Wednesday 10 April 2013

16

The Casual Lady

Casually Suspicious

I don't suppose anyone could have missed the Casual Lady Tops and Dresses popping up all over the blogosphere?  Andrea from The Train To Crazy / Go To Patterns just released this fantastic knit pattern and everyone is collectively excited and sewing like mad.  And the best bit is that the proceeds from this pattern raise awareness of global sex trafficking victims:
This pattern was designed especially to raise funds and awareness for global sex trafficking victims. Proceeds from this pattern will fund a Sewing Collective in India for single mothers escaping the sex trade industry as well as a safe house for children in Cambodia at risk of being trafficked. We hope you enjoy and share so we are able to fully fund our projects. We are hoping to raise $15000.
A great pattern and a social conscience? Where do I sign up.  I originally tested this pattern for Andrea while I was in the States.  Without a fabric shop closer than a 90 minute drive away, my dad and I set off to Walmart in search of clothes large enough to salvage for fabric.  Cue a multitude of side-eyes as we wandered around comparing the relative fabric yields of XXXXL men's shirts with XXXL ladies' nightgowns.  Unsurprisingly, the shirt we chose was so far off grain that my testing feedback was little more than 'Nice instructions'.  I'm sure Andrea will be using me as a tester again soon.  And now I'm home again with a room full of knits and an internet full of other peoples' awesome, the pressure was on...  Could I be as casual as these Casual Ladies?!  And I thought: I could be twice as casual.

Casual Side
 Disclaimer: Not pregnant / just blowing a gale.

Because the Walmart-muslin was so disastrous, I wanted to use ye olde stash fabrics to confirm that the alterations I'd made to the pattern* worked.  I didn't have enough of either of these retro-style flower prints (circa Ebay-2007!) to make a single top, but I could use one for the front and one for the back...

Casual back

And then I thought I might as well use the front pattern for both so it could be worn either way! Nobody Everybody is always telling me what a lovely upper back I have so the scoop in the back is no big deal. And then you just need to...
Casual Lady Collage
And you have the perfect tank to wear in your garden when it's two degress above the point at which water freezes. 

casually wistful

Or to wear when you're casually wistful about blogger problems.  Seriously, guys, where do the hands go?  Mine are derping every which way.  After you answer that, go buy the pattern!

*I franken-patterned several different sizes to accommodate my unusual torso, using the upper bust length of the XS for my freakishly short upper chest, the width of the L under the armpits for my large bust (cheater knit FBA), the waist width of the M and the hip width of the S. I could probably shave some of the width off at waist and hips for a closer fit if I wanted to.  I also shortened it to the overall length of the XS as my torso is very short but I'll make it a bit longer next time.

16 comments:

  1. yes! someone please help with this hands business!! and no one is always telling me that about my back too, so maybe i should try it ;) oh, and the shirt is quite lovely.

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  2. i'm the same with my hands. i must look at bloggers who have lovely pics (thinking house of pinheiro/ lladybird/ miss crayola creepy/ oona) and copy them. of course helps if you look like them i imagine! cute tee - i hadn't seen the pattern so thanks! i like the doublesidedness.

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  3. Great top, is it made from two layers of jersey? I will pop over and look at the pattern.

    http://joeveryday19.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/bit-of-sewing.html

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    1. Nope, just a single layer of jersey front and back!

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  4. I love the two-fabric-combo! Love it!

    Has anyone ever told how dreamy your upper back is...? It really is. As is the rest of you. :)

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    1. Thanks, Sarah! I really do put a lot of work into keeping my upper back in tip-top shape, it's nice that someone has noticed.

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  5. Your franken-patterning skills did the trick...the top looks great on you!

    C

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  6. Oooh, lovely! I try the 'hands in back pockets cause I'm so damn casual' pose and that sometimes works, although it can look like you have no hands at all as well.

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    1. Yeah, I have lots of those amputee pics :) Maybe one hand in back pocket, one dangling for proof of existence?

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  7. It looks amazing. GIRL, you sure did fraken-pattern that! Wowza.

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  8. Super cute top plus wicked awesome flipping idea. Man you have all this reversible business down. Although I'm sure that made the photo shoot super fun to have to break when turning your shirt around.
    p.s. the hands look fine. I guess putting them on your hips is too wonder womanish?
    have you seen whippycake on IG? that woman can pose the hell out of any picture. something about one hand on your hip plus a leg bent some... how... I'm sure I would just look like I needed to go to the bathroom but your skinny so maybe you could do it and not look constipated.

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    1. I'm off to stalk whippycake, thanks for that!

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