Who can resist a fun new sports bra? Especially with options for a super cute infinity, twist, or simple back design. I am all over trying new sports bra patterns, and the infinity strap design is just so unique and fun.
I don’t limit myself when it comes to wearing sports bras. They get worn to the gym, as a swim top at the beach and in the pool, and for everyday wear. They also get worn with shorts when I skate around my neighborhood, because that is #floridalife. 🙂
The Delphi Sports Bra pattern calls for athletic fabric. I used nylon/spandex Supplex and nylon/spandex Align 2 for my two bras. You could add powernet if you wanted, but I found that the compression and firmer rebound of Supplex and Align 2 were adequate for me. (For reference, I wear and buy a size 32D bra at Soma.)
I wore one of my freshly made bras all day yesterday and it was super comfortable. The straps stay in place, and the neckline depth is perfect. It’s high enough to be supportive, but low enough to not show under a scoop or V-neck top.
You can use 3/8″ or 1/2″ elastic in the straps. Although the pattern calls for 1-1/2″ or 2″ elastic in the band, because I am rather short-waisted (which seems weird for a tall girl, right?) I chose to use 1″ elastic in my band. Of course that meant adjusting my band height to 2-7/8″, but I love being able to personalize a pattern to fit my body. That’s one of the reasons that I sew my own clothes.
Greenstyle has once again nailed it on a fun, great-fitting, well-designed pattern with the Delphi Sports Bra. It doesn’t take a huge amount of fabric, and can be worn with shorts, skirts, leggings, and under your favorite top. Sizing ranges from 32″ to 61″ at the full bust. If you need it, there are 2″ and 4″ full bust adjustment pattern pieces for the front.
The details:
The Delphi Sports Bra pattern is one of the many awesome patterns by Greenstyle. I had some plum Supplex from Phee Fabrics in my stash for the first Delphi Bra I made. The teal Align 2 for my second bra was purchased from Greenstyle a while back. Although this particular color is no longer available, they have lots of pretty colors in stock. I also recommend the Signature fabric line, which is another high quality nylon/spandex athletic fabric.
For reference, I made a size C1 with the plum supplex. For the second bra, I again used size C1, but cut the front in size B2 width (keeping the C1 length), which feels more comfortable for my shoulder width and at the armscye. I dislike anything being too close in the armscye, and this combination works perfectly for me.
I can’t remember which pattern I used for the swim bottoms, but the Delphi Sports Bra is also shown worn with the Windward Shorts and Tidal Skirt, blogged here and here.
I purchased my 1/2″ and 1″ knit elastic at Wawak, along with the Maxi-Lock serger thread. There are steps in the pattern that I highly recommend using your sewing machine to stitch, such as the side seams, and attaching the back infinity straps. It’s also important to trim those seams to reduce bulk and help them lay more smoothly when turned out to the right side. I drive a Bernina sewing machine and LOVE it! Other seams and the cover-stitching on the straps were done on my Babylock Triumph, which I also love.
I cannot stress strongly enough how much easier and more fun it is to sew when you use high quality patterns, fabrics, and machines. It isn’t that you can’t sew with a cheaper machine, because I sewed for decades on much, much less expensive machines. But once I had saved enough money to purchase my current machines, I really feel like the quality of my work, and ease of sewing (due to less frustration with machine capacity, bobbin struggles, lack of foot height, and motor strength) has greatly improved.
Thank you for reading and sharing my love of patterns, sewing, fabric, and cute sports bras! 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! ❤
I like to challenge myself once in a while by making something totally different than what I usually sew. Greenstyle was testing the new Sydney Bag, so I signed up to test it. I’ve never made a “real” bag before. I’ve made a few lined tote bags, just making up my own patterns. But they were simple rectangles with pockets. Here was a real pattern with zippers, inner and outer pockets, and an adjustable strap.
I felt a bit intimidated, simply because it was so completely different than what I was familiar with. Don’t let the number of pattern pieces scare you. It just seems like a lot because there are outer main fabric, inner lining, and interfacing pieces.
No matter how many layers there were, I knew that my Bernina would have no problem sewing them all. It is truly the most fabulous sewing machine I have ever owned. If you’re ready to move beyond a basic model sewing machine, I recommend going to your local Bernina dealer and checking them out. It’s like driving a luxury car, once you’ve driven one, you can never go back to a “basic” model! 😉
The Sydney Bag tutorial walks you through every step whether you’re a beginner bag-maker like me, or you’ve made dozens of bags. There are two sizes: small and medium, I chose small for both of my bags, but I’m here to tell you that they are not tiny. They’re just the perfect size to hold all the things.
The shape is fun, and gives you so much space for all the things.
I used upholstery fabric for the main outer pieces of both my Sydney Bags, and quilting cotton for the lining. The pattern calls for 1-1/2″ wide webbing for the strap. You can get polypropelene webbing in all manner of colors, but I don’t care for the “plastic like” feel of of polypropelene, so I used cotton webbing. I also ordered nylon webbing in black for future bags. It feels similar to the cotton webbing.
Something to keep in mind about cotton and nylon webbing is that you will need to turn the raw edge under twice and stitch it. Whereas you can simply melt the edges of polypropelene. The pattern calls for a yard and a half of webbing for the strap, and I used it on the coral print bag. Even when worn as a crossbody bag by this tall girl, it is longer than necessary. So when I made the leaf print bag, I made it 9″ shorter.
Cutting the webbing 9″ shorter than the pattern called for still gave me plenty of length to wear the bag as a cross-body.
Along with the zipped exterior pocket, there’s an internal pocket. The pattern calls for stitching the internal pocket down the center, making two pockets. I went rogue and added another line of stitching 1-1/2″ from the center line to make a space for a pen or pencil. I don’t like having to dig around when I need a pen, and just adding a second line of stitching customized the pocket for my needs.
My pen stays perfectly in place, and is easy to access.
The pattern calls for the zipper pulls to be on the left when you are looking at the exterior pocket. And I followed the tutorial on my first bag.
Zipper pulls are on the left when closed.
When I carry a bag, I like the strap adjustment to be in the front for security sake. I also like my zipper pulls to the front for the same reason. Since I carry my bags over my right shoulder, this means I like my zipper pulls on the right hand side.
When making the leaf print bag, I simply reversed the direction the pull end of the zipper was facing when following the tutorial. This means I pull the zippers from the front to the back when opening while carrying. Either way works fine, just pay attention during construction if you plan to switch it around like I did.
You can fit so much stuff in the Sydney bag. I’ll be traveling next month and I’m excited that I’ll have no problem carrying my phone, wallet, tissues, lens wipes for my glasses, lip balm, lip gloss, a ponytail holder, hand sanitizer, hand lotion, a book, gluten and dairy free snacks, and a water bottle, leaving my hands free to lug a suitcase and perhaps hold my cardigan if I get too warm while waiting in line at the airport.
I finished up my first bag while my daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughters were visiting. My daughter and granddaughters liked it, and the eldest granddaughter wanted to pose holding it.
She doesn’t need to carry a purse yet, but doesn’t she look adorable?
One of the funnest parts of sewing is choosing fabrics and notions. If you’re already a bag-maker, you probably have several sources for fun hardware. I wanted a quick turn-around and knew that Wawak ships quickly. So I ordered my zippers and hardware from them. I love the fun rose gold rectangle ring and adjustable slider buckle on the coral print bag. I went with simple white zippers so that the fabric and hardware would stand out.
I went for a pop of color and used light green zippers on the second bag. I love the rainbow finished hardware and think it’s so cool how the colors change from purple, blue, and turquoise to pink, green, and rose gold. So I used a rainbow rectangle ring and adjustable slider buckle on the leaf print bag, as well as adding a cute rainbow finish “Handmade” label bar tag to the upper pocket flap.
I took my time centering it on the upper flap to ensure that it wouldn’t be in the way of any stitching. Speaking of stitching, I love how close I can get to the edge when top-stitching just by adjusting the needle position on my machine. It’s those added features that make a high end machine so helpful when sewing.
Don’t get me wrong, you can make this bag on even the most basic machine. I’ve sewn many, many garments and a couple of tote bags on my inexpensive Brother machine. I’m just still excited about having a nice machine even though it’s been a year and a half since I got it. My best tips are to use a fresh needle in the proper size for your fabric (I went with a size 90/14 needle since my fabric was thicker and a bit stiff) and to follow the tutorial, looking at the illustrations carefully if you get confused. They are very helpful.
My final tip is this: DON’T BE AFRAID TO CHALLENGE YOURSELF AND TRY SOMETHING NEW AND DIFFERENT! My second bag went much more quickly than the first because I felt confident in what I was doing. I’ve sewn literally hundreds of garments, so it’s weird that I let myself feel intimidated about sewing a bag pattern. It’s like anything else, the more you do it, the better you get at it. I absolutely will make this pattern again, and won’t be afraid to tackle other bag patterns.
The bottom gusset can be cut as one piece or two. The two-piece option is perfect when your fabric print is directional. All the leaves are upright using the two-piece method.
The details:
The new Sydney Bag pattern from Greenstyle is great! Both my bags were made with upholstery fabric and quilting cotton from my stash. All hardware and notions were purchased from Wawak. (Don’t forget to order washable basting tape, as it’s a big help when installing zippers!)
The blue dress I’m wearing is the Savannah Dress, which you can read more about here.
The links to GreenStylemay be affiliate links (if I did them properly!) which means that I may earn a few pennies if you use my links to purchase, without it costing you anything extra. Since this is my blog and represents me, I always give my honest opinion about any patterns or supplies that I talk about. I hope that the time I spend writing posts and sharing sewing tips interests people enough that they take a look at the patterns I review. I write to share my love of sewing, patterns, fabric, and supplies, and hope that it encourages others to love sewing as much as I do! ❤ Try something new and maybe challenge yourself a little bit today.
Who doesn’t love a pattern with multiple uses and lots of options? While originally designed as a swim cover up (like the Ripskirt Hawaii), I wear my Tidal skirts for daily use. With 14″, 16″ or 18″ length options, you can go as short as you dare! The pockets are deep enough to safely hold your phone or stash your cards, ID, or a house key.
It’s a fun wrap skirt with godets in the back and a contoured waistband for a perfect fit. The pattern tutorial calls for Velcro closures, but you could use buttons or snaps if you prefer. I chose Velcro, and found Sleek & Thin sew on low profile fastener at Michael’s. It truly is sleek and thin, and is so soft that you could use it for children’s clothing. Even the “hook” side of this variety of hook and loop fastener isn’t scratchy at all. I was surprised and impressed at how different it is from the industrial version.
It’s easy to put on or take off the skirt:
And just like that, you’re ready to lounge in the sun, or go for a swim! You’ve got modesty for walking to the beach or pool, and can quickly prep for beach time. It’s simple to slip back on if you’re going out to dinner or walking the neighborhood.
I love the clean finish on the inside of these woven skirts, which is achieved by serging the raw edges of the seams, and top-stitching with a coverstitch. I chose to sew each 3/8″ seam with my sewing machine, then serge the raw edge with a stitch length of 2-2.25 and a stitch width of M without cutting off any of the seam allowance. The seams were pressed in the appropriate directions as per the pattern tutorial, and top-stitched with a wide coverstitch.
I generally use a narrow coverstitch with the needles in C2 and C3 when hemming or wanting a subtle look. But with the fun angles and seams of the Tidal Skirt, I wanted to try the bolder look of a wide coverstitch (with needles in C1 and C3) and accented every single seam!
See how carefully I mirrored each pattern piece on the ombre fabric? I love how the wide coverstitch really pops on all of the seams!
Here are a few tips to make sewing the Tidal Skirt even easier:
When attaching the inner pocket to the outer pocket, I find it helpful to slide my quilting ruler between the pocket pieces and the skirt so that when pinning the curved section of the pocket pieces I can’t accidentally pin into the skirt front.
Ignore the glare of the overhead light fixture reflecting in my ruler, but smile with me at the knowledge that I have a nice bright light fixture to help me see to sew.
To help “tame” the curves when pressing up the hem of the skirt or the bottom of the inner waistband, turn the differential on your serger up to 1.3 (or even 1.5 depending on how deep the curve) and serge the raw edge of the fabric. This will slightly gather it so that when it’s pressed up, the fabric will lay smoothly.
See how smoothly the pressed up hem lays?
The pattern tutorial has you attach the Velcro by sewing through both layers of the waistband. It’s the simplest way to do so. But the perfectionist in me didn’t want to see those stitch lines on the outer waistband. I wanted the Velcro completely hidden. As per the tutorial I attached the outer waistband to the skirt. Then I attached the inner waistband to the outer waistband along the top seam, but I did not sew the short sides at that time. I tried the skirt on, and carefully marked where the Velcro needed to go with pins. (The pattern piece has markings, but it’s always good to try on and adjust placement if needed.) I folded the waistband open so that I could attach the Velcro through the single layer of either the inner or outer waistband. At that point I folded the waistband back down right sides together and stitched the two short edges. Then it’s back to the tutorial and turning right sides out, pressing, and stitching in the ditch.
*Note: it is very important that you top-stitch or coverstitch all the way around your waistband if you use my method to attach the Velcro as it adds the needed stability.
The Tidal Skirt pattern by Greenstyle uses their new, updated size chart that includes sizes A1 through M3 with waist measurements from 24″-53″ and hips from 33″-62″ so it’s very size inclusive.
The details:
I made size D1 and love that the Tidal Skirt can be made with quilting cotton. I don’t own many woven garment patterns that recommend quilting cotton, so this is a great way to use a fun print or some fabric that’s been languishing in your stash for far, far too long…
This teal print may be 27 years old, but it worked perfectly for this pattern!
There is a bit of purple in the teal print, so I chose to accent it by coverstitching with MaxiLock thread from Wawak in orchid. I wore my teal skirt with a Bobby Brami, which you can read more about here.
The purple ombre cotton print came from my local(ish) quilt and sewing machine shop in Tampa a couple of years ago. I used Sergin’ General from Superior Threads in periwinkle to serge and coverstitch it. I wore my purple skirt with a slightly hacked Endurance Sports Bra (made with Greenstyle fabric), which you can read more about here. I’ve also worn it with an Azure Tank, shared here.
The links to GreenStylemay be affiliate links (if I did them properly!) which means that I may earn a few pennies if you use my links to purchase, 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 hope that the time I spend writing posts and sharing sewing tips interests people enough that they take a look at the patterns I review. I write to share my love of sewing, patterns, and fabric, and hope that it encourages others to love sewing as much as I do! ❤
I love versatile patterns, and the new Bobby Brami pattern from GreenStyle does not disappoint! It makes for super comfortable pajamas when paired with the Billie Shorts. You can lounge all day, clean house, sew, read, do laundry, and snuggle your cat, all while feeling cozy, yet cool.
I love the way he curls his tail around me when I hold him. He loves being held up on my shoulder like a baby.
I interrupted his nap for some kitty snuggles.
But the Bobby Brami isn’t just for lounging. I wear mine out and about while running errands, taking a walk on the beach, and while skating. Fabric choice makes a little bit of difference on which top I’ll choose. All of my Bobby Brami shelf bras are made with high quality nylon/spandex swim or athletic knit. I didn’t even bother using power knit as an additional layer, because the shape of the pattern pieces gives me adequate support. The coral floral print and bright green main layer (and Billie Shorts) sets are rayon/spandex. They are soft and cozy.
It’s been chilly here in Florida, but it finally warmed up enough for me to skate again. When it finally hit the mid sixties, I wore the coral floral Bobby with some Moxi bike shorts to skate.
Some of the side streets have been repaved and they are so much smoother and nicer to skate on.
You’ve just got to pause and have some fun when you get to the top of a little bridge!
As much as I love rayon/spandex, I’m unlikely to wear it while doing a sweaty workout. On those 90 degree days, I’ll reach for the nylon/spandex athletic fabric tops, like my palm leaf print or solid white versions.
When pattern testing, I like to take fresh measurements just to make sure I’m choosing the correct size(s). Garments fit best when you start with your upper bust measurement to get a good fit at the shoulders. Then you can grade for the full bust, waist, and hips. My upper bust is a size D, and my full bust is on the outer edge of D. My waist and hips are size F. So my pattern is graded from D to F starting below the bust. After making the first test version, I realized that my bust projection made the front of my top a smidge too short. But I don’t measure into or need the +2″ or +4″ FBA front pattern pieces. What I do need is a little bit of extra length at the center front. So I reshaped the hem similar to the hem on the FBA front of the Azure top shared here. Adding 3/4″ at center front, gently curving up to nothing at the sides made a world of difference.
See how evenly the hem sits? It’s the same length all around instead of riding up in the front.
I upcycled the pretty palm leaf print fabric from a now too large tunic top (shared here) for my third Bobby Brami. Because it has a higher percentage of spandex and would be more form-fitting and less drapey, I experimented with adding 1/2″ to the length of both the (previously adjusted) front and back of the top. I’m super happy with the results!
This top is so comfortable and supportive, I don’t even have to think about adjusting or pulling on it. Carefree clothing is the best!
The slim fit of the pattern and quality of the nylon/spandex fabric kept the top firmly in place even when doing cartwheels.
All four of my Bobby Brami’s have the V-neck front, U-back, and are the (longest) high hip length. Some may think that’s boring, but I like what I like! 😉 There are a lot of options: high neck, U-neck, and V-neck fronts; and high neck, U-neck, and V-neck backs, which can be mixed and matched; along with bra length, waist crop, and high hip lengths. They can be worn with shorts, leggings, and skirts, like the Paseo Skirt shared here.
I love the just the right amount of coverage of the soft V-neck.
The Billie Shorts have three length options from boy shorts to the longest length, which is what I made. There’s also a lengthen/shorten line if you need to adjust the rise.
I like the longer length, and if you’re someone who experiences “chub rub”, I can foresee these being made in a nylon/spandex to be both smoothing and to protect the inner thighs. I know someone who would probably really appreciate if I made her a pair or two, as this is the style that she likes, and struggles to find in her size. Speaking of size, these patterns come in sizes B-M, which range from a full bust of 30″-61″ and a hip of 32″-62″.
If you choose to make Billie Shorts as a smoothing layer to wear under scrubs or clothes, you’ll be happy to note that there is a liner pattern piece that should be made out of cotton/spandex, bamboo/spandex, rayon/spandex or other breathable fiber. Alternatively, you could just cut a second center front piece so that the full center is lined.
A freshly sewn burrito rolled main top and shelf bra may not look like much before it’s pressed, but when it’s done, you can’t help but admire the clean finish!
One of the sewing techniques used on the Bobby Brami is the burrito roll. Don’t let the idea of it intimidate you. It really is just rolling from one side over to the other armscye, wrapping the right sides around the rolled up fabric, and pinning, then sewing them together. When you pull the fabric out after stitching, it’s amazing to see the clean finish of your garment.
Have I mentioned lately that I love the coverstitch feature on my Triumph? It makes hemming and finishing elastic bra and waistbands so quick and easy!
Though it is a rather soft V (due to the negative ease of the pattern) the V-neck does come to a point. It can be tricky to navigate exactly where to stop and pivot your fabric. I like to use a disappearing fabric marker to mark the center line of my V. Then I can stitch, keep the needle down, and pivot to stitch the other side of the V. I use a lightning bolt stitch for this, as this is a knit garment with a bit of compression. Once I’ve stitched the V, I clip down to but not through the stitching line. Then I can easily serge the neckline while adding the clear elastic to the seam. Once serged, I very carefully snip the elastic at the center of the V, trying not to snip any thread. This will help the fabric lay smoother at the V. I generally use my seam ripper to do this, as the tiny point can easily get in there to do the job.
It was easy to tell the front from the back at a glance as I made V-front and U-backs on my Bobby Brami’s. But I’m making a U-back and front for my daughter, as she prefers a slightly higher cut at the bust. To make life easier, I put a clip at the center back of the main and shelf bra pieces. A simple tip that can make things faster, easier, and avoid confusion when sewing.
Although the tutorial calls for adding clear elastic at both the neck and armscyes, I cannot stand anything tight or constricting in any way in my armpits. So I used clear elastic only on the neckline seam, feel like I have great support, and don’t feel the need for it around the arms.
Good support and a flattering fit? Yes, please!
I’m super happy with my new makes and will continue to get so much use out of them! It was nice to wear a new top to yoga class on Saturday because I do seem to be running out of workout wear and get tired of wearing the same five outfits week after week. I’m in love with these new patterns!
I had intended to add a video of my backbend to wide legged forward fold to headstand and back to wide legged forward fold, but WordPress wants me to upgrade (and pay more for) a premium plan in order to add videos. Lame. So no videos for me. 😦 But check out my new Liforme yoga mat! I bought the XL length during their holiday sale and love it! My previous Liforme mat lasted me for six plus years of doing yoga 3, 4, or 5 times a week.
I can’t be the only one that curls their legs up when sitting, right? 🙂
I love his sweet kitty face!
This is a summer uniform for me!
The links to GreenStylemay 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 hope that the time I spend writing posts and sharing sewing tips interests people enough that they take a look at the patterns I review. I write to share my love of sewing, patterns, and fabric, and hope that it encourages others to love sewing as much as I do! ❤
Greenstyle has been knocking it out of the park with new patterns, and the Azure Top and Dress is another winner! There are options galore with crew, scoop and V-necklines; narrow or wide tanks; cap, short, full, or long sleeves; crop, high hip, or low hip tops; and a super cute dress with elastic in the back for shaping.
When you make three tops and a dress, it’s a sure sign that you love a pattern! 🙂 My first make is a V-neck narrow tank in the high hip length. When I texted my daughter a photo to show her how cute it is, she said she “loves the modern length on me.” Hahahahahahahaha! Obviously I have not been wearing tops with a modern length! She’s not wrong. After losing some weight, most of my tanks and tops are big, baggy, and too long on me. So I really needed to make some new ones!
I love the V-neck, I love the drapiness of rayon spandex for this style, and the narrow tank width is perfect for my shoulder width.
Since those style choices worked so well the first time, my second make is another V-neck narrow tank in high hip length.
This green rayon spandex is a bit heavier weight than the cheetah print, and as usual for testing, the pattern was updated slightly to fit a little slimmer at the armscye and bust. This top may look a little snug at the bust, but it is super comfortable and will fit an average bust quite nicely.
All of my makes are a size E graded out to size F. My upper bust is 33″, which is the smallest end of size E. My full bust is 37″, the largest measurement for size E, so right on the edge of needing an FBA. Because Greenstyle is awesome, they include a +2″ FBA option in the pattern. 🙂
Which leads me to the third V-neck narrow tank in high hip length, made using the +2″ FBA front pattern piece. Along with a bit of width at the bust, the FBA adds length to the center front, which is super helpful for those of us with a lot of bust projection. Although I don’t mind the slightly high low look of my first two tanks, my FBA make has a more level hemline.
This tank is an upcycle made from an old RTW dress. Although the fabric is a polyester spandex (if you know or follow me, I’m not generally a fan of polyester) the print and colors were too fun for me to ignore.
Polyester spandex doesn’t have quite as nice a drape as rayon spandex, but it still works well for this pattern. I wore this outfit all day while playing with my granddaughters. The six year old and I went roller skating around the neighborhood and I was so comfortable that I didn’t even think about my clothes.
Photo courtesy of my six year old granddaughter.
I love that the “modern” 😉 high hip length keeps my belly covered even with arms raised overhead. One of these days I might try the crop length, because it would look super cute with a Paseo Skirt…
After seeing the cute Azure dresses during testing, it was impossible to not make one. The back elastic just gives it such pretty shaping.
The length is perfect! Short enough to be cool and breezy (because let’s face it- Florida is hot and humid for most of the year), but long enough to wear to Mass.
The back elastic not only provides shaping for the front of the dress, but helps it lay smoothly and comfortably against your back.
If you’re nervous about sewing an elastic casing on stretchy knit fabric, I’ve got great tips for you. First, make sure you mark your casing lines (on the wrong side of the fabric) with a high contrast color. I like using tracing paper and a tracing wheel. Then press up both long sides of the casing.
My (not so) secret weapon for keeping the casing from stretching or shifting out of place when sewing is Wash Away Wonder Tape.
Place a strip of Wash Away Wonder Tape along both pressed up edges of the casing. Flip the casing over so that the wrong side of the casing lines up with the marked lines on the wrong side of the dress back.
Start peeling the paper backing off the strip on the top edge of the casing, then use your hands to press it in place along the top marked line. Once the casing is perfectly aligned and pressed into place, do the same with the bottom edge.
My sweet kitty likes to be close by while I’m sewing. He lounges on a chair while I cut or do prep at the dining table, then follows me into the sewing studio when I sew. ❤
The Wash Away Wonder Tape will keep the casing perfectly in place for stitching. What you may have thought of as a challenging step becomes super easy, and you don’t even need to worry about using or pulling pins when you sew the casing in place!
Maybe this winter I’ll try a version with sleeves, but for now the V-neck and narrow tank options are perfect for both the top and dress.
My favorite fabric for both the tank and dress is of course rayon spandex, because I love that fabric blend for pretty much any knit tank, tee, or dress I make.
But I have to admit that the polyester spandex blend worked well too.
Whether you’re working, playing, walking through the woods or just stopping to smell the roses, the Azure Top and Dress will keep you comfortable on your journey.
The details: the Azure Top and Dress is a new pattern from GreenStyle Creations. It comes in sizes B-M (full bust of 30″ to 61″ and hips of 32″ to 62″) and has options galore for the neckline, tank styles, and sleeve options, with three top lengths (plus a dress length!)
I purchased the rayon spandex cheetah print from Mood Fabrics, and wore my tank with bike shorts from the Moxi Shorts pattern.
I purchased the green rayon spandex from Phee Fabrics, and wore it with my Windward Shorts (you can read all about them here.)
I upcycled the teal and purple polyester spandex fabric, and wore the FBA version of the tank with Moxi bike shorts.
The blue rayon spandex for the dress was purchased from Phee Fabrics. The Wash Away Wonder Tape and the 1″ knit elastic used for the back elastic casing were purchased from Wawak.
No matter what options you choose, I am definitely all about the Azure!
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 hope the time I spend writing posts actually interests people enough that they take a look at the patterns I review. I write to share my love of sewing, fabric, patterns, and notions, and hope that sharing helpful tips encourages others to love sewing as much as I do! 🙂
Love the easy breezy comfort of a skirt? Me too, especially when it has super cool optional front pockets, along with the option of back welt pockets. The thing that makes it even better are the optional undershorts, with or without side panel pockets. The GreenStyle Paseo Skirt pattern is perfection!
I love this pattern so much that I made three versions, all of them a bit different. (I would have made more before posting, but a home project left me with little sewing time). The blue shorter pencil skirt has the optional undershorts with side panel pockets. It’s made of a heavier weight nylon spandex swim, and I love it!
The side panel shorts pockets are a perfect size, wide and deep enough for a large iPhone. Did I mention that the undershorts have two length options? I made the shorter length. It’s super awesome to have attached shorts in case you break into spontaneous cartwheels 😉 or have children (or grandchildren) to chase after and play with.
My top slid up, the skirt slid up slightly, but the shorts stayed perfectly in place! Even the bird flying by (see the wing behind me?) was impressed. 😉
My teal long pencil skirt with no pockets or shorts was a super quick sew. It is scuba, upcycled from a no longer worn dress. Because the scuba didn’t have the greatest recovery, I used nylon spandex supplex from GreenStyle for the waistband.
The longer length pencil skirt is perfect for church or work. My only regret is not adding the front pockets. But being an upcycle, I was working with limited fabric. All future versions are going to have pockets! It really doesn’t take much longer to make the pockets.
This skirt is so comfortable and easy to wear all day, I wish I could say the same for the high heels! 🙂 Back in the day, heels were no big deal. Apparently I’ve reached the stage of life where Birkenstocks rule the day.
I just feel so fancy in this skirt! Obviously, I need more in my closet.
The third skirt I’m sharing is technically the first one I made. I’d made it as the longer length straight skirt with front pockets, using a stretch cotton twill panel from Mood Fabrics, taking the time to carefully match the border print at the side seams and at the front pockets. I’d chosen to make the straight skirt because I was sure that the pencil skirt would be too form fitting on me. Boy, was I wrong!
It was cute, but a bit longer and straighter than I wanted for a summer skirt. For reference, below is a photo from testing to see the longer length straight skirt. Keep in mind that it didn’t yet have a waistband on it.
Looking at the other pattern testers photos, I just loved the cut of the pencil skirt. So I unpicked the side seams and back waist darts and cut it down to the short pencil skirt. The updated version of the pattern (that’s why patterns get tested, to perfect every tiny detail!) has curved back darts, and it fits so smoothly with no bumps at the end of the dart. I’m very happy that I chose to cut it down to the shorter pencil option, as I think it’s a more flattering look on my body shape.
The skirt fits great, but since I’ve lost weight the Waimea Rashguard Top I made a few years ago is getting a bit big and baggy on me.
It’s important to use a knit fabric with good recovery for the waistband, since this is a pull-on skirt with no zipper. There are options for a mid or high rise waistband. The mid rise worked great for me. Since I like being able to carry my heavy phone in a pocket, I generally add 1/4″ clear elastic when serging the top seam of my waistbands together. Feed the elastic (grippy side down) through the slots on the presser foot. Your waistband pieces are right sides together. Once you’ve got everything aligned, lower the presser foot, ensuring that you can see that the elastic is back to where the needles will catch it.
Using a four thread overlock with a stitch length of 2, stitch width on M, and the differential at 1.3, serge around the top of the waistband. You don’t need to stretch or pull on the elastic. If you do, the elastic will end up a bit too tight, giving the dreaded “muffin top” look. Just gently let it feed through your fingers and let the machine do the work.
I love all three of the Paseo Skirts I made, and can’t tell you which is my favorite. Which one do you like the best?
The details:
The Paseo Skirt from GreenStyle Patterns comes in sizes B-M (hip sizes 32″-62″) with pencil or straight options, shorter or longer lengths, an optional flounce, an optional curved faced hem, optional front pockets and/or back welt pockets, a mid or high rise waistband, and optional undershorts in two lengths that can be plain or have side pocket panels. Whew, I think I listed all the options! I love patterns with a lot of versatility. They make me feel like I really get my money’s worth because I can make dozens of skirts and they can all look a little bit different.
My blue skirt is nylon spandex swim purchased as a destash from Ragamuffin Fabrics. I wore it with a blue modal Leeward Tank, you can read the post here.
The teal skirt is upcycled scuba, with a mid rise waistband made of supplex from GreenStyle Fabrics. It was worn with a black rayon spandex Staple Tank (read post here) tied in a knot.
The border print skirt is a stretch twill panel (with not-quite-enough stretch) from Mood Fabrics. Fortunately, I am on the very bottom edge of my size range and it works. You’ll want to pay attention to the fabric stretch requirements, especially for the waistband. You can read more about the Waimea Rashguard top worn with it here.
This is one of my favorite patterns, and will be made again and again. It’s perfect for traveling and wearing out and about. GreenStyle has knocked it out of the park again!
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! 🙂
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! ❤
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!
A fitted strappy top or crop (with an optional shelf bra!) is the perfect complement to a light breezy skirt. I love it when Stitch Upon A Time brings an on-trend look to life!
About a month ago, I was sitting at the beach with family and friends and noticed the skirt a woman walking by was wearing. I know people watching is a common “sport”, but garment sewists, we tend to clothing watch. 🙂 Whenever I see a cute dress, top, skirt, or outfit, I start thinking: do I have a pattern for that? Anyways, the maxi length skirt she was wearing was made of a white gauzy fabric, had overlapping sides, and an elasticated waistband. It looked so cute, but I had never seen a pattern like it. About a week later, the testing call for the Cinder Skirt popped up and I was so excited to sign up for it! The Sage Top was also being tested, and I couldn’t resist the opportunity for a cute new summer outfit.
It’s a perfect beach walking outfit!
The design of the Cinder Skirt is perfect, with beautiful, clean finishes. There are no exposed raw edges, all the seams are enclosed. With quality finishes like this, no matter how many times you wash and wear this woven skirt, it won’t fray. The secret to the hem on the curved sides is the facing. My best tip for the facing is to serge along the inner curve with a four thread overlock, then press that inner curve to the wrong side of the fabric. This will make it easier to press, and keep your fabric from fraying inside the hem, even when using fabric that tends to fray a lot, like linen.
The facing is pinned to the skirt panel right sides together. See how smoothly that inner curve lays? And how badly the linen fabric (along the outer cuve) frays before serging?
When serging the facing to the skirt panel, up the differential to 1.3 or even 1.5 when serging the outer curves. This will help the curved seam lay flat when the facing is flipped to the inside and pressed. Just don’t forget to put it back on N for the straight sections!
I love the beautiful details of the elasticated waistband and overlapped panels on the sides of the skirt!
The waistband calls for either two rows of 1″ elastic, or one row of 2″ elastic, stitched in the middle. The directions call for top-stitching the upper edge of the waistband, inserting the elastic, then top-stitching below the elastic, and inserting the second row of elastic. I followed the rules on my first test version, but decided to try using my coverstitch and a different method on my second skirt.
I thought it might be easier to leave an opening for elastic, stitch the waistband, then insert the two pieces of elastic. To prepare the waistband for this, I serged along both short ends to finish them. Then I sewed the short ends together 1/4″ past the halfway fold of the waistband. I stitched the bottom 1/2″ of the short ends together too. This left me an opening for the elastic on the inside of the waistband. I pressed the seam open and stitched along the opening to finish it.
Notice how the bottom of the waistband is serged and pre-pressed? This will make it easier to do the final top/cover-stitching on the waistband.
Since even a narrow coverstitch is wider than a single row of top stitching, I had to make small changes. Rather than top-stitching 1/2″ from the upper edge of the (folded in half) waistband, I coverstitched 1/4″ from the upper edge. Leaving 1″ of room for the 1″ wide elastic, I ran the next row of coverstitching. As per the pattern tutorial, the raw edge of the waistband was serged onto the gathered skirt. The pre-pressed bottom of the waistband was folded over the serged waist seam, carefully pinned in place, then coverstitched.
It’s important to stitch slowly, and pause to remove pins to avoid breaking a needle or damaging your machine.
I love the beautiful clean finish on the waistband, and the professional look of coverstitching. I will admit though, that it took a bit of work to get both pieces of 1″ elastic threaded evenly through the waistband with this lightweight fabric! It’s such a fun skirt though! And I love that there are three length options- mini (which is what I made), knee, and maxi length. I still need to find some white gauzy fabric to duplicate the maxi skirt that I saw at the beach!
Here’s what the inside of the waistband looks like before adding the skirt and elastic. I could have hand-stitched the openings closed after adding my elastic, but because I finished the edges, I don’t feel the need to get out a needle and thread! Also, my cat obviously likes to hang around and requires petting while I am sewing! 🙂
The Sage Top is such a great companion to the Cinder Skirt! Being a fitted tank, it skims the body and works well with the gathered skirt. I love that it has a built-in shelf bra so that I don’t have to wear an uncomfortable strapless bra.
The shelf bra is surprisingly supportive and comfortable.
The Sage Top with shelf bra is not designed to wear as workout top (unless of course your bust doesn’t really need support for exercise). But for casual wear, it provides adequate support to wear comfortably. Because I have a larger cup size, and have a “grandma” bust, I always use powernet in every bra/shelf bra/swimwear/workout top I make.
The main fabric I used is a lighter weight nylon/spandex circular knit. It is super soft and comfortable, but doesn’t have as much recovery as say an athletic or swim knit. So I used a nylon/spandex swim fabric, and a layer of powernet for the shelf bra. And, I snuck some clear elastic in on the strap section of my binding.
I love that it’s so easy to thread 1/4″ clear elastic through the presser foot of my machine, and it feeds evenly as it’s serged into the seam.
This photo makes it obvious that I didn’t follow the pattern tutorial and do a double folded binding. When doing binding on a knit garment, I just find it easier to use 1/4″ seam allowances, and use the faux binding method. Should I be advising people to not follow the tutorial and go rogue? Possibly not, but it’s what works best for me, and gives such beautiful results that I’m unlikely to change my faux binding habit! 🙂 To accommodate the method, I cut the binding strips at 1-1/4″ wide, instead of the called for 2″. (1/4″ seam allowance + 1/2″ wide binding + 1/2″ folded under).
To prep my binding strips, I serge along one long edge of the binding, using a four thread overlock with a stitch width of M, and a stitch length of 2, upping my differential to 1.3 to add stability to the straps. Then I serge the binding to the garment right sides together, and press the binding up. Then I fold the binding around to the back until the raw serged edge aligns to cover the seam. Use plenty of pins to keep the binding in place, and coverstitch.
I love finding random designs, sandcastles, and messages left by beach-goers. I don’t know who drew this cool design in the sand, but I admire the precision and time it must have taken! It added an interesting background for my photos. So, thank you to whoever made it!
The design of the Sage Top and Crop is so elegantly simple- a seam up the center back, and binding. Easy breezy! Center back seams are great for shaping. In for the waist, and curving out to fit smoothly over the bum.
Yoga has given me some rather serious lat muscles 😉 even if this isn’t the most flattering photo. We were losing the light and it was a cloudy evening, so Dan (my sweet accommodating husband) just took a quick snap.
I’ll wear my Sage Tops with shorts to go skating. It’ll be nice to not have to wear a bra on hot, muggy Florida days. Since we’re busy working on a home updating project, I haven’t had time to skate in weeks. It’s killing me to miss out on my normal Wednesday morning skate around the neighborhood, but such is the life of avid DIYers! It’s also taken away pretty much all of my sewing time, which is why I don’t have any more of these outfits made yet.
The wind didn’t blow the overlapped sides on the skirt open. So there is enough modesty for general wear. Along with knee and maxi lengths if mini length isn’t your style.
So, I’ll have to content myself with this cute outfit until I get some more sewing time! I’d also like to hack the Sage Top, by cutting the crop length, and adding either the Max Top and Dress skirt, or the Wylde Dress skirt. Ah, so many possibilities!
The 1″ wide knit elastic for the shelf bra in the top and the waistband of the skirt was purchased at Wawak, along with the MaxiLock serger thread used for construction.
The navy lyocell twill fabric for the skirt was a surprise clearance section find at JoAnn Fabrics. I would definitely buy it again, as it was the perfect weight and drape for this skirt.
Thank you for reading and sharing my love of creating, sewing, patterns, patterns, fabric, and making beautiful, well-fitting garments! ❤
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Sew Beach Life 