Upcycled Tank Top

My neighbor brought me a big bag of womens clothes last week that were all in great shape. To make this tank top I traced off one of my girl's store-bought tank tops and cut the pieces out of one of the shirts. It was quick to sew up and after a few modifications, I think I can come up with a good pattern to work with. I have several other shirts out of the stack that will make great tank tops for my daughter. The picture below is a good example of what I usually get when I ask her to stand still for a picture!

Another Knit Shirt

I have given up taking decent pictures of myself in the clothes I've made. So here I am, settling for some really cruddy pictures in the interest of actually getting things posted. I made another shirt using this free pattern.  This time bit the bullet and bound the neck like a big girl. I must say, I was impressed that it turned out. I have never done it before and it looks harder than it actually is. I watched Threads video tutorial and that was a real help. Yes, you really do have to stretch it a lot.

Kimono T-Shirt Pattern

This is the only photo I have of this shirt I made a few months ago. I love, love, love this pattern! I am planning on making several more. The pattern is free, and found here. It has a boat neck and is only 2 pattern  pieces. Very simple, and I love the way it fits. It could also be embellished to switch things up a little.

Undies?!

Here's something I never, ever thought I would make. My sewing rule is that it must be fun. I hate when someone comes up and says something along the lines of 'so, I have these pants that are too long for me....and I was wondering if you would hem them for me.' Makes me break out into hives. If you had previously asked me to sew underwear, I would have given you a resounding 'heck no!!!' However, my youngest and I are currently in the throes of potty training and undies (and lots of them) are now a concern. My husband asked why I didn't make them and if hadn't been for a recently spotted picture on Pinterest a week earlier, as well my recent discovery that knits are indeed NOT the devil, I would have probably laughed him out the door. After a quick internet search, I found that there are lots of cute patterns to be found. I am pretty sure I am trying this more for the cute factor than anything else. This pair is the 'prototype' pair, made with a knit scrap and the binding from a shirt of mine. No, it is NOT leopard print! The pattern is from That Darn Kat on etsy. They are quick to make and use very little fabric, so I can see myself making these again. The other bonus is that there is no scratchy elastic!

Knit!! Butterick 5495

What's up with the arms?! Its the only decent shot that my, uh, photographer got. 

While I have tackled zippers and buttonholes, piping and french seams...even a wedding dress, I have yet to try sewing with knits. What was I waiting for?! I will confess that up until now, knits scared me. I have seen adorable patterns that call for knit and have passed them by. On my last trip to Joanns I saw this fabric and decided to throw caution to the wind and give it a try! Turns out, it's not so scary after all. This top uses just one yard of fabric, and goes together very easily despite its tricky-looking detailing. I used a very narrow zigzag stitch to sew the seams, and it really worked great. I see more knits in my future!