"That was easy!" Perfect for Summer Sewing!

Suzan with Heather of Closet Case Patterns!

With summer in full swing, it's so much fun to go to our closet and find easy flowing clothes. It's also the time where we dream about sewing something we might have seen would feel great to wear. I hope that my blog has inspired you to try some easy indie patterns and begin to create your own #memade wardrobe!

As you know, we are sponsoring a challenge through my fabric store, Stonemountain & Daughter in Berkeley. It's our #sewingsummeroflove challenge! Read more over at the store blog!

In these days of two-earner households, our time away from work is precious. And even if we're not working outside the home, there's plenty of busyness to fill our days. If and when we have some spare time for ourselves to read, watch a flick, bake, create or craft, we'd like to be able to actually finish something in a sitting. I love seeing our Facebook and Instagram friends managing families, juggling chores and still finding the time to sew. Some of us have precious little time to devote to ourselves and our hobbies.

If sewing is your thing (and we're assuming it is since you're following our blogs here at Stonemountain & Daughter Fabrics and FabricLady) you love to find styles and patterns that don't take weeks and a bottle of Aspirin just to get through it. Taking your time with complex patterns and that luxury fabric that emptied your pocketbook can be very satisfying, but most of the time we just want to be able to make it quick, and we want it "Easy" and to fit!

We have two such makes for you...tops that you can make in 2 to 3 hours, depending on how accomplished you are as a sewist.  Laurel has been sewing forever and she's is pretty fast, so these were an afternoon respite in her busy day (who we kidding, she's retired!). Nevertheless, even a beginner sewist can tackle these in a fair amount of time.

Closet Case's Ebony knit top is uber easy, especially if you have a serger. The raglan sleeved version is the easier of the two versions, since there are no set in sleeves.

We chose a soft double knit with polka dots on one side and the back featured stripes. You could use either side as the outside, but we chose the polka dots for the body and the stripey side for the sleeves and the neckband.

We attached the neckband (just a double folded strip cut on the bias) by sewing it with the machine, then serging the edges and finished it off with top stitching.  Knits are so forgiving when using this technique, because you can "ease" the binding into the bodice - the band is always smaller that the neck opening, so you sort of stretch as you go.

Like all sewists who love their machines, Laurel is dreaming of getting a cover stitch machine...but alas, a simple top stitching line works just as well. For the hem on a knit fabric, she uses a multi-stitch zig-zag setting like the kind you might use on elastic.

Way Cute! Elapsed time (not counting the cutting out) one hour!!!!

The second quick and easy top is from 100 Acts of Sewing, aptly named Shirt No. 1.

We chose a woven cotton ikat with a decorative stripe running the length of the fabric. You could run this simple pattern so that the stripes go sideways, but we chose to make them up and down. 

The original directions of Sonya's design call for using a bias tape facing, and the directions on the pattern are good. But Laurel is a self-facing kind of a girl, which does take a little more time. And besides that, she has a thing for facings in different fabrics. Hint: Fat Quarters are great for creating both facings and bias strips, so let your finishes show off your personality! Our cotton Batik fabrics are perfect for facings and trims!

If the pattern doesn't include a neck or armhole facing you can make it yourself using tracing paper.  Just lay the bodice on the paper and trace around the neckline and shoulders.  Remove the pattern and cut the facing to whatever width you like, following the curve of the neckline.  This illustration shows a neckline and armhole facing in one piece (for Dress No.1).

Attach the facing to the neckline...Clip, clip, clip those curves..

Don't forget to under-stitch the facing, it will help it lie flatter...

When you press it, a tiny edge of the fabric rolls to the inside...

Top stitch the facing down - we used pink thread in the bobbin.

The side seams go directly up into the curve of the sleeves, so you will need to clip the underarm curve.

If you plan to serge the seams, then pull the curve of the underarm out straight as you serge, right through the clipped edge.  This allows the sleeve to have some give in the seam and will hang better under the arms.

This top is going to be great with jeans, don't you think? Hmmm, I wonder what it would look like layered over a Dress No. 1?

Even with the self facing, it still only took a little over an hour to complete. Make it this afternoon and wear it tonight! There are so many great cottons, ikats, double gauzes, chambrays,  rayons and even silks (if you want really special!) that this easy pattern would make sing!

Laurel's - another Ikat color way

There's something very gratifying about a quick make. Either of these two easy patterns - one knit, one woven - could be made during a baby's two hour nap, sitting out a horrid action movie, or just a "I'm going to take time for me!" break. Some say that sewing can be cathartic, but we think you have to pick something that will fit into your skill wheelhouse, to avoid hair pulling and gnashing of teeth.

The important thing is to take time for yourself, whatever that may be. 

If it's enjoying nature and yummy tropical fruit, great!

 

Or just being with long time friends, so much the sweeter!

Or finding your tribe of sewing enthusiasts to create community with!

If it's sewing, so much the better.  

Keep on Sewing! It's the #sewingsummeroflove
SuZan