SEWN: MOTHER'S DAY MANDY

Sometime recently I simply ceased to buy any RTW outerwear. Let's make this clear, it wasn't purposeful, it was insidious. It kinda crept up on me. I used to love nothing more than trawling the nearest giant shopping mall. Now I can imagine nothing worse. I never seem to find quite the right thing and between fights for parking and dragging a 4 year old around, it's not my idea of fun - at all.

That's not to say I won't buy RTW again, it's just been a while. I will seriously have to master pants/jeans soon if it's going to last as I live in jeans all winter.

If I was to avoid hitting the nearest shopping centre, I decided it was time to start making some cake. Well, as near to cake as I make. My perception of cake is mix-and-match, plain dyed neutrals, kinda boring but necessary. I don't do cake, not even RTW cake. I like frosting. Not necessarily sequins and feather boa frosting, but bright prints and statement fabrics. Jeans are definitely my default cake base for my frosting in winter.

Remember I was undertaking Colette Pattern's Wardrobe Architect project?? I lasted about 4 weeks into the project, not really doing the homework but reading the pieces and realised I am doing totally fine. EVERYTHING I make I wear. I enjoy all of it and mix and match be damned. And accessories? My printed fabrics are my accessories. It took me a while to recognise that. I don't "do" accessories in the traditional sense (necklaces, bangles, bracelets, earrings, scarves etc). I feel too fussy when I try to incorporate accessories. Weirdly I threw on a necklace and my ubiquitous hair flower today. Weird.

This is the Mandy Boat Tee from Tessuti Fabrics, made up in a gorgeously drapey 60% cotton/40% modal jersey knit.

I love me a free pattern! I already made up the free Fave Top pattern quite sometime ago and am quite the fan. I have worn it to death and you can kinda tell. The fabric was a viscose elastane blend and even after taping the shoulder seams it really did stretch out quite a bit over time, making it look a little tired. It also has a slash/boat neck and it has stretched so much it's turned into a not-so-desirable off-the-shoulder number.

Knowing the potential, for neckline stretch I actually removed 1.5 inches from the centre front and centre back of the pattern, bringing the neckline in a whole 3 inches total and it sits perfectly without showing off the bra strap.

I reinforced the shoulder seams by sewing cotton tape into the seam allowance. I also hemmed it about 1.5 inches shorter and might lengthen it a tad next time.

I had to cut this out flat. The print on this fabric was sooooooooo off grain as to be a bit cray cray. I just couldn't fold and cut the fabric and have any hope of the stripes coming out right. I simply traced off the cut-on-the-fold pattern and taped the front and back halves together and cut them on the un-folded fabric.

I did something even more naughty as well and cut according to the stripes of the print instead of in line with the "grainline" (I'm not even convinced it had one). I really thought it was all going to go to hell, but it seems to hang and drape just fine. We'll see after a few washes.

So it's an okay top. It didn't turn out quite how I expected. The Fave Top is just a bit edgier and more interesting. I get that the Fave Top is voluminous and sometimes gets in the way as a result but this one is simply a bit "blah". Hence to me it is very cakey.

It'll get worn though as we all need our own versions of cake in our wardrobes. And I can always make things more interesting by wearing it with my locally designed and made locket.

Happy Mother's Day to all you awesome Mums! Hope you are having as lovely a day as I am!