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Sunday, January 6, 2013

First Review of 2013

Happy New Year everybody! It's been a few weeks since I last posted but with the holidays and all I'm sure you all understand. Although not posting, I have been very busy sewing. As a matter of fact on New Year's Day I had a sort of sewing marathon! I sewed four pairs of leggings and one tunic. How's that for starting the new year off right??

There's no reason for me to review the leggings pattern, McCalls 6173, because everybody on the planet have made them. They are one of the few things that I sew almost entirely on the serger. I can make a pair from start to finish in 16 minutes. I've made seven pairs so far and think I'll give the pattern a rest until later in the year. I made two pairs of the leggings out of "Ponte Roma." Take my advice...add a couple of inches above the waist for "just in case." Luckily I'll be wearing mine with a tunic. If not there would be a considerable amount of "plumber's butt" showing. I don't want anybody to go blind!

The tunic I made is McCalls 6121.



Pattern Description:
Misses tunics
Pattern Sizing:
4-22
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Other than my using a print, yes.
Were the instructions easy to follow?
Didn't use them
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I thought I liked the sharktail hem. In the end I think there is just too much fabric in the hip area for someone as "hippy" as I am. I don't hate it but I'm just kind of "meh" about it.
Fabric Used:
Rayon jersey
Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
I made a 1" FBA adding a horizontal dart at the bust. Once it was cut, the rayon jersey "grew" faster than a teenage boy. Although I used Steam-A-Seam around the neck...it was a HOT MESS. I wound up cutting the original neckline off. I cut a 2 1/4" piece of fabric on the crosswise grain. I measured the pattern piece and cut the length 2" shorter. I re basted the neck using the "finger behind the needle" method to ease the neckline as much as I could. Having marked the shoulder seams on the neckband, while sewing, I slightly stretched the neckband to fit the tunic neck opening. To finish it off I used a double needle to stitch on each side of the neckband seam.


Beware that the underside of the hem shows in places so you'll want to finish it nicely.


Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
I'm sure I won't sew it again. If I were younger I could probably get away with wearing it as a mini dress. Not how long I want the top to be. On the other hand it's a little too "artsy-fartsy" for me. If you're the type that likes wearable art or are drawn to the Marcy Tilton patterns, you'll probably love this.

8 comments:

  1. Great advice for sewing this top. I've avoided McCall's 6121 because of the amount of fabric in the hip area, but mainly because of the amount of fabric the pattern took in the first place. I do; however like the look of your top. Love the print and the color of it. It can be worn with lots of different colors. Hope you had a great weekend!

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  2. Pretty top, thanks for the FYI regarding the pattern.

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  3. Very pretty top! I have this pattern too and have not made it in a while. I really like your version

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  4. What a great review! I LOL at the teenage boy comment. Ummm, I'm probably the only person on the planet who hasn't made the leggings and probably won't but I'm so glad the pattern is working for you. Happy New Year to you too!

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  5. Cute top and the print is perfect.

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  6. Happy New Year! Good advice about the leggings and funny too(plummers butt). The tunic looks great.The fabric is fantastic.

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