleeve hems. I used the narrow 2 needle option, but there is also a 3 needle option, or a wider 2 needle option. You can also use one needle for a decorative chain-stitch.

Look there's no lump in between the stitching, no skipped stitches, and the hem is laying flat. Hallelujah!

Doesn't that look so professional? I love it! It's a bit tricky lining the hem up with the edge of the fabric, but with a little more practice I am sure it will be a breeze. There's always a bit of learning curve when I learn a new technique. So far, I am super happy with this machine, and I can't wait to use it more.

As for my Plantain, I cut my regular size 42, but for some reason this one is a bit more fitted than my other ones. I'm thinking it might be due to the fabric (or it could be all the slurpees and ice cream I've eaten this summer. Nah! Let's go with it being the fabric's fault). The grey is my favourite cotton spandex from Girl Charlee, and the lovely mint is a weird mystery knit that I picked up on Goldhawk Road when we were in London during the spring. It's a lovely weight and colour, and it has an okay amount of stretch, but pretty much no recovery. This shirt is still totally wearable, but I wish the mint was nice as the grey.

I used the pocket from Grainline's Archer and it didn't turn out quite as I imagined and I should have placed it a bit closer to the middle, but I'm still happy with it. I didn't want to unpick it and replace it, because I am sure there'd be little holes left in the fabric.

Seeing the back of this shirt, really makes me wish I wore a different bra for these pictures or that I had given myself a little extra room, but I didn't. You live and learn, and I know I will totally still wear this one a lot. It also got a tiny bit shorter than I had wanted.

So there you have it. If you are on the fence about a coverstitch machine, jump off and go buy one. If you sew with knits a lot then I think it's totally worth it. If you have any questions about it, feel free to ask. I promise to do my best to answer them. Hope you are enjoying these last days of summer. John and I are kind of gloating because it's supposed to snow in Calgary tomorrow (and Tuesday and Wednesday), can you believe it? But at the lake, where we currently are, it's still nice and warm! Woo hoo!

Happy Sewing!