Keeping it simple sounds like a great idea right about now, during a time of uncertainty. And I (mostly) have been! My days are filled with sewing, cooking, cleaning, spending time with my husband, prayer and reflection, and texting and FaceTiming family. Like most people, I also probably spend too much time reading about the virus, watching TV, and on social media. 😦 So it’s time to get back to writing about sewing and patterns and fabric and all the other things that make me happy! 🙂
There were some chilly days here in Florida last month, so I decided to make the Pattern Emporium Keep It Simple Babe Tee shirt. Patterns with lots of options can be overwhelming and wonderfully useful! The Keep It Simple Babe has high and low square necks, high and low round necks, boat and crew necks, turtlenecks, and a V-neck. And everything from cap to long sleeves, so there are definitely options.
Since Florida is hot most of the year, tank tops make up a good portion of my wardrobe. But there are chilly days, so a long sleeved tee is a practical make. Super soft rayon spandex is my favorite fabric for tops and flowy dresses, and I had enough of this turquoise from Phee Fabrics in my stash to make the long sleeved tee. The sleeves are slim enough to stay in place when pushed up to 3/4 length, but not feel too tight.
The V-neck is a good depth, not too high or too deep, and the neck-band came out perfectly. The bodice skims over the body and doesn’t cling or show off the fact that I’ve probably eaten too many cookies while staying “safer at home”! The Keep It Simple is a solid pattern choice. Now for the Flair!
I had a small bit of Cozy French Terry left after sewing some fuzzy slipper socks for my sister, and managed to squeeze a pair of shorts on the fabric. The Pattern Emporium Urban Flair Pants are one of my favorite pants patterns. There are three leg width options and I chose the wide leg version to make a pair of basic black pants a couple months ago. I love them! They are super comfortable, the back darts smooth over the booty, and other than adding length I didn’t need to alter the pattern at all! If you’ve ever sewn pants, that is saying something!
So that’s why I decided to use the pattern to make a pair of shorts. I marked the pattern to give me a 5-1/4″ inseam, and cut the legs straight across. Since I was using scraps, I had to cut the pockets out of rayon spandex, and used Supplex and the rayon spandex for the waistband. Supplex makes great waistbands, because it has excellent recovery. So instead of folding the waistband pattern piece in half, I hacked it to have an inner waistband of Supplex, and an outer waistband of rayon spandex, so it would match the pockets. I slightly contoured it, and added a seam allowance so that the finished waistband would be the same height as the pattern called for.
It’s a fun accent, and worked out great. I will say that it’s imperative to use a substantial weight of rayon spandex. Flimsy rayon spandex won’t hold the weight of your phone and will get stretched out of shape. This is 13oz. rayon spandex, the same as I used for my tee. My phone easily fits in the generously sized pockets, and the shorts are super comfortable.
More shorts are definitely on the agenda, along with more walks along the beach!
Both patterns were great additions to my collection, and I’m glad I bought and made (more of) them. I hope that you are doing lots of sewing, and enjoying spending time communicating with the people you love. So keep it simple, give yourself some grace, and don’t forget to add a bit of flair and fun to your life! ❤
Sew Beach Life 