wardrobe staples (or not)

I made two t-shirts for the summer. One I love, the other not so much.

The first t-shirt is a tried and trusted pattern of mine, the Concord t-shirt by Cashmerette. This pattern company is great for women with big chests and tummies. Bums also but that's not so relevant for this t-shirt. I have made this many times and recently reprinted a smaller size of the pattern. I always make the scoop neck because I love this neckline. There is a v-neck and a crew neck option, too. The fabric is a rib knit, which is a bit unusual for a t-shirt but I really like it. I was a bit worried about the neckband because the fabric has quite a lot of stretch. It was no problem at all, the neckband sits flat and is neat. I should maybe make a size smaller if I use this type of fabric, the result is not as snug as I like it for a t-shirt. This particular version is a bit too long, which struck me as strange because previous version weren't. I checked the pattern and noticed that I had cut the length of the largest size, at least 5 cm longer than my size. How strange. Rounder people are not necessarily taller, just rounder. It reminds me of the duffle coat I made a few years ago. Whoever graded the pattern for larger sizes did so on autopilot because the hood for those sizes was gigantic. Round people's heads are actually quite normal sized... But I digress. Reds are so difficult to capture on camera! This particular shade is a proper raspberry red, not ketchup red as it appears on the photo.

The other t-shirt is from a new to me pattern designer, Itch to Stitch. It is the Isidro top, which looks really lovely with the gathered neckline and the butterfly sleeves. The pdf pattern pieces fit together really neatly, which is always a bonus. The construction is easy enough although it has a weird armband thingamajig that somehow covers the seam attaching the sleeves to the bodice. I didn't do that because I couldn't be bothered Of course I should have listened to the designer, the armhole is gaping so much that the seams are clearly exposed. That and a not inconsiderable amount of pale squishy flesh. It is a shame really because I do love the shape but the gaping armholes make me want to squeeze my arms to my body. The hems are quite narrow. This works fine for the sleeves but it rolls up and over on my hips. I don't think I am going to make a second one. The fabric btw is a viscose jersey, which is really soft, light and drapey and very comfortable to wear. I know I could adapt the pattern but I don't think I can be bothered. I have a few nice t-shirt patterns and it seems a poor investment of time to make one fit perfectly that I don't like all that much. I live and learn.

Making quilts is so much easier, not fit issues or anything....

And that's what I'll be doing this weekend, sandwich the postage stamp quilt. I made a back from two pieces of grey and a strip made of small pieces of scraps. James and Alistair are on Scout outings all Saturday, which means I have LOTS of time.

I'll maybe also do something with my hair, what a mess it is. What I mean is that I'll practice with the hair dryer and brush. My new undercut is a bit more adventurous than usual and it makes it difficult to look professional on the few occasions that I have to pretend I am a proper grown-up.

What have you been making lately? As always, thank you for visiting. It is lovely to read your comments xx