Pink stripes!

From the remnants bin I discovered some fun pink-striped knit and it had just enough for a short sleeved Renfrew top.

I decided to give the v-neck a try; still working on getting the stretch just right...the neck band is a little bit floppy. I really wanted all the bands (neck, waist and arms) to have opposing stripes, so I cut them against the stretch of the fabric...and the waist band is the only one that is a tad bit tight. I even stitched in a ribbon on the inside back neck seem to help distinguish the back from the front (though with a v-neck it isn't as hard to do). Same sizing as my earlier Renfrew top.

I really love this pattern. It is so quick to make up. Hoorah.

Now...maybe you can find Waldo in all that fabric mess on the floor!

A shirt to make my sister jealous...

My first successful knit top! Tres excitant! My first one was made from a self-drafted pattern I copied from a favourite shirt: and the pattern worked out great. The problem was I didn't know yet that the stretchy part of the material needed to stretch horizontally to help when putting on the shirt, but even more importantly (as I have learned) so it doesn't sag off your shoulders.

This was a shirt I made in one day too! The Renfrew top from Sewaholic. Everything, from pattern tracing, to cutting, sewing, unpicking, and sewing again. Amazing. I even used my twin needle for the first time (that took a lot of practicing to get the stitches and tension to work out correctly).

I still find knit material challenging. I had to weigh down the fabric with anything heavy I could grab my hands on and I'm still perfecting the neck band and stretching it.

I made a few changes to the pattern, the first was shortening the 3/4 length sleeves by 1 3/4 inches and the second was not basting the neck, arm and waist bands before attaching them. I couldn't figure out how to baste them and still keep them stretchy enough to fit the main torso of the top. Oh, and I used a size 4 arms, size 6 at the top of the front, and size 2 everywhere else. I feel pretty happy with the fit.

Why does it make my sister jealous? Because it's her favourite colour! Leprechaun green (I've been told).