Posted on 5 Comments

Sewing in the comfort zone

I did some sewing yesterday, and I have a lot to say about it, so I am going to split it up into two posts. First up, the success story.

My Fall, Winter, Spring Uniform

So, I have a cold-weather uniform. Fall through Spring, you can find me in either a t-shirt or sewn blouse with either a fine-gauge cotton sweater or handknit sweater over it. Whichever shirt/sweater combination I choose, it’s nearly always worn with boot-cut jeans and shiny black Danskos, which I totally forgot to put on until the photo shoot was nearly over, darnit.

(clothing credits for above: pale aqua sweater is a year old and from Target, white tee is from Lands End, jeans are second-hand Gap, details about the green sweater are here, and the floral shirt details are here.)

The sewn shirts I wear in the winter are nearly always from the same pattern. I have been sewing shirts from Simplicity 3835 since I first learned to sew, almost eight years ago now.

It’s my go-to pattern because I’ve got the steps committed to memory, I can practically put it together in my sleep, there are few pattern pieces to cut out, I can make one in under an hour, and I just really like this neckline on me.

When I first started making them, I always used quilting cottons or vintage sheets, but I discovered recently that I love them best in cotton lawn or voile. They’re very light, and not at all stiff in these materials.

So the first shirt I made yesterday was in this floral cotton lawn.

New floral cotton lawn shirt

I played it safe, using my favorite type of fabric, and not veering from the pattern one iota: a strategy which paid off for me, because I am very happy with the results.

It looks nice on its own, and it pairs well with both kinds of sweaters. I like that it’s got so much of the gray and black to it, because while those colors may be staples of my tee shirt collection, they are under-represented among my nicer patterned blouses.

I love boot-cut jeans. I wear them with everything.

But a recent sale at Old Navy convinced me to step into 2015 and try the whole skinny-jeans-and-tall-boots thing.

New floral cotton lawn shirt

I have to say, in the week that I’ve had these I have been enjoying them very much. And my new shirt looks pretty snazzy this way, too.

New floral cotton lawn shirt

I bought a big gray Scarfshop scarf online, and I think it’s going to be perfect with this outfit. It’s actually supposed to be here today, but my mail delivery is late in the afternoon, and I didn’t want to wait to post this! So my less-big but super-soft pale aqua scarf will have to do as a stand-in for now.

2015 15/365

I love it when sewing goes right! It makes me want to run right out and buy more cotton lawn, because as far as I am concerned, there is no such thing as too many of these shirts!

I’m not so enthusiastic when sewing goes wrong, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to show-and-tell that, too. Keep an eye on this space, and I’ll share my adventure in red gingham flannel later today or tomorrow.

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Posted on 5 Comments

5 thoughts on “Sewing in the comfort zone

  1. Really love the print top! And the jeans and boots look great! Here’s a a new year and a new uniform!

    1. Thanks! It’s always nice to feel current 🙂

  2. […] I shared part one of this story, in which I sewed a shirt that made me very happy. Here now is part two, in which I sewed a shirt […]

  3. That looks great!! Love the skinny jeans and boot look- it’s one that I wear often as well!!

    1. Thanks, Bekah!

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