It's the simple things in life DD2#4 #3

It's the simple things in life that make me happy - like daisies from the garden picked by a preschooler, a perfectly extracted cup of coffee, dachshund snuggles without shedded fur

... and chevrons on my shoulders.

The fabric is Jaywalk from Tessuti, the pattern is possibly my first TNT,  the asymmetrical (scooped) neck top #4 from Drape Drape 2 by Hikato Sato.


I've made this top twice before, in a slinky red & grey stripe from ClearIT (AlannahHill/Dangerfield) and in a blue & white striped terry knit from Girl Charlee. My red version is everything I could hope for, slinky, flattering & worn most fortnights. My blue was a heavier knit with only width wise stretch - and of course I put the stretch lengthwise... so it's tight around the hips ... but I've worn it enough that it's beginning to pill ;(
The Jaywalk fabric is also 4 way stretch (around 90% in both directions), so I was confident that it would work well with DD2#4. It's also a heavy knit, which ruled out maxi dresses for me. What I wasn't prepared for was how cool the viscose blend feels - it's divine!
For this version, I went for a diagonal stripe across the front, matched the horizontal stripes at the side seam, and formed the chevrons that make me happy on the right shoulder ;)

I have previously raised the neckline 10cm from the scoop on the pattern, and planned a slinky teal jersey version leaving the neckline as drafted ala SewBusyLizzy. For this version, raised the neckline even higher as I really felt like a boatneck - it might be a winter thing ;)

I almost embraced the two part sleeve that I've been seeing everywhere - in my Japanese pattern magazines, on the Tessuti Mandy Boat Tee & throughout my Pintrest feed. It's autumn with winter to come, so long sleeves will be helpful - and I could already see myself pushing them to my elbows in spring & on summer evenings - but in this colour way, it was just too much pale neutral.

This is a simple top that fits my everyday wardrobe well, is a delight to sew and wear and can be mildly altered each time - what more could I ask? ;)

To accompany my third DD2#4 today, I have a perfectly drafted knit pencil skirt, also in the sand colour way of Tessuiti's Jaywalk. Over at Simple Simon & Co, the delightful Elizabeths ran a pencil skirt sew along and I used their steps as a starting point to draft my personalised skirt pattern.






My variations include measuring the front and back halves of my body separately. I know it 'shouldn't' be necessary, but I am still trying to get my head around dart intakes and this is seriously the most useful tip I ever received. It gives me a helpful starting point for adjusting for my sway back & forward shoulders, it has literally changed how I look at patterns and fitting - the logic behind it is that I (& perhaps you) am a different shape to the standard pattern - I may have a 29" waist, but I'm rather 'C' shaped & carry more in front than in my sway back. There's actually a 4" difference between my 2 measurements. So, if I use a 'H' shaped pattern, it will pull across my tummy and sag at my lower back, dragging my side seams forward and generally looking ill fitting.

That it isn't necessary is something addressed over on Frabjous Couture - an awesome series of tutorials on drafting skirts that I am in awe of & intend to re-read & do the accompanying exercises so I can clarify how it all really works.

With sewing the knit skirt, the Simple Simon tutorial is the same as the ones I've followed before for my spring maxi skirts, with the >=< waistband shape. This time as I looked at the shape of the waistband pieces, I realised that flipping the back yoke wasn't going to work as all the lovely shaping I'd added in for my sway back would be removed. So, I cut two of the back waistband/yokes, sewed them right sides together & then flipped them & continued on. I have a bonus CB seam on my waistband, but as it doesn't gape, I'm more than fine with that.

The only pic of my chevrons!

I don't Didn't! intend to wear the two items together, but they don't look too bad in the photos after all!