I’ve been waiting for these shorts for over a year! Volunteering to pre-test them last year, and loving them even back then. The pattern was put on hold until this year, when shorts season rolled around again. One of the things that makes GreenStyle patterns fit so well, is the fact that they are truly put through the test. Comments and fit photos submitted by the testers are taken into consideration, and the pattern gets tweaked again and again to perfect the fit.
With curved back seams to fit smoothly over the bum (with an optional fuller bum cut line), and welt pockets (with optional zipper) the Windward Shorts are flattering and practical. I tend to wear a lot of athletic wear style of shorts. I probably have seven pair of Moxi compression layer shorts that I wear all the time. But my dress shorts options are severely limited. As in I didn’t have any until the Windward Shorts came along!
I love being able to add another category of clothing into my life. There are occasions that require a slightly dressier look, and now I’ve got something that fits the bill.
I thought it was so cool that my husband caught this shot of the dragonfly zooming by my head!
The pattern is designed for stretch woven fabrics, so that inherently leads to a dressier look. Stretch wovens can be made of different materials (all of which contain a small percentage of spandex, which is what gives them that little bit of stretch.) The periwinkle stretch cotton twill from Mood Fabrics is a heavier, crisper fabric, which gives a different look than say a polyester blend that is thinner and a bit drapier.
I also made a pair out of stretch charmeuse from JoAnn Fabrics. The softer drape makes them look a bit more form fitting.
I love that the pattern accommodates a wide variety of stretch woven fabrics and looks great in all of them. A unique design feature is that there is no inseam, which makes the shorts very comfortable for people bothered by inner leg seams. The welt pockets are generously sized, so even my large phone fits perfectly. Since it’s anchored in the top and side seams, the pocket lays smoothly, and stays in place.
As a tall girl, I chose the high rise with the 2″ elastic waistband for both my makes. (I actually made a third pair, but didn’t photograph them.) There is a mid rise, and an options for 3″ wide elastic too. With 2″, 3″, and 4″ inseams, you’ve definitely got choices!
I love that there are no zippers or buttons to deal with (other than the optional zipper on the welt pockets) so the shorts are a quick sew and easy to wear.
I hope you’ll flip for these shorts like I did!
I love that I’m not afraid to still do a cartwheel. And I probably did 10 or 15 of them before my husband actually caught a shot with my legs up in the air and his finger not in the frame! 🙂
As a note of encouragement, don’t let the idea of welt pockets scare you. The tutorial is easy to follow and makes a fancy detail simple to accomplish. And face it, all shorts need pockets!
The waistband is comfortable, and makes the shorts easy to wear.
The details:
The GreenStyle Windward Shorts pattern includes sizes B-M, which covers hip measurements from 32″ to 62″.
The periwinkle fabric is stretch cotton twill from Mood Fabrics. I wore it with a Power Sports Bra that I hacked into a workout top made of black spandex and black snakeskin yogi fabric from GreenStyle. You can read more about the hack here.
Thank you for reading and sharing my love of patterns, sewing, fabric, and cute shorts with large pockets! ❤
The links to GreenStyle may be affiliate links (if I did them properly!) which means that I may earn a few pennies if you use my links without it costing you anything extra. Since this is my blog and represents me, I always give my honest opinion about any patterns, fabric, or supplies that I talk about. I do like knowing whether the time I spend writing posts actually interests people enough that they take a look at the patterns I review, but I write for me. It’s one more creative pursuit that I hope is helpful or interesting to others. I write to share my love of sewing and to encourage others to love it as much as I do! 🙂
Summer time means new swimwear is in order, and the Tangled Swim Top and Tangled Swim Bottoms have some super fun color-blocking options! The hardest part will be choosing which fabrics and options to use. The top has a scoop neck front, with back options of full coverage, high scoop, and low scoop. Everything from a simple front and back to multiple color-blocked designs give you the chance to use those smaller scraps of fun swim fabrics you’ve been saving.
This shot makes me feel skinny. 🙂 That intermittent fasting is starting to pay off! Don’t get me wrong, healthy eating and exercise are part of the deal.
The Tangled swim bottoms have even more color-blocking options than the top! I chose the asymmetrical two-piece color block design for the front and the back, and I love being able to use three fun colors for a nice bright suit. The bottoms have a full coverage and a slightly cheeky back coverage, along with high or low rise options. I used the high rise, elastic waistband option, but there’s also a contour waistband that would make the rise even higher.
I like showing how patterns look while you’re seated too. Because you’re not just going to stand around when you’re out of the water!
I like the lowest back option, and wanted to make the back have the same asymmetrical two piece look as the front and the bottoms. So of course I had to hack it. 😉 I can never just leave a pattern alone.
Don’t you love the way the design carries from the top down to the bottom?
It was super easy to transfer the design from the front to the back. So, my method of tracing patterns is to consolidate the options I plan to use onto one pattern piece if feasible. I knew I was going to make the simple version of the top and bottoms which I did before moving onto the color-blocked versions.
I didn’t bother adding powernet in the front of the green top, which I kind of regret.
Once I had the simple front and back traced, it was super easy to trace the cutting lines for the asymmetrical two piece front right onto my simple front. That way I don’t have smaller pattern pieces floating around in my pattern envelope. I like to use different colored pencils to mark the left side cutting line and the right side cutting line. I also use arrows to ensure that I cut on the proper line so that I have adequate seam allowance! The marked cutting lines should end up 3/4″ apart (3/8″ seam allowance + 3/8″ seam allowance = 3/4″).
To hack the back to have the same asymmetrical two piece look, I simply laid the simple back pattern piece on top of the marked front piece, and traced the left and right cutting lines, again labeling with my colored pencils.
I always mark my pattern pieces with any changes or notes (as you can see, version 2 of the pattern testing lowered the bottom of the armscye by 1/4″) and always mark the grainlines.
I love how the two-piece asymmetrical back hack brings that extra pop of color to the back and side. And that the angled cut of the top flows right down to the angled cut of the bottoms.
Even though this isn’t a super revealing swim suit, I love that it still looks and makes me feel sort of sexy.
GreenStyle is listing the Tangled Swim Top and Tangled Swim Bottoms patterns separately, so if you want to mix and match with any of their other swim tops or bottoms, you can choose the styles and patterns you want to use.
If you’ve never sewn swimwear before, I encourage you to try it. My best tips are to use fresh needles in your sewing machine and/or serger. Use plenty of pins to line up seams. I like to baste my swim lining to the main fabric of the swim bottoms before attaching the waistband or leg elastic. It keeps the fabric smooth and even, and ensures that you won’t have to rip out the elastic because you somehow didn’t catch a layer of fabric.
Speaking of elastic, the amount of stretch can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. So rather than just looking at the elastic cut chart, I literally wrap the elastic around my waist and leg to choose a comfortable yet snug length. Then I mark that information right on my pattern piece for the next time I want to make it.
If you’ve ever had leg elastic “flip out” on you, then this next tip will really help you. Once you’ve sewn your leg elastic into a circle, mark the quarter points. I just use a pencil. Then I mark the quarter points of the leg opening with pins. I like to serge on the elastic using a stitch width of M, and a stitch length of 2.25, stretching the elastic so that the mark lines up with the pin. Then I turn the elastic under, and pin in place. Whether you use a coverstitch or a zigzag, be sure to sew along the serged edge, NOT along the fold. This will keep the elastic firmly in place, rather than allowing it to flip out.
I’ve worn my suits in the pool and played in some nice waves in the ocean. Everything stayed in place, even in the big waves. So whether you hit the pool, the lake, the ocean, or a river, the GreenStyle Tangled Swim Top and Bottoms are a fun addition to the season!
The pool photos were taken at a community pool, and I sometimes wonder what other people think when they see me acting silly and posing for the camera. Probably nothing more than they think when I pose at a crowded beach. 🙂 Honestly,I don’t worry about it because A. I’m having fun, and B. There will always be people who look better, or perhaps less fit than me. And we’re all here to enjoy the sunshine, enjoy being near the water, and to have fun! And face it, most people are so caught up in their own lives to even think or worry about what you look like. So get out there in a swimsuit and enjoy life!
Thank you for reading and sharing my love of patterns, sewing, fabric, pattern hacking, and cute swimwear! ❤
The links to GreenStyle may be affiliate links (if I did them properly!) which means that I may earn a few pennies if you use my links without it costing you anything extra. Since this is my blog and represents me, I always give my honest opinion about any patterns, fabric, or supplies that I talk about. I do like knowing whether the time I spend writing posts actually interests people enough that they take a look at the patterns I review, but I write for me. It’s one more creative pursuit that I hope is helpful or interesting to others. I write to share my love of sewing and to encourage others to love it as much as I do! 🙂
The new Savannah Dress pattern is so cute! I love that it has so many options: a fitted look (with or without a center back seam for extra shaping!); a half or full circle skirt; narrow or wide straps that can be sewn as straight, crossed or in a V; an optional shelf bra, with a full bust option; and an optional removable bra cup panel.
I don’t normally wear fitted dresses, but this one intrigued me. I’m super glad that I’ve made a couple because they are comfortable and perfect for the sunny weather here in Florida.
Fitted dresses are great for walking the beach because even on a windy day, you don’t need to worry about a full skirt blowing up in the wind. Although technically, you don’t need to worry anyway, because this pattern includes shorts too!
I chose the straight skirt option for both of my dresses and made the optional shelf bra (because who wants to deal with a strapless bra?) with crossed straps. The first dress had the one piece back, but several pattern testers thought that perhaps a seamed back would better fit and accentuate our curves. The designers made that option happen, and I like it!
Have I mentioned how much I love well-drafted patterns, and designers who work hard to try and make a great fitting pattern? Probably several times now! It really does make a difference in your sewing success when you use a well-drafted and tested pattern, and grade to fit your body.
Speaking of grading, always start by taking fresh measurements of your upper and full bust, waist, and hip, and reference the size chart before printing your pattern. Use the layers function when you print, and print just the size(s) you need. You may want to print a size larger and/or smaller if you’re on the edge of a size range. My upper bust measurement puts me in a size E, with my waist and hips falling into size G. So that’s how I graded the dress, and made the shelf bra in size E.
I didn’t use powernet in the shelf bra of the purple dress, but I did add the optional bra cup panel in case I ever want to add cups. It’s pretty supportive, even without powernet. This purple nylon spandex tricot was purchased at Phee Fabrics, and I love the happy color!
Supportive enough, even without powernet or bra cups, which is saying something considering I am a mature Grandma!
The center back seam really does add nice shaping if you have a curvy booty, or sway back. It also seemed to save on fabric, because I was able to fit my blue dress on one yard of 60″ fabric. If you’ve followed my blog or noticed my comments on sewing pages, I am all about playing fabric tetris to use the least amount of fabric possible, because I love high quality fabric. The beautiful blue nylon spandex fabric was purchased from Porcelynne.
The center back seam shaping fits nicely over your curves. And if you’re wondering, my straps are crossed and stitched at 2″ to either side of center.
I decided to use powernet as the optional bra cup layer on the shelf bra of the blue dress. I probably should have used a layer on the shelf bra back too for a little bit of smoothing, but whatever! Hopefully people are looking at my back muscles from twenty plus years of yoga rather than the back fat. 😉
A bit more support with the layer of powernet, though I don’t know why I bothered cutting the openings for bra cups, since I don’t use them.
Did I mention that the dress has multiple length options? I cut on the shortest length line, adding 1″ to the length because I am tall. The longer lengths hit below knee, which isn’t my thing on this style of dress. The circle skirt pattern pieces are formatted so that you can easily choose the length you want. Super helpful, because when I make the half circle skirt version, I’ll make it a bit longer than this.
Slightly above the knee seems to proportionally be the best length on me for summer dresses.
Do you want to hear something amusing? My husband and I walk along a busy road to the beach to get photos. It is spring break season, and traffic is heavy. First, I got whistled at while walking. Hahahahahaha! And on the way back, a young gentleman leaned out the window of a passing car making, lets call them complementary comments on my appearance. Oh my! I mean, obviously my husband thinks the dresses are “hot” and loves it when I wear them. But it cracks me up when a (much) younger dude still thinks I’ve got it! 🙂
Making a pattern that fits your style and body not only looks flattering, but gives you that extra boost of confidence to really enjoy wearing what you make.
The details:
Savannah Dress from GreenStyle, in sizes B-M (fits full bust sizes from 30″ to 61″, hips from 32″ to 62″)
Thank you for reading and sharing my love of patterns, sewing, fabric, and creating practical, useful garments! ❤
The links to GreenStyle may be affiliate links (if I did them properly!) which means that I may earn a few pennies if you use my links without it costing you anything extra. Since this is my blog and represents me, I always give my honest opinion about any patterns, fabric, thread or supplies that I talk about. I don’t even bother to use aff links when I share on social media, so obviously it’s not a big deal to me whether you choose to use them. I do like knowing whether the time I spend writing posts actually interests people enough that they take a look at the patterns I review, but I write for me. It’s one more creative pursuit that I hope is helpful or interesting to others. I’m writing to share my love of sewing, not to make money! 🙂
When you live in Florida, tank tops can be worn pretty much year round. If you get chilly, you can always throw on a cardigan. In the southern half of the state, a tee shirt is great for the two or three weeks of chilly “winter” weather we may get. A pattern that includes both a tank top and tee shirt is very useful, and the cute new Leeward Tee is one I was excited to test!
Options range from crew, (medium) tank, or scoop necklines; with a plain or pleated yoke back; crop or full length; racerback or tank; and tees with cap, short, long, or colorblocked sleeves; a 2″ FBA front option; and slimmer or fuller cut lines. I love patterns with plenty of options because I can make so many different looks with just one pattern!
Super windy days on the beach make it challenging to to get photos!
I started with a scoop neck, plain back tank in the fuller cut (which was the only width option when the test started) making a size E graded out to F at the hips. The fabric is a fun ombre striped panel that I bought from Mood Fabrics a while back. I hadn’t used the panel because it wasn’t very long and I hadn’t found a good pattern to fit on the limited length. The pattern pieces barely fit on the panel, and in fact, I had to piece the neckband together to make it work! But I love the ombre effect, and the fact that it matches my purple Moxi bike shorts so well. 😉
Angelyn, the main pattern designer at GreenStyle looked over the pattern testers fit photos and made some slight changes in the shape and especially to the fit of the back. She also listened to feedback and added a slimmer cut line option to go with the fuller, flowier fit. I love testing for designers that listen to feedback from testers, and work hard to perfect the fit on a wide range of body shapes and sizes.
Does this mean that testers have to print a new version of the pattern and make another garment? Of course. But that is the whole point of testing, to get a great look and a great fit that people really like!
For my second make I stuck with a plain back scoop neck tank, but chose the slimmer cut line. Once again the shoulders are a size E, but with my fuller bust (but not quite full enough for the 2″ FBA option) I started on the fuller cut line under the arm for the needed bust space, merging to meet the slimmer cut line, and finally grading out at the hip to a size G. My hip measurement is on the edge between sizes F and G, so my grading was very subtle, and only ended up on the size G line at the very bottom 2″ or so of the pattern.
The slimmer cut line keeps the tank or top fitted at the bust, and slightly flowy through the waist and hips.
It’s fun/scary to try new sources for fabric, especially if you’re a bit of a fabric snob like me! 🙂 I’m super picky about fabric because I make clothing to last and wear for years. I strongly dislike the feel and lack of breathability of polyester. So I tend to stick to the same 4 or 5 fabric companies that I always shop or order from because of their high quality of fabric and fabric options. After seeing quite a few positive comments about Purple Seamstress Fabric in multiple sewing groups for years, I finally gave them a try and ordered their modal fabric. It’s a blend of rayon, modal, and spandex, and has the feel, drape, and nice rebound of a high quality rayon/spandex. This bright blue color is rich and beautiful, and I will definitely order from them again.
A couple of testers (me being one of them! :-)) asked for a cap sleeve length for the tee. Cap sleeves just look so much more feminine than regular short sleeves to me, and are much more wearable in Florida heat. So my third make is a cap sleeve tee, with a scoop neck and plain back.
It’s super comfortable, and will look just as good when I wear it with leggings as it does with shorts. We’re heading up to Tennessee to visit our daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughters in a couple of weeks. Their autumn weather is going to be a lot cooler than Florida’s, so tees are going to be necessary!
This is a super soft rayon spandex print from Mood Fabrics. It has even more drape than the rayon spandex striped print and the solid blue modal that I used for my tanks. This is the tee I’ll throw on when I’m a little chilly and just want to feel nice and cozy. It also shows just how different the same basic style can look and fit depending upon the fabric you choose.
You can’t go wrong whether you choose to make a tank or a tee! The GreenStyle Leeward Tee pattern has so many options to choose from, you can make yourself a dozen and easily have a dozen different looks, especially when you play with both the slimmer and fuller cut lines.
So, what are you waiting for? Don’t you need some pretty new tees and tanks in your wardrobe? In my world it’s always time to sew something new for yourself or someone you love.
Here are the details on my GreenStyle Leeward Tee and tanks:
The fuller cut tank was made using an ombre striped rayon spandex panel from Mood Fabrics. I’m wearing it with the bike shorts from the Moxi Shorts pattern made in supplex from Phee Fabrics.
The slimmer cut blue tank is made of modal from Purple Seamstress Fabric. I’m wearing it with an as yet unreleased shorts pattern. Don’t you love getting a sneak peek at future patterns? 😉
Thank you for reading and sharing my love of patterns, sewing, fabric, and creating practical, useful garments! ❤
The links to GreenStyle may be affiliate links (if I did them properly!) which means that I may earn a few pennies if you use my links without it costing you anything extra. Since this is my blog and represents me, I always give my honest opinion about any patterns, fabric, thread or supplies that I talk about. I don’t even bother to use aff links when I share on social media, so obviously it’s not a big deal to me whether you choose to use them. I do like knowing whether the time I spend writing posts actually interests people enough that they take a look at the patterns I review, but I write for me. It’s one more creative pursuit that I hope is helpful or interesting to others. I’m writing to share my love of sewing, not to make money! 🙂
I have been blessed with awesome sisters and brothers-in-law, and love my extended family dearly. We are the kind of family that can call and say, “Hey, can I come over and…” and the answer is always yes. Dan’s brother called and asked if he could spend the night and get some help installing the new racing stripes on his car. No big deal, he often drives up and spends the night. We have a spare room, and the guys get to golf, or work on his car, and we all enjoy going to the beach.
And he did need new racing stripes on his car, since they were all cracked and bubbled when he bought the car. In fact, I’m the one who stuck a fingernail under a bubbled corner and peeled the old stripes off after he once again commented how bad they looked when he visited a month or two ago.
Dan was still at the gym and grocery store when his brother arrived, and I was in the midst of sewing. So he said he was going to go out in the garage and do some final prep work on his car while he waited. Dan gets home, we all head out to the garage and figure out how to install the new racing stripes so that they’re evenly spaced. Mind you, we are not professionals, and have no experience with car detailing. We’re just avid DIYers doing the best we can. 🙂
I helped out for a while, but decide to go inside and start making the pumpkin roll I had planned for dessert. After mixing up the cake batter and getting the jellyroll pan in the oven, I go to the sink to wash up the mixing bowl and paddle and the measuring utensils, because I’m going to need them to make the frosting.
My hands are deep in the hot soapy water when I glance over to the caddy that holds my scrubber sponge and little scrub brush and see that the brand new scrubber sponge, that I just took out of the package a few days ago no longer looks new. It is all black and stained. And the realization hits me. He used the brand new sponge, the sponge that I use to remove stuck on food from the dishesthat we eat off ofto clean his car!
To say that I am irritated is an understatement. I step out into the garage and say, “I’ve got a bone to pick with you Mister!” The brothers turn around to look at me, and Dan says, “What?” I say, “Not you, him!” and turn to look at brother. “You used my brand new kitchen sponge to clean your car?!?” I ask incredulously. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” he stammers. I turn back into the house to finish my chores.
When the guys come inside to take a break and cool off, I fill a water bottle with ice water and take it over to brother, who is relaxing in a chair. After dinner and my shower, I return to the kitchen to make the frosting for the chilled pumpkin roll. After frosting and rolling the pumpkin roll, I really should let it chill to harden up a bit. But the kitchen is filled with the scent of pumpkin roll, and who wants to wait another hour? Brother is lounging in the spare room watching TV, so I take him a plate with a slice of pumpkin roll.
I’m an early riser, and enjoy my quiet time drinking coffee, reading emails or checking out social media. The guys sleep in until 6:30 or 7:00. Brother goes outside to look at the drizzly day. He comes in and says, “You know that scraggly plant in a pot beside the garage door? You should come out and see the beautiful flowers blooming on it.” I walk through the garage, stepping sideways between the big fan and the side view mirror of his car. The flowers on the “scraggly” cactus are indeed beautiful.
And so it is with families. You get the ugly and the beautiful. You may get frustrated or angry at times, but there is also forgiveness and understanding. There is always, always love. ❤
My husband is very supportive of my sewing, whether it be tolerating patterns and fabric spread across the dining table 🙂 or the time I spend in front of my machines. So the man definitely deserves some of my sewing love!
I was able to test the Ragamuffin Patterns Men’s Boxer Briefs and added quite a few pair to my husbands underwear wardrobe. My husband is easy going and relatively easy to please when it comes to gym shorts and workout shirts, (which is his normal daily outfit other than dress clothes for Mass on Sunday). But he is quite particular about comfortable and supportive underwear. I don’t blame him, because who would want to wear underwear that doesn’t fit properly? This made him a perfect candidate for pattern testing the Boxer Briefs!
That may sound weird, but truly, the whole point of testing a pattern is to perfect the fit, ensure that it’s comfortable across a range of sizes, offers enough style options to be appealing, and that the tutorial makes sense to sewists from beginner to advanced. So pattern testers need to be able to articulate what they like (or dislike), how it fits, and what could make it better.
I’ve tested enough patterns to understand the importance of clearly communicating with a designer. But it’s a little different when you aren’t testing the pattern on yourself. Luckily my husband was patient enough to try on multiple versions and explain what he liked and what changes or tweaks to the pattern he would prefer.
The Men’s Boxer Briefs pattern is loaded with options (in sizes XXS to 6XL) with four lengths from undies to thigh length; no fly; classic fly; and contoured fly with no, side, or horizontal opening; band, exposed, or hidden elastic waistband; leg finish options; and an optional internal hammock.
Long a fan of expensive Saxx and Tommy John underwear, my husbands preferred style was easy to pin down: briefs length (though he’ll wear trunks length), and horizontal contoured fly with an internal hammock.
He says the no back seam is very comfortable, although there is a back gusset option if you like color-blocking or want to use smaller scraps of fabric.
I’ve made side fly underwear for him before, but this was the first time I’ve sewn horizontal flys. Frankly, I think a horizontal fly is an easier sew. You still have that contoured pouch seam to stitch, but really, they are a pretty quick sewing project.
These aren’t the final version of the pattern so the fit has been refined a bit, but they are still always in rotation, and my label addition just cracks me up!
He loves his made with love underwear, and wears them as much as (if not more than!) his name brand ready-to-wear ones. As he’s a bit of a gym rat, he says that the internal hammock is important to “keep everything high and tight” for comfort during workouts.
I like adding a personal touch to my makes, and used two different methods to do so. On the green pair, I added a little label centered at the top of the pouch and serged into the waistband. I like saving interesting selvedge pieces if I think they are cute or funny or may be useful for something. Knowing that I had a piece of selvedge that had the word steel on it, I thought it would be fun to use on my husbands underwear. Because hey, what guy doesn’t want to be a man of steel, right? 😉 It’s literally just folded under twice on the sides to hem the edges. The bottom is the finished edge of the fabric, and the top was serged in place when attaching the elastic for the waistband.
A fun tag adds personality!
I also like giving a finished look to elastic waistbands by making a decorative seam cover. Simply cut a rectangle of fabric 1″ wide by two times the width of the elastic you are using (plus 1/4″ to give you some wiggle room). My underwear elastic was 1-1/4″ wide so I cut a piece of pretty fabric 1″w x 2-3/4″h using my rotary cutter and a ruler, to ensure that I stayed straight on the grain. Use a 4 thread overlock to serge the two long edges of the rectangle to keep it from fraying. I like overlapping elastic by 1/2″ and zigzagging all around the overlap when using elastic for waistbands. Then center the seam cover over the elastic join, pulling the raw ends to the bottom edge and pinning in place. Finish the seam cover by zigzagging the two long sides. The raw edges of the fabric will be enclosed in the seam when you attach the elastic waistband.
A pretty and practical seam cover.
When I was ordering fabric to make his underwear, I showed him the Patriotic Island Swim print from Ragamuffin Fabric and he thought it looked cool. When I pulled the freshly washed fabric out of the dryer to show him, he felt it and said, “Oh that’s too nice to use for underwear!” 🙂 Baby, you deserve nice fabric. And nice custom made underwear!
After all, he is a pattern cover model!
The details: using the coupon code SewBeachLife will give you 5% off your entire purchase of Ragamuffin patterns and/or fabric and supplies! The coupon code is sort of an affiliate link, and I’ll earn a few pennies if you use it.
He loves them so much that I took apart an earlier test version made in this fabric and cut the updated pattern pieces out of my fabric scraps and sewed him up a second pair in the exact same fabric! Which I guess tells you that they are an economical sew, since I was able to make two pairs in size 2XL out of one yard of fabric.
I received the pattern for free in exchange for testing, but feel that it is well worth buying as it has so many options and an extensive size range. The test was a long one, but totally worth it for the final product!
Thank you for reading and sharing my love of patterns, sewing, creating, serging, fabric, and making practical, useful garments! ❤
Sports Bras are kind of a staple in a lot of women’s wardrobes. Whether you wear them for sports, exercise, work, or just because they’re cute and comfortable. The challenging part is finding one that fits properly. Ready to wear sports bras often only come in basic sizes like XS, small, medium, large, and XL. While sizing like that may give an okay fit on some people, I think that it is unlikely to get a great fit with such limited sizing. Which is why I like making my own.
I started making GreenStyleEndurance Sports Bras this summer, and now have three, customized for my style. Funnily enough, none of them are made exactly per pattern directions with a front zipper and bound edges. What can I say? I’m no stranger to pattern hacking, and think it’s fun to try different looks by playing with a pattern.
The great thing about the Endurance bra pattern is that it has specific band and cup sizing. It’s designed to fit a full range of band sizes 28-40, and cup sizes B-H. You get a much better fit when you have cup size options! Speaking of fit, following the measurement chart is the best way to choose your size. My 32″ underbust (ribcage) measurement put me in a 32 band, and my full bust measurement put me in the E cup. The band is a good fit, but I neglected to take into account that the pattern cup pieces are intended to fit over bra foam pieces formed into cups, and I was not using the bra foam layer. So, the 32E sports bra fits, but it’s not snug. I don’t know about you, but I like my sports bras to fit snugly.
It’s still super cute, and I wear it all the time, but I knew that a 32D would fit better, at least with the way that I hack the pattern to use powernet basted to the wrong side of the main fabric, rather than using bra foam. So I made my second Endurance in a 32D.
As you may have noticed, beyond hacking the pattern to not use foam, binding, or a zipper, I also changed the straps. Rather than using the all one piece upper cup and strap, I trimmed the strap off about 3/8″ above where the strap starts. Since my bust is fuller at the bottom than the top, I also trimmed back the curve at the armscye.
I don’t show full pattern pieces out of respect for pattern designers hard work, but you can see where I trimmed off the strap and trimmed back the upper portion of the upper cup piece.
I thought it would be fun to have double straps, so I made straps out of 1-1/2 wide strips of fabric folded in half right sides together, zig-zagging over 3/8″ wide knit elastic that was aligned with the raw edge of the fabric, so that the zig just goes off the edge of the elastic and into the middle of the fabric, with the zag into the elastic, then turning the straps right side out and pressing.
The V and straight combination of straps is a unique look, along with providing additional support.
I basted two straps at center back, and placed the other two straps at 2-1/2″ away. After sewing the main and lining together along the top edges (except at the strap opening) and turning right side out, I tried the bra on to judge strap lengths. The center V straps ended up about 15″ long, and the straight straps about 14″ long. The length you need may vary depending upon the stretchiness of your elastic. I threaded the two straps on each side through sliders because it looked cute, and to give a slight amount of adjustability.
Aren’t the sliders a fun touch? And aren’t I lucky to have such a great wingman to ride along with me as I skate?
For my second Endurance I used size 32D, and again just sewed the center front together rather than using a zipper. For this version I made straps with 1″ wide knit elastic threaded through them.
The 1″ wide straps give great support!
Instead of skating around the neighborhood like I usually do, we decided to check out a county trail system. It was a workout with the little hills and elevation changes, but fun to have a change of scenery and to see the bicyclists and walkers that use the trail.
The trail is paved, and there are benches along the side every so often. It does cross quite a few busy streets though, so there are 4 way stops. You really have to watch for cars because they have a tendency to do more of a “rolling stop” than a complete stop.
The straps are just crossed in the back for a typical X back look.
Florida sun is intense, so don’t forget the sunscreen!
My new outfit (because of course I *needed* another outfit for skating) is an upcyle. I used some old capri length leggings and a workout top that was too big, unpicking them to salvage the pretty fabric. Working with limited fabric means that you’re going to get a scrappy look, but I tried to get intentional with it.
I managed to get the GreenStyle Moxi bike shorts front and back pieces, along with the Endurance Sports Bra cup pieces out of the capris. The old waistband fabric wasn’t as tall as the Moxi waistband, so the bottom 2″ of waistband was cut from the old teal workout top. Using the teal for the band of the Endurance bra gave it a nice contrast. I had to dig into my stash to cut the lining layer of the bra, along with the side panels of the shorts. The pockets were cut from the mesh panel that was in the center back of the old top. Like I said, it’s a scrappy look!
Looking scrappy (and happy) because I got to skate.
I love the support the bra offers, and the fact that it can double as a swim top. The V and straight straps are my favorite, so I used them on this bra too.
It’s fun to provide entertainment value by trying to take photos with cars occasionally driving by! 🙂 All you can do is laugh when someone rolls down their window and says, “Looking good!”
Reverse triple coverstitching helped soften the look of the multiple fabrics and bring them together. Superior Threads Sergin’ General thread in teal was a great match to the fabrics.
Don’t be afraid to upcycle, to hack, to adjust, to experiment, and to play with patterns and fabric. I also encourage you to rollerskate for fun and exercise. Even if it’s been a while, you’ll pick it back up. And like anything else, the more you practice, the better you get.
The details: I’m wearing the GreenStyle Endurance Sports Bra and the bike shorts from the GreenStyle Moxi Shorts pattern in all these photos. The navy and turquoise floral print is Align 2 fabric from GreenStyle.
Both the turquoise and purple shorts are supplex from Phee Fabrics.
The swirly print fabric used for the X back bra was secondhand fabric so I don’t have any information on where it’s from.
You can make your own sports bra, and can customize it to fit your needs. It’s worth the sew! And a few more photos just because I have so many to share. 😉
Thank you for reading and sharing my love of creating, hacking, sewing, serging, great patterns, fabric, and making beautiful, well-fitting garments! ❤
The links to Greenstyle may be affiliate links, which means that at no extra cost to you, I may receive a few pennies if you purchase through my link. As always, I only give my honest opinion. After all, it is my blog, which represents me!
The timing of the new GreenStyle Briny Swim Top pattern test worked out perfectly with a scheduled trip to our daughter and son-in-law’s home. I make matching clothes for my granddaughters all the time, and they love it. They frequently ask to wear their matching dresses, tops, shorts, etc. But I very rarely get to match with my daughter because she lives so far away.
As soon as I saw the tester call, I sent a photo of the line drawing to my daughter and asked her if she wanted a cute new swim top. I knew that it was a style that she would look great in, and she loved the look. So matching swim tops it was!
My daughter is a smaller size than me, and has a smaller cup size, and the size D fits her perfectly! She chose to have the optional skinny strap, and thought that the bright blue nylon/spandex swim that I used as the lining fabric would be a cute contrast against the GreenStyle Align 2 Paradise print main fabric.
Isn’t she a beauty? Let me tell you, her inner beauty far outshines the outer. I am so blessed to have her as a daughter!
The crossed straps in the back highlights the fun contrast of the solid against the print, and the narrow versus wide fixed strap even better.
It’s such a cute pattern! Very on trend, and looks cute whether worn with swim bottoms or shorts. It’s so comfortable that she didn’t take it off after photos, and wore it for the rest of the day. She threw a white sheer mesh top over it, slid on a pair of pants, and wore it out for date night that evening. I should have grabbed a photo of her, but I was trying to give the girls their baths and ready for bed so that she and her husband could get out the door.
As I have a fuller bust, I made the size E with the darted bust option. Since I knew that I would be sewing while visiting, I had to pack up my serger and fabrics and attempt to sew during quiet times. Let me tell you, when you have very active three and five year old granddaughters who want to play all the time, (well, other than when they are asking for food :-)) there is no quiet time! Hahahahahaha! I don’t know how all you Mama’s with little ones do it.
I took the girls on lots of stroller strolls, visits to the playground and pool, played dress-up, built with magna-tiles, played with stuffies, played pet shop (where the girls pretended to be snow leopards, clouded leopards, cheetahs, pink kitties, puppies, etc. and I would “buy” them as my pets. They were super cheap, sometimes $3, and sometimes $5. It was hilarious! I had to pretend to pay for them (with a beep on the imaginary POS system), and could then open the imaginary cage doors (squeak) and go in and play with whatever animals they were being at the time.)
The darted front (FBA) bodice is the right choice for me size wise. Rather than just relying on compression and a bit of shaping, the dart gives more room, support and shaping for a fuller bust. I’d get even more support from the compression of powernet, which is something that I always use in sports bras, workout and swim tops. However, when packing for our road trip, I neglected to put it in my bag of fabric, notions, thread, and sewing supplies. 😦 whomp, whomp.
It’s such a cute top however, that I’ll likely go through the trouble of seam ripping it, and add a layer of powernet to the wrong side of the main fabric so that I can feel more supported when wearing my Briny as a sports bra for roller skating.
I added the optional strap to mine, and with a heavier bust, I chose to make my strap have a finished width of 5/8″, a little wider than than the pattern calls for. Surprisingly though, I think that if using powernet in the top, I would feel comfortable even without the extra strap. I guess I’ll just have to make another one, and check it out. 😉
I think the top looks great worn with my favorite GreenStyle Moxi Shorts bike shorts (the compression under layer to the loose shorts.)
If you ever have the opportunity to make matching clothes with your adult child(ren) and have a photo shoot, I highly recommend that you do it! It’s fun, you get the chance to be awkward and silly posing together, and you’re wrapping your child in a handmade hug. ❤
I swear my leg was higher than this! We only did warrior III because she said she couldn’t do a yoga toe hold. I think she can, especially if we held on to each other. 🙂
Hugging my girl in the cute handmade hug I made for her.
Since I’d never traveled with my sewing before, here are my best tips: pack your serger or sewing machine in it’s original box, so that it can be safely cushioned by the styrofoam and original packing materials. I brought my Babylock Triumph (combination serger and coverstitch machine) with me, and there is no way I would have done it without it being in the original box. Our car was completely full with not only suitcases, our cooler and bin of snacks, our pillows, and a small blanket, but a coffee maker, car seat, and our daughters order from Ikea as she doesn’t have one near her.
It’s a 13 hour drive, so a cooler with water, sliced veggies, and fruit is essential. Especially since I have food allergies, and can’t just stop anywhere and safely eat. My serger was safely tucked in the back, all snug and secure in its box.
Bring all the fabric (double checking that you have powernet if you’re going to need it!), thread in matching colors, elastic, and any sewing notions you may need. You can’t count on whatever local sewing or big box stores to have what you want in stock. Try to have your patterns printed out, and traced in the needed sizes. When you’re doing a pattern test, that’s a little challenging because there is likely going to be an updated version of the pattern before finals. If where you’re staying doesn’t have a printer, check out the local options for printing your patterns. Other than that, just enjoy and go with the flow. Traveling and visiting people you love is fun. And while things may not always work out as planned, enjoy those little moments and memories, and listen for every “Grandma, I love you” and take every snuggle and hug that comes your way.
Thank you for reading and sharing my love of creating, sewing, serging, great patterns, fabric, and making beautiful, well-fitting garments! ❤
The links to Greenstyle may be affiliate links, which means that at no extra cost to you, I may receive a few pennies if you purchase through my link. As always, I only give my honest opinion. After all, it is my blog, which represents me!
It’s a dress, crop, top, cami, and corset style top all in one
Sometimes a pattern testing call just speaks to you, so you apply and hope to get chosen for testing. I’ve never tested for Ragamuffin Patterns before, and was excited about testing for them. I’ve got to say, Jennifer was super easy to test for. She was very open to all comments on or questions about the pattern pieces, construction, and how everything fit all the testers.
One of the main reasons I was drawn to the Princess Party Dress was the cup size options and the flattering shaping they provide. Whether you have an A or an E (or larger) sewing cup size, having cup shaping that fits your body means you’ll get the most customized and flattering fit.
To ensure proper sizing, testing started with a cami top. My measurements put me in a size Large E cup. I graded out to an XL from waist to hips because I was making the classic length and using rayon/spandex, and didn’t want the back to ride up. Fabric will always choose the path of least resistance, and if it’s too snug across the hips, it will ride up towards a narrower part of the body.
My cup sizing was spot on, and the E cup size fit well.
The cup shaping is so flattering, and the straps are perfectly placed to hide my bra straps. Since I was using a somewhat lighter weight rayon/spandex which doesn’t have as much rebound/recovery as say a nylon spandex swim fabric, I reinforced my straps with elastic.
Obviously I could have done a better job of pressing the hem before taking photos. Yikes! 🙂
Since I knew that the size Large in an E cup fit, I was ready to sew my dress. I contemplated whether to do the princess seaming on the bodice, along with the seamed cups. After a bit of dithering, I decided that with a printed fabric the simple bodice would look best, especially since I planned to accent the cups, straps, and hem with coverstitching in a contrasting color.
I thought that my turquoise coverstitching was quite bold, but it doesn’t look like it in this photo!
One of the best things about sewing your own clothes is that you can adjust things to fit your unique body. For instance, I am longer than average from shoulder to bust point, so I made my straps 14″ long. For being taller than average, I am a bit short-waisted. I tried on my bodice before adding the skirt, and ended up taking 1″ off the bodice in the front, tapering up to 1-1/4″ at the side seams, and up to 1-5/8″ off at center back. I love customizing clothes for a perfect fit, it’s just so satisfying!
Who can resist twirling in a circle skirt? ❤
Since I’m tall, and wanted to ensure that the knee length dress actually ended up at the top of my knees, I cut the waist at my size large, but cut the hem at P2 length, which ended up perfect! It’s long enough for modesty, but short enough to be fun and flirty. Here’s my favorite tip for hemming a circle skirt: serge the raw hem with the differential turned up to 1.5. This will slightly gather the bottom so that when you turn it under to hem, it will lay nice and flat for you.
It’s a perfect summer dress, and I wore it to a party that weekend. The nylon/spandex swim fabric from Ragamuffin Fabrics is breathable, comfortable, and perfect for a fun, swishy dress.
I’m very happy with my new Princess Party Dress. It fits well, it’s a flattering silhouette, and with cup sizing, it lays smoothly over the bust, with no wrinkles or pulling. Yay!
Patterns with plenty of options really make me feel like I’m getting my money’s worth. The Princess Party Dress pattern includes a simple cami, cami with three piece cups (with or without princess seam panels), a lace-up corset style option (with front or back lacing), narrow, wide, or tied straps, cami lengths from crop to classic, and peplum, mini, or knee length skirts for the dress option. Whew! I hope I’m remembering everything.
Sorry for the crooked photo of the graphic of the options. I’m traveling this week, so I’ve got to work with what I’ve got!
I’ve worn the dress and the cami a couple of times now, and am very happy I made them. They are comfortable and cute additions to my wardrobe whether I’m taking my granddaughters for a stroller stroll, attending a party, or walking the beach.
I’m pretty discerning when it comes to pattern testing, and only test when a pattern looks like something that would get a lot of wear. When I saw the tester call for the Stitch Upon A Time Spellbound Bra and Dress, I applied right away. That criss cross back is exactly what I’ve been looking for!
When you’re a bit busty, you’ve got to love a pattern that has cup sizes. Seriously! There don’t seem to be many designers in the .pdf (or paper) pattern world that include multiple cup sizes. Including cup sizes makes a pattern fit so much better. The Spellbound includes sizes XXS to 6X, along with cup sizes A-G (determined by the difference between your full bust and upper bust). Per the measurement chart, I made a size small D cup. The size chart on this is spot on, and did not require any grading. The strap lengths were perfect (which seems amazing to me because obviously there is a lot of math involved to get all five strap pieces the proper length for each size).
Although it is a shelf bra and relies upon compression, I feel quite comfortable with the amount of support. If you wanted to, I suppose you could add bra cups during construction, but I don’t feel the need to do so. This is coming from a girl whose regular bras have underwires, so that is saying something!
Pretty and supportive!
There are usually changes and updates during testing, which is kind of the point. A designer wants to ensure a great fit on real bodies in a wide range of body shapes and sizes. A higher neckline option was added for anyone that prefers a little more coverage. Another tester and I commented that we wanted to hack the bra into a dress, and Kelly (the designer) made that happen!
Why does it always seem to be windy when I try to take photos of a new make?
Having this bra pattern turn into dress just makes me so happy! I love, love, love it! The half circle skirt is swishy, but not too full. It’s super easy to get dressed for the day when you can wear a dress with a built-in bra. The knee-length option hits in just the right place, even on a taller girl like me.
I know some people get frustrated when trying to hem a knit skirt with a curved hem, but here’s my not-so-secret tip to make it easy: serge around the raw hem of the skirt with a 4 thread overlock with a stitch width of M, stitch length of 2, and up the differential to 1.5. This will slightly gather the hem, curling it up, which helps it to lay flat to hem. Then I like to pin up a 5/8″ hem and coverstitch it. It turns out perfect every time. Make sure to follow up with a nice press for a professional finish.
The criss-cross straps show just enough skin to look and feel sexy. Combined with the supportive front, it’s definitely a confidence boosting look for me.
Obviously one dress wasn’t enough for me, 😉 so I’ve already made two. I’m contemplating over what fabric I should try next. The turquoise dress is a nylon spandex tricot (swim) fabric. The purple dress is a nylon spandex circular knit. Both fabrics were purchased from Phee Fabrics a while back, so I don’t know if these particular colors are still in stock. It’s important to use fabric with good stretch and recovery (rebound factor) so that the bra fits well and stays somewhat firmly against the body. If you have a larger cup size, I also recommend using powernet. Though it is optional, I like the extra bust support it provides.
No matter how far forward I lean, I still feel supported.
I can wear my dresses to walk the beach, or go to the grocery store, or out to dinner. (If it’s at a restaurant that has gluten and dairy free food that’s safe for me to eat!) which is quite the challenge for me. My journey of food allergies deserve a discussion of their own on Sew Beach Life, and will probably be my next post.
The Spellbound Bra and Dress is flattering whether I’m sitting or standing. Even on a windy day! 🙂 There is a peplum top cut line on the skirt that will turn the bra into a cute, casual top. But I go to yoga class four days a week, and a flowy top isn’t practical for forward folds and headstands! 🙂
If you follow my page, you know that I can never leave a pattern well enough alone. Especially a pattern that I love as much as this one! So I had to turn this bra into a workout top. I mashed it with the Versa Cami and came up with something fun.
I wanted the front to be one piece, without a seam between the bra and body of the top. The back of course, has to have a seam.
To get the front pattern piece, I lined up the front of the Spellbound at the lining cut line with the front of the Versa Cami at the shorten or lengthen here line on the pattern piece. Once I traced down to the bottom of the bra front piece, I started grading out for my hips. My grading went from small to large, and I removed one inch from the small length and large width at the hemline.
To get the back pattern piece, I started at the shorten or lengthen here line on the Versa Cami, and graded out for my hips. Originally, I just went straight across and cut on the shorten/lengthen line. But after sewing it up, I realized that the straight line gave me too much fabric at center back, and didn’t show the same amount of skin that the dresses show in that area. So I refined the pattern piece and used the curve from hem of the Spellbound skirt at the top of my back piece. In hindsight, I’ll probably just use the top curve of the skirt for the top curve of my top on the next one. My grading went from small to large, and I used the small length and large width at the hemline. You may be wondering why I shortened the front piece an inch but not the back. Two reasons: I like my workout tops to hit at hip level (the Versa is a bit longer than that); and because the back has a 1/2″ seam whereas the front doesn’t.
The pattern pieces I created to hack the bra into a workout top.
As always, I don’t show full pattern pieces out of respect for the designers hard work in creating a pattern. But I am showing enough for you to see the smooth curves of my grading. The front pattern piece is on the left, and the back pattern piece is on the right. A French curve ruler is a very helpful tool for grading and adjusting pattern pieces.
I wear my workout top to skate around the neighborhood as well as to yoga class.
The top is sewn together by following the tutorial for the Spellbound bra up to the point of hemming, except for one thing. When sewing the bra front (turned into a workout top) piece to the bra side piece, don’t sew all the way to the bottom of the side piece. Stop 1/2″ from the bottom to leave yourself fabric for the back seam. Then snip tobut not through the stitching line. This will allow you to press the seam toward the back and top or coverstitch as per the tutorial. You’ll sew the bra lining front and side pieces together as per normal.
I changed the construction of the Spellbound bra lining piece a tiny bit to suit my preferences. I am longer than average from shoulder to bust point and needed to add 5/8″ in order for the elastic to land in the perfect spot under my bust. Although a higher cut line was added to the pattern, my unique body shape requires the elastic lower because I needed the entire bra to slide up, not just add height at the front. This is a common alteration I have to make on a lot of tops and dresses, not just this specific pattern. Just one more reason that I sew- I can make clothing that fits my body. Because I don’t like elastic touching my bare skin, I added another inch so that I could flip the elastic up and have fabric against my skin.
I cut my powernet at the original lining and powernet cut line and the bra main fabric is cut at the original bra cut line. The bra lining is the only piece that I lengthen.
As per the tutorial I basted the powernet to the wrong side of the lining piece. Here’s where I go rogue from the pattern tutorial: I serge the elastic to the wrong side of the lining, then flip it up to fully encase the elastic. Use plenty of pins to hold the elastic in place and coverstitch.
Notice how the serged elastic overlaps the bottom of the basted-in-place powernet?
After top or coverstitching the edge of the elastic in place, remove the basting stitches along the bottom of the powernet. I purposely don’t lengthen the powernet to the same length as the lining because I don’t want the bulk and stiffness of the powernet in the enclosed elastic. It just needs to be long enough to get caught in the topstitching.
My other tip involves the straps. Once you’ve threaded the elastic through the straps, zig zag both ends of the straps to ensure that the elastic stays aligned with the ends of the straps.
You’ll notice how helpful the zig zag basting is when you are pulling the top straps through the bra, and when you’re criss-crossing, pinning, and stitching all the straps at the back.
Here’s how the straps on the workout top hack look once they’re stitched in place.
There are a couple of things to notice in the photo above. First is the clean finish of the enclosed elastic on the liner if you choose to go rogue like I do. The second item of note is the snip on the side seam that will allow the back bottom piece I made be stitched in place.
I add 3/8″ knit elastic along the top of the back workout top or skirt piece. I don’t take the elastic all the way to the side seams, because I don’t want bulky seams. It’s just there to give a little stability to the top of the back of the skirt or workout top bottom back piece. Once the seam connecting the bra to the skirt or workout top back bottom is complete, I fold the elastic down, pin it in place and coverstitch it.
Coverstitching is probably trickier than topstitching in this small area, but I’m so used to working with my machine (I coverstitch a lot) that it isn’t a big deal to me. Either method works and will give nice results.
After that it’s just pinning and stitching the bottom half of the side seam and hemming your new top! You can wear it to the gym, to yoga class, or to skate around your neighborhood.
Even though I skate on a somewhat regular basis, it’s hard to keep from rolling when you’re trying to get photos on the slope of a bridge!
In case you’re wondering what capri length leggings I’m wearing, they are the Stitch Upon A Time Legend Leggings, posted about here. They’re getting a little too big, but I still like them. I should take them apart and make them in a smaller size.
Trying to get nice photos on the beach on a super windy day when it’s not even 60 degrees F makes for some interesting shots!
Luckily the next day was warmer and I got to go for a little skate around the neighborhood.
Whether you make the Spellbound bra, peplum top, or dress version, or play around with my idea of a Versa Cami hack, I’m pretty certain that you are going to love this pattern as much as I do!
Thank you for reading and sharing my love of creating, sewing, serging, great patterns, pattern hacking, fabric, and making beautiful, well-fitting garments! ❤
The links to Stitch Upon A Time may be affiliate links, which means that at no extra cost to you, I may receive a few pennies if you purchase through my link. As always, I only give my honest opinion. After all, it is my blog, which represents me!
Sew Beach Life 