Hello Everyone! I can't tell you how excited I am that spring is here! I've been stuck inside for most of this winter and I am ready to crawl out of my hole and into the light. So a few months back, in the dead of winter, when Michelle from Style Maker Fabrics invited me to take part in the Style Maker Spring 2017 blog tour, I gladly accepted. I was so anxious for spring so I was happy to have an excuse to sew up something to wear in the warmer months and to get a sneak peak at some of the beautiful fabrics they have to offer. It was difficult choosing - I wanted so may fabrics. In the end, I chose to go with some beautiful knits as that's what I usually feel like wearing. Lately, I've been working from home in my comfy clothes for the most part so I need an easy, comfortable transition into dressing up for the public. I'm also about ready to head to Thailand again and I want to wear some nicer things this time rather than my usual ragged old t-shirts and tank tops. As for these photos, ahem, it's been raining here in Portland so I had to take photos inside my messy house that we are still in the process of renovating so please excuse the backdrops.
So...what did I choose to make you ask. I first gravitated toward this beautiful cotton/rayon/lycra ponte with a slight slub textured ivory yarn through it and Lindsay from Inside The Hem suggested an Axel skirt by Megan Nielsen - great idea, done. I then looked for knits for a top to go with my Axel and couldn't decide so I just had to make two. I choose the Ebony Tee by Closet Case Patterns because I thought the cropped version with it's fullness would be nice with the high waisted skirt to create and hourglass shape. I used an olive modal, light weight knit for one and an indigo/vanilla striped french terry for the other and I think they turned out even better than I imagined.
indigo/ivory slub ponte
olive modal knit
indigo/ivory french terry
I wasn't sure that I would like all of the fullness of the Ebony tee on me so I made a trial tee with some old stash fabric and took out a few inches of the fullness and swing. Well... as it turned out, I realized that I could handle full swing. However, I ended up taking out 1" of the fullness anyway only because it allowed me to get better usage out of the fabric and I think it still looks great. The only other change I made was that the neckline height is in between the jewel and scoop neck options. I love the drape and softness of the modal fabric. It's ideal for the Ebony. It's somewhat dressy yet so comfortably like I'm still wearing my pajamas. The color is also perfect for me as I like neutrals although, now I want to make one in every color.
Here is the striped french terry version of the tee. I'm not the best photographer and I didn't end up with any great photos of the striped version. My face was pretty hideous in this one and that's why I covered it with a giant heart. I did think you can see the fabric a little better in the outside shot. It has been raining here so it was difficult to get any good photos outside.
I really like this fabric because of the texture in the stripes and it's very clean and bright for spring. I was worried that it wouldn't have enough drape for the tee but it was fine.
Here is the tee tucked into the skirt and worn with sneakers for a more casual look. I absolutely LOVE this skirt! I modified it by lengthening it an inch and filling in the bottom - not making the inverted V at the bottom hem. Not that I don't like that detail, but I try to avoid showing my knees. I'm not opposed to showing my knees, but they aren't my favorite part of my body and I felt like the original design would highlight my knees and make them a focal point. As a result, it's an extremely simple skirt but I really love the simplicity. I'm going to wear it all over Thailand with my sneakers and flip flops. I think I'll be making more of these ponte skirts in other colors. And as for the fabric - perfection! It is the best quality ponte with natural contents - no polyester. It has such a great recovery and it's not too wimpy. The thickness is perfect for a skirt so I don't feel too self conscious in it because it's somewhat supportive and doesn't show all of my ripples and bumps. It's so comfortable too.
I tried to match the side seam stripes. I did alright on this side although, they are a bit off on the underarms. The other side was much better - seriously, I'm not lying - but I forgot to take a photo of that side.
I am so happy with my makes and I'm glad that I now have a few nice knits garments/outfits to wear this spring and on my trip. Although they were extremely easy makes, I know they will get lots of use.
I hope you will continue to follow along on the tour as there are some great makes. Meg from Cookin’ and Craftin’ is up tomorrow and you won't want to miss it. I've seen a little preview of her garment and it's gorgeous! If you are following along on Instagram, look for #stylemakerfabrics and #springstyletour17.
Thanks for reading.
P.S. The Bridgetown Backless sewalong is coming soon - April 1st!